Breakfast Chilaquiles is a perfect way to kick off July.
July 1, 2017
Breakfast Chilaquiles is a perfect way to kick off July.
June 30, 2017
Tuna Chermoula Salad
This recipe is based off of a tuna chermoula toast I saw in a favorites of the week link roundup recently. I was struck by the simplicity of the flavors and the overall unexpectedness of encountering the humble canned tuna in presumably a party setting.
Chermoula is a really neat condiment. Popular throughout northern Africa, this sauce is made a zillion different ways and used as a meat marinade, accompaniment to fish or seafood, and dressing for vegetables. The version I’m making is seasoned to balance tuna’s meaty-but-dull nature. I’ve seen versions that include the brininess of olives, sweeter versions including raisins, and versions that just straight up seem like chimichurri to me. If you happen to have preserved lemons on hand, they would make a fantastic swap for the lemon here. I, sadly, have run out.
gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, keto
Tuna Chermoula Salad
Your favorite canned tuna (I used a 6 ounce pouch of water packed tuna)
1/4 cup olive oil
Big hand full cilantro
Juice and zest of 1 big lemon (I had 2 small little sad lemons on hand)
1 clove garlic
1/2 inch ginger
1 tsp. sweet paprika
Big pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cumin
Big pinch salt
Few cracks black pepper
1/2 avocado
2 cups roasted broccoli
If your broccoli isn’t already roasted, roast some broccoli florets sprinkled with salt, pepper and your favorite fat in a 400 degree (F) oven for 25 – 30 minutes). Let cool.
On to the chermoula.
Chop the cilantro, and add to a bowl. Add the lemon zest and juice, the garlic and ginger once those have been grated, the olive oil, paprika, cumin and red pepper flakes, and hit with a big pinch og salt and pepper. Taste. Your sauce should be nice and acidic and there should be a bunch of it. Adjust as necessary for your personal salt and heat preferences.
Add the tuna and stir. Add the broccoli and stir. Chop the avocado and add last, gently stirring to combine.
Taste again and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serves 2 for lunch
June 29, 2017
June 28, 2017
Prepping the fireworks barges for the Macy’s show.
June 27, 2017
Happy National Pineapple Day, y’all.
I have questions.
Lots of questions.
June 26, 2017
Empress Green Salad CSA – Weeks 2 & 3
Totally forgot to take a pic of the Week 2 haul. I’m a week into this new feature, and I *already* dropped the ball. Oops!
The Backstory
Not content to only have a monthly meat subscription, we joined the summer salad CSA from Empress Green in Staten Island. Empress Green is really something cool – it’s the first commercial farm grown within a residential development in NYC (it’s located in the space between two buildings in the Urby complex in Staten Island’s Stapleton neighborhood) and the farmers, Zaro and Asher, are committed to building something great for the community while providing educating about food and farming.
Aside from a salad CSA, Empress Green offers a flower CSA starting next month, holds a weekly farm stand open to the public, hosts a number of special events and activities (including farm-to-table dinners) and keeps bees. I’m looking forward to seeing more of what they have to offer in the coming months.
Week 2
Braising mustard greens
Arugula
Bacchus radishes
Chives
I also bought some kale for smoothies
Week 3
Mixed kale & spinach
Lettuce mix
Hakurei turnips
Cilantro
What I Made – Week 2
I used chives in pretty much everything during week 3. A standout: that Gold Sauce I made for steaks & Week 1’s radishes.
I made a simple salad of arugula, radishes & yuzu dressing with chicken for dinner one night.
I made butter chive zoodles with shrimp & bacon & lots of butter one night.
I accidentally dropped the mustard greens in a smoothie instead of the kale – oops – wasn’t bad, though.
I made smoothies almost every day with the kale and some leftover spinach I had.
I braised the rest of the kale and served with bourbon steak.
This week, I had most of the radishes, a couple chives, and some random lettuces left over.
What I Made – Week 3
I used the kale + spinach mix in smoothies (made 6 smoothie servings).
I dropped a third of the cilantro in one day’s smoothies.
I made a bigass salad for lunch one day with all the lettuce and some of the leftover radishes.
Later that day, I had the last of the radishes as a snack dipped in butter and sprinkled with salt.
I had a chicken and radish salad with last week’s leftover lettuce greens.
I used some more cilantro in dinner one night as a garnish.
I chopped up the turnips and created a little honey and lime juice salad for a snack.
This week, I had a little cilantro left over.
June 25, 2017
Got to see the very beginning of this year’s Pride March before ducking into a meeting.
It was great seeing NYC’s authoritarian arm (NYPD band, NYPD, cadets, FDNY, and Corrections) decked out in tastefully done rainbow car wraps (unfortunately not pictured), with a huge showing of LGBTQ and ally staff, plus a very striking showing of non-lethal protection (the flanking cops were in light tactical gear with zip tie handcuffs in bulk on their belts). The cynical side of my brain was pleased at the PR move; the less cynical side was relieved to see an institution with a troubled civil rights record visibly supporting a hugely diverse community that desparetly needs it.
I’m glad I got to see the less showy part of the Parade this year. I loooove the sheer joy and exuberance you see further down the line – but it’s great to be reminded of the civic pride aspects of Parade day. Reminds me of the small town parades I saw as a kid.
June 24, 2017
Seeing something at MSG: NYC achievement unlocked.
Gastography 