Sauteed Purple Cabbage with Apples and Red Wine

Have you ever wondered why a cabbage is so heavy? Its because that homely crucifer has far more layers tightly wound inside than you could ever imagine. Seriously, I cut up a medium-sized purple cabbage on sunday, sauteed it, served it to several guests and ate it every day for 3 to follow. I STILL have leftovers. The good news is it goes with everything. 


The first two days we ate it with pan seared poultry sausages, the next day I ate it as a cold salad with hard-boiled eggs and finally we mixed it into our butternut squash soup for dinner one night - that was Chris' idea and I'm not sure I ever want to eat that soup without it now.

I'll get to the soup recipe later but for now go buy a purple cabbage and break out the dutch oven.

Sauteed Purple Cabbage with Apples and Red Wine

I served this with pan-seared chicken sausage from Brooklyn Cured
Serves a small army

olive oil

I medium size head of purple cabbage, sliced into ribbons

1 small or medium yellow onion sliced into thin ribbons

about 1 cup red wine

balsamic vinegar

hot pepper flakes

salt

pepper

ground sage

2 bay leaves

2 golden delicious apples sliced into thin sticks

Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat and add a glug of olive oil.

When the oil is hot add a pinch of hot pepper flakes and the onion. 

Sautee until softened, about 1 minute.

Add the cabbage, and red wine and stir to coat. There should be extra liquid at the bottom of the pot.

Add a splash of balsamic, 2 bay leaves a teaspoon or 2 of ground sage and a hefty pinch of kosher salt. 

Stir and cover.

Let the cabbage cook down and soften stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or so. Add more wine and/or balsamic as needed to keep just a little liquid at the bottom.

Once cabbage is just about cooked add the apple slices and a few grinds of black pepper

Cook uncovered until the apple is softened and most of the liquid is absorbed.

The cabbage should be tender and not to tough but not totally mushy either.

Remove bay leaves and serve with pan seared sausage or pretty much anything else.

My kind of people.

My first day of work was an orientation of sorts. We learned the layout, what we should wear, how to properly build the tables each morning. We learned the specifics of what we would do each Sunday and, of course, we learned each others names. We played one of those ice breaker introduction games; you know the kind you played on the first day of elementary school or summer camp or the first night in a college dorm. Except in all those situations you're usually required to give your name and maybe your favorite color or grade level or your major. Whereas here - in this light, airy, new office that the market calls home - we had to give the name of our favorite fruit or vegetable. If I didn't smile outright, as I'm sure I did, I certainly smiled inside; these are my kind of people. Not only did everyone go along with it, but they all did so as if it were the most natural thing in the world - as if people ask them this all the time. Maybe they do. As we went around the circle there were nods of approval as if everyone could taste the fruit or vegetable in question and were even having trouble deciding which they are partial to. 

Like I said, these are my kind of people.

For me it was a toss up: brussel sprouts or broccoli rabe. The sprouts put up a good fight arguing that they are easier to eat as a snack (I like to steam them and keep them in the fridge) but ultimately the broccoli rabe won out. It is absolutely hands down my favorite vegetable. One of these days years I'm going to grow my own but for now I'll continue to buy these enormous heads of it from Do Re Me Farms. 


I also truly believe that anyone who doesn't like broccoli rabe has never had it prepared properly. Yes, it can be bitter and tough but if it's sauteed just right, it's neither. It's tender like broccoli but more pungent like full grown spinach and I like it the best with garlic, oil, sausage and splash of either lemon juice, white wine or vermouth. I've made this 3 times in the past two weeks - twice with broccoli rabe and once with swiss chard. Obviously, I suggest the broccoli rabe version.

Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Chili Sausage

The chili and garlic flavors here are a theme that repeats throughout. The sausage I used was a chili-garlic pork sausage from Dickson's Farmstand but I also added red chili flakes to the oil as it was heating up. I like to add my spices directly to the oil in this manner because it heats them up and really lets them release their flavors better than if I add them later on. It kind of toasts them even though it's not in a dry pan.

You don't have to use a pork sausage here, it could be poultry or even venison. What's important is that it is fresh and not pre-cooked the way many packaged sausages are. If it's pre-cooked it will not crumble and it will also cook to quickly and dry out. Serves 2

1 large uncooked sausage, about 1/3lb (see headnotes)

2 very large bunches of broccoli rabe (I mean REALLY large, not those wimpy things the supermarket carries)

2 or 3 large cloves of garlic, sliced

juice from 1 lemon (or a 1/4-1/2 cup of vermouth or dry white wine)

a few pinches red chili flakes

a few pinches dried rosemary

olive oil

salt and pepper

Trim the broccoli rabe and chop it into large pieces. Bring a large pot of water to boil and blanch the broccoli rabe just until bright green (a couple minutes). Plunge it into an ice bath to stop the cooking and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat a little bit of olive oil (maybe two teaspoons - you won't need much because the sausage will give off fat as well) on medium high heat. Add the chili flakes and rosemary and stir to coat about 30 seconds. Slice the sausage lengthwise to remove the skin and crumble into the pan to brown for about a minute. Add the sliced garlic and stir the mixture letting the sausage and garlic brown. Add the lemon juice, wine or vermouth (whichever you choose) to deglaze the pan and scrape the fond from the bottom and sides. Add the chopped broccoli rabe and more liquid (only if the pan is dry). Cover immediately to finish cooking the broccoli rabe but remove cover and stir it around everything 30 seconds or so to keep it from overcooking in one place.

Remove from pan and add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy immediately!

The act of cooking.

Although I eat my fair share of pizza and can't resist a good Chinese dumpling, I'm adamant about avoiding takeout when I move. It's never really been intentional but I realized that I pretty much never order food or go out to eat in the days that I spend unpacking. I don't think it really has much to do with the food but rather the act of cooking itself. It brings some semblance of normalcy to otherwise upside down days. It's a reminder that not everything has changed; I can still cook. I can still put an egg in a pan and in a few minutes it'll turn out sunny-side up. I can still beat butter with sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour and make a homey cake (with plums stuck in the top). 

Eggs with spicy zucchini and peppers

serves 1

olive oil

1 egg

1 egg white (you can freeze the yolk for a later date)

1 baby zucchini, sliced into coins

half a red bell pepper, chopped

thinly sliced parmesan cheese

hot paprika

salt and pepper to taste

Crack one and and one egg white in a bowl. Make sure not to break the yolk, set aside.

heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium high heat.

When oil is hot add zucchini and red pepper.

Add hot paprika salt and pepper to taste (I like to do this early on because it will cook into the edge of the zucchini and make a bit of a crust if you use enough).

saute the zucchini and pepper in olive oil until zucchini is golden, about 7 minutes.

push zucchini and peppers to one side of the pan and pour a tiny bit of oil on the empty side. Let it heat up then slide the egg and egg white into the pan. The white should spread to encompass the vegetables but the yolk will stay neatly nestled next to it. Add salt and pepper to the egg and cover with a lid. Cook until egg white is set and yolk is desired consistency (I like mine more runny). About one minute before yolk is done, lift lid and place slices of parmesan on top of eggs and vegetables. replace the lid and heat until melted.

Remove from the pan and enjoy!

Brussel Sprouts with Romano Cheese and Lentils

This is the only thing I've cooked in at least a week and I'm not sure it really counts as cooking. Just a little steaming, boiling and grating and lunch (or dinner) is ready. You see, I have a new job. Have I told you about my new job? WHAT!? I haven't? Oh my. 
I'm also moving. I haven't told you about that yet either? Oh wow. We have some catching up to do.

[New boots for a new job and a new Autumn]

Sunday was my first day working for the New Amsterdam Market in South Street Seaport (downtown Manhattan). I'm an intern so I set up the market in the morning (bright and early which explains the 6am sunrise pictures) and hang out for a few hours during the market helping out vendors and milling around. If you are in the area you should definitely come down and check it out. Right now it's market season until december 19th which means we are there every Sunday (except November 28th), rain, snow, sun whatever. We're there. I'm doing some other work for them during the week as well but the job is not what's taking up all my time - at least not yet. It's the moving. Mostly because I don't know where I'm moving to. However the search may be coming to a close this week (so let's all cross our fingers that it goes smoothly). In which case I'll have some actual packing and moving to do and hope to be settled as soon as possible. After all, fall is my favorite season (in case you haven't figured that out) and I want to make apple sauce, brisket, apple crisp, butternut squash soup, chicken soup, braised mushrooms, apple pie, pumpkin pie and lots of things with prune plums - in no specific order (although prune plum season is coming to an end). 

[Jack's Coffee Shop, South Street Seaport]

Right now I've been dragging home all these wonderful fruits, vegetables, breads, meats and of course apple cider from the Market and eating them as close to their natural form as possible. Like these brussel sprouts for instance; steamed and tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and Romano. The little baby ones are my favorite. 

Brussel Sprouts with Romano Cheese and Lentils

Serves 1

1/4 cup green lentils (dry measure) - I like sprouted but regular work fine

175g brussel sprouts (about 1 1/2 cups), with the base trimmed off

1 tsp olive oil

Juice from half of a lemon

Salt and pepper

Freshly grated romano cheese

Cook the lentils according to the directions. Toss with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Steam the trimmed brussel sprouts until cooked through but still firm. Length of time will vary depending on size, mine took about 7 minutes.

Toss with oil, salt and pepper. Pour on top of lentils.

Sprinkle with freshly grated Romano and serve with a cold glass of apple cider.

Walnut Pesto

There were giant bunches of basil staring me down at the farm stand. They said:
"My only desire in my short basil-y life is to be pesto."
And so I acquiesced.
Basil can be very persuasive. 

Walnut Pesto

Makes about 6oz

A couple roasted garlic cloves, more or less to taste

1 ounce fresh basil leaves

1 ounce walnuts

3 tablespoons grated romano or parmesan cheese

1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

juice from half of a lemon

a few pinches of salt

First roast the garlic. (click here to learn how)

Next, combine garlic, basil and walnuts in a food processor and process for 30 seconds or until chopped fairly evenly. While the food processor is still running drizzle in olive oil, then the cheese and lemon juice. Add salt to taste but remember the cheese is salty already.

Toss pesto with warm pasta, or spread on crusty baguette (my favorite way to eat it). Also makes a great spread for sandwiches, a base for bruschetta, or pizza; and it's delicious mixed with ricotta, in calzones and stuffed shells.

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

I'd like to start by saying who get's sick in the summer?? Apparently me. It never fails, right around this time of year when the temperature starts flip flopping, I get sick. The achy, feverish kind of sick that makes you go stir-crazy because you know you should stay home but you're just so bored out of your mind from sitting around. Yea, it's the worst kind. The only upside is that I eat whatever I want. If that means no green vegetables for the entire duration then fine. Probably not the best way to get better quickly but hey, if I want 4 slices of sourdough toast with butter, that's what I'm having.

Even if it's not the queasy-stomach kind of sick I usually want super bland little-kid kind of foods. When I had pneumonia last November, I ate nothing but Frosted Flakes with milk and sliced bananas for at least 3 days. Other popular sick choices are plain pasta with butter and parmesan, pastina with the same, grilled cheese, saltine crackers, challah bread, and ginger ale (the kind with real ginger in it). Basically all carbs. What can I say? They're comforting and delicious. Of course there is also the trusty chicken soup - also known as "Jewish Penicillin". Usually not what I want but also the one thing I force myself to eat anyway because I know it will actually help. I wanted to kick myself when I remembered I never made it last weekend as I had originally planned. Lucky for me, there is a Ben's Kosher Deli (any of you downstate-New-Yorkers know what I'm talking about?) literally 30 seconds 2 minutes walking distance from my couch. I drank a mug full of Ben's "Penicillin" last night and now my obligation is done - at least until tonight.


Today, I wanted pancakes. With blueberries. They made being sick worth it.

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

Makes about 6 medium (not the gargantuan diner size) pancakes or enough for 2-3 people.

If you use frozen blueberries (as I did) do not thaw them first. I will say, fresh blueberries are better. 

I like to use salted butter to cook pancakes because the touch of salt rounds out the flavor and plays nicely off the sweetness of the maple syrup. If you prefer, you could use olive oil or unsalted butter instead. Of course, in my opinion, the only way to cook pancakes is on cast iron.

1 cup homemade buckwheat pancake mix (see below for recipe)

1 cup low-fat buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 teaspoon white vinegar)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 egg 

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

salted butter or oil for greasing the skillet or pan

Combine well. 

Ladle on to a hot cast iron skillet and sprinkle some of the blueberries into the top of the pancake.

Flip pancakes when bubbles start to appear.

Homemade Buckwheat Pancake Mix

Makes 12 cups.

Since I'm only one person and I make pancakes something like a whopping 4 times a year, I quartered this mix to make only 3 cups. I also store it in the freezer because whole grain flours, especially buckwheat, go rancid very quickly due to the higher fat content. If you are a normal American family, you probably have the ability to go through a few more pancakes than me and will have no problem finishing up this 12 cup mix. On the other hand, If pancakes 4 times a year sounds more like you don't worry; I took the liberty of quartering the measurements for you as well. 

4 cups buckwheat flour

4 cups whole-wheat flour

4 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup Turbinado sugar

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

2 Tablespoons Aluminum-free Baking Powder

1 Tablespoon Baking Soda

To make only 3 cups of mix

1 cups buckwheat flour

1 cups whole-wheat flour

1 cups all-purpose flour

 2 Tablespoons Turbinado sugar

1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 Tablespoon Aluminum-free Baking Powder

1/2 Tablespoon Baking Soda

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Using a sturdy wire whisk, mix ingredients together thoroughly. Using a funnel, scoop mix into jars and top with a lid. Label and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.