Archive for January 2009
BAKED TORTILLA CHIPS
Ingredients
6 white corn tortillas
olive oil
sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Brush both sides of each tortilla with olive oil.
- Stack and cut into 8 pieces.
- Spread on a baking sheet and season with sea salt.
- Cook for 15 minutes.
WHITE BEANS IN OLIVE OIL
Just as you would dip bread into olive oil, this dish is meant to be enjoyed in the same way.
Ingredients
15 oz. can of cannellini beans
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 small carrots, diced (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup radishes or beets, diced
Zest of 1 lemon
1-2 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
- Drain, wash and dry the beans.
- Combine all and let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
ONE MAN’S TRASH….
TRASH DONKEY BY KRISTINA JUG
While people love to talk about the importance of where our food comes from, where our food goes seems to have been somewhat ignored. The New York Times has an article on America’s self-indulgent relationship with food. It will probably blow your mind, befuddle, and enrage you all at once to know the amount of food that Americans throw out in a single year. Oh, I’ll just tell you – 27% of all food available for consumption ends up as waste. And before you scream that there are starving people in Africa who would gladly take that food, hold up, the news gets worse. Due to lack of technology and infrastructure, some parts of Africa see 25% or more of their usable crops go to waste before they even have a chance to be eaten. It’s a great article. Depressing, but great. Read it.
However, there’s always a silver lining and that silver lining is Jonathan Bloom. He has decided to devote his attention to the topic at wastedfood. Described as part blog and part call to action, his website came about in 2005 after volunteering at D.C Central Kitchen. There’s a wonderful section with tips on how to reduce one’s waste and, in turn, consumption.
Actually, forget trash being the depressing topic. Check out the hooves on that donkey.
HOMEMADE PANEER
Bad art. Good cheese.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon whole milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Cheesecloth
1/2 TBL salt
Optional 1/2 TBL flour
- Dampen the cheesecloth and place over a colander. The colander should be placed in a bowl big enough to catch the excess whey (for a later use).
- Pour the milk into a stainless steal pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often to keep the milk from burning on the bottom of the pan.
- Once the milk is at a boil, turn off the burner and add the lemon juice.
- Stir until the curds form and the whey is a greenish color (30-40 stirs in the same direction should do it).
- Drain into the colander.
- Tie the ends of the cheesecloth around a long spoon. That spoon will then be placed in something that will allow the cheese to hang and catch the excess liquid that is drawn out. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Place the cheese in a bowl and knead until smooth. Don’t worry if it crumbles because it will come together. Actually, if you plan on adding the salt or flour, this is the time to do it.
- Transfer the cheese ball to a flat surface and flatten it out as thick or thin as you want.
- Now you want to weigh it down for 30-60 minutes. You can put a plate over it with some cans. Evenly distributed weight is the key.
- Cut into squares and enjoy.
- Can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week in water (think tofu).
Tip: For paneer used in frying or skewering, add 1/2 TBL flour for every 1/2 gallon of milk and knead in with salt before shaping.
Tip: Do not use meyer lemons. What little I’ve learned seems to point to the fact that they do not have enough acid.
Tip: The thinnest layer of water at the bottom of the pan will prevent the milk from scorching.
