Food Plain and Simple

"Now that I've eaten I see things in a different light." Groucho Marx

It is too true that no matter what or when we eat, the aspect of mood is either creator or resolver of many things. In the simple act of mastication and swallowing we have created whole realms of emotional responses, rituals, making new retrieving of old. Whether our data banks overflow with useless and sometimes annoying bits and bytes, our food memory banks never fail to reunite self with self. Now mind you I have memories of food poisonings that are as vivid as my cherished foody moments. As a matter of fact I can remember where I was what I ate and my willingness to cross the Vail at those haunted memories. Vivid as they are, and great tales that they make my food catalog is vast and colorful. I do remember where and when I traveled each culinary crossroad. I can conjure the scent, temperature, texture, color palette and finally and most exquisitely my first taste.

From my earliest memories food, and the discernment of good and bad food has been my shadow. We have traveled together, we talk to each other, we dream with each other and connect on a level of art and artist. One could argue that my penchant for hoarding stems from a former life time of food deprivation, my pantry bursting with a resemblance to the Ark. This murky reincarnation also brings me to question my innate recognition of certain cuisines that had not been in my childhood. That instant almost teary eyed reunion with a palate from the past and the reuniting of two friends.

As soon as I could master the stove in my mothers home I stood nearly eye to eye with the knobs and began a life time of passing on joy and love to all who would partake. I come from and interesting food lineage, Kosher in spirit if not practice when I was very young, and one parent with an adventurous palate and another parent who thought frozen food and white bread was dinner du jour. My maternal Grand-mother was a terrific cook who taught several of her nieces to cook, but failed utterly with my mother. Another maternal Great-Grandmother was a caterer and marvelous pastry maker. My father was a very good cook and a master griller. It was he who saved us from Oncor/Boil n bag hell. I remember the first time he brought home Kippers and sauteed them in butter squeezing lemons to finish. He taught us how to negotiate the bones and how to fillet a whitefish "chub". My mother stayed firmly in her bed on those rare but memorable Sunday mornings.

Cookbooks were read as a novel, each recipe stored and amended by my mental palate. My first breads, dried legumes, whole fish, new vegetable, each rung in the ladder I climbed. In the eighties I began to cater, a small party here and there. I didn't know a thing and had to cook from the confines of my then woeful kitchen. The children hands scrubbed sitting at the kitchen table rolling meatballs, or dough. I did well, very well, but I needed a partner, several friends offered to partner and after one party quit, it was too much work. Mind you no one was cooking in those days. I gave a cooking class to my NCJW women, they hugged and thanked me and then patted, all the while shaking their heads at my foolish waste of time and energy. Reservations and prepackaged foods were after all cleaner and easier. I was alone in the vast wilderness of the modern cook/woman. A whole generation who could not, would not cook. Without the help I needed, I let the catering dream fold, but soldiered on alone in my culinary quests.

Oh so many years later and the food world is so exciting, and everyone talks and walks food. Still to my surprise, I find even with Food network, PBS and the Travel Channel there is still a need for education and the exchange of recipes and techniques. I had a discussion with Jose my home builder the other evening about salt and different salts. Pulling out several jars we lined them up and he and his photographer did a salt tasting. He is the cook in the family, his wife burns water. We pulled out my pots and we talked about the different materials in relation to different types of cooking. We spent two hours nattering on about cooking and foods. I showed him my sour dough starter jar. He watches (the networks) religiously and yet his basic food knowledge was undeveloped.

It is my belief that food has become a spectator sport and without the stories and backgrounds , we don't identify with the foods we see the chefs prepare on TV. Over forty years of self education and a drive to conquer my inner hunger for new tastes and techniques, I find my self pulled back into the realm of food, and cooking. So often I have been asked why I don't get back into cooking, and my response has been I just can't be on my feet like that anymore. Yet there is another way I can step back in to the the world of food, and here it is. I hope through stories, anecdotes and education I can "feed" you all.

Now I have been asked repeatedly by friends and family for help and recipes. Despite all the food media and many blogs I am flattered and amazed that I have become the food maven. So yes, I will answer questions share and find recipes and of course have this forum for those of you who wish to jump in and share the traditions as well as the recipes of your own households.

As per your request Lynn and Ava here is my Eggplant and Rice Provincial, I was thrilled that you loved it. When I was a vegetarian it was a big staple bring a dish, dish. The original recipe is lost in my vast collection of cook books so here is the version that has stood the test of time:

When picking out Eggplants, unmarked deeply purple with a small calyx and small bottom dimple is best. They will have fewer seeds as I believe these are the males. I also no longer peel and seed my own tomatoes, I use Organic peeled plum tomatoes in the can, they taste better and save time. If tomatoes are in season however use fresh!

To peel fresh tomatoes, boil some water, wash tomatoes and slice a small x on the bottom, place 3/4 of the way up in boiling water for a second or so, remove and plunge into a bowl of ice water x down. If all goes right you can peel the skin right off and then proceed to squeeze gently to remove excess juice and pits. The rest is a fine chop. I like to do this for summer salads and when I make a fresh tomato pasta and olive oil.

Pre-heat Oven 400 F
2 Lbs of Eggplants Peeled, and cut into 1" cubes sprinkle with lemon juice to preserve color
4-6 Tbsp. of olive oil (Eggplants soak up oil so don't just pour more on keep the veggie moving)
3 cups finely chpd onions (Sweet if you can get)
1 red pepper cored, seeded cut into 1" cubes
2 garlic cloves smashed and chopped
3 peeled cored and seeded tomato's chopped (use at least six, plum canned without the juice)
fresh Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, crushed and chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cup long grain rice (I pre cook for a few minutes before adding to mixture)
3 1/4 cups of Vegetable stock
sea salt and lemon pepper
(dots of butter, make this better)

In hot saute pan add olive oil and saute eggplant moving the pan and egg plant vigorously. I like to caramelize this a little for the smoky flavor before adding onion, r.pepper,tomatoes, garlic, spices and bay leaves. This is a matter of taste but if using fresh you need to use quite a bit, if dried a 1/2 teaspoon each should do it. Lower heat and simmer until the liquid evaporates. Stir in par cooked rice and warmed stock adding salt and lemon pepper to taste. Here I use Royal Basmati aged Himalayan rice, and McCormick course grind Lemon pepper. It has no MSG and is fairly clear of anything nasty. Dot or not, with butter and bake covered for 30 minutes. Check the rice and moisture level. I usually uncover and cook another 15-20 min. Or if I intend to reheat and serve later I pull it out now.

Serves 8

I hope you enjoy this tried and true dish of mine.

Hey I'm hungry anyone want Foccacia bread? HMMMM...