"Just before the death of flowers,
And before they are buried in snow,
There comes a festival season
When nature is all aglow."
-Author Unknown
Fall is a befuddling season, one of nothing but oxymorons. Harvest season brings life and nourishment, quickly followed by barren trees and fallen leaves. Then comes winter... Well let's forget about winter. That's still sort of far away...
I apologize for my inconsistent postings as of recent. Life has a funny way of throwing things your way, whether it be that awfully dreadful midterm or that ridiculously fun party. But here I am for you, nonetheless, with a heart-warming recipe for those who are willing to try a slightly more complicated* recipe.
*Life is complicated. You should get used to it. This recipe is actually easy to make, just seems intimidating. Be not fooled. Intimidation is nothing but an illusion. Whether it be a class you're taking, a job you're applying for, or even a person you're interested in, intimidation can deter you from living that full experience. If life were filled solely with grade-boosting classes, what would you find interesting? Would the effort be worth it? Then why do it? I think people need more than that but that's solely one person's opinion... Just some food for thought and questions to ponder for the rest of you... And now for the gratuitous cooking reference (this IS a food blog after all...).
Live that scene in Julie & Julia where Julie takes on the duck. "I will make you!"... Except this recipe is easier to make than Julia Child's duck.
This recipe comes from Rozanne Gold's cookbook "Healthy 1-2-3: The Ultimate Three Ingredient Cookbook." Sometimes, it really is as easy as 1-2-3. I made carrot puree in roasted onion cups, only with three ingredients! It's a great recipe for fall because it can be a main course, with some couscous (or any nice whole grain--think rice, barley, buckwheat, wheat-berries, etc), OR as a side-dish with some red-meat (iron and protein!). As a forewarning, this recipe does require a tool that is not available to all college students: a food processor (OR a blender). I personally went to my friend's place to use her blender. Be creative!
Carrot Puree in Roasted Onion Cups (Serves 6)7 large onions (about 1/2 pound each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 pounds slender carrots
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
-Peel and finely dice (think little cubes) 1 onion. Set Aside. Cut roots from remaining onions, but do not peel the outside. Cut a small slice from the bottom so that the onions can sit upright. Cut 3/4-inch-thick "hats" from tops of onions. Using your hands, coat each onion with a little olive oil, using up to 1/2 tablespoon, and place root end up on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 to 1.5 hours until soft.-Meanwhile, peel carrots and slice into 1/8-inch-thick coins. Heat the rest of the 1.5 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet and add diced onions. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until soft but not brown. Add carrots and raise heat to medium. Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
-Cook the carrots and onions, stirring often, until soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and cook over high heat for 2 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Add another 1/2 cup water and cook over high heat for 2 minutes longer. Some water will remain. Transfer to a food processor and process just until smooth. You should end up with about 2 cups of puree.
-When onions are soft, remove from the oven. Let them cool down a bit and then remove the outer skin and using a small knife, scoop out about a third from the center of each onion. It will end up being a few of the inner layers. Discard or save for leftovers.
Serve immediately!
The dish changes depending on the type of onion. Use white spanish onions if you want a sweeter taste. Red onions will be more savory. I used white spanish onions and served it with a simple salad and couscous (from a box) and served this up to my family during one of their visits.
This dish is ridiculously healthy and ends up looking beautiful! It's been a while since I've posted... or should I say almost forever. I apologize for that and have some good seasonal postings coming up! Life is pretty hectic. It is la vie à la New York. Every day is a new day with new things to do. It's this cyclical change and the occasional fruit-and-veggie street cart that seduces me on my quotidian walk into making some new fun seasonal dishes. I will do my best to post more consistently from now on and help keep things...well--new. As usual, live well. eat well.
As for me, I will be enjoying the
before it becomes...
The two fall shots are picture I took last year during fall in Central Park and Riverside Park, respectively, on film. The winter shots are of the cleverly named CollegeWalk and the main Columbia campus quad by my friend Angela Zhao during last year's winter.
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