Monday, May 31, 2010

Brightly-colored Thai beef salad

I meant to blog about this dish when I first made it, but now that I've tried it twice I can assure you it was no fluke the first time. I could make this once a week and be happy with it. And, I think it would be great for an outdoorsy potluck. Come on over. I'll make it for you.

Also exciting: we have enough lettuce in the garden to make an entire salad! Plus lots of arugula, and radishes, cilantro, fennel, chives, scallions (or something oniony I've been using as scallions -- whatever the old owner left us).


Pardon the bloody beef pics, you vegans and vegetarians. Marinated tofu would be great instead, though I can't imagine a comparable vegan substitute for the fish sauce in the dressing.

And for future reference: fish sauce is a questionable predecessor to whipped cream. Tonight we had this before strawberry shortcake. Although Brian said both were delicious, I think I'll opt for a mango sorbet or something more Thai-appropriate next time. (As if I really plan my dinner along with coordinating desserts.)

Thai beef salad
From Everyday Food, May 2010

For beef:
  • 2 T soy sauce
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 12 oz flank steak (8oz is plenty if you're making this for two people)
Combine and marinate overnight in the refrigerator or for ~15 minutes on the counter. Heat a heavy pan over high, place steak in and turn to medium. Cook 3-5 minutes on each side, for medium-rare steak. Let rest while you prepare the salad.

For salad, toss:
  • Enough lettuce to make the size salad you want, of whatever variety you want. The magazine says 2 heads of bibb lettuce. I used a large bowl full of assorted Very Fancy Raven's Garden lettuce.
  • 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 1 C cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 carrots, shaved with a vegetable peeler
  • 1/4 C fresh mint + 1/4 C fresh basil (or whatever herbs you want. Cilantro? Fennel? Sure.)
  • Oh, I also used about 1 C shredded red cabbage the first time I made this.
For dressing, stir together:

2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil (which I bought only for this, but is amazing)
2 tsp sugar
1 T minced fresh ginger
1 small minced jalepeno (I used less than half and it was plenty)
2 T lime juice.

Toss dressing with salad. Slice rested steak thinly, then add to salad. Eat.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Saturday toast and jam


Proof that the grass is always greener on the other side: Friday, I wished I could work from home. Saturday, I'm electing to spend 1/3 of the holiday weekend in my office finishing a paper.

But I have a little french press and a cute teacup, plus toast with homemade jam, so maybe the grass is pretty green over here.

Now ... where did I put my motivation to write a long paper?

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Take Your Baking To Work Days: Part II


As a Morning Person, I usually hop out of bed to greet the sunshine, then prance around the house singing happy morning songs. I am not a fan of sleeping in. This does not mean I'm excited to go to work.

So, after my prancing and singing last Monday, I stalled going into the office by baking banana bread. I used the recipe from Better Homes & Gardens, below -- I think the first thing I ever baked, and probably the thing I've baked most.



Monday, May 24, 2010

Take Your Baking To Work Days: Part I



In an effort to make more food at home and spend less money, I've baked a lot of biscotti this month. It saves me frequent visits to our building's coffee shop for snacks -- the only thing I really miss is the little walk to ReBoot and Sofia's enthusiastic social commentary. ;)

I have yet to find a great recipe, so please send me one if you have a favorite! I've tried it with and without butter (I guess no butter is more traditional?), and with almonds, chocolate, walnuts, whole wheat ... In each attempt, either the texture is off or the flavor lacks the right balance of sweetness. Fortunately, even least perfect attempts were still edible. I'll post again if when (if?) I find the right recipe.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Two Teaspoons, Meet Four Spoons


When Brian mentioned this cafe a while back, he said it was called, "Something spoons ... two spoons maybe?" And I said, "I think you're referring to that wildly popular blog: Two Teaspoons."

But there is, in fact, a cafe called Four Spoons in the neighborhood. It's teeny and tidy, charming, busy but without a wait when we showed up at 1pm last Sunday. The smallish menu has a variety of brunchy dishes, plus real lunch.

I don't remember what my dish was called -- or why I ordered something so huge when I wasn't that hungry -- but it offered eggs, potatoes plus pulled pork and tortillas. If there's a proper way to combine all these things, I missed that day in etiquette class. Nonetheless, my taco breakfast array was delicious in every way.

Brian forgot we were out for breakfast and ordered a french dip. His french fries were excellent. I captured a photo of him in a very serene state, eyes closed (bliss? napping?), but I'll refrain from including it here.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Eating (very) local



The garden grows slowly. Tiny lettuces, broccoli leaves, and carrot tops are nowhere near harvest, but a few things are actually ready for the table: I pulled my first radish today (and ate it in the kitchen: spicy and crisp), and the cilantro has just enough leaves to sprinkle a few over tomato salad.


We also have large, rumpled bushes of chives that were already here when we moved in. They have lots of purple flowers, but plenty of usable stems if you pick through them. I've used them on salad, eggs, and over chicken. The easiest way I've found to mince herbs is with kitchen scissors.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Whipped



Oh, Starbucks. Your perky baristas. Your pleasant lighting. Cupcakes, occasionally. It all seems so innocent. But now you threaten my don't-spend-money, eat-whole-foods goals with this Frappuccino Happy Hour on Friday through May 16. Is a half-price caffeine+sugar drink worth usurping my goals? Maybe not ... but this plus an excuse to wander out if the office just may be.

Carmel frappuccino, I'll see you later. No whip.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Shopping the cupboard


Happy May Day! The Laws have begun. I'm sipping water (+ 10 points) while I type, and this morning during yoga (+ 10 points), I considered what to make for dinner at home this week (+ 10 points x 7).

To prove myself wrong that an empty fridge necessitated spending $200 and a good chunk of Saturday at Costco, I made a list of all our main dinner ingredients: proteins, beans and lentils, pasta, grains, vegetables we have in excess, etc. Then I considered combinations, checked recipes, and came up with a list of dinners based solely on what we already have. It was kind of like shopping for free.

Consulting our cupboards and pantry was evidence of our tendency to stock up -- to excess, often: We currently have 15 cans of tuna, 12 packages of whole wheat spaghetti, and almost a gallon of soy sauce (which we rarely even use). I can just see the horizon of our lemon juice supply, which at its peak was equivalent to the juice of 124 lemons (according to the bottle). We recently bought a box of dog biscuits that weighed exactly twice as much as the dog.

So I think we'll survive for a while without going to the store. A few things from my menu for next week:
  • "10-Minute" Shrimp Tortilla Soup, from Everyday Food's May issue
  • Pasta with white beans and sage (similar to this)
  • This excellent lemon quinoa, green beans, and some type of chicken
  • Spicy black bean soup with avocado
Now I need to get back to working on that paper for class (+ 10 points).