August 12 -13, 2008
Here are some verses which struck me today :
“If only you have been alert to my voice, your happiness would have been like a river, your integrity like the waves of the sea.” --- Isaiah 48:18-19.
“…… Get on with rebuilding the Temple! If you do , I will certainly bless you “
Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131
R: How sweet to my taste is your promise!
14 In the way of your decrees I rejoice, as much as in all riches. (R) 24 Yes, your decrees are my delight; they are my counselors. (R) 72 The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces. (R) 103 How sweet to my palate are your promises, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (R) 111 Your decrees are my inheritance forever; the joy of my heart they are. (R) 131 I gasp with open mouth in my yearning for your commands. (R)
I will never again regret the almost three decades of my life that I have basically, in the way I knew how , in the ways possible for me , given in service to this country, to other people …. That was the leitmotif …for whatever it’s worth. On and off , I have doubted myself regarding this. I’ve been too long on this mountain … I need to continue on my journey . Spiritually, pscychologically, emotionally and mentally I’m ready to go to the next phase … And with that , the logistics will surely follow …now …
Come to think of it …. after setting up my new plans and dreams and after all those efforts at self-improvement inside (mostly) and out, after obsessing on them for quite sometime , I’m at this stage where I’m letting go , I’m surrendering them to the Lord God, getting detached from them while at the same time believing their coming true and believing their part of God’s will and plan for my life …. what is really becoming the first and foremost concern in my life is the spiritual aspect.
I’ve been forever taking down notes and copies of words/phrases/sentences/paragraphs which have touched my mind,heart and sould from anything I’ve read . I’d write them anywhere , in pieces of paper, on the margins of Xeroxed pages, at the blank pages of my books , notebooks. I’m thinking of putting them in one place. Methinks this blog would be a good place .
Dignity - the quality or state of being worthy ; intrinsic worth; excellence; formal reserve of manner, appearance, behaviour, language; behaviour that accors with self-respect or with regard for the serious of occasion or purpose; poise; respect.
“ A man is literally what he thinks, character being the complete sum of all his thoughts. Thoughts and character are one.
1. Direct your energies with intelligence;
2. Fashion your thoughts to fruitful issues;
3. As character can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstances, the outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner life. This does not mean that a man’s circumstances at any given time are an indication of his entire character, but that those circumstances are so intimately connected with the same vital thought-element within himself that for the time being , they are indispensable to his development.” (Nice to know that after I’ve learned my lessons in this place , I can move on to a better one. I pray I learn them fast and soon.)
First time in my life I’m going to have ‘fennel’ , so I looked up some recipes which I’m posting here , for easy retrieval and storage. Getting healthy is also fun.
FENNEL RECIPES
Fennel: popular as a vegetable in Italy, it can be thinly sliced and eaten plain or as part of a vegetable platter. It is often served with just salt and olive oil as a simple appetizer or salad course. It can be chopped up into salad as celery, and indeed used almost anywhere celery is used. I once saw it added to chili -it was delicious. It was a popular herb in the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans. A recipe from Columella, a Spaniard who served in the Roman army in Syria in AD 60: "Mix fennel with toasted sesame, anise, and cumin then mix that with pureed dried fig and wrap in fig leaves and then store in jars to preserve." (From Spencers The Vegetable Book)
Fennel is high is vitamins A and E, calcium and potassium. Fennel and ginger make a good digestive tea. (Steep the fresh leaves with a bit of sliced ginger for 5 minutes in boiling water.)
SOME IDEAS from The Victory Garden Cookbook
· Sprinkle chopped fennel leaves on hot baked oysters or clams.
· Add cooked fennel to omelets, quiches, stuffings or sauces.
· Add stalks to stocks for their flavor.
· Add sliced sauteed fennel to fish chowders.
· Cook fennel in your favorite tomato sauce.
· Place stalks and leaves on barbeque coals as they do in France. The fennel scent permeates the grilled food.
· Slice steamed or blanched fennel, cover with a vinaigrette and serve chilled.
· Chop raw fennel and add to tuna fish sandwiches.
· Slice fennel thin and layer with raw potatoes, cream and cheese to make a potato au gratin.
Fennel and Cheese for Dessert adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook by M. Morash
Fennel bulbsOne great cheese, such as blue cheese or a local goat cheese best olive oil S & P
Wash and trim fennel bulbs. If small, cut in half; quarter larger ones. Serve with slices of cheese and pass the oil, salt, and pepper.
Fennel Salad from Adrienne Cox1 Bulb fennel1 bunch radish1 CucumberA few carrotsRice vinegarDill 1-2 tsp if fresh Thinly slice fennel, carrots and radish. Seed and chop cucumber. Mix everything into a bowl and toss with some rice vinegar and some dill to taste. This salad gets better as the days go by and it marinates in the vinegar, but it is really tasty the day of as well.
History of Fennel from Mediterranean Vegetables by Clifford Wright
The earliest inscriptions that refer to fennel are Coptic, describing its use for treating eye ailments. In Greek mythology knowledge came to man from Olympus in the form of a fiery coal contained in a fennel stalk. The Greeks grew fennel, as did the Romans, and the bulb variety was probably developed in Italy.... During the Italian Middle Ages agrarian cults of benandanti, or good witches, claimed that they fought nocturnal battles with evil witches, who were armed with stalks of sorghum, while benandanti were armed with bundles of fennel.
And more fennel history:
It is mentioned in Gerard (1597), and Parkinson (Theatricum Botanicum, 1640) tells us that its culinary use was derived from Italy, for he says: 'The leaves, seede and rootes are both for meate and medicine; the Italians especially doe much delight in the use thereof, and therefore transplant and whiten it, to make it more tender to please the taste, which being sweete and somewhat hot helpeth to digest the crude qualitie of fish and other viscous meats. We use it to lay upon fish or to boyle it therewith and with divers other things, as also the seeds in bread and other things.'
Oven Potatoes with Fennel
20 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1/2" cubes1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut in 1" slices1 medium sweet onion, diced1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced finely2 teaspoons vegetable oil1/2 teaspoon saltfreshly ground black pepper -- to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine potatoes, fennel, onion, parsley, oil, salt and pepper; toss gently until well coated. Arrange mixture in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet. Bake, turning occasionally, until potatoes are crisp on all sides, 30-35 minutes. Serve immediately. Pickled Fennel with Orange from The Joy of Pickling by Linda ZiedrichJulia suggests using these on a sandwich, on a cheese board/.cracker platter, or tossed in a green salad.
2 fennel bulbs, sliced thin1 t pickling salt (kosher or other uniodized salt)zest from ½ an orange, in strips1 or 2 small fennel fronds (optional)6 T white wine vinegar6 T orange juice1 T sugar4 black peppercorns, cracked
In a bowl, toss the fennel slices with the salt. Let them stand 1 hour. Drain the fennel slices, and toss them with the orange zest. Pack gthem into a pint jar, placing a fennel frond or two against the side of the jar, if you like. In a saucepan, heat hte vinegar, orange juice, sugar, and peppercorns to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the hot liquid over the fennel. Cap the jar, and let cool to room temp. Store the pickle in the fridge . It will be ready to eat ina day or two, and will keep for at least several weeks.
LIZ'S FENNEL RECIPE
2 bunches2 bulbs2 tbsp.2 tbsp.2 to 3 tbsp.
small red onionsfennel, cleaned and quarteredgood olive oilPepper to tastebalsamic vinegarparmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put olive oil in bottom of roasting pan. Coat onions and fennel by rolling in pan. Pepper lightly. Cover with foil and seal tightly. Roast for 35 minutes until tender when pierced with fork. Uncover, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and coat with parmesan. Cook uncovered at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes (til parmesan melts and lightly browned.) - Liz K. in SF
FENNEL, GRAPE, AND GORGONZOLA SALAD
1 lg. bulb2 tbsp.1 tbsp.1/2 cup2 oz.1 cup1 cup
fennel bulb (sometimes called anise)extra-virgin olive oilfresh lemon juicehalved black grapes, seededGorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)thinly sliced radicchiothinly sliced romaine (wash and dry before slicing)
Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and discard any tough outer layers. Halve bulb lengthwise, discard core, and slice fennel thin. In a bowl toss together fennel, oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and let stand 10 minutes. Add grapes, Gorgonzola, radicchio, and romaine and toss to combine.
FRESH FENNEL CONFIT
1 bulb2 tbsp.1 tbsp.1/2 tsp.1 tbsp.
fennelolive oilbutterblack pepperPernod liqueur
Trim fennel bulb, and cut into long julienne strips. Combine the oil and butter in a heavy saucepan over very low heat. Add the fennel and pepper, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Remove the cover, add the Pernod, and stir. Cook an additional 5 minutes.
Note from Julia: I made this confit without the Pernod and added some sliced onion with the fennel. It was great topped on a pizza, or can be served as a side dish.
The New Basics, Rosso & LukinsFennel Baked with Parmesan Cheese from: Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book
Jane Grigson's note about this recipe: "My favourite fennel dish, the best one of all by far. The simple additions of butter and parmesan - no other cheese will do - show off the fennel flavour perfectly. The point to watch, when the dish is in the oven, is the browning of the cheese. Do not let it go beyond a rich golden-brown."
Julia's note: this dish can be halved or made even smaller for just two people with one or two large heads of fennel.
6 heads fennel, trimmed, quarteredbutterpepper3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Cook the fennel in salted water until it is tender. It is important to get this right: the fennel should not still be crisp, on the other hand it should not be floppy either. Drain it well and arrange in a generously buttered gratin dish. Be generous, too, with the pepper mill. Sprinkle on the cheese. Put into the oven at 400 degrees, until the cheese is golden brown and the fennel is bubbling vigorously in buttery juices. FENNEL VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
1/2 cup1/2 cup1/4 cup1 clovepinchpinch
olive oil green leaf fennel leaveslemon juicegarlic, peeledsaltsugar
In a small saucepan, heat oil, fennel leaves, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt and sugar. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. adapted from Ellen Ecker Ogden's The Cook's Garden CatalogCREAMY FENNEL SOUP
2 cups1 bulb1 sliver2 tbsp.1 tbsp.1 tsp.1/2 tsp.1 tsp.1 quart
stock (chicken, beef, vegetable....)fennel, about 1 poundgarlicchopped onionslemon juice (or more to-taste)lemon zest, chopped dried dillweed (or 1 1/2 tsp. fresh)ground coriandernonfat yogurt
Clean and slice the fennel bulb, reserving any greens for garnish. Cook the fennel in the stock with the garlic and shallots until soft. Puree in a blender with the lemon juice and zest, and the spices. Strain the puree if you wish a smoother texture. Combine well with the yogurt and chill. Serve garnished with chopped fennel greens or chopped cilantro.
from: http://www.recipeland.com
PARMESAN-TOPPED FENNEL PUREE
1 1/2 lb.2 bulbs2 cups1/2 cup2 tbsp.2 tbsp.2 tbsp.
potatoes, peeled & quarteredfennel, trimmed and choppeddefatted chicken brothskim milkunsalted butter, meltedSalt to tasteWhite pepper to tastegrated Parmesanflavored bread crumbs
Boil potatoes until tender; about 30 minutes. Drain well. Transfer to a mixing bowl and mash well. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, combine fennel with the broth and cook over medium heat until tender; about 15 minutes. Drain and puree in food processor. Add to potatoes along with the milk and butter. Then transfer to oven-proof casserole; top with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Brown under broiler for a few minutes.
from Recipeland
ARUGULA, FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD
1/4 cup3 tbsp.1 1/2 tbsp.2 lg.7 cups1 lg.1 sm.
minced shallotsextra-virgin olive oilfresh lemon juiceorangesarugula (about 10 large bunches), trimmedfennel bulb, quartered lengthwise, cored, thinly sliced crosswisered onion, thinly sliced
Whisk minced shallots, olive oil and lemon juice in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut all peel and white pith from oranges. Using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. Combine arugula, fennel and onion in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Add orange segments; toss to combine. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Serves 6.
Bon Appetit
GREEK STYLE FENNEL
3 bulbs2 tbsp.1 clove2 lg.1/4 tsp.1/4 tsp.2 tsp.1/2 cuphandful
fennelolive oilgarlic, mincedtomatoes, dicedsaltpepperfresh chopped herb (chervil, marjoram...)feta cheesereserved fennel tops
Cut off the stalks and feathery leaves of the fennel. Chop and reserve some of the leaves for garnish. Cut fennel bulbs vertically into 8 sections. In a skillet, heat olive oil, ad garlic and fennel, and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, add salt, pepper and the fresh herb and cook over low heat until most of the liquid is reduced. Serve sprinkled with the garnish of feta cheese and reserved fennel tops.
More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Shepherd and Raboff
FENNEL, ORANGE AND CAPER SALADNot from Julia: I made this and it's REALLY good.
2 bulbs1 tbsp.1 tbsp.
fennelcapers;draineddill or chervil, fresh; chopped
DRESSING:1/42 tsp.1 tbsp.2 tsp.1/2 tsp.4 tbsp.
orange, seededred wine vinegarDijon mustardsugarsalt olive oil
Trim the stalks from the fennel, cut the bulb in half lengthwise; then cut crosswise into very thin slices. Place in a large bowl with the capers and the dill.. Make the dressing. Cut the quarter orange in small pieces and place in the work bowl of a food processor with the vinegar, mustard, sugar and salt. .Process until smooth. With the motor running slowly, pour in the olive oil. Pour over the fennel, toss well and serve.
from: www.recipeland.com
FENNEL, MUSHROOM AND PARMESAN CHEESE SALADYou can prepare the dressing an hour or two in advance, but the salad ingredients won't keep pristine for more than half an hour.
DRESSING:1/2 cup2 tbsp.1 tbsp.
less 1 Tbsp. mild olive oilfresh lemon juicesalt & freshly ground white pepper to tastea tiny pinch of nutmegfirmly packed fennel leaves, finely chopped
SALAD:4 sm. bulbs1 oz.4
fennel, sliced paper-thinParmesan cheese, shaved paper-thinplump mushrooms, about 1 oz each, slided paper-thinfreshly ground white pepper to taste
Use a fork to blend the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Taste for seasoning. Cover and keep in a cool place. Combine the fennel and cheese in a mixing bowl. Beat the dressing to blend it and add 1/4 cup to the bowl. Blend carefuly with your hands - the cheese tends to sink to the bottom, and you don't want to end up with just crumbles. Spread a handful of this mixture on 4 salad plates, filling the plates. Heap the mushroom slices lightly over the fennel, leaving a curly border of the fennel. Beat the dressing again and spoon 1 Tbsp. over the mushrooms on each plate. Grind pepper over the salads and serve at once as a separate course with bread sticks.
The Kitchen Garden Cookbook, Sylvia Thompson
ITALIAN FENNEL SALAD
Thinly slice 1 medium-size fennel bulb and 1 unpeeled orange. Arrange - alternating and overlapping or however you like - on two salad plates. Strew with half a dozen salt-cured or Kalamata olives, sprinkle each plate with 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, a few drops of fresh lemon juice, a tsp. of finely chopped fennel leaves, salt and freshly ground white pepper. Serve at once or let the ingredients mingle an hour or so. Serves 2.
The Kitchen Garden Cookbook, Sylvia Thompson
PREPARING FENNEL
Baking: First, braise the fennel for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish and add just 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees until just tender and beginning to brown. If desired, uncover toward the end to allow any excess liquid to evaporate, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese, and brown under the broiler before serving. Cooking time: about 1 hour.
Braising: Braise fennel in broth, tomato sauce, vermouth or sherry (diluted 1-to-1 with water); add lemon zest, garlic, or onion for extra flavor. Braised fennel is delicious hot, warm, or chilled. Place fennel slices, or halved or quartered small fennel bulbs, in a sauce pan and add just enough boiling liquied to barely cover the vegetable. Simmer uncovered, turning occasionally, until the fennel is tender, adding more liquid if necessary. Cooking time: 25 to 40 minutes.
Sauteing: Cut fennel into slivers and heat in a small amount of stock, tossing and stirring it frequently. For extra flavor, cook chopped onion and garlic along with fennel. A sprinkling of lemon juice and zest makes a nice finishing touch. Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes.
Steaming: Fennel steamed until crisp-tender can be covered with your favorite sauce or marinated in a vinaigrette, chilled, and served as a salad. To steam it, place whole or halved bulbs in a vegetable steamer and cook over boiling water until just tender. Cooking time: 20 to 30 minutes.
The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition, Shelden Margen, M.D.
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