Spring Cleaning, Pt. 1

As spring break winds down, it marks the time of year for spring cleaning—the preparation for the fun, sun-filled summer season. And no different then everyone else I, too, am embarking on this age-old tradition (Really, people have been doing this for over a thousand years!)... Version 2k11.

I am going to end my streak of "Oh, I have two posts waiting to be done..." or "Don't worry about taking pictures of this meal, I still have so much left to do." Now that I have had my three 20-hour-workday hell weeks known as midterms, summer applications, and random meetings fulfilled, it was time to runaway and wind down: aka Spring Break. Filled with lots of sun (I dub 2011 "my year as a beach bum"), reading, clubbing, and relaxation (I know the last two are oxymoronic), I visited my friend, Adriana, in Miami, FL. On a side note, one of my favorite things about this trip was the fruit! There are so many delicious tropical fruit that are both more expensive and not-quite-so-delicious in the Big Apple. So for this recipe, grab the last apples of the season and prepare yourself this Caramelized Apple Tart with a Honey-Ginger Crust. I was fooling around in the kitchen in Hawaii when I realized we had no cinnamon and only ginger. This was the birth of this delicious tart recipe!

Caramelized Apple Tart with a Honey-Ginger Crust

Crust:

-1 ¾ cups all purpose flour

-2 tbsp sugar

-1 tbsp ground ginger

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

-1/4 cup honey

-2 large egg yolks

-1 tbsp ice water

Filling:

-1 ½ cups (packed) dark brown sugar

-(optional) 1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream

[Personally, I don’t use heavy whipping cream unless necessary, however a few recipes will recommend its use in a caramel sauce. You can also use milk. Remember creamier=richer! I like the purer caramel without it—but that’s simply the opinion of a health-conscience co-ed]

-6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

-lemon juice

-1 tbsp flour

-6 large McIntosh or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

Directions for Crust:

-Mix flour, sugar, ginger, and salt in a processor. (If you are like me and sadly do not own one, this can be done by hand!) Add butter. If using a processor, use the on/off pulsating turns, until the mixture looks like coarse meal.

-Whisk honey, yolks, and the ice water (not luke warm water, not cold water, ICE WATER. This is one of the keys to making a deliciously amazing crust) in a separate bowl.

-Add the honey mixture to the flour mixture. Process (or mix) until clumps form.

-Then gather the dough into a ball. Place on a piece of plastic wrap and flatten dough into a disk. Wrap tightly in the plastic and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

-Roll out the dough to about a 12” circle. Transfer into a pan and press it against the sides. Fold over the edges to have a thicker crust on the sides of the tart.

-Using a fork, press down on the sides to create a ridged-pattern (optional—for presentation’s sake).

Caramel Sauce:

-Bring sugar, cream (or milk or neither), and butter to a boil in a medium-heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, constantly whisking until the sugar dissolves. Be careful not to put the heat too high as to burn the sauce. Add a few drops of lemon juice and flour as it boils. Boil until caramel is thick enough to cover the spoon in a thick coat, about 10 minutes. (This can be made up to 5 days ahead). -Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

-Coat the apple slices with a little lemon juice. Then in a bowl, toss the apples as to lightly coat all of the pieces in caramel.

-Now arrange the apples in any way you wish in the tart crust. You can cut the slices and arrange them cut-side down, as to make a more vertical tart. You can also lay the slices down, one on top of the other, in order to make a more horizontally-appealing tart.

-Use any leftover dough from the crust to make any decorations and adornments on top of the tart.

-Place in the oven for 1 hour 15 min. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

-Voilà!

This recipe is especially nice when served with a light ice cream. Vanilla bean or coconut ice cream and crème fraîche are my personal favorites. My cooking tends to become more innovative with relaxation and time—two things that are for me, unfortunately, not always easy to come upon. Hawaii was filled with lots of it and was hence a source for inspiration. Miami was, as well, but not to the same extent. With “spring break” in mind, I found that I did not escape Columbia—seriously, its students were all over south beach (a comment on the Columbian demographic?)—but instead found myself forcing a balance of relaxation and “fun” onto myself. Without this, I would not have been able to write this blog post on the plane (like I am doing, now) out of pure exhaustion.

So, here’s to spring! Here’s to figuring out what you are trying to do (Miami had a lot of figuring out semesters and summers—Congratulations to Marina who got into the Argentina program)! Spring break is crucial when it comes to restoring balance in one’s life… or at least it was in mine. And as most other schools are just starting spring break, enjoy and remember to eat well. Live well.

In Small Packages Comes a Revolution of Flavor

This picture has been popping up all over my facebook newsfeed as Tunisian after Tunisian switches their profile picture. Not many people have heard of Tunisia and even if you consider yourself "informed," l'esprit tunisien is nonetheless most likely a novel concept. I happen to have grown up with a Tunisian family, spending at least a few nights a week eating Tunisian food and listening to the Tunisian news stream over the internet (which was a novel concept back in the 90s). If my ethnicity was decided by the cultures that I grew up surrounded by, I would be Angelino, French, Tunisian, and Chinese. Needless to say, I have always and will always love Tunisia. The Tunisian Revolution is well... revolutionary. It's one of the first of its kind: born and nurtured by the people and not an opposition party. And now, the revolutionary mindset is spreading throughout the Middle East: Hi, Egypt. And as President Obama said in his 2011 State of the Union speech "Around the globe, we're standing with those who take responsibility... that same desire to be free in Tunisia, where the will of the people proved more powerful than the writ of a dictator. And tonight, let us be clear that the United States stands with the people of Tunisia..." With people beginning to take a stand, it brings wonders of the future and what is to come. There are fears of fundamentalist factions gaining power through this coup à la Iranian Revolution. However for all the fears, there is double the hope for a new regime that represents the people and their desires. I cannot comment on what type of governmental hierarchy/organization/etc. I think will take over or whom I think should. Instead, I watch as a bystander, watching and hoping in ernst for the eventual outcome. Oh, how exciting these times we live in are.

So in dedication to my Tunisian family, those of you abroad--from Romania, Paris, to Los Angles--and to those still in Tunis and Sfax, this post is for you. Having a "Tunisian family" means I grew up cooking (mainly eating) delicious food. So while my family had an extravagant Maghreb Feast, I donated my favorite recipe: Brik (pronounced like the building material). Also, if you're not a fan of tuna, I recommend replacing it with ground beef! (Oh sooo delicious) It is a tuna and soft-boiled egg turnover--a small packet, lightly fried in olive oil. Like the small country hanging out at the tip of North Africa, these small packages are bursting with a revolution of flavor. Unexpected and delicious, one bite and you're sure to be hooked!

Here are a few shots from the rest of the night. (I apologize that I don't have a camera; you can thank Blackberry for these)

(tzatziki sauce in martini glasses, later accompanied with kabobs)

(Chicken Bastilla --Morocco)

("The Salad Room" 11 different North African salads)

Tuna and Caper Brik

(or ground beef AKA option 2) (Serves 7 people)

Spring Roll Wrappers

1 medium-sized Onion, diced

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Eggs (1 per serving)

OPTION 1:

1 can Tuna Fish in oil

Capers

OPTION 2:

1 package Ground Beef

1 bush of Parsley, chopped

-OPTION 1: Take a pan and drizzle a little bit of oil in it. On medium-high heat, add the diced onions. Allow them to simmer for 5-10 minutes (or until soft).

-In a separate bowl, add a can of drained tuna, capers (drained of their juices), a bit of salt and pepper, and the cooked onions (try to get as little of the oil into the bowl!). Be careful to not let the mixture to get too oily!

-OPTION 2: Take a pan and drizzle a little bit of oil in it. On medium-high heat, add diced onions. Allow them to simmer until soft (5-10 minutes) and then add the ground beef.

-Stir the meat until it is fully cooked. (no more red pieces). When stirring, constantly chop up the meat to make it into small pieces.

-Transfer to a bowl and add parsley. (This stays good for a couple of days at least and can be made in advance or used for leftovers)

-Fill a stovetop pan with 1" of olive oil (or a few centimeters)... You can use the pan from the onions.

-Put the stove on medium-high heat and allow the oil to heat up. You will know when the oil is hot enough with a simple trick: Wet your hand using the faucet. Then flick a few drops of water into the oil. If it sizzles and pops (you should be able to hear and see it) once the water hits the oil, then the oil is hot enough.

-Meanwhile, separate two of the spring roll wrappers from the package. (Note: wrappers are very thin!)

-On the wrapper, place a small amount of the meat mixture in a crescent shape. Then crack the egg into the middle of the crescent, placing the egg and the egg yolk surrounded by the meat mixture.

-Fold the wrapper in half and place into the hot oil.

-Once you place the brik into the oil, use a spatula and press down on the brek all around the filling. (This makes sure not a lot of oil goes into the middle of the brik.)

-Lightly push some oil over the top of the brik. Flip the brek after 2-3 minutes. Cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side. The brik should be a golden-brown color.

-Place onto a paper towel and allow to cool for a few minutes. Then serve!

-Repeat until you have made enough for you and all of your friends! :)

This recipe is flexible! You can mix and match and play around with spices (if you so please) until your brik is exactly the way you like it. My mom likes to squeeze lemon juice on it. My friend's father likes to add tartar sauce (the time I made it with sharkfish--Hawaii was wonderful!) Personally, I like it the good old fashioned way. The way I grew up with. The way I was taught. Maybe I'm a traditionalist, or maybe I'm just a sucker for brik. I hope you enjoy one of my favorite foods. Once you learn how to make these, you might keep the ingredients in the freezer for a rainy day... (That's what I would recommend).

This is how I spent my winter break...

(The first shot it of a waterfall off the Hanakapiai Trail.... The second shot is Ke'e Beach)

And this is the harsh reality of winter...

(The first shot it of Barnard's campus during a blizzard... The second is post blizzard number 2...)

If you're in the Northeast, stay warm.

If you're in the Mid-West, stay really warm.

If you're on the West Coast, namely California, I'm jealous of your weather. Don't take it for granted!

And no matter where you live: Live Well. Eat Well.

No Work for the Employed

Count me blessed. Do you know that saying, "Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life." My life may still be in the making, but this summer I did not work and I was lucky enough to have a job.

Ok, that may have been a little white lie. I did some work. All interns have a certain quota of leg work they must complete before moving on to something real. Just as college students are not quite "real people" yet, neither are interns "real employees." There is a certain breaking in period where the office tries you on and takes you for a test drive. Lucky for me, I did that last year.
(This is the cupcake cake I made for the office last year... It is City Hall a la Starry Nights)
I work for my councilman Tom LaBonge, Los Angeles City District 4, and I couldn't be happier. This isn't some cheap ploy to kiss @$$ at work. Need proof? I'm done for the summer. In about a week, I will be heading back to New York. However this past summer, I got to sit in on the controversial Gourmet Food Truck issue (FYI--LaBonge does NOT want to ban food trucks) public hearings, recycling water ordinances, and even spend half a day getting first hand experience with a fire brigade (the LAPD helicopter training is Monday). Disclaimer: City District 4 works very... VERY hard. And if I can give advice to any and all city folk out there, try volunteering for your councilmember. Learn how your city works and you will find yourself amazed.
Well, back to the point of this whole thing... FOOD. To show my gratitude for an amazing summer with the office, I made a cake. It was meant to look like the City Seal of Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the decorations were a little too large to all fit on the top, so the arms of Mexico, Spain, and the American flag were all placed around the sides. I used fondant as the red and blue of the seal and chocolate to design all the symbols. The olives, grapes, and oranges were made of marzipan (which is surprisingly fun to use!).

If you want to make chocolate designs (sometimes two explanations is better than one!), melt some chocolate (easiest done with "chocolate wafers" aka chocolate melting wafers aka cooking and baking chocolate....) in a plastic bag. All you need is about 20 seconds in the microwave. IF YOU CANNOT FIND melting wafers, the trick to melting normal chocolate chips is to add a little bit of milk (or water--but milk is tastier) while heating them up. Once the chocolate is melted, cut the tip of the plastic bag and using the plastic bag like a pen, draw the design you want onto a piece of wax paper. The design will come out the opposite of how you draw it. Put it in the fridge for a little bit and VOILA. You just designed your own chocolate piece!

If you ever want to use marzipan, just put a little food coloring (for whatever you are making) and mix it up. Marzipan is a sort of almond paste that is easy to mold. Then you can use cocoa to make it look dirty (fruit occasionally have dirt, you know?).
To make the Orange: I used orange food coloring. Then I kneaded the marzipan until it was mixed. Roll it into a ball the size of a walnut. Lightly press a grater against it to make the texture of an orange. The green is leftover bits of chocolate
To make the Grapes: Use purple food coloring and mix into marzipan. Roll into various sized smaller balls and stick together to make a bunch of grapes.
To make the Olives: Use green food coloring and mix into marzipan. Shape into olives. Make a hole with a toothpick on one side. Optional: sprinkle a little cocoa powder to create the illusion of dirty olives (as if they are just off the tree).

Now this cake took a good amount of work, more than most people care to do. So learn from my experiences. My time preparing this cake has left me with a few pieces of advice.

Frost your cake when it is completely cooled.

If it's hot outside, beware of melting! (Make sure your frosting isn't too liquid-y. It should be a little thicker)

If you're attempting an elaborate cake, make sure you plan your decorations (and sizing) appropriately.


And that's about it for now on cake advice. Summer is nearing its end. And like most endings, they're bittersweet. I have had to say good bye to most of my friends already, but knowing that my other home awaits--with the rest of my friends--makes the transition just a little sweeter. Speaking of collegiate friends, Alex went to go visit Laura in Seattle where they made this "food blog worthy" (yes, that was the facebook caption) sandwich. YUM YUM YUM. It's a PB&J sandwich like none other. So here's a BONUS RECIPE (college edition!):
-6 slices of bread
-peanut butter (to taste)
-Blueberry jam (to taste... type of jam is flexible, although I also recommend grape as well)


->Spread the peanut butter and jam onto each slice. Stack the slices of bread to create one giant sandwich. (or break it down into 3 small ones... your choice)
Now that the college preview is over, it's back to the City of Angels for me. My home. My friends' home. And home to the gourmet food truck movement (thanks Koji! and that crappy taco truck that was my cafeteria on wheels for nine years of schooling). I'll be taking in as much as possible the next week. Remember: Live Well. Eat Well.

Finals Incur Nausea, Aliments, Laughs, & So-longs

These past two weeks have been the dreaded finals period. It begins with spending a disgusting amount of time in the library and as time creeps by, the anxiety creeps up. Friends, enemies, everyone (or at least almost everyone on our campus) disappear to different dark nooks and cranies to cram in the knowledge they should have spent the past semester learning. So that explains the nausious feeling that finals incur. However, finals not only mark the end of school work, but also the end of the year. Summer, which students tend to use as the existential season of dreaming--"this summer, let's do blah blah blah"--pounces on you like a baby simba on zazou. (Someone, please appreciate that reference...) As you are happily celebrating with your friends, you realize "oh sh!t. I have about a million and a half things I need do before I pack up and go home... oh sh!t. I have about a million and a half things I want to do with my friends before they go home..."

So as one last "final" before the summer officially begins (for the collegiate folk at least) and the diaspora-des-amis commences, we made dinner. A scrumpious dinner, as usual. And as usual, Adriana and Livy were my wonderful suchefs. For $19.24, we made a Tsatziki-Inspired Dip, Toasted Garlic Whole Wheat Pita, Tomato-Basil Coucous, Roasted Tomatoes, Light Coriander Cumin Chicken, and as dessert--a Strawberry and Blackberry Tart. It was a very light, but nonetheless filling, meal.

Tsatziki-Inspired Dip

1 cup plain non-fat yogurt (I personally took it from Hewitt)

2/3 cup cucumbers (cut up into cubes)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp cumin

-Chop up the cucumbers and cilantro. Then mix together the yogurt, cucumbers, cilantro, and cumin.

-Serve!

Toasted Garlic Whole Wheat Pita

1 Package Whole Wheat Pita

2 Cloves Garlic

Olive Oil

-Preheat oven to broil.

-Cut the pita into pieces (according to your preference) and arrange on a baking sheet.

-Mince garlic and spread over the pita. Drizzle some olive oil over the pita.

-Put in the oven for 3-4 minutes or until it's golden-brown.

-Take out. Serve! (VERY delicious with the dip)

Tomato-Basil Coucous

1 box tomato-basil couscous

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1.5 cups water (or according to the directions)

Chicken bourbillon (This makes the couscous more flavorful!)

-This recipe is based on the directions on the box. So be sure to follow those directions before you do mine. Not all boxed couscous is the same!

-Boil water in a pot on a high setting. Add chicken bourbillon (to make the chicken stock).

-It will dissolve into the water and make chicken stock. This adds a more authentic (authentically Mediterranean) and full-bodied taste.

-Pour in couscous and olive oil.

-Remove from heat and stir every now and then. Add in butter and fluff with a fork. (The butter makes the couscous fluffier)

-Allow to stand 5 minutes and serve!

Roasted Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes (as few or many as you want)

Cilantro (just enough to sprinkle)

Olive Oil (for drizzling)

Salt and Pepper

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

-Cut tomatoes lengthwise.

-Arrange in either a roasting pan or a pyrex. Drizzle a little olive oil over the tomatoes along with some cilantro, salt, and pepper.

-Put in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft to the touch. The tomato skin should be slightly browned in some areas or shriveling.

-Serve and enjoy! (Personally, I recommend putting it over the couscous)

Light Coriander Cumin Chicken

Thin Chicken Breast

Coriander

Cumin

Cilantro

Olive Oil

-Sprinkle chicken with olive oil, a little bit of coriander, a little cumin, and a little cilantro, as well.

-The chicken should not be completely coated in spices.

-Put a little oil in a pan on the stovetop. Use medium-high heat.

-Put chicken on pan and cook about 5 minutes each side.

-Serve and Enjoy!

Strawberry and Blackberry Tart, Pie

Crust

-I would recommend a pre-made crust for those who are short in time and low on cash. It's much simpler and pie crusts come in unimaginable variety. (Seriously, though... the crust can make or break the pie)

-OPTIONAL: shredded coconut

Filling

-1 small package blackberries

-about 1 cup strawberries (cut into quarters)

-2.5 tbsp honey

-1 tbsp milk

-1/8 cup sliced mint leaves

-If you don't follow my suggestions and have gone to bon appetit, food network, or epicurious and found yourself a recipe for pie crust, then you should know that it's important to find out whether or not you need to bake the crust (in the pan, by itself) in the oven before putting in the filling.

-OTHERWISE, preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

-In the meanwhile, flour the pie pan and then place the pie crust in said pan. Try to make sure it's layed down evenly. You might have to use a fork to poke holes in the crust. (This is done to make sure that air can penetrate the crust and cook evenly...I think. But it's incredibly important!)

-I decided to spread a small layer of shredded coconut on the crust because I thought the flavor would pop with those of the strawberries and blackberries. (It's good)

-The crust goes into the oven for 15 minutes.

-While the crust is in the oven, mix the strawberries, blackberries, honey, milk, and mint in a bowl.

-Once the crust is out of the oven, pour the filling into the pie crust. Try not to let too much milk go into the crust (although I like to put just a little for moisture).

-Put it back into the oven for 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

-Allow to cool. Serve and Enjoy!

A little something about this pie: It's not your average loaded-with-sugar pie. It's a little more bitter with just a little bit of sweetness to balance out the flavor. This was quite the experiment of a pie, and not my most favorable one, at that. Nor was it my least... and it still tasted great! My friends and I considered the meal quite the success and the perfect study break. We ended our meal on a sad note: the food was gone and our books were continually waiting for us...

Similar to a quote I once read about Wellesley (in reference to the Wellesley dating scene, one girl said "it gets lonely... but hey, that's what friends are for!"), studying may be quite the Debbie Downer at times. But hey, that's what friends--and food--are for! They help get you through it.

Now that I'm officially out of class and am moving into a place with a fridge, expect many more summer posts. So for now, Live Well. Eat Well.

p.s. Do you know what a mnemonic is?

p.p.s. Need a hint? Look at the title.