July 28, 2021

Dear friends,

My life revolves around gathering food, preparing food and eating it. Those are my hobbies, undiluted by such trivial pastimes as housework, crocheting or playing tennis.

I go to New York City to — what, go to plays? shop? No. I go to eat in restaurants and from street carts. I plan trips like a general preparing for battle. There are maps and notes and arrows and troop movements (Tony is the sometimes-recalcitrant troop).

My bucket list includes the Hatch Chile Festival in Hatch, N.M.

My Saturdays are for farm markets.

I go to movies mainly for the popcorn.

Tony’s favorite outing, browsing the rubble at the Hartville Market, is bearable because I can buy vegetables and overstock groceries (single-slice packets of Spam! chicken-flavored potato chips!).

I used to feel sheepish about my single-minded focus until I read Calvin Trillin’s “Tummy Trilogy,” in which he explained visiting museums on vacations was an activity he used as a kind of digestif to separate the main purpose of travel: Meals.

I ply my hobby in the unlikeliest of places. Last week it was at the optometrist’s while choosing new glasses after cataract surgery. After Susan fitted the glasses and wrote the order, she whipped out a cell phone to show me what she’d made for dinner recently. Neither of us had mentioned food or my previous employment. Yet there she was, describing in detail a suave watermelon salad topped with crisp-fried prosciutto, crumbled feta and microgreens. In the photo, the plank of watermelon rested on a smear of tapenade and the whole thing was ringed with dots of balsamic syrup. It was glorious.

Maybe Susan recognized my name. Maybe she just recognized a kindred spirit. I left with downloaded photos of that gorgeous watermelon salad and knowledge that unlike skiing, say, or pentanque, food is a hobby that can be enjoyed anywhere.

Here’s my take on Susan’s watermelon salad, which she adapted from a recipe she saw on Fox 8’s “New Day Cleveland.”

WATERMELON SALAD WITH TAPENADE, PROSCIUTTO AND FETA

4 thick planks of watermelon (no rind), about 4- by 2- by 2 inches

8 slices prosciutto

4 heaping tbsp. olive tapenade (commercial is fine)

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup microgreens or spring lettuce mix

Balsamic syrup or pomegranate molasses

Cut the watermelon, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve. Sizzle the prosciutto in a skillet, turning, until crisp. Wrap lightly in paper towels and set aside. Chill 4 salad plates.

Just before serving, line up the salad plates and ingredients on a counter. Smear the tapenade across the center of each plate and top with the watermelon. Top with the crisp prosciutto and crumbled feta. Gently crown the whole thing with a pouf of microgreens.

Sprinkle dots of the syrup or molasses in a circle around the watermelon. Drag the tines of a fork through the dots to create a pattern, if desired. Makes 4 appetizer portions.

GUT CHECK
Some things I cooked/assembled recently:
Venison soft tacos; sheet pan chicken with potatoes, peppers, cherry tomatoes, olives, feta and oregano; shrimp burgers (Trader Joe’s), coconut cauliflower soup; chicken tacos in jicama wraps; pan-fried cod, steamed new potatoes, raw vegetables and dip; fried egg, avocado and tomato on toast; cod chowder; watermelon salad with tapenade, feta and prosciutto; whole spice-rubbed smoked brisket; rosemary-smoked pork chops.

What I ordered in/from restaurants, etc:
Thin-crust pepperoni pizza from Big Star Pizza in Copley (my new obsession); frozen yogurt from Menchie’s; Spanish omelet and toast at Alexandri’s in Wadsworth; wasabi crunchy roll from Trader Joe’s in Beachwood; mashed potatoes, roast pork and sauerkraut bowl at the cafe in Lehman’s Hardware in Kidron; rack of lamb, baked jasmine rice with feta and olive gremolata at my friend Martha’s; pepperoni pizza from Giuseppe’s in the Portage Lakes.

TIDBITS

Corn season! Yay!!!

THE MAILBAG
From Nancy R.:

Too much work!

(Returned atop my July 14 newsletter for Jian Bing).

Dear Nancy:
I understand. It’s exhausting just reading a recipe divided into four parts. Normally I wouldn’t try to foist such a time suck on you, but this is a Chinese street food millions of people eat daily… An uncommonly delicious food you’ve never heard of!… And never will get to taste it unless you visit China or make it yourself! It’s soft, it’s crunchy, it’s killer!

If you make the thing in stages — the crackers one day, the batter another, the crepes another — it goes quickly. I intend to make them again. Yessiree. Just as soon as I recover from making the last batch.

From Theresa in North Carolina:
Hi Jane. I had a barbecue for family this past weekend and served a dip called Texas Caviar (my neighbor’s recipe). It was such a hit and (contains) lots of good protein from the beans.

TEXAS CAVIAR

1 can (about 15 oz.) black eyed peas

1 can (about 15 oz) black beans

1 can (about 15 oz.) of mexi corn

Drain and rinse these 3 and place in a bowl.

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes cut in quarters

1 packet dry Italian dressing (I used Good Seasons)

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. rice or wine vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lime

Add to items in bowl. Mix well and chill.

1 small avocado, diced

Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Before serving sprinkle with avocado and chopped cilantro.

Serve with blue corn tortilla scoops. It’s also great on chicken tacos!

Lots of variations on this recipe but this is my favorite.

Dear Theresa:
Thanks for another protein-rich recipe for my file. I think I’ll spoon it onto the jicama wraps I bought at Trader Joe’s. The paper-thin slices of jicama, about 4 inches in diameter, are a no-cal swap for corn or flour tortillas. They must be used up within a few days, though, because they spoil quickly.

.

July 14, 2021

Dear friends,

I started craving jian bing the moment Susan Parish-Schwab shared the photo. It showed an egg-coated crepe wrapped around crunchy fried cracker squares streaked with sauce and sprinkled with cilantro. There was lettuce in there somewhere, too. The two big crepe-wrapped crackers were folded toward each other to form a neat, hand-held package.

Susan, an Akron caterer (Splendid Fare) who’s as curious about new foods as I am, says the item is a popular street food in China. She found the recipe on a blog that I also subscribe to, Red House Spice, and later she showed me how to make them.

I looove these things. They are a breakfast food in China, but I like them for lunch or even dinner. Two crepes are a meal. Soft crepes, crunchy crackers, crisp lettuce, spicy sauce…yum.

The crepe packets are speedy to assemble after the crackers and crepes are made. The crackers may be made days in advance and stored in a zipper-lock bag. To make them, wonton wrappers (buy them at a supermarket or Asian store) are sandwiched together, two per cracker, and sealed with water. Two long slits are made in the center of each. The crackers are deep-fried until golden, then drained well and cooled completely before they’re slipped into a plastic bag.

The crepes are made at the last minute. They took me a couple of hair-pulling batches to master but if you follow my directions, you can avoid my mistakes. They are not normal crepes. They are made with a watery batter of white and whole-wheat flour that sticks like glue to the pan. You must be patient and cook the batter about 5 minutes on medium-low heat, until the crepe releases itself from the pan. Only then can you flip it. The level of heat is important; I had success at one notch below medium.

The proportion of white to whole-wheat flour is important, too. I suggest you weigh the flours if possible. The batter should flow like water. Be sure to rest it before making your first giant crepe. A large (10- to 12-inch) nonstick skillet is essential.

If I haven’t scared you off, and if you, too are obsessed with jian bing from just the description, you will be rewarded with a sensational meal after you get the hang of them. Enjoy.

JIAN BING

(From redhousespice.com)

For the crackers:

16 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen

Cooking oil

For the batter:

70 grams all-purpose flour, about ½ cup

40 grams whole-wheat flour, about ¼ cup

300 ml water, 1¼ cups

For the crepes

4 eggs

4 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

4 tsp. finely chopped scallions(green parts only)

For the add-ons 

4 tsp. hoisin sauce

4 tsp. chili garlic sauce or Sriracha

Cilantro leaves

Lettuce leaves

First, make the crackers, which will keep several days in a sealed plastic bag. Start by brushing a thin layer of water on a wonton wrapper. Stick another one on the top then press tight. Cut two parallel lines about 1 1/2 inches long, about 1/2 inch apart, in the center. Repeat to make another 7 pairs.

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a medium skillet or pot. When hot (360 degrees), fry the wonton sandwiches one at a time, turning to brown both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Mix the batter:

Put all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour into a mixing bowl. Pour in the water. Stir to combine until smooth. Let sit at least 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.

Make the crepes

Heat a 10- to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat (I suggest one click below medium). When it’s warm to touch (not burning), brush lightly with oil. Pour in enough batter to thinly coat pan, tilting and swirling to cover the entire surface. Cook for about 5 minutes, until batter on top is set and edges lift away from the pan.

Crack an egg on top of the crepe. Use the back of a spoon to break the yolk and spread the egg evenly over the crepe. Sprinkle with one-fourth of the sesame seeds and scallions.

When the crepe becomes firm and slides easily in the pan, it’s time to flip it over. To avoid tearing, slide the crepe onto the inner side of a large lid then put it back to the pan.

Assemble the dish:

Turn off the heat after flipping (the remaining heat will cook through the egg). Brush hoisin sauce and chili garlic sauce or Sriracha over the crepe.

Sprinkle and lettuce leaves if using. Place two pieces of fried crackers, end to end,  in the center. Fold the sides of the crepe over the crackers. Fold the two crepe-wrapped crackers toward each other to make a neat package. Continue with remaining ingredients to make three more jian bing. Eat with hands. Makes 4 crepes, or two servings.

TIDBIT

Irie Jamaican Kitchen in the Highland Square area of Akron has filled the hole left by the great Jamaican restaurants in Florida Tony and I left behind. The new restaurant is the third in a local chain, with locations in Euclid and Old Brooklyn.

The Highland Square restaurant is bright and cheerful. It is set up similar to a Chipotle — order at a counter and take your haul to a table indoors or out, or tote it home.

The menu is divided into bowls and slightly larger boxes, with various choices of proteins from jerk chicken to oxtail to lobster and shrimp.  My jerk chicken bowl came with rice with pigeon peas, silky cooked cabbage, a pile of fried sweet plantains and boneless chunks of the juicy, spicy meat. Optional extras include cornbread, mac ’n cheese, beef patty and banana pudding.

The restaurant has expanded its opening hours to include lunch. It’s now open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Check it out at www.iriejakitchen.com.

GUT CHECK
What I cooked recently:
Jian bing; Hatch chile smoked sausage sandwiches; cod chowder with potatoes, carrots, sherry and thyme; venison baked tacos with peppers, onions and cilantro; omelet with spicy ground venison, onions and peppers; brined, spatchcocked chicken on the grill, blistered cherry tomatoes, and green beans and asparagus in peanut sauce; salade Nicoise; root beer floats; BLTs and watermelon; fish tacos; tuna sashimi over vinegared rice (Tony); shrimp stir fry with spicy cabbage slaw and green beans.

What I ordered out:
New York-style pepperoni pizza from Big Star Pizza in Copley;  chicken gyro from Big Star; Jerk chicken Island Bowl from Irie Jamaican Kitchen in Akron.

THE MAILBAG
No mail this week. Write to me! Send me some high-protein summer recipes.

I learned recently in a Noom session (that’s a weight-loss app) that eating higher than normal levels of protein is one of only two ways to counteract the slowing metabolism that accompanies weight loss. The other way is building muscle and I’m not great at that.

Here’s the scoop: Researchers have found that those who lose weight also experience a drop in the number of calories necessary to maintain their weight — bout 300 calories on average, which is significant. That’s why I’m loading up on low-cal proteins such as cod, shrimp and chicken breast. Any suggestions?