The humongous bag of Meyer lemons our friend Kristen gave us in early April lasted for more than a month. I just love how aromatic Meyer lemon juice and zest are. Sometimes I just enjoy eating them whole, skin and all. When I saw this recipe for pickled Meyer lemons on Just Homemade, I knew what to do with the remaining 8 lemons in the fridge.

Indian inspired Meyer lemon pickle

Preserved lemons are super simple to make and work beautifully as an added flavor to stews, couscous, pilafs, grilled fish and the list goes on. Rely on them to add another dimension of flavor. If you haven’t yet tasted preserved lemon, then what are you waiting for?

I’ve never had pickled Meyer lemons before so this was exciting!! The original recipe calls for chili pepper powder. However because I’m wild about chili powder and spices, I got creative. I used three kinds plus added some nigella seeds to the pickle. I sort of respected the overall proportion of chili dictated by the original recipe.

Indian inspired Meyer lemon pickle

8 Meyer lemons, lightly scrubbed with a sponge, rinsed, dried, quartered and seeded
4 tbsp sea salt (or less)
3 tbsp gochugaru pepper flakes
¾ tbsp pasilla pepper powder
¾ tbsp cayenne pepper powder
1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
2 tbsp fenugreek powder
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
Couple of pinches asafetida

Glass jar cleaned and thoroughly dried
Parchment paper, cut to fit the top of the jar

step one, preserving the lemons:

lemon quarters and salt ready to cure

Begin by adding ¾ tbsp salt to the bottom of glass jar. Partially squeeze the juice of a few lemon quarters. Arrange these partially squeezed quarters at the bottom of the jar. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat process until done. Place parchment paper on top of the jar and cover with lid. Give it a good shake so salt dissolves and juices permeate lemons. Let stand at room temperature for about 5 days. Shake the jar every day to ensure juices percolate through the lemon pieces.

….on the 4th or 5th day, step 2:

Heat a skillet on high. Add fenugreek seeds and barely warm them through. This process will bring the aromas out. Don’t toast or burn it. It will be too bitter. I burned mine the first time around so had to re-do this part. Transfer to a grinder and whiz it to pulverize. Set aside.

Return pan to the heat; add oil followed by the mustard seeds and cook until seeds begin to pop. Remove from heat. Add asafetida and let cool completely to room temperature.

Add chili peppers, nigella seeds, and ground fenugreek to a stainless steel bowl. Mix to combine. Empty the jar of lemons with the liquid over the spices. Mix to combine. Add cooled combo of popped mustard, asafetida and oil to the lemons and toss to combine.

Return lemons to the jar with the entire thick sauce. Cover and refrigerate. Use as a condiment or serve it as a side dish. This is salty so use it parsimoniously. Once we finish this batch I am going to experiment with it to make a less salty version.

We enjoyed this delicious pickled Meyer lemon last Monday with a basmati pilaf Steven made like this one.

This isn’t a recipe that I would have been excited by before my “Veganist” epiphany. Nancy Harmon Jenkins’ dish relies on Spanish chorizo. I’ve yet to find vegetarian chorizo so made due with Tofurkey brand Italian sausage. To make the olive oil redden, I added a bit of sweet paprika. (In the full on meat version, the chorizo has the paprika inside, which imparts a reddish color as it cooks.

Spanish-style chickpeas with spinach and veggie sausage

I like Jenkins’ book, The Essential Mediterranean, a great deal. The recipes are often familiar, though like this one, many are new to me. She structures the text a bit differently in that after the intro, each section has a long and rather engaging discussion of the main ingredients for that section, including their history in European cuisine and her own personal anecdotes. So the book is practical and yet like an educational travelogue all at once. Sort of blog-like really…

I had already prepared my dried chickpeas so diverged a bit from her instruction here. I don’t think that it made too much difference. Next time I think that I shall try a different type of veggie sausage. The texture and taste weren’t quite what I’d hoped. Nevertheless, the recipe itself is sound.

Spanish-style chickpeas with spinach and veggie sausage

2 cups prepared chickpeas
2 medium onions, both peeled, one left whole, the other chopped
3 bay leaves
Small bunch of Italian parsley
4 tbsp olive oil
1 lb baby spinach
3 cloves garlic
1 package of veggie sausage of your choice, cut into bite-sized rounds
1 tsp paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
Water

Begin by placing chickpeas into a medium pot with the whole peeled onion, bay leaves, parsley, some salt to taste and enough water to just immerse them. Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes to flavor them. Remove and discard onion, parsley, and bay leaves. Reserve some of the cooking water and drain the rest.

Add olive oil, chopped onion and garlic to a hot skillet with a pinch of salt. Sauté for a few minutes until onion starts to get tender then add sliced veggie sausage and paprika. Cook for a few minutes. Add chickpeas with a bit of reserved water. Heat through. Add spinach and black pepper. After spinach just wilts, adjust flavors and serve.

Lotus of Siam seafood soup

The April issue of the Saveur Magazine is themed “The Las Vegas Issue: a guide to the world’s hottest dinning destination.” Sin City includes all types of indulgences and food plays a significant role in the experience. Saveur covers a whole bunch of restaurants from different cuisines on and off the Strip. Many of them ship fresh food in by air from all over to the heart of the desert. Like everything else in this town, extremely decadent.

the somewhat underwhelming Lotus of Siam storefront

Because I love Thai food I couldn’t help but notice an article about Lotus of Siam, a Vegas Thai restaurant off the Strip that, according to the author, has been consistently making authentic Thai food for many years. Apparently Chef Saipin Chutima has a legion of fans.

This past week we went on vacation to Arizona (more to come on that). On the way back we scheduled a 24-hour stay in Vegas. We took the time to enjoy some of the stuff the city offers: shopping, shows (we saw Cirque du Soleil’s “O” at the Bellagio) sightseeing and of course, food. We skipped gambling as we all know the house always wins. The food part leads me directly to a late lunch at Lotus of Siam. In a word: wonderful.

me in front of the famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign

Hoover Dam and Lake Mead are some of the many attractions in the Las Vegas area

As I mentioned the restaurant is located off the Strip though not too far away. We had a car so it was relatively easy. You could take short cab ride. Had it not been a hundred degrees then you could probably even walk though like LA, I don’t get the sense that anyone does that much in this town.

Lotus of Siam interior

From the outside Lotus of Siam was a bit underwhelming. In a huge and fairly depressing strip-mall, the place looked like a hole-in-the-wall dump. This isn’t the kind of spot that you’d think would enchant Saveur. Inside the restaurant is very large and amazingly had two large glassed-in wine cellars. I cannot recall ever seeing that at a Thai place before. The article did mention that you can have a beautiful multi-course meal here with wine parings. We stuck with Thai beer.

white wine cellar at Lotus of Siam

For lunch at least, Lotus of Siam offers a Vegas-style all-you-can-eat buffet and the option of ordering off the menu. We went for the later.

First to come was the seafood hot pot. The broth was hot, sour, and sweet, with herbal tones imparted by mint, Thai basil, fresh ginger, cilantro, and lemon grass. It had mushrooms, mussels, bits of salmon, shrimp and bay scallops. We ordered it “medium spicy” which was about right until we got to the last dregs in the bowl. These were fiery. I loved having this soup with sips of Chang beer.

Next we had the seafood salad. This had squid, shrimp, more mussels, iceberg lettuce and a number of other ingredients that have slipped my mind by now. It had a zippy sweet, salty, sour and spicy sauce which contrasted well with the coolness of the lettuce. Delicious, the sauce was so good that I reserved some to drizzle over my fried rice that was about to arrive.

flavorful seafood salad

For the main course we ordered a dish of vegetable Thai fried rice and steamed sea bass. The fried rice was perfect, flavorful and light. I ate most of it because I can get a bit greedy with rice sometimes. The sea bass was steamed on a bed of Chinese cabbage and young celery leaves. It had a beautiful glossy look. The fish came with a lively sweet, smoky, spicy sauce that reminded us somehow of Thai-style Mexican salsa.

beautiful veggie fried rice

Lotus of Siam sea bass

intensely flavored Lotus of Siam sauce for sea bass

By then we were stuffed to the gills so dessert was out. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves at Lotus of Siam. The food was tasty and ample. However I think that the sea bass and probably at least some of the shellfish were previously frozen: not a huge problem but they do taste different that way. The service was good and the atmosphere pleasant. Certainly locals know about this place as it was quite crowded. A banquet in the middle of the desert! Kudos to Saveur for turning us onto this excellent place.

Let me begin by stating right here that, despite myself, I liked this book, a lot. I’m starting with that because should you read further, I don’t want you to lose the essential fact in my barrage of nitpicking.

This is not a book that I would have sought out, even though it has “INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER” spelled in all caps at the very top. Do you ever judge a book by its cover? I know that everyone says that you shouldn’t but I do anyway.

Badwater Basin in Death Valley Nationl Park: the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level

The cover of this book has a gorgeous smiling blond woman in a red blouse holding a plate of what looks like a piece of lasagna with a colorful side salad. That and the title, “Veganist: Lose Weight, etc, etc.” put me off. I assume that the image is Kathy Freston though cannot seem to find confirmation in the text.

The title sounds too imperialist, take-no-prisoners and self-helpy; plus she’s simply too saccharine perfect. That’s my problem. How could this kind of book have any relevance to my life?

It arrived at our home as a birthday gift to Hegui from our friends Jasmine and Prof. T. It was sort of sitting on the coffee table for a week or two when suddenly I’d finished all the other stuff that I was reading and, feeling bored, I picked it up one evening.

Veganist is all about persuading you to “lean in” to a “plant based” lifestyle. Freston doesn’t intend the title to be brutal or unseemly (Not “chauvinist” or “racist.” Instead think “specialist” or perhaps “enthusiast.”) The book has ten chapters, or “promises,” each one devoted to a different rationale for giving up animal food products. Most we’ve all probably heard of before: health, weight management, and saving money are three. She believes that a plant based diet will promote a longer and better life, lower your carbon footprint, reduce animal suffering, and align your diet with traditional spiritual teachings. She suggests that this diet will take you out of harm’s way (consider all those meat-borne illnesses that pop up periodically in the food supply) and that somehow you will aid the global hungry to eat better by embracing veganism. Finally she asserts that the diet will help you “evolve.”

don't equate veganism with Death Valley, rather think of all the exciting, colorful, and much more varied foods that you can enjoy

In the intro you’re advised to skip around the various sections of the book depending on your interest. I started that way but ended up reading the thing straight through. The work’s filled with many personal anecdotes of the author, stories of how a vegan diet changed many individuals’ lives and interviews with some experts.

Freston seems super into it and though the book is a blatant attempt to convert you, she’s cool about that. She writes at the end of Promise 2 (health), “You may be thinking that a vegan diet may be too challenging, and a more moderate diet change may seem more sensible. I always encourage people to ‘lean in’ to a diet change so that the changes come comfortably and gradually.”

You know, we’ve given up “land animals” several years ago and lately it seems that we’re eating less fish and dairy, at least at home. So I guess that we’ve sort of been leaning in. Nevertheless I wasn’t convinced by her experts simply because she quotes the same few over and over throughout the work. That’s not much of a comprehensive scientific analysis if you ask me. The ten promises range from seemingly reasonable to a bit hokey. Giving up meat will truly help third world starvation? I’m skeptical to say the least. And my diet will help me evolve? Please. I’ll admit that the stuff about animal cruelty, health and carbon footprints compelled me. It wasn’t until I read a testimonial by this one woman that it really hit home and started to make personal sense.

I know that some people find a vegan diet difficult to follow, but I can’t understand how or why. For me, the diet opened me up to a range of foods that I had previously ignored. My old diet was centered on four animals, with everything else only making up “sides,” that now strikes me as narrow and boring. My new vegan diet was exciting, colorful, and much more varied than my previous diet.

Oddly, something like that happened to me, too. When we agreed to become pescatarian a while back, there was a sudden crisis. I had no idea how to cook any more. Sure, I could make pasta or rice-n-beans, but you can’t have that every day. I remember that I became acutely depressed, lost confidence and grew more irritable during our transition. Certainly I fought with Hegui more. But then, a miracle! I learned some new recipes, got my groove back, and unexpectedly my taste expanded rather than contracted. You can really be creative if you’re not tied down by that meat portion as the highlight.

So I don’t know. I liked this book, though it was a bit over-the-top at times. Freston has encouraged me to use more of what I prefer to call ‘fake meats,’ which she seems to adore. Vegan sausage isn’t like “real” sausage but perhaps it does have a place in the kitchen after all. And believe it or not, I’ve been flirting with the idea of becoming… vegetarian after reading her book. That’s something.

Spring is racing by and asparagus are plentiful right now here in sunny Northern California. But it won’t last. This is the time of year when this beautiful vegetable tastes best. It is true that nowadays one can buy any vegetable or fruit basically whenever but the difference is in taste and in the size of the carbon footprint. I am always dubious about veggies that arrive at my table following intercontinental flights. They’re often as flavorful as cardboard. I’m not impressed. We’re better off eating seasonal and local ingredients as much as possible.

roasted asparagus and chickpeas with toasted sesame oil, Meyer lemon and fresh mint

Speaking of local I’m thinking of planting some asparagus in our community garden plot. The reason I didn’t before is that our last plot was a bit too small. Asparagus plants take about two years to produce and you can’t rotate crops in the area where they’re grown. A couple of the other community gardeners have them growing in their plots. It’s cool to watch the spears shooting out from the ground in springtime. Left alone, they grow into big wispy bushes: very interesting and even decorative. If I do it now, maybe in a couple years I can make this salad again with asparagus grown on Potrero Hill, just a few blocks away. Now that’s very local!

This recipe is so good that it can’t wait. I like the combination of legume and vegetable here. The flavors that the Meyer lemon, sesame oil and mint impart to the dish are singular: smoky, herby and slightly tart. You can serve this dish either warm or at room temperature as a main dish with a green salad or as a side dish to go with anything really. I’ve adapted it from asparagus recipes.

key ingredients for roasted asparagus and chickpeas with toasted sesame oil, Meyer lemon and fresh mint

roasted asparagus and chickpeas with toasted sesame oil, Meyer lemon and fresh mint

2 bunches of asparagus, rinsed, dried, each spear cut into 3 pieces
3½ cups prepared chickpeas, drained (canned is okay)
4 tbsp olive oil
¾ tbsp toasted sesame oil
Kosher salt to taste
~ 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Several fresh mint leaves, chopped
Juice of 2 Meyer lemons
Zest of 1 Meyer lemon

Pre-heat the oven to 450F.

Place asparagus, chick peas, sesame and olive oils, salt and black pepper in a bowl and toss to combine. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and toss. Position rack closer to grill, return to oven and continue roasting for an additional 5-8 minutes. This will allow for some of the chickpeas and asparagus pieces to brown. Remove from oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Toss in lemon juice, lemon zest , mint and serve!

This recipe is a slightly modified version of the one on the back of my Trader Joe’s “Southern Green Blend” pre-washed and chopped bag of greens. The greens include mustard, turnip, collards and spinach. Usually I just sauté some garlic in olive oil then cook the greens until they’re just beginning to wilt. That’s tasty (I don’t cook my greens to death. I know that’s a popular way in Southern cuisine but I like a bit of texture in mine.) But I was feeling a little bored so thought I‘d try this instead.

spicy mixed greens in tomato, olive garlic sauce

You’re supposed to use Roma tomatoes and those dull canned black olives as well as Kalamata and the green with pimentos. I didn’t have all that so I did my best. The greens themselves tend to be a bit peppery and bitter. Done this way, the flavors are softened a bit by the sweetness of tomato and the salty tang of olives. The lovely heat comes from the Italian basil, garlic and chile condiment

my used bag of Trader Joe's Southern Greens Blend

spicy mixed greens in tomato, olive, garlic sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
1 heaping teaspoon (or more) Italian basil, garlic and chile condiment
1 bag Southern Greens or make your own mix
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and cut in halves
½ cup green olives with pimentos, sliced
½ small can tomato paste and about twice that much water
Salt and black pepper to taste

Sauté garlic in olive oil with some salt for a minute or so until it begins to cook. Add the Italian basil, garlic and chile condiment and stir. Toss in the olives, tomato paste and water. Simmer for a bit until paste begins to dissolve. Add greens and cook, covered, until the texture is to your liking. Add more salt and pepper as needed.

Italian basil, garlic and chile condiment: it might not look like much, but this is powerfully delicious

This simple and versatile recipe comes from David Rocco’s Made in Italy. Essentially just garlic, salt, various chiles, fresh basil and sun dried tomatoes covered in a bit of olive oil to preserve it, this makes a wonderfully flavorful base for a large variety of food. This is my third time making a large batch. I think of it as my kitchen helper on those tired weekdays when I need to make something with pizzazz but my energy level is less-than-perky.

I use whatever chiles are at hand. Generally I try to remove the ribs and seeds from the larger ones to control the heat. Of course all the stems must go. I don’t bother trying to clean the tiny chiles, which tend to be the hotter kind. This time around I used a lot of those tiny red Thai ones so the condiment turned out especially spicy. A little goes a long way.

Generally I add this to pasta sauces, sautéed veggies or use it with tofu or fried tempeh. Yum!

Italian basil, garlic and chile condiment

3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 poblano chile, stems, ribs and seeds removed
4 jalapeño chiles, stems, ribs and seeds removed
~½ cup Thai chiles, stems removed
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
1 tsp salt
~12 Italian basil leaves
Olive oil to prevent oxidation

Simply place everything but the olive oil in your food processor. Pulse until coarsely ground. Scoop into a cleaned jar. Pack down a bit and cover with olive oil to prevent oxidation. Seal with lid and keep refrigerated. I’ve no idea how long this can last but have happily used mine over a few weeks. I merely top it up with olive oil each time.