20 Questions with Natalia

My daughter Reilly has an amazing group of friends from the different chapters of her life. I include Natalia Ghorbani in the ‘college friends’ category since they met while studying abroad in Spain their junior year. After a fun-filled semester in Valencia with extended European excursions, their farewell was not good-bye forever, but a see you again soon. Who knew they would actually live in the same city?!

We met Natalia when we visited Reilly in Valencia and reunited with her again last spring when we were in New York to see Reilly. Two weeks later, Natalia witnessed Reilly’s accident and has been by her side through this ongoing recovery (physically, virtually, the thick and the thin!) Their plans to be roommates hasn’t come to fruition just yet.

Natalia is from San Francisco and stayed close to home for college. Ready for something completely new, she moved to New York City after some post-graduation travel. She works for Yelp as a bilingual account executive. We love it when she comes here as a ‘work from home’ option and celebrate her success with her career.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? A Mediterranean salad bowl with Persian cucumbers, tomato, pickled onions, arugula, a dollop of hummus. I kind of throw it together with what I have on hand. I love to throw some nuts or seeds on top for a little crunch. I have a super quick way to add protein with frozen falafels from Trader Joe’s. I drizzle hot chile oil for some spice and a simple olive oil vinaigrette. 

What’s your favorite city? That’s such a hard question, can I come back to it? I’m the type of person who goes to a city and says I’m gonna live here! I say that everywhere I go. The answer changes. At the moment the one that’s coming up is Tel Aviv. I went last year for Thanksgiving, that was my last big trip before Covid. 

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? DOMODOMO, a Japanese restaurant in Soho is my current favorite. They make amazing omakase. I even get their takeout. It’s super fresh fish with a modern twist. My favorite is their scallop nigiri. 

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Pickled onions, I put them on everything! I eat them right out of the jar, even in the morning. I love pickled anything and I love onions! 

Who taught you to cook? Can I cook is the question! Where I’ve gained the most knowledge of cooking is from my roommates over the years. I’ve lived with a lot of different people. In college we would go to the Asian market May-Wah in San Francisico and get everything to make Summer rolls. Those are so fun! We would cut up all the ingredients and I was in charge of making the sauce. We’d have a DIY bar to make the rolls. 

What’s your go-to dish for company? The last time I had friends over, it was sushi. I like to get the ingredients and make it a DIY dining experience. I got the fish from a Japanese supermarket in East Village.

What’s on your cooking playlist? The Bee Gees. They are my first memories of music. That’s what shaped my music influence. I love 70’s and 80’s music! It’s the most feel good, I turn up the music really loud and do a little dance.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee! Coffee every day! Now that I’m working from home, I knew I couldn’t spend $8 on an iced oat latte, that wasn’t sustainable for every day. So I bought a Nespresso machine and it changed my life! I’m not kidding! I make myself an iced coffee with hemp milk. It feels like I’m treating myself!

Date night--at home? or out? Out. 100%. There are too many good places to try in New York CIty.

Most stained cookbook? Yours! 

Surf? or Turf? I’m for sure more surf.

Indispensable kitchen tool? My wine opener. Pour myself a glass of red. I’m gifting myself a glass of wine at the end of the workday.

Staple childhood comfort food? Beans, refried pinto beans. Honestly my favorite childhood dish is a simple tostada smeared with refried beans, Mexican crema, cotija cheese and sliced avocado. I will eat 10 of those in one day! It’s so simple but so delicious. There was always a big tub of refried beans in our fridge!

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? My grandmother from Mexico. The older I get the more I appreciate our culture and wish I could learn more from her. 

Ideal grilled cheese? Sourdough with three cheeses and I don’t want to sound too California, but throw some avocado in there!

Favorite pizza topping? Onions. All onions!

Where would you want to take a cooking class? Mexico City. Or maybe South Korea in Seoul. I think those two are good examples of the foods that I love! My favorite cuisines are Mexican and a variety of Asian cuisines.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Take pictures of your food, of the things you randomly concoct, so you can remember how to recreate a dish.

Three things next to your stove? My Nespresso machine, my whole kitchen and my living room. 

Favorite Sports Team? If I had to answer I would say Golden State Warriors.

A bed of greens is the canvas for Natalia’s edible masterpiece.

Natalia’s Favorite Salad with Falafel

Natalia discovered a treasure in the freezer case at Trader Joe’s: frozen falafel. She heats them in the oven to get them crispy and crowns a bed of greens and veggies with them. Follow along for her favorite combo and tweak with your preferences or what you have on hand. 

Put a handful of washed salad greens in a pretty serving bowl. Arrange cucumber slices, halved grape tomatoes, pickled onions, sliced carrots, dollop of hummus, toasted sunflower seeds or pine nuts. Top with a some toasted falafel patties and drizzle with olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Spice it up with a few drops of chile oil if you like. Concoct a masterpiece of your own! Happy Cooking!

20 Questions with Emily

Emily Capece has the voice of an angel. She has graced stages and classrooms around the world with her gift of singing. Couple this with her acting talent and she is a one woman entertainer. We met in Charleston, West Virginia, where everybody knows everybody. As newcomers in our homes away from Charleston, Emily and I muse about our relative anonymity and our adoration of the place we called home for 20-something years. 

Emily’s song has quieted recently while she navigates a stage she never imagined: her now teenage son’s ultra ultra ultra rare cancer diagnosis and treatment. From her home near Cleveland, she praises a patient advocate in Los Angeles for guiding her and her family through this unrivaled trial. As we spoke last week, I could imagine her with sword and cape and a warrior’s shield, ready for battle. Woven through this heavy discussion, Emily’s gift of entertaining had me laughing out loud. It really is the best medicine.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Should I be pretentious or should I be real? Unfortunately I'm a slow cooker, so I don’t do many recipes in 20 minutes. My first job out of college, I taught music at an American elementary school on a base in Okinawa. I was so excited about being in a different culture! I learned this noodle dish, Otsu. It’s somen (skinny soba) with cucumbers, snow peas and tofu with a great dressing. I really like it room temp or even cold. It’s just delicious! I used to make it all the time when I lived alone. It’s so yummy and comforting, I can whip this up any time!

I had a lot of fun. I was there for 2 years, I met my husband Christian there my second year. He moved back to Washington and I decided he was worth following. 

What’s your favorite city? Vienna. I haven’t been there since way too long. I studied abroad there. It was amazing! I saw all the operas! I wandered around, I just loved it! Ten years later I got a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to go back for a summer program and study Mozart operas, a course for teachers. I’m a voice and music history major. I’m always talking about it! It’s a really special, beautiful artsy, musical place. It has all the things! I really love Cleveland, too! I grew up here, I needed to leave for 22 years to appreciate it. 

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? Oh yeah, I have a lot! I love a Oaxacan mole! I could eat mole with a spoon every day. Momocho on the west side of Cleveland. They have the BEST mole! And they make these flautas with butternut squash and goat cheese, with some frizzled brussels sprouts. I think about this daily.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? I always have a jar of Korean marmalade that I make into tea! It’s ginger and citrus and I really love it in cold and flu season. I’m always super happy to find that. 

Who taught you to cook? My mom for sure. She worked full time at Kent State University and came home every night and cooked dinner. In the 80’s in northeast Ohio you didn’t go out to eat. I didn’t know that having family dinners was unique or special. My grandmother was the cookie queen! I have all her recipe boxes. She had all this commentary on every recipe card. Every card has these opinions attached to it. Cooking is so great for those of us who want to be more creative in our lives

What’s your go-to dish for company? The roast chicken from Zuni Cafe, I just love that bread soaked up with all the chicken fat. You don’t have to have company for that! It’s just sooo good. It’s so easy. There are a lot of steps but it really is so easy! Christian and I found ourselves at Zuni Cafe in San Francisco eating this dish. I’m happy that it turns out at home. Was Yelp a thing back then? 

What’s on your cooking playlist? These days I’m listening to Brandi Carlisle. I just love a rock and roll female singer. Folk women who rock! 

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? COFFEE. She sings! 

With oat milk! You have to use a loooooot of oat milk to make it turn any color but black.

Date night--at home? or out? How can you have a date night at home with children? OUT obviously!

Most stained cookbook? Splendid Table How to Eat Supper by Lynn Rosetto Kasper and Sally Swift.

Surf? or Turf? Definitely fish, definitely surf.

Indispensable kitchen tool? I’ve been carrying this around. It's a Tovolo. It’s like a little plastic scraper thing, one side is oval shaped and the other side is square. It’s the BEST thing to get peanut butter out of the bottom of the jar. It’s the bomb!

Staple childhood comfort food? My mom made these things called walking salads. We used to hike all the time as kids. You take a piece of cabbage spread with peanut butter, roll it up and shove a toothpick in it and you have a walking salad! It would show up in my lunchbox. It’s like celery with peanut butter. 

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? A lot of people. I have always loved Mary Oliver. Especially during this time, going out into nature. I would want to have a picnic under a tree and talk to her about what she observes! I need that grounding comfort in the things that are super simple. Right now I need somebody quiet. 

Ideal grilled cheese? I love sourdough or baguette, super toasted up, with brie, super thinly sliced granny smith apples and honey mustard.

Favorite pizza topping? Fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil. Straight up. Simple is best!

Where would you want to take a cooking class? I love Thai food and Indian food and every time I try to replicate either of those, it never turns out. I’d say Thailand for sure. Send me to the experts!

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? If you cook with your child in the kitchen, they will eat what they make. If you just cook and present it at the dinner table, it’s hit or miss whether they will eat it. It can take a lot longer when they’re in there but it’s worth it.

Three things next to your stove? Olive oil, Dickinson salt, cat hair! We have 2 new kittens, Covid kittens! Every time I’m cooking she’s everywhere she’s not supposed to be. There is always a cat next to me. 

What do you miss most about Charleston? I miss the people. I miss seeing the little ones growing up, and I miss the Healthy Life Market. I love that place! 

Break out your chopsticks and add Emily’s Otsu to your 20 minute meal rotation! it’s as delicious as it is quick.

Emily’s Otsu

Emily walked me through her comforting japanese noodle dish and I’m adding it into instant rotation in my kitchen! Riff away! I went with a balanced blend of all her sauce suggestions, plus sesame seeds. Note about the somen: some brands can be soaked and some quick boiled. My brand didn’t do so well with soaking...so I boiled one of the bundles for about a minute without taking my stirring fork out of the pot and voila! 

Fry up a bunch of extra firm tofu, bite sized cubes, then throw some random oil in the pan, black pepper and soy sauce or tamari. Take it out of the pan. In the same pan, briefly stir fry snow peas and green onion, add cucumbers and cilantro at the end. Soak (or boil, see note above) the somen, top with the vegetables and tofu and drizzle with sauce. 

Emily says: the sauce  is what makes it! I riff on it, tamari, olive oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, a little honey, lemon, grated ginger, chopped garlic if i’m feeling it. Chili flakes. I really like it room temp or even cold. It’s just delicious!

20 Questions with Susan

What a delight to reconnect with a college girlfriend after 20 years of separation! I met Susan Miller in the mid-80’s at Farah’s, a close-to-campus restaurant where we worked when we were students at the University of Florida. Our friendship flourished in her kitchen where we would gather for regular gourmet girls’ nights, the perfect escape from textbooks and waiting tables. After college, we got together from time to time, sharing recipes and laughs. With both of us raising three kids and moving to far flung places, our frequency faded.

Susan speaks in song notes, a voice that sounds the same today as it did 20 years ago. We picked up like no space had ever come between us and we will keep the communication humming! What a treat to get hold of her impressive recipe collection. We plan to make 2020 our in-person reunion year, meeting soon in Nashville to watch her son on the big league soccer field. I vote we rent a vacation home for this visit so we can stir up some fun in the kitchen.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? I don’t make a lot of things that take 20 minutes! If I’m cooking, I’M COOKING, now that my kids are gone. Well, there is a salad I love and it’s perfect in the winter. It’s dressed up oranges and fennel with arugula and parmesan.

What’s your favorite city? Anna Maria Island on the West coast of Florida, soft white sand and not a lot of development.

What’s your favorite restaurant in your current city? Bar la Grassa in Minneapolis. Upscale Italian, delicious pastas and seafood. I love their gnocchi with beautiful roasted cauliflower and orange sauce.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Fig jam, it’s great on grilled cheese or on a cheese board. When I find it I’m always happy!

Who taught you to cook? I taught myself. My mom hated to cook! I also learned from friends who love to cook. To me nothing is more fun than sharing a recipe you love with a friend.

What’s your go-to dish for company? Fajita fiesta with margaritas. I make two or three salsas, Spanish rice, old school taco dip and tres leches cake and Key lime pie for dessert. Follow along with Susan’s Sunday dinner festivities #millersundaydinner, where she has been welcoming throngs of family and friends to her table. “It’s always super fun! It makes me try out new recipes. It has taken on a life of its own”

What’s on your cooking playlist? Mostly soul, funk, disco.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee in the morning, regular brew. If I want to be fancy I’ll make a latte.

Most stained cookbook? The original Silver Palate Cookbook

Indispensable kitchen tool? Cheese grater. Pre-grated cheese should NOT be a thing!

Staple childhood comfort food? Lipton chicken noodle soup in a box. I saw it in someone’s shopping cart and a wave of nostalgia came over me. I had to get some.

Three Instagram accounts you follow? @smittenkitchen, @nytcooking, and @alisoneroman, I love her crispy chocolate cake!

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? I would love to have a meal with Ina Garten. I think she would be delightful company. My son and I went to see her when she released her last book.

Go-to olive oil? Trader Joe’s premium extra virgin, very good for the price. I love it for everyday.

Ideal grilled cheese? Ham, honeycrisp apples, apple butter and sharp cheddar. It’s great on sourdough.

Favorite pizza topping? Meatballs with dollops of ricotta. I start with a red sauce and mozzarella base.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? A pastry class in Paris.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Always use the best ingredients you find, don’t force things, for example tomatoes in the winter. And please never use pre-grated cheese.

Three things next to your stove? Kosher and sea salt, pepper grinder and extra virgin olive oil. I also keep my butter out except for during summer.

What’s your favorite sports team? Whichever one my son is playing on. He is currently with Nashville Soccer Club in preseason. The season starts at the end of February.

A bed of juicy orange slices topped with lightly dressed arugula and fennel is Susan’s favorite (and quick!) Winter salad

Susan’s Orange Salad with Arugula, Fennel and Shaved Parmesan

• 1-2 minced shallots (to yield 1/4 cup)

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

• 3 oranges — you can use navels, blood oranges, or cara cara — a mixture of colors is beautiful! 

• flaky sea salt

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 2 to 4 ounces arugula

• 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced

• Wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

COMBINE the shallots, salt and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside while you prepare the oranges. 

SLICE the end off each orange and squeeze the juice from the ends into the bowl with the shallots mixture. Stand each orange on its flat end and slice down around the orange to remove the skin — cut closely to remove any pith. Squeeze the juice from the rinds into the shallot mixture. Turn orange onto its side and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange on platter and sprinkle with sea salt. 

BLEND the olive oil into shallot mixture using a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Drizzle a few spoonful over the oranges. 

PLACE the arugula and fennel in a bowl. Drizzle with a few spoonfuls of dressing and toss lightly to coat. Taste and adjust with more dressing or salt to taste. 

PILE the dressed arugula/fennel on top of oranges. Use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmigiano over the top, and grind pepper over salad. 

Romancing the Peach

When peaches arrive, nearly bursting from their velvety suits, it is cause for celebration. I
mark my calendar for peach season and fit them into every menu of the summer.
Our local celebrity peach farmer, Mr. Buddy (a Louisiana legend), hauls peaches to the Red Stick Farmer's Market from June through September. I imagine strolling through his orchard beneath the leafy canopy and plucking the plump fruits, their perfume provoking “pick me!”
Who can resist a fresh peach, eaten out of hand with a stack of napkins? It’s a close-your-eyes-and-savor-this-moment experience. Such a happy coincidence that these gems grow right in our midst.
Every Saturday, I bring them home by the dozen, intending to whip up something
delicious and before I know it, they have vanished. 
This time I got to work before the tasters swooped in, deciding to add some sizzle to accent the sweet.
For a quick and company-worthy salad, I grilled quartered peaches and arranged them
with creamy Burrata and silky prosciutto atop a bed of lightly dressed arugula. With a hunk of good bread, you have something fancy in a hurry.
Though peach season will not last forever, there is no end to their enjoyment. Be sure to
pick a peck, whether straight from the tree or from your local market. The sweet perfume will remain.

Grilled Peach Salad
This combination of textures makes for a memorable Summer salad

Makes 2 servings

• 2 firm-ripe peaches, pitted and cut into quarters
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 handfuls fresh arugula or other salad greens
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• coarse salt and pepper
• 4 paper-thin slices prosciutto
• 2 small balls of Burrata, each cut into quarters
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, really just a drizzle (use your best one here)
• Heat a grill pan over medium heat.Brush the cut sides of the peaches with the vegetable oil.

Grill the peaches for a few minutes on each side until just tender and warmed through.
Toss the arugula with the olive oil in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss
again and transfer to a serving platter.
Arrange the prosciutto, Burrata, and grilled peaches over the greens.
Drizzle the salad with the balsamic vinegar and serve.

Taco (Salad) Tuesday

When you’re craving veggies on Taco Tuesday, reach for the salad bowl. I converted my simple ground beef ‘starter’ into taco salad for 2, with plenty leftover for Burrito Wednesday...Our dining numbers held at five for what I hoped was forever, but now they fluctuate. Two in college, a traveling husband, so this week the table is set for 2 and the skillet-ful of seasoned beef will stretch into lots of meals. I'll Mexify half of it, then season the rest with an Asian accent for noodle bowls.

Break out your iron skillet and the salad spinner and enjoy this any day of the week. Season it to suit your fancy and let me know about your delicious creations!

Taco Salad for 2, with DIY Leftovers

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup diced fire-roasted canned tomatoes
• Romaine lettuce, rinsed, spun dry, and torn into bite-size pieces
• Desired taco toppings--chopped tomato, jalapeno slices, cilantro sour cream, avocado, grated cheese, green onions, tortilla chips

HEAT the oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat and add the onion.

SAUTE the onion until just tender, stirring occasionally.

ADD the ground beef and the salt, stirring to break up and cook just until no longer pink.

DIVIDE the mixture, scooping half into a bowl for later use and keeping half in the skillet.

ADD the chile powder and cumin to the skillet and cook 1 minute to toast spices.

STIR in the fire-roasted tomato and bring mixture just to a boil.

REDUCE heat to low and simmer for a few minutes while you assemble your taco salad toppings.

ASSEMBLE your salads as desired, topping a bed of lettuce with a few chips, a spoonful of warm meat, lots of veggies and a sprinkle of cheese.

CHILL the remaining taco meat for tomorrow's burrito, and freeze the reserved half for next week's noodle bowl.

Happy Cooking!

Lodge L10SK3 Pre-Seasoned Skillet, 12-Inch

Lodge

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OXO Good Grips Green Salad Spinner

OXO Cook's Tools

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Chipotle Sweet Potato Salad

Spicy is king in my kitchen, and smoky chipotle is where I go for a quick fix. Swirling a spoonful of the tangy adobo into simple black beans gives them a feisty kick. Or sometimes I’ll just eat it by the spoonful like peanut butter.

I had some leftover steamed sweet potatoes and wanted to jazz them up, so I tossed the slices with fresh lime, zest and juice, and a lovely dollop of chipotle, then another. Smoky. Sweet. Soeasy. Delicious. No recipe required. Summer Kitchen.

Happy Cooking!

Kuhn Rikon 3-Set Original Swiss Peeler, Red/Green/Yellow

Kuhn Rikon

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Microplane 46220 Premium Zester/Grater, Turquoise

Microplane

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Summer Quinoa Salad

School is out, or close, anyway. The days are longer and more relaxed, making it the perfect time to embrace the kitchen! Whether you’re packing for a picnic or just trying to keep cool as the mercury soars, this quick quinoa salad is the trick. If you’re new to quinoa, give it a try. It’s the ‘ancient Incan grain’ and heralded as super good for you. I love it because it’s delicious, versatile, and quick cooking. Prep the ingredients for the salad while the quinoa cooks, and toss it all together. Done.

Quinoa Salad

Adapted from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

Makes 4-6 servings

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons light sesame oil (not the dark ‘toasted’ typee)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• zest, juice, and segments from 1 fresh orange*
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus additional for garnish

RINSE the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer.

COMBINE the quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

REDUCE the heat to low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes and remove from heat.

FLUFF the quinoa with a fork, add the raisins and cover for 5 inutes to plump them.

TRANSFER the quinoa to a large serving bowl and drizzle with the oil and lemon juice.

ADD the orange zest and the juice squeezed from the peels, plus the orange segments.

STIR in the green onions, almonds, and mint, topping with additional mint for garnish, if desired.

Enjoy!

*TRIM the top and bottom off of the orange, using a very sharp knife. SET the fruit on end, and carefully cut the skin from the flesh, beginning at the top and following the curves down. Rotate each fruit as you go, removing all of the peel with a bit of fruit clinging to it. CUT out each section of the fruit by inserting the blade of the knife between the flesh and the membranes on both sides. The wedges should come out easily, leaving only the membrane intact.

Microplane 40020 Classic Zester/Grater

Microplane

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