Roasted Parsnips

My english friends will tell you that Parsnips are horrible things they make you eat at school. However it was in England where John learned to prepare parsnips in a way that has most people ask not only How do you cook these?, but also What are these?

If a grateful participant receiver of a root vegetable is not only asking questions of how but what as well, then the task of cook has been more than acheived.

An Englishman's way to prepare parsnips: cut them in half, remove the core and then cut them into thin strips, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, coat the parsnips lightly with grapeseed oil, season with salt, pepper and a little bit of sugar, roast them until they start to turn brown, stir them and continue roasting until they brown some more.

Of course starting with great parsnips is important. We got our parsnips last week from the Path Valley Cooperative where we get most of our produce this time of year. You can get parsnips at pretty much any farmers market right now.

Last weekend we served parsnips at both of the weekends Home Restaurants with cocktails. We placed them on a platter with a pumpkin seed roasted garlic dip.


School Gardens


Late summer we started digging on a patch of lawn at Scott Montgomery Elementary School, around the corner from our house, to plant a pumpkin patch. The experience was exciting, back breaking and humbling.

First of all our efforts did not result in pumpkins unless you count tiny green fruit smaller than the size of a golf ball to be a pumpkin. Our meager results can be attributed to many factors but most of all the fact that we planted them too late in the season and they did not have a chance to mature.

On the positive side we spent quite a few Friday mornings with a group of pre-schoolers in the garden weeding, watering, feeding the plants coffee grinds from a local coffee shop and digging for worms. It was amazing to see that kids that were initially tentative about getting near the dirt after just a visit or two were talking about soil, why plants needed water and that it is possible to grow food in the city.

Maybe the best part of the whole experience was that when we spent time in the garden with the kids we always brought local fresh fruit which all of the kids enthusiastically ate. Confirming something that we all know, if there is access to delicious, healthful, consciously grown food kids want to eat it.

The amazing librarian at the school, Frances, has applied for grants to get a raised bed for each class in the school, we have drawings to transform the front yard into an edible garden and outdoor classroom and plans to build a community compost. Late this fall we were saddened to find that there is a possibility that Scott Montgomery Elementary School may close by next year. For the moment the plans are on hold until we find out the status of the school.

Last week a friend emailed me a link to a post from a New York Times blog that I had missed that was posted around Thanksgiving about food, schools, edible gardens...
I loved the post and was anxious to share it with anyone who had missed it like I had. Martin-Lane, our daughter immediately recognized, the author who happens to be one of her favorites, Maira Kalman. I also sent the link to the librarian at Scott Montgomery who printed it out and shared it with the kids we spent time in the garden with this past fall.

New Home Restaurant Dates

Photo Jacqulyn Maisonneuve

Wanted to let you know about the available open nights for our Home Restaurant:
Saturday December 12, New Years Eve Thursday December 31, Friday January 22, Saturday February 13 and Valentines Day Sunday February 14

Winter produce from our favorite farmers includes: Chestnuts, Sunchokes, Parsnips, Asian Pears, Baby Kale, Brussel Sprouts, Micro Greens, Horseradish…From afar…both Italian and Oregon truffles.

We have been getting Eggs from Polyface Farm and Lamb from Whitmore Farms, Poussin and Beef from Eco Friendly Foods, Sustainable Seafood from Prime Seafood…Local Rockfish is now available.

We start with passing food and cocktails and then move to the dinner table for several courses with wines picked for each. Tom a wine importer with an incredible cellar helps us pick wines to go with each individual course to complement the food.

For reservations and information about requested donation contact me at: sidraforman@gmail.com
Please share this email with any potentially interested diners. You can also choose a night of your own (other than the ones mentioned above) if you have a group of 10 or more.

Please advise if you have any food restrictions, vegetarians are more than welcome!

We rely heavily on farmers, a wine importer and other purveyors that we have worked with for years to source ingredients. This time of year we supplement our supplies with herbs from our garden and micro greens we are growing inside. We are committed to using best food practices.

Sidra,
sidrapractice.com
sidraforman.com

Home Restaurant November 28, 2009

photo Jacqulyn Maisonneuve

Last nights dinner was lively. We had both first time and repeat diners...infact, a few people who had met at a previous dinner coincidentally showed up on the same night again. We had some out of towners in for the Thanksgiving holiday as well.

Derrick mixed up another cocktail using anise hyssop from our garden. John made a bresaola from Bev of Eco Friendly Foods beef. Jim from Prime Seafood provided Rockfish caught a couple hours before it was delivered to us. Nearly all of the fall produce came from Path Valley Cooperative. The Burgundy we served with the rockfish and the Champagne that we finished with were both memorable, Thanks to Tom!

We have one more open night before the end of the year, December 12, with a few spots still available. Also we have nothing booked for New Years Eve if anyone is interested!

PASSING
Carrot and Ginger Soup
Cauliflower Puree with Black Truffle
Squash Gratin with Black Rice
Roasted Chicken in Celariac
Lamb Shank in Pickled Yellow Beet
Roasted White Sweet Potato

Anise Hyssop Cocktail
(Bellenda) Col di Luna Rose de Valmonte NV

SEATED
Beef Bresaola with Marinated Jerusalem Artichoke, Watermelon Radish and Brussel Sprout
(Cincinnato) ‘Raverosse’ Cori Rosso 2005

Home Made Pasta with Chantarelles, Black Walnuts, Shallot and Baby Turnips
(Tenuta Roveglia) Lugana Superiore Vigne di Catullo 2006

Roasted Rockfish with Leeks, Fennel, Saffron Mashed Potato and Kale
(Michel Noellat) Haut Cote de Nuits Rouge 2006

Hachiya Perssimon

Parsnip Cake with Frozen Vin Santo
(Jacques Lassaigne) 'Les Vignes de Montgueux' Blanc de Blancs Brut NV

Cookies:
Earl Grey Roll, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip, Lemon Poppy Seed

Forward a conversation

I wanted to post this conversation as soon as possible for anyone interested in a Turkey Conversation... How are you going to do your bird?

Subject:Oregon truffles
------------------------

From:John P
Date: Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 11:58 AM
To: sidra forman <sidraforman@gmail.com>

Hi Sidra,
My wife and I (avid blog readers, recent home dinner guests (thanks again!)) just got a shipment of white and black Oregon truffles, which we plan to use in several Thanksgiving dishes. I was wondering if you could give me any suggestions for a wine pairing, particularly for the black truffes. Due to their pineapple overtones, I'm inclined to use the black truffles in a dessert application (steeped in cream, then whipped?) but don't have any solid wine ideas. I saw that you paired Oregon black truffle with (Buccia Nera) Vin Santo dell'Etruria Cent 2004 (500ml) for a dessert and with (Pierre Gauthier) Bourgeuil "Vingt Lieux Dits" 2005 for a savory dish. Would you be able to give me other suggestions or, if these are the right two wines, let me know where I can pick some up?
Thanks and happy Thanksgiving,
John
----------
From: sidra forman <sidraforman@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 7:55 PM
To: John P

Hi

Good to hear from you. Sorry it took so long to respond...got pulled away from my computer for most of the day!

I love the Oregon Black Truffles in both sweet and savory dishes. For a dessert last weekend I made a sorbet with them pureed in almond and coconut milk and sweetened with agave nectar then froze in my ice cream maker...it was amazing with the really caramely tasting Vin Santo. It would have also been nice with a dry champagne. I think for a sweet course they would also work well with a Banyuls since to me they have a certain chocolate like property to them.
The black truffles, as well as the white also pair great with poultry, mashed potatoes (made with olive oil instead of butter since butter will drown out the taste of the truffles), pureed cauliflower for some reason really sets the flavor off as well...
We paired the white truffles last weekend with an amazing Chianti, style Italian Red ((Montevertine) "Montevertine Toscano Rosso" 2004).
I work with a wine wholesaler who helps me with my picks and supplies us directly but I know they do a great job with retail wines at Bacchus in Georgetown, http://www.bwcellar.com/

Hope this is somewhat helpful...Very happy to continue the discussion if you are thinking about a dish or wine you want to talk about I am happy to weigh in!

Happy cooking and hope to see you soon
sidra

----------
From: John P
Date: Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 8:19 AM
To: sidra forman <sidraforman@gmail.com>

Thanks for the information- this is great. One question regarding poultry- I was thinking about slicing some of the black truffles and sliding the slices under the skin of the turkey for roasting. My only concern is whether the flavor will hold up to a couple of hours in an oven. I'm hoping that the skin and rendering subcutaneous fat will protect the flavor, but would appreciate any thoughts you may have.
Thanks again,
John
----------
From: Sidra Forman sidra forman <sidraforman@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 10:27 AM
To: John P

I would put some truffles under the skin and than shave some. To get the best flavor I would suggest a vegetable purée or mash ( potato, cauliflower, parsnip, celery root...) then shaving truffles on top of that and then putting a slice of turkey with the truffle under the skin on top of the vegetable to serve.
Also you might consider instead of cooking the turkey whole, butchering it like you would a chicken and cooking it in pieces crisping the skin. Th result will be a not over cooked turkey that will be moist an delicious with the truffle taste...When you butcher the turkey you can use the bones to make a stock, cook the stuffing separate and use a little of the turkey stock in it if you want, also at the last minute you can pour the fat/juices from the roasted turkey over the stuffing.
We always do our turkey like that...
Let me know if you have any questions... Always happy for the cooking chat

Sent from my phone
----------
From:John P
Date: Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 10:36 AM
To: Sidra Forman <sidraforman@gmail.com>

Thanks, I had planned on spatchcocking the bird this year, so we're of the same mind. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Happy Thanksgiving -- John
----------
From: sidra forman <sidraforman@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 10:51 AM
To: John P

just looked up the word "spatchcock"...did not know what it meant...happy to learn it, nice word!
Thanks

Spatchcock is a term used to describe the process of removing the backbone of a bird in order to lessen the cooking time thereby ensuring moister meat... So say Butterfly but why when Spatchcocking is so much more fun!

Weekend Home Restaurants


We had Home Restaurants on both Friday and Saturday nights this weekend. Both nights we had fantastic guests who nurtured us with their enthusiasm for our food and wine offerings. All the vegetables came from Path Valley Cooperative which as always exceeded expectation in taste and freshness. As usual Tom's wine picks enhanced the food and the Chianti-like red that we served with Bev's delicious chicken was memorable. Below is the menu with some extra notes on the food that we made and enjoyed.

Passing

Turnip and Apple Soup
Hakurei Tunips and Stayman Apples pureed and garnished with sage from our front yard
Baked Black Cod on Corn Cake with Pickled Carrot and Arugula Micro Greens
Pacific Black Cod was lightly baked and flaked over a corn cake made with hand ground toasted cornmeal and garnished with Sugarsnax Carrots and Arugula Micro Greens we are growing here at 1508
Saffron Mashed Potato with Parsley
Yukon Gold Potatoes mashed with Spanish Saffron and Affiorato Hand Pressed Olive Oil, seasoned with Korean Sea Salt
Fall Squash and Barley Gratin
Black Barley and Yellow First Edition Onions topped with Orange Sunshine Kobocha Squash and Coarse Grey Guerande Salt
Watermelon Radish with Roasted Salsify and Chives
Shaved Watermelon Radish wrapped around White Salsify and chives

Cranberry and Ginger Vodka Martini
(Bellenda) Col di Luna Rose di Valmonte NV

Seated
Grilled Beef Brisket with Brussel Sprouts and Shallots
Eco Friendly Foods Beef grilled for most of the day outside on a wood burning grill and served with roasted brussel sprouts and shallots with a splash of balsamic vinegar
(Cincinnato) ‘Raverosse’ Cori Rosso 2005

Baked Home Made Pasta with Black Walnuts, Chantarelles and Baby Beets and Turnips
Hand Rolled Ziti stuffed with Black Walnut Cheese, baked with four varieties of Baby Beets, Oregon Chanterelles and Baby Turnips from our garden
(Tenuta Roveglia) Lugana Superiore Vigne di Catullo 2006

Chicken Thigh with Oregon White Truffles, Roasted White Sweet Potato, Cauliflower Sauce and Wilted Greens
Eco Friendly Foods Chicken stuffed with Oregon White Truffles, served with roasted White Sweet Potatoes, Pureed Cauliflower and Wilted Flowering Kale
(Montevertine) "Montevertine Toscano Rosso" 2004

Oregon Black Truffle Sorbet
Oregon Black Truffles pureed with Coconut Milk and Almond Milk and Sweetened with Agave Nectar

(Buccia Nera) Vin Santo dell'Etruria Cent 2004 (500ml)

Vanilla Black Rice Pudding with Vanilla Cake. Perssimon and Brandysnap
Forbidden Black Rice Slowly Cooked with Almond Milk and Vanilla Beans sweetened with Agave Nectar. Served over a Vanilla Cake with Fresh Perssimon Puree and a Crispy Brandysnap
(Bisson) Prosecco "Colli dei Trevigiani" 2008

Cookies: Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Ginger Snap, Chocolate Chip and Earl Grey Tea Roll
Tiny Drop and Rolled Cookies

Salt Bar


Our use of salt has changed over time. At Rupperts we used primarily Kosher Salt for cooking, offered French Fleur de Sel on the tables and used Maldon Sea Salt Flakes to finish salads. Looking back I realize that we have been using a variety of salts for different purposes for awhile. Several years ago we switched from kosher salt to a fine sea salt as our everyday go to salt and have been slowly introducing one new salt after another into our pantry. Some of these salts have been purposefully sought out and others have come our way as gifts from generous friends. The salts vary greatly in both flavor and texture and impact cooking.

Many years ago I visited a man who sells precious and semi-precious stones out of his basement in Takoma Park. He also had small bags of finely ground pink himalayan salt for sale, this was the first time I had ever seen it, before it was available at every Whole Foods. I was immediately captivated by the color and once I started using it discovered that the mellow deep flavor was ideal for some salads and in pastry.

About 5 years ago a friend and client who travels internationally for work brought me black salt from a spice market in India. Initially I was repelled by the sulphury smell but then decided that it might make a good sweet and salty biscotti. This cookie has become a staple ever since.

A few years ago when we were in LA we visited the La Sanctuaire and purchased a Japanese deep ocean sea salt that is incredibly intense but smooth. Since then we have collected a variety of salts from various Asian markets...we are currently using one variety of Korean salt that we have ground fine and in larger crystals. We also have another that is more of a flake that is ideal on raw fall vegetable salads made with Girasol, Brussel Sprouts, Celery Root...

After a friend gifted us a truffle salt a few years ago we started saving small leftover pieces of truffles and blending them with salt. Today I made a white bean puree and seasoned it with a salt laced with leftover Italian Burgundy Truffles pieces.

Last Christmas Derrick brought us a beautiful chunk of pink himalayan salt with a special grater that we like to use to season food once we are sitting at the table. Another recent addition was from a friend who attended a recent Home Restaurant and brought with her a gift of Sel de Guerande from Brittany (right on time since we were just finishing a bag that we had picked up at a farmers market in Amsterdam) that is moist with a mineraley taste that we are enjoying on fall greens both raw and cooked.

I must admit that there are a few more salts in our pantry that I have not mentioned...all of which we use regularly. When organizing last Sunday afternoon after a busy cooking weekend we made a salt bar for ourselves so we would have easy access to all the varieties. Tomorrow we start cooking for the weekends two Home Restaurants but I have already been enjoying the new salt set up just feeding the family over the last few days.

Last Weekend

Last weekend was very busy...we cooked for a Home Restaurant and a Brunch. We had two large flower jobs...All went very well. Jacqulyn Maisonneuve who has been photographing us for the last few months came by a few times over the last few days and spent the night here on Saturday night so she could capture the end of a dinner, awakening and an early morning of cooking. She said that when she shoots for a few hours she usually takes about 1000 photographs and then narrows that down to a few photos that she shares with us... which will be further edited down to about 10 photos that she will print and hang as her senior thesis at the Corcoran College of Art and Design early next year. Below are her photo picks from last weekend.





November 14, 2009 Home Restaurant

We had a lovely group of people here last night to celebrate their friends birthday. The birthday girl brought along her two young daughters, 10 and 12 years old, who were great diners and conversationalists. It was lots of fun sharing the fall bounty from our own backyard and nearby farms with this enthusiastic party.

Tonight we started to sketch out next weekends menus...here is what we served last night...

Passing

Scallops on Corn Cake with Pickled Carrot
Chestnut Soup
Fall Squash Gratin with Tokyo Bekana Micro Greens
Roasted Apple and Onion
Potato Egg Salad with Neighbors Chives

Sorrel Martini
Domaine de Villargeau 2007, Appellation Coteaux du Glennois

Seated
Beef Bresaola with Girasole, Asian Pear, French Breakfast Radish and Napa Cabbage

(Cincinnato) ‘Raverosse’ Cori Rosso 2005

Hand Rolled Rigatoni with Baby Turnips, Tomato, Roasted Red Peppers and Oregon Chantarelles

(Buccia Nera) Toscano Bianco 'Donna Patrizia' 2008

Eco Friendly Foods Chicken Thigh with Oregon Black Truffle, Purple Cauliflower Puree, Roasted Sweet Potato and Broccoli Raab

(Pierre Gauthier) Bourgeuil "Vingt Lieux Dits" 2005

Cave Aged Marissa Cheese with Walnut Cracker

Shaved Carrot Ice with Toasted Coconut Flakes

(Roc des Anges) VDP “A” Passerille 2004

Warm Pear and Banana Crumble with Almond Sorbet

(Chancelle/Bourdin) Cremant de Saumur NV

Cookies:
Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Ginger Snap, Chocolate Chip and Lemon Poppy Seed

Wild vs. Farm Raised Salmon


We only serve wild salmon during the salmon season. When writing recipes for various projects I always specify that if using salmon it should be wild. On many occasions I have be asked why is wild salmon superior and is it really worth the money.

Today we received the following information from one of our favorite fish purveyors, Jim at Prime Seafood. Thought this was worth sharing...

Here are 10 reasons to boycott farm-raised salmon:

1. Sea lice -- factory salmon farms are often infested with parasites and spread sea lice to wild salmon and sea trout.
2. Escapes -- a recent scientific paper published by the Royal Society concludes that mass escapes from farms can lead to extinctions in wild salmon.
3. Wastes -- Salmon farms discharge untreated wastes directly into pristine marine waters thereby using the sea as an open sewer.
4. Unsustainable -- far from saving wild fish, salmon farming is a drain on depleted marine resources and is inherently unsustainable.
5. Listeria -- One in ten smoked salmon are contaminated with listeria which can cause meningitis, blood poisoning and still births in pregnant women.
6. Unsanitary and filthy -- the US FDA [Food & Drug Administration] have refused over 200 cases of Irish, Scottish, Chilean and Norwegian salmon for being 'unsanitary' and 'filthy.'
7. Fatty -- Farmed salmon contains more fat than wild salmon (up to ten times fattier in some cases)
8. Chemicals -- Factory farmed salmon are dependent upon a cocktail of toxic chemicals to control diseases and parasites.
9. Artificial colorings -- farmed salmon contain synthetic pink dyes such as Astaxanthin and Canthaxanthin.
10. Cancer-Causing Contaminants -- farmed salmon can contain DDT, chlordane and dioxins and can be up to ten times more contaminated with PCBs [polychlorinated biphenyls] than wild salmon.

Comforting Food


This evening I cooked dinner for a friend and her family in need of comfort. I thought quite a bit about what to cook. In some ways I am completely opposed to this idea of comfort food unless of course the ailment that needs comforting is hunger. Often foods that we turn to for comfort may help us–momentarily distract, but in the long run leave us feeling badly.

Part of the problem with our eating habits is that we have attached the cure of human emotions to foods. The same is true when we use food as a reward. I am not referring to sitting down to a nice meal after a job well done or many calories burned, more about eating an ice cream sundae instead of a single scoop because of a feeling that "I deserve this."

When we are grieving we are outside of ourselves and our sense of self can be lost hence the tendency to not take care of ourselves by over or under eating. In those times a good solid healthy meal can work wonders towards healing both body and mind.

Having someone reach out and prepare a meal for you can be nurturing both nutritionally and emotionally. When my father was sick a chef who was a friend of my mothers prepared us a batch of tapioca pudding. None of us were eating very well and the gesture of the delicious and nurturing pudding helped provide much needed nutrition and simultaneously lifted our spirits. To this day I do not know if the pudding was particularly good but I remember it as one of the most memorable and delicious things I have ever tasted. I know that at different times in my live my senses have been heightened or dulled... the tapioca was important at the time.

In any case I would like to propose a new comfort food, one that takes into account hunger, ingredients and the physical needs and tastes of a particular situation.

Finding Osage Oranges

For years I have been enthralled by the funky texture and electric color of a fruit that I find all over the ground in the fall. Every year we bring some home just to look at. This year I have used them for a couple of events and one of the flower wholesalers that I buy from keeps trying to sell them to me since he knows that I like to use non flower elements in my arrangements...I keep telling him I know where to find them.

For years I incorrectly called them ugly fruit and only recently learned the correct name when a person delivering us organic meat saw a bowl of them on our table a few weeks ago. He told us they were called osage oranges or hedgeapples and had originally been planted to act as barriers before the invent of barbed wire. When I asked if he had ever seen them prepared as food he replied, "I have never seen any animal, not a horse or even a pig eat one."

A quick internet search showed that the wood from the trees is used for its color and texture to make bows, bowls and pens among anything else that needs to be made wooden. This weekend I am going to use them as part of the centerpieces at an event along with leaves and acorns...I have to admit that I get a certain satisfaction from using items I find in the woods within the city that I live. Living in such an advanced form of capitalism, there is something uncanny about the freedom of hunting for an edible mushroom, harvesting from our back yard or picking up an osage orange to use in a flower arrangement.

Home Lunch

Photo Jacqulyn Maisonneuve

We had our first Home Lunch at 1508 on Friday. A fabulous group took time out of their busy day to lunch with us and enjoy each others company. The mood was festive and exhubarant fueled by the fact that everyone deviated from routine, some skipping out of work to join. We look forward to more lunches in the future.

Passing
Egg Salad with Chives
Chestnut Soup with Sage
Fall Squash Gratin
Seared Scallop on Corncake with Mustard Micro Green
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pickled Ginger

Sparkling Thyme and Lemon Water

Seated
Beef Bresaola with Radish, Celariac, Asian Pear and Local Greens Dressed with Banyuls Vinagerette

Baked Pasta wit Beets, Baby Turnips and Lima Beans

Chicken Thigh with Burgundy Truffles, Cauliflower Sauce, Brocolli Raab and Sweet Potato

Cave Aged Marissa Cheese with Walnut Cracker and Honeycrisp Apple

Chocolate Torte with Roasted Pear, Frozen Chocolate, Ginger and Cocoa Nibs

Cookies:
Lemon Poppyseed Drops, Gingersnaps, Chocolate Chocoate Chip, Earl Grey Roll Cookies