The busyness ebbs and flows. Right now I am volunteering once per week at Domestic Intervention Services on the Hotline. Dipping my toe into my old world but coming at it from a completely different perspective. My social work juices are flowing and it is good to be challenged again, to reach out and make a contribution. Those words are real and ring true. I need to do this. It needs to be done.
I volunteer at Overture in a couple of capacities. I usher and serve on the advisory board. The board focuses on accessibility, trying to reach those who generally do not come to the theater, do not feel welcome or just cannot afford the experience. I want to have a voice in the process and am finding my way. This is a new milieu for me and I like stretching my circle.
It seems that university teaching is behind me but my professional training activities continue. I just did a little curriculum writing for the first time. It was hard but something I would like to learn more about. I can do that in my nightie too.
After years of inactivity, I have been trying to move more. I joined "No Boundaries" at Fleet Feet a run/walk training program which ends with the Susan G Komen 5k on May 31. This has been very hard for me. I broke my ankle a few years back and that ankle doesn't appreciate the little running that I do do. The weather has been abysmal making our outdoor jaunts uncomfortable rather than fun. The program is excellent but would be a thousand times better in the sunshine or temps that are over 40. I am making progress and am proud of myself for taking this on.
Oh, yeah I also take an "aquacize" class...
With all this coming and going I have not been cooking as much as I would like. I eat out loads which is a mixed bag. Much of the the time I know I would eat healthier at home and likely a tastier meal. And the money spent could be used elsewhere. Despite the activity the weight stays on. Grrrrr....
I have had a few major food gatherings of late. Believe it or not I attended a "tongue dinner". Yes, a few of us were talking and realized that we had eaten beef tongue when growing up. So ten of us gathered and dug in. The tongue was boiled and roasted and topped with a black cherry sauce. Most of us ate the meal saying, "Ok, that was enough tongue to hold me for the next 30 years". It was not bad just not something I want to have again. I used to love it and even requested it for my birthday dinner. Weird.
I recently attended attended an Elite Yelp event at 4 & 20 Bakery and Cafe on 4th St near East High. It was a lovely event with incredible food. Locally sourced meats cured on the premises, ramps fresh from the fields. Baked goods are both sweet and savory. Great owners and stewards of the land. Try it, you'll like it. No, you will love it.
I was fortunate to be invited to Passover Seder. I was assigned the soup course. I was happy as I had just read a recipe in the Milwaukee Journal from famed Milwaukee chef Sanford D'Amato. I adore tamarind and couldn't wait to try it. The soup was a huge hit and I plan to make it again today because I am cold and so sick of this crappy weather. I have a good friend coming for dinner. I am hoping we will play scrabble while we eat.
Garam Masala-Spiced Kohlrabi Soup with Tamarind-Glazed Almonds
A pureed soup just begs for some
dimension in texture. This recipe from Sandy D'Amato's "Good Stock:
Life on a Low Simmer" (Midway, 2013, $30) mixes the creaminess of the
soup's base with soft, sauteed kohlrabi and crunchy, buttery
tamarind-glazed almonds.
Makes 12 appetizer servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons ground coriander4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/8 teaspoon ground cloves
4 tablespoons (½ stick) plus 1 teaspoon butter (divided)
2½ pounds kohlrabi, peeled and cut into small dice (reserve 1 ½ cups for garnish)
3 ribs celery, cleaned and cut into ¼-inch slices
1 carrot, peeled and cut in half lengthwise, then cut into ¼-inch slices
1 large onion, diced small
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into small dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
8 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate (see note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 bag (2¼ ounces) slivered almonds for garnish
Preparation
To make garam masala:In a small bowl, mix ground coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and cloves together and reserve.
Place a 1½-gallon pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and, when butter is melted and hot, add kohlrabi (less the reserved garnish), celery, carrot, onion and apple and sweat, covered but stirring frequently, 10 to 15 minutes (do not brown). Add garlic, bay leaves, prepared garam masala and salt and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add stock and 1 teaspoon of the tamarind concentrate, bring to a simmer and simmer, covered, until vegetables are well-cooked, about 20 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, then strain through a medium strainer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter and, when hot, add reserved 1½ cups kohlrabi garnish and sauté until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season garnish with salt and pepper and place in a bowl.
Wipe out the pan and over medium heat, add remaining 1 teaspoon butter and then the almonds. When butter is just starting to brown, after about 2 minutes, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, add remaining 1 teaspoon of the tamarind concentrate, and cook 1 minute to glaze almonds. Let cool to room temperature.
For serving, divide soup among the bowls and garnish with the sautéed kohlrabi and tamarind almonds.
Note: Tamarind concentrate is available at Asian and Indian stores and the Spice House.
No comments:
Post a Comment