As many of you know, my life was disrupted last year by a major fire in my apartment. For more than six months I couldn't live there while it was being demo'd and then renovated. But I have been back in it for the past few months (and did eventually get enough insurance money to buy new furniture and replace some kitchen items I'd lost), and I have actually been cooking a lot again lately!
BUT, my food blogger muscles are atrophied. I no longer reflexively take pictures of what I've made, and I forget to post.
So, I'll describe some of the menus at recent mini-housewarming dinner parties, but I don't have pics!
A Sunday Spring brunch.
Asparagus-purple potato-and-ramps frittata with crushed lavender and asiago shavings.
A bread basket with lots of different spreads - chocolate-hazelnut, walnut jam, apricot jam, raw honey...
Arugula salad with verjus-and-olive oil dressing.
Homemade Greek yogurt and fresh rhubarb coulis.
Pineapple cubes and strawberries.
White peach bellinis.
Copious amounts of chai.
Weeknight dinner.
Crispy kale with cashew "cheese" and olives to snack on.
South African shiraz.
Egg curry.
Basmati pilaf with diced carrots.
South Indian-style red cabbage.
Raw pistachio cashew cream ice cream and raspberries.
Lavender tea.
Spring dinner.
Whole wheat pasta with fresh strawberries, balsamic syrup, chilli flakes, crazy good olive oil, fresh mozzarella, and basil.
Scallops marinated in blood orange tea, salt, pepper, and olive oil, seared and served over micro sorrel.
Asparagus with walnut pesto.
Homemade pear lavender sorbet. Raspberries.
Dark chocolate covered almonds.
Lots of wine.
Indian crew over for dinner!
Yam chaat in lettuce wraps or scooped with mini-papad. Plenty of habanero chutney.
Dhimmer - dry cooked dal tossed with a "salsa" of tomatoes, cilantro, spices, and red onion.
Red rice pilaf.
Halibut in mint chutney and paneer in mint chutney.
Lots of wine.
Book club dinner.
Za'atar in warm olive oil. (I kept it over a teapot warmer!)
Israeli couscous with English peas, red onion, and whole lemon vinaigrette.
Roasted tomatoes.
Quattro of mezze: artichoke puree, walnut-red pepper puree, eggplant caponata, and spinach-with-feta.
Stuffed grape leaves.
Someone brought cucumber-yogurt dip.
Lots of warm whole wheat pita.
Lots of wine.
Cut fruit.
Someone brought homemade cupcakes.
I'm going to make this next time Gita study group is over. I'll try to remember to take pics:
- Fish/tofu curry, each component served separately and each person assembles his own: flash fried fish/tofu, a bowl of coconut curry, coconut rice, some blistered hot anaheim peppers, and a pile of fresh cilantro.Coconut milk from scratch, preferably.
I picked this up from my brother and need to try it in NYC:
- Ground meat substitute for filling samosas or making spaghetti sauce or biriyani: mince mushrooms in food processor, toss with egg white, and stir fry. Great umami and texture.
