I love that so many of my friends are interested in food, some of them are even full blown foodies at this point. This has always meant dinners out at great restaurants, amazing cheese plates or decadent desserts at parties, and there is always someone to share a good bottle of wine with. I feel blessed to have never heard the phrase “lets go get a Big Mac” when taking suggestions for the evenings festivities. More recently this has also translated into getting some outstanding recipes e-mailed to me from my fellow food lovers which I fully support and thrills me greatly.

So when I was looking for a side to go with my new improved purple version of Rachel Rays rosemary chicken it seemed fitting to use a recipe sent to me by the only other person I know that condones the use of Rachel Ray recipes. Sara and I have been exchanging favorite Rachel Ray recipes for awhile so I was pretty sure I could trust the leek recipe she sent my way to be good. And it was.

As the fella started saying recently, “Everything is better with leeks.” It is our French cooking mantra. So a recipe involving nothing but leeks cooked to perfection is not surprisingly really great. The only difficult part is getting the darn things clean, leeks are sneaky gritty buggers. Thankfully the recipe includes in depth instructions to battle the dirt.

It looks like a lot of work but it really isnt that difficult once you get things going. Though I did get impatient waiting for the wine to reduce and ended up with a soupy sauce that was still tasty. Though it didnt really cling to the leeks. Fittingly enough this recipe finally gave me a reason to open the bottle of Four Buck Chuck Saras fella, the infamous German left here after my last party. It was a truly undrinkable bottle of wine that got put to good use so it can stop taunting me from the back of the refrigerator.

Thanks for the recipe idea Sara.

Saras Braised Leeks


6 large leeks
3/4 cup oil (approximately)
1 cup shallots, sliced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 400°F.


Remove any bruised outer layers from the leeks. Trim leaving the root end intact, then trim the tops of the leeks on the diagonal, leaving 2 inches of the green part attached. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, and submerge in a large bowl of cold water to clean them. Shake the leeks well to dislodge the dirt stuck inside. Let them sit a few minutes, to allow any grit inside the layers to fall to the bottom of the bowl. Repeat the process until the water is clean. Place the leeks, cut side down, on a towel and pat dry completely.


Turn the leeks over so their cut sides are facing up, and season with 2 teaspoons salt and a few grindings of black pepper.


Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil, and wait 1 minute for it to heat. Place the leeks in the pan, cut side down, being careful not to crowd them. (you will probably need to saute them in batches. Add more olive oil to the pan as needed, for each batch.) Sear them 4 to 5 minutes, until they are golden brown. Season the backs of the leeks with salt and pepper, and turn them over to cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them to a large gratin dish, lining them up, cut sides facing up. (Choose a baking dish or gratin dish that can go from oven to table and that will accommodate all the leeks.)


Pour 1/4 cup olive oil into a pan and heat over medium heat. Add the shallots, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, until the shallots are just beginning to color. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Add 1 1/2 cups stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Pour the liquid over the leeks. The stock should not quite cover them; add more stock if necessary.


Braise in the oven 30 minutes, or until the leeks are tender when pierced.

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Its just like me to check out a new stack of complicated French cookbooks and immediately begin cooking the only Indian recipes in them. What can I say--even after two months of this diet Im not any more enamored of French cooking than I was to begin with. Its more of a morbid fascination than anything. Curries, daal, and naan are still my favorite things to make. Yet the mysterious ingredients and elaborate process required to make terrine and aspic intrigue me. So until Im done with Montignac, France and India will keep battling it out in my kitchen. Its been fun so far.

Korma is what happens when you slow braise meat marinated to tenderness in yogurt or cream, then slather it in a complex mixture of spices. Its killer. The marinade does all the hard work. All thats left to do is brown the meat and watch it cook. Couldnt be easier. Well there is is matter of tracking down 10 different spices from where ever it is you store them, but its well worth the hunt.

This was some of the most authentic Indian Ive ever made. Its worlds better than the Rogan Josh I order time and again at the near by Indian place. Same basic idea but I got to control the spices and the fat content. Then I went and ruined the notion of any calories I saved by using yogurt instead of heavy cream in the lamb by making fried cauliflower as a side.

Its a ridiculous thing to make really. The fella asked “Doesnt deep frying something defeat the purpose of eating a vegetable at all?” I think I threw a towel at him. Logic has no place in the kitchen. This was all about satisfying an urge. Several times last week I read food bloggers talking about how fried cauliflower tastes exactly like popcorn. So I wanted to give it a try seeing as both the fella and I have been missing popcorn.

It tastes nothing like popcorn but it is good in small qualities and it went well with the lamb as a side to absorb all the delicious korma sauce. This particular dinner pleased me to no end. I already know this recipe will be in heavy rotation on my menu list.

What a thing to find in an ancient traditional French cookbook from the 50s full of scary pictures of what is supposed to be food but looks like alien creatures swallowing other smaller unrecognizable creatures. This is the stuff of nightmares. I will have to try to get pictures of these dishes as seen in the pages of this book, they really need to be seen to be believed. I am oh so glad I didnt notice them before cooking the korma or may have lost the curage to try making it.

Lamb Korma

2 pounds boneless leg of lamb
3/4 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 cup coconut oil or ghee
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced

1 teaspoon powdered mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (it could use more)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated coconut

Trim off and discard fat from lamb. Cut meat into bite sized pieces. Mix with the yogurt, salt, cumin, turmeric, and cardamom in a large bowl and let marinate for at least 2 hours.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil or ghee over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook onions and garlic until browned and tender. Add another tablespoon of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan and add the remaining spices. Stir thoroughly, toasting the spice mixture for about 2 minutes. Remove onion and spice mixture from pan and reserve for later.

Place pan on medium high heat, add the remaining oil and begin to cook the lamb until browned on all sides. Pour off any excess fat.

Add the onion and spice mixture back to the pan, cover and let simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Pour in the water, cover and allow to cook another 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add more water if needed.

Just before serving add lemon juice and coconut. Stir well and serve.

Original recipe from Modern French Culinary Art by Henri-Paul Pellaprat.

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This crockpot pork goodness is highly addictive. Then again whats not to love about dinner that makes itself, is fall apart tender and involves peanut butter. Did I mention there is peanut butter? Thats really the most important part of this whole recipe. Saute some veggies to serve this over to take the place of the carb unfriendly rice and you have got yourself a nice treat for dinner.

Next time I would probably prop the pork up on the meat tray for the crockpot to keep it from stewing in its own fat so much. It was a bit greasy but I guess I was expecting that from pork so I wasnt too troubled about it. Other than that the sauce is a highly edible drug. Its simple but perfect.

We opened a bottle of Saint Gabriels Gewürztraminer with this, a bottle we bought specifically because Gabriel is the patron saint of the fellas congregation within the Apostolic Johannite Church (yeah I live with a priest, I probably havent mentioned that yet.) It was decent but definitely in your face with the sugar and not a whole lot else. There was some citrus and a wee bit of cinnamon that made it work with the spicy pork. We were rather pleased with the whole meal even though the wine didnt live up to what we hoped for.

The best part of this meal is it is the gift that keeps giving. Im looking forward to my second day of munching on the left overs for lunch tomorrow. Thats saying a lot seeing as a have a strict policy about not wanting to eat something more than two days in a row. Of course you could put peanut butter on pretty much anything and I would look forward to eating it. This may not apply to Brussels sprouts but Id be willing to give it a try.

Crockpot Asian Peanut Pork

2 lbs pork tenderloin or roast
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fructose
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Asian hot chili sauce (if you cant find one thats sweetener free Tabasco works fine)
1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tablespoon oil
1 red pepper, cored and sliced
1 yellow pepper, cored and sliced
2 cups green beans


Place pork in crockpot. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, water, rice wine vinegar, hot chili sauce and peanut butter. Set on low, cover and cook for 6-8 hours.

Just before serving, in a large frying pan sauté peppers and green beans over medium high heat in the oil until tender. Stir peanut sauce until smooth and shred pork roast with a fork. Serve the pork over the vegetables.

Original recipe from Deborahs Culinary Confections blog.

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Today a movie changed my life.

Its terrible and cliché but true just this once. But it gets worse. It was a Nora Ephron movie. And I cried at it. A lot. Like a shameful I shouldnt even be telling you this amount. Who is this person I have become that gives into trends and likes things that “everyone” else is talking about? Oh who cares.

Yes I went to see Julie and Julia and it was freaking fantastic. Not just because all the actors are amazing and perfectly cast. Not because its about food and writers and being lost and finding your passion and the person that fits you best in the world. And not even because its about a couple living through a crazy cooking project that felt exactly like my life. Though the movie is great for all those reasons. You should probably sit down before I tell you the best thing about the movie. Ready?

Braised cucumber.

No that isnt code for something. Cucumbers cooked in butter are orgasmic. Im a convert. Never will I relegate cucumbers to salads and sushi, as nothing but an interesting texture. I may have found my new favorite vegetable. Hear that artichoke? You better shape up or youll be replaced.

Ive read about this recipe about a million times. First in the Julie and Julia Project that inspired the movie and I was quite skeptical. Then it kept coming up and I still didnt believe it even after many of my favorite food writers talked about cooked cucumbers. Meryl Streep however I couldnt ignore, I was too curious. So being the crazy foodie I am I came home from the movie, let the dog out, took the gianormous cucumber out of the fridge and braised that sucker.

Oh my good god! Ten minutes later I was wandering around in circles in the kitchen muttering to myself. Its really really good.

Obviously butter makes everything amazing but it was more than that. Somehow the heat completely changed the flavor profile of the crunchy tangy cucumber into a buttery slightly soft salty creation. It reminded me of one of those rare buttery chewy mouth filling Russian River Valley Chardonnays that you would gladly pay $30 a bottle for. And I say this as someone who usually abhors Chardonnay and only buys $10 wine. Braising cucumbers transforms something tolerable into something delicious. It doesnt seem possible.

Julia Child I cant believe Ive ignored you this long. Im getting Mastering the Art of French Cooking and going on an insane cooking binge. The fella wants to bone a duck and try an aspic. To which I say who is coming over to help me eat these insane creations? Ill make you braised cucumbers if you can talk me through a terrine.

Braised Cucumber

1 huge cucumber (or 2 regular sized)
1 tablespoon butter
1 dash salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 pinch dried mint

Peel cucumber. Cut into quarters and remove seeds. Cut into 1 inch pieces.

Melt butter in a pan and add cucumber. Cover and cook about 5 minutes on medium heat.

Stir in salt, lemon, and mint. Cover and cook another 2 minutes.

Enjoy eating heaven on a plate.

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Am I seriously going to suggest wine from a box to you?  Yes I am.  Even though I work in a wine store and should know better?  Yeah even with that in mind I can still say this is a great wine.  It just also happens to come in a box.

I have to admit however that the only reason I bought the Yellow and Blue Torrontes in the first place was to mess with Lindsay during a wine tasting.  The theme of our wine tasting group that month was weird wines and I figured a boxed wine in a room full of wine snobs would be pretty weird.  But I didnt want anyones preconcieved notions clouding their tasting of the wine so I poured in a carafe, not allowing anyone to know there was a box of wine in my house.  It worked, everyone though I was nuts to carafe a white but no one suspected what was really afoot in fact everyone kind of liked the wine.

The group deemed it "pleasantly syrupy" and "like drinking the forest floor" in reference to the fact that it is both grassy, floral and earthy.  All of those characteristic come together somehow to create a really nice wine. Its a bit sweeter than some of the other Torrontes Ive had.  My favorite the Michel Torino Don David Torrontes comes in at the far other end of the spectrum for the varietal at a much higher price point and much drier, crisp mouth feel.  But for an Argentinian Torrontes in a box for $9 the Yellow and Blue is amazing, I would have never thought while buying it I would actually like it enough to continue going back to buy it again and again.

When I did the big reveal of the dreaded box everyone agreed I did the right thing not showing them the box because they would have refused to drink it.  Snobs!  The news that since it comes in a box so actually contains a bottle and a half worth of wine, instantly cheered everyone up.  Thats the great thing about this wine, more wine for your money and thats one less glass bottle to contribute to the recycling bin/landfill .  Oh and its also organic.  The bad news it the wine guy you buy it from will probably make fun of you.  I told my wine seller to hush though because even Robert Parker gave it 90 something points. 

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