the arugula files

Comida Latina + Watercolors + District Taco

I painted that picture. Are you impressed?

Somewhere in the middle of an intense, busy work week I took a deep breath, slowed down, and stopped into Living Social for a watercolor painting class with painter and author Marcella Kriebel. Marcella's cookbook, Latina Comida, is a collection of recipes she learned to make while traveling around Latin America.Instead of a suitcase full of trinkets her wanderlust produced an intimate account of cooking with the locals, eating mofungo, and shopping the markets for plaintains and cilantro. Each recipe in the book is brought to life with a gorgeous watercolor painting

From the Market

A few weekends ago I had the luxury of shopping around the farmers market by myself.  Just me and my camera.  No stroller.  No toddler.  The early summer season is showing her portfolio: tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, peas, purple onions are gracing the runway.  It's time to tuck away the kale and sweet potatoes. For the first time this year I bought tomatoes.   The taste of those tomatoes, dressed with a bit of oil, aged balsamic, pepper, and salt, remind me why I avoid super market tomatoes.  Real tomatoes are worth waiting for.  

How in the Heck Do You Eat These Things? Grilled Sugar Snap Peas with Sriracha Mayo

These green things set off a big debate in my house.  First off, what are they called? Sugar snap peas, snap peas, snow peas, english peas?  And, second, can you eat the entire pea pod, or are you suppose to only eat the peas inside by using your teeth to scrape the outside thereby popping the pea out of the pod and into your mouth (sorta like edamame)?  

To answer the first question, these are sugar snap peas.  And, yes, you can eat the pod, but it depends on the age of the pea.  Older sugar snap peas tend to be more fibrous, making the pod hard to chew.  These were, unfortunately, just past their prime, so we dipped them in Sriracha mayo and ate them like edamame. Josie loved them, which is interesting since her reaction to frozen peas is to open her mouth and let them fall out.  

To make these, start by washing the pod and then cut the tips of each end.   Toss in olive oil.  In either in a grill basket or on a piece of foil, place on a hot grill.  Grill for about 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly charred and tender.

Toss with a little sea salt and serve immediately with a dipping sauce.

Sriracha mayo is easy to make.  Just combine store bought mayo with one or two tablespoons of Sriracha. Make it as spicy as you like.  

Momofuku's Bo Ssam, A Party Pleaser that Couldn't Be Easier

This little sandwich is all that's left of what the New York Times calls the "Bo Ssam Miracle." Bo Ssam, a Korean slow roasted pork dish, is definitely a party pleaser. According to David Chang, the chef behind the recipe, ssam is Korean for enclosed or wrapped. Indeed, after about six hours in an oven set for 300 degrees you get a pork shoulder wrapped in an envelope that is crispy with fat, salt, sugar and is, therefore, crazy delicious.  

I made it for seven guests for my husband's birthday dinner and it couldn't have been easier. That is if you read the recipe all the way through before you make it. I didn't do that.  But even in spite of a few hiccups, my bo ssam came out perfectly, and left all my guests exclaiming, "best meal ever" as they undid the top button on their jeans.