When Harry Met Butternut: A Playlist and Coconut Butternut Soup

In the fall, I think about two things: butternut squash and running. We'll get to the running in a minute, but first let's talk butternut.

Now, don't get it twisted: my first autumnal love is and will always be pumpkin.  But in the romantic comedy of fall produce, pumpkin is the "it" girl whom our main character loves from the jump-- it's beautiful, tasteful, goes with everything and has a comfortable, earthy personality.  As the movie moves on, though, the protagonist realizes that there's something a little too easy about pumpkin and it dawns on him (or her!): s/he has loved butternut squash, pumpkin's less-attractive, harder to handle, less intuitive friend, the whole time.  For now, we'll leave pumpkin alone, a fall fruit we love enough to know that someone else will love it better.

And now on to the running.  As many of you know, I have been training for a race the past few falls.  Some days I say this is for fitness, but most days I will give it to you straight: I only train so I can eat more.  Yeah--it feels great to finish a 10-mile run on a Saturday before most people are awake.  But it feels even BETTER to know that you are looking at a 1,000-calorie deficit and that you get to eat like it's your damn job for the rest of the day.

So, today I bring you two things:  my favorite long-run play list and a coconut butternut soup worth running for. 

Chef Kefi's Long-Run Playlist
The songs on this list are designed to maximize the kefi-potential of each run--I start out with a little slower-paced, feel-good music to find my stride and move on to more uptempo, I-will-run-you-over-if-you-get-in-my-way music before ending with "the go 'head, girl" music.  
1. "Kind and Generous" by Natalie Merchant
2. "Love Me Right" by Goapele
3. "Til There Was You" by The Beatles 
4. "Shosholoza 2010" by Ternielle Nelson 
5. "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine
6. "Rejoice" by Yolanda Adams
7. "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People
8. "The Watcher 2" by Jay-Z
9. "Two Words" by Kanye and Mos Def
10. "Give it to Me" by Nelly Furtado, JT, and Timbaland
11. "Notorious" by Biggie
12. "Jai Ho" by J.R Rahman
13. "Bullet Proof" by La Roux
14. "Don't Stop" by The Brazilian Girls
15. "Keep the Car Running" by Arcade Fire
16. "Not Forgotten" by Israel & New Breed
17. "Juicey" by Biggie
18. "Someone like You" (remix) by DJ Kamikaze
19. "I'm Every Woman" by Whitney
20. "Golden" by Jill Scott 
21. "Be Okay" by Ingrid Michaelson
Cool down: "Walk with You" by Della Reese

Coconut Butternut Soup
I got this recipe from the NYT Vegetarian Thanksgiving (an annual event worth the wait), but did some tweaking to make it easier.

Ingredients: 

• 1 large butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or other vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium apple, any variety, peeled and diced
• 2 cups prepared vegetable broth, or 2 cups water with 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 3 teaspoons, separated into 1 tsp servings, good-quality curry powder (I made my own by using equal parts cumin, cardamom, ground chili, and garam masala)
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh or jarred ginger, or more, to taste
• 1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
  
  Preparation
  1. To bake the squash, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the butternut with a Y peeler. Cut in half lengthwise and then widthwise.  Then chop from there-- you want small pieces, but they do not need to be diced perfectly or teeny tiny.  Toss with olive oil and 1 tsp curry or spice mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until you can easily stick a knife through to the center. They should be soft but not yet mushy.
  2. Heat about half the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  
  3. Add the apple and let it saute with onions for about 3 minues.  Then add squash, broth and 2.5 tsp of spices. Bring to a steady simmer, then cover and simmer gently until the apples are tender, about 10 minutes.
  
  
  
  4. Transfer the solids to a food processor using a slotted spoon or spatula, in batches if need be, and process until smoothly pureed, then transfer back to the soup pot.
  
  
   This seems like an annoying step but I did it in 3 batches in my little food process (Cuisinart, if you would like send me a bigger, fancier one, I'd love to be sponsored!)
  5. Stir in the coconut milk and remaining 1/2 tsp of spices and return the soup to a gentle simmer. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until well heated through. If time allows, let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through as needed before serving.
  
  
  
  

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Chef Kefi's Gift-Giving Guide

If you hack into my email, you'll find a little document that has a list of all the people I love and, next to each name, an ever-changing list of ideas for their Christmas/birthday/anniversary present.  I shudder at the idea of giving gift cards or, worse, cash (perish the thought!), and instead spend all year in search of the Perfect Gift for each of the people on my list.

Now, it might seem that a post about gifts is a strange way to end Gratitude Week.  It has become trendy to be cynical about gift giving at this time of the year-- but, for me, a huge part of Christmas* Kefi is the gift-giving.  I loathe the idea of HAVING to give a gift and rather relish the process of thoughtfully and meaningfully choosing something that will tickle the recipient pink.  Are there other ways to show love and say thank you than to give just the right thing to just the right person? Yes--and some of them are better ways.  But I believe that giving gifts with the intent of showing gratitude--not with the intent of checking off a list or outspending our brother-in-law--is a worthwhile and reasonable way to say "thanks" to those who love and support us all year.

Ok, now that we've rationalized the consumerization of Christmas*, back to the gift guide. If you're reading this I assume you've survived the up-all-night, door-busting, last-sweater-grabbing madness of Black Friday.  I'll also assume that--owing to either too little sleep, too many cranberries, too much family, or too little patience for the crazies trying to fight you for a pair of argyle socks-- you didn't find something for everyone.  So I present for you Chef Kefi's Gift Giving Guide for everyone left on your list.

For the Homebody

 Clockwise, from left:
a) This stylish carafe is great for wine, juice, water. Plus, the cups fit inside, so it's easily storable or portable. b) Bring the great outdoors inside with this funky little bathroom organizer, great for the conservationist on your list. c) Who could resist this toaster, which comes in 4 different colors, has an adjustable width for toast/bagels/whatever, and one of those pull-out crumb trays for easy clean up?  d) Never be caught without enough casserole- this 5.9 qt dish is great for anyone who cooks for a crowd--plus it comes with a decorative bamboo serving bowl, so it can go from oven to table in seconds. e) This bubbled beverage dispenser is an about exorbitantly-priced as it gets--but my oh my, what a great gift for someone who entertains! Just imagine it full of summer sangria....holiday cheer will flow throughout the year! f) You'll have the birds singing for whoever hangs their hat on this wall hook. g) If they don't wear coats, but you still really want to give them something for their wall, try this wall-mounted fish tank--  a unique accessory for the pet-lover with space constraints.

For the Green Team

a) I love these easy-to-clean collapsible boxes for sorting recyclables. b) The stars will come alive for the astronomer-to-be with this at home star projector. c) You should warn the recipient of a 4g ninja flash drive that any wasted paper will result in a prompt round-house kick to the gut. d) Once you give them these beautiful glass bottles, why would they ever use plastic again? e) I'm told cork is eco-friendly--pass that on to whoever gets this cork iPhone/iPad case! f) If everyone got one of these sustainably-sourced and reasonably priced watches, we could all stop counting down the time left til the end of the world... right? f) The green foodie will be reminded of your generosity all year long if you bestow a locally-sourced, in-season CSA box unto them for months to come!

For Everyone Else

 a) If you know Time's Man of the Year, make sure his status is known 24/7 with this magazine cover pillow case, which also comes in Vogue, Esquire, and Playboy editions. b) For the long-winded techie, this retro phone receiver plugs into iPhones, Droids, and iPads so they won't talk their own ear off. c) Who wouldn't want to grow their own mushrooms in a box? d) Give this jazzy little milk-steaming system and get free lattes all year long! e) I bet you anything that the person with everything on your list doesn't have a personalized bobblehead of themselves! f) A single-serve French press seems just about the closest thing to giving world peace. g) I've always been a sucker for a good name plate, and I bet someone on your list is too! h) It's not you who's tipsy--these cognac glasses make the stuffy after-dinner drink fun.


And that brings us to the end of Grattude Week at CuK. Have a great weekend.


** I'm aware that it's crappy to pretend everyone celebrates Christmas--please forgive my laziness; I am a sucker for alliteration.

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Gratutitous Gratitude #3: People Who Make The World a Better Place

We live in a world of paradox. Some days, the beauty of the world wins; other days it's the twisted injustice.  Never is this binary so obvious as on Thanksgiving, when even the extreme excess of some does not come close to balancing the needs of many.

So, today I'm grateful for the people who work every day to keep the beauty fighting against the injustice in the hope that, one of these days, we will all have a group of people to call family, a roof over our heads to call home, and a meal to call Thanksgiving dinner.

1- Geoffrey Canada- For making a model that makes huge changes by engaging communities. A true visionary.
2- Jill Scott. For making some of the only listenable music on the radio right now. Also for being hot.
3. The people at FreshFarms. Food injustice is class warfare, and they are teaching babies all over the Md-DC area how to bite the non-nutritious hand that feeds them.
4. The people who keep the bathrooms clean in public bathrooms--not exactly fighting injustice, but it's a tough job and I really, really appreciate it.  Ditto for the people who pick vegetables, harvest coffee, and manufacture the shit we thoughtlessly consume, despite the incredible injustice of it all.
5. Everyone at Racialicious- for breaking it down so righteously every day of the year.
6. The teachers at Thurgood Marshall Academy, Two Rivers Public Charter School, and Benjamin Banneker Senior High School, who help bring out the brilliance of DC youth with support, high expectations, and opportunities for greatness.
7. The occupiers, in their own little way. Largely overprivileged? Seems like it. Kind of misguided? Sure. But keeping questions about greed-driven inequality in the mouths of otherwise-insipid newscasters is a plus in my book.
8. Everyone at the Woodson Wellness Clinic. I cannot WAIT to be employed there!
9. Michael Eric Dyson. Marry me now!
10. The team at Democracy Now! for providing reasonable, thoughtful, progressive news.
11. Glut Food Co-op, for keeping food cheap and funky since 1969

And items unrelated to social justice that I am grateful for:
1. Pro-tec, for creating a patellar band that has got me back up and running after a bout with runner's knee.  I'm dedicating my 15k to you!
2. Whoever created the Triple Squash soup at Whole Foods. That is the best $3.59 I have ever spent.
3. My cat, Oliver Tambo. 
4. The fact that I learned how to make links on this thing (and really showed that skill off during this post!)
5. My kidneys, knees, and continences--a year spent working at a hospital has taught be to grateful for those puppies!
6. The Style Network for playing Sex & the City marathons every Saturday.
7. My mom, for teaching me to say thank you all year round and not just on Thanksgiving.

Tune back in tomorrow for Chef Kefi's Black Friday Gift Giving Guide.  Happy Thanksgiving!

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Gratuitious Gratitude #2: Running + High Protein Pumpkin Pancakes

Thank you, Jesus, for creating running.  Let me say that again: THANK YOU LORD FOR RUNNING!

Running is heaven.  It's stress relief, it's exercise, it's brain-boosting, it's cancer-fighting.... really there is no good reason NOT to run.

Unless, of course, you look like this while you do it:

Chef Kefi, finishing the 10k that started it all.

 If you are sitting there thinking to yourself, "I could never run a road race" you are wrong. Dead wrong. Two years ago, a good running week was one during which I ran more than once for a distance of more than 2 miles.  In Jan 2010, I joined a running group, trained, finished the Capitol Hill Classic (an awesome 6.2 mile race) and immediately signed up for the Baltimore Half Marathon (a less awesome but still really nice 13.1 mile race).  Suddenly, I felt like a runner.

So- if you feel like you want to be a runner but aren't sure you can-- sign up for a race and see what you can do! For some inspiration, here is one of the most heavenly creations on this green earth that are GREAT post-run:

Thanks for the image, paleo-project!

High Protein, No Grain Choc. Chip Pumpkin Pancakes

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2-3/4 cup almond butter, depending on how thick you like them
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg 
• 1 tablespoon agave or honey
• 6-8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Mix everything together.
2. Plop about 1/4 c on a hot, greased skillet or pan over med-low heat.
3. Let these cook slowly so they congeal. Flip once or twice.
4. Enjoy.
5. Go running!

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Gratuitous Gratitude #1: The Calculus of Cooking

One day in college, I decided to throw a dinner party.  I didn't know how to cook, really, but having mastered literacy by the second grade, I felt confident I could at least follow a recipe.  So I picked out several ambitious recipes with about 100 ingredients each, and muddled my way through, to pretty spectacular results (if I do say so myself).  The problem came the next time I offered to make dinner for people: this time, I had deluded myself into thinking I knew how to cook and picked out new, equally-ambitious recipes with even more ingredients. The result was, uh, less-than spectacular.

This persisted for the next four years and led to many nights of apologizing ("I can't imagine what went wrong with the duck confit, but my isn't this mango gallete delicious?"), until one day it occurred to me that I had started with calculus before I knew how to multiply.  So I went back to some more basic things and experimented with types of food I wanted to learn how to cook.

So now I present to you: three recipes I am grateful for.   These are three of the easiest, most basic, most instructive recipes I know.  The Bluberry Focacia is a GREAT first-bread to make and you'll learn a lot about how a dough is supposed to look/rise because you can't mess it up; the smokey marinara sauce can be paired with ANYTHING and make it better, and the nutella bread pudding (yes... you read that right) is just the best thing you will ever put in your mouth, period.  Plus, they're so good everyone will be very impressed and think you are a domestic-mother-effing goddess, as some of us are known around these parts. And that's something to be grateful for.

Also- I don't know how to make a "jump"--but one day I will, so sorry if these multi-recipe posts give your fingers carpal tunnel from scrolling down.

The easiest bread I've ever made: Blueberry Focacia
I got this from Oprah Magazine and it has been a big hit everywhere. DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED.

• 1 package (1/4 oz) acive dry yeast (you can get this in the baking section of most grocery stores)
• 2 1/4 c warm water
• 6 c all-purpose flour
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 lg egg
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp (seriously room temp-- makes everything easier)
• 5-6 c blueberries (at this time of year, you might be able to get away with 1/2 fresh, 1/2 frozen--but try it once with fresh so you can see what it should be like!)
• Oven preheated to 400F
   

1. In small bowl, mix yeast and water together and set aside for about
5 minutes (will get a little foamy).  In a large bowl (on standing
mixer if you have one-- if not, no biggie), combine flour, HALF cup of
brown sugar (save the rest for later), salt, and cinnamon. Stir the
egg into yeast, then pour wet mixture into dry mixture and mix on low
speed (or combine very quickly if you don't have standing mixture).
Add butter, mix until combine. Knead dough until smooth and pliable
but still relatively wet-- about 5 minutes.
2. Grease large bowl with oil or Pam. Put dough in bowl and cover w
plastic wrap (again-- has to be plastic, not tin foil, or it won't
rise).  Let rise for about an hour in a warm place- dough will double.
3. Grease two baking sheets. Break the dough into two halves and place
one half on each baking sheet. Stretch out slightly until dough is
1-inch thick and oval-shaped. Cover with greased plastic wrap for
another 45-60 min.
4. With greased fingers, "dimple" surface of each loaf. Sprinkle each
loaf with half your berries and 1/4 c brown sugar.  Bake until golden
brown- about 30-35 min.

The most versatile sauce I've ever made: Smokey Marinara
Many thanks to the people at myrecipes.com for bringing me this incredible sauce (and, incidentally, the inspiration for butternut squash lasagne)!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (this is what makes it so delicious
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained (I cannot say enough how much it matters that they are fire-roasted--the flavor differential is incredible)
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained (in late summer, I substitute with fresh heirloom tomatoes and it makes it even better)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add garlic, basil, parsley, and oregano; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in balsamic vinegar and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
 

The best dessert I've ever made: Nutella Bread Pudding

Do I even need to preface this? I found this recipe while in South Africa, and since then it has tantalized palates from five countries on four continents. Be careful- it is truly dangerous!

Ingredients
•    6 croissants for a small batch, 12 for a large
•    as much Nutella as you dare (I use about 5/6 a jar for a large batch)
•    2 eggs
•    1 cup cream
•    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•    1/2 cup sugar




1.    Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2.    Slice each croissant in half lengthwise, then slather one side with Nutella. Place the croissants nutella-side-up in an ungreased glass baking pan until you get to the top layer, where I like to do nutella-side-down.  Try and arrange them as equally as possible with as few gaps as possible. This does not have to be pretty!
4.    Whisk/beat Teggs, cream, vanilla extract, and sugar to a medium bowl and until combined.  On good days, I get this to a custard-consistency, but it works even if it doesn't quite make it there.
5.    Pour the custard over the croissant-nutella-goodness until it is covered. You may need to manipulate this by pushing down on some of the croissant pieces--that is fine.
6.   Let sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes--if you have longer, let it sit for about 90 minutes.
7.  Bake for 30-45 minutes. That is a huge range, I know-- but this is an oven-sensitive recipe, so check it a few times.  You want a golden brown top and a "set" pudding-- so basically it should look like there's no more liquid in the mixture.

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Gratitude Week at Cooking Up Kefi

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world*, I think of all the things I am thankful for.  With 2012 drawing near and the news growing ever more doom-and-gloom, this can be easier said than done.

I worry, sometimes, that showing thanks is something we do only when were prompted to-- during those last few minutes of yoga, as we walk out of stores,  or while our parents are watching-- but not something most of us do because we're actually, you know, thankful.  The number of times I see people interact with other humans--in settings from cafes to hospitals--without expressing even a morsel of gratitude is troubling.  And let me tell you--if we're not thanking the people who keep us caffeinated and handle our body fluids, then times are tougher than even Lou Dobbs could have thought.


It's more than just transactional thanks that have gone away--we seem to have lost a feeling of gratefulness.  Were it not for Turkey Day every November, I wonder how many of us would take even one pass around a dinner table to list just one thing we're grateful for.  Even Thanksgiving has become, ironically, an opportunity to identify things we are decidedly NOT thankful for: the traffic we're forced to endure to travel to our family, the pounds we will undoubtedly pack on from the excess of food cooked for and served to us, the stress of dealing with people who, for better or worse, know us intimately enough to push our buttons.  If I were learning English in America right now, I might get the feeling that "thanks" meant any number of things other than "I am grateful you just did that."  We use the word to say "I know you'll do this for me" (as in: "Can you be sure this gets done today? Thanks."), to end conversations ("OK great, thanks."), to make snarky social media statements ("#thankssomuch"), and as a closing to annoying emails so overpunctuated we can't even spell the whole damn word out ("THNX GUYS!!!!!!!!") --but how often do we just express a good ol' plainjane, "thanks"?

On my less cynical days, I can believe that we haven't, in fact, lost the feeling of gratitude--we've just gotten to be very bad at showing it.  And for that reason, I bring to you: Gratitude Week (da da da dahhhhh!) Nothing fancy--just a chance for me to share some of the things that I am grateful for (big and small). And, hopefully, a chance for all 4 of my readers to share, too--because I'm tired of feeling like I'm talking to myself (big shout out to Jillian, who increased by readership by 33%!).

So--this week I'll be writing about the things I'm grateful for: running, cooking, family, finding a calling, and making a difference (among other things).  What are you thankful for? Tell me in the comments!

*Eternal gratitude to Hugh Grant and everyone associated with Love Actually, an instant Kefi family holiday classic

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A Moveable Greek Feast

Paris. To some, the City of Lights. To me, the city of cheese, foie gras, charcuterie and … Greek food. 

Here’s a travel secret for you: Paris got Greeks. The problem is, when you think of the Greek restaurants in Paris, you probably think of either the omnipresent ‘Sandwich grec’ stalls that sell fantastic hangover cures (aka greasy street meat) or of men throwing plates at tourists in the Latin Quarter (on a street that a friend once affectionately coined ‘Bacteria Alley’).

Allow me to change your perception.

On a recent trip to Paris, I gathered together a group of Frenchies and hit L’Olivier Restaurant, just off Place de la République. Those who know me know that I don’t set a foot on the Right Bank if I don’t have to, but I am gastronomically bound to ChefKef and I wanted to avoid Paris’s most famous Left Bank Greek restaurant, Mavrommatis.

Mavrommatis is good by all standards, but also traditional and stuffy—not the kind of place that lends itself to an incredibly witty review published on prestigious pages like these. L’Olivier (‘the olive tree’), on the other hand, is small, young, hip and part of France’s ‘le fooding’ movement (once featured by Adam Gopnik in the New Yorker). It’s the kind of place that avoids mousaka and octopus and instead favors what L’Olivier calls “inspirations from traditional cuisine." Plus, it allowed me to reference Adam Gopnik, which keeps Chef Kef happy.

In addition to all Greek-sourced oils and cheese, L'Olivier offers a 40€ 7-course chef’s tasting menu that looked like it might be good enough to change a life or two--but considering JetSet Kef’s upcoming 10-year high school reunion, the group decided to go in a different direction. In a display of sex-solidarity, the guys all chose the same appetizer and entrée, while the girls did the same. If this were the battle of the sexes from the local NY radio station I stream from my office in Dubai (shout out to Terry Donovan), the guys would definitely have won.

Round 1: an amuse-bouche for the table that was all about the cheese. A bit of sweet cheese between two pieces of toast with an AMAZING goat cheese mousse and a little bit of cream on the side. Imagine something sweet, tangy and light all at once--impossible to eat it in less than one mouthful, sadly. WINNER: TIE.

ROUND TWO: The girls’ appetizer, I must say wasn’t so exciting. Tiropitta (cheese pies) with honey. Sure, it tasted good – excellent fresh feta from Epirus and a great honey from somewhere in Crete – but not something JetSet Kef needs to take a 6-hour flight to eat. Delicious, yes; exciting, no. Basically – exactly what I was trying to avoid.

… Which is why I was so happy about MY appetizer. Pumpkin velouté with Greek yoghurt.

Let me tell you – if the Greeks get one thing right (it’s certainly not international finance), it’s seasonal dishes. Thick soup with a pumpkin purée base, with a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt right in the middle to offset the sweet of the pumpkin and the consistency of the soup. And to make it perfect? A little mousse from the left over pumpkin on the side. Divine.  

WINNER: BOYS

ROUND THREE: THE MAIN COURSE. The girls ordered a sea bream over a croustillant of chic peas, herbs and a hint of spinach. Everything about this was technically well done: the fish was cooked just right, the croustillant was cooked just the right amount, but here’s the problem: sea bream is a boring fish and chic peas are a bit boring as well. I mean, the first few bites you think to yourself “Wow, this is nice!” but by bite number four your tastebuds are already thinking about how much more stimulating the appetizer was. (Especially if you had the tyropitta first. Sorry, girls, bad pairing.)  

The picture speaks a thousand words here: it looks nice, but even the plating is a bit dull.

The boys' dinner, on the other hand, was AWESOME. Leg of lamb, barley mixed with greens and a bit of Greek yoghurt. Ba-bam. The lamb was incredibly fresh and tender, cooked to just the right level (clearly more than rare but not quite medium rare) and seasoned perfectly. The barley-greens combination totally did it for me, especially as the little bit of olive oil in it, coupled with the excess lamb juice on the plate, made every bite hearty and delicious. The sweet tangy – and even thicker than usual – yoghurt at the end rounded off the course perfectly.

ROUND FOUR: DESSERT. Now, before I tell you about this course—I need you to know that anything yoghurt sends the powers of the Holy Spirit right through me and I instantly begin speaking in tongues. True story. So get ready for this: three kinds of yoghurt. 

One regular yoghurt mixed with a little bit of honey. One ‘oreo cookie’ of yoghurt: two barely sweet wafers, with cold yoghurt and some citrus – mostly orange, but with a hint of lemon too – compote inside. And then frozen yoghurt: no, silly American – not in a cone, but literally, yogurt shaped into a ball and then kept in the freezer – served with a little bit of cinnamon for dipping. As if that weren’t enough, the server instructed us that the frozen one was to be eaten ‘with our hands.’ We follow instructions well.

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Introducing... JetSet Kef!

There's a pecking order in the Kefi family.  It developed a few years ago in a drafty New Jersey kitchen with diced onion on the floor and eggplant puree splattered on the walls--my brother had convened the Greek branch of the family, and he and I were about 5 hours into a 48-hour cooking spree running up to the Big Fat Greek Easter.  The hierarchy was clear: I was the Chef, and he was the Sous Chef.  If he valued his place in my kitchen, he would not so much as spread olive oil over a sheet of phyllo without my giving the go ahead.

Since then, we've improved our cooking and he's improved his location and station in life. He now lives in Dubai and has been promoted from Sous Chef Kef to (drum roll please...) JetSet Kef!

He's a man's man, woman's man, man about town-- never in one city (let alone continent) for too long, he'll be reporting on the Greek American life outside America.  

And now...without further ado: JetSet Kef!

---

Known in a previously life as ‘Brother Balz’ (subject of a later post), I am the member of the Kefi family who spends the most time globetrotting.  Ostensibly, it’s for work--but really, the travel is all about searching for the best dish combining yogurt, eggplant, leafy greens, cucumber and some sort of tomato situation.  In short: in search of Kefi.

You can find my photo in the embarrassing Kef family photo here  or in the scary  picture above.  If you think the serious face is uncharacteristic for a member of Cult Kefi, you're right:  the beast known as the Greek government (or at least a photography shop with a license from the Interior Ministry) told me I needed to “look serious” for my Greek ID photo.

Given my JetSetKeffing, I have gotten to know the Greeks all over.  First place I met some was Paris (more on that in next post).  Then when I was JetSetKeffing in Egypt, taxi drivers always wanted to be my friend because my mom was Greek.  (Typical conversation: --“Are you Arab?” --“Nope, Greek.” --“Aaaah, you speak Arabic because you’re Greek!” … no response from me to illogical taxi driver.  Repeat same exact scenario 2-4 times per day.)

Dubai being what it is, your personal and professional life ends up looking like a bit like a mafia; everyone groups with his own and then sticks together.  When I joined my office in Dubai, there was one other Greek.  But the state of affairs being what it is, Greeks in Dubai and in my office have steadily increased over the past year (crise economique oblige), and so my own personal Greek mafia in Dubai is now in full effect.

I look forward to exploring the hidden Greekness of every city, from the best baklava in Barcelona to the small souvlaki spot in Seoul. 

PS: please accept my formal and sworn testimony that I rigged the elections for Board Supreme president from 1992-1998.  I hereby forfeit any right I have to run for re-election and assert that my sister, Chef Kef, is the reigning Board Supreme president and all authority associated with the office are hers.

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Biking Up Kefi

Not too much cooking this week- I'm bombarded with tests, papers, and presentations. However, I came across this little piece and it just SCREAMED Kefi-- so I had to share with my readers (all three of you!).

I hope you all find a little Kefi during this beautiful weekend!

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Butternut Lasagne and Homemade Chocolate Lara Bars

I'm gonna have to be brief here: I am typing only with one hand because the other is busy eating these incredible treats.  I'm quite certain these recipes make enough for 6, but feel free to make it a single serving of Kefi.


Butternut Squash Lasagne

• 1 butternut squash, peeled
• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 10 mushrooms, chopped finely
• 1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
• 1/4-1/2 cup myzithra cheese (feel free to use more or sub a non-Greek cheese)  
• olive oil
  
  1. Cut the squash into quarters: first lengthwise, than widthwise. Next, cut the squash into slabs about 1/2 inch thick (stand up each quarter squash and cut it height-wise). Set aside.
  
  2. Dice garlic and onion, saute in olive oil until fragrant (about 3 min).  Add mushrooms, cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat, add in tomato sauce and stir around.
  
  3.  Put about 1/4 cup of tomato sauce in bottom of pan. Make 1 layer of squash slabs, then sprinkle some cheese over top. Continue until you have used up all the squash and sauce. The last layer should be sauce. Dash some more olive oil on there for good measure, if you feel so inclined (I did!)
  4. Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes, or until top is browned. Take out of oven and let sit for about 25 minutes-- believe me, it is worth the wait.
  
  
  Homemade Chocolate Lara Bars
• 6-8 medjool figs
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 2 c pistachios, shelled
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
  
  1. Coarsely chop and pit figs. Puree in food processor with pumpkin and eggs. Put mixture in a medium mixing bowl.
  2. Don't bother cleaning out the food processor- throw remaining ingredients in and grind it all up.
  3. Mix dry and wet mixture until full combined.
  4. On a lipped 9x9 baking sheet, spread parchment paper. Then, spread mixture across the pan.  Keep mixture about 1/2inch thick- it does not need to go across the whole pan. Bake at 325 for about 30 minutes, or until top is starting to brown and center is set.  Let stand about 30 minutes, then cut into "bars" and enjoy. You can also freeze these bad boys to enjoy later!
  
  
  

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Occupy the Grocery Store

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year, you've probably heard by now that The Hellenic Republic has fallen on some hard times.  Part of this, undoubtedly, is due to the fact that MommaKef  is not there to stimulate the sale of $7 water shoes, SisterKef hasn't been buying sandals that hide her Athenian ankle tattoo, and Brother Kef and I have not been purchasing twice-daily Frappes (métrios for me, skétos for him). For this, we are sorry.

But mostly, it's because the global system has allowed a few to live large on the backs of many for decades (or centuries, or always, depending on who you ask), and it's caught up to all of us.  Those of you familiar with ChefKef know better than to get me started on the soap box of inequity. So today I bring you a simple, five-ingredient dish that will tickle your tastebuds without causing your own personal default.

NB: I'm trying to take my own pictures but I'm not good at it yet-- anyone have tips for getting good while-I'm-cooking pics?

Beet and Yogurt Salad

• 4 medium beets, skin on, don't bother washing
• 2 tbs olive oil, plus some for roasting beets
• 1.5 tbs apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar, or sherry)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 c Greek yogurt (Fage seriously is best, but feel free to Occupy the Grocery Store and get the cheap kind)
• Fresh dill for garnish (TOTALLY optional- just a nice touch

 1. Preheat oven to 400. Cut off tops and bottoms of beets (as if you were peeling an onion). Grease bottom of a lipped baking pan with olive oil. Place beets on pan and roast for approximately 35 min, or until beet is soft all the way through.  For speedier cooking, cover the beets with foil (check on them at about 25 min and go from there).
2. When the beets are done, use an old dishcloth or something that is clean and you don't mind staining to pick up the beets one at a time and "plop" them out of their skin. Yes, "plop" is the culinary term.

3. Slice beets however you'd like- I happen to like cutting them along the sagittal and then coronal planes. But you do whatever you happen to find pretty.
4. Mix 2 tbs olive oil and vinegar together. Pour over beets.

5. While the beets are still hot, dice garlic and mix in too. Some people like to save this for the yogurt, but I like to let the heat of the beets cook in the garlic.
6. Let the beets marinate for 2-3 hours. Fridge or room temperature--no matter.

7. When you're ready to serve, pour some of the beet-marinade juice into the yogurt and stir.  Pour over your beets and serve.
8. If you're part of the 1% who got dill, now's the time to flaunt your wealth. Cut it up and throw it over the salad as garnish.

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