Return to the Kitchen

A couple of spontaneous getaways to Maine left me with a fridgeful of unused produce and a hankering for some home-cooked food. My husband did his best to use some of the more perishable items (and even got creative by eating a salad with raw chard...I've never eaten it that way, have you?).



Determined not to waste the local bounty I brainstormed some recipe ideas while driving home. I'm not sure where the inspiration for this recipe originates from. I feel like I must have gotten the idea from somewhere but can't seem to recall. I had been wanting to use some red lentils but my usual recipes weren't appealing to me. I wanted something really quick too, of course. A simple "sauce" of leeks and red lentils was the result.



At the supermarket I find that leeks tend to be larger and more uniform in size. About 2 inches in diameter. The bunch I selected at the farmer's market had more slender leeks. The largest was maybe only 1 inch around. There were four leeks in my bunch and once they were cleaned and sliced I had about 3 cups. To clean and chop I first cut off the tougher green end then slice the leek lengthwise before chopping it into thin half-rounds. A few good plunges in cold water removes the grit.



Red Lentil-Leek Sauce
Serves 4

1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups sliced leeks
1 bay leaf
1 cup red lentils
3-4 cups of water
Tamari for seasoning

Saute the leeks and bay leaf in the butter and oil until lightly browned and tender. About 8 minutes. Rinse the lentils and add to the leeks. Stir in about 2 cups of water. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes adding water during cooking to achieve the desired consistency. I used somewhere between three and four cups. Add the Tamari to taste.

We ate our sauce over brown rice with grilled sweet potatoes.

In addition to the leeks (zucchini, purple pepper, cukes and chard) in the fridge I also had a giant bunch of Lacinato Kale (my favorite). Some of it got turned into Kale Chips for the girls, some was chopped to use in tomato sauce and the rest was shredded finely and sauteed with some onion and garlic.



Shredded Kale with Garlic
Serves 2-4

1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
3 cups finely shredded kale
2 cloved minced garlic
Extra olive oil for drizzling

In a large skillet saute the onion in the butter and oil until soft and translucent. Add the kale and stir frequently until the kale starts getting soft and wilted.

Add a small amount of water to the pan, cover and let the kale steam until soft and the water cooks off. Add the garlic and another drizzle of olive oil. Stir frequently for about a minute to just cook the garlic. Remove from the heat. Salt and pepper to taste.

This is delicious as a side dish. We heaped ours on top of whole wheat toast with goat cheese. We could have easily made four "toasts" from this. Even more if you make them appetizer size. Am I the only one who is always looking for interesting ways to serve veggies when I entertain?

Escape

The high temps earlier this week led to a brief escape to Maine. We squeezed an entire summer's worth of fun into a few short days and I'm ready to go back.

I am sorry to say that I forgot my camera! So all I have are a few lousy iPhone shots.

This one is my favorite.

We stopped at the beach after lunch and a movie in town. At 5pm It was still so hot and steamy. I love the beach on a late summer afternoon. The tide was the lowest I've ever seen. My girls crossed to the sand bar together while I witnessed this momentous rite-of-passage from the shore. I did end up having to fetch my little one...she didn't like the muck. Nor do I.

It seems like they grow so much on trips like these. Why is that?

Wish

Maine
A love poem

When we are apart I long for you.
Your sky, water, sand and breeze.
Maine...will we ever be together again?


P.S. I hate your mosquitoes but I can overlook all that.


Ok...that was a terrible poem but on this unbearably hot day in the Boston area all I can think of is Maine. I should be sitting on a beach right now! Sigh. Maybe next summer.

This week is too hot for food blogging. Of course we'll be eating (mostly cold foods) but I don't think I'll be squeezing in too much writing. I also have a very important birthday to prepare for. Have you ever made a birthday crown? I haven't...yet.

Prep

Me and my little helper. She's very good at washing things. And flooding the counter. And floor.



Been spending a little too much time scouring the Vintage Etsy shops for kitchen goodies. Looking forward to breaking in my new "props" soon.

And I'm really sorry we can't get you a birthday present, Margot, but mama went a little overboard. Who can resist vintage melamine?

Inspiration

Audubon Circle has been one of our favorite Boston restaurants since it opened in 1996. A menu staple there has always been an assortment of pressed sandwiches. Alongside the various paninis they also serve a salad. Mixed greens for some and with others some slaw.

I actually never order a pressed sandwich while at Audubon but my husband always does. Always. And I have been inspired by the concept in my own kitchen many times.

So of course I needed a quick salad to accompany our own Audubon inspired, panini dinner tonight (which I cooked on my 2007 Christmas gift that I just opened).

Oh...If you prefer to be inspired rather than bound to a recipe, just stop reading now and run to the kitchen.



Audubon-ish Asian-ish Slaw
Serves 4

6 cups thinly sliced cabbage (I used red and green but napa would be a likely choice)
1 large carrot grated (about 1/2 cup)
3 chopped scallions
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Dressing
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. tamari
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 Tbsp. agave nectar

Lately I've been making my dressings in a small jar. I just put everything in the jar and shake.

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with the one tablespoon of dressing at a time until it is dressed as you like. I had a little left over. Let the slaw chill for a few hours before serving.

P.S. In the winter I will share my Audubon inspired tomato soup recipe. It will change your life.

Scallions

"A green onion, also commonly known as scallion, spring onion or salad onion, is associated with various members of the genus Allium that lack a fully-developed bulb."

-Wikipedia

Well, whatever they are they were under appreciated in my life until recently.

After buying a large bunch of red scallions at the farmer's market I felt challenged to use them up. So I just started using them. All the time.

Now I use scallions where I might normally have added chopped red or yellow onion. Bean and grain dishes, vegetable salads or even simple salads of mixed greens.

I have even been adding them to recipes where I might not have even bothered with onion at all. They are milder and easier to use when you only need a small amount and they don't sting your eyes!

I wonder if I will still feel the same once winter comes and I can't get the fresh, local scallions we've been enjoying. I'll be sure to let you know.