Spring Greens

“Of the many smells of Athens two seem to me the most characteristic - that of garlic, bold and deadly like acetylene gas, and that of dust, soft and warm and caressing like tweed.” –Evelyn Waugh, from When the Going Was Good

Sauteed spring greens with garlic, served atop polenta

turnip greens, torn into bite-sized pieces
dandelion greens, washed and trimmed
garlic, chopped coarsely
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cup cornmeal
3 1/2 cups cold water
unsalted butter
grated cheese
chopped fresh herbs (parsley, savory, chives, sage or a combination are all good)

For the greens: Saute garlic in olive oil or until browned, add greens, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Wilt greens, about thirty seconds to one minute. Remove from heat. A splash of water will help stop the cooking.

For the polenta: Combine water and salt in a deep pan. Pour in cornmeal, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or wire whisk. Whisk in a continuous motion, either clockwise or counter-clockwise. This will help prevent lumps from forming and keep the boiling temperature constant. Continue to whisk until the polenta is so thick that it begins to resist whisking and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 10 to 15 minutes. Top with a generous amount of unsalted butter and grated cheese. I prefer Parmesan but pecorino and ricotta salata are good choices as well.

Assembly: Ladle polenta into a bowl, top with greens, chopped fresh herbs (I used sage and parsley in the pic above) and serve immediately.

Living Well

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” –Virginia Woolf, from A Room of One’s Own

Roasted asparagus, poached farm egg, shaved parmesan and herbs

Trim asparagus and toss with extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Roast in a 350 F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Poach eggs. Lift with slotted spoon and set aside when done.

Assembly: Place a poached egg atop each asparagus portion. Check seasoning. Top with chopped herbs and shaved parmesan cheese (using a vegetable peeler). Serve immediately.

South Beach Love Letter

Since The Bum loves greens so much, I thought I’d make something just for him and his hubby.

By the way, caption titles are hard.

Wild leeks (or ramps as they’re known here in the northeastern United States). They’re available for a mere four to five weeks a year. Get them while supplies last.

Fusilli with caramelized onions, ramps and anchovies

Method is really easy — fry thinly sliced onions in olive oil until golden brown. Add a pinch of salt. Add minced ramp stalks. Fry for 1-2 additional minutes. Add 1 or 2 anchovy fillets. Make sure you use anchovies packed in oil. Mash anchovies with a wooden spoon or until they disintegrate into a paste. Julienne or chop ramp leaves into a chiffonade and add to the sauce. Cook briefly, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add cooked pasta. Toss. Check seasoning. You shouldn’t need to add any. You want the flavors to shine. Ramp stalks will mellow once cooked, the leaves add a subtle perfume but shouldn’t be exposed to too much heat. The anchovies will add an earthy bass note to the sauce base. If you don’t like anchovies, you can omit them.

Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, add a pinch of toasted breadcrumbs and some chopped herbs, and serve immediately.

Mother’s Day

Another Mother’s Day come and gone.

No flowers this time around. Instead, I called Mom up and spent some time talking on the phone. I tried to tell her that she did a wonderful job raising me. I tried to say that she shouldn’t think she failed as a parent because her son is gay and HIV+. I’m not sure if I was successful in that regard.

I tried to impress upon her that life is not a competition. It shouldn’t matter what you end up doing or where you’re going so long as you’re happy, so long as you’re a good person or at least try to live a good life. And since my mother is one of nine children on Antonia’s side of the family, I have a million cousins. I have so many cousins, it’s not funny. I bet even the dust bunnies in my apartment have cousins. Most of my cousins are married and most have or plan on having kids.

My mom once lamented to me that she was looking forward to being a grandmother. Well, that’s not going to happen. I seriously doubt I’ll adopt, or that I’ll meet a partner who will want the same thing.

She should cease comparing my life with everyone else. It really doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. I can only focus on now and what might come after. I can’t spend all of my life worrying about the past. Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve. That path doesn’t lead anywhere. Life happens; you move on. I may think of the choices I’ve made and the things I’ve done, and perhaps as I grow older I’ll be more contemplative. I have so much to live for and so much more that I’d like to do. I know which direction my eyes face. I choose to live.

My mother refuses to accept the notion that a man can love another man and still have a loving relationship. She says it’s not natural. She uses the word “homosexual” without thinking that the word causes pain. She says I can say ‘gay’ but she’ll continue to use ‘homosexual’. Sometimes I wonder if I’m speaking to my mother and not a homophobe.

Another Mother’s Day come and gone. I don’t know if we’ll ever see eye to eye on most things. We have a complicated relationship. We’re still talking, and perhaps that’s what counts.

Change in Season

What a difference a few weeks makes. One thing I love about spring is that as more vegetables come into play, you see a change from heavy, stodgy starch-laden meals to lighter fare. Hearty stews are soon replaced by omelettes, light soups and salads.

This is a non-traditional version of caldo verde. This version has smoked ham from Flying Pigs Farm and borlotti beans from Rancho Gordo as additions. It’s still tasty. Serve with a glass of white wine and a baguette, and you’re all set.

Caldo verde

1 bunch kale, washed, trimmed and cut into a chiffonade
potatoes, peeled and chopped
smoked ham or bacon, sliced thinly
shallots, peeled and diced
borlotti beans, cooked
1 1/2 to 2 quarts water
extra-virgin olive oil

Sweat shallots in olive oil over medium-low heat or until partially softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add ham or bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, or until ham is browned/bacon is crisp and fat is rendered, about 5 minutes.

Add water, a pinch of salt, beans and potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Fold in kale and cook for an additional two minutes. Check seasoning. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil atop each serving bowl and serve immediately.

Camelot

Right out of a plane in Cleveland,
he found a crowd in the thousands
waiting to glimpse him. Three hours deep,
those high school kids and young couples, beside

themselves with happiness, had waited.
There was no microphone at all. The crowd
pinned him against the plane, pulled at his clothes,
and started to cheer. Still, Johnny began to smile

at the eager crowd. Quietly he touched
many hands. Johnny smiled and gave
encouragement. He touched many hands.
Those people had waited for hours to see their man.

Only those near him could hear, but Johnny
started to speak. That voice they knew gave
him speech, gave them hope–
I will need your help. But if you work hard,
we will win.

Johnny didn’t have to have any bylines
to get in the news. His words were our headlines.

That Magic Touch

Fusilli with asparagus and ham

The ham in this case is smoked boneless ham from Flying Pigs Farm, in upstate New York. Prosciutto crudo is an acceptable substitute. Either pancetta or guanciale are other possibilities. Can’t help you if you’re pork-phobic.

Pork has a transformative power to turn anything delicious.

asparagus, trimmed and cut into pieces
ham, diced
onion, thinly sliced
unsalted butter
kosher salt, to taste
cracked black pepper, to taste
cooked pasta
Parmagianno-Reggiano cheese, grated
minced herbs (chives, sage, or parsley)

Boil asparagus in salted water for 1-2 minutes, drain. Blanch in ice water immediately to preserve color. (Be sure to cook the tips separately.)

Brown onion in melted butter over medium heat, about 5-6 minutes. Add ham and asparagus; cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check seasoning.

Fold in cooked pasta and asparagus tips, along with 1 T. reserved pasta water. Toss. Top with grated cheese and herbs, and serve immediately.

Election 2008: Deja Vu

Isn’t it funny how often history repeats itself? I do wish the pundits and analysts would shut up and let things play out. Neither Clinton nor Obama have the minimum number of votes required to capture the nomination at this point. Give it a rest already.

Many Shades of Green

A single gentle rain makes the grass many shades greener. So our prospects brighten on the influx of better thoughts. We should be blessed if we lived in the present always, and took advantage of every accident that befell us, like the grass which confesses the influence of the slightest dew that falls on it; and did not spend our time in atoning for the neglect of past opportunities, which we call doing our duty. We loiter in winter while it is already spring. — Henry David Thoreau, from Walden

Spring turnip and leek soup with toasted bread crumbs and sage

turnips, trimmed and diced
turnip greens, coarsely chopped
leek (white part only), thinly sliced
potato, peeled and diced
unsalted butter
chicken stock
kosher salt
white pepper
sage, chopped
creme fraiche
bread crumbs

For the breadcrumbs: Use stale bread preferably or trim slices from a roll or baguette. Cut off crusts if desired. Place on a baking sheet in a 250 F oven for 30 minutes to one hour or until bread is completely dry. Alternately, leave on a cutting board or table to dry overnight. Put into a food processor and pulse to desired consistency. Store in an airtight container.

For the soup: Saute onion in unsalted butter or until translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Add leek and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes, turnips and turnip greens. Saute for 3-5 minutes or until potatoes leave a thin film on the bottom of the pot. Check seasoning.

Add chicken stock and sage. Set heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until turnips are cooked through. Check seasoning. Let cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree in a blender. Soup should have the consistency of cream of wheat. Return to pot and whisk in 1 T. creme fraiche. Stir in 2 T. toasted breadcrumbs and serve.

Menu Planner: May 6 to May 12, 2008

Menu for the week is subject to change but so far….

Tuesday — Turnip and leek soup with toasted breadcrumbs and sage, leftover pasta
Wednesday — Fusilli with asparagus and ham
Thursday — Caldo verde (this version will have the addition of beans)
Friday — Leftovers
Saturday — Roast chicken, sides TBD
Sunday — Leftovers
Monday — TBD (probably leftovers but reimagined in some fashion)

Am thinking I’ll probably stew some dandelion greens and leftover turnip greens over the weekend. There’s a nice hunk of smoked bacon in the fridge calling my name.

More later.