| C. James Strutz |
Among our most enjoyable dining experiences is just hanging out in the
kitchen with a bottle of wine, music playing in the background,
cooking several sides, and eating them right out of the pan. We did
that last night.
We had found some interesting mushrooms in the woods the other day
(Hydnym umbilicus, the navel hedgehog mushroom). They were scattered
across an entire hillside. Its fertile surface is covered with an
array of small spines, hence the "hedgehog" common name. The "navel"
part comes from the shape of the cap, which must have reminded
somebody of a belly button. We sautéd them in a little olive oil and
seasoned them with only salt and pepper. They had a firm texture but a
wonderful delicate flavor. I'm going back for more tonight!
Somebody gave us some bizarre Philipino green beans that were easily a
foot long. They are tougher than common green beans so you have to
cook them longer. We sautéd them in olive oil with red onions, garlic,
and red cherry peppers. The whole thing caramelized together and was
absolutely delicious.
Lastly, I bought two large bunches of swiss chard the other day at the
farmer's market for $1. We cleaned them, discarded the stalks, and cut
the leaves into thin strips. We sliced what was left of a couple of
leftover onions, chopped several cloves of garlic, and steamed
everything in a little vegetable broth and vinegar. Very good.
Oh, and we had a little bread that was left over from last week and
frozen, thawed in the microwave and heated in the oven.
What did you have for dinner last night?
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