site of my temptation

It looks like late afternoon on a Tuesday.  My attention span is diminishing with the sunset over the Gantries in Long Island City.  A slight hunger mingled with fatigue sent me searching up and down Vernon Boulevard in search of – what?

Under the awning of the farmers’ market, a cascade of red radishes tumbled over the edge of the table.  On the side, the tops of crispy lettuces tousled like the tops of a forest.  I walk past a young farmer was offering samples of cheeses and instinctively pick up the reggiano parmigiano, sliced paper thin.

As soon as I tasted it, I knew.

It was time for the next step of the Twelve Step Plan for Restless Creatives and, by the way, my personal favorite:

9 Thank yourself

We work very hard – you, me and everybody who gives a thousand percent effort to what they do.  I have spent over a decade in the nonprofit arts world and the days where you are giving your all can fly by until suddenly something inside of you digs their heels in and demands to be fed.

I am not talking about your stomach and your prolific ability to consume chocolate.  I am talking about you and your inner underappreciated soul.

It is time to take a moment to show yourself some appreciation.  To say thank you in a way that is personally meaningful.

For those of you Restless Creatives just joining us, here are steps 1-8:

1 Get over yourself

2 Get off the grid

3 Get local

4 Bring on color

5 Avoid vampires

6 Read like a writer

7 Stop the frenzy

8 Live artfully

Getting back to those radishes.  And the lettuce, the  garlic, the fragrant lemons.  Slowly the vision of a glorious Caesar salad to reward myself presented itself.

It was the beginning of a beautiful affair.  Just what I needed.

I picked up some farm fresh eggs, so important to my divina (Italian for fabulous) gift to myself.  I balanced them carefully in my bag with the crunchy romaine lettuce and those divine radishes that got me started in the first place.

The whole experience was a gift.  A gift of exhilarated expectation, of time spent working with the aromatic fresh greens, of delighting in the stolen tastes tau sic (Cantonese for noshing while cooking).

One deep whiff promised me a fragrant salad that would satisfy my expectations.  And one bite delivered the tasteful thank you my soul hungered for in an ideal Caesar.

Here’s my recipe adapted from Melissa Clark’s Green Garlic Caesar salad with Anchovy Croutons:

Wow! Caesar Salad

You will need:

1/2 cup olive oil

6-8 finely chopped anchovy fillets

3 finely chopped garlic cloves

2 cups day old crusty bread cut into cubes

kosher salt and pepper to taste

1 lemon to shpritz into the salad and to cut into slices for your seltzer

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I like the one with the seeds)

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 eggs

2 large heads romaine lettuce torn into pieces

2 large rosy red radishes sliced thin

1 cup grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese

To make:

1. Croutons – Coat the bottom of a skillet with oil over medium heat and add half of the anchovies.  Cook 2 minutes.  Add half the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add bread cubes, toss frequently until golden and crispy.  Season with salt and pepper.

2. Dressing – Whisk together remaining anchovies, garlic, add mustard, Worcestershire sauce, drizzle lemon juice and whisk in remaining olive oil.

3. Softboil 2 eggs, about 4 minutes in boiling water.  Rinse under cool water.

4. Place lettuce, radish slices and croutons in a serving bowl.  Add dressing and toss well.  Crack eggs into salad, toss well.  Sprinkle a generous amount of grated cheese.

Serves 2 – 4 or 1 tired executive director for 2 days.

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Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer)

– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?