Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson's Blog, page 32

Cracking the Quiche Code

This week's recipe comes from THE GREENS COOK BOOK by Deborah Madison. And while the book's primary focus, as evidenced by the title, is cooking with vegetables, the really valuable lesson that I learned had to do with quiche.







I love quiche in all it's flavorful varieties. However, more times than not, the quiche that I made would produce an egg custard that was flat and dense.







Which is why I was so very surprised when I made this tart/quiche and received a light, fluffy, quiche that was so tasty that one of my tasters actually asked for the recipe! Which is why I decided to include it in this week's recipe.



So what made the difference? It appears to be in the dairy/egg ratio used in the recipe. Normally, when making a quiche I would use 4 -5 eggs and a cup of milk.



In The Greens Cookbook, Deborah Madison calls for two eggs, two yolks, and TWO cups of half and half (or 1 cup milk, 1 cup cream). This additional cup of cream/milk, seems to make all the difference and results in a delicately delightful texture.  I can't wait to try this principle with my favorite Quiche Lorraine.





Spinach and Goat Cheese Tart 

ala THE GREENS COOK BOOK

1 frozen pie shell

1 bunch spinach2 scallions, shallots, or a small onion (optional)2 Tablespoons olive oil1-2 garlic cloves finely minced1 Tablespoon fresh parsley choppedpinch of sea saltpeppergrated nutmeg2 whole eggs2 egg yolks4 ounces soft goat cheese2 cups half and half



Preheat oven to 375 F. 

Prebake pie shell for 5 - 10 minutes. Take out of oven and let cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Sautee spinach and scallions, shallots, or onions and garlic in olive oil until just wilted. Season with salt pepper and grated nutmeg. Set aside.

Beat eggs, yolks, half and half together. Mix in about a third of the goat cheese and beat until smooth. Add a salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Scatter spinach in bottom of pie shell, crumble remaining goat cheese on top. Pour egg mixture over top.

Bake tart at 375 F for 45 - 50 minutes, until custard is set and lightly brown.

Remove from oven and let the tart rest for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Charbroiled Chicken from SIMPLY FRENCH

The first cookbook I bought by Patricia Wells was Bistro Cooking, which I adored and used to make goat cheese dip and steak frites. Somewhere along the way, during this same period (late 80s) I bought another of her books, SIMPLY FRENCH: PATRICIA WELLS PRESENTS THE CUISINE OF JOEL ROBUCHON. 

During the heyday of these books, French bistro cooking was all the rage and Patricia Wells was making a name for herself as one of the best cookbook authors of this segment of the genre.

At the time, I was living in New York and her books appealed to two of my requirements, 1) that the food was accessible, easy, and tasty, and 2) I was in love with all things French. It was during this period that I first read Hemingway's A Moveable Feast (still one of my favorite books) and made my first trip to Paris. 

Ironically, though in keeping with many of the cookbooks that I bought during this period of my life, though I collected all the latest trends in cookbooks, my experience with the actual book was more as a reader than a cook. 

When I opened Simply French a few days ago, the first recipes I looked at were the ones for roast chicken. We make a lot of roast chicken around here. Mom has painstakingly spent two hours sitting in front of a hot oven to turn a chicken every 15 minutes in keeping with a recipe from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. We used a clay oven we bought at the thrift store with great success. 





So my attention was immediately drawn to Patricia Wells' recipe for charbroiled chicken, whose most intriguing aspects were that the chicken was butterflied and that the cooking method was under a broiler rather than roasted.



Interestingly, the first time I'd seen a chicken prepared in this manner wasn't at all French, it was in Baku Azerbaijan where nearly every local dish we ate was cooked on an outdoor grill, including butterflied chicken. Still, I'd never heard of making this dish in the oven in place of an open flame. And since it fell into the roast chicken arena, it had to be tried.



The recipe is very simple and consists of two steps: marinating the chicken and then broiling the chicken.



The first step, marinating, consisted of a typically French vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. I added fresh rosemary tucked under the skin of the breast, as well as fresh ground pepper. The recipe called for marinating the chicken for two hours, at room temperature. This gave me pause since it is summer and I was concerned about the chicken spoiling, so I marinated it in the refrigerator and then brought it up to room temperature while I waited for the oven broiler to heat.



By the way, you can either butterfly the chicken at home by removing the backbone or you can have your butcher take care of it.











The end result is actually much tastier than this poor bird appears. The skin on the 'shins' was torn during the turning phase and the 'hips' were dislocated. The skin is probably darker than suggested in the recipe. However, despite appearances, I promise you that this is one of the best birds we've had. The meat was tender and juicy. And it was so simple to make that we will definitely make this recipe again.

This exercise has piqued my interest in pulling out more French cookbooks and perhaps even my old copy of Bistro Cooking.

Bon Appetit! 

Gratitude: When the Going Gets Tough, Say Thanks

Things have been difficult for the past four weeks as Mom suffers through post-shingles pain that has been so relentless that even the two different painkillers she's been prescribed haven't made a dent in pain relief.



Yesterday, we thought we'd turned a corner. Mom got up feeling great and we celebrated by running out to Home Depot and then Sundance, our local nursery, to buy a few plants for the front garden. This morning she was still feeling well and spent the day reading. But by afternoon, the pain had returned like a tsunami and it seemed that once again the painkillers were having no effect.



During setbacks like these, it's easy to get discouraged and to believe that things will never improve. And as much as I'd like to crawl into bed and pull up the covers, I've found that the best remedy is actually to give thanks.



As counterintuitive as that might sound, it works. Somehow it puts things into perspective, reminds us that not all is lost, that things were better yesterday, there's hope they'll better again tomorrow. I am one of those who believe that a positive attitude really does make a difference in outcomes.



Since this pain started, I've gotten down on my knees to pray before getting into bed, and asked God to take away the pain and restore Mom's health. Last night I got down on my knees and gave thanks for the wonderful day she had, for how great she felt. Tonight, I'll get back down on my knees and pray again for her relief and restoration.



But I'll also give thanks that her appetite is getting better, that she has a birthday coming up in July and all her children will be flying to celebrate it with her. I will say thank you God, for healing her pain and I know you can do it again and make it permanent.



Giving thanks is a declaration of hope in the face of despair, it is holding up a candle in the night and knowing that the 'darkness comes before the dawn'. When things look most difficult our resolve must be strongest.



Please keep Mom in your prayers.

Carrot Yogurt Soup

My love affair with soup continues. This week I made a carrot yogurt soup adapted from The Vegetarian Epicure - Book Two by Anna Thomas, a wonderful cookbook published in 1978 that I picked up at our local thrift store.



The spine of the book is broken, some of the pages are loose, and there are slips of paper tucked between the pages or 'good one' written in the margins to mark a favorite recipe. The fact that it was well-used was a recommendation in itself. This classic vegetarian cookbook presents recipes that are accessible, but rich and comforting...think Julia gone vegetarian and living in Southern California in the seventies, or Alice Waters, for that matter.



I am inspired by soups because they are a very efficient delivery method for vegetables, which I never get enough of in my diet. Carrot soup is something I've never tried before...and one thing I love about cooking is challenging myself to try new flavors and ingredients. Best of all, once you've made a batch of soup, you can keep a pot in the fridge and dip into it during the week for a quick lunch. Soups are the perfect economical fare: you can create one out of nearly anything you have in the pantry or fridge and they go far on little investment.





I was drawn to Ms. Thomas' recipe for carrot soup for two reasons: I could incorporate yogurt, which is a good source of protein. Mom isn't feeling well right now, creating highly nutritional meals has become a priority since her appetite is pretty scarce and she can't afford to lose weight. Second, the recipe calls for an interesting melange of spices which remind me of the Moroccan flavors I've enjoyed in other dishes.



Another reason I was inspired to try this recipe is more global: I have shelves and shelves of cookbooks that I've collected over the past twenty years. The other day I was standing in front of the bookcase that contains many of these books and realized that quite honestly, I've probably cooked out of the same 6 or 12 books for all that time. I decided that I'd like to challenge myself to pick up a different cookbook each week or so and try at least one recipe. I'll let you know how it turns out...





~~~~~~~

Here's the carrot-yogurt soup with my modifications:



4 Tbs butter

1 medium onion chopped

2 cloves garlic



1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp tumeric

1/2 tsp ginger

1 pinch kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cinnamon



1 lb carrots shredded

Juice of one lemon

3 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 cups Greek-style yogurt

1 Tbs honey



~~~~~~~

The soup is quite easy to assemble:



1. In a dutch oven or heavy-bottom sauce pan, melt the butter and saute the onions, garlic and carrots until the onions are translucent. Add the spices and continue to cook the vegetables for five minutes until they are thoroughly coated by the spices.



2. Add the chicken stock, and lemon, cover the pot and cook the carrots for 45 minutes. Using a stick blender, blend the soup until the carrots are pureed. You may also use a food processor or blender for this step, returning the soup to the pot when blended.



4. Reduce heat to low and gently whisk in the yogurt and honey. Heat the soup for five minutes, bringing it up to temperature. Garnish with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprig of parsley.



A hunk of warm bread slathered with butter would go very nicely.



May also be served cold.



Enjoy!

Taking Myself to Task: Excel Spreadsheets for Procrastinators

WEEK OF 6/6WALKMAPREADBLOGMARKETINGJOURNAL
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
WEEK OF 6/13WALKMAPREADBLOGMARKETINGJOURNAL
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY




As I've documented in many, many posts, I have more clever ways to procrastinate than just about anyone. Which means that if I want to get anything done, consistently, I need to figure out a way to hold myself accountable.



Which is when I came up with this Excel spreadsheet.



Yes, it's crude and lacking both in sophistication and beauty. But it gets the job done. Since I began using it last month, my productivity has increased in every area. And when I slack off, I can see where and how long it's lasted.



Creating the spreadsheet was simple. On one axis I listed the days of the week. On the other, I listed the activities that currently meant the most to me, things that would improve my life if practiced consistently.  These included: exercise, writing, and reading. Each day, as I spend time on a different task, I color in that activity.



As you can see, last week I did a better job of working on MAP than this week. On the other hand, I've gotten more exercise in this week. Either way, the spreadsheet is a convenient way for me to hold myself accountable and to see, over time, where I spend my time and where I need to focus if I want to meet my goals.



How do you keep track of your progress on important projects?

Gazpacho 2011

Every year I post my gazpacho recipe on this blog. It has become for me, a signal that summer is here. Every year the end-result is a little different, depending on what recipe I've consulted. This year, I didn't consult any recipes and just went with what I had in the vegetable drawer and the pantry...which worked out beautifully.



While adhering to most of the classic ingredients, essentially the soup becomes a chilled tomato-based, fresh vegetable soup.



Making the soup is incredibly easy. And since it doesn't involve a hot oven or stove, it's perfect for the hot days we've been experiencing lately.



Just a few steps and you're done:





Fine chop the vegetables in a food processor and then place in a large bowl. 


Pour V-8 juice over the chopped veggies in the bowl. 


Begin to layer the flavors with white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, a splash of hot sauce, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, a healthy pinch of kosher salt. Keep adjusting the flavors until you reach the acidity that you desire. 


Chill well for several hours to let the flavors combine.


And then enjoy! I made such a large batch that I ended up freezing several one portion freezer bags of soup that I could have on hand for a quick lunch.



It's one of my favorite summer dishes: full of vitamins, low in fat, and incredibly flavorful.

The Unfortunate Consequences of Henry's Indoor Pool

Another beautiful morning in Evergreen.



Another morning walk in the sunshine.





 Another dip in the indoor pool. 







And....









...this is why I'll be buying a kiddie pool this weekend.



Have a great weekend!

Henry's Indoor Pool

This morning after our morning walk, as I was brushing my teeth, Henry came into the bathroom and stood by the bathtub. This is his signal that he wants me to turn on the cold water tap so that he can get a drink of water.



So I turned on the water and went back to my morning routine.



A moment later I turned back and saw that my darling Henry had decided that my tub could be HIS spa!



This may be the clearest indication that the kiddie pool I've been considering may have to become a reality this weekend. Henry obviously needs a place to cool down.



Hang in there Henry....

Editing My Novel Again: The Joy of Revision-ing







Lately I've been revising what will be my second novel, A MAP OF HEAVEN. This novel has rich significance to me because it is the first novel I wrote after my father passed away eleven years ago and because, to this day, it remains my favorite novel. It's also a book that I've revised and sent out several times over the years, always to no avail.



Last month, when I unpacked one of the many bound versions I had packed away in storage, I hadn't looked at the manuscript in over five years. In fact, because I've gone through so many computers in that time, I found out that I didn't even have a complete version of my longest draft of the novel on my hard drive.



This means that my revision process has entailed working from one version I have on my hard drive, while referring to a printed version that is twice as long, trying to figure out what has been left out and needs to be added back in from one page to the next. Oh and I've decided to change the POV from first person to third. Don't try this during cocktail hour.



Yet, as I work through the manuscript page by page, I come across sentences and images that I know so well that I find myself smiling as I type the words. I love them.



There are moments when I wonder why I am so obsessed with working on this novel yet again, when I have already failed so many times to get it right. Ultimately, the answer is that the subject matter is incredibly important to me. Interestingly, I can see in my mind's eye the book as it should be, what I want it to be. My greatest desire is find a way to bring that image to reality.



Last week I picked up the May issue of More magazine and read an article by Kathryn Stockett on how she spent eight years editing THE HELP, along the way enduring sixty rejections, before it was finally accepted and published. I understand Ms. Stockett's passion for her story, because I've come to realize that it is the same love I feel for MAP.



Embracing that epiphany makes this latest and hopefully final revision a joyful journey. I'd even wager that it will be just as joyful even if it isn't.



Do you have a writing project that you just can't get out of your mind?

Sunday's To Do List

photo credit:http://www.publicradio.org/columns/ma...



It's a another beautiful, partly-cloudy day here in Evergreen. I am oh so thankful for that overcast sky because it's shading us from the very hot weather they're expecting down in Denver today.

Breakfast has been made, the kitchen cleaned, now it's on to the rest of my list. I've got things to do...Making a new batch of Henry's Heart Shaped Dog Treats


Spending an hour with A MAP OF HEAVEN


Updating my Author's Page on Amazon.com


Put patio furniture on deck


Adding finishing touches to the first gazpacho of the summer. Recipe and photos will be posted later this week.


Addressing invites to Mom's July birthday party


Writing two blog posts discussing my thoughts on editing MAP and my annual gazpacho recipe.


Watering plants.
Am trying not to remember that this is supposed to be a day of rest. Have a great week!