Sweet Potato Flop

For a whole week I had been craving sweet potato fries. I don't eat fries very often, but when the craving hits, it hits terribly hard. California is one of the few places I've lived that actually serves sweet potato (yam, more appropriately) fries, chips, whatever you want to call them. In may, in fact, be the only place I've lived to do so.

That said, my own kitchen attempts to recreate the crispy-skinned gooey-centered goodness that is a sweet potato fry failed miserably this evening. There is a good possibility that my oil was not hot enough, as I do not yet have a kitchen thermometer. It stands to reason that the fries simply sucked up excess oil as they were limp, flavourless, and simply soggy.


I've never actually made fries before, but the instructions sounded easy: slice up potatoes, fry in batches in hot shortening. Bourdain drooling over horse kidney fat aside, I worked with what I had. I wished for kosher sea salt, but even that wouldn't have saved these fries. I'm not sure if perhaps yams need a different frying method than regular potatoes, or if there is more to the "perfect temperature" than I bargained for. Let's just say it's good I only bought one potato, as the majority ended up in the bin.

But the night was not all a loss- I finally made the bread pudding I mentioned here, and a post on that is soon to follow. Last, but not least, I leave you with this enticing photo, with the promise of a mystery and post. Ooooh, tantalizing!

Simplicity

Sometimes it's the most simple dishes that are the most heartwarming. Lately I've found myself craving earthy dishes, vegetables, and the peppery flavours of home. Sushi is great, truly, but there's something about a fresh mushroom, soil still clinging to its spongy skin, that inspires a homecooked meal.

The other day whilst shopping, I saw the bin of mushrooms in the produce section, quietly ignored while shoppers bustled about selecting onions and potatoes and cabbages and lettuce and avocados and the like. So inconspicuous and silent, they seemed to doze as I walked over, suddenly wanting to pop one in my mouth right then, raw. I felt a hunger for the last bit of sleepy summer earth as I filled my bag with criminies.



Slowly piecing together a recipe in my mind I went on a mini scavenger hunt, gathering things I thought would work well together. I selected a bag of grated Monterey, but immediately placed it back and grabbed a container of crumbled feta cheese instead. I had breadcrumbs at home, fresh Italian parsley at home. My idea was beginning to solidify.

Once home, I whisked an egg and a little extra cream I had together, then added the chopped parsley that grows rampant in my garden. A little salt, pepper, cayenne, and then the breadcrumbs. Once I had a thick paste, I added the feta crumbles.

These I piled into the mushroom caps, topping with a little extra cheese, then stuck them in the oven until the tops turned golden. I gave the same treatment to a couple extra tomatoes I had as well, but the mushrooms were the spotlight on this evening. Despite a leetle overcooking by yours truly, I enjoyed the subtle contrast of the feta and fresh bright parsley with the earth-kissed mushrooms. I've found that I love weaving together meals as I walk through the market, relying on my personal whim and craving. In this case at any rate, it did not steer me wrong!

Salad Days

Tomato days have finally ended, and the end of summer goes with. The best thing about a tomato garden steps from my front door is obviously the ease of which I can incorporate this tangy tempting fruit into my everyday eating. Want to scramble some diced tomato in my eggs? Just step outside. Grill a few with dinner? Right there. A quick rinse, and these babies are good to go.



Sadly, as the evenings draw up closer and a chill creeps into the air, the plants slow on their supply, the fruit ripening and dropping quickly as if in a rush to bed down for the winter. In honour of the last days of these delicious additions to my summer consumption, I'll share with you my favourite tomato recipe.

There are endless recipes that incorporate the humble tomato, and many many varieties of tomato to compliment said recipes. For simplicity's sake we'll use the tomato that's most commonly found in my kitchen- the unassuming cherry tomato. A little smaller and sweeter than most tomatoes, I like their quiet, simple attitude.

These tomatoes in particular are superb for canning and sauces, especially when paired with a slightly spicy (instead of just garlic) flavour, such as roasted chili oil. In this case however, we're skipping the oils, the buffalo mozzarella, the hours of stewing and saucing. This recipe will be ready in mere moments, and it's without a doubt the best way to eat a tomato off the vine.

Ingredients

3-4 small tomatoes, freshly picked
salt
pepper

Halve the tomatoes, and arrange on a plate. Sprinkle liberally with salt. Add the merest dash of pepper.

That's it. Salt and pepper on tomatoes. Many times the pepper is even optional, I use it more for an eye-pleasing technique than actual flavour. The salt brings out the sweet burst of tomato goodness, a taste that plays like a child in your mouth. A snack of tomatoes is such a refreshing pick-me-up, something that always makes me smile. I'm sure that come next year, when the red globes begin to ripen once more (and possibly even before-fried green tomatoes, anyone?) I'll be cracking open my cookbooks to find extensive use for them. For now though, I'm quite content with this very simple, yet utterly fulfilling treat.