Inside my head

OLS 20070708 (1)
Originally uploaded by bibliotecaria2

This time I was trying to use things up because I’m about to go on a business trip, so I wasn’t able to use wholly local ingredients, but all things considered, I think I did pretty well.

I took the tomato and tomatillo from the CSA, garlic and onion from the farmer’s market, then added in mushrooms from the grocery store (I believe they were from a neighboring state, so at least partially local, and sauteed them in the skillet where I had cooked the beef (very local! bought at the farmer’s market). The couscous is the main thing for which I don’t have any idea of a source.

Using the beef drippings really added to the flavor, so I used minimal salt and oil. It turned out well and fed me for at least four meals. I was rather pleased with it.

OLS 20070701
Originally uploaded by bibliotecaria2

I was beginning to wonder if I would have a recipe to offer; I had been eating the same stuff as last week, but that was at least partly being lazy.

However, this evening I was inspired: I picked up fresh-picked basil and parsley, and tomatillos at my CSA subscription. The tomato was the second half of what I had eaten for my breakfast. And I had yummy thoughts of a really fresh, very lightly cooked pasta. So I chopped up the basil, parsley, tomatillos, and tomato, then shoved them in the oven to warm up in some olive oil; meanwhile I cooked the pasta. Once that came out, I took out the lightly warmed ingredients, then added a bit more olive oil, salt, and parmesan. It tasted lovely, fresh and powerful herbs balanced against the background of the pasta, with a bit of salt and parmesan to enhance those flavors.