Snow pea harvest and sesame peanut noodles

Posted on December 10, 2013 by missinghenrymitchell

Peas are not easy for me to grow. I suppose the key to success lies in timing the sowing just right, because springs here can go from frigid to tropical in very short order. But fall weather is somewhat more reliable, and this year I successfully grew sugar snap peas in containers. I’ve just pulled out the last of the vines, which are going into the compost pile.

One of my family’s favorite dishes makes wonderful use of sugar snap peas: Nigella Lawson’s recipe for sesame peanut noodles. As she notes, this is a great dish to have in the fridge for quick lunches. I make a few modifications to her recipe.

My dressing is the same: combine 1 tablespoon each of sesame oil, garlic oil, and soy sauce, 2 tablespoons each of lime juice and chili sauce, and 100 grams (1/3 cup) of peanut butter. Combine all ingredients until smooth. Natural peanut butter is best, hands-down. When I don’t have garlic oil, I use canola oil instead, and mix about 1 tablespoon of chopped, seared garlic to the noodle mixture.

For the salad:

1–1 1/2 cups of fresh snow peas (I had no idea what “mangetout” was).
1 fresh red or green bell pepper (or 1 cup of frozen “stop light” pepper strips, thawed)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, julienned (I use a julienne peeler, which is a brilliant invention for those of us whose skills with the chef’s knife are still in development)
2 ribs of celery, chopped haphazardly into small pieces.
3/4 pound of whole-wheat pasta, cooked (my family doesn’t like egg noodles).
On the side: chopped cilantro, alfalfa or bean sprouts, sesame seeds, and red chili flakes, for those grown-ups in the house who like such things.

Boil 1 quart of water in a saucepan. Wash the snow peas and plunge them into the boiling water for perhaps 10-20 seconds, then drain and plunge immediately into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Blanched snow peas

In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, the blanched snow peas, and the peppers, onions, carrots, and celery. Add the dressing slowly, stirring with a spatula until all ingredients are lightly coated. I seldom use all the dressing; perhaps I’ll reduce to 1/4 cup of peanut butter and 2 tsp. each of the oils.

Garnish as you like with sesame seeds, nuts, chili flakes, etc. This recipe easily serves 10-12 and keeps well in the fridge.

What to do with perennial sorrel? Smoked Salmon Benedict with Sorrel Sauce

Posted on November 6, 2013 by missinghenrymitchell

My friend gave me a clump of sorrel last year. I planted it promptly, and have done nothing with it.

Garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa)

We don’t eat much sorrel around here. I don’t see it in the supermarket or the farmer’s market. But it is the best kind of vegetable: a perennial that doesn’t require much in the way of care. I can tell it has been sampled rarely by a slug or snail, but I suppose it is too tangy for them to truly enjoy. I have not seen any sign of disease, despite the generous helping of neglect I have given it.

What am I afraid of?

I did a bit of searching around to find a recipe worth trying. The Splendid Table never lets me down.

Smoked Salmon Benedict with Sorrel Sauce

I made the recipe for one, which was actually worth the trouble. I started by roughly chopping the shallot. I’m not a chef; I don’t produce lovely square mince, especially when I’m cooking for myself. Next year, the shallots will come from my garden. I picked and washed a handful of sorrel leaves and chopped them roughly. I couldn’t find crumpets at the market, but I did find whole-wheat English muffins.

I started the sauce, browning the shallot and half the sorrel in butter. The sorrel cooks down instantly into a kind of slime-colored pulp, but do soldier on. Add the cream and salt. I used light cream instead of heavy.

Then I started poaching the egg. Not being the patient type who will turn an egg over and over in the water, I sprayed a ramekin with cooking spray and cracked in the egg.

Tip: Contrary to the recipe, start the egg before starting the sauce. The sauce cooks instantly and adhered to the pan. Fortunately, it was nothing a little white wine couldn’t cure. And maybe a dollop more butter.

A little bit of deglazing, and it’s time to assemble and eat. I garnished with the chives I harvested and froze a few weeks back.

The whole process took perhaps ten minutes, and the result was outstanding. It’s amazing how a little culinary effort can turn the day around. I felt like a civilized person as I sat down to eat–something I don’t typically feel before feasting on a cold turkey sandwich.

Treat yourself this week!

Slow food lunch: Open-faced Goat Cheese and Fig Sandwich with Apples and Honey

Posted on September 10, 2013 by missinghenrymitchell

It is entirely fair to say that as a grower of fruit at home, my ambition and enthusiasm exceed my talent and success. So when I happened to look out the window just before lunchtime and saw that my fig tree, which is three feet tall and not impressive, had some fat, ripe fruit on offer, I had no qualms about seizing the opportunity. (Plus, I don’t think the other residents of my home care for figs).

I harvested four figs; the first edible treats of fall.

My favorite way to enjoy figs is as follows:

Open-faced Goat Cheese and Fig Sandwich with Apples and Honey

1 oz. (30 g) crusty french bread
1-2 tablespoons of goat cheese
4 ripe figs, or as many as you can obtain
1 small Fuji apple
drizzle of honey
freshly ground black pepper

Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese on the bread and put it in the oven to toast. Wash and slice the apple and figs. When the bread is golden and the cheese is soft, remove the cheese toast from the oven, top with figs and apple slices. Drizzle with honey and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Slow down and savor.