Obsessions, Pt. 2

As anyone from school will tell you, broccoli is one of my favorite foods and probably the thing I eat the most of, pound per pound. I like it best raw or steamed in the microwave with Tabasco, but I've also come up with at least a half dozen go-to recipes for when I serve it to other people. So here is my recipe for broccoli with balsamic vinegar and caramelized onions.

This is ridiculously easy but beautiful in a serving dish on the dining table. The other night my dad cooked steaks to celebrate my sister's graduation and me being home for the summer, and I thought I would do something "special" for a side dish. The awful thing is, last summer I would do this every night. Now, I work 8 to 5 all week, and I'm just too tired slash I get home too late to get up the energy to cook for the whole fam. (Also, we have different eating habits; I don't eat very much meat or dairy any more, and they don't like the same things I like. Ok, in full disclosure, I like everything; they are less adventurous.)

Long story short, this cooks up in about fifteen minutes, and everybody likes it. I wish I had taken a picture, it is such a pretty dish... Oh, and I used brown sugar instead of granulated at first because we were out, but after tasting it I would use it again because it adds some richness to the otherwise pretty light recipe.

Broccoli with Balsamic Vinegar and Caramelized Onions

• 1 or 2 heads broccoli, cut into equal sized chunks
• 1 onion, quartered and cut into half moon slices
• 1 tbl butter
• 1 tbl brown sugar
• 2-3 tbl balsamic vinegar

Steam broccoli with half a tbl of balsamic and 1 tbl water until about half-cooked and still bright green (microwave for two-three minutes depending on how much you have). Set aside.
Over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and cook, stirring, until they're nice and sweaty, then add brown sugar and leave them alone. Stir again as necessary but only as necessary to prevent them from burning; too much stirring and they won't caramelize.

When the onions are golden and just barely "charred" (I don't know how else to describe the little dark brown--not black--spots on the onions that add so much flavor), deglaze with balsamic. Add broccoli and cook until broccoli is fully cooked but not smooshy; it should retain its nice green color but take on a bit of brown or purple from the onions and balsamic.

"Food, Inc."

I saw this Wednesday at the Crest Theater, at a pre-screening event. Go see this!!! I know it's obnoxious to plug this on my blog, but as a foodie, and a human being, I think it is important to know what we are eating and how it affects us and the people who provide it to us. The movie synthesizes information from many other sources, but if even if you don't have any background in the field of food advocacy or sustainability, you will enjoy "Food, Inc."

The movie comes out in June or July depending on where you are, but if you want to do some reading before then, I'm going to suggest a couple books:

• The Omnivore's Dilemna, by Michael Pollan,
• The End of Overeating, by former Surgeon General David Kessler, and
  
• The Art of Simple Food, by Alice Waters.
  

Victory Garden!

I planted a garden at my house in Sacramento last Sunday. It took all afternoon. In 60 days, I will have tomatoes (two kinds of cherry, two kinds of heirloom), japanese cucumbers, sweet green peppers, and basil, oregano, chives (cold weather herb; please don't die!!!!), and lastly, CILAAAAAANTRO.

This is what it looked like before:


And this is after:

Obsessions, Pt. 1: The Perfect Cookie

The Perfect Cookie, or TPC, is the obsession that inspired this whole blog thing. And now that my friends and I are all splitting up for a while (and some of us for a VERY long while, Deepa and Solaaaaara!) the theme has lent itself perfectly to a more travel/cultural thing.

For me, the perfect cookie has always been the classic chocolate chip, though I have a weakness for peanut butter and mint chip, and anything with oatmeal, too. My main goal this summer is to duplicate the Nolan's cookie, the monstrous creation of my dorm cafeteria. It is everything a chocolate chip should be: chewy, crunchy, thick, and simple. The huge chocolate chunks and doughy center are perfectly complementary, and the thick, crisp outer edge fits perfectly in my hand.

Sometimes I will have a cookie dinner. A $3.69 charge on my credit card is invariably the Nolan's Chocolate Chip Cookie and a large diet pepsi, which are more than filling and oh-so-satisfying.