White Bean and Sardine Stew

Last week was filled with a lot of firsts. Not just for us, but for Maki too. It's taken some time for her to get settled into the house. Even now, every time we leave, she runs to the door wondering, hoping, that we’ll take her back to our old place. It’s not that she’s uncomfortable in her new surroundings, just a bit confused. We haven't made things easy either. In an effort to keep our brand new couch furless, she's been barred from climbing aboard. It's a new thing we're trying and it probably won't last very long. Not with those sad looks she gives us every time we  scold her. What Maki has been enjoying is our yard. Full of sunlight, it’s the perfect place for napping. And then there are the smells — oh, the smells!!! — which never get old. When we go out for walks,  she's excited by every turn.

Of course, now that we’re getting back into a routine, I’m screwing things up by heading out to Southern California to photograph The Big Potluck. I look forward to these events because I know that, by the end, something in me will change. It’s not always a big thing… but just being around my peers, people who share a love for food, for writing and photography it, ignites my creative spirit. I’ll come home with stories for Eric and, hopefully, a little tan as well.

We opened the Cape house last weekend and, while much of it was spent getting things in order, I also found some time to lounge outside and catch up on some neglected magazines. I finally got to check out the seafood issue Saveur created and I instantly fell for the sardine recipes they printed. While I have every intention on trying all of them, I started with this white bean and sardine stew. If you're wondering if this is a recipe to write home about, well, let me tell you, it's wonderful. Even those not inclined to try sardines could get behind this hearty dish.

White Bean and Sardine Stew

Source Slightly adapted from Saveur, April 2014

Source Serves 2-4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 carrots, grated 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 1 15-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand 1 14 oz can cannellini beans, drained 1 4 oz. can boneless skinless sardines, packed in olive oil, drained 2 tablespoons minced parsley

1 cup couscous 1 cup water 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat. Cook panko until golden, 2-3 minutes; transfer to a bowl.

2. Add remaining oil to skillet, set over medium-high heat. Cook garlic, carrots, celery, fennel, salt and pepper until soft, 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, and sardines and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring to break up sardines until stew is slightly thick, 8-10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and, if necessary, add more salt.

3. To prepare the couscous, pour the water in a medium saucepan and add the oil and salt.  Bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, add the uncooked couscous, cover the pot, and turn off heat.  Cook for three minutes.

4. Serve couscous in bowls and top with stew. Garnish with reserved panko and the parsley.

Chocolate "Forgotten Cookies"

This blog has become such a part of my life that when I don't post, it feels like something is missing. I knew that with the move, any projects, both personal and professional, would have to be put on hold. Through it all, though, my mind hasn't stopped churning out ideas for recipes.

Moving into our house, I'm inspired to get back to the roots of why I started this site. There are recipes from my childhood I've been wanting to share, but, for whatever reason, put them aside for other creations. These "Forgotten Cookies" are so simple, both in the ingredients and in its preparation, that I wonder why I don't make them more often. Oh, right... now I remember. Because I'd be eating them all day. Now, comparatively, this is a pretty healthy dessert. Egg white, sugar, a bit of vanilla extract and, for my version here, a little cocoa powder.

My mom would make these for us as children... in fact, it was one of the first things I learned how to bake. Usually, she'd keep them plain (no cocoa) or add mini chocolate chips. I've modified the recipe slightly. What's fun about these is that once you throw them in the oven, you just turn off the heat and leave them in there. You can leave the house to run errands or make them before heading to bed.

Forgotten Cookies

Yield 12 cookies

Ingredients

3 large eggs, whites only, room temp 3/4 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)

Instructions

1. Move oven rack to the center.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper.

2. Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer. With the whisk attachment in place, beat egg whites at medium-high speed, until soft peaks form. Continue to beat the egg whites as you gradually add the sugar. they have soft peaks.  Mix in the vanilla extract and, if you're using it, the cocoa powder.

3. Drop heaping tablespoons onto the lined baking sheet, making sure to leave an inch and a half between cookies. Put the pans in the hot oven and IMMEDIATELY turn off the heat.

4. Leave the cookies in the oven for at least 2 hours (up to 12 hours).  DO NOT open the oven door during this time!

5. Remove cookies from the oven and enjoy!

Note: They can be stored in an air-tight container. These will also freeze well, in case you want to save some for a future date.

Spicy Squid and Mango Salad

Spicy Squid and Mango Salad

Spicy Mango and Squid Salad

Spicy Mango and Squid Salad

We closed on our house last week!!! (I think that deserved more than a single exclamation point) After we did the walk through and signed a gazillion documents, Eric and I went back and had a quiet moment together. There was Prosecco consumed out on the front porch. We got to meet a few of our neighbors, all of whom greeted us warmly. Now we begin the process of moving. We immediately started moving fragile items and the massive amounts of photography props just to make room for more boxes.  Next week, the movers come which, along with hiring a painter, was one of the smartest things we could have done in this whole process. Those cookbooks are heavy!

Despite having no furniture in our house, we managed to throw our first dinner party on Sunday. Ok, so we took in Thai food and ate on the kitchen floor, but it was still a lot of fun. And we drank some delicious wine (thanks to Eric's brother and sister-in-law). My heart melted a little when our niece came up to me and asked me if this was our new home. Seriously, precious.

This weekend will be spent in NJ hanging with my mom as she turns the big 6-0 (sorry, Mom, I had to share!). For months, she kept telling me that it was crazy to come down in the middle of the move. But celebrating this milestone... well, there's no way we are missing this.

Spicy Mango and Squid Salad

Spicy Squid and Mango Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds small squid, cleaned, bodies cut into 1/3-inch rings and tentacles halved 1 mango, ripe but still firm, peeled and julienned 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup lightly packed mint leaves 4 basil leaves, chiffonade 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro Juice of one lime 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger 1 shallot, sliced thinly 1 tsp chopped habanero pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper 1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts Salt Black pepper

Instructions

1. Add the oil to a skillet and set over medium heat. Add the squid and cook on low heat for approximately 5 minutes, or until they become opaque. Season with 2 teaspoons Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Remove from heat and transfer squid, but not the cooking liquid, to a bowl to cool.

2. In a separate bowl, add the lime juice, sesame oil, ginger, shallot, and habanero. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and whisk to combine.

3. Add the mango, red pepper, mint, basil, and cilantro to the bowl with the squid. Pour the dressing over and toss to combine.

4. Transfer salad to a serving bowl and top with peanuts. Season with salt, to taste.