Eat Your Garden

If you have a garden, like I do, you're probably eating a lot of salads right now. (And giving neighbours a lot of extra Kale, in my case). If you do not have your own garden, head to one of the numerous Farmers' Markets in your city, and take home a happy bounty of affordable fresh produce. Every Saturday, you can find The Erudite Eater casually perusing the Hollywood Farmers' Market in search of the few produce items I am lacking in, for the week. For example, I never did get around to making that new bed for Italian Squash.

The greatest thing about eating your garden is the immense satisfaction and nourishment that one has provided one's self. Planting, tending, and harvesting have deep ritualistic ties to my inner contentment. And let's face it, I love to eat.

I've seen a lot of recipes floating around lately that are based on fresh ingredients and salads in particular. Try picking up a food magazine that doesn't dedicate a fair amount of space to produce this time of year. The problem I find is this. I don't want to go spend $50.00 at the market to supplement my garden salad with a bunch of frou frou ingredients to make it special. What makes it special for me is inherent in what I already have. And I'll work from that.

Simplicity is at the core of what I consider a good salad.

Keep in mind that a salad should reflect what you have to work with at the time. I go out, and pick until I have whatever I feel I need. This is a somewhat organic process, in that it changes, based on what feels natural (or necessary), to pick. Then, I compose the salad.

Here is a simple variation on a rather popular type of salad to try.

Green Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese

Greens (I use a variety of baby lettuces, escarole, kale, etc...)

3 or 4 Beets

Goat Cheese (Trader Joe's has a log of Silver Goat at an easy to digest price)

Olive oil

Red Wine Vinegar

Sea Salt

Method:

Wash and peel beets. Cut into bite sized wedges, drizzle and toss with some olive oil and roast at 400 F until tender, (about 40 minutes). Cool. Wash greens, and tear into pieces in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and red wine vinegar. Think 3 parts oil to one part vinegar as a general rule. Toss with greens, toss in beets and sea salt and crumble cheese over the top.

It's all you really need.

The Lighter Side Of Winter

It's nearly Christmas, which in my house means 3 very anxious children and an even more anxious partner, whom is in her 1st year of Law School.  Cramming for finals seems to lead to a near complete lack of a real appetite, coupled with frantic snacking, and joined by the occasional emotional outburst.

Since the kids are with their Mom tonight, I'm thinking that I get to make whatever I want.

"Hmm.  I loved that Boeuf Vingeronne I made last week," I said.  "How does a Brasato Bianchi sound?  Or maybe a Wild Mushroom Ragú with some Bucatini?  Mmmm.  And Steak."

"No.  I'm really not feeling that heavy.  I need something lighter,"   came the distant and scared reply.  

All right.  The last four hours of my pondering, meaty obsession has just been completely subjugated by the words "something lighter." 

And so it is.  

Summer at my house means mostly eating outside meals that consist of uncooked greens and various other raw foods, along with light pastas, and fire grilled meats and vegetables.  And although I grill year round, Autumn and Winter are my "soup" times.  I love soup.  In fact, my next entries are to be filled with soups, stews, and yes, I'll say it, even casseroles.  

However, there is always room to compromise.

So today, we're talking about Salads.  

And it's currently 22 Degrees F at this very moment.  

Sometimes, especially in the winter, we tend to eat much more heavily than we should. Often, we forgo greens altogether, with perhaps the exception of over cooked, vitamin drained stovetop concoctions.  

Personally, I find this an affront to the vegetable. It is disrespectful and diminutive of its vitality and character to steam it. There are rare and few gentle exceptions.  For example, blanching does not offend me. Crisp tender, along with al denté is simply a rule of my kitchen. 

So, it's way below freezing outside.  Feel free to mix in a salad.  

The bonus to this notion is that winter salads can satisfy the deepest of comfort food, meat centered cravings, while helping you balance your diet and still eat in a seasonal fashion which, truth be told, is the healthiest approach to diet that I can think of.

Let's begin with Pig.

Pork has an amazing way of satisfying my heathen urges while contributing a minimal amount of fat (relatively) to a meal.  I'm talking about bacon.  As an accent.

Now, we add an egg.  Warm, gooey, and a near perfect protein.

Combine these two ingredients and turn the most chilly salad into a warm, inviting, Lazy Sunday feast of pure indulgence, satisfaction, and intelligent eating.

This is something the French do very well, so we're going to base our salad on the concept of the French Bistro.

If you can get it, buy some side pork from your local butcher and cure it yourself. Otherwise, pick a good quality thick sliced bacon and proceed. The truth is, the higher in quality the bacon, the less you need.

Next, procure the freshest eggs you can.

And then...  Begin.

This recipe is for two.  Adjust quantities as necessary, or desired.

3  1/4" thick slices of Bacon sliced crosswise at 1/4" again

2  Eggs

8 oz Frisée or Mâche, Radicchio and/et Frisée

Red Onion, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 T. fresh Lemon Juice

2 t. White Wine Vinegar 

1 t. Mustard (Dijon or Stone Ground)

1 thinly sliced Calabrian Hot Pepper, seeded (or 1 tsp red pepper flakes)

Sea Salt

Cook bacon in a cast iron skillet (or non stick), until beginning to crisp (about 5 minutes). Drain on a plate reserving 1 Tbsp of fat.

Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and bacon fat until smooth, and then whisk in olive oil. Stir in the hot pepper and a pinch of good sea salt.

Toss greens with onion and dressing and put onto plates.  Sprinkle with bacon.

Poach eggs and place on salads.

Pinch some more sea salt and fresh ground pepper over eggs.

Enjoy.