A Good Dish

making food simpler

A Lighter Cocktail

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Porcelain tumbler by James Makins

Scotch. Bourbon, Rye. All delicious. But sometimes you want a lighter drink with lower alcohol content. There are days when even a glass of wine or a beer seems too heavy. In those moments, I reach for the sweet vermouth. Yes, sweet vermouth. What is usually thought of as an ingredient in a Manhattan or Negroni, makes a delightful drink on its own. I find it refreshing as the weather starts to warm up and a stiff drink would make me too woozy.

Vermouth, a fortified (added spirits) wine with botanicals, is made in many countries. It is thought to have originated in Turin, Italy. There are more and more brands of sweet red vermouth (as opposed to the dry vermouth used in a martini or the blanco I just read about which is white and sweet) marketed in the U.S. and the taste runs from syrupy sweet to medicinal. We bought several bottles to try since our local liquor stores have started carrying a wide variety of vermouths in a range of sizes and prices.

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The more aromatic varieties, like Carpano, which makes Antica Formula, and Punt E Mes (both Italian), are preferred in upscale bars and restaurants. My palette finds them somewhat bitter on their own but they are the most complex of the vermouths we sampled. Cinzano and Martini & Rossi (Italian) are more old-school and a bit sweeter and heavier. Dolin and Noilly Prat (both French) lie somewhere in the middle and are a little more sherry-like. The best tasting solution, for me, is to mix one of the traditional Italian sweet vermouths with any of the others. It’s fun to experiment and see which brand or combination you prefer. Let me know what you choose. My current favorite blend is Cinzano with Dolin.

In Italy, a sweet vermouth on the rocks is a classic aperitif. It is a lovely drink on a warm afternoon but I think it is made even better with a splash of seltzer and a squeeze of an orange. If you prefer your drink less sweet, squeeze in lime or grapefruit instead of orange juice and add a slice of lime or grapefruit rather than an orange. If you want to get adventurous, you can try adding a dash of sherry (it’s been sitting in your cupboard anyway, right?) or a few drops of bitters. My husband prefers it with both sherry and bitters (we used Angostura). A piece of mint in summer could be refreshing. Try naming your concoction – that is always a fun diversion. Hmm. Perhaps a  vermouth tasting would make a festive spring or summer get-together? Salute!

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CONTINENTAL DRIFT (or make up your own name!

  • 1/4 cup sweet vermouth
  • 2 Tbs orange juice or a squeeze of half a small orange
  • Splash (or 2) of seltzer or sparkling mineral water
  • Piece of an orange (I cut a medium orange in 6 pieces)

Stir together in a glass and add ice.

A Simple Green Salad

Any Season Salad Plate by Mary Briggs
Any Season Salad
Plate by Mary Briggs

I eat salad in some form almost every day. Eating salad helps me get in the daily minimum requirement of vegetables, fills me up and satisfies my desire for something crunchy, hopefully better than reaching for chips or crackers. Sometimes I make a generic tossed salad with whatever I happen to have in the crisper. Other times, I follow a recipe for a shredded cabbage, beet or carrot slaw (I will share these in future posts) or put together a composed salad from leftover cooked vegetables. What kind of salad I make depends on what is in season or available to buy.

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The following recipe is not extraordinary, just a simple, reliable salad based on ingredients that are almost always in stock at my local market (Mani Market on 94th and Columbus in New York) or at nearby chain stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods and will most likely be available at any good supermarket near you. I prefer to buy vegetables in season but in the northeast, that isn’t always possible. In summer and early fall, salad ingredients are abundant at our farmers’ markets but in other seasons, I depend on my local grocers. Bagged romaine (the 12 oz bag with 3 small heads), hothouse cukes, celery and fresh dill, all organic, are on their shelves year round. I think it is the dill that gives this particular salad its fresh taste while the rest of the vegetables provide crunch and textural variety.

This salad recipe is my go-to when I don’t have the energy to be creative. It comes together quickly so you can rely on making it in a pinch. It is a very basic recipe. Please vary it according to your preferences and the contents of your refrigerator. If you don’t like dill, use cilantro, chives or parsley. If you don’t have cucumbers, use green peppers or a leftover cooked vegetable such as asparagus or peas. And if you don’t have celery, use sliced daikon or jicama – something for crunch. If you don’t like sunflower seeds, use pumpkin or sesame or omit them completely. Finally, if you want to make this more of a main course salad, add a cup or so of crumbled feta cheese, cooked chicken or shrimp or cooked beans like kidney or cannellini. Fruit is a nice addition, especially orange or grapefruit sections. You can enrich the dressing, if you like it heavier, with a little yogurt or cream.

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ANY SEASON SALAD

Place in a large salad bowl:

  • 1 12 oz bag or 1 large head romaine lettuce, torn in bite sized pieces
  • 1 long hothouse cucumber (or 4-5 mini cukes), sliced in half moons
  • 4-5 stalks celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 generous cup chopped dill without the heavier stems (probably a whole small or half of a large bunch)
  • 1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds (toasted adds flavor but raw is fine) – optional

For the dressing, mix together:

  • 2 TBs rice or apple cider vinegar
  • 3 TBs olive oil
  • Generous pinch each of salt, black pepper and garlic powder

Toss and serve. Feeds 4-6 as a side salad or, in our case, 2 with generous lunch leftovers. (Because the lettuce is romaine, this salad holds up well for the next day’s lunch).

 

Easier Oatmeal

It may be spring, but daily temperatures seem to fluctuate wildly. When mornings are cold, I crave a hot breakfast. We all know that steel cut oats are good for us – nutritious, filling and full of fiber – but they can take too long to cook for a weekday breakfast. The solution is to soak them overnight. This is so simple and makes the morning cooking time about 5-7 minutes – too easy not to make them. A few additions make this a tasty breakfast.

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Place in a small saucepan:

1 cup steel-cut oats

2 Tbs. whole flax seeds (optional)

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds (optional)

Pinch salt

2 cups water (plus another 1/2 cup if using flax and sunflower seeds) or milk (if you want to substitute any kind of milk (nut, soy, coconut, cow) for the water, place the saucepan in the refrigerator until ready to cook).

Soak overnight.

In the morning, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer, stirring often. If you prefer your porridge looser, add a little more water. Oats should soften and expand and be ready to eat in about 5-7 minutes. Makes 2-4 servings, depending on portion size.

 

To fortify: Add a little maple syrup or honey, chia and/or hemp seeds, chopped walnuts (or any nuts you like), raw or toasted pumpkin seeds, sliced or diced banana, chopped apple or pear, raisins or dried cranberries, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or whatever you prefer. My usual additions are a tablespoon of chia, a big handful of chopped walnuts, a 1/2 teaspoon of maple extract, a cut-up banana or berries (depending on what I have available) and a shake of cinnamon. Your breakfast, your choice.

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Warming Ginger Tea

The first Thanksgiving I didn’t travel home to see my family, a friend joined me to cook a meal.  Neither of us knew much about cooking but she brought some store-prepared food and I think I managed to compose a salad. Mostly, we focused on feeling grown up and independent.  This friend had just broken up with a Turkish boyfriend whose positive attribute was that he had taught her how to make ginger tea. Once we had finished our meal, she showed me his technique and we thought it was exotic and delicious.  I have since fiddled with the very simple recipe and although I don’t make it on Thanksgiving anymore, I do make it whenever someone has a stuffy head or scratchy throat or needs warming from the inside out.  It was perfect this week in New York when we had single digit temperatures. Add or subtract honey (I like it pretty sweet) or substitute agave or maple syrup, if it tastes better to you.

GINGER TEA

A big (3″) knob of ginger, (skin scraped off with a spoon so you don’t lose a lot of flesh) – about 1/2 cup packed

1/2 cup honey (I like raw wildflower here but any will do)

Juice from 1 – 2 lemons, depending on how juicy they are – about 1/4 cup 

5 cups of water

Coarsely grate ginger into a saucepan and cover with the water. (If you are in a big hurry, you can simply slice the ginger but it won’t be as strong)

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Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.  Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. (If your head is stuffy, cover your head with a towel over the pot and breathe in the steam once you turn off the burner – just don’t get too close or you will burn your nose!)

Add honey and stir to dissolve.

Stir in lemon juice and strain tea into cups.  

Sip while steaming.

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mug by Ayumi Horie

If you have some left and want to reheat it, don’t boil – just heat until it starts to move so you don’t overcook the honey and lemon.  This tea stores well in a glass jar overnight in the refrigerator and tastes so good re-warmed in the morning. It is also delicious mixed into tea, especially green, about half ginger mixture and half tea, cold, as a bracing ginger lemonade or as a replacement in a mixed cocktail for ginger beer.

A Pretty Winter Salad

Here is a simple salad to make in the winter months when Fuyu persimmons (the small flat ones) are available. All you need to do is wash and dry the arugula, cut up the persimmons and toss with this very basic lemon dressing. Any of the add-ins will make it a fuller-bodied dish, especially the cheese, which can make this a very nice main-course salad, particularly if you are trying to lighten up a meal. And the orange and green are beautiful, especially mid-winter. We often make a double batch, refrigerate half and eat it again for lunch the next day – it holds up pretty well in a lunchbox, if you don’t overdo the dressing.

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Arugula with Persimmons

For the salad:

  • 1 bag of baby arugula leaves (about 8 cups), washed and spun or drained dry (If you don’t like arugula, use romaine or spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces)
  • 2 firm Fuyu persimmons, cut in a large dice or halved and thinly sliced
  • (If persimmons aren’t available, you can use orange or grapefruit segments, sliced mango or even halved grapes)

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Add-in your choice of:

  • A handful of grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
  • A handful of pomegranate kernels
  • 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
  • A handful of toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts
  • 1 or 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • A sprinkle of chia and/or hemp seeds
  • A little grated lemon zest

For the dressing whisk together:

  • Juice of ½ lemon and ½ orange (or all orange, for a sweeter salad)
  • 2-3 TBs olive or nut oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

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Toss well.

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