FIRST-WORLD PROBLEMS, WHITE WHINES (AND OLIVE OIL BRAISED POTATOES)

Ciao'd while watching the French Open.

Before you play the race card on me, the white whine moniker was coined by Streeter Seidell, author of White Whine: A Study of First World Problems (2013, F+W Media, Inc.). If you take a step back, you have to admit that the title is not only brilliant but true, too.

Lately, I have been hearing a lot of complaining among my crowd about persnickety “problems.” There’s a Hatfield and McCoy battle waging at my tennis club (that alone raises the eyebrow). Non-members are attending tennis clinics. And they are super loud, laughing and calling to each other on a court adjacent to courts occupied by members. Said members are consequently bugged to distraction. Granted the noise is not prescribed tennis etiquette but it begs the question: if the pros at the US Open can play through rowdy crowds, why can’t a 3.0 player just get on with it?

Here’s another first-world whine: Queuing to get on your flight to Hawaii/Mexico/Europe because your miles did not sweep you through to first class.

Oh, and another one: A crying baby on that flight to paradise.

And how about this: Standing behind a person with 16 items in the 12-item market cash-out line.

And this: Candy corn or Peeps not sold all year long.

I can go on:

Your kid not getting into the college dorm he wanted.

And on: A sweat-showering person posing next to you in hot yoga.

And one (or two) more: No WI-FI. Wonky GPS.

Listen, I am guilty of more than one of the whines above. Stuff bugs me, too; however, in light of what transpires beyond the entitled masses, I am trying to maintain perspective.

I’m thinking about stuff like this:

For 1 billion people safe water is scarce. It takes less than 3 seconds for the water to cascade from our faucets (thewaterproject.org).

Around the world, 62 million girls are not in school (usaid.gov).

42 million – roughly one in eight Americans – rely on food stamps (CNN Money). These are fellow Americans who make only (or less than) $26, 600 a year for a family of three. Do the math - approximately $555 a week – for EVERYTHING. 

More than 13 million kids in this country go to school hungry (No Kid Hungry).

In a single night in California in 2016, 21.48% of the population experienced homelessness. In New York, 15.7% (National Alliance to End Homelessness).

I could go on with these stats but I think you get my drift.

Am I an activist? Do I have an answer for these real problems? No, but I think I finally became less of an ostrich and more of an eagle. I am well aware of the strife in the world but, until recently, it swirled around me rather than alighted upon me.

When I was overwhelmed, my grandmother told me, “Take one step and your other foot will follow.”  Recognizing that something needs a solution is the first step to making it happen. So I guess this post is the first step.

This recipe for Olive Oil Braised Potatoes with Sage and Bay Leaf pays tribute to another strife. During the mid-19th century, a blight destroyed virtually every potato in Ireland, a staple for the country’s population. About 1 million people perished. Seriously, aren't we so blessed?

OLIVE OIL BRAISED POTATOES WITH SAGE AND BAY LEAF

Cooking the potatoes in olive oil elicits their creamy, buttery flavor.

Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ pounds small red potatoes, halved
1 small shallot, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 small bay leaf
1 cup chicken stock + more if needed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, shallot, sage and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. If the potatoes dry out, add a bit more liquid.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.

ORECCHIETTE WITH PANCETTA, PEAS AND, ASPARAGUS

Ciao'd while watching the NFL Draft

Orrechiette, or "little ears," pasta is ideal for cradling the small pieces of pancetta along with the peas. Well-loved by the Pugliese (including me), the pasta delivers a delightful chew that plays nicely with the soft peas and crunchy pancetta. Asparagus delivers a nice herbal flavor that balances the sweet peas and salty pancetta. In short, this dish is a win-win. 

ORECCHIETTE WITH PANCETTA, PEAS AND ASPARAGUS

Serves 4

1 pound orecchiette pasta
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 pound finely diced pancetta
3 to 4 asparagus stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup) 
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of the cooking liquid.

In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil with the butter. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until barely tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the peas. 

Add the pasta along with the reserved cooking water and the cheese. Season with the pepper and cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens a bit. Stir in the parsley and serve immediately, accompanied with more Parmesan cheese.

FARFALLE WITH ASPARAGUS TOPS AND HERBS

Ciao'd with a glass of Meyer lemonade

I planted herbs in my garden a week or two ago. They’re still spriglet babies with a shared green hue that is almost transparent. As the sun warms, and warms the herbs, too, the single diaphanous hue will deepen into a range of greens - smoky (sage), emerald (parsley), clover (basil), moss (oregano) and more.

Spring is a delicate season defined by new life. Endings beget beginnings. After a winter of muted hues, we see the emergence of color, whether it’s a patch of grass unveiled by melting snow or the flash of scarlet on a red-wing blackbird. We hear a certain buzz. I’ve never been sure about the source of the buzz, but scientific sorts tell me it emits from baby insects – bees and so forth. I prefer to think that it is the sound of the natural world awakening. We feel raindrops on our heads and shoulders and the cheering warmth of a young sun. We touch the earth as we plant seedlings on a temperate weekend. We welcome the first asparagus.

Fresh asparagus with its lovely tender tops and toothsome bottoms is one of the first vegetables to emerge in the spring. While we’ll enjoy asparagus throughout the summer, its first blush of flavor is fleeting, and that makes it all the more wonderful. And so, this recipe.

Farfalle with Asparagus Tops and Herbs is a delicate pasta dish in which the farfalle, or butterflies, float in a simple chicken broth. It’s nice to serve in the early spring when asparagus is at its peak and we’re ready for lighter fare.

RECIPE

FARFALLE WITH ASPARAGUS TOPS AND HERBS

The trick to this brothy pasta dish is using the thinnest asparagus you can find. Serve it as a first course or a light lunch. 

Serves 4

1 pound thin asparagus
Kosher salt
1 pound farfalle (butterfly-shaped) pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Trim off the tough ends of the asparagus and discard. Cut the spears on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces; reserve.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 generous pinches of salt and when the water returns to a boil, add the pasta. Cook according to package directions until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and return to the pot.; cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and the chicken broth, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes to reduce it a bit. Add the herbs and stir to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the asparagus mixture to the pasta and toss to coat with the broth. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

MEYER LEMONY ROASTED BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER

Ciao'd under the Super Blue Blood Moon.

The Meyer lemon love fest continues. Last week, I posted a recipe for Chicken Soup with Orzo and Meyer Lemon. It was one of my most popular recipes to date. I'm not surprised because the recipe is super simple, freshly flavorful and healthy all at once. Plus, there's that radiant Meyer lemon sweet-sour kick. 

My Meyer lemon trees continue to bestow me with brilliant, sunshine-y yellow gifts. It's a banner year. These magical little lemons deserve a place in the ciaodonata sun. So, herewith, a super simple yet sumptuous recipe for Meyer Lemony Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower. #dolcevitadelish. Enjoy!

RECIPE

MEYER LEMONY ROASTED BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER

Serves 4

1/2 pound broccoli florets
1/2 pound cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small Meyer lemon, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt, to taste

Preheat an oven to 475 degress. Place the broccoli and cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the oil, garlic, and lemon slices. Roast until the vegetables are browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Toss the vegetables halfway through. Serve immediately.