green salad with mustard frill, watercress and pea tendrils
serves 4-6
what you need:
1 handful red mustard frill
1 handful green mustard frill2 handfuls mesclun
½ cup watercress, stems removed
1 handful trimmed pea tendrils
two countries. many kitchens. one table.
green salad with mustard frill, watercress and pea tendrils
February 11th, 2012
champagne apéritif with rose syrup and lychee purée
February 11th, 2012
Valentine’s Day champagne apéritif with rose syrup and lychee purée
makes 5 apéritifs
what you need:
1 bottle very cold champagne (or prosecco)
1 ¼ cup lychee purée (from fresh or canned lychees)
1 tablespoon rose syrup
granulated sugar (as needed if using fresh lychees)
rose petals (as needed for garnish)
how to:
- Purée. Peel lychees. Dice flesh and remove pits. Place in a blender or food processor with the rose syrup. Purée until smooth. Taste. Add a little sugar to sweeten if necessary.
- Add Champagne. Pour 2 ounces of the purée into each champagne flute or wine glass. Add 3 ounces of prosecco in each glass. Mix gently.
duck bacon and praline tenderloin roulade with whipped crème fraîche horseradish
February 11th, 2012
duck bacon and praline tenderloin roulade with whipped
crème fraîche horseradish
serves 2-4
what you need:
1 ½-2 pounds beef tenderloin, centercut
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
praline crust
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
⅓ cup granulated sugarwater (as needed)
1 ½ teaspoon fleur de sel
½ cup chopped duck bacon (or applewood bacon, trimmed)
2 teaspoons minced Italian parsley
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 tablespoon olive oil
chèvre and grapefruit panna cotta
February 4th, 2012
Super Bowl parties and a touchdown dessert:
chèvre and grapefruit panna cotta
In my experience, both as a guest and as a caterer, there are two truths about Super Bowl parties. The first is that the food served primarily consists of hand to mouth heavy foods that involve meat, sauces, and dips (chili is allegedly the favorite). The second is that throughout the game, the guests tend to break off into groups and the division is generally gender based. The gorgeous weather and the markets filled with citrus inspired me to bring a little lightness to your Super Bowl plates with something all party guests will enjoy, no matter the room they end up in, and so chèvre and grapefruit panna cotta, is this week’s simple pleasure. Read the rest of this entry »
my garbure
January 26th, 2012
Peasant stew. Fit for a king and royally good:
my garbure
This month second graders all across America are reading as many books as they can that have been awarded the Caldecott Honor. One of my favorite Caldecott books is Stone Soup by Marcia Brown. The book is about three hungry soldiers who convince (or trick) a town of peasants to make soup from stones (and other on-hand, but hidden, ingredients). The effort culminates in a soup that the peasants declare is “fit for a king.” While we are not making soup from stones, the ability to make a simple yet hearty soup with on-hand ingredients (and a few seasonal vegetables which I consider under-used but easily obtainable) is the inspiration for this week’s simple pleasure, my garbure. Read the rest of this entry »
chia chips and soybean hummus
January 19th, 2012
healthy snacks that will not send you back to 2011
part 2: chia chips and soybean hummus
“It’s a chia…it’s a pet…it’s a chia pet.” Rumor has it that chia seeds are le tendence (the “in” thing) in food right now. However, thanks to my brother, who sang that 70’s jingle selling chia pets (sprouted chia seeds on an animal-shaped moss forms), when I think of chia seeds, I think of chia pets. Today is my brother’s birthday. Thinking of him, trying to be trendy (save your laughter), and unable to escape the song he “planted” in my consciousness, I arrived at this week’s simple pleasure: chia chips with soybean hummus.
soybean hummus
January 19th, 2012
soybean hummus
makes 1 bowl
1 cup frozen soybeans, pods removed
1 small clove garlic, minced
⅛ teaspoon piment d’espelette
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley, minced
⅛ cup (1 ounce) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon tahini paste
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt (and to taste)
freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- Blanch Soybeans. Place the frozen soybeans in a pot of salty, boiling water. Boil for 1-2 minutes.
- Shock and Drain. Strain soybeans in a colander and place in an ice bath. Drain well. If you cooked them in their pods, remove the pods and measure the soybeans (you need 1 cup).
- Purée. In a food processor fit with a metal blade, place the soybeans, garlic, parsley, tahini paste, lemon juice, piment, and cumin. Pulse until well-combined.
- Add Olive Oil. Slowly add oil through the top of the processor while continuing to blend. If you want a smoother consistency, add more olive oil.
- Adjust Seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste.
tofu protein shakes … a complete meal
January 12th, 2012 
big resolution, solid steps: healthy snacks that will not send you back to 2011
part one: real protein shakes
I run an average of 50 miles per week. As a runner, I can tell you that I am offered numerous food products that are supposed to improve my running and my nutrition. These man-made packages of protein wonder come in the form of powders, liquids, gels, gums, and even jelly beans. However, I was raised with the notion that if you want something, you go to the source. Drinking a protein shake with a lengthy ingredient list replete with names and processes that I do not understand, let alone pronounce, does not interest me. However, it is possible to have a super-fast protein shake that is good for you and tastes great without resorting to the powders and formulas so this week’s simple pleasure is just that: real (tofu ) protein shakes. Read the rest of this entry »
flaxseed and pepper crusted seared Ahi tuna with two watermelon radish sides
January 5th, 2012
picnic weather, watermelon radishes, and keeping that New Year’s resolution:
flaxseed and pepper crusted seared Ahi tuna served with
roasted golden beets and watermelon radishes with blood orange segments and
a cucumber, watermelon radish and celery cru
The most common New Year’s resolution is to eat better, meaning healthier, lighter foods. The new year brings with it a renewed sense of determination and purpose but like all goals, our ambitions need inspiration and newness to keep them going.
Yesterday at farmer’s market I overheard a father say to his child that the radishes she wanted looked good but “what do we do with them?” Inspired by his query, I bought some of those beautiful watermelon radishes (thank you Michael at McGrath Family Farm), and armed with a 2012 agenda of healthy habits and summer weather all around me, I thought this week we should take these watermelon (radishes) on a picnic so this week’s simple pleasure is not one but three recipes which are not only good for you but taste great and, when combined, are an average of 350 calories. So grab your “pic-i-nic” basket, we are taking a picnic in January with our seasonal market treasures and keeping our New Year’s resolution in tact all at the same time. This is going to be a good year. Read the rest of this entry »
cucumber, watermelon radish and celery cru
January 5th, 2012 
cucumber, watermelon radish and celery cru
stats:
serves 4
55 calories per serving Read the rest of this entry »
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