Ever since kindergarten began, I have not been able to get Mateo into the kitchen. For most of the summer, he would join me there every Wednesday afternoon and he would help me peel, pick, sort, wash, taste whatever was on its way to our dinner table. I had chosen Wednesdays since it's farmer's market day here in Santa Monica, and I always try and get something new that they've never tasted before like Medjool dates or persimmons or something like that. Cooking together became a little routine the two of us shared since Nico was usually focused on his own play.
Can't say this is happening right now, which I'm a little bummed about. For the past three Wednesdays I've taunted him with bags of fragrant herbs and colorful vegetables, and when I ask if he wants to help, he's been too…tired, he says. I understand why. Kindergarten is serious work, with new teachers, new routines and new friendships to navigate. He's doing great, I have to say, but at the end of the day I can tell he just needs to disconnect from everything and lay on the floor and listen to some audiobooks or quietly try to rework his Transformer.
So I'm backing off for now. Yesterday was a rather busy day in the kitchen for me with chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with sea salt to be made for his school's bake sale, and supper an herbed spinach torte that required a little more work than I'm used to, but was oh so worth it. Mateo was absent for all of it as he ran through the house putting fires out with his fireman's hat on. He would check in from time to time to see how it was progressing, and I suppose he got to savor the best part which was eating it.
I'm hoping my helper returns soon. I miss watching him begin to understand how a bunch of spinach can transform into something creamy, cheesy and luscious when combined with all the other ingredients. He took much pride in our work once it was done. So now I'm searching for the just the right thing to hook him and his little hands back in, and hoping it won't have a hard candy shell on it.
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Sea Salt
1 cup unsifted flour
1 egg (room temperature)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. whole milk (room temperature)
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup salted butter (room temperature)
1 3/4 whole rolled oats
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. With a mixer, beat butter until creamy about 3 minutes. Next add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla one at a time until all combined. Add flour mixture and mix well. Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips. Drop teaspoons of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle the best sea salt you've got (I prefer Maldon Salt) onto the top of each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light browned. Makes about little over 2 dozen.
Spinach and Herb Torta in a Potato Crust
{from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone}
Makes 4 to 8 servings
3 large russet potatoes, about 1 1/4 pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch scallions, including the greens, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped dil or 2 teaspoons dried
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 bunches spinach, leaves only, coarsely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
1/3 to 1/2 cup crumbled feta to taste
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1. Peel the potatoes. Slice two crosswise about 1/8-inch thick. Slice the third potato lengthwise, also 1/8-inch thick. Brush some olive oil in a wide skillet and set over high heat. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium. Make a layer of potatoes and cook, turning them once, until golden on both sides and tender when pierced with a knife. Repeat until all are done. Remove them to a paper towel as they finish cooking.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the scallions, dill, parsley and cilantro and cook over medium heat until the scallions are wilted and bright green, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and remove to a bowl.
3. Add the spinach to the same pan, with the water clinging to the leaves, or add ¼ cup water if the spinach is dry. Cook over high heat until the leaves are wilted and tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a sieve and press out any excess water, then add to the scallions. Add the eggs, cheeses and lemon zest and stir well. Adjust the seasonings.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. To assemble the torta, lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan and set it on a sheet pan. Cover the bottom with the potato rounds, overlapping when necessary so there are no empty spaces. Place the long pieces around the sides. Pour in the spinach mixture, then bake immediately until firm and golden in places, about 40 minutes. Gently ease a knife between the edge of the pan and the potatoes. Release the spring and carefully lift off the side. Set the torta on a serving place and serve immediately.
