Kim O'Donnel (Craig Cola washingtonpost.com)

• What's Cooking Archive • What's Cooking Videos • An Italian Journal • E-mail Kim O'Donnel • Talk: What's Cooking Message Boards • Live Online Transcripts • Post Food Section • Subscribe to washingtonpost.com e-mail newsletters

What's Cooking
Hosted by Kim O'Donnel
washingtonpost.com Staff
Tuesday, July 2, 2002; Noon EDT

Calling all foodies! Join us Tuesdays at noon for What's Cooking, our live online culinary hour with Kim O'Donnel.

A graduate of Peter Kump's New York Cooking School, Kim spends much of her time in front of the stove or with her nose in a cookbook.

If you couldn't make the live event, you can always send Kim O'Donnel an e-mail or drop in on the What's Cooking message boards.

Check out the latest of Kim's videos -- a spring produce tour of Freshfarm Market at Dupont Circle and a cooking demo of blueberry pie.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Kim O'Donnel: Helloooooo! Hope all is well with you. Anybody have a towel handy to wipe my brow? Bear with me for a moment; my computer has not been cooperating since I walked in this morning. Ergo, I'm a little disheveled. Okay. So many things. Are you all geared up for red, white and blue this week? Tell me everything.

Washington, D.C.: Kim,
Word is the Iron Chef will be in D.C. tomorrow filming a show. Do you have a scoop on what's going on? Thanks, enjoy a long weekend.

washingtonpost.com: "IRON CHEFS" VISIT -- Wednesday at noon and 5:30 p.m., Sakai and Chin of the "Iron Chef" TV show compete with two local chefs. Woodrow Wilson Plaza, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202/312-1300.

Kim O'Donnel: I just hung up with the PR folks handling the event, and aside from what Meredith has provided, the local chef competing at noon is from jordan's, and those at 5:30 are Todd Gray of Equinox, and Xavier from Ronald Reagan building. It's a free event, by the way. No tix required. Just go, sweat and watch the cleavers.

Daddy's girl: Kim, HELP! Daddy wants a Strawberry Rubarb pie for the fourth and I can't find rubarb? I live in Fairfax -- am I too late?

Kim O'Donnel: First, it's Rhubarb with an "RH." But more importantly, I've seen rhube around of late. Let's see, I was just at Han Ah Reum in Merrifield, and they had some. That shouldn't be too far from you, no?

Arlington, Va.: Hi Kim,

My friend is a wonderful cook, and I would love to get him a "very good knife" for his birthday. What kind/type/price would you recommend? Thanks so much for any ideas.

Kim O'Donnel: Here's what I'd do: since it's so important to try on a new knife, either give your pal a gift certificate for $100 (that will cover it) to buy a knife or go with him to make the purchase. Don't go and buy it without his trying it on. Very important! He may like an 8-inch, he may like a 10-inch. He may like Henckels, or he may like Global. See what I mean?

Alexandria, Va.: I am planning to grill lamb chops on Thursday. Do you have any ideas for a rub or a marinade? I've got plenty of fresh sage, rosemary and chives. Please, please -- something other than the mint jelly that someone suggested to me! Many thanks.

Kim O'Donnel: Meredith is going to supply link to recent lamb chop video, but here's what a group of friends and I did not too long ago: We salted and peppered and olive oiled...that's it. Then I whipped up a green sauce (video on that in a few weeks, by the way!) with fresh mint, cilantro, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Puree. It was AMAZING against those chops. So fresh on the tongue, so bright in the mouth, and you could appreciate the minty thing without the Jelly. I hear ya.

Rambutan Girl: Hey Kim!

I just got back from Thailand, and just had to report on my food experiences! The markets were incredible and just the beauty of the simple fruit displays blew me away. I was able to take a cooking course in Chiang Mai, which was superb, and we were taught a large variety of dishes (including my favorite-green papaya salad!), and they were totally accomdating of vegetarians.
AND, I was brave enough to try durian! The cooking school was able to get a high quality durian, so the smell was less pungent than most. The texture was like an avocado, though slightly stringier. It had a very rich, buttery taste. Though not my favorite south asian fruit, it was definitely worth the experience!

Kim O'Donnel: Well, you've beaten me to durian. Always been curious. So glad you had interesting and varied culinary adventures during your travels. You're my kind of traveler.

washingtonpost.com: What's Cooking Video: Lamb Chops

Boston, Mass.: Kim,
Please help me get my fresh basil fix! You see, I use so much of the fantastic stuff that I decided to try growing it myself. Unfortunately, I am a city dweller so my gardening is limited to containers inside the apartment. Whether I buy already potted basil plants, or try growing them myself from seeds, they seem to thrive for about a week and then die a horrble death - leaves shriveling, plant yellowing and drooping. I have tried varying degrees of light and water. Please clue me in on ideal basil growing conditions. Also, what does "pinch back to prevent flowering" mean?

Kim O'Donnel: I am going to let the chowhounds run the show on this one, Boston. But I will add that when I buy basil at farm market now, I'll put in a vase with water and set it on dining table and use as needed. It looks pretty, it smells nice and the basil doesn't die.

Boston, Mass.: Hey Kim -- HELP! I need a quick (and healthy) dinner for tonight. I've got some greek-ish type ingredients but not sure what to do with them: pita, feta, cucs, yogurt, a vidalia, a green pepper. Also some radishes, arugula, and flat parsley.

A sandwich? A salad? What are your thoughts? You're always great at this. Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: Ooh, I see a salad coming. Crisp up those pitas under the broiler so you have pita crisps, which you can crunch into your salad or use as a scooper upper. I'd throw everything together until it tastes right by you, and maybe add some olive oil, some lemon. You'll be smiling in no time.

Arlington, Va.: I know not to use the green part (sprout) from the inside of garlic if it has sprouted, but has the sprout changed the flavor of the entire garlic clove or is it only the sprout which should not be used?

Kim O'Donnel: I have found that if I remove the green sprout, it does help re: the indigestion element...as for taste of entire clove, I've never really noticed a difference...

Basilgirl: Hi Kim. I just bought a big fat bunch of basil that I want to use in a dish, but I'd like to freeze the rest. Can I just slip it in a ziploc bag and freeze? How long can it be frozen? Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: My understanding is that you'll have more success if you blanch your basil and then make basil ice cubes in a tray. THEN, put in ziploc-ish bags.

Kale Question: Tried to saute Kale as you suggested, turned out really tough. I remember my mother slow cooking it in liquid, can you really saute the stuff?

Kim O'Donnel: I should clarify. The only stuff I've been able to saute is that I picked up at the farm market. Any time I've bought at supermarket I've always had to braise in seasoned liquid. The baby kale I bought this season was tender enough to eat raw, actually. For now, as kale meanders out of season, you'll have to cook slow.

Washington, D.C.: Kim -- I recently invited some friends over for a dinner I'll prepare, and while I am fine with cooking one dish, preparing a three or four course meal for eight people is very daunting. Do you have any suggestions or tips? I'm worried that my entree will be ready before my appetizer, etc.

Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: I'm in middle of helping out a friend who's entertaining 20 on the Fourth, and he's in a bit of a tizz at the moment. You know, the 730am phone call to discuss his "issues" with the bread salad. No matter. The key, my dear, is to stay CALM. Really and truly. It helps enormously. Choose simple dishes. You can make a few things ahead of time, including app., dessert, even a side dish. Don't make your main entree too elaborate. What are you thinking for a menu, by the way?

Knife Gift: My aunt tells me the Chinese characters for knife and death are similar. When you give a knife as a gift the recipient is supposed to make a token "pay" for the knife so that it doesn't seem like you are wishing death on someone. Either that or my aunt is trying to scam some money out of her family.

Kim O'Donnel: Well, that's very interesting. I have a Chinese Kitchen God in my kitchen, and I take it fairly seriously, especially since it's been so good to me of late. Hmm. Well, it all depends on the individual situation, I suppose. I actually have a good friend in mind for whom I'll be buying a knife in near future, and in no way will she or I associate the gift with death.

Fairfax, Va.: I just purchased a new oven and roasted a couple chicken breasts for dinner the other night. I cooked them as I have in the past, at 500 degrees for 20 minutes (to brown and seal in juices), then at 350 for 30 minutes. When I cut into the breast, the center was fully cooked, but the outside was pinkish. Is it possible that my new oven runs hotter than the previous one and possibly "sunburned" the outside of the chicken?

Kim O'Donnel: Yes. You'll probably need to keep an eye on the calibration.

Organic Girl: Regarding basil -- the problem may be that it's growing inside. Basil needs some sun! It does well in full and partial sun, and indoor lighting doesn't provide what basil needs. Additionally, make sure the pot the basil is in has good drainage. If it's plastic, the soil won't be able to drain excess water, and you'll start getting root-rot. That's why clay pots work so well; they breathe.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for your organic inteliigence, dear.

Washington, D.C.: I made rhubarb iced tea on Saturday. It smelled great but I have been apprehensive to taste it. I was feeling adventurous when I made it, but when it comes to tasting. Any suggestions how to get past this? Also how long do you think it will stay good? Just rhubarb, waster and sugar in the refrigerator. Thanks. Also, Fresh Fields has rhubarb.

Kim O'Donnel: Okay, let me get this straight. YOu were adventurous enough to whip up something very interesting and YET you still haven't tasted it? C'mon, my dear. Life is too short to let rhubarb iced tea pass you by! Time's a' wastin'! Do it for me. I'm dying to know how it will taste.

Washington, D.C.: Kim,

I've been hearing a lot about granita lately, and would like to try my hand at making it. But I've heard a few different recipes--some use a sugar syrup (equal parts sugar and water), while some use just sugar (e.g., 1/3 c). Any suggestions? I was thinking watermelon granita would be yummy for the 4th.

Kim O'Donnel: Gosh, I've been looking at tons of granita recipes and of course, I can not find ANY of them when I need them. I'll be sure to poke around my desk today. Send me an email.

Basil Help: I've found that I can't give my basil too much sun so make sure it's as sun-enriched as possible. Planting it in a deep, rather than shallow, pot helps too. As far as seeds vs. seedlings, I'd vote seedlings as they are cheap enough and you get quicker results. Finally, pinching back means that when they start flowering, pick off the buds and any flowers that have grown. This will entice the plant to grow. You can also pinch off the tops of the plant as it's growing to create a bushy (rather than tall and skilly) plant. Good luck!

Kim O'Donnel: More good basily tips...thanks.

Alexandria, Va.: Hey Kim! I whipped up some gazpacho last week based on your recommendations and loved it! Used tomatoes, cukes, red pepper, carrot, celery, garlic, red pepper flakes, tabasco, and green onion; left some cuke and celery chopped up and tossed in at the end to keep the soup chunky. Yum! Thanks for the inspiration!

Now to my question: I am trying to eat more fish and love tilapia. Any recommendations for preparing it? Does it like the oven more than, say, the skillet? I am not into fruit salsas but am open to anything besides that.

Kim O'Donnel: Splendid. Glad you got into the groove. I've been craving gazpacho ever since we talked about it and have only slurped on it once this week. Tilapia. I'm not a big fan. It lacks, well, flavor. Which could be a good thing, of course. I'm thinking that green sauce I was just salivating over. Cilantro, mint, lemon zest and juice, garlic, parsley, olive oil, salt into food processor/blender. Puree. Serve with fish. You could also zip it up with chiles.

Dupont, Washignton, D.C.: Re: growing basil. Basil needs a lot of direct sunlight, so put it in the sunniest window you have. Basil likes to eat, so water once a week with Miracle Grow, or some other plant food. Otherwise, being in a pot, there are no nutrients for the plants. Pinch it back when you see flower-like buds appearing. If allowed to flower, the basil leaves become tough and bitter. If all this fails, hit the farmers market and buy in quantity -- it keeps well if you follow Kim's directions.

Kim O'Donnel: And yet more grand tips on keeping and growing basil...

Los Angeles, Calif.: My co-worker literally plopped a massive zuchini on my desk just moments ago from her garden. How should I cook it tonight?

Kim O'Donnel: Well, blow me down...a gargantuan zucchini all the way from LA. First thing that comes to mind is to make a zucchini "boat" by slicing in half length wise and scooping out some of the flesh to make room for your filling. Mix a combo of fresh tomatoes, garlic, scallions if you like, lemon zest, your favorite fresh herbs, some bread crumbs even...and season...Then fill the lining of your zuke and put in an oven, about 350. YOu can cover with foil. Zuke is done when tender with a fork. Enjoy!

Re: knife gifts: Jewish tradition also calls for the 'purcahsing' of the gift!

Kim O'Donnel: You mean, without recipient on site at the store? Such a complicated situation, my friends.

Sticks: Hiya Kim, happy Almost 4th of July. Do you or any of the chowhounds know of a red, white and blue drink? Thinking something with blue Curacao, but I can't come up with anything (I'm a wine gal).

Kim O'Donnel: Blueberry/raspberry rummy something? Like a colada? OOh...you could add coconut to that on top...nice. Anytime I've worked with blue curacao it's always turned everything looking like Windex. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

On giving knives: Don't do it, very bad, tabu, no no no.

(Supposedly, giving a knife severs the relationship.) I guess a gift certificate that just happened to be used to purchase a knife would be okay.

Kim O'Donnel: Wow. This is fascinating. I am going to have to explore the karma of knife giving. Hmm.

Refrigerator roulette: I'm out of ideas for dinner tonight. Anyone feel like pitching in to suggest dinner for two?

Available ingredients (we don't have to use everything):
2 chicken breast halves
1 white eggplant
really good ripe tomatoes
small yellow squash
leftover onion
carrots
baby red potatoes
chicken and beef stock
just about any spices needed

Suggestions welcome!

Kim O'Donnel: Potoates get boiled (in salted water, of course), and you mix them with the tomatoes, the onion and some olive oil, salt. Done. You could forego the chix tonite and just run with the squash, cook with eggplant and well, add those tomatoes and make a kind of ratatouille....I like that idea even better...do you have some garlic?

Re: Knives and Death: Whenever you give a knife as a gift, the recipient should always give a penny (or some change) back to the giver. It's superstitious but relieves both parties of any ill-will!

Kim O'Donnel: And even more tidbits on knife giving...I learn something every week with you characters...

Basic granita recipe: Epicurious.com has a ton of granita recipes that I've been doctoring. (I've also been obsessing about this to some of my friends, so I'm wondering if I know the original poster). Here's one for lemon granita. In my experimenting, I've found the recipes to be very revision-friendly. Make the syrup, combine flavors that you like, stir regularly, and you should be home free.

2 to 3 large lemons
1 cup filtered or bottled still water (not distilled)
1/3 cup superfine granulated sugar

With a vegetable peeler remove zest in long pieces from 2 lemons. Squeeze 1/2 cup juice from lemons.

In a small heavy saucepan heat water and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in zest and transfer syrup to a bowl to cool. Chill syrup, covered, until cold. Discard zest and stir in lemon juice.

For eastern-Sicilian granita:
Freeze lemon mixture in an ice-cream maker until spoonable but not crumbly and serve immediately.

For western-Sicilian granita:
Freeze lemon mixture in a metal bowl, stirring every 30 minutes to remove ice crystals from side of bowl, until liquid has become granular but is still slightly slushy, about 3 to 4 hours. Serve granita immediately.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks, and I'll be sure to do my own homework as well. Cheers.

Basil: Basil also likes HEAT. I can't imagine it's hot enough in an air-conditioned apartment. Put it far away from the AC and in a sunny spot?

Kim O'Donnel: Aha! Thanks.

Granita Recipe: This to me is more of a granita than sorbet.

Basil-Lime Sorbet by Jamie Oliver

1 wineglass water (about 5 ounces)
1 wineglass sugar (equal in weight to the water)
5 to 6 limes, zested
1 glass lime juice
1 very large bunch basil, pounded to a puree
Place the water and sugar in a pan, bring to a boil, and simmer for 4 minutes with the lime zest. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for a while. Add the lime juice and basil puree. Stir this up and leave to infuse for a while. Pass it through a coarse sieve and pour into a plastic tub or earthenware dish and place in the freezer. Generally, sorbet takes 2 hours to set. Try to stir it around every 30 minutes, if you remember. Serve it in a glass on its own.

Kim O'Donnel: And more good lovin on the granita front...

Gaithersburg, Md.: Last week's chat had lots of questions about gazpacho. The Moosewood Cookbook has a great recipe (I made two fabulous batches last week). For those who were wondering about proportions, she starts with 32 oz tomato juice, 2 cups chopped tomato, 1 diced cucumber. She also adds lemon, lime, red wine vinegar, AND honey, as well as the requisite Tabasco. Really zesty.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks, and thanks, Gaithersburg.

Arlington, Va.: Feeling a little nostalgic and would like to prepare deviled eggs for a neighborhood 4th party. Unfortunately, my mother-in-law, who made the BEST deviled eggs, suffers from alzheimer's and her recipe has been lost forever. Know any good recipe?

Kim O'Donnel: I am not a deviled egg gal. The things make me gag. That said, I know the Food section recently did a little number that included recipes by Patrick O'Connell...but let's take deviled eggers...who's got one?

Mid-west bound: Hi Kim, I'm going to be spending the remainder of the week in a house on a lake in northern Michigan with my parents. I was hoping that you could suggest a few creative yummy recipes that we could all enjoy. They like to try new things, but aren't terrible adventurous. I was even thinking of baking a strawberry rhubarb pie. Also, any breakfast stuff would be great. Also, we have a grill. Thanks so much for your help. Have a great holiday.

Kim O'Donnel: I would explore the local bounty up there...I think you can find huckleberries or lingonberries or something fabulous that way...a farm market would be my first stop before setting up camp. Let's see...I bet we can find a farm market for you. Give me the name of the town.

Mt. Pleasant: With corn back in season, I tried to hunt down the recipe for corn fritters I clipped from the Post last summer. Alas, no luck.

In return for your help, I offer the following tip for my favorite simple dessert. 1 fresh organic peach, 1 chunk farmhouse or other sharp, old cheddar, 1 glass chilled sauternes, beames de venice or other white dessert wine. Take a bite of the peach, take a nibble at the cheese, take a sip of the wine and think how great July can be.

Kim O'Donnel: I will have to look around for you, Mt. P. Let me see what I can find. You'll have to wait a week or so, tho.

Indiana: Freezing basil: I've had good luck with this method: Wash and dry basil leaves with paper towel. Lay out a long piece of plastic wrap. Arrange the leaves in a single layer. Starting at one end of the plastic wrap, roll up tightly. You now have a jellyroll kind of thing of plastic and basil. Put the whole roll into a plastic freezer bag, press the air out of the bag and freeze. (If you have lots, use multiple rolls, not a giant roll.) When you need basil, unroll what you need. You can "chop" the basil by crumbling the frozen leaves as they come out of the plastic. This lasted for absolute months for me.

Kim O'Donnel: The tips are coming out of the woodwork...many thanks, Indiana.

For the Tilapia lover: Tilapia is a fool-proof fish, it grills really well and I can usually find it at the local Giant. It also seems to weather the whole supermarket fish thing pretty well, this past weekend nothing looked fresher than the Tilapia. I took it home and hit it with olive oil, cumin, pepper and some garam masala (Indian spice with cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, etc.) It was truly devine. By the way, truly devine= you swoon the next day when you open the dishwasher, and the smell from the dinner plates from the night before wafts up into your nostrils. THAT's truly devine.

Kim O'Donnel: Glad you wrote in with a first-hand tilapia report. By the way, in next few weeks, I'll be doing a special on sustainable seafood. Stay tuned for details.

Simple Devilled Eggs: Take the pre-boiled yolks from the eggs, add a little mayo, a little worchestershire (sp?), salt, pepper, and a little mustard, refill eggs (pastry bag or spoon) then sprinkle with paprika- my family -begs- for these at gatherings.

Kim O'Donnel: I knew the devillers would start rolling in...

Arlington, Va.: Inspired by this chat, I made gazpacho for the first time last week and it was wonderful! The only problem was the horrible effect the onions and garlic had on my breath. Any ideas to solve this problem or will this meal be limited to nights when I'm all alone?! Thanks.

Kim O'Donnel: We've had this question posed before, and perhaps you could herb it up a bit...esp. the parsley, which is great for breath and digestion...ease up on your onions if they make u uncomfortable. The recipe is a guideline, don't forget that.

Washington, D.C.: Hi Kim!

I need some more of your wonderful food wisdom! I'm headed to a 4th of July BBQ (of course) and I want to knock everyone's socks off with a really wonderful, light dessert. I'm still a bit of a novice but I'm willing to try anything. Thanks for encouraging all of your readers to try new frontiers in cooking.

Thank you!

Kim O'Donnel: How does the granita sound? Or is that not portable friendly? If not, go with fruit, esp. berries. Did you look at blueberry pie video and recipe I pulled together a few weeks ago? That's what I'm whipping up for the 4th.

Washington, D.C.: Hello, I have a basic tofu question. I bought some on monday and put the unused portion in water. I forgot to change the water yesterday, can I still cook it today, or is it bad? I want to do something to make it firm and crispy. Thanks for helping a novice. Oh and re basil, I have some in a window box and it's doing well, I take off the leaves as needed and otherwise leave it alone.

Kim O'Donnel: It will be fine. Have been in your tofu shoes before. Just make sure you deal with the water tonight, as it can get stanky.

Red, White & Blue drinks: Former barmaid wanting to give an assist to Sticks -- if you mix blue Curacao with a red liqueur, you'll get a purple drink. This can be a great thing, but isn't all that patriotic. I'd suggest having a red drink (mmm... Cape Cod), a white drink (pina colada?) & a blue drink (I like something called a Blue Sky, made with grapefruit juice, a shot of vodka, & enough blue Curacao to turn it the color of Windex; you could also do Electric Lemonades) for your guests to choose from.

Kim O'Donnel: Fabulous! I love it.

Silver Spring, Md.: Any suggestions for a yummy, yet simple picnic for the 4th? I have two adventurous friends coming in town and one fincky husband.

Kim O'Donnel: Tandoori chicken. It's a winner. It's simple, it can be marinated up to 36 hours in advance, and it will delight the adventurers as well as the finicky boy/husband. Send email for details.

Knife giving: Whatever! My grandma gave me a beautiful Cutco knife set for my wedding and it certainly didn't sever the relationship! If the person wants to give a knife, let them -- a good knife is a good thing! I agree, just take the recipient to Williams-Sonoma and let them play and then just purchase their favorite for them. What a good friend.

Kim O'Donnel: Another perspective on this very cutting edge issue...ha!

Garlic breath: In small towns on the Mediterranean -- I've seen this in Italy, Greece, and Lebanon -- one crunches on a whole roasted coffee bean. Not only does it cleanse your breath, but it also takes the smell from your fingers.

Kim O'Donnel: Lovely. I like it. Thanks for the tidbit.

Sticks: Lemon-stuffed Eggs (Uova Farcite al Lomone)

12 hard-cooked eggs, peeled ...
Zest of 2 lemons
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Dash of of cayenne pepper
sweet paprika for garnish
capers for garnish

Cut eggs lengthwise into halves. Lift out the yolks, and mash them with a fork until smooth. Blend in lemon rind, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and Tabasco. Fill eggs with the mixture ... -Jack sprinkled the paprika on the eggs at this point] ... and top each with 3 capers. Cover with a plate and chill before serving.

Kim O'Donnel: Ah, yes, more devilish eggers out there...

Woodbridge, Va.: Hi Kim, how long should you cook skinless, boneless chicken breasts to ensure they are thoroughly cooked through, yet retain its tenderness and juiciness?

Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: If you're feeling tentative, please go out and buy an instant read thermometer. Please. You want your chix at 160, 165. This is not only safe but still far away from fossilville.

Alexandria, Va.: I bought fresh mozerella. I haven't opened it yet, but the mozerella is contained
in water, when I open the cheese, how do I store the leftovers? Do I
need to store it in water or just wrap it in plastic wrap? Thanks.

Kim O'Donnel: Keep in water.

Re: giving knives: I gave my boyfriend a set of kitchen knives one week before I decided to break up with him. Did giving the knives led to the break up, or did I know I was going to break up with him and pick the knives subconsciously?

Kim O'Donnel: Where's Hax when I need her? Where's my voodoo guru? Where the hell is my crystal ball?

Stuffed mushrooms: Someone asked last week about meat-free stuffed mushrooms. If you eat eggs and cheese, you can stuff the 'shrooms with a mixture of the stems (chopped fine), bread crumbs, grated cheese (I use pecorino romano), an egg or two to bind, and seasonings (onions, garlic, herbs). It makes stuffing of a delicate consistency but lots of flavor. If no animal products, you might be able to substitute more easily for egg & cheese than for sausage.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for following up with some mushroom love...

Silver Spring, Md.: Roasting corn was already mentioned in a previous discussion, I think, but I can't find it. So, if I want to roast corn in my oven, how high should the temperature be and what do I do to prevent fire? Something removing most of the outer layers and soaking the ears first?

Kim O'Donnel: Yes. Yes. You got it. Oven about 450.

Not Deviled EGGS!!!!!!: NO Kim! Run, run as fast as you can. You know that whole deviled egg thing is truly revolting and should not be spoken of. If some well-meaning soul brings those vile things to my 4th of July shindig, I'll pay them(like the knife givers)cold hard cash to take them far, far away......eewwuuughh!!!

(glad to get that out of my system)

Kim O'Donnel: A chowhound after my own heart. I was recently in New York at a great restaurant where the food is very picnic-like, and the waiter handed my friend a plate of deviled eggs while they were talking. Friend tries to pass the plate to me. I don't accept the plate. The conversation continues with his reaching out the plate in my direction. When waiter leaves, he puts them in my face practically, and I say, "can't do it. Stuff makes me gag. He said, me too. What do we do now? These were a gift from the kitchen."

Roulette redux: Thanks for the suggestion! We do ratatouille a little too often (hence my feelings of being stuck when confronted with an eggplant), so I think I'll take your first suggestion and maybe grill eggplant to go with it.

Hmm. How do you think grilled eggplant would deal with salsa verde?

Kim O'Donnel: It will be lovely, roulette. Let me know how it all works out.

Kampachi: This is my family recipe for Korean bbq tweaked for easy shopping at Safeway.

Bulgoigi (Korean BBQ beef)

Serves 4 to 6

2 lbs of lean beef (tenderloin roast, eye round, sirloin, or beef tips for stir fry) sliced in 1/8 inch thin slices that are bite-sized
Marinade:
3 tbs soy sauce
¼ cup of rice wine or vermouth
4 tbs Asian pear peeled and grated or freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 scallions minced
6 cloves of garlic crushed and finely chopped
2 tbs of corn syrup or brown sugar
1 5bs of sugar
1 tbs of sesame oil
½ tbs of freshly ground black pepper

cabbage hearts or lettuce leaves

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and add the beef. Massage the marinade into the meat and TLC. Wrap the bowl tightly with and marinate in the fridge for an hour.

You can grill the meat (yum!) but you should make sure the fire is pretty hot and grill until caramel brown (5 to 6 minutes). You should work in batches.

You can use the broiler and it takes about 2 minutes. Line the broiler with foil, brush w/ vegetable oil, and keep a close eye on them.

The easiest is to pan-grill in a non-stick or cast iron skillet. Heat some vegetable oil over medium high heat until it just starts to smoke. Add the beef in batches and keep flattening with a spatula to prevent curling. About 2 minutes per side. Turn only once. Save the juices to spoon over the beef before serving.

Serve with rice and lettuce leaves (romaine works well) or cabbage hearts. You can also experiment with any variety of greens for fun. This recipe freezes well. Great for quick week night dinners.

Kim O'Donnel: Ooh, sounds grand! Thanks, kampachi!

RW&B Drink: It's liquor and a bit strong (not a froofroo frozen drink), but you may want to mix vodka and blue curacao and float a little grenadine into it. The red and blue is beautiful, and it tastes sublime.

(Unfortunately, the drink is called "The Titanic", but perhaps we can rename it the Patriot or something for the occasion.)

Kim O'Donnel: Another juicy tidbit...thanks!

Dupont, Washington, D.C. : I have a gorgeous bunch of Lemon Basil I found at the Dupont farmers market this weekend. Any ideas how to use it best (it worked well with blueberries and honey)? It is amazing, my two favorite flavors in one leaf.

Kim O'Donnel: Oh gosh, lemon basil will be great with asian noodles. Ooh, that would have been wonderful last night. Bet it would make a delightful green sauce as well...

Forest Hill, Md.: Did a chicken salad with mango chutney and walnuts. It did call for mayo (which I happen to like) and cilantro (which I discovered I hate). What would you use to make it salad-y instead of mayo and what would you sub for cilantro? No peppers either, please.

Kim O'Donnel: Well, you could play with plain yogurt...and if you hate cilantro, don't fret. Try flat leaf parsley instead. Curry would be delightful for seasoning.

Montgomery Village, Md.: You are always so helpful Kim! I am making a wedding cake for the first time for my brother. Where can I find edible flowers? Where can I rent tiered cake stands? Can I make the cakes in advance (3-4 days) and freeze or refrigerate? Any tips? and finally any way to make an icing that is chocolate and white (but not white chocolate). I have tried using chocolate extract but don't know how much to use. Please help me!

Kim O'Donnel: Yowza, we don't have enough time to deal with this mama of a question. What a lovely sis you are, Montgomery. Can we get back to this one next week? On that note, it's time to sign off and say, hey, have a swell time this weekend. Be safe. Be merry. Be blueberry. One love.

   |      |