I Admit

I've been eating the cookies behind your back
I couldn't cry at the funeral
I am not, and won't ever be, a vegetarian (although I'm conscious of overfishing)
I wear white after Labor Day (frequently)
I don't actually like you; I just enjoy the attention
I want more than my fair share
I've lied about books I haven't read, people I've never met and nodded about films I'll never see
I think buffets are barbaric
I probably wouldn't forgive me

by Cristina Paul, inspired by William Carlos Williams' This Is Just To Say

Thai Beef Over Coconut Brown Rice

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup brown jasmine rice
1 can (13.5 ounces) thin or light coconut milk (see first note below)
1/2 cup chicken broth
generous 1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 long peppers or red jalapeños, seeded and julienned
1 pound ground beef sirloin
1/4 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup loosely packed and torn fresh basil leaves (preferably purple or opal basil)
1/4 cup loosely packed and torn fresh mint leaves
optional lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, broth and water. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, keep covered and cook until rice is creamy and liquid has absorbed, about 30 minutes.
2. When rice is nearly done, combine fish sauce, tamari, lime juice and sugar in a small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add scallions, garlic and chiles; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add beef. Cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until completely browned, about 4 minutes. Add tamari mixture and cook for 30 more seconds. Add basil, mint and carrot and stir to combine. Serve over coconut rice with lime wedges, if desired.

*Coconut milk is the sweet, milky white cooking base derived from the meat of a mature coconut. Two types of coconut milk exist: thick and thin. Thick coconut milk is prepared by squeezing grated coconut meat through cheesecloth. Then, the squeezed meat is soaked in warm water and squeezed a second or third time for thin coconut milk. Generally, thick milk is used to make desserts and rich sauces. Often, thin milk is used for soups. This distinction isn’t usually made in Western nations since fresh coconut milk is seldom produced, and most consumers buy coconut milk in cans. Manufacturers of canned coconut milk typically combine the thin and thick squeezes with the addition of water as a filler.

Recipe by Cristina Paul

Poem of The Week

When we try to pick out anything by itself we find it hitched to everything in the universe

˜ John Muir

syllogisms are toe - shoes of the mind
finger snaps are the coming storm
nametags are like unicycles
at a party, I'm the missing sock
a toe circling in sand is like a raised eyebrow
a fig is like a pregnant woman
my heart is a hammer
the crook of your arm - a silk scarf
After it all, your eyes were stones
dogs on roller skates are like toddlers on tippy toes
Even when things are different, they're still alike

by Cristina Paul

Preserved Lemons

when life gives you lemons... preserve them!

INGREDIENTS:
LEMONS - lots of them
1/4 cup coarse salt

DIRECTIONS:
Scrub two large lemons under cold running water and pat them dry. Cut lemons into eight wedges (or you may slice them into thick circles) and toss with coarse salt. Place salted lemons in a sterilized glass jar with a lid. Pour enough fresh lemon juice into the jar to cover the lemons (you will require many lemons for this part), and seal it tightly. Let lemons stand at room temperature for 7-10 days, shaking and turning the jar over once a day to redistribute the contents. Rinse the salted lemons and use them immediately, or cover them with oil and store them in the refrigerator for several weeks. Slice and serve them in salads or add them to fish and meat dishes. They are also a great surprise in a cocktail!

*Preserved lemons are popular in certain parts of the Mediterranean and they're also a very easy and handsome gift.

Blah-Blah-Blahg: Food For Nought

After a summer of warm travel destinations...

first is first

Today, I saw a baby hummingbird
A stranger marvels, “No”
“that’s a hummingbird moth”
(… ! …)
Oh to be wrong, and the delirium of discovery increases

by Cristina Paul

Pickled Nectarines

If you like spicier pickles, use a 2 inch piece of ginger root instead of just 1 inch. 12 apricots can also be substituted in this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
6 medium fresh nectarines
1 1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 - inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and cut in strips
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 small sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:
1. Quarter and pit nectarines; set aside.

2. For pickling mixture, combine water, vinegar, sugars, cinnamon, gingerroot, salt and red pepper in a Dutch oven. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugars. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.

3. Add nectarines and onion to pickling mixture; return to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 3 minutes or just until tender, gently stirring once or twice. Discard cinnamon stick. With slotted spoon, divide nectarines and onion evenly among two clean 1-quart jars. Pour pickling mixture into jars; cool. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to 3 weeks. Serve nectarines with a slotted spoon and drizzle with a little of the juices. These pickles taste great as an accompaniment to cheese, on top of a burger, and alongside grilled meats.

***Before filling the jars, wash them in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Pour boiling water in and over the jars and let them stand in the hot water until ready to fill. The pickled nectarines are stored in canning jars, but are not processed as canned. Therefore, keep refrigerated and eat within 3 weeks.

Recipe by Cristina Paul