Kasha time

Growing up in a Jewish American household, Kasha was something we ate on Jewish holidays as a hearty side dish to brisket. What is Kasha, you ask? Kasha is whole grain buckwheat groats, toasted, then cooked like rice until it becomes a delicious and fluffy side-dish. It's technically not a grain-it's a fruit in the rhubarb family-seriously! So it's wonderful for people trying to avoid wheat. And it's a great source of amino acids (protein's building blocks,) second only to Quinoa in the pseudo-grain family. It's found in every Russian pantry and most Ashkenazi Jewish homes as well. Here's the thing though-it has a very 'idiosyncratic' flavor. Sort of a bitter, earthy taste that some uninitiated palates don't like. I love it, but that may be because I've eaten for as long as I can remember! Prof. Hubs would eat it for every meal and he claims that most people who try it don't have any idea how to eat it, what kind to buy, and how to prepare it which is why they think they don't like it. I think his hypothesis is true because it seems the only kinds we've been able to find at health food stores (the most accessible option) is the quick cooking kind, and if you try

that kind you will NOT like it. It's really worth trekking to a Russian food store (or to any number of Russian food stores online, our fave:

http://www.moscowonhudson.com ) to buy a bag and go through the whole process. One cooks it as one would cook rice: rinse the grains (like with rice) and cook it 1 part kasha to 2 parts water (also like rice,) starting out at a boil, then lowering heat to a simmer and covering for about 15 minutes. Kasha needs a savory, creamy addition: butter, sourcream, egg yolks, etc.. It's AMAZING with eggs sunny-side up, their yolks mixed into the brown grains. It sings with the gravy from a roast beef or chicken. And it is most delicious when mixed with any of the above AND with sour cream.

It was with Kasha in mind that I created this Chicken Paprikash recipe. I thought it would be a great showcase for this ultra-healthy and hearty side dish...and it really was...

Desperate Housediva's Chicken Paprikash

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 Tbsp butter + spl

ash of Olive oil

S&P

1 onion, diced

1 green pepper, cut into thin stips or bite sized pieces

3 cloves of garlic

2 Tbsp (Hungarian) paprika

1 cup chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 cup sour cream

3 Tbsp flour

In a large dutch oven melt butter and olive oil over Med-High heat.

When melted, add onions, peppers and garlic. Stir and cook until onion is translucent. Push veggies to the outside of pan and add chicken pieces.

Salt and pepper the chicken pieces, stir and cook.

At this point you can reincorporate the veggies. When chicken is cooked through, add paprika. Stir to coat. Add bay leaf. Add chicken broth.

Lower heat to Med-low, cover and cook for 45-50 minutes. At this point, remove lid, stir in flour and sour cream until thickened.

Serve over noodles, rice, potato or buckwheat Kasha like we do :)

Enjoy!!!

Central Asian Feast

Inspired by some flavors I have encountered recently, not to mention my study of the Russian Language, I decided to provide Prof. Hubs with a Georgian feast last night. Now, this feast was in no way an AUTHENTIC Georgian feast as I have neither visited the Democratic Republic of Georgia nor have I ever tasted anything cooked by an authentic Georgian. So, this feast was really more of a 'Central Asian Inspired' feast... Especially since a few of the recipes were inspired by Nigella Lawson-about as Un-Central Asian as one can get.

The meal included Khachapuri (Georgian cheese bread,) Roasted Chicken stuffed with a tart-cherry rice stuffing, Beet salad, and garlicky cooked Beet Greens. It was seriously yummy.

Below you'll find the recipes for the Chicken with stuffing. It's really, REALLY good and this rice will be making a repeat appearance in our kitchen soon. There is a delicious 'foreign-ness' to the taste of the rice and yet it's quite simple to make. Although it would be wonderful with any meal it really is a great compliment to a beet salad (chopped beets, walnuts, balsamic vinegar, bit of mayo, s&p,) and cooked greens...

GEORGIAN STUFFED CHICKEN

inspired by a recipe by Nigella Lawson

1 whole chickens
2 Tbsp soft butter
S&P

FOR THE STUFFING
3 Tbsp butter
1 onions
2 cloves garlic
1 cup brown basmati rice
1/2 cup dried sour cherries, roughly chopped
2 cups water
4 tablespoons chopped parsley

For the stuffing, melt butter in a large saucepan (one that has a lid). Finely chop the onion and garlic, and add to the pan with the butter, frying over a medium heat until the onion softens and begins to color.

Add the rice and chopped cherries, and give everything a good stir so that the rice becomes slicked with the butter. Add the water and a sprinkling of salt and bring to the boil, then clamp on the lid and cook at the lowest heat possible for 30 minutes. While the rice is cooking, preheat your oven to gas mark 425. When the rice is ready, by which I mean, all the water will be absorbed and the rice be more or less cooked, fork through the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the cherry-studded rice into the cavities of the chickens and around the bird.

Rub the chicken with the butter, drizzle with S&P and roast in the oven for 50 minutes-1.5 hours, depending on your oven. The skin should be golden and crispy and the meat cooked through; test by piercing the bird between thigh and body and if juices run clear, the chicken’s ready. Remove from oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before carving and serving.

surprising use for an impulse foodie purchase

Last Spring when Prof. Hubs was living in Boston we would spend part of our weekends together on various kitchen experiments. I really enjoyed tasting the ethnic eats available in Boston and on one particular visit Prof. Hubs, his roommate, and I all visited a Korean market in Cambridge in search of some foodie finds. In addition to several giant jars of Kimchee I picked up a beautiful bag of Korean sweet brown rice. At the time I thought I was buying short grain brown rice (my fave) because I did not read (nor do I now read) Korean. Much to my dismay when I prepared the rice (washed it 3 times, cooked it 1:2 parts water) I ended up with a sticky, glutinous 'porridge.' That's when I set to googling and learned the Brown sweet rice is actually brown STICKY rice, used for desserts, etc. This bag of rice has sat in my pantry for a few months untouched. Then a couple of days ago I was struck with a possible use for the rice which produced a PHENOMENAL culinary success.

Now, think for a moment. What is one of the yummiest fall side dishes of all? Butternut squash risotto, of course! And what's the problem with typical risotto? It's made with WHITE rice (Arborio, etc.) How can one enjoy a perfect fall risotto but not sacrifice whole grain goodness??? BROWN SWEET RICE to the rescue!!!

One caveat to this substitution-brown rice takes about twice the amount of time to cook as does it's white cousin. However, this rice is so naturally glutinous you can easily let it cook, covered, and unattended for bits at a time between the stirring. So I think this makes up for the extra 25 minutes...

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO WITH BROWN RICE

cooked insides of 1 butternut squash (halved and roasted for an hour so that the 'meat' is soft, then scooped out of the skin)

1 cup brown sweet rice

up to a container of low-sodium chicken broth

up to 1/2 bottle of dry white wine

1 shallot, minced

olive oil

s&p

lots of parmegiano reggiano, for serving.

First, rinse your sweet rice in water 3 times. This helps reduce the stickiness. You may also soak it for several hours or overnight. Dry rice grains (just make sure there's no extra water hanging out with those grains when you're ready to start cooking.)

In a large saucepan, heat oil over med-high heat. Sauté shallots in the oil until soft and translucent. Then add rice. Stir rice around in shallot/oil mixture for about 3 minutes. Then add 3/4 cup broth and 3/4 cup wine. At this point you can hang out with the rice and stir, or you can cover the pot and go watch a few minutes of tv. When the rice has absorbed most of the broth and wine, add another 1/2 cup of each and give it some nice stirs. At this point you may cover again for a few minutes until the broth and wine are absorbed. Basically, just repeat this procedure until the rice reaches the correct al dente texture. For me this took about 45 minutes. When that texture is reached (or about to be reached) add your squash, stir around. Add s&p. Remove from heat. Add parm. to taste and ENJOY!!!

Next time I'll share with you my sweet potato whole wheat gnocchi :)

First Days

Monday was the first day of school here at the College in Midwestia.  It was the first 'first day' I have experienced in quite a while as my own schooling came to a halt after my graduation from The University of Michigan.  You see, I am taking a class at the college.  A Philosophy class.  In my years at UofM I never had the opportunity to take anything other than classes which fulfilled my music degree requirements and the odd foreign language class here or there.  So, now, almost ten years later, here I am, sitting with all of the hormonal 18-year olds in a class on Plato and Aristotle.  I could  feel the excitement of the students from the moment I stepped onto the well-manicured green of the college grounds-I had forgotten how important it all seemed at the time.  I remember my own years of "first days" and the planning and anticipation that accompanied them.  "What would I wear?  Would I have someone to sit next to at lunch?  Would I go into the wrong class?"  When I look at the students around me today I feel for them-I remember how high the stakes seemed at the time.

In Monday's class I was struck by the awkwardness of the sexual politics in the room-how the boys tried to impress the girls and how mis-directed it seemed to me now.  If a grown man said to me today "I have always wondered what human flesh tastes like" as a pick up line I would most certainly walk away.   And yet, here, in college, one of the boys definitely tried that gem on the unsuspecting girls of the class.  Let's hope he learns more than ancient philosophy during his time at College or the poor guy will never have any luck with the ladies...

Now, the recipe I am sharing today will not answer his inkling (re:flesh of humans) thank goodness, but it is a wonderful quick and healthy meal that I make when I am pressed for time and want to find a good way to eat the kale I'm always buying in order to up my greens intake.  I think that I owe this recipe (in variation) to my friend Becca Jo, a wonderful singer/actress and fellow gastronome, who made this for me some years ago...It can be made vegetarian (without the sausage) or vegan (without the cheese and sausage) but I like it with both sausage and cheese...

This recipe is done in the time it takes to cook the pasta!

PASTA WITH KALE (AND SAUSAGE)

dry, short pasta (penne, fusilli, etc.)

Bunch kale, de-stalked, washed and broken into bite-sized pieces

3-5 cloves of garlic, chopped

olive oil

chicken sausage, broken up into bits 

red pepper flakes

white wine (optional)

lots of grated parmeggiano reggiano...

As you are cooking the pasta, heat garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil over med high.  As garlic begins to brown, add chicken sausage.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Then add Kale.  Some extra olive oil may be added now or a splash of white wine.  Cook until kale is bright and wilted.  Toss with pasta, add heaps of grated parmeggiano-Enjoy!

Desperate Measures

One of the most difficult parts of this move to this part of Midwestia has been the lack of viable ethnic food options.  Incidentally, our first restaurant meal in this town was at a so-called Greek restaurant.  As we approached the establishment I felt sure that this old-school looking place wasn't going to let us down-we would find a few small town ethnic restaurant gems and this would be the first of them!  

Now, when I think of Greek food I think of simple, fresh ingredients with bold mediterranean flavors:  Tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh oregano, dill, grilled seafood, wonderful cheeses and fresh, creamy yogurt...  As we sat down in this "Greek" restaurant I saw of a few of my Greek food standbys- Moussaka, Greek Salad, Spanakopita, etc...  Prof. Hubs and I felt confident that we made the right choice patronizing this local spot instead of Applebee's or a similar chain in the Northern part of town...

WRONG!!!  The Greek salad was drenched with a think, packaged dressing, the moussaka was inedible-literally a brick of beefy (note:not lamby, as I was expecing) heaviness, and instead of Tzatziki, that deliciously cooling cucumber condiment, they literally served us KRAFT RANCH DRESSING!!!!  Needless to say, after trying to put away a few bites we let quite hungry...  Since that meal we've heard from every single person we've met here to stay away from that place.  Apparently our meal there was representative of the kind of food they produce.

This was our first and last attempt at ethnic eating in town...not that we have much choice.  I've heard that there's a Chinese place but I've yet to see it and I suspect this mythical place may be the only other 'ethnic' restaurant besides the "Greek" disaster...  

Desperate times call for desperate measures and Desperate Housediva is up to the challenge! Last night I was CRAVING pad thai so I decided it was time to bite the bullet and just cook some up!

DESPERATE HOUSEDIVA'S PAD THAI

Vegetable oil

3 cloves chopped garlic

1 package pad thai rice noodles, softened (prepared according to package directions; i.e. soaked or cooked)

Protein of your choice (tofu, chicken, shrimp, etc)

Veggies of your choice (I use red peppers. broccoli and pea pods)

2 eggs

1/2 cup to 1 cup Pad thai sauce (recipe to follow)

Garnish:

3 green onions, chopped

4 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts

1 cup rinsed and drained beansprouts

1 lime, cut into wedges

Pad Thai Sauce

1 heaping Tbsp tamarind paste, disolved in 1 cup hot water

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup fish sauce

juice of 1 lime

dash of salt

First, mix up your sauce.  Set aside.

Then, heat about 3 Tbsp oil in a wok on High heat.  Add your protein of choice.  When just cooked through, set aside and cover to keep warm.  Go back to your wok.  If you need to add a tad more oil now is the time to do so.  Add veggies to walk and stirfry until bright and tendercrisp.  Remove from pan, set aside and cover to keep warm.  

Now, this next part happens quickly:

Add a drop more oil to the wok.  Add garlic and cook until lightly browned (this happens FAST.)  Add noodles to pan and a splash of water, stirfry the noodles around the wok a few times, until they begin to soften up.  Add 1/2 cup of the sauce (you may need more if you like a stronger flavor, but that may be enough...I usually end up using about 3/4 cup) and keep stirring.  Then, push noodles to outside rim of wok.  Add drop of oil and break eggs into the middle of the wok.  In their little 'zone' inside of the noodles, scramble them until almost cooked, then toss with the noodles.  Add the other stuff (protein, veggies) and perhaps a bit more sauce  if you like.  keep on the heat until well mixed, then remove from heat and toss in the garnishes.  Et Voila!

I really do believe that this Pad Thai will rival your favorite take out joint and Prof. Hubs and I scarfed it down with relish last night and I'm already planning a repeat Pad Thai celebration...

Adventures in time management

I can't really think of anything to write about today. Here are a couple of ideas I have been toying with a bit but am too lazy to actually explore:

1. The fact that I now talk to MYSELF while driving. In a British accent. Or a Southern one like on TRUEBLOOD.

2. A review of FUNNY PEOPLE which attacks the recent NYTimes review, which was so completely wrong. This movie is PERFECT (in my opinion!)

3. The recovery of my zucchini plants from powder mould due to an ultra-pasteurized cow's milk remedy....um. yeah...you really wish I wrote that one, right?

4. How I have uncannily figured out how to stretch a five minute task into an hour-long task so that I feel like I am busier than I am.

But in the end, I realized that all of those are completely boring to anyone but me...ahhh, narcissism. So, instead of waxing poetic regarding plant health, here is a delightfully un-boring, particularly delicious strawberry shortcake recipe that I've been making lately. If you only need to make one or two biscuits you can freeze the dough for later use. It freezes admirably. Or do as Prof. Hubs and I do: refrigerate the leftover dough and on a weekend morning bake some biscuits and make turkey bacon and egg sandwiches with them...mmmm...

DESPERATE HOUSEDIVA'S STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

whole wheat biscuits

vanilla cream

strawberries, washed, hulled and cut into halves or quarters

strawberry jam

WHOLE WHEAT BISCUITS (adapted from THE NEW BASICS cookbook)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

3 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold (MUST be cold)

3/4 cup milk (or half and half...)

Preheat oven to 450.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and 'cut' it into the flour using a pastry blender or two knives until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the Milk and stir gently until the dough resembles a ball.

Take said ball of dough and transfer to a floured surface-it will be STICKY! Knead it for about 30 seconds, then pat it into a 3/4 inch rectangle. I like to fold it over once or twice and then flatten it again (this makes for good 'pull-apart' biscuits.) Don't overknead-you want the butter to stay cold for flakiness factor...

Using a cookie cutter (or the top of a water glass, like I do) cut dough into rounds. Arrange the rounds 1-inch apart on a greased baking sheet (I just use a silpat mat.) Bake until golden and puffed-about 12-14 minutes.

VANILLA WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/5 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For this recipe, first chill a metal bowl in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. Also, keep the cream cold during this time. After the bowl is chilled, pour the cream into the cold bowl and whisk or electrically mix the cream until soft-medium peaks form. Then add in the sugar and vanilla-combine. Yum! I don't like this to be too sweet but if you do, feel free to add more sugar... If your arm gets tired from whisking feel free to take a break by putting the bowl (with partially whipped cream) back in the fridge for a few minutes... Keeping it all cold will greatly help your purpose and prevent the cream from becoming butter :)

ASSEMBLING THE SHORTCAKES

Take the biscuits and cut them in half. Spread the jam on either side. Then, on the bottom half of each biscuit put a large spoonful of strawberries, topped with a heaping spoonful of cream, then top with the other biscuit half. Enjoy!!!