HUNGRY GERALD

One of HG’s favorite New Yorker cartoons: A piece of Penne Rigate is on the phone saying: “Hey, Fusilli, you crazy bastard, how are you?”. Don’t know why but it makes HG smile every time HG dredges it from HG’s memory bank. Last night was a Fusilli festival at the Rhode Island home of HG/BSK’s gifted daughter, Lesley R,, and her brilliant husband, Profesore Massimo R. (HG/BSK are living with them until the move from New Mexico is complete). Lesley cooked a rich and delicious pot of Fusilli in cauliflower sauce for dinner. The sauce was exemplary–generous quantities of olive oil, butter, garlic and herbs. It became picante with sprinkles of Aleppo pepper. With old age, HG’s stomach has shrunk and HG is no longer the super hearty trencherman (or “trencherperson”) of the past. Sometimes, generous Lesley forgets. She served HG a mountain–Everest proportions–of the lush Fusilli. HG did his best (it was so yummy) but could only finish a fraction. Didn’t go to waste. Had the rest for lunch the next day.

HG/BSK are safe and sound at the Riverside, RI, home of gifted daughter, Lesley R., and HG/BSK’s “Edem” (son in law in Yiddish), the brilliant Profesore Massimo R. Dinners are spectacular (Thanks, Lesley). Tonight, the starter was prosciutto with melon, figs, and tasty thin slices of Italian salami. Crusty bread, of course.The melon and figs were pure sweetness, the best HG ever ate. The Parma prosciutto was perfect. This was followed by a tomato-feta cheese -cucumber salad. The tomatoes (possibly last of season) rivaled New Jersey wonders. Main dish was a hearty corn chowder (the succulent corn is also the last of season). Then there was ripe brie accompanied by fig jam. Good white wine and red wine flowed. HG’s dessert was a small bowl of Talenti Salt Caramel ice cream. Yes, life is short and the end is unpleasant. So, in the meantime, let’s have a splendid meal.

HG/BSK are safe and sound in Riverside, RI, enjoying the loving company of gifted daughter Lesley R. and her husband, brilliant Profesore Massimo R. As expected, the food and wine at Chez R. are exceptional. (fresh shucked oysters, sweet corn, juicy sole, chicken thighs in a lusty sauce; orzo and very much more). PEI property survived the hurricane with only slight damage. Driving to Rhode Island was treacherous (heavy rains made visibility tough but BSK–as usual–displayed driving skills). Real estate news: Farewell, Land of Enchantment. HG/BSK have sold their New Mexico home (closing at the end of this month). HG/BSK have bought a 3,100 square foot loft in Providence (time to be close to family and friends) HG/BSK have always wanted to live in a loft and this one exceeds all of HG/BSK’s dreams. Drenched in sunlight. Sunset visibility. Great studio for BSK and a spacious office/library for HG. Helpful distinguished neighbor. The loft can accommodate all of HG/BSK’s furniture, art, books, and collections (especially BSK’s life enhancing pots and sculpture). BSK will be off to NM to supervise packing, shipping and more. Can’t believe HG/BSK good luck. Our new loft home would sell for millions in New York.

BSK cooked a big pot of chicken curry. Accompanied by warmed naan, fluffy rice, raita, two chutneys (one sweet and one hot), this provided two tasty dinners as HG/BSK prepared to leave their Prince Edward Island oceanfront home for Riverside, RI., and warm welcomes from gifted daughter, Lesley R. and her brilliant husband, Profesore Massimo. BSK’s fabulous chicken curry is a creative riff on the curry served at the home of Vikram Vij, the renowned Vancouver, BC, restaurateur and cookbook author. BSK’s curry sauce is very thick and sumptuous. HG could eliminate the chicken and slurp bowls of this wonderful stuff. The surprise of the meals was the radish-cucumber-Greek yogurt-lemon juice raita. Best ever (don’t know BSK’s secret but this raita enchanted vegetable hater HG).

BSK purchased two favorite Prince Edward Island summer favorites–Hake from Julio’s Seafood and Sweet Corn from Teddy’s farm stand. They were the basis for two tasty dinners at HG/BSK’s oceanfront home. BSK cooked the hake on a sheet pan in the oven. The fish rested on sliced potatoes and chopped garlic. Lorts of herbs and spices plus olive oil and clam broth. This was accompanied by corn on the cob that received classic treatment. Boiled briefly. Butter and coarse sea salt. BSK (rightfully so) frowns upon getting fancy with corn on the cob–such as grilling, roasting and flavoring with outlandish condiments. Keep it simple. BSK saved a few cobs and the next night made crispy, piquant corn fritters to accompany the gently heated hake leftovers. There was a hint of sadness in the dining. The days dwindle down for fresh corn.. Have to wait till next year for this seasonal pleasure.

Not all of the recently harvested Prince Edward Island clams went into BSK’s supreme linguine with white clam sauce (a reprise of BSK’s Fire Island wonder). A handful were saved for BSK’s corn and clam “Chowda.”. Besides corn, clams, clam broth, ingredients included chopped onions and fennel, a sprinkling of chopped jalapenos, chili powder, milk and a host of herbs and spices. A tasty comforting dish, far better than super creamy (cloying) New England clam chowder or the tomato laden Manhattan version. HG lifted the dish’s pleasures by crumbling salt crackers into HG’s bowl plus dashes of a local hot sauce. After the satisfying “Chowda” dinner, HG was bemused. BSK does glorious things with seasonal sweet corn. However, BSK has promised HG corn fritters (onions and jalapenos in the batter). These crisp bits of heaven have not been forthcoming. (HG used to enjoy the corn fritters–version was invented by the late soulful chef Edna Lewis—that accompanied mutton chops at Gage & Tollner restaurant). BSK has not been making corn pancakes for breakfast. It is churlish of HG to complain since BSK cooks fabulous food daily and keeps old HG alive with her loving care. (Plus, BSK does household and financial management; house repairs and carpentry; bathing and grooming Toby, The Wonder Dog; daily laundry, gardening and chores and tasks too numerous to list). And, every now and then, BSK makes art.

When HG/BSK spent many happy years in their Fire Island dune house (magnificent Atlantic Ocean views), tasty hard shell clams were harvested from the Great South Bay (not polluted decades ago). Fire Island is a long barrier beach off Long Island between the Atlantic and Great South Bay. Using their educated toes, HG/BSK (and pals) would excavate dozens of clams. They were the raw material for many BSK feasts–cold raw clams on the half shell; Italian Clams Casino; classic linguine with white clam (and much garlic and chopped parsley) sauce. HG/BSK and friends would often gather on the rear deck of their home, eat Clams Casino, sip white wine and icy Martinis, and watch dramatic sunsets over the Bay. Happy times. There were echoes of Fire Island as BSK, friend Leslie F.; Noel and Yossi M. (BSK’s sister and brother-in-law) went clamming off a Prince Edward Island south shore bay. Scored many`juicy saline little necks (HG’s favorite size clam). BSK recreated her white clam sauce dish. Fabulous eating–and a dash of nostalgia.

HG/BSK’s beautiful Prince Edward Island friend and neighbor, Leslie F., was the dinner guest last night. BSK made one of her signature dishes: Spatchcocked chicken (Backbone is cut out and the bird is flattened). In Paris. the chicken is also dubbed “Crapaudine” because when flattened the chicken is shaped like a frog. Call it what you will, this is the best way to cook a chicken . The nation of Georgia has a tasty version and other lands use the “chicken under a brick” technique. Big difference last night was the marinade–the garlic-ginger marinade from the”Indian-Ish” cookbook (check HG’s “Indian-Ish” post for the recipe). The chicken marinated in the refrigerator (in a sealed plastic bag) for about six hours. Then, into the oven. The result was an incomparable bird. BSK accompanied it with a pot of couscous moistened with chicken stock. (A worthy rival to the couscous served in Paris Arab eateries). There were also some buttery yellow beans to nibble plus Harissa (fiery Moroccan condiment) to add piquant notes to the couscous. A sumptuous meal.

This is a cookbook that as author Priya Krishna comments, contains “recipes from a modern American family.”. That is, the recipes are American with Indian flavors; most of the ingredients can be found at a local supermarket (or online for some esoteric spices). This is the marinade for “Garlic-Ginger Chicken With Mint And Cilantro”: Garlic, ginger, mint, cilantro,lemon juice, oil,, are crushed into a paste..Turmeric, coriander, chile and salt are mixed in a small bowl and added to the garlic-ginger-mint, etc. paste. The marinade is rubbed into cut up chicken thighs. It all goes into a tightly sealed plastic bag and left to marinate overnight (or two or three hours if you’re in a hurry). Stove top cooking is low and slow. The result is charred, juicy, spicy chicken. BSK followed the recipe and accompanied the dish with chutneys and a lush Raita (Greek yogurt, BSK garden cucumbers and radishes; lemon juice and a splash of olive oil) Pot of fluffy Basmati rice (HG topped his rice with Kitchens of India Dal). Joy burnished the dining table at HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home. HG raised a glass to toast Priya Krishna’s aunt Sonia who inspired this lusty chicken dish.

The French culinary icon, Escoffier, once noted that simple dishes were the best. HG’s son-in-law, the esteemed chef Marc Meyer, has been a pioneering locavore, a creator of lusty farm to table pleasures. At HG/BSK’s Prince Edward Island oceanfront home last night, BSK created a meal that was simple, local and very tasty. First, there was a platter of local, seasonal sweet corn. One of life’s supreme pleasures. (Garrison Keillor has said sweet corn is better than sex. Hmmmmmm???).This was followed by steamed soft shell clams from a local shore. Grit free and juicy (HG joyously drank a cup of the robust broth). Salad of sliced local tomatoes and cucumbers from BSK,s garden, dressed with pesto left over from a previous meal. You won’t go wrong if you follow the guidance of Escoffier and Meyer.