The Februaries

The Februaries used to be an airline marketing phrase for the prevalent malaise at this midwinter moment when it's not quite spring but feels like it ought to be. Time to lift spirits and fly away to a brighter, warmer place.  Well, we can lift sagging spirits through food too. We can bring to the table dishes that radiate the warm sunshine of the cultures that created them, while also being mindful of the moment.

We're at the end of winter storage crops like turnip, cabbage and carrots. Some cold weather crops are starting to show up in more temperate area farmers' markets. French breakfast radishes not overgrown to the size of small torpedoes are back, and American grown peas are starting to pop up. There's really no perfect food for the moment, but here are a few ideas for mental transitioning out of the Februaries.

Joumou, a Haitian beef and pumpkin stew/soup
Actually it's a little late for this traditional Haitian New Year dish but we just had Lunar New Year so why not go for it? It's a tasty last stand for all the winter vegetables we're about to give up: turnip, cabbage, carrots and winter squash. Some versions have noodles too, which you can feel free to add to the mix.

serves 4

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch scallions, cleaned
1 tsp dried thyme
1 shallot, diced
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, seeded
1/4 c chopped flat leaf parsley
1 lime, juice only
1 lb stew beef in 1/2" cubes
2-3 tbsp olive or corn oil
8 cups stock, beef or vegetable
2 lg carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
2-3 celery stalks, cut into 1" lengths
1 sm leek, cleaned, halved and cut into 1" lengths
 3 med. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1 med white turnip, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
 1/2 small white cabbage, cored and coarsely shredded
1 sm/med Kabocha, red chestnut, red kuri or similar deep orange winter squash, peeled and chopped

Combine everything from garlic to lime juice in a blender/processor with 1/2 c water and puree. Slather this on the beef. Put the beef into a covered bowl and refrigerate at least 4 hrs. to marinate.  Remove from the marinade and rub the meat dry.  Put the oil in a large heavy gauge casserole and heat over medium high. Add the beef and brown it, stirring occasionally.  Pour in the stock and what's left of the marinade, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook until beef is tender--anywhere from 60-90 minutes.

Put the squash in a saucepan with enough water to just cover it and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook until tender, 10-12 minutes.  Remove from liquid and put into a blender/processor and begin puree to a paste, streaming in up to 1/2 c cooking liquid to help.

When the meat is tender, at the rest of the vegetables to the pot--not the squash. Continue cooking until they are tender to a fork, 15-20 minutes. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste. Stir in the pureed squash and continue cooking until it slightly thickens the liquid in the pot. This could take 10 minutes.

Serve with chopped scallions and a wedge of fresh lime so everyone gets fresh lime juice on their portion.





Turkish Lamb, Carrots and Rice

serves 4
2 tbsp of ghee or 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 med onions, chopped
4 lg garlic cloves, minced
1 lb lamb stew meat in bite-sized chunks, cooked*
2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated into strips
1 3/4 c long grain (Basmati) rice, rinsed and thoroughly drained
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground allspice
4 c stock, beef, chicken or vegetable
salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste
for Garnish: parsley and Greek yogurt

*To cook the lamb, brown it in olive oil in a heavy gauge casserole with lid. Then cover it with beef or vegetable stock or water. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat to simmer and cook until lamb is tender. You can remove the fat layer and use the liquid for the rest of the dish as the stock.

Heat the ghee or oil/butter in a heavy casserole over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic. Cook until they soften and begin to color. Add the cooked lamb, stir to blend and cook 90 seconds. Stir in the carrots. Add the rice, spices, stock, salt and pepper. Stir to blend. Bring to a boil and boil for 90 seconds. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until all liquid as been absorbed. Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a clean dish towel and put the casserole lid on top.  Let the dish steam this way for 10-15 minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Garnish with chopped parsley. You can put dollops of yogurt on individual plates or make a well on the main plate and put some in the center. Or you can eliminate it all together.

This would be lovely served with a salad of chopped dates, oranges and arugula with flecks of mint.

Mediterranean style Spinach, Lentil and Rice Cake

serves 6

2 lg bunches (1+ lbs) fresh spinach leaves
1 c Italian short grain risotto rice (such as arborio or carnaroli)

¼ c hulled red lentils or hulled halved mung beans

Salt and black pepper
1 med onion

6 crimini, shiitake or button mushrooms, cleaned and minced

2 tbsp finely chopped dill
2 tbsp butter, plus more for the pan

1 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 lg eggs, beaten
½ c grated parmesan cheese
¼ tsp nutmeg
A handful of fine breadcrumbs

 

Preheat oven to 400º. Heavily butter an 8 or 9” springform cake pan.

Pick over the spinach, discarding discolored leaves and stalks. Wash  several times to be sure all grit is gone. Stuff the still wet spinach into a large pot with no extra water and cook covered on low heat until it withers. Tip it into a colander and drain thoroughly.

Boil the rice and lentils in salted water for 10 minutes, then drain.

Peel and finely dice the onion. In a large frying or sauté pan, melt butter and fry the onion and mushrooms with a small pinch of salt until onion is soft and golden. Drizzle in a tsp of fresh lemon juice. Use scissors to roughly chop the spinach. Add to the frying pan with dill and rice. Stir to blend.

Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool before adding the beaten eggs, parmesan, nutmeg, black pepper and a pinch of salt.

Butter the cake pan and lightly sprinkle the bottom with fine breadcrumbs. Fill it with spinach/rice mix, level, and press flat with the back of a spatula. Sprinkle a few breadcrumbs on top and a pinch of paprika. Bake at 400º 25 minutes-- or until the cake is firm, crisp and golden. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before unmolding. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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And of course there is never a wrong time to whip out French Breakfast Radishes with soft goat cheese or fabulous cultured butter and Fleur de sel. 

Just clean the radishes and cut the stems leaving a little tip so you can pick them up.  Smash soft goat cheese or butter into a shallow bowl and edge it with the radishes. Put out the salt.

Now it's DIY: pick up a radish, roll it in the cheese or butter and then in the salt. Healthy, colorful and yum!