Huzzah for simplicity sake

We are continually surrounded by the frightening complicated. In cooking, in cleaning, in every aspect of life, the formerly too complicated is now accessible to every man. If I perused the interwebs it would not take me long to find out how to make a flambé and install a bathroom fixture. Formerly, baking flambés and installing bathroom fixtures were dichotomous skills. Perhaps a very select few could do both in a lifetime, but now nearly anyone can do both in the same day. A high school graduate who has not done calculus and written some computer programs is now a slacker. Anyone who enjoys life is not "making the most out of it." Craziness.
So, with that in mind, I will retreat into the simple and delicious.

One of my favorite recipes is this Sicilian Spinach Dish. Grab a frying pan and put some oil in it. Chop up some Garlic and put some raisins in warm water. Then take spinach, preferably a lot because it cooks down small, and wash it. Give it a little shake to get some of the water off... But just a little shake because you actually want wet spinach. Stir it around a bit, listen to it sizzle, then throw in the garlic, raisins, walnuts or pine nuts, and sprinkle some salt on top. The spinach should be just wilted. Stir it a few more times and then serve this warm, delicious and simple spinach side. If it took you more than 6 minutes, you took to long.



Oh, for those of you who can't cook without a list, here it is. Notice the quantities: some. Each "some" is actually a different amount. But God gave us brains and I think we can work through this...

Some raisins soaking in warm water to plump them
Some Garlic, chopped
Some olive oil in a warm frying pan
Some slighty damp spinach
Some salt

Now what to serve with that spinach. Grilled cheese. Or UGC ( ultimate grilled cheese). Delicious, toasted, healthy.

Two slices of bread
A smear of pesto
Aged cheddar (grated)

Combine in any order you see fit and place into a George Foreman grill (no, a panini grill will NOT work, it must be a Foreman). Remove sandwich before it burns and preferably after it becomes toasted. Enjoy with SOME spinach.

Book Clubism

Ah yes, as I was sitting in my chambers delighting in a fine and well hued scotch, enjoying a delightful repartee with some author whose unquestionable wit and intellectual virtues adorn the pages of a singular and most delightful tome, I came across the passage:

"Acute liver failure with massive hepatic necrosis. This is most often caused by drugs or fulminant viral hepatitis. Acute liver failure denotes clinical hepatic insufficiency that progresses from the onset of symptoms to hepatic encephalopathy in 2 to 3 weeks. A course extending as long as 3 months is called subacute failure."

I nearly fell out of my chair as I positively exploded in laughter. Subacute... subacute. Very clever, very clever indeed, my dear man. I did not see that one coming at all. Robbins, you old dog, you. You have done it again sir. You have delivered the perfect punchline after the delicious 427 page setup. I must admit, this is anything but bland and predictable. And... oh dear, I have neglected to include the "spoiler alert" warning with this entry. So, for those of you who have not yet read Robbins Pathology, or not yet up to this page, I offer my sincerest of apologies.
It is the little things in life. Like fried eggplant with parmesan cheese. This was both a light dinner with some tomato sauce, then breakfast with a soft boiled egg and some hot sauce... And so simple.

Set your oven at HOT. I used the high broil with the rack place high.
Grab an eggplant and slice into 1/2 inch thick slices
1/2 C of flour (maybe more)
1 egg, beaten and mixed with a little water
Salt and pepper
Olive or canola oil spray
Grated Parmesan

Grab the flour... I used a brown rice flour... And mix it with some salt and pepper.
Dip the eggplant in the egg and then coat it generously with the flour and place on a greased or parchmented baking sheet. Spray the top with oil and let it fry. Take it out, turn it over, respray and lit it fry. Once it was cooked on both sides I took the eggplant out and sprinkled some grated parmesan on top.
I served it with some arrabiata sauce and it was amazing.
I served it with a soft boiled egg and some chili sauce and it was amazing.