Roasted Cauliflower and Barley Salad with Caesar Dressing

Merry Christmas!  I have a few minutes to spare.  I am going to TRY and post some fun recipes for Christmas and I have some good ideas for salads, appetizers and deserts.  Salads seemed like a good place to start—as a good recovery from Thanksgiving (for now) and also as a nice accompaniment to a main course (for Christmas).

This warm salad is substantial enough for lunch or a light dinner, but would also taste great with a roast or fish.  Roasted cauliflower is probably one of the best foods in the world, and something about a smooth coat of egg, garlic and parmesan from the Caesar dressing makes it so luxurious.  Don’t be scared of the sugar, it just helps it become more crispy brown—it doesn’t make it too sweet.  The egg, not unlike carbonara, coats the grain and cooks through, so don't fear the raw egg.
 

1 head cauliflower
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp olive oil 
1 tsp pepper

8 ounces barley 

1 egg yolk
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. lemon juice (from 1 to 1/12 lemons)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
pepper
1 anchovy fillet
pinch salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup olive oil 

4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked, finely chopped 

1/2 cup pine nuts 

Preheat the oven to 400.  Cut up the cauliflower into florets and spread them on a cookie sheet lined with foil.  Sprinkle the salt, sugar and drizzle the olive oil.  Cook the cauliflower until golden, approximately 25-30 minutes.   On a separate baking sheet, bake the pine nuts for 5 minutes at 400 when the cauliflower is almost done.  

Cook the barley in salted boiling water according to instructions.  (I bought parboiled barley and cooked for 12 minutes).  Drain when tender. 

To make the dressing, combine egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, pepper, pinch of salt and anchovy in a blending.  Add the oil slowly and then the parmesan.  Blend for 1 minute until creamy.  While the barley, pine nuts and cauliflower are still warm, combine all ingredients in a bowl including the thyme.  The warmth of the salad should cook the egg through.

Sherry Poached Apples

I just got back from a wonderful trip to New England.  How luxurious to sneak a few fall days in with beautiful leaves, lattes and gingerbread pancakes.  I even got lucky enough to spend a few days with my lovely grandfather who took me apple picking.  The trees were full of red beauties—we picked up Cortlands, Empires and Pinovas. 

I made a similar dessert a few weeks ago for a party using pears.  I avoided using cinnamon, instead opting for a combination of vanilla bean, fresh ginger, cardamom and black peppercorns.  Sherry is a great wine to use for dessert.  This dessert is easy to make and keeps well in the fridge.  The syrup cooks down to a rich caramel that is beautiful warmed and drizzled over ice cream. 

It’s still hot as heck here in Dallas, but I’m going to pretend it is fall and make a simple fall dessert.  Humor me, ok?

Sherry Poached Apples

4 large apples good for baking, peeled, cored and quartered

1 750ml bottle sherry

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 knob ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tsp black peppercorns

½ vanilla bean, scraped

2 green cardamom pods

pinch salt

In stockpot, bring sherry, water, sugar, ginger, peppercorns, vanilla bean scrapings and pod, cardamom and salt to boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium low, add apples, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until apples are tender but not mushy.  Remove apples and set aside to cool. 

Bring heat back to medium high and cook liquid down until it is a thick, dark syrup, about the consistency of maple syrup, will yield about ¾ of a cup.  This will take about 20 minutes at least.  Allow to cool and strain.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.  If you refrigerate, allow to reheat in microwave on high for 1 minute.

Cannellini, Tuna and Herb Salad

This is the perfect summer lunch.  Light, refreshing and healthy with a huge dose of fresh herbs.  You can use whatever herbs you have on hand, parsley and mint are always excellent, rosemary and tarragon would also taste delicious.  This salad would be great on sandwiches, on lettuce or just by itself served with hard boiled eggs, avocado and tomato.  The options are really endless. 

2 cans tuna drained

1 15 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed (other white beans such as great northern would also be good)

1 cup loosely packed roughly chopped herbs.  I used a combination of parsley, mint, dill, basil, lavender and thyme

juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar would also be good)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1 small shallot finely chopped

pepper

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Make the vinaigrette by adding the herbs, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, shallots, salt, pepper and oil.  Allow to sit 5 minutes to let the herbs soften.  In a large bowl, combine tuna and beans and then add the vinaigrette.  Combine everything.  Enjoy!  

Spicy Thai Eggplant Dip

How’d that happen?  I started this blog when I was a 4^th year medical student, anxiously awaiting the future.  Tomorrow is my first shift as a 4^th year resident running a busy labor and delivery.  Residency has been no doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but in many ways, also the easiest.  I love what I do and feel so blessed by the challenges and rewards of my job.  I sure hope I learn a lot this year before I am released into the wild!

In residency you can really only have one hobby and even though I continue to cook, keeping up this blog has proven to be very difficult.  I still exercise with frequency, which is no minor feat to stay in shape through my busiest year.   Hopefully I’ll have more time in the next 12 months to update here. 

I have been able to keep the weight I lost off for more than a year (!) and even gave all of my old clothes to the women’s shelter—my closet now filled in with new attire.  Who needs all of that temptation in the form of flowy dresses and baggy jeans sitting in the back of the closet?

In attempt to stay thin, I have been cooking many more healthy foods.  I will try and post healthy and easy recipes this summer for everybody to try.  The easiest way to eat well is to buy and prepare your own food, eating whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables.  Eating well is completely delicious by using herbs, spices and lots of fresh produce.  And, unfortunately for my husband, bake less.

This recipe is based off an appetizer that is served at one of our favorite restaurants near our house.  The tangy eggplant dip is served with sticky rice, which is used as a chip of sorts to scoop it up.  It could just as easily be served with pita or tortilla chips and be equally delicious. I emulated the recipe and wanted to amp it up a bit by grilling the eggplant, peppers, garlic and shallots that go in.  I know sticky rice isn't a whole grain but, oh well, it's good.

Spicy Thai Eggplant Dip

1 eggplant

4 green or red thai peppers (more if you like really spicy)

1 shallot whole

2 cloves garlic in their shell

6 kaffir lime leaves (can be found at Asian grocery stores, or if you are my neighbor, I have a plant)

1 handful of cilantro, stems and leaves

juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp fish sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Wrap the whole shallot, garlic cloves and peppers in a foil packet.  Cut the eggplant in half and prick it with a fork all over.  Grill the eggplant and peppers until the eggplant is tender, about 30-40 minutes.  Peel some of the eggplant  (I like the texture of leaving some of the peel and it has more fiber) and cut the eggplant into cubes.  In the food processor, add the peeled shallots, garlic, peppers, lime leaves.  Add the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.  Roughly chop the cilantro and add.  Whiz all of the ingredients until everything is combined and then slowly add the oil.  Serve room temp or cold with sticky rice or chips. 

Superbowl Snack Stadium

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a picture of a snack stadium on the internet.  I knew then that I had to make one for the superbowl.  Let me tell you people, marry an engineer.  My wonderful husband designed, crafted and wired a beautiful stadium out of foam board and then completed it with lights and a working LCD screen with our own advertising.  All I had to do was fill it in with spinach artichoke dip field and crab dip end zones.  I painted the lines with sour cream and filled the stands with chips, veggies, dips and brownies.  Let's just say we had fun. 

Merry Christmas Everyone

Merry Christmas Everyone

Have been busy.  Things happened.  Including not blogging and delivering my first set of triplets.

Andy and me after we finished running.  Look tired? I can't walk.

Running a lot.  Every Sunday a 10 mile jog around the lake leading up to running a half marathon yesterday, and now limping around.  I think I bummed my knee.  Anybody know a good orthopedist?

My publishing debut

Getting published in a cookbook.  This humble potato soup recipe, one of my first blog entries, was picked by the editors of a lovely website Food52 to be published as part of a compilation of recipes on their website.  The cookbook is beautiful and is evidence of the wonderful and inspiring home cooks across America.  You should buy it for Christmas.

Baking hundreds of cookies, including these beauties.  I just love the Christmas palms. Frosting them took forever but I think they were worth it.   Here is a good guide about how to decorate sugar cookies with royal icing.  I used Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook for my recipes.

These cookies were inspired by this lovely idea.  Basically, they are citrus based cookies (I used James Peterson's pate sucree and added the zest of 2 grapefruits and 2 oranges) with a grapefruit juice glaze and charred brulee style with a torch.  They have that lovely crispy deep caramel flavor that I just love. 

And I've also been doing just a bit of work. 

How have you been?

Polenta and greens casserole

The last few months have been some of the most challenging of residency.  I felt stretched to the limit of emotional and mental energy.  4am and I became great friends. 

The greatest challenge is fitting “it all” in.  There are only 24 hours in a day.  With work between 12 and 16 hours a day plus commuting to work, bathing, and dressing, what does that leave? At least I’m lucky enough to be able to come home every night as we have a night float system. 

What is “it all” then?  There’s no such thing.  For me, making dinner, exercising 3 to 4 times a week, sleeping, spending time with my husband and occasionally meeting a friend is enough.  Long gone are the days of piano lessons, reading Madame Bovary, and watching Law and Order marathons.

But sometimes I need those piano lessons and Law and Order marathons to feel like me.  And sometimes I need “me” to be there when my patients are sick and asking hard questions.  So thank God for some moments of peace and quiet for the past couple of weeks.  Thank God for sleep and books, mountains and fresh air.  Bless the hour I had to sit in front of the stove on a Sunday afternoon and lazily stir polenta. 

I shouldn’t complain.  I should be grateful to have a job at all, especially one that I like that’s fulfilling.  It could always be worse, much much worse.  But I want my life to be great.  So, I’m just going to keep trying to find those moments just for me to make me me.  Keep stirring my polenta.

This polenta casserole could be lasagna’s green, vegetarian, gluten free cousin.  It is a great main course but also a wonderful side dish.  It is quite rich but also very healthy, thanks to a properly made polenta that tastes rich with just salt and water.  It is topped with a layer of green veggies and a small layer of cheese and butter to help it brown.  The beauty of this dish though is that it could be an afternoon affair or very quick to prepare.  It could be made with pre-cooked polenta in one of those plastic tubes and topped with frozen spinach which would still be delicious. 

Polenta and greens casserole

4 cups cooked polenta***

2 cloves garlic

4 eggs

½ cup skim milk

1 can artichokes in brine

2 bunches fresh greens (I used yellow beet greens and brocollini) but the options are endless, kale, chard and spinach would all be wonderful

½ lb brussel sprouts quartered

6 oz fresh mozzarella

¼ cup fresh parmesan grated

1 tbs unsalted butter

salt and pepper

chili flakes

Make the polenta or unwrap it.  Pre-heat the oven to 375.  Butter an 8x8 casserole.  Pat down the polenta into the bottom of the casserole in an even layer.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Blanch the greens in the boiling water for 5 minutes.  Remove the greens and strain but keep the water boiling.  Chop the greens and wring out all of the water by squeezing them in your hands or through a strainer.  Blanch the brussel sprouts for 5 minutes in the same water as the greens.  Do not press but drain well as you want the vegetable layer to have as little water as possible.  Drain the artichokes, chop and wring as much liquid as possible from them.  In a medium bowl whisk the eggs and milk with salt and pepper until the eggs are foamy and a paler color.  Add the vegetables, chili flakes and garlic to the egg mixture and stir to combine.  Layer the egg mixture on top of the polenta.   Thinly slice the mozzarella.  Evenly distribute the cheese on top of the casserole.  Add the grated cheese.  Cut the butter into very small pieces and place on top of the casserole.  Bake for 45 minutes at 375.  Increase the temp of the oven to 450 and bake for another 10 minutes until golden and bubbly. 

****To make the polenta, I stole the recipe/idea from Marcela Hazan.  You need 7 cups of heavily salted water boiling over medium high heat in a large pot.  With 1 2/3 cups of Italian polenta add the corn meal grain by grain through your hand over boiling water, constantly stirring to avoid lumps.  Continue to stir.  Once the mixture starts to be violent and sputter, reduce the heat to medium-low or until there are only a few bubbles emerging from the polenta.  Continue to stir constantly with a wooden spoon.  After about 45 minutes, the mixture will be thick and will completely come off the sides of the pot.