Bien Dans Sa Peau

Bien dans sa peau, or, feeling comfortable in his or her skin is a concept I've embraced from one of my favorite books, French Women Don't Get Fat, by Mireille Guiliano. This delightful book discusses how to eat for life and not get fat, by balancing eating, staying active, and happiness! No dieting? (except for this soup...) I'm sold! The idea is you feeling comfortable in your own skin, e.g., waist band a little tight (not comfortable), zipper not zipping (not comfortable), etc. In addition, it's not about what the scale says, it's about how you feel in your clothes. For those "non-zipping" times, like after the holidays, I suggest Mireille's recipe for "Magical Leek Soup." It just takes a weekend and you will feel renewed and ready to get back on track!

(I love leeks, and they are a natural diuretic!)

Magical Leek Soup (Broth)

Serves 1 for the weekend

Ingredients:

2 pounds leeks

Directions:

Clean the leeks and rinse well to get rid of sand and soil. Cut off the ends of the dark green parts, leaving all the white parts plus a suggestion of pale green. (Reserve the extra greens for soup stock.)

Put the leeks in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour off the liquid and reserve. Place the leeks in a bowl.

Eating Instructions:

The juice is to be drunk (reheated or at room temperature to taste) every 2 to 3 hours, 1 cup at a time.

For meals, or whenever hungry, have some of the leeks themselves, 1/2 cup at a time. Drizzle with a few drops of extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Season sparingly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if you wish.

This will be your nourishment for both days, until Sunday dinner, when you can have a small piece of meat or fish (4 to 6 ounces), (need information regarding a kitchen scale? Click here!), with 2 vegetables, steamed with a bit of butter or olive oil, and a piece of fruit.

Meatless to say, it's Delicious!

The unthinkable has happened. In my meat-centric household, my oldest kid has decided that meat is no longer an option. Gasp! My first question was to ask if The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair (a novel that exposed unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry in the early 20th century) was to blame? Nope. I still don't know what the catalyst was; but, it has created a challenge for me to satisfy both my newly vegetarian kid and my meat-and-potato husband. After a few laborious days of making two separate meals, I realized I needed to give meat the heave-ho on occasion for my sanity. I began searching vegetable-based cuisines and determined that Mexico could be the bridge that brings us all to the table, meatless yet satisfied!

For centuries, Mexico's cuisine was based on vegetables, grains, and legumes. In fact, contrary to popular belief, meat plays a minimal role in the day-to-day lives rather enjoyed on special occasions and Sundays. I've been relying heavily on my Rick Bayless cookbooks, enjoying some recipes and some not-so-much. I found one recipe in particular that was surprisingly delicious: "Garlicky Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Smoky Tomato-Chile Salsa!" Portobello mushrooms are first marinated in a flavorful onion/garlic/lime/cumin mixture then grilled alongside onions, tomatoes, and poblanos that become a wonderfully smoky salsa and compliment the mushrooms perfectly! A few corn tortillas, cilantro, and a dash of hot sauce is all that's required to create one of the best tacos you'll ever have. Drunken Pintos provide protein and round out the meal nicely. It's so good, no one will miss the meat!

Garlicky Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Smoky Tomato-Chile Salsa

Makes 12 tacos, serving 4 as a light meal

Ingredients:

1 medium white onion, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (keep the rounds intact for easy grilling)

3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon cumin, preferably freshly ground

Salt

6, 4 to 5-inch (about 1 3/4 pounds total) portobello mushrooms, stems removed and caps wiped clean (you can use a spoon to scrape out the dark gills on the underside of the caps, though it's not really necessary) (I scrape them out.)

A little vegetable or olive oil for the onion

12 ounces (2 medium-small round or 4 to 6 plum) ripe tomatoes

3 medium (about 9 ounces total) fresh poblano chiles

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

12 warm, fresh corn tortillas (I throw them on the grill a few seconds to heat them up.)

Directions:

Marinating the Mushrooms

In a food processor or blender, combine 1/3 of the onion, the garlic, 3 tablespoons of the lime juice, the cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Process to a smooth puree. Lay out the mushroom caps in a nonaluminum baking dish. Using a spoon, smear the marinade over both sides of each mushroom cap. Cover and let stand for 1 hour, or store covered in the refrigerator up to 24 hours.

Preparing the Salsa

Heat a gas grill to medium-high or light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the coals are covered with gray ash and very hot. Either turn the burner(s) in the center of the grill to medium-low or bank the coals to the sides of the grill for indirect cooking. Set the cooking grate in place, cover the grill and let the grate heat up, 5 minutes or so.

Brush or spray the remaining onion slices with oil and lay in a single layer in the center (the least hot part) of the grill, along with the tomatoes. Set the chiles over the hottest part. Roast, turning everything occasionally, until the chiles' skin (but not the flesh) is blistered and uniformly blackened all over, about 5 minutes, and the onion and tomatoes are softened and browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on their size and the heat. When the chiles are done, remove them and cover with a kitchen towel. (I put them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.) Set the tomatoes aside on a plate. Finely chop the onion and scoop it into a bowl.

When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, pull off their skins. Use a mortar to crush them, or place them in a food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely pureed. Add to the chopped onion.

Rub the blackened skin off the chiles, then pull out the stems and seed pods. Chop into small bits and stir half into the tomato-onion mixture along with the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and cilantro. Taste, season with salt, usually about 3/4 teaspoon, and then scoop into a serving bowl.

Grilling the Mushrooms

Remove the mushrooms from the marinade, spray or brush them with oil and lay grill side up over the hot part of the grill. Cook until browned in spots, about 5 minutes, then flip and move to the center of the grill-the cooler part-and continue grilling until they feel a little limp but still have some body, about 10 minutes more.

Serving the Tacos

Cut the mushrooms into 1/4-inch strips. Scoop into a warm serving dish and mix with the remaining chopped poblanos. Season with salt, usually about 1/4 teaspoon. 

Set the mushrooms on the table along with the salsa and hot tortillas-everything you need for making wonderful soft tacos.

Recipe from Mexico: One Plate at a Time, by Rick Bayless.

Truffle Butter - Your New Best Friend

Truffles are extremely expensive, and many people (including myself) just can't afford them. So, for us "peasants," truffle oil is the way to go. I know this is extremely controversial among chefs; although, I know plenty that use it. The controversy is spawned by the fact that most truffle oils don't contain any truffle, rather a synthetic product (2,4-dithiapentane) that mimics the flavor and aroma. Many chefs and people in the know turn their nose up saying it tastes unauthentic, metallic, and rancid. Whatever.

Don't fret, because I've got good news for you! There are some affordable truffle oils that do contain truffles! My favorite is Truffieres de Rabasse Black Truffle Olive Oil and is a bargain at $12.00 for 1.86 ounces! Taking into account that a little goes a very, very long way, it is a steal! Remember to store your truffle oil in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. FYI: If stored in the refrigerator (which is what I do), it may take on a cloudy appearance which in no way affects the quality. 

Whatever kind of truffle oil you purchase, my recipe for truffle butter will change your life! I like a slice on a perfectly grilled steak! Absolute perfection! It will keep for months in the freezer, so try some in your mashed potatoes, tossed with pasta and asparagus, add some to risotto, etc. Having this truffle butter in your freezer is one of the best investments you could make! Enjoy!

Truffle Butter
Makes 1 log

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/4 cup shallots, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 pound unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons truffle oil

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and shallots and gently sweat until translucent, but not browned. Deglaze the pan with the wine, raise the heat to medium, and reduce until almost dry. Remove the pan from the heat. Place the garlic/shallot/white wine mixture in a small bowl and chill in the refrigerator until completely cold. In a stand mixer (or by hand), whip together the garlic/shallot/white wine mixture with the butter, parsley, and truffle oil. 

Once whipped and completely incorporated, place the mixture in a log shape onto an approximately 12"x9" piece of parchment paper. Fold the parchment over the butter, and using a ruler or bench scraper, drag towards you to create a uniform log shape. 

Roll up the log and twist the ends. Store in the freezer until ready to use.