Indian summer

We are having an Indian Summer here. Unusually warm and sunny at this time of the year, not that I am complaining.

Now September is almost at the end and my conferences are behind me. I continue to be busy this year, with a money paying job and my pet project which has kept me sane and going so far. Life is so full of intricate and delicate balance. Don't you think?

My first half of 2011 has been fairly occupied and dotted with some twists and turns. I have been so engrossed in my own search of a better life that I forgot and failed to appreciate forces outside the equation (Is it so hard to play along the classical mechanics trajectory where everything is predictable given a starting position?). Well, it's a lesson from life, not satisfactory but memorable.

With cloudless skies and uninterrupted sunshine, it's hard to get melancholy. And why should I? Grass always looks greener on the other side and it's always good to be reminded of a small and precious oasis I have next to me. Small, precious indeed, and the one that belongs to me and only me.

I think I am now prepared to take on what's coming, whatever it may be.

Bring. It. On.

Skillet-roasted corn in lime chili butter

Fresh corn in their husks do not appear in my area easily. Yesterday with a nice surprise I spotted a full crate of them in my local supermarket and bought three ears instantly.

I have heard about lime chili butter for a long time. What an intriguing combination, I thought, a recipe that calls for both sharp acidity and rich grease at the same time. On top of that, it has added heat from the chili powder. You know me, I have to try it!

The way I prepared my corn was inspired by two recipes, Tyler Florence's roasted corn and Molly Wizenberg of Orangette's brown butter corn. May I say that lime chili butter is such a heavenly combination!! In my mouth, the smoothness first comes with the mellow butter, then with a gentle kick from the chili powder (like the faint firework in the distant night sky) and refreshes up with a sharp lime tangy taste. It's a great compliment for the skillet roasted corn which not only has its sweetness enhanced but also enriched with the delicious brown bits by preparing corn this way. Try it. You won't regret it.

Skillet roasted corn kernels in lime chili butter

- 3 ears of fresh corn, husked
- 4 tbsp of butter (salted is fine)
- 1 tsp of chili powder (or to taste)
- zest from one lime and juice from half of the zested lime
- salt to taste

Remove the corn kernels with a sharp knife. Hold the corn cob vertically to the surface and cut away the kernels from top to bottom.

In a skillet melt the butter and cook it with medium heat until it turns lightly brown. You have to watch the pan very closely because it can be a second or two between caramel brown and tarmac black. Once the butter turns brown, tip in the corn kernels. Coat each kernel with the delicious brown butter and let them roast in the pan. Turn them over occasionally to make sure that they don't stick (too much) on the base of the pan. You do want the tasty brown bits to develop.

After 5 minutes, put in the chili powder and the lime zest. Continue to roast the corn kernels in the skillet. You can use a lid to steam the kernels through but I don't find it necessary. I prefer my kernels slightly on the dry side.

When the kernels reach to the desirable level of doneness, squirt in the lime juice, stir the corn a few times. Turn off the heat and plate up. I hope it puts a smile to your face as much as it did to me.

Away again

This summer, my work has taken quite some time and attention. My parents are here with me too which means when I am not busy with my work, I spend time with them.

In a week's time, I will be away again for a scientific conference. And the dear brother is coming for a 2-week visit after that. This means I will again disappear from this site for a while until mid-September.

I hope you all have had a great summer, doing things that make you happy.

See you all in Autumn.

Hiatus

Hello people,

I hope you are enjoying the summer, wherever you are. Go out, bask in the sun and think nothing but how to make your life more pleasurable and worth living.

A number of things are happening right now for me. All are looking encouraging and comforting. They also demand lots of my attention. This means I need to take a break from here for a short while. I hope to come back as soon as I have updates to share.

Before then, have a good summer.

Hugs

Dîner chez moi - 25 June -01 July

I am in the salad mode recently. Perhaps because the weather is getting warmer or because all veggies look just so lusciously tempting begging to be eaten. Or I just am addicted to blue cheese dressing. Who knows?! Last week we had carrot salad twice and crudités for one night, instead of my usually blanched veggies dressed in garlic and olive oil. All were happily accepted by the carnivore hubby which is my measure of veggie success.

With 20+ centigrade forecasted for the next few days, looks like we get to enjoy our salad for a few more days. Here is what I have planned for next week:

Saturday: Roasted Chicken and chorizo, Tabbouleh (couscous salad)

Sunday: Jerked pork, Zucchini salad with harissa, olives and feta

Monday: Grilled sole, couscous, ginger pickled radishes and chopped tomato/cucumber salad

Tuesday: Tagliatelle with bacon and mushroom sauce, blanched green beans

Wendesday: same as Saturday

Thursday: same as Sunday

Friday: wild card day

My Mafalda moment

I 20 years ago would have laughed out loud at myself now.

I got annoyed with three half eaten baguettes a few days ago. Gosh, there must be a zillion of things in this world which are more worth of my attention and energy. I can't believe that I get frustrated with day-old bread.

I don't like to waste food. Oddly enough, I can toss away clothes or shoes without any guilt but it kills me to see food being wasted. Since there is usually just one person in the house who eats bread regularly, I appreciate the fact that it can be hard to finish a whole baguette at its peak. Thanks to all these frugal people out there (and the internet), I have learned ways to use up down-the-hill bread.

Here are a few ways to feel virtuous about old bread:

- Thickening agent in stew or soup. Just cook the soup/stew with some leftover bread. The bread becomes totally disintegrated and invisible in the pot after 1 hour. This is my favorite way to use up extra burger buns.

- Panzanella (Italian bread salad). If I am fortunate enough to have a sweltering day or two, this is what I go for. Locatelli's version is pretty good.

- Sweet bread pudding. I am very fond of Delia Smith's version with Marmalade. I usually make it with milk only. It still tastes divine.

- Savoury bread pudding. Why not? Ham and cheese are always friends. And guess what? They go well with leftover bread too!

Happy recycling.

ps. The title of this post came from a comic strip I once read as a little girl, Mafalda. This little girl who always has quirky thoughts said to her mother one day: You must have better things to worry about in this world, when she saw her mom tearing over chopped onion.

First BBQ of 2011

If I could ever figure out how British summer is.

Last Sunday we had rain, from morning till late night. Non-stop. I had to wear my fleece indoor to keep myself warm. Then Monday came, bamn, loads of sunshine. Today is even better. Warm and sunny all day long. It's so pleasant that we decided to get a disposable BBQ grill from our local supermarket and have dinner in the garden.

We've also got four Welsh lamb cutlets and one beef sirloin steak to keep the carnivore happy. Bell pepper and cherry tomatoes to make the meal look balanced. I also picked up a pot of whipping cream on the way to have Eton Mess to finish. Simple, straightforward, nothing fancy. Most ingredients went onto the grill without any work. We just sat by the table helping ourselves with some crisps and sour cream dip while waiting for the food to cook by itself.

We finished every grilled item. Our fingers smelled slightly smoky and our minds were thoroughly relaxed and immensely contented. That's how summer should be.