Rainy-day Indoor Picnic

Saturday 31 August

Our Clifton neighbors Rama and Erik kindly invited us over for a picnic potluck in their back yard.  Of course, when you count on good weather, you get a good old thunderstorm, and instead of strolling leisurely over, we drove three blocks and still got wet. 

Once we got inside, we met their friends Keith, Gillian and Uri.  Uri is Israeli, and had made a big, beautiful skillet of shakshuka.  Rama had made spicy lentils, and many tasty and varied appetizers.  Holt's contribution was bright red ratatouille above, made with our garden zephyr squash and fresh tomatoes, and I made the TV recipe below.

Spice Goddess green beans with tomato sauce

couple garlic cloves - mince and sauté in oil

teaspoon black mustard seeds - add and sauté

2 tsps. ground coriander and

1 tsp. ground cumin - add and stir and sauté;

a couple of chopped fresh tomatoes - add; I used farmers' market San Marzanos.

The Spice Goddess adds water here, though I'd wait to see how the tomatoes break down and whether they're saucy enough on their own.  She then adds what looks like 1 lb. green beans and cooks till tender.  As mine were big thick Garden of Edens from our garden, I cut the longer ones in pieces, covered the pot, and cooked low and slow.

She then adds cubed paneer.  I didn't - and it needed some spice! - so I added caper salt.  And I'd bump up the amount of spices next time.  Still, pretty good, and certainly fresh.

We ate around the dining room table, and got to sit outside for a couple of minutes between showers, so Rama could show us the garden lamps she had bought for the occasion. 

The dessert was a tasty berry salad with shaved chocolate and cream which Rama and Erik's son Krishna whipped up on his own.  Good job, everyone, and thank you, Rama and Erik!