Solstice eating
This week on Table Talk: A conversation on summer solstice feasting.
| Table Talk with Kim O'Donnel - June 18, 2009 | (06/18/2009) |
| 9:52 | Kim ODonnel: Good morning from Seattle! We'll be back at the top of the hour to talk about summer solstice feast ideas and celebrating all things summer. See you in a flash. |
| 10:02 | Kim ODonnel: Hey folks, we got LOTS to talk about today. The summer solstice kicks off this weekend -- 10:45 pm. PT Sat nite and 1:45 am Sunday am. Sunday is Father's Day. Strawberries are here. Let's dig in. |
| 10:04 | Kim ODonnel: By the way, are any of you Eating Down the Fridge?
That's the other big thing going on. The challenge gets going this weekend, with guest bloggers from all over filing dispatches on their adventures. Anyone game? |
| 10:06 | Kim ODonnel: This week, I made a killer batch of strawberry frozen yogurt -- so darn easy, i was really surprised. And popping w/ flavor. |
| 10:07 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
Solstice food to me mean big flavor and lots of veggies. I'll be using mint, cilantro, basil, eggplant, tomato, onions and garlic, I'm just not quite sure how. For Father's Day we go to the redwoods and I'll be making Banana Slug Turnovers. I |
| 10:07 | Kim ODonnel: Ok, LInear Girl, you can't get away with mentioning Banana Slug Turnovers, without explaining what they are! |
| 10:07 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
I'll fill the turnovers with various things, but to make them Banana Slugs, I'll put saffron in the dough and make them slightly elongated. |
| 10:08 | [Comment From Lizka ]
It seems that starwberry time here in NoVA is just about over and just when I was starting to get into my groove with fun and different ways to use them - this always happens to me. What should I be looking for coming up soon that I can start dreaming about now, so I'll be ready when they are here? |
| 10:09 | Kim ODonnel: Let's see, Lizka, have you played with garlic scapes yet? Fruitwise, you should be seeing cherries, raspberries, maybe apricots. You probably won't see peaches for a month or more, depending on the weather. Melons a while longer too. Peas -- have you found peas? |
| 10:10 | [Comment From GirlScoutMom ]
Eggplant reminds me--my Mom & I were at the Lebanese Taverna this week and tried something new: shashluky. It was eggplant & green onion, lots of olive oil and pomagranate molasses. Probably peppers, too. I tried to improvise it myself and came sorta close. Anyone have a recipe for that? |
| 10:11 | Kim ODonnel: Oh, that's something you can easily improv, Girl Scout Mom. I'll take a look in my books, see what I can find for you. By the way, have you made muhammara? |
| 10:12 | Kim ODonnel: When it comes to solstice, I keep thinking maybe a raw menu is in order, to honor the sun. What think? |
| 10:12 | [Comment From GirlScoutMom ]
No, that's a new one, too! We usually don't get past the falafel, hummos and baba ganoush. So much food, so little time! |
| 10:12 | Kim ODonnel: Hang on, I have a recipe. It's a goodie! |
| 10:14 | [Comment From Lizka ]
Sad story about peas - my husband kept picking up peas at Whole Foods, so I was sick of them when they came out at the farmers market. He tries to get in the local groove, but sometimes he can't help getting caught up. Re garlic scrapes - yes I just started using them this year after reading all the fuss in your blog last year and I love them - how long do we see them for? |
| 10:15 | Kim ODonnel: Scapes will be around for just a few more weeks -- it's one of those things that represents a certain growth period in the life of the garlic plant. You may see til early July. |
| 10:15 | [Comment From redweather ]
kim i made dorrie's garlic scape pesto last night for an early father's day dinner, and i think it was a hit. i had to make a special version with just scapes and olive oil for my fella, who isn't able to eat dairy or nuts ATM. |
| 10:16 | Kim ODonnel: It's great that there are so many variations out now for pesto -- with various nuts, without cheese, with diff. kinds of herbs. By the way, you see my notes this week for cilantro pesto? |
| 10:16 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
GirlScoutMom - I'm with you - I always have such a recipe backlog. I think I'm meant to cook for hordes, but it's just my guy and me. I'm not much of a party person, but I host them just so that I get to cook! |
| 10:17 | Kim ODonnel: Cilantro Pesto -- killer sandwich spread! I've been eating it all week.
|
| 10:17 | [Comment From GirlScoutMom ]
Mmmm, looks interesting! Looks like it will be worth picking up some of that pomegranate molasses. (That was probably the reason mine wasn't close enough. Lingonberry concentrate was the best I could do.) |
| 10:18 | Kim ODonnel: Pomegranate molasses is a great pantry staple. A little bit is great when braising greens, by the way. |
| 10:18 | [Comment From redweather ]
haha, i just cleaned out my recipe backlog when i finally hosed down my kitchen last weekend. thinking of starting a file called "aspirations recipes..." |
| 10:18 | Kim ODonnel: I love the name, "aspirations recipes!" Please, do it. |
| 10:18 | [Comment From Lizka ]
Can you give suggestions for using those fruits you say are on the way in meals? I love them w/ yogurt or granola and of course, by themselves, but I'm not such a big dessert person. |
| 10:19 | Kim ODonnel: Grill peaches and/or apricots and throw into salads. Particularly good with bitter greens, like arugula, frisee, mizuna. Raspberries are GREAT in salads, too -- and you can make a vinaigrette from berries to boot! |
| 10:20 | [Comment From Lizka ]
Regarding recipies that I want to make but never do - I have a word doc that I copy these into from WaPo, Kim's blog, etc, etc. and it's over 100 pages long. The number of recipes I've actually gotten around to making - not nearly that many. |
| 10:20 | Kim ODonnel: Oh my goodness, Lizka. That reminds me, I need to update my recipe database. After 3-plus years of writing every day, the pages do add up. |
| 10:21 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
Where does one get pomegranate molasses? I've never seen it. I just recently came across a Penzey's store hen visiting my sister and I picked up the Aleppo you mention - now I have something to make with it. Thanks for the recipe. |
| 10:21 | Kim ODonnel: Do you have a Middle Eastern grocery in your midst? That'd be my first choice. You can also find online via Adrian's Caravan, I believe. |
| 10:22 | [Comment From redweather ]
i read that you can make stock with the woody ends of asparagus that would otherwise get composted.... i have some from last night: does anyone have a recipe/tips/experience? i've never made stock. |
| 10:22 | Kim ODonnel: Redweather, I've never made stock from asparagus stalks, but I'm intrigued. Usually, I make from dark green parts of leeks, parsley stems, black peppercorns, a few whole cloves of garlic, a quartered onion... |
| 10:24 | Kim ODonnel: I just remembered. My husband's birthday is this Sunday, too! What a jam packed weekend. He's requested Chocolate Guinness Cake
What about rest of meal? |
| 10:25 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
redweather - I make vegetable stock all the time, and by all means throw in the asparagus ends if you'll be using the stock with asparagus. I generally make veg stock as I'm prepping vegetables for whatever I'm cooking that night. My advice is to not cook the stock too long, maybe a half-hour. |
| 10:25 | Kim ODonnel: Agreed on not cooking veg stock too long -- it's not necessary. Thanks for tips, LG! |
| 10:25 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
More about stock (sorry, I keep hitting the enter key before I'm done). I use the vegetables I'm using in the meal in the stock, too. |
| 10:27 | Kim ODonnel: Before I forget, next week's theme is Meatless. That's June 25, same time, same channel. |
| 10:28 | Kim ODonnel: By the way, do any of you listen to Air America? I was on Richard Greene's show Monday, which he is now devoting to meatless. we got to talking about Sir Paul McCartney's launch of Meat Free Monday in the UK and how this idea of 1/x week is really catching on. |
| 10:29 | [Comment From redweather ]
the chocolate guiness cake is in my aspirations file! i always read about it and salivate, but i haven't made it yet.... i have a friend's birthday coming up, but she is getting a pink raspberry cake.... |
| 10:29 | Kim ODonnel: Oh man, that cake is a winner. It's all made in a saucepan, too, on top of the stove. So fun. |
| 10:29 | [Comment From Lizka ]
Anyone know what frequency Air America is in DC/NoVA? I've always wanted to check it out, but never knew how to find it. |
| 10:30 | Kim ODonnel: As soon as I have details, will share -- the hope is to be on his show regularly. Stay tuned! |
| 10:33 | Kim ODonnel: I was just talking to my brother, who lives in the Keys, and he was telling how mangoes are just EVERYWHERE right now, low-hanging fruit, literally. What a terrible problem to have! One thing I am really hankering for right now are fresh figs. |
| 10:34 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
salmon question - i tried baking/roasting fillets (froz from tj's) last night. little bit o' olive oil, salt, pepper (b/c i was doing it for the rhubarb chutney - amazing!). started it at 350, but was worried it wouldn't be fast enough for hungry toddler, so cranked to 400. don't think we had it in more than 13-15 mins, tops, but it was dry, dry, dry. assume it was just too long... |
| 10:35 | Kim ODonnel: Hey Terp! Good question. It *could* have something to do with the froze pack from TJs. Did you thaw before cooking? How thick was fillet? |
| 10:35 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
Oh, figs are so far away down in here in SLO. I think it's the end of August or something. Now I've a yen for them, too. |
| 10:36 | Kim ODonnel: My friend Karla has a huge tree in her yard, back in Arlington, Va. She would get two seasons out it, the first in June. It's one of the few thigs I miss about this time of year back east. |
| 10:36 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
I second the amazing-ness of the rhubarb chutney; we had it with roast chicken and sweet potatoes and it was delicious. |
| 10:37 | Kim ODonnel: I know, isnt' that chutney terrific? I was just talking about it with a friend this am. Thinking I need to freeze up a batch for later this year. |
| 10:37 | [Comment From redweather ]
looking forward to the meatless chat.... as a veggie among omnivores, i've been thinking a lot lately about the protocol of eating with or serving others who are omnivores.... |
| 10:39 | Kim ODonnel: Redweather, when i started meatless chats back in 2001, it was very much a segregated scenario, an 'us' versus "them" mentality. Things are really becoming more integrated these days. I think transparency is absolutely essential when hosting 'mixed' company - and getting everyone's input. |
| 10:39 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
i thawed in the fridge for at least 24hrs, so yes, completely thawed. fillets were 1/2+ in at thickest, but not totally even |
| 10:40 | Kim ODonnel: Yeah, I suppose that 8-10 min. would have been more appropriate. One thing you ca do next time is turn off oven, let fish cook passively. It is a great trick. |
| 10:40 | [Comment From redweather ]
is anyone cooking with rhubarb in the DC area? i'm having trouble getting my hot little hands on any..... |
| 10:40 | Kim ODonnel: Wow, it grows like crazy out this way, but it's cooler here... |
| 10:41 | [Comment From GirlScoutMom ]
With the cold, wet Spring, mine is still growing. I also saw it at Giant the other day. |
| 10:41 | [Comment From Lizka ]
I'm seeing rhubarb in the Giant, but not at the farmers market. |
| 10:42 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
My personal take is that unless you know a person has a strong aversion to vegetables or talks a lot about "a meal is not complete without meat," then you should be able to serve a vegetarian meal without violating etiquette or protocol. |
| 10:42 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
re: the passive cook. i read something similar re: poaching fish in wapo's gastronomer column. the whole formula of water to temp to fish weight and not being able to season scared me off. wish it hadn't now. if i passive bake, same time frame? |
| 10:43 | Kim ODonnel: It works really when you've roasted fish. Do it all the time. |
| 10:43 | [Comment From Lizka ]
I'm with LG on the veggie etiquette |
| 10:43 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
i got some rhubarb at the clarendon farmer's market last wed. don't know if it was there this week - missed it, unfortunately |
| 10:44 | Kim ODonnel: Good, then I count on you all to buy my cookbook when it finally gets published?  |
| 10:44 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
so what's the dif between roasting/baking? i'm confused |
| 10:45 | Kim ODonnel: Not that much, Terp. You bake a cake, you roast protein. Same thing. I don't know history behind. I think bake implies rise/leavening. But both are being cooked with dry heat. |
| 10:45 | [Comment From redweather ]
my parents have adapted to my meatless meals like the scouts they are, and initially, my fella was enjoying them too. unfortunately, now he's on a restricted diet to manage allergies, and his limited choices include turkey, so it's being reintroduced into my kitchen.... i feel weird b/c i want him to have whatever he needs, but i don't want to be a consumer of meat any more. |
| 10:46 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
Absolutely - and buying for about 100 friends |
| 10:46 | Kim ODonnel: Yay! You hear that, publishers?? |
| 10:46 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
ah. thank you. so preheat oven to 350, then put in fish, then turn off oven and let sit for same time frame. |
| 10:46 | Kim ODonnel: No. Cook fish at 350, for less time than you think, turn it off, keep in for remainder of time. Make sense? |
| 10:47 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
yes. got it. will try soon. have fish orders from hubby. |
| 10:49 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
Well, he probably doesn't eat turkey every day or every meal? My guy eats a lot more meat than I, so I tend to cook things that can be used in subsequent dishes. I'll cook a chicken, eat it with him one night, then he uses the rest in sandwiches. Maybe you can try to incorporate the meat into meals he doesn't share with you. |
| 10:49 | Kim ODonnel: I tried shirasu for the first time this week -- it's a super small/thin fish related to the anchovy. What a treat. Other food discoveries from the group this week? |
| 10:49 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
after this question i'll stop submitting, i promise, but am looking to you and chatters for a fun, quick baked good i can take to a small picnic saturday (of probably not terribly adventurous eaters). will bake tonight or tomorrow night, depending on shopping needs. |
| 10:50 | Kim ODonnel: I cannot recommend enough a seasonal fruit buckle. Have you done? |
| 10:51 | Kim ODonnel: You could do blueberries, strawberries, rhubarb... |
| 10:51 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
yes! did rhubarb one a few weeks ago - it was fanTAStic (already planning to do for daughter's 2nd birthday in july). would it work with cherries? and are peaches really in season locally here (dc)? will have to resort to regular grocery store or whole foods instead of market |
| 10:52 | Kim ODonnel: It sure would. A little almond extract with those cherries, a little cinnamon... |
| 10:52 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
Grilled eggplant in my pasta was new this week. We liked it so much that we made it again with different flavor profile. First time we went a Greek direction with feta, olives and lemon, the next time headed toward Italy with tomatoes, onion, basil, pine nuts and parmesan. Yummy both ways. |
| 10:53 | Kim ODonnel: Nice, LG! I am sharing on Mon a recipe for marinated eggplant that you can keep in fridge for several days and warm up or reheat, use in sandwiches or as part of an antipasto...really nice. |
| 10:53 | [Comment From redweather ]
it's not as seasonal, but i think banana bread is super easy to make and usually well received - i've never brought any home. |
| 10:53 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
should i use your blueberry proportions or rhubarb proportions - or are they the same? |
| 10:54 | Kim ODonnel: Godo question, Terp. I think either one would be fine. They're both reliable recipes. |
| 10:55 | Kim ODonnel: We've got just a few minutes before signing off. Any parting thoughts? |
| 10:55 | [Comment From redweather ]
Am eating ethiopian teff pancakes for lunch today. They are very strange - look like skin and taste like sourdough - I've never had them, but they're on my fellas diet - he tried one and declined the rest, so i'm EDFing.... |
| 10:56 | Kim ODonnel: Interesting, redweather. I'm not a big fan of teff, no matter how I try. A bit sour for me. What are you eating with? |
| 10:56 | [Comment From terp in the kitchen ]
promise to report cherry buckle results next week! |
| 10:56 | Kim ODonnel: I'm thinking you need some lentils to go with those pancakes! And something spicy... |
| 10:57 | [Comment From redweather ]
am i blowing my weird-eater cover right now? i'm eating them plain. i tried them with some sauteed zucchini, but the intense sour of the teff overwhelmed the zucchini. |
| 10:57 | [Comment From redweather ]
hmmmm... i happen to have a container of lentil soup RIGHT HERE!!!! i will try! :) |
| 10:58 | Kim ODonnel: There you go. Lentils are a gal's -- well, anyone's, best friend. They're so nurturing. |
| 10:58 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
Is teff a grain? |
| 10:58 | Kim ODonnel: Yes, teff is a grain or a grass. No gluten, if that's what you're asking. |
| 10:59 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
Nope, I'd just not heard of it, which doesn't happen very often, but I love it when it does. Now I'll be searching it out to try. |
| 11:00 | [Comment From redweather ]
negative on the teff with lentils. :( |
| 11:00 | [Comment From redweather ]
LinearGirl, are you in NOVA? i have half a bag of pancakes i'm about ready to freecycle.... ;) |
| 11:02 | [Comment From Linear Girl ]
Sorry, I'm on the coast in CA. |
| 11:02 | Kim ODonnel: Okay, we'll keep thinking... And on that note, it's time to roll out of here! Thanks so much for stopping by and keep up the good work in your gardens and kitchens. It's always inspiring to hear about your adventures from week to week. Okay, so next week is MEATLESS. Be there or be a stewed tomato. Meanwhile, find me here:
A Mighty Appetite. We'll be EDFing all of next week. Bye! |
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