No More Days Without Oranges

I saw this painting in the window of the Grenning Gallery on my way to Main Street this morning, and it put me in mind to buy a juicy navel orange at the IGA. Along with some pomegranate seeds and a spoonful of honey, my orange made a great topping for my whole grain waffles at lunch.

Last Night's Dinner: Borlotti Bean and Spelt Berry Soup

In the ongoing project of convincing myself that $42 is a reasonable investment in a bottle of olive oil, last night I decided to make Tuscan-style farro and bean soup, which is not ready to eat until it is drizzled with the stuff. I was a little put out when I had to settle for spelt berries at Provisions ("What? No farro in this entire village?!?"), but when I cooked the spelt I was delighted by its wholesome, nutty flavor and toothsome texture. I used dried Rancho Gordo Borlotti beans, but you could use any beans you like. To turn my soup into a one-dish meal, I stirred half a bunch of chopped kale into the pot right before serving. Here is the recipe:

Borlotti Bean and Spelt Soup
Serves 4 to 6

Frugal like the most traditional Tuscan cook, I used my inexpensive olive oil to saute the vegetables, reserving the good stuff for drizzling.

1 cup dried Borlotti beans, soaked for 4 to 8 hours
8 cups water
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 cup spelt berries
Salt
1 sprig sage leaves
One 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes, drained
1/2 bunch kale, tough stems removed, chopped

1. Place the beans and 5 cups of water in a medium pot, bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Puree 1 cup of the mixture in a blender and return it to the pot.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, onion, and celery, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 3 cups water, spelt, 1 teaspoon salt, and sage, bring to a boil, turn down the heat, cover, and cook until the spelt is tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
3. Stir the bean mixture into the spelt mixture along with the tomatoes and kale and cook until the kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in more salt to taste. Ladle into bowls, drizzle each portion with a healthy amount of your best olive oil, and serve.

Celebrating the New Year with Pecorino and Pears

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I haven't been posting for a while because I've been on vacation in Florence (please don't hate me), returning to the scene of my junior year and re-gaining most of my freshman 10. During the week, I ate delicious Tuscan pecorino cheese several different ways. Yesterday, after a quick trip to the Variety Store (New Year's crowns, 50% off) and the IGA, I stopped in at Cavaniola's for this young-ish Pecorino and a can of their most peppery olive oil to duplicate, if I could, a salad I ate on Tuesday in the Oltrarno:

Salad with Pears, Pecorino, and Walnuts
Serves 4

10 cups baby arugula
3 ounces soft-ish Pecorino cheese, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 large, ripe pear, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
2 or 3 tablespoons best-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the arugula, cheese, pear, and walnuts in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Enjoy!

Last Night's Dinner: Spinach with Nutmeg

All of this cookie baking is influencing my cooking. Last night, to go with some rigatoni with creamy tomato and prosciutto sauce, I tossed baby spinach with butter, sauteed onion, and a little bit of nutmeg, which transformed and entirely elevated the dish. Here is the recipe:

Wilted Spinach with Nutmeg
Serves 4

Two 5-ounce boxes baby spinach
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
Salt
Ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

1. Place the spinach in a large microwafe-safe bowl and cover with a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high, stirring once, until spinach is just beginning to wilt,1 1/2 to 2 minutes total. Transfer spinach to a colander and let stand, stirring once or twice, to let excess water drain away, about 10 minutes.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspon salt, pepper to taste, an nutmeg, and cook, stirring until the spinach is just wilted and heated through, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.

Good News, Bad News, Good News

I headed to Main Street yesterday in search of stocking stuffers, wondering what I would find in the way of fine chocolate. The good news: I got no further than Cavaniola's Gourmet, where I scooped up Vosges Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cane and Gingerbread Toffee Bars. The bad news: I bought the last two. The good news: There are plenty of other delicious Vosges varieties, including Blood Orange Caramel and Amalfi (lemon peel, white peppercorn, and white chocolate--my favorite) to stuff many stockings around town.

Window Shopping on Washington Street

There is something beautiful, in an island-of-misfit-toys kind of way, about the Dominican Sisters Thrift Store holiday windows on Washington Street.

Welcome to Greenport

On the way home from Orient yesterday, I had to stop in Greenport to admire the beautiful hand-painted Santa that greeted me as I entered town.