The Mango Lassie

Empanada Boy was feeling sick this weekend. His appetite wasn’t up to its normally vigorous level. By dinnertime last night, the only thing he had eaten was a few pieces of French toast at breakfast. When I asked him what he wanted for dinner, he said: soup. As I’m sure the Jewish mothers that came before me would agree, soup is indeed a marvelously curative dish. Thanks to Mango Mama, I have a number of great, hearty recipes that I can usually whip up with what I have around. I have been doing some of my own research this winter, experimenting with fish stews.

One thing that dawned on me as I read through the recipes I found online is that Catholics are particularly looking for fishy options during these weeks of Lent. Growing up in an area not populated by many Catholics, I was only marginally aware of this practice until I moved to Chicago. Obviously, my motivations were different. Much of the fish available to me at an affordable price is flaky white-fleshed fish like cod, which go well in a stew. A stew also makes a little bit go a long way and adds a nice degree of flavor to the otherwise neutral fish. And sometimes we all get tired of meat and potatoes.

I found a recipe on the Internet and made it with a few modifications when Mango Mama and Daddy Salmon came to visit. I had some cod fillets in the freezer, so I decided to make the stew again. This time, I added celery and used crushed tomatoes instead of whole ones. The result was a smoother, more tomato-infused broth. Not worrying about Lent and with about a half pound less fish than the recipe called for, I also added a couple of pre-cooked chicken sausages. I sliced and browned these in a separate pan. Other modifications could include adding frozen corn or peas or even adding potatoes. Fresh tomatoes would also be ideal during the summer months. I used oregano and thyme, but other spices could give the soup a totally different flair. What follows is the soup I made for Empanada Boy. Adjust, add and subtract as you see fit.

Fish Stew

6 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup of chopped onions
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup of canned crushed tomato (For different consistency substitute chopped canned tomatoes, fresh chopped tomatoes, etc.)
2 tsp of tomato paste.
8 oz of clam juice (or shellfish stock)
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 lb fish fillets (halibut, cod, sole, red snapper, sea bass), cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 lb pre-cooked chicken sausage, thinly sliced (other sausage or seafood would work)
Touch of dry oregano, Tabasco, thyme, pepper
Salt

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté 4 minutes. Add parsley and celery and stir 2 minutes. Add tomato, tomato paste and cook 2 minutes longer.

Add clam juice, dry white wine, and fish and simmer until fish is cooked through, less than 10 minutes. Brown sausage slices in a separate pan, and add to stew. Add seasoning. Salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread.

Serves 4.

Rosh Hashanah was last week. And when it comes time for Rosh Hashanah, the one thing that I think of most— apart from services, shofar blowing and atoning for sins— is honey cake. It’s traditional to eat honey around this time of year in order to ensure a sweet year ahead. This is an amazing recipe that Mango Mama shared with me, though it has undoubtedly been traded through many hands. It features just about every ingredient under the sun (except butter because it’s dairy-free). Whisky, coffee, orange juice and baking spices come together in a cake that is light, moist and extremely addictive. All it takes is one bite to make the world seem a little sweeter. Try it for yourself!

L’shana tova— Happy new year!

The Best Honey Cake

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup warm coffee or strong tea
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup rye or whisky (substitute orange juice or coffee)
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (optional)

This cake is best baked in a 9-inch angel food cake pan, but you can make it in:
One 9 or 10-inch tube or bundt cake pan
One 9 by 13-inch sheet cake
Two 9-inch squares or round pan layer cakes
Two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease pan(s). For tube and angel food pans, line the bottom with lightly greased parchment paper, cut to fit.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Make a well in the center and add oil, honey, white sugar, brown sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee, orange juice and rye or whisky.

Using a strong wire whisk or in an electric mixer on slow speed, stir together well to make a thick, blended batter. Make sure no ingredients are stuck to the bottom.

Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). Sprinkle top of cakes evenly with almonds. Place cake pan(s) on two baking sheets, stacked together. This will ensure the cakes bake properly with the bottom baking faster than the interior and the top.

Bake until cake tests done— when it springs back when you gently touch the cake center. For angel and tube cake pans bake for 60-70 minutes, for loaf cakes about 45-55 minutes. For sheet style cakes, baking time is 40-45 minutes.

Let the cake stand 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

I rode my bike over to Chicago’s Green City Market on Saturday with one goal in mind: to find the makings for homemade pickles. That meant 4lbs. of pickling cucumbers, dill heads and a bunch of garlic. I ended up getting three different varieties, including round, white globe cucumbers.

That I am a serious pickle lover has never been in doubt. Mango Mama sometimes tells the story of when she took me to the fireman’s benefit dinner in Cannon Beach as a little kid. There were bowls of pickles on the tables, and I ended up eating all of the pickles from the dish in front of us. From then on, I have always been convinced that I could live on pickles alone if necessary.

Unfortunately, it’s tough to get good half-sours most places outside New York. Harvestime, our local Mexican grocery, which also caters to Eastern Europeans, has some pretty good ones in a vat above the deli case. But these don’t come anywhere near the crunchy deliciousness that I get from making my own refrigerator dills.

Mango Mama and I got the idea to make our own pickles from an article in The Oregonian food section two years ago. The recipe printed there was adapted from Portland’s own father of local and organic, Greg Higgins. He makes these at his excellent restaurant Higgins. I don’t can mine because I think they lose their crunch. I just leave them in the fridge until I’m ready to eat. If you like pickles, you should try making these at home. The only drawback is that you have to wait a few weeks before you can actually eat them.

Damn Good Dills

Ingredients
4qt. pickling cucumbers rinsed well
16 lrg. garlic cloves peeled, sliced
4 fresh dill heads halved
1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes

Brine
1 qt. cider vinegar
1 qt. water
1/4 cup pickling spices
1/3 cup pickling salt
2 tblsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 cup. chopped fresh dill heads

Method

* Note: Do not use aluminum or iron cookware for this recipe. The acids in the ingredients could react with the metal, giving the food an off-taste.
* Wash 4 quart or 8 pint jars. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs.
* Pack the cucumbers into the jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Divide the sliced pieces of garlic and halved heads of fresh dill among the jars. Add a pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) of the dried red pepper flakes to each jar.
* To make the brine: Combine vinegar, water, pickling spices, salt, sugar, turmeric and 1 cup chopped fresh dill in a pot (see note). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
* Put 4 cloves of garlic into each jar. Strain off the seasonings from the brine then ladle the hot brine into 1 jar at a time, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars. Let cool to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator.
* The pickles are ready to use after 3 to 4 days of aging, but they will continue to improve for several weeks. They keep, refrigerated, for about 1 year.
* For storage at room temperature: Process the filled jars in a boiling-water canner 10 minutes for pints, 15 minutes for quarts (15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts at 1,000 to 6,000 feet; 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts above 6,000 feet).
* This recipe yields 4 quarts or 8 pints.

It’s hard to believe that summer has already begun. That’s not to say it hasn’t been feeling pretty summer-ish with the hot, muggy days we’ve been having here in Chicago. But perhaps it’s just that fleeting nature of spring that makes me regard the first, fresh, local produce it yields as bordering on sacred.

I wasn’t expecting to find those spring delicacies when Empanada Boy and I finally managed to get ourselves out to the farmer’s market yesterday. We went to the Evanston Farmer’s Market because I’ve regularly been disappointed by the representation and prices at the Green City Market, which is Chicago’s primary location. There is also free parking in Evanston, which is a definite plus.

To put it bluntly, we spent a lot of money. We started with croissants for breakfast and then bought a loaf of bread. Our other purchases included succulent Michigan strawberries, a raw milk aged cheddar, beets, rhubarb, organic ground lamb, a basil plant, asparagus and morel mushrooms. Of all the items we purchased, it was these last two that represented the last vestiges of spring. I decided to highlight them in a delicious risotto from the April, 2006 issue of Gourmet . It’s a perfect way to bid farewell to the last season and usher in the new.

Risotto with Asparagus and Morel Ragout

Ingredients

3/4 oz dried morel mushrooms (1 cup) or 1/4 lb fresh
6 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 lb medium asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch-long pieces (about 3 cups)
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/4 oz) plus additional for serving
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

Preparation

If using dried morels, soak in warm water to cover 30 minutes. Agitate dried morels in soaking water or fresh morels in cold water to dislodge grit, then lift from water, squeezing out excess. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut morels (fresh or dried) crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Bring broth and water to a boil in a 4-quart pot. Add asparagus and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Reserve 1 cup broth mixture for ragout and keep remaining broth at a bare simmer.

Cook onion in oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer briskly, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup hot broth mixture and simmer briskly, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is just tender and creamy-looking, 18 to 22 minutes. (There will be leftover broth mixture. Reserve for thinning risotto.)

Stir cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper into risotto, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, while making ragout.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté morels and garlic, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 4 minutes. Pour in 1 cup reserved broth and bring to a boil. Stir in peas, asparagus, zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, swirling skillet until butter is incorporated, then season ragout with salt and pepper.

Thin risotto to desired consistency with some of leftover broth and season with salt and pepper. Divide risotto among 4 shallow bowls. Spoon asparagus and morel ragout (with liquid) on top and sprinkle with chives.

Cooks’ note:
Dried morels can be soaked and patted dry 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

I am still observing Passover this week, so instead of a restaurant critique, I have decided to offer you a recipe. Although it might not be the most attractive dish, matzo brei is one of the things I most look forward to as Passover approaches. I have already eaten it four times since the holiday began.

Ruth Reichl, editor of Gourmet magazine writes of her love for matzo brei in one of her many autobiographical books. Here is the recipe she uses, which is also printed in the Gourmet cookbook.

Matzo Brei

4 matzos
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter

Crumble matzos into a large sieve placed over a bowl to catch crumbs, then hold sieve under cold running water until matzos are moist and softened but not completely disintegrated, about 15 seconds. Transfer to bowl with crumbs, add eggs and salt, and mix lightly with a fork.

Heat butter in a 10- to 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add matzo mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until eggs are scrambled and matzo has begun to crisp, about 3 minutes.

Enjoy!