the arugula files

Black Garlic: Very Intriguing

I've mentioned my love of garlic many times before.  Marcus says I use too much, but I think there is no such thing as too much garlic.  So when Justin at Marx Food asked if I wanted to sample some black garlic, of course I said "yes please!" even though I had no idea what black garlic was.  What the heck is it?  Black garlic is made through a fermentation process.  According to blackgarlic.com, "when garlic undergoes fermentation, these elements [sugar and amino acids] produce melanoidin, a dark-colored substance that is responsible for the color of black garlic."  How does it taste?  Black garlic, much like roasted garlic, has a deep creamy flavor, but black garlic is sweeter.  As I type this, I'm thinking that black garlic ice cream would make a great experiment. 

The good news about black garlic is that it comes without the side effects of regular garlic: i.e., no dragon breath.  I suppose since it lacks the pungent aroma of regular garlic, it won't keep vampires away.  Hello, Edward.

I didn't really know what to do with the sample (despite all the recipes here), so I spread it on some toasted bread and ate it without worry of repercussions.  It was delicious. 

Sustainable Chilean Sea Bass with Blood Orange Salsa and Toasted Hazelnuts

Buying seafood is not only expensive; it's hard.  I stood in front of the seafood counter for ten minutes trying to zoom in on an appropriate substitute for halibut that was sustainable and wouldn't empty my bank account.  I chose this Chilean sea bass because it was MSC certified and it was caught off the coast of South Georgia Island.   The fact of the matter is that Chilean sea bass has been on the "avoid" watch list for a while, but this small fishery has changed its practices and now I can enjoy sea bass without guilt.  

I was a little squeamish about the price, but it was well worth it.  This dish was as good as any fish dish I've had at a restaurant.  This says a lot because even though I'm usually happy with the fish I cook at home, I've never quite reached restaurant quality.  This recipe does the job.  The fish was creamy and contrasted nicely with the citrus and onion.  The toasted hazelnuts gave it one more unexpected dimension in flavor and texture.  It's a keeper.

Blood Orange Salsa

It's official: I'm done with winter.  I no longer find root vegetables exciting.  I need something that tastes fresh and light, not old and heavy.  Thankfully, citrus is in season, and I can continue my infatuation with blood oranges.  

This salsa is not for tortilla chips (though I suppose you could eat it with chips if you so chose); instead it's the perfect accompaniment for fish (recipe for Sustainable Chilean Sea Bass with Blood Orange Salsa and Toasted Hazelnuts coming to an internets near you soon!).

Food Blogger Happy Hour: February 3 at Againn

Yes, it's that time again.  Come join local food bloggers and food lovers at our monthly happy hour.  The February happy hour is at Againn, and, from the looks of the menu (and the buzz around town), it's going to be a tasty one.

Special thanks to Thrifty DC Cook for making the arrangements and thanks to the rest of planning committee, Modern Domestic, Beer Spotter, Biscuits and Such, Capital Cooking, Capital Spice, Common Man Eats, Dining in DC, Gradually Greener, and We Love DC.

I almost forgot, please RSVP over at Thrifty DC Cook.

Leek and Goat Cheese Galette (Plus Meet My New Friend Deborah Madison)

For Christmas I received Vegetarian for Everyone by Deborah Madison.  It was published in 1997, so if you are a vegetarian you probably already own it.  I'm not a vegetarian.  I aim for "meat-lite," but I like bacon, chorizo, and lamb too much to be a vegetarian.  And even though I like meat, I'm really into Deborah Madison.  She's a vegetarian cook for carnivores. I think it's because she understands vegetables and isn't afraid of a little fat.

Mushrooms Stuffed with Sundried Tomatoes, Basil, Panko, and Parmesan

I've never met a mushroom that I didn't like.  And I especially liked the stuffed ones.  For me, stuffed mushrooms are a perfect meal: savory, meatless, and flavorful--and not so bad for you.  This past week, based on ingredients I had on hand, I made these mushrooms stuffed with sun dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, panko, and parmesan.  They were delicious.  I ate half of them on their own for dinner one night, and served the remaining over spaghetti the next night.

Food Blogger Potluck: Photos

Last night, on my way to the food blogger potluck, I had a panic attack on U Street.  Would people bring food to the potluck or would we all be standing around drinking red wine on empty stomachs.  Hello! How absurd was that?  It was a food blogger happy hour.  Of course, everyone brought dishes.  And not just any old dish, either.  They brought their A-game.   Asian chicken wings, stuffed mushrooms, Thai lemon grass soup, pate en croute, sweet potato pie, spinach pie, artichoke dip, onion dip, walnut and feta dip all fought for space on the table and bar. And there were enough sweets to keep the tooth fairy off the dole.  

Brunch at Eventide (THE Mushroom Burger)

Eventide is the best brunch I've had in Northern Virginia, and I've sampled quite a few.  On a recent visit I ordered my usual: the one and only, the extraordinary, the mushroom burger on a croissant with pesto.  Jonathan Safran Foer: take notice and hand out these sandwiches at your Not Eating Meat readings.  People will cheer for you and the pews at the House of Foer will be crammed with vegetarian followers.  

Also filed under vegetarian miracles: On a hunger whim I ordered a side of Eventide's creamy, cheesy grits; they made me want to dance on the table. Marcus ordered the PBLT (Plantain, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwich).  He let me have a bite (one teeny, tiny bite) and it left an impression.  And my friends seemed happy with their meals: chicken dumplings and a sausage and cheddar omelet.