What's Cookin'?

I say it's time for a recipe swap! 

I've adopted cumin seeds, thanks to Naomi; gone crazy for figs at Shelly's suggestion; and Jonti and Denise, I still haven't quite gotten down the hard-boiled egg peeling.

What else is going on in your PCP kitchens?

I've been using a lot of different whole grains: oats, quinoa, brown rice, and I recently found some farro (delicious!). I usually just make them plain or with a little pepper since I tend to mix all my food together. Spelt bread is also a hit at my house. At breakfast, I sometimes roast plum tomatoes on bread with just a touch of olive oil, plus pepper and thyme.

Alice Waters's cookbook, Vegetables, is an excellent source of simple recipes that are easily adaptable for our diet. 

Taken on a pre-PCP night when we were particularly proud of our culinary accomplishments.

Her chilled tomato soup recipe (pictured above) is nice on its own or used in burritos or salads. Basically, it's:

4 lbs tomatoes (various), diced (Waters uses a food mill. I do not.)

3 shallots, diced

1 small cucumber, seeded and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

Vinegar (Your favorite...I've tried plum and apple cider. She uses white wine.)

Let shallots sit in a small bowl, just covered with vinegar. Then combine with tomatoes, cucumber, and celery. Add balsamic if tomatoes need sweetness. You can also add mashed garlic or garnish with diced hot and bell peppers. Serve cold.

I made a batch and froze it in individual portions.

Speaking of freezing, I got a little overzealous about buying vegetables this week and decided to freeze my Brussels sprouts (my all-time favorite vegetable except for maybe fennel) and wax beans with the help of this awesome piece in the New York Times.

Other faves:

*Tuna and egg salad with avocado and lemon juice as a base instead of mayo

*Shrimp marinated in a little agave, a splash of lime, ginger, and chili powder before cooking

*Apples or figs baked with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove (can also add a little agave, oats, and raisins)

Tonight, my beau, Pacato, took the PCP Top Chef Challenge and made some delicious beets. He chopped them raw in the food processor and mixed with a touch of apple cider vinegar and some raisins. He also steamed some chard and onions, and I threw in some farro and halibut I topped with cumin seeds (again—thanks Naomi!).

That's just a taste of what's been going on in my kitchen. I hope you'll share your favorite recipes and tricks, either in the comments or on your own blog!