the arugula files

Uncle Sonny's Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Unfortunately, my attempts at making any eggplant dish always end with bitter eggplant. On a recent trip to my hometown, I decided to put an end to my failure and learn how to make eggplant parmesan from a terrific cook, my Uncle Sonny. Every year, at some point during the holiday season, Uncle Sonny, who resembles an older, better looking Emeril, makes baked eggplant parmesan. It's perfectly delicious. 

From Uncle Sonny, I learned three secrets: (1) always peel the eggplant; (2) place it in water to draw out the bitterness (previously I was using salt and that method was not working for me); (3.) while this recipe is called baked eggplant, it's important to use a lot of olive oil while "baking" so that the eggplant gets crispy.

Here it is, INTERNETS, Uncle Sonny's online cooking debut.

Best Ethiopian Food in DC

Man, I love Ethiopian Food., originally uploaded by abbyladybug.

Ethiopian is the only cuisine I’ve never tried cooking at home, though I would love to learn how to make cabbage with root vegetables and spicy red lentils. I’ll save that for the day I move to the country when walking two blocks for some injera is no longer an option. Until then, here are the places I like to eat. You should know that Marcus and I always get the same thing: spicy lamb tibs and a vegetarian platter.

Etete - The vegetarian platter here is lighter than others I've tried. Order it with a whole fried fish. The service is inconsistent, but I think the food is worth it. I would rate Etete the highest in DC for the vegetarian platter. It's about $40 for two with drinks.

Lalibela - This is where we eat most frequently. It's cheap ($35 for two with drinks), the service is prompt and friendly, and Marcus thinks the lamb tibs are the best. He describes them as greasy, spicy and perfect.  At Lalibela he usually doesn't talk to me while we're eating dinner, a sure sign he's paying attention to the food. The vegetarian platter is heavier and spicier than other places. Don’t expect much from Lalibela in terms of décor (unless you want flat screen TVs).

Dukem - This joint is tough to get into some nights. I've never had to wait for a table at an Ethiopian restaurant until I ate here. Service is friendly, but a bit slow. The food is good, but the draw, for most people, is the entertainment (offered seven nights a week). If you are up for music then Dukem is your place.

Zed's - This place is tasty, but expensive. It used to be that Zed's had the nicest decor of the Ethiopian restaurants in DC, but Etete and Dukem changed that. If you are in Georgetown, it's worth a stop. It will cost you, though. A check at Zeds for two hovers around $50-$75 with drinks.

In Defense of Arugula

I just finished Farmer and Chief: Michael Pollan’s piece in Sunday’s New York Times.  In a letter to the future president, Pollan makes recommendations on how to transform our toxic food production system into a tastier, healthier, and more environmentally sustainable system.  Pollan’s in-depth knowledge of food policy is impressive, and Farmer and Chief is well written and thoroughly researched.  If you have seven hours (it’s a long ass piece), you should read it.

My only critique is that Pollan joins a chorus of voices who perpetuate the idea that arugula personifies elitism. One of Pollan suggestions, perhaps his only fluffy idea among many serious (and complicated) proposals, is for the president to “model behavior” by planting a garden at the White House. As a side note, it would be seriously fun to turn that lush lawn into into patches of pumpkins and zucchini. There would be fig trees and presidential eggplants too!  And with a twelve-foot iron gate and ten sharp shooters on the roof, theft would be minimal. Food not lawns! I was just about to give Pollan a high five (even though he doesn't seem like a high five kind of guy) when he advises the president elect to plant iceberg instead of arugula to avoid any political problems.  You know, because everyone thinks arugula is a snob that looks  down on people.  It's pronounced ah-ROO-guh-lah. I think Pollan was making an attempt to be snarky.  Even so, it highlighted the absurd notion that people associate arugula with elitism.

Why does arugula have such a pretentious rap?  Remember when Republicans mocked Obama for asking farmers about arugula in Iowa?  Elitist!  They cried.

Here at the arugula files we resent and repudiate these characterizations.  Arugula is for the people!  Sure, its green peppery leaves operate at a higher level than its bland cousins iceberg or romaine, but arugula is no prima donna. Certainly if we are pointing fingers at elitists, we should be aiming in the direction of dandelion greens or watercress.  Arugula’s versatility makes it everyday food: put it on pizza, in pasta, or on garlic bread. Have you ever tried iceberg pesto?  I didn’t think so.  And do I have to remind you that when spinach got sally-monella, arugula was there for you?  When Obama gets elected (HAVE YOU SEEN THE POLLS, PEOPLE?) I think he should rip up the White House lawn and plant rows and rows of my favorite green.

Check out some my favorite arugula recipes:
Arugula Pasta Salad
Arugula, Sausage, and Squash Soup
Ratatouille with Arugula and Goat Cheese

P.S., You really should read Farmer and Chief.

What I would Plant in My Garden, if I Had One.

I really want a garden.  If I had a garden I would plant corn, romaine lettuce, zucchini, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, red peppers, and sweet potatoes. I’m sure I’ve forgotten something.  This is my friend Jesse's garden.  I'm wicked envious.

Cheap Eats: B&J Carryout

Marcus and I were driving in the middle of nowhere Maryland, looking at houses that would host my future garden, when we came across B&J Carryout.  I knew right away that I had to eat there.  B&J is quintessential road food, the way you want it. 

I got a crabcake with iceberg lettuce.  The crabcake was homemade and tastier than some versions I’ve had at high-end restaurants in DC.  Marcus got a steak and cheese sub that would beat out some of the Philly joints we’ve been to.

They had soft serve ice cream served from a small window.  I love coming across finds like this.  B&J belongs on Washingtonian’s cheap eats list.  Shhhhh…let’s not tell them about it and we can have it all for ourselves.  B&J is in Accokeek, Maryland at 15805 Livingston Rd.

Congo Bars

This is the most delicious sweet I’ve ever made.  It took 7 minutes to mix the ingredients and it was a crowd pleaser.  

Ingredients

11 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 pound light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 ounces dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened coconut

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan with butter
2. In a mix, using the whisk tool, combine the melted butter, sugar, and eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Slowly mix flour mixture with wet ingredients.
5. Fold in chocolate chips
6. Pour batter in prepared pan; sprinkle coconut on top
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until light brown

The recipe is adapted from Clabbergirl who adapted it from David Lebovitz who adapted it from Flo Braker.  I think.

Israeli Couscous

Israeli Couscous is my new favorite ingredient.  I like it because it's my friend pasta disguised as couscous.  I've been experimenting with different flavor profiles and so far I like this one the best. 

Ingredients

1 box Israeli couscous
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 ears of corn
1/4 cup of chopped dried cherries
juice of one orange
zest of 1/2 an orange
1/4 cup of feta cheese
2 tablespoons of oil
3 tablespoons of rice vinegar

Directions

1.  Cook couscous according to box directions
2.  Cook corn
3.  Chop ingredients
4.  Mix all ingredients
5.  Add salt and pepper to taste

Easy!

Applesauce Spice Cake (or the last of my apples)

This is the perfect cake for brunch.  Check it out in this internet recipe treasure chest.

Homemade Applesauce. Yes Way!

I took 8 pounds of Macintosh apples that I picked at Stribling Orchard and turned them into the most delicious apple sauce I've ever tasted. No way. Yup, that's what I did.  And it's official, I'll never buy applesauce from the store again.  Okay, so I never really bought applesauce anyway.  That's because I wasn't a fan; it tasted too much like baby food to me.  Even the fancy dancy apple sauce I once bought at the farmers market was only so-so. 

When you find yourself staring at 10 pounds of apples that are about to go bad things change.  I got the delicious recipe and inspiration from Elise.  I made a few adjustments to her recipe (only about 1/8 a cup of brown sugar and 1/8 cup of white sugar and two cinnamon sticks to my 8 pounds of apples) to make the applesauce less sweet and more cinnamon-y.  You should adjust it to fit your palette.

Picking Apples

The weather this weekend demanded a trip to Stribling Orchard in Markham, VA.  I even found some Macintosh apples (10 pounds!). 

This apple picker came in handy.  Though, it seemed to bruise the apples.  Marcus devised a clever strategy: leave one apple in the bottom of the wire basket to protect the rest. 

Stribling has picnic tables, a country store, and donkeys.  There were goats too, but they hid in the barn all day.

The orchard is only about 60 minutes from DC.  Now I have to figure out what to make with all my delicious apples!