Roasted Veggies with Polenta

March 11, 2010 · Filed under Kitchen, Vegetarian · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

On a chilly afternoon, a plate heaped with roasted vegetables sounded comforting and nourishing. I had on hand carrots, remnants of two bell peppers, asparagus, half an onion, broccoli and one zucchini. If it were just me, that would have been a perfect meal. I knew the husband would insist on something more substantial, so I came up with this easy lunch to satisfy us both. The colors and flavors of everything on the plate were gorgeous. The peppers were bursting with flavor, the asparagus was nutty. The onions were the best part, sweet, juicy and lightly caramelized. This lunch was light in my belly, but stuck to my ribs.

Heat the oven to 375. Choose whatever roasting vegetables you prefer and cut them into large pieces. Garlic and eggplant would be lovely. Keep the root end of onions intact so the pieces stay together. Use enough veggies to cover an entire cookie sheet, you’ll want every delicious bite. Place everything in a large bowl and toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil to coat, then spread in an even layer on a cookie sheet and season generously with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the veggies are as tender as you like them, but not browned.

Meanwhile, prepare polenta according to the directions on the package. It is usually made in a double boiler or in a pan placed in simmering water, and stirred constantly for 20 minutes. The superior silky texture is definitely worth the effort, but, and I may be committing heresy here, polenta tastes good when cooked directly over a low flame and is ready in half the time. The result will be more like corn meal mush, a childhood favorite of mine. The quick method risks are lumps and scorching, so choose accordingly. I used chicken stock instead of water for more flavor, then added cream and parmesan to finish. Serve veggies on a bed of polenta, top with more parmesan and a drizzling of really good, aged balsamic vinegar if you have it.

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Cashew Pizza

March 8, 2010 · Filed under Kitchen, Pizza, Redlands · Tagged , , , , , , ,

In my hometown, Redlands, we celebrate the R on our mountain, exquisite Victorian homes, our once-famous orange groves, and cashews on our pizza. Cashew pizza is a regional idiosyncrasy that I had no idea was unusual until I tried to order cashews on my pizza in Tacoma, Washington. “What? No cashews?” I was outraged, and homesick.

When I was a kid, it seemed that every pizza restaurant in town offered cashews as a topping. Every local gathering that included pizza, included cashews, even school pizza parties. I’ll admit, I was not always a fan, but I learned to love the toasted nutty crunch. When my parents lived in New Jersey, my mom kept cashews on hand to improve the local delivery pizza. My cousin takes a can of cashews into his favorite pizza parlor in Colorado and asks that they add them to his order.

Where and when did this phenomenon begin, and how far has it spread? I have often thought of measuring the reach of cashew pizza by calling all of the pizza joints in a radius of Redlands, but then I assure myself that this would be taking things a bit too far. It is probable that the original cashew pizza was served at Dave’s Fabulous Gay 90s Pizza Parlor, known as Gay 90s or just Gays, a popular Redlands restaurant in the 1960s. I’ve heard about the place since I was a kid. My mom went there in college, and from the sound of it, so did everyone else in town. Local legend has it that the bar in the television show Cheers is based on Gay 90s, a place that writers Les and Glen Charles frequented when they were students at the nearby University of Redlands. The owner packed up shop and moved the operation to Olympia, Washington in 1972, where it took the name Dirty Dave’s Gay 90s Pizza, perhaps starting another pocket of cashew pizza frenzy. A pizza shop called Jerseys occupies the original Gay 90s location. They still serve cashews, of course.

The classic Gay 90s pizza, now the ubiquitous Redlands pizza, is topped with pepperoni, sausage, onions and cashews. When I make pizza at home, one is always topped with cashews. A flatbread version with cashews and dried figs was a big hit with my vegetarian friends. Try adding cashews to your pizza sometime and tell me what you think. They taste best when they’ve been warmed in the oven for a few minutes, preferably on the pizza. Delivery pizza is usually undercooked anyway, so if you can bear the wait, put it on a hot pizza stone in the oven with cashews for a couple of minutes before you eat.

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Shirred Eggs with Sorrel

February 14, 2010 · Filed under Kitchen, Uncategorized · Tagged , , ,


Decadent weekday breakfast

This week, my CSA box of produce contained a bundle of sorrel leaves. Other than picking a few tender leaves off my brother’s plant for salads, I have not cooked with sorrel. It is often described as tasting sour, however, the young leaves I have eaten were delicate and mild, like a less peppery watercress. I was excited to try a recipe for sorrel and shirred eggs from Food & Wine magazine.

Shirred is a fancy word for eggs baked in a shallow dish. The idea of putting simple breakfast ingredients in the oven and coming back minutes later to a delicious meal requiring almost no work was appealing. I washed and chopped a handful of sorrel into thick strips, packed it into a small dish with a pat of butter, and put it in the oven at 375 for about three minutes. Then, I cracked an egg over the top of the sorrel and added a tablespoon of cream like the recipe instructed. It looked like it wanted another tablespoon of cream, and who’s counting?, so I poured a little more over the top, seasoned with salt and pepper and put the dish back in the oven until the egg looked done but the yolk was still soft, about 10 minutes.  The sorrel melted into the cream and butter, the egg nestled between the crevices of greens like custard. Served with toast and coffee, this was a decadent little breakfast.

Most recipes for shirred eggs call for two eggs to a dish, but I prefer to eat just one. Those inclined to count calories can replace the butter with a light dressing of olive oil and the cream with milk. Spinach or watercress would be good substitutes in this recipe, leeks would be divine.

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Don’t Let the Cold Catch You

February 8, 2010 · Filed under Medicine Cabinet · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

My radio silence last week was the result of a vigilant battle against cold symptoms. I refuse to be sick. I fight germs to the very end, and, this time, I was victorious. At the first sign of a swollen gland and stuffy nose, my focus is to stay well. I have decided to share some of the simple ways I treat a cold. Most are common sense remedies that everyone already knows. If that is true, then why is everyone around me getting sick, missing work and feeling miserable? One cup of tea or soup is not a cure. The key is to choose multiple remedies and follow through with the regimen for several days. Remember that symptoms are signs that the body is fighting back against illness.

While I am grateful for the advances of modern science, and have nothing against downing a shot of Nyquil when the germs have taken over, my goal is always to beat the germs before they can make me feel miserable and sleep-deprived. Chemically derived modern medicines that mask symptoms without addressing their root cause are a last resort. Some schools of alternative medicine believe that suppressing symptoms pushes them into hiding in other parts of the body where they will resurface later in less treatable forms.

Taking care of one’s health does not mean a life without illness, but illness less often, milder symptoms, and faster recovery. The best way to beat a cold is to never let it catch you. Eat well, exercise, laugh, love, sleep, repeat. I am interested in natural ways to prevent common illnesses. I believe in the efficacy of treatments that have been practiced for thousands of years. My mother-in-law speaks of herbal remedies she experienced as a child in El Salvador. I take to heart remedies my grandmother used before there was a pill to treat every complaint.

This week, I was lucky. I suffered only general achiness, a mild sore throat and an hour of nasal congestion. I will share some stronger remedies, like homemade cough syrup and a tonic to reduce fever, in another post. Please share your family secrets to cure the cold. Here are mine:

KEEP WARM

When the body has to work harder to stay warm, it quickly feels depleted. It is tempting to wear flipflops and t-shirts year round. Don’t be fooled. Wear thick socks, a scarf and hat, and keep the kidneys toasty under long sweaters and jackets. Don’t go barefoot in the house. Keep an extra blanket on the couch.

USE A NETI POT

I am amazed that the neti pot is still something of a secret in this country. Oprah and Dr. Oz have done wonders for getting people to try the nasal wash, but many are still wary or unaware. I have heard people suggest that it is better to take drugs than put water in one’s nose. Pouring warm salt water through the nasal cavity is not gross. Green globs of mucous where bacteria multiply are gross. Steroid nasal sprays are gross. Nasal irrigation clears the nose and sinuses of mucous, bacteria, pollen and dust. There is no need to suffer sinus congestion ever again.

The neti pot is easier to use than most people think.

GARGLE WITH SALT WATER

Grandma was right. This was her first line of defense against sore throat, and I always refused. Warm salt water cleans the throat, preventing bacteria from reproducing. It is simple and effective.

EAT BONE SOUP

I save chicken bones, backs and necks in the freezer to make stock. Brown bones in the oven with an onion. Place in a stockpot with carrot, celery, herbs and root vegetables. Cover with water and simmer for several hours. The bones transfer a wealth of nutrients to the soup. When I am very ill, I sip the plain broth, allowing my digestive system to rest. This week, I was feeling well enough for a hearty meal, so I added handfuls of chopped onion, carrot, zucchini, yellow bell pepper, thyme, oregano, garlic, garbanzo beans and macaroni, doused with Sriracha hot sauce. This was lunch and dinner for two days.

Stick to yummy soup for a couple days.

REST

Make time. Lie down. Close your eyes. Rest. Everything else can wait. Let someone else do the dishes. When energy levels improve, don’t go for a run or out to the bar, keep resting.

AVOID DAIRY

Dairy products are the most mucous-forming foods. What else causes mucous to build up in the respiratory and digestive systems? Alcohol, refined flours and meat are at the top of the list.

DAILY DOSES OF ECHINACEA TEA WITH LEMON AND HONEY

Lemon and honey are antibacterial and sooth a sore throat. Echinacea contains copper, iron, iodine, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and E, which act together to stimulate the immune system. Hot liquids wash bacteria from the throat. Fresh ginger and lemongrass tea is also fantastic.

Echinacea tea and Emergen-C to the rescue.

EMERGEN-C

I don’t care if studies about the benefits of vitamin C are inconclusive. Emergen-C contains a high dose of vitamins, antioxidants, and electrolytes delivered in an easily absorbed liquid form. I take two a day when sick.

DR. SHULZE’S SUPER TONIC

Some people eat raw garlic to ward off illness. Garlic and capsaicin from hot peppers are powerful natural antibiotics. I prefer a dropper-full of Dr. Shulze’s Super Tonic in a glass of juice. The blend of habanero, garlic, onion, ginger and horseradish root tastes terrible, but when I am sick I crave it.

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Hometown Fruit Stand

January 31, 2010 · Filed under Avocados, Garden, Oranges, Redlands · Tagged , , , ,

My husband surprised me with this photo he snapped on his iPhone in Redlands, California. I love it! He was most interested in the sign, and did not think to buy any fruit. It’s an honor system, leave a few dollars, take home a bag of the best-tasting oranges and avocados on the planet. My understanding of terroir comes from childhood; nothing tastes like an orange grown from the rich red clay of Redlands.

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Steak, Sprouts, Spuds

January 30, 2010 · Filed under Kitchen, Meat · Tagged , , , , , , ,

This has been a week of simple comfort cooking at home: slow-roasted ribs and mac and cheese for company, arroz con pollo, broccoli soup, lots of greens. No real innovation, just easy delicious meals. I’m still getting the hang of recipe writing, remembering to take pictures (the food gets cold!), figuring out what other people will want to know, what other people want to eat. Believe me, you want to eat those ribs, but I didn’t take a picture. I did take a picture of steak night, a rare occasion in the Calvo kitchen.

Steak, sprouts, spuds

I don’t cook many meals that adhere to the traditional meat, starch, veggie triumvirate. I guess you could say I’m not a meat and potatoes girl. I usually care more about the green stuff on the plate than what it accompanies, in this case, plain and simply delicious Brussels sprouts. But when I want me some meat and potatoes, it is this skirt steak and these potatoes. Other than the oven time for the potatoes, this meal took about 15 minutes of active preparation.

My favorite beef is the Montana Ranch Piedmontese skirt steaks sold at Marconda’s Meat in the Farmers Market. They are raised without hormones or antibiotics and are allowed to forage. The meat is supremely tender and has luscious flavor. Leave steaks out at room temperature before cooking, so the shock of going from refrigerator cold to cast iron hot doesn’t make the meat tough. Season well with salt and pepper before cooking. Skirt steak is a thin cut that cooks very quickly. I like it medium rare, so I cook it about three minutes per side in a very hot cast iron pan with a pat of butter, then about five more minutes in the oven.

These were red potatoes, one per person and one for the pot. Peel and chop the potatoes into small pieces. Put these in a bowl with several sprigs of chopped rosemary, salt, pepper and a generous pour of olive oil, then stir. My mom would say to add a “glug, glug” of oil. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast at 400 for about 30 minutes, stir occasionally so they brown evenly. They are done when they taste like clouds of rosemary love.

A note to Brussels sprouts haters: you are doing it wrong. These cute little cabbages are slightly sweet and nutty. This is a simple and foolproof way to prepare them. Cut off the base of each if it has browned, and cut each sprout in half. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a good deal of salt. Taste the water before adding the sprouts (don’t burn your tongue like I always do!), it should taste like the sea. Add the sprouts and blanche for about four minutes for a soft but sturdy bite. Taste one to see if it is done to your liking, then drain. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, sauté the Brussels sprouts for a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper.

Here’s how to do it all at once:

Set out and season the steak.

Cut the potatoes and put them in the oven.

Open the wine. Take a little break.

Stir the potatoes.

Heat the cast iron.

Cut the Brussels sprouts.

Start the water for the sprouts.

Check the potatoes.

Cook the steak in the cast iron.

When the steak goes in the oven, cook the sprouts.

Pour more wine.

Eat!

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South Central Farmers CSA

January 27, 2010 · Filed under City of Angels, Kitchen · Tagged , , , , , ,


South Central Farmers CSA winter produce

My first box of produce from the South Central Farmers CSA arrived today! Everything is organic, local, and in season. I received a box full of spinach, multiple kinds of kale and chard, lettuce, bok choy, cilantro, mustard greens and broccoli, turnips, radishes, daikon and beets, all with their delicious leaves still attached for only $20, a portion of which supports gardening projects at Saturn Elementary School. I’ve already nibbled some of the leaves. The mustard greens went straight to my sinuses, the kale is bright and bitter. Everything is dusted with sparkling bits of earth. Some of these I have never before cooked. I am feeing up to the challenge. I hope to share good recipes very soon. In the meantime, look for a CSA in your area or join this one!

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Add Lavender to Your Life

January 25, 2010 · Filed under Beauty, Essential oils, Garden, Medicine Cabinet, Urban hikes · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Stop and smell the lavender.

Every afternoon I try to take a short walk around my neighborhood to relax, think, and get my blood flowing. I’m treated to fresh air (yes, the air is fresh in Los Angeles), vitamin D from the sunlight, and a breathtaking array of flowers. I feel grateful that so many flowers and trees bloom in January. Birds of paradise, with their punky orange and blue Mohawks, are the rock stars right now. They remind me daily that this must be paradise. Blossoms are opening like ball gowns on the bare branches of Japanese magnolias. Camelias knocked to the ground by the rain look like pink lingerie tossed to the floor. I can’t resist plucking a spear of lavender from a neighbor’s hedge and crushing the tiny blue flowers between my fingers to release their clean fragrance.

The bird of paradise is the official flower of Los Angeles.

A beautiful Japanese magnolia in my friend Lizzy's yard.

If you are lucky enough to have a lavender bush in your yard, bring some inside for a bouquet. I planted three sprigs last fall, but they are still too young to produce flowers. I can’t wait to display the slender blue shoots in bud vases and to dry them for tea. Until then, I am using lavender oil.

Lavender oil is an easy essential oil to get to know since it is already so familiar. It is also one of the safest and most useful flower essences. Most essential oils need to be diluted with a carrier oil, but lavender can be applied directly to the skin in small amounts. I keep a tiny bottle in my purse for a quick pick-me-up. When I am anxious, sad, grumpy or generally PMSy, I warm three drops in my palms and breathe deeply as I spread the oil over my face and neck. It is calming, improves my mood and makes me smell fresh and clean. Here are other simple ways to add lavender to your life:

Rub a drop into the temples to relieve headache.

Put a few drops in the bucket when you mop.

A drop dabbed on a pimple will go to work immediately.

Dilute in a little oil to sooth redness from burns and scars.

Lavender repels insects and a dab on insect bites calms their sting.

A few drops on the pillow will help you fall asleep and rest well.

Add it to a bedtime bath for yourself or children.

Add four drops to a tablespoon of olive oil and massage into the soles of the feet to relax.

Massage the same amount into joints and muscles sore from exercise or arthritis.

Massage a few drops into the scalp every day to prevent hair loss and stimulate growth. It makes hair shiny and prevents dandruff.

Make a tea soothing to the nerves and stomach by mixing two drops of lavender oil with honey in hot water.

Put a few drops on a wet washcloth and put it in the dryer with your laundry.

Place a drop on top of a lighbulb to scent a room.

Lavender essential oil that is to be used on the skin should always be organic therapeutic grade. While it is generally safe to apply directly to the skin, people sensitive to lavender may need to dilute it in a carrier oil such as sesame or grapeseed oil. I am not trained in aromatherapy, please do your own research before using the powerful medicine of herbs and essential oils.

This pink camelia is one of my neighborhood favorites.

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Miso Hungry

January 21, 2010 · Filed under City of Angels, Restaurants · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ramen and Kirin

Southern California is being blasted by a rare winter storm. There have been reports of tornados and hail, flooding and landslides. Nighttime temperatures have dipped into the upper 40s. Grocery store shelves have been ransacked for supplies. This is our version of a blizzard, the kind that are given names like The Blizzard of ‘96. Ours is That Time it Rained for Several Days in 2010.

So, it was on the coldest, rainiest day in regional collective memory, that my friend wanted to drive downtown for lunch, park on the street and walk to an outdoor shopping center for ramen. I carefully weighed my desire for a steaming bowl of soup against the option of staying home under a fuzzy blanket. Soup won. I hoped that a healthy dose of miso and noodles would be the antidote to a blustery day.

We scored rock star unmetered parking on Los Angeles St. in Little Tokyo and pressed through the driving rain to Orochon Ramen, on the top tier of Weller Court. The bustling late-lunch crowd was slurping noodles from massive white bowls. Near the door I noticed a bulletin board pinned with photos of sweaty men with pained expressions and stained shirts proudly displaying empty bowls. Oh no. Looks like this place was featured on Man v. Food. Eat the spiciest bowl of ramen, get your face on the Wall of Bravery. Why am I here? Can the food really be good at a place that dares diners to eat? What’s that? Pitchers of Kirin are $12? Sweet.

I know as much about ramen as I do about shoveling snow. I do know that better ramen is to be had elsewhere in the city, and am happy to hear recommendations. The ramen at Orochon was plentiful and pretty good, with pork, bean sprouts, mushrooms, scallions, green peppers and bamboo. I ordered mine with an egg and extra bean sprouts. The salty miso broth had the perfect infusion of spiciness (number 3 on their scale of 1-7). This place is worth a visit, especially if you’re into daredevil eating.

Miso soup with ramen kicks chicken noodle soup’s ass in the good-for-you department. Miso, fermented soybean paste, is a concentrated protein source, rich in amino acids that keep skin firm and youthful. It is alkalinizing and provides a spectrum of minerals that strengthen the immune system. Ladies, keep in mind that miso regulates hormone levels and can reduce hot flashes in menopausal women. When you buy miso paste, look for unpasteurized miso, which will contain flora beneficial for healthy digestion.

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Sowing the Seeds

January 19, 2010 · Filed under City of Angels, Garden · Tagged , , , , , , ,

Please check out this compelling, beautiful film about the South Central Farm, which was the largest and most biologically diverse urban garden in the U.S. What had been a junk-filled lot in South Central Los Angeles, became an oasis in a neighborhood besieged by poverty and violence. The 14-acre garden was cultivated by more than 350 families of mostly indigenous descent. It provided food security, health, opportunity and community to an even greater number. Traditional organic cultivation practices were passed from old to young, as was knowledge of medicinal and spiritual use of plants.

This film, The Garden, was meant to showcase the incredible community garden and the families who worked plots of earth in an otherwise concrete expanse, perhaps to show other urban centers what was possible. However, soon after filming began, an eviction notice was served to the farmers. Closed-door deals were made between the original landowner, Ralph Horowitz and city officials, allowing Horowitz to repurchase the land from the city at its 1992 price and sell it for immense profit.

Vigils, protests, court battles, celebrity activism, public outcry, pleas to city government officials, including the slippery Mayor Villaraigosa, and a $10 million grant from the Annenberg Foundation could not save the South Central Farm. It was brutally bulldozed in 2006. Forever 21 has petitioned to build a distribution center on the barren lot. A proposed community soccer field was funded but never built.


The Garden is a gripping documentary that kept me on the edge of my seat like a blockbuster espionage thriller. It is a tale that pits the fat cat against the underdog, whose needs and rights are once again eclipsed in the interest of power and greed. The action is fast-paced, dramatic, emotional. By the end, I was curled in a ball on the couch, sobbing and shaking my fist.

All hope is not lost. The South Central Farmers have never stopped fighting. They have relocated to 3-acres of leased land near Bakersfield, many of them driving north every week to sow, tend and harvest their crops. An organization called Farmlab associated with the Annenberg Foundation rescued the mature fruit-bearing trees before they could be demolished. The trees have been moved and remain together as a memorial.

South Central Farmers Cooperative is a now a Community Supported Agriculture Program (CSA). Local members pay a fee that helps sustain the planting, growing and harvesting of crops and in return receive boxes of seasonal produce. There are pick-up locations throughout the Los Angeles area. If there isn’t one in your neighborhood, find 10 friends who want a weekly or bi-weekly box of local, organic produce and South Central Farmers will create a new pick-up location. If you are not an Angelino, Local Harvest can help you locate a CSA in your area.

My neighbor is a teacher at Saturn Elementary, a school that until recently had only one tree on the entire property. She is involved with many of the fundraising projects aimed at greening the school with landscaping, fruit trees and a learning garden. I was thrilled when she told me that Saturn Elementary had teamed up with South Central Farmers Coop. Bushel boxes of fresh, seasonal produce will be available for pick-up at the school for $20. A portion of the proceeds from each box will go to the school. Count me in! People in the Mid-Wilshire/Miracle Mile area can sign up here. I can’t wait to pick up my first box on January 27, and to taste all of the new recipes it will inspire. Stay tuned.

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