A Good Dish

making food simpler

Ceramic Reamers: One Of The Kitchen Tools Contemporary Potters Are Creating

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Porcelain reamer
by Jen Allen

We have been to many ceramics sales in the past few years and while we have continued to find many beautiful pots, what has surprised me is the growing number of potters making specialty items, such as salt cellars, butter keepers and even citrus reamers. When I was still making pots, it never occurred to me to make a juice reamer. I had seen many lovely Depression glass versions but hadn’t remembered any made of clay. Well, times have changed and creative potters are producing beautiful and useful reamers in many formats. 

Porcelain citrus reamer
by Jen Allen
Porcelain reamer and rest
by Gwendolyn Yoppolo

The simplest reamer, like the standard wooden version, is just the juicing head (the part inserted into the cut fruit) attached to a handle. We found a delightful porcelain model with a beautifully ornamented handle by Jen Allen at the Old Church Pottery sale two years ago. It is easy to use,  easy to clean and feels comfortable in my hand. Another, a sleeker but equally comfortable version, with a crystalline glaze by Gwendolyn Yoppolo, rests in its own dedicated holder. Both the forms and surfaces are dazzling, with every detail thoroughly designed and thought through.  A third variety, like the Depression glass originals, sits in the center of a dish which collects the juice and has a pouring spout. I was gifted a brightly colored, well-designed and crafted version by the skillful Swiss potter Peter Fink and it works wonderfully. Berkshire potter Lucy Fagella makes yet a fourth variety of reamer, an elegant two-part thrown composition in which the juice drips through holes in the top half and collects in the bottom. Fagella generously made an instructional video to demonstrate how she makes her simple but well-structured solution. I’m sure there are other beauties waiting for us to discover out there.

Ceramic juicer/reamer
by Peter Fink
Ceramic juicer/reamer
by Peter Fink

Growing up, I used to enjoy squeezing orange juice for breakfast. Even as a kid, it is a good feeling to feel useful around mealtime. But since I don’t really drink fruit juice any more, I use my reamers for juicing mostly lemons and limes, which I use quite frequently in cooking (and an occasional grapefruit or orange, depending on the recipe). It is a useful tool for getting the most juice out of any citrus fruit. I am happy to have found a few useful ceramic versions to beautify my kitchen and heighten my own aesthetic pleasure while cooking. I love handmade culinary tools of all kinds – wooden spoons and cutting boards, cheese knives and spreaders, seed grinding bowls and colanders. They certainly enhance the pleasure of preparing and serving food in the same way a beautifully made cup betters your morning coffee or tea. Thanks to all the creative potters out there who are brightening our kitchens every day!

Stoneware citrus juicer/reamer by Lucy Fagella
Photo by Lucy Fagella
Stoneware citrus juicer/reamer by Lucy Fagella
Photo by Lucy Fagella

Ready For A Different Summer Cocktail? Try A White Manhattan

White Manhattans ready to serve
Tray/Plate by Bandana Pottery

I had never heard of a White Manhattan cocktail until we saw one on a restaurant menu. Nor had I even heard of white whiskey. Where had I been? With a little digging, I found it was invented in the early 2000’s by a creative San Francisco based bartender named Neyah White. The white whiskey used in our version, High West Silver, is clear and smooth tasting. It keeps the Manhattan “white”, as does using blanc (sweet white) vermouth. A traditional Manhattan is made with “regular” rye or bourbon, red (or sweet) vermouth and a cherry, generally thought of as a warming or winter drink. A white version just seemed wacky so we had to try it. It was delicious.

White whiskey from High West Distillery

On a tour of the Van Brunt Stillhouse in Red Hook, Brooklyn last spring (a fun outing with a barroom for before or after), we learned that most whiskey is completely clear when distilled and gets its amber tone from months or years of aging in charred wood barrels. High West Silver is an oat-based spirit (85% oats, 15% barley) and, so they joke, aged for about 5 minutes in oak. Some quick research turned up some other clear or “white dog” whiskeys (which seem to be making a comeback after brief fame a decade ago). Hudson, the New York distiller specializing in smooth drinking whiskeys, makes one from corn and Buffalo Trace uses the same mash of corn, rye and malted barley as it does for its aged bourbon but leaves it clear. Death’s Door, a company we knew for its gin. makes a white whiskey that is 80% wheat and 20% barley, “rested” in stainless steel and finished briefly in oak. I can see we have a lot of tasting ahead of us.

A selection of blanc/bianco vermouth
I chose Dolin to keep the drink clear

What makes the White Manhattan unique is not just white whiskey. It is also the use of a particular variety of white vermouth – blanc or bianco (the drink we had used Dolin blanc -it is French, after all) with a Benedictine soaked cherry. We tried it first with Little City white vermouth (a small batch, local New York vermouth made with New York State ingredients) and, although it makes a great martini, we found it too dry for a Manhattan. The Dolin blanc works perfectly. To give depth and more complexity, we added Salers, a gentian based French aperitif recommended by a knowledgeable salesperson at Astor Wines. I think Cocchi Americano or Benedictine (which was in the original recipe) would work, too, but would be sweeter. For the garnish, you could soak some dried cherries in Benedictine or use Amarena cherries (I told you about them a few posts ago) straight out of the jar – just rinse first so as not to color the liquor. Or; if you aren’t a cherry person, try an orange or lemon peel. A splash of bitters adds a little more dimension. If you like your drink a bit sweeter, juggle the proportions or use the Benedictine instead of Salers. To make your own White Manhattan, just follow this simple recipe and sip with pleasure.

Salers Aperitif kept the Manhattan pretty clear
and added complexity

WHITE MANHATTAN (with credit to Neyah White)

Shake together in a cocktail mixer over ice:

  • 1 1/2 oz white bourbon
  • 1/2 oz white vermouth
  • 1/2 oz Salers Aperitif or Benedictine
  • A couple of dashes of citrus bitters (I used orange)

Strain into a coupé, martini glass or your favorite ceramic tumbler and add a cocktail cherry, plain or soaked in liquor or a rinsed Amareno cherry or a curl of lemon rind. 

Exuberant peonies
Ceramic vase by Roberta Massuch

Spring Has Sprung – Try Some Different Varieties Of Greens!!

Sautéed radishes and radish greens
Black Porcelain plate by Doug Peltzman

All winter long, we eat a lot of kale and watercress and arugula. I cook these three over and over because they are available and nutritious and because we like them (unlike spinach which I don’t like one bit). But after a winter full of those three greens in rotation, I am ready for some variation. Fortunately, Spring is here and with it the farmers markets are already full of alternative greens.

Sheepishly, I admit that I used to throw away the greens atop radishes, assuming they would be too bitter for my taste. Turns out I was wrong all those years! Last week when I saw gorgeous bouquets of red, pink, purple and white radishes at the 97th Street Greenmarket, I finally tried  washing and sautéing the greens as well as the radishes. They were delicious on their own and even more satisfying mixed with some leftover black rice. 

Bunches of pink, violet and French breakfast radishes with greens

The same farmer, Jeff Bialas, who had the radishes, also had several types of choy – bok choy, pac choy and purple choy. I bought a couple of bunches of the pac choy (more compact and less stem than the bok choy), washed cut and sautéed the greens in a bit of olive oil with some garlic, a pinch of salt and a splash of tamari. 

Bunches of fresh Pac Choy
Sauté of garlic and Pac Choy with a splash of water to help it cook

Up at the Thursday Greenmarket at Columbia, the farmer with the stand at the northernmost end, Lani’s Farm, had an incredible variety of Asian greens (many of which I had never heard of before), along with some mustard greens, kales, arugula and lettuces. My favorite was the Yu Choy Sum which I prepared simply by sautéing with garlic, oil and a little salt. It turned out tastier and less greasy than the Chinese delivery variety!

Yu Choy Sum – even the flowers are edible
Sautéed Yu Choy sum with garlic

Lani’s also had beautiful bunches of baby beets in the usual red but also golden and chiogga, the candy cane striped variety. The greens looked firm and fresh, unlike  supermarket beet greens which are often quite wilty. I steamed the beets but resisted chucking the greens and instead cut up the stems and sautéed them with a minced shallot and a minced clove of garlic. After about 5 minutes, I added the chopped leafy green tops with a splash of water and cooked, stirring occasionally, until wilted. I added a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and voila-the 4th new green of the week. We enjoyed them all and I can’t wait to see what other greens are available next week. Maybe next time I will be brave enough to try the dandelion or turnip greens…..

Chiogga, red and golden beets with greens
Sautéed beet green stems just before adding leafy tops 

 

A wall of wonderful pots by Doug Peltzman during the recent Philadelphia Potters Studio Tour

Transform A Winter Staple Into A Fresh Tasting Early Spring Green

Sautéed cabbage with fresh dill
Earthenware bowl by Sunshine Cobb

It’s that time of year – the moment for spring cleaning your fridge. You are craving some fresh greens but planting season has barely begun in the Northeast. Sautéed bagged greens have worn out their welcome and you want something to taste fresh. My suggestion is to turn to the reliable old green cabbage that has made it through the winter in the back of your refrigerator (and needs to be cooked anyway) and liven it up with some fresh herbs.

Spring cleaning is one of the few annual rituals I actually participate in wholeheartedly. I dive into dusting, wiping, washing and vacuuming with a kind of mania I don’t have for cleaning the rest of the year. I think that I hate the heat of summer so much that I try to go into it with the most strenuous cleaning behind me. It is also a great time for purging the your pantry and fridge of anything which has been in there too long – oils or nuts that smell rancid, horseradish that has lost its zip (time to make fresh), the jalapeños you meant to use but are now a mushy blob in a bag – you get the idea.

Cut the cabbage into 6 sections vertically

If your cabbage is looking a little sad, soak it in some icy salt water after slicing to perk it up. You can sauté in a combination of olive oil and butter for flavor or simply use olive oil and toss in your herbs just as the cabbage finishes cooking. If you don’t like dill, use parsley or cilantro. Err on the side of more herbs than less. If you want to vary the dish, add some carrots, sliced or julienned, or if you want to sauté an onion or some garlic before adding the cabbage, go for it. My only unwavering advice is to be very careful not to overcook the cabbage. You want the cabbage to be green and not soggy. This dish is a breeze to prepare, tastes great and packs a nutritional punch (cruciferous vegetable plus herbs). What could be easier to cook as the weather warms and we look forward to the arrival of spring greens?

(For a few other spring suggestions for using up things in your vegetable drawer or year round vegetables, see my past posts on carrots, watercress, cabbage salad, parsnips and watermelon radishes).

Cut each section of cabbage into thin slices

SAUTÉED CABBAGE WITH FRESH DILL

  • 1 small head of cabbage (firm, heavy and unblemished is best)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil (or 1 oil and 1 butter)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2-4Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (I like a lot but you might like less-taste to see)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons water

Cut the cabbage into 6 sections (vertically through the core) and then slice each sixth into thin slices. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and when hot add the cabbage. Add a tablespoon or two of water, as needed, to help the cabbage cook quickly and add the salt. Sauté until just starting to soften but still bright green. You want to keep a bit of crunch. Remove from the heat and add the pepper and the fresh dill, toss and serve.

This dish keeps well when refrigerated for a couple of days and tastes good at room temperature, if you don’t want to reheat it.

Sautéed cabbage with fresh dill
Earthenware bowl by Sunshine Cobb

A note on the ceramics:

I got this Sunshine Cobb earthenware bowl last spring at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia and it has quickly become one of the most used in our home. It is the perfect size for rice, yogurt, nuts – so many things – and the texture keeps it from slipping out our hands when washing. I enjoy the contrast of the glossy interior and the sandblasted matte exterior as well as that color – it is pure sunshine! Cobb makes a wide range of really appealing functional ceramics from whiskey cups, tumblers and mugs to rectangular servers, garlic keepers and vases. I just may be tempted to collect (and use) an assortment in all her beautiful colors!

Earthenware Garlic Keeper by Sunshine Cobb
From an exhibition of Women Working With Clay at Hollins University in 2018

Simple Roast Duck With Duck Fat Potatoes – A Recipe Discovered By Tidying Up!

Simple roasted duck
Slipped earthenware plate by Michael Connelly

 

One of the best and worst things about painting your home, beyond the mess and inconvenience, is that you have to face years of accumulated stuff. There is no avoiding it when it is mounded up in front of you. Hopefully, at the end, you give away or simply trash a good bit of it, but in the process, you may find things you had misplaced or forgotten.

When we painted our apartment recently, not only did I recover some missing jewelry, but I also unearthed one of my grandmother’s loose leaf cookbooks of typed out recipes and pasted in clippings. Among instructions for jello molds and cheese-covered frozen vegetables, I found recipes for “meat loaf-Extra good” and date-nut bread that “one of the girls served the other night with a cream cheese spread – lush!”. 

I may have to revisit those two when we have our gas back on but until then I offer you her very simple and delicious recipe for roast duck, something I had long thought about making but never attempted before now. The recipe came straight out of her cookbook but didn’t indicate the cooking temperature. I assumed 350-375F after a quick roast at 425F to sear the skin. Duck is available in New York at farmers markets, Whole Foods and specialty food stores like Fairway and Eataly, in Chinatown and even Costco, and online at D’Artagnan, among others. I got a whole duck from a farmer at the 97th Street Greenmarket and simply put it in the fridge for 2 days to defrost. It was much, much easier to cook than I had imagined and cooking it on top of boiled potatoes gave us a delicious side dish. Because we still don’t have a working oven, I made it at my sister’s apartment and it easily fed 6 of us.

Roasted duck resting after cooking
before carving

My grandmother, Matilda, was a remarkable person who treated children with respect and made them feel capable and loved. A far better housekeeper than I am, she wasn’t a “stuff” saver. She taught me to knit and crochet, to play cards, to make chicken soup, to balance a checkbook (sorry, Grandma, haven’t done it in years) and the value of being a good listener and a good friend. She has been gone for thirty years but she is still teaching me how to do things.

Potatoes roasted in duck fat
Slipped earthenware bowl by Michael Connelly

ROAST DUCK (with duck fat potatoes, or not)

  • 1 4-6 lb. duck, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 tsps kosher salt
  • 2-3 lbs yellow potatoes, cut in pieces, optional

Salt the duck inside and out, skewer the neck skin (a bamboo skewer works well but a wooden toothpick is good enough) and score the skin in a diagonal pattern (as you would a ham), taking care not to pierce though to the meat. Set the duck on a plate or in a baking dish and place uncovered in the fridge for at least 8 hours. 

When ready to cook, set the chilled duck out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes while you preheat your oven to 425F. If you want to add seasoning, fruit, garlic, onion or herbs, now is your chance. I just used salt. While the duck rests, put the potatoes, if you are making them, in enough water to cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes, until they are just pierce-able. Drain and toss in the hot pan to fluff up the edges. Let potatoes air dry while you tend to your duck.

Place the duck with the breast side down on a v-rack, if you have one, or on a wire baking rack,  in a roasting pan or rimmed half sheet pan. Bake at 425F for 30-45 minutes, until the fat starts to render and skin starts to brown slightly.  Remove duck and rack (you can just rest them in your sink) and pour the fat and juices into a fat separator or glass measuring cup. Turn the oven heat down to 350F. Place the dry potatoes in the roasting pan (if you use a piece of parchment paper, your clean up will be much easier), add a few tablespoons of the duck fat and toss. (You can store the rest of the fat in the fridge for another use). Situate your duck, breast up, on top of the potatoes and put back in the now 350F oven. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the thickest part of the thigh registers 175F. Remove the duck from the oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes while the potatoes continue to brown. Watch them and remove from the oven when they are crisp. Carve the duck as you would a chicken and serve with potatoes. Warmed apricot, orange or currant fruit spread or any kind of cooked cherries, berries or even applesauce would be delicious alongside the duck. We had steamed broccolini but choose your favorite green to balance the richness of the meat. Serves 6

Duck fat roasted potatoes
Earthenware bowl by Michael Connelly