The Food We Eat

Tom Douglas' Aromatic Rice

Do we really need a recipe to make steamed rice 'aromatic'? Well, I wasn't so sure myself, but the reason I paused to consider was because this recipe is from Tom Douglas. If you haven't had the opportunity to eat his food, please please come to Seattle and do so. He owns many restaurants here, but my favorites are Dahlia Lounge and Lola.

Well, all I can say  is that he has done it again. The aroma from this 'aromatic' rice is just unbelievable. It takes steamed white rice to a whole another level. This might just be my favorite recipe for rice to accompany something delicate like fish and maybe chicken poached with Asian flavors. We had this with Miso Glazed Wild King Salmon and a simply stir-fried Gai-Lan.Try this the next time you want to waken up your olfactory senses. And it tastes just sublime.

Aromatic Rice

Serves 4

2 cups japanese short-grain rice

1 stalk lemongrass

2 cups cold water

3 coins of unpeeled fresh ginger, skin-on

3 star anise

zest from one orange, organic please (large, wide strips with a vegetable peeler)

Method:

1. Place raw rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse well under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain well.

2. Smash the lemongrass stalk with the back of knife to release essence. Slice thinly lengthwise (you can wrap this in a cheesecloth if you like, but I didn't. It was easy enough to pick the stalks out after the rice cooked)

3. In a 3-4 quart saucepan, combine the rice and water. Add ginger, lemongrass, star anise and zest and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes (Please do not open the cover and peek before 20 minutes). Take pot off heat and let sit, covered for 10 more minutes. This gives the grains a chance to set and prevents mushy rice.

4. Remove the lemongrass and other aromatics. Fluff the rice gently with a fork and serve while hot.

Note: Leftover rice is delicious. To reheat, simply place in a microwave-safe glass bowl, cover with paper towel or plastic wrap and heat in microwave. 

Warm Pasta Salad with Roasted Corn and Tomatoes

School is out! The kids' preschool end-of-year picnic was cancelled (almost) this year. The teachers had booked a neighborhood park for 2 dates, and we were rained out both days. The kids were bummed, especially A since it is his last year at the Montessori. He will be going to public school for 1st grade in September. Actually, I'm not sure who is more bummed out, him or me. Nah! Not even a question. Its Mommy. It is so wonderful that he is growing up into a fine young man (of 6), but I am struggling with his turning-6 thing. I was really sad when R turned 3 (at 3 you're officially not a baby anymore) and took me a few months to get over that. And now, A is 6. He is leaving the safe, homey environment of the private preschool that he's been at since he was 3. He is going to be on a School Bus!! I know, some of you must be thinking that I'm totally pathetic, and I don't blame you a bit, but I am just not ready for the munchkins to grow up. And no, that does not mean that you can drop you little daiper-bottomed ones off at my home :-)

Anyway, back to the picnic. One of the preschool Moms was crazy nice enough to host the Annual school picnic at her house the Friday. Bless her heart! The kids were very excited, and it helped that the weather was great, she has a magical backyard, and there was tons of booze food.

My contribution was a Pasta Salad. Not much of it was consumed, but I really liked it and enjoyed the leftovers over the weekend. It works well served over some fresh leafy greens with a light lemon vinaigrette.

Warm Pasta Salad with roasted Corn and tomatoes

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

1 jalapeno chile. chopped fine

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

5 scallions, greens parts only, sliced thin

4 ears shucked corn, or approx 3 cups

1 large onion, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

2 tsp ground cumin (fresh ground preferable)

Juice from 1 large lemon

Grated rind from 1 lemon

salt and fresh ground pepper

1 lb pasta, such as fusili

1 1/2 cups crumbled queso fresco cheese

1/2 cup crumbled ricota salata

Broil corn about 2 inches from heat, 5 to 10 minutes, until black spots appear. Leave to cool 10 minutes.

Add onion to a dry cast-iron skilet and roast stirring frequently, until browned but still crisp. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Add tomatoes, oregano, cilantro, corn, and onion in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain.

Add oil to a skillet and heat. Add garlic, chili flakes and cumin, and cook stirring, until fragrant, approx 1 minute. Add to tomato-corn mixture.

Combine pasta, tomato-corn mixture, lemon juice, and lemon rind. Toss in cheeses and combine gently.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

French Style Sorrel Soup - Potage à L'oseille

If you think the picture above reminds you of slimy green sludge, then I can understand. No, not really. Either way, I urge you to see beyond that and give this soup a try. You will be hooked!

Garden Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is a relatively new herb for me. I became interested in this sour, leafy, spinach look-alike herb only in the last year or so, and am very glad I did. I was also very happy to know that Sorrel is a perennial herb. I am an avid gardener, and I am quite partial to perennials. Nothing makes me happier than watching my plants come out of the earth faithfully every spring to say Hello! Simple, but important pleasures.

Sorrel tastes similar to the leaves of a plant (Gongoora) that is a delicacy in Andhra Pradesh, the state in India where my parents are from.  I have seen many references to this plant as Red Sorrel, however, I'm not sure Gongoora is a Sorrel, as there are many other references to Gongoora as a member of the Roselle family (Hibiscus cannabinus). Plant taxonomy aside, I do know that Sorrel tastes similar enough to Gongoora (though a bit less sour) that there is many an experiment about to take place in my kitchen; experiments where I will try and re-create some of my favorite Indian Gongoora dishes using the Sorrel varietal we typically find here.

As for today, I decided to make something more ordinary, yet classic. A French style sorrel soup, except the classic french version uses French Sorrel (Rumex scatatus). Not sure how different it tastes from Garden Sorrel we find here, but if you know, I'd love to hear.

As obsessed as I am with food, I am sad to say that I have not been to Paris yet. Can you believe it? J and I need to fix this very very soon. Well, good thing is that the kids are developing a very discerning palate, so soon I think all 4 of us will be able to have a culinary adventure in Paris. Fun!

Ok I'm back. I was dreaming of Paris and what I'd be eating...... Back to the soup, I decided to deviate from authenticity in ode to smaller jeans, so I skimped heavily on butter and cream. Also skipped the egg. However, the end result was still absolutely lick-the-bowl-clean good. Smooth, creamy, velvety, perfectly tart! Sure, more cream and butter would take it over-the-top, but I think I got plenty of butter in the hearty slice of beer bread that accompanied my soup. So much for smaller jeans - c'est la vie.... Bon appetit.

French Style Sorrel Soup

Serves 2 generously

2 handfulls Sorrel (approx 6 oz), chopped roughly

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1/2 medium Rusett Potato, diced fine

1 small shallot, diced

2 cups chicken broth

a pinch of fresh nutmeg

4 tbsp heavy cream

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

salt to taste

Heat butter and oil in a saucepan. Add shallots and a smidgeon of salt. Cook till barely transluscent.

Add sorrel. Cook till sorrel almost dissolves into the onions - about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and the chicken stock. Add nutmeg and pepper.

Cook till potatoes are very tender, and soup thickens just a bit. Blend the soup into a puree using an imersion stick or blender. Add the soup back to the saucepan. The soup should have a nice velvety consistency. If you find that yours is too watery, just cook it a bit longer. Mine was fine as soon as I was done pureeing it.

Once you are satisfied with the soup's seasoning and consistency, reduce heat to a bare simmer and add heavy cream. Leave on heat just enough to heat through. Do not let boil once you've added the cream.

Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with a tsp of cream, or cream fraiche. (I used cream).

Wine Tip: Pair with a good Riesling.