meals at home

SHRIMP PO' BOY

2011-06-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

Oh no I didn't! Fry shrimp at lunch? On a Tuesday??? All I can say is that when I have a craving, I have a craving and nothing can stop me. Quick and easy and golden.

SHRIMP PO'BOY
2 people

1 dozen shrimp, peeled, devained and tail removed.
about 3 cups canola oil
Panko crumbs
1 egg, gently beaten
Your favorite Creole-style seasoning (I just used garlic salt)

2 rustic french mini loaves
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 head bibb lettuce, shredded
red onion, thinly sliced
good mayo
Louisiana Hot Sauce

Start by breading the shrimp. Place shrimp in egg first, then into Panko crumbs. ( I add seasoning to the Panko crumbs). Set aside and get the oil up to temperature.
Heat oil in a heavy, deep pot. Temp should be around 375. Test heat by dropping a few Panko crumbs in, when they drop to the bottom and immediately rise to the top and start cooking rapidly, the oil is ready. keep in mind, the temperature will drop rapidly once you start adding shrimp, so slowly cook a few shrimp at a time to ensure frying oil temp stay consistent. Fry each shrimp about 3-4 minutes, until golden. Remove from oil, place on paper towel (or brown paper grocery bag), and season with seasoning and some Hot Sauce.

Once all shrimp are cooked, lightly toast bread halves. (I dug out the bread from the bottom half and made a "boat" for the shrimp to be set in).

Arrange sandwich with mayo, lettuce, onion and tomato and another good douse of Hot Sauce.
Enjoy immediately.

LEMON SOUR CREAM CAKE

2011-06-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

Easiest. Cake. Ever.
Perfect for brunch, afternoon tea, summer picnics or for no reason at all!

LEMON SOUR CREAM CAKE
Taken right off the page from Donna Hay / Entertaining.

4 oz butter, room temp.
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 TBLS grated lemon rind
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups plain AP flour (sifted)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 8 x 8 pan.
Place butter, sugar and lemon rind in a stand up mixer and beat until light and creamy.
Add eggs and beat well.
Fold in flour, baking powder, sour cream and lemon juice.
Immediately place into cake pan and bake for 40 minutes or until cake is fully cooked when tested with skewer.
Dust with either super fine castor sugar or powdered sugar and serve warm with cream.

HAPPY EASTER!

2011-04-22T15:54:00.000-07:00

nogg hen house via design*sponge

Here's to you! Have a happy Easter! Thought this hen house would inspire!

Seersucker

2011-03-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

Well, strawberries are back in season but you'd never know it, here in LA, as it is currently 56 degrees outside and I am literally sitting in front of the fire. Let's call this an experiment, kind of R & D, getting ready for the inevitable summer. Because it will get hot, or even warm, soon. And I like to be well prepared.
This drink appealed to me immediately when I read cinnamon bark syrup, (I love making flavored simple syrups!), mixed with fresh, beautiful strawberries. It's an intriguing juxtaposition of warm and cozy with cool and refreshing. And since it's cold out, (I'm bored), and I happen to have some strawberries and just the right amount of white rum left in the ole alcohol cache, this was a GO and it is now another welcomed addition to my boozey repertoire. You'll love this.

SEERSUCKER
Adapted from Brian Miller, mixologist
Makes 1 drink

1 Organic strawberry, plus more for garnish
2 oz white rum
.5 oz cinnamon bark syrup*
1 oz lemon juice
Splash club soda

In a shaker, muddle strawberry. Add the rest of the ingredients with ice. Shake and strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with extra strawberry.

Cinnamon Bark Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks

Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and refrigerate until needed.

Artichoke, Chive and Goat Cheese Fritatta

2011-03-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to these gals, I can get my hands on super fresh, (as in, still warm), beautiful eggs. They're not mine, but I love them like they were and will one day have chickens of my own. In the mean time, I'm happy helping my neighbor with her ever-abundant eggs whenever I can. So this morning, I made great use of ten of these precious gems and made a lovely breakfast. Fritattas are easy and completely limitless in ingredients. I used what I had on hand. I steamed 2 artichokes last night and since we didn't get around to eating them, they were a perfect addition to the goat cheese and chives. Always great accompanied by a simple herbed salad.

Artichoke, Chive and Goat Cheese Fritatta
Serves 4-6

1 TBLS butter plus about 1/2 TBLS cut into small dice
10-12 organic eggs, lightly beaten
2 cooked and diced artichoke hearts
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
a small handful of fresh chived, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

In a bowl, mix eggs gently and add artichoke hearts, chives, salt and pepper.
In a large, cast iron pan, melt butter on med-low heat. Add egg mixture and gently stir.
Allow eggs to begin to set and add crumbled goat cheese. Gently combine into setting eggs. Add the small diced butter tabs evenly over top.
Once the bottom has fully set, place on top rack in oven and broil for about 4 minutes until top in bubbling. Remove from oven and serve warm or at room temperature.

DAVID LYNCH COOKS QUINOA

2011-03-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

An ominous and quirky, (It IS David Lynch, after all), video on cooking quinoa. Couldn't help but share.
***Now go rent The Straight Story and thank me later.

For Japan, With Love...

2011-03-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

An amazing group of bloggers (these guys, too) have gotten together to participate in an incredible fund raising event to help those in need in Japan, if you'd like to participate, please click here.

ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and life saving supplies for families around the world who are affected by diasters at the time they need it the most. Each large green box is tailored to each disaster, but typically contains a relief tent for an extended family, blankets, a stove, cooking utensils, water storage and purification equipment, a basic tool kit and children's activity packet. A whole box costs $1,000 (US) amd initially, this effort was to raise $5,500, but because of the generosity of so many, they have raised over $32,000.00! Please do what you can, any amount donated helps!
Thanks, Yvette, for passing this to me.

Ina Garden's Pear and Apple Crisp

2011-03-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying that I rarely make dessert unless we are having friends over for dinner, or a holiday comes poking around. This is partly due to my insecurities of baking and also the reality of only having fleeting moments of a desire for sweets. But, recently, I had this unbelievable craving for a fruit crisp and wasn't satisfied until I had a whole 9 x 13 baking pan FULL of crisp siting on the counter staring back at me saying, "I'm here for you, whenever you need me". Like a really good friend.
There is no baking prowess required to make this, a fruit crisp is literally "desserts 101", but this one especially will impress any and all food snobs alike. Simply because it is good, damn good, all thanks to Ina Garden and her wild abandon use of butter and all things naughty.

Almost any combination of fruit will work, but I love the pear and apple combination, slightly tart and sour. She adds lemon and orange zest and juice which imparts life to this whole dish. And the topping, oh the topping, is as close to perfection as you can get. Sweet, crunchy and sinful. Send yourself over the edge with a healthy scoop of vanilla ice cream. Absolute heaven!

Apple and Pear Crisp
From Ina Garden, Barefoot Contessa
Serves 8

2 lbs ripe Bosc pears (4 pears)
2 lbs firm Macoun apples (I used Granny Smith, 4 apples)
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp lemon zest
2 TBLS freshly squeezed orange juice
2 TBLS freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

For the topping:
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 lb (2 sticks) cold butter, diced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Peel, core and cut up apples and pears into a large dice.
Place the fruit in a large bowl and add zests, juices, sugar, flour and spices.
Mix to combine.
Pour into a 9" x 11" baking dish.

Topping:

Combine flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal and butter into the bowl of a stand-up mixer.
Mix on LOW for 1 minute, until mixture forms large crumbles.
Sprinkle evenly over fruit, covering completely.
Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour,
until the top is brown and bubbly.
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Chickens!

2011-02-15T15:18:00.000-08:00

My neighbor has 15 beautiful, sexy chickens. All different varieties. All different personalities. They are surprisingly affectionate and kind of a riot to observe. I have spent hours with my neighbor in her chicken yard just observing and laughing. Now I want chickens. Not 15, but maybe 5. The eggs that these wonderful birds lay every day are truly amazing, the yolks are bright yellow and when you crack them open, they glide out of their shells effortlessly. They are the most flavorful and gorgeous eggs you've even seen or tasted. I'm lucky enough to get as many eggs as I need, (most if the time), and I since I am so spoiled, I can't even consider buying eggs from the market any more. Even free-range, organic eggs in the market pale in comparison to a freshly laid egg, still warm.
I live in the mountains of LA, it's a little bit country up here, and having chickens is not uncommon in these parts. (Although, they do have to be protected by the various creatures of the night, mainly coyote, bob cats, and the ever-reclusive mountain lion... think Fort Knox, but with chickens). If you live in the city, you can get by with a fairly minimal coop. It's an undertaking, but becoming so much more common place these days. There are thousands of websites devoted to building coops, and raising chickens. Here's a great start.

Check out these great modern coops and get in the spirit of the chicken!

Maple, Ginger and Bourbon

2011-01-05T13:20:00.000-08:00

I had the privilege of attending an amazing dinner party over the holidays where I was among many creative and amazing people (McGruber was there!). A fabulous night, under the Los Angeles stars, eating food from these guys and drinking drinks made by this guy. (OK, just kidding, I don't have a website for the bartender, but I do have his email if you live in LA and are in need of a kick-ass bar-tender...). Anyway, I was so taken by this particular cocktail, I had to get the ins and outs of it. Let me be clear, I am not a bourbon drinker at all, (although I always wished that I was. It has this sexy, dusty, smokey, Southern drawl about it). I'm wary of drinking brown liquor, especially when combined with sugar = headache!! This drink has serious hangover potential. Don't say I didn't warn you!
So, here's the gist, equal parts ginger syrup and maple syrup, to two, (or 3), parts bourbon, (get the good stuff, I used Maker's Mark), a squeeze or two of lemon and garnish with a cinnamon stick. Perfect for a chilly night among friends and by a warm fire, which is exactly how I've been doing it!

Maple, Ginger and Bourbon over Ice

makes 2 drinks

1 - 2 ounces ginger syrup
1 - 2 ounces grade A maple syrup
6 ounces good/best quality bourbon, Makers Mark
juice from 1 lemon
2 cinnamon sticks for garnish
club soda *optional
ice

In a shaker, combine everything but cinnamon sticks and lemon. Add some ice and shake.
Pour into 2 rocks glasses filled with ice and add squeeze or two of lemon, or more to taste.
Top off with club soda *optional.
Garnish with cinnamon stick. * I've found good prices on cinnamon sticks at World Market!

Might pair nicely with this dessert?

Happy 2011! Get to Cookin'

2011-01-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011! As we usher in a new year, we are again bombarded with "healthy" diets and new weight loss plans which always seem a bit far fetched and unscientific. We promise to change the unhealthy habits and poor eating choices that we make which usually only lasts a few agonizing weeks.
I read this article by Mark Bittman in the NYT, and thought it was a perfect way to kick off the new year as he suggests that even though we say we don't have time to cook healthfully, we spend thirty five freaking hours a week in front of the t.v. No more excuses, America, this is getting ridiculous! Use your damn kitchen and start cooking some meals at home!

These are Mister Bittman's 3 must-have recipes for a healthy planet and a healthy population. All can be altered to fit a meat-eaters or a vegan diet. Happy New Year!

Broccoli Stir - Fry with Chicken (or not) and Mushrooms

Lentils and Rice With or Without Pork

Crunchy Cabbage Salad

Illustration from New York Times, January 2, 2011.

Easy Sugar Cookies

2010-12-20T14:54:00.000-08:00

Sugar cookies and Christmas! There are millions of sugar cookie recipes out there, all basically the same, with small tweaks here and there. I tried this recipe out from The Food Network with great success, with much help from the readers comments who mention how hard and crumbly the dough becomes after resting in the fridge, making it nearly impossible to roll out and work with. So after I made the dough, I went ahead and rolled it out, cut my shapes and then put them on the sheet pans which went into the fridge for about an hour. Once I removed them from the fridge, they were firm and solid. Brilliant! They baked evenly and did not spread. This is the way to go.
SUGAR COOKIES
From The Food Network

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp.
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp orange zest

2 egg whites (preferably organic)
3 cups powdered sugar
Course sugar (sanding sugar) *optional

Whisk flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl, set aside.
Beat the butter, both sugars in another bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add in egg yolks, vanilla and orange zest until fully incorporated.
Slowly add the flour mixture, and continue beating until the dough comes together.
Form a ball and divide in to two.
Pat each dough into a disk and roll out with a rolling pin to about 1/3" thick.

Cut desired shape and place on un-greased baking sheet (I use parchment paper).
Gather up uncut dough, form a disk, roll out and repeat until all the dough has been used.
Refrigerate cut outs on the sheet pan for about one hour.
Preheat oven to 375 and bake cookies for approx 8-10 minutes, or when edges start to brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on cooling rack.

ROYAL ICING

Combine egg whites* and powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until thick. Do not over beat. Spread over cooled cookies, dust with sanding sugar and store in an air-tight container.

I used raw egg whites to make the royal icing which comes along with a salmonella warning for children and people with weakened immune systems.

Orange and Ginger Spiced Cranberry Sauce

2010-11-24T09:19:00.000-08:00

Here we are! Only one day left to roll out all that food! Get your engines running and grab those elastic - wasted pants and let the holidays officially begin. I've got a million things to do and little time so I'm just going to blast this one out before hitting the road dutifully armed with some capers, Brussles Sprouts and this cranberry sauce.
I had a last minute thought last night as I had was cleaning out the fridge and noticed some organic cranberries just staring back at me. (Random grocery purchase by the husband?). Anyway, I just started tossing a little bit of this and a little bit of that into the pan and I'll be, it's pretty darn good! I love it when that happens! Give it a try if you are feeling adventurous.
Here's to a happy and healthy Thanksgiving! Cheers!

Orange and Ginger Spiced Cranberry Sauce

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
8 oz fresh cranberries
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp orange zest
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cardamon seeds, crushed and use the tiny seeds inside (optional)
About 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped. Add vanilla paste from the inside of the pod. (optional)
Pinch of salt to taste

In a sauce pan, heat the sugar, water and oj.
Once simmering, add cranberries, ginger, orange zest, cinnamon stick cardamon, vanilla and salt.
Simmer until the cranberries soften and pop. About 10 - 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick.
Taste for seasoning and allow to cool completely until storing in the fridge.

Thomas Keller's AMAZING Roasted Chicken

2010-11-22T14:21:00.000-08:00

The plan was to have an excellent picture of my perfectly golden chicken, in all it's crispy-skinned glory. But with the daylight being what it is these days, I can't get my act together in time to cook and have any light available for a decent photo. So, here's all that's left as any evidence that a spectacular meal was had here last night.
In my past chicken - roasting life, before I discovered this life-changing recipe, I would shove various complex compound butters under the skin, stuff the cavity with onions or lemons and garlic, or all 3. Then I'd season the bird lightly and place on a roasting pan, carefully lined with tin foil. In the end, I did have a delicious chicken, no doubt. I mean, it was really good. But now, after roasting the bird Thomas Keller's way, (hello, it's Thomas Keller!), I can not believe I got away with the old way. It's unbelievable how. much. better. this is and it's SO MUCH EASIER. Do I have your attention?

According to Thomas Keller, chicken cooks best in a dry environment, so pat the chicken dry inside and out and rain salt all over it, inside and out, don't be shy! (I do this hours before I actually cook the chicken). It turns out that all that fancy butter under the skin and filling the cavity with stuff makes for steam later, meaning the chicken won't crisp up or cook evenly. (I always wondered why it took so damn long for the bird to cook when I filled the cavity - the new way ensures a perfectly cooked chicken at about 60 minutes in a 450 oven). In the end, the skin should crackle and the meat should impart a perfectly sublime hint of salt. When the chicken comes out of the oven, drop into the chicken juices the fresh thyme and then baste the chicken a few times with this infused fat, err, juice. Let the bird rest a good 15 minutes on a cutting board before you even consider cutting into it. (Actually, you are instructed to immediately eat the middle wing meat, Oh My God sooo good!).

SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN
From Thomas Keller via Bon Appetit

One 2-3 lb Organic, farm raised chicken
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
2 tsp fresh thyme (optional)

Preheat oven to 450.
Rinse the chicken, then pat dry with paper towels, inside and out.
Salt and pepper the cavity, and then truss the legs together with cooking twine.
Now, rain salt all over the bird, about 1 TBLS total.
Place the chicken in a saute pan or roasting pan and put it in the oven. Leave it alone until it's done. (About one hour.)
Remove from the oven and if using thyme, place in the pan and then baste the chicken with the juices and the thyme.
Place on a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes.

Read Mr. Keller's full recipe here . It's a short and very descriptive narrative, some butchering tips and serving suggestions.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Butter, Lemon, Dijon and Capers

2010-11-16T11:46:00.000-08:00

Brussels Sprouts might be most under-appreciated and most detested vegetable on the planet. It's a sad and unfortunate truth! I think I know why these poor little cruciferae suffer from such misguided hate. It started a long time ago... In a kitchen near you... a pile of pale green, boiled to death, mushy mini cabbages sitting lifelessly on a plate with a weird cabbage-y bitter smell filling the kitchen, cutting through whatever else was cooking that made you instantly un-hungry for dinner. Dinner hopes dashed, appetite gone. This, I believe, is how most of us were served our Brussels sprouts back in the day. And it wasn't good. Or pretty.

Now, let's start over. Close your eyes and imagine beautifully roasted, slightly caramelized and glistening, beautiful baby Brussels sprouts rolling around in a delightful, aromatic combination of garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and capers, oh, and butter. Roasted first, then left to steam so that each bite is perfectly al dente. Not squishy mushy and not hard and under cooked, but just right. Welcome to the new millennium of The. Brussels. Sprout.

I bought Brussels sprouts on the stem this time, which does make a huge difference in flavor. If you can, buy them this way and snap them off, and trim the excess stem. Cut the larger sprouts in half and keep the smaller ones, towards the top, whole.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Butter, Lemon, Dijon and Capers
Serves 4-6 as a side

About 3 cups Brussels Sprouts, larger ones cut in half, smaller ones left whole
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375.
On a large sheet pan, spread out Brussels Sprouts and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Shake pan around to coat and distribute oil. They should not over lap, otherwise, they will steam instead of roast. Keep a single layer of b. sprouts. You may need 2 sheet pans for this.
Roast for about 30 minutes, tossing them around every-so-often. They should look slightly browned and getting soft.

In the meantime, prepare the Dijon/Butter Dressing:

4 TBLS butter, at room temperature
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBLS Dijon mustard
1 TBLS fresh lemon juice
2 TBLS capers (or more to your liking)

Combine everything in a small bowl. Set aside.

Once the Brussels Sprouts are out of the oven, place them in a large bowl and toss in Dijon/Butter dressing. Roll around to coat and cover quickly with tinfoil to trap steam in. Allow to finish cooking in the steam for about 20 minutes. They should be al dente, meaning still firm, but soft and cooked - through all the way.

Note: If I haven't convinced you yet, this is a perfect way to prepare broccoli and/or cauliflower as well. Prepare everything the same way, just replacing the B. Sprouts out and adding above mentioned substitute veggies. (Or better yet, add all 3 and serve as a lovely melange).

***Hello Thanksgiving! Perfect side to bring to your Thanksgiving pot luck! I always make this and it never fails.

Lemon Ginger Tea

2010-11-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Clayton Junior Illustration

Sometimes life is too funny! Last night I made my favorite night-time elixir, and this morning, as I was checking out my favorite blog, I came across this illustration featuring my 3 ingredient love. Pure coincidence!
This serendipitous happening makes me inclined to share with you a lovely tea, great for sore throats, upset stomach, or simply winding down for the night. It's as easy as boiling water and squeezing a lemon. Simply divine.

Lemon Ginger Tea with Honey

All these measurements are rough and can be adjusted to your liking. The more ginger root, the more zingy your tea and the more honey, the sweeter. It may take a few rounds to get to your tastes. I buy a lot of ginger to have on hand, and I always have lemons in the fridge.

Ginger root - about 3 inches, cleaned and skin removed
About 3 cups filtered water
2-3 TBLS raw honey (I use Tupelo)

Boil water with ginger for about 5 minutes.
Strain into a heat-proof pitcher and add honey while still hot.
Enjoy this either hot or cold.

BOO!

2010-10-26T17:46:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to make these little guys for 2 years now and I finally remembered to do it before Halloween! I am DYING over their cuteness and the simplicity of this recipe. It's an ideally spooky kitchen activity for you and your little chefs OR for the little trick - or - treater inside all of us.
If you can spare 2 egg whites, some powdered sugar, cream of tartar, and a few hours of waiting for these ghosts to emerge out of a barely - on oven, then this is for you - get started! Halloween is ALMOST here!!!
Do yourself a favor and read the post from 101cookbooks about this recipe, Heidi goes into this with fine detail and great cooking tips. Also, amazingly CUTE photos!

MERINGUE GHOSTS
From 101cookbooks

For best results, allow your egg whites to reach room temperature and make sure all the equipment is spotlessly clean.

2 egg whites - room temp
pinch salt
pinch cream of tartar
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
sprinkles, chocolate chips, or anything you come up with for the eyes
1 dark chocolate bar, melted (optional)
1/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted (optional)

Special equipment:

pastry bag fit with a 1/2'' tip

To start:
Preheat oven to 200 and line a sheet pan with parchment or silpat. Get the pastry bag ready by attaching the tip and place tip-down into a large jar for easy filling. Also, sift sugar and get out whatever you are using for eye balls.

Place egg whites, salt and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl. Start beating, when eggs become frothy and start to become white - add sugar slowly while beating egg whites, the sugar adding should take about 1-2 minutes. Continue beating for another 15 - 20 minutes for maximum volume. The egg whites should be glossy and grown in size by a factor of about 10. They should hold a strong shape and be very firm. Keep in mind that they will be piped in a tall pointy shape, so they need to have a firm structure.

Once the egg whites have reached their maximum size, scoop out with a spatula and place into the pastry bag (or large plastic bag with the corner snipped off), slowly squeeze the air out of the pastry bag while gathering the meringue towards the tip of the pastry bag.

To form ghosts:
Start in a circular shape working inwards, creating a tip at the top. The better foundation you make, the less likely they will fall over while baking. Once all are formed, add the eyes by gently pressing into the meringue. Work quickly, but carefully.
Place into the oven, middle rack, and bake for 1 hour. Then turn off oven and open door for another hour. They should me firm and crusty, not gooey. Leave in oven until you achieve this result.

Once ghosts have cooled to room temp, dip bottoms in melted dark chocolate candy bar (melt in a double boiler, meaning a heat-proof bowl over a pot of boiling water), and then dip in to coconut flakes.

Fig Jam with Lavender and Vanilla

2010-10-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

This recipe caught my eye mostly because it mentions lavender and since I bought a 1 lb bag of dried lavender flowers, I would like to find a way to use them in the culinary world. Being that figs are just now in season and also that the author of this recipe recommends accompanying this jam with goat cheese, I was happy to give it a shot... Not to mention, all the ingredients called for sound like they were hand-picked by Jane Austin...

It's a simple enough recipe - I cut it way down, by about 3/4, making only enough to fill one jar, (As it's written, it's enough to fill about 7 jars), my measurements were very rough, guesstimating, really. There was a slight oversight with the recipe I was borrowing from, they left out the exact measurement for lemon juice, it just says "1 1/2 lemon juice"... Not sure what's missing, my guess is TBLS? Anyway, I just squeezed a whole lemon in the pot, seemed to work out fine... Another improv on my part was making lavender salt as the recipe calls for some from Eatwell Farms, of which I am not familiar with. So, I took a few TBLS of Maldon flaky sea salt and added about one tsp of dried lavender flowers and stored it over night. The oils from the flower definitely seep into the salt gently flavoring it. It's a nice condiment to have on hand, so, keep what you don't use. It's so pretty!

FIG JAM WITH LAVENDER AND VANILLA

Adapted from www.foodrendezvous.com

2 1/2 lbs fresh figs, washed, dried and quartered
2 lbs evaporated cane sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lavender salt
1 1/2 TBLS lemon juice

Place figs, sugar, vanilla and lavender salt and lemon juice in a bowl or pot and marinate for about one hour.
Bring to a boil for about 10 minutes. then remove from heat, allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, place back on pot and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes, the temperature needs to reach 221 degrees.
Pour in sterilized jars, allow to cool, then store in a cool, dry place.

Serve along side crusty bread and goat cheese.

Hot Toddy Pudding Cake with Tupelo Honey

2010-08-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

Gourmet Magazine (RIP) is/was a huge source of inspiration for me and every so often, I flip through an old issue until something interesting jumps out at me, then it's off to the market, with a mission. There's not much to this recipe, and you might actually already have all the ingredients in your pantry. (I did, right down to the Scotch). And what's even better than not having to make a special trip to the grocery store is that this is really, really good. It comes out of the oven and takes your breath away - simply gorgeous. Perfect for a winter night, (I know, but it's summer!). I happened to have a top-shelf, fancy Scotch in the liquor cabinet (Glen Rothes - husband b-day gift), and it definitely added to the depth of this dessert, its fruity and spicy undertones were very noticeable and appreciated.

You can use any honey, but I have a certain affinity for Tupelo as I hail from Tupelo country and have about 6 pounds of it - in all it's golden glory - in my pantry. Yum. This pudding will bake beautifully and separate into two layers: a soft pudding below, and a light, airy golden cake on top. Serve while still warm from the oven, maybe with a small glass of Glen Rothes?

HOT TODDY PUDDING CAKE WITH TUPELO HONEY

Serves 6
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, April 2009.

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Scotch (optional)
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 TBLS Tupelo (or any other mild) honey
1 tsp grated lemon zest
3 large eggs, seperated, at room temp
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the middle. Butter a 1 1/2 qt shallow baking dish.
Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together milk, lemon juice, Scotch , (if using), butter, honey, zest and yolks, then stir into flour mixture.
Beat whites with an electric mixer at medium speed until frothy, add sugar and increase speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks hold.
Stir about 1/3 of whites into flour mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites, gently but thoroughly.
Pour batter in to baking dish and bake in a water bath* until puffs and golden brown, about 45-50 minutes.

*Water bath instructions: Put filled pan in a larger pan and place in the pre-heated oven. Add enough boiling water to reach half-way up the smaller pan.

Yvette Roman Photography, 2010.

Parmesan Crisps

2010-08-10T17:21:00.000-07:00

The best thing about cheese is that it loves to be in close proximity to wine and since I love both of these things dearly, eating cheese and drinking wine puts me in a very happy place. Pairing the right wines with cheese can put you over the edge with delight and, though I am no sommelier, I know that Parmesan and a bold red wine (Zin), OR a crisp white (Sav Blanc) even can be a very lovely match.
This is an easy and different cheesy, noshy "cracker" that will make your guests think you are the most amazing host who does everything, like even make your own crackers, just because. Or maybe you want to garnish your scrumptious farmer's market salad (or Caesar), with one or two of these crispy little buggers... The hardest part of this is making sure you don't burn the cheese. Seriously, as soon as you see the cheese start to bubble and brown, you are seconds from the end and you really don't want to burn beautiful, (expensive), Parmesan!

PARMESAN CRISPS
Makes about 1 dozen on 2 baking sheets

About 3 cups grated Parmesan cheese (Get the real deal, with the waxy rind stamped "Parmesan", it's pricey, but worth every penny).
About 1 TBLS flour
Freshly cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 375*
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

In a bowl, combine cheese with flour and pepper. Mix to combine.
Take a small handful of cheese and lay down on baking sheet. Flatten the pile, but make sure all the cheese is still overlapping. The circles should be about 2-3 inches in diameter. About 6 per baking sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes, keeping your eyes on the cheese. Once you see it bubbling and turning golden, you are getting very close. Watch closely for another minute or two. It's done when it looks crispy, just past the point of looking bendy and rubbery.
Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.
They will store nicely for a few days in an air-tight container.

Yvette Roman Photography©, 2010.

Yea!

2010-07-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

A happy day! My first tomatoes have been plucked! Just thought I'd share my joy with you and hopefully my plants yield many more beautiful tomatoes for the next few months...

***UPDATE : Delicious! Juicy and so sweet : )

Mac 'n Cheese

2010-07-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

You know that age-old, slightly morose question... What would your last meal be? I've never had a problem answering that, no matter what new and amazing foods I eat and no matter where I may travel, I will always go back to this none-to-classy... Mac 'n Cheese, PLEASE!!!
The surprising element to this is that I NEVER make it for myself. I'm perfectly happy with a few choice frozen "entrees". (Amy's is good and Trader Joes' is AMAZING). It's all too easy to pop in the oven and sit back wait for the oozing gooey cheesy one million calorie mess of deliciousness. (Served with an enormous side of sauteed kale some how makes me feel healthy and almost guilt-free.)

After I made this classic recipe from Martha Stewart (who else??), I think I may know why, deep down, I've never made this from scratch. It has something to do with the copious amounts of butter and cheese that make it so damn good and so bad all at the same time. It's not like I didn't know mac 'n cheese isn't exactly kind to the waist-line, but once you see with your own eyes how much cheese and butter and (whole) milk goes into this baby, you might want to do as I usually do and rip open a box of the frozen stuff and throw away the box before you accidentally read the nutrition facts. That said, this is really good, and every once in a while, I believe, we all deserve to simply eat the bleep out of any food that makes us happy and content!

Side note: I used Gruyere cheese made with raw milk which I believe affected the way it melted, especially on the top, which is why it looks kind of funky in the photo. I also used gluten-free quinoa elbow noodles which seem to absorb much of the cheesy bechamel sauce, this recipe could be made gluten free by substituting the noodles out and using a gluten-free flour, like spelt flour. The results won't be as creamy and classic, but still a good substitute.
I also subbed out panko crumbs for the bread crumbs and that was a very simple and easy substitute.

Martha Stewart's Mac 'n Cheese
Serves 12

6 slices good-quality white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyere or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated pecorino Romano
1 pound elbow macaroni

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread pieces in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup pecorino Romano. Set cheese sauce aside.

4. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup pecorino Romano; scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.

HAPPY BDAY, NK!

2010-07-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

In celebration of my husband's birthday, I made - per his request - angel food cake with chocolate frosting. He told me his grandmother used to make it for him, Awwww! Since I wasn't there to ever taste his nana's cake, I can pretty much say with certainty, her cake was better - it always is - however, this came out just fine. (Maybe it's me, I'm not a lover of angel food cake to begin with, oh the things we do for love...) Anyway, the chocolate frosting is every bit as good as you'd expect with butter as the main ingredient, it's a stand-up frosting recipe to keep on file.

I usually only feature food on this site which reflects my personal eating and cooking style, that being, local, seasonal and organic. The only way that this cake fits into that type of classification is that it is seasonal in so far as it is a birthday cake and we celebrated a birthday. (OK, the ingredients were all organic, too). Other than that, this one is the anomaly for this blog and I am posting it with love and the fact that we all deserve a little b-day cake every now and then!

*My cake stuck to the pan, so I had a brilliant idea... I cut pieces of cake (about the size of cupcakes) and layered them with some frosting in between and on top, so we had individual pieces of cake).

Angel Food Cake

This recipe is for a standard angel food cake, nothing special, you know the drill:

12 eggs (preferably organic)
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup AP flour
1 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar

Separate eggs, reserve whites and leave at room temp for a about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift powdered sugar and flour 3 times, set aside.
Add cream of tarter, vanilla, salt to egg whites and beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold in flour mixture, a little at a time, until incorporated. Do not over mix!
Gently pour into an un-greased, completely dry tube pan.
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until cake springs back.
Remove and invert pan and allow to cool.
(Do not remove cake until completely cooled.)

Chocolate Icing
(You will need to double this recipe in order to make enough icing to cover the angel food cake, other wise, this makes approx 1 cup of icing).

1 stick butter, room temp
3 TBLS unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 TBLS half and half

In a bowl, whip butter until creamy with hand held electric mixer.
Separately, sift together cocoa powder and sugar.
Slowly add to butter and combine.
Once combined, add vanilla and half and half, mix until creamy and spreadable.

Zucchini Ricotta Galette

2010-07-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

If you have never made a galette before, you need to listen up... It is a simple, rustic and wonderful free-form pastry shell, ready to be filled with either sweet or savory ingredients, infiltrating your kitchen with that homey smell of baking pie crusts, mmm butter... I made this often while I was in culinary school, and somehow, I lost touch with what is now, my new (old) love. I was reminded of this old friend while checking out one of my favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen, and once I laid my eyes on Deb's zucchini galette, I was already grabbing my keys to head to the market. Think of this as a rustic puff pastry/pie crust ready to be filled with fresh, seasonal ingredients. (Oh, and cheese, lots of cheese!).

Since zucchini is well into their season, and usually in super-abundance, (and especially if you are growing your own and can't figure out a new way to use them), here you go... Ricotta and Parmesan lay down the creamy, tangy, simply luxurious foundation. Play around with your fillings, once you make your first galette, you will start to roll countless ideas around in your foodie imagination. My advise, go forth with wild abandon!

Keep in mind, you are making a pastry dough, so all ingredients need to be cold, cold, cold and handled to a bare minimum for a flaky crust.

Zucchini Ricotta Galette

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Pastry:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour - chilled in freezer for 30 minutes

1/4 tsp salt

8 TBLS butter, cold, unsalted cut into cubes and refrigerated

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup ice water

Filling:

1 large zucchini - sliced into 1/4" rounds

1 TBLS plus 1 tsp olive oil

1 medium sized garlic glove, minced

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 TBLS thinly sliced fresh basil leaves for garnish

Glaze:

1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp water.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Make the dough:

Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle bits of butter over flour and cut into flour with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles course meal. In a separate bowl, mix sour cream, lemon juice, water and add to flour mixture. Combine with a wooden spoon, mix in liquid until a large lump forms. Use your hands and pat any extra lumps into the ball, do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

Make the filling:

Spread zucchini slices on several sheets of paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt. Let drain for 30 minutes, then gently blot all excess water off the slices. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil and garlic together. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta and Parmesan cheese until combined. Drizzle in about 1 tsp garlic olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Prepare the Galette:

Preheat oven to 400.

On a floured work space, roll out dough into a 12" round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet, or one lined with parchment paper. Spread ricotta mixture out evenly over the galette dough, leaving a 2" border. Start to lay out zucchini slices in a circle, over-lapping one another. Drizzle the remaining garlic oil over zucchini. Fold the border over the zucchini and filling, pleating the edge as you go around. Brush the crust with glaze. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes, the cheese should be puffed and zucchini wilted and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

UPDATE!
Recently I used the food processor instead of a pastry cutter to make the dough and I can't even tell you how much EASIER it is. Once you add the wet ingredients and pulse it a few times, the dough comes together magically. First, pulse the flour, salt and butter until pea-sized lumps form evenly throughout flour mixture. Add wet ingredients and pulse again until all comes together into a ball, being careful not to over process. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and roll out.

Strawberry Semifreddo

2010-06-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

Delicious, red, ripe strawberries are all over the markets now and boy are they good! Sweet, juicy and sold on the side of any country road, they are the true sign that summer has arrived. If you find yourself with a few pints of sun-ripened strawberries, give this a shot for your next large group get together, (July 4th BBQ, anyone??).

Semifreddo means half frozen in Italian, and this is a custard-like ice cream you can make easily with no need of an ice cream maker! It's very rich, very creamy, and almost meringue-like before it all goes into the freezer. When the time comes to serve, allow to thaw out just a bit, as the frozen strawberry swirls freeze solidly, (I'm talking ice-hard), while the custard stays, soft and creamy and, well, half-frozen!

One note on using organic strawberries -- since these delicate, sweet berries are a favorite of pesky pests, they are one of the highest pesticide-ridden fruits. Therefore, I always buy organic when it comes to berries, if you can find them, I urge you do do the same.

Strawberry Semifreddo
From Donna Hay Magazine, Issue #49
Serves 6-8

3 eggs
2 egg yolks, extra
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar*
2 cups heavy whipping cream

strawberry puree:

1 - 2 lbs Organic strawberries, hulled
2 TBLS powdered (confectioners) sugar

First, make the strawberry puree by placing the strawberries and sugar into a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Place the eggs, extra yolks, vanilla and sugar in a heat-proof bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water.
Using a hand-held mixer, beat for 6-8 minutes until thick and pale.

Remove from heat and beat further for another 6-8 minutes, or until cool.
In a separate bowl, whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the cream through the egg mixture until well combined.

Pour into a 9 x 11 pan, spoon the strawberry puree over the top and gently spoon in through the cream mixture for a swirled effect.

Cover tightly and freeze for 6 hours or overnight. Top with summer berries to serve, and allow to defrost just a bit so that the berries and the custard can find one another in your bowl - or even better - yummy ice cream cone.

* Castor sugar (superfine sugar) is sometimes a challenge to find. If you can't get a hold of it, no fear! Simply place regular sugar in a food processor and process until the sugar becomes ground into a fine grade. About 1 minute, pulsing from time to time.

White Onion Soup

2010-06-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

I am in an eternal search for elegant, yet simple and seasonal meals. Quality ingredients and minimal steps guide me to recipes just like this. One of my favorite cookbooks, Living and Eating by John Pawson and Annie Bell, is loaded with this exact mantra. Every recipe I have tried has proven itself to be something worth repeating over and over and over.

This onion soup could be classified as a classic vichyssoise, though it is served warm. It's incredibly filling and comforting. Try to buy locally grown, organic onions as they are the standout in this soup. If you have it, home-made chicken or vegetable stock really makes a huge difference, as well. Buttery croutons and fresh chives are the perfect garnish for this wonderfully simple soup.

White Onion Soup
From Living and Eating by John Pawson and Annie Bell.

Serves 4-6

5 TBLS unsalted butter
2 1/2 lbs white onions, peeled, halved and sliced
3 thyme sprigs
Sea salt, black pepper
2/3 cup white wine
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3/4 cup creme fraiche or heavy whipping cream

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add onions and thyme and sprinkle a heaping teaspoon of sea salt and sweat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent them from coloring. By the end they should be silky and soft. Pour in wine and increase heat slightly. Simmer until it is well reduced. Ad stock, bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 10-15 minutes.
Discard thyme sprigs and puree the soup in batches (or use an immersion blender), adding creme fraiche and a few grinds of black pepper. Check seasoning and return to a clean saucepan and reheat gently.
Garnish with fresh croutons and chives.

Croutons

One of my favorite additions to soups and salads, I usually have a few-days-old loaf of french baguette laying around...

About 1/2 cup of diced bread, crust removed
1- 2 TBLS butter
1 TBLS olive oil
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

In a cast iron skillet, or heavy skillet, heat butter and oil until just melted. Add bread cubes and roll around so as to get all sides soaked in butter and oil, if the croutons are still dry, add more butter and oil. Think "more is better", season with salt and pepper (or, I love to use garlic salt and pepper). Turn heat up slightly to toast cubes, tossing around occasionally to get all sides toasted. Once lightly toasted, turn heat off and allow to continue toasting in warm pan. If using Parmesan cheese, grate right on top of croutons while in pan, shake them around a bit. Allow to cool and serve.

Hot Buttered Cherries with Vanilla Ice Cream

2010-05-31T15:17:00.000-07:00

I love everything about the title of this post. "HOT, BUTTERED CHERRIES... VANILLA ICE CREAM", is that not an amazing group of words? I made this last night, right around midnight. Nothing better than a late night dessert shared with friends over an intense game of UNO. With cherries at the peak of the season, there is no reason why you shouldn't make this right NOW! Deliciously plump and warm cherries on top of creamy vanilla ice cream is one hell of a way to end the night. What's better? Leave the pits in and stems attached to make for an even easier and more beautiful presentation..

Hot Buttered Cherries with Vanilla Ice Cream
Adapted from Living and Eating, John Pawson and Annie Bell

Serves 6

4 oz (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 TBLS kirsch or other eau-de-vie
1 1/2 lbs red or black cherries
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Black sea salt for garnish, optional
Fine dessert cookies to serve along the side

Melt butter and sugar together in a large skillet.
Once it begins seething, add kirsch and simmer for about 1 minute, until sauce is smooth.
Add cherries and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then allow them to cool for a few minutes.
Serve warm cherries with their syrup over ice cream. Top with sea salt and serve with cookies on the side.

Ahhh, chamomile!

2010-05-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

I was at Whole Foods yesterday and to my surprise, I was handed a big bunch of free organic herbs, compliments of Kenter Canyon Farms - they sell local, organic lettuces and herbs and their "spicy" lettuce mix is always in my fridge. In my lovely bouquet was rosemary, chamomile, and lemongrass, AMAZING. The chamomile alone was so delightful, I couldn't wait to bring it home and make a pot of tea. Now, I am determined to add German chamomile to my growing mini-garden, the tiny-daisy like flowers are so sweet, they just make me smile. I read that adding chamomile to your compost adds absorption of calcium and spraying the tea on to propagation flats can prevent them from damping off.
If you find yourself with fresh chamomile flowers, just pinch off about a dozen or so flowers per cup of almost boiling water and steep for just a few minutes. No other word to describe it, other than utterly delightful.

Update: I was at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market today, inquiring about buying some chamomile, but it looks like I'm late in the season as it's going to seed now. So, I will have to start earlier next spring! However, I did buy some mizuna, cilantro and chives - so happy : )

Bad Kitty!

2010-05-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

Well, that didn't take long... After 2 short days, Tony the Cat, found his "new" litter box, aka my tomato plants. I can only image what a big pot of loose, fresh soil means to a cat, so I was half-way expecting this to happen - yuck! Anyway, I think I have come up with a solution, (only time will tell), but I laid out some jute across the wine barrel, and I have a feeling this will make for a good deterrent. God forbid the cats actually use the litter box! I'll let you know if this works...

GROW!

2010-05-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! After talking and talking (and talking and talking), about it, I finally DID it! My minuscule garden has taken off - the objective, other than the obvious, (delicious, home-grown vegetables), is to prove to my husband that I can keep a garden alive and thriving and once that is proven, I will then earn my right to a real, proper full-sized, mega garden. For now, I am as happy as a blue jay with my start. A pair of organic heirloom tomatoes,(black zebra and juane flamme), two types of organic basil, and one sweet little strawberry plant. I'm planning to buy more herbs and perhaps an artichoke plant, but I am simply thrilled to get my hands dirty and sit and watch my little plantings GROW!

Salsa Verde Chicken with Roasted Corn and Poblanos

2010-05-09T13:17:00.000-07:00

We went to our friends' annual Cinco De Mayo pot-luck last night and the food was terrific! There's nothing better than a big table full of people's yummy hard work. Pot-lucks are the best way to get people together with tons of food (and booze!), saving the hostessing heroine hours of work, along with fist-fulls of money. It's so interesting to see what other people like to create. If every guest puts forth just a wee bit of effort, great things will happen. Last night, it was enchiladas, chile rellenos, roasted salsas, fresh guac, carnitas, and on and on... Muy delicioso!!!

I brought something that I kind of made up along the way - I knew I'd make a salsa verde with chicken, but I added roasted corn and poblano at the last minute and it was a great addition. Salsa verdes are mild green Mexican salsas made from tomatillos. I roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapeno and then puree it with cilantro and lime juice. It's totally versatile and super easy:

SALSA VERDE

Makes about 2 cups

About 1 dozen tomatillos, paper skins removed and halved (or quartered if large). If there is dirt on tomatillos, take a damp cloth and wipe away.
2 onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, whole
3 jalapenos, cut lengthwise, removing inner seeds
salt and pepper
olive oil
handful cilantro
juice of 2 limes

Preheat oven to 375.
On a sheet pan, place tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos, season with salt and pepper and toss with olive oil.
Roast for about 30 minutes, turning over a few times. Set aside and allow to cool.

Once cooled, place roasted ingredients in to a food processor and add cilantro and lime juice. Puree until smooth and test to see if you need to add more seasoning. You may need to add a few TBLS of water if sauce is too thick. (It should be the consistency of a pureed salsa). This salsa is wonderful alone as a side dish, with traditional red salsa and can be used anywhere you would use the red stuff. I especially love salsa verde with goat cheese enchiladas!

SALSA VERDE CHICKEN WITH ROASTED CORN AND POBLANO

Serves 6-8

8 organic chicken thighs, bone-in, skins removed
1 TBLS olive oil
1 TBLS butter
2 cups organic chicken broth
2 ears of corn
2 poblano peppers
2 cups salsa verde (see above)

Season chicken with salt and pepper, set aside.
In a large, heavy dutch oven or saute pan, heat olive oil and butter and sear chicken thighs on one side for about 4 minutes, turn over and repeat.
If you have to do this in batches, take out first batch and set on plate and sear the remaining thighs. Once all are seared, put back in pot/pan and add chicken broth.
Bring to a boil and cover. Lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool completely. Once cool enough to handle, remove meat from bone and shred.
Set aside.

ROASTED CORN:

I do this on the grill, but you can also do it in a dry cast-iron skillet on the stove-top.

Remove husk from corn and place on grill (or pan) and slowly roast corn, turning it every so often until completely roasted.
Set aside to cool. Once cooled, remove kernels and place in a bowl.

ROASTED POBLANO:

(This is the same technique as roasting red bell peppers).
Rub a tiny amount of olive oil over pepper.
On either the grill or open gas flame on your gas-burning stove (or under the broiler), heat pepper until charred on all sides and then place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the steam to separate the skin for about 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove the charred skin. Cut poblano into a small dice, discarding the inner seeds. Add this to the corn.

ASSEMBLE:

Take shredded chicken and add the corn and diced poblano. Add salsa verde and combine. Test seasoning, you may need to add salt and pepper.

Serve with warmed tortillas, sour cream, avocado and lime slices.

Pan Seared Haloumi with Fresh Favas

2010-05-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

Haloumi is a mild yet salty cheese hailing from Greece. It's made from either goats or sheep's milk. I've used it a few times and I think I'll be using it more as I have fallen deeply in love with it. It's charm is in it's firm texture, as you can grill or pan fry it without it turning in to a big gooey mess. This Greek staple is a brilliant substitute for meat and it's especially wonderful with fresh herbs and sweet, ripe tomatoes. A robustly salty and chewy texture is unlike any other cheese you've had and is wonderful grilled and simply finished with a squeeze of lemon. It's the perfect summer addition to your up-coming cook-outs!

Pan Seared Haloumi with Fresh Fava Beans

Serves 2-4

1 pkg Haloumi, found in the cheese section of better grocery stores
2 large handful favas, shell and remove their skins. (See "how to" here.)
1 clove of garlic - minced
about 2 TBLS diced onion
olive oil
butter
salt and pepper
half of a lemon
herbs de Provence, or fresh oregano, mint or basil.

Slice haloumi into 3 equal sized pieces.
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and sear haloumi on one side (about 3 minutes)
Flip and sear on other side, keep on low heat and reserve.

While the haloumi is cooking, heat a small saute pan with a glug of olive oil and a pat of butter.
Saute onion and garlic for a minute or two - watching to not burn the garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Add favas and saute for a few minutes, until heated through. Turn off heat and squeeze some lemon juice over beans.

To serve:
Place seared haloumi on plate and spoon sauteed favas on top, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and lemon juice.
Season with herbs.
Serve warm.

Spring's Bounty

2010-05-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

Nothing to do with Food...

2010-04-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

But, this Frank Viva Earth Day cover for The New Yorker just made my day....

Lavender Mojitos

2010-04-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

The mere hint of lavender sends me into a world of utter and complete bliss. It invokes such an overwhelming calm that I generally forget everything else momentarily and I am suddenly able to just BE IN THE MOMENT. In Southern California, lavender grows happily and aggressively, (sometimes into the size of a VW Beetle!). I doubt that there could be anything better than combining the inherent calming properties of lavender with the equally relaxing properties of alcohol, (booze), making for the quintessential pool-side lazy-day drink. A match made in lavender colored heaven.

So, when my friend, Harriet, began telling me about her recent weekender to Palm Springs, I had to stop her mid-story, when she casually mentioned being served lavender mojitos, pool-side. WAIT! STOP!! "lavender mojitos... pool-side", and thus I immediately began my research. The New York Times has a lovely re cipe which I tried this past weekend with the most pleasant result. Harriet happened to be coming over, so I had an experienced and willing participant to help me try this out. The result was even more delicious than I could have expected - although we all thought it a bit too sweet - like drinking candy. (However, she said they were much better than hers in Palm Springs : ) So, after a few minor tweaks to the original recipe, I believe this has to be the most wonderful libation ever to exist. The essence of lavender and a slightly sweet syrupy body, muddled with mint and lime juice, (and rum, of course), with just a splash or two of soda water - is the perfect summer-time cocktail.

You must first make a lavender syrup, (simple syrup infused with lavender flowers and rose water), which can be enjoyed alone with soda water or modestly added to champagne - it will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

LAVENDER SYRUP

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dried lavender flowers*

2 ounces rose water

Bring water and sugar to a simmer, add lavender flowers and rose water, simmer until sugar is dissolved (about 3 minutes) take away from heat and allow to steep for another 5-10 minutes. Strain, pressing flowers to extract all liquid, and allow syrup to cool completely. Store in fridge for about 2 weeks.

Yields about 1.5 cups

LAVENDER MOJITO

1 part lavender simple syrup (see above)

2 (or 3) parts white rum

juice of 1 lime

about 5-10 mint leaves

splash of soda water (or if you can find it, DRY: lavender soda - I buy mine at Whole Foods)

In the bottom of a tall glass, muddle mint leaves with syrup and lime juice. Add ice and rum and top with a splash of soda water. Adjust to your liking, either by adding more syrup, lime, rum, etc. Garnish with mint and if you have lavender growing, a tall lavender stem from the garden.

Yields 1 drink

*Lavender flowers can be found at Cost Plus, or if you live in Los Angeles: Surfas Restaurant Supply Store, in Culver City. Otherwise, buy on-line.

Ruby Red Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

2010-02-25T16:20:00.000-08:00

As I sit in front of a very angry Pacific Ocean, (our weekend get-away rental is perched, literally, on top of the sea, where the weather isn't exactly cooperating with my idea of beach weather), I have decided to imagine that it's hot outside, (like it was last year), and that I will be eating this salad for lunch...

Yvette and I did this photo shoot ages ago and it kinda got lost in the shuffle, but what better time to share this beautiful salad with you as we could all use a reminder that spring is around the corner, and this salad is perfect for lunch on a warm day. With buttery avocados, crunchy hazelnuts, and juicy pink grapefruit segments, this bright, cheery salad is simply lovely. I like to serve it for brunch with a hearty veggie fritatta and bubbly mimosas.

Before diving in to the recipe, which is really simple and takes very little effort, I'd like to share a quick tip on how to supreme a grapefruit. This is the technique of removing segments of citrus, excluding the tough membrane which holds each meaty piece of fruit together. Use this for any citrus fruit.

First step is to cut the very top and bottom off of the fruit, just enough to get through the rind, where the fruit begins. This helps stabilize the fruit as well as gives you a guide of where to cut around the fruit.

Remove the rind and pith, (that white bitter skin between the fruit and rind).

Once all the rind is removed, hold the fruit over a bowl, (this collects the juice that you will want to use for dressing).

Cut in between each segment, in a wedge, and remove segment, leaving the membrane behind. Drop it into the bowl below and continue around the fruit.

After all the segemnets have been removed, squeeze what you have, (we'll call it the skeleton), in your hand to collect all the juice left behind.

Remove the segments from bowl and set aside, keeping the juice that you collected in the bowl.

Ruby Red Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

Serves 4

1 ruby red grapefruit segmented, reserve juice for dressing

2 Haas avocados, cut in half, remove skin and slice into wedges (do this right before serving sothey don't turn brown and icky)

About 1/2 cup raw or toasted hazelnuts, cut in half.

1 head butter lettuce (also known as Boston Bibb)

Freshly ground pepper

Fluer de Sel, or any other really nice flaky sea salt

Dressing:

1/4 cup grapefruit juice (from above)

about 1 TBLS dijon mustard

about 1 TBLS honey

season with salt and pepper

about 1/4 - 1/2 cup walnut oil

In the bowl with the reserved juice, add dijon and honey, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine, slowly add walnut oil. Adjust to your taste.

Arrange salad on plates. Drizzle dressing over and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Yvette Roman Photography®, 2010.

Roasted Garlic and Broccoli Soup

2010-02-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

Buying a giant bunch of beautiful broccoli right before we take off for a long weekend may not have been the wisest of decisions, or was it?? Now that my kitchen is filled with the smell of roasted garlic, and dinner is well on it's way to being finished, I'm thinking that my impetuousness was more of a stroke of pure genius.

Making veggie soups are simple, and a wonderful way to clean out that fridge. By adding roasted garlic, you turn an ordinary soup in to something a little more special. You might as well roast a few heads of garlic, while you have the oven on - they are great to have on hand. They should keep about a week in the fridge.

Roasted Garlic and Broccoli Soup

Borrowed from The Los Angeles Times

Serves 6 - 8

1 large, plump head of garlic

pinch of salt and pepper

drizzle of olive oil

1 large bunch of broccoli

2 TBLS butter or olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 large baking potato, peeled and cubed into 1 '' dice

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375.

Slice the top 1/4 off the head of garlic. Drizzle olive oil over head of garlic, season with salt and pepper and place the top back over the head. Wrap in tin foil and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside to cool.

While garlic is roasting, heat oil or butter in a large pot, and sweat onions for about 5 minutes and add chopped broccoli florets and potato cubes. Add stock and bring to a boil.

Partially cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until potato is cooked thoroughly.

Once the roasted garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted cloves into the soup.

Season with salt and pepper.

Puree soup in batches, or (better yet!), use an immersion blender. Serve soup hot.

Jamie Oliver's Orange Spiced Doughnuts

2010-02-05T14:24:00.000-08:00

"Doughnuts. Is there anything they can't do?"

-Homer Simpson

These take a few hours, and require your attention, but if you are ready to take on the challenge, frying and all, then this are a great doughnut recipe. My suggestion is to make the full recipe if you are having a bunch of friends over - as this yields a large amount. If you happen to be doing this for just a few (two) people, cut this in half. (I did). They won't keep for long, so it's best to fry 'em up and eat 'em warm.

Doughnuts With Old English Spice

From Cook With Jamie

1 1/4 oz packet active dry yeast

1/3 cup super fine sugar

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBLS whole milk (warmed until tepid)

zest of 2 lemons

zest of 1 orange

5 1/2 TBLS butter, softened and cubed

1 3/4 pints vegetable oil

For flavored sugar:

1/2 cup superfine sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp all-spice

zest of 1 lemon

zest of 1 orange

1 vanilla bean, scored lengthwise, seeds removed

Put the yeast in a bowl with a TBLS of sugar and a TBLS of flour and mix in the warm milk. Put in a warm spot until mixture is frothy.

Put the rest of the sugar, flour, butter and zest into a bowl and add add yeast mixture. Bring together with a spoon and form a ball. Use your clean hands to form a nice ball and knead dough for about 5 minutes, or until soft and silky.

Place ball into a bowl, and place a damp towel over it and allow it to rise for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

Meanwhile, make the flavored sugar by mixing all ingredients in a bowl and set it aside.

When the dough had doubled in size, knock it back by pushing or punching the air out of the dough. This will allow the dough to rise again and the doughnuts will be light and fluffy.

On a floured surface, roll the dough out until it's about 1/2 inch thick.

Cutout about 25 little holes with a glass rim or cookie cutter- about 2" in diameter. Place on greased cookie sheet and place damp cloth on top and allow to double in size, about 45 minutes.

Once they have doubled in size, use a chop stick to pop into the middle of each blob to form a hole.

Time to fry - BE CAREFUL!!! Heat oil in a deep, heavy sauce pan. Check oil temp by dropping a small piece of left over dough into the oil. If it drops and pops back up right away and turns golden after about 1 minute, the oil is hot enough.

Fry doughnuts in batches, about 2 minutes, removing them with a slotted spoon, and setting on paper napkins to drain.

While still hot, dust with flavored sugar and eat warm.

No. Boxed. Mixes.

2010-01-31T16:01:00.000-08:00

I was at the market, in the baking isle, and I saw brownies, mmm, brownies... They looked so good, so chocolate-y, so easy. I instantly grabbed a box and tossed it to my cart. It was with me for quite a while, staring up at me, we were very happy together. This box stayed with me a long while, making it all the way to the checkout line and almost onto the belt, when I realized what I was doing... STOP! I grabbed the box just before it was scanned, and ran it back to the baking isle, right where I had found it. Sorry, I can't do this...it's not you, it's me. I had committed a minor sin in the culinary world... Even when it seems so much more convenient, so much easier, you must stay strong and repeat after me: NO. BOXED. MIXES.

I promise you, these brownies are really simple, quick to mix and it's so much more rewarding to make something this good from scratch. I try to always have dark chocolate, butter, flour, and eggs stocked and ready. If you are well prepared, then this brownie heaven can be yours, too!

Dark Chocolate Brownies

Adapted from Donna Hay, Entertaining.

8 oz. butter (2 sticks)

8 oz. dark chocolate

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Fleur De Sel to sprinkle on top before baking.

Preheat oven to 350.

Place butter and chocolate in a sauce pan over very low heat and melt, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

Beat eggs and sugar in a bowl until light and thick. Fold the egg mixture with the melted butter and chocolate.

Add flour and baking powder and gently fold through.

Pour mixture into a greased 8 x 8 pan ( I line my pans with parchment after I butter the pan).

Sprinkle some Fleur de Sel on top of wet mix.

Bake for about 35 - 40 minutes, or until set.

Allow to cool and dust with either cocoa powder or powdered sugar.

Makes about 1 dozen squares.

No chocolate for you, Auggie : )

Food For Thought...

2010-01-28T19:25:00.001-08:00

Chicken Wrapped in Pancetta with Leeks and Thyme

2010-01-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

I love Jamie Oliver - everything about him makes me happy. I've been following him since he was "The Naked Chef" years ago. I love his cool, hip, reckless style of cooking. To me, he takes away any hint of chef-snobbery, and makes cooking appear un-intimidating and fun, (which is the way it should be!) If you don't have a cookbook of his, I suggest you grab one, any one is well worth the money. His recipes are loosely written, and in way that it feels like he's talking, guiding you through each page, so it's great for any cooking level. This recipe comes from Cook with Jamie, and it is my husband's absolute favorite. The chicken is moist, flavorful, and the leeks are buttery soft and pretty amazing. I like to serve it with a simple arugula salad and rice or cous-cous, to sop up the yummy pan juices.

Chicken Wrapped in Pancetta with Leeks and Thyme

From Cooking with Jamie

Serves 2-4

2 Organic chicken breasts, bone in, skin removed

2 leeks, trimmed and washed

a few sprigs of thyme

about 1 TBLS butter

pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

2 TBLS dry white wine

About 1/4 lb sliced pancetta (I buy hormone, cruelty free)

Preheat oven to 400

In a bowl add chicken, leeks, thyme, salt, pepper, butter and wine.

Toss around and place in a roasting pan. (I lined my pan with tin-foil, per Jamie's suggestion, for easy cleanup).

Wrap chicken breasts with pancetta, place on top of leeks.

Fold the tin foil inwards, to protect leeks from burning.

Drizzle top of chicken with olive oil and place a few sprigs of thyme on top.

Bake for about 45 minutes.

Rainy Day Cookies

2010-01-18T19:02:00.000-08:00

Whenever it rains in LA, (which is hardly EVER), I find myself strangely happy, holed up at home, with a hot oven and big appetite. Lucky for me, I was ready for this first round of what will be a week of wet, windy, simply wonderful weather. I had my plan of attack so that I could sit down, mid storm and indulge in freshly baked cookies. This all sounds pretty simple and easy - however, there has been a major shake-up in the world of chocolate chip cookie making. See, these days, you can no longer think of chocolate chip cookies one minute and have them the next - Ooooh nooooo! It's all about patience and foresight. (And a lot of self - control!)

The secret is allowing the dough to rest in the fridge for, ideally, 36 (long) hours until popping into the oven. By doing this, three things happen to create cookie magic: The gluten is given time to relax, causing a less rubbery, but more crisp cookie. Second, the butter, which has been warmed to room temp, can cool and thus won't spread into the other cookies while baking. And finally, the rested flour is given more time to absorb liquids resulting in a crisper, more fully-flavored cookie. (See an interesting NYT article here.). To be honest, I haven't tried the full 36 hour fridge test - however, I did freeze the dough overnight and baked half today and was very happy with the result - a crisp, brown sugary wafer-like cookie. Not bad! In fact, a giant improvement from all those years of making the dough and immediately popping them into the oven, which now appears to be a mortal cookie sin. So, there I was, awaiting the storm, with cookie dough freezing, ready to make it's debut. Just like the much anticipated rain.

Not to overload you with this cookie revelation, BUT, there is another part to this sweet story... I have always baked cookies with all-purpose flour, which yields a more cake-like, fatter cookie. Which is lovely. However, my preference is for a crisper, more wafer-like cookie and to get this result is to use pastry flour. It's worth a shot, give it a try and see which you prefer.

Freeze your dough into a log and store. Simply take out and slice whenever the craving strikes you. As for me, with a magnificent, but brief, break in the weather, I'm happy to know there lies another batch in my freezer awaiting the next go-around.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups chocolate chips

Stir flour with baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugars - don't over cream the butter.

Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mix until incorporated.

Gradually combine the dry and wet ingredients.

Add chocolate chips and combine thoroughly.

Divide dough into two.

Take one half of dough and lay onto a long piece of plastic wrap.

Form a log and twist the ends for freezer , repeat with 2nd half of dough.

Freeze, or refrigerate for up to 36 hours. (If freezing, you can store for up to 6 months)

Whenever your ready to bake, heat oven to 375.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice from frozen log - each piece should be about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake for 7-10 minutes.

Yields roughly 2 dozen cookies.

Orange and Oat Scones

2010-01-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow marks the day when I (try to) learn how to tickle the keys of my Quickbooks program (bleh), as I have hired an actual real-life book-keeper to come over and show me the ropes. Now, let me tell you, there is a reason I veered towards a career in food rather than one involving addition and subtraction, so this should be interesting! In an effort to woo my teacher, I decided to make these scones to offer her while she shows me where the plus and minus keys are on located on this very keyboard. So I paid a visit to one of my most favorite food blogs, 101cookbooks, to see what Heidi had to offer. Low and behold, these Orange and Oat scones appeared right before my eyes. And now they have appeared on my kitchen counter! If only accounting was so easy! A simple, easy recipe - give it a try.

The original recipe calls for currants, I substituted raisins.

Orange and Oat Scones

From Heidi Swanson, 101cookbooks.com

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose, or half of each)

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

pinch or two of salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cubed

2 cups rolled oats

zest of one orange

2/3 cups dried currants, or raisins

sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt and pulse to combine.

Add butter and pulse about 20 times, until mixture looks like sandy pearls.

Transfer the dough into a bowl and add oats and zest. Stir to combine.

Add buttermilk and currants - stir until just moistened.

Bring the dough together with your hands - add a splash of buttermilk if too dry- avoid over mixing.

Form roundish balls and place on baking sheet.

Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until just turning golden.

Makes about 1 dozen

Brioche with Chocolate Centers

2009-12-17T16:18:00.000-08:00

There is really only one cookbook that truly gets me inspired to step out of my comfort-zone, dig in and try something new. Maybe it's the amazing photos or the simplicity in her recipe writing, but either way, Donna Hay has my number and my kitchen is much better for that! Each time I flip through one of her books or magazines, something inevitably jumps out at me and I'll do whatever it takes to make it as soon as possible. In this case, it was driving to the local grocery this morning, practically in my pjs, to get some butter.

I am no great baker and have never made brioche. But something about tiny little brioche tins and a thought of melted chocolate in the center of eggy, doughy bread got me out of bed earlier than usual today...

Brioche with Chocolate Centers

From Donna Hay, Entertaining, 2003.

Makes 8

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp dry active yeast

1/2 cup warm milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 TBLS sugar

2 egg yolks

4 oz butter, chopped and softened to room temp

8 large chunks dark chocolate, about 1/2 oz each, ( I used Valrhona)

Place the four and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Place the milk, vanilla and sugar in a separate bowl and mix until combined.

Add the milk mixture and the egg yolks to the flour mixture and beat on med speed until dough forms a smooth ball.

Continue beating, adding butter a little at a time, until incorporated and well beaten.

Cover the dough and set aside for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD (my method)

Mix flour mixture and milk mixture in a bowl until a soft dough forms.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

Add butter, a few pieces at a time, and knead until combined.

Cover the dough and set aside for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Once dough had doubled in size, knead on lightly floured surface until soft and elastic.

Divide into 8 equal sized pieces and flatten slightly in your hand.

Place a piece of chocolate in the center of each piece and fold over dough to enclose.

Place the brioche in 8 greased and well - floured brioche tins.

Cover and set aside for 1 hour, or until the dough had doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the brioche are golden brown.

Serve warmmmmmmm.

Christmas Colors

2009-12-08T18:41:00.000-08:00

Vanilla Sugar

2009-11-19T20:36:00.000-08:00

I recently hit the mother-load, finding an unusually large amount of vanilla beans hiding in the back of my spice drawer, I must have gone through a weird stock-pile obsession and then forgotten about them. With too many now to know what to do with, my wheels started turning. Making my own vanilla infused vodka was my first experiment, which went exceedingly well, it is simply delicious, and I am now on my 2nd batch. Here, I decided to split the bean and stick in into a jar of sugar. Amazingly, little vanilla seeds fleck the sugar and impart a subtle, but unmistakable vanilla note. Use as you would in any recipe which calls for sugar. Or add to your morning coffee. I must mention, this could make a sweet little sugary gift - (I am all about coming up with different DIY gifts) - the tiny black dots scattered in pure white sugar is quite intriguing and looks really beautiful.

Give it a try, take one vanilla bean (per 2 cups of sugar, roughly), split it lengthwise, and add it to sugar. Mix it well, best to use a jar and shake it to loosen the seeds from the bean. Store in an air tight container with the bean still in the sugar.

Naturally Flavored Vanilla Vodka

2009-11-16T16:15:00.000-08:00

I cleaned out my spice drawer the other day and found a few vanilla beans hidden in the back. Score! This was an exciting find as I had just browsed a Donna Hay, (love her!), book of mine and saw a simple way of infusing vanilla bean into vodka. There are artificially flavoured vodkas out there, but I am somewhat of a purist and don't love the idea of fake flavouring, in any form. The recipe I have called for a whole bottle (750 mL) of vodka and 3 vanilla beans. I wasn't sure I was ready to sacrifice a whole bottle to this experiment, so I cut in into a third to see if this was something I might like. Well, one week in the sun, plus an overnight stay in the freezer, and this newly flavoured spirit is a welcomed addition to our liquor cabinet. Serve over ice, or if you can't handle that, (like I can't), it is especially delicious with ginger ale, sort of a grown up vanilla cream soda.

Vanilla Vodka

From Entertaining, by Donna Hay, 1998.

750 ml (24 fluid ounces) of vodka

3 vanilla beans, split

Place the vanilla beans in the vodka and allow to infuse on a windowsill for at least one week. To serve straight, freeze overnight, prior to serving. Serve the vanilla vodka over ice with tonic, soda, or ginger ale.

Want to get even further away from artificially flavoured stuff? Make your own ginger ale!

Chocolate Mousse Cake

2009-11-13T18:24:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you - I just discovered the most delicious, sublime chocolate dessert that took about 15 minutes to make. And it's like biting into a piece of smooth, sophisticated, grown-up chocolate super - heaven. I broke my own rule though, the one where I urge you not to try something new right before you have people coming over for dinner. I thought I could let it slide, after all, it's only dessert, it's not like totally necessary to serve a dessert, so if you mess it up, it could go virtually unnoticed... Right?, (long pause..) Yikes!!! That's so NOT cool, man! Dessert is, at least in my book, the best part of dinner and when I'm lucky enough to be somewhere that it is being offered, it makes my heart skip.

So, after all this reconfiguring of my priorities, I am pleased that even though this time I broke my own rule - it was ok - and dessert was served and received decidedly well. I guess that speaks for the simplicity of this chocolate-mousse cake, it's quite easy, low maintenance and decadent. Even if it has to be made one day in advance, and then sit on your counter, (for a very long and painful 24 hours), it's well worth the wait : )

Chocolate Mousse Cake

From Eating and Living, John Pawson and Annie Bell

Serves 6

1 lb good quality bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces

4 oz. unsalted butter

2 heaping spoons sugar

4 organic eggs

1 TBLS all-purpose flour

cocoa powder, for dusting

1/2 lb berries

Preheat oven 425. Butter an 8" springform pan, (I used a 10" and so my cake is thinner), with removable base. Put chocolate, butter, and half the sugar in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of boiling water, stirring occasionally.

Put the eggs and remaining sugar in a bowl in a food processor and whiz for 10 minutes until mixture has increased in volumes several times over and pale, almost white. (My eggs never got whitish, more pale yellow). Transfer to a large bowl and carefully fold into the flour. Then gently fold melted chocolate into mixture.

If you are using a chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa, the mixture may break, or curdle, in which case, whisk in 2-3 tbls of water to emulsify it. At this point, the mixture will still be runny. It will partially set as it cooks and further when it cools.

Pour the mixture into the cake pan and cook for 6 minutes. The rim should have just set and the center will still appear to be liquid.

Allow the cake to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and leave in a cool place (not the fridge), overnight.

To serve, run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove it. Dust the surface with cocoa powder and serve with scattered berries.

Chicken, Spinach and Lemon Pie

2009-11-12T10:31:00.000-08:00

Probably the best tip for hosting a successful dinner party is to make sure you are comfortable with the dish you are planning to serve. There is no greater stress, than to have everyone waiting for food and you not knowing if the food is going to come out well, (if, at all). Knowing this, and also knowing that on Saturday, we will be hosting a few guests, I did a test run of this chicken pie that I saw in one of my favorite cook books, Living and Eating. Normally, I'm not sure that I would go through the trouble to make something specifically to try out for a dinner party, (I would usually make something I have done before), but this looked so good to me and I wanted something that will take care of itself once our guests arrive. So, yesterday I ran to the market and got to cookin' and it was a great success.

This chicken pie is delicious with garlic, thyme and lemon infused into the cream sauce and it's golden crust is fine sight to see! I'll serve it with a simple mixed herb salad and some roasted acorn squash. It's the perfect meal for a Fall night, with a fire crackling in the background, either by yourself or surrounded by friends.

Chicken, Spinach and Lemon Pie

Adapted from Living and Eating, by John Pawson and Annie Bell

Serves 4

1 head of garlic

10 chicken thighs (organic, preferably)

Sea salt and black pepper

1 TBLS extra virgin olive oil

2 heaping spoons of flour

2/3 cup dry white wine

4 thyme sprigs

1 lemon

1 TBLS butter

1 LB bag spinach

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

1 egg yolk

1 TBLS milk, to glaze

Break garlic up and peel skins off of all the cloves. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pot, or saute pan, add half the chicken thighs and fry, turning until colored on all sides. Transfer to a dish and fry the remaining thighs, adding the garlic towards the end, so they soften without coloring.

Return all the chicken to the pot and sprinkle with the flour, turning the chicken to coat. Add the wine, which will thicken as it blends - let this seethe for one minute. Pour in 1 cup of water and stir until sauce is smooth. Add thyme and 2 long strip of lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes.

While the chicken cooks, melt butter in a deep skillet and add spinach, toss until fully wilted. Drain into a sieve, pressing out as much liquid as you can using the back of a spoon.

Transfer cooked chicken to a bowl and allow to cool. Once cooled, discard skin and remove chicken from the bone, then cut into shreds. Discard thyme and lemon peel from the sauce and add cream and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Add spinach and chicken to the sauce and cool to room temp. Taste for seasoning.

Preheat oven to 375. Roll out 2/3 of the pastry thinly on a lightly floured surface. Line a deep dish skillet or pie pan. Spoon out chicken mixture into dish. Roll out remaining pastry and place on top. Trim pastry lid allowing about 1/2 inch for shrinkage. Brush the top with egg yolk and milk egg wash. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve right away.

Note: For my dish in photos, I cut this recipe in half and used an 8" cast iron skillet. This allowed me to only use one sheet of pastry which I could simply fold over the top of the chicken filling. This served 2 people heartily.

To buy Living and Eating, click here.

The Magazine of Good Living

2009-11-10T12:53:00.000-08:00

I had a brilliant thought the other day, and thanks to Ebay, I was able to follow through with my ingeniousness. Gourmet Magazine, as I am sure you know by now, is no-longer. The last issue hit news stands this month and then we'll have to rely on our saved copies for culinary inspiration. But this got me to thinking.... Maybe I should buy some old issues - not so much for the possible collector's pay-off one day, (but that would be nice), it was more the idea to scoop a few beauties up before they become obsolete. So, I logged into Ebay, bid on a few magazine collections and a few days later, I was flipping through the past. Oh, what fun! My most prized issue is from April, 1952, (then, 35 cents), and it's fascinating to me to not only see what types of articles were being written about food, but the advertisements are a mid-century marvel. (Don Draper would be so proud!). Most if the ads are for some type of booze - mostly brandy, scotch, whisky, and cigarettes, (again, Mad Men, anyone?), and my issue smells like an old book. The contents are mostly illustrations, not at all like the photography, (food porn), we have all come to love of the modern day Gourmet. Articles themselves are very classically French in theme: meringue, pot-au-feu, etc and the only travel ad happens to be from the French Government's Tourist Office. An article about the avocado, The Aztec's Treasure, romantically showcases the "exotic" fruit. There are restaurant reviews, all of which are in Manhattan, and a "Sugar and Spice"section where readers can write in and have their comment or question answered is full of useful cooking tips. Gourmet transformed into an entirely different magazine as editors changed and food trends evolved, (this era of food never really stood out as being particularly delicious), but flipping through these yellowed, musty pages of history kinda gets me in the mood for a martini. Dry.

Speaking of Mad Men, did you see the season finale?? Here's a great article reviewing it.

Cooking 101 - The Art of the Chiffonade

2009-11-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd step away from my arts and crafts obsession and do a quick tutorial on an easy, classic knife skill - the chiffonade. (shihf-uh-NAHD). Taken from the literal French translation, it means "made of rags", but to apply it to a culinary use, it refers to thin strips or threads of vegetables. (Classically lettuces, or herbs.). You can use this technique for greens as large as collards, chard, kale, etc or as small and delicate as mint, basil or sorrel. I have always loved this technique, there's something about the way the knife (always sharp!), runs through the densely rolled up greenery, then making perfect, beautiful ribbons. It's ideal for a garnish, and for the larger greens, it makes sauteeing easier and more elegant. It also allows the greens to lie nicely on the place once cooked.

It's easy:

Take your greens and stack uniformly. (if using a a dense green, remove tough stalk from the middle of the leaf.) Roll into a tight bundle. Slice through the bundle, across the leaf. (Thinner cuts for herbs, especially if using for a garnish). For larger greens, cut your strip at about 1 inch in thickness.

Dry Rub - Gift Idea #2

2009-11-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

If you haven't noticed, lately I've become slightly obsessed with glass jars, ribbons, etc and have been thinking of different things to make to put inside these glass jars and tying up with ribbons and labeling with my cool Martha Stewart decals. It's in part due to my sister's up- coming wedding and the holiday season which is fast approaching. But more than all that, I just like the idea of making gifts for friends, it's so personal and enjoyable and it is a good way to cut spending as we are all probably a little more money-conscious these days.

Here, I made a dry-rub for meats or veggies using some of my favorite spices. Feel free to come up with your own - but try to keep the salt content of your total recipe at about 20%.

Mark Bittman's Granola

2009-10-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

Granola, is deceptively unhealthy, as it is generally very high in fat and sometimes sugar. Usually, the better it tastes, the worse it is for you. Mark Bittman has a simple, low fat recipe which is easy to make and as soon as it is in the oven, the cinnamon, nuts and honey will get everyone asking (hovering), what are you making?? Once cooled, add your favorite dried fruit, seal in a air tight container and have your granola, guilt-free.

(Should I mention that this also makes a great gift!)

Mark Bittman's Granola

6 cups rolled oats, not quick cooking

2 cups mixed nuts or seeds. (almonds, cashews, sunflower, walnut, pecan...)

1 cup dried, shredded unsweetened coconut, optional

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 to 1 cup honey, agave, or maple syrup

1 cup raisins, or any dried fruit

Preheat oven to 350

Combine everything in a mixing bowl, except dried fruit, and place on a sheet pan. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch for burning! Remove from heat, add dried fruit. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Yummy honey from Traverse City, MI, a gift from Cheryl and Ian! Delicious!! Love it!!

Home Made Bath Salts. Gift idea #1...

2009-10-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

My sister is getting married next May (yay!), and as the dutiful Maid of Honor, I have been thinking of personal gifts to make to give out as wedding favours. I'm not sure if this task fits in with the requisite duties that the Maid of Honor holds, but I'm doing it, nonetheless - and getting really in to it, I might add! After spending some time in Michael's, (mecca for crafters and scrap-bookers, which I never thought I'd be associated with...), I found the perfect jars, labels, ribbons and stickers, to package my home-made soaking salts. I bought some coarse sea salt and a tiny bottle of lavender essential oil from Whole Foods, and for an added dose of loveliness, I threw a small handful of lavender flowers in to the mix. As soon as the oil met with the salt, a delightful aroma filled the house, invoking calmness. Ahhh, well worth the effort! This is so easy and low budget, it's perfect for the upcoming holiday season or for a sweet and simple hostess gift. Better yet, why not just do it for yourself? : )

Home Made Bath Salts

In a large mixing bowl, add about 4 cups coarse sea salt and mix in a few drops of essential oil (whichever you like), and a handful of dried flowers.

Breath in and relax!

Note: If you are adding dried flowers, pour into a spice sachet to prevent flowers from floating in your bath water.

Spanakopita

2009-10-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

We all have that one certain meal that makes us shuffle our feet and bob our heads in utter happiness. We instantly feel safe and comforted -- no matter what might be going on in our grown-up lives. For me, it's Spinach Pie, or Spanakopita, if you happen to find yourself in Greece. I would eat dozens of "pitas" every summer at my grandparents' home on Long Island. In their tiny kitchen, we would set up a factory line-like production. One of us would man the phyllo dough, both keeping it from drying and ever-so gently handing over one sheet at a time to the next person in the assembly line. That person, would be in charge of painting melted butter across sheet after sheet like an abstract painter,(a kid's job, no doubt!). Then came the job of spooning out the filling, (usually my grandmother), and carefully rolling the dough into tight bite-sized triangles. It's because of this hands-on family tradition that I am not only well-trained at making my own, but it also has a special place in my heart, a rare moment with generations of women in one kitchen at the same time. (Grandma is still with us, at 94 years young!)

This is a fairly labor-intensive project, so when the mood strikes me, I go for it. I'll make about a dozen and a half, so I will freeze what I don't immediately eat for a later time. If you have never worked with phyllo dough before, it's a fantastic vessel for both savory and sweet recipes. It is, however, a pain to work with, so be prepared to loose a few sheets from either drying out, or tearing. The best way to keep phyllo as your friend, is to roll it out and keep it covered with a barely damp tea towel. (If you towel is too wet, it will ruin the very thin sheets of dough and make them gooey and un-usable). Phyllo dough must be layered sheet upon sheet, (about 5 sheets), in order to be strong enough to hold up to whatever you might be filling inside. Between each layer, paint with a pastry brush, either melted butter or olive oil. You don't have to saturate each layer, but do get all the sides and a majority of each sheet should be moist.

Spanakopita

Makes about one and a half dozen pitas

2 lbs spinach, washed

1 yellow onion, diced

drizzle of olive oil

about 3/4 lbs feta cheese

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

pinch or two of freshly grated nutmeg

salt and pepper

juice from 1 lemon

1 package of PHYLLO DOUGH, thawed. (usually in frozen dessert section)
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted. (or about 1/2 cup of olive oil)

Preheat oven to 375

In a large pot, saute spinach and the drain very well, pressing out any extra liquid.

In a medium saute pan, heat oil and saute diced onion until transparent.

Once spinach and onions are cool, combine in a large bowl, along with parsley, feta, pine nuts, nutmeg, salt and pepper and lemon juice. Taste this and alter any seasonings.

To Assemble:

Make sure phyllo has completely thawed out if frozen.

Unwrap phyllo and lay out flat. Cover with a barely damp tea towel, keep covered through out this process.

Find a clean working space (I use a large cutting board). Start with one layer at a time. Lay first layer down and working with a pastry brush, paint butter over sheet, not soaking, but relatively coated.

Place second sheet on top of buttered sheet and repeat 5 times, keeping the last layer dry -

NO BUTTER.

If you find that your phyllo is tearing, you can patch it by over-lapping each little torn piece and using the melted butter or oil to seal the places where you have improvised.

Cut 3 even strips down the sheets, about 2.5 inches apart. You will have 4 columns.

At the top of each column, drop about 2 tbls spinach mixture and begin to roll each column into a triangle (see below). Paint a little extra butter over the triangle and seal up any unsealed edges.

Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.

Note: These can be made vegan by replacing butter with olive oil and firm tofu replaces feta.

A GOURMET EULOGY

2009-10-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

I, like many of you, was shocked when I heard that Gourmet magazine was going out of print after nearly 70 years of publication. It's always been such a source of inspiration for me and it's a tragic end to such a beautiful homage of food and photography alike. I will be holding on to whatever issues I still have - tucked away in various places - and return to them often when I feel a sudden strike of culinary whim.
Please take a few minutes to hear Pulitzer Prize winner and LA Weekly food writer, Jonathon Gold's eulogy of Gourmet. It also offers other insights to the ever-changing food publishing forum, even the diminishing trend of food blogging. Very interesting!

Note: This Jonathon Gold piece begins about 4 minutes into this podcast.

A Rhode Island Fall Wedding - Sara and Kyle

2009-10-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to be guests at our friends, Sara and Kyle's, wedding last weekend in Little Compton, RI. (A place very dear to me, I was also married in RI!) I have been going to LC for almost 25 years with my family. I used to visit in the heat of summer, but after experiencing two Octobers in RI now, Fall has emerged as my favorite time to be in New England. Not to be disappointed, this trip offered cool, crisp Fall weather, including the beginning of the leaves turning all those amazing colors. A torrential downpour threatened their wedding day, but miraculously, the rain stopped about an hour before the ceremony and it turned into a beautiful evening. Needless to say, with the crazy weather, it was a very New England day, and the made-to-order lobster rolls served during the cocktail hour were the definitive New England appetizer - and I thought I had to share this with you. I have never seen lobsters this freakin' big - they were wicked good!

Our best to Sara and Kyle! We love you!

The wedding was catered by SMOKE AND PICKLES, out of Westport, Mass. Chef Dan George has collaborated with grill masters Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby on the cookbook Quick Pickles - Easy Recipes with Big Flavor.

Ginger - Vodka Spritzer

2009-09-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Well, another weekend gone by and another cocktail has been tried, tested and filed under, AWESOME. I came up with this on a whim and was pleasantly surprised with the end result. The goal, other than the obvious, was to make use of the all the ginger in our fridge (left over from my homemade ginger ale experiment) - and what better way than to turn it into some sort of alcoholic elixir? Since I am in a simple-syrup craze recently, I am discovering that by taking the time, (all of 5 minutes, plus cooling time), to make a flavored syrup opens the door to stand out, unique cocktails. The only problem that I ran into was that I didn't have enough ginger to yield the amount of syrup I had hoped for. (Meaning, we only had enough for a few drinks, *sniff, sniff*). The 3 oz that I had only amounted to about 1/2 cup of syrup. It's best to use about 12 oz and you will yield about a cup and a half to have on hand. It will last a few weeks, covered tightly in the fridge.

Ginger Syrup

Yields about 1 1/2 cup of syrup

12 oz. fresh ginger, sliced thinly

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

In a small sauce pan, bring water, sugar and ginger to a simmer for about 2 minutes. Pour syrup through a fine mesh stainer, discard ginger. Cool syrup completely before using.

Ginger - Vodka Spritzer

Makes about 2 cocktails

8-12 fresh mint leaves, plus a few for garnish

4 oz. ginger simple syrup

4 oz vodka

juice of 1-2 limes (1 - 2 oz)

4 oz of club soda

In a shaker, muddle mint and add vodka, lime juice and ginger syrup. Add a few ice cubes and shake vigorously. Pour over 2 cups with ice, or martini glasses, without ice and finish off with club soda.

*Note - I'm thinking that candied ginger would be a fun garnish, as well. Try it!

$1.98

2009-09-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

I have never bought chicken wings, breasts and thighs, yes. But, wings? Ick, Never! All of this changed the other day, when at the market, I noticed a pack of Organic chicken wings, (2 lbs), for $1.98... Stunned at the low price, and thinking, "is that even possible??", I grabbed them, brought them home and began my recipe research. I honed in on this outright amazing recipe from Bon Appetit, it appealed to me because it's not the typical hot and spicy song and dance. These wings marinate in yogurt and curry spices over night and then bake for an hour. And although I was still skeptical of these underrated chicken parts, I was extremely determined. After-all, I'm only in for 2 bucks!

The end result is superb, tender, juicy, infused meat. Absolutely delicious. And very messy. Not recommended for a romantic, first-date kind of scenario. In fact, my husband and I ate them over the kitchen sink, without talking, completely immersed in our own chicken-winged world. It was great!

Chicken Wings with Yogurt Curry Glaze

Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2000.

1 1/2 cups plain full fat yogurt

1 cup finely diced onion

4 tsp cumin

4 tsp curry powder

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

4 large garlic cloves, crushed

4 TBLS finely chopped fresh ginger

2 lbs Organic chicken wings

In a large bowl, mix first 7 ingredients. Set aside about 1/2 of marinade for dipping sauce. Add chicken and thoroughly combine. Allow to marinate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with tin foil, season wings with salt and bake for about an hour, turning once. Serve with reserved yogurt curry sauce.

MMMojito

2009-09-22T10:28:00.001-07:00

Many parts of the country are bidding farewell to summer as it becomes a fading memory. In Southern California, however, Santa Ana winds are driving through the canyons and temperatures will still be blazing for a few more weeks. Making this Indian Summer all the more manageable, are the ample mint and limes in my fridge and the alluring bottle of rum in my liquor cabinet. I have to thank my lovely friend, Sara, who helped me kick off a weekend bender of mojito magic - I can now say that this has emerged as my fave drink for the summer, crisp, refreshing and slightly sweet. Take time to juice your limes in advance and make a simple syrup, (equal parts water and sugar, simmer until dissolved, cool).

Classic Mojito

Makes 1 cocktail

8 mint leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish

1 TBLS simple syrup

1 -2 oz light rum

2 oz fresh lime juice

club soda

powdered sugar

Place mint in the bottom of a tall glass, with a wooden spoon, muddle the mint gently. Add ice cubes and simple syrup, lime juice and rum. Stir well.

Top each drink with a little club soda and garnish with a sprig of mint and dust top of glass with powdered sugar.

Wild Rice and Apple Salad

2009-09-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favorite salads! It usually begins with left over rice from the night before, (If I'm being smart, I will make extra rice for this very reason.). Since I always have apples in the fridge and an assortment of raw nuts in the pantry, this salad comes together easily. Throw whatever happens to be in the fridge, (parsley, dried cranberries, pine nuts and crumbled goat cheese this time), and you'll have a healthy and filling meal in mere minutes.

I have found that making wild rice with chicken or vegetable stock and a pat or two of butter really makes a world of difference. This salad can be made with any grain, try it with quinoa, brown rice, farro, etc. There are no rules for this salad - here's your chance to get creative and clean out that fridge all at the same time. Enjoy!

Wild Rice and Apple Salad

2 cups cooked rice

1 apple - I like Gala or Fuji

1/2 cup nuts, I like pine nuts or walnuts

1 TBLS (or more) chopped fresh herb such as parsley, mint, basil.

Handful of dried cranberries

Crumbled goat cheese, or feta - to you liking

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Lemon juice

Combine everything in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil (or walnut oil) and fresh lemon juice - adjust to your liking. Serve over a bed of mixed baby greens.

Home Made Pizza Dough

2009-09-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my love for making pizza at home, and in that posting, I shamefully admitted to being a lazy-cheating-good-for-nothing pizza dough buyer. Just writing that down made me feel kind of dirty. It's that low down feeling that prompted me to buy some yeast and make my own damn dough. I can now say that I am no longer a pizza dough buyer, but rather, a pizza-dough-maker. A notable distinction - mind you! Being the type of cook who likes simple recipes with big pay-off, I must say, this is exactly what making pizza dough is: simple yet totally rewarding. All you need to do is plan a few hours in advance to allow the dough to rise and then just a little more time to let it rest. From this moment on, you will never see me with store-bought dough again! After all, to admit you have a problem is always half of the battle!

Easy Pizza Dough

from smittenkitchen

1 1/2 cup flour (you can replace up to half of this with whole wheat flour)
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water (you may need 1 to 2 TBLS more)
1 TBLS olive oil

Stir dry ingredients together, including yeast, in a large bowl. Add water and olive oil. Stir mixture into as close as a ball as you can. Dump everything onto a floured surface and knead until you have a homogeneous ball. If this is difficult, take the now empty bowl and place over ball and step away for a few minutes.

Knead for a minute or two and place it into a lightly oiled bowl, turn the dough over so that all sides are lightly coated with oil and cover with plastic wrap for and hour or two. It should double in size.

Dump it back onto a floured surface and gently press air out of the dough with the palm of your hand. Fold it back into a ball and place it under plastic wrap for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle pizza stone or baking sheet, with corm meal and set oven to its highest temp.
Roll out dough and place toppings on, erring on the side of skimpy, so not to weigh down pizza.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until just blistered.

Home Made Ginger Ale

2009-08-31T15:01:00.000-07:00

The New York Times published this article a few months ago about a new trend of artisanal ginger ales gaining popularity around the country. Intrigued, I tore it out and saved it - forgot about it - then found it once again. And today, I made it, and.... it was great! Ginger ale has been around for ages, as a home remedy for aching stomachs and nausea. It's zippy bite can quench almost any degree of thirst.

To make one 16 oz drink for myself, I ventured down two different gingery paths - first by hand grating ginger root against a micro-plane and then squeezed the juice from the pulp. The flavor, once everything was added, stirred and poured, was weak. (Not to mention it's kind of a royal pain!).

My second attempt, suggested by the article, was to make a ginger syrup. (I have recently discovered the beauty of making different syrups and keeping them on hand for quick and easy use. See my post on making rose water syrup for other types of delicious drinks).

I found that this way makes a better, more authentic ginger ale. The gentle heating of sugar and ginger juice deepens the flavors, the end result being zingy, spicy and slightly syrupy. Keep ginger syrup in fridge and it's ready for your next craving of that certain zippy fizz we all have every now and then.

Note: You will need a juicer in order to extract large amounts of juice from the ginger root. If you don't have one, a health food store with a juice bar can sell you fresh squeezed ginger juice. Be sure to ask them to run water through the juicer before starting on your order, otherwise you will get muddled ginger juice.

Ginger Ale

Adapted from The New York Times.

Makes 1 (16 oz.) drink

4 tsp fresh ginger juice (see note)

1-2 TBLS sugar

2 TBLS fresh lime juice

1 1/4 cup club soda

Stir ginger juice, sugar and lime juice until sugar dissolves. Add ice and club soda.

Make a ginger syrup by dissolving 3/4 cup sugar into 1 cup ginger juice. I did this combining the two ingredients and heating just until a simmer, then shut off the heat, and stir often, until sugar is dissolved, cool completely. Add ice, lime juice and club soda to 2 TBLS syrup just before serving. Bottoms up!

Hail to the Farmer!

2009-08-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

It's something - going to the Farmer's market. The seasons predict the bounty, and the farmers bring us the fruits, (literally), of all their labor. The beauty is that it's offerings are fleeting, there a few weeks, then gone for a year. It's kind of romantic, like a love lost, found again.

As I walked through yesterday, I had an idea of what I wanted, (usually I blank out completely, due to sensory over-load), but it is deathly hot right now and I knew that a salad was in our future. Passing by an organic heirloom tomato stand helped steer me in the right direction. As it happened, the next stand over had beautiful ears of corn which also caught my attention and then it was all over, a light bulb moment, I was finished. I picked up an herbed salad mix and basil from my favorite lettuce stand, Maggie's Farms, (out of Agoura Hills, CA. The "stellar mix", a combination of every possible herb, wild flowers and baby lettuces is so good, I eat it straight from the bag).

I have a particular fondness for the combination of fresh corn, summer tomatoes, goat cheese and basil - hopefully you will share my affection...

Farmer's Market Greens with Tomato-Corn Relish, topped with Goat Cheese Medallion

Serves 4

Bag of herbed mixed greens (the herbs really make this salad, so if you can't find an herb mix, buy some baby greens or arugula and add a variety of herbs - trust me, the more herbs, the better).

2 ears of corn, roasted and kernels removed

1-2 tomatoes, I used the Brandywine heirloom variety, chopped

Basil, chopped thinly

Scallions, chopped thinly

8 oz. goat cheese

1 1/2 cup panko-style Japanese bread crumbs

1 egg

Juice of 1 lemon

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Goat Cheese Medallions

Prepping the medallions:

(Can be done up to one day in advance, covered and refrigerated)

Leave goat cheese out to room temp. Form 4 round and flat medallions, think hockey puck. Place on a plate and put in the refrigerator for at least a half hour, to harden.

Once hardened, whisk one egg in a bowl and place panko crumbs in a separate bowl.

Working gently, one at a time, roll medallions first in egg, then coat with panko crumbs. Once all 4 are coated, return to refrigerator until ready to prepare.

Cooking Instructions:

(This should be done just before service, with the rest of the salad components prepared).

Heat a heavy pan, (I use a cast iron), add olive oil, enough to fry in, about 1/8 cup), add medallions and cook for about 2-3 minutes, the crumbs should look nice and golden. Gently flip with a spatula, and cook another 2-3 minutes. Carefully remove from heat, again with a spatula, and let rest on a paper bag or paper towel to drain excess oil.

Step 2:

Tomato - Corn Relish

Heat cast iron skillet to med - high and place corn in it. Rotate every few minutes, it will char and cook nicely this way. You can also grill it.

Chop tomatoes, scallions and basil and combine in a bowl.

Add corn kernels and drizzle juice of one lemon and olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Toss gently and set aside.

Step 3:

Assembly

Place salad greens on a plate, with your hands, gently place tomato and corn relish over greens. Add hot goat cheese medallion to the top of relish, season freshly ground pepper.

Serve with a crisp white wine.

I heart pizza

2009-08-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite things to do around here is to make our own pizza. It's kind of messy, but so much fun. No arguing over toppings, everyone can customize their own, (and you don't have to do ALL of that nights' cooking...), it's a DIY pizza party. With a scorching hot oven, (500), and 2 pizza stones awaiting, the production line moves along quite nicely, 2 at a time, which keeps hungry pizza eaters constantly fed.

Truth be told, most of the time I buy pizza dough from Trader Joe's. It's good, but fickle. It resists being manipulated and we often find ourselves with small, stubbornly thick pizzas. ( I have discovered that if you remove the dough from it's package and leave it out at room temp in a covered bowl for a few hours, it becomes much more cooperative.). For your toppings, the thinner, the better, so as to not weigh down the pizza dough. Also, I like to drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil before adding toppings and gently rub over dough.

If you are interested in making your own dough, a much more rewarding endeavor, here's is a fool-proof, easy recipe which will yield a small, thin crusted pizza - my favorite!

Easy Pizza Dough
from smittenkitchen

1 1/2 cup flour (you can replace up to half of this with whole wheat flour)
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water (you may need 1 to 2 TBLS more)
1 TBLS olive oil

Stir dry ingredients together, including yeast, in a large bowl. Add water and olive oil. Stir mixture into as close as a ball as you can. Dump everything onto a floured surface and knead until you have a homogenous ball. If this is difficult, take the now empty bowl and place over ball and step away for a few minutes.

Dump it back onto a floured surface and gently press air out of the dough with the palm of your hand. Fold it back into a ball and place it under plastic wrap for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle pizza stone or baking sheet, with corm meal and set oven to its highest temp.
Roll out dough and place toppings on, erring on the side of skimpy, so not to weigh down pizza.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until just blistered.

Inspiration board

2009-08-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share this rather ingenious idea of mine with you - you know how you flip through magazines or newspapers and find a recipe that peeks your interest and you tear it out, fold it up and then forget about it until days, months, (years), later when one day you happen to rediscover it, now wrinkled, faded and torn? I have lost countless recipes and ideas because I am not exactly what you might call organized. But when I saw this magnetic strip bulletin thingy, I knew exactly what to do with it and exactly where to put it. So now, in my beloved pantry, I have my idea board filled with tear-outs just waiting for me to get inspired and tackle them. There is something to be said for organization! Go get yourself one and start saving those priceless recipes!

Click here for self-sticking strip.

Ice Pops

2009-08-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

Leave it to Martha Stewart to come up with these incredible pops that will make you one very happy person. It's a grown up ice pop which will let you feel like a kid again.

Honeydew and Cream Ice Pops with Pistachios

Martha Stewart Living, June 2009.

1 honeydew melon (3 lbs), halved, seeded and cut in to 1 - inch chunks

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup roasted, salted pistachios, roughly chopped

Working on batches, puree melon in a blender until smooth. You should have about 4 cups puree. Add honey and cream and stir to combine.

Sprinkle about 1 tsp chopped pistachios into each ice-pop mold. Pour melon mixture into molds. Freeze until slushy, about 2 hours, add pop sticks and continue freezing until completely frozen, about 6 hours, or overnight.

H2O

2009-08-03T15:40:00.000-07:00

I believe it is safe to say that by now, across the country, it's pretty darn HOT! Here, in Southern California, summer seemed a little delayed, but has finally hit at full-force, and I couldn't be happier -- and more dehydrated. For me, drinking water is a chore, I never seem to get enough and by the end of the day, I am absolutely parched. I was inspired to make this the other night when some friends came over and instead of serving Pellegrino, I made a pitcher of cucumber, lemon and basil water and it was well received. This is not any kind of revelation, many spas serve some sort of lovely infused water, and I always feel a little more pampered when something like this is handed to me - so I thought, why don't I just make it myself? This simple, gently flavored water is such a decadent way to quench ones thirst and I, for one, find myself drinking much more water when I have a pitcher of this in my fridge.

All you need is a large pitcher, (glass preferably), and fresh citrus, such as lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, etc and fresh herbs, such as mint or basil, fresh berries... the list is infinite. Be sure to thoroughly wash everything before you add water. Buying organic, in this case, is important, so as to not drink whatever has been sprayed on the fruit or herbs. It will keep for about 24 hours, you can keep replenishing water to the fruit/herbs throughout the day.

July 4th, a Retrospective...The Finale

2009-07-10T17:31:00.001-07:00

It seems only fitting to bookend my July 4th trilogy with one last cocktail recipe. I mean, it is a party-prone weekend, and now that I have completely fallen for yummy specialty drinks, I have saved the best for last. If you are going to go through any trouble - whatsoever - to serve something different for your closest friends, do this and you will go down in history as the best drink-maker this side of the prohibition. I saw it on one of my most beloved sites, Design Sponge, and the photos alone got me feeling somewhat giddy. I tried it out with some close friends the day before the big day and I would have made a second batch for the 4th, but it was so good, so unbelievably good, it was long gone before the sun set on the eve of Independence Day.

For someone who isn't fond of gin (me), you'd be surprised at how delightful the gin actually tastes here. Hendrick's Gin is infused with cucumber and rose, so you can see why this drink is a marriage made in booze-y heaven. Take the time to prepare everything in advance and when you're ready, it's just as simple as measuring and shaking and then drinking!

Cardamon-Rose Cocktail

This makes 1 drink:

1.5 oz. Hendrick's Gin

.75 oz. rose syrup

.25 oz. fresh lime or lemon juice

.75 oz. fresh grapefruit juice - ruby red

2 dashes Peychauds Bitters

1 cardamon pod

club soda

Lightly muddle cardamon pod in bottom of shaker, not too much as the flavor could over power.

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Add ice

Shake for 20 seconds

Pour into glass

Add a splash of club soda on top

Garnish with rose petals or lemon wedge.

July 4th, a Retrospective...part II

2009-07-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

GRILLED CORN

After an afternoon of soaking up sun, sipping (guzzling), off a pitcher of watermelon tequila deliciousness, it was time to spark up the grill and begin the best part of any party, the food part. It was about 6:30, and with ample sun, Harriet, still homesick from her recent visit to her parents' home, grabbed the corn and began shuckin' like the good Jersey girl that she is. The plan for the corn was easy enough, remove almost all the husk, saving the fine last layer and then simply throwing it on the grill. Rotating it every so often, it's ready in about 10 minutes. We then strategically placed butter and salt on the hot corn and set it aside until the rest of the meal was ready, all just in time to watch the sunset and before the fireworks lit up the sky.

July 4th, a Retrospective...

2009-07-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

After a long, fun, and friend-filled July 4th weekend, I have a few stand outs to share with you. The first look back is a drink that I believe should be made for me every weekend from now until the end of time. I have never been one to take the time out to make a "specialty" cocktail, as it always seems like too much work, but after this weekend, I have a new found love for alcohol mixed with a little imagination. I saw a recipe in July's Food and Wine, from Bobby Flay, and it looked too good to not try, especially when watermelon is so abundant. (Plus, one mention of tequila and I'm yours.)

Watermelon-Tequila Cocktails

From Food and Wine, July 2009.

Makes 8 delicious cocktails:

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

8 cups diced seedless watermelon (1 lb)

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 3/4 cup fresh blueberries

3/4 cup packed fresh mint

1 1/4 cup silver tequila

Ice

In a small sauce pan, bring sugar and water to a moderate heat, allow sugar to dissolve, allow to cool.

In a blender, puree watermelon until smooth, pass juice through a fine mesh sieve. Discard pulp.

In a large pitcher, combine sugar, syrup with lime juice, blueberries and mint leaves. Using a wooden spoon, muddle blueberries and mint.

Add watermelon juice and tequila, chill for about 2 hours.

Serve over ice and garnish with mint and lime wedge.

Chili Toasted Pepita Seeds

2009-06-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, have been used through out South America, in particular, Mexico, for centuries. The Aztecs were sure to have eaten them since squash was once of the first domesticated crop in the Western hemisphere. They are full of nutritional benefits, high in zinc, magnesium, potassium and essential fatty acids, (omegas 3 and 6). Though these health benefits diminish once the seed is toasted or roasted, one can't really argue how good these little suckers are when spiked with a little chili powder and salt. (I also eat them in their raw state, by the handful).

Along with this quick stand-by snack, (which I like to use for salads or soup garnishes such as roasted butternut squash, mmm), consider using pepitas for cilantro pesto, or grind them (raw), into a medium powder and press into a piece of ahi, then sear.

The easiest way to make this is with a toaster oven. If you don't have one, preheat your oven to 375 and place seeds on a sheet pan and follow directions below. Pepitas can be found in Latin American markets, and in health food stores.

Chili Toasted Pepita Seeds

1 cup raw pepita seeds

1 - 2 tsp chili powder

pinch of salt

drizzle of olive oil

Place seeds on a tin foil-lined pan, fit for the toaster oven. Toast them for about 4 minutes, or

until you hear them start to "pop".

Place them in a small bowl and while still hot, add chili powder and salt. Drizzle a scant amount of oil just to lightly coat seeds. Toss and allow to cool.

Serve in salads, on top of soups as a garnish, or enjoy as a snack.

Mark Bittman's Vegan Chocolate Pudding

2009-06-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

Pudding is something that I love, love, love. And about a month ago, fate played a large part in me trying out this recipe... I was on my way to the market, as I pulled up to a red light, I fished for my Food section of the New York Times for some last minute inspiration. Now, if I told you that I had already been craving chocolate pudding that day AND that this recipe was suddenly staring back at me, you'd call me a liar. But, I tell you, it's TRUE! So, needless to say, I picked up everything the recipe called for and in a few short hours, I was in chocolate pudding heaven. I know, I know, very dramatic, but you get the point, this made my day! My thanks to Mr. Bittman for sharing this recipe and I am happy to pass this simple, yummy, and vegan pudding along to you. So go make it, like now!

As Mr. Bittman suggests, spend less time worrying about the brand/quality of tofu (but I encourage you to look for non-GMO), and focus on the quality of the chocolate you buy. I used Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Mark Bittman's Vegan Mexican Chocolate Pudding

from The New York Times, May 20, 2009.

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

1 lb. Silken tofu - look for non-GMO/organic

8 oz. good quality semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate, melted* (See note below).

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp chili powder, optional.

chocolate shavings, optional - for garnish.

In a small pot, place sugar + water and heat up until sugar is dissolved. Set aside, allow to slightly cool.

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor, except chocolate shavings, and blend until completely smooth.

Divide among 6 ramekins and chill for at least 30 minutes. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if you like.

*Note: To melt chocolate, place a heat - proof bowl over a small pot filled with a few inches of water. Bring water to a boil and place pot over it with chocolate chips. Stirring occasionally, the chocolate will melt quickly. See photos above.

Greek Style Mahimahi

2009-06-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

Lucky me, I have this week off, which is more like lucky husband - because now I can focus my leisure time in our own kitchen. Before I left for the market today, I glossed over a few of my newest cooking mags and this recipe jumped out at me since I had 2 things on my mind: easy and easier. It comes from this month's issue (June), of Gourmet, and I tell you, it's good. Often I find that recreating something from a magazine can be disappointing, but this was as promising as it looked. It calls for mahimahi, but I bet that any firm white fish, such as halibut, sea bass or cod, would work just fine. The feta and herbs are lovely with the fish and the heirloom tomatoes were all just right. Served along a simple green salad, this is a great one for a hot summer night.

From Gourmet, June 2009.

Serves 4

Greek - Style Mahi Mahi

3 medium tomatoes, cut into large wedges

2 TBLS + 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 TBLS red wine vinegar

4 (6 oz) pieces of mahi mahi, skin attached

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup crumbled feta

3 TBLS chopped fresh mint

2 TBLS chopped fresh dill

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

8 very thin lemon slices

Preheat broiler.

Toss tomatoes with 2 TBLS oil, vinegar and salt.

Line a broiler pan with parchment paper.

Place fish skin side down on pan and season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together mayonnaise, feta, herbs and lemon juice and spread over fish.

Place slices of lemon wedges, overlapping, on pieces of fish.

Drizzle with remaining olive oil. (2 tsp).

Broil fish 8 inches from heat until cooked through. About 15 minutes. If topping browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil. Serve with tomatoes.

Bottega Louie

2009-06-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

I have just returned home from a girls' day out, (minus one - pneumonia), in downtown Los Angeles, which comprised of shopping and eating - my two very favorite things. I don't go downtown often, but luckily I was accompanied by my dear friend, Harriet, who works, (and eats), there 5 days a week. So, when our stomachs started growling and we had shopped sufficiently, she suggested we have lunch at Bottega Louie - the hip, new Dean and Deluca-meets-a-Parisian-cafe-on-steroids restaurant on Grand Ave. Louie features a wood burning pizza oven, bakery, patisserie, full bar, gourmet dry and prepared foods, fine wine and cheeses. It is beautifully designed, with stark white walls, an immensely tall ceiling and detail-oriented everything. It's the kind of place where you walk in and just know that the food is good, so it's only a matter of choosing something and then just sitting back and enjoying yourself. Which happens to be exactly what we did!

You can only imagine my elation when I discovered that I actually had my camera with me. I immediately started to snap some shots and a quick look over the menu. We ordered off of the breakfast menu - Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and the Farmer's Market Breakfast (2 poached eggs, along with baby beets, haricot verts, potato, shitake mushrooms and roasted cherry tomatoes), both for $11. Then we ordered from the bar a Bloody Mary for me, ($6 and delicious), and Harriet had a mimosa ($12, equally as delicious). After this, the camera was forgotten and the talking began and didn't stop until we sadly parted ways.

All that was missing, was our girl. Get well, Yvette!

No Artificial Colors!

2009-06-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

For a good part of my life, I was a juicing maniac, a la Jack Lelanne. Every morning, I would consume the juice of apples, carrots, beets, etc. Basically, any vegetable or fruit in the fridge might find itself in the juicer and then in me. And it was excellent! I have since gotten out of the habit, (lazy!), but I never pass on one if I happen to be in a health food store with a juicer running. I'll skip the extensive list of health benefits from juicing for now, but I would like to show you a great way to tint icing for cookies or cake without using artificial coloring. (YUCK!) If you don't have a juicer, stop by a health food store and order a few pints of juice to take home. (Make sure to order enough so that you can drink a glass or two, you only need a few TBLS for the cookies!). Be advised that the juice will not stay drinkable for long, (one day), as they aren't pasteurized. There are a few companies that make pasteurized vegetable juices, these will be fine. In this post, I used carrot and beet juices. You can also try pomegranate or cranberry juice and experiment with these.

If you are juicing at home, and using more than one type of vegetable for different colors, be sure to run water through the juicer until it runs clear before you switch over, so that you don't muddle your colors.

As with anything that involves sugar, your kids will love this and it might get them to appreciate their veggies a little more!

Icing:

In a bowl of a mixer, beat 1/2 cup of butter (at room temp), until smooth. Add 1 lb of powdered sugar, 2 TBLS half and half and 2 TBLS vanilla extract. Beat until very smooth.

To add coloring, separate icing into a few small bowls, depending on the number of colors you are making. Add a few drops of coloring (juice) at a time, to bowls and combine. Be careful not to add too much coloring, as it will eventually water down the icing.

Cookie Dough:

1 cup (1/2 lb butter) at room temp

1/2 cup sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 2 limes or lemon (*optional)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 300.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth Beat in yolks and vanilla and zest. Stir or beat in flour until smooth.

Divide dough in half and flatten each portion to about an inch thick disk.

On a lightly floured surface, roll our dough to about 1/8" and cut dough into shapes with lightly floured cookie cutter.

With an offset spatula, transfer cut outs to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for about 10 - 15 minutes, or until golden.

Transfer cookies onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before icing.

Yvette Roman Photography, 2009.

Wild Salmon Salad with Tzaziki

2009-05-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

Wild salmon has reappeared in the seafood markets and this makes me really happy. Best to avoid the farmed stuff as it wreaks havoc among the natural fish population, and the salmon itself, is far less nutritious than it's wild counterpart. Here is a very simple and adaptable salad which features poached wild salmon. Everything else can be adjusted to your liking. I am writing this recipe loosely - all you need to do is poach the salmon, make the sauce and throw together a simple salad. I guess you could say it's as easy as 1 - 2 - 3 ....

To poach salmon, place fish (with skin side down) in a deep saute pan (at least 2") and add enough water, plus a about 1 cup of dry white wine in a large sauce pan, covering fish about 3/4. Add a bay leaf, salt and a few peppercorns. Bring water to a slow simmer, then cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. (Fish cooks at about 8 minutes per inch of thickness - so adjust your cooking time accordingly). I turn heat off and leave covered for another few minutes. The salmon will flake when it is cooked all the way through. Place salmon in fridge to cool completely - should take about an hour. ( The meat will easily pull away from the skin, discard it. Or give it to your doggie, he will be very excited).

While salmon cools, make tzaziki sauce:

Tzaziki Sauce (Yogurt/Cucumber Sauce)

1 cup Greek yogurt, plain

1/2 hot house seeded cucumber, diced

1 small shallot, diced

1 TBLS chopped fresh dill or mint

squeeze of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Refrigerate.

To assemble the salad, I like to have a mixture of lettuces, (I am in love with this combo: butter, mache and watercress at the moment). Add fresh dill sprigs and thinly sliced cucumber, radish and celery. Top with crumbled salmon and tzaziki. Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of a lemon.

Green Tea

2009-05-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

I have a few vices, some are good and others, not so much... However, one I would like to pass to you is my daily ritual of drinking green tea. I'm kind of addicted to it - which, luckily, is a really good thing!

The Chinese have been drinking green tea for 4,000 years - and many other Eastern countries have adapted this tradition; Japan and Thailand, among them. All teas are made from the leaves of the plant, camellia senensis. What sets green tea apart from other teas, such as oolong and black tea, is that green tea leaves are steamed, rather than fermented, which lowers the caffeine content and prevents oxidation. This process prevents the EGCG compound, (a powerful antioxidant), from being destroyed. This amazing compound is responsible for inhibiting growth of cancer cells and killing harmful cancer cells without damaging healthy cells. It's also attributed to lowering LDL cholesterol levels and inhibiting the formation of blood clots. But the health benefits go on and on...

- reduces inflammation, i.e. arthritis symptoms

- protects the liver from toxins, such as alcohol

- boosts metabolism

- controls blood sugar levels. May prevent development of type 1 diabetes

- prevents tooth decay

- aids in auto immune dysfunctions

Studies show that drinking 3 - 5 cups of green tea a day is necessary to reap the full benefits. (Space your tea times out throughout the day, ending around 4pm). Since the caffeine content is much lower than other teas, drinking this many cups of tea will not make you feel like you need to grab the ladder and repaint the whole house. There are, however, decaffeinated green teas available. Your grocery store might only carry teas labeled simply, "green tea". I recommend you to branch out and find an Asian market and sample the many different types of green teas available. Here are some of the most common/popular:

Sencha - the most popular, slightly astringent, sweet flavor.

Dragon Well - (lung ching), the ultimate green tea - bright green and brisk. More expensive.

Macha - used in traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Ground into a powder and usually whisked. Light and sweet.

Gunpowder - leaves are rolled into little balls, resembling gun powder. Grassy flavor.

Genmaicha - (pictured below), blend of sencha and toasted brown rice.

Jasmine - a blend of green tea and jasmine leaves. Very light and fragrant.

The most common mistake people make when brewing tea is the temperature of the hot water.

The recommended temperature to add to your tea is about 180 - 190. This is just before the boiling point. (If you don't catch the teapot in time and find yourself with an angry whistle, allow the water to cool slightly before adding the tea to it.) Boiling water will destroy it's beneficial compounds and will leave you with a bitter flavor. Steep tea for about 3 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger and more bitter your tea will taste. Finally, store your tea in an airtight container, out of the sunlight.

Chop Chop

2009-05-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

Making a chopped salad requires little more than imagination and a good ole knife. There are no rules, no expectations, other than having everything chopped just so - to justify the name. I like to always include avocado and hard boiled eggs - the rest varies depending on what's in the fridge or new at the market. Consider a vegetarian version by using baked tofu or tempeh. Please, use this as inspiration for a summer time salad and get to choppin!

Chopped Salad

serves 4

2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup Persian cucumbers, peeled and chopped in 1/2" dice

2 hard boiled eggs, quartered

1 cup grilled or steamed corn

2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/2" dice

2 cups cooked Organic, free range chicken

1/2 cup cooked nitrate free bacon pieces ( I like Niman Ranch)

scallions, thinly sliced for garnish

In a large bowl, add romaine. Place each component into a s

ection of the bowl. Top with chicken and then bacon bits - garnish with scallions. Toss with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing.

Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup Organic plain yogurt

3 TBLS white wine vinegar

2 TBLS Dijon mustard

pinch salt and pepper

1/2 thinly sliced scallions

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (Roquefort is the best).

Combine first 5 ingredients. Add scallions and cheese.

MMMM, MISO!

2009-04-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

There is something that the Japanese have known for centuries, miso soup is a cheap, easy and an extremely health-supportive meal. In Japan, it is eaten on a daily basis, which might explain why the Japanese have lower rates of cancer, heart disease and high cholesterol than Americans. Ideally, I have a pot in the fridge ready so that I can help myself each morning. All I need are a few veggies, some tofu, some type of seaweed (wakame or arame), and maybe some noodles and I'm on my way. Below is only a suggestion of what you can add to miso broth to make a hearty meal. What is important is that you follow the directions on how to incorporate miso to the hot water while making your soup. (Boiling miso will ruin it's beneficial properties.)

A word about miso:
Miso pastes are generally made from fermented soybeans, however others include fermented rice, barley or chickpeas. Each variety differs in flavor - some are intensely rich and salty, while the lighter miso pastes are sweet and mild. The health benefits of miso are quite profound. Studies prove eating a bowl of miso a day largely decreases the chance of breast cancer, due to its ability to regulate the hormone, oestrogen, which causes tumors to develop. Miso is also rich in antioxidants and healthy fatty acids. It is high in protein and Vitamin B12, (a vitamin many vegetarians and vegans lack).
Similar to yogurt, miso contains probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, which is necessary to maintain healthy flora in your intestinal tract. Miso contains the same active, live cultures found in yogurt, which is why it is extremely important NOT TO BOIL miso soup, as it will kill these cultures. If you are on antibiotics, a bowl of miso a day is ideal as it adds the healthy bacteria back to keep your intestines happy. (Antibiotics strip us of all bacteria - good and bad.).
Miso paste can be found in any health food store, Asian markets and sometimes in the dairy section of conventional grocery stores.

Miso broth with Soba Noodles and Baby Bok Choy
Serves 4

4 cups water
3 TBLS miso paste - (Yellow, white or red. Yellow is the lightest flavor, red is the darker, more salty)
8 oz. firm or silken tofu - cubed
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly
3 carrots, cut into half moons
3-4 shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 heads baby bok choy, bottom trimmed and washed
1 bunch soba or udon noodles
bunch of scallions thinly sliced for garnish
black sesame seeds for garnish

Spoon miso paste into a heat resistant cup or bowl and set aside.
Bring water to boil, add onion, carrot and tofu.
Boil for about 5 minutes, add shitake and bok choy, reduce to a simmer.
Add noodles and cook until done.
Add about 1/2 cup of simmering water into miso paste and stir well to combine miso into water. Pour this mixture into the soup and turn off heat.
Laddle into bowls and top with scallions and/or black sesame seeds.

Rosemary and Parmesan Flatbread

2009-04-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

Yvette showed me this recipe when I needed something special to make for a dinner party I was hosting. I didn't want to do the typical cheese and cracker set-up, (yawn), to snack on before dinner, but I also didn't have time, (nor energy), to come up with some wild and elaborate concoction. This flat bread fits perfectly into the category of rustic, simple, delicious and best of all, home-made with lots of love.

This flat bread is less doughy and chewy, but more cracker-like. It has a crispiness which is great fun to break apart and dip into a gently softened goat cheese. Depending on the number of guests you are having, you may want to double the recipe, just in case. And if worse comes to worst, you have some left overs for the next day. It will keep nicely in an airtight container for a day or two.

Rosemary Parmesan Flatbread

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, July, 2008.

4 servings

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 TBLS chopped fresh rosemary, plus two 6-inch long sprigs

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup olive oil plus more for brushing

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Flakey sea salt, such as Maldon

Preheat oven to 450, place heavy baking sheet, or pizza stone on middle rack.

Stir together flour, chopped rosemary, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and then add water and oil and gradually stir into flour with a wooden spoon until dough forms. Knead dough on a work surface 4-5 times.

Divide the dough in to 3 pieces and roll out one piece, (keep remaining pieces under plastic wrap), on a sheet of parchment paper into a 1o inch roundish shape, dough should be thin.

Lightly brush olive oil on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Scatter small clusters of rosemary on top, pressing them into the dough. Sprinkle with salt. Slide dough, while still on parchment paper, onto preheated baking sheet or pizza stone.

Bake until pale golden, 8 - 10 minutes. Transfer flat bread, discard parchment, to a cooling rack, then repeat with remaining dough.

Yvette Roman Photography, 2009.

Rosé Sangria

2009-04-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

We had some friends over yesterday - a great mix of people - all just hoping to sit in the sun and have a few cocktails. In order to get them to drive up the long and windy road to our house, I enticed with booze,

rosé sangria, to be exact. And from the way the rest of the afternoon went, (and into the night), I think that this is an excellent addition to your next summer time soiree.

I adapted this from a Martha Stewart recipe I found in one of my favorite entertaining cookbooks. If you like to entertain - you have to pick up her Hors D' Oeuvres Handbook. It's fantastic not only for recipes, but the photos are beautiful and inspiring.

In all honesty, I don't really like most sangrias - they always seem to sweet and the burgundy is too heavy, but I thought rosé might be the ticket. This version is very light and refreshing - and I added grapefruit chunks give it some zip. Martha's recipe calls for 1/4 cup sugar, but after I made the first round, I didn't think that was necessary, so I omitted it in the next round(s). Besides, sugar tends to exacerbate that possible headache in the morning.

Rosé Sangria

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Hor D'Oeurvres Handbook, 1999

Makes six 6-ounce drinks

6 oz. assorted grapes

24 oz. Rosé wine (1 bottle)

3 1/2 oz. tequila

3 1/2 oz. cranberry juice

1 ruby red grapefruit, remove peel and cut into chunks

fresh lime wedges, for garnish

Place grapes in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze,

over night, or until frozen solid.

Combine remaining ingredients in a 3 quart pitcher and add

frozen grapes.

Serve with ice and garnish with lime wedge.