August 9, 2013

August 9, 2013

A Thought for Today

All falls in life may be the starting point for self-realization.

                                                                                 EMM, 1957

A Piece of My Work

I wonder why I suddenly thought of making a horse in clay. And not any horse but the horse of Alexander Macedon, the Bucephalus. I wonder... I could not get rid of this idea and, with considerable difficulty for my artistic development, I made what I show here.

"The Horse Bucephalus"

 

A Recipe for Today

(From Jeff Smith’s book “The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Italian”)

Caponata 

 

Ingredients:

2 lb. eggplant (2 pc.)

2 tbsp. salt

5 tbsp. olive oil (or more)

2 c. celery, sliced in ¼” thick (~3-5 ribs)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 c. canned tomatoes, crushed

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 tbsp. pickled capers, drained

10 large pitted green olives, drained and sliced

4-5 anchovies fillets in oil, cut across in several pieces

1/3 c. white wine vinegar

1 tbsp. sugar

½ c. toasted pine nuts (pan-toasted with 1 tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat)

½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper. 

Procedure: 

Dice eggplants in ½” pieces. Place them in a large colander and sprinkle with the salt. Toss thoroughly and place over a large bowl. Allow to drain 30-40 min.

 

Heat a large frying pan and add 2 tbsp. of the olive oil, the celery, and the onion, Sauté about 15 min. or until tender. Remove to a 4-6 qt. pot.

After the diced eggplant has drained, rinse well in cold water. Drain well and pat dry with a towel. Add some oil and sauté eggplant cubes in ~3 batches, for ~10 min. each. Add to the pot of sautéed celery and onion. 

Stir in the remaining ingredients except the pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15-20 min. Stir in the pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Allow to cool. Serve at room temperature or cold. 

It keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks. An antipasto spread, salad dressing, relish, or sandwich topping. 

Makes: 12 servings or more

 

 

August 2, 2013

A Thought for Today

Give a man a fish and you fed him for one day;
Teach a man to fish and you fed him for life.
 
                                         Chinese proverb

A Piece of My Work

I made this head with a new technique and I liked it. Viewers felt that it is the best I made to date.

I call it "The Aristocrat"

A Recipe for Today

Avgolemono Soup 

Ingredients:

1 qt. cups chicken broth

1/3 cup long grain rice or Arborio rice

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

3 egg yolks

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. cornstarch

2 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

Lemon slices and parsley sprigs for garnish 

Procedure: 

Bring stock to simmering. Add the drained rice. Half cover and cook for about 15 min. until the rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper. 

Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. lemon juice whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Repeat this step after adding 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice. Add 2 tsp. cornstarch and continue whisking. Add a ladleful of hot stock and whisk again for 1-2 min.  

Remove the soup from the heat and slowly add the egg-lemon mixture whisking all the time. 

Stir in the parsley. Serve without reheating, garnished with lemon slices and parsley sprigs.  

Makes 6 servings.

July 26, 2013

A Thought...

"A thing of beauty is a joy for ever".

                                           Keats

A Piece of My Work

While in Provence, I saw some trays and casuelas, which were made in the neighboring Spain. I got 'inspired' and I made the tray with the four casuelas I am showing here.

A Provencal Serving Dish

There are four casuelas fitted in the tray. We used them at our first Art Show in October 2012, in Long Beach

A Recipe for Today

Volaille en Aspic a la Mode des Carpathes

Ingredients:  

2 cans of chicken broth

2 drum sticks

2 small carrots, sliced

¼ bundle of parsley

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. white pepper

2-3 cloves of garlic

2 pc. gelatin 

Procedure: 

Cook chicken with carrots, parsley, salt and pepper.

Shred the meat in small pieces.

Place the broth and the meat in a rectangular container with the garlic and a bit of raw parsley.

Pour the liquid gelatin.

Refrigerate overnight. 

Gelatin: 

2 Tbsp. warm chicken broth

2 pc. gelatin powder

After it gets wet, place in the microwave for 20 sec. then pour over the chicken and broth in the container.

 

July 19, 2013

A Thought...

All long journeys start with a first step.

                                      Chinese proverb

A Piece of My Work

While on vacation in the Chianti region of Italy, I met a beautiful young lady and her fiancé. I asked the permission to take a photo with the intent of sculpting her head. I worked quite a bit on this and had to realize that it is easier to work from imagination than from a real model.  Here she is.

   "The Tuscan Girl"

A Recipe for Today

Baguettes au fromage et saucisson

Ingredients:

1 pack. Puff pastry (2 sheets)

6 oz. dry, lean salami, cut very thin

6 oz. cashcaval, grated 

Ketchup (optional)

1 egg yolk, slightly beaten

Oregano, dry 

Procedure: 

 

Brush one sheet of puff pastry with the egg yolk

Place slices of salami on the entire sheet

Brush some ketchup

Place a compact layer of cashcaval

Cover with the other sheet of puff pastry and press gently

Brush this sheet with egg yolk

Sprinkle with oregano

Cover a cooking sheet with parchment paper

Place in the oven at 400° for 12 – 15 min.

Slice in quarters.

 

July 12, 2013

A Thought for Today

All great men and women are complicated. Neither their admirers nor their enemies understand them fully. Sometimes they hardly understand their own nature. They have not one but several selves. As they live through trials and triumphs, they grow and change and yet they seem to remain true to some inmost master self, which remains a mystery.

                                       EMM Conversation with his friend AS, 1956

A Piece of My Work

My wife liked my three trials on the Hills and Valleys and asked me to make another one for her, but it had to be "2 feet long". This was quite a commission. I had problems with the plinth (base), which I made in November 2011. It cracked beyond repair... I remade it using Adobe clay and the woman is 23" long. A better piece and very close to what I had in mind. Most likely, I must make another one.

"Hills and Valleys - Reclining Woman (IV)"

 

A Recipe for Today

                                      Ciorba of Veal

Ingredients:

 

2 qts. water

1½ lb. veal shank, sawed in 11/2”-thick pieces

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. black pepper 

¼ lb. (1 stick) butter

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1½ cup diced carrots (1/2”-thick)

1 cup potatoes (1/2”-thick)

½ cup parsley, chopped

1¼ cup sauerkraut juice

½ cup lemon juice

½ cup fresh dill, chopped

 

Garnish: ½ pt. sour cream

 

Procedure: 

 

In a 6-8-qt. covered casserole or sup pot, place the water, veal, salt, and pepper and simmer for 2 hrs. Remove the shank pieces and allow them to cool. Debone the shank pieces, chop the meat coarsely and return to pot.

 

In a large frying pan place the butter, onion and the shallots. Sauté until the onions are clear and tender. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, and parsley. vegetables and continue to sauté. Add to the soup pot along with the sauerkraut juice.

 

Simmer for 25 min. or so, and taste for salt and pepper.

 

Add the lemon juice and dill. Simmer for a few more minutes and place in a tureen.

 

Garnish with the sour cream and serve. 

 

Serves 8-10.

P.S. The word Ciorba (pron. tchorba) is Turkish. Essentially, it is a soup  that must have or be dressed with a beaten egg and/or lemon juice, or both.

July 5, 2013

A Thought for Today

God could not be helpful to all mankind and, therefore, created mothers

                                                                                           Jewish proverb

A Piece of My Work

Again Hills and Valleys...I was not at all satisfied with my first attempt that I published some time ago. It lacked much of what I could do  and I had in my mind. The second piece broke in the studio while drying. This is the third issue. A bit better I should say...

I made it in July 2011. My teacher, Anita Sinclair, MFA, said that she liked the piece, which I took as the greatest compliment. Promptly, I signed it with a dedication to her, which is written on the plinth.

Hills and Valleys - Reclining Woman (III)

A Recipe for the Day

Chicken Puttanesca Salad

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into ⅓-inch wide strips

Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 (14 ½-oz.) diced tomatoes

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. capers

½ cup pitted Calamata olives, chopped

2 tsp. oregano, chopped

Pasta of your choice 

Procedure:

Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste (add salt carefully because olives and capers will add saltiness). Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot and smoky, add chicken and sauté until cooked through and juices run clear when pricked with fork, about 5 min. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. 

Add tomatoes with juice to skillet. Add garlic and simmer 5 min. Add capers, olives and oregano and simmer 2 min. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add reserved chicken and toss to coat with sauce. Let sit 5 min., stirring occasionally to release steam, until slightly cooled. 

Put pasta in large bowl and toss with chicken mixture. Serve immediately. 

Makes 4 servings. 329 calories/serving.

 

P.S. Does anybody know why this name of the salad?

 

June 28, 2013

June 28, 2013

A Thought for Today

"Do not cry, do not laugh, try to understand"

Baruch Spinoza
(1632 - 1677)

A Piece of My Work

Last year, I learned to work with slab clay. It is rather easy. As I could not make friends with the turn table, I wanted to make a vase by wrapping a piece of slab around a bottle. It worked quite well. I decorated the piece a bit and...voila. 



                                         

Recipe of Today

(From Saveur, June 2009

 

Pignata di Agnello

(Lamb stew from Basilicata)

 

Serves 6-8

 

Ingredients:

 

3 lbs. boneless, trimmed lamb shoulder, cut into 1½“ cubes

1/3 lb. pecorino cheese, cut into ½” cubes

¼ lb. soppressata or spicy salami, cut into ¼” cubes

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into ¼” coins

1 rib celery, chopped

2 lbs. new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½“ pieces

½ head of escarole, ends trimmed and roughly chopped

4 sprigs thyme

1½ tsp. red chili flakes

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 tsp. Kosher salt

 

Procedure:

 

Combine ingredients in a 5-qt. Dutch oven with 3 cups water. Cover pot with aluminum foil and then with the lid to create a tight seal.

 

Cook over medium-low heat, shaking Dutch oven occasionally, until the lamb and potatoes are tender and the juices have thickened slightly, about 2½ hours.