So, is this the Blerch’s darker, more persistent cousin?
November 22, 2014
So, is this the Blerch’s darker, more persistent cousin?
Delicata, Pomegranate & Arugula Salad
This salad is sweet, tart, fatty & salty and strikes a great balance between the carbs & fat you want when the weather turns cold, and more virtuous things like fresh greens.
Vegetarian, vegan & paleo with omissions; gluten-free with none
Delicata, Pomegranate & Arugula Salad
1 delicata squash
Arugula
1 pomegranate
Pecorino, romano or other salty aged cheese
Pomegranate molasses
Optional pulled meat of some sort – I used pork like this, this would also be fantastic
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
First, start your squash.
Preheat your oven to 425 F. Line a cookie sheet with foil.
Slice the ends off your squash and push the seeds out with a spoon. Slice into 1/4-inch rounds.
Lay squash rounds in a single layer on your prepared sheet – making sure not to crowd; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
Bake 20 minutes, flip, and bake another 20 minutes or until browned and nutty on both sides.
While the squash is working, de-seed your pomegranate (my favorite method is to roll the pomegranate on a cutting board to loosen the seeds, cut in half, and whack with the back of a wooden spoon. Not only cathartic, this method is really quick and only a little splattery).
Reheat your pork (I prefer crisping it up a bit either under the broiler or in a pan on the stovetop) and gather the rest of your ingredients.
When the squash is crisped, pull from the oven and start assembling your salad. I used about a cup of arugula, 6-8 slices of squash, a hand full of pomegranate arils, a Tablespoon or so of cheese, and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. Enjoy.
Depending upon the size of your squash, serves 2-4. My squash was on the small side and I was hungry, so it served 2.
Nembutal J. Herold (November 21, 2014)
Nembutal J. Herold
Cochran. My love. My lovey bear, my boo, my boo-bear, my pooh-bear. Grampus, Grumpus, Nambu, Bamboo, Bimboo, Nambly-boo, fat boy, Monster. International Badass. Nembu.
How do I say goodbye to my heart? To my love? My big strong man?
Fourteen and a half years is a long time to love somebody, but I’ll be damned if you didn’t make me do it. You chose me at just the right time, and I thank you for it. I thank you for your friendship, your love, and your devotion – especially on those days I didn’t deserve it.
You’ve been my anchor – when I was cast alone at sea, struggling to find my footing – you were there with a solid body wedged up against mine and a nice thick ruff to sob into.
You’ve been my touchstone; a constant – stability and focus. A home for my worries and a home for my joys.
You’ve been an endless sense of amusement with your monstering around and your little nudges. Watching your range of moods – from derpy through 50 shades of emo and on to seriously not amused – has always brought light to my day.
Always, always, you’ve been my heart.
You may have been an aloof (and at times a complete asshole) of a fuzzy roommate, but that was just part of your charm. My sad clown. The most emo boy around. The dog that thinks he’s (the very best) people.
I’ll miss your big fat face. And the snuggles I forced you to take. And the kisses I generally had to beg for. Hell, I’ll even miss the times you refused to talk to me because I dared inflict the indignity of a bath upon your delicate person (dogson?).
I don’t know what this Nembu-sized hole is going to look like going forward, but I know it’ll suck. Also, I know I’ve made the right decision – the only decision – to save you from having increasingly shittier last days. That doesn’t make today any easier, though. Feeding you breakfast pancakes and lunch burgers helped.
So today I say goodbye to my love – and continue along.
I love you, big man. Always will.
November 20, 2014
This guy.
November 19, 2014
Out learning about the history of pumpkin pie.
November 18, 2014
Arms & abs
November 17, 2014
Happy birthday, ma – I celebrated this year with sushi. Unfortunately, lunch was an hour late and I was too busy to leave my desk.
But the thought was there.
November 16, 2014
❤
November 15, 2014
Getting my caffeine fix.
Burnt Radicchio Salad with Pear and Maple
This recipe was born out of the need to burn fall with fire. Call it bleeding frustrations, getting rid of demons, or just simply not getting enough fire with my wintery weather while on vacation, but I came back with an urge to burn things – specifically, food things.
Why so destructive? Slightly burnt around the edges radicchio is fantastic. So are toasted nuts. And butter. And pears – I thought long and hard about caramelizing these, too, but since no one has seen fit to festoon me with a blowtorch it didn’t happen. It might in the future, though. Maybe Santa will bring the gift of fire.
Gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian friendly, vegan friendly
Burnt Radicchio Salad with Pear and Maple
1/2 head of radicchio
Drizzle olive oil
1/4 c. crushed pecans
1 Tbsp. ghee
1/2 pear
Drizzle maple syrup
Kosher salt & black pepper
Leftover flank steak (optional but delicious)
Set your broiler on high and tinfoil a cookie sheet. De-stem your radicchio and cut into two chunks. Place onto the prepared sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil 5-6 minutes, or until blistered and burning at the edges. Not incinerated, just lightly burnt around the top and edges.
While your radicchio is burning, toast your pecans in the ghee over medium-high heat until they smell nutty. Remove from the heat.
Slice your flank steak and pear into thin slivers.
When the radicchio is done, chop into bite-sized pieces and add to a serving vessel. Top with the sliced pear, flank steak if you’re using and pecans. Drizzle with a teaspoon or so of maple syrup and hit with another pinch of salt and few twists of pepper. Viola.
Serves 1 for lunch
Gastography 