Week 2 of 2017's Get In The Kitchen Challenge // @saladforpresident

It’s so difficult to choose just one since I am always spending all my money on new ingredients be it spices, condiments or new varieties of seasonal produce. But, I grew a bunch of kohlrabi this year and that’s definitely my veggie-crush of the moment. I make a really simple tahini sauce with olive oil, water, lemon juice, chives, salt and micro-grated garlic and I pour that into a shallow bowl. I peel and slice the kohlrabi into ¼” half moons and set them on top. I sprinkle some zaatar and some sumac over the whole dish and serve it with toothpicks. It takes a minute to prepare and it’s a healthy snack that showcases the surprising sweetness of kohlrabi. You can add some colorful radishes to the mix too, and suddenly it’s a killer hors d’oeuvre for a party. 

Well, actually, Ellen and I went to a really great meeting that Maisie Wilhelm and Jordana Rothman organized of friends and peers who were looking for a way to become more politically engaged in response to the recent election. That night I made a resolution for the new year. I always thought I would be an art professor, and while I have no regrets, I would like to spend more of my time dedicated to mentoring or helping younger women. I think New Yorkers spend so much time working towards their own personal goals, that we forget that our experiences thus far can be super valuable to younger people. I still think of myself as someone who is figuring it all out day-to-day, but I also have a lot to share. So, my new year’s resolution is to do a better job of extending my resources to kids who might be in need of support in a particularly stressful political climate.

a.     Pick a humble vegetable and make it the center of the plate. Leeks and celery are my favorites, but try wilted/grilled romaine, turnips, cabbage, celeriac or sweet potatoes. I have been making simple braised leeks (braising them in homemade chicken stock and goat butter), topping them with a soft-boiled egg and sometimes a little crumbled, crispy pancetta, parsley or nasturtium from the garden. Leeks are so cheap and readily available in the winter, but the dish feels so elegant to me. Simplicity is classy!

b.     Buy an ingredient you have never heard of and use it incorrectly. Choose a condiment from the Asian grocer: Fish sauce, yuzu koshu (the love of my chile-laden life), dried shrimp or furikake. Or visit the Middle Eastern grocer and grab rosewater, preserved lemons, sumac or dates. Taste the ingredients before you google them and try and use them in an unexpected way. For example, I like to use fish sauce to my puttanesca sauce, or sumac on my buttery corn on the cob.  Break the rules!

c.     Make veggies for breakfast! I eat a bowl of chicken broth with miso, a poached egg and some simmered mushrooms and wilted greens almost every morning. It’s one thousand times more nourishing than a croissant, and so much healthier too. Try scrambled eggs with a green salad (very French), or a frittata jam-packed with sautéed kale.