not too dessert-y dessert :: whipped ricotta with balsamic strawberry sauce

So, I'm not a huge dessert person. I mean, don't get me wrong -- I do love dessert. And if you put a nice tiramisu or creme brûlée or even a half-eaten Snickers bar in front of me, I will eat the thing -- and I will like it very much. I just don't get too enthused about cooking it.

Dessert for me most nights is some plain Greek yogurt with honey and cinnamon or fruit preserves, which I find totally hits the spot and satisfies whatever sweet tooth I have. But tonight I had some leftover ricotta cheese to get rid of, and a nice fresh carton of strawberries, and figured I'd elevate my usual yogurt routine to a higher culinary level.

So here's what I used to make my whipped ricotta with balsamic strawberry sauce:

About a dozen fresh strawberries
Honey (about 2 tbsp)
About 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I used a fig infused white balsamic)
The juice of half a lemon
Organic whole milk ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
A dash of vanilla extract (about 1/2 tsp)
Lemon zest, for garnish 
Cracked black pepper, for garnish

White balsamic fig infused vinegar

Ok...you'll notice that I used the word "about" quite a few times there. See the thing is -- and this has been one of the main things that has hindered me from creating this blog -- I'm really not a recipe person. 

"What kind of monster is not a dessert person and also not a recipe person?!", you might be wondering. I know, I know. But I just can't bring myself to follow directions and measure things. I feel that cooking should be guided by creativity and intuition, and so I encourage using recipes as  mere guidelines, or as templates for the unique meal you ultimately want to create. Note: this does not apply to baking, which is why I abhor baking.

So anyway, start by halving the strawberries and placing them in a pot on medium-low heat with the honey, vinegar and lemon juice. I also added a teaspoon or two of water to get things going. 

Meanwhile: scoop the ricotta into your food processor or blender and add a dash of vanilla. Mix for a few seconds until the ricotta reaches a smooth, silken texture.

Ricotta: before

Ricotta: after

On the stovetop, allow the strawberries to continue cooking down to your desired consistency -- they will break down to a point where they easily fall apart at the touch of a spoon. I cooked mine for about ten minutes; you can cook them less if you prefer the berries more intact. 

Though sweet, the sauce has a wonderful tartness from the lemon and vinegar that perfectly offsets the creamy richness of the ricotta.

Transfer the whipped ricotta to a bowl and spoon on the desired amount of strawberry sauce. Top with lemon zest and just a touch of freshly cracked black pepper (if desired).

That's it! This dish is so simple... but I guarantee it will feel like a refreshing departure from your run-of-the-mill dessert routine. 

Grab a spoon and dig in. You'll feel fancy, I swear.

gourmet brunch for two :: italian egg scramble with arugula salad

On the menu: tomato & basil egg scramble; arugula salad
with balsamic vinaigrette; english muffin with rosemary butter

Whenever I spend a weekend at my parents' house in Connecticut, my absolute favorite thing to do is cook for my family. Maybe it's the fact that they have an actual kitchen that fits multiple human beings inside it, and that it seems to always be stocked with the ingredients that I don't have on-hand in my little city apartment.

But mostly, I just relish the opportunity to cook for someone other than myself once in a while -- particularly, my wonderful mother. (I cook for my dad too, mind you, but he has an aversion to cheese in all forms that I simply cannot support, thus posing a bit of a challenge.)

So this morning, I decided to treat my mom to a simple yet gourmet vegetarian brunch -- a version of a meal I've made numerous times, altering slightly based on whatever ingredients I have available. There's nothing extraordinary or challenging about this meal; the key to its deliciousness is the quality of ingredients and elevation of fresh, vibrant flavors.

The ingredients (for two plates):

Large handful of grape tomatoes
1-2 garlic cloves
Arugula
5 large eggs
Large handful of mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil (maybe 10 leaves or so)
Two whole wheat english muffins
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper

As always, I try to keep all ingredients organic and of the highest quality available. (Eggs especially should always be cage free.) I would have loved to use fresh, local mozzarella, but I had the shredded kind in the fridge and was workin' with what I got.

Simple whipped rosemary butter

I started by halving the tomatoes, then dropping them into a large skillet with some heated olive oil (medium-low heat.) As those cooked down, I cracked the eggs into a bowl and scrambled them, and started on a couple simple condiments:

Balsamic Vinaigrette -- simply whisk approximately three parts olive oil with one part balsamic vinegar, and season liberally with salt and pepper.

Whipped Rosemary Butter -- soften unsalted butter in a dish, then use a fork to whip in rosemary (I didn't have fresh so used dried) and salt and pepper.

As the tomatoes continued to cook, I added the finely minced garlic to the skillet. Once the tomatoes had broken down and softened quite a bit, I lowered the heat and added the scrambled eggs, stirring occasionally as they cooked. Once the eggs start to come together, you can add the mozzarella cheese so it starts melting down.

Then, season the eggs with salt and pepper, and once they're close to being done, fold in the finely chopped basil.



At this point, all that's left is to toss some arugula with your balsamic vinaigrette, spread a couple toasted english muffins with your rosemary butter, and plate.

Ingredient quality is key; balsamic vinegar from Modena

This dish is exceptionally simple, but the flavor profile is truly outstanding. Anyone can throw together scrambled eggs and veggies, but the particular flavors of these high-quality ingredients, seasoned properly, create something exquisite. The sweet fragrance of the tomatoes and basil, the salty richness of the rosemary butter, the bite of the arugula and vinegar -- all come together in a perfect plate sure to impress any brunch companion.

But for me... nothing beats sitting with my mom on a Sunday morning, digging into this dish with a cup of strong coffee, looking at maps of Italy and daydreaming of someday, somehow.

Cheers,
A

a welcome to the table

I've tried so many times to start a blog.

For some reason, something always seems to derail my efforts. Maybe it's the fact that the internet is positively brimming with self-important amateur chefs who feel compelled to share every variety of casserole or chicken cacciatore or "skinny" guilt-free Christmas ham or WHATEVER, and do I really need to add to the noise? Probably not. But alas, something keeps bringing me back to this. So here I am.

I've always enjoyed food, but I never really understood it until somewhat recently. I didn't grasp the complexity, the absolute intricacy of the many processes that together, in a kind of symbiotic, elaborate dance, finally culminate in the act of me stuffing my face. I didn't understand how flawed many of these processes are, and the detriments they impart on our health, our communities and our environment. In college, I thought a healthy dinner was a Lean Pocket and a Diet Coke. Quite simply, I didn't know what food was and wasn't, and I could never predict that a little awareness would lead to such a meaningful, impassioned awakening.

Now, at 27, I find food to be endlessly fascinating. I love cooking it, I love eating it, and I love learning about it. I don't believe we should be apathetic bystanders to a food culture we are all so critically entrenched in. I think we should care about what fuels ourselves and our families, and we should care about everything that contributed to it along the way.

So here we are, at the Truthful Table. With this blog, I aim to share a realistic approach to cooking and eating healthfully, respectfully and with integrity. It's not about cutting carbs or demonizing fat or counting calories. It's a tribute to food, real food, and to truth and understanding.

So bon appétit, my friends. Looking forward to the good eats ahead. xx A