Recipe Free Deliciousness

One of my favorite things about having put in time learning how to cook is that I can do it without guidance. I can just look at a bunch of ingredients and come up with an experiment that will be edible.

Just how edible... well, that's where the fun lies. Sometimes, it's an investment to be paid off later. And sometimes, like tonight, those investments pay off.

So, if you ever happen to have these random ingredients lying around (doubtful, we certainly never have before tonight), then by all means, enjoy. If not, feel free to improvise.

Okra Serrano Crustless Quiche

First, pre-heat an oven to 400F.

-1 lb okra, washed and chopped into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds.
-1/2 white onion chopped
-handfull of serrano peppers, stems removed, chopped finely, seeds left in (note: be sure to remove your contacts before this step, or wear gloves)
-olive oil, for baking
-1/2 can stewed tomatoes (full can would probably be fine)

1. Mix ingredients above in a pyrex dish (10X13 or so) and toss on the top shelf of the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or so.

-3 eggs
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-2 T garlic salt
-4 T polenta grano turco
-1/8 block of cotija, crumbled
-other half a can of stewed tomatoes (if the whole can was used in step 1, no worries).

2. Mix ingredients above. Pour over roasted vegetables in pyrex dish (which has been removed from oven) and stir until evenly coated.

3. Return pyrex dish to oven. 15 minutes later, check with a toothpick and if clean, remove. If not clean, return to oven until toothpick is clean in all soft areas, then remove. Allow to cool.

4. Use a spatula to cut squares for each person to be served. Serve warm.


Mmmm.... comfort food. I can't express the sense of satisfaction I feel when I am able to create something new that feels old and comfortable and delicious and nurturing for E and me. Tonight, it had the fun property of being just on the edge between healthy food and not-so-healthy food. Okra is a vegetable, albeit a high glycemic index one. Tomatoes are healthy. Olive oil? Check (at least in moderation). Salt? Well, we won't tell anyone. And the polenta? Well...grano turcro is very healthy... or so I'm told.

So truly, this meal is a dream. It looks and sounds and even reads like a healthy meal, but at the end of the day, what's stickin' to your ribs is heavy cream, egg yolk, salted soft mexican cheese, and some corn grains.

Well... if that doesn't send me off in search of nirvana...