Lessons and Lenticche
I have made it a goal to try to make fish 2x week. We have a lot of salmon. Being in the Pacific Northwest does have its advantages besides being the only corner of the country not having wacko weather!
Tonight it was slow-roasted sockeye, and usually I make some israeli couscous w/truffle oil or egg noodles or something, but I was feeling a bit legume-ey so I thought about braised lentils. I researched a few recipes online but then kinda winged it my own way. It ended up being kind of a braise, but since I had to keep adding liquid, I consider it risotto style. They came out tender, creamy, and a lovely compliment to the fish.
Kim's Risotto-style Lentils
serves 2
total cooking time: between 30-45 minutes
1/2 C green puy lentils, picked over and washed
1 C water
about 1/2 C or so low sodium chicken stock ( I used Trader Joe's, but would also use homemade)
extra water (about 1/2 C, maybe?)
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 tsp olive oil + extra for finishing
s & p to taste
lemon juice to taste
I normally don't throw things together (I tell people I can read a recipe really well) so I was very proud of my efforts.
Tomorrow's cooking: roasting peppers and making tomato sauce & meatballs (or "gravy", as DH's family would call it.) We are totally out and need to restock the freezer!
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The lessons part was also good today. I had a 2-hr coaching with my favorite Seattle coach, and we worked on Rosalinde. This is a role I NEVER thought I would sing - I always thought, and was told, that I would always sing Adele - so for many years I thought that was it. The lesson was twofold today: 1) getting used to the fact that I CAN and WILL sing this role, and 2) not manufacturing a larger sound just because I "think" it needs to sound bigger. I have found that warmth and size in my sound, and when I sing it with MY voice, it sounds damn good. No need to try to make it anything else than it is!
So a large part of realizing this comes with remembering what Rosalinde is doing onstage at this moment: singing to a ballroom full of people, showing off. When I get out of my technical head and I get into the dramatic one, a lot of things fix themselves. Sure does help for this aria, and for Countess too.
We will do 2 coachings next week and hit all my arias before I come to NYC. Again. I am planning on packing my winter coat and gloves, oy.
LOL - during Rosalinde coaching today, I kept saying Lebenslüst instead of Lebenslust. No idea why. My coach told me I was doing some sort of a Swedish Chef thing. I suggested we do the whole thing in that style and take it on the road. :)
mmm-bork-bork-bork!
Tonight it was slow-roasted sockeye, and usually I make some israeli couscous w/truffle oil or egg noodles or something, but I was feeling a bit legume-ey so I thought about braised lentils. I researched a few recipes online but then kinda winged it my own way. It ended up being kind of a braise, but since I had to keep adding liquid, I consider it risotto style. They came out tender, creamy, and a lovely compliment to the fish.
Kim's Risotto-style Lentils
serves 2
total cooking time: between 30-45 minutes
1/2 C green puy lentils, picked over and washed
1 C water
about 1/2 C or so low sodium chicken stock ( I used Trader Joe's, but would also use homemade)
extra water (about 1/2 C, maybe?)
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 tsp olive oil + extra for finishing
s & p to taste
lemon juice to taste
- in a small saucepan, combine lentils and water, bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 min or until tender but not soft. (al dente)
- meanwhile, chop onion and garlic. In a larger saucepan or saucier, heat olive oil. Add onion and a pinch of salt to help release the juices. Sweat for a few minutes, then add garlic (to prevent burning). Cook slowly for about 10 min or so, or until onions are golden brown but not too caramelized.
- when lentils are finished, drain and add to onions. Add chicken stock and reduce heat to a simmer.
- as liquid is absorbed, add more chicken stock (or water) to lentils until most of liquid is absorbed and lentils are soft and creamy.
- just before serving, add a squeeze of lemon juice, a splash of olive oil, and S & P to taste.
I normally don't throw things together (I tell people I can read a recipe really well) so I was very proud of my efforts.
Tomorrow's cooking: roasting peppers and making tomato sauce & meatballs (or "gravy", as DH's family would call it.) We are totally out and need to restock the freezer!
*******************************
The lessons part was also good today. I had a 2-hr coaching with my favorite Seattle coach, and we worked on Rosalinde. This is a role I NEVER thought I would sing - I always thought, and was told, that I would always sing Adele - so for many years I thought that was it. The lesson was twofold today: 1) getting used to the fact that I CAN and WILL sing this role, and 2) not manufacturing a larger sound just because I "think" it needs to sound bigger. I have found that warmth and size in my sound, and when I sing it with MY voice, it sounds damn good. No need to try to make it anything else than it is!
So a large part of realizing this comes with remembering what Rosalinde is doing onstage at this moment: singing to a ballroom full of people, showing off. When I get out of my technical head and I get into the dramatic one, a lot of things fix themselves. Sure does help for this aria, and for Countess too.
We will do 2 coachings next week and hit all my arias before I come to NYC. Again. I am planning on packing my winter coat and gloves, oy.
LOL - during Rosalinde coaching today, I kept saying Lebenslüst instead of Lebenslust. No idea why. My coach told me I was doing some sort of a Swedish Chef thing. I suggested we do the whole thing in that style and take it on the road. :)
mmm-bork-bork-bork!