Soup and Survival

 

I was not supposed to get the flu, but I did. It came after a cold and a stomach bug.  It hit me hard (despite the infamous flu shot) and left me resolved to shore up my reserves.  Enough is enough.  After four days of convalescing, I ate two huge bowls of this amazing soup and suddenly the run down feeling left my body.  That was yesterday.  I made it again today to prolong the feelings of self preservation, restoration, survival.  The winter is nowhere near over, so if I have to eat this every day, I just might do that.

This magical soup, "sick soup" came to me by way of text message from my cousin Laurie, who got it from her friend when her own son was sick.  Before that, I can't trace it any farther back.  I'd like to thank the universe for putting this soup out there for me because the healing properties are numerous.  12 cloves of garlic.  Ginger, onion, cabbage, chili, lime juice.  Grandma's chicken noodle soup is cowering in the corner feeling pretty meager next to this.

I think we all agree, getting sick is the pits.  But winter and germs are here to stay, so in case you need it- here's the recipe.  Stay strong.

"Sick Soup"
This soup lends itself well to variations. The photo below shows a version I just made using shiitake mushrooms and firm tofu.  Add the mushrooms about half way through the cooking, and stir in the diced tofu once you have turned off the flame.

6 cups water
1 white onion, cut in half then sliced thinly
1 medium cabbage (use as much of the cabbage as you like), sliced into 1 inch pieces
12 cloves garlic, peeled (thinly slice 6, and chop the other 6)
4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 red chili cut in half, seeds removed and thinly sliced (omit the chili if serving someone who cannot tolerate spice)
juice of 1 lime
1-2 tablespoons sesame oil
salt to taste

Boil the water in a large pot and add all the ingredients except the lime juice, sesame oil and salt. Cover the pot and simmer the soup over medium heat for 30 minutes.  Turn off the heat, add the lime juice, sesame oil and salt to taste.  Enjoy this soup piping hot.

Brownies - lifting spirits

These days, my refrigerator is stocked with kale, mushrooms of all shapes and sizes, colorful peppers.  I  buy so much fruit we can barely eat it before it gets too ripe.  But today I want to share a brownie recipe because this time of year  there is already enough nutritional advice being dished out.  This is about lifting spirits, and these brownies have that capability.  

 

In August, a close relative cautioned me not to lose myself with the birth of my second child. I think a lot about what aspects I may have lost, whether those features of my life/self were important to me and how becoming responsible for two small people opened up a whole new world.  Some days I feel like super woman, capable of carrying a large baby through the NYC streets in 19 degree weather, toting all the groceries,  naming every car make and model in a four  block radius for an eager three year old.  Other days, I feel vulnerable, crouched deep in the trenches of motherhood with a sick child, overwhelmed with the sheer duty to these two young lives, but abounding with love. 

  

While I can strive to find balance and prioritize time for myself, the fact is, my work is cut out for me. My joy comes (in between tantrums) in the form of restorative hugs, toothy grins, impromptu dance parties with Roman. When I need a little guilty pleasure that I don't need to share, there is chocolate.  Not meditation, yoga or free time- but chocolate.

  

There is no 'one size fits all' recipe for brownies.  There are a million versions that people claim are the best, and maybe they're all partially right. I have strong opinions in this matter and my ultimate brownie is flourless, almost fudge-like, loaded with toasted walnuts, and made with the best chocolate I could find.

 

I wish you all the best in 2013.  I hope you'll treat yourself to something delicious on your way.

My Best Brownies
This brownie recipe from Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz knocked my socks off, although I made a few changes to his already "perfect" brownies.  I substituted hazelnut flour for the all-purpose flour.  I also added espresso powder to make the chocolate stand out even more.  I have written the recipe below exactly as I made it.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used Callebaut)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup hazelnut flour (you could also use almond flour or regular flour)
1 cup toasted walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line the inside of a square cake pan (mine was 8 inch) with parchment.  Lightly grease the parchment with butter.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, then add the chocolate and stir over medium heat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, espresso powder and vanilla until combined.  With your wooden spoon, beat in the eggs one at a time.  Add the hazelnut flour and stir energetically for one full minute.  Stir in the chopped, toasted nuts.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the center feels almost set.  This took about 40 minutes for me, but check starting at 30.  Let cool completely in the pan before lifting out the parchment to remove the brownies.  These will keep for four days at room temperature.  I chose to wrap mine individually and freeze them for a treat when I need it.

Lemon Cream Cheese Tart with a Gingersnap Crust

 

Taking care of a 3 year old and a 3 month old has sapped any energy I had for extraneous activities. My cooking has become predictable.  As my sister wisely said, right now my life is more about survival than perfection.  While I often feel like I'm being challenged to my core, I am lucky enough to be showered with smiles every morning from both boys.  That's enough to keep me going.

The exceedingly gray skies of late call for a little culinary levity. The pretty yellow color and zing of lemon and ginger are a pick-me-up and just what I needed.  

It's funny how a food treat can feel like a visit from an old friend.  A simple boost that helps me continue on my daily march.

I wish you all the coziest of times as 2012 comes to a close.  May you be showered with gifts of smiles, good food and warm, safe homes. 

Ruth's Lemon Cream Cheese Tart

Adapted from my Grandmother's recipe

Plan ahead by taking the eggs and cream cheese out of the fridge a few hours before you want to make this.

For the tart crust:

8 ounces ginger cookies (I used store bought from Whole Foods Market)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Finely process the cookies in a food processor.  Melt the butter, then pour it into the food processor and pulse to combine.  Place a  9 inch tart shell with removable bottom on a baking sheet.  Press the crushed cookies into the shell.  Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes and allow to cool while you proceed with the filling.

For the filling:

3 large eggs at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Zest and juice of 1 organic lemon

8 oz package of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
fresh berries for garnish (optional)

Use a handheld electric beater to beat the eggs until light in a double boiler (bain marie); then beat in sugar gradually.  Stir in lemon zest and juice. Stir constantly over the heat with a wooden spoon for about 7-10 minutes until the eggs begin to thicken to a custardy consistency.  Add the cream cheese (must be room temperature) and use the electric beater again to blend thoroughly.  Several more minutes over the heat should do the trick.  Spoon this into your prepared tart shell.  Cool on the counter.  You could serve this warm, or if you want to prepare it ahead of time, simply chill it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.  

Original Comfort Food

Mother

I am the original comfort food. 

A creamy bowl of oatmeal, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

A warm bun straight from the oven with a pat of melting butter.

A steaming cup of chicken noodle soup that warms inside and out.

Baby

Comforted,  Nurtured, Nourished.

His breath smells like vanilla scented rice pudding. 

Simply delicious.

Small things

 

People always say, it's the small things in life that count.  Eventually small things become big and fill your life entirely.  When they do, it's wonderful.

Baby Ethan joined us on Sept 15th at 6:41 pm, and for the past four weeks we've been marveling in the wonder of a new life.

There's been plenty of real life too.  Tears, jealousy, clashes, growing pains I'm sure every growing family faces.  We're just going with it.

Roman and I still have time alone (together) while Ethan sleeps. This week, our time yielded two delicious treats. The first was somewhere between a cookie and a muffin, and the second was intangible: the chance reconnect as mother and first-born, just like old times.

Sweet Potato Muffins
Makes 12 large or 24 mini
Use any kind of sweet potato or yam you like.  Pumpkin would be a nice substitute.  Coconut palm sugar comes from Indonesia, made from the nectar of coconut palm trees and can be used in place of white or brown sugar.  I chose to add a small amount of regular sugar to this recipe as well, but you could use only coconut palm sugar.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup cooked sweet potato
2 eggs
2 heaping tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup milk

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk to combine well.  Peel, cut and steam one sweet potato, then mash it well and let it cool slightly.  Depending on what size potato you may have leftovers, you will need about one cup packed.  Beat two eggs and add them to the dry mixture.  Add the coconut oil, milk and mashed sweet potato.  Bake in muffin tins, at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  Large muffins may take longer, so check for doneness.

Zen and the bran muffin

 

Unlike my days of global travel, this summer I've been finding my way through a great physical and emotional journey. Now I'm taking a little time to find center again, drawing on yoga practice and gentle music to ground me before passing into the great unknown of becoming a mother to two.

People have been telling me to nurture myself in this time. My interpretation of that advice meant cooking up a storm over the last two weeks.  I turned out tamale pie, shepherd's pie, southwestern corn and sweet potato soup, mushroom barley soup, beef stew, harvest pork stew, lentil soup and pasta sauce- all packaged, labeled and tucked neatly into the freezer.  My father baked mini-baguettes and we froze those too. I made granola bars, two batches of granola, four types of muffins, all for consumption after the baby comes.  These acts made me feel strong. Self-sufficient. Like the rock that I think I need to be.

Life, and giving life demands strength.  I've been able to find strength in order, in taking control of what can be controlled.  

If the heavily sleep deprived version of myself pulled these together at 6 a.m., I'm betting anyone can do it.  These muffins turned out to be a shining beacon of light this morning.  There is nothing dry or bland about them.  Even without a drop of oil or fat, the apple and carrot lend great moisture and flavor.  Be zen.  Be healthy. Seek inner peace and eat more bran. 

Apple Carrot Bran Muffins

Slightly adapted from Bob's Red Mill recipe

I omitted the raisins and nuts from this recipe, mostly to please my toddler. I didn't miss either ingredient.

Makes 15 muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

3/4 cup ground flaxseed

3/4 cup oat or wheat bran

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded

2 apples, peeled and shredded

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

Mix together the first nine ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir in the grated carrots and apple, add the raisins and nuts if desired.  Combine the milk, beaten eggs and vanilla.  Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until moistened.  Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 for at least 20 minutes.  (I left mine in for 30 and they came out perfectly done.)

Yeasted Rugelach

Last week I looked for a challenge in the kitchen.  Sometimes it's the easiest place for me to conquer fears of the unknown. Unlike the rest of my life, especially as a mother- where every day can feel unchartered. Parenting, in my world, is an all consuming venture and sometimes my confidence wanes. I'm doing my best, but still feel like I'm winging it.  It's hard to relax and not think that I must certainly be messing up, falling short, or maybe even overdoing it.

   

I thumbed through Ruth's Box, looking for a project for distraction.  Something I could immerse myself in while Roman was preoccupied with his cars and trucks one morning.  I seized the moment purely for my own enjoyment. Ruth's box contained three rugelach recipes, the "little twist" cookies of Jewish Ashkenazic origin.  One called for a cream cheese dough, the other, sour cream.  The third intrigued me the most-- a neatly typed version of Libby Hillman's Yeasted Rugelach recipe from her 1963 cookbook Lessons in Gourmet Cooking.  By the way Ruth had loosely copied down her recipe, I could tell she was no new-comer to baking rugelach.  I pictured her rolling these effortlessly.  At first I was a little intimidated.  I wanted someone to show me, someone to work along side.  Kind of how I feel in parenting sometimes.  But I devised my own plan. 

 

I divided the dough into three balls, wrapping each in plastic wrap.  Ruth had noted that the dough would last up to three days, so I decided to bake one small batch per day and give myself time to improve.  (The dough also improved over time.) By the third day I was rolling the supple dough without it sticking to the counter or to my hands.  I could sense the right amount of filling, and exactly how long they should bake.  By then the cookies were exactly to my liking.  It felt good to have mastered them.  And who knows.  Maybe over time I will come to feel the same sense of mastery about parenting.

Yeasted Rugelach with Apricot, Almond and Chocolate Filling

Adapted from Libby Hillman's recipe

This recipe called for a sugar/cinnamon/nut filling, more like the authentic rugelach found in New York City.  I adapted the filling to my own cravings using apricot jam, slivered almonds and chocolate chunks, and making these rugelach are pretty irresistible.  

1/2 lb (226 grams) unsalted butter

1 package dry yeast

1/4 cup (59 ml) warm water

2 cups (198 grams) flour

2 tablespoons (23 grams) sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

Filling: 

Apricot Jam

Slivered Almonds

Chocolate Chips or chunks

Melt the butter and set aside to cool.  Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Mix together the flour, sugar, salt. To this, add the dissolved yeast, cooled butter, salt, cream, vanilla extract and two eggs.  Mix until you can form a ball, which you can roll in a little extra flour and then refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours.)  The dough will last up to three days, and improves with time. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C). Divide the dough into three. Work with one portion at a time and return the rest, covered, to the refrigerator.  The dough cooperates best when chilled.  Using a floured rolling pin, roll one portion of dough into an 8 inch circle.  You can cut 8-10 wedges from this. Gently spread on the jam, then sprinkle on the almonds and chocolate and roll from the wide end of the base to the thin end.  Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 18-25 minutes.  Watch after about 18 minutes to check browning.  Baking time will vary based on thickness and size of cookies and oven strength.  Makes 5-6 dozen.