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Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge |
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Holidays Recipe - Mashed Celeriac, Parsnip, and Potato
FOOD + LIFESTYLE:
The Holidays are a great time of the year to make this crowd-pleasing, rustic root vegetable mash featuring often overlooked and misunderstood, celeriac (commonly known as celery root in US).
In this Cooking Lounge Holidays Recipe, the potatoes provide volume and a familiar flavor base, the parsnip adds sweet, creamy, earthy goodness. The celeriac sends the mash over-the-top with hints of herbaceousness and celery along with hearty texture. The flavors and textures in the Mashed Celeriac, Parsnip and Potato stand out yet meld beautifully with butter and cream.
At Cooking Lounge, the focus is simple ideas for better living; so, recipes are more of a guide than a how-to. As you get to know more about food, flavors, pairings, growing seasons, and simple techniques, you will be able to create amazing meals that work for you.
Mashed Celeraic, Parsnip and Potato
2 lbs of new potatoes
1 lb parsnip
1 large bulb Celeraic (celery root) approximate wt 12 ounces - 1lb.
1 stick of butter
1 cup of half and half or cream
salt
pepper
fresh parsley
To slow oxidation, I put aside a large bowl with cold water and salt for the cut root vegetables to soak. Some recipes suggest lemon and water for the celeraic. The point is keep the ingredients from turning brown.
Celeraic is a tough skinned, ungainly bulb. I used Mastrad's Elios Y Vegetable Peeler for minimal loss of flesh. Also, the handle felt ergonomic so no cramping up when peeling lots of food. After peeling the celeraic, dice and drop in bowl of water until time to cook. Make the cubes of vegetables about 1 inch each so cooking times will be about the same. Continue with parsnip, peel, slice and dice, then add to bowl of water. Next the potatoes. Depending on the variety and taste preference, the potatoes can be skin on. The skin left on for this version.
Drain and rinse the root vegetables. Add to large pot of water with a teaspoon of salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cook on low until tender (fork pierces with ease).
Drain cooked celeraic, parsnip and potato; add to large bowl. Mash and stir until blended. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of half and half. Mix. Add remaining butter, half and half. Mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more half and half if desired. Remember this is a rustic mash so it WILL NOT be like a puree.
Return mixture to large pot and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not stick to pan. Place in a serving dish, top with rough chopped parsley. Mashed Celeraic, Parsnip and Potato are ready to serve. If you have more time, you can stud the top with butter and bake in a 350 oven until the top is golden brown. Mastrad's Orka silicone pot holder came in handy taking the mash out of the oven and; in a pinch, the Orka silicone pot holder worked as a trivet). You can even prepare Mashed Celeraic, Parsnip and Potato a day or so in advance; just heat and brown. Yummmm!
This post features products from innovative, international kitchenware brand, Mastrad. Mastrad sent a few items for Cooking Lounge to review. Not paid for the review. All opinions are solely Cooking Lounge. (BRANDS send more stuff. More to play with in the kitchen and more props.)
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge
 |
| photo: wbj |
In this Cooking Lounge Holidays Recipe, the potatoes provide volume and a familiar flavor base, the parsnip adds sweet, creamy, earthy goodness. The celeriac sends the mash over-the-top with hints of herbaceousness and celery along with hearty texture. The flavors and textures in the Mashed Celeriac, Parsnip and Potato stand out yet meld beautifully with butter and cream.
 |
| photo: wbj + Nina Masuda |
 |
| photo: wbj |
 |
| photo: wbj |
At Cooking Lounge, the focus is simple ideas for better living; so, recipes are more of a guide than a how-to. As you get to know more about food, flavors, pairings, growing seasons, and simple techniques, you will be able to create amazing meals that work for you.
Mashed Celeraic, Parsnip and Potato
2 lbs of new potatoes
1 lb parsnip
1 large bulb Celeraic (celery root) approximate wt 12 ounces - 1lb.
1 stick of butter
1 cup of half and half or cream
salt
pepper
fresh parsley
To slow oxidation, I put aside a large bowl with cold water and salt for the cut root vegetables to soak. Some recipes suggest lemon and water for the celeraic. The point is keep the ingredients from turning brown.
Celeraic is a tough skinned, ungainly bulb. I used Mastrad's Elios Y Vegetable Peeler for minimal loss of flesh. Also, the handle felt ergonomic so no cramping up when peeling lots of food. After peeling the celeraic, dice and drop in bowl of water until time to cook. Make the cubes of vegetables about 1 inch each so cooking times will be about the same. Continue with parsnip, peel, slice and dice, then add to bowl of water. Next the potatoes. Depending on the variety and taste preference, the potatoes can be skin on. The skin left on for this version.
Drain and rinse the root vegetables. Add to large pot of water with a teaspoon of salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cook on low until tender (fork pierces with ease).
Drain cooked celeraic, parsnip and potato; add to large bowl. Mash and stir until blended. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of half and half. Mix. Add remaining butter, half and half. Mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more half and half if desired. Remember this is a rustic mash so it WILL NOT be like a puree.
Return mixture to large pot and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not stick to pan. Place in a serving dish, top with rough chopped parsley. Mashed Celeraic, Parsnip and Potato are ready to serve. If you have more time, you can stud the top with butter and bake in a 350 oven until the top is golden brown. Mastrad's Orka silicone pot holder came in handy taking the mash out of the oven and; in a pinch, the Orka silicone pot holder worked as a trivet). You can even prepare Mashed Celeraic, Parsnip and Potato a day or so in advance; just heat and brown. Yummmm!
This post features products from innovative, international kitchenware brand, Mastrad. Mastrad sent a few items for Cooking Lounge to review. Not paid for the review. All opinions are solely Cooking Lounge. (BRANDS send more stuff. More to play with in the kitchen and more props.)
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Damon Albarn - Kinshasa One Two | DRC Music
Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz) gathered a collective dubbed DRC Music for a creative and humanitarian expedition into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
DRC Music (T-E-E-D (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs), Dan The Automator, Jneiro Jarel, Richard Russell, Actress, Marc Antoine + other artists) collaborated with homespun talent Bakatola System, Tout Puissant Mukalo, and many Congolese musicians.
The goal was to raise funds for Oxfam. Oxfam brings clean water, schools and food to impoverished regions. The inspired jams produced the Kinshasa One Two album.
The drcmusic.org website documents an incredible 7 Day recording session with photos, videos, a documentary trailer, compilation on Soundcloud, interviews, and more.
DRC Music (T-E-E-D (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs), Dan The Automator, Jneiro Jarel, Richard Russell, Actress, Marc Antoine + other artists) collaborated with homespun talent Bakatola System, Tout Puissant Mukalo, and many Congolese musicians.
The goal was to raise funds for Oxfam. Oxfam brings clean water, schools and food to impoverished regions. The inspired jams produced the Kinshasa One Two album.
The drcmusic.org website documents an incredible 7 Day recording session with photos, videos, a documentary trailer, compilation on Soundcloud, interviews, and more.
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| photo: drcmusic.org |
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Migliorelli Farm @ Union Square NYC
FOOD:
Migliorelli Farm always has a variety of seasonal produce with great prices.
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge
apples + cinnamon = perfect pair
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| photo: wbj |
Apple Pie, Apple Crisp, Applesauce, Apple Butter, Apple Cider...
Migliorelli Farm always has a variety of seasonal produce with great prices.
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Collard Greens with Lemon and Garlic
FOOD:
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| Collard Greens with Lemon and Garlic photo: wbj |
Hearty greens are a winter staple that are coming into season. With the chill of Fall in the air, healthful and mega nutritious collard greens are available in abundance at a great price.
Collard Greens are the Ambassador of Soul Food and Southern Cooking. There is probably a collards recipe for every regional accent and dialect below the Mason-Dixon line. Growing up in Virginia, collard greens made regular appearances on the table. I was never a big fan; collards tended to be cooked with fatty smoked meat until withered and soft. I like dark-green leafy vegetables with a bit of life and color.
Collards, kale, mustard greens, and such are becoming popular across the country in trendy restaurants. Now, nutritionists extol the benefits that southern women may have always known in their old wives' tale way.
After experimenting with recipes for awhile, here's my favorite, Sauteed Collard Greens with Lemon and Garlic.
After experimenting with recipes for awhile, here's my favorite, Sauteed Collard Greens with Lemon and Garlic.
Large bunch of Collard Greens
1-2 lemons
Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Sugar
Sugar
Crushed red pepper
This is a general guide; adjust to fit your taste and needs.
Wash and rinse the greens several times in cold water. Gritty greens are gross.
Remove the large center stem and any large veins in the leaf.
Stack the leaves in piles. Roll up the pile of leaves and slice into thick strips, chiffonade style.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a low boil. Drop in the collard greens for 3 minutes to soften. Drain in a colander.
Heat a large skillet on low with olive oil. Add sliced garlic to taste. After a minute, add blanched collard greens and toss to mix garlic throughout. Turn up heat to medium. Cook collards for 5-7 minutes, mixing regularly. Want to make sure the garlic does not burn. Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Toss and mix. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Toss and mix. Add the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Adjust to taste. Drizzle on olive oil for final toss and mix. Garnish with thinly sliced lemons.
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge
Monday, September 19, 2011
"EAT like a MAN" and SAVE MONEY
FOOD and LIFESTYLE:
On Cooking Lounge, a constant theme is cooking to live better. When you SAVE MONEY, you can improve your lifestyle. In today's recessionary times, a few extra dollars is a godsend. Plus, you can have the added bonus of sharing a meal with friends or even a date.
Esquire has a how-to cooking guide out for men, "EAT like a MAN", aimed to blast away the fear and mystery of the kitchen. I can not say that I have followed the eponymous blog regularly on Esquire. I have clicked on a few links that brought me to the blog, usually worthwhile reading. At Cooking Lounge, we are all for anything that gets you into the kitchen to prepare a meal. "EAT like a MAN" was released early summer 2011, I discovered it through a NY Daily News article that had a spicy, sausage sandwich recipe. By the way, for the Hot Sauce Aioli, I would use olive oil and Tabasco Sauce.
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge
 |
Esquire has a how-to cooking guide out for men, "EAT like a MAN", aimed to blast away the fear and mystery of the kitchen. I can not say that I have followed the eponymous blog regularly on Esquire. I have clicked on a few links that brought me to the blog, usually worthwhile reading. At Cooking Lounge, we are all for anything that gets you into the kitchen to prepare a meal. "EAT like a MAN" was released early summer 2011, I discovered it through a NY Daily News article that had a spicy, sausage sandwich recipe. By the way, for the Hot Sauce Aioli, I would use olive oil and Tabasco Sauce.
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge
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