April Bloomfield’s Pot-Roasted Artichokes

0607_artichokesinmarket0607_artichokesclose0607_roastedveg

Have we chatted artichokes? I love them for more than a mayonnaise (I mean, aioli) vessel, though, seriously, I do love a good aioli, too. I find their flavor bafflingly difficult to describe other than, “… good,” (followed perhaps by some grunts of approval), but I do heartily approve. Also, does eating a lot of artichokes and then drinking water immediately after make the water taste oddly sweet to anyone else? Can someone go try it and affirm that I’m not bonkers? I guess it’s a relatively harmless way to lose it, if I have, but it’s weird.

The first time I ate artichokes — I think at a Cheesecake Factory with my friend’s family — I actually just pretended that I knew how to eat them, even though I had no idea. It seemed like a fancy food that I should know how to eat, so I just lied when my friend asked if I knew what I was doing. In retrospect, I’m sure my fib was totally transparent, because I then needed to learn how to eat artichokes by awkwardly watching them. They kindly did not point that out.

If we’d been enjoying this dish, then, perhaps I could have gotten away with my lies. The artichokes are trimmed in the preparation so that the entire thing is edible. It’s a bit of work to trim them, but the rest of the recipe is easy. If they’re accessible, baby artichokes make this dish much easier, because they don’t yet have the inedible fuzzy choke part. Still, probably worth it either way, because it really is very good. The artichokey taste (seriously, how do you describe the taste?) comes through, complimented with savory garlic, floral wine, and pops of bright capers and mint. The dish isn’t that much of a visual stunner at first, but the deeply caramelized little leaves are beautiful and dramatic in their own way, I think. And, honestly, both times I’ve made this, they haven’t stuck around long enough for anyone to get too close a look.

And, yes, this is a continuation of my huge crush on April Bloomfield.

Pot-Roasted Artichokes
Lightly adapted from A Girl and Her Greens, but also on Epicurious

1/2 lemon, or, a bit of lemon juice
3 1/2 pounds baby artichokes (about 18)
2 tablespoons safflower oil
2 garlic cloves
Kosher or otherwise flaky salt
1 1/2 cups white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 small handful torn fresh mint leaves
1 small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

First, trim the artichokes:
Prepare a large bowl with cold water and lemon juice. One artichoke at a time, pull off the tough outer leaves until the outsides are mostly yellow. Using a serrated knife, cut off about the top 1/3 (pointy side). Trim the bottom of the stem, leaving some intact. Then, with a small, sharp knife, remove tough outer layer from stem. Submerge artichokes in the cold lemon water. If you are using adolescent or older artichokes, you may also need to remove the choke. (Baby artichokes don’t have them. To do so, first jimmy open the leaves to expose the choke (fuzzy thing in the middle). Then, using a small spoon, scrape choke from artichoke and discard. Place artichoke in lemon water while you trim the rest.

The rest of the vegetable prep is easy — thinly slice the garlic cloves and roughly chop the mint and parsley.

When you are ready to cook, drain the artichokes and pat dry as best you can.

Heat safflower oil in a large, sturdy pot until oil is shimmering. Place artichokes, stem side up, in pot, and reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle garlic in between the artichokes, season with salt, and let it all fry until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes.

Add wine and bring it to a simmer. Cover the pot and let the artichokes cook without stirring, until they are tender. you can test this by seeing if a small knife slides in and out of an artichoke easily.

Add capers and olive oil and bring to a boil. Let it cook, uncovered until the wine has evaporated. (The sound will change from bubbling to sizzling.) Add mint and parsley and fry, giving it a few stirs (it’s okay if a few artichokes tip over), reducing heat if necessary to prevent burning. When the artichokes tops are deep golden brown, it’s done — 3-5 minutes.

Serve artichokes warm, with capers and herbs scattered on top.

I served with cumin-roasted vegetables and pesto, but they’d be a great starter for many meals.

Street Vegan by Adam Sobel – Cookbook Review

0607_streetveganburger

0607_streetveganwaffle

When a book’s front cover’s got some kind of Asian-inspired sandwich (after research, Thai Barbecue Seitan Ribs with Pickled Thai Basil and Onions and Smoked Chile-Roasted Peanuts… whew), and its back cover’s just a grid of donuts, you know it’s going to be a good one. Street Vegan delivers, with an abundance of flavorful recipes, hold the animal products. Vegan donuts are an entire chapter, so, you know, there’s that.

The book is enthusiastically and earnestly written, with stories from Sobel’s Cinnamon Snail food truck adventures. He says, before inventorying his own vegan pantry for the reader, “Just going vegan today? Yay! I am out buying you balloons right now and getting ready to shower you with a bucket of confetti!” I don’t think there is a trace of irony in this. He’s just that excited about it.

And, I mean, really, there’s a decent amount to be excited about. I tried out two recipes and read through many more, and they were thoughtful, creative, and flavorful dishes. He recognizes the importance of condiments and sauces when you can’t rely on meat or dairy flavors, and many (maybe even most) recipes have “bonus” additional recipes — one for the main item, and more for toppings. This presents some exciting mix-and-match opportunities, which I like, as a person who can never exactly follow recipes. I gravitated toward the more Asian-inspired dishes, but the recipes take cues from all over the world, which I like. Mo flava, mo betta?

Okay, but onto the food. I made the actual burger from Gochujang Buger Deluxe (first picture above) and had it with a quickie version of Street Vegan‘s pickled vegetables, in a collard green wrap. In the book, it’s served on burger buns toasted withs sesame oil (nice!) and topped with both gochujang, kimchi, and Sriracha mayo. Whoa. It was a weekday, so I lightened it up a little.

The burger was easy to make and bold in flavor, which I liked. I found it to be slightly salty but otherwise great — a cinch to pulse together in a food processor and then form into patties, and moist without being sloppy. It’s seitan-based, which is an ingredient I rarely work with, but I thought they were good and satisfying. The book has a recipe for homemade gochujang, which I’m looking forward to trying, later… maybe when I use up the big tub of it in my refrigerator.

I also tried the Cashew Oat Waffles from the book’s Breakfast section, though I had a small one as a dessert. The oat-and-cashew-based waffles were pleasantly hearty, lightly sweet from agave nectar, and smelled amazing in the waffle iron. I think they’d make a respectable breakfast and are easy to pull together, though the batter does require a 20-minute resting period. He serves them with caramelized apples and syrup, but I went with strawberries and coconut, mainly because that’s what I had on hand.

I will say that a number of the recipes require tools like a food processor, and some a dehydrator. The ingredients are not terribly exotic for someone who regularly cooks, especially with an international influence, but it might be a challenging book for a new cook or for someone whose cooking style isn’t close to Street Vegan‘s already.

Overall, I think this is a solid book with a number of vegan recipes with lots of creative flavor and texture combinations. You could see how the recipes would be good in a food truck setting — they sort of put it all out there. “Restrained” is not a word I’d use to describe this book or its recipes, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’m glad to see a book out there that’s embracing the wide world of flavors outside of animal products and think it’s a good reminder of those possibilities for vegan and non-vegan cooks alike.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in return for my honest review.

Ambiguous (but non-teriyaki) Asian Bowl – DJade Remix

0505_ricebowl_blogsize

So, yes, I have another bowl for you guys, which is actually reusing / remixing a couple recipes that I’ve already posted, just, you know, arranged differently. This is real life, you guys. Getting a CSA box has certainly helped me avoid getting stuck in meal repeating ruts, but I still definitely recycle cooking methods. I’m calling this one a remix, since I took components from some previously posted recipes (and added some new stuff) to make this sort of pan-Asian-inspired bowl.

I love thickened, sweet, soy sauce as much as the next person, but I think we can dig a little deeper for flavor ideas in this ambiguously Asian bowl, right? We’ll keep those savory and sweet elements, we’ve got caramelized, nutty miso, smooth sesame, and bright lemon, too. And chili oil to the bowl eater’s taste (lots, please!).

So, all together, here’s what we’ve got, from the top, going clockwise:

  • Quick-pickled red onion (slice onion thinly and submerge in lemon juice)
  • Five-spice tofu
  • Miso-roasted zucchini
  • Chili oil and chopped cilantro
  • Sesame spinach (“recipe” below)
  • [center] Brown rice and mung beans

Also, side note on the odd post title: if I needed one (and today I do), my DJ name would be DJade. Just imagine myself shouting that while the intro music plays to this remixed post. I don’t know, you guys. This is what the inside of my head is like.

This is more of a general technique for greens than a recipe. Sorry again about the vague amounts — very much to taste and preference!

Sesame Spinach

1 large bunch of spinach, well-rinsed
1-2 teaspoons soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons sesame oil (toasted)
1-2 teaspoons sesame seeds (toasted)

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Prepare a large bowl with cold or iced water.

When water has come to an aggressive boil, submerge the spinach (stems first, if there are big stems) and blanch until the color turns bright green, just about 1 minute. Immediately submerge the spinach in the cold water to stop the cooking.

When spinach is cool enough to handle, drain and lightly squeeze to release liquid. Top with soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.

 

Blooms and Blaspheming at The Grotto in PDX

0526_thegrottolookdown

Please forgive me. First of all, with very limited warning, I have decided to masquerade as a fashion blogger. Second, I wore this cheeky necklace and a dress with a relatively large hole in the back to what is theoretically a religious space. Third, I indulged in some serious vanity while my wonderful friend Kim and I took photos of each other and also elsewhere on our recent weekend together.

That said, something that I’ve picked up from her is the phrase, “Live your life,” so here we are. I’m trying to simply do what I want to do — you know, within the bounds of being a decent, considerate human. In the spirit of living my life, I’m taking the inspiration and energy I always get from hanging out with Kim and running with it! (Also, I feel pretty in these photos! Guys, turns out it’s pretty fun to style humans in addition to food.)

During our trip to Portland (Oregon, not Maine), we stopped by The Grotto, which is I think a Catholic space, but it is also a beautiful garden that was nearly empty near closing time. Hat tip to our awesome Airbnb host who suggested it over the not-yet-in-bloom rose garden, man.

I love that both the dress and the locket are a little bit surprising — the first, for the peekaboo hole in the back, and the second, for, well, you’ll see. Perfect if you, like me, are only demure on the outside.

0526_thegrottojacket   0526_thegrottoback
0526_thegrottonecklace

Floral Fit and Flare DressAmerican Eagle Outfitters (only $15 right now!)
Cream Knit Jacket Dolan via Anthropologie (sold out), similar here and here
Secret Sass Locket – Locher’s of Paris (mo’ messages available)
Coral Walking Sandals Olukai (srsly so comfortable)

Check out the rest of the photos from this set and Kim’s fantastic style on Hello Kim Win, too! Kim: your face, I like that shit.

Green Bean Zing from 101 Cookbooks

0515_greenbeancrunch

At the supermarket (Hey, sometimes I have to live my life during the farmers’ market. Live your life. Take advantage of the convenience of the supermarket if necessary.) yesterday, though I searched high and low, I just could not find green beans, the wily little bastards. I loaded up on sugar snap peas, and on my way out, I saw a giant barrel (??) of green beans. You win this time, haricots verts, but I’ll get you. You, and your giant barrel, too.

Sometimes, I can identify and find, vegetables, though. So here’s a time that I actually did successfully grocery shop.

Possibly, green beans were the first vegetable I learned to love. When I was a kid, dining out with my family, we used to get these sensational Sichuan green beans at our old standby Chinese restaurant. And there’s nothing like frying and then seasoning liberally with spicy, salty tastiness to make a vegetable scrumptious, right?

These days, while I definitely would never turn down a plate or 3 of Sichuan-style green beans, I’m more amenable to a diversity of preparations. Sometimes I still blister them (Recipe quickie: blanch green beans and then fry them in oil + XO sauce, serve on rice), because yum, but sometimes I don’t, because health. Also, yum, though. Here’s a recipe from the queen bee of food blogging herself that I’ve switched up for my tastes and what I’ve often got lying around.

0527_greenbeancrunchoverhead

Green Bean Zing
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

1 pound green beans, trimmed
1/3 cup dried cherries
1 tablespoon safflower oil
2 garlic cloves
1/2 medium yellow onion
3 bay leaves
1/3 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 ounces firm tofu
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup yogurt, preferably sheep’s milk
1/4 cup almonds, toasted and sliced
one handful cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot water to boil.

While water’s boiling, you can prepare the vegetables. Cut the tofu into slices and press, wrapped in paper towels, under something heavy (I use a cast iron pan) to drain a bit.

Slice the green beans thinly (slices smaller than 1/2 inch). Slice the garlic cloves, dice the onion, and chop the cilantro for later.

Cover the dried cherries with a bit of the hot water and let them sit and rehydrate until you need them.

Prepare a large bowl of cold water.

When the water’s come to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and submerge the green bean pieces for a minute or two, until they are just barely not raw. Dunk immediately in the cold water to halt cooking.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add onion, garlic and bay leaves. Stir fry for 5 minutes, or until the onions and garlic are fragrant.

Add the wine and continue to cook, stirring often, until the pan is nearly dry. Remove the bay leaves.

While the wine is cooking down, remove your slices of tofu from under the weight and cut them into small cubes.

Add paprika, cumin, coriander, curry powder, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Add in the tofu and cherries and cook until heated through, a few minutes.

Add the butter and green beans and stir until the butter has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the yogurt, most of the almonds, and most of the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Topped with reserved almonds and herbs and serve immediately.