Weekend Update: Life on the Hill

At the beginning of this month, I finally got over my fear of spending money on living expenses and moved out of MD and into a really excellent community house in the Capitol Hill/Eastern Market area of DC. Yes, it's Southeast -- but around here that means shaded streets and whiffs of lavender from miniscule front yards, an arts workshop and a public library, and fresh produce from the farmers on the weekends (which can be supplemented by Yes! Market natural food store when needed).

I live in a house with 9 other people, most of whom are working on the policy-related nonprofit end of social justice and poverty campaigns. Some are faith-based, but not all; many share international interest and I've learned a lot about some topics I only knew a little about before -- NAFTA in Latin America, U.S. pesticide companies' conflicts of interest in the War on Drugs, debt forgiveness in Africa, and all about German customs, including all-night wedding bashes.

Life in the city hasn't been all gloom and circumstance, though! Here are some fun things I did in the past few weeks that make my days in MD look pretty tame:

• Visiting Dumbarton Oaks in upper Georgetown: a lovely estate turned into a Harvard-run botanic conservatory and center for archaic arts (Byzantine, ancient Greek?). There's an awesome mosaic garden of stones all precisely oriented in swirling patterns and vibrant earthy colors.. and some nice flowers too.
  
• Hitting up one of my favorites in Dupont circle with an old friend (and fellow Merckie) -- Teaism. There are several locations around the city, but their tea-house atmosphere, hot and cold beverage variety, and veg-friendly asian food can't be beat.
• A wandering, though brief, visit to The National Art Gallery. There are so many great things to do on the mall, though I regret that much of the huge, two-building facility seems to be poorly explained by even sparser text. They have nice large-space art installations, and some cutout pieces by Matisse were a good feature, though the Afghanistan exhibit was way too crowded to enjoy properly.
  
• The American Film Institute's SilverDOCS festival in Silver Spring screening of Kassim the Dream. The main character and his coach cum adopted uncle and guiding force stood up during the questions to the director session at the end! Kassim was taken into the army in Uganda as a child and used Boxing as a way to deal with the day-time images of horror that continued to dog him after escaping to the U.S. His story of redemption was funny and packed a punch. The film from the Displaced Person camps in Uganda were particularly powerful.

I'm still working on doing the whole biking to work thing, and I'm looking forward to the Corcoran's exhibit on AIDS photography in Africa called Access to Life and a National's game this Friday. Did I mention I also started up the compost heap here? I'm the resident enviro-nut.. and loving it.

So, consider this your open invite, my readers, to come and do fun things in DC with me -- there is no shortage of them to be had.

My family, the chore

Do you know how nice a feeling it is when someone or a group of lovely someones works out all the details and absolutely ensures that your happiness is the only concern for you when it's your birthday? Even if they haven't thought of everything, people doing things like this routinely will check for verbal confirmation that yes, you are indeed enjoying your special day.

That's not what it was like when I went home for my Birthday.

So what happenned? I'm not going to say. I try to avoid going into details on personal matters on here and in general; I don't believe bitching or feeling depressed and doomed by genetics is anywhere near productive. But I did get an important lesson out of this.

As phrased by a good friend: "The only thing a child owes a parent is his or her own happiness."

Well put.

Ode to Dad

I may not seem the most likely of authors for a Father's Day ode in prose -- I've been known to wonder aloud things like, "Where did I come from?" -- but today is a good opportunity to reflect on some lessons and traits I'm glad my Dad shared with me.

The importance of Laughter
One thing that was definitely not lacking in my childhood home was laughter -- my parents laughed at the world and at themselves. I like to think I have a healthy portion of humor to apply to daily life as a result. Sometimes scary situations have been best remedied by the ability to shake off the seriousness and awaken yourself to the absurd. Was the monster in the horror film giving you the chills about walking home alone? Oops, there's his zipper - but maybe even funnier are the cinematic heroes in their stoic quest to battle weird forms of evil. I'm always busting out laughing in apocalyptic movies.

Mercy for Animals
I sometimes think Dad has more sympathy and understanding for the needs of dogs and squirrels than he does for his fellow humans; he did admit to wanting to be a squirrel as a child. But mercy for animals is an important lesson in caring for the world and its creatures -- including other people -- which we find all around us. I'm glad I grew up with dogs (well, since 4th grade) and learned from that easy, symbiotic relationship the value of companionship, too.

How things Work
At the heart of a lot of his hobbies, my Dad is a true engineer - he appreciates an understanding for how things work. Mechanistic relationships govern the way he sees the world - and that's enabled him to become a do-it-yourself expert. I'm glad to have been shown first-hand that anyone can find out how something works in order to fix it or to build anew. Though most of my Dad's hobbies revolve around home improvement (how fondly I remember that 90's TV show!) as well as automobiles, the lesson for me was that I could use my brain to solve problems. Being a woman was never a barrier for me, or for my Dad's willingness to involve and explain.

My Dad is my Dad and though I may sometimes want to change him, these are just a few of the things well worth keeping. Time to go hit some tennis balls with the old man!

Ask, dear reader, and you shall receive..

By request from Mo, here's an explanation for my recent recipe blitz you may have noticed, as well as a quick review of the recipes themselves!

I'm moving to DC and am pretty sad to make the practical decision to leave some cookbooks behind. I'm lazy and I want to conserve paper (though not electricity.. doh), so I am not writing or copying my favorites - instead, I'm posting a smattering of recipes online for all to see.
(I'm not really sure what I'm going to do about viewing the recipes when I go to cook them, especially if I don't bring a computer with me! But I'll deal with that later.)

Most of the recipes I included are ones that I've either made or eaten and found quite yummy.
Going in reverse order, by book:

Nigella Lawson - Feast
Nigella's recipes are always fabulous. I altered Bang Bang Chicken so I could have my vegan way with it.. but you can use any kind of shredded meat for this and it'll be delicious. And it was definitely delicious, before I vegged out. Walnut crescents are a crumbly delight (and easy), and that Andy's Fairfield granola is finger-lickin good. It smells amazing when you open the oven to check on it and a cloud engulfs you.

Patricia Wells - Trattoria
I haven't made many of Patricia Wells' recipes, but I fell in love with Trattorias while traveling in Italy a few summers ago, so the theme of the book was perfect. The green risotto is amazing (as most risotto is), and it's easy to see how I veganified it, so you can just as easily reverse-engineer the thing. I like spinach and the spinaci saltati is probably yummy (and quick). I also like red beans so the Insalata di Borlotti bean salad appealed to me; the infusion with herbs, a technique which I've tried before, promises to work like magic to infuse some really good smells. Caponata is one of those Italian appetizers that is mysterious in its all-encompassing flavor - and it has marvelous texture and a variety of nutrients. I made this one recently and it gets a stamp of approval.

Claudia Roden - The New Book of Middle Eastern Food
I'm pretty sure I made the meaty version of the middle eastern dolma at one point (and Mo and Aileen had some), though it could have been the veggie. They are delightful little morsels but they take a lot of work. I love the use of the grape remnants - those durable leaves - and it's neat how the rice cooks and puffs up without being seen. Falafel is also quite possibly my favorite meal ever (in fast food form too!). I haven't made that recipe - I've only made them from a box mix. I have to, so that's kind of in the 'wish list.' I've made many hummuses [hummusi?], that recipe inclusive, and I did that baba ghanouj recently - they are oldies but goodies. More eggplants in the turkish recipe, because.. they're dark, they're smooth, and they make a mean meaty vegan meal. Bulgur is included because, though I haven't made that particular recipe (or did I?), you really can't fail with it. It's good to get a variety of grains in your diet, and it's so fast to cook because most of the cracking of the protein envelope has been done in grain processing.

Hilaire Walden - North African Cooking
I also haven't tried too many of the north African recipes. I love couscous, another quick-cooking grain, and dried apricots pair nicely in this kind of dish with almonds to flavorify your starch dish. My first real hookah bar, in Philly (shoutout to Merck interns who experienced it with me), introduced me to tagines - they are the traditional regional way to simmer meat, veggies, and rice together in a beautiful painted clay dish that resembles a wizard hat. So obviously the veggie tagine had to be included, though it is a wish-list type recipe. The grated carrot salad was approved by my meat-and-cake loving family, and it's really very good (though a little labor intensive if you don't break out the heavy machinery to do the grating).

Rawji and Suleman - Simply Indian
I like Indian food. Dating the desi way was a great way to be introduced to the authentic (home-cooked) thing as well as ubiquitous restaurant delicacies, but I would probably have discovered lentils anyway as a vegan. Spiced rice is simple, but don't be deceived - rice does a lovely job of taking up the flavors you expose it to. Massoor daal (small, red split lentils) cooks fast and gets nice and mushy so you don't have to chew it - serving it on some rice is probably ideal to soak up the sauce. Dal is just one of those essentials you have to know how to make. Channa daal (medium yellow lentils, split or not) is always tasty too, so I included it for variety. I have made both of these dals - and they do benefit from some mashing of the lentils, but sometimes that's easier said than done. I also like aloo gobi and potato curry, and have had them many times at restaurants, though I don't remember if I made either of those recipes before. I don't often make potatoes. But now that I have an indian recipe, I'm going to. Spinach and veggie curries are included for this reason: they are hearty, spicy, and fun - the huge list of spices you add gives the vegetables a hearty, unique aspect that you can't get if you only include one or two. Don't ever forget ginger or garlic if called for, and onions are usually a must. Also ,coconut milk does a great (vegan) job of making things sweet and thick.

Recipe: Bang Bang (Protein)

(from Nigella Lawson's Feast, 2004 - Veganified)
Serves 4-6. Time: not long!

You have your choice of tofu, tempeh, or seitan here. Unflavored seitan might be good in terms of texture, but pre-made tempeh is easier to deal with (in my opinion; I would want to make my own seitan if using here, and that takes a while.. though you could use leftovers).

Ingredients:
Sauce
2 t peanut oil
3 T smoooth peanut butter
2 T chinese chilli bean sauce
1 T superfine sugar
1 T soy sauce
1.5 T Chinese black vinegar
2 T water

Salad
3 C cold, cooked, shredded protein
1 med head iceberg lettuce, 6 C finely shredded
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 C fresh mint, chopped
4 oz cucumber
1 scallion

Directions:
- Heat the oil and let it cool. Pour into a bowl all sauce ingredients and whisk them together to make a thickly runny paste.
- Arrange the shredded lettuce on a flat plate; sprinkle with cilantro and mint. Drip 4-5 T sauce over lettuce and herbs.
- In a small bowl, add 4 T to protein strips, turning them in the sauce until well-coated. Arrange protein on a rough line down the middle of the salad.
Peel and de-seed cucumber and cut into fine strips. Half the scallions and slice that in long strips - sprinkle both over your salad. Dribble more sauce - and you're done!

Recipe: Walnut Crescents

(from Nigella Lawson's Feast, 2004 - This is a veganified version)
Makes 24. This might feed... 4 hungry people! Or 12 polite ones.

Ingredients:
1.5 C shelled walnuts
1/4 C confectioners sugar + some to sprinkle everywhere
1 stick + 1 T soft margarine/other vegan buttery spread
3/4 C all-purpose flour
pinch salt

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 325 degF.
-Toast walnuts in a dry frying pan until aromatic, then process until pulverized.
- Take out the nuts and add loosened sugar, soft butter, and process; add flour and salt and process again. If your food processor isn't humongous, you might have to break up the ingredients into 2 batches (I did).
- Scrape down sides and add nuts; pulse to mix, then tip out the dough.
- Mold with your hands into half moons: flour your hands, take just 1T of dough, and roll into sausages; flatten slightly and curl into a crescent. Put crescents on a baking sheet.
- Cook crescents for 25 mins, checking at 15 mins. Let sit on baking sheet for a bit before transferring to cooling rack.
- Cover thickly w/ confectioners' sugar; leave to cool.

Recipe: Andy's Fairfield Granola

(from Nigella Lawson's Feast, 2004)
This makes enough to give out as gifts, and then some. But it's so tasty.

Ingredients:
4.5 C rolled oats
1 C/4 oz sunflower seeds (not the spicy kind!)
3/4 C/4 oz white sesame seeds
3/4 C/6 oz apple compote or apple sauce
2 t gr cinnamon
1 t gr ginger
1/3 C brown rice syrup or rice malt syrup or golden syrup
1/4 C clover honey
3/4 C light brown sugar
2 C/8 oz whole almonds
1 t salt
2 T sunflower oil
2 C raisins

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300/325 degF.
- Mix all things together very wlel in a large bowl. I do it in layers so the sticky things find their way to the dry things, and so seeds coat evenly. Use some spatulas or you'll be tarre dand feathered/seeded.
- Spread mxiture on two baking sheets (cookie sheets) and bake. Turn them halfway and redistribute - after around 20-25 mins. Your goal is to get it evenly golden.
- Cool and mix with raisins. Store in airtight containers. Little patterned cellophane bags make cute gift bags for this!

Recipe: Spinaci Saltati

(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993)
Serves 4-6. Total time: 30 mins.

Ingredients:
3 T coarse sea salt
2 lb fresh spinach
4 garlic cloves
2 T EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
- Bring 6 Q water to a rolling boil over high in a large pot.
- Prep work: wash carefully and stem the spinach; halve the garlic cloves.
- Add the salt, then add spinach to the water, stiring to eveny wilt it. Cook until wilted through, 2-3 mins.
- Drain spinach and rinse w/ cold water to stop cooking (in a huge colander or in the pot).
- Coarsely chop the spinach and place in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Set aside to drain once again. Press the liquid down and out from time to time.
- In a large skillet, combine garlic and oil and cook over med heat until garlic is golden (2-3 mins). Remove and discard garlic.
- Add chopped spinach to the skillet and cook, tossing w/ a fork, until warmed through (2-3 mins). Season w/ salt and pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Recipe: Red Bean and Onion Salad (Insalata di Borlotti)

(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993)
Serves 4-5 as an antipasto. Time: 2.5 hours, start to finish; 45 mins active.

Ingredients:
1.25 C dried cranberry beans (1/2 pound)
1/2 small onion, halved
1 medium carrot
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 small rib celery
sprig of fresh sage
3 T EVOO, or to taste
1 small red onion
2 T good red wine vinegar, or to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
- Rinse beans and pick over to remove pebbles. Place in a large bowl. Boil 16-20 oz water and add to cover the beans. Set aside 1 hr. Drain and discard the water.
- Prep work: peel the carrot, crush the garlic cloves, mince the red onion (using a food processor). Mince some flat-leaf parsley leaves if desired (as a condiment).
- Place onion, carrot, bay leaves, garlic, celery, sage, and 1T oil in a large covered saucepan. Add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring just to a simmer on med heat; cook 15 mins.
- Add drained beans and return to a simmer. Cover and continue cooking just until beans are tender - 30 mins to 1 hour more (beans will be slightly firm, not mushy).
- Meanwhile, toss minced red onion with 1T oil in a small bowl and set aside.
- Once beans are cooked, drain them and discard the herbs and vegetables (composting them!). Transfer beans to a large bowl. Toss with minced onions and 1T oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper; taste for seasoning. Serve at room temperature or warm.
(Keeps 2-3 days in the fridge)

Recipe: Risotto Verde (Asparagus, Spinach, and Parmesan Shreese)

(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993. This is a vegan-ified version.)
Serves 4-6. Time: 1-1.5 hours.

Ingredients:
1 T EVOO
1 small onion
sea salt to taste
1 C arborio rice (medium grain w/ high gluten!)
2 C veg broth
4 C loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
10 thin spears fresh asparagus
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 C freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano shreese (or as close as you can get while still fakin' it.)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degF. Get out: a 1.5 Q saucepan and 1 Q souffle dish.
- Prep work: Rinse, dry, and finely chop the spinach; rinse, trim, and cut asparagus into thin diagonal slices; mince the onion (food processor works well).
- In a saucepan, combine oil with onion and salt on med heat. Cook until soft and translucent - 3 to 4 mins. Add the rice and stir to coat.
- Add broth, spinach, asparagus, nutmeg, and salt, and bring to a simmer on medium. Stir in 1/2 shreese.
- Transfer to a 1Q souffle dish and smooth out the top w/ back of a spoon. Sprinkle with remaining shreese. Cover souffle dish w/ foil.
- Bake until rice is cooked through and has absorbed most of the liquid - 35 to 40 mins. Serve immediately.
- Patricia's wine suggestion: a crisp Italian white, eg. Pinot Grigio, Galestro, or Orvieto Secco.

Recipe: Caponata

(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993)
Serves 8-12, as an appetizer. Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:
2 med onions
2 red bell peppers
1 C EVOO
fine sea salt (to taste)
One 16-oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
Several herb stems: parsley, celery leaves, thyme sprigs, tied in a bundle w/ cotton twine
4 plump fresh garlic cloves
8 ribs celery hearts w/ leaves
2 t fresh thyme leaves
1 firm med eggplant (~1 pound)
2 T sugar
1/2 C best-quality red wine vinegar
1 C drained pitted green olives
1/4 C drained capers, rinsed

Directions:
- Prep work: Peel onions and cut in half lengthwise. Then cut crosswise into very thin slices. Cut peppers into thin vertical strips and cut in half. Thinly slice the garlic cloves, dice the celery hearts, and cube the eggplant.
(Batch 1)
- In a deep 12-in. skillet, combine in 1/4C oil: onions and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat onions and cook on low until soft and translucent (5 mins).
- Add peppers and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for ~5 mins more.
- Add crushed tomatoes directly from the can, don't drain. Cook 5 more mins.
- Add herb bundle and garlic - taste for seasoning.
- Cover and simmer gently 20 mins, stirring occasionally: until vegetables are cooked but still firm. No mushiness!
- Remove herb bundle and compost; remove from heat and set aside.
(Batch 2)
- In another skillet at the same time (also 12 in), heat 1/4 C oil over moderate heat. Add celery and cook 7-10 mins until lightly colored and beginning to soften and turn translucent. Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and thyme. Set aside.
- Heat remaining oil (1/2C) in skillet after removing celery. Add the eggplant when hot and cook ~5 mins until lightly colored. Keep the pan moving to avoid scorching. Eggplant should remain firm.
- Add eggplant and celery to the tomato mixture. Taste for seasoning. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the mixture is soft and jam-like (~20 mins).
- Meanwhile, combine sugar and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve.
- Bring 1 quart/1 L water to a boil on hight in a med saucepan. Add olives and blanch 2 mins. Drain and rinse under cold running water. If olives are still salty, repeat.
- Add sugar-vinegar, olives, and capers to the jam-like veggie mixture and simmer on low heat for 1-2 mins to allow flavors to blend. Taste and salt if necessary. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool. Serve warm or room temperature (not cool) with some crusty pieces of bread.