groove food

super verde enchiladas verdes

comfort food does not usually fall in the same sentence with fresh. but doesn't the ultimate comfort food have you pushing away from the table feeling better than when you sat down, nourished and energized, not sleepy and bloated? this theory does not permit throwing a salad down on the table and calling it comfort food. there's got to be a homeyness present in order to qualify. big, brothy bowls of soup bobbing with garden vegetables. or enchiladas filled in any number of ways, but always using fresh corn tortillas that just barely hold their shape after baking, melding into whatever goodness they carry.

enchiladas require a bit of elbow grease. that's why i like to make them on the weekend and serve them to many. call me romantic, but the work they require is an ingredient as important as the tortilla. time spent makes things taste better, and these enchiladas are no exception. that said, they are dead easy to assemble. no tricky stuff.

the key here are the tomatillos. blended with onion, jalapeno, serrano, and cilantro, they make a sauce highly redolent of citrus with subtle heat underneath. i stood over the blender for a full minute inhaling. i even poured a shot of it and tipped it back. i don't regret it.

the assertive freshness of the salsa verde meeting humble, familiar corn tortillas is what make these enchiladas so memorable--and the filling. which, i might warn you, has a color theme and is why i call these super verde enchiladas verdes. aside from the caramelized onions and a bit of jack cheese, everything else that fills and tops these enchiladas is some shade of green. these things just happen to taste so well together. case in point: zucchini, spinach, poblanos, and goat cheese laced with pounded parsley and olive oil (bonus points for using neon green olio nuovo).

insert sound of plates being scraped. buen provecho!

super verde enchiladas verdes

(serves 6 - 8)

for the pounded parsley sauce (optional, but tasty)

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

2 cups parsley leaves

1/4 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

for the tomatillo sauce

2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed

1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut in quarters

1 - 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded

2 - 3 serrano peppers, seeded

1 cup cilantro leaves, packed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1.5 cups homemade or store-bought vegetable broth

for the enchilada filling

2 onions, medium diced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling the pan

2 poblano peppers, small diced

3 medium-sized zucchini, small diced

4 cups spinach (or a blend of arugula and spinach), roughly chopped

1 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 cups (from about 8 ounces) grated jack cheese

6 ounces fresh goat cheese, or softened cream cheese for a milder flavor

12 - 14 corn tortillas

to serve

2 avocados, sliced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

make the pounded parsley sauce: toast the coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. put the seeds in the bowl of a mortar and pestle and crush into a rough powder. add the parsley leaves a handful at a time, pounding into a rough paste. slowly whisk in the olive oil. season with salt & pepper and set aside. (alternatively, you can make the sauce by placing the parsley leaves and ground coriander in a food processor. pulse a few times to break up the leaves, then drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running until you have a rough sauce. set aside)

make the tomatillo sauce: determine how spicy you'd like your tomatillo sauce. this depends on a number of variables: how large are your chili peppers and how spicy are the actual specimens. taste and determine. place the husked tomatillos, onions, serranos, jalapeno, and cilantro in the pitcher of a blender. you may not be able to fit everything, in which case, only add half the tomatillos. season with salt and pepper. blend on low at first, gradually increasing the speed to high, until a smooth sauce is formed. you may have to stir and scrape down the sides of the blender to assist this process. if you had to divide the tomatillos, add the rest now and blend until smooth. taste and adjust seasonings, perhaps adding more jalapeno and/or serrano if you prefer.

place the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. add the tomatillo sauce--stand back, it may spatter a bit. cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. turn off the heat. add the broth and stir to incorporate. set the tomatillo sauce aside.

make the filling: add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. add the onions and stir to coat in the oil. season with salt and pepper. cook the onions, stirring often, until lightly caramelized. this should take about 20-30 minutes. if the pan gets dry and the onions are scorching, add a splash of water and stir, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. you may also need to adjust the heat. add a splash more of olive oil to the pan, then the poblanos. cook 5-6 minutes more, until the poblanos have softened. scrape the onions and poblanos into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.

once the onions and poblanos have cooled, stir in the zucchini, spinach, cilantro, cumin, and jack cheese. in a smaller bowl mash the goat cheese (or cream cheese) with a fork. if using, add half of the parsley sauce and use the fork to combine. set the rest of the parsely sauce aside. if you are not using the parsley oil, crumble the goat cheese (or break the cream cheese into small pieces).

assemble the enchiladas: preheat the oven to 375. oil a 9 x 13 baking dish, or similarly sized casserole. alternately, you can make individual servings oiling square or oval shaped ramekins large enough to hold 1, but preferably 2, enchiladas. warm the tortillas. you can do this by wrapping them in a slightly damp towel and microwaving for 30 - 40 seconds. Or, my method, which is a little more time consuming but creates a perfectly pliable corn tortilla. heat a cast iron or regular skillet over medium heat. once warm, run a tortilla under water. shake off the excess water and then place the tortilla in the skillet. heat the tortilla for 20-30 seconds per side, just until the tortilla is warmed through. fill the tortilla while another one heats, almost like you have a little enchilada assembly line.

to fill: add about 1/3 - 1/2 cup of the filling to one side of each tortilla, then add about a tablespoon of the goat cheese (or cream cheese) mixture to the top. tightly roll, placing the seam side down in the baking dish. repeat this process until all of the filling has been used. you may need one more smaller baking dish to contain any overflow. reserve about a cup of the tomatillo sauce and set it aside. pour the remaining tomatillo sauce all over the enchiladas.

cover the baking dish with foil and place in the preheated oven. bake for 40-50 minutes, removing the foil at about 35 minutes to lightly brown the top. the sauce should be bubbly. wait about 5 minutes before serving, topping each with a little additional tomatillo sauce, sliced avocado, cilantro leaves and a small spoonful of the parsley sauce.

notes

* this recipe can easily be made vegan. omit the jack and goat cheese. in its place, you can add crumbled, firm tofu (made by draining and pressing a block of tofu then crumbling). add the tofu to the onions with the poblanos. another alternative is adding spicy cashew cream (recipe here) when you would add the goat cheese.

* if you want to save a little time, omit the parsley oil. it is lovely, but not entirely necessary.

* i like using ezekiel brand organic sprouted corn tortillas, but almost any will do. most corn tortillas are naturally gluten free, but be sure to check the ingredients as some producers add wheat flour. as for store-bought broth, imagine's organic no chicken broth is a winner in my book.

* don't worry if your enchilada assembling skills are less than finessed. even at their messiest, these are quite delicious.

two genius recipes

one of my favorite aspects of blogging is the opportunity it affords to share incredible recipes with those on a quest for what to cook next. i often overwhelm the unfortunate whole foods clerk who nonchalantly asks what i intend to do with the beets i am purchasing. this usually involves detailing each ingredient, what will happen to it and the complete web address or cookbook where he or she can find the recipe. i guess i just assume everyone is always after a good recipe. especially you, dear reader. isn't that why you are here? you want to know how to transform raw kale into a thing of addiction.

every week i hunger for the new post on food52's genius recipes, a column that uncovers exceptional recipes with unlikely twists. kristen miglore brought me northern spy's kale salad--an insanely tasty take on the current kale salad motif. heady, crunchy kale meets velvety, caramelized cubes of butternut squash, toasted almonds (or, in my case, pecans), and a flurry of aged cheddar & pecorino, all wrapped in lemony dressing. i've made it no less than fifteen times since it was published, each time doubling the batch because it keeps all week and seems to get better each day. i was only knocked off my nutritious kale kick by a recipe for lemon cream ice cream that is likely a staple in the diet of botticelli's cherubs. the recipe comes from jeni britton bauer of jeni's splendid ice creams. there are a couple mystery ingredients that magically transform the ice cream into the smoothest concoction that has come out of my fifteen-year-old ice cream maker. a tart lemon syrup rivulets airy cold cream when you first start the ice cream spin cycle. this marriage of opposites is an unexpected delight. i served the ice cream with homemade blueberry sauce and crumbled amaretti cookies mixed with toasted, chopped pine nuts. i may have a genius move or two up my own sleeve.

notes

* find the recipe for northern spy's kale salad here.

* find the recipe for jeni's splendid lemon cream ice cream here. for homemade blueberry sauce simmer 1.5 cups blueberries and 3/4 cup sugar at medium heat for about 7 minutes, until slightly thickened.

* when i made the ice cream, i had some small clumps form when making the base. a quick whir in the blender solved the problem. this is also how i have saved a few batches of ice cream with slightly overcooked egg custards.

walnut & quinoa tacos

there are a handful of things in the world that are indisputably awesome no matter in what form they come. i can think of a few. ice cream. paychecks. ukuleles. hugs. tacos. definitely tacos. they have so much going for them. they offer a myriad of flavors. the combinations and permutations are endless. tacos are a canvas where your culinary imagination can madly ramble. and let's not forget one of their most likeable qualities: you eat them with your hands.

sometimes the best method for making tacos is spilling the contents of your fridge and pantry and playing with what you have. but if you'd like a little more structure that offers huge returns in terms of fresh, clean flavor i implore you to make walnut and quinoa tacos. it sounds like an unlikely combination, and the method for making these tacos was certainly new to me, but isn't it the one with the funny nose that we always fall for? serge gainsbourg tacos. the other wonderful thing is they are vegan, although you wouldn't guess it. making the accompanying spicy cashew cream is a must. a must! they satisfy every guest and the filling comes together in no time, leaving you the rest of the day to slave over salsas and other colorful things to add to the spread.

i like these tacos served with little bowls of toppings--radishes, carrots, lime wedges, cilantro, microgreens. i also thinly slice a couple bell peppers and red onions then char them in the wok to serve on top. as for salsas, i am of the mind that guacamole is nearly always a must when tacos are uttered, but i also like a simple mango salsa and a grilled tomato salsa for good measure and color. which brings me to posting a picture of the chioggia and golden beet salad with tangerines, cilantro and mint that joined the tacos on the table. when it comes to this meal, you should feel a bit like eating the rainbow. sans leprechaun.

walnut & quinoa tacos

(fills 12 - 14 tacos)

1 cup quinoa (i use a tri-color blend), rinsed

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups raw walnuts, soaked in water for 4-6 hours

2 limes, juiced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons chili powder

salt & pepper

warm corn tortillas

spicy cashew cream (recipe follows)

preheat the oven to 350. place the quinoa in an oven-safe pot that has a fitted lid (a small to medium sized dutch oven is a good option for this). add the cinnamon stick, turmeric, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes to the pot. cover the quinoa with 1 3/4 cups water and season with salt and pepper. bring to a boil over medium-high heat. once boiling, cover the quinoa with the lid and place in the oven. bake for 20-25 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. fluff with a fork.

while the quinoa is in the oven, drain the walnuts from the water they were soaking in and place them in the bowl of a food processor. add the lime juice, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and salt & pepper to taste. begin pulsing the food processor until the walnuts are broken down into very small pebbles, the texture of taco "meat."

fold the walnut mixture into the cooked quinoa and season with more salt and pepper if needed. serve the taco filling on warm corn tortillas, with the accompanying spicy cashew cream.

spicy cashew cream

1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

2 lemons, juiced

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, but very delicious)

drain the cashews from the water and place them in the pitcher of a blender (or food processor if you don't have a blender). add the chipotle chili powder, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and season with salt. add 1/2 cup of water to the blender. blend on low speed, gradually increasing the speed as the cashews break down. you may need to add more water as you go, and stop the blender to stir and scrape down the sides. you want the cream to be the consistency of sour cream, so adjust the water as necessary. blend until the consistency is smooth & velvety. serve at room temperature.

notes

* this recipe was adapted from leslie meyers

* make sure to start the night before, as the cashews need to soak overnight

* the quinoa and walnut filling is also delicious over a salad, or scooped with a spoon straight from the fridge.

dot & c get hitched, part III of III

dot - this is the story of the day you married c. except it's not. it's the best i can do. tricky business, retelling the ineffable. so here are some words strung together disjointedly to interpret loosely. some pictures to take your breath away. like this one. whatever you were feeling inside at that very moment--that's the story. i hope you tell it to yourself often.

what are friends are for? making you eat breakfast.

each story is locked up safe inside.

"it looks really nice. now f*ck it up some."

some things blue.

while you were preening.

said to symbolize departure, which is to say, arriving somewhere else.

it haloed e v e r y t h i n g.

 all hands on deck.

could it be the passage from one point to another is the point?

 they waited patiently. for the most part.

 stella moonstone.

some pop champagne, others.

invest in knee pads, helmets & peanut butter cups.

they got to bear witness. and kick sand.

 your wedding day = not too shabby

greeks had it: love sprang from an oyster shell.

quel fromage, mama

pause.

like a sip of sparkling burgundy brew

honored guests.

as good as it looks.

night came on, so did radiohead.

tears, toasts, and toast.

oysters and pearls and pranks at the fast food drive thru. reasons why i love you.

bffs.

"they slipped briskly into an intimacy from which they never recovered." - f. scott fitzgerald

 

notes

* the breakfast sandwich is from carmel belle on the corner of ocean & san carlos in carmel-by-the-sea

* dot & c's wedding cake (meyer lemon chiffon if you must know) was from their dear friend michelle at big sur bakery

* as for dinner, 12 of us feasted on multiple courses well into the night. from delectable, bone-sucking-good grilled quail, to french laundry's dreamy "oysters and pearls," to homemade peach-champagne sorbet and butter-poached lobster in bright red beet sauce. the dinner was prepared by one of dot's friends and clients. the best part? sitting next to dot.

dot & c, part II of III: sushi & pizza

it seems only appropriate to begin the story of dot and c's wedding rehearsal with gnocchi 'casanova.' part of the romance of eating these plump spinach dumplings with the texture of marshmallows is being tucked in a corner at restaurant casanova, so your expression of dreaminess is a secret between you and your plate.

casanova himself knew that appreciation of food and wine played a key part in the art of seduction. when two people revel in flavor together a kindredness transpires, a sort of language-less vow in devotion to sharing the enjoyment of life. it is a bond so potent and big it overflows, reaching into all surrounding lives.

for instance, pickle's. she loves basking in love which is why she is the perfect pup for dot & c. her permanent tuxedo attire was finally appropriate for the occasion.

the world gets a little quieter before something big is about to happen. we sense the shape of what is waiting in the distance. therein sits the gift. our alertness allows us to witness a hundred little moments defined by their stillness. that is exactly how it was on the eve of dot & c's wedding day.

of course, the sun cooperated in helping us take notice.

as it set, the groom carved out a circle in the sand for his bride.

it was almost time for us to close our eyes and wait, and sense, and wait.

the flowers had taken their positions. the thing about dot is that she knows simplicity is the ultimate extravagance. her wedding flowers were cupful after cupful of roses in every shade of white, floating gardenias, aromatic stock, and french tulips that curved their slim stems toward wherever there was candlight.

when the day was almost done, we gathered back at dot's big dining room table with their officiant, erin, and sucked down sushi rolls from the mall.

and meat lover's pizza. because before there can ever be champagne, their should be pizza from a cardboard box.

here it comes!

notes

* restaurant casanova is located in carmel-by-the-sea at 5th avenue, between mission and san carlos. visit them online here.

* burst & bloom is dot's amazing shop and florist services in carmel. her website is here.

 

dot & c get hitched, part I of III

this begins the story of the day my best friend dot got married, told mostly through food and flowers. what better storytellers are there? it is also the story of how i successfully transported three pounds of beef tenderloin from san diego to carmel to make dinner for dot (aka lolo) and her husband to be. not even airport security could stop me.

before we get to ravishing wedding gowns, romantic roses, and oysters and pearls (and trust me, they are coming), i'll tell you that mother nature must love dot and c. california has its share of beautiful days, but only a few are magical. every day hugging and including their wedding day was that. sunlight married everything it touched and they became something more together.

this is january, people.

two days before rings were exchanged and kisses were kissed, gorgonzola dolce was stuffed into bosc pears and broiled until bubbly under a crust of hazelnuts. when dot & c were engaged a year ago, i started thinking about the pre-wedding dinner i wanted to make them.

while i love nothing more than making dinner with dot (see here, here, here, and here), the only thing i wanted her to lift were her dancing feet. i somewhat successfully warded her off from her own kitchen, only to bug her nearly constantly for the location of peelers and pepper, parchment and the like.

my beef tenderloin was tsa-approved, wrapped in an entire roll of saran wrap and snuggled into an insulated bag before it arrived in carmel to be tied with sprigs of thyme and slow-roasted for 2 hours in a low oven. i love my butcher in san diego, and i especially love the no-fuss, never-fail slow roasting method for tenderloin. just for the record, raw beef tenderloin is not considered a threat of terrorism.

also accepted by airport security was a chocolate stout cake i'd made the night before. dot had to help me unlodge it from the bundt pan and chocolate ganache cloaked any wounds endured by travel. conclusion: double stout, molasses, and flying all make chocolate taste a little better.

so does love.

notes

* find the recipe for pears stuffed with gorgozola and hazelnuts and mixed greens with pancetta here. i served it as a first course, but it would make for a lovely cheese course or end of a meal.

* the method for slow-roasted beef tenderloin is here. i like it served with shallots and red wine.

* can you tell i love fine cooking magazine? chocolate stout cake here.

* of the dot & c story - there is more to come...

an evening with temple grandin

arriving at archi's acres organic farm in valley center, california is a heart-opening event before you even inhale your first spicy breeze of live basil. after winding up miles of road, lush with avocado groves, the farm announces you've arrived with a tunnel cypress that holds your little car like a hug.

hugs were on of my mind when i pulled up on a sunny-cold december afternoon, hatchback erupting with sacks of winter squash from sage mountain farm and gluten free chocolate cakes neatly wrapped in foil. karen archipley, co-owner of archi's acres and veteran's sustainable agriculture training with her husband, colin archipley, greeted me with a hug at her doorstep. with the help of farm students and neighbors, the archipley's living room was transformed into a sprawling dining area for a farm-to-table dinner with temple grandin as the guest of honor.

i will not soon forget the textures of that evening--karen's gingery, garlicky salad, made from a bin of just-picked kale and swiss chard, each leaf delicate, though sturdy and verdant. or temple grandin entering the kitchen, full of power and humility, white neckerchief and pins shining against her vest. the way candlelight got fuller as night came on and voices louder and warmer. i'll remember the resistance to the spoon just at the top of a pear and apple crumble, giving way to soft fruit.

each component of the meal drew from local farms and ranches, including homegrown meats' standout grass fed flank steak, soaked in a dark coffee marinade and paired with forager mike's raw superfood hot sauce. i'll include my recipe in this post--the coffee holds up so well to the assertive flavors of quality grass fed meat. and now mike's killer hot sauce, Dang!!!, can be found at whole foods or ordered online.

when a community of forward-thinking farmers and ranchers comes together to eat, there is hope at the table. plus, it's hard not to have hope when in temple grandin's presence. she's proven the point that when we strive to be and humane and give dignity, we also achieve maximum efficiency and resourcefulness. her life teaches us that our perceived obstacles are actually doorways when we proceed with courage.

it is easier to have courage when someone like temple models it for you. it is easier, too, when you step foot on the grounds of archi's acres, knowing that there lives are being changed all the while mouths are being fed.

i remain convinced that when we put our hearts into the matter of how we feed ourselves, we cannot help but courageously turn toward the most compassionate path. as if we needed any more convincing--sound found is also the most delicious.

notes, acknowledgements & a recipe

* learn about and support archi's acres and their revolutionary veteran's sustainable agriculture training on the web here

* a special thanks to archi's acres, homegrown meats, sage mountain farm, stan smith grass fed beef, raquel pena, and dang!!! hot sauce for their contributions to this dinner and to all the students, farmers, neighbors and friends who helped out. also, with deepest thanks to karen and colin archipley for welcoming me onto their farm and into their home and yvonne espinosa for making all of this (and so much more) possible.

* finally, temple grandin, for your steadfastness, for generously taking the time to speak to all of us about the future of raising livestock, for never failing to inspire and encourage, thank you.

coffee-marinated grass fed flank steak

(serves 4 - 6)

2 pounds grass fed flank steak or flat iron steak

1 ½ cups strongly brewed coffee, chilled

2/3 cup soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic, smashed

3 medium shallots, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon sea salt

cracked black pepper

in a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the chilled coffee, soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos), olive oil, smashed garlic cloves, shallots, red pepper flakes, coriander, sea salt, and several grinds of black pepper.

place steak in a gallon sized ziploc bag or shallow dish large enough to fit the steak and pour the marinade over the steaks. refrigerate for 4 – 6 hours, or up to 24 hours.

when ready to grill, preheat grill to medium-high heat. grill steaks 12 – 15 minutes total, flipping once. allow the steaks to rest for at least 5 minutes and then slice ½ inch slices against the grain. serve with dang!!! hot sauce or a homemade chimichurri.

christmas morning strata

santa's cookies are gone. they were buttery-crisp shortbread circles with cream cheese frosting and plenty of green and red sprinkles--the kind of cookies that are as fleeting as christmas itself. jimmy's cookies, they are called. jimmy, you are on the naughty list. i could go on about the cookies, but this is about strata.

if you are unfamiliar with strata, let me just describe it as breakfast casserole and hope you trust me enough to read on. someone in my family clipped it from the pages of bon appetit in december 1997 and it has been our treasure ever since. it is my go-to recipe for any special morning when i want to channel all of my attention to the people i am with and noticing what they are doing.

you make the strata the night before and it does magical things in the refrigerator overnight (did santa bless it? i will never know). when you are ready, you pop it in the oven for an hour while guests and neighbors are tortured by the scent of bubbling cheese, eggs, cream, herbs, smoked ham, artichoke hearts, and garlic, all strewn over milk-soaked sourdough bread. if you've set the table the night before, all that's left to do is call everyone to it.

some fresh fruit on the side is a nice counterpart to the strata's richness. of course, a steaming cup of coffee or a mimosa also does the trick. a little late, but i wish you a merry christmas with a recipe in time for the first morning of 2012.

christmas morning strata

serves 8-10

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

8 cups 1-inch cubed sourdough bread (crusts trimmed before cubing)

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

5 extra large eggs

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons dried herbes de Provence

12 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (i use laura chenel), crumbled (about 3 cups)

12 ounces smoked ham, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes

3 6 1/2-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved lengthwise

1 cup (packed) grated fontina cheese

1 1/2 cups (packed) grated Parmesan

butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish or large ceramic baking dish. whisk milk and oil in large bowl. stir in bread and toss gently to coat. let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

whisk cream, eggs, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large measuring cup or bowl. mix herbs in separate small bowl to combine

place half of bread mixture in the prepared dish. top with half of the goat cheese, ham, artichoke hearts, herbs, and cheeses. pour half of cream mixture over everything. repeat layering with remaining bread, goat cheese, ham, artichoke hearts, herbs, cheeses, and cream mixture. cover and refrigerate overnight.

when ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. bake uncovered until firm in center and golden-brown and bubbly, about 1 hour. let stand for 5 - 10 minutes before serving to your hungry crowd.

notes

* i use smoked black forest ham and ask the deli to slice the pieces into 1/2-inch thick ham steaks. this makes for easier "cubing."

* in a pinch, i've used canned, non-marinated artichoke hearts. still amazing.

* adapted from bon appetit, december 1997

* if you are looking for a great, make-ahead dish on the sweet side, may i recommend this terrific creme brulee french toast?

a moveable feast, gift-wrapped

gift giving does not have to be hard on the wallet or the earth. inspired by the article "no new gifts holiday challenge" on the zen habits blog, i channelled my inner martha stewart and brainstormed these lists of food-minded holiday gifts that don't require any trips to the mall or second mortgages. and the best part is they are as much a source of pleasure for the gift-giver as the recipient. less stress. more joy.

'tis the season.

think inside the box

decorate an old wooden box or shoebox and fill it with note cards and old postcards inscribed with your favorite quotes and blessings that could be read at mealtime. give the grace box with a note encouraging the recipient to add more to it.

chicken dinner in a box? more or less. fill a box with all the trimmings for a great roast chicken. think old school--herbs de provence, garlic, lemons, sancerre and kitchen twine. or go new school with red miso paste and mirin for delicious misoyaki chicken. include a "save the date" for roasting a chicken together.

compile your favorite cooking tunes into kitchen mix cds. include a great, fail-proof recipe on the cover of the cd case. my hard-hitting artists are louis prima, sam cooke, and ella fitzgerald singing the cole porter songbook. my fail-proof recipe is spicy roasted cashew chicken.

chocolate, always and forever

make a huge batch of french chocolate granola and package it in cellophane bags with pretty ribbon. bestow on friends and strangers, spreading breakfast cheer wherever you go. find the recipe here, on the wednesday chef.

a gift that freezes beautifully: the winning hearts and minds cake. bittersweet chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs and not much else. molly wizenberg even served it as her wedding cake--get the recipe here and instructions on freezing here.

chocolate-butterfinger truffles are the perfect gift to send home with guests after the party ends. find the recipe here.

mix cocoa powder, flaky sea salt, and a bit of demera sugar for homemade chocolate sea salt. package it in a salvaged baby food jar and decorate the lid. it's delicious sprinkled on chocolate chip cookies before baking.

short on time but want to give something decadent and homemade? millie's hand-crafted chocolate-peanut butter swirl vegan gelato (pictured above) is the most feel-good gift around, definitely if eaten together. find millie's here.

secondhand is new to me

bivalve lover in your circle of friends? scour ebay and thrift stores for vintage oyster plates. the more bizarre the better. gift them with a copy of  lewis carroll's the walrus and the carpenter.

turn your seashell collection into pretty gifts for a friend who loves to entertain--decorated seashells nestled with tealights lend the ultimate ambiance to the dinner table. and it's a great project for kids to help with.

pick up old betty crocker cookbooks from a used book store. they will be treasured by any kitchen-interested kid or nostalgic grown-up, especially when gifted with a vintage mixing bowl or cookie cutters.

turn old or odd-duck silverware into something new--key chains, hooks, even chandeliers. there are plenty of vintage silverware craft ideas here.

occasions

invite a loved one along to spend the day citrus picking at a local orchard. make chez pim's delicious bergamot madelines (recipe here) with your collected bounty. visit the "pick your own website" here to find a farm near you.

tie a selection of heirloom seeds with twine and an handwritten promise to start a garden together.

pack a pretty mixing bowl with corn husks and masa, plus a save-the-date for a tamale-making party. get your tamale on here.

arm a favorite kiddo with fabric pens and let them go to town on a canvas farmers market tote bag for a one-of-a-kind foodie gift. stuff the tote with local produce and a list of all your nearby markets, plus your favorite vendors at each.

feed someone hungry. invite friends and family to join you for a day of volunteering at your local food bank. learn about volunteering opportunities in san diego here.

pumpkin-colored days

we've crossed over. night comes on with a thud, the kitchen smells often of earl grey, orange leaves on the lawn are bright and damp with early rain. when the sun finds us, it feels like a refrain--lipstick still stuck to a wine glass. we are suspended in the slight nip and the light. somewhere they are shaking the olives from olive trees.

this all means soup. rice noodle with shiitakes, bok choy and a sesame-laced broth. chicken tortilla with a liberal squeeze of lime and fistfuls of cilantro. beef stew with cognac and red wine. mostly this: butternut squash with apples, coconut milk, and sweet curry powder. these are the days of yellow-stained wooden spoons and fingertips cracked and orange from peeling squash into the sink.

we get surrounded by orange--a handsome compensation for the dip in temperature. there are yams, persimmons with their taught, gleaming skin, first crop tangerines. inspired and hungry, i spent a morning making pumpkin spice muffins studded with dried cherries and chunks of bittersweet chocolate. lined up on a white tray, scented of cinammon, ginger and nutmeg, they were quickly devoured by a classroom of 1st graders.

even living far from fields, orchards, vineyards, and groves, i can feel the harvesting. there is more to do, there is more to give.

there are rituals waiting to be remembered, unpacked. rainy library days. the return of hot chocolate. making stock on a saturday. gratitude around the dinner table but with new names and moments on the list.

it's a good place to be--to long for what you already have.

notes

* my favorite butternut squash soup recipe comes from ina garten, but with a few modifications. i use less onion, add a bit of garlic, 3 cups of chicken stock (in place of water) and 1 cup of apple cider. i also add 14 ounces of coconut milk near the end. let me also just say it is worth the trouble of ordering sweet curry powder from penzey's for this soup and oh so many other reasons.

* the recipe for the pumpkin spice muffins can be found here. i make mine with whole milk greek yogurt, a little less sugar than the recipe calls for, a tiny hit of nutmeg in addition to the other spices and plenty of dried cherries and bittersweet chocolate added at the end.