2009 August | hungry sofia

Aug 13

Chaulafan Addiction

I hold take-out chicken fried rice responsible for the freshman 10 I gained in college (except it was closer to 15 and I was a senior). While others may dabble, I know I can’t stop at a pint and have largely avoided it for years. However, since I’m preparing to run a half-marathon this Saturday and need to eat carbohydrates covered in soy sauce, this kind of indulgence is not only permitted, it’s encouraged. Plus, I’m stronger now. The stars seemed to align for making my own when I found a recipe on Laylita’s recipes, one of my favorite sites, for chaulafan de pollo, a popular Latin American version of fried rice popular in Ecuador and Peru. This is the first time I made fried rice at home and at first glance it seemed like standard take-out – chicken, peas, scallions, carrots, eggs. It was the seasonings like achiote, chili, cilantro, and more cilantro that really set it apart. My favorite addition though were the raisins. Not sure how they would blend, they were like tiny, interspersed packets of plum sauce. Served with sliced avocado as suggested, it’s the perfect light meal to enjoy in moderation. Starting tomorrow that is, right now I just want more.

Click here for the complete recipe.

Aug 12

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Yucassoise

I’ve had waxy brown yucas on my counter for a couple of weeks. There were so many things that I wanted to make with them – salads, empanadas, croquetas – that I ended up doing nothing at all. My absolute favorite way of eating yuca is on Christmas day, standing around my aunt’s kitchen while she fries up perfectly golden batches of fries using the boiled yuca left over from Noche Buena. Dipped in garlic aioli, it’s impossible to let it cool long enough before diving in, but worth the burn. With Christmas months away, I flipped through a few books to see how I wanted to use the increasingly reproachful yuca I’d been putting off. That’s when I found Alex Garcia’s recipe for yucassoise from In a Cuban Kitchen. There is nothing suave about barklike, starchy yuca so I loved the idea of transforming it into a smooth, cold soup. Read more

Aug 10

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Getting Warmer

I made yet another attempt at producing Cuban pan de agua this morning with mixed results. If my last loaf went French, this one stopped by Italy came out a pan de ciabatta or ciabatta de agua. The barely there crust of Cuban bread still eludes me but the slightly sweet flavor and airy texture were much closer. When it rised up perfectly and plumped in the oven, I thought I finally had it but it wasn’t to be. Nevertheless, I am getting warmer and will be diving into the flour bag again. It’s hard to tell where my Cuban bread will go next. Greece? Morocco? Spain? I’ll find out soon enough.

Aug 9

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Ice Cold

Anyone who has ever chased an ice cream truck, begged for an Italian ice on the way home, or broken their new Snoopy snow cone machine on Christmas morning (still bothers me), will understand how excited I was when my friend sent me this article by pastry cook Gaby Camacho, A Chef Perfects the Paleta of Childhood, from the San Francisco Chronicle. Raised in Tijuana, she sets off in search of the paletas and raspados of her childhood. Remembering flavors like cucumber and lime, rose petals, and tequila, I could understand why she would be nostalgic. As an adult, I’ve stayed away from raspberry blue popsicles and radioactive snow cones, but I love the idea of making them with fresh ingredients from home. Trying the raspado de tamarindo first, I used all natural tamaring pulp from a nearby bodega to make the syrup. I’ll try it again when I find fresh tamarinds and some of the other combinations she suggests as longs as the heat lasts. It can’t be harder than chasing ice cream trucks.

Aug 8

An Argentine Affair

When I found about An Argentine Affair to be presented by Trapiche and Michel Torino Wines on August 19th at Water Taxi Beach, I had mixed feelings. With the summer winding down, I’ve become skeptical of open air events that either become a bittersweet reason to fall in love with New York all over again or sand and paper plate push and shove events. With the promise of wine and Argentinian grilling, tangos, and soccer, this one seems worth the risk, especially with a portion of ticket proceeds benefit to Action Against Hunger,

Aug 7

Film Break

The frenzy of commercials leading up to today’s release of Julia & Julia was so feverish that I didn’t know if I could enjoy it. Like sitting down to a meal when you’re already full, it was just too much. Though I haven’t read the Julie Powell book, I loved My Life in France and really wanted it to be great. I hadn’t planned on seeing it opening day, but after having one of those strange bumper car mornings where nothing goes right, I went to a late afternoon show. Early enough for a healthy senior turnout, I walked into the theater and saw a sea of white hair. I knew this was the perfect audience to see it with. I also knew that the aisle seats would already be taken. Read more

Aug 6

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Chef Dalí

The moment I heard there was a copy of Les Diners de Gala, a collection of recipes by Salvador Dalí, at the main branch of the New York Public Library, I knew I had to go see it. Accustomed to the amazonian age where anything you want to read is in your hands in 2 clicks and 3-5 days, it was a few months before I made my way there. Passing the stone lions on the steps, the candelabras of the marble entrance, and a labyrinth of wood paneled reading rooms, I realized it was the perfect setting to delve into this particular cookbook which early on quotes Dalí:

I attribute capital esthetic and moral values to food in general, and to spinach in particular. The opposite of shapeless spinach, is armor. I love eating suits of arms, in fact I love all shell fish…food that only a battle to peel makes it vulnerable to the conquest of our palate.”

Venezuelan Treasure

While I often hear about Venezuela’s petroleum industry, it’s less common to read about their cacao plantations. That’s why I was so interested in this New York Times article by Simon Romero, In Venezuela, Plantations of Cacao Stir Bitterness. I was fascinated by how cacao like oil becomes a mixed blessing.

Aug 3

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Chayote Monday

While I always feel a little sad to see the weekend slip away, I like the hard reset of Mondays. With new resolutions in place and wanting to have more vegetables, I tried chayotes for the first time. A cross between a squash, cucumber and melon that are available year round, I’d see them in the grocery store but never thought to try them. Consulting Diana Kennedy’s The Art of Mexican Cooking, I julienned and sauteed them with Serrano peppers in safflower oil and cooked them covered till they were al dente, then added a little cilantro and sea alt to taste. An easy preparation for a fresh start.

Aug 1

Picking a Pepper

I found myself at Whole Foods last week staring blankly at their large chile peppers selection. The signs above the peppers gave involved descriptions of where they were from, what was mild and fruity, and what was deadly but there was no correlation to the actual chiles. So while I knew each one’s life story, I wasn’t sure which basket of peppers it described. Unsure of what to buy, I took a small selection to figure it out later. Maricel E. Presilla’s A World of Peppers in this moth’s Saveur should help avoid confusion the next time around.