Why is it foaming?

Months ago I bought bags of dried beans in an attempt to cut down on the amount of packaging I was using. Plus, they were cheaper, had less added sodium and weren’t swimming in mystery syrup.

Still, that meant I had these bags of beans just sitting there taking up cupboard space. I bought a bag of black, kidney, garbanzo and great northern beans. First I used the black beans, which are probably my favorite and, I think, easiest to use. I sprinkled them on salads with chopped romaine and shreds of sharp cheddar and black pepper. And I made Ina Garten’s Guacamole Salad, which I will be posting about in the near future.

But then I opened the kidney beans. I soaked them overnight in cold water and then simmered for an hour and a half to cook the beans. From there, theoretically, they can be used in many ways. Confession, kidney beans aren’t my favorite and I was at a loss at how to use them. Then I remembered a rustic white bean mash I used to make in college. It’s basically cooked white beans mashed with garlic, herbs and drizzled with olive oil. Use it as a dip for fresh veggies or spread on small slices of chewy, toasted bread.

Sounds lovely right? Kidney bean mash, at least this one was not so versatile.

The mash itself wasn’t bad. I added garlic, salt and a dash of red pepper flakes. But I wanted to see how far it would go. I had some chicken strips stuffed in the freezer and thought why don’t I bake them and serve them with fried bean patties.

The mash formed well into rounds and the first batch started sizzling well. I was so jazzed; I could already taste those fried little nuggets being dipped into a yogurt and sriracha sauce. And then it all went to shit.

I don’t know where the foam came from. Cooking is all about science, so I’m sure there was some sort of chemical reaction going on. I know beans give you gas, so does that mean they themselves are gaseous? That’s my theory anyway.

So after the first batch of patties dissolved into the oil, I just fried up the chicken strips and served them in a nest of the remaining mash. Over the top I drizzled a few spoonfuls of the cloudy bean oil and then doused the whole plate in sriracha. It was interesting to say the least.

Oh well, better luck next time.

Enter the fall.

Fall has finally come to the northern hemisphere. From here on out it is mainly about roasting veggies, drinking apple cider and baking cookies – at least for me anyway. To celebrate I decided to make beef stew. I love beef stew; it’s just what a crisp night needs. A thick sauce studded with chunks of beef, potato, carrot, onion and celery – truly a perfect autumnal dish.

Since they married in 1973 – although it predates that by about 20 years – my parents have owned a Better Homes and Garden cookbook. Bound like a three-ring binder, the book was meant for readers of the magazine to cut out recipes they like and attach a new page. Well, growing up none of us was ever patient enough to actually do that, and so there’s about 30 to 50 recipes just stuffed willy nilly into pages. Thus the book must be handled with care. Pick it up too quickly and everything flies out. Trust me, I speak from experience.

Undoubtedly I will inherit this book. That’s one benefit of being an only child, you get all the good loot eventually. When that day comes – in the very very very distant future – I will not change this system. It works, albeit in a completely chaotic way. The book, which sports a red and white checked cover, features most of my favorite recipes. The “Everyday Waffles” are the only ones I make and they always turn out perfectly. I had, and still am having, an affair with the “Chocolate Chipper” cookie. The recipe says it’s a drop cookie, but I prefer to make them bigger and hand-roll them. It makes a terrific homemade ice cream sandwich cookie.

For the fall, the book’s “Old Time Beef Stew” recipe is a classic. It’s a simple mix of beef, potatoes and carrots in a savory gravy made in the pot. Well, as we were a busy family, we never really followed the directions for the gravy part. Instead we did what all busy families do, opened a jar. Purists may scoff, but I like jarred gravy.

As they were raising a child in the 1990s, my parents thought it best that I consume green foods. So in addition to the potatoes and carrots, my mom added a can of green beans, drained and rinsed. Then, probably because my dad loves onions (a trait I share), we tossed in a bag of frozen pearl onions. Total rebels. June Cleaver just rolled in her grave.

For the past two days the weather has begun to shock itself into fall. Nighttime temps are in the mid-40s and early mornings are in the 50s. It was time to bring out that beef stew recipe. But as I was looking at it, I thought it needed more tweaking. I know, I know – hasn’t my family done enough to this poor simple stew? What’s next, leeks?!

I wanted to give the beef a little more flavor, and possibly make the final stew a bit thicker too, although it’s never lacked in that department. In the original recipe you start by patting the meat dry and browning it in oil. Well, instead of just removing all that moisture from the beef I retained it by coating the cubes in a light rub of spiced flour. This not only helps it brown, but it also further thickens the stew. And now, onto the recipe.

Lizzie’s Old Timey-Wimey Beef Stew*, a variation on a variation of Better Homes and Garden’s Old Time Beef Stew (serves 6 to 8 depending on bowl size)

Ingredients:

1 lb. stew beef, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 Tbs. neutral oil, like grapeseed or canola

2 cups hot water

1 large clove garlic

1 medium onion, sliced in to half moons

2 Bay leaves

1 Tbs. salt

1 tsp. white sugar

1/4 tsp. black pepper

dash cumin

6 carrots, cut into large chunks

6 red potatoes, cut into quarters or eighths depending on size

6 celery stalks, cut into large chunks

1 bag (12 oz) of frozen pearl onions

1 bag (12 oz) of french cut green beans

1 jar (12 oz) of beef gravy

Method (I know the ingredient list seems daunting, but stay with me):

1. Although already cut in to large chunks, I like to make my stew beef into small 1/2 inch size pieces. This allows you to stretch the meat. I hate when you make a beef stew, and there only seems to be 10 chunks of beef. If you’re feeding five people, most likely they’ll want more than two nuggets of beef in a BEEF STEW. In a bowl, combine the flour, coriander, cumin (the 1/2 tsp.), pepper (the first 1/4 tsp.), salt (the 1/2 tsp.) and the beef. Toss the beef cubes in the spiced flour, lighting coating every side. There will be excess flour mixture, just discard it.

2. In a dutch oven or stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high. Brown the beef on all sides. When browned add the 2 cups of hot water, sliced onion, whole garlic clove (peeled of course), Bay leaves, salt (the 1 Tbs.), sugar, pepper (the other 1/4 tsp.) and cumin (the dash). Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking.

3. Remove Bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots, potatoes, celery and frozen onions. Cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

4. Add the bag of frozen green beans and the jar of gravy. Heat through. Serve in big bowls with large spoons. Although good the day you make it, the stew is even better the next day – if it lasts that long.

*Note: Since I made this on a Saturday during the new “Doctor Who” episode (series 6, episode 12), I thought it only fitting that I call it timey-wimey.

Ms. Green(ish) Thumbs

So April, where did you go? Have I really let another month slip by without posting? Apparently.

The first couple weeks of April were rather benign. I attended classes, completed homework and wrote articles. However, during the weekend of April 3rd, I crossed somthing off my “college to do” list: I bought plants!

What? Why are you giving me that blank look? Is that not what you expect from a college senior?

Sorry to disappoint any who were hoping for a scandalous story of collegiate debauchery, but that’s not my style.

Every year since I started school, I have said that once I was in my own apartment I’d have an herb garden. Well last year came and went with not a speck of potting soil to be found.

There’s a reason for the lack of flora in my life. In the past I have been more poisonous to plants than Roundup. Remember that science project in fifth grade, the one with the pea plants? You we’re learning about dominant and recessive genes, and your teacher had you plant pea seeds in Dixie cups.

In a week every cup had a bright, perky pea shoot pushing its way through the dirt — every cup, that is, except the one with “Lizzie” scrawled on the side. I was devastated. I come from a family with very good gardeners. I felt like I was letting down the family.

Grandpa, Grandma and me at Christmas Eve 2008

Growing up, my most vibrant memories come from the days spent at my grandparents house. My grandpartent’s house sits on a rather large plot of land, a little over an acre. In my youth the layout looked like this: the house at the front of the lot, behind that is the pool house, the pool, the one-hole golf course and the garden.

Because of their advancing ages and increaseing health issues, Grandpa and Grandma decided to fill in the pool about eight years ago. The old pool house sits unused and is rapidly being invaded by nearby tree roots. The golf course is buried under tall grasses. And sadly, even the garden is gone.

But what a garden it was. Rows of cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, corn, lettuce and squash. I remember having the job of “picking” the tomatoes with my cousins. More of those glorious red orbs ended up in our mouths than the baskets. When we’d come in with our haul, the parents would remark at our smaller than expected crop. We would shrug and giggle at the tomato juice staining our shirts.

Grandpa’s cherry tomatoes were exclusively red, but here are some delicious heirlooms!

After the pea plant fiasco, I hung up my gardening gloves and didn’t touch a spade for years. I dropped the “zie” from my name and became “Liz,” who only helped her father occassionally weed the yard. The only plants that worked for me were plastic and tended to melt in direct sunlight.

That is until now. (I hope I’m not jinxing myself here.)

Back to the weekend of April 3rd. I was at the local farmers market (“no apostrophe,” according to the 2007 AP Stylebook…yes, I’m a word geek). I saw these beautiful Better Boy tomato plants just waiting for me to buy them. I also picked up some Italian parsley (commonly known as flat-leaf parsley).

Four Better Boy tomato plants and four parsley plants. Probably overcrowding the pot…whatever.

Harvest time: about 80 days, according to the lady who sold them to me.

See it has a flat leaf unlike the curly kind used most for garnishing. Apparently flat leaf has more flavor.

The above pictures were taken on April 3rd. The ones below were taken today, May 3rd.

Hello Audrey 2?

Fancy helicopter shot!

Is parsley just supposed to be a tangled mess?

Whatever I’m doing, or not doing, I’m just going to let the plants do their thing. If you have any gardening tips, please share them.

Have a wonderful spring.

I love Falafel = أنا أحب فلافل

I hope that you are having a good week. Mine seems to be flying by–will it really be Wednesday in a few hours?

Monday I missed two of my classes because I was standing outside a parking garage waiting for it to explode. Luckily it didn’t. Somehow I don’t think the 20 feet between me and the building, that may or may not have been rigged with a bomb, would have spared me. The “suspicious package” (insert hysterical laughter here) turned out to be non-threatening. You can read my story here.

On to the food. I’m going to continue my little trip around the world with Falafel.

Falafel, according to Wikipedia, is a “fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans.” Read the rest of Wiki’s post here. I’ve never had falafel made with fava beans. Now that I think about I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a fava bean. A little too Hannibal Lecter for me.

The recipe I followed (sort of) is from the blog Dinner with Julie. It is as follows

Ingredients

1, 19 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (I couldn’t find a 19 oz. can so I used a 15 oz. Worked just as well)

1 small onion, chopped (variety doesn’t matter. I used red because I like the color)

2-4 cloves garlic, peeled

2 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped (Don’t use dried.)

2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped (What did I just say? “Just Say No” to dried herbage!)

1 tsp. cumin (use ground it’s easier; if you use whole seeds toast them first)

1/4 tsp. salt

pinch dried chili flakes

1/4 cup all purpose or whole wheat flour, plus extra if needed (AP works well. I might do a combination of the two if using the WW; it could get a little heavy using only WW.)

1 tsp. baking powder

canola oil, for frying

Directions:

1. Combine chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, salt and chili flakes into a food processor. Pulse the mixture until combined but not puréed. Note: I did not have a food processor large enough on hand, so I mashed the mix with a fork and a wooden spoon. My falafel was probably too lumpy, which is why it fell apart later. Moral of the story: use a food processor.

2. Add the flour and backing powder and mix until you have a soft “dough” that you can roll into balls or patties. I made patties because I like to have a maximum surface area for frying. It’s quicker and a lot less awkward than frying balls…speaking of awkward.

3. Fry in the canola oil. Mark Bittman, the walking recipe encyclopedia, says to make sure the oil is 350*F. To those of you who don’t own a kitchen thermometer (wave your cheapskate flags proudly, I do!), the water-drop test will work. To see if your oil is hot enough, wet your fingers and sprinkle the oil with a few drops of water. If the water sizzles right away, you’re ready to cook. Fry until golden on both sides. When finished, remove the patties from the heat and drain the excess oil on paper towels.

You can serve falafel in pita pockets or over a bed of greens. It goes well with a traditional Tzatziki sauce, a cucumber and yogurt sauce. There’s a good recipe for Tzatziki with the falafel recipe at Dinner with Julie (link above).

About the title of the post: Yes,  the Arabic words do translate in to “I love falafel.” Arabic is read from left to right. I thought I should put some of the Arabic I’m learning to good use.

Do you have any tricks like the water-drop test? Please share them, I love learning new techniques that save me from having to buy a fancy piece of equipment that only serves one specific purpose. Example: the pickle grabber.

Not your Momma’s green beans

Hello fellow foodies!

I’m calling myself out on the epic fail that is my adventures in food blogging. It would seem a simple concept: cook, shoot and write. Well, I have been cooking and dutifully taking my photos. I have three great meals saved on my camera, but that last step is just killin’ me Smalls!

However, now I am here and fully prepared to spill one of the recipes. Ladies and ‘gents I proudly present: Spicy Green Beans with Caramelized Onions, a truly delightful side-dish.

Ingredients (serves 1)

1 cup fresh green beans, washed and ends trimmed

1 small white onion, sliced into 1/2 moons about 1/4 inch thick

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil (or whatever oil you have on hand)

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried chili pepper flakes (more or less depending on your heat preference)

salt & black pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese for topping

Tools

10 inch saute pan

spatula

Steps

1. Heat oil over low heat. Add onion. Allow onion to brown and caramelize for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. I know  it takes a some time, but caramelized onions are like the bacon of the vegetarian world — they go with EVERYTHING! Here’s a good video demonstration.

2. Add in green beans. (Note: I did not blanch them first because I like a really crisp green bean. If you want a softer veg then put the beans in boiling water for 2 to 4 minutes. Remove beans and immediately put them into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. That is blanching or flash-cooking.)

3. Saute the beans and onion together until the beans soften, about 10 minutes.

4. During the last few minutes of cooking, add the chili pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Allow the spices to cook with the beans so that the beans and the oil pick up the flavor.

5. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, serve warm and enjoy!

Question: What are some of your favorite side-dishes?