[blip.tv http://blip.tv/play/gdElgo%2BkewI]More GRITtv
Turkey Curry
Still have leftover turkey in the fridge? How about turkey curry?
Some Thanksgiving Advice: Chill Out
The following story ran in The Times’s Week in Review just before last Thanksgiving; I think it’s worth running here.
But first, another word. There has been a lot of talk, and a lot of press, about Thanksgivings that are “healthy,” or “sustainable,” or “vegetarian,” or all three. Leonard Lopate asked me questions about this during our chat on the Intrepid last night (which drew 1000+ people, a nice benefit for WNYC).
I think all of this misses the point somewhat. The idea – I believe – is to focus on the big picture. Are our diets sustainable in the long run? Are we eating wisely, intelligently, consistently? Because if we are, one meal, one day cannot possibly matter. Why would you want to do a “healthy” Thanksgiving if your normal routine was not consistent with that? Why, in fact, would you want to worry about anything on Thanksgiving other than putting a lovely meal on the table? This is a once-a-year day. If your diet is moving, has moved, in the right direction, Thanksgiving will follow; if it isn’t, or hasn’t, this is not the day to single out to make changes. Make the changes gradually, and let Thanksgiving take care of itself.
The Minimalist: Coconut-Sweet Potato Pie
A lighter, more flavorful version of traditional sweet potato pie.
More Cheese, Please. Wait! That’s Enough!!!
When I was a kid we used to get pizza with extra cheese; I get it. Cheese is gooey and fun; against the sauce, it’s very very nice.
Of course that was real mozzarella, not flown in from Naples but at least made in Little Italy.
Now we have this, two awful pizza chains putting as much cheese (and bacon, why not) as can possibly fit on their pizzas. The cheeses – in Papa John’s case mozzarella, “parmesan,” romano, asiago, provolone, and “Fontina” – no doubt are indistinguishable from each other. (The quotes because those two cheeses, at least, are DOC in Italy and there is really only one Parmesan, made in Parma, and one Fontina, made in the Val d’Aosta, and everything else is a shabby imitation.) They’re made god knows where and how, but no doubt at least half of them would qualify as “pasteurized processed cheese food.”
Quinoa Tabbouleh
By Freya Bellin
This take on tabbouleh, a Middle Eastern classic, is quite versatile. While herbs still remain the star of the show here, the recipe includes a variety of less traditional ingredients (olives, beans, nuts). During the colder seasons, you could try replacing the tomatoes with a variety of roasted root vegetables, like sweet potatoes or parsnips, or roasted squash. Anything roasted will add a nice smoky flavor too. As mentioned below, pretty much any leftover or vegetable will work.
Quinoa is a great substitute for the traditional bulgur; being very high in protein, it makes this salad a bit more filling. The lemon juice and scallions add a nice brightness. Since the herbs really are the main ingredient, try to get them as fresh as possible. The more fragrant, the better. I filled a pita with Quinoa Tabbouleh, hummus, roasted eggplant, and caramelized onions to make it a meal. Recipe from The Food Matters Cookbook.
Mock Lattice Pie
How’s this for an easy Thanksgiving dessert? (Use apples or pears instead of berries.)
Hummus
Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Time: 15 minutes with precooked chickpeas
The Middle Eastern classic has become daily fare for many Americans, whether as a dip or a sandwich spread. Make it as garlicky, lemony, or spicy as you like (try it with smoked pimentón or Aleppo or other mild Middle Eastern pepper); I love it with lots of lemon juice.
If you’re serving it as a dip, you may need to add more bean-cooking liquid, water, olive oil, or lemon juice to thin it. Recipe from How to Cook Everything.
45 Minute Turkey, and a Few Other Things
Busy week: the Times put together a fun complilation of old Minimalist videos all related to Thanksgiving. Tara Parker-Pope (thank you) wrote a Well column about The Food Matters Cookbook, and included some sustainable Thanksgiving dishes; interviews with me appeared on the Parents website and Bygone Bureau (watch for good things by Darryl Campbell), and I did apple turnovers on Today. (Best line: Lauer: “This is kind of labor intensive.” Bittman: “We’ve been working for all of 90 seconds.”)
The Minimalist: Raw Thanksgiving Vegetables
Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes, no cooking required.
