Random Cookbook of the Week - Food Matters

This week's random draw turned up another Bittman cookbook, Food Matters. Unlike my other Bittman books, this one focuses as much on health and sustainability as the food itself, and some of the recipes are a little too earnestly Good For You for my taste. So I chose one with both "sweet potato" and "bacon" in the name, figuring you can't go wrong with those in the mix:

Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 c. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 thick slices of bacon
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 T peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 t ground cumin
Juice from 1 orange (I used 1/3 c orange juice)
1 pound fresh spinach leaves (the package I bought from the store only had six ounces, but it was the perfect amount--more than that wouldn't have fit in the salad bowl, and the dressing wouldn't have been enough to flavor it)

1. Heat the oven to 400 F. Put the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 T of the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast, turning occasionally, until crisp and brown outside and just tender inside, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and keep on pan until ready to use.

2. While potatoes cook, put the bacon in a skillet and turn the heat to medium. Cook, turning once or twice, until crisp. Drain on paper towels and pour off the fat, leaving any darkened bits behind in the pan. Put back on medium heat, and add the remaining oil to the pan. When it's hot, add the bell pepper, onion, and ginter. Cook, stirring once or twice, until no longer raw, then stir in the cumin and the reserved bacon. (Though the recipe didn't say to do so, I crumbled the bacon.) Stir in the orange juice and turn off the heat. 

3. Put the spinach in a bowl large enough to comfortably toss the salad quickly. Add the sweet potatoes and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.

It was pretty good. I don't think it'll be a new favorite, but the flavor combinations worked and it made for a pleasant dinner.

Catching up on 52 Cookbooks - #29, Food Matters

I admire the philosophy behind Mark Bittman's Food Matters, though what with the day job and my writing career, I just don't have the time to embrace it wholly.  Some nights are just going to be pasta served with frozen meatballs mixed with jarred tomato sauce.

Basically, he advocates going back to a more traditional diet with far fewer animal products and refined carbs than the modern American diet.  I think he's right; it's just a challenge to balance his recommendation with a hectic lifestyle.  I'm working on it, and a few of the recipes in this book are on my go-to list.  E.g. for my work breakfast I make a batch of whole-wheat couscous at the beginning of the week flavored with nuts (pecans are tastiest IMHO), maple syrup, and dried fruit, and the Thai beef salad makes an excellent light dinner on a warm evening.

When Food Matters came up in my cookbook rotation, I decided to try one of his dessert options, No-Bake Fruit Tarts:

No-Bake Fruit Tarts


- About four c. fresh fruit, trimmed, cored, peeled, and sliced as needed (I used a mix of fresh berries)
- 1 T sugar
- 1/2 c. brandy, dessert wine, or champagne, optional (I used ice wine, though I made a tart for Miss Fraser sans alcohol)
- 1 c. almonds; or use pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or macadamia nuts (despite my passion for pecans, I used almonds)
- 3/4 c. pitted and packed dried fruit (I used apricots)
- 4 oz. good-quality bittersweet chocolate, melted


1. Put the fruit in a bowl.  Sprinkle with the sugar, and the liquor if you're using it.  Toss gently to coat, and refrigerate while you prepare the crust.


2. Put the nuts in the food processor and pulse until ground, being careful not to overprocess. Transfer to a bowl, then put the dried fruit in the processor along with a tsp or so of water.  Pulse until finely chopped and sticky enough to adhere to the nuts (some fruit will require more water than others).  Use your hands or a rubber spatula to combine the nuts and fruit until they become a "dough."


3. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and press into 3-inch round disks on a piece of wax paper or parchment; they should be about 1/4-inch thick.  Brush each disk with the melted chocolate in a thin, even layer, and top with the fresh fruit and any accumulated juices.  Serve immediately.


As you can probably tell from the image above, my tart bases were too wide and thick, and the fruit just sort of slopped over it without sticking.  I ended up with three, one for each of us in Casa Fraser, not eight. I think I should've pulsed the nuts into something closer to almond meal.  In my zeal to avoid over-processing, I went too far the other way.  Also, it might've helped to add a smidge more water to the apricots.

The result as made was edible, but out of balance--too much dried fruit and nut, not enough chocolate and fresh fruit.  I ended up with half a bowl of fresh berries left soaking in ice wine, though Mr. Fraser and I did eat them, and I slurped up most of the berry juice and ice wine syrup they left behind.  That was pure deliciousness.