The Bitten Word

Cupboard Cleanout: Day 4 -- Chinese Black Beans with Tofu; Steamed Broccoli; and Cherry-Cheesecake Pudding

We're midway through our Cupboard Cleanout, and so far it's been pretty terrific. (Although we're also now out of pretty much all the "normal" foods we had in stock, so we're about to enter the Wild Wild West of pantry items.)

This Chinese Black Beans dish is actually something we've been making a lot lately, Cupboard Cleanout Challenge or no. It's loaded with great flavors, it's super quick to cook, it only uses one pan, and it's cheap. And it's filling.  And it's meatless (well, except for the oysters in the oyster sauce).  

What's not to love?

Cupboard Cleanout: Day 3 -- Braised Curry Chicken with Golden Raisins and Peanuts

Three days into our challenge, we've stumbled onto a dish that's already an instant new favorite! (What's that they say about necessity and invention...?)

Yesterday, a reader named Cheryl commented on our post about Day 1 with an idea for how to use up some of the pantry ingredients she saw on our list. Cheryl wrote:

I can well imagine the chicken thighs in a tagine or curry, with onions, carrots and golden raisins, sweet potatoes, too, if they are still there...put it all over couscous or basmati rice. Slow cooking is luscious, especially thighs until they fall off the bone!

We liked Cheryl's idea so much that we went right home and got to cooking!

Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango

From Plenty: Vibrant Vegetables from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi

At the end of last year, Plenty -- a new cookbook from London Chef Yotam Ottolenghi -- was turning up all over the place. It was mentioned in just about every magazine we receive, and we saw it on dozens of best-cookbooks-of-2011 lists. 

A few weeks ago we reserved it from the library to see what all the fuss is about. 

And let us tell you: It was love at first sight. 

This book grabbed us at the introduction. Although Ottolenghi is not a vegetarian, he has written a column called "The New Vegetarian" for a British newspaper. This book is essentially a collection of recipes from that column, so it's all vegetables from the point of view of a meat eater. Often, recipes will include suggestions of what meat to serve along with the dish. Most of the recipes, though, look substantial enough to serve as the main dish of any meal. 

As you know, we usually find ourselves at the carnivore end of the scale. But we've wanted to cut back the amount of meat in our diet. If you're looking to do the same, Plenty may be all the inspiration you need. 

The book is categorized by vegetables ("Funny Onions," "Roots," "Leaves," etc.) and there are at least a dozen dishes we're eager to make. A Caramelized Garlic Tart. Chard and Saffron Omelettes. Sweet Corn Polenta. We're dreaming of spring and summer already. 

But one dish lept out to us from the page: these Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango. 

Swordfish Puttanesca

Saveur (January 2012)

One of the best things about cooking our way through magazines is that we're always learning something new. Whether it's an ingredient, a preparation or an actual dish, we're constantly finding out about new techniques or being confronted with dishes that we have long heard about but never tried.

Puttanesca is a perfect example. We've always heard about it, but if we'd been pressed to define it, the best we would have come up with is, "It's like an Italian...sauce...right?"

Well, puttanesca, we're sorry it's taken us so long to get to know you. Where have you been all our lives?

Pasta and White Beans with Broccoli Pesto

Everyday Food (January/February 2012)

Zach's sister Cassidy grew up a very picky eater. Sitting down to a meal was more like entering hostage negotiations between Cassidy and Zach's parents in an attempt to get her to try new things. Even through college, she was extremely particular about textures and colors, and she essentially allowed no vegetables to pass her lips. 

Since then, Cassidy's come around. She started testing the waters with things like cream cheese and olives, and now she'll eat everything from Brussels sprouts to foie gras. She's turned out to be one of the most adventurous eaters we know. (Perhaps she's making up for lost time?)

But there's still the matter of vegetables. Cassidy will eat them, and there are some she even rather enjoys. But she still doesn't think she eats enough veggies. Over the holidays, she told us she wants to get better at "hiding" vegetables into her diet, a la Jessica Seinfeld.

"Hiding them from...?" we asked.

"Oh," she said, "from myself."

Cassidy, this one's for you.

Creamy Polenta with Sausages and Roasted Grapes

Bon Appétit (January 2012)

We wanted something fast, easy and fresh for dinner last week. We knew just where to turn: Bon App's "Fast, Easy, Fresh" section. It's a front-of-the-book collection of relatively quick and simple recipes, and it's always good for a little inspiration.

This Creamy Polenta with Sausages and Roasted Grapes sounded perfect -- hearty and comforting, with the roasted grapes adding a fun twist.

Chicken Tinga Tacos

Food & Wine (December 2011)

When we're away from home, we miss having a kitchen.

Eating in restaurants every day, three meals a day, for nearly two weeks afforded us a lot of opportunities to try many great dishes in China. But every now and then it's nice to be able to just pour yourself a glass of juice or a bowl of cereal. So at the end of our trip, it wasn't that we were tired of eating Asian food as much as we were eager to cook for ourselves again.

So within days of getting back home, we were tearing through the December food magazines, plotting and planning these last couple weeks before Christmas. 

And the first thing we decided on, in this season of cookies and cakes and roasts and party food was, oddly enough, tacos.  

Thanksgiving 2011: Tandoori Turkey

Bon Appétit (November 2011)

Modern Family, Season 2 Episode 6:

Claire: I’m not done! So not done! Look, here's the thing. We have fireworks at Christmas now because that’s what they do in Columbia. I don’t mind. Thanksgiving? That used to be me, roasting a turkey, until the gays took it over with whatever new turkey-cooking craze it is that you saw on the Food Network. And I’m fine with that too. All I ask, all I ask, is that you leave me Halloween. Yeah, Halloween. I realize it is a crazy-ass holiday for a grown woman to care about this much, but it’s my crazy-ass holiday. Mine!

Cam: That’s a lot of complaining from somebody who asked for thirds of our tandoori turkey last year.

 

Ladies and gentlemen: Our tandoori turkey.

Thanksgiving 2011: Roasted Squash and Polenta Torta with Red Onion Marmalade

Fine Cooking (October/November 2011)

Here's just about everything you need to know about this Polenta Torta, in a series of five photographs. 

Thanksgiving 2011: Make-Ahead Roast Turkey and Gravy

 

Cook's Country (October/November 2011) 

"Make-ahead turkey."

When it comes to Thanksgiving cooking, are there any three words that sound more enticing? (Or more sacrilegious? After all, what is Thanksgiving Day without slaving away in a crowded, overheated kitchen while a huge bird takes up your entire oven for three and a half hours?)

Seriously, though: "Make-ahead turkey." Think of how dry it would be! How tasteless! But think of how much easier it would make your cooking! Think of how much less stressful your Thanksgiving could be!

As Cook's Country points out, many restaurants do it for holidays, with great success, so why not try it at home? 

"Make-ahead turkey." We had to try it!

We're here to tell you, not only is this make-ahead turkey the easiest turkey recipe we've ever made, it's also the best turkey recipe we've ever made. Ever.

And p.s.? This is also the best gravy we've ever made.