Eu Sou Brazilipino!

Frigideira de Siri (Bahian Crab Bake)

"It is the harmony of the diverse parts, their symmetry, their happy balance; in a word it is all that introduces order, all that give unity, that permits us to see clearly and to comprehend at once both the ensemble and the details." 

-- Henri Poincaré

The symmetry of Nature, as the physicist-philosopher Poincaré observed, is indeed a happy balance between the seemingly carefree designs of 'naturally occurring' objects and the repetitive patterns that point to a more restrained and logical order. From radial snowflakes and Fibonacci sunflowers to wallpaper honeycombs and honeybee stripes, symmetry is naturally, mathematically beautiful. 

Too bad that math and I are like chalk and cheese.

It might explain why I sometimes find the standard concepts of symmetry - repetition, mirror images, proportionality - downright boring at times. Much more fun are the unpredictable affinities between two seemingly disparate subjects whose diffences actually reveal their own kind of symmetry.

Take for instance the countries of Brazil and the Philippines. The latter is my birthplace, so a strong connection is ingrained, but the former is still only a dream destination with which I'm deeply fascinated. Ever since my husband returned from his travels in Brazil, laden with sweet treats, vivid photos and stories of wonderful people and interesting places, I've been hooked. So, I make feijoada just as often as I prepare pancit, while Mr. Noodle can mix up a caipirinha in his sleep, and together we plan our Brazilian itinerary, in preparation for the trip we someday hope to make.

Feijoada: Black Beans with Linguiça and Pork

Served with orange slices, rice and sautéed kale

Eu Sou Brazilipino! 

Last year, I wrote a post about my sense of belonging during a trip to Ireland, declaring myself Filip-Irish and listing how the two nations were so alike. Now, I'm feeling a similar inkling for Brazil. How's that, given I've never even been there? As it turns out, beneath their obvious differences, the Philippines and Brazil have the unmistakable symmetry of being opposite ends of the same spectrum. So, to borrow from my earlier post, I present:

Separated at Birth? Part II

Four Intriguingly Symmetrical Differences 

Between the Philippines and Brazil

1. Geography - Comparing these two countries is like holding one up to a funhouse mirror and getting an opposite shape in reflection. Brazil is primarily one enormous territory, with over 8.5 million square kilometers of land mass, making it the 5th largest country by area. It so dominates South American geography that it shares a border with every nation on the continent except two (Chile and Ecuador). In total contrast, The Philippines is not only just 1/3 the size of its Western Hemisphere counterpart, it is also broken up into bits - 7,107 islands, to be precise. But as an archipelago, las islas Filipinas doesn't have to share its borders with anyone, so its coastline stretches for an astonishing 36, 289 km - five times longer than Brazil's famous beaches and the 4th longest coastline in the world. Not too shabby for either.

(Source: CIA World Factbook - Brazil and Philippines)

Spanish colonies in red, Portuguese colonies in purple

(Image from Wikimedia.org)

2. Colonial History - I could simply restate the fact that both countries belong to the Former European Colonies Club and leave it at that. But then, we'd miss out on all the fun little connecting threads, such as how Brazil was discovered by Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral, who died in 1520, just one year before another Portuguese adventurer, Ferdinand Magellan, claimed for Spain our cluster of islands, which was later named after his patron, King Philip II. The thread continued with the Philippines as the only Spanish colony in Asia, where Portugal dominated trade, while Brazil was the lone Portuguese territory in Spanish-controlled South America. Finally, both were ruled under the same monarch from 1580 to 1640 when Spanish kings Philip II, III and IV also claimed the Portuguese throne. Doesn't that make us practically siblings?

(Sources: Wikipedia - Portuguese Empire, Spanish Empire, Philip II)

3. Lenten Events - If we're talking about two of the most Roman Catholic countries in the world, then we're talking about some serious religious festivals. When it comes to Lent, the period of abstinence and penance just before Easter, Brazilians and Filipinos demonstrate distinctly different ideas about how to celebrate, which can be summed up in a few words: flesh and blood. While Brazil kicks it off with Carnaval featuring colorful floats, pulsating dance music and scantily-clad samba queens, Filipinos wind it down with the Moriones Festival, during which grown men dress as Roman centurions, a procession of penitents whip themselves bloody and someone is actually nailed to a cross. Sexy samba and self-flagellation . . . like Lenten bookends, no?

(Source: Wikipedia - Brazilian Carnival, Moriones Festival)

4. Sugar and Spirits - Speaking of bookends, Brazil and the Philippines occupy spots 1 and 10, respectively, on the Top Ten list of world sugarcane production. Filipino producers are quickly becoming prominent as a global source of muscovado, a minimally-refined type of sugar, but they're still leagues behind the Brazilians, who kick everyone else's molasses. With nearly 50% more total production than closest competitor India, the South American behemoth is awash in the sweet stuff - so much, in fact, that it can afford to distill pure sugarcane into cachaça, an elixir that is nothing less than a Brazilian national treasure and the key ingredient in caipirinha, the country's signature cocktail. But Filipinos are no slouches in the spirits department: with Philippine sugarcane output at just a fraction of Brazil's, Manila-based Tanduay Distillers instead uses molasses, the by-product of sugar processing, to produce the world's second best selling rum. 

So what better way to close up these observations on the hidden symmetry between Brazil and the Philippines than to toast them with a potent combination of some of their best products? Courtesy of Mr. Noodle, I am proud to present our own special Brazilipino drink . . .

The Caipinoyra

Recipes for caipirinha note that substitutes for cachaça result in a bit of renaming - when made with vodka, it's a caipiroska, while white rum transforms it into a caipirissima. But in the spirit of blended friendship, Mr. Noodle has blended spirits, using equal parts cachaça and Tanduay's 15-year Rum 1854. Caipirinha is normally clear, but the use of Tanduay rum and raw sugar gives this cocktail a light amber hue. Finally, it would have been ideal to use calamansi, the ubiquitous citrus of the Philippines, but I've never found any in Minnesota. Instead, lemon is used with lime to add a bit more calamansi-like sour flavor to our caipinoyra.

Ingredients
Lemons and limes (or calamansi, if you can get them)
Raw sugar
Cachaça (we used Cachaça 51 brand)
Tanduay Rum 1854
Crushed ice

Mr. Noodle uses a simple '1/3' formula for his concoction - a third each of citrus juice, liquor and crushed ice. To make one drink, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon and 1 whole lime into a tall glass, reserving some of the fruit peel.  In equal parts, add cachaça and Tanduay rum until glass is about 2/3 full. Add 3 to 4 teaspoons of raw sugar and stir well until sugar is dissolved, then add reserved peel, cut into small slices or pieces. Top with crushed ice and garnish with a citrus wedge.

Tim-tim and Mabuhay!

Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but no matter how delicious the libation, I can't drink on an empty stomach. So let's eat . . .!

Frigideira de Siri (Bahian Crab Bake)
(Adapted from Tasting Brazil, by Jessica B. Harris)

Mr. Noodle's trips to Brazil took him from the urban scene in São Paulo to a remote farm in the western state of Mato Grasso, but one of his favorite places was the coastal city of Salvador, the original capital of Brazil and one of the oldest cities in South America. It is located in the northeastern state of Bahia, whose populace and culture are steeped in African influences, as found in the regional cuisine, which is noted for its use of abundant seafood, coconut milk, and the staple dendê (palm oil) with cooking methods mixing African and Portuguese traditions. (Sources: About.com/Salvador, Bahia; Wikipedia/Brazilian cuisine)

Despite what its name may look or sound like to English speakers, this dish has nothing to do with refrigerators or cold temperatures. Frigideira refers to an earthenware container used for frying (frigir in Portuguese) and for this recipe in particular, which some have compared to a Spanish tortilla. While I was quite pleased with the flavor and overall result (the husband practically inhaled it), the texture was much softer than I'd expected, perhaps due to my use of a deep casserole. Next time, I will either use a more shallow dish or increase the egg content to firm it up a bit more. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!

Ingredients
1 lb crab meat (I used claw meat)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 large tomatoes - peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons cilantro, minced
3/4 cup coconut milk
Salt and black pepper
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

To make:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

1. In food processor, process 1/2 of crabmeat until almost to a paste consistency, then set aside;
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil at medium-high heat, then add onions, garlic and red bell pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes;

3. Add remaining crabmeat, tomatoes and cilantro, mixing well. Cook until onions and peppers are soft;
4. Add coconut milk and the reserved, processed crab meat, stirring well to mix. Add salt and pepper, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes;
5. In the meantime, add red pepper flakes to eggs and beat well. Pour eggs over crab mixture, then stir to combine;
6. Turn off heat and pour egg-crab mixture into a glass or earthenware baking dish and bake for approximately 15-25 minutes**;
7. When done, remove from oven and let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

**Note: I used a deep, 8" x 8" casserole, which required a baking time of 25 minutes for the dish to set; if using a shallow 9" x 13" pan, bake for 15 minutes and check for doneness before removing from the oven.

I've been feeding my appetite for all things Brazilian with the following amazing blogs, which I hope you'll take a moment to visit:

• For a real-life Brazilipino experience, visit Caroline at When Adobo Met Feijoada - the true food adventures of a Filipina married to a Brazilian.
• Before she repatriated back to the US, Lori at Fake Food Free gave us a delicious glimpse of living and eating in Brazil, so check out her archives for some wonderful information.
• Although she's not posting as often as I wish, Cris at From Our (Brazilian) Home to Yours offers not only traditional recipes of her homeland, but also her take on many American recipes she learned while living Stateside.
• Finally, Joan at Foodalogue recently featured Brazil in her Culinary Tour 2010 series - check out the roundup for some amazing dishes and drinks.

Bom apetite!

Time for a New Hue

Lemony Avocado Cream Cake: what I made for love

How Green is My Love

A poem by Tangled Noodle

For Mr. Noodle

As green as a summer leaf

That gently shades when Sun's ardor sears

And tenderly shields when Sky sheds tears

Softly rustling as if to say

How green is my love . . .

As green as an autumn herb

That in the garden seems not to wilt

While in the kitchen its flavor gilds

A simple dish as if to say

How green is my love . . .

As green as a winter pine

That waits so stoic beneath the frost

Patient and unbowed though ice-embossed

'Til kisses' heat frees it to say

How green is my love . . .

As green as spring's tender sprout

That grows anew from a hidden seed

Which tempests wild could never succeed

In keeping from waking to say

My love is ever green.

Changing of the Color Guard?

Red as the color of St. Valentine's Day is indisputable and solidly based on authoritative, albeit decidedly non-romantic, reasons: it is the liturgical color for feast days honoring martyred saints, such as the aforementioned, in the Catholic Church. There are, of course, other symbolic meanings which make red the seemingly natural choice to express love and passion - in various cultures, it represents life, energy, creativity, joy and luck. The latter two are particularly significant as this scarlet shade does double duty today during celebrations for both Valentine's Day and the first day of the Lunar New Year.

However, I would like to champion green as another worthy color to represent this romantic occasion. I know - this shade already dominates another certain saint's day in March, but its symbolic meanings pertaining to love are as potent as its more overheated counterpart and offer some excellent counterpoints:

(Image from Wikipedia.com)

• Center of Love: Red is the color of blood, the essence of life flowing from the heart. However, the concept of Chakras (considered energy centers of the body in traditional Eastern medicine) holds that it is the color green which represents Anahata, or the Heart Chakra, where unconditional love and compassion reside. Red, on the other hand, is associated with Muladhara, or Root Chakra, where sexuality and physical pleasure are governed.
• Feeling the Love: Though fiery red stimulates our energy and passions, the flame can quickly burn out, whereas green is about soothing and renewal, creating an enduring sense of harmony. For many, this is key to a longlasting relationship.
• Consuming Passion: Red-colored foods that stimulate the appetite - both culinary and carnal - include chile peppers, strawberries and red wine, but when it comes to aphrodisiac foods, green is great. Many emerald edibles were considered as such due to shapes evocative of human sexual organs, such as asparagus and avocado, while others naturally contain nutrients associated with libido, like the phytoestrogens found in fennel (more beneficial to women than men). Other green aphrodisiacs include arugula (rocket), sweet basil, broccoli rabe (rapini), cilantro (leaves and seed) and rosemary.

With this latter point in mind, Mr. Noodle and I are celebrating St. Valentine's Day as many of us do - with a special dessert. However, rather than go with the obvious color and flavor of red and chocolate, I decided to go with something green, which also happens to be Mr. Noodle's favorite color. Most green foods are herbs or vegetables better suited to savory rather than sweet recipes. Fortunately, one of our favorites was a perfect candidate for what I had in mind.

Avocado has long been considered an aphrodisiac, primarily due to its form, which is reminiscent of both the female womb and male testicles (with which it shares the word 'ahuacatl' in Aztec language). But its creamy texture enhances its sensual qualities and it is also rich in potassium and vitamin E, important for overall, if not specifically sexual, health.

References

Sensational Color by Kate Smith

Wikipedia.com/Chakra

About.com/Holistic Healing/Heart Chakra 

GourmetSleuth.com/Aphrodisiac Foods

Eatsomethingsexy.com/Dictionary of Aphrodisiac Foods

Lemony Avocado Cream Cake

"The course of true love never did run smooth." -- Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream (1.1.134)

Tell me about it. This dessert was meant to be a rolled cake, made from an easy sponge cake recipe. However, I admit to being distracted by a phone call from one of my sisters as I was preparing it and, as a result, probably overbeat the batter and then let it sit unattended too long while we happily chatted away. When I finally poured it into a cookie sheet (no jelly roll pan), I noted that the batter was spread thin but didn't make any adjustments to oven temperature or baking time. The result was an inflexible and too-dry cake. Fail!

But Mr. Noodle and I haven't enjoyed sixteen years of marriage by giving up when confronted with a problem. Rather than ditch the imperfect but still-edible and tasty cake, I simply re-considered the presentation. To moisten the texture, I brushed a lemon-infused simply syrup over the top then used a biscuit cutter to cut out round slices, which I layered with the avocado cream. While we didn't get our graceful roll, we did end up with a delicious tower of dessert!

For the sponge cake

(adapted from Filipino Cakes and Desserts)

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon lemon extract

Confectioner's sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F;

2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside;

3. Beat eggs until thick, then gradually add sugar;

4. Fold sifted dry ingredients into batter, then reserve 1 cup of mixture;

5. In a small bowl, fold reserved batter into melted butter, then fold back into larger mixture;

6. Line jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper, then pour batter into the pan;

7. Bake for approximately 10-20 minutes (watch the cake carefully after the first 10 minutes to avoid over-baking like I did). Cake should be a light golden color and springy;

8. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a surface and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Invert sponge cake onto sheet and carefully remove the parchment on which it was baked. Let cool.

For avocado cream filling

Ingredients

1 medium avocado*, peeled and diced

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 (8 ounce) package of low-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1. Mix avocado cubes with lemon juice then beat with electric mixer until thoroughly mashed and somewhat smooth;

2. Add softened creamed cheese and blend with avocado. Gradually add sugar until mixture is fluffy and smooth, with few lumps; 

3. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes before assembling cake.

*Next time, I would like to add another avocado and reduce the cream cheese from 8 to 4 ounces, for a more pronounced avocado-y flavor.

To assemble cake

If you were more successful than I at producing a pliable sponge cake, then hooray! Simply spread the avocado cream evenly over the cake; then, starting from the longest edge, slowly roll using the parchment paper underneath to keep it in place. Press very gently so that the cream keeps the cake from unraveling. Cut into slices and serve with a sprinkling of chocolate shavings. (At least, that was the plan!)

If, however, you experience my fate, then don't despair: using a biscuit, cookie cutter or a knife, cut out pieces in desired shapes or sizes, then brush tops with a simple syrup. Place one piece on a plate and top with avocado cream, spreading just short of the edges. Place another piece on top of the cream, pressing down gently so that it doesn't slide off; repeat with as many pieces as you'd like. Serve with a dollop of avocado cream on top - a sprinkling of chocolate would look very nice, too!

May every day be a sweet Valentine for you and your special love!

Update 2/16/10: Just under the wire, I'm entering this in Food Is Love contest, hosted by Jennifer at Savor the Thyme and Kelsey at The Naptime Chef. Please visit their sites to see the round-up of all entrants!

No Country for Weaklings

When it gets cold, get warm: Honeyed Apple & Turkey Pot Pie

"Don't pack away those winter clothes just yet: This morning, famed groundhog forecaster Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, meaning winter temperatures in 2010 will continue for six more weeks . . ."

-- National Geographic News (February 2, 2010)

Thusly did the Fat Rodent speak*.

Skeptics of the furry mage of meteorology were silenced this weekend as a mammoth blanket of snow landed with an audible 'thwump!' across the US, from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic. The groundhog's forecast certainly appears to be an accurate portent of wintry gloom, but for this Minnesota blogger, it's actually quite cheery news: only 35 more days of winter? Woo-hoo!

Despite five such seasons in the Land of 10,000 Currently Frozen Lakes, I have yet to acclimate to the climate - my genetic makeup is geared toward day shorts and beachwear, not short days and thermal underwear. Early on, I did make a sincere attempt to embrace the season by taking up cross-country skiing, until my vision of sweeping across fields of fluffy snow was dashed by the reality of icy trails and not-so-gentle slopes. After ending up on my back like a panicked, frost-bitten turtle one too many times, the skis were relegated to the Closet of Broken Fitness Dreams.

Now, when the temperature drops low enough to instantly freeze any mucous in my nostrils, I don't hesitate to don multiple layers of heavy clothes, fire up the fireplace and hunker down in the homestead until the spring thaw. Unfortunately, this semi-hibernation has serious implications on the food front as my limited outdoor excursions mean that I must rely on canned, dried and frozen ingredients to cook our meals. It's during this time of year that reading about CSA boxes or trips to the farmers' market from those of you in more temperate climes really grates my last carrot.

And yet, I have no reason to be envious. The cold, monochromatic landscape outside my window suggests that the principles of eating fresh, local and sustainable are in deep freeze during a Minnesota winter, but it's simply not the case. It turns out that I'm just a cold-weather wimp compared to the following hardy souls who don't let a few snowflakes and subzero temperatures get in the way of good food.

*Actually, groundhogs vocalize with whistles, squeals and barks (source: eHow.com)

Peace Coffee Be with You

"The bad thing about winter is people who think winter is a bad thing."

-- Peace Coffee Delivery Cyclist

Since 1996, Peace Coffee has been keeping the Twin Cities metro area well-caffeinated with organic and fair trade beans, which the company sources entirely from co-op farms in South America, Africa and Asia through Cooperative Coffees. But its commitment to social and ecological responsibility doesn't stop there: local distribution is done almost entirely by bicycle, year-round through rain, sleet or snow (a biodiesel van is used for suburban deliveries). Now this is dedication to beliefs and principles!

Precious cargo

(Photo courtesy of Mel Meegan/Peace Coffee)

You can read more about Peace Coffee's unique local distribution at Peace Pedaling: Biker Delivery, then check out Metro magazine's recent behind-the-scenes glimpse inside their roastery. Though we'd love to keep it all to ourselves, Peace Coffee can now be found in markets throughout the U.S. But sorry - no bike delivery available!

To Market I (Should) Go

I am literally a fairweather friend. Sure, it's all sunshine as I rave about the Minneapolis Farmers' Market during the warm months, but when the mercury drops, I'm nowhere to be found. For shame!

This past summer, I found so many new vegetables to try for the first time: pumpkin and amaranth leaves, kohlrabi and golden beets, to name a few. But MFM proves that fresh seasonal food isn't just about spring and summer produce - their Winter Schedule features local producers who provide homegrown fare of the meaty kind. Among them is Blue Gentian Farm, a 395-acre farm in New Richmond, WI, just east of St. Paul. Using sustainable practices, Renee and Darryle Powers raise hormone- and antibiotic-free heritage breeds of livestock, including Boer goats, heritage turkeys and ducks, Berkshire pigs (also known as Kurobuta pork) and the handsome, hairy Scottish Highland (Kyloe) cattle.

Who says happy cows are only in California?

(Photo courtesy of Darryle Powers/Blue Gentian Farm)

For Blue Gentian's meats and fresh eggs, and other great products from local farmers, I'm willing to bundle up and venture out to the Minneapolis Farmer's Market, which will be open this Saturday (2/13), from 9:30am until noon, and every other Saturday through April 10th.

Ice, Ice, Baby

Finally, what could possibly be more fresh, local and seasonal than fish caught in a nearby lake? In Minnesota, wherever there's a frozen body of water, there's sure to be an ice shack with a dedicated angler patiently sitting above a hole drilled through the solid surface, waiting for crappies, gills, pikes and walleyes to bite.

Ice tent on Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis

My idea of ice fishing is the wild-caught salmon 

on sale at the Whole Foods Market, just past the buildings!

For today's enthusiasts, ice fishing is a sport, a form of socialization and a state of mind, rather than a means of gathering food. But its roots reach deep into the regional Native American tradition of spearfishing, which utilizes multi-tined spears and carved wood decoys instead of rods, lines and lures. While it's unlikely that I'll ever engage in this activity, I can appreciate the mental focus and physical stamina required, as well as its history in providing a critical food source during an unforgiving season and environment.

The lesson about the winter season that these folks exemplify (and I need to learn) is simple: if you can't beat it, join it! The snow has finally stopped falling and the sun is glowing behind the lingering clouds; perhaps I should dust off the old cross-country skis and re-discover the exhilarating feel of cold air stinging my cheeks. After all, as these Minnesotans show, there's a delicious reward for making the extra effort . . .

Honeyed Apple and Turkey Pot Pie

Although I've seen the light about braving the cold air to procure local winter products, there are times when cozying up at home and making the best with what you already have is irresistible. During a recent spell of particularly frigid temperatures (when daytime highs barely climbed into the teens), I put together this warming dish for dinner, using leftover frozen puff pastry, a lonely potato, and some omnipresent carrots and celery. This pot pie was assembled with nearly all raw ingredients and no liquid - as it bakes, moisture from the turkey and vegetables will create a nice savory sauce. It wasn't a terribly original or mind-blowing meal, but it was deeply satisfying. The best part is that by using up some of my provisions, I now have good reason to pull on the boots, button up the parka and slip on the mittens for an outdoor foray! 

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

10oz ground turkey, divided in half
1 medium potato, diced to 1/2" pieces
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 Granny Smith or other tart apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 to 2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon butter
2 strips uncooked bacon, cut into small pieces
Salt and pepper
Ground rosemary
1 egg, beaten
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry (I used Pepperidge Farm)

To make:
Preheat oven to 325°F

1. In a small skillet or fry pan, melt butter over medium heat then add apples and honey. Stir to coat apples and cook until caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside;
2. In a small bowl, combine potato, celery, carrot and onion, and mix well;
3. Butter a small baking dish (I used a loaf pan), making sure to grease up the sides;
4. Crumble 5 oz of ground turkey on the bottom of the pan, followed by 1/2 of chopped bacon and 1/2 of vegetable mixture. Sprinkle salt, pepper and rosemary, then repeat with remaining turkey, bacon and vegetables;
5. Spread caramelized apples evenly on top of the layers;

6. Brush edges of baking dish with beaten egg to help secure the pastry, then lay puff pastry sheet over the dish, lightly pressing down on the edges to seal and cutting off excess.
7. Cut small slits/vents in the pastry and use excess to make a design, if you wish. Brush remaining beaten egg over the whole pastry.
8. Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until pastry is a deep golden color. Remove from oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.


For next time: 
Although the moisture from the meat and vegetables created a natural sauce for the pot pie, it was more broth-like than I prefer. Next time, I will try sprinkling some all-purpose flour between the layers to provide a thickening agent. Also, I'd like to try other vegetables such as leeks and turnips, and rather than plain ground turkey, perhaps a seasoned bulk sausage to add more depth of flavor to the whole dish.

When there's a definite chill in the air, what would you prepare to warm up?

Of Cookbooks and Canned Soup

A favorite dish, redux: Seafood Linguine in Coconut Sauce

If you were marooned on a desert island, what books would you want to have with you?

Ah, nothing fires up the inferiority complex quite like a good ol' desert island book list. Along with its close companion, the dead-or-alive dinner party invites, such compilations always seem to me not so much helpful guides to worthy publications and personages but more as gauges of a person's level of cultural knowledge and sophistication. For this reason, I find them intimidating.

I consider myself well-read and relatively intelligent, but it's hard to shake the feeling that offering up personal favorites leaves me open to social judgment and reveals my plebeian tastes. So, I scour my memory for those classic titles that were required readings in high school or check current book reviews for the latest de rigueur read, intent on presenting a polished, cultured image. But while my fragile ego whispers, "Be sure to list Tolstoy, Hemingway, Homer [insert name of Literary Giant here]", my alter ego yells, "You're marooned on a @#$&*% desert island - pick books that'll make a decent raft!"

Welcome to Tangled Island

It's no better even when the request is for a single work, as when Mark Manguerra and Duncan Markham, co-editors of the dedicated culinary book review site The Gastronomer's Bookshelf, recently announced their first giveaway. The prize: David Chang's Momofuku, named to multiple 'Best of 2009' lists. The rules: simply share "the most important cookbook of your life" (details here).

But it might as well have read, "The most important cookbook that will determine your food blogging social life". Spending considerable time picking through my bookshelf, I searched for a title that would leave the most favorable impression: would Toussaint-Samat's History of Food wow the judges or should I show a sweet side with The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum? Yet time and again, my gaze was drawn to the one book that I really didn't want to admit, but could not deny, as being The One. You see, the most important cookbook of my life is not a Child, Rombauer, Hazan or Keller. It's a Campbell - The Treasury of Campbell's Recipes.

(Image from Wikipedia.com)

Warhol may have elevated them to pop art iconography, but in the realm of gastronomy, Campbell's soup is kitsch in a can. Nonetheless, of all the cookbooks I own, it is this compendium of convenience food recipes that has spent the most time by the stove. For as long as Mr. Noodle and I have been married, for each move to a new city and an unfamiliar kitchen, it has been a mainstay. It didn't teach me how to cook - I knew the rudiments already - but as a young cook of limited budget and still-developing culinary skills, it allowed me to prepare meals that didn't involve instant ramen noodles. From this book, I first learned what orzo was and how to use wine in cooking, and I proudly served dishes made from its recipes to my first few dinner guests. With improved finances, more knowledge and a palate refined, I bought other books, quality tools and better ingredients, but I still made one or two recipes from Treasury that had become favorites. Though rarely used today, it still holds a place among my go-to cookbooks. 

In trying to choose as my 'most important cookbook' one that I thought others would find enviable or admirable, rather than the one that I found truly useful but thought embarrassing, I've revealed myself not as a plebeian but as a poseur. Now, that is the true embarrassment.


Some might consign The Treasury of Campbell's Recipes to the bottom of the pile and find it rather ironic that I chose such a book for the chance to win one that is so highly-coveted and critically praised. But I now see it differently: to climb some of the highest peaks, you often have to start at the lowest valley. In the years since I made my first canned soup recipe, I've slowly cooked my way upward. I'm not yet in view of the pinnacle and I may never reach it, but I'm enjoying the climb.

And the view is ever so much better than on a desert island.

Linguine Frutti di Mare con Salsa di Cocco 
(Seafood Linguine with Coconut Sauce)

Page 178 of my copy of Treasury of Campbell's Recipes is wrinkled, splotched and well-used due to the favored recipe it contains: Linguine with Clam Sauce. I no longer make this dish as given by the book, which called for a can of cream of mushroom soup, but Mr. Noodle and I have fond memories of it. Now, I make it sans can but it doesn't mean I've also given up convenience. The following recipe still involves prepared ingredients such as canned coconut milk, frozen seafood and ground spices, but I hope you'll see the progress I've made.

As for the mouthful of moniker above, you can chalk it up to the influence of my mother, whose elegant style is rooted in the simple yet steadfast rule that a lovely accessory adds flair to the most simple outfit. So why not do the same for a simple dish?

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 large shallot, sliced fine
1 tsp flour
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp minced ginger or ginger paste
1 Tbsp crushed garlic or garlic paste
1 can coconut milk
1/4 tsp ground galangal
1-2 tsps patis (fish sauce)
1 tsp sambal oelek
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 lb seafood mix (or your choice of shrimps, clams, bay scallops, etc.)
8oz linguine, cooked
Cilantro, for garnish
Green onions, garnish

To make:

1. Toss thinly sliced shallots and fry until golden crisp**;
2. In a wok or saucepan, heat oil and add ginger and garlic. Lightly fry;
3. Slowly pour in coconut milk, then stir in ground galangal, patis, sambal and chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and continue to simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens a bit;
4. Add seafood and heat until cooked through, then remove sauce from heat;
5. In a large bowl, toss cooked linguine noodles and sauce, which should thicken more as the noodles absorb it;
6. Serve with a garnish of crispy fried shallots and sprinkle with cilantro and green onions. Enjoy!

**To fry shallots to golden crispiness, I followed these steps from Penny at Jeroxie. But be warned: her blog is addictive and consuming! 


Momofuku by David Chang was one of the hottest, best-reviewed cookbooks of 2009 and now, Mark and Duncan are giving away a copy! It's not too late to enter - just head over to The Gastronomer's Bookshelf for full details. Entries will be accepted until 12 pm GMT (7 am EST) on Sunday, February 7th. Good luck!