Easter Menu!

Savor this feast like it's your last!

(Disclaimer: I do know that the Last Supper occurred on Maundy Thursday, not Easter Sunday, but who throws a Maundy Thursday party?)

Sometimes the Economical Epicurean tires of always cooking for herself, eating the same leftovers all week, and subsisting mostly on coffee and porridge. So when the holidays arrive, she eagerly throws down. This Easter was no exception.

[Now switching to first person.]

I'm including here the worthwhile recipes from yesterday's feast of the Resurrection. It might seem untimely to be posting this menu after the holiday has passed, but I'm thinking these dishes could be replicated at upcoming Mother's Day and graduation parties or just served at home for brunch or a weeknight dinner. Nothing is difficult or even very expensive -- in lieu of splurging on the more traditionally Easter-y leg of lamb, I cooked up a $10 smoked ham from Shoppers. Likewise, fresh shrimp were sacrificed for frozen (though I guess the most economical thing would be to skip the surf altogether!), and the more desirable asparagus was substituted with green beans.

One thing I did not skimp on was butter -- it was a holiday, for crying out loud! But most of the butter-heavy dishes, with the exception of the scones, could be made with olive oil. Or, in the case of the tea sandwiches, one may omit all the butter and use only lite cream cheese.

If you notice there are no recipes for dessert here, it's because I didn't make any. Thanks to my guests who brought sweet treats!


Recipe: Tea Sandwiches
Makes about 30 sandwiches.
Spread can be made up to two days ahead.

2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
2 T chopped fresh dill
2 T chopped fresh parsley
2 T chopped fresh chives
1/2 t minced garlic
2 t lemon juice
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 8-oz. package smoked salmon
1 large cucumber, sliced thinly
1 loaf wheat or seven-grain bread, sliced extra thinly if possible

Combine first 9 ingredients with mixer or food processor. Set aside in refrigerator to chill a few hours. Spread on either side of bread, with a couple pieces of salmon or cucumber in between. Cut all the sandwiches into 4 squares or triangles and serve chilled or at room temperature.


Recipe: Mini Fried Egg Sandwiches
Makes 20 sandwiches.

2 T butter
1 dozen large eggs
1/2 C shredded cheddar
salt to your taste
pepper to your taste
10 slices sandwich bread (white or wheat), preferably toasted
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Heat butter in frying pan on medium/high heat. When pan is very hot, break eggs onto pan, about 4 or 5 at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Cook until over-hard, sprinkle with cheese, salt and pepper, and assemble sandwiches. Garnish with parsley if you're feeling superior.


Recipe: Cran-Orange Scones (click here to see link from Jan. 14 post)
For Easter, I doubled the recipe and made the scones slightly smaller than usual.
Serve with butter or lemon curd.


Recipe: Baked Brie
Jean Bernard's finest!
Never serves quite enough.

1 mini-wheel Brie (rind does not need to be removed)
1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls
apricot preserves
1 beaten egg
1 package water crackers

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet and spread out about half the crescent roll dough (squeeze together the perforations). Place the Brie on top of the dough and spread the top of it generously with apricot preserves. Fold the dough edges over the top of the Brie, and cover with the remaining dough. Brush the dough with the egg wash. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve with crackers.


Recipe: Zippy Black-eyed Pea Salad
Serves about 30 and is great for leftovers. Can be made up to two days ahead. I believe I made it a little too zippy yesterday, as it was not the most popular thing on the table. In the recipe below, I cut back on the onion to reduce the bite factor.

1.5 bags of dried black-eyed peas
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 yellow pepper, finely chopped
1 orange pepper, finely chopped
1 half of a large red onion, finely chopped
1/2 C chopped cilantro
juice of 1 whole lemon
2 T olive oil
1.5 t cumin (optional)
salt to your taste
pepper to your taste

Rinse peas, pick over for bad ones, cover under water, and soak overnight. Drain the next day. Toss with remaining ingredients and serve chilled or at room temperature.


Recipe: Sprightly Spring Couscous
Serves about 15 as side dish. Can be a hearty meal on its own and can be made up to 4 days ahead. Once again, I'm proven wrong about couscous: it excites! I adapted this from a fantastic Mark Bittman recipe -- the first time I made it I didn't happen to have his ingredients on hand but had all the ones below. He uses bulgur, broccoli rabe, and walnuts in place of my couscous, broccolini, and almonds, all in the same proportions.

1 lb. broccolini
2 T olive oil
2 large shallots, minced
1/2 C chopped slivered almonds
2 C water
1.5 C dry couscous
1.5 C frozen peas, thawed (optional -- good if you want to save money and reduce the amount of broccolini)
1 T lemon juice
salt to your taste
pepper to your taste
1/2 C grated Parmesan (optional)

Bring water to a boil in medium stockpot, add salt. Add broccolini and boil until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove and add to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Wash out the original pot and return to stove. Crank heat to medium, add the oil, and add the shallots once oil is very hot. Saute about 3 minutes and add almonds. Reduce heat to low. Meanwhile, bring 2 C water to boil in small stockpot; add couscous. Fluff with a fork and remove from heat. Let stand about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop broccolini into one-inch pieces. Add couscous, broccolini, peas, and lemon juice to shallot-almond mixture. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cheese, if desired.


Recipe: Green Beans
Serves about 20. Can be made a day ahead.

2 bags of Trader Joe's frozen haricots verts, thawed
half stick butter
6 garlic cloves, minced
zest of half a lemon
salt to your taste
pepper to your taste

Bring water to a boil in large stockpot and add beans. Boil until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Blanch in bowl of ice water. Rinse the stockpot and return to stove. In it, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute about 5 minutes. Return beans to pan, stir into butter and garlic mixture, and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and sprinkle with lemon zest and salt and pepper.


Recipe: Roasted Potatoes
Serves about 20. Can be made up to two days ahead.

1 C olive oil, divided
10 lbs. small potatoes (white or red, or both), scrubbed, freed of eyes, and quartered.
6 garlic cloves, minced
chopped rosemary leaves from about 5 short branches
1/4 C chopped fresh chives
salt to your taste
pepper to your taste
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a large baking dish (or two, if needed) with olive oil, add potatoes. Brush more olive oil over potatoes. Roast for about a half hour and remove from oven. Baste with the olive oil and sprinkle garlic, rosemary, and chives; return to oven and roast another 20 minutes. Add salt, pepper and parsley.


Recipe: Holiday Ham
Serves 20 sparingly (10-15 seems more accurate, normally). I happened to get a really good deal on a pre-cooked, pre-sliced ham. Usually it's cheaper to buy the partially cooked, unsliced hams, in which case doneness is determined when the ham's internal temperature reads 160 degrees on a meat thermometer.

1 7-8 lb. fully cooked, spiral-sliced smoked ham
1/2 C apricot preserves
1/3 C dijon mustard

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In roasting pan, bake ham about a half hour. Meanwhile stir together preserves and mustard to make glaze. When half hour is over, remove ham from oven and glaze the skin. Return to oven and bake another half hour or so, until skin is dark and crispy. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Putting the "ooh" in ragout

When I'm cooking for myself on a weeknight, I usually stick to one-pot meals that take almost no preparation, contain some combination of beans, potatoes, and greens, and don't look very pretty. If I were to assign them a name, it would be "peasant food," because they are so cheap and hearty. They are also very tasty, despite bearing a mild resemblance to the contents of a dry heave.

I was quite flattered, then, when I read the New York Times's "Dining In" section this past November and noted that food columnist Melissa Clark had not only bestowed on these types of dishes the somewhat elegant name, "ragout," but featured them as vegetarian main courses for Thanksgiving dinner!

Clark's gourmet-ified peasant food recipes all sound wonderful; I have yet to try them, but will offer you the link.

In the meantime, here are the details of a ragout I made the other night. What it lacks in presentation it makes up for in flavor, convenience, and nutritional value.

Recipe: Sweet-Savory Vegetarian Ragout
Makes 2 generous main course servings.

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 in. cubes
2 T olive oil
1 C vegetable or chicken stock, divided, plus more as needed
1 small chopped onion
2 minced garlic cloves
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 t cumin
1 t nutmeg
big handful of spinach
2 T chopped slivered almonds (optional, but highly recommended -- though expensive, a bag can go a long way)
2 T raisins
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a medium to large pot on low-medium heat; add sweet potatoes and stir until potatoes begin to stick a bit to the pot. Scrape up browned bits and add about a half cup of stock. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Once potatoes are fairly soft, turn heat back down to low-medium and add onions, garlic, spices, and beans. Cook until onions and beans are soft, adding more stock as it's absorbed. When beans and potatoes are very soft, add spinach, almonds, and raisins and cook until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

I've never met a buffet I didn't like

Disclaimer: I didn't much care for the $10 T-Bone Buffet at the now-defunct New Frontier Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. But such cases are rare (pun intended!).

The Economical Epicurean's culinary pursuits are not limited to the domestic. I remember reading an article reprinted from the Christian Science Monitor that claimed that the prices of groceries inflate at much quicker and higher rates than do the costs of entrees at restaurants. Of course, if you eat mostly vegetarian food at home and try to avoid buying produce out of season, it's invariably more economical to dine in. But there are certain cuisines that, I am convinced, are cheaper and more satisfying to enjoy at a restaurant. The two that come to mind here are Indian food and sushi. In the case of Indian, the spices are expensive and can be hard to find while the cooking can be terribly time-consuming; unless you make Indian food often, it might not be worth it to buy cardamom pods or tamarind.** In the case of sushi, fish is expensive enough in the grocery stores; once you factor in the "sushi-grade" requirement (which, in grocery stores, usually falls well below restaurant standards), it costs a fortune.

Overall, I think it's much more rewarding to go out for these kinds of foods. And where can you get more bang for your buck than at a buffet? Admittedly, buffets often feature the restaurant's homelier selections, which become extra homely after hours of sitting out on hotplates. But the following buffets offer delicious dishes that would be far more expensive to make at home. And they're all lunch buffets, which means you stuff your face early in the day, still can't bear the thought of food when dinnertime comes, and ultimately avoid that dangerous "late-night" eating.

The best part? Nothing remotely reminiscent of the tire-flavored "Vegas Strip Steak Special" on these buffet tables.

**Disclaimer #2: my spice rack contains two somewhat costly Indian staples, garam masala and ground turmeric, which I often use to flavor chickpeas, potatoes, and stews. But it would probably be expensive and time-consuming to make, say, an authentic Lamb Vindaloo at home.

Haandi
4904 Fairmont Ave, Bethesda
Every day from 11:30am-2:30pm
$10.95 weekdays, $12.95 weekends
http://www.haandi.com

A few dollars pricier than your typical Indian all-you-can-eat, and justifiably so: this is The Mother of the lunch buffet. Highlights include the palak paneer (homemade cheese cubes cooked in a spinach sauce), chicken tikka, and lamb curry. Beautiful presentation and serene setting.

Tiffin
1341 University Blvd, Langley Park
Weekdays from 11:30am-2pm
$8.95
http://www.tiffinrestaurant.com

The wait staff comes in extremes -- aloof or over-eager -- but the goat curry makes it worth it. A satisfying study break for the slaves of McKeldin Library.

Woodlands
8046 New Hampshire Ave, Langley Park
Weekdays from 11:30am-2pm
$6.95

Fantastic vegetarian buffet; also a good escape from the library. I find the ambiance underwhelming but the food excellent. Don't think that just because it's vegetarian it's going to be low-fat -- you won't be able to stay away from the pakora (lentils fried in pastry) and dosas (fried crepes filled with spicy vegetables).

Hinode
134 Congressional Lane, Rockville
Weekdays from 11:30am-2pm
$10.95

Great selection of sushi and rolls at a great value. Friendly and attentive staff. Nothing out of the ordinary (it's a buffet, remember), but always satisfying. I'm a sushi novice, so don't take my word for it, but my sushi aficionado cousins and uncle frequent this place, too.

Any more suggestions? If you know of a great buffet, send the details my way! I'll continue to update this list as my waistline continues to expand.

Me and Mike Sanders enjoying his Christmas Party buffet!***

***The above picture was shamelessly stolen from fatchicksinpartyhats.com

Couscous with Personality

Winter weather and a weekend of nonstop noshing in New York have conquered my girlish figure. Time to swap the pasta and red meat for.....couscous? I used to think couscous was something only boring people eat (no offense to Israeli folks -- it's only boring when Americans appropriate it at home). But I was so wrong! Or maybe I'm just boring. But this couscous is definitely NOT boring! It's so unboring that you could bring it to a party and the hosts might even invite you back. In fact, this couscous is a party in itself!

I should also mention that it's filling and well-balanced enough to be a whole meal in itself, thanks to the addition of chickpeas, various veg, and cheese.

Recipe: Couscous with Personality

Makes 4 servings as main course, reheats well in the mike, and lasts almost a week. Although some of the ingredients may sound expensive, you will have enough left over to make this dish or use them for something else several more times. Around here, at least, Trader Joe's has the best prices on frozen, canned, and jarred ingredients, as well as cheese.

2 T olive oil, divided
1 small chopped onion
4-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 15 oz. can chickpeas
1 C chopped frozen or canned artichoke hearts
dash of ground coriander
dash of ground cumin
big dash of dried basil
1/3 C frozen peas, thawed
1/3 C chopped sundried tomatoes
1/4 C chopped, pitted olives (any kind will do)
1 C couscous (wheat or white is fine)
big handful of spinach
1 t lemon zest (optional, but highly recommended)
2 T chopped fresh parsley or cilantro (optional, but recommended)
salt and pepper
crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)

Heat 1 T oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook till softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute or two. Add chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and spices, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add peas, sundried tomatoes, and olives. Turn heat to low. Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add couscous and 1 T oil; stir well, then let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Add spinach to chickpeas and veg mixture and cook till it wilts. Turn off heat and add lemon zest and parsley or cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Fluff up the couscous with a fork and add to pot. Serve sprinkled with feta or goat cheese, if desired.

UPDATE: My friend Mike, who's, like, enormously fat, just informed me that couscous is a "bad carb." I happen to use the wheat kind anyway, as I, too, am on the verge of rotundity. If you are worried about extra poundage or just want to eliminate the processed carbohydrates, opt for wheat.

A dip does double-time

This one's an old standby. I take it to parties when I'm asked to bring a dish but have just paid the bills or gotten another parking ticket. You can eat it as a dip with tortilla chips or alone as a salad (crush the chips onto the salad for crunchy effect). Or go chip-free and it's still delicious.

Recipe: Black Bean and Corn Dip/Salad
As a salad, I would say there about 6 servings, more as a dip. It keeps well in the frigerator for about 5 days.

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
1 15 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 of a red onion, finely chopped
Juice of one whole lemon
Juice of one whole lime
1/2 C chopped cilantro (I like cilantro in astounding quantities, but you'll probably want to use less)

Mix all the ingredients together; add salt and pepper to taste.

Variations:
-Add one finely chopped bell pepper
-Add one large finely chopped and seeded tomato
-Add a cubed and not-too-ripe avocado
-Mix all the ingredients in the food processor with a bit of oil for a pureed dip
-Serve with grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp if you're richer than I am

"If I'd known THAT was going to happen, I wouldn't have gone to get BREAD!"

Maybe if the batty Acadian woman had had this bread recipe at her disposal, Sara wouldn't have totaled her car that fateful day in Nova Scotia. Who can say?

At any rate, this recipe is great for people who are lazy about kneading, like I am. I gave a pretty haphazard knead job and it still turned out as it should -- golden crust, chewy inside, etc. It's almost dense enough to be a meal on its own (thanks mostly to the bad kneading). Smear on some butter or blue cheese and you won't need to eat again for hours. That's a long time for me.

If you're the only one eating this bread, freeze half.

Recipe: Cuban Bread
Adapted from the 1961 New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne

1 package active dry yeast
2 C lukewarm water
1 and 1/4 T salt
1 T sugar
6 to 7 C sifted flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water and add the salt and sugar, stirring thoroughly. Add the flour, one cup at a time, beating it in with a wooden spoon or your hands. If you have an electric mixer with a dough hook or a food processor with a dough blade, that will work, too. You can stop adding flour once the dough is fairly stiff.

When the dough is thoroughly mixed, shape it into a ball, place in a grease bowl, and cover with a towel. Let stand in a warm place (80 - 85 degrees) until doubled in bulk. (Under the covers on my bed seemed to work well.)

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a longish, French-style loaf. Sprinkle a baking sheet heavily with cornmeal; place dough on baking sheet and allow it to rise for another 5 minutes.

Bring an oven-proof pan of water to a boil. Slash the top of the loaf three times with a knife and brush with water. Place in a cold oven. Set oven to 400 degrees, and put the pan of boiling water on the bottom of the oven. Bake the loaf until crusty, about 45 minutes.

Variations:
-Remove bread from oven after about 25 minutes, brush with water again, and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until done.
-For more glaze and less crustiness, brush loaf with an egg white beaten with one tablespoon of water (in place of just water).

(Above photo stolen from Maddy Read)

Italian Flag Soup

...So named because of its ingredients and color scheme!

January weather is finally making an appearance, so it's time to dust off the ol' stockpot. This is my favorite of my bean soups. Although its flagship ingredients come from cans, the addition of lemon zest, spinach, and parsley lends it an unseasonably fresh flavor.

This soup is equally good in warmer weather when you have easier and cheaper access to fresh herbs. Basil and rosemary are heavenly with the white beans and tomatoes; add them to the pot when you add the tomatoes, cayenne, and wine. See below for other variations.

Recipe: Italian Flag Soup
Makes about 6 reasonably-sized servings, or 4 Owen-sized servings
Prep time: 5 minutes; Cooking time: about 35 minutes

2 T olive oil
1 medium-sized onion
6 garlic cloves
2 15 oz. cans white (cannellini) beans
1 qt. chicken or vegetable stock
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/4 t cayenne (red) pepper
1/2 C dry white wine (drink the rest with din)
1 lb. spinach
1 T lemon zest
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
1/4 C grated Parmesan (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium heat. Chop onion and add to pot. While onion cooks (about 5 minutes), mince the garlic cloves and drain beans. Stir garlic and beans into pot and continue cooking about 1 minute. Add stock, increase heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer about 15 minutes. Drain tomatoes and add to pot, along with cayenne and white wine, and simmer another 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add spinach and lemon zest. Once spinach has cooked down, remove from heat and add parsley, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

Variations:
-Use dried basil and/or oregano; add when you add tomatoes.
-In place of spinach, use a bitter green like kale or collards.
-Give it a Southwestern kick (after all, the Mexican flag is also red, white, and green!). Use pinto beans or black beans in place of white beans; Goya Adobo seasoning, cumin, and oregano in addition to the cayenne; and cilantro in lieu of parsley. Omit the Parmesan and garnish with shredded Jack cheese or queso fresco and sour cream.
-Give it a Southern twist by substituting the beans and greens with black-eyed peas and collards and use bacon grease instead of olive oil to get the onions going, reserving the cooked bacon to add to the soup before serving.
-Use chickpeas instead of white beans and add cumin when you add the cayenne.