Thus Spake Zuska

The other night I made a chive sauce from a recipe off the internet (I regret that I did not keep track of the source) that was just beautiful.

One cup minced chives. Saute in some olive oil. I sauteed them until they were starting to get just on the verge of crispy, almost like frizzled leeks, but not that far gone. Just nicely sauteed. Add one quarter cup chicken broth. Then the recipe called for 1.5 cups cream but I only used one cup. I just couldn’t imagine pouring in 1.5 cups of cream…anyway, I added it slowly, a little at time, with much stirring, over a lowish heat. Then stirred and stirred for some time…it just looked like a mess of chives, oil, and cream…then suddenly, whooosh! it just frothed into a sauce! The moment when it became sauce was just lovely. Mr. Z was watching over my shoulder and as I cooed with pleasure over my achievement he called me Julia. Heh. Not really, but it was indeed a lovely sauce, and we had it over boiled new potatoes from the farmer’s market and I am telling you it was so delicious and delicately flavored, you just didn’t give a crap about all the calories you were shoveling into your mouth.

For the non-veggies among you, I can report that the sauce was also amazing over very lightly seasoned grilled chicken breast. That and a salad of chopped cucumber, heirloom tomato (pineapple tomato), and minced sweet onion with cherry balsamic dressing made dinner. Followed by tons of fresh fruit for dessert – peach, nectarine, pear.

I love, love, love summer and the farmer’s market!

Comments

#1 PalMD
August 26, 2009

Now I wanna cook!
#2 Manpig
August 26, 2009

Wait….you cook?? I’m konfusded..
#3 Zuska
August 26, 2009

Yes, I do cook. With hairy legs and all. I cook for therapeutic reasons and for love and to push back against the food conglomerates that would have us all eating corn syrup 24/7 and to support the local independent farmers. And I cook because I love food and I love to eat.
#4 csrster
August 27, 2009

It’s a feminist fightback against the celebrity-chef culture which promotes the myth that only men can cook
#5 SKM
August 27, 2009

MMM. I will have to try that. I love to cook, too.

And I adore you for using the phrase “frizzled leeks”. “Frizzled” is a culinary term that is not used nearly often enough!
#6 Zuska
August 27, 2009

I am amused at the notion that hairy-legged feminazis don’t cook. How are we supposed to eat? Can’t afford to eat out every meal, you know. For me, cooking is therapeutic – like gardening – and also a healthy thing, as the food I prepare at home from fresh ingredients is less likely to induce a migraine than some over-processed food-like substance. I can’t always cook, because I don’t always feel well enough to do so, but I like doing it. Mr. Z does ALL the cleanup and that makes cooking a lot more fun.
#7 Peggy
August 27, 2009

That sounds so yummy! I don’t make cream sauces because my husband is lactose intolerant, but maybe I’ll give it a whirl some time when I’m just cooking for me.

However, this is clear proof that you aren’t a true hairy-legged feminazi. I have on good authority that HLF’s eat nothing but tofu, wheat bran, and the occasional baby.
#8 Carnivore
August 27, 2009

Not to be a jerk, but wouldn’t the chicken broth already be a deal-breaker for vegetarians? (…ducks…)
#9 Zuska
August 28, 2009

D’oh!!! Shows you how non-veggie my perspective is, even though I have been trying to switch to a more veggie-centric diet. I suppose you could substitute veggie broth for the chicken broth, no????
#10 Carnivore (actually, Diane)
August 29, 2009

Heh. Don’t ask me, I avoid cooking as much as possible.
BTW, I just found your blog a few days ago & have fallen in love with it. Thanks for being you.