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Onward and upward with pantry clean-out 2012!
I had one random cup of dried black-eyed peas hanging out, and I do think I made the best of it. First, I soaked them overnight in a pot covered by a couple inches of cold water. I drained the water, re-covered them with about the same amount of water, and brought them to a boil. Lowered the heat to a simmer, tested one, and once they got a bit tender, I added a generous amount of salt and some black pepper, a glug of olive oil, three crushed garlic cloves, 1 medium jalapeno, sliced, and a bay leaf. I left the pot partially covered and simmered (a low gentle bubbling) for probably a bit over an hour. I tested them frequently, tasted the broth, and continued seasoning as necessary. Once they were nice and creamy, I took them off the heat.
And now this is where the brilliance of pre-cooking veggies comes in: I had some fennel and kale that I’d sauteed yesterday. I put most of the beans in a jar with their liquid to cool, but left one serving in the pot and added the kale to heat up. Meanwhile, I poached an egg and made some toast and my goodness, that was one delicious lunch!
Bunk Sandwiches is not a place you’d come across just by walking around Portland. It’s in a strange spot, just over the Morrison Street Bridge, in between a music shop and an extremely sketchy bar in a fairly industrial few blocks. Its storefront is probably 15 feet wide. But it was buzzing with activity when we stopped there for lunch yesterday. I’m sure anyone who works in the area knows and loves it, since the other lunch options around are limited essentially to Subway. Why anyone would pay for a crap sandwich from Subway when such delicious sandwiches are throwing distance, I will never know.
Bunk also has some great branding — their simple logo is stamped on everything, from the coffee cups to the paper that sits under the sandwiches to the t-shirts for sale (they say Bunkity Bunk Bunk on the back — I almost wanted to get one). They also serve other local goodies, like cupcakes and “pie holes” and the famous Stumptown Coffee, which has now made its way to Brooklyn thankfully. I enjoyed a very delicious roast chicken salad sandwich with applewood bacon and avocado, and Brian went for the meatball sub. Both excellent choices. I think Bunk has officially made the list of mandatory Portland visit stops.
Potato salad, when done right, is one of the world’s most perfect foods. Creamy, tangy, crunchy, bright…a great supporting player to burgers, roast chicken, corn on the cob, etc. Summer in a bowl. You can easily forgo the mayo and do a vinaigrette version, but I do miss the creaminess — greek yogurt is a good substitute if you’re looking for texture with less fatty fat.
I don’t often cook carrots either, but these little ones looked so appetizing. I approximated a recipe for glazed carrots that both Alice Waters and Mark Bittman have in their respective cookbooks. Just melt a couple tablespoons of butter in a pan. Add the carrots and a small amount of water (I added 1/3 c.). Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes (depending on the size of the carrots), then take the lid off and let the rest of the liquid cook off. Test for tenderness, salt and serve. I topped with a bit of feta and some pepitas for crunch. Potato salad recipe after the jump.
Back on the horse. Makin’ food and takin’ names….or pictures.
I’ve got a new approach to lunch. I used to think of lunch really as repurposed dinner. Leftovers only. I’ve never been a big fan of lunch meat, so sandwiches seemed lackluster, and then there was always a question of what to eat with the sandwich. Chips? Salad? Fruit? But I’ve had a change of heart. While leftovers will of course still be a big lunch source, I have started to think about what I can make exclusively for lunch. I saw a recipe on The Kitchn for a chickpea salad — basically tuna salad but with mashed chickpeas instead. And it was delicious. And it reminded me that I actually love egg salad, too.
So here’s a basic recipe. Jazz it up with different herbs if you want. I avoid the red onion in salads of this sort because I find I just can’t stand that pungent oniony flavor in my mouth all day long. So I’ve used chives for a nice, mild alternative.
Makes enough egg salad for 3 – 4 sandwiches. Don’t skimp on the bread! I like nice sliced french bread, but ciabatta or a roll would be great too. Recipe after the jump.
