Book Distancing Number 1, Friday Giveaway, 

Each Giveaway is a Twofer, book cleaning before Spring.

Eat It Up! no fridge waste cookbook (Da Capo Lifelong, 2016) by Sherri Brooks Vinton 

Treats Truck Baking Book ! (William Morrow, 2011) by Kim Ima

Answer 2 questions, and you win, first come first serve 

-Question 1: What can you do with carrots greens?

-Question 2: On brownie sheet, do you prefer corner, center or side?

First come first serve.

E-mail your answers to: s.ls [at] mediterraneanworkandplay [dot] com

Entertain (Yourself?) in these still Covid times...

Here's to relaxed cooking with Stuffed Artichokes from Miss Maggie's Kitchen Relaxed French Entertaining by Heloise Brion (Flammarion, September 2020).

Stuffed artichokes

Serves 5

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

5 globe artichokes
3 lemons, preferably organic
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups (10½ oz./300 g) bread crumbs
Leaves of 3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
Leaves of 3 sprigs fresh basil, chopped
1½ cups (5¼ oz./50 g) Parmesan, grated
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Cut off the base and the top 1¼ inches (3 cm) of each artichoke and remove the tough outer layer of leaves.
2. Grate the zest and squeeze the juice from 2 of the lemons. Set the zest aside and pour the juice over the artichokes to prevent browning.
3. Steam the artichokes for 20 minutes and let cool.
4. Meanwhile, juice the remaining lemon, then sauté the garlic in a skillet over medium heat with a small amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt. When the garlic begins to color, stir in the lemon juice, bread crumbs, parsley, and basil.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in the lemon zest, and remove from the heat.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas Mark 4). Remove the inner leaves from the center of each artichoke and scoop out the chokes with a teaspoon.
7. Stir the Parmesan into the bread crumb mixture, then stuff this filling into the cavity of each artichoke, packing some between the leaves as well. Sit the artichokes close together in a single layer in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the artichokes are completely tender and the bread crumbs golden.

       Serve hot or warm.

For more from the author, visit her Miss Maggie's Kitchen website

(* Reprinted from Miss Maggie’s Kitchen by Heloise Brion -Flammarion, September 2020- Photographed by Christophe Roue)

Breathe better with these Spiced Turmeric Mashed Potatoes from 'Simply' by British-Iranian chef, food writer and culinary teacher, Sabrina Ghayour (Mitchell Beazley, October 2020).

Spiced turmeric mashed potatoes with cilantro

I’ve always loved mashed potatoes, but this is the next level taste-wise. It’s so comforting, and I’m not sure how it could be improved. I am mad about turmeric and it’s no secret that I love chiles, and the natural sweetness of the potatoes means they can handle the spices and chile heat easily. This is a dish I can’t recommend enough, even if you are simply looking for an alternative to your usual mashed potatoes on the side.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

4½lb russet potatoes, peeled and halved, or quartered if large

 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

½ cup butter

1 to 2 teaspoons chile flakes, to taste

¾oz fresh turmeric, scrubbed and very finely grated

1 small pack (about 1oz) of fresh cilantro, finely chopped

sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain in a colander and set aside to steam dry.

Place the saucepan over medium heat, add the cumin and mustard seeds, and toast them for a few minutes, shaking the pan until they release their aroma. Add the butter, chile flakes, and turmeric and stir until the butter has melted.

Return the potatoes to the pan and season generously with salt and pepper, then mash with the spiced butter until just combined (I like to keep some chunkiness in the texture). Check and adjust the seasoning, and when you’re happy with it, add the cilantro and mix well to serve.

Simply delicious with:

Spice-rubbed Spatchcocked Squab (see page 55) or Yogurt & Spice Roasted Salmon 
(see page 62). 

(* Recipe from 'Simply' by Sabrina Ghayour -Mitchell Beazley, October 2020- Photography Copyright Kris Kirkham...Reproduced with permission)

Let okra flowers shine!

Prep, cook and savor this Skillet Roasted Okra recipe from Mosquito Supper Club (Artisan Books, April 2020) by Melissa Martin.

Skillet-Roasted Okra

Okra cooked in a skillet is a great side dish and simple to make. It requires no preparation ahead of time and, if done correctly, is a great accompaniment to just about anything. The key to bringing out the okra’s natural deliciousness is to cook it hot and fast, so make sure your skillets are properly heated. Place two cast-iron skillets in the oven for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This quickly sears the okra on the outside but maintains a crisp center. Like fried okra, the skillet version preserves the okra’s unique flavor and color. Eat it with fresh summer fruit like peaches and plums; with corn, lime, and crème fraîche; and with boiled shrimp and crabs. It also works swimmingly next to fried or sautéed fish.

Serves 4 as a side dish or snack

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (60 ml) canola oil or clarified butter

12 ounces (340 g) tender young okra pods (about 24), sliced lengthwise in half

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

A couple turns of the pepper mill

Cayenne pepper

1 lemon wedge

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place two large cast-iron skillets in the oven to heat for 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet or platter with paper towels.

Carefully remove the hot pans from the oven and set them on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Keep the skillet handles covered to avoid burning your hands.

Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to each pan. Carefully place the okra in the pans in a single layer. Don’t crowd them. Sear in the skillets until golden brown, about 3 minutes, then flip the okra and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Transfer the okra to the paper towels to soak up any excess oil and use a paper towel or rag to carefully wipe out the excess oil from the skillets.

Toss the okra back into the skillets and season with the salt, some black pepper, a touch of cayenne, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve immediately.

(“Excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin -Artisan Books- Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Denny Culbert")

Excellent Birds, Laurie Anderson's Birdhouse Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts, Snap Peas, and Mushrooms from The Ladies Village Improvement Society Cookbook by Florence Fabricant (Rizzoli, April 2020/ Photo © Doug Young)

Yes from that Laurie Anderson, another facet of the multi-media artist

Birdhouse Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts, Snap Peas, and Mushrooms by Laurie Anderson

This recipe, from the performance artist who lives part time in Springs, is flat-out delicious—so much so that when I made it for Thanksgiving instead of my usual potato gratin, no one missed the dish. The mushrooms were my idea, added with Laurie’s approval.

SERVES 6 TO 8

Ingredients:

salt
10 small Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 pint brussels sprouts (about 20), rinsed, trimmed, and halved
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
½ cup minced shallots
4 ounces medium cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered 1¼
cups heavy cream or half-and-half
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

Bring a pot of water with ½ teaspoon salt to boil. Add the potatoes, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the potatoes and set them aside to cool. Add the peas to the pot, cook for 5 minutes, then drain them.

Toss the Brussels sprouts with 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil and the lemon zest and season with salt. Arrange them cut side down in a large heavy skillet. Place over high heat, and when the Brussels sprouts start to sizzle, lower the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove them from the pan. Add the shallots to the pan and cook until they have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining oil. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have wilted, another 5 minutes or so. Add the peas and cook briefly, stirring, until they have softened a bit, about 3 minutes. Quarter the potatoes and add them.

In a small bowl, whisk the cream and mustard together and add to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a warm dish, scatter with the thyme, and serve.

Thanksgiving classics

(*Laurie Anderson's Birdhouse Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts, Snap Peas, and Mushrooms from The Ladies Village Improvement Society Cookbook by Florence Fabricant published by Rizzoli, April 2020/ Photo © Doug Young, reproduced with permission)

Manchurian Candidate, Not Exactly! from from Saladish by Ilene Rosen with Donna Gelb (Artisan Books, 2018/Photographs by Joseph De Leo )

Browsing through books I received in Spring 2019, I realized this bright red choux fleur recipe had failed to show up here, now corrected.

Not-Exactly-Manchurian Cauliflower

This is a simplified and not-fried version of Gobi Manchurian, an Indian restaurant favorite of fried cauliflower seasoned Indo-Chinese style. Try to find a head of cauliflower that still has its leaves.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower, cut into medium florets, core reserved and tender part sliced, leaves left whole

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

2 teaspoons molasses

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1⁄4 cup flavorless vegetable oil

1⁄3 cup minced jalapeño

1⁄3 cup finely minced fresh ginger

1 large garlic clove, finely minced

4 or 5 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Flaky salt

        Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets, return to a boil, and cook for about 1 minute, until the florets are just tender. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a sheet pan to cool.

3. Whisk together the tomato paste, molasses, cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the oil in a small bowl until thoroughly blended.

4. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a small skillet over medium heat and sauté the jalapeño, ginger, and garlic for a minute or two, until soft and fragrant but not browned. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper and add to the tomato mixture, whisking to thoroughly combine.

5. Put the cauliflower florets in a large bowl and toss with the tomato mixture, rubbing the mixture into the florets’ cracks and crevices. Taste and add more kosher salt if necessary. Spread out on the same sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan and roast for 10 minutes more, or until the florets are tender and browned, even charred in some spots. Meanwhile, toss the slices of core and the leaves with oil and kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Roast on a separate small pan just until browned, about 7 minutes. Let the florets, core slices, and leaves cool.

6. Transfer the cauliflower florets, leaves, and slices of core to a bowl, add most of the scallions, and toss to combine. Transfer to a platter, drizzle with the olive oil, and scatter the reserved scallions and some flaky salt over the top. Serve.

(* Excerpted from Saladish by Ilene Rosen with Donna Gelb -Artisan Books- Copyright © 2018 /Photographs by Joseph De Leo.”)

Devil is in the butter as proven by Alla Diavola Butter recipe from Six Seasons, A New Way with Vegetables by Joshua McFadden (Artisan Books- Copyright © 2017).

Alla Diavola Butter

The Italians have a few dishes they refer to as alla diavola, which means “devil style”—in other words, spicy as hell. In this butter, I bring together layers of not just heat but all kinds of good chile and pepper flavors. You can adjust up or down, depending on how intense you like your heat.

Makes 1 heaping cup

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon dried chile flakes

1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup finely chopped seeded pepperoncini (patted dry on paper towels after chopping)

1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Fold all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula and pile into whatever container you want to serve or save it in. Chill the butter for at least 1 hour to firm it up and to let the flavors marry and permeate the butter.

More ways:

Stuff in the center of a chicken breast and roast.

Swirl into a tomato soup.

Smear over grilled skirt or flank steak

(* Excepted from Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden-Artisan Books- Copyright © 2017-Photographs by Laura Dart and A.J. Meeker)

Not just for cancer patients to get their strength back in The Meals to Heal Cookbook, 150 Easy, Nutritionally Balanced Recipes to Nourish You During Your Fight with Cancer ( Da Capo Lifelong Books, April 2016) by Susan Bratton of Savor Health and Jessica Iannotta.

Bull’s-Eye Skillet Avocado Eggs

Time: Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 30 minutes

Serves 2

This dish uses avocado halves as an appealing, edible “cup” for eggs. These can also be served as a lighter lunch or dinner meal because of their nutrient density. For someone with a compromised immune system, cook longer, until the yolk is fully cooked.

Ingredients:

1 large ripe avocado

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop out enough of the flesh to accommodate an entire egg in each hollowed-out peel.

Remove a small portion of the outer peel of each avocado half so it sits straight when you set it on a cutting board.

Crack and separate the eggs, placing the yolks in two individual ramekins or small cups and both whites together in a small bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a lidded skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the avocado shells, flesh side down, and sear them, uncovered, for about 30 seconds, or until slightly golden.

Flip the avocado shells over and fill the cavities almost to the top with the egg whites.

Lower the heat to medium-low, put the lid on, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the egg whites have turned from clear to white and are almost set.

Carefully slide the yolks over the whites and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the yolks are cooked all the way through.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 251, Total Fat 21 g, Saturated Fat 4 g,

Cholesterol 215 mg, Sodium 132 mg, Carbohydrates 10 g, Dietary Fiber 7 g,

Protein 8 g

Stretch and Save: After you scoop out the flesh to make room for the egg, any leftover avocado can be used to make Classic Avocado Toast (page 46).

(Excerpt from The Meals to Heal Cookbook: 150 Easy, Nutritionally Balanced Recipes to Nourish You During Your Fight with Cancer by Susan Bratton and Jessica Iannotta. Copyright © 2016. Available from Da Capo Press, an imprint of Perseus Books, a division of PBG Publishing, LLC, a subsidiary of Hachette Book Group, Inc.)

Serve a Flavorful Side, Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Zest and Mustard from Floyd Cardoz: Flavorwalla by Floyd Cardoz (Artisan Books, April 5, 2016)

Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Zest and Mustard

Serves 6 to 8

I always preferred sautéing or roasting asparagus until I started growing it in my garden. I don’t know if it was the proximity of garden to grill that provided a push in this direction, but from the first time I grilled asparagus, it has been my favorite way to cook it. I love the method here in particular because you can prepare everything several hours ahead of time so that it’s ready to toss on the grill once it’s hot. (Note that on a day when the grill isn’t lit, you can go back to my old ways and sauté the asparagus in canola oil in a wide pan over high heat or roast it in a 425°F oven.)

If you don’t grow your own, truly fresh asparagus can be hard to find. Choose asparagus bunches that are standing upright with their stems in water. The base of the stems should not be shriveled or dry. The tips should be stiff and tight, with no moist or mushy sections. Be sure to clean asparagus thoroughly. The shoots grow straight up out of the ground, and lots of dirt can hide in the tight leaves at the top of each spear. 

2 bunches pencil asparagus (about 2 pounds/107 grams), washed and dried (see note)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

½ teaspoon chile flakes

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Minced zest and juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup minced shallots

2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced serrano chile

1. Prepare a hot grill. Place a grill basket on the grill to heat.

2. Trim the asparagus so that the spears are 4 to 6 inches long. Place the asparagus in a bowl.

3. Heat a small pot over medium heat. Add the canola oil, and when it starts to shimmer, add the mustard seeds. Cook, stirring and shaking the pan, until the mustard seeds pop, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Pour the mustard seeds and oil over the asparagus. Add the chile flakes and season with salt and pepper. Pour over 1½ tablespoons of the olive oil and toss until well coated. Set aside.

5. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1½ tablespoons olive oil with the lemon zest and juice, shallots, ginger, and chile. Set aside. (Everything can be done up until this point up to 2 hours in advance and set aside at room temperature.)

6. Place the asparagus in the hot grill basket and cook, shaking the basket occasionally, until crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

7. Transfer the asparagus to a serving dish. Pour the lemon–olive oil mixture over it and mix well. Serve.

Note:

Washing Asparagus

Asparagus needs thorough rinsing to get rid of all the sand that can hide in its tight leaves and tips. To wash it well, place the asparagus tips down in a cylindrical container, such as a wine bucket or a thermos. Fill the container with cold water and let stand for 20 minutes, periodically shaking the asparagus to get the dirt out. Remove the asparagus from the water and shake dry.

(* Excerpted from Floyd Cardoz: Flavorwalla by Floyd Cardoz (Artisan Books). Copyright ©2016. Photographs by Lauren Volo.)

After Sauteed Shishito Peppers with Miso and Ginger, here's a second recipe from  Preserving the Japanese Way, Traditions of Salting, Fermenting, and Pickling for the Modern Kitchen (Andrews McMeel, August 2015) by Nancy Singleton Hachisu

Dried  Daikon Threads, Kiriboshi Daikon

Makes: 3 ounces (85 grams)

1 large daikon (about 1¾ pounds/800 g)

Scrub the daikon with a rough hemp-bristled vegetable brush (tawashi, page XVII). Dry. Lop off the top light green or spongy portion of the daikon. (After the frost, the top exposed portion of the daikon freezes in the night, so it cannot be used.) Using the julienne blade of a mandoline or a Japanese tooth grater (like a Benriner), grate the daikon into thin strips: Grasping the bottom end portion of the daikon in your dominant hand, stroke the daikon across the blade at a slight diagonal until you can no longer take a pass without drawing blood.

Line two (or more) wide-open baskets with butcher paper and dry the threads in the hot sun for as long as it takes (about 1 week, depending on the weather). Store inside the house or garage at night. Junko dries hers initially in a dehydrator until almost dried (for the most part dried, but thicker sections are not quite). She then spreads them under the winter sun for 2 or 3 days (bringing in at night) to infuse the daikon with natural energy from the sun. Bear in mind that unless you use a dehydrator like Junko does, your dried daikon threads will not be quite as stiff as the ones pictured on the opposite page.

Soak dried daikon threads in cold water for about an hour, or warm water for 15 minutes, to reconstitute before using. (Beware: After soaking, the dried daikon will have grown fourfold!) Use in stir-fries such as kimpira: Sauté with julienned carrots in a little oil and dried red chile pepper. Throw in some julienned thin-fried tofu (usuage, page XXIX) if you can find it, and season with soy sauce before serving. Or skip the dried chile pepper but follow the rest of the previous method, and drizzle in some of the soaking liquid or dashi along with a few tablespoons soy sauce. Sprinkle with shaved katsuobushi before serving.

Variation: For wariboshi daikon cut the daikon into 3-inch (8 cm) lengths and shave off ¹⁄5-inch (5-mm) thick slices of daikon with a mandoline or flat cutting blade. Stack about 4 slices at a time and cut those into ¹⁄5-inch (5-mm) wide strips. Dry in the same way as for kiriboshi daikon. The strips should be desiccated, but they will still have a little bend to them. Soak in dashi or with konbu in water for 1 hour before squeezing and pickling in Soy Vinegar (page 150) with a little sugar and torn dried red chile. 

(* Recipe reproduced from Preserving the Japanese Way: Traditions of Salting, Fermenting, and Pickling for the Modern Kitchen by Nancy Singleton Hachisu/Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, August 2015)