Kona, “Blazeman,” and the log-roll
Recipe: seared tuna roll with microgreens
Kona, “Blazeman,” and the log-roll
Recipe: seared tuna roll with microgreens
shrimp on the bar-b and a little al fresco dining
grilled baby carrots and shrimp with cilantro, avocado and lime
I could say that I fired up the grill this weekend because of the Los Angeles sun. However, that is only partially true. It was also the Target run. Yes, Target. You see, I set out to buy school necessities for my children and then could not resist two hurricane lamps perfect for the patio table. This led to the desire to grill which led to an easy al fresco dinner with items in my refrigerator which resulted in this week’s simple pleasure: grilled baby carrots and shrimp with cilantro, avocado and lime. Read the rest of this entry »
rolling with lobster, California style
(and a litle French influence):
lobster “roll” California style
Lobster season. In America, lobster is generally enjoyed two ways: steamed and served with a bath of melted butter; or, if you are on the East Coast, in a “lobster roll”(lobster meat combined with melted butter and mayonnaise served in a roll). However, we cannot forget that it is also the season for apples and Asian pears (and in California, heirloom tomatoes and avocados are delicious right now).
It is in the nineties in southern California (and will be for some time). In this heat, hot, heavy food does not sound appealing. Sliced, Asian pears, apples, tomatoes and cucumbers all look like wheels and it seems to me that with these seasonal fruit wheels we can create our own “roll” that uses the West Coast bounty and is compatible with this summer weather. These thoughts inspired this week’s simple pleasure: lobster “roll” California style (mille-feuille de homard à la Californie).
lobster “roll” California style
(mille-feuille de homard à la Californie)
serves 4
what you need:
lobster
4 lobster tails
1 cup seafood stock
½ cup dry white wine
1 sachet (1 bay leaf, fresh Italian parsley, fresh cilantro, black peppercorns, 1 strip lime peel)
salad
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
1-2 apples, thinly sliced, seeds removed
1 Asian pear, thinly sliced, seeds removed
1-2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
1-2 tomatoes (preferably Green Zebra), sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
dressing
2 teaspoon gros sel de Guérande (or sea salt)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup avocado
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh minced Italian parsley
pinch piment d’espelette
freshly ground black pepper (as needed)
garnish
pinch piment d’espelette
pinch minced fresh Italian parsley Read the rest of this entry »
fresh stuffed heirloom tomatoes with tuna, Cannellini beans and tarragon
stats:
serves 4
what you need:
4 beautiful heirloom tomatoes, hollowed
1 cup Cannellini Beans
water (as needed)
2 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced Read the rest of this entry »
bathing suit ready: a vichyssoise to dive into
“Soup is good food.” Hot soup warms you in the winter and chilled soup refreshes you in the summer. I often devote entire classes to soup-making and the classes are always full. Vichyssoise is cold potato and leek soup thickened with heavy whipping cream and garnished with fresh chives. It is a classic. However, when the temperature is in the 90’s (Fahrenheit), starchy potatoes ladened with cream sounds neither light nor refreshing. So I updated this classic: I kept it cold but made it vegetarian and turned it green and this green vegetable vichyssoise, light in texture and calories, is this week’s simple pleasure.