Author Archives: Lia Huber

Why Brine?

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Yes, brining—soaking turkey or other meat in a saltwater solution—can be somewhat cumbersome. You have to plan ahead (ideally, turkeys are brined overnight) and figure out how the heck to keep a submerged turkey cool. But, especially for the aspired show-stopper of The Big Meal, it’s well worth it.

The big benefit to brining is succulent, well-seasoned meat that’s much more forgiving in the oven, especially for lean, white meat that we all know can turn to shoe leather in the time it takes to empty the dishwasher.

How does brining work?

Brining works because nature loves balance. When turkey (or chicken, or meat) is submerged in saltwater brine, the water is drawn into the cells (whose liquid is more strongly concentrated) in order to even things out. The salt is carried along on a similar principle, which causes the protein in the cells to denature, or unravel. When they do, they become more readily available to interact with other cells and form a mesh-like barrier that keeps juices in while the meat is cooking. It’s like the gregarious person who comes into a quiet, cliquey party and gets everyone to mingle. So the water plumps the cells and the salt alters the makeup of the tissue to keep the meat moist (it also bumps up the umami).

How to brine

Dissolve 1 cup of Kosher salt (and up to ½ cup of sugar if you like) into 2-3 quarts of warm liquid along with any additional aromatics. Then cool to just below room temperature. Completely submerge your turkey or meat, refrigerate and brine overnight (or longer, for super-large birds). For smaller cuts, you can get away with a few hours; don’t brine them for longer than 10 hours, though, or the protein cells will break down too much and become mushy. I find a large stockpot works great for turkey breasts and chickens. For whole turkeys, I like to use a giant Ziploc bag in a cooler loaded with frozen gelpacks.

When Not to Brine

When I first “discovered” brining, I soaked everything … chicken, pork chops, turkey. But as I started sourcing my meat more carefully, I discovered that there were things that I didn’t necessarily need to or even want to brine.

My roast chicken, for instance. I now buy locally-raised, organic, air-dried chickens which are succulent and flavorful with a crisp skin without the extra step of brining. I’ve also had heritage turkeys where I wanted their unique flavor to shine through, rather than be overshadowed by a brine.

You’ll also need to be careful about using drippings from a brined turkey in a pan sauce. Add the drippings to the stock a little at a time to avoid making the sauce too salty.

Cider-Brined, Sage-Rubbed Turkey Breast with Mulled Cider Glaze

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If you’re cooking for a couple (and want lots of leftovers) or a small crowd on Thanksgiving–or any time of the year, really–this turkey breast is a serious winner. The brine makes the meat flavorful and moist, the rub gives an extra hit of savory flavor, and the glaze brings the sweet notes of the brine up to the fore.

cider-brined-turkey-breast

Brine:
2 quarts water
1 cup kosher salt
½ cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
4 cups cold apple cider
Half of a bone-in turkey breast (3 to 3-1/2 pounds)

Rub:
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced sage
freshly ground black pepper

Glaze:
1 cup cider
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
2 star anise

To make the brine, heat water, salt, sugar and spices in a large stock pot over medium heat just until  salt and sugar dissolve. Pour in cold cider. Submerge turkey, cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine all the rub ingredients. Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a roasting pan. Remove turkey from brine (discard brine) and place in pan. Pat thoroughly dry with a paper towel.

Wedge your fingertips just under the skin to carefully separate skin from meat. Use your fingers to smear the rub under the skin, then massage it (I find it easier to press on the skin to move the rub underneath, so the butter doesn’t stick to my fingers) to evenly coat the meat. Roast turkey 30 minutes.

While turkey is roasting, prepare the glaze. Bring  cider and spices to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil for 5-7 minutes or until the consistency of a light syrup.

When turkey has cooked 30 minutes, brush all over with glaze. Roast another 15-20 minutes (an instant-read thermometer should read 165F), glazing every 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Serves 8-12

* Carving Note: It’s easiest to cut the breast into nice, neat slices after you’ve sliced it off the bone. Turn the breast upside down to study the bone. Then carefully cut along it to release the meat. Turn the breast right side up again and cut against the grain into thick slices.

10 Ways to Make Fresh, Healthy Food Fast

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It’s all fine and dandy to talk about eating fresh, healthy food, but when it’s 5:30 and you’re faced with the dilemma of what to put on the table, good intentions can often be nudged out by convenience. Which is why it’s important to stack the deck in favor of fresh, healthy food. Here are 10 easy meal-planning suggestions to help make fresh as feasible an option as fast food.

make-fresh-healthy-food-fast

  1. Zip some greens – There’s no doubt, a bunch of greens busting out of the crisper can be daunting at the end of the day. But five minutes when you’re not rushed can mean having ready-to-use greens on hand. Zip the leaves off kale or chard (Noemi loves helping with this), roughly chop and give them a rinse in a big bowl of water. Then store them in a produce or plastic bag until you’re ready to use.
  2. Have stock on hand – Chicken, mushroom or vegetable stock are incredibly versatile ingredients to have on hand (or in the freezer). Make an impromptu soup, or use a few tablespoons to make a quick pan sauce.
  3. Have a well-stocked pantry – A well-stocked pantry can mean the difference between a healthy meal and heading out for a McDonald’s Happy Meal. Canned tomatoes and beans, an assortment of oils and vinegars, and a variety of grains and pulses are the mix and match essentials of quick, nourishing meals.
  4. Keep a stash of homemade frozen go-to’s in the freezer – Think of the freezer as an extended pantry; between the two, you can often pull together a complete meal. I like to have a batch of Super Succulent Five-Spice Pork Shoulder and Revelationary Duck Confit in the freezer, along with a winter supply of No Work Slow Roasted Tomatoes from the summer. Shrimp and scallops are also great to keep stocked in the freezer for quick stir-fries or to add to soups. And, while it requires a bit of planning ahead for defrosting, we’ve been getting most of our meat from a local CSA and keeping it in the freezer, so we’ll have anything from ground beef to goat.
  5. Make a batch of beans or lentils – These can be in the fridge for the week or frozen for later. I love to have cooked garbanzo beans (which are easy to do, and taste better than the canned version) in the freezer, along with a batch or two of lentils, which are fantastic as an instant side dish or for adding heft to a salad.
  6. Cut up some cauliflower … or squash … or green beans – I eat so many more vegetables when I have a bag or container prepped in the fridge. It, literally, becomes fast food to sauté cauliflower for tossing with pasta, or roasting squash to serve with lentils, or smash onto a sandwich, or squash in a quesadilla.
  7. Make a simple plan – A few minutes of meal planning at the beginning of the week can actually save you major time throughout the week. I like to sketch out a rough schedule on Sunday for meals through Friday. True, I’ll veer from the plan quite a bit, but the exercise lets me see where there are opportunities to double up a recipe, where I can get creative with leftovers, and roughly what I’ll need for the week.
  8. Roast some veggies – Roasted vegetables, in any season, are a boon to have in the fridge. In winter, I’ll use leftover root veggies as a spread for open-faced sandwiches, or in a soup or risotto. In summer, I’ll toss roasted tomatoes and eggplant with pasta (hot or cold) or into a frittata, or just serve them at room temp as an appetizer.
  9. Cook up a batch of whole grains — There’s a whole world to explore when it comes to whole grains, but it helps to have some pre-cooked and on-hand in the fridge (or freezer … cooked grains freeze extremely well). Some, like quinoa and bulgur, cook up super-quick. Others, like wheat berries and farro, take a bit longer. Scoop a cup of almost any whole grain into a green salad to make it a main meal.
  10. Dice an onion — Once you learn how to dice an onion (see a Kitchen Tips video here), it doesn’t take but a few seconds. Dicing one or two ahead of time to keep on hand in the fridge makes things even easier … and might just tip the scales when it’s “should I cook or call for takeout?”

Don’t feel like you have to do all 10 of these at once — jeez, talk about daunting. Instead, look for little nuggets of time when you’re not rushed, and view them as opportunities to do one thing to help set yourself up for happy, healthy meals.

Spaghetti with Caramelized Cauliflower, Pepperoni and Capers

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This dish is a great example of desperation being the greatest inspiration. I had some cauliflower cut up in the fridge (a great make ahead strategy) and some leftover pepperoni from pizza night and decided to throw them together in a simple pasta. It turned out to be delicious; the pepperoni and garlic flavor the oil for a no-effort-whatsoever sauce. Let the cauliflower get nice and brown before adding the garlic and pepperoni.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 cups cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces (1 medium head)
Sea salt
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 ounces pepperoni slices, cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons nonpareil capers, drained
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 ounces whole grain spaghetti

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti to al dente and drain.

While pasta is cooking, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower and toss to coat with the oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Cook for 5-8 minutes, flipping occasionally, until cauliflower is browned and just almost tender all the way through.

Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil, and the garlic and pepperoni. Toss to coat. Cook another 3-5 minutes, until garlic is toasted and cauliflower can be pierced with a fork. Add 1/4 cup chicken stock and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add capers and pepper flakes and toss again.

Add drained spaghetti to pan and toss well to coat with sauce.

Serves 4

Root Vegetable Roundup

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Last winter, I was at a brand new organic market in Denver, CO, stocking up to cook dinner for my friends. I had a nice local pork roast in my cart when I stumbled on their lovely bulk spices. So I sniffed and scooped and soon had the makings of a Spiced Pork Roast that, in my mind, was already sitting beside a caramely, burnished roasted root vegetable medley. So into the cart went a turnip, a couple of parsnips, a rutabaga and a knobby celery root.

I thought nothing of those humble root vegetables, other than how scrumptious they’d be with the pork, yet when I lifted them onto the checkout belt everyone in line–including the checker–looked at me as if I were holding a baby wallaby.

root-vegetable-roundup“Wow, you’re making some kind of fancy dinner, eh?” the checkout woman said.

I was stumped. “You mean these?” I pointed to my cart. “These are just root vegetables.”

“Well I’ve never seen them before,” she countered, and was seconded (and thirded and fourthed) by others in line. So I gave them a quick run down on root veggies (and a NOURISH Evolution card … hee hee) and they promised to venture beyond potatoes on their next visit to the market.

The irony is, root vegetables are about the most common, hardy vegetable group out there. Yet they are nutritional powerhouses, mighty tasty and refreshingly inexpensive.

So if you were in line behind me in Denver last year, or if you’re just curious about root vegetables, this roundup is for you:

  • Parsnips — Parsnips look like a pale, creamy carrot that’s a bit stouter at the shoulders and more tapered at the tip. They’re earthy-sweet and nearly as starchy as potatoes, and are a great source of vitamins C, K and folate, and the mineral manganese. Choose smaller ones (large parsnips can be quite woody inside), then peel and cube for a roast, mash, puree or fries.
  • Carrots — Carrots are ubiquitous on grocery store shelves, yet in nature they come in a variety of sizes, colors and flavors. All carrots, though, are packed with vitamin A from beta carotene. Carrots excel both raw (they’re delicious grated into a salad), roasted or in soup. The fresher the carrots, the sweeter and juicier they’ll be.
  • Turnips — Turnips may sound frumpy, but, when young, they’re tender and sweet. Look for small ones with firm, pearly white skin and try them in our White Bean and Kale Ragout with Turnips and Sausage. Swap out the kale for the turnip greens for a bit more zip (they’ve got a nose-tingling, mustardy flavor), and a big boost of vitamins A and K to turnip root’s C.
  • Rutabagas — Rutabagas are similar to turnips (they’re actually a cross between cabbage and turnip), but have more of a yellowish hue and a violet rim, whereas turnips are white with a scarlet nape. Rutabagas are more fibrous than turnips and slightly sweeter and, like turnips, are a great source of vitamin C. Choose firm ones no bigger than a softball for roasts and mashes.
  • Beets — Beets are beautiful. They range in hue from the aptly named Bull’s Blood to golden to the candy-striped chiogga and in flavor from earthy to downright sweet. Beets are higher in both fiber and sugar than other root vegetables, and are a decent source of folate, potassium and manganese. Peel beets to use them raw in salads or cubed in a roast. Or boil or roast them skin-on and remove skins after cooking.
  • Sweet Potatoes — Sweet potatoes are sweet and creamy and complex and versatile, and are busting at the seams with vitamin A. I often use them as a stand-in for squash or pumpkin when I’m not up for peeling and seeding. They’re terrific in a roast, as fries, as a puree and even a pie.
  • Celery Root — Celery root, or celeraic, is omnipresent in France, where it shows up in salads and soups nearly everywhere. It’s a big, gnarly ball of a vegetable that’s a bit tough to peel. But once you do you’ll be rewarded with an earthy, almost herbal flavor that comes through whether raw, roasted, pureed or mashed.
  • Radishes — I think we take radishes for granted here in America. They’re like little gems, with a crisp, spicy bite that mellows under heat; I find them a refreshing cool-winter alternative to warm-weather cucumbers. Choose firm radishes with a healthy sheen and no cracks, and slice them into salads or on a sandwich, or venture into new territory and saute them in brown butter with mint.

Baby Cuisine Cookbook

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Here’s a serious feel-good thing to do today: help Shane and Chantal Valentine fund a second printing of their awesome Baby Cuisine Cookbook by pledging a donation here on Kickstarter.

I first found out about Shane and Chantal through their website, Alina’s Cucina, and instantly fell in love with their approach. Shane is a trained chef. His wife is a marketing guru. When they had their first baby, Alina, they were both committed to feeding her food that would help her form healthy eating habits for a lifetime.

When I first met Shane and Chantal face to face a little over a year ago, they were about to bust out a brand new set of twins and were in the midst of evaluating publishing options for their cookbook. They decided to self-publish a small run, and were immediately picked up by Whole Foods in Northern California. Distribution has now expanded into the Northwest and the Valentines are looking to transition to a hardcover (they originally printed in a handy spiral bound format, but found out it didn’t ship super well) and print a second run. And they’re raising money the old-fashioned way to fund it.

But this isn’t just any old baby food book; Shane drew on inspiration from what parents feed their babies around the world. The layout is gorgeous, with adorable kiddo photos, mouthwatering food photography and passport stamps from different countries. Dishes like Turkey Bolognese, Tarragon Carrots and Gyro with Tzatziki are not only healthy choices that will expand your baby’s palate … they’re darn fine meals for the whole family.

Help them fund the printing through Kickstarter and you not only get a very cool cookbook for as little as $25 (which also makes a great gift, by the way); you get to know you’re supporting a couple in a worthy quest of raising a nation of children who love nourishing food.

Watch this video and click through to support if you’re moved … and help spread the word by tweeting, posting on facebook, or even grabbing the cool widget from Kickstarter.

Mini Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

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I’m bringing cupcakes to Noemi’s school for her birthday, only I was asked to 1) make them mini and 2) make them healthy enough to sub for an afternoon snack. But, dang it, I still wanted it to say “celebration!” My mind went to an oatmeal pumpkin cupcake-cum-muffin and, since I didn’t have time to figure it out, I set about Googling. And I found this on Une-Deux Senses.

mini pumpkin muffinsLet me count the ways I love this muffin:

1) It uses only whole wheat flour and oatmeal. I can’t tell you how hard it is to find a baked recipe that a) uses only whole wheat flour and b) doesn’t feel like a brick.

2) It uses pumpkin puree (which I looovve) in the cake, streusel topping and glaze.

3) It has a streusel topping and glaze — at first I was skeptical about the streusel, but in the end it added a nice textural counterpoint … without nuts.

4) These (I made them as mini muffins–it yielded 72) actually turned out moist and lovely, which is an anomaly for me and any baked good.

5) The glaze makes it special enough for Noe’s birthday treat!

Find Your Wine Personality!

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I got an e-mail a while ago with challenge I couldn’t resist. Take a quiz, find out my “wine personality” and get matched up with a boutique wine (for $20) that was, ahem, made for me.

So I did it.

Wouldn’t you know, the quiz results called me a rebel and began with Walt Whitman’s quote “Resist much. Obey little.” Wow … they nailed me. Wine-wise, I expected a popular varietal and find-it-at-Safeway brand, but VinQuiz impressed me again with an interesting 2009 Botani Moscatel Seco from Spain.

Wine “personality” Jorge Ordonez transforms organic grapes that have had a long, uphill struggle (growing on slopes of up to 60 degrees) into something refreshing, approachable, interesting and floral, without being too sweet. Sound like someone you know?

Happy Birthday, NOURISH Evolution!

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Wow. We’re one! What a year it’s been. What started out as a little “nibble to noodle” e-mail and a splash page has grown into what I’d always hoped it would be.

A place where we can celebrate food that nourishes our bodies, our families, our communities, our planet. A place where we can jump off the see saw of guilt and deprivation and enjoy food, where each and every recipe puts the principles we talk about into (delicious) practice.

Sure, we’ve had our bumps (remember the white screens and load time long enough to brew tea?). But they’re outweighed every single time you tell us we made a difference in your day or the way you look at food.

Thank you, all of you, for your support … your enthusiasm … your PATIENCE this year.

Here’s to the next one being even better.

All the best,
Lia

PS – We were lucky enough to get Linda West Eckhardt to bake our birthday cake for us (which is perfect, since Noemi picked her Praline Caramel cake for her birthday cake next weekend). Enjoy!

Dry Braising for Simple Suppers

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There are times when a long-simmered braise is food for the soul. When the whole browning and deglazing and waiting and reducing brings a comforting rhythm to the day.

And then there are times when you’re craving that fall-apart tender meat that’s shot through with flavor, but you don’t have time for all the steps. That’s when I turn to what I call “dry braising*.” Here’s how to braise this simple way.

dry-braising-basicsIf you’ve ever made Carnitas de Lia (and I know quite a few of you have) you’ve already experienced dry braising. You’re essentially rubbing a cut of meat with a spice and salt mix, enclosing it in a Dutch oven, and cooking it at a low heat for a long time. That’s it. Mix and rub and walk away until it’s done.

Technically, this is not braise, since it doesn’t involved browning and uses no additional liquid. Nor is it roasting, since that involves dry heat and uncovered meat (Sally Schneider, author of the fabulous Improvisational Cook, highlights a similar technique that she’s dubbed “close roasting”). It’s really somewhere between the two.

Dry braising, like traditional braising, uses the convective action of steam to cook meat and break down connective tissues. “Tougher” (and usually cheaper) cuts like shanks, ribs, legs, shoulder, and chuck or round roasts will yield luscious, tender results; leaner, less fibrous cuts will simply dry out.

Dry braises are even more versatile than their traditional cousins. Carnitas de Lia, for instance, could star in quesadillas, a Mexican scramble or tortilla soup. The five-spice pork below is incredible crisped up in a stir fry with bok choy or added to udon soup, or wrapped in scallion pancakes with a dab of plum sauce. And our Revelationary Duck Confit … don’t even get me started.

This technique almost defies actual steps, but for those of you who would like the ease of a 1-2-3, here they are:

1.     Make your spice mix. Let your imagination run wild here. Ancho and chipotle chile powder work well with South-of-the-border inspiration. Chinese five spice, star anise and coriander are nice Eastern-leaning choices. This doesn’t have to be complex or precise (think of it as playing with watercolors and seeing what comes of it). Just stick with these general proportions: ½ to ¾ of a teaspoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of spice mix (depending on the assertiveness and heat of its components) per pound of meat.

2.     Rub. Rub the spice mixture into all the little nooks and crannies of the meat. If you’re using a boneless roast in a net — like a pork butt (pork shoulder) or leg of lamb — take it out, rub spice mix onto every exposed crevice you can reach, and then stuff it back in the net (or tie it back up … or just shape it into a free-form roast).

3.     Cook.  Preheat the oven to 275 F, place the meat in a tight-sealing Dutch oven and cook for roughly an hour per pound of meat (meat should be fork tender).

Oh, and did I mention that dry braises freeze super well? If you’ve got a window of time when you’ll be at home, cook and freeze and get a jump on the holidays!

* Yes, there is a Chinese technique called dry-braising, but it’s a different one than the technique I laid out here.