Going green

Darkness falls too soon these days. It is only 5PM but the fast-fading light tells me it is already time to make dinner. That means I have to hit the market even earlier.

Which changes little, really. Fish is still costly, fresh vegetables chancy — the other day, for instance, Jenny and I made two rounds before deciding on the least unappealing onions (a spice, but you get the point). The moon is full as well. Last night, as a matter of fact. Since it takes 29 days between full moons, that means the next one will fall on December 24. Make of that what you will. I’m checking the pantry.

And so: cold fusilli salad. Not exactly what passes for a meal around here, but filling enough. Did someone say “mélange of processed products?” I’ll have you know it’s not as lazy as it appears. For starters, the mayo I made myself — Japanese-style, if you please, or what people call kewpie; I should post a DIY one of these days once I get it to my satisfaction. I mix it with an equal amount (250ml) of all-purpose cream, plus two tablespoons each of pineapple stock, juice from the pickled cucumbers, and honey, then a pinch of salt, and, because I recently saw a rerun of Giada’s holiday special from last year where she pureéd peas and spinach with the dressing while Aunt Raffi stood by complaining about the dish not being authentic (“Say it, girl,” I screamed at Giada. “Say it to her face: Dune.”), and have been toying with the idea ever since, I throw in a handful of (blanched) Gynura procumbens leaves into the bowl and blitz.

And now you know: the green is not in them spirals, but on. The dressing is enough for 250g of fusilli (my new favorite salad pasta; more surface area for dressing to cling to). Question is, aside from the color, is said dressing any different? As in better? No one has noted as much, but that’s what I’m here for, and I dare say the leaves add a bit of umami to the salad, unlikely as that may sound (the dish has no meat component if you don’t factor in the eggs, cream, and cheese). In any case, it’s a way to sneak greens into an otherwise calorific dish. I can’t spin it any more positively without coming across as defensive. My heart may be dark, but my salad is as good as ever. If you need something more filling, there’s always Spam.