New Year's Stuffed Mushrooms

Alas, I have returned. Smarmy politics and the bitter cold wind off the lake once again blew my desires for a vegetable bed and wee chickens to raise and slaughter back to the dreamworld in which they reside.

While visiting that California dreamworld I was asked to bring food to a New Year’s Eve party with, you guessed it, a load of vegans. Not one for preparing faux-meat, I turned elsewhere and came across a recipe for stuffed mushrooms which resulted in a noble nibbly veg.

I enjoy a lot of versatility in food especially when it comes to appetizers, which I often find myself needing to whip up last minute. The beauty of the mushroom is that you can take its stuffing down the road of breadcrumbs, orzo, ground meat, or in this case roasted and briny vegetables.

2 med. red bell peppers, roasted
1 long red chile pepper, roasted
1/2 cup green olives, finely diced
2 shallots, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs. olive oil + 1 tbs. reserved
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano and/or Gruyere, grated (omit for vegans)
about 15 Cremini mushrooms
bunch of parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees

To roast the bell and chile peppers, puncture all over, then with tongs or a long fork hold over an open flame (e.g. your burner) until thoroughly charred and blistered. Place both peppers in a bowl and cover tightly for about ten minutes, until they steam their own insides and the skin peels easily off. Remove seeds as they can be hot or bitter depending on the size of the pepper.

Finely dice the capsicums and add them to the diced olives, shallots, and garlic. Toss together with oil, salt and pepper to taste, and cheese. Pop the stems out of clean mushrooms and fill the cavities generously with stuffing. Place the mushrooms on a cookie sheet lined with foil and in the oven they go! Bake for about 20 minutes until the mushrooms are golden and the cheese is melted.

Sprinkle the tops with parsley and enjoy!

Palmiers

As an early Christmas gift last week I was given the latest cookbook by a certain Hamptons Contessa. It came in handy this weekend when I threw a little holiday dinner bash and found myself in desperate need of an easy and all-impressive appetizer. Behold the Palmier! The French word for palm tree, Palmiers are also known as palm leaves or elephant ears. In a traditional French patisserie these little treats would be flaky and sugary, occasionally with the helping hand of cinnamon. However, much to the delight of small plates the world over these pastries do enormously well with savory toppings.

What is mostly involved in preparing Palmiers is purchased puff pastry dough (unless you want to go out balls blazing with Julia Child.) After setting the frozen sheets out to thaw you want to roll them out and spread with your filling of choice. In the recipe I prepared I chose sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese and fresh basil– which I had the luxury of plucking out of my pots in the kitchen window. I was recommended to use pesto which I didn’t have time for (hence the fresh basil) and chopped pine nuts which I was clean out of– didn’t even miss them. Were you in need of a simple dessert you could make like the French and use butter and sugar, or spread it with a thin layer of Nutella and call yourself Italian. The best part is, the more ways you experiment the more ways to enjoy!

To whet the appetite of six or so use half the dough–one sheet, or go for both and do one savory, one sweet.

• half or whole package frozen puff pastry, defrosted (look for Peppridge Farm near the ice cream aisle)
• half a log of goat cheese, seasoned or plain
• sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
• fresh basil
• big pinch of salt (avoid kosher or rock you’ll get chunks of it)

Lightly flour your work surface (cutting board or clean counter) and rolling pin–cylindrical jar if you’re getting creative. Roll the dough out so it gains a few inches on all sides. Arrange pinches of goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes (don’t go overkill because you’re going to roll this up, and welcome any oil that spills out of the tomatoes), torn fresh basil and a light sprinkling of salt. Roll each width or short end to the center so you’ve got two rolls next to each other like a compacted sleigh bed and give ‘em a smoosh. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 40 to an hour.
After you’ve told the dough to go chill out, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and unwrap the dough. Slice about 1/4 inch thick and lay out on a baking sheet that you’ve laid with parchment (wax) paper. Bake 14 minutes until golden and revel when your friends tell you how brilliant you are!

Snow as the Comeback Kid

We lucky inhabitants of the arctic North saw a somewhat early snowfall at the start of the week. As most Chicagoans began their seasonal griping while digging out their cars and enjoying double-time commutes, my only cynical retaliation was a knowing roll-of-the-eyes that I employed to mask my inner 8 year old. But with 18 snowflake-free years under my belt how can I help but turn into a giddy bright-eyed girl when I see the the grimy urbanity with which I otherwise live embraced by a blanket of soft white?

Nothing is more magical than snow, especially at the start of the season when the novelty of it is not yet lost. Finally a tangible reason to light those fireplaces! to plant that holly and ivy! to hum Bing Crosby as you trek up the street to the train!

For those who no longer awake to the sight of a winter-white window, or who have never resided outside of Southern California, I give you a few snapshots to whet your winter palate.

Winter Kitchen Garden

While all of the cottage/home-decor magazines told me months ago to say goodbye to my garden and prepare my perennials for that which my annuals could not withstand, I somehow convinced myself to give the tomato a go in the kitchen.

Though logic informs me a cherry tomato plant does not produce in the winter, I maintain my belief that an enthusiastic mixture of miracle-gro and crazy can produce horticulture wonderment. After all, I still can't keep up with the production of two basil plants born from clippings that sprouted roots in a glass of water in the summer of '07 and have since withstood a record Chicago winter, moving uptown, and about a thousand bouts of re-potting.

But here is my boastful Winter garden. At right is the wee tomato in March, at left he rings in at pushing 8 feet.

Hiatus in New York

For those dedicated readers who have missed me (thanks you two!), a recent long-winded business trip to New York where my point-and-shoot digital camera broke has set me far back in the posting department. Please look forward to: "Dining Experiences in the Big Apple," "Why I heart the Spotted Pig," and "Thoughts on the NYTimes Foodie Book Wish List."

(Pictured is Central Park on the day of the NY Marathon.)

Autumn Arrives!

Happy first day of Fall!

(All root vegetables beware.)

Farewell Gladiolas

A Gladiola Haiku

Gone is your season
Flamboyant blooms for summer
See you in April.