PopBetty

A Love Letter to Pop Culture

Summer Produce: Nectarines & Arugula

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Sliced Nectarines

I think my summer mood spike has more to do with all the fresh produce and increased vitamin intake than the extra sunlight. I’ve been particularly obsessed with nectarines and arugula. With arugula, it matters what kind you buy: the brand shown below has sharp, peppery leaves, while the organic Kroger brand shown here has larger, less textured leaves and a mild flavor. Both have their uses, although I prefer mine with a little more bite.

Arugula

The Best Canned Pasta Sauce…

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Alessi Fra Diavolo Pasta Sauce…is Alessi‘s*. It tastes fresh, isn’t too salty, and has the perfect consistency. For a quick meal, we combine basil, crushed garlic, crushed red pepper, browned ground sirloin, and one jar of Alessi sauce (the Fra Diavolo sauce is my favorite) in a pot over medium heat. Serve it over whole wheat spaghetti, and you’re done.

*If you can’t find this brand, or are just v. interested in canned pasta sauce, Chowhound readers have more advice here.

Recipe: Tonkatsu with Arugula

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PopBetty-Tonkatsu

UPDATE: I tried this again, using the tomato sauce recipe. Much better!

Tonight I made tonkatsu, or breaded fried pork cutlet. It’s the first time I’ve deep-fried anything or used panko (Japanese bread crumbs), so that was exciting. I used this recipe, and substituted arugula for the rice. You could also substitute tofu for the pork to make it vegetarian (use a mix of soft tofu & soy milk instead of the egg).

Everyone found it tasty, but a little bland. Possible tweaks:

  • Flatten the pork chops with a meat mallet or cut them in half. These cuts were too thick, and it was impossible to cook both the outside & inside properly. I’ll aim for 1/4 to 3/8-inch thickness next time.
  • Fry the cutlets in either peanut or sesame oil instead of vegetable.
  • Experiment with the breading seasoning. This recipe only called for salt and pepper; other recipes add chile powder or fresh herbs.
  • Bake instead of fry the meat.
  • Marinate the meat in advance (examples here and here).
  • Top with a good sauce. Tonkatsu sauce is the standard (we tried substituting regular Worcestershire, it didn’t work); I might also try something like this chili-ginger sauce, or even a tomato sauce.

A extra tip from On Food and Cooking: “oil-fried meats are generally cooked until bubbling in the oil ceases, a sign that their juices have ceased to flow.”

Finally, a close-up:

PopBetty-Tonkatsu on Arugula

Spicy Shrimp Bruschetta

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Spicy Shrimp Bruschetta

Shrimp bruschetta is delicious and easy to make. The following is a modified recipe from Jamie Oliver’s Happy Days with the Naked Chef; I’d also recommend making Shrimp Bruschetta with Limoncello, another recent hit (add crushed red pepper if you like more heat).

Spicy Shrimp Bruschetta

Serves 3 if served as a meal, 4 or more if served as an appetizer.

Ingredients

about 1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 heaping tbsps ginger, peeled & julienned
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled & sliced thin
2 jalapeños, deseeded & sliced thin
16-20 large shrimp, peeled with tails left on
1 to 2 lemons
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, or to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
1 French baguette, sliced & lightly toasted

Preparation

Heat a frying pan over high heat. When hot, add 1/4 cup oil, ginger, garlic, jalapeños and shrimp. Cook until shrimp turns bright pink, about 3-4 minutes. Turn heat down to low and add the juice of one lemon, parsley, and the rest of the olive oil. Remove from heat, toss, and taste. Add more lemon juice or olive oil as needed, then season with salt and pepper. Serve over bread.

Knife Skills 101

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One of my goals for 2008 is to improve my knife skills. I don’t own a food processor or a mandoline, and better knife skills would let me shave off at least ten to twenty minutes of prep time.  

Some basic tips I’ve picked up so far, mostly from The New Making of a Cook (a Christmas present):

  • Use a sharp knife. The sharper your knife, the less force you have to use. In the case of onions, a sharper knife means less juice released, therefore “the sharper your knife, the less you cry.”
  • Hold your knife in your dominant hand. The tip of your thumb should touch where blade meets the handle. Some recommend holding the blade between your thumb and your index finger.
  • Don’t rest your index finger on top of the blade.
  • Cut a flat surface on round vegetables so they lie flat on the cutting board.
  • As you slice, the knife tip should not leave the board.
  • Your other, “guiding” hand rests on the vegetable, with fingers rounded and tips curled in. Your thumb & little finger should rest behind the other fingers.

That’s all I got. Luckily, three other sites have great free video and/or photo tutorials:

  • The Food Network has a surprisingly good batch of knife skills videos (demonstrated cuts include julienne, brunoise, & mince). Requires Windows Media Player.
  • Finally, Chow.com also has a nice set of videos covering basic knife skills including seven standard cuts.