The Morning News
posted by on June 23 at 7:34 AM
Out: Mugabe’s rival “in this violent, illegitimate sham of an election process.”
In: Brokaw to host “Meet the Press” through election.
Horrific: Day care center rape scandal roils small Texas town.
Hundreds dead: In Philippines ferry catastrophe.
“Deeply Unprincipled”: Obama’s support for FISA “compromise,” according to Glenn Greenwald.
How About A Race for Prevention?: Race for the Cure raises thousands for Komen.
“The Sharpest Drop in History”: Vehicle miles plummet as gas prices soar.
Time Up?: “May be,” for Reichert, according to Washington Post.
More Expensive than Ever: Meat and dairy, thanks to record corn prices.
Hospitalized: Amy Winehouse, with emphysema.
Recipe of the Day: Crisp Polenta Cakes With Pinot Noir-Shiitake Gravy and Asparagus (recipe via the Oregonian; photo via Flickr)
Polenta:
1 teaspoon olive oil plus 3 tablespoons for browning (divided)
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry cornmeal (polenta)
Gravy:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced shallots
8 ounces (4 cups) shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/3 cup pinot noir
1 1/2 cups mushroom broth (such as Pacific brand)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
Asparagus:
1 pound asparagus (finger-thick stalks work best), tough ends snapped off and discarded
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
To make polenta (1 hour or up to 3 days in advance): Brush a 6-by-8-inch baking dish or 8-inch pie plate with the teaspoon of oil. Bring the water and salt to boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and gradually whisk in the corn meal. Gently simmer, stirring frequently, until the polenta has thickened, about 20 minutes. Pour the polenta into the prepared pan. Cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days cov- ered in plastic wrap. Cut the polenta into 8 triangles (8 wedges if using a pie plate); set aside.
To make gravy: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and saute until they are softened, 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle them with salt and saute, stirring once, until the mushrooms are browned and have given off their liquid, 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute or more, to brown slightly. Reduce heat to medium; add the wine and simmer, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pan, until wine has evaporated, 1 minute. Add the mushroom broth and bring to a simmer. Combine the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl, whisk it into the gravy and simmer until bubbly, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper, reduce heat and keep warm over low heat.
To make asparagus: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the asparagus and olive oil together on a small baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and place in the oven. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Remove from oven and toss with lemon zest and lemon juice.
To brown polenta and serve dish: Meanwhile, place a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat and preheat until very hot. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat until shimmering. Blot the polenta dry with a paper towel. Carefully add the polenta triangles to the pan in a single layer (be careful, any moisture will cause the grease to splatter). Reduce heat to medium and cook without moving the pieces until they are crisp and brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes, or more. Carefully flip the triangles with a spatula and continue to cook until they are crisp and brown on the second side, about another 5 minutes more.
Remove the polenta from the pan and drain on paper towels; blot off excess oil. Divide the polenta and asparagus among the plates, spoon gravy over the polenta and serve.
And with Obama in the pockets of the big corn producers for Ethanol, food prices will never go down again. Now THAT is change you can believe in!
Shit, and McSame will do anything to improve the situation??
Then there's possibly the best AP headline so far this year:
Everything seemingly is spinning out of control
In which the AP writers try to write a better Onion headline and fail, while also describing the long litany of ways in which we're all fuckitty fucked fucked fucked.
And who or what's responsible for all of this? Don't bother asking the AP writers, they're as baffled as 99% of America.
Well then if McCain is a bigger asshole we should just suck it up and hug Obama a little tighter, eh #2?
"What a world!" - Margaret Hamilton
And Obama is perfectly fine with the not going after telecoms for spying on Americans! Now that's change you can believe in!!
I am worried about Amy Winehouse. She has the potential to be a cultural icon with a music that could be loved by generations to come. If she doesn't wake up to her self destructive ways that is. The photo is truly disheartening. I'm reminded of Janis Joplin.
@5, actually, Obama said he was in favor of stripping telecom immunity from the new FISA bill, but other than that, great point, shithead!
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/06/21/politics/horserace/entry4200105.shtml
George Carlin is dead. I thought his transition from acerbic cynic into utterly bitter bastard over the last 7-8 years didn't make for the most entertaining package, but damn if he wasn't still insightful about aspects of American life until the end. Besides, who could fucking blame him after all we've gone through?
Winehouse; dude, she has emphysema at age 24. I'm 24! WTF!
Who is Amy Winehouse?
@8 - Carlin's turn toward the bitter seems to coincide with the death of his wife. That, and the Bush presidency, which has made most liberal-minded folk angry and cynical.
ECB, read the "day-care" story again - it ain't rape at a day care. It's supposedly a 'swinger's club' where 4 kids were groomed to put on sex shows for hundreds of people at a time. (the day care angle is that the swinger's club was located in a former day care) Sorry, but the whole thing is a little too Wenatchee circa '95. I think it's possible there was no horror at all, just a town full of conservative fucks who wanted the pervy swingers out of there. And in this case, at least two of them already have life sentences for a crime, the only evidence and witnesses being the testimony of kids who were between 5 and 8 at the time, and told their stories while in the care of foster parents. One of whom has now been arrested on child sexual assault charges. Hmmmm...
i'd like to go on record early as saying the texas daycare rape scandal is going to be found to be complete bullshit: children manipulated by law enforcement and child care advocates, abused far worse by the system and their "protectors" than anything their parents did.
"Daycare" is in the headline as an alarm tactic, but the actual story and circumstances have nothing to do with a daycare. It sounds like the actual issue is religious leaders in the area object to some of the parents involved having visited a swinger's club.
etc etc. Go back and read some of the old articles from Wenatchee circa '94-'96 or so.
sincerely,
diggum
Thanks for the vegan-friendly recipe. That looks gooooood!
Thank God.
I'm hoping tomorrow is a recipe for vegan-friendly couscous.
Maybe annie could help.
Place your bets on Amy Winehouse for the 2008 Darwin Awards.
Here's one of my favorite Carlin bits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3av_qRR_DWc
I coulda swore I posted this earlier, but that's the magic of a Gateway laptop. Their motto should be "Maybe."
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