A Tale of Two Cranberries

Years ago when I was a young chef, I used to enter recipe contests designated for professional chefs only.  Much to my surprise I won each one of the three I entered.  One was for white rice, one for Bisquick, and the other for fresh cranberries.  It's not that I was the best chef in the country, or even had the best dish, but my recipe titles were always intriguing and the flavors were always bold.  There was Jade Rice with Shrimp and Scallops; Mile-High Tamale Pie, and Spiced Cranberry Chutney, respectively.   Adding fresh mango, cardamom, mustard seed and pepper flakes to traditional-style cranberry sauce was a bit of culinary derring-do way back then. Years later, when creating a repertoire of dishes for my 1-2-3 books, I experimented with cranberries, again, but this time in a most radically simple way.  Three simple elements: fresh cranberries, sun-dried cherries and dark brown sugar, coalesced into two entirely different dishes:  One version was raw and the other, cooked. I loved the contrast, the ease, and the fun in experiencing the disparate qualities from the same ingredients -- the first, a tart relish, the other a sultry compote.

It certainly is the time of year to be thinking about such things.  Cranberries are harvested in the fall after the berry (originally white) takes on its distinctive garnet color.  And there is no Thanksgiving table in America (or in Canada on their Thanksgiving day) that will be devoid of the super-fruit in some form. Somehow the Native Americans knew of their beneficial medicinal properties long before the word anthocyanin was known.  

Today, I am going to re-test that decades-old prize-winning cranberry chutney and give you the results tomorrow.  Today, "the tale of two cranberries." (Adapted from Recipes 1-2-3 Menu Cookbook.)

Ruby Cranberries with Sun-Dried Cherries:  Relish and Compote Relish

12 ounces (about 3 cups) cranberries 4 ounces (about 3/4 cup) sun-dried cherries 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

Put cranberries and dried cherries in a small bowl.  Mix gently.  Add half the mixture to a food processor.  Process until coarsely, but evenly, chopped. Transfer to bowl.  Repeat with remaining mixture.  Add brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and a grinding of black pepper.  Mix very well so that the sugar dissolves and gets incorporated.  Cover and refrigerate 24 hours before serving.  Makes 2-1/2 cups

Compote 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar 12 ounces (about 3 cups) cranberries 4 ounces (about 3/4 cup) sun-dried cherries

In heavy medium saucepan, put 1 cup water, brown sugar, pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Bring to a boil; add cranberries and dried cherries. Return to a boil, reduce heat and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until cranberries have popped and sauce has thickened.  Cool at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until cold.  Makes 2-1/4 cups

It's raining cranberries. Please send me your favorite recipe -- after all, it's almost Thanksgiving, a time to share.

White Carrots

I was planning to write about parsnips this morning -- my new favorite veg -- but something curious happened along the way.  Last night as I was flipping the tv remote, I came upon a show on the Cooking Channel in which the chef (a new face to me) was peeling root vegetables.  He referenced carrots, yellow potatoes, salsify and...white carrots.  "But those are parsnips," I declared, and decided to share a few new recipes with you.  But I was curious, too.  I know there are lots of varieties of carrots being grown today as evidenced in riotous colors in today's farmers markets.  I was also aware that red carrots have been grown in Egypt for centuries: They are sweet and often baked in the oven.  But I had limited experience with white carrots.  So I set about doing a bit of research and stumbled upon a whole new world:  The World Carrot Museum, in fact! (www.carrotmuseum.com). According to the museum, "the cultivated and edible carrot dates back about 5000 years and were first found in the Iranian plateau (including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran) and then later in the Persian Empire.  At that time they were purple, yellow, red and probably white."  They became orange sometime around the 1500's but you can read as much as you'd like about carrots on your own.  This morning, I am interested only to find out why I'm writing about carrots at all.  Here is the answer!

Throughout the Classical Period and the Middle Ages, writers constantly confused carrots and parsnips. "There was (and still is!)," according to the site, "enormous confusion when trying to sort out the individual histories of carrots and parsnips.  The Latin name for the parsnip genus is thought to come from pastus, meaning "food." This would further explain the historical confusion of the two vegetables, as well as offer a testament to how important they both were in the ancient diet."  Amen.

That tv chef is clearly struggling with this too, but, for clarity's sake, those were parsnips he was peeling.

In honor of this historical debate, I offer you, no kidding, a prescient foreboding of this dilemma from my book, Radically Simple.  It is called Milky Carrot and Parsnip Puree, and would make a very nice addition to your Thanksgiving table.

Milky Carrot and Parsnip Puree When carrots and parsnips bubble in a milk bath with fresh sage and a clove of garlic, the resultant puree is the color of orange sherbet with a voluptuous texture and an alluring flavor.  Nice with pork...or turkey.

1 pound carrots 1 pound parsnips 2 cups whole milk 4 large fresh sage leaves 1 large clove garlic 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces.  Place in a large saucepan.  Add the milk (it will not cover the vegetables), sage, garlic and salt to taste. Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, place the cover askew, and simmer 20 minutes, until very soft.  Drain, saving the liquid.  Transfer the vegetables to a food processor and process until very smooth; adding cooking liquid as needed to make a thick, creamy puree.  Add the butter and process; season with salt and pepper.  Serves 6

The Missing Recipe

Today I'm referring, not to the missing zwieback recipe from Larousse Gastronomique (see yesterday's entry), but to the missing recipe in my very own cookbook! Pointed out to me online, in an amazon.com review, I was excited to learn that someone read the fine print (literally!) on the intro page of the meat chapter in Radically Simple and made the discovery.  An omission undetected by me (the author), the publisher, the editor, the copyeditor, assistant copyeditors, and hundreds (or thousands!) of people -- both close friends and strangers -- who have claimed to have read my book!  Clearly only one person has!  A Ms./Mr. B.J. Lewis from Highlands Ranch, Colorado.  The discovery was duly reported on November 12, 2010. Embedded in the wonderful 5-star cookbook review entitled "I've been having too much fun with this one" -- the reviewer praises Radically Simple and most of the recipes but with some personal critiques.  They are thoughtful and intelligent and so I don't mind in the least.  The reviewer, however, at the end says..."I did find one thing that puzzled me.  On page 210 Gold writes that her Flanken with Pomegranate Molasses, Ginger & Prunes, has become a new holiday favorite in some households."  I've been searching for the recipe, but so far it has eluded me.  Is it there?  Help!"

Well, Ms./Mr. B.J. Lewis, in fact, it isn't there.  Nowhere.  It was cut from the book when the book got too long and the reference wasn't cut from the intro.  There you have it.  And now you'll get it!  Thanks for letting us know.

Here it is: Flanken with Pomegranate Molasses, Ginger & Prunes Flanken is cut across the bones of the short ribs, not between the ribs.  You'll want 1 to 1-1/2-inch thick slices.  They will soften and melt in your mouth.  Pomegranate molasses can be found in Middle Eastern food stores, in some supermarkets and health food stores.  For fun, or drama, scatter some pomegranate seeds on top.

12 beef short ribs, about 4-1/2 pounds, cut across the bone 4 large oranges 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses 1/3 cup tomato paste 3 large cloves garlic 2-inch piece fresh ginger 18 large pitted prunes

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Season meat liberally with salt and pepper.  place in a large heavy casserole with a cover -- a 6-1/2 quart Le Creuset is perfect.  Peel 4 long strips from 1 orange and add to pot.  Grate rind of 2 oranges and set aside.  Cut oranges in half and squeeze to get 1-1/4 cups juice.  In a large bowl, stir together orange juice, pomegranate molasses, tomato paste and garlic, pushed through a press.  Peel ginger and grate on large holes of box grater.  Add to bowl.  Pour over ribs and stir in prunes.  Cover pot and bake 2 hours.  Lower heat to 250 degrees.  Stir contents of pot and bake 1 hour longer until very tender.  Using slotted spoon, transfer meat to a platter.  Remove fat; pour prunes and sauce over the meat and sprinkle with orange zest.  Serves 6 B.J. Lewis ends the review with..."Regardless, I'm thoroughly enjoying this cookbook.  I suspect you will as well." 

Larousse Gastronomique

Some people read the Yellow Pages to pass the time away.  I read Larousse Gastronomique. Weighing in at a hefty 6 pounds 11-1/2 ounces, it is worth its heft in historical perspective, culinary fact, gastronomic bravura, and is lots of fun to read.  I recommend it highly for our new generation of foodies whose passion runs deep but whose knowledge is short of breadth.  Not their fault. The field of gastronomy is slowing being replaced by the current vogue of anything goes, anyone can be a chef, anyone can write a cookbook, and everyone can be a critic.  Information and experience not required!  When the American version of the book first appeared in 1971, Craig Claiborne wrote, "It is a work so towering and so meticulously put together, the reader must stand back in utter awe...A volume  that should be of extraordinary interest to anyone with a serious interest in gastronomy as an art."  Encyclopedic in nature -- from A to Z -- it contains 4000 recipes and 1000 illustrations and explains every facet of classical cuisine.The first installment is abaisse -- which, according to Larousse, is a term used in French cookery for a sheet of rolled-out pastry.  The last word (or words in this case) is zuppa inglese -- a dessert invented by Neapolitan pastry cooks who settled in big European cities in the 19th century.  It was inspired by English puddings that were fashionable at the time (literally meaning "English soup"), made from layers of sponge cake soaked in liqueur, with pastry cream, candied fruits and covered in meringue.

But something is missing!  The flap copy says that the last word in the book is zwieback (a kind of cracker) -- but it simply isn't there.

So I offer you a radically simple recipe from Recipes 1-2-3. Sweet Zwieback This simple little twice-baked cookie is somewhere between Jewish mandelbrot and Italian biscotti.   Great for dunking, great for teething.

2 extra-large eggs 2/3 cup vanilla sugar 1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a standing mixer for 6 minutes until very stiff and creamy.  Add the sugar and beat 1 minute. Lower speed and add the flour (add more if it is too wet.)  Pour batter into a nonstick 8-inch loaf pan (or grease the pan lightly.)  Bake 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool on rack.  Lower oven temperature to 275 degrees.  Remove the loaf from the pan and cut 16 1/4-inch slices. Place on a baking sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes on each side until they begin to color.  Let cool.  Makes 16

You will learn so much, with Larousse at your bedside, that you will want to quit your job and become a Culinary Historian.

Zwieback, anyone?

I Love Paris

Last night before I went to bed, I popped a few moist prunes in my mouth and started to reminisce.  Why was it that prunes make most people snicker, while they make me long for Paris!  Yes, it's true.  When I was 20, or so, I took my first trip to France and was mesmerized by the dessert cart in most bistros.  No, it wasn't the tarte tatins or the offerings of chocolate mousse that interested me, it was the pedigree of the prunes that sat soaking up a vast amount of red wine.  It seemed to me a most sensible, and sensuous, way to end a meal.  Of course I was embarrassed (snicker) but after a glass or two of Bouzy rouge (red champagne!) one late afternoon (at the bistro run by the famous chef Michel Oliver), I summoned the courage, and have been serving them ever since.   Not only that, I began to experiment with prune juice, too! (snicker, snicker). But first, the prunes (which, as you may know, begin life as plums.)  I like to pit them and wrap them in short pieces of bacon and broil them as a simple hors d'oeuvres. (For real drama, slip a tiny piece of candied ginger into the prune before wrapping.) Often I put them in a jar, designated for the task, and cover them with cold water and a gossamer slice of lemon, and let them sit, tightly covered in the fridge until they express their dark liquid to form a viscous broth.  Stewed prunes, without the stewing!  Other times, I use them along with prosciutto and sage,  to stuff a fleshy turkey roast (recipe from Radically Simple, below).  For dessert, I plump them in port wine and then hand-carve shards of white chocolate to scatter on top.

But the most curious recipe of all (which was featured in the New York Times and appears in my Recipes 1-2-3 Menu Cookbook) was my audacious use of prune juice.  I simply simmer it until it is greatly reduced and begins to resemble chocolate syrup!  It makes an improbably delicious "sundae" with coffee ice cream and toasted sliced almonds.

Rolled-and-Tied Turkey Roast with Prosciutto, Prunes & Sage I love preparing a "turkey roast," which is nothing more than a boned breast half with the skin on.  Here it is filled with prosciutto, sage leaves,  and prunes, then rolled and tied.

2-1/4 pound turkey roast (large boned half breast, skin on) 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto 10 large pitted prunes 1/4 cup pine nuts 12 large fresh sage leaves 12 medium shallots, peeled 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Using a mallet, flatten the turkey (skin side down) to 1-inch thickness.  Cover evenly with the prosciutto.  Arrange the prunes in a tight row down the center.  Top with pine nuts and 6 sage leaves.  Roll up tightly.  Season with salt and pepper.  Tie with string at 1-inch intervals and tuck 6 sage leaves under the string.  Place the turkey and shallots in a small roasting pan.  Drizzle with the oil.  Roast 45 minutes, until cooked through.  Transfer the turkey and shallots to a board.  Pour the broth and wine into the pan.  Place pan on the stovetop and boil, scraping up browned bits, until syrupy, 3 minutes.  Strain into a saucepan.  Whisk in the butter and cook 1 minute.  Remove the string; and thickly slice.  Serve with the shallots and pan sauce.  Serves 6

We Are What We Cook

I'm appreciative, these days, when anyone takes the time to do anything "other directed!"  Whether it's a hand-written thank you note, an email from a fan wanting to connect, or an unsolicited book review (especially the positive ones!), I think of the thought and effort proffered.  "Doing onto others as you would have them do unto you," is a notion that generally informs my life and would probably modulate all of our behavior towards kindness.  Aside from niceties, however, I get a major kick out of learning what recipes people choose to make from my books!  I even enjoy the considered "critical" comments from someone I intuit knows their way around the kitchen.  Now that Radically Simple has been out for not quite three weeks, there are 21 reviews on Amazon and a handful of other reviews on various sites.  Out of 325 recipes contained in the book, those initial recipe choices not only reflect the personal preferences of the cook, but reveal other phenomenon of who we are, where we live, our skill sets, taste preferences, our general curiosity about new things, and our steadfastness for the familiar.

But perhaps other factors are at play.  One's attraction to a particular photograph or to a title (many people like "The Little Black Dress Chocolate Cake"); a penchant for learning something new and making the effort to find an unfamiliar ingredient like za'atar (an intoxicating spice mixture from the Middle East made from dried hyssop, sumac and sesame seeds. It smells like Jerusalem and looks like marijuana and is available in many spice stores and online), Sriracha hot sauce or smoked paprika.  Maybe it's the desire to be inventive, try a new combination of flavors, evoke a memory from another time or place, or daring to keep-it-simple, which is, after all, the philosophy of the book.

So here are some of your favorites so far --  beginning with breakfast and marching towards dessert -- Homemade Cream Cheese and Carrot Marmalade; Runny Eggs on Creamy Scallion Bacon Grits; Smoked Salmon, Basil & Lemon Quesadillas; Eggless Caesar Salad with Green Apple "Croutons"; Seared Salmon on a Moroccan Salad; Golden Fettuccine with Sardines, Fennel & Saffron; A Recipe from 1841: Macaroni & Tomatoes; Silver Packet Flounder with Miso Mayo; Salmon with Lime Leaves, Poppy Rice & Coconut Sauce; Sauteed Chicken with Roasted Grapes & Grape Demi Glace;  Chicken with Za'atar, Lemon & Garlic; Big Juicy Sundried Tomato Burgers; Pork Loin in Cream with Tomatoes, Gin & Sage; Creamy Potato Gratin; Sweet Potato Puree with Fresh Ginger and Orange; and..."The Little Black Dress Chocolate Cake."

Equally interesting is what the print journalists choose:  Food & Wine Magazine loved the Salmon en chemise (wrapped in smoked salmon) with its fresh tomatillo sauce;  the Washington Post chose Crunchy Crumbed Cod with Frozen Peas; the Cleveland Plain Dealer selected Sauteed Chicken with Roasted Grapes; the Oregonian singled out Broccoli Soup with Lemon-Pistachio Butter, Chicken with Chorizo, Peppadews & Fino Sherry; Lamb Chops with Smoked Paprika Oil, Cumin & Arugula, and French Yogurt Cake with Nutella.  The last recipe was also referenced by Faye Levy in the Jerusalem Post.

Perhaps we are what we cook.

French Yogurt Cake with Nutella This is very moist thanks to the yogurt and butter, but it is especially delicious thanks to the Nutella!  Serve with raspberries, cherries, or whipped cream, or plain. Or dust the entire cake with confectioners' sugar pushed through a sieve.

1 stick unsalted butter 1-1/2 cups flour 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder 3 extra-large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/4 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter 9-inch springform pan.  Melt the butter in a saucepan; set aside to cool.  Mix together the flour, baking powder, and a large pinch of salt.  Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until thick, 3 minutes.  Add the flour mixture, yogurt, and melted butter; mix until smooth.  Pour two-thirds of the batter into the pan.  Add the Nutella to the remaining batter and beat until smooth.  Pour atop the plain batter.  Run a rubber spatula through the batter to make a marbled pattern.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes until just firm.  Cool on a rack.  Release the side of the pan and serve. Serves 8

Citymeals-on-Wheels

Gael Greene's "Power Luncheon for Women" is the culinary equivalent of Quincy Jones' "We Are the World."  For the past 24 years, Gael has orchestrated formidable star power to raise money and support for Citymeals-on-Wheels.  In so doing, millions and millions of dollars have helped feed New York's elderly and elevated the level of awareness of their plight to mythic proportion.  Yesterday the event was held at the newly refurbished Pierre Hotel (now owned by the Taj Group from India).  The meal was first-class and an extremely generous offering, made no doubt, by one of the world's great hoteliers, Raymond Bickson.

The event was full of power and heart.  More than 400 women (and a smattering of men) gathered to praise the efforts of Gael Greene and Marcia Stein, who has been the executive director for years.   Instead of singing we ate, and talked to women we never met before.  Instead of planned seating, we each drew a number out of a big silver bowl and hoped for the best.  But it is always the best when you make it so.  I had the pleasure of sitting next to Ann Marie Borghese who, with her husband, bought the Hargrave vineyard on Long Island and created an exciting new venture, the "Borghese Vineyard & Winery." Next to me was a woman research scientist (a zoologist!), next to her an executive with American Airlines, next to her a lawyer who loves the organization, next to her Francine LeFrak, and so on. Gracing the stage were more formidable women, including glamorous Gael in her signature sailor's cap, Kathleen Turner, the screen icon and Citymeals board member who was a 2010 honoree (along with Diana Taylor, former chairwoman of the New York State Banking Board), Paula Zahn, and most importantly, on screen, some of the elderly who benefit daily from the hot meals and hugs delivered by the volunteers of Citymeals.

This event was first organized by James Beard, Gael Greene, Donald and Barbara Tober and other notables in the food world who fittingly decided to help "feed the forgotten."  In the beginning, it was Joseph Baum and Michael Whiteman who were "the angels" who hosted the luncheon at the legendary Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center.  Decades later, I am happy to say that the event is as elegant as ever and continues to inspire.

The mission statement reads:  "Citymeals-on-Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of nutritious food and human company to homebound elderly New Yorkers in need, helping them live with dignity in their own familiar homes and communities."   Simple and powerful.

So why not make a simple meal today and then make a simple contribution?  It will taste doubly delicious.

In honor of the wonderful scallop dish served at the luncheon, I will share one of my favorite recipes from Radically Simple.

Seared Scallops on Sweet Pea Puree This is one of the most beloved recipes from my original Recipes 1-2-3, but I've updated it with dry vermouth and a garnish of trendy pea shoots. It is a dish for any time of the year because frozen petits pois, always available, provide the base of the lovely buttery puree.

10 ounces frozen petits pois, thawed 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 20 medium-large sea scallops 3 tablespoons dry vermouth handful of pea shoots, mache, or microgreens

Put the peas in a saucepan with water to cover.  Boil 2 minutes.  Drain well and save 6 tablespoons cooking liquid.  Put the peas, 2 tablespoons butter, and the cooking liquid in a blender.  Puree until very smooth and thick. Add salt and pepper. Return to the saucepan.  Keep warm.  Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet.  Season the scallops and sear over high heat 2 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through.  Spread the warm pea puree in the center of 4 large plates.  Arrange the scallops on the puree.  Add the vermouth and the remaining butter to the skillet.  Cook over high heat until syrupy, 30 seconds.  Pour over the scallops and top with pea shoots.  Serves 4

Arthur Schwartz

Several days ago, Food & Wine Magazine deemed "Radically Simple" their favorite cookbook of 2010 and cited a recipe inspired by my dear friend Arthur Schwartz, who is, undoubtedly the reason many of you are reading my blog this morning. The recipe for Chicken Thighs with Rosemary and Two Paprikas, says Kristin Donnelly in the F&W blog, is "the perfect weeknight dish.  Besides the minced garlic that's rubbed all over the thighs, the recipes only contains the ingredients in the title but tastes amazingly complex." (recipe below)

I owe a lot to Arthur.  As I write in the acknowledgments page of "Radically Simple," there are two men who stand out among all the others in influencing my mind and heart--two who have caressed and challenged me to become a better writer, a deeper thinker, and a better cook. One is my husband; the other is Arthur Schwartz.  Arthur, the food writer, critic, and radio personality known for his extraordinary culinary expertise, has been one of my very best friends since 1978 when we met in the kitchen of Gracie Mansion.  I had just become chef to Mayor Ed Koch, and Arthur was the restaurant critic of the New York Daily News.  We have spoken almost daily ever since then.  Arthur's cooking style has influenced mine for decades.  He is the master of simplicity and authenticity -- specifically in Italian regional cuisine, but he also possesses great knowledge of the foodways of many other cultures.  It is a joy to have him in my life.   In the case of the said chicken recipe, Arthur uses chicken legs (with thighs) and no garlic at all.

In addition to Arthur's many award-winning cookbooks which you can purchase online, Arthur has recently created an "on-line" store which you will enjoy shopping in!  It should be your go-to place this holiday season to buy cookbooks and presents galore.  He has a dynamite seltzer-making kit, a chrome 4-slice toaster with 50's styling, an instant-read thermometer, and a meat-grinder attachment for your KitchenAid.  You can also purchase "Radically Simple", and our cookbooks, through his site.  Arthur, since I've known him, has always wanted to have a store...not a restaurant!  Wise man.  He has superlative taste in all things related to food, cooking, design, culinary history, and tabletop wares.  Simply go to the foodmaven.com.

In short, Arthur is a treasure with a treasure chest.

Enjoy the chicken.  Serve it with a pan full of garlicky sauteed broccoli rabe and open a bottle of retro, but not forgotten, Chianti or Soave. And how about a radically simple dessert?  Peeled sliced pears tossed with a bit of grappa and sugar and topped with lemon sorbet.

Chicken Thighs with Rosemary & Two Paprikas This is among our family's favorite emergency meals, inspired by food maven Arthur Schwartz.  Arthur says that placing the chicken on the top rack of the oven is an important step in the recipe's success.

8 very large bone-in chicken thighs, skin-on 2 large garlic cloves 4 teaspoons sweet paprika 4 teaspoons smoked paprika 16 large sprigs fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Make 2 deep slits across the width of each thigh.  Push the garlic through a press and rub into the chicken.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix the paprikas with 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Sprinkle the mixture into the slits, then place a rosemary sprig in each slit.  Arrange the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast in the top oven rack for 40 to 45 minutes until firm and cooked through but still juicy.  Serves 4

Happy Thanksgiving, Mr. President

I was enthralled by the story yesterday in the food section of the New York Times about Marilyn Monroe's recipe for Thanksgiving stuffing. What a fabulous bit of sleuthing by authors Matt and Ted Lee to determine the origin of the recipe.   In a new book called "Fragments" -- a collection of letters, poems, and "scribblings" of Ms. Monroe's from 1943 to 1962 -- resides a poignant reminder of a real life: a handwritten recipe for stuffing a turkey or chicken. Amazing in its complexity, it is quirky and voluptuous, and much like the cook herself.

But more interesting for me, on a personal level, is that the book highlights Monroe's life when she was married to Arthur Miller and a student of Lee Strasberg at the Actor's Studio, predominantly in the late '50's.  Some 15 years later, right after graduating Tufts University, I decided to open a catering business out of my small apartment in midtown Manhattan.  I called it "Catering Artistique."  My boyfriend at the time was a terrific actor and I, a very bad actress. Instead I set my sights on cooking and wound up with a roster of clients including politicians, (infamous) lawyers, and theatre people.  Among them were Lee and Anna Strasberg.  They hired me many times to cook their holiday meals and be their "go-to" girl for cocktail parties and intimate gatherings. I cooked mostly at their apartment on the upper west side.  It had a homey kitchen with a famous back door.  And you would never know who would walk in (or out) at a moment's notice.  Most often it was Al Pacino who lived in the building.   Sometimes I did the event solo, or with my boyfriend Lee. Decked out with a white shirt, black bow tie, and black pants, he would play the starring role that evening as he acted as a waiter -- just waiting, someday, to be an actor.  It was hard not to swoon at all of it during those evenings, rubbing elbows with the theatre's most humble glitterati.  And it was impossible not to think of what those evening's would have been like -- if Marilyn had walked through the kitchen door.

Marilyn's stuffing according to the Lee's, has 11 ingredients plus five herbs and spices.  The recipe I offer below, which I created for the holiday issue of Real Food magazine, is far simpler, radically so, and unlike Ms. Monroe's recipe, has a whiff of garlic.   There are surprising similarities however --my recipe is also a bit "Italian-inspired" and also includes nuts, almonds, rosemary and parmesan cheese.  Here's a sneak preview:

Almond, Rosemary and Panko “Stuffing” This modern stuffing has an old-fashioned taste because of traditional flavors of celery,  onion and rosemary.  But the twist is the use of panko breadcrumbs (in addition to bread slices), sliced almonds, and a liberal amount of nutty, sweet Parmigiano-Reggiano.  This “stuffing,” baked outside of the turkey’s cavity, can be assembled early in the day, and refrigerated in the large baking dish which will later be heated alongside the turkey.   You may add slivers of prosciutto to the mix if desired.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 cups coarsely chopped onion

2 teaspoons dried basil leaves

2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano

1 cup sliced almonds

2 cups panko

5 slices firm white bread, cut into ½-inch squares

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 extra-large eggs

1-3/4 cups chicken stock

1 large clove garlic

1 tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary

Melt 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in 4-quart pot.  Add celery and onion and cook, stirring, over high heat for 10 minutes until soft.  Add basil, oregano, and almonds and cook 2 minutes.   Stir in panko and bread squares and cook 2 minutes until coated.   Transfer stuffing to large shallow baking dish.  Stir in cheese, salt and pepper to taste.   Beat together eggs and chicken stock.  Add garlic, pushed through a press.  Pour over bread mixture.  Mix well.  Stir in rosemary and dot with remaining butter.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.  Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown and crispy, about 1-1/2 hours.   Serves 8

Cookbooks Are Us

As many of you know, when Gourmet Library was suddenly shuttered, there remained a scholarly collection of more than 3500 cookbooks whose fate was undetermined.  Within the food community there was great concern about what was to happen.  Either someone buys the collection or regrettably the collection would be  broken up and each book sold for $4. The real value in keeping books together is their "curated content"  (a phrase I learned yesterday at the Publishers Weekly seminar).  I had the opportunity, and honor, to be the one to buy the collection and donate it to New York University in honor of my beautiful mother, Marion Gold.  She was the one who encouraged me, at a time when women were anathema in professional kitchens, to pursue my passion.   In 1976 I dropped out of graduate school (at New York University, no less!) and cooked in any kitchen that would have me. In 1978, I became, at age 23, the first chef to New York Mayor Ed Koch and lived in Gracie Mansion. And yes, it all started with a cookbook.  One that I carried around with me since I was five.  I don't think it was the "Joy of Cooking" but a simple "Golden Book" my mother had given me.  How I long to have that book in my library at home!  As I learned yesterday, cookbook sales are steady and strong, despite the millions of recipes available on the Internet.  I encourage you to read the lovely comment made yesterday by "Barn" (see comments below.) It best describes the reason there will always be a market for cookbooks.  For it is the experience we crave, not merely the mechanics of preparing a dish.

She says, "There isn't anything I enjoyed more after a long day than a cookbook on my lap and a cup of tea by my side.  As I flipped through the pages carefully considering each recipe, not only did I visualize myself cooking the dish when I would eventually get the time, but as I read the list of ingredients I could taste it."  Thank you, Barn, for sharing that.

So, too, are some of my happiest moments, even to this day.  Curled up in bed reading a book -- one of those special ones that creates a sense of longing and connects us to some ancient hunger.

I also want to thank Gerd Stern who commented on the inclusion of Neruda in my poem, for Mr. Stern is one of the great poets and multi-media artists alive today. And if that's not enough, he was also president of the American Cheese Society.  A man after my own heart.

What I learned yesterday:  The average cookbook has 225 recipes.  In order for cookbook publishing to thrive, publishers need to monetize recipes outside the book.  E-books are definitely on their way into our kitchens but their quality must be improved.  Will Schwalbe, founder and CEO of Cookstr.com, said that the real competition of cookbooks was Jet Blue, Dr. Spock, and the local gym.  People don't read on planes anymore (they watch the news); parents actually spend time with their kids (and aren't reading), and they spend their free time at the gym (and aren't reading.)  The future?  People will have very sophisticated, high-quality printers at home and will be able to print books at a moment's notice.

Your turn:  Let me know which cookbook -- old or new -- has brought you the most pleasure.

Dish of the day:  In honor of Gerd, this is one of the most delicious cheese and fruit combinations I've discovered: Aged Gouda (as old as you can find it) and moist, fleshy Medjool dates.

Enjoy!

The Future of Cookbooks

I'm off and running this morning to an early presentation on the future of cookbook publishing.  Oy! According to Publishers Weekly, millions of home cooks to go FoodNetwork.com, AllRecipes.com and Epicurious.com every day to access free recipes from a variety of credible (and not so credible) sources.  Where does that leave cookbook publishers, many of whom are sitting on vast troves of recipes that have never been published online?  This morning, a panel of experts will illuminate the various ways publishers will begin to use the Web and apps to monetize their cookbook content. As someone who has created thousands of recipes over the years -- for magazines, newspapers, 12 cookbooks, as well as multi-starred restaurants, it will be fascinating to learn their fate...not to mention mine! But cookbooks, or at least some of them, contain far more than recipes.  Great cookbooks are much more than the sum of their parts.  Too often they are merely judged on a single recipe's outcome rather than the philosophy behind the approach or the connective tissue that makes a book whole -- and not just a collection.  You may even be surprised to know that many of my cookbooks contain touch points of real literature -- poetry,memoir, fictional essays, historical non-fiction, and theory.

So here's a poem from Desserts 1-2-3. Desserts 1-2-3 Pablo Neruda wrote odes to life; To nature, to love, to the sun,

I prefer writing odes to sweets, and worship them one by one.

Crème brûlée takes your breath away when it shatters the quiet below,

And chocolate soufflé topped with chocolate sorbet can sweeten most any woe.

In happier days, à la mode was the vogue and crowned many an apple pie.

But today it is sleek, and undoubtedly chic, to find them side by side.

For some of you chocolate gives meaning to life, for others it merely suffices.

Whether a pro or a rookie, in a truffle or cookie, chocolate is great in a crisis.

"Simple pleasures are life's greatest treasures," Neruda once whispered to me.

He then kissed my hand and gave me a pan, and slowly counted to three. by Rozanne Gold

And here's a recipe to celebrate the day. All-Chocolate Velvet Tart (from Radically Simple) This extremely elegant dessert can be assembled in less than 20 minutes.  Let it sit in the fridge until just firm, and serve with crème fraiche.

5 ounces chocolate graham crackers 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup heavy cream 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon crème de cassis or 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 1 cup crème fraiche

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter a 9-inch fluted removable-bottom tart pan.  Combine the graham crackers and 4 tablespoons butter in a food processor.  Pulverize until finely ground.  Pack the crumbs into the pan to form an even bottom crust.  Bake 10 minutes.  Bring the cream just to a boil in a large saucepan.  Reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes.  Add the chocolate and stir constantly over low heat until melted.  Stir in the cocoa, cassis, and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.  Pour into the crumb crust; refrigerate 45 minutes or until just firm.   Serve with crème fraiche.  Serves 10 or more.

** Be sure to leave a comment below to be entered to win an autographed copy of Radically Simple! One winner will be chosen at random. Increase your chances to win by commenting here and on my facebook fan page wall. Good luck!**

The Window Box

One of the most special presents I ever received was an enormous window box made for me by my husband. It hangs outside the window of my brownstone kitchen where it soaks up the sun and, sometimes, too much rain.  Once the entire bottom of the box fell out and lots of dirt (and precious herbs!) landed in our backyard garden.  But my beloved husband simply made me another which has lasted for years and whose contents are thriving. I'm not much of a gardener but overlooking my neighbor's trees, flowers and well-manicured gardens, I am the master of my herbs.  What a pleasure to pick off tiny leaves of fresh thyme, to add sprigs of fresh mint to any dessert in a moment's notice, or muddle a few for a warm peppermint tea. More pleasure still from crumbling fragrant rosemary into a soup or stew, or to mix sweet-smelling lavender with goat cheese and spinach and stuff it under the skin of a chicken.

One of my most requested recipes was a result, however, of the abundance of basil in that window box years ago.  Salmon with pesto and pistachios has been copied by chefs and made by home cooks alike since 1996 -- when I first introduced the dish.  I simply slather a thick tranche of fatty salmon or voluptuous Chilean sea bass with homemade pesto and thickly blanket the top with freshly-ground pistachios.   It is virtually fool-proof and can even be made with a good-quality prepared pesto if you have no time to make your own.

I like to serve the fish with lemony mashed potatoes (you can use your own favorite recipe and add lots of freshly grated zest and a bit of lemon juice)  and a pile of something  I call green bean "fries."  Sometimes I serve a platter of "melted tomatoes" (from Recipes 1-2-3) alongside. Open a bottle of sauvignon blanc -- one of those crisp, delicious ones from New Zealand or South Africa.

Chilean Sea Bass with Pistachio-Pesto Crust & Green Bean "Fries" This is also great made with fresh salmon.   Make your own pesto (see below) or use the best-quality store-bought -- fresh, bright green and herbaceous.

4 thick Chilean sea bass, or salmon, fillets (about 7 ounces each) 2/3 cup pesto (made from fresh basil) 1/2 cup finely ground pistachios 12 ounces green beans, trimmed 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Season the fish with salt and pepper and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet.  Spread fillet with pesto, about 2-1/2 tablespoons, to cover completely.  Pat the pistachios heavily on the pesto to form a crust.  Drizzle the green beans with the oil and sprinkle with salt.  Place around the fish.  Roast for 16 minutes, until the fish is just firm.  Grate lemon zest on top.  Cut the lemon into wedges and serve with the fish and beans.  Serves 4

Pesto Presto 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, washed and dried well 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 6 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons pine nuts 1 large clove garlic

Put the basil in a food processor with the cheese, oil, pine nuts, and garlic.  Process until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Daylight Savings

I may be one of those "light sensitive" people because I begin to shudder at the eclipsing of the sun, day by day, then minute by minute -- until such time, at the end of December -- when day (as defined by the presence of light) -- ends at 4:20 p.m., or earlier! I feel bad for kids whose joy is diminished from playing outside, for older folks who "don't drive at night," and for myself who turns a bit inward when darkness arrives prematurely. The solution? Turn up the lights and the music and...start cooking! Since my husband is away on a business trip (he is creating five restaurants for a new hotel in northern India, but is headed for Singapore where the design firm is located) I will make a radically simple recipe I learned in Asia, accompanied by jasmine rice and stir-fried cabbage (made from yesterday's enormous head of leftover cabbage). My daughter and I (and any unexpected guests!) will finish with a dessert guaranteed to restore the sunshine zapped by today's encroaching darkness. How about a wobbly, tropical, bright yellow, pineapple flan, fashioned from only three ingredients? It will make you smile.

Asian Chicken with Scallions There are few more interesting or radically delicious ways to prepare chicken. You can use large bone-in chicken breasts halves with skin, about 10-ounces each, or large bone-in chicken thighs. You may marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours but I will marinate mine this morning and it will be ready for dinner tonight at 7:30 p.m. (about 8 hours of marinating.) And ssshhh...don't tell anyone that the secret ingredient is Thai fish sauce! In summer you may do this on the grill, but it is perfect cooked in a very hot oven.

4 large, bone-in chicken breast halves, with skin, about 10 ounces each 1/4 cup Thai fish sauce 4 large scallions 1 large clove garlic

Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise. Place in a bowl and pour the fish sauce over. Discard the top 2 inches of the scallions. Cut the remainder into 1/4-inch pieces. Add to the chicken with the garlic, pushed through a press. Toss and cover and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Lift the chicken from the fish sauce, allowing some of the scallions to remain. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 12 minutes, until just cooked through. Turn the oven to broil and broil the chicken 2 minutes, until golden. Serves 4

Amazing Pineapple Flan Here, just three ingredients--eggs, sugar and pineapple juice -- form a luscious, creamy (but creamless) custard bathed in caramel.

1 cup sugar 4 extra-large eggs, plus 4 extra-large egg yolks 1 cups unsweetened pineapple juice fresh mint sprigs or edible flowers for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 375. Melt 1/2 cup sugar in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, 3 minutes, until a clear amber caramel forms. Carefully divide among 5 (5-ounce) custard cups. Place the cups in a deep baking dish. Using an electric mixer, beat the whole eggs and yolks. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat 1 minute; beat in the pineapple juice. Divide mixture among the custard cups. Add 2 inches boiling water to the baking dish. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until firm. Remove the cups from the pan and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until very cold. Unmold onto plates and garnish. Serves 5

Ultimate Comfort

My 14-year old daughter loves "cabbage and noodles" as much as I did as a child.  She insists she wants to eat it every day of the year. Cabbage!  But Shayna is merely following in the footsteps of an ancient history -- the one that connects generations through food and recipes. For more than 50 years my mother and I expressed our deep connection by cooking special things for each other all the time.  We used to derive the greatest pleasure by surprising the other with her favorite dish.  In my case, my mother made me cabbage and noodles -- a homey Hungarian standard that she, too, ate in her childhood.  It was our ultimate comfort food and I never knew exactly when a steamy, buttery bowl would make an appearance on her dining room table.  Until the day she died, I delighted in its random offering and in the joy she showed in preparing it.  My mother would always say, "It's not as good as the last time," but it always was. I have learned that some recipes, even more than photographs, provide the most intimate transfer of information from mother to daughter. As victims of a horrendous time in history, most of our Hungarian relatives never made it through World War II.  This simple dish is a witness to our past.  It is a poignant conduit of things unspoken.

Sometime in 1930, somewhere in Astoria, Queens, my maternal grandfather and great-grandmother (whose wedding ring I wear) opened a Hungarian restaurant that featured...cabbage and noodles.  Naturally. Sometime in the mid-90's I had an epiphany:  It was the moment I realized that this complex-tasting, deeply satisfying dish was made with only three ingredients.

Marion Gold's Cabbage and Noodles My mother was gorgeous, inside and out.  More Zsa Zsa than Julia in the kitchen, she cooked her heart out and still managed to look glamorous. The goal in making her special dish is to squeeze the water from shredded cabbage after it is salted and left to wilt and then to "melt" it in sweet butter until it is transformed into dark golden strands.  It can be served as a first course or as a felicitous side dish with pot roast or roast chicken; or it can be eaten all by itself on wistful days.

3-pound compact head of green cabbage 1 stick unsalted butter 12 ounces wide egg noodles

kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core.  With a sharp knife, shred the cabbage into 1/8-inch thick slices.  Place cabbage in a large colander and sprinkle with 1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt.  Toss well.  Cover with a plate and put a heavy object on it (a filled tea kettle) to weight it down.  Put the colander in a pan to collect any liquid or set it in the sink.  Let sit 4 to 6 hours.  Press down hard and squeeze the cabbage with your hands to extract as much water as possible.  Melt the butter in a very large skillet and add the cabbage.  Cook over medium-high heat for almost 1 hour, until the cabbage is very soft and dark brown.  Cover from time to time to help soften it. Add salt at this point, if needed.  Cook the noodles in a large pot of salted rapidly boiling water.  Cook until tender and drain very well.  Add cooked noodles to the cabbage and heat gently.  Add freshly ground black pepper.  Serves 4

Star Fish

Ben Sargent, a friend for years, is known by many "names" -- including Hurricane Hopeful and the Surfer/Chowder Dude, if you get the idea. But I like Star Fish.  Ben's new show called "Hook, Line & Dinner" debuted on the Cooking Channel last night.  This hour show, which aired at 9 p.m., was both travelogue (from the streets of Brooklyn to the seashore of Maine) and cooking show and I learned a lot.  It was fun to see how one seduces an eel and edifying  to watch the back-breaking work involved in digging for clams.   Ben is passionate about the sea, the people, and the creatures who inhabit that landscape.  And if any of it, or them, can be eaten, so much the better.  Ben has made chowder in my kitchen and I loved watching him work.  I also enjoyed watching him, not long ago, in another television series "Art Race across America" -- where Ben had to create art in exchange for food.  He began in California and worked his way back home (to Brooklyn.)  Clearly, he's fearless.  But he's also confident, funny and warm and quite attached to his Yankee roots.  That's where we really connect. My father grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts and one of his favorite activities when we were kids was to buy a dozen lobsters and cook them in his lobster  pot in our apartment in Queens.  Lobsters were only .99 cents a pound in those days.  My dad had a special way of cooking them, in water as salty as the sea. We ate them all weekend long.   I loved to watch his huge hands break down a lobster into delectable morsels (the knuckle meat was his favorite.) My handsome dad could also crush a lobster claw with his bare hands.  He was, after all, a full back for the University of Tennessee and scored the winning touchdown in the Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1, 1943. (I have the football.)  After that he was drafted by the Washington Redskins. (I have the contract.)  It all came to a screeching halt sometime in his 20's because of shin-splints and residual war injuries -- but the lobster weekends continued forever, clarified butter and all.

In Radically Simple, I share an updated recipe for lobster.

Salt-Water Lobsters, Healthy Drawn Butter Calling the drawn butter "healthy" is a bit of an exaggeration, but it is better for you and lower in saturated fats than the unadulterated stuff.  The secret is to mix olive oil with a small amount of melted salted butter and spices.

3 live lobsters, 1-3/4 pounds each 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne 4 tablespoons salted butter

Fill a very large pot two-thirds full with very salty water.  Bring to a rapid boil.  Plunge the lobsters into the pot, head first.  Cover and quickly return to a boil. Once boiling, cook the lobsters for 12 minutes over high heat.  Transfer to a platter and let cool 5 minutes.  Split the lobsters in half through the undersides.Mix together the olive oil, paprika, and cayenne.  Melt the butter and skim off the white foam.  Stir the butter into the oil and serve alongside hot lobsters.  Serves 3 or 6 St

Things You Can Count On

There are so many things in life you can count on.  Certain friendships, finding chicken and Lipton tea in the grocery store, and relying on your "go-to" restaurant.  You know, the place where they smile when you enter, give you the best table, and where the chef comes out before your guest arrives and chats you up.  It's not the best restaurant in your repertoire, nor the fanciest, or plainest.  It's consistent enough with a few razzle-dazzle dishes and showy decor to make it feel fresh every time you go.  But much like the mid-term elections, lunch yesterday was a disaster. The experience brought out the worst in me; perhaps it began when the waiter told me that Grüner Veltliner was a French wine (it's not, it's Austrian), and suggested that I opt for a very pricey chardonnay instead.  Maybe it was the 1 hour and 15-minute wait for the main course when we were one of the first tables to arrive.  Maybe it was because I wanted my friend, one of those friendships I count on, to be happy and impressed and satisfied with her meal.  Being "an insider" in the restaurant world makes it difficult sometimes because the flaws are so evident and...preventable.  But knowing the vicissitudes of the industry also makes me a much more appreciative, generous, and patient customer.  I know you'd never know it by this little rant.  I won't divulge the name of the restaurant but would advise the general manager never to pull out a chair and sit down at a customer's table.  Especially when she's cranky.

I won't divulge the name of my friend, either, except to say that she is one of the most generous women I know.  There is never a time that I'm with her that I don't learn something -- about being a mother (she has 3 beautiful daughters), about books for children, about famous authors, about diplomacy, about graciousness and gratitude.  She's also funny.  After hunting for the lamb in her lamb salad (after a good 10 minutes), she declared "here it is!  Everything's okay."

And speaking of things to count on, we all need a recipe, or two, that work.  Here's one from Radically Simple that was featured yesterday in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. And be sure to click here to "like" me on Facebook and enter to win a free autographed copy of Radically Simple!

Sauteed Chicken With Roasted Grapes and Grape Demiglace Makes 4 servings

3/4 pound small red or black seedless grapes 3/4 pound small seedless green grapes 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, divided use 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (each, 8 ounces) 1/4 cup minced fresh chives

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the grapes from their stems. Put half of the grapes on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast 1 hour, turning after 30 minutes.  Puree the uncooked grapes in a blender until very smooth. Strain through a sieve, pressing down hard on the skins.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook 4 minutes on each side. Add the grape juice and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the juice becomes syrupy, 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Add the remaining butter to the pan and cook, stirring over high heat, 1 minute. Add the roasted grapes and cook 1 minute longer. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with chives.

Change of Plans

Life is what happens when you're making other plans, right?  And so my little dinner party last night never happened.  My star guest was feeling very under the weather and begged for another invite.  No problem. Instead, Bob (the one writing Julia Child's biography) and I decided to attend the book launch at Chelsea Market for Amanda Hesser, Melissa Clark and Dorie Greenspan.  Three women I admire tremendously.  I am close friends with Dorie whose new book Around My French Table is a gem.  Ditto Melissa Clark's charming new book and Amanda's awesomely updated New York Times Cookbook.  All three divas signed their books and Dorie made cookies to give away. The event was a "charity do" with proceeds going to the impressive "Wellness in the Schools" program.   Lots of chefs were there to not only lend support but to ply with us with some tasty offerings -- we loved the pizza from Frankie's 347 -- made with puntarelle, anchovy and lemon.  And the pickled devilled eggs from Gramercy were interesting as well -- sour, salty and sweet.  Delicious yogurt-coated lamb meatballs, too. Saw lots of food friends -- Molly O'Neill, Florence Fabricant, Bill Telepan, and chef Michael Anthony from Gramercy.  Hundreds of young passionate foodies as well -- drinking beer and egg creams from Russ & Daughters -- vigorously stirred by Nicki -- the beautiful proprietress of the famed appetizing store.  No wine though -- so Bob and I bought a bottle of Cotes du Rhone at the Chelsea Wine Vault next door and divvied it out to anyone who was in need -- like us.

So who ate the "opinionated way to roast a chicken" and the Moroccan-inspired carrot puree?  My husband and daughter, naturally.  She also enjoyed the Valrhona chocolate bar from the goody bag I brought home.

And speaking of chocolate...

Want to try a fascinating flavor combo?  Try this one from Radically Simple...

Chocolate, Parmigiano-Reggiano & Red Grapes I use this tasting plate as a "pre-dessert."  It stimulates conversation as well as your brain.  Use 62 percent semisweet chocolate.  Tasted with the grapes, the chocolate takes on cherry overtones; with the cheese, it finds a soul mate, and the cheese brings out wine-y notes in the chocolate.

4-ounce piece Parmigiano-Reggiano 4-ounce bar 62% top-quality semisweet chocolate 4 small clumps red seedless grapes

Arrange 1 ounce of cheese and 1 ounce chocolate on each of 4 plates; add grapes.  Serves 4

Election Day Dinner

Happy election day. Don't forget to vote. And while you're in the neighborhood, why not find a neighbor, or two, to invite to dinner! If that sounds daunting, try making dinner from my new book Radically Simple. I will be doing that this evening. A new friend, Helen, is coming for dinner. She works for one of New York's top PR agencies that represents some of the country's most important celebrity chefs and restaurants. She lives near my home in Park Slope, Brooklyn yet we have never gotten together. We just seem to run into each other at book parties and on the subway platform. We're excited she's coming. Later this morning, I will also be inviting another new friend, Bob, who is currently writing "the" definitive book on the life of Julia Child. He and his wife live around the corner, but she is leaving tonight for Morocco with a group of girlfriends. Although Bob is a great cook and can definitely fend for himself, I'm hoping he feels like being social. We'll no doubt talk politics and that conversation will invariably swerve to...food. It always does.

And what are we having for dinner? You can simply scroll down to the bottom of my blog where you'll see some of the simplest recipes imaginable from my new book (it's only a week old!) Yes, we'll have Beet Soup with Lemon Crème fraîche. I think I'll make some fennel-cumin flatbreads to accompany it. With that, we'll have an interesting white wine from Argentina -- an unusual combination of chardonnay and ugni blanc -- the latter being the grape used for making cognac. Next, we'll have the most radical version of roast chicken -- roasted stark naked (the bird, that is!) -- with salt and pepper added only at the end. I'll give it a chef flourish of a foaming butter sauce flecked with chopped chives and a smashed garlic clove. We'll have an enlightened version of scalloped potatoes, made with half & half (instead of heavy cream), gruyere and fresh thyme. And what did I just invent this morning? A Moroccan-inspired carrot puree made with ground coriander, cumin and a pinch of chipotle. We'll open a bottle of Malbec, also from Argentina, to accompany the main course.

Dessert? My "Little Black Dress" Chocolate Cake. It's made with only 4 ingredients, is flourless, and bakes in 18 minutes. Top with raspberries and a one-ingredient creme anglaise: It doesn't get more radical, or simple, than that.

Creamy Potato Gratin with Gruyere & Thyme A gratin refers to the golden, epicurean crust that forms on the surface of savory baked dishes. Here, pungent Gruyere cheese acts as a protective layer, preventing potatoes from drying out.

2-1/2 pounds Yukon gold or all-purpose potatoes 3 cups half-and-half 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, in one piece 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the potatoes and slice paper-thin. Put the potatoes in a 4-quart pot with the half-and-half, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes begin to soften, 15 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the cheese on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer the potatoes and cream to a shallow ovenproof baking dish (the cream will not cover the potatoes.) Press down with a spatula; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon thyme and cover with the cheese. Bake 40 minutes, until golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining thyme. Serves 8

Enjoy dinner.  Hope your candidate wins!

Healthy Yummy Dishes

It is a chilly beginning to the first day of November, having dipped into the '30s overnight.  And so I was especially warmed by this note and photo I received when I turned my computer on this morning.  The "recipe book" referred to is "Eat Fresh Food: Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs." It was published last year by Bloomsbury and has recently gone into another printing.  I love this book because I did not write it alone.  I had the help of a team of young chefs who helped create, shape, and cook the recipes.  Nothing went into the book that wasn't "teen-tasted."  With all the conversation these days about childhood obesity and getting kids to eat healthier, it is this part of the equation that is most often ignored:  The food needs to taste delicious and to appeal to the taste preferences of teens.  This cannot be done in a vacuum by chefs who don't include kids and teens in the process. Teen-friendly recipes also need to be "blessed" by a nutritionist who can help balance the critical nutritional  factors that make a recipe "healthy."  Helen Kimmel, MS, RD, did an awesome job in determining what to alter to make each recipe nutritionally sound.  We do not believe that kids should "eat by numbers" (meaning calories, carbs, etc.) but that, overall, each recipe should focus on fresh, unprocessed ingredients and be low in saturated fats.  For more information, take a look at this wonderful article written by Jane Brody in the Science section of the New York Times  and enjoy the numerous comments about the book on Amazon by parents and teens alike.

I am looking at the photo to determine what's on Tabbie and Kimberly's table!  I see a bowl of Carrot-Ginger-Tomato Soup (that gets garnished with crispy fried carrot tops! -- see recipe below) and Juicy Chicken with Roasted Spaghetti Squash, created by my daughter Shayna.  It's a real crowd-pleaser.

Months ago, I had the pleasure of being one of the chefs to congregate on the White House lawn to hear about Michele Obama's initiative regarding childhood obesity and the myriad health concerns associated with it -- i.e. childhood diabetes and heart disease.  I say that the issue of "self-esteem" also needs to be addressed and the importance of cultural food preferences in families.  But with all the complexity surrounding this important topic, I say there is one message that is simple enough:  Eat Fresh Food.

Enjoy your day. Dear Ms. Gold,

My name is Tabbie and my friend and I, Kimberly made some dishes using your recipe book. We made them for our family and friends over the summer. We enjoyed your recipes, I hope another one comes out with more delicious dishes. Thanks! :)

CARROT-GINGER-TOMATO SOUP  -- from Eat Fresh Food:  Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs While carrot-ginger soups have become commonplace, this one enlivened with tomato, tastes a bit mysterious and especially fabulous.  Fresh ginger adds a background of "heat" and flavor.  I top it with crispy wisps of fried carrot tops.  Serves 4 or 51 large bunch fresh carrots with green tops (about 12 ounces carrots)

1 large baking potato, about 8 ounces

2 large garlic cloves, peeled 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger 2 large shallots, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup tomato sauce or tomato puree 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Peel the carrots (saving green tops for later) and the potato.  Cut into 1-inch pieces and put in a 3-quart pot.  Add garlic, ginger and shallots. Add 4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a rapid boil.  Lower the heat to medium and cover.  Cook 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a food processor with half the cooking liquid.  Blend until smooth, slowly adding the remaining cooking liquid.  Process until very smooth and add the  tomato sauce and butter.  Return to the saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Simmer 10 minutes; add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with crispy carrot tops!

Fried Carrot Tops:

1/4 cup lacy green carrot tops

Wash carrot tops and dry well.  Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet until hot.  Carefully add the carrot tops and fry for 30 second or until crispy and bright green.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.  Sprinkle with salt.

Happy Halloween

I woke up with a terrible headache. Just before going to bed, I ate half a large bag of candy corn.  It's my guilty once-a-year pleasure. And in that spirit, I begin to blog on Halloween day 2010. This very "farm-to-table time" of year is one of the most transitional times in cooking.  Slowly disappearing are the brightest hues of the color spectrum -- vivid tomato reds, sharp basil greens, and sunny corn yellows -- are gradually replaced by the gold, russet, ochre shades of roots and the paler tones of brussels sprouts, and other harbingers of winter.  The "winter whites" I call them -- cauliflower, turnips, parsnips, even horseradish.  I love them all. But let's not rush so quickly.  Yesterday at the farmer's market up the street from my house, located in Park Slope's Grand Army Plaza, was the most riotous offering of summer's last gasp  -- the bounty of the summer of 2010 -- all clamoring for attention.  My best friend, food maven Arthur Schwartz, who lives just a few blocks away was seduced to a farethewell.  "I bought way too much food," he reported after his morning visit.  And then...so did I.  I couldn't resist just one last tomato salad -- this time it was what I affectionately call a "Stoplight Tomato Salad" made with red, green and yellow tomatoes, topped with a shower of shaved ricotta salata and a simple dressing of olive oil, garlic, sea salt, and a splash of sherry vinegar.  I found some corn and made a corn soup -- the last I'm sure I'll savor this year -- and topped it with slivers of Granny smith apple.  I bought the biggest head of broccoli I've seen in a long time and will steam its florets and toss them bits of sauteed red onions, blue cheese and mint (recipe below).

Then at night, when the ghosts and goblins have gone, and the shaving cream and broken egg shells have been swept away, I will finish the bag of candy corn with my daughter.

Happy Halloween.

Steamed Broccoli with Blue Cheese, Red Onions & Mint This is such a pleasure to make and then eat with a steak or...instead of a steak!

2 large or 1 very large head broccoli 2 large red onions 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling 6 ounces good blue cheese, crumbled 2/3 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped

Bring a pot of water fitted with a steamer basket to a rapid boil.  Cut the broccoli into florets with 2 inches of stem.  Add the broccoli to the steamer basket, cover and steam 10 minutes, until tender but still bright green.  Cut the onions in half through the root ends and thinly slice lengthwise.  Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook over high heat until soft, dark brown, and crispy, 10 minutes.  Transfer the broccoli to a large bowl.  Add the onions, cheese, and mint. Toss, adding salt, pepper and additional olive oil.  Serve slightly warm.  Serves 4