Back-to-Back Bittman

June 10 - Sautéed Squid with Garlic, Chili and Bread Crumbs

June 17 - West African Peanut Soup With Chicken

In an effort to catch-up on all my Bittman recipes before the new recipe came out today, I made back-to-back Bittmans for dinner on Monday and Tuesday night. I had anticipations for the meals as I was shopping on Sunday. I was excited to make the sautéed squid -- getting well prepared squid in restaurants is a treat but I've never made it myself. And I was less then enthused about the peanut soup -- I'm not a big soup fan in general, and a hot soup isn't the most appealing option for a summer meal in DC.

Neither recipe was difficult to make. The squid recipe had very few ingredients and preparation was really easy (less than 10 minutes total). While I had to do quite a bit of chopping and prepping for the soup, it was easy work and took less than 10 minutes. The cooking only took an additional 25 minutes, but 10 minutes of that was a largely unsupervised simmer.

These final products did a 180 on my expectations. The squid was nice, but nothing to special, while the soup was a better than I expected -- hearty but not too heavy with a nice combination of flavors and textures. Neither were 4 star recipes in my book, but I think I will probably make them again. I'll probably tweak the squid (perhaps switching out the basil for another herb), and I'd like to try the soup with a non-meat preparation (just leaving out the chicken or perhaps substituting some beans in its place).

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Sautéed Squid with Garlic, Chili and Bread Crumbs

Time: 10 minutes

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2to 2 pounds cleaned squid, in rings (cut tentacles in half if large)
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced basil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
About 1 cup freshly toasted coarse bread crumbs

1. Put oil in a broad skillet over high heat; a minute later, add squid, salt, pepper and chili flakes; cook, stirring, until squid is opaque, about 60 seconds (do not overcook).

2. Add garlic, basil and lemon juice and stir for about 30 seconds. Turn off heat, add bread crumbs and serve.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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West African Peanut Soup With Chicken

Time: About 45 minutes

3/4 cup roasted and shelled peanuts
2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
1 medium red or white onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken (about 2 thighs or breasts) cut into chunks
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups stock or water
2 sweet potatoes or yams (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into thick slices
8 plum tomatoes, cored and halved (canned are fine; drain and reserve liquid for another use)
1/2 pound collards or kale, washed and cut into wide ribbons
1/4 to 1/2 cup peanut butter, chunky or smooth.

1. Chop peanuts, or crush them with the side of a knife, or pulse them in a food processor to chop roughly.

2. Put oil in a deep skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat; a minute later, add onion, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken and continue cooking for another 3 or 4 minutes, until just coloring. Add 1/2 cup peanuts and the cayenne and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Stir in the stock and the sweet potatoes, bring to a boil, and turn heat down to medium-low so the soup bubbles gently. Stir in tomatoes and collards, then cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in 1/4 cup peanut butter. Taste, adjust seasoning (you may want to add more peanut butter at this point) and serve, garnished with remaining peanuts.

Yield: 4 servings

June 3 - Fresh Strawberries with Almond Crème Anglaise

There are few things I enjoy more than reading the Sunday NYTimes with a cup of good tea while sitting on my deck. This weekend I added some food to the mix, and it was a welcome addition. I’d gone to the store on Saturday and stocked up on all the ingredients needed to catch up on this recipe project, so there were fresh strawberries and cream sitting in my refrigerator when I went to grab some milk for my tea. I thought about the recipe and decided to whip it up for my Sunday breakfast.

As the kitchen filled with the comforting smell of toasted almonds, I separated the eggs. I used the shells to accomplish this task – I know that using your hands is easier, but I learned from my Dad to swish the yolk back and forth between the halved shells, and at this point, it’s instinct. I added the cream, milk, and sugar and whipped them all together. I was a little concerned about adding the mixture to the hot saucepan with the toasted almonds. While there was a moment of bubbling…okay, some would say boiling…when the mixture hit the pan, it quickly subsided and the rest of the recipe went as planned. I prepped the strawberries as the custard cooled and then layered the berries and cream in a small bowl and topped with some almonds.



The combination of ripe, sweet berries and creamy almondy sauce was perfect for eating on my deck chair while watching the birds in the trees, but it wasn’t really that filling. So I made some oatmeal and put the berries & cream on top. After finishing that bowl and drinking some more tea and doing a bit more newspaper reading, I was ready to tackle my to do list…and that’s the sign of a perfect weekend breakfast!


Fresh Strawberries with Almond Crème Anglaise
3/4 cup chopped almonds plus
1/2 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
6 to 8 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered

1. Put chopped almonds in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to toast, about 3 minutes.

2. Add milk, cream, sugar and egg yolks, and whisk well to combine. Cook, whisking almost constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.

3. While sauce is still hot, strain it through a sieve and let cool a bit. To serve, put a cup of strawberries in each dish, drizzle with warm sauce and garnish with slivered almonds. Sauce will keep, tightly covered, in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

May 27 - Southeast Asian Mussel Salad

So I was a couple weeks behind on my recipes (temporary interruption as I helped my husband get ready for an 8 month trip to the deserts of Kuwait), but this recipe was just the thing to get me back on track. There is something magical about a simple recipe that quickly and easily provides you with a wonderful meal…and it’s all the better if the recipe can be adapted for other purposes. That was what I found with the Southeast Asian Mussel Salad.

When I first saw the recipe, I was excited because I love mussels. But I rarely diverge from the basic preparation – in a large stockpot, add a couple cloves of crushed garlic + can of diced tomatoes + cup of wine + bag of mussels, bring to simmer, cover, and steam until mussels open, then serve with crusty bread and a simple salad or crispy green beans. It’s a great meal, but I was interested in mixing it up a bit.

Imagine my surprise when I finished with this salad and realized that while the mussels were good, they weren’t what kept my interest. The simple salad was the supporting actor that stole the show. The lime and chili mixed with just a bit of coconut milk was the perfect dressing for the mixed textures of the salad. The next day, I used the left over produce to make it again with shrimp. It great both times – light but filling, simple but flavorful. I think you could add almost any mild protein and have a successful meal. I have no doubt I will be making this again – it’s my Simple Summer Salad, the 2009 edition.



Southeast Asian Mussel Salad
4 pounds mussels, well scrubbed
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
Zest from one lime
1 to 2 fresh Thai chilies, minced
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Put mussels in a large pot with a lid. Pour 1/4 cup water over all, cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a steady bubble (you will hear it and see some steam escaping). Shake pot now and then.

2. Meanwhile, combine coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, lime zest and chilies in a large bowl; add bean sprouts, cucumber and red pepper.

3. Mussels will be done in 5 to 10 minutes, or when all or most of the shells have opened. Remove and let cool slightly, reserving cooking liquid. (If there is a great deal, reduce it while you shuck mussels.)

4. When mussels are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells and add them to bowl with vegetables and dressing. Add cilantro and as much of the reserved cooking liquid as you need to make mixture saucy. Toss well to combine, adjust seasonings and serve, or refrigerate for up to a few hours.