012022b

silent feet
in the airless habitat
home to dust

012022

Gateau of Crepes

Modified slightly from Julia Child & More Company, 1979

I used purchased crepes for the outer layer and lasagne for the inner layers. It is wonderful with homemade crepes for all layers but sometimes there just is not time!

Crepe Batter
1 cup flour, Wondra or instant blending preferred
2/3 cup each milk and water
3 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp melted butter, or sesame or peanut oil

Blend milk and waater into flour, beating until smooth. Then beat in eggs, salt, and butter or oil. Let rest for 10 min. so flour granules can absorb liquid for a tender crepe.
To cook: heat frying pan until drops of water sizzle. Brush lightly with butter, & pour 2-3 tbsp. Of the batter into the center of the pan, tilting in all directions to spread. Pour any excess back. Cook for 30 secs or so, until when you lift an edge it is nicely browned. Turn and cook for 10-15 secs. The second side is never as pretty. Cool on a rack for 5 min or so, until cool and dry but not brittle, stack, wrap in foil, and place in a plastic bag.

Vegetables and Cheese for filling

1 lb. Carrots, scraped and shredded.
6-8Tbsp butter
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp dill, optional
1 lb fresh mushrooms
4 Tbsp fresh scallions or shallots
1 bunch fresh broccoli
2 cups coarsley grated swiss cheese (I believe I used a mixture of mozzarella, parmesan, and provolone- whatever I had)

Custard for filling

1 cup (8 oz) cream cheese
6 large eggs
1 cup milk or heavy cream
salt and pepper
pinch of nutmeg


Carrots: Saute in 1-1/2 Tbsp butter in a large frying pan until tender but not brown. Season with salt and pepper and optional dill. Set aside.

Mushrooms: trim and wash, and cut into fine mince (food processor is great). Then take a handful at a time, wrap in a clean dish towel, and twist to extract as much liquid as possible. Saute in the same large frying pan with 1-1/2 Tbsp butter with shallots or scallions until the mushroom pieces begin to separate. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside in a separate bowl. This is now officially a mushroom duxelles.

Trim and wash broccoli. Cut into bite sized pieces. Peel as much skin off the stalks as you can, as close to the buds as you can. (I may have used frozen cut broccoli). Cook in rapidly boiling water for 3-5 minutes until barely tender. Drain and chop into 1/4” pieces.

Carrots and broccoli may be prepared a day ahead. Mushrooms may be prepared weeks ahead and frozen—defrost before using.

Custard: Force cream cheese through a sieve or beat thoroughly with eggs, then add rest of ingredients, or use food processor or blender.

Assembling:
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Smear butter (well, you don’t want it to stick) over inside of oven-proof bowl (about a 6-cup bowl). Line bottom with buttered wax paper. Fit one crepe, good side down, into bottom, and space 4 around the sides. Cover with a second layer of 4 crepes.

Spread 1/4 of cheese in bottom, cover with carrots, pressing well into place, and cover with 1/3 of remaining cheese. Ladle on just enough custard to come level with tops of carrots. Arrange one crepe over, and spread in mushrooms and another ladleful of custard. Arrange another crepe over top, spread 1/2 of remaining cheese, then the broccoli, then the last of the cheese, and cover with custard. Fold in first layer of crepes, lay on a crepe, fold in second layer of crepes, cover with one or more crepes, lay a round of buttered wax paper on top, and cover with foil. Bake almost immediately in case batter leaks. About 1-3/4 hours. In about 1 hour, when it has started t rise, turn oven to 400 F. It is done when a meat thermometer stuck in the center read 160 degrees F. Remove from oven, let rest at room temperature for about 15 min, and run thin knife around inside edge, and remove.

Can be served cold or hot, and can be served with a lightly seasoned tomato/spaghetti sauce.

011922c

wind whips the trees
and they whip each other
temperature drops

011922b

Garlic Green Beans

Serves 6

Ingredients

1.5 pounds green beans, trimmed at the ends
3 T soy sauce
1 t sugar
1 T sesame oil
3 T peanut or other vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
½ t red pepper flakes
salt

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop in the beans and cook rapidly for four to five minutes or until just crisp-tender. Drain, and if not serving very soon, rinse under cold water. Leave to drain in a colander.

Mix together the soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Set aside.

Heat a wok or large cast-iron frying pan over a medium-high flame. When hot, put in the peanut oil. It should heat up in seconds. Now put in the garlic. Stir once or twice. Put in the red pepper flakes. Stir once and put in the drained green beans. Stir them around until many of them are lightly scorched. Pour in the soy sauce mixture. Continue to stir and fry until most of the sauce is absorbed. Turn the heat down and taste for salt: you might want to add a little bit more. Stir to mix and serve.

This recipe is very pungent while cooking; it will affect the smell of your entire house.

011922

phosphate tailings
mountains of tiny
teeth and bones

011822c

walking stick
freezes and thinks twig
nobody moves

011822b

she-skin throw
kept him warm at night
her tightening hands