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unfamiliar.
This is new. Havent been here before. Braised Daikon- I am unfamiliar. Daikon, to me, is a slaw ingredient, a food best enjoyed crunchy. Here I am, stepping outside of my habits, venturing into new preparations of foods I know well- braising a damn radish.
Took my pretty (hm, “pretty” might be a bit generous) pair of daikon, chopped them into neat 3/4 inch rounds & sunk the pieces in a skillet. The guesstimate on the recipe said the braise portion would take roughly thirty minutes. That is a lie. Mine took around an hour, which is reasonable since this is, in fact, a braise and braises are not known for their urgency.
Cooked, they are softened, caramel in color with edges seared a dark amber. They resemble scallops, I think. Let alone the looks of them- the texture, even the flavor had me thinking seafood. Strange, Im still in two minds whether I appreciate or can appreciate this little dish or not. Its tasty and interesting without a doubt, it is, but for me its also a nip unsettling. Maybe I associate daikon with cool salads too strongly, as hard as I try I cant seem to get my head around them prepared this way.1 large daikon (roughly 1#)
2T shoyu
1/4 mirin
2”-3” strip kombu
Slice daikon into 3/4” rounds, place them in skillet in a single layer. Add water to almost cover the daikon. Add shoyu, mirin & kombu. Bring liquid to boil over high heat then reduce heat to very low, cover pan & simmer daikon for 30 min or until all liquid is absorbed. (- The Kind Life. Alicia Silverstone)
Posted on December 8, 2011 with 1 note ()
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cheriepicked posted this
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Seattle is home. It has a lot to offer- grocery co ops, inviting cafes, charming bookstores, friendly folk....
My time is spent... Horseback riding- a big passion of mine. There's nothing like a day at the stables and the bliss of a good long solo trail ride.
Running- a lot. I also maintain a regular yoga practice.
Writing, reading...some of my favorite books- Welcome to the Machine (Derrick Jensen), I Know This Much Is True (Wally Lamb), East of the Mountains (David Guterson), Whores and Other Feminists (Jill Nagle), Cunt (Inga Muscio).
I am drawn to...
The Southwestern portion of the US- cacti and desolate dry sprawling earth.
Photography- pictures of people mainly, black and white.
Music- country, bluegrass, folk, etc. And of course, anything that I can dance to.
Foods that I never tire of- blueberries, figs, squash, radicchio, avocado, red grapes, salmon, mussels, heirloom tomatoes, tahini, olives, walnuts, asparagus, barbecue chicken, pulled pork, eggplant, cherries, kale, apple butter, pears, mango, mushrooms, melon, brussels sprouts, collard greens, peaches...
I abhor factory farming. To know my food is of utmost importance-where its been, how it was raised...I respect the earth and myself too much to plead ignorance. The family farm is collapsing under the weight of big business. I want to take responsibility for my food and I feel our current system fails to do that. I fully applaud those folks that are still living off the land and providing for their families. Having worked on small farms in the past and seen firsthand what sustainable farming (animal & vegetable) looks like- its apparent that our current conditions are far removed from the original respectable idea. It shows in our tasteless food, our declining health, our damaged environment.
I'm a fan of spicy foods- Indian and Thai cuisine.
My drinks- red wine, dark beer and a good gin neat.
Dessert- nice dark chocolate in small amounts, a fresh piece of fruit. I don't have much of a sweet tooth.
Coffee- good ol' fashioned drip, an espresso or an americano...always black.
Cooking, eating, interviews, road trips and photographs- I share my adventures here. I feel fortunate as hell and immensely grateful for the opportunity to visit farms, sample restaurants and meet the truly lovely folks behind it all.
Questions/comments? Email me at: cherie@cheriepicked.com
