Passing the Cookbooks On

I am no longer using my cookbooks and magazines.

In the past, in preparation for a dinner party, I would pour over and through them. Having a party was an excuse to try new methods, flavors, and dishes that were too complicated to try on Monday night at home for two.

My magazines were organized by month, so I could reference the seasons easily. My cookbooks organized by type so I could easily find Mexican, Scandinavian, Vegetarian etc. recipes easily.

I have stopped "entertaining." Eric and I eat much more simply, usually determined by what's available that day from Farmer and the Cook, Bridge or the Market. And yet somehow I am enjoying my food more and pleased the ease of preparation and clean up.

Actually the clean up seems to be a big part of the simplification. I began to do the dishes about a year ago. And all of a sudden, it did not seem so fun to create a big mess.

And as I have blogged about here and in other spots, I am not longer grasping the affection and approval of others through my ability to cook an amazing meal.

As I box the volumes up to take to the Library and Barts, I am enjoying the reflection that cleaning house offers. I found the January 2000 Vogue entertaining magazine that launched me into the small dishes and bites trend. I found the Nov 1997 issue of Sauveur, covered in tomato sauce that began my Italian cooking exploration and I found my first cookbook from college that began the journey, Sheila Lukins, "Around the World."

It's a funny thing to be packing up and shipping off an identity. Admittedly, I am keeping my Joy of Cooking, Deborah Madison, Rick Bayless, Ed Brown, Donna Hay and a few others. And some of the collectibles with images that you just can't get anymore haven't made it to the trunk of my car. My great Aunt Ginny worked for General Mills, so the Betty Crockers are like family heirlooms. The Time Life Collections offer a plethora of funkfied colorized roasted ham and ribs shots for the Holidays circa 1967 that have images that cannot be easily found online.

And if something changes, I imagine that I can collect all that stuff again. But it seems that I am making room for other things.

Pork chops with Poblano Creme Sauce

Eric was on the East end of town at Westridge picking up some pork chops. (Did you notice that I was not a vegetarian for very long?). I was on the West side near Farmer and the Cook.

Olivia has just put out the most beautiful selection of dried chilies and she is carrying anchovies.

She fed me the most Delicious tomato with some mozzarella and basil mixture in her kitchen. Tasting anything Olivia makes inspires one back into the kitchen. So, based on what I could get at FNC today, the menu tonight was this:

Pork chops with Poblano Creme Sauce
Steamed Green Beans with Lemon and Dillweed
Roasted Potatoes sliced Chip Style

I posted the green beans below.
You know how to roast potatoes.

Here is how I made the sauce for the Chops.

1. Boil some water and pour over 3 dried Poblano Chilies to hydrate. (Let sit 30 minutes)

2. Meanwhile, mince up a big shallot from Steve and Olivia's Farm.

3. Mince up a few anchovies.

4. Mince up some garlic.

5. When chilies are ready, remove seeds and veins and mince up. (Note: the poblanos were not as hot as I wanted them to be so I wish I had left the seeds in. Each chili is different, so experiment). Mix the garlic, anchovies, and chili into a paste.

6. Heat some olive oil in a pan and pan roast the peppered porkchops to brown on both sides. (I cover the pan to keep the splatter down and hurry up the cooking inside the meat). Remove chops to a plate.

7. Add shallots to the pan. Stir. Add chili paste to the pan and stir. I let it cook for about a minute. Add a little brandy or other choice cooking liqueur to deglaze the pan. Add some beef broth. Allow to simmer. I tasted it and it was not hot enough, so I added some red pepper flakes. Add some heavy whipping creme. Allow to reduce.

8. I put the chops back in for a little bit to steam in the creme sauce.

Then, to serve. I put the beans and the potatoes on a plate. Put the chop on top and spooned some of the sauce over.

Big Green Beans with Lemon and Dill

1. Bring some water to a boil with a "steamer" thing above it.

2. Place 2 handfuls of fresh green beans from Steve and Olivia's farm in the steamer and close the lid.

3. In a bowl, Zest and Squeeze one lemon from your tree or someone elses. Add some olive oil. Add some green peppercorn dijon or other favorite mustard. Add some minced basil and some of Olivia's Dillweed from Farmer and the Cook. Salt and Pepper too.

4. When beans are done to your liking (we like them still a little crunchy), add to the lemon mustard herb dressing and toss to coat.

Late Summer Guacamole

1. Finely mince up 2 of Olivia's fresh local organic serrano chillies that she picked at 10pm on Saturday night by iphone light.

2. Mash up one clove of fresh garlic from Steve's farm

3. Mince up 1/2 red onion from same farm

4. Chop and mix the above together with some good salt. Squeeze in one or two limes. Add a little olive oil and stir.

5. Core and chop up several almost too ripe red heriloom tomotoes from the Sunday farmer's market. Mix in with the above.

6. Finely chop some cilantro from the Steve's Farm and mix in.

7. Open, Core and Cube several local avocados picked up at FnC. Gently mix in, not mashing.

8. Serve with favorite chips. Ours our 'Have a Corn Chip' made in Laguna Beach.



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