Equal Parts

For Christmas one year I converted all of our family’s old VHS tapes to digital files. I also watched every video and designated chapters for each scene. The following year I started the massive project of scanning all of our photos and saving them to shared albums organized by month, beginning with October of 1983. I look forward to snowy winter weekends at our kitchen table continuing to work on this; maybe I’ll make it to 1995 this year. For these reasons, I’m known as the family historian. I suppose I would make a good librarian.

When it comes to the management of my recipes, the approach is decidedly different. There are saved documents and folders on my computer, an outdated spreadsheet of favorites, notes on my phone, tabbed cookbooks on shelves in the kitchen and office and in unopened boxes from our move. Currently there is a handwritten note on my desk at work (on it: “GPaltrow sweet potato chipotle soup, but w/butternut”). It’s a trip when I come across an old list, with forgotten favorites, things I never made, dishes still in regular rotation. Sometimes I think I should transfer everything to a master list, but then I think… well, that would just be one more list. I suppose that’s why I have this blog.

Then there’s the tally that is stored in my head. Often compiled from blogs and Instagram posts, and most likely without my full attention, this is the riskiest list of all, because I’ll likely forget it. It’s out of focus and undiscoverable, but I think that also makes it spontaneous and fun. I made a stellar meal last week with ideas pulled from this list: zucchini quesadillas (from Smitten Kitchen a few weeks ago), with grapefruit rosé granita (from Ina Garten’s recent Instagram post) for dessert. I also served a version of my everyday quinoa salad, though instead of peppers and cucumber I added chickpeas and extra herbs. If your friend brings over Cookie and Kate’s salsa, it’s pretty perfect.

ZUCCHINI QUESADILLAS, inspired by Deb Perelman from Smitten Kitchen

You’ll need:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 large zucchini (mine were extra large, so maybe 3-4 medium, or 4-5 small), quartered and thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
1 lime
6 oz grated monterey jack cheese
8 8-inch tortillas (I like whole wheat)
Cilantro, avocado, additional limes (optional)

This recipe intrigued me because Deb’s instructions are to cook the zucchini extra long, to caramelize it as you would an onion. What a great idea!

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and 1 tsp of kosher salt and cook for about 5 minutes, until it starts to soften. Then lower heat just slightly and cook for another 7-10 minutes, until zucchini is “jammy and very tender,” in the words of Deb. Set aside, squeeze the juice of the lime over the zucchini, and mix together. Add the cheese and mix together. Let cool just slightly before assembling the quesadillas.

Heat a nonstick griddle pan over medium heat. Take one of the tortillas, cover it with a healthy layer of the filling mixture, then top with another tortilla. I find it doesn’t take much oil to achieve a toasty quesadilla (and too much will just make it greasy) so I use olive oil spray to spritz on the griddle pan. When hot, add the uncooked quesadilla and toast on one side for about 3-4 minutes, then carefully flip and repeat on the second side for another 2-3 minutes. It is done when both sides are golden and toasty, and the cheese melted. Repeat with the remainder of the tortillas and filling mixture.

Let cool slightly, then cut each into quarters and top with salsa, sliced avocado, cilantro and additional lime juice as desired.

GRAPEFRUIT ROSÉ GRANITA, inspired by Ina Garten

You’ll need:
1 cup of sugar
2 cups freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice (this was 5 grapefruits for me)
2 cups dry rosé champagne (I used L. Mawby Sex… sounds more scandalous than it is)
1/8 tsp maldon sea salt (Ina called for fleur de sel, which I don’t have)

The process for this is very simple, but the dish needs to sit in the freezer for a long time, so start it early. Ina said up to 3 hours, and we ate it at 3 hours, but I’m inclined to give it 4 next time. Plus, you might need additional time to squeeze the grapefruits by hand if your juicing device is sized for just lemons and limes, and then to realize you don’t have the recommended dish size, so you’ll have to do some extra math as you split it in two.

Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and one cup of water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Let cool just slightly (only so you don’t burn yourself) and ideally pour into a 9 x 13 x 2-inch non-metal baking dish (or, divide between two smaller dishes if necessary). Stir in the grapefruit juice, rosé, and salt. Carefully place in the freezer. After one hour, rake the mixture with a fork, then repeat every 30 minutes until the mixture is firm and granular. Serve in bowls.