Comfort Food For Uncomfortable Days
23rd March, 2003
These are really hard times for us all (regardless of one's political view) and though I am convinced, I am hopeful, that we all want to do the right thing, the hard part is knowing what it is.
Anyhow, that's why — that's why, these days the comfort of the table... is such a comfort.
Lots of friends and readers have been emailing that they feel so low they just sit down to a bowl of ice cream, and a tunafish sandwich (not necessarily in that order), or a bowl of soup and a bigger bowl of popcorn. Or grilled cheese sandwiches topped with raw onion, with lime pickle, or with chutney and chopped cilantro.
I have been making lots of salads, things with chopped herbs because they were in my refrigerator — and I can't be bothered to go out and shop, it just seems such a frivolous thing to do. My spell was broken by a trip up to London the other day (depsite the bomb evacuation at Waterloo Station &mdash false alarm), by the time I reached my Neopolitan chef and our lunch (the Naples Chamber of Commerce took over the brasserie at the Islington Hilton), I was ready: ready ro rock, roll, and eat, drink, and gaze over the London skyline. Meanwhile, the food and wine from Naples was divine, so, too was the crowd of utterly lovable Neopolitans busy doing business, eating lunch, talking and talking and talking, drinking wine, and talking some more. It was just so delicious to hear the sexy melodies of their Italian accents — who could help but have their spirits lift immediately?
...And then the eggplant, the eggplant! We ate: eggplant and peppers, roasted peppers and tomatoes and black olives, eggplant parmesan, eggplant rolled around cheese, eggplant rolled around ham, pasta with eggplant, eggplant with eggplant. I began to think that perhaps someone, somewhere, might be offering an eggplant vacation (and if they are, let me know: I want to be there.)
Dessert did not have any eggplant in it, you'll be pleased to note. And afterwards we spent about 3 hours drinking Lemoncello on ice, sitting around the Hilton lobby, musing on everything, heavy hearted, but, well, enjoying our surroundings and each other (and the lemoncello). We could barely stand up when it was time to leave.
Here are a few of my comforting foods: pasta pasta pasta. Very hot and very al dente. With butter and with cottage cheese (and chopped raw garlic); with olive oil, chopped mint and cilantro. Or with chopped garlic and hot chili peppers; Merguez sausage cut into small pieces, browned, then combined with halved cherry tomatoe, chopped garlic, chopped cilantro, a sprinkling of cumin, and several beaten egg, poured on like a flat omelet. Hot pepper sauce over the top, then eat!
Here are a few of my easy foods: Easy, meaning made from stuff in my kitchen without having to think too much: Carrots steamed until tender then tossed with cumin, garlic, yogurt, olive oil and lemon, chopped cilantro; shredded celeriac with a little mayonnaise, mustard, and fresh tarragon; salad of red endive and butter lettuce dressed with a little lemon juice, vinegar, and finally a splash of extra virgin, salt and pepper to taste.
And here are a few of my eggplant foods: sliced, browned in olive oil, eaten with a big bowl of tomatoey spaghetti; sprinkled with garlic, cumin and a bowl of yogurt; roasted over the fire on top of the stove (or on the barbecue, of course), then peeled and chopped and moistened with a little mayonaise, seasoned with lots of garlic, cumin, olive oil, salt and hot pepper, and eaten with a warm pita; diced and browned with peppers, tomatoes, garlic, olives, and a Neopolitan attitude.
Here's what I made last night (and ate the leftovers for breakfast). Nourishing, vegetarian, delicious, and healthy, cheap and very easy.
Pasta e Lenticche (Pasta with Lentils)
(Serves 4)- 1/2 cup puy lentils
- 3 cups water
- Piece of rind from Parmesan cheese (Optional — I save these and add them to soups like this; it doesn't matter how hard they are, they add a certain richness)
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2oz. (60g.) celeriac, peeled and diced
- 2oz. (60g.) rutabaga, peeled and diced (optional)
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 3oz. (90g.) spaghetti, broken into two or three lengths
- 1/2 head broccoli, cut or broken into florets
- 2 – 3 cloves garlic
- Large pinch salt
- 4 – 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Large pinch of red pepper flakes or several shakes of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
- Freshly grated Parmesan
In a heavy saucepan place the lentils with the water and, if you have it, a piece of Parmesan cheese rind. Add the carrot, celeriac or celery to the pot along with the rutabaga, and onion. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook, covered, for about 40 minutes, adding more water if needed. You want it to be soupy, and also you want the lentils to get very soft and tender.
Add the spaghetti and broccoli to the hot tender lentil mixture and continue to simmer.
Meanwhile, crush the garlic with the salt in a mortar and pestle, then work in all of the olive oil except a tablespoon or two.
When the spaghetti has cooked al dente, remove from the heat and stir in the garlic and oil, along with the hot red pepper flakes, or Tabasco sauce. Eat in a big bowl with a big spoon, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan and a drizzle of the leftover olive oil.
Recipes © Marlena Spieler 2003