12 March 2007
I usually make a shopping list before heading off to the supermarket; if I don't, I tend to put just about anything that catches my eye into the cart. Obviously, I didn't put enough effort into the list this week, because I came home with all sorts of things, including corn grits (for polenta) and falafel mix.
It was a good week to go adventurous at the supermarket, though, because I've been feeling a little bit in a rut lately. Well, maybe not a rut, but as though I hadn't had a really good food discovery in a while. When I was at the check out, the clerk asked me what I was going to make, and I stuttered awkwardly for a bit, the way I do when I don't really understand a question (it always seems inappropriate to say, 'Repeat your question, but this time include some clues as to what you actually mean.'). After all, all I was buying was groceries -- how do you answer that question when you've got ingredients for a week's meals?
Anyway, she held up the corn grits, so I said, 'Polenta.' Then she said I must be a very good cook. That was nice, but it got me worrying. Was polenta trickier than I thought? It didn't seem so different from making oatmeal, but maybe I was missing something. Well, it must be a popular myth (or the clerk had no idea), because there was no trick to it. But how tasty! Polenta is on the list of things to start eating more of.
I also made some pitas this afternoon, which were simple as you like to whip up. They're fairly small, though, so even my three little falafel balls had no chance of fitting in. After I took the photo, I tore open the pita and made a (tasty) mess of the whole thing. I was sure I didn't like falafel -- that sort of 'sure' you can be when you've never tasted something. I have no idea why I was suddenly compelled to give it a try, but it's love now. I made mine from a mix; anybody got a good recipe I should try someday?
Just so you know, I was ill for only one day, in the end. By the next day, I was feeling just about back to normal, and I'm pretty sure it was down to the muffins. Excellent!
Polenta is sooo good. I love to cut it in thin slices and bake - they taste like corn chips! Also, it's good topped with eggs in the morning.
posted by Ellen at March 12, 2007 01:54 AM
http://coconutlime.blogspot.com/2005/11/falafel.html -my favorite recipe...
posted by rachel at March 12, 2007 02:19 AM
I like to saute red peppers and put it on top of polenta.
Also, have you ever tried paella espanola (potatoe omelet, pretty much)? I think you would really like this.
Thank you for all your food ideas. :)
posted by Stephanie at March 12, 2007 02:19 AM
2 questions:
(a) what's in your cup? (it looks gorgeously red & bubbly on my screen)
(b) do you have a polenta recipe you recommend? I love eating it, but have so far been scared to try making it myself.
You inspire - thanks!
posted by at March 12, 2007 03:16 AM
http://www.npr.org/programs/watc/recipes/nycfalafel.html
This is the BEST falafel you will ever eat. Really. The best. The only modification I make is to use flat leaf parsley instead of corriander/cilantro. I'm not a huge cilantro fan.
Also, don't be afraid to deep fry. If you use a thermometer and heat the oil hot enough, your food will come out beautifully cooked and not greasy and laden with oil. To be sure, it's not how you want to eat everyday but every once in awhile (like for falafel) it's fine. Everything in moderation...
posted by Sarah at March 12, 2007 04:00 AM
Answers to the Questions:
(a) That's a smoothie with strawberries, blueberries, greek yogurt, and orange juice. Yum.
(b) Last night, I just dissolved salt into water, brought it to a boil, and then poured in the corn grits. I kept them over a low flame for about thirty minutes and then patted them into that pyrex dish to mold. I ate them just like that, but today I'll try grilling the wedges in my panini press. The corn grits I used were about medium-ground, so this polenta isn't quite the same as you can buy in tubes pre-made at the supermarket.
posted by Anna at March 12, 2007 11:28 AM
Yum. I love falafel, but haven't had them in so long. As a Florida girl, I've wondered about the difference between grits and polenta-- is polenta just more like a cake while grits are runny? My friend from New York and I were analyzing the grits she ordered at brunch last weekend, and she was calling it polenta. I've only seen those tubes of polenta, but if I can make it with the dry grits I buy, I'll give your recipe a try!
posted by kayla_d at March 12, 2007 01:34 PM
I love making polenta! I have a couple of the Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks & that was where I learned to make it from. Simple! They also have a good falafel recipe but I didn’t see it on the site (http://www.moosewoodrestaurant.com/). You might want to check out one of their books ( my local library had several of them). Now I will have to see about finding a pita recipe. I never thought to make them!
posted by MéLisa at March 12, 2007 03:24 PM
Your falafel and polenta both look perfect! I love the falafel recipe in The Moosewood Cookbook. It's a bit time consuming because you start with dried chickpeas, but I'm sure you could substitute canned, in a crunch.
I don't know if you eat dairy, but I love making polenta with milk and even a little bit of cream, it's delicious! I also sometimes use fine cornmeal, for a creamy polenta. It's sort of the consistancy of whipped potatoes. I like the coarse cornmeal too. I like sautee-ing several different kinds of mushrooms and putting them on top. Delicious! Or I'll cut out a circle of leftover polenta and brown it in a little olive oil or butter, and have a poached egg on top, sprinkled with some fresh herbs. It's so versatile :o)
posted by lucy at March 12, 2007 05:49 PM
I found your site through StumbleUpon, and I'm completely hooked. Instead of studying for a philosophy exam yesterday, I spent hours looking through your archives. Your photography is amazing... I'm a photographer myself, and am stunned at the simplicity of your images, and how much I love each and everyone.
You also inspired me to start a food blog! I'm hoping it makes me eat a little healthier... I'm definitely going to try some of your recipes soon!
posted by Rebecca at March 13, 2007 03:23 PM
if you're going to the trouble of making it from scratch, you should try the egyptian version of falafel, called ta'amiyya. it uses fava beans instead of garbanzo. my mother makes big batches of the wet mix up and then freezes them in sandwich bags so she can pull out just what she needs for a quick meal. I'll try to find her recipe, but in the meantime this one is pretty good : http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/102228/
there's aso this recipe for the accompanying tehina : http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/102215?id=102215
posted by Nada at March 13, 2007 11:31 PM
I came across your blog and realized that I too, go to Hopkins every now and then for an shopping fix (I live in St Louis Pk) and a GW (Goodwill) trek--I've found some awesome stuff there. Love your food notes and your photos; simple and colorful and striking.
posted by carol at March 14, 2007 12:38 AM
so glad wellness has retutrned. glory be to the muffin maker.
i'm increasingly thinking you should open some sort of casual weekend cafe, people would love it. i'd say an all week cafe but you have your other work to do. but also i like the idea of a cafe that is only open a little, so it really is a treat for people, more special because sometimes it's not there.
and they'd never know what you'd be serving, it would depend what excited you in the supermarket that weekend. you really do come up with the lovelies combinations, i certainly would want to visit a place like that.
hey, maybe you could do open lunches in your garden on summer sundays! i really think people would pay for something so special, and healthy too.
posted by cally at March 15, 2007 12:37 PM
Oh I love blogworld! I tried making falafel last week from a cheap box mix and it was horrible-horrible-horrible. I was also trying to get my 5-year-old son to eat it which didn't happen. I was going to give up forever but I will try again. Thanks for the great recipes and I am definitely trying the homemade polenta.
posted by allyson at March 15, 2007 04:59 PM