Naomi: Cooking for one and for friends



For years now, even before I wrote the recipes in what I think of as my "static blog," Fiftytworecipesfrommymother, at the request of my children, Sarah and Sam, Sarah had been urging me to keep a daily (more or less) record of my cookings--the meals I make for myself in my (surprisingly) solitary life as well as those I make for friends. For whatever reasons, I've never done it.


But, after months of wandering, I've finally begun. As I haven't quite mastered the art of cooking for one, and love throwing together grand meals at the last minute, I have been encouraging friends to call to check on what I might have on hand any evening for a quick meal. Instructions can be found in my entry for March 20th--What's in Naomi's Refrigerator.

This is primarily a record of the meals I prepare for myself and others, accompanied by "mug shots" of the food (when I remember to photograph before eating). Shot by my phone, with no styling, they may not capture their subjects at their best, but so be it.



Sunday, April 29, 2012

April 29. Black Beans. Chile Rellenos. Rice. Tomato Sauce. Roasted Cauliflower.

I'd made a reservation weeks ago  to see Gilda with Rita Hayworth at the Getty and had the astounding foresight to arrange for parking a-top the hill.   Arriving at the museum around one, I had time to see a show of  Los Angeles photos, as well as the Getty Institute's new print acquisitions which included Piranesi's imaginary prison drawings which Sam and I had first seen at LACMA, in what must have been a temporary show (or do they own them as well?) as well as in the stairwell of Dali's house/museum  in  Figueras, Spain.

I'd thought I'd seen Gilda years ago, but in fact had only seen clips, so was quite pleased to finally see it.  On leaving the theater, I saw a message from Emily, the young woman who was my guide of sorts on my bike ride to Ciclavia a few weeks ago (see seconds 57-59.  When I'd learned that she lived just a few blocks from me, I'd urged her to feel free to invite herself for dinner whenever.  
I was delighted as a bowl of black beans soaking at home and I'd been hoping some for an excuse to cook them up as an accompaniment to  chile rellenos (I had pasilla chiles in the vegetable bin, just waiting to be roasted and stuffed).

Chiles on the way (Madison Condon, 2012) 
Emily showed up about an hour and half later.  I'd already roasted cauliflower, and the black beans, as well as a simple tomato sauce for the chiles  were well underway.  With Emily's able assistance,  we were soon cooking the brown rice and the chiles.

We were probably sitting down to eat by 7:30--and had a delicious conversation filled meal (oh and I was indeed congratulating myself for pulling off such an elaborate feast with relative dispatch) .  Emily was also an excellent cleaner-upper making her a great player of  what's in the refrigerator.


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