No Problem

Q:  How much land does it take for the world's population to live sustainably for one year? 
A:  1.2 Earths

I've been reading Sustaining Life, the seminal work edited by Harvard physicians Eric Chivian and Aaron Bernstein, and endorsed by United Nations' Kofi Annan.   It underscores the importance of biodiversity and elucidates the human havok, especially the disasterous potential of argibusiness, currently underway in all corners of the world. 

To produce all the necessary resources and to absorb all waste per person/per year: 
N. America                       + 22.0  acres per person
W. Europe                           12.4            "
Asia Pacific and Africa           2.5            "

In other words, the average American uses and wastes 4.5 times more than the acceptable limits to maintain the Earth's sustainability.

It's embarassing, isn't it?

The Possiblity of Popovers

It was only a matter of time. 
Now, I’m asking, “Why did I wait so long?”
We are talking about popovers. I think my resistance to the possibility of popovers had a lot to do with their quirky and mysterious do's and don'ts that in my mind translated into too much work and too much risk for too little reward. Cooking them in a greasy hot pan only to watch them rapidly deflate seemed neither productive nor exciting.

On the other hand, I am deeply intrigued by anything that's mostly egg, milk, flour, and a little butter. There’s something utterly basic and perfectly satisfying about this combination that places me immediately in my comfort zone.

When Cook’s Country aired a recent PBS program on No Fail Make Ahead Popovers, they had my attention and yet I didn’t want to wait around for my next roast beef to make it happen, so I set the recipe aside.

It took a big pot of Black-Eyed Pea Soup on the heels of the popover program that would create the right conditions for the possibility of popovers to finally register. I had planned to bake a pan of cornbread but was short on cornmeal; in a fit of inspiration I pulled out the popover recipe and gave it another look.

Very much along the lines of crepes the batter is whisked together, and then it rests a bit before baking. Of course by now, the prerequisite popover pans that I held onto for years are long gone, but I’m assured that my muffin pan will work just fine. The batter is poured into the greased and floured tins, baked in a hot oven until the popover structure is set, then the heat is reduced and they bake in a slow oven until firm, crispy and brown. They are then poked with a skewer, returned to the oven to remove any persisting moisture, poked again, and allowed to cool slightly. Beyond an investment of about 2½ hours I had nothing to loose.

Actually, the 2½ hours passes quickly--because the popovers become their own entertainment. One of the rules in popover baking is not to open the oven or they may collapse; another rule. This is one of those times when an oven window and light are just about essential. In very short order the popovers begin to brown lightly and the edges set inward. As if watching flowers unfurl and blossom, they begin to balloon out and expand upward. Mesmerized, all eyes are glued to the oven door. It’s an amazing sight from which I could hardly pry myself away.

As the popovers rise and begin to set, an egg-y pancake-like aroma ebbs over the kitchen. I’m imagining how great these would be for breakfast: make the batter ahead… in the morning slide them into a hot oven… get my day organized… and return for the popover climax. The smell alone would surely draw the most unconscious out of bed.

Every word of Cook’s recipe turns out to be true. They do not collapse, and they heat up beautifully. Beyond that, the interiors have a warm eye-rolling custardy texture and outside they are lovely, crisp and tender. I pulled out the black cherry preserves--but apple butter, marmalade, strawberry or any other favorite jam would be worthy of these delights. Suddenly, the possibilities appear endless.  Bet you can’t eat just one.

Perfect Popovers

Courtesy of Cookscountry.com

3 eggs, room temperature
2 cups milk, warmed
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled a bit
2 cups bread flour, or all purpose
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar

In large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar.

In separate bowl, whisk eggs until foamy; whisk in butter, then the milk.

Whisk 3/4 of milk mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth and no lumps remain; then whisk in remaining liquid. Transfer the batter to a large measuring cup for easy pouring and let stand 1 hour. Can be refrigerated and brought to room temperature.

Adjust rack to lower 1/3 of oven; preheat to 450 degrees. Grease 6 popover tins or 10 muffin cups with vegetable shortening, dust with flour. Whisk batter lightly to recombine then pour into tins, filling almost to rims.

- Bake until they begin to brown, about 20 minutes; this is important because they can fall if not firm at this point.

- Without opening oven door, lower heat to 300 degrees and bake additional 35-40 minutes, until golden brown all over. Remove from oven and poke small hole in top of each with a skewer.

- Bake about 10 minutes longer, until deep golden brown. Remove to wire rack and poke again; cool 2 minutes and turn out. Serves 6-10, depending on size.

Note: once completely cooled, they can be stored at room temperature in zip lock bag for 2 days. To serve, reheat for 5-8 minutes in 400 degree oven. (I've microwaved individual servings about 1 min., they puffed up nd were excellent.)

Pumpkin Plethora

I am one of those who believes that there is no such thing as too much pumpkin and so it was pretty much a no-brainer as to what I would include in a recent dinner party dessert.

As an aside, I am extremely saddened to acknowledge that Gourmet magazine published its final issue in November. For years I collected editions and would regularly pull them out and thumb through them for inspiration. The writing was first rate, especially in the early days, the photography, legendary and thoughtfully stylish.

In a tribute to the end of an era, I was compelled to create Pumpkin Parfaits, Gourmet's Dessert of the Month featured on-line in October. The parfait is a pumpkin mousse--which couldn’t be easier (if you have a can of pumpkin puree on hand) layered with homemade gingersnaps (if time allows) and dreamy whipped cream. 

When the dessert has firmed up, the moisture from the whipped cream and mousse will have nicely softened the snaps and provide an additional dimension of texture.  It has all the earmarks for a perfect party dessert:

•  no stress preparation
• made and assembled a day ahead
• visually stunning individual servings

My gingersnaps are the crunchy old-fashioned variety designed for dipping in coffee, tea, or milk--with just enough ginger and spice for that edgy bite. The recipe, a Joy of Cooking standby, is easy to make and does not require special handling. It makes enough cookies for snacking, or the extra dough can be chilled or frozen and freshly baked later.

Pumpkin Parfaits
Inspired by Gourmet magazine’s on-line tempting recipe

1 envelope unflavored gelatin (2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 cup cold water
1 can pure pumpkin (15-oz)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
pinch salt
2 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
20 gingersnap cookies, broken up (recipe follows)
For garnish: ¼ cup candied or spiced nuts, lightly chopped
6 parfait glasses

Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small saucepan and let soften 1 minute. Bring to a bare simmer, stirring until gelatin has dissolved. In a medium bowl combine pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, salt and gelatin mixture.

Beat whipped cup cream until it begins to thicken, sprinkle in sugar and continue whisking until soft peaks form, and add vanilla. Fold about 2 cups of whipped cream into pumpkin mixture.

Spoon about 1/4 cup pumpkin mixture into the bottom of each glass, then sprinkle with some of cookies and top with about 2 Tbsp whipped cream. Repeat layers once, ending with cream.

Chill until set, at least 2 hours. Before serving, sprinkle a few chopped nuts on top of each. Serves 6~~

Gingersnaps
These cookies improve with age; inspired by a Joy of Cooking recipe

3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar (can be part brown sugar)
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vinegar
3 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup demerra sugar for dipping

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and 1 or 2 cookie sheets. Sift dry ingredients: the flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.

In mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Mix in eggs, molasses, and vinegar. Stir in dry ingredients to blend.

Form dough into 1" balls. Roll in sugar. Bake approximately 14 minutes, until surface crinkles. Let stand briefly and move to rack to cool.. Store airtight.  Makes approximately 48 -3” cookies~~

Kohlrabi Wrestling

I’ve had a 3 pound kohlrabi rolling around in my refrigerator for over a week now. I brought it home after a recent work day at the GrassRoots Garden, trimmed off its gangly cabbage-like leaves, crammed it into a rear corner of the fridge, and proceeded to ignore it.

Actually, I’d been procrastinating because other than nibbling on it raw, I hadn’t the slightest idea what to do with a massive 3 pound kohlrabi. Lamenting my uncertainty to fellow gardener, Claire, she raved and recommended a curry treatment. Huh.

After a little research, I learn that kohlrabi is low in calories, about 19 per ½ cup; it’s high in fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamin A and C. It has a mild cabbage-like flavor and a moist, crisp texture. I’m told to look for 2” bulbs; if larger, peel them. Right. The kohlrabi is very popular in Northern India, and has made its way to Israel, China and Africa. It is also used in Italian, French and German cuisines.

This evening I decide it's time to confront the behemoth taking up way too much refrigerator space. I hack away--peeling and whacking it into bite size morsels. I have a small bag of lentils which I pre-cook while wrestling with the rock-hard rascal. The remainder of the dish comes together quickly and by the time my jasmine rice is cooked the kohlrabi is tender (20 minutes). I suspect my 8” specimen takes a little longer than the average 2” bulb. I’m not sure my rendition is authentically Indian, but it sure is good.

Kohlrabi Indian Curry
Inspiration from Fondy Market (www.fondmarket.org)

1 Tbsp oil

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 Thai chilies, split open, seeds remaining
1 large onion, chopped
1 green finger pepper, seeded, cut into rings
1 large tomato peeled and chopped (or 1 14 oz can)
1 T tomato paste
2 medium kohlrabi globe (1 pound), peeled and cut into ¼ inch cubes
kohlrabi leaves, rib removed and cut into strips
1 cup cooked lentils, liquid reserved or 1 can chickpeas (14 oz)
3 cups stock
salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in heavy pan. Stir in turmeric, coriander, cumin, chilies, and onion. Sauté on medium heat until onion browns about 8 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes, pepper, tomato paste and sauté another 5 minutes.

Add kohlrabi, lentils, and stock. Cover and cook until kohlrabi becomes tender—about 9 minutes.

If using kohlrabi greens add in the final 5 minutes of cooking.

Garnish with cilantro. Serves 8.

Food Safety Bill

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will mark up S. 510, the Senate version of major food safety legislation already approved by the House of Representatives, on Wednesday, November 18.

The bill focuses on foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, not meat and poultry which is regulated by USDA.

The bill includes several key reforms that would put real teeth into federal regulation of large-scale food processing corporations to better protect consumers. However, the bill as written would also do serious harm to family farm value added processing, local and regional food systems, conservation and wildlife protection, and organic farming.

The good news is the HELP committee could fix those problems with the adoption of some common sense provisions to retain a crack down on corporate bad actors without erecting dangerous new barriers to the growing healthy food movement based on small and mid-sized family farms, sustainable and organic production methods, and more local and regional food sourcing.

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the National Organic Coalition, have fashioned just such a set of common sense provisions that must be added to S 510.

 - The bill should provide small and mid-sized family farms that market value-added farm products with training and technical assistance in developing food safety plans for their farms.

- The bill should direct FDA to narrow the kinds of farm activities subject to FDA control and to base those regulations on sound risk analysis. (Current FDA rules assume, without any scientific evidence or risk analysis, that all farms which undertake any one of a long list of processing, labeling or packaging activities should be regulated.)

- The bill should direct FDA to ease compliance for organic farmers by integrating the FDA standards with the organic certification rules. FDA compliance should not jeopardize a farmer's ability to be organically certified under USDA's National Organic Program.

- The bill should insist that FDA food safety standards and guidance will not contradict federal conservation, environmental, and wildlife standards and practices, and not force the farmer to choose which federal agency to obey and which to reject.

-  Farmers who sell directly to consumers should not be required to keep records and be part of a federal "traceback" system. All other farms should not be required to maintain records electronically or records beyond the first point of sale beyond the farmgate.

From The Community Food Security Coalition

The Great Pumpkin Experiment

Yes indeed, we’re into superlatives.

For qualifiers, I’ll begin by simply stating that I have succeeded in creating The Great Pumpkin Bar. This may be of no consequence to those uninterested in pumpkin matters, but to the rest of the world, it's a very big deal.

I am one of those who adore anything that includes pumpkin: ice cream, pasta sauce, you name it.  I don’t understand why it takes the age of Halloween to roll around before my thoughts automatically shift to pumpkin, but every year it comes on strong.

In years past I have tinkered with pumpkin bars and I’m always quite happy with the results. This year, however, I wanted to bake a bar that was just a little different: not the cheesecake/swirl type, or the gingerbread/pumpkin sort, or the mini-pie affairs.

I knew what I didn’t want.

The results are an indescribably-delicious-dense-heart-warming-ginger-spiced pumpkin melange resting between a crumb crust and topping.

You be the judge, and may the Great Pumpkin be with you, too.  Happy Halloween.

The Great Pumpkin Bars

Crumb Crust and Topping

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, moderately cold, in chunks

Pumpkin Filling

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar, a combo 1/2 c. granulated and 1/4 c. brown is good

15 ounces canned pumpkin pulp

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, chopped

1/2 cup chopped nuts, hazelnuts or walnuts are good

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line and spray 9x13 pan.

For the crumb crust: place the dry ingredients in mixing bowl, and mix well with paddle. Add butter and continue to mix until crumbs form. Remove about 2/3 cup for topping. Spread the remainder in baking pan, press down. Bake until the crust begins to color, approximately 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare filling: wipe out mixing bowl, add the eggs and beat well; add the oil and continue to beat until light. Add the sugar and continue beating; add the spices. Separately combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Blend about 2/3 of dry into filling, add the crystallized ginger and raisins, and then stir in the remaining flour mixture until combined. 

Spread the filling evenly over the baked crust. Add the nuts to the crumb topping and sprinkle evenly over the filling. Bake 35-40 minutes, until sides pull away from pan. Remove from oven and cool on rack. Cut into about 25 bars.

A Veritable Quandary

No, this is not a review of that legendary Portland Restaurant.  I’m referring to my state of mind upon a first appraisal of my bumper crop of green tomatoes. I am learning that this is one of the benefits and challenges of a successful garden. The zucchini plight, I understand, but what about all those green tomatoes?

I dashed outside between rainstorms this past week and gathered up a big bowlful of green plum tomatoes that were still clutching onto their vines. Ever the unengaged gardener, I had to reach this point before I could fully confront the obvious: what do I do with all these green tomatoes? Now, there are the old stand-bys--like Fried Green Tomatoes or Green Tomato Pie, but they seem just a little too pedestrian for my first foray into a new and exciting food realm. Well, of course. It’s my best rainy day default: Soup.

Peppered bacon gets all the credit, because that’s what started the ball rolling. At Food Network, Emeril and I seemed to be thinking along the same lines: I imagined a sort of BLT in a bowl. This lovely bright soup is so yummy that admittedly, I had a second sampling just to make certain it was that good. Emeril suggests a drizzle of Cilantro Oil, which I passed on; it just doesn’t need any further embellishments—beyond a healthy smattering of peppered bacon.

Spicy Green Tomato Soup

Inspired by Emeril Lagasse, Food Network

2 slices pepper bacon, diced

1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 whole garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 bay leaf

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

2 yellow Hungarian or banana peppers, or others such as Anaheim, or poblano, seeded and diced

1 3/4 pounds firm green tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths and chop

3 cups chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons hot sauce

In a soup pot cook the bacon until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon, and drain on a paper towel. Remove all but 2 tbsp bacon fat from pot.

Add the onion to the pot and saute until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf and peppers, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stock, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook soup for 10 to 15 minutes or until the tomatoes soften.

Remove the bay leaf, and using a handheld blender, lightly puree the soup leaving a slight chunky texture so that ingredients are still identifiable. Stir in the lemon juice and hot sauce to taste. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with reserved bacon. Serves 6 ~~