Although leaving summer is depressing for some, each year I’m always eager to see this seasonal shift. Like how the first buds on spring-time bushes signify the promise of eventual heat, seeing firm apples either draped on bowed tree limbs, or heaped in paper bags at local farmer’s markets, nudges cooks of all levels to turn the culinary page and embrace an entirely different kind of cinnamon-scented warmth. 

You see, regardless of the time of year, I’ve usually got something in-route to crispness in the oven and/or blipping its way to succulence on the stove–Yes, I make stock, fresh breads, duck confit, stews and homemade pasta–even during the dog-days of summer! Trust me, this is not to be a brat–although I do! get an occassional adolescent surge of defiance when I feel the professional tug to comply with what’s expected–with what’s considered “normal summer cooking.”

But when it comes to apples, things are different. Cooking apples in the fall makes me (and apparently a lot of other rebellious types…) happily comply with a culinary calendar–And it’s this ingredient that, more than any other, for many, initiates the cuisine of autumn. Anyway, since I rarely cook by a strictly-seasonal book –and since this can sometimes make me seem brazen– I think that’s one of the reasons why I feel so happy when the apple-abundant season of fall rolls around. Because “now” –almost everyone that loves to cook and bake seems to be on the same page. (Believe me, wanting to kvell about the many life-enhancing benefits of waking up to the insane aromas from an herb-stuffed pork belly (porchetta) after slow roasting all night long–in August–Well, let’s just say, it can get a little lonely over here…)

Anyway, in the spirit of unity, I thought I would give all you apple-lovers a few things to do in the kitchen…

If you love to bake, THIS APPLE TART IS A MUST….

A Crisp, Apple-Cinnamon Galette

Or, if you’re looking for something savory to slurp, here’s a hearty, yet elegant soup…

An Apple-Scented, Curried Butternut Squash Soup sprinkled with toasted pepitas (so delish!).

Or if you’d like to make a gorgeous, chock-full of chunk, applesauce to serve with your roast chicken…

Here you go…

Here’s what my daughter Jessie requested for breakfast, after waking up to the scent of a fresh batch of applesauce.

Warm applesauce, served alongside oatmeal.

Last weekend’s batch.

And, if you want something smooth and luscious to serve along side a platter of potato latkes…

This version of applesauce (above) is perfectly smooth and made from a wide variety of apples after an amazing day of apple-picking. Here’s my blog that gives a step-by-step illustration of how I made that particular batch, which was probably my best one yet–I also share what I learned,  that day, about the bigger picture of life….And, if you want to learn all about the many different types of apples and also get recipes that celebrate each types uniqueness, here’s a new book, all about it.  

The Point: To me, the sudden appearance of mounds of apples in September signify more than a seasonal change. Their comforting look, smell and taste remind me of their most valuable quality; their simplicity.  People like to complicate and label things–we especially like to label ourselves and others. In terms of cooking, we deem ourselves to be either “good, so-so, brave, scared, lousy, brilliant, brazen or conformist.” We often either claim to “cook but don’t bake” or it’s the other way around.  But, in the world of apples, things are simple.  Though each variety has specific nuances that highlights their individuality–there is a very distinct and common thread that ties them all happily together. 

Whether we leave apples whole and take a shiny bite, or peel, slice and bake them buried in a pie, or simmer them vigorously and mash them to a pulp–all apples are valued for exactly what they are; an entity that has the potential to bring deliciousness to the world. So, no matter what type of apple you are, I want you to know that you’re also filled with delicious potential. (And, if anyone reading wants to share notes about the gorgeous “crackling” song-sung as a  fresh, crusty loaf cools, we must be from the same heap. I’m just an email away!…)

Tags: apple tart, apples, applesauce, books about apples, butternut squash soup, cooking apples, latkes and applesauce

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Jon and I were coming back from our usual morning walk with Mango and as we approached our house we smelled a wood-fire burning.

Now, I know, I know….most people would be more than a bit un-nerved, seeing that we were out of the house and, when we left, our grown kids were sleeping on a lazy Labor Day morning. 

But that’s not how things seem to work in our house.

Anyway…instead of going into the house through the usual front door, we followed the scent–and went into the backyard through the side.

And…low and behold (not surprisingly) there he was!

My son Benjamin was standing in front of a fully fired up grill–

He was roasting a bread fruit over direct flame (no–actually– IN the flames) in our barbecue, using hardwood (at 10 am in the morning!).

When I saw him I remembered that, the day before, Ben brought this–this odd looking thing into the kitchen. I actually took a picture of it because I had never seen it before.

See, my son Ben loves everything about Jamaica–especially their cuisine–so he’s always shopping at West Indian markets so he can cook their native ingredients. To say he loves to cook is an understatement–and his absolute favorite way to cook is using wood, over open flames.

Maybe it’s partly because he evolved in a home where he experienced cooking as anything but a wussy sport! It wasn’t uncommon for my kids to come down the stairs on a random winter day and see me basting chickens as they would roast (in the fireplace!), using a home-made, slow-twirling, string-spit-concoction. SO MUCH FUN!

And here (below) I’m tending the fire in our wood burning oven….(Truly an athletic experience!)

And just this weekend, on Saturday night, Ben helped me maneuver a 2 foot wide paella pan (no joke–the pan covered four burners!).

The next night (Sunday) I cooked polipo (young octopus). I bought them at Randazzo’s my favorite seafood market on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.

Aesthetically-speaking (be forwarned) polipo is certainly not for the faint-hearted, but this has never bothered Ben.   

Here they are, after cooking at a brisk simmer (covered) in a pot of vegetable broth for 45 minutes–they then were allowed to cool in the broth…Oh, and don’t panic–The poaching liquid is supposed to turn dark purple.

I drained them…  

 Then I used paper towels to gently pull off the outer skin and fat layer (this takes several paper towels). Expect many of the suction cups to come off, too. (This is good.)

Then I cut up the flesh which is now so tender…

See–it doesn’t look so scary anymore!

Then I added some chopped vegetables…

(Celery, jicama, sweet onion, roasted red pepper, pitted oil-cured olives, chives and jalapeno)

And tossed the whole thing with a perky vinaigrette –and then stuck it in the fridge to chill.  

That same day, Ben came into the kitchen and saw that I was about to wrap whole red snappers in leaves from our fig trees.

 The fish are seasoned with extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, chives and Italian parsley) and Kosher salt and fresh black pepper).

So, Ben requested that I put some chopped scallions, hot finger peppers and a squeeze of fresh lime juice underneath and on top of each fish (before enclosing them in the leaves)…So, I did!

Ben helped me tie the leaves around the fish with kitchen twine. (He rinsed the strings in water first, to keep them from charring on the grill–such a smart young man…) I chilled them –and took them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before they would go onto the grill.

I filled two chimney starters with hard-wood charcoal and stuffed the bottom with crumpled newspapers (I don’t stuff too tight or it becomes too hard for the paper to ignite the coals–there needs to be some air in there to help feed the fire once you light the paper on fire).

Once I saw flames at the top of the starters, I dumped the coals out onto the grill (underneath the grate)–this usually takes 15 to 20 minutes after fully igniting the paper. I put the grate down and allowed it to get good and hot–then I waited for it to calm down a bit (about 30 minutes after lowering the grate over the hot coals, I was ready to sear the fish).

Just before laying the fish on hot grate, using long tongs, I swabbed the grate liberally with a towel dipped in some vegetable oil (I used a towel that I don’t care about–for obvious reasons). 

I seared the fish over direct heat (the outsides of the leaves should also be brushed with some of the same seasoning mixture used for the fish).

The fish sear for a few minutes, then they get turned (brush some more of the seasoning mixture on top before turning)…

Then they sear well on the second side, then get moved to a cooler part of the grill (to now be cooked using in-direct heat). Yes, the leaves are supposed to become nice and charred –this is what releases their unique flavor onto the fish (and into the air!).

Once the fish are repositioned, the lid goes down–but not all the way. (I stick a piece of wood under the lid so that it doesn’t close fully–it should have an opening that’s about 2 1/2 inches–

If you have vents, just open them, forget the wood).

This next part is determined by the size of the fish, the intensity of the heat and the internal temperature of the fish when it goes onto the grill…This time, for me, after searing on both sides, was about 15 minutes (covered) –They were perfect…

Ta-dah!

Beyond delish–At the table, we  cut off the strings, divided the fish (each one was between 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 pounds–three fish fed the 5 of us-generously (especially since I also served the polipo salad and some other stuff)–6 would be fed adequately).

We just peeled back the leaves, which revealed the most succulent fish flesh–loaded with flavor! And, Ben was right! The added aromatics made both the taste and texture more savory and diverse.

So, back to Ben in the back yard, cooking a bread fruit over a wood fire (not sure if I need to remind you that it’s 10 am on Labor Day…)

We looked closer to see what he was up to…

He started here…

He nestled the fruit in the fire …and he let it cook.

And cook…The entire cooking process took about 1 1/2 hours–He kept turning it with tongs until completely blackened and the fruit became tender, which is what makes it edible.

I’m talking really BLACKENED!

Once Ben deemed it “done” he took it off the grill and threw it onto the grass until it was just cool enough to handle, then he hacked it in half with this “major” knife.

 He brought it into the kitchen and cut it–removing the blackened skin and nudging the flesh off the central pit.

Ben tasted it while still hot….Just look at him work that knife!

I tasted it too–It was really good! The taste is a combination of a potato and a chestnut (delicious)–with a consistency that’s a bit like home-insulation (that last part I could do without).

Here, we’re making pasta together….Dat-sah-my-boy!!

The point: I’ve never pushed cooking on my children. I always trusted that if I cooked and baked from a genuinely loving, playful and curious place–then they would naturally gravitate toward the kitchen; toward the ability to create joy. Now, as a mother, seeing Ben (my eldest) so happily and so deliberately shop, schlep, chop, knead, sear, simmer and bake–my love and gratitude for my kitchen has deepened. This special room has helped my grown children to nurture themselves and those that they bring into their own homes and hearts, as adults. As a parent, there is nothing that could make me happier. (Well…maybe a wedding??…)

Tags: bread fruit, cooking bread fruit, cooking octopus, cooking polipo, grilled red snapper recipe, hearth cooking, polipo recipe, whole red snappers wrapped in fig leaves

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Jon qualified for a national golf tournament! We had been talking about him going to Orlando for weeks–yet I never thought about eating alone–until the day before he left. 

A little history: I’ve been living with Jon since I’m a whopping 17 years old–married at 19. My oldest child, Ben, will turn 28 at the end of this month–and he was born when I was 24 (I’ll let you do the math…). So, eating alone wasn’t something that I’ve had too much experience with–other than when I had to relocate to Vancouver, to shoot the TV series for PBS. But that was different. Being alone all day and night in the home where my children, my marriage and my career all evolved–this impending solitude felt bizarre–and yet (dare I say…) exciting!

So, here I was, at home alone with Mango, my 4 year old yellow Labrador Retriever. Friends would call and let me know they were there–but, the truth is that I wasn’t looking to fill up my dance card. I wanted to really use this time to see how I felt about being all alone with myself.

Over the years, many of my students have expressed their frustration–either because a spouse didn’t arrive home at an hour conducive to shared meals or due to sudden (or not so sudden) circumstances, there was no spouse at all, due either to divorce or becoming widowed. Either way, the result of being partnerless was always the same: Lovely and lovable people who didn’t feel motivated or entitled to cook and/or bake for themselves–or for their children–without the presence of another adult –someone else that would somehow validate their entitlement to have a fine meal at the end of a long day, simply because they’re worth it. So, suddenly this time felt special–and valuable to more than just me– this was my time to show us ALL that we ALL certainly are worth it.

When Jon left early that morning, he was lucky enough to miss the torrential rain that was about to descend (and relentlessly stay) for days–As soon as I knew he was up in the air–I asked myself “OK, Lauren, what now?” Then, I decided to do what I always do when I need to feel connected to my power to create my own happiness–I made bread. And, as expected, kneading the dough and knowing that it, too, needed me was all it took to get the ball rolling…

With the dough made and rising, I took a container of frozen meatballs that were suspended in a block of marinara sauce out of the freezer to thaw. I went to the market and bought a container of small floating balls of fresh mozzarella cheese and a single bunch of pencil-thin asparagus, which I washed, dried and then placed on my favorite blue-gun steel baking pan that I had first lined with non-stick aluminum foil.

Once on the pan, I rubbed the asparagus liberally with a mixture of extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, hot red pepper flakes and black pepper that I coarsely cracked and, over the top, I dropped a dose of  Kosher salt.

I had the music on (channel 31 on XM) while I shaped the oh-so-sticky dough, let it rise again until billowy, on a sheet of unbleached parchment paper that was first sprayed with olive oil –and then sprinkled with a mixture of cornmeal and whole wheat and white flour. Oh–and to help guide the sides of the dough as it rose, I had placed the paper (cradling the dough) seasoned side up, inside of a stainless steel bowl that measured about 9 inches across the top–While the dough was rising, I had the oven preheated to very hot (500F) with thick slab of terra-cotta (my pizza stone) on the center shelf and, on the stone, sat a cast iron pot, it’s lid secured.

When the dough was ready, I slashed and salted the top, took out the (extremely  hot) iron pot, placed it on a trivet, uncovered it and placed the lid on another trivet. I lifted the paper cradle and lowered the whole thing–the paper and the raw loaf–into the pot. I grabbed my mitts–recovered the pot and placed it back into the oven, onto the hot stone–shut the door, lowered the temp. to 475F and baked for 30 minutes. I then uncovered the pot, lowered the temp. to 450F and baked for 20 minutes more. I turned off the oven and let the bread sit there, undisturbed for 15 minutes.

I opened the oven…

ohhh….I felt so happy. Then I felt guilty about feeling happy (“Who makes bread for themselves when home alone?” I thought).

Then, as the bread sat on a wire rack,  the crust singing as it cooled,  I got annoyed about feeling guilty. (“What makes someone else more entitled to this loaf than me?”) I let the bread cool until dinnertime.

Mango and I had been out several times that day, walking up, down and around sopping wet streets and corners –those that hold many personal memories, especially since Jon and I both work from home and usually travel this same path together, daily. Every once in a while, Mango would look up at me, her eyes blinking at half-mast to keep out the rain. I imagined the question in her expression. “Walking me alone–and in the rain– is still fun for you, right?”)

As the night rose on a sunless day, rain still spilling from the sky, it was the first time I thought of the table. Where was I going to eat? From the very beginning, ever since Jon and I moved into the house–ever since my kids were born, each night at dinner, there they were–first reclining in padded infant-seats–then propped in high-chairs–then balanced in booster seats, etc. And to this day, every night, whenever we eat at home (regardless of what I’m serving), we always eat at a set table and always by candle-light. Would things change now that I was home alone? Should they change?

Oh, please. Are you kidding?!

Although I didn’t want to eat alone at a big dining room table, I also didn’t want to eat on a couch, in front of a television set. So, since we have a counter and stools in the kitchen, I “set” the counter.

But something was missing…

I slipped on my water-proof shoes and blue hooded rain-jacket. I grabbed my scissors and, despite the pouring rain, I went outside into the garden.

I preheated the oven, for the asparagus, to 450F.

Meanwhile, I slowly reheated my meatballs…adding some fresh basil to the pot.

I brought some water to boil and then I turned the water to a simmer, while I roasted the asparagus for 20 minutes.

I assembled a simple salad.

Since I always keep roasted peppers in the fridge…

– I added them to the plate of heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and baby arugula, which I served with some great olive oil and balsamic.

Several minutes before the asparagus were done, I melted some butter in a pan with sloped sides and, to the butter, I added a few cloves of minced garlic and some beef stock (I always have tubs of all sizes of stocks of all kinds in the freezer.) 

Two minutes before the buzzer sounded for the asparagus, I raised the heat under the boiling water to the max–I added a great pinch of salt to the pot, and then added some dried cappellini pasta.

I sliced the bread…

 Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…(the oven timer.)

Roast asparagus are amazing! Since they cook at such a high temperature, the spears get really crisp and caramelized (especially the tips)–which truly elevates the taste and texture.

I tossed the pasta with the butter and stock. (By the way, if you didn’t have stock, you could always just use the pasta water), and then I lit the candles…

I poured the wine (a red from Argentina). Yay, it’s time to eat!

Boy, that was GOOD!

Day Two: It was still raining. The wind was howling–and the covers on my patio furniture had half-blown off (the other halves were anchored down with the weight of rain-water). Several of the chairs around our table were knocked on their sides–random branches were down–and whatever ripe fruit that had been clinging to the tops of my fig trees were now, lucky for Mango, rotting in the soil below. The towels used to dry Mango were all damp, dirty and covered with pale hairs.

I had some appointments in Manhattan so I took the train into the city, looking forward to shop for dinner at the market in Grand Central Station.

As I traipsed around the market–After having meatballs last night, I knew I wanted fish for dinner. I also knew that I had leftover bread, cooked pasta and roasted asparagus–All things I wanted to revisit. I also knew that a friend, who runs a great Italian olive oil and cheese of the month club–she had sent me some of her most resent imports so I could develop some recipes for an upcoming newsletter.

I bought an 8 ounce piece of halibut fillet…It surprised me how the words “I’ll take that one piece of halibut” didn’t hurt like when I finally succumbed and bought only one lonely chicken to roast, when the kids were all in college.

I rinsed, dried and seasoned the fish on both sides with salt and pepper and kept it in the fridge until ready to cook.

I also bought a bunch of  giant black seedless grapes, which I rinsed and placed into a bowl…

I took out the bowl of pasta so it wouldn’t require lengthy reheating.

In preparation for the fish, I chopped some bottled pickled hot cherry peppers and a few cloves of fresh garlic. I drained a tablespoon of capers from their brine. I also cut up last night’s leftover asparagus, which I planned to use in the pasta.

For the bread, I mixed some minced garlic into extra-virgin olive oil and added some crushed red pepper flakes and cracked black pepper.

I sliced some of the bread and brushed both sides with the garlic-oil-pepper mixture.

I positioned a non-stick skillet on the stove, for the fish. And a grill pan on the next-door burner, for the bread.

It was early evening–although I was hungry, I reminded myself that dinner tonight didn’t need to be at any specific hour–and not according to the pangs of others. It was just me so I could actually eat whenever I wanted!

Deeming that it wasn’t yet time to cook dinner, I decided to make a little something light –but delish.

Grapes and Cheese!

I took two grapes–I know this sounds small but these were giant grapes–if using the regular seedless grapes, you’d use four per person.–Anyway, I cut each grape in half, lengthwise. I then cut each half in half again, lengthwise, but without cutting all the way through the bottom skin. Like this…

If using regular grapes, just cut each whole grape in half, lengthwise, without going through the bottom skin.

I was sent this amazing new cheese (new to me) called Manouri–very similar to feta–but a bit milder, softer and a lot less salty–really good. So, I took a knife and cut off a few small pieces–and then placed one inside of each opened grape. Then I drizzled extra-virgin olive oil lightly over the top and added some black pepper.

My amuse-bouche–such a perfect way to softly stall an early evening appetite.

Each small bite delivered such extraordinary contrasts in tastes and textures–I thought “Oh Jon has to taste this!”…Suddenly, being alone felt stingingly singular. I was, for the first time in a very long time unable to, a whim, reach inside of another person–someone that I loved sharing with– and touch them simply yet profoundly. I didn’t mind being home cooking for myself–but I wanted to share. I thought about how being alone and sharing seemed in-congruent.

Still raining and now dark, I put some all-purpose flour on a small tray and seasoned it with salt and pepper. I took out the fish and laid it, skin side down, in the seasoned flour.

I poured a shallow layer of olive oil in the nonstick pan and put a flame under it. Simultaneously, I also let the grill pan heat, on low, for the bread.    

As soon as the oil was hot–but not quite smoking–I added the fish to the pan, floured (skin) side down and cooked the fish until the skin was golden and the flesh was cooked about 1/3 of the way up the fillet (you can see the fish cook by noting the difference in it’s appearance–the flesh goes from being translucent to being whiter–It’s less about any specific amount of time and more about each piece of fish being treated individually, so you’ll need to pay attention to the way it looks–just remember to cook the flesh 1/3 of the way up.

Then turn the fish and sear on the other side…

After searing the top, the flesh will still be translucent in the center. Take the fish out of the pan, dump the oil into a heat-proof bowl (stainless) and place the fish on a plate.

See how the center is still translucent??

Put the hot pan back on the stove and, over medium heat, swirl in a few tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped cherry peppers, garlic and capers and then a nice squeeze of fresh lemon.

Allow the varied flavors and textures to mingle for a minute–then add the fish, tilt the pan and baste it liberally.  

Bring things back up to a bubble, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to very low. Simmer, covered, just until cooked almost through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, I reheated the pasta in the microwave for a few minutes with the cut up cooked asparagus. I also cranked up the heat under my grill pan and started on the bread.

I had prepared a salad that would go perfectly with the halibut and pasta…

Bibb lettuce with roasted peppers, mozzarella cheese and anchovy fillets.

Din-din on Day Two…

 I just couldn’t eat that second piece of bread…Jon and the kids would have really loved this meal. Although I was missing Jon so much, doing this for myself felt good–and important. 

Day Three: My mood was starting to match the weather, which was still playing the same dreary song. So, I took a small tub of curried butternut squash soup out of the freezer to thaw.

I still had half of the original loaf of bread leftover. I also had a good amount of the garlic-oil mixture that I had used the night before for the garlic toast, so I did the same thing today, only this time after basting both sides, I grated on some Reggiano-Parmigiano to the tops. Since the cheese could stick to a grill pan, tonight I would broil the bread instead.

I wanted to make crostini (garlic toast that carries a topping)–something substantial to go with the soup.

I had a plump purple eggplant in the vegetable drawer. After rinsing and drying, I trimmed off the top of the eggplant, then took a vegetable peeler and removed lengthwise sections of the outer peel, creating a striped pattern. Then I sliced the eggplant into rounds that were about 1/2-inch thick.

I brushed the eggplant on both sides with the garlic-oil mixture, added some more cracked black pepper and some salt.

I covered the eggplant and let it sit out, at room temperature. I put a grill pan on the stove, for later.

I had some fresh Mission figs and thinly sliced Serrano ham in the fridge (I bought the ham yesterday in Grand Central Station). I had frisee lettuce and baby arugula. I also had work to do–I had to use the cheese that I had been sent specifically to develop recipes. One, as I said before is called Manouri (the feta-type) and the other is called Kefalograviera which is equally delicious–made from sheep and goats milk –semi-firm–tasted really nutty.

Suddenly, a “light” supper of soup and crostini” had the potential to turn into quite a masterpiece!

I decided to fill the figs with some of the Manouri cheese, then wrap them in the ham. This cheese is crumbly so it needed to be mashed with something soft and complimentary–just enough to make it spreadable. Since the flavor was mild, I didn’t want to mute it by using something made with cow’s milk. I wanted to increase the acidity–so I used Greek yogurt–which would help the cheese to stand up to the sweet figs, salty ham and the bitter greens that I would serve along side. 

So, I had everything set up…

I trimmed excess fat off the ham and then cut each long slice in half, width-wise. I halved each fig, through the stem-end, then I mashed some Manouri cheese with just enough yogurt to make it spreadable…

I spread a generous layer of the softened cheese over the cut side of each fig…(You want to allow one fig –two pieces–per person.)

I drizzled the cheese filling with a little extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled on some cracked black pepper. Then I wrapped each cheese-filled fig with some ham enclosing it, and then laid each one, seam side down, on a covered platter and chilled them until later.

I started thinking–”These figs can be served several ways.”

Walnuts! I took a bag of shelled walnut halves out of the pantry. I melted some butter in a skillet and tossed in the nuts and sauteed them, stirring constantly, until both, the outer skins on the nuts and the milk solids in the butter were light golden. (Be careful, here. Nuts with skins can easily become over-browned which leaves them tasting acrid.)

I poured the nuts onto a plate lined with paper towels, then sprinkled the toasted nuts with salt and let them sit there until ready to put things together.

Then, just as dusk was about to make an entrance–

 THE SUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

About an hour before I planned to cook, I took the stuffed figs out of the refrigerator. I also took out a mustardy-vinaigrette that I had made a couple of days earlier so that the texture could soften and the flavors could fully resurface: For the vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1/3 cup white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar, 2 or 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon honey and 3/4 to 1 cup olive oil (mix pure and extra-virgin). Whisk, and then season with black pepper.

Before assembling the salad, I decided to take a picture of another way to serve the stuffed figs which, as expected, proved to be amazing as a “before dinner” treat.

The stuffed figs surrounding a mound of butter-toasted walnuts!

Ok, now I was hungry… Time to start cooking.

I used a vegetable peeler to shave long, thin strips from the wedge of Kefalograviera cheese, cut some heirloom cherry tomatoes into quarters and brushed them with some of the garlic-oil.

I put a mixture of torn frisee lettuce and baby arugula in a bowl, turned on a low flame under the soup, a high flame under my grill pan and preheated my broiler.

I grilled the sliced eggplant on both sides until tender and golden

I know I’m making more eggplant than I need–but leftovers taste great!

After placing the cooked eggplant on a plate, I broiled the garlic toast on both sides, then turned the slices cheese side up.

And topped the toast, first with some grilled eggplant, then with some halved cherry tomatoes and finally with some of the shaved cheese…

Once the soup was hot, I dressed the salad and mounded it in the center of the platter of figs, then I put the toasted nuts around the greens and on top.

I took a few pictures as part of my recipe development procedure…

Now, to my dinner!

I slid the baking sheet holding the crostini under the preheated broiler just long enough to melt the cheese…

And put the crostini on a plate with some of the salad that I tossed with the toasted walnuts…

And served the above with a bowl of piping hot curried butternut squash soup.

And, let’s not forget those gorgeous stuffed figs!

Yet another meal that could bring a stoic to tears.

Day Four: The sun was shining, I happily spent the entire day (and evening) in Manhattan-having brunch with my son Ben and one of my daughters, Jessie, then to a movie and out to dinner with Jessie.

Day Five: I flew to Orlando to proudly watch Jon compete in his tournament. It was so wonderful to be with him again.

I’m home again and no longer alone.

The Point: I’ve learned a lot from this experience. Mostly, that we can be alone, even lonely and still show ourselves great love. That regardless of the status of our other relationships, doing things to nurture the life-long bond we have with ourselves makes good times and difficult times substantially better –and that matters a lot– not just to the quality of our overall existence but also to what we teach our children about what they, too, should want for themselves when they’re grown.  This blog was meant to help you to see that, being without an adult partner does not dictate our ability or level of entitlement to create and enjoy the many benefits of living a homemade life. I hope this blog inspires you to love yourselves more and to back that up with self-caring gestures, no matter who is or is not around. I guess being alone and sharing isn’t so in-congruent after all.

Tags: cooking for one, cooking for the week, crostini recipes, halibut recipes, homemade bread, Manouri cheese recipes, recipes using fresh figs, recipes using seedless grapes, roasted asparagus recipes, roasted pepper recipes, what to eat when home alone

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I just got home from teaching “the girls” in Brooklyn, New York. This was only my second cooking class in this juvenile delinquent center, whose adolescent residents are remanded to reside for three to six months– I wanted to do something (cook something) that I thought they would love–love to prepare, love to smell while it was cooking and, most of all, love to eat. I also am always on the look-out for “teachable moments”–times during the cooking/baking process that I could use to highlight some of the thoughts, feelings and hopes that we all have in common. One goal of mine is to help these troubled teens to see that we’re all connected –to find opportunities to help them to uncover their commonalities, especially since many of these girls will, at the slightest provocation, decide to dig their heels deeper into perceived differences.

I decided to teach them to make Banana Bread (since it’s one of my children’s favorites–and something  that I’ve made so many times that I could do it in my sleep). I had it all planned–(well, not all of it…)

The girls were really “on it.”

• We first made the sugar/nut topping–we put equal amounts of nuts and granulated sugar into a doubled plastic bag with cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. Then, after sealing the bags, they took turns using a rolling pin to work-over the contents until pulverized.
• A small saucepan held some melted butter and in it stood a pastry brush, which two girls used to grease two loaf pans.
• Then we drained some “plumped” currants (1/2 cup-per each loaf- that I steeped in hot water for 10 minutes before class began) and we set them aside.
• After that, we went into assembling the dry mixture (per each loaf: 2 cups bleached all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and one teaspoon each, cinnamon and nutmeg. They whisked–then they sifted this into another bowl.
• Two bowls sat waiting, each with a very soft stick of unsalted butter.
• Another bowl held some hot tap water with 4 extra-large eggs submerged (two for each loaf), to bring up their temperature to tepid.
• They measured 1/2 cup (each) granulated sugar and light brown sugar and then they proceeded to cream the butter with the sugar until light–then added the eggs (one at a time, beating well after each addition), then came a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract–and, when all of this was gorgeously homogeneous, we started on the bananas.
• For each loaf, the girls mashed three large (beyond ripe) bananas–the kind that I can’t seem to EVER leave behind in the market–The feeling is kind of like adopting a dog that I know is about to be put to sleep–But I KNOW just how sweet they are and how much inherint value they have…

A teachable moment:

One of my students (Angel)–was vigorously mashing the bananas to a pulp, obviously determined to eliminate even the slightest lump–(Actually, while watching her, I thought ”what a great way to apply her apparent physical strength –in a way that won’t get her into trouble!” ) She said (after switching  hands, to allow the first one to rest) “I love cooking with you–I really look forward to doing this”–and then she said, finally deeming that her mashed bananas were perfect ” this is hard work!”–I said “yes, there’s real effort that goes into cooking food for yourself and for others–It takes muscle and stamina and organization to build something with your own hands-all with the hope of creating something that you hope will be delicious –Not just to you–but “this something” will eventually go inside of another person–cooking is a connector–and it’s a very big deal!

Angel said “I can see that– I love cooking and I love sharing. I think I want to be a chef.” (By the way–this was the same girl who said to me, just one week earlier (just before our first class began) “I don’t like to share.” (Oh, these are the moments that help me to happily wake up way before the crack of dawn…) Then I said to her “Angel, since you now know how much effort and caring goes into cooking for others, I hope that you’ll be more sensitive if you happen to be presented with something that didn’t come out as great as the cook hoped and/or if it’s something that you don’t particularly enjoy. There’s always a way to “be you” and still be protective of someones heart. We might not all love the same things, but we ALL have a heart–and feeling hurt “hurts” to ALL of us. ”

Anyway–so the girls took turns adding all of the assembled ingredients into the creamed butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. They first mixed in the bananas, then incorporated the sifted dry ingredients “just until combined,” then came the drained currants and, finally, they used a large rubber spatula to ease the batter into the prepared pans. After smoothing the tops, they scattered on the sugar-nut topping and I slipped the pans into the “preheated” oven…

Ok, let’s now talk about this oven (oy vey).

The oven is as old as the hills–I swear it must have come with the original lease (60 years ago!). The temperature dial has NO numbers! (Oh, I’m sure that, once upon a time, there were numbers–but not anymore–No, I’m not exaggerating.). Knowing this (from last week), I brought an oven thermometer and hung it on the oven rack, as it was heating. This was great–350F on the dot! So, after shutting the door to the oven, I set my timer for 50 minutes and we got busy cleaning up before we started making chocolate dipped strawberries (meant to accompany the sliced banana bread).

Those poor banana breads…

My nose is one of my best tools in cooking–and after 10 minutes in the oven, I smelled burnt batter. I opened the oven and the batter had swelled up and run over the top of the pans (I thought I purchased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans!–That’s what the wrapper said!) So, some of the batter rose up and out of the pans and burned (and I still don’t know why…) But it didn’t end there.

Having no idea what to do, I tried to see if it was the temperature that was the culprit–but, to my surprise, the temperature no longer said 350F–it was 300F.  Unfortunately, (something I didn’t know…) the oven door also has a “quirkiness”–and it only closes shut sometimes. So not only was there batter on the floor of the oven but the breads had not been baking with the door closed.

Anyway, the bottom line is that the banana breads were in the oven twice as long as they should be–the loaves gave most of their crispy, sugary tops to the oven floor–and, because of the timing involved, I needed to cut them while hot–(a real no-no).

The point: I’m sharing this with you because today I learned some stuff about myself that I didn’t particularly like. All during the time the breads were baking (and failing) I was filled with the need to continually “explain” why these breads won’t be what I know they could be. I felt the need to defend a recipe that was created out of the love for my children –(And, to be completely honest… I also wanted to defend myself as a baker)–and worse, I LOST a perfect opportunity to reinforce–and clarify the first teachable moment. I learned today that I am not only a teacher but also forever a student–What would a teacher say to a student who struggles to overcome perfectionist tendencies? “Use this experience to be kind to yourself and to acknowledge that the process of “letting go” of what one thinks is required in order to be loved takes much more muscle than mashing some really ripe bananas.”

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Today illustrated perfectly how amazing life is–and how in control we (all) are to make things better, even when “all things” don’t happen to our liking. I’ve had some personal challenges lately that have wanted to pull me down emotionally–And after a day of teaching cooking / life skills to young female juvenile delinquents I, once again, feel such a positive sense of powerfulness.  

The point: Life continually reminds me that when personal circumstances feel negative, the best way to quickly pull oneself up is to turn on the light! “Do” for someone else–change the focus from thinking (and feeling) about the woes of “me, me, me” and, instead, head directly toward a person and/or a place that can benefit by our uniqueness and kindness–Will things suddenly be perfect in those parts of life that disappoint, frustrate, sadden or confuse us? No…but doing things that are filled with love and light is one of the best ways to wake up to our abilities–and to our real job– which is to reduce internal and external darkness by reinforcing our power to, no matter what life brings, to love ourselves and others, anyway.

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Although human emotions start out nice and warm (inside)–isn’t it amazing how, if left to run rampant,  we can become really hot? Our face can get tomato red when we’re angry or frustrated (or hormonal!)–blotched out in purple-pink patches when we’re scared and/or nervous and deliciously flushed when we’re turned on. Although we often end up feeling internally mugged by our feelings, the truth is that emotions are simply a reflection of the degree to which we choose to surrender to inner and outer triggers. ”He made me so mad,” or “If she doesn’t hurry up I’m going to explode!” or “I can’t believe I just did that–I’m so embarrassed!”

The first point: Feelings, whether negative or positive, don’t make us do anything at all. It’s when we feel helpless in their presence that we relinquish control of what comes next–the continued unfolding of our story–that’s right–we let go of the reins that enable us to steer our life in the direction we want. When we inappropriately anoint our feelings “KING,” it’s like giving away our personal power to random waves on the shore. Feelings, just like waves, are transient–they come and they go. Emotions can be big and dark, and then an “all-of-a-sudden” whimsical inner thought or some silly outer scene can urge us to laugh out loud– (But, don’t get used to having the giggles…) because two minutes later, we can become scared to death and filled with mistrust (and then..)  after seeing a gorgeous baby or a delicious puppy or being hugged by the scent of a chubby, garlic-rubbed chicken roasting, the world, once again, feels just fine and seems filled with promise. 

Sounds totally exhausting, doesn’t it? Well, that’s how most of us walk around…victims of our own inner oven.

Is it bad that we have this (often overactive)  inner generator?  No, not necessarily.  As humans we’re made to have the capacity to experience enormous internal joy–and because there’s polarity in everything, there’s a flip side.–We also have the exact same capacity to create enough inner heat to feel overwhelming inner distress. As red-blooded people, we’re built to be able to feel the full gamut–but we also get to choose which inherent ability to strengthen. That’s the part we don’t remember–that we have a choice of how hot we will allow our internal oven temperature to get. We forget that, just like what happens in a home when extreme heat is left unattended –and is allowed to be sparked with more raw fuel–  the result is fire and, when left to it’s own devices, fire inevitably becomes extremely destructive, potentially obliterating many of the things that are most precious to us.

So how come we fail ourselves when we want to become less volatile–and happier?

Because, we usually create and commit to personal goals when feeling safe, able and inspired–a pretty cool zone (temperature-wise). Then, with the first challenge also comes an upward flick of inner heat, which is when we’re faced with the first pivotal choice: “Will I or won’t I attach an action to the heat that will depict a direction that doesn’t support the preservation of my jewels”–Which are our hopes, dreams and internal vision of being able to grow into our Greatest Self. 

The second point: Just like when the thermostat in our home-oven (in our kitchen) gets out of whack and runs too-hot, if we don’t want our creation (our life) to burn, we need to be able to deliberately make adjustments–reducing the temperature as needed– so we are more in control of having a successful outcome. Maybe it’s time to have that oven thermostat checked….

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I have the flu. (Boo-hoo.) I was going to make my son’s birthday dinner this weekend, but I’m just too sick. OHHH, I get so mad when I’m too tired to cook– (OK, so I’ve decided to let you see the over-achiever in me because I’m just too sick to hold it back and play nice). I had it all planned… I was going to make Ben’s favorites!

Oh well–I guess there’s always next weekend.

Since last Monday, here are the three highlights of my cooking and eating experiences ….All of which, by the way, are nothing to sneeze at.

Ta-dahhh…

Ginger-Garlic-Red Pepper Tea: This is AMAZING!! Just put peeled, minced fresh ginger (use more than you think you should) into a pot and add a couple of cloves of minced garlic (use way more ginger than garlic, but don’t be afraid of the garlic, it’s surprisingly delicious in this drink–just be light-handed). Then, cover generously with cold water (Figure about 3 generous tablespoons minced ginger with 2 small cloves garlic and 3 to 3 1/2 cups of water, for a couple of large mugs. You can evenutally increase the ginger (and even the garlic–albeit in small increments), as you continue to make this drink … Having said this, although really delicious (and healthy), you should know that too much garlic,especially for the uninitiated, could give you a sore stomach. Add a nice squeeze of fresh lemon (one good wedge–don’t go overboard here). After squeezing, drop the lemon wedge into the pot and bring the water to a boil, uncovered. Turn the heat down to low and add a shot of cayenne pepper. (Again, start easy … if you can take it, add a bit more the next time around–Sheesh, I’m SUCH a mother!). Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, then strain (through a fine-mesh sieve) into a mug (or a few), pressing on the solids to capture more of their flavor, and sweeten to taste with honey. Then just slowly chug-a-lug. (This is VERY good for you (and me)!

And…

A big-fat mug of piping hot chicken stock …

Do you notice the dark, gorgeous color of this chicken stock? This indicates an extra savory flavor and it's because of a deliberate move on my part. (READ ON!)

Now, trust me, this is not just any brew. It’s one of the most healing things a person with a cold or flu (or a sad heart) can drink.

Funny…my daughter, Jessie, told me that she told her friend that I had the flu and her friend said “Oh no…who’s going to make Lauren chicken soup??” Actually, it’s not so funny, since I know that many of you who are reading this wouldn’t do what I do (for myself) when sick.

Soooo, here I go, on my soap box about the virtues of always having chicken stock in your freezer…

This is so important because it’s precisely when someone in a household is feeling lousy that chicken stock is so valuable–Yet sometimes we’re just too busy (or sick!) to be able to drop everything (or even stand up, for that matter) and put up a vat of stock… and then strain and chill it..and then wait for the fat to rise …and then, after removing all the fat, to finally have something worthy of you and your family–especially when feeling ill–which is, pure chicken stock or, as I usually refer to it “liquid gold.”

The point is, that if you don’t have chicken stock on hand–then, when you realize that you or someone you love could really use it (by the time you finally get it) the person “in need” is out of luck!

So, although sometimes we just can’t make stock (on a given day) that doesn’t mean that we can’t choose to use some of the time that we DO have to take care of those busy, perhaps extra-needy days (and nights) ahead.

Take me, for instance…I’m sick. So, I could either lay in the bed and die or I could resort to slurping something from a can or I can do what I did– I went to my freezer and, in addition to thawing some stock to drink straight as a healing brew I created my third masterpiece of the week.

Chicken soup with assorted vegetables, over egg noodles...

Although certainly not a “birthday dinner,” this meal made me as happy as anyone can be, whether or not feeling miserable with a cold/flu.

So, take it from one who knows…whether you’re really busy or feeling lousy, homemade chicken vegetable soup, served over a bed of freshly cooked egg noodles is not only incredibly soothing but it’s equally doable– If you’ve set up correctly ahead of time.

So, let’s get down to business.

First: You need to have tubs of de-fatted chicken stock in your freezer.

I keep containers of all sizes in the freezer, but the most user-friendly capacity seems to be quart-size.

Oh, by the way… you can see me doing this (the entire process of making stock, removing the fat, etc.) in an on-line video, or in my DVD series and it’s also in my cookbook and there’s also a formally written recipe in the Great Recipes section of this website. I’ve also done a video on how to do this exact procedure when you need to take a short-cut AND how to simultaneously replenish your stock supply! (Now, you must admit, I get an “A” for effort…)

Second: Although it’s not a big deal to prep a few fresh vegetables, when really busy or when you’re sick as a dog (but want to eat well) it’s a great help to have some cut up aromatic vegetables stored in the freezer, in a doubled-freezer bag.

Vegetables like these…

Cleaned, trimmed and cut up yellow onions, carrots, celery, leeks are all perfect for putting together a quick pot of soup...

Avoid pungent vegetables like cabbage, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Their flavor is way too bossy for this. And, make sure to dry your prepped vegetables well since overly wet pieces will likely develop ice crystals in the freezer which can adversely affect flavor and texture. Doubling the bag also helps the vegetables to maintain integrity.

I also usually have cleaned fresh spinach in the refrigerator…

After cleaning and spinning the leaves dry, I wrap them in paper towels and then place them (still wrapped in the paper) in the refrigerator in a sealed heavy-duty plastic bag.

I also always have frozen peas and I usually have some sliced mushrooms in the fridge (buttons, creminis, shiitakes … any or all of them–they’re equally great.)

So now that we’ve covered the vegetables…

Put the frozen stock into a pot…

Frozen chicken stock being thawed and brought to a boil, over direct heat...

Here's that same chicken stock coming to a boil...

OK, OK don’t give up now, just because you don’t have chicken stock, spinach, mushrooms (blah, blah) in the house…You can plan ahead for next time! For now, you can just make a broth with cut up vegetables (onions, carrots, celery and leeks). Just cover them with cold water (add some Italian parsley (not chopped– after rinsing, just throw in the whole bunch-stems and all), maybe a few thyme sprigs and some crushed garlic) and then bring the liquid to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours). Strain out and discard the solids. You now have a clear, delicious vegetable broth to become the base of your soup!)

Now…If you want poached chicken in your vegetable soup, that’s great (you must not be that sick)…

Although technically, you could simmer the chicken along with the vegetables (like when making stock) but, because this is for soup NOT stock, things are different. This is because, when making stock, maintaining the texture of the chicken is much less important than coaxing every drop of flavor from the bird, the bones, the vegetables (from everything in the pot)–that’s the real goal. So, by the time the chicken has offered all of it’s goodness, the vegetables will be overcooked and there would also be all this rendered chicken fat in the broth — not exactly the healthiest way to go. So, the best thing to do is to gently poach the chicken in one pot and make the soup (using thawed, de-fatted chicken stock or strained vegetable broth) in another.

Here’s how: Take a whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds) that’s been halved and rinsed well. (Also, while at the market, as an optional–and extremely flavorful– addition, purchase some bony backs, necks and/or wings and, after rinsing and drying, keep them separate, for now). Put the halved chicken in a 6-quart pot with some of the same kind of vegetables (carrots, onions, leeks and celery) and cover all the solids with cold water. Add some whole black peppercorns and Italian parsley and bring the liquid to a boil, over high heat. Just as the water comes up to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes (make sure the liquid is gently simmering before you start timing). Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Uncover the pot and allow the solids to settle down for 15 minutes, then remove the chicken and allow it to become cool enough to handle. (Leave the pot used to poach the chicken (with the liquid and vegetables) on the stove, on a turned off burner, for now.)

Meanwhile, (back to this optional (and extremely flavorful) step), while simmering the chicken, preheat the oven to 450F. Lay the backs, necks and wings and gizzards on a shallow baking sheet and scatter some coarsely cut up yellow onions over and around the chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper and place the sheet into the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until crisp and golden.

Like this…

So, here’s my “pep talk” for choosing to include this step:Browned bony poultry pieces (from chicken and/or turkey) gives an enormous boost to the color, savory flavor and texture of the finished stock. The next time you roast a chicken, after carving off the meat, you can stick the carcass into the fridge (or freeze it) to use as your “browned” component in your next pot of stock. The poultry pieces featured in the photo above are turkey necks mixed with chicken backs…both of which lend real character to a pot of stock. The point I want to stress is that regardless of the type of poultry used, once you brown them with onions and then add this to the pot, your finished stock will be greatly enhanced.

OK, back to the poached chicken, if using…

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the skin and bones. Cut or tear the meat into bit-size pieces and put them aside, for now.

Poached chicken, ready to be added to a pot of soup (also great for chicken salad!)

Place the skin and bones back into the original poaching pot (now is also the time to add your browned pieces and any stray raw backs, necks or gizzards from the freezer. (Every time I bring home a raw bird, after cleaning it, I always freeze the neck and gizzard. That way, I always have some frozen “parts” to use to embellish a pot of stock…Just drop them in, frozen.) Oh…and I don’t include the liver here–they make stock cloudy and cause a bitterish taste–although totally delish when seared to perfection…but that’s another blog, entirely).

If you’ve browned bony pieces, after adding them to the pot, degalze the pan by adding water to the baking sheet and placing it over direct heat (on the stove).

As the water bubbles up, use the flat-edge of a spatula (preferably wooden) to dislodge any caramelized bits of poultry and onions). Scrape all this goodness into the pot. Bring the liquid back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for another hour or two, with the cover slightly ajar. You can add more vegetables (fresh or from your freezer bag) to the pot, if they can fit (or you can always transfer things to a bigger pot…). At this point, you are now making stock…to be used in the future, for whatever purpose you wish.

As you simmer, use a fine-mesh skimmer to remove any scum that rises to the surface…

Above is a small pot of stock, being made after poaching chicken to use for soup…

Here’s a bigger pot of stock, simmering and being skimmed…

This grayish substance is just some impurities from the bones being released. Not harmful, just not appetizing...

Here’s what a skimmer looks like…

A new small batch of chicken stock that's about to leave the stove...

Here are two big pots of stock, ready to be removed from the stove (obviously, this is done on a day when you're NOT busy or sick...but doing this will make those types of days much more healing...

Now, all you need to do is to let the broth cool a bit, then strain it, discard the solids, chill the liquid and (after 24 to 48 hours) remove the fat. So, now, you’ve not only just poached your chicken for your soup but you’ve also helped to replenish your stock supply! Stick it in the freezer for the next time you need it bad…

Which is how we began (remember??)

A brief recap, so you remember what we’ve done, so far…

So, if you had chicken stock in your freezer, you now have it thawed in a pot. If not, you’ve got an assortment of cut up vegetables (either freshly done or from your stash in the freezer) and used them to make a vegetable broth and to poach chicken, to use in your soup (the addition of poached chicken is an optional step). If you’ve poached chicken, you now have the cooked meat in one bowl and you’ve used the skin and bones to enrich the broth used to originally poach the bird. If you’ve got some roasted poultry parts (with onions), you’ll add them to the poaching pot (along with the deglazing liquid), when adding the skin and bones. After simmering, you’ll strain and discard the solids, chill the broth, spoon off the fat (which is when the liquid is finally deemed “gold”) and freeze. Don’t season–not until you’ve decided how you’ll be using the stock.

Oh, and you can freeze the rendered fat to use when wanting to make authentic versions of ethnic dishes like chopped chicken liver and matzo balls.

Now, here’s how to make soup…(Which, if you’ve set yourself up correctly, is really quite simple, despite the gargantuan length of this blog…)

If you have the time (and strength), cut up some fresh vegetables (the same ones used to make the broth). Or, if too sick (or too busy), just use more of the vegetables that were frozen.

You now have two choices:

First (my personal preference): Melt some butter in a saucepan and, when hot and bubbling, add the mixed vegetables to the butter. Saute the vegetable just until softened and fragrant, about 4 minutes, uncovered. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Or…
Leave out the butter and just add the vegetables directly to the simmering stock (or vegetable broth).

Bring the liquid to a brisk bubble, then reduce the heat to low and, if you’ve got them, add a handful of grape tomatoes (whole) and simmer, covered, just until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover the pot and add the cooked chicken meat (if using) and some thawed frozen peas (the best way to thaw peas is to submerge them in a bowl of cold water (not hot water). Hot water tends to leave peas puckered looking… (See, it pays to keep reading long blogs. You get these little juicy tid-bits of info!).

When hot throughout, turn off the heat and add a BIG handful of cleaned fresh spinach (use two handfuls, if dainty) and allow the leaves to wilt,which happens almost immediately. (The best time to add the spinach is right before you’d like to serve so, if wanting to serve later, wait with the spinach until you’ve reheated the soup until piping hot. If serving leftovers, add more spinach–again, once the soup is hot.) Chicken soup should be well-seasoned, and now is the time to do it.

To serve: Eat this soup very hot either “as is” or over a bed of cooked egg noodles or rice …or, if you’re up to it, a light and tender matzo ball couldn’t hurt! (By the way, matzo balls freeze really well…just plop them into a tub, filled with chicken stock and leftovers can freeze in the finished chicken soup). Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat very gently.)

The point of all of this (from me to you): Although we might grow up and leave our parents home, that doesn’t mean that we, as adults, don’t still need to feel nurtured. We just have to do it ourselves. And, if you’re a parent who wants to feel able to, at whim, provide an extremely healing environment for your kids (while also setting a positive “self-nurturing” example), taking the time (making the time) to do things like prepping fresh vegetables and making stock, in advance, are two great ways to help –especially when you or somebody you love is needy. OK, I’m going back to bed now.

But first….

A little lunch....

Tags: best chicken soup recipe, chicken noodle soup, chicken soup, chicken soup for a parent's soul, chicken soup for the soul, chicken soup recipe, chicken stock recipe, how to make chicken stock, how to make perfect chicken soup, matzo ball recipe, matzo ball soup, recipe for hot ginger tea

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Oh well. This weekend, Jon and I were ”supposed” to go on a (very) short fishing trip. The kids are all in their respective places (school and work) and, for the very first time, I agreed to put Mango (our 3 year old Lab.) into doggie camp and we were going to Montauk, Long Island for a much needed, teeny-weeny vacation. Of course, that’s not to say that real fishing is easy–it’s not! But it’s really FUN!

Last March, we went to the Bahamas for a week and fished ALL day, every day …

We're fishing off shore and I have a big one on the line...

Me and my big-fat Mutton Snapper!

Here's Jon with his big fat Mutton Snapper...

Here's Jon with his amazing Grouper...

Here's us with our "double catch" of Wahoo (we both had them on our lines at the same time!) If you've never eaten Wahoo, it's an incredibly meaty, succulent and delicious fish...

Each night, we would go to a different neighborhood restaurant near the marina and have the chef cook up our catch.

Jon and I caught these all in one day!

After fishing, each day, the first mate on the boat would fillet the fish and then, after sharing our catch with him and the captain, we would take the rest to a local restaurant. What we couldn't eat, we happily shared with the kitchen staff...

Ever since this trip, it’s been really hard to call any fish “fresh” after having experienced the perfection of “just caught” fish.

Anyway, we didn’t get to go fishing this weekend. The weather forecast turned bad so  instead of having two days on the water, Jon (who, I knew, felt really bad) came to me and said (as if this would be as good…) “Hey, Laur…let’s go apple picking and we’ll take Mango with us!”

“Gee… ok,” I said.

So, we drove a bit over an hour upstate and traipsed through a huge orchard filled with tons of trees that grew a vast variety of apples. In just over an hour of picking, I must say, we did pretty well! We filled three large plastic bags, which wasn’t easy–especially considering that many of the trees were already well “picked-through” and whatever was left  were dangling higher than we were tall. Plus, we were also trying to manage a large (and very busy) dog on a leash.

Mango was so happy that we didn't go fishing...

After walking back to the car lugging both, our apples and mango, I realized that during all the reaching and bending, I lost my reading glasses!  (Anyone that knows me intimately, knows that losing my glasses is NOT an uncommon occurrence…) Jon, being the sweet man that he is, actually agreed to go all the way back with me…trying to retrace our steps through a gazillion trees, searching  for my glasses–which was really so silly, considering they had transparent frames and were completely unable to be seen (especially not by me, without my glasses!). So, after finally saying  ”bye-bye” to my specs we got in the car, drove down lots of winding dirt roads, headed back to the front gates of the orchard where we were required  to pay a whopping $50 for our “apple-catch.” (I silently started doing the math, trying to figure out how expensive this day was now that I ALSO  had to replace my glasses…)

So, we drove home and then came the inevitable, after a day of picking.

What will I DO with all of these apples??

It’s not that I don’t like going fruit picking (I love it) but this particular time, my inner voice kept nagging….”Boy, right now, Jon and I could be toting our big fat fresh fish to a restaurant AND I could be staying in a hotel with turn-down service. This was supposed to be a vacation day!…”

Of course, Mango was thrilled as she lay splat on the floor of my kitchen, completely pooped after our day out in the fields…

After cleaning all the apples, I went to bed. (I was just as tired as Mango– I’ll spare you the photograph…)

Anyway, the next morning, I made the logical choice when about to wrestle with a ton of apples… I decided to make applesauce. So, I cleaned them all up and seperated out the small ones (and all of the red delicious apples) for eating and used the rest for the sauce.

Today, it would be the smooth kind (instead of the chunky type that I also make).

Although I usually use Macintosh as the base (the ones that I cook and mash), because we had so many varieties, I used them all (Ida, Cortland, Macs…and some others that I haven’t ever eaten before.)

I cored them and cut them into wedges (I discard the core but leave the skin on to add a rosy color to my sauce–not to mention that it would take me about a decade to peel all those apples!) The best tool to use when working with lots of apples is an apple corer/wedge cutter (If you’re a mother, you probably have one of these in one of your kitchen drawers. If not, it looks like this… )

An apple corer/wedge cutter.

How to use an apple corer/wedge cutter

I used a 16-quart pot and filled it to capacity with cored, cut up apples. I added a hefty splash of apple juice. (Actually, this time, I used apple cider, purchased from the orchard. I usually just use unsweetened apple juice.) I stuck several cinnamon sticks down into the apples, covered the pot and turned the heat to high. As the apples cooked…

I occasionally uncovered the pot and would try to turn the apples so that some of those wedges more exposed to bottom heat would be rotated to the top. I also used a potato masher on the apples, trying to help them to break down.

Once all the apples became good and hot, they started to reduce and became easier to mash.  I just kept (occasionally) opening the pot, turning the apples and mashing them down.

It didn’t take long before the apples completely surrendered their texture (boy, that sentence makes me feel powerful…) and it was now time to transfer things to a food mill. So, I positioned a very large food mill over a very large bowl.

And I have quite the food mill…

This is a HUGE food mill that I purchased years ago from a restaurant supply store. It was pricey and I felt guilty but since I never (ever) seem to make a small batch of applesauce, and because I always had a really hard time positioning (straddling) a smaller food mill over the large bowl, I caved in and bought this big one. I’ve never regretted it…Having said this, all food mills are not easy to clean (especially this gargantuan one) unless you understand how to take it apart and put it back together. (I finally learned so PLEASE email me so I can help you…)

As you churn the apples in the food mill, pick out the cinnamon sticks. If a stray one gets in there, don’t worry,  it won’t hurt anything but they can’t go through the holes and just slows things down a bit. Then, to the bowl of pureed apples, add some pure vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg and sugar (all to taste). Then add a pinch of salt (salt always helps to release sweetness).

Then, ladle the applesauce into very clean quart-size jars and let it cool to just warm. (I drape a sheet of wax paper over the top, as it cools). Then put a piece of plastic wrap over the top of each jar and attached their lids…and into the fridge they go! If you don’t have enough refrigerator space, you can always process the jars in a boiling water bath. To learn about the tools and how to do this properly, read this blog.

So, the applesauce was finally put to bed and I was about to head to my office to write when Jon came into the kitchen and said with a smile “Honey, quick, come outside to see the big fat figs that are ripe and just waiting for you to pick them off the tree!” Now, if you’ve ever grown figs successfully…and if you’ve ever (then) had a season that failed to produce, you know how exciting this moment was (and what made it even sweeter was that Jon saved this for me).

So, I went outside and, there they were.

How sweet it is!!....

Today's "pick." (YAY!)

This morning, as I laid in bed thinking and reflecting on this past weekend, I was no longer feeling robbed of a fishing trip. Instead I was filled with gratitude.  I have Jon as a husband and best friend who always supports my growth (he continues to buy me new glasses) and he never stops helping me see the bright spot in everything.

The Point: Although great vacations inevitably end and new ones can unexpectedly get canceled, great relationships can provide us all with everyday access to how amazing it feels to get the “catch” of a lifetime.

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You know what they say…give a girl a bigger closet and she’ll just fill it up with clothes! Well, I rarely shop for clothes but I’ve become a real hoarder when it comes to shopping for food–and my freezer is just busting with all kinds of things from raw meat and poultry to a variety of types of homemade stock and other cooked concoctions that were so good, I had to save them for another night (although “another night” just never seems to come because…well, because I simply love to shop for fresh food!).

So, a few days ago, when I saw that I almost had no space left in my freezer, I finally decided to stop shopping and to start thawing what I have.

Uhh, this could take a while...

So, here’s the deal (the rules of my new self-imposed challenge): Although I can purchase fresh produce, dairy and fish, all other dishes will be made from things that are from my freezer. Any grain or pasta (unless it’s homemade) will also come from my pantry shelf. I started this past Monday (I took a few things out of the freezer on Sunday, so they could thaw slowly in the fridge). So far, it’s been wild!

Week One: Dinner from the freezer.

Monday night’s din-din…

Chicken parm before baking...

Into a preheated 375F oven for about 35 minutes…

Just out of the oven...

To learn how to make this, go here and, instead of using veal, substitute skinless boneless chicken breasts that have been opened up (butterflied) and flattened. For each person, allow one half of a breast. After flattening and breading, each portion is surprisingly ample. All other instructions remain the same.

And, on the side…

We also shared some spinach linguine with red clam sauce (Yup, the sauce was in the freezer. A recipe is coming soon!)

Tuesday night…

I had a five-pound (frozen) pouch of cubed wild-boar shoulder (from D’Artagnan). So, I made an amazing stew. Of course, the leftovers had to go into the freezer…(Sheesh, I’m already going in the wrong direction!)

Wild boar stew, with grape tomatoes and peas.

I served the stew over cooked lasagna noodles that I broke into pieces...

A formal recipe is coming soon (By the way, this delicious sauce would be just as great with lamb, beef or veal shoulder.) And, although there are tomatoes in the sauce that have melted perfectly into their surroundings, the addition of grape tomatoes closer to the end of cooking, add a real meaty tomato texture without diluting the intense sauce.

Wednesday night…

Seared and sliced, duck breasts (see, I told you things have been wild!)

There were five for dinner tonight, so these three duck breasts are just the right amount, especially with the side dishes.

After scoring the fat, I rubbed it with Kosher salt, black pepper and dried thyme.

You want to score the fat deeply but without cutting into the meat. Scoring and seasoning can be done early in the day and then refrigerated until later. I like to take them out of the fridge an hour or so before searing. Then, I get a large, cast-iron fajitas pan hot (heat it slowly, over medium heat)…. Before cooking, I brush the flesh side of the breasts with a mixture of extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, fresh thyme and rosemary and some hot red pepper flakes (sometimes, I’ll add some minced pickled hot cherry peppers, which gives the flesh a really nice bite). Then I give the flesh a good sprinkle of Kosher salt and black pepper. I don’t salt lean meats until just before cooking since doing it sooner could cause juices to exude, making the cooked meat  more likely to be dry.

The breasts are seared slowly, fat side down, over medium heat.

As the breasts sear, the fat will render and will need to be poured out of the pan repeatedly (be careful here). Pour into a heatproof bowl (stainless) and continue until almost all of the fat is gone and only a very thin, crisp layer of top fat remains (so good…). The searing process will take between 15 to 20 minutes so make sure the heat isn’t too high or the surface layer will burn before the fat has rendered properly. As you get to the end of this process, preheat the broiler with the rack about 6 inches from the heating element. Make sure to pour off any accumulation of fat that’s surrounds the breasts and stick the pan under the broiler. Cook until the meat is done to your liking, remembering that, like a good steak, duck breasts should be served medium rare. As soon as you remove the pan from the broiler, use tongs to turn the breasts fat side is up, and lay them on a cutting board to rest for a few minutes so the juices can settle and centralize before slicing.

Cooked duck breasts resting before being sliced.

What to do with rendered duck fat: Don’t throw the fat down the drain. Instead, let it cool and either pour into a zip-lock bag and discard or you can strain out any bits of solid matter and allow the fat to congeal. Then store the fat in a plastic tub (in the freezer). And, when you want to occasionally use a really flavorful fat to baste potatoesbefore roasting, just chip off a chunk of frozen fat, melt it down and add some halved cloves of garlic and simmer them in the fat until almost tender but not yet colored (about 3 minutes). Then add some minced fresh herbs (thyme and rosemary are good) and roll unpeeled new potatoes (halved or quartered) in the fat  (with the garlic) and place all of it in a shallow baking dish or baking pan and season well with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Roast,  covered,  in a preheated 450F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to roast until the potatoes and garlic are golden, crisp and tender in the center, about 20 minutes more. If you want to roast whole potatoes, keep them covered a bit longer, then roast uncovered until they achieve the right look. Covering the potatoes initially is one of the ways to help them to become tender before the outside gets overly hard. Better than good…(Of course, you can also just poach the garlic in some boiling water, drain and proceed, using extra-virgin olive oil instead of the duck fat. Just as good and much more appropriate, health-wise, on a regular basis…)

Serve the sliced duck hot with….

Here's a perfect sweet and tangy partner to rich duck meat...

I served the duck with Stewed Red Cabbage and…

Maple-Basted Acorn Squash (After placing a slice of squash on a plate, I filled the center with cooked peas.)

Scrub and dry each acorn squash and, using a sharp chef’s knife, cut them into 1-inch thick slices (slice horizontally, not from stem to tip). Take out the seeds and any stringy matter. Line a shallow baking pan with aluminum foil (preferably nonstick). Pour some melted butter into the bottom of a plate and pour some maple syrup onto another plate. Dip each slice of squash, on both sides, into the melted butter and then into the maple syrup. Lay each slice, in a single layer, on the prepared baking sheet (If not using nonstick foil, first brush the foil with butter. Sprinkle the tops of the squash slices with Kosher salt and roast in a preheated 400F oven (loosely covered) with greased parchment) for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to roast for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the squash is tender and golden.  Use a turning spatula to transfer to plates.

Thursday night…

Truth be told, today I woke up with a lousy cold and I don’t feel much like cooking or doing anything at all. But…my thawed links of hot Italian sausage are waiting so I decided to make something easy, nurturing and spicy since my taste buds are a bit dulled.

So, tonight, on the menu, is: “Italian sausage, braised with tomatoes, peppers, olives and potatoes.”

I didn’t even feel like shopping for produce so I just dug around my refrigerator to use whatever I had.  I found a couple of large leeks, so I cleaned and sliced them, I chopped some garlic and then seeded and quartered a few hot cherry peppers. I had some sliced mushrooms in the fridge so I grabbed them, too.

Leeks, garlic, hot cherry peppers and sliced mushrooms, all cooking together until softened and fragrant.

Then I added some whole canned tomatoes that I tore apart with my hands (after removing the tomatoes, I reserved any tomato juice that was left in the can) and I stirred in some boxed chopped tomatoes that were already opened from two nights ago (about 1 1/2 cups). Amounts here aren’t important…I wanted a chunky texture and I used what was available.

While the sauce was coming up to a simmer, I browned some sausage in another pan.

Always brown sausage in some olive oil and use high heat.

After browning the sausage, I dumped out any oil from the pan and I put the pan back over high heat. I added the reserved tomato juices from the can, about a cup of dry white wine and some chicken stock (about 2/3 cup) that I had in the fridge.

Let the liquids bubble briskly and reduce to about half their original volume. (No measuring, just eye-ball it.)

While the liquids were reducing…

I always have a bowl of home-roasted peppers in the fridge (both red and yellow) so I thought that I would add some sliced yellow peppers (for color contrast) and some oil cured and Kalamata olives, for their saltiness. (Remember that amounts aren’t important in this type of cooking…just do what feels right. ) Once the sausage was browned, I added the links to the simmering sauce. I then brought the sauce back up to a brisk bubble, turned the heat to low and simmered the sausage, with the cover ajar, for 20 to 30 minutes total. (You don’t want to cover the sauce tightly because this will create too much condensation, which would dilute the sauce.)

Mid-way through the sausage cooking, I added some peeled and cut up potatoes that I parboiled seperately in salted boiling water (covered) for 10 minutes (until not quite tender). I did this because the sausage doesn’t need as much (or as aggressive) cooking as the potatoes do so, by giving them a head start, I could add them to the simmering sauce when the sausage was almost done. This way the potatoes will retain a nice toothsome texture.

I used three medium Russet potatoes but, again, all that’s important is that you don’t overfill the pan (which, as you see, I almost did!) I let the mixture simmer uncovered, over low heat, just to let the potatoes cook a bit more and to imbue them with the sauce (potatoes are nice and absorptive).

So, to serve, all I did was ladle portions into bowls that were low, wide and warmed. I served a Caeser Salad with homemade Garlic Croutons.

The recipe for and blog about the traditional way to make a Caesar salad is coming...

I added some good crusty (purchased), artisan bread (with my cold, there was no way I was making bread today…) and we drank a wine that was deep and red which made things feel just perfect…

After dinner, my cold was feeling better ! (Until, of course, I got into bed. You know how colds are at night…)

Friday night’s dinner… (B0y, since I decided to cook things only from my freezer, I’ve never eaten better in my life!)

Having said that, because it’s the beginning of the weekend, I’m never really sure how many will be at my table. (Ok, I did know that my son Ben and his girlfriend would be away in Jamaica for the Labor Day weekend and ….Yes, I also know that Julie , one of my daughters, is living in San Francisco going to school…But, that still leaves Jessie (my youngest, who is living home and about to start graduate school) to possibly eat with us and, when she does, I like her to feel able to invite a friend to join us. So, since I had only one (smallish) organic chicken in the freezer to thaw, I decided to also take out a rack of baby back ribs. That way, we would have enough for who ever showed up. (See, this is my (never-ending)  issue…I need  to always have  more than enough food. Is this just a Jewish mother thing or are all mothers this way?? –No doubt, the subject of another blog… )

Anyway, back to tonight’s dinner.

So, when I went to the freezer (yesterday) in addition to the chicken and ribs, I saw a big container with a smallish amount of curried butternut squash soup. So I took that out too, thinking it would be a nice first course –and it was taking up way too much room  in the freezer for such a small amount of soup.

Thawed curried butternut squash soup.

Although I usually simmer peas in the soup, since this week we’ve already had peas twice, I decided to sauté some quartered Brussels sprouts and guild the soup with them (a great combination, don’t you think??)

By the way…there was a major detour in today’s cooking. At about noon, the doorbell rang and it was Lou, my oven repair man who was there to, I thought, fix the broiler in my upper wall oven. I had been waiting for a part for over a month and, finally, he showed up to save the day.

Lou attempting to fix my broiler...

But, while he was trying to install the new part, the insulation surrounding the old wires totally disintegrated in his hands. He then deemed my oven not safe to use at all and so now, both the upper and lower ovens had to be turned off until he could get new wires! (Suddenly my head-cold felt like it was worsening….)

Then I remembered….

See, this is when it pays to be a food professional !...

I have a second fully equipped prep kitchen downstairs in the basement for when I do TV and cooking videos. So, although not as convenient, my “thaw and cook” challenge shall continue!

So, back to the menu for tonight…

Apple-Scented, Curried Butternut Squash Soup with sautéed Brussels sprouts

The caramelized Brussels sprouts were a magnificent addition…

Perfect Roast Chicken

Heaven on a plate. Poached and Oven-Roasted Baby Back Ribs Do I really need to tell you how good these are???

And, a simple rice pilaf (recipe and blog are coming). To see a preview of me making this in an on-line video, click here.

A vegetable-laced rice pilaf is really easy and very soothing...Here, I had just taken the lid off, after the rice finished cooking. At this point, just "fluff" (maybe add a knob of butter), season and eat!

Well, dinner tonight was really delicious. Oh, and by the way…Jessie didn’t eat home tonight. She went out with her friends. So, it was just Jon and I and, as usual, we had a wonderuful time.  We also have great leftovers to enjoy for lunch over the Labor Day weekend. If you’d like to see me prepare the roast chicken and also learn why this recipe is so very special to me, as a wife and mother, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to see a video.

Well, you’re now up to speed on my first five days (nights) of the “thaw and cook” adventure. By the size of my freezer, this could go on for quite some time so I hope you’ll stay with me and cheer me on.

And, if you were wondering, no we’re not overweight.  When the best ingredients are used to prepare food the right way, to be shared in the right spirit and eaten for the right reasons, anyone can (barring a pre-existing and diagnosed physical condition) create meals that build and maintain a healthy, wholesome and delicious life. To me, home food can be trusted to be the very best food and always will be.

So, I’ll be back with an update on next week’s meals that stem from my freezer and pantry. (And also on the saga of my now defunct wall ovens…)

And, I want to encourage you to leave me comments…Don’t be shy! I love to  know that  someone (somewhere) is reading and hopefully enjoying my blogs.  And, I’m always very interested in hearing your thoughts on my new adventures (and learning about yours) in the kitchen and in life in general.

Tags: how to cook acorn squash, how to cook duck breasts, how to make chicken parmesan, how to make room in your freezer, how to make stewed red cabbage, how to thaw food, how to use Brussels sprouts, what to cook when you have a cold, when it pays to be a food professional

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The title of this page is (as is often the case with me…) meant both literally and figuratively. If you read my last entry, you know that I’ve made a commitment to finally become more knowledgeable and deliberate when it comes to farming my own vegetables. I made this decision after my first taste of “this years” batch of homemade pickles, which are probably the best mixture I’ve ever had; sliced Kirby cucumbers, Spanish onions, sweet red bell peppers and garlic, all pickled together. Yes, the recipe is mine but, no, not only didn’t I grow the vegetables used but, this season (garden-wise) has been the worst one yet.

What makes a pickle recipe worth what it takes to grow?

Because making, sharing and, of course, eating pickles makes me happy, it just seems logical that growing them would simply expand on an already good thing. Similar to when making yeast-breads, no matter how crazed I get with my work and/or life in general, “putting up” food seems to sweetly straddle me between eras, enabling me to incorporate some of the best parts of a hands-on, simpler time into today’s techno-laden-busyness. And, since my pickles are what actually inspired me to, for the first time, really focus on the process of successful farming, it seems clear that “this” is the recipe that I should strive to grow first!

So, instead of continuing to blame “the weather Gods,” the aptitude of my gardener, or my lack of vast acreage (and experience)….

I have decided to apply the truth that, for me, has been applicable to achieving anything deemed important in my life: In order to become knowing, skillful and, ultimately, successful, I’ve always had to do the inner work to push past the fear of failure (which is not only felt initially but also incrementally, all along the way), to do the physical reasearch to learn, and to stay committed to practice even when it’s not particularly convenient (or always feeling like “fun” in the traditional sense). For me, remaining devoted to those three steps is what eventually enables me to understand any “new” dynamic well enough so that I can create my own unique “spin.” (Now, that’s fun…) To me, this is the recipe for growth personally, professionally and, I’m sure, as a new farmer. “Farmer”…I really like the way that sounds!

So, that’s it!! Next time, this year, the goal is to enjoy (and share) my pickled vegetables knowing that I was integral to the entire process, from the bottom up.

Of course, I won’t make you wait until then for the recipe…

Bread and Butter Pickles with Onions, Peppers and Garlic

Whether you grow or purchase your produce, if you’ve never made pickles before, I highly suggest taking the plunge. I’ll gladly help you (and I might even save you some money on products that I own and have found to be inferior).

Ok, First let’s talk about the equipment you’ll need before making this recipe and setting out to “put up” foods...

Most of the equipment listed is available either at a well-stocked hardware store or a store meant for professionals and/or serious cooking enthusiasts. If not, you can go to this website and you’ll find most of what you need. For the canning pot, you’ll come across a couple of different kinds. One is heavy, stainless steel and quite pricey. I own this and, it’s not my favorite. My pick, for processing jars in a water bath is the one I’ve been using for years, an old-fashioned, over-sized, light-weight, (and much more affordable) speckled kind (pictured below). These are usually in hardware stores and, if not, I’m sure they can order one for you. The crinkle cutter is an optional and fun way to create a more whimsical-looking sliced pickle.

Special Equipment:

• Large canning pot with lid removable rack

My choice for a canning pot.

A canning rack. (It comes with the canning pot.)

• Crinkle cutter (optional)

Not necessary but a fun tool to make crinkle-cut pickles (and fried potatoes, too!)

• Canning tongs

Canning tongs: These are a very important tool to safely submerge and retrieve filled jars from the boiling water bath.

• Wide mouth funnel
• Quart and/or pint size jars (preferably wide-mouth) with un-used discs and screw-top bands

Here a wide-mouth funnel is placed in the open end of a wide-mouth jar.

• 10-quart nonreactive, heavy-bottomed pot
• Large ladle
• Thin, heat-proof rubber spatula
• Labels for jars

A bit about the ingredients …

About the vegetables: When “putting up” foods, the vegetables used (whether purchased or home-grown) they need to be in great shape. That means no bruises, no wrinkles, no holes which can indicate possible insect infestation and everything needs to be scrubbed well and dried. Whole onions, just need to be peeled and wiped with a damp paper towel, before slicing.

About the salt used in pickling: Pickling salt is, for canning purposes, the most clean-tasting because it’s completely additive free. It also produces pickles with the clearest brine, so it’s my pick to use when making pickles.

It’s not easy to find pickling salt so, to save yourself a lot of running around, just order it from the source provided in the ingredient’s list. If you decide not to use this, you can use Kosher salt but, when a recipe has specifically requested the use of pickling salt, you should add about 2 tablespoons more Kosher salt, per 1/2 cup pickling salt. (This is not a hard-fast rule, though, so hopefully any recipe you use will address using different types of salt. I have, below). Because of it’s purity, you’ll need to keep this salt sealed, or it will clump. If it does, just push through a sieve or pulse in the food processor.

It’s important to measure your acid, sugar and salt accurately.

Ingredients: For 5 quarts or 10 pints

• 5 pounds firm Kirby cucumbers, washed, round ends removed and the rest sliced 1/3 to ½-inch thick (you want 3 generous quarts sliced cucumbers)
• 4 to 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 3 large yellow onions, sliced and separated into rings
• 1/2 cup pickling salt (if unavailable, use kosher salt, adding 2 tablespoons) for the cucumbers, plus more for the peppers (see below)
• 3 large red peppers, seeded and sliced into thin strips
• 3 tablespoons pickling salt (or 1/4 cup kosher salt), for the peppers
• 2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

To set up: Place the canning rack inside a large canning pot and fill with cold water. Turn on the heat and, once the water boils, reduce the heat so the water maintains a simmer until needed. Run clean quart and/or pint jars through the dishwasher and leave them inside until ready. Or, using canning tongs, lower the jars in the pot of water, opened side up, after it comes to a boil. If so, bring the water back to a boil, after adding the jars, and turn the pot to a simmer until needed. Fill a 4-quart pot half -full with water and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the screw top discs and bands and also stick in your ladle. Maintain a below-simmering status. (While the water is heating in both pots, you’ll be working with the vegetables.) In a separate pan of simmering water, steep the top to the jars (the discs and screw top bands). Add to the water, the bowl-end of a ladle , a thin heat-proof rubber spatula and also the rubberized ends of canning tongs. Make sure your wide-mouth funnel is very clean.

To salt and soak the vegetables: In a large, nonreactive bowl, combine the sliced cucumbers, garlic, onions and 1/2 cup pickling salt. Mix well with your hands and allow the vegetables to stand for 1 hour. Then, cover the mixture with cold water and let stand, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile (just after adding the water to the vegetables), in a separate nonreactive bowl, combine the sliced peppers with 3 tablespoons pickling salt and let stand for 45 minutes. Cover the peppers with cold water and let them stand for 45 minutes. (All of the vegetables will be ready to proceed at the same time. ) Swish the vegetables around with your hands, then drain both in a colander, shaking well but do not rinse.

The cucumbers and onions are salted and soaked together. The peppers are salted and are about to get soaked. The timing is designed so that all of the vegetables will be ready to be heated in the brine together, at the same time..

To pickle the vegetables: In a 10-quart, nonreactive pot, whisk together the vinegar, water, mustard seeds, celery seed, turmeric and sugar and bring this to a boil. Add all the drained vegetables to the boiling liquid and stir well to combine. Bring the liquid back to a boil at the center, stirring occasionally to make sure it’s all very hot.

To set up to process vegetables: Place a large, wire cooling rack on your counter. Place a clean kitchen towel over the rack. Lay another towel to one side of the prepared rack and lay the drained discs. If the jars are in the simmering water, use canning tons to carefully remove them, draining them completely. If in the dishwasher, simply remove them and place them on the towel (remember, the jars should be very warm to hot before being filled.) Place the jars, opened end down (for now), on the towel. Bring the water in the canner back up to a boil, then invert the jars, open ends up. Using the sterilized ladle, transfer the hot vegetables into the jars. Ladle the pickling liquid into each jar, dividing evenly, so the jars are filled (leaving 1/2-inch of headroom at the top). Take the sterilized rubber spatula and run it down the side of the filled jar to remove any air pockets from within. Immediately place the drained disc on top of the jar and screw on the band–not too tight! (If using any other type of tops on your jars, sterilize and attach to jars following the manufacturer’s instructions).

The vegetables are now ready to go into the sterilized jars.

To process the jars: Uncover the pot of boiling water and, using canning tongs, carefully lower the jars (one at a time) into the pot and onto the rack. After all the jars have been added, they should all be covered by at least 1-inch of boiling water.

The jars were just lowered into the boiling water...

As soon as the jars are in place, cover the pot and, when you see steam escaping from under the lid, begin timing. Process the jars for 10 minutes, once you see steam. (The heat should be high when processing. If, however, the jars start to rattle and the pot begins to spit water from under the lid, reduce the heat a bit to help to calm things down. The water should, though, always produce steam.)

After processing: While the vegetables are being processed, clean up the area where you filled the jars. Replace the towel on the rack so everything is, once again, very clean. After 10 minutes in the boiling water, uncover the pot and turn off the heat. Using canning tongs, lift the jars out of the water and bring them to the towel lined rack. (It’s a good idea to, while using your working hand to secure the top of the jar with tongs, hold a folded towel in the other hand and rest the jar on the towel as you walk to the rack.) Stand the jars, right side up, on the towel-lined rack and let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Soon after removing the jars, you should hear a series of audible “pings” indicating that the seals on each jar are secure. (You won’t always hear this, though. Most important is that the tops of the jars are not bulging but are, somewhat concave.) Place the cooled jars it in a dark cool place for 1 month before serving. If done properly, the jars will keep for 1 year or longer.

Just after being processed. Let the jars sit, undisturbed, for 12 hours....And wait at least one month before opening! (Waiting is the hard part...)

Upon opening a jar of pickles…

Safety note: Whenyou open a jar, if you see a foaming substance or smell a foul odor or, if before opening, the lid is bulging, do not taste it to see if it is OK…. WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!!

Here’s a formally written and printable copy of this recipe (along with a shopping list). I hope you try it. Have fun and DO leave a comment so I know how it’s going! More on composting is coming soon!

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