Last Night's Dinner

Before the 3:40 showing of Avatar in East Hampton yesterday, I made this lentil soup. When we returned from the movies, I reheated it and stirred in some parsley pureed with olive oil and lemon juice, for a quick dinner. At the last minute, I remembered to shave some best-quality Parmesan (from Cavaniola's; 89 Division Street, 725-0095) on top of each bowl.

Lentil Soup with Lemon and Parsley
Serves 4

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 cups low-sodium canned chicken broth
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Stir in the lentils, broth, and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
3 While the lentils are cooking, combine the parsley, remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
4. Puree one cup of the cooked lentils and broth and stir the puree back into the pot. Stir in the parsley mixture. Season the soup with the salt and pepper and serve.

2010 Rolling Pin

I wish I had this rolling pin to roll out the empanada dough I just made.

Diligence and Modesty Can Raise Your Social Status

Will the fortune I received over the weekend at a Chinese restaurant in the city prove prophetic? This morning I diligently made 100 modest buttermilk biscuits for a little party I'm planning. I put them in the freezer and will bake them right before everyone arrives, so they're fresh and warm, to serve with thin slices of smoked ham. Click here for the recipe (just omit the chives and use a 1 1/2-inch biscuit cutter to get about 20 little biscuits) that I hope will help to raise my social status.

Rest and Recuperation

After watching the heroic efforts of my husband as he prepared Christmas dinner (including his first ever buche de noel), I'm exhausted. It may take me a few days to recover...

Merry Christmas to All

After opening gifts, including chocolate bars from Cavaniola's (89 Division Street; 725-0095), a brain-teasing puzzle from the Wharf Shop (69A Main Street; 725-0420) and a tote bag from Satori (95 Main Street; 725-7248), we sat down to a breakfast of homemade cinnamon buns and lots of fruit, including an oh-so-fun-to-seed pomegranate.

Last Night's Dinner

Last night's dinner was just the kind of rich, warming dish that we were all happy eat after coming in from the cold. I briefly marinated thin slices of flank steak in some rice wine vinegar and turmeric, and then stir-fried the beef. Then I cooked an an abundance of sliced onions with some fresh ginger until the onions were beautifully browned. I tossed everything together and served it over basmati rice. The recipe is very loosely adapted from a recipe in a book I rely on all winter to make flavorful food, 5 Spices, 50 Dishes By Ruta Kahate. Kahate's idea is that if you have coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, cayenne, and turmeric in your pantry you can make a wonderfully diverse group of Indian-spiced dishes with very little effort. Order it from Bookhampton (20 Main Street; 725-8425) to take you through the next few months.

Anglo-Indian Stir-Fry
Serves 4 to 6

1 1/2 pounds flank steak, sliced against the grain, as thinly as possible
1 1/2 tablespons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
4 or 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

1. Combine the flank steak, vinegar, salt, and turmeric in a medium bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the beef in two or three batches, adding a tablespoon of oil to the pan as necessary, until browned on both sides, transferring the cooked beef to a clean bowl.
3. Add another tablespoon of oil to the empty wok and add the onions and ginger. Cook, stirring, until well-browned. Add the beef back to the pan and cook for another few minutes, stirring, until heated through. Serve immediately over white basmati rice.

Standout Decorations

Most of the holiday decorations in the Village are rather restrained, so these extra-large "lights" in front of a house on Jermain Avenue, just across from Pierson Hill, really stand out. I love them!