A blog about food, history, data visualization, and more
“Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 4 1/2 – 5 hours,” instructs Julie Sahni in her recipe for buttered black beans (kali dal). Even for the most dedicated home cook, it’s an instruction that is asking for trouble, especially for something thick and viscous like Indian dal. When I made these beans in a […]
There are many wonderful things about savory pies: the contrast between a sharply flavored filling and a mellow crust, the crisp edges and soft middle, their portability, and their flexibility, to name a few. One of my favorite pies is an adaptation from a recipe in Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant, the Moosewood Collective’s book about […]
Several times in the last few weeks, brown rice from Massa Organics has been the base for main dishes. I mix rice, cooked vegetables, cheese, herbs, and other flavorings, and serve it hot with a salad or other side dishes. The first one was inspired by Heidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks website and Super Natural Cooking […]
When I hear the word custard, I usually think of dessert first: a silky spice- and orange-infused confection, for example. But custard can also make a luscious savory course. One easy way to flavor a savory custard is with a strong cheese, like a sharp cheddar or Parmesan. Less easy, but still pretty simple, is […]
[Updated below] Standard green and red cabbage are OK, I suppose, but the savoy variety is a vegetable that approaches the level of “exciting.” It’s good in a simple braise — started in melted butter in a medium-high uncovered pan, then cooked until tender over medium heat with a cover (just a few minutes) — […]
In celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day (September 16) and the period when both summer and autumn foods are at the Bay Area farmers markets, I have a post at The Ethicurean about chiles en nogada, a roasted poblano chili stuffed with vegetables, cheese and dried fruit; a creamy walnut sauce; and pomegranate seeds. These ingredients […]
(Updated, 12/2/16: fixed broken links) The vegetables of Spring have shaken me up and caused some unusual behavior. For my big weekend cooking night, I actually cooked the same main course two weeks in a row. That’s virtually unheard of in my kitchen. But it was so good and so seasonal that I could not […]
Wok-fried rice noodles are something that I make almost weekly. The dish doesn’t require much list work — I might grab a package of tofu at the grocery, whatever is in season at the Farmers’ Market. Or I could use the vegetables in my refrigerator — a bit of cauliflower, a carrot or two, 1/4 […]
Q: What do chickpeas, corn starch, soybeans, sweet potatoes, wheat, buckwheat, mung beans, konnyaku, and rice have in common? A: They are all made into noodles. Italy is famous for pasta, Thailand for rice noodles, Japan for noodles made from buckwheat (soba), and the vast realm of Indian cuisine includes noodles made from chickpea flour, […]
This is a story about a great dish inspired by airline food. Sort of. A few years ago, I took a trip to New York City, and flew Jet Blue’s non-stop service from Oakland to JFK. Jet Blue is famous for their real-time TV, and the Food Network is one of the offerings. In between […]