Grilled Romaine Salad

I made this for lunch today and it was just delicious. It isn't completely original, but is instead a variation on a salad I had at Vino in Northern Liberties. It's a very decadent and rich dish that I think goes well in summer or winter. You could easily split this between two people as a starter or lighter meal.

Ingredients

1 romaine heart
2 eggs (to be poached or fried)
2 slices from a pre-packaged tube of polenta
2 slices of rustic bread
4 slices of tomato
dressing of your choice (I love Galeos dressings.)
salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat an oiled grill or grill pan. If making poached eggs, set a saute pan of water to boil.
   
2. Cut the polenta into 8 pieces and add to a pre-heated, oiled, small fry pan. When one side is crisped, flip them and crisp on the other side. Prepare the remaining ingredients while you keep an eye on the polenta.
   
3. Slice the romaine lengthwise in two pieces and brush all around with olive oil. Grill on both sides to get a good sear mark and until the leaves just begin to wilt. Set on the serving plate cut-side up. Drizzle the dressing over the romaine.
   
4. Either poach or fry the eggs over-easy.
5. Top the romaine hearts with the polenta "croutons" and the eggs.
6. Slice the tomato and place them on the toasted bread.
7. Salt and pepper everything to taste.

You can take this basic recipe and do all sorts of things with it. Swap out the polenta for something else or remove it. Tomatoes are optional. Add some wonderful Italian tuna or other fish. Even steak for you meat eaters. Most of all, just enjoy it.

New Favorite Condiment

Hot sesame oil--love it, love it! I picked it up at the Japanese store I visit (more about Maido! another time) a month ago and I'm already halfway through the bottle. Mind you, it's not a big bottle, but only a few ounces. The ingredients are simple: sesame oil, hot pepper, and paprika. It has a distinct sesame flavor and decent heat. I have used it to season everything from rice with fish (an obvious choice) to a turkey and Swiss wrap.

Get some!

Vegetable Stew (or soup)

This recipe was inspired a couple weeks ago while I was in a farmers' market. The weather was cooler than it had been and I felt that drive to make something like soup, but wanted to focus on vegetables.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 large Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
2 or three cloves of garlic or equivalent, minced
1 white turnip, coarsely chopped
2 ears of corn, removed from the cob
1 bunch fresh spinach, coarsely ripped
1 28oz can (approximately of diced tomatoes
½ pound carrots, cut into ½-1 inch pieces
½ cabbage, coarsely shredded
½ pound crimini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 quart of good vegetable stock
1 T paprika
1 t dried parsley or fresh equivalent
1 T salt
2 t ground pepper
sour cream, for serving
olive oil

Directions

1. Cover the bottom of a 5-quart soup pot with olive oil and, over medium heat, sauté the paprika for about a minute.
2. Add the mushrooms, cabbage, onions, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and continue to sauté until the onions are translucent. Stir frequently.
3. Add the rest of the vegetables, except the spinach, and stir well. Continue to cook over medium heat for a couple minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and stir well.
5. Add the stock and stir well.
6. Cover and let come to a fast simmer for about 5 minutes or so.
7. Add the spinach and stir.
8. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour.
9. Serve as is or with pasta, topping with a dollop of sour cream.

Variations

• Add an additional quart of stock to make a thinner soup.
• Add 1-2 t curry powder to, or instead of, the paprika.
• Change the proportions of the vegetables according to your taste or to what’s on hand, or what you want to use up. For example, if you don’t want a spare half head of cabbage around, use the whole thing.
• Add rice for the last hour of cooking. Depending on the desired thickness, add more stock for the rice to absorb.
• Substitute good chicken, beef, lamb, or whatever stock.
• Use more or less of the herbs and spices or add your own.

Copyright 2006 by Geoffrey Maugham

Somewhere to share recipes and discuss food.

For many years now, I've been known by friends and acquaintances as a very accomplished cook, with them occasionally suggesting (again) that I should consider doing it professionally. I really don't see myself working in a restaurant kitchen. I have done it a couple times when places have been very short staffed (line cooks walking out together during shift), but don't think that's the kind of stress I want. I like to cook on my own terms, not because a bunch of people decided to show up and order something. Catering is a little better, but still not in the plans right now.

I do love to cook for friends and colleagues. I've done all sorts of birthday cakes and even a wedding cake for close friends. Dinner parties are old hat, whether for 4 or 100. I feel very much at ease with such things and hope to start entertaining again soon, once I've relocated to Philadelphia in a few months.

Until then, I have to be satisfied cooking for myself and some family. I sometimes share recipes with friends and this is the next logical step. I'm considering putting together a cookbook, but don't know when I might have the time to do that.

Please enjoy these recipes and feel free to comment on any of them. Please be polite, whether or not you liked the recipe. While not mandatory, I do prefer reasonably good grammar. :)

Geoffrey