http://www.kthread.com/kthread Kristen Taylor attempts to make life into art. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:11:55 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en One of my favorite Ft. Greene restaurants, General Greene (their menu), creates the most beautiful red quinoa with walnuts, mint, and preserved lime. This is my version, with crunchy red quinoa, toasted walnuts, sautéed red cabbage, shaved slices of goat ricotta salata, and preserved lemons I began a few months ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/03/10/you-put-the-preserved-lime-in-the-quinoa/ This morning, the sun shone on the tulips Maia brought over last night, part of a beautiful weekend of friends that closed with dinner in my kitchen for my friends Maia (who lives in Amsterdam now) and Karen, both inspiring designers in their work and lives. I roasted fractal cauliflower with ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/03/08/flatirons-palm-sugar-kumquats-in-cauliflower/ Earlier last week, the snow began, coating the tree outside my windows and, the next day, melting in time for a dinner party while my lovely friends Catherine and Keryn were in town, a great excuse to gather everyone on Saturday night and cook. And after trips to the market (and ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/03/02/a-dinner-party-built-for-ten/ Last weekend, I discovered ShungiKu greens at Evolutionary Organics in Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza greenmarket, and I felt a curious sense of triumph to know that chrysanthemum greens are, in fact, floral and edible (I claimed this at five to my skeptical parents who did not appreciate my gastronomical tests ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/24/the-savory-side-of-sweet/ As the rain fell this morning, I rose and made the breakfast sandwich I'd dreamt of: a warm croissant, scrambled eggs from Saturday's market, New York cheddar, and pork jowl (I prefer it to bacon right now). The wonderful thing about cooking is that you can, truly, realize dreamy foods---and ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/23/a-sandwich-for-breakfast/ This morning, I pulled a chair into the sun streaming through the kitchen windows, tearing apart the layers of a warmed croissant from Balthazar. Equally comforting, tonight, I made Orangette's cream-braised brussel sprouts, These taste a bit like braised artichoke hearts without the bother of peeling baby artichokes, and ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/21/braising-brussels-and-a-tulsa-night/ This morning I felt like a deconstructed guacamole, sliding a slice of avocado next to seared flank steak, scrambling fresh eggs from the market this morning, scattering minced raw garlic, and squeezing lime over the spicy microgreens. I contemplated what I will do with the green I bought at the market, ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/20/green-eggs-and-steak/ I meant to make jambalaya on Tuesday for Mardi Gras, but it was instead tonight that I made a risotto with tomato juice replacing stock, slices of andouille, onion, diced tomatoes, and sautéed shrimp. Just like the city associated with the dish, it was warm, forgiving, not without a bit of ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/17/a-bowl-of-jambalaya-risotto/ Eating pancakes for dinner is always a good idea, I think, and one big puffed pancake an even better one. Using a ratio of 1:1:1 of flour to whole milk to egg, I whisked an egg (with a dash of vanilla) into a cup of milk then both into a ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/16/festive-puffed-pancakes-for-shrove-tuesday/ Two weekends ago, Laura snapped this of me as we sped through the lights of Los Angeles on her birthday---like in these podcasts, I look at the colors directly in front and hope you'll focus only how the music makes you feel. These are the songs that have dazzled me ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/16/kthread-spins-fever-until-dawn/ In further attempts to weather this winter, I have taken to reading historical cookbooks and nursing a craving for a sandwich I remember from childhood. Foods for children are often named to highlight the sweetest ingredient, so Boston Brown Bread was introduced to me as "raisin bread," but I liked the ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/15/cook-to-your-cravings/ For Chinese New Year today, I am honoring my family by making the traditional Lowcountry dish of shrimp and grits (my father's mother grew up in Charleston, South Carolina)---with a few modifications. I used beautiful fresh polenta from Farmer Ground Flour (located in the Finger Lakes region and sold at ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/14/on-top-of-polenta-all-covered-with-cheese/ My primary comfort food has always been baked potatoes, just like my dad. I turn the oven to 425 degrees, wash a potato, scrubbing the skin, and place in on the middle oven rack to cook for about an hour. Then, I mash the inside with my fork, stir in ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/12/comfort-in-baked-potatoes/ Yesterday morning, I watched as the icicles from Wednesday's storm melted, and I thought about the snow ice cream (snow granita, really) that I made on Wednesday morning to top Belgian waffles and topped by kumquat syrup and candied slices of the same, and the night before, of the linguine with sun-dried ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/12/the-beauty-of-leftovers/ The birthdays were coming, so I flew to Los Angeles to celebrate with Laura and with Ben. After a rainy Friday night, Saturday shook off the rain and brightened outside while Laura, Vera, and I brunched at Bouchon, before walking Rodeo Drive and then watching the sun set over the ... http://www.kthread.com/kthread/2010/02/09/two-if-by-ocean/