Day 172.5 - Blood Orange and Avocado Salad with Cilantro and Pine Nuts

I couldn't sleep at all last night. I was tossin' and turnin', turnin' and...you know the rest, and if you don't, I so just dated myself. Lucky for me however, even in my slumberless fog, the New Yorker Food Issue lay at the ready on my bedside table, beckoning me to give up on sleep and delve into the world of food, literature and art. I submitted and an hour and a half later, I was in deep. After reading a fascinating story about René Redzepi, Chef and owner and world-class forager of Noma, a Copenhagen restaurant twice named the world's best restaurant, I flipped to a story entitled,  Secret Ingredients - Pine Nuts, by Judith Thurman. I was hooked, because to my way of thinking, pine nuts make just about anything better. Humorously written, Thurman who is a staff writer for the New Yorker, divulges that she has been known to sauté a pan of pine nuts before expectant guests come to her home for dinner, " releasing a heavenly aroma that wafts through the house, promoting the illusion that home cooking has recently taken place..." Awesome.

Just a few paragraphs in, Thurman tosses in an idea for a festive, clean dish that offsets rich foods and includes, the secret ingredient: pine nuts. If I tell you that I sat bolt upright, tore the page out of the magazine, got out of bed and tacked it to the grocery list in my kitchen, I would not be lying -- the recipe sounded that simple, that pretty and that good. Returning to bed, I quickly drifted back to sleep, peacefully dreaming about pine nuts - best dream I ever had; well almost, but that's a different blog. Anyway... here's the recipe.  Along with blood oranges (I used naval, because that's all I could find on short notice) and avocado, the salad is topped with Spanish onions sliced paper thin. Thurman offers that should dinners be wary of the aftertaste of raw onions, a small bowl of fennel seeds can be served alongside as a chaser. Finally, she suggests a light vinaigrette made with white wine vinegar, but I made up my own. The salad recipe, however, is hers in entirety.

So, if you want to impress you family and friends this Holiday Season, consider this gorgeous salad that takes no time to make and is a refreshing departure from typical green salads, or God forbid, ambrosia.  Lastly, here's a little avocado trick I read about (I have no idea where). To prevent discoloration: quickly run the cut avocado under cold running water - for some reason (magic?), this stops the fruit from browning.

Tonight, since I'm kind of tired (but well read), my husband and I plan to have this salad with a warm baguette, some good stinky cheese and lots of wine. Done and done. Happy Holidays!

Avocados, sliced oranges and super thinly sliced onions make the salad

The original recipe calls for blood oranges, which would look even better if you can get them

Use fresh, Spanish onions for the best flavor

Should you fear "onion breath", a few anise seeds lend a fresh taste and scent

A light vinaigrette works best - a little coarsely ground mustard

Half a fresh squeezed lime (really compliments the cilantro topping)

Use white wine or white balsamic vinegar for a clean, light vinaigrette

Top salad with onions, finely chopped cilantro and pine nuts - easy, right?

Blood Orange and Avocado Salad with Cilantro and Pine Nuts
(Salad Recipe Courtesy of Judith Thurman, The New Yorker Food Issue, November, 2011)

2 blood oranges (naval are okay), thinly sliced
1 small Spanish onion, sliced paper thin
1 ripe but still firm avocado, sliced
1 bunch baby arugula
finely chopped cilantro
pine nuts

Carefully peel and thinly slice two blood or naval oranges, a small Spanish onion, and the avocado. Alternate orange and avocado slices on a shallow bed of baby arugula. Strew the onion slices on top, then sprinkle with some finely chopped cilantro and pine nuts.

Vinaigrette (Recipe, Courtesy of Me)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 Tbsp. white Modena balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. coarse brown mustard
pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 fresh squeezed lime

Correct seasoning and oil:vinegar ratio to your liking. Whisk all ingredients together, drizzle over salad and serve.

© 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved

Perfect Peas

I have always had a fondness for peas, as long as they are not overcooked.  They seem so happy and playful, with a hint of sweetness just waiting to burst through their outer layer.  Seasoning gently with salt, pepper, and butter rounds out the flavor enough for my taste buds.  However, I have learned that not all of us feel that way about peas.  Namely, my husband.  Seth does not share my fondness, unfortunately.  So after tinkering with various combinations, I found that adding fresh herbs, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese imbues these little green orbs with savory pep.  Seth calls these perfect peas, because they are the only way he will eat them happily.

Ingredients

1 pound bag of frozen peas, steamed

1 tbsp butter, softened

1/8 cup chopped mint

1/8 cup chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix butter, herbs, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese.  Melt mixture over cooked peas and serve.

Chocolate and Szechuan Peppercorn Brownies

After seeing a recipe in Food and Wine for chocolate and Szechuan peppercorn brioche, I became obsessed with this combination.  Previously, I had only seen this spice used in savory foods, and here it was paired with chocolate!  The chocolaty goodness of brownies seemed like a great place to marry the flavors, and infusing the butter and the ganache with the peppercorns doesn't make the flavor too overpowering.

Ingredients
Brownies:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick, broken

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

1 tablespoon espresso

3 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

½ cup all-purpose flour

Ganache:

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease an 8x8 baking dish.  In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the peppercorns and the pieces of cinnamon stick.  Meanwhile, in a double boiler or microwave, melt the unsweetened chocolate and semisweet chocolate together.  Stir in the espresso to the melted chocolate.  Once the butter stops foaming and you can see browned bits at the bottom of the pan (about 5 minutes), take off heat and remove the peppercorns and cinnamon stick.  It may be easier to strain the contents of the pan and then return just the butter to it.  Stir the sugars, milk, vanilla, and salt into the butter in the pan.  Then stir in the cocoa powder and chocolate and espresso mixture.  Beat in the eggs, and then lastly, stir in the flour.  Bake in greased pan for about 25-30 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.  Feel free to underbake them a bit.  Once brownies are cooled, spread ganache.  I like to put them in the refrigerator to firm up the ganache. 

To make the ganache, bring the heavy cream and peppercorns to a simmer in a small pot. Strain the peppercorns and stir in semisweet chocolate chips. 

Day 172! Somali Date-Filled Sambusas - ONE Recipe for Change

With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, I can't help but reflect how much I take for granted. A full fridge, stocked pantry, backyard garden and grocery stores brimming to nearly obscene largess - This is America, and I am eternally grateful to live in this land of bounty. Recently, I made a meal from Somalia, a beautiful African country besieged by drought and widespread hunger. The irony of preparing this lovely dinner was not lost on me, as I suspected  few Somali families were sitting down to the traditional dish my family and I enjoyed.

Then, last week, in what I believe was a twist of fate,  I was contacted by the ONE Campaign, with an offer to collaborate on a Thanksgiving project to raise global awareness of the famine and escalating food crisis in the the Horn of Africa, where 30,000 children have died in the past three months and more than 13.3 million people are at risk of starvation. I am honored to join with ONE's initiatives to fight world poverty,  hunger and raise awareness.  I hope you will too.

According to ONE, while the current drought plaguing the Horn could not have been prevented, famine is a man-made disaster that could have been avoided. Supporting proven, cost-effective agriculture program that help train farmers and provide them with much-needed supplies and access to markets, are just a few of the ways we can help to prevent famine in the future.

You too can support ONE's work by making this traditional Somali dessert for your family Thanksgiving dinner. Simply print out the virtual recipe card (below) and share this post to broaden ONE's mission.  Every single voice counts. 

So what is the ONE Campaign?  ONE is a grassroots advocacy and campaigning organization that fights extreme poverty and preventable disease -- particularly in Africa -- by raising public awareness and rallying political leaders to support smart and effective policies and programs that are saving lives, helping to put kids in school and improving futures. Co-founded by Bono and other campaigners, ONE is nonpartisan and works closely with African activists and policy makers.

Drought May be an act of Nature, but Famine is not

Backed by a movement of more than 2.5 million ONE members -- including more than 50,000 here in my home state of Massachusetts -- ONE achieves change through advocacy, harnessing the collective voice of its massive global membership, rather than soliciting funding from the public. In fact, their tagline is short and simple: We're not asking for your money, we're asking for your voice. ONE holds world leaders to account for the commitments they've made to fight extreme poverty. This includes agricultural programs like USAID's Feed the Future, that is helping African farmers to feed themselves and their entire communities -- all for a fraction of less than 1% of the entire U.S. budget.

Somali Date-Filled Sambusas - ONE Recipe for Change

Ingredients for the dough

Yeast, water, oil and milk make the dough elastic and very easy to work with

Proof the yeast in warm water

Let proof for 15 minutes

Mix in flour gradually - this helps avoid making the dough too stiff and dry

 Cover and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk

Filling - Look at those beautiful dates!

Use freshly grated nutmeg if you have it, otherwise ground nutmeg is fine

Ground cardamom has a lovely taste and scent

Cook dates down to a paste *Use a VERY low flame and add water if mixture becomes too dry*

Roll dough out to squares (trim as needed), fill with date mixture, fold over and seal with water

Bake at 325 degrees for about 15 or until golden brown

Serve this traditional Somali treat as dessert or a snack with tea ... and enjoy!

Date-Filled Sambusas (adapted from Celtnet)

**Click here to download and share the virtual recipe card**

***Awesome Illustration by Malaka Gharib for ONE***

© 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved

Day 171! Swaziland - Karoo Roast Ostrich Steak - Up Next, Sweden

How does one pass up the opportunity to cook with ostrich? One doesn't. This traditional Swazi recipe for flash-fried, marinated ostrich steak, served with a pumpkin and mealie meal (ground maize) mash, is both unique to the this beautiful African country, and seasonally appropriate for what's regionally available in the Northeast U.S. during this fall season of pumpkins and squash. A big shout-out to my wonderful husband for schlepping to Savenor's Market in Cambridge after work to scoop up two beautiful ostrich fillets. If you're a fan of wild and exotic game, you MUST check out this full-service butcher shop and family owned business, which by the way, was Julia Child's go-to market, so you know, it's got some very special, hard to source supplies at the ready.

A landlocked country, Swaziland, also known as Ngwane or Swatini, is bordered by Mozambique and South Africa. The country's subtropical climate includes mountains and lowveld (wide open rural spaces). During the 15th and 16th centuries, the African people of Nguni descent migrated southward from Central Africa. Eventually, during the mid-18th century, a group of them settled in the area which is now Swaziland. These people, the Nkosi Dlamini, became known as the Swazis, and today both names live on in the country. Nkosi means ‘king’ and Dlamini is the surname of the royal family. After a long period of rule by the British (as a protectorate), the country gained independence in 1968. Unlike many African countries, Swaziland claims that it has been 99% free of political violence. Sadly, the country has been ravaged by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and although health care has improved, the human, economic and societal toll is nothing short of tragic. For a more in-depth description of the country's history, readers are referred to this site.

Cuisine in Swaziland varies depending on seasonal and geographic region. Sorghum, maize, goat, ostrich, sugar, pumpkins, beans, corn, citrus, peanuts and rice are staple crops that are largely farmed by subsistence farmers. Mealie meal, a ground maize porridge is eaten in most every household as it's both plentiful and filling.

Red wine and juniper berries make the marinade

Slice the meat as thin as possible - Ostrich is very lean with almost no fat

Marinate overnight - crushed juniper berries smell heavenly

Pumpkin  - a staple in Swaziland is readily available in New England now!

Ground Maize - also known as grits or polenta - both of which I love!

Slice an onion super thin for the sauce

Crush up some green peppercorns for the sauce (I added extra)

White wine and cream ... there are few better combinations

Saute the onions, until butter turns nut brown, add wine, cream and peppercorns, salt and simmer

Serve and enjoy!

Karoo Roast Ostrich Steak (Recipe Courtesy of celtnet.org.uk)

2 ostrich steaks, thinly sliced
1 onion, finely sliced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup white wine
6 green peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup mealie meal (ground maize)
3/4 cup red wine
5 juniper berries, lightly crushed
Butter for frying onion and ostrich

Slice the ostrich steaks as finely as possible and marinate in red wine and juniper berries and refrigerate over night.
Add the pumpkin and mealie meal to a pot, cover with water and boil for about 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft. Add more water if needed. When cooked pour off any excess liquid and mash the pumpkin and mealie meal together.
Meanwhile, add the onion to a pan and sweat in a little butter until just nut brown.
Add the cream, white whine and green peppercorns and bring to gentle simmer.
Season and add a little arrowroot if the sauce is too thin.
Finally add a little butter to a frying pan and cook the ostrich by flash frying the meat. Do not over cook as the meat will become very dry.
To serve, place the pumpkin mash in the center of a plate, arrange the strips of ostrich meat around the outside and drizzle the cream sauce over the top.

Final Assessment: I love ostrich meat. It's lean and full of flavor, so I sauteed it for just a few seconds in a little bit of olive oil. The mealie meal and pumpkin mash is surprisingly delicious and filling. If you like grits or polenta, you'll love the combination. And, oh, the cream sauce - I could spoon that concoction out of the pan and call it a day. A wonderful, classy meal!


© 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved

Green Fruit Salad with Orange Yogurt Dressing

A tangy, citrus mixture coats sweet and sour bits of fruit to create an explosion of creamy, sweet, and zesty flavors in every bite. The emerald color of this fruit salad looks festive for the upcoming holidays, and it is super easy to toss together.

Ingredients

2 cups green grapes

2 green apples, cored and diced

3 kiwis, peeled, halved, and sliced

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon orange zest

3 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

Instructions

In a large bowl, toss fruits together.  In a small bowl, whisk yogurt, orange juice and zest, and sugar.  Coat the tossed fruit with yogurt mixture.

Bargain Shopping at Grocery Outlet

I love a good deal, so you'll frequently find me perusing the wares at garage sales, thrift shops and outlet stores (not to mention sale racks!). Bargain hunting might as well be called "treasure hunting," as far as I'm concerned. Nothing beats the thrill of finding a long out-of-print copy of Better Than Store Bought cookbook, a discarded Moulinex meat grinder, or Santander chocolate priced to move (all things I've scored). Actually, the thrill is in just the possibility of finding something, which is exactly why I like shopping at Grocery Outlet.

Grocery Outlet buys closeouts and discontinued items so you never know what they will have. Unlike similar stores, they focus on quality brands and they have just about everything you'd find at a regular supermarket, including some organic produce. Sometimes you can figure it out why the product ended up there, because the size or the packaging gives it away. It might be something that was packaged for food service or a big box store. Or it might have been a seasonal promotion or flavor.

As you can imagine, each product has a story to tell, on an insider tour I learned why a terrific wine ended up being sold at a bargain price (a bank note was due and the winery needed cash) why an expensive beauty product ended up being discounted (the packaging changed and they needed to reduce inventory), why some fancy imported cookies were available (an order was cancelled after the shipment had already left Germany for the US) and why an adorable stuffed toy was being cleared out (a typo on the label). Prices vary but are often discounted 50% or more.

I also learned that Grocery Outlet is a third generation family owned company and that each store is independently operated and very involved in the local community. Employees even participated in a "hunger challenge" style effort to experience what it was like to live on a food stamps budget.

Here are some the excellent finds from my most recent shopping trip:


Ok, so clearly this is NOT Baby Romaine! But who cares? It's an organic salad mix for an unbeatable price.


Greek yogurt. This stuff normally sells for $1.65 each at my local supermarket, and here it was 2 for a dollar!


Thomas' English Muffins really are the best you can find at any supermarket as far as I'm concerned, and $2.49 a pack is a steal.


I am crazy about Numi's puerh tea! Even with a coupon I can't get it this cheap.


Not on my usual shopping list, but how could I resist Terra Chips with Olive Oil, Roasted Garlic and Parmesan and for only $1.99 a bag? They are delicious by the way.


I'm guessing the new name "mascarpone fresca" is what caused this to end up discounted from what the regular price $5.49 to only $1.99 (is it just me or does mascarpone sounds like the name of an Italian crime syndicate?) All that really matters is that the price is amazing for this luscious ingredient necessary for tiramisu. It's not on my regular shopping list, but like I say, I can't resist a bargain...

My thanks to Grocery Outlet for giving me a tour, introducing me to your buyers, sharing your stories and for giving me a gift card. (It will probably come as no surprise that I spent much more of my own money because I found so many good deals!)
What's the best closeout you've found or store where do you routinely find them?