project: star crossed slouchy beret

i've been working on a long-term scarf project for about 6 months now and started on this instant gratification knit to give myself a break. currently, hats are the only 3-dimensional wearables that i can knit, as i'm still learning more intermediate skills. it's a shame that i missed out on a sweater class last year offered for fairly cheap through UT's informal classes. lessons in new york are quite pricy so i've mostly stuck to simple projects like scarves and hats. anyway, i'd been itching to make a hat that was neither beanie nor cap - something chic and casual looking but without the kitsch. this led me to think about the french - because who knows chic and casual better than them? perhaps a beret or cloche? both styles definitely embody that french 'chic-ness'.





some months back, i stumbled upon this popular beret pattern on ravelry and immediately gravitated towards the slouchy shape and star motif, which is exactly what makes this hat casual. to add to the leisurely feel, i decided on a rustic gray tweed which i purchased at hill country weavers in austin before i moved. it was a project-in-queue for a while until last week. i was able to complete this quick knit in less than a week and am rather pleased with the way it turned out. alas, i must wait until cooler weather arrives but luckily with the way this summer is going in new york autumn will be here in no time.

recipe: vietnamese rice soup with fish (chao ca)

this past weekend i strolled through the ever-busy chinatown and was in awe of their vast selection of produce. i was ecstatic and wondered why i didn't come here sooner to shop. it reminded me of the wonderful food markets in asia where everything is fresh, inexpensive and can be purchased in just the desired amounts: $4 for 2 lbs of cherries, $1 for 3 bundles of green onions. all these fresh ingredients inspired me to make a vietnamese dish, which i don't do very often (probably due to the fact that i'm a bit intimidated of buying the necessary foodstuff that aren't readily available at whole foods or the local grocery stores). while i do complain that there aren't enough vietnamese restaurants in new york city, it was the perfect opportunity to brush up on my vietnamese culinary skills.



vietnamese rice soup (chao), also called congee, is a staple in the vietnamese diet, as it is in many east asian cultures. there are many different kinds of rice soups, chicken being the most common. it's often made when one feels sick. in my case, my mother would often make me a batch after those monthly visits to the orthodontist (in high school) where i couldn't eat anything harder than a banana. my favorite one she made was a fish variety. this recipe was adapted from the well-known vietnamese cooking teacher and cookbook author, andrea nguyen.



vietnamese rice soup with fish (chao ca)
(serves 2)

ingredients:
meat & marinade
1/2 - 3/4 pound firm white fish fillet (such as halibut, cod or sea bass)
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp chopped cilantro

rice soup
1/2 c jasmine rice
2 green onions
1 leek (white part only)
3 1-inch chunks of ginger (peeled)
4 c stock (chicken, seafood or vegetable)
2 c water
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt and white pepper to taste

instructions:
make sure the skin of the fillet is off before cutting it into 3/4 inch chunks. place the chunks in a medium-size bowl or tupperware container and set aside. in this recipe i used a .69 pound of halibut.

marinade
grate fresh ginger and roughly chop the cilantro then set aside. in a small bowl, combine fish sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar and salt. then add the ginger and cilantro and mix thoroughly. pour the marinade over the fish and mix until all the pieces are covered with the marinade. cover the container and refrigerate. in this "ceviche" approach to cooking, the acid in the vinegar break down the protein of the raw fish to "cook" the fish without heat.

rice soup
cut the white part of the green onions into 1-inch portions. next, cut the leek in half and then into 1-inch portions as well. finally, peel and cut fresh ginger into 1-inch chunks.

before cooking the rice, rinse the rice by putting it into a large bowl and adding water. swish the rice around with your hands until the water turns milky then drain. repeat this process one more time. this removes some of the starch from the rice.

place the rice into a large pot and turn the heat on to medium. dry out the rice grains until it turns a light golden color. add stock, water, green onions, leeks, ginger, sesame oil and fish sauce and turn the heat to high to bring to a boil. afterward, partially cover the soup and bring down the heat to a low simmer. cook for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice grains have opened up and the soup begins to thicken. you may want to add more water if you desire a more watery consistency. with a slotted spoon, remove the large chunks of green onion, leek and ginger from the soup to discard. add salt to taste and fresh cracked white pepper. i didn’t have any white pepper, so i used black pepper instead.

while the soup is cooking, chop up the remaining green part of the green onion and place into a small bowl. then roughly chop the cilantro and add to the bowl.

20 minutes before serving, let the fish sit out at room temperature. divide half of the fish mixture into 2 bowls by spooning the fish and placing it into the middle of the bowl. while the soup is still hot, ladle the soup into the bowls and garnish with the green onion and cilantro.

to eat, you can spoon some of the fish from the bottom and mix it into the soup to cook it a bit.

recipe: pesto pasta with broccoli

to many of my carnivorous friends, they often wonder how someone who used to be such an avid meat-lover could make vegetarian dinners and be completely satisfied. it didn't happen overnight, but i do think it started when i was training for my first marathon. the five-and-half-month group training program pushed me like i have never been pushed before (i.e. - 5:45a speed workouts; sunday morning long runs) but all this running was just one part of the equation. i hadn't always been the most healthful eater and could have definitely consumed less meat and more vegetables. training had me thinking about my body and how i could treat it better to prepare myself for those grueling speed workouts and prep races; and so started the weekly carb-laden meatless meals. after perusing many vegetarian food blogs, i finally 'got' all those ingredients that could make my meal hearty and satisfying without actually adding meat. in all honesty, i could have probably just increased my carb intake and still have been able to train adequately, but what mattered to me was that it made me feel good to consume less meat. although, i still occasionally enjoy a juicy medium rare burger my desire for meat has waned. i continue to cook vegetarian dinners, including this this vegetarian pesto pasta, weekly and with the right ingredients it does satiate my craving for a hearty meal.

pesto pasta with broccoli
(serves 1)

ingredients:
3/4 c dry whole wheat penne pasta
1 1/2 c broccoli florets
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of minced garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 c toasted walnuts (roughly chopped)
6 large pitted green olives (sliced)
1/4 c of your favorite pesto
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp of shredded parmesan cheese

instructions:
cook the pasta as directed by the package. while the pasta is cooking, prep the following ingredients:

• if you purchased raw walnuts, start toasting the nuts the same time as the pasta starts cooking - put it onto a cookie sheet and into a 350 degree oven; the nuts should be done in about 12 minutes; then roughly chop
  
• cut broccoli into bite-size florets
• slice green olives
• mince garlic

1 minute before the pasta is done, throw in the broccoli into the pot and cover. the green of the broccoli should take on a brighter hue; then drain.

with a saute pan or skillet over medium-low heat, add olive oil and garlic and cook for 1 minute. then add the drained pasta and broccoli and saute for 30 seconds before adding the juice of the lemon and sauteing for another 30 seconds. incorporate the walnuts, olives and pesto into the pan and cook until hot (1-2 minutes). add salt and pepper to taste then transfer the pasta onto a plate before sprinkling parmesan cheese on top.