perhaps one of these days i shall be one of those terribly professional bloggy people who think ahead, plan accordingly, and post about holidays, events and occasions actually before they occur. (i think of those awfully well-kept people sometimes, with their perfectly-styled hair, their monogrammed hankies, and their groupon deals that they never allow to expire unused. i wave at them as they sit inside hipster coffee houses, sipping macchiatos as they type. i, meanwhile, am trying to scrape my suddenly boneless, tantruming 2 year-old off the floor, and that's when i realise that thanksgiving was 3 months ago, so maybe it’s time i write about stuffing and buttery mashed potatoes.) but until that day, my sweet four readers, let us say Happy-Two-Days-After-Valentine’s-Day and let’s talk about love.
there are a few different ways i generally show people my love for them. one is perhaps after a titch too much wine, and it involves draping of body parts, lots of hugging, and earnest (if sloppy) declarations of heartfelt affection and general adoration. yes, there is that. but the other way i show people that i care is by cooking for them. there is something primal perhaps in the giving of sustenance, of providing for the ones you love, but it’s also more than that. it’s saying, “hey, you in the corner? see THIS? i did it for you. because i love you.” what better thing than a plate full of love to say those three little words? (and i don’t mean “are you hungry.”)
love is THE most important thing in this world. hands (and spatulas) down. love is kind. love is blind. (i promise this shan’t all rhyme like seuss. though he would no doubt approve of this message.) love is, as far as i’m concerned, the single reason that we are all here on this strange little rock. (well, love and wine and salted caramels and pop music and pickles and salsa-dancing at midnight, perhaps.)
nineteen valentine’s days ago i stood in my high school library, with shaking hands and a pounding heart, reading to a sizable crowd e e cummings’ “i carry your heart with me.” part of the reason i was nervous was the fact that i was never terribly good at public speaking. (and by “never terribly good” i pretty much mean hindenburg bad. the humanity!) but another part of the reason for my shaky hands and pounding heart was the enormous crush i had on the boy who was standing next to me at the time. this year, and nineteen valentine’s days later, to thank said boy for putting up with my occasionally moody, sometimes irrational, and always stubborn ways (yes, dear, i admit it. just this once. don’t get used to it), i decided to surprise him with a recreation of one of his favourite dishes from his favourite restaurant. he is apparently not alone in this food-crush, as bon appetit named joule’s beef tartare their dish of the year, and for good reason. it takes the french classic, adds some texture and a punch of spice, and gives it a korean kick in the (pine) nuts. okay, yes, it was hours of prep and faffing to serve something not actually, in fact, cooked. but it was bloody delicious, it was special, it put a smile on my boy-crush’s face, and it was a labour of love. and love, as they say, is, in fact, all you need.
(well, love and…)
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there are a few different ways i generally show people my love for them. one is perhaps after a titch too much wine, and it involves draping of body parts, lots of hugging, and earnest (if sloppy) declarations of heartfelt affection and general adoration. yes, there is that. but the other way i show people that i care is by cooking for them. there is something primal perhaps in the giving of sustenance, of providing for the ones you love, but it’s also more than that. it’s saying, “hey, you in the corner? see THIS? i did it for you. because i love you.” what better thing than a plate full of love to say those three little words? (and i don’t mean “are you hungry.”)
love is THE most important thing in this world. hands (and spatulas) down. love is kind. love is blind. (i promise this shan’t all rhyme like seuss. though he would no doubt approve of this message.) love is, as far as i’m concerned, the single reason that we are all here on this strange little rock. (well, love and wine and salted caramels and pop music and pickles and salsa-dancing at midnight, perhaps.)
nineteen valentine’s days ago i stood in my high school library, with shaking hands and a pounding heart, reading to a sizable crowd e e cummings’ “i carry your heart with me.” part of the reason i was nervous was the fact that i was never terribly good at public speaking. (and by “never terribly good” i pretty much mean hindenburg bad. the humanity!) but another part of the reason for my shaky hands and pounding heart was the enormous crush i had on the boy who was standing next to me at the time. this year, and nineteen valentine’s days later, to thank said boy for putting up with my occasionally moody, sometimes irrational, and always stubborn ways (yes, dear, i admit it. just this once. don’t get used to it), i decided to surprise him with a recreation of one of his favourite dishes from his favourite restaurant. he is apparently not alone in this food-crush, as bon appetit named joule’s beef tartare their dish of the year, and for good reason. it takes the french classic, adds some texture and a punch of spice, and gives it a korean kick in the (pine) nuts. okay, yes, it was hours of prep and faffing to serve something not actually, in fact, cooked. but it was bloody delicious, it was special, it put a smile on my boy-crush’s face, and it was a labour of love. and love, as they say, is, in fact, all you need.
(well, love and…)
joule’s beef tartare (adapted from joule, one of seattle’s most excellent restaurants)
PICKLED ASIAN PEAR
1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 asian pear, unpeeled, cut into ¼” cubes
bring vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, and ½ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mustard seeds are soft, 25–35 minutes. Let cool, then mix pear into vinegar/mustard seed mixture. let sit at least 30 minutes, but can be made a day ahead.
SOY DRESSING
1 garlic clove, finely grated
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. mustard powder
1 tsp. grated peeled ginger
1 tsp. gochugaru (coarse korean red pepper powder) or ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
whisk garlic, soy sauce, sugar, mustard powder, ginger, and gochugaru in a large bowl. cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
SPICY AIOLI
2 large egg yolks
2 tsp. (or more) unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp. gochugaru
½ tsp. mustard powder
kosher salt (because if it’s not kosher salt, it’s just not kosher)
⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. mentaiko (marinated cod or pollock roe; optional)
whisk egg yolks, vinegar, gochugaru, mustard powder, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil until aioli is thickened and emulsified. gently mix in roe, if using (i didn’t. as i’m a pansy and fish eggs scare me). season with salt and more vinegar, if desired. cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
WATERCRESS SALAD AND ASSEMBLY
⅓ cup pine nuts
1lb. beef, as fresh as your butcher can give you. i used filet mignon.
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 bunch watercress, tough stems trimmed
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown.
trim all connective tissue from beef and discard; cut meat into ¼" cubes. place meat in a medium bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface of meat; chill until ready to serve (can be done a couple of hours ahead, but not more.)
just before serving, combine beef, pine nuts, scallions, and soy dressing in a clean bowl. drain pickled asian pear and gently mix into tartare. toss watercress with oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper.
spread some spicy aioli on each plate. top with tartare and watercress salad.
serve with bubbly and effusive declarations of adoration.
love.
