Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

Out with the whites!

Posted in Diabetes, Food, other sides to this life, tagged , , , , , on April 6, 2012| 14 Comments »

Not a captain’s clarion call to arms at the start of the cricket season…*

…but a policy statement from Chef Shep in Chicago.

We met him when visiting Dixie, a spritely 88-year-old family friend of Meredith’s mother, in her elegant retirement home in Glenview on Chicago’s North Shore.

Our clocks were out of kilter from time differences (a lame excuse) and Chef Shepherd had kept the kitchen open for us.

He himself has type 2 diabetes–and was interested to meet me, said Dixie, and see my book.

He took our simple orders–it was late–and my book back to the kitchen as we made our peace and caught up with Dixie.

When he returned a few minutes later with salads for us and a hamburger and chips for Dixie (it’s breaking the rules that keeps her young, it would seem!), he reduced–chef’s lingo– part of the introduction to the book into the simple and memorable phrase “OUT WITH THE WHITES”.

In other words his approach when cooking for the folks with diabetes in the retirement community–and as a principle he follows when cooking for himself–is to avoid refined carbohydrates and potatoes (foods that metabolize too quickly into sugar for those with type 2 diabetics).

So the whites–rice, flour, pasta, bread, are replaced by the browns–wholewheat pasta, bread made with whole grains (rye or wheat), brown rice (basmati, if possible) etc.—whole/unrefined alternatives.

I was impressed.

Here is a chef cooking in a corporate context (Hyatt, no less), personally invested in doing the right thing for his clientele of “seniors“.

After her hamburger the ever insouciant Dixie tucked into the chef’s special dessert!

* Not everyone knows that cricket is played in white togs, which makes for a pretty sight on village greens in summer.

Read Full Post »

A fish that “croaks” and roasted asparagus…

Posted in Food, other sides to this life, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , on April 5, 2012| 14 Comments »

From his stall at Tuesday’s market in Castres, Monsieur Gayraud–the fishmonger–was extolling the virtues of the maigre–a fish called “thin” if you like.

“Comme un bar [sea bass] et moins cher [cheaper].”

I bought one large enough to serve two and asked him to leave the scales on but gut it for me.

I had it in mind to cook it as per the recipe for Simple Sea Bass in Delicious Dishes–in the oven at a very high temperature seasoned on a bed of thyme for about 25 minutes.

I looked up the oddly named maigre in Alan Davidson’s Mediterranean Seafood and Jenny Baker’s Simply Fish

and discovered that its name is not the only odd thing about Monsieur Maigre.

It’s also known as a croaker–because of the noise it makes when looking for food–and it eats a lot apparently, presumably to try to put on weight and change its name.

This is almost more than I need to know about a fish I’m about to cook!

In the oven went M. Maigre/Croaker/Bocca d’Oro (It)/Saiagiz (Turk)/Corvina (Sp)/Mayatico (Gr)… and 20 odd minutes later emerged ready to eat, after its protective scaly skin was peeled carefully back  and the two fillets shared between us.

At the Wednesday market in Realmont, I spied the first asparagus of the season!

I bought enough for the two of us and realized when I got home it would look good on the plate beside the fish; so I put the thin spears, sprinkled with olive oil, on a shallow tray and into the oven, 15 minutes after the fish and they were ready more or less at the same moment–looking crispy and glistening.

A simple dressing of one tablespoon of lemon juice to three of olive oil and seasoning was all we needed for the fish and the asparagus.

What’s in a name? That which we call a maigre

By any other name would taste as sweet.

And call it what you will–it was delicious!

Read Full Post »

Fishcakes in the Fast Lane…

Posted in Diabetes, Food, other sides to this life, Recipes, Robin Ellis, tagged , , , , , , , on April 4, 2012| 19 Comments »

Just received this link to my segment on the CBS-TV Morning Show in Chicago.  http://chicago.cbslocal.com/video/6884361-diabetes-can-still-mean-eating-well/

FAST FOOD!

Under two minutes from a whole piece of salmon to a fishcake in the mouth.

Below is the piece I wrote while recovering in a coffee shop, waiting for the wonderful ( i.e. full of wonders) ART INSTITUTE of Chicago to open.

With CBS anchor Kris Gutierrez in Chicago for the early show this morning (as part of their upcoming diabetes awareness program)

Dawn came up as we headed downtown with the early risers this morning–sister-in-law Mary driving us through the light traffic just a little before her normal hour.

The early morning CBS program had invited me to do a brief cooking piece to be aired as part of their ground-breaking Diabetes Awareness campaign–so great they have taken the lead on this important health issue.

It was anchor Kris Gutierrez’s second day on the job–he recently relocated from Dallas–and it was my first ever on-air demo!

So two debutantes “struttin’ with some barbecue“!

Meredith was holding her breath–she gets nervous on occasions like this.

Kris was a delight and made me feel like I knew what I was doing.

I could get a taste for this…

Read Full Post »

Chicken breasts marinated in “Old Bay seasoning”–not the only thing’s been around for 70 years!!

Posted in Food, other sides to this life, Recipes, Robin Ellis, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 2, 2012| 28 Comments »

My old school friend Rodney is 70 today.

We met in pre-prep school at the age of eight and both feature (butter wouldn’t melt in our mouths) in a photo  of the cast of the first play I acted in– “Colonel Blood’s Plot to Steal the Crown Jewels” –an action packed melodrama that ended badly–for the Colonel!

Our Salad Days–(seems appropriate, given what’s to follow!)

I played the Colonel’s demure-looking wife (mob cap, centre back) and Rodney (mob cap, far right, back row)–his mistress?!

We try to see each other at least once a year and catch up by phone on our birthdays–it’s a fine tradition.

Rodney and I share a life span with another 70-year-old–Old Bay Seasoning.

“Same great taste for over 70 years,” it says on the tin.

This Maryland spice mix originates from the Chesapeake Bay area and was kindly given me at the pop-up book signing in New York City by Ann de Saram who brought it up from Baltimore by bus!

It’s widely used to zip up the taste of seafood and chicken–the perfect answer for a jet-lagged cook!

I marinaded two chicken breasts in the mix recommended on the box for an hour this morning:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon  of OLD BAY seasoning 

Several twists of the pepper mill 

I heated a griddle on the stove, cut the breasts in thin strips and grilled them a minute and a half each side.

Served over a green salad, they made for a lazy lunch.

Not sure how far it makes its way out beyond America’s east coast–but here’s a recipe (found on the internet and untried by me!) for mixing your own:

 Makes about 1/4 cup

  • 1 tablespoon ground dried bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons celery salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground mace
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
The taste of celery and paprika seem to predominate.
Many Happy Returns, Rodney!

Read Full Post »

Fishcakes at dawn!

Posted in Diabetes, Food, other sides to this life, Recipes, Robin Ellis, tagged , , , , , on March 13, 2012| 25 Comments »

With CBS anchor Kris Gutierrez in Chicago for the early show this morning (as part of their upcoming diabetes awareness program)

Dawn came up as we headed downtown with the early risers this morning–sister-in-law Mary driving us through the light traffic just a little before her normal hour.

The early morning CBS program had invited me to do a brief cooking piece to be aired as part of their ground-breaking Diabetes Awareness campaign–so great they have taken the lead on this important health issue.

It was anchor Kris Gutierrez’s second day on the job–he recently relocated from Dallas–and it was my first ever on-air demo!

So two debutantes “struttin’ with some barbecue“!

Meredith was holding her breath–she gets nervous on occasions like this.

Kris was a delight and made me feel like I knew what I was doing.

I could get a taste for this…

Read Full Post »

Training it

Posted in Food, other sides to this life, Robin Ellis on March 6, 2012| 20 Comments »

First post from a moving train!

New York—Newark—Philadelphia-–Wilmington-–Baltimore and on to Washington–passing big water on our left.

“Philly’s next stop….” says the ticket collector as he passes down the aisle putting the stubs of checked passengers’ tickets in the rack over their heads. This is how he knows not to keep asking passengers for their tickets after each stop.

He’s tall and has a beard like the young Abe Lincoln.

He’s engaged and clearly likes his job.

We’re his babies for the trip to Washington–he’s taking care of us.

I grew up taking the train; my father worked for British Railways and got concessionary travel for the family.

Privilege Tickets they were called–a limited issue each year–but we could travel First class which made us feel special.

Dad had a silver pass, like a medal, which he showed at the gate and was waved through. I was proud of him for that.

In 1954 he took the family–four of us then–to Lloret del Mar on the Costa Brava for a two week holiday.

“Do you ‘ave a couchette?” Ma had shouted at the conductor in Calais, in a heavy French accent.

We were lucky to get one after that I reckon!

“Baltimore–now arriving at Baltimore–watch your step!” —his babies for the trip.

We sped across France on the foreign smelling train (must have been the Gaulois!) by night; had a sit-down dinner and went to bed. Magic.
In Spain I ate an egg fried in deep green olive oil and I never forgot it!
“New Carrollton’s next–followed by Washington!”

Read Full Post »

The American Book Tour Schedule

Posted in Diabetes, Food, other sides to this life, Poldark, Robin Ellis, tagged , , on March 5, 2012| 19 Comments »

Here’s the American tour schedule:

 Washington D.C.: Wed., March 7th 6-8pm, Georgetown event with cooking demonstration:
In Chicago area, a pop-up book-signing at the Starbucks in Barnes & Noble in Evanston (northern suburb)
on Sunday, March 11th at 3pm.
In LA, Chevalier’s Books in Larchmont on Saturday Mar 17th 1pm-3pm.
126 N. Larchmont Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Tel: 323-465-1334
Fax: 323-465-6093
E-mail: chevaliers@earthlink.net
In the San Francisco area:
Wed, March 21st, 7pm, Books Inc,
Thursday, March 22nd The Booksmith, 7.30pm Downtown San Francisco in Haight-Ashbury,
1644 Haight Street, San Francisco CA 94117
415-863-8688 p 415-863-2540 f

Read Full Post »

Sunday morning and “Daily Bread” in New York City

Posted in Food, other sides to this life, tagged , on March 4, 2012| 16 Comments »

I could fall for it!

Prime time here in the Big Apple–Sunday brunch.

Today at Pain Quotidien (daily bread) on 2nd Avenue between 50th and 49th Streets, an international chain of restaurants where the service is so good and grounded you feel you are in the only one.

It is 12.30pm and the place is full to bursting.

Servers in light grey T-shirts glide calmly up and down the aisles, delivering delicious looking dishes of wholesome looking food.

Omelette with asparagus and goat’s cheese is a popular choice–I just finished mine.

Yesterday I had the Warm Moroccan Chicken Salad with chickpeas, harissa, olives and cucumber–so good I’m going to have a go at reproducing it when we get to Chicago later in the week.

We are sitting at a long scrubbed pine table made from–Rebecca, our waitress, tells us–reclaimed railway car wood. A small metal tray of three organic jam in jars tempt me to have a plate of rye toast–repeating the snack I had earlier at the apartment–I will resist–but they signal the generosity of spirit informing this place.

A mother and father (out-of-towners perhaps) engage in animated conversation with their two grown-up daughters–broad smiles on all their faces–the Big Apple version of family Sunday lunch!

We raise no eyebrows, sitting here working on our computers.

Now off across Central Park to the Pop-up event at Barnes and Noble’s Starbucks–82nd and Boadway.

I could definitely fall for it–but don’t tell the cats!

Read Full Post »

How I fought with squid–last night–and lost!

Posted in Food, other sides to this life, tagged , , , , , on February 24, 2012| 24 Comments »

I fought some squid and lost!

The fishmonger in Castres had no squid for sale—a warning sign I should have respected.

SuperU is usually good for fish but was too far out of my way.

Leclerc could be on my way home.

Why do we do these things?

I had that sneaky feeling I should leave them and try the fishmonger in Lautrec in the morning but Meredith expressed interest in squid stew.

We are up to our eyes getting things shipshape to leave and I couldn’t face having to think about dinner any more.

So…

I stop off at Leclerc.

I normally accept the fishmonger’s offer to les nettoyer (clean them up and take the skin off ) then finish the job myself at home, but the fish assistant doesn’t want to do anything but wrap them up.

So…

I get them home and and start to skin them–or at least try.

Very soon they begin to get under my skin as I failed to get under theirs.

And the tentacles felt tougher than usual.

I cut one squid on the tentacle side of the ‘eye’

and a swoosh of black squid ink shoots across the kitchen, hits the back door and covers the floor.

Do I really want to eat these recalcitrant mariners? Not much, but am reluctant now to give in.

I’m in a the battle with the squid!

So…

My frustration increases and I’m in danger of nicking myself with the knife I’m using.

There’ll be more than black ink on the floor, but I persist in this madness–until my back starts telling me no dish is worth this amount of hassle.

The four fennel bulbs in the fridge that have been metaphorically tapping me on the shoulder for a good fifteen minutes–finally manage to persuade me that there’s more to life than skinning squid and…

we have fennel soup and cheese instead for supper!–quick to do and a healthier option at night.

Squid!  watch out –I’m looking for a return match!

Read Full Post »

Sam Talbot’s Quinoa Recipe

Posted in Diabetes, Food, other sides to this life, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 22, 2012| 13 Comments »

Sam Talbot is a well known American chef in his thirties, working now in Montauk, Long Island.

He has Type 1 Diabetes and has written a delightful cookbook illustrating the way he lives, eats and cooks with a nicely ironic title–The Sweet Life.

We vied for numero uno position in the pre-publication list in our category on Amazon.

Well, I say vied— I made it once, I think!

He raves about the increasingly popular South American grain, quinoa, saying he eats it at least three times a week.

In a post in March last year I wrote this about Quinoa:

This seed, one of the oldest known grains, is a useful alternative to rice, takes less time to cook and is very easily digestible.

It is grown high up in the Andes–and no one seems to agree on how to pronounce it!

It serves as a plain canvas on which you can paint what you like. 

Here you can learn more about the benefits of Quinoa–perhaps more than you want to know!

This is Sam Talbot’s recipe–slightly adapted; it’s delicious.

The amount of liquid required is double the volume of the quinoa–easy to remember!

1 cup quinoa

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot–chopped small

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds–(he leaves the coriander and cumin seeds whole, which you’d think would be tiresome, but it works–giving a nice added crunchiness)

2 tablespoons of fresh ginger–chopped small

4 garlic cloves–pulped with some salt

zest and juice of a lemon

parsley–chopped

2 cups stock–I use organic vegetable stock cubes

  • Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the shallot and the spices (coriander, cumin, ginger, garlic) for about five minutes to soften them.
  • Add the quinoa to the pan and turn it over with the spice mix.
  • Add the stock,  the lemon  juice and zest and bring it up to a simmer.
  • Cover the pan and turn the heat down low.
  • Cook for about twenty minutes.
  • Check to see how it’s doing after 15 minutes and give it a stir.
  • The grain should absorb all the liquid by the end of cooking.
  • Sprinkle the parsley over and fork  it carefully into the  quinoa.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »