Saturday, December 18, 2010

Seduction on a Plate

Have you ever wondered how these self-announced culinary goddesses look absolutely ravishing in their kitchen spaces, day after day, show after show. Not a strand of hair out of place, not even a laughter line showing. They look sexy with their mouths full and their bodies look as if they stopped growing after 16! Nigella Lawson of course is an exception.

diva They have come-hither looks, husky voices, manicured nails, and botoxed assets as kitchen arsenals. I wonder how all their cook wares look so shiny (must be the sponsors!), stovetops spotless, kitchens gorgeous, pantries full and people like you and me eating out off their palms. Well, almost.

I know I am no Nigella or Giada, not even shortcut queen -Rachel Ray. But sometimes away from public eye, I pretend to be one. Yes, I convince myself that I am the domestic diva who can whip out meal after meal everyday, sometimes twice a day! Though its another story that a lot of the times, I spill, overcook, follow recipe books, make frantic calls to the mother, serve leftovers, or conveniently order take out.

Till about a few years ago, I even used to talk to myself, pretending I was hosting some food show. Well, that delusion hasn’t stopped altogether. Except that now, I also have a camera in my kitchen. I am also contemplating about shedding my PJs and slipping into fashionable clothes, curling up my hair and batting mascaraed eyelashes the next time I step inside my kitchen. Some day soon. Very soon. Till then, keep coming back to check on me and my un-sexy home cooked meals.

Today I made my usual, to-be-patented winter staple of clear tomato soup and served with croutons made of French baguette and Spanish Chorizo sausages. They paired well with a light salad made of baby spinach, arugula, red cabbage, sliced avocado, red bell pepper, generous shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano and a good drizzle of EVOO (just the way Rachel Ray says it!). For the uninitiated, EVOO is Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

IMG_3702If you cannot find baguette, take any long-thin bread and make even slices of it, preferably with a serrated knife. Drizzle olive oil. Slice the sausages too to fit on the bread.

IMG_3703 IMG_3704Preheat your oven to 350°F, and leave the breads to turn into golden, crusty croutons topped with melt-in-the-mouth sausages.

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For the salad I just tossed in everything at the very last minute and served in individual bowls with freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, a dash of extra virgin olive oil, few squirts of lemon juice and some black pepper straight from the pepper mill.

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10 comments:

GB said...

Oh come now, why no mention of the Paula deens (the goddess of may-oh-neese) or Inas (she's just a little partial to butter)of the televised food industry? True, their come-hithering days are behind them, but surely they own their kitchens just as much as the starlets of today?

Your dinner looks wonderful, as usual. Tomato soup for the soul--mmmmmm.

Sassy Fork said...

You may not be Nigella but you come pretty close!!

Kamini said...

Nigella Shmigella...who cares about them??? There's probably a team of make up artists and a counter mopping crew behind the refrigerator doing their jobs during the commercial breaks! Phooey to them! Your salad looks fabulous by the way....any day better than anything either of these food porn queens can whip up! So there!

Unknown said...

what a fun post! I think like Nigella for the way she talks about food such adjectives such passion! Can totally relate to that love for food!

Tanvi@SinfullySpicy said...

Oh Rachel Ray is one of the most irritating females I have ever seen on television.I never understand what she's cooking coz every third step in her show is some sort of a shortcut..and those stoups..Ahhhh painful...I flip the channel with infinte mach velocity the moment she appears!! Giada is still lovely with that on n off cleavage...Dun wanna send ny wrong signals..but these things females do notice:) ..I hope u knw wht I mean! Your food looks yum!

Kalyan Karmakar said...

well to start with, the food looks damn hot here ....now we can only wait for the creator :P

You won't beleive it but I picked up parmesan reggiano for the first time day before

don't worry about the talking part of it...I sometimes here scripts rolling in my head, you know a la whom ,as I walk the streets of Mumbai building stories

Home Cooked Oriya Food said...

haha! I know what you mean! I love the shows for the color, cleaniness and fun part! Who cares abt what they cook!

Sound Horn Please said...

Well I wouldn't call Rachel Ray skinny. She has tummy fat and that makes me happy(awfully mean of me no?) Well, Giada can't really cook as much as she is good at just putting 'things together'.

Cham said...

I ve seen Rachel Ray- gaining and shredding few pounds and always wonder are these people cooking and eating or only having a bite size food everyday!
Sausage with baguette sounds a great appetizer!

PreeOccupied said...

Its a pity we don't have women like Nigella in the Indian circuit. Madhur Jaffrey and Tarla Dalal are the only two names which top my mind. Oh yes and Karen Anand. Wonder where she is now!