Each week I do a radio/webcast show, right now they
are split up, one on Astrology, the other on Food. When I was pitching this
idea to my partner she immediately jumped on board, she brought her immense
talents, enthusiasm and expertise and launched the programs alongside and
continues on as Executive Producer. What she immediately knew was this -
this show - about two seemingly very different subjects was exactly the road
that I should travel, and that road, we will pave together. As I got up this
morning and was doing my morning reading, trying to figure out what my blog was
going to be about, either the tremendous food show I had this past week-
talking about the AOC cookbook with celebrated chef and author Suzanne Goin and
her business partner Caroline Styne. Or the approaching full moon in sensual,
food-loving Taurus, opposing the spiritual self-probing Scorpio sun, it struck
me - like a bat over my head - exactly why I chose to do this show.
In my chart I have Scorpio rising, with my
descendent in Taurus, in the exact degree of this full moon. Scorpio, is a sign
of transformation and healing- power and determination. Taurus ruled by Venus,
is practical, reliable, loves the luxuries in life. On one side of my chart-Astrology/Spirituality,
the other side, Food- practical, life affirming, luxurious. Clearly right there
spelling it out for me, my career path- my venus in the 6th house of service to
others - my north node in cancer in the 8th house ruled by Scorpio. So let it
be written, so let it be done. (10 Commandments reference)
For me this week, I have been struggling to find
ways to bring these two shows together, and that's exactly what this full moon
is about, for everyone! Finding that balance between the needs of the
Taurus Moon and the Scorpio Sun, this does not mean that we should ignore
one side or the other. In order to reap its benefits, we will need
to address both sides and we all have this in our charts, we are truly not one
sign but a combination of them all, thats why each month we are affected
by these transits in our skies. So you have to ask yourself what are you doing
and is this making you truly happy? Scorpio's ultimate goal is to
heal through transformation, Taurus, ruled by Venus is to explore - through
love - what makes us happy, i.e, material possession, physical manifestations,
love of nature? Love of all things pleasurable.
Also at this time Venus is conjunct Pluto,
Scorpio's ruler, squaring Uranus urging us to define that which we love and to
make damn sure that will be helping us grow and transform ourselves and those
around us. In other words, we will see an increase in people saying to
themselves, am I on the right path, is this helping or hindering me, and is
this truly what I love to do! This week will also shed some light on the events
that took place during the new moon/solar eclipse that happened on November
3rd, think back, did something happen, did you lose a job, or perhaps gain a
client? Did you meet someone special, or perhaps have a meeting about a
possible new venture? Are the characters in that book or screenplay really
breathing and speaking to you, or are they not yet gasping for air. This week
new opportunities come out of the shadows, but you have to see them. Remember
we only see what we want to, thats how transformation works, so ask yourself
this: Do you want to be happy, if so then just open your eyes and se the beauty
that surrounds you, whether its little white snow flakes, or palm
trees and clear blue skies, both are beautiful you just have to see it
that way.
Speaking of happy, this weeks shows have made me
the happiest i've been in awhile, Tuesday was all about money in your
chart, how to identify it and where you can manifest it. Thursday I learned
more about food and wine and coffee than I have in a LONG time! If you haven't
seen or listened to the shows, watch them on youtube.com/purepollino
Or you can go to my website Michelle Pollino As promised I have
another recipe from Suzanne Goin, who is a Libra, and I will say I was afraid
to ask both her and Caroline their signs, but i know I will in the future, I
too still struggle with the stigma about astrology, but I hope you will bear
with me. Either way I cannot express to you how wonderful these ladies are.
Suzanne is charming and passionate and is one of those women who you
ultimately admire and adore. You know she's a great boss by hearing her
deliberate speech, you know she's a great mom, by hearing her talk about her
kids. You know she's a great chef by tasting her food. She is all that and a
Fattoush salad. Her book is funny, wise and educational. But even more than the
recipes, Goin puts it all out there in this book, giving us a glimpse into her
idiosyncrasies, in the most charming, unfettered way. We get to know this
celebrated chef and understand the choices she makes and why. We see that
her connection to food is an extension of her love and connection to the people
that come into her life, this is truly how she celebrates them, transforming
her connection to them, into dishes for the world to enjoy. She literally
strikes the perfect balance between that Scorpio/Taurus energy that I spoke of
earlier, and after all isn't that what life is all about, striking that beautiful
balance of of love, life and work.
Below is one of her recipes form her new book that she has graciously handed over for us to enjoy!
Thank you! xo,m
Fattoush
salad with fried pita, cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta, and sumac
Fattoush is the Arabic word
for a traditional salad made in most Middle Eastern countries, originally as a
vehicle to use up stale leftover pita bread. I think I must just be a leftover
lover, because so many of my favorite foods—stuffings, daubes, terrines,
meringues—all evolved from using up excess or old product so it wouldn’t go to
waste. Traditionally, the stale pita is torn into bigger-than-bite-sized
pieces, fried, and then tossed with lettuces and seasonal vegetables.
I’m sure there are
as many “recipes” for fattoush as there are cooks, but I credit the key
to our delicious version to Brian Wolff—one of our A.O.C. chefs in the early
days, who was determined to make a better fattoush than the one he ate
every Sunday at the local Middle Eastern restaurant in his San Fernando Valley
neighborhood. Besides, of course, the super-farm-fresh ripe and crispy
ingredients, the secret behind this salad is the dressing—and it’s the touch of
cream in the dressing that really brings this fattoush to greatness.
For me there are two
types of salads, the ones that need to be gently and carefully tossed, and the
more rugged ones with bold-flavored dressings—like escarole with anchovies and
Parmesan, the farro salad with spring vegetables, and this fattoush, which
I like to toss really well, almost massaging the dressing into the
greens and other components. The flavors and textures really need to be brought
together and integrated to create one glorious whole. It’s amazing to me that
you can give the same ingredients, and even the same dressing, to two different
cooks, and, between the seasoning and the way the salad is dressed and tossed,
you can end up with two very different results. So remember to toss this salad
well; get your hands in there, make sure every element is getting well coated,
and taste. You actually want the tomatoes to break up a tiny bit, so their
juices meld with the creamy lemon dressing and bring all the flavors of the
salad together.
Preheat the oven to
400°F.
Cut the pita bread
into rustic 1-inch squares, and toss, using your hands, with 3 tablespoons
olive oil until the pita is well coated and saturated. Spread on a baking
sheet, and toast for about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the pita
squares are golden and crispy. (You can also deep-fry the pita if you like.)
Using a mortar and
pestle (or the side of a knife on a cutting board), crush the garlic clove with
a little salt, and then transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and a
heaping ¼ teaspoon salt to the bowl. Whisk in the remaining ½ cup olive oil,
and the cream. Taste for balance and seasoning.
Cut each head of romaine in half lengthwise,
and place them cut-side down on a cutting board. Make three long slices
lengthwise, then turn the romaine and chop across the slices into ½-inch-sized
pieces. Clean the lettuce, spin it dry, and place in a large mixing bowl.
Thinly slice the
onion. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, and cut them on the diagonal into
¼-inch-thick slices. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Add the onion, cucumbers,
and tomatoes to the romaine, and toss with the dressing, the chopped parsley,
toasted pita, half the feta, ¼ teaspoon salt, and some freshly ground pepper.
Taste for balance and seasoning. Gently toss in the whole parsley and mint
leaves, and arrange on six dinner plates. Sprinkle the remaining 2 ounces feta
and the sumac over the top of the salads.
3 pita breads
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive
oil
1 clove garlic
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2
lemons)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 large heads romaine lettuce
1 small red onion
3 Persian cucumbers, or 1 hothouse cucumber
½ pint cherry tomatoes
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsely, plus ½ cup
whole fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ pound feta cheese
¼ cup mint leaves
1 tablespoon ground sumac
Kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper
This is one of my
all-time favorite A.O.C. salads, and one that I have probably eaten over a hundred
times. Though the crispy pita adds an indulgent, rich crunch, the essence of
this salad is very clean, calling for a wine that is similarly so. I’ve found
that the best match for this dish is a white wine with a savory core and notes
of bright-green herbs, like Assyrtiko from Greece, which is lean, refreshing,
and kind of unfruity. The wine almost becomes an extension of the salad,
creating a seamless connection between the two, while also allowing the
sweetness of the tomatoes to shine through.
Excerpted
from The A.O.C. Cookbook by
Suzanne Goin. Copyright © 2013 by Suzanne Goin. Excerpted by
permission of Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No
part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in
writing from the publisher.
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