Seasonal Cuisine

Winter Biscotti

2010-11-27T12:31:00.000-08:00

Here is a great biscotti recipe I came up with the other day. I love a crisp biscotti with a dark cup of coffee. It was snowing outside, so it seemed like the perfect day for baking. My little girl helped me make these, and she loves them. She enjoyed hers with a glass of homemade hot chocolate, and then another with a glass of soy milk! I think the fruit-chocolate-nut mixture would make a great chewy cookie as well.

Winter Biscotti
-2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-3/4 cup evaporated cane juice
-1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
-1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-2 large organic eggs
-1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts (walnuts would be delicious also)
-1/3 cup dried cranberries
-1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment or baking paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a medium sized bowl just to blend. Using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar, butter, orange zest, and salt until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Turn the mixer to the lowest setting and slowly incorporate the nuts, cranberries, and chocolate chips.

Form the dough into a 14 inch, 3 inch wide log on the baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.

Place the cooled log on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices. Arrange back on the baking sheet, cut side down. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden and dry, about 15 minutes. Cool completely and store in a large Ziploc bag. So delicious with a good French press of dark organic coffee!

Sauteed King Oyster Mushrooms with Cool Weather Herbs and Cream

2010-10-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

I found some beautiful King Oyster mushrooms at my farmer's market last week and just had to buy some. Back in my restaurant days I cooked a lot of King Oyster mushrooms glazed in demi glace and cream and finished with chopped parsley and thyme. While quite delicious, they were so rich. With this recipe, I decided to keep some of the decadence with a little half n' half added at the end, but without the huge amount of calories. I used a mixture of terrific cool weather herbs; thyme, parsley, and tarragon. Make sure to add the half n' half at the very end and only cook for a brief second to keep the mushrooms coated.

King Oyster Mushrooms with Cool Weather Herbs and Cream

-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-8 oz King Oyster mushrooms, halved lengthwise if small, quartered if large
-2 shallot lobes, minced
-2 tablespoons of mixed herbs such as tarragon, thyme, and parsley
-1/2 tablespoon butter
-2 tablespoons half n' half or heavy cream
-Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add in the mushrooms. Season with a little salt and saute the mushrooms, stirring or flipping often, until they begin to soften and brown on the edges, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the shallot and briefly saute for 1 minute more. Add in the herbs and butter, stir to coat. Add in the half n' half or cream and cook just until the half n' half is warmed through and the mushrooms are coated. Pull off the heat and season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve hot.

2010-09-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

Now that I am trying to post again, I have updated the "In Season" list, as well as "My Top Five Farmer's Market Picks". The "In Season" list is a general list of what is available in California. Most everything on it I found at my local market. I am going to try and post 2-3 times a month, at least. My daughter is becoming more independent everyday, so cooking is getting easier again. As much as I love food, I love my daughter more, and I had to let something go for awhile (it had to be the blog). Thanks everyone for coming back!

Carrot-Apple-Fennel Salad with Walnuts

2010-09-28T06:06:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite autumn vegetables (as if they all are not my favorite) is fennel. I think fennel is the best in autumn, even though you can get it year round in mild climates. When raw, it is crisp and refreshing with a licorice like scent and flavor. When sliced paper thin, it's crunch really adds a wonderful texture to salads. My husband and I actually love just plain raw fennel salads dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil and some parsley, delicious! It is also wonderful cooked too. If someone tells me they don't like fennel, I make them some simple roast fennel and they take back their words every time. When cooked, it will lose much of it's licorice like flavor.

In this salad, paper thin fennel slices are combined with sliced apples and shredded carrots for a beautiful, colorful combination. I add raw walnuts for a little nuttiness and extra fat (the walnuts can be toasted, but their omega-3 fatty acids will be damaged in the process). A simple dressing and some fresh herbs is all this salad needs to finish it off. I like to use the fennel's fronds as an herb, so if you buy your fennel with the stalks on, save the fronds for an herb and the stalks for vegetable stock.

This salad is great with any white fish, chicken, or even pork, or along side a tomato chickpea stew.

Sorry, no picture today, the camera is acting up and I can't get it to work. I will post one later if possible.

Carrot-Apple-Fennel Salad with Walnuts

 Serves 4-6
 Autumn
-2 large carrots, peeled and shredded
-1 sweet, crisp apple (such as Gala)
-1 bulb fennel, fronds removed and reserved
-2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
-1 tablespoon agave nectar
-1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-1 tablespoon chopped parsley
-1 tablespoon chopped fennel frond
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
-Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Place the shredded carrots into a large bowl and set aside.
Quarter the apple lengthwise and cut out the core. Halve the fennel bulb and cut out the core. Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, slice the apple and fennel thinly and add to the bowl with the carrots. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice over the vegetables and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl whisk together the agave nectar, apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, and fennel frond. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. Add in the walnuts. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice if necessary.

Roasted Autumn Harvest Vegetable and Bulgar Wheat Salad

2009-10-08T20:21:00.001-07:00

Autumn is the best time of year at the farmers market, especially here in SLO county. I have to say that September through November are probably the most abundant three months of the entire year, and I feel sorry for whom ever does not take advantage of it. Summer and autumn sort of crash into each other, and it seems like everything is in season. It is amazing to see autumn apples right next to dry farmed watermelons; pumpkins next to bell peppers and green beans; and tomatoes next to collard geens. I LOVE it!!! I have been so busy lately that I feel like autumn is passing me by way to quickly. I have hardly entered the kitchen except to throw something quick together (between teaching night culinary classes, my one year old, and my husband's two businesses, I feel quite swamped). This recipe sort of came out of using up what was left in the fridge before the next mornings trip to the farmers market. I really like it, but I have done bulgar wheat salads before. I love whole grain salads though... they are so easily adapted to any season, are nourishing and filling, and typically quite easy to prepare. Hope you like it!! Oh... and I know I have been using sheep milk feta and goat cheese way too much... I am going to try and incorporate some different cheeses in. It is just that they both are so good, especially with autumn fruits (by far the most unique of the year)!!!

Roasted Autumn Harvest Vegetable and Bulgar Wheat Salad
Serves 4 as a side dish
Autumn
-1 cup bulgar wheat
-1 3/4 cup vegetable stock or water
-1 bulb fennel cut into 1/2" wedges through the core
-1 small orange bell pepper, seeds removed and pepper quartered
-1 small red bell pepper, seeds removed and pepper quartered
-2 portobello mushrooms, sliced into 1 inch slices
-1 red onion, cut into 1/2" wedges
-1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-salt and fresh ground pepper

Combine the bulgar wheat and vegetable stock in a sauce pot. Add a good pinch of salt and bring to a boil, immediately turn down to a simmer, cover, and cook until the bulgar wheat has absorbed all liquid, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

Pre-heat oven to 400 F. Toss cut autumn vegetables with the extra virgin olive oil, a good pinch of salt, and a few grindings of fresh pepper. Pour out onto a baking sheet or tray, and roast in the oven until tender and slightly browned in areas, about 20-25 minutes. Set aside to cool. Rough cut the vegetables into bite sized pieces. In a large bowl combine the vegetables with the bulgar wheat. Finish the recipe as follows...

To Finish
-1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
-1/3 to 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese or sheep milk feta
-1/4 cup chopped basil
-Juice of 1 orange
-1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
-2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Toss the bulgar wheat and vegetables with all of the above ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Peruvian Beans with Roasted Peppers, Sheep Milk Feta, and Cilantro

2009-09-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

I bought a large bag of Peruvian beans today at the farmers market in SLO. Also known as a Mayocoba bean, this tan, oval shaped bean is similar to a pinto bean in both flavor and texture, and is used quite a bit in Latin American cooking. It cooks up nice and plump, with a creamy texture and good flavor, and it holds it shape perfectly. The beans I bought today were picked and dried just recently, so they took no time to cook, about 40 minutes with no soaking. The older the bean, the longer the cooking time!

I have never worked with this bean before, so I decided to keep it simple. I had a few small red and yellow bell peppers to use up, as well as a bunch of cilantro. I also just bought a very good, very soft and creamy sheep milk feta, and decided to incorporate that as well. The below recipe is what came out, and I really like it! My 1 year old daughter and I ate these beans with a side of roasted sweet potatoes and some steamed and marinated collard greens, all from this mornings market. Autumn is by far the best time of year at the farmers market here on the central coast!

Peruvian Beans with Roasted Peppers, Sheep Milk Feta, and Cilantro
Serves 4 as an entree, 6 as an entree with tortillas
Autumn

For the Beans
-1 cup freshly dried Peruvian Beans
-1 bay leaf
-1 dried chipotle pepper
-salt to taste

Pick over the beans and discard any pebbles and/or twigs. Rinse the beans well. Place in a large, heavy bottomed pot and cover with four times the amount of water. Add in the bay leaf and chipotle and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer, and cook the beans until tender but still holding their shape, about 40 minutes. Add salt to taste and simmer five minutes more. Strain the beans, saving the broth, and discard the bay leaf. If you like heat, mince up the chipotle and add back into the beans, otherwise, discard. Set the beans and broth aside.

To Finish
-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-1 small onion, diced small (about 4 ounces)
-1 small red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced
-1 small yellow bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced
-1 large clove garlic, minced
-Cooked beans from above
-1 cup bean broth
-1/4 packed cup sheep milk feta
-1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
-salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste
-Lime wedges and fresh tortillas

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add in the onion. Saute, stirring often, until the onions begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the diced peppers and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes more. Add in the beans and the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 2-3 tablespoons. Turn off the heat and stir in the feta and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground white pepper. Serve with lime wedges and tortillas if desired.

Rinconada Dairy Pozo Tomme

2009-09-19T14:06:00.000-07:00

I want to give a wide, open arm welcome to Rinconada Dairy at the Saturday morning farmers market in SLO. Rinconada Dairy makes one of the best raw sheep's milk cheeses I have ever had. It is called Pozo Tomme,and it is delicious. Rinconada dairy showed up at the SLO Saturday morning market a couple of weeks ago, but I kept forgetting to bring extra money so I could buy a wedge of their fantastic cheese. Well, this week I remembered. The best way to eat this cheese is just as it is, though, this morning dipping it in Stotley's Bee Farm Honey was quite exceptional. Rinconada Farm also brought pasture raised chickens to the market this morning. As far as I know, they are the only local farm raising eating chickens this way. I am bringing even more extra money next week so that I can buy a chicken as well. If you are looking for healthy meats to feed your family, pasture raised and grass fed are the only way to go. Please go to the market and show your support for this great farm, I want them to stick around!!

Two Great Summer Condiments: Roasted Poblano and Tomatillo Sauce, and Mixed Tomato Pico De Gallo

2009-08-25T06:47:00.000-07:00

Here are two great summer condiments to keep in the refrigerator; Roasted Poblano and Tomatillo Sauce, and Mixed Tomato Pico De Gallo. The poblano sauce is great to drizzle over quesadillas or corn crepes filled with black beans and goat cheese, and the pico de gallo is perfect for dipping organic corn chips, to roll into tortillas with avocado, or to eat with eggs. Both are quick to make and stay fresh in the fridge for at least 4 days, though the pico de gallo probably won't be around that long (ours hasn't anyway!). Sorry, no photos, our camera has been broken and we just have not gotten around to getting a new one.

Roasted Poblano and Tomatillo Sauce

-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-1/2 yellow onion, diced
-1 clove garlic, smashed
-1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled and seeded, and chopped
-8 tomatillos, husks removed, tomatillos chopped
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/2 cup vegetable stock
-salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat. When hot, add in the diced onion. Cook until the onions begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes, stirring often. add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn the heat down to low, and cook until the tomatillos are falling apart, about 15 minutes. Puree in a food processor until smooth and season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Mixed Tomato Pico De Gallo

-3 large tomatoes, chopped
-4 small yellow tomatoes, chopped
-2 small orange tomatoes, chopped
-Handful or sun gold tomatoes, quartered
-6 scallions, chopped
-1-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 jalapeno, minced
-2 tablespoons citrus juice
-salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine everything in a bowl and mix. Season to taste with citrus juice, salt, and fresh ground pepper. Let sit at least 15 minutes so the flavors can begin to meld.

Hello

2009-08-19T17:23:00.000-07:00

I just want to say a quick "Hello" to everyone, and that I am sorry I have not updated the blog in quite a few days. My whole foods program I'm teaching at Cuesta College just started this week, and I have a few other things going on, so I have had no time to cook or test recipes. I will soon!! Maybe Friday. Anyway, please check back and thanks for your support!

2009-08-04T07:52:00.000-07:00

I want to tell all of you SLO county readers about a great local food and living blog. It is called Localette, and is written by Jennifer Olson. She is probably on of the best food photographers I have ever seen. She shares terrific recipes accompanied by beautiful pictures, and promotes local designers, foodies, writers, restaurants, and much more. She did a very nice plug for Seasonal Cuisine, which you can check out here. Thank you Jen for such a great site and taking such gorgeous pictures.

If anyone knows of other great SLO county blogs that focus on food or local living, please share in the comments area, I would love to know about them.

Mini Zucchini-Tomato Frittatas

2009-07-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

These little frittatas make a great breakfast, brunch, or lunch item. They are fairly quick to make, easy, and make use of terrific summer produce. This recipe can be adapted to any season. For example, use Swiss chard and fresh chopped thyme in autumn; or green peas,asparagus, and tarragon in the spring.

On another note, I am leaving town for about 10 days. My husband, my daughter, and I are going to Michigan to visit family, so I won't be updating my farmers market picks. I did go this last Saturday however, and it looks like summer is in full swing. All kinds of melons have shown up, and eggplants are everywhere. I am sure August is going to bring lots of tomatoes, corn, okra, and more summer squash and green beans. Can't wait!!!

Mini Zucchini-Tomato Frittatas
Summer, Makes 12 frittatas

-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-1/2 red onion, diced
-2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin
-1 large tomato dice, or 10 grape sized tomatoes quartered
-1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
-1/4 cup chopped basil
-8 large, farmers market organic eggs
-salt and fresh ground white pepper

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add in the onion and saute until beginning to soften and brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the zucchini and saute until just tender. Toss in the tomatoes and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Let cool slightly.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 baking cups with muffin papers. Add the crumbled feta and the basil to the cooled zucchini. Whisk up the 8 eggs in a large bowl and fold in the zucchini mixture. Season with a little more salt and pepper.

Divide the frittata mixture up between the 12 muffin cups. Bake in the heated oven until set and slightly brown on top, about 15-20 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Welcome Edible SLO

2009-07-07T06:38:00.000-07:00

The other day I was purchasing some bulk items at Sunshine Health Food store in Morro Bay and came across a new publication being offered in San Luis Obispo County. Edible SlO, as it is titled, is exactly the kind of local food publication this county has been lacking. I read my first issue cover to cover and am very excited. Edible SLO will be published quarterly and will be covering every aspect of our local food scene such as organic farms, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), urban and community gardens, chefs that support local farmers, Slow Food movement, Food not Lawn Groups, Farm to School groups, and anything else that supports our local food shed. There is also a section of seasonal recipes (yes, seasonal!)that actually use local foods, along with a resource for the featured ingredient.

I think Edible SLO is just what our local food scene needs to sort of tie us all together. Thank you to Bob Banner, publisher of Edible SLO as well as Hope Dance, for providing a locally published resource that reflects our locavore way of life and beliefs. I am very excited about this and am encouraging you locals out there to check out this magazine. I have included a link under My Favorite Websites, and you can also link to the Edible SLO website via this post. Help support our truly local publications, it is just as important as supporting our local food system. We need local voices.

Warm Apricot and Toasty Goat Cheese Salad with Wild Arugula and Walnuts

2009-07-02T18:49:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday some really terrific apricots showed up at the farmers market. They are very small with the largest being about the size of a golf ball. I decided to stuff the apricot halves with goat cheese and then put them under the broiler to slightly brown the top. Paired with some spicy and nutty wild arugula, this salad is probably one of my all time favorites. The arugula is dressed simply to taste with the best quality extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, coarse salt, and fresh ground white pepper.

Warm Apricot and Toasty Goat Cheese Salad with Wild Arugula and Walnuts
Serves 2-4
Mid Summer

-3-4 apricots, halved and pits removed
-2 ounces goat cheese at room temperature
-1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
-1 bunch wild arugula (also known as sylvetta), washed and spun dry
-Best quality extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar
-handful of toasted and chopped walnuts
salt and fresh ground white pepper

Pre-heat the broiler on high

Place the apricots cut side up in an oven proof baking dish. Mix the teaspoon of olive oil into the goat cheese and season to taste with salt and fresh ground white pepper. spoon the cheese into the apricot halves. Place under the broiler and cook until warm and the cheese has begun to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a large bowl, dress the arugula to taste with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and fresh ground white pepper. Arrange onto plates. Scatter a few walnuts onto each plate and divide the apricots accordingly. I like to drizzle a little more olive oil onto the plate.

A Bought of Inspiration

2009-06-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingslover (published in 2007; I know, I know, I just now read it!). What an amazing story. Like Barbara, I grew up in a rural area. I have lived most of my life at the base of the Sierra Nevadas, appreciating and adoring wide open spaces and small town life. I too grew up eating from a large family garden. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is the story of Barbara Kingsolver’s (and her family) journey to eat almost all of their food from local sources for one whole year, with most of their food coming from their own garden. They even raise chickens and turkeys for meat and eggs. If anyone of you out there is interested in eating local, this book is for you.

Though this book is quite interesting, I didn’t read it because I thought I would learn something knew; I know and understand our conventional food system, which is why I stay away from it. It is why I became a vegetarian (I will not eat meat from CAFOs, but home raised and organic is a different story). I read this book because I knew it would tug hard at my soul; and it did! This book spoke to me in ways many books can’t. Since I was a young child, running down rows of green beans, hiding in tall rows of corn, and picking off tomato worms to give to chickens, I knew I wanted to garden, and to garden on a large scale. I read this book to remind myself of my future goals and aspirations; to homestead with my husband and daughter, and to live a simple, productive life (and to hopefully write cookbooks and teach culinary arts).

When I first moved away from home at age 17, I lived in a little house in Morro Bay with a tiny yard. I set to work growing snow peas, broccoli, and lettuce, and eventually potatoes and garlic. My first attempts were not so good; I had picked a low sun area of the yard, not to mention the unreasonable amounts of fog. But since then I have made a habit of always having a garden. Even now, surrounded by concrete, I keep quite a few wine barrels where I grow zucchini, tomatoes, three kinds of beans, cucumbers, mint, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, chives, winter savory, oregano, Thai basil, lemon basil, and Greek basil. I just got another barrel yesterday to start my lettuce, carrots, and broccoli. Point is, even in small concrete covered areas, fresh homegrown produce is possible. Along with the terrific and productive Central Coast farmers markets, about 80% of my family’s food comes from local sources. My husband and I have been this way for over 6 years now, and anyone can do it. We have been planning for a while now to hopefully move back to the Sierra Nevadas and start our homestead. We want our daughter to not only grow up knowing where her food comes from, but to actually know how to grow it herself. Most people do not know where it is their food comes from, and how much work is involved, nor do they have the common sense to even care. And why should they? Our culture places no value on knowing these things. A tomato is a tomato, right? Why should I care about where it comes from?

I worry about our food security and food supply, with GE ingredients constantly threatening diversity. I want my daughter to have the practical sense and know how to grow her own food, to have that security. I also feel a civic duty to protect heirloom seeds and to hopefully raise heritage breeds of farm animals. This has always been a goal of mine, and the above mentioned book just furthered my inspiration. I am someone who truly loves to dig in the soil, so why not put that love to use and help to protect our future food shed in the process?

We are going to visit family for Fourth of July, and I am hoping to meet with a woman who makes fresh goat cheese from her very own goat’s milk. She is a friend of my moms, and has offered to show and teach me. These are our first steps toward self sufficiency, though it will be awhile before we even move, but the plans are in the works. The pictures connected to this post are of my gorgeous little daughter Ellissa playing with our first harvest of Yellow Romano beans and zucchini from our garden. She already loves to dig in the dirt, and I think she will be all the better for it.

Fava Bean-Basil Pesto

2009-06-27T06:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a terrific puree to use on crostinis, in a sandwich, as a dip, of even as a pasta sauce. In the picture, I slathered my Fava Beans-Basil Pesto on garlic rubbed crostinis and topped it off with thick slabs of sheep milk feta and sliced Early Girl tomatoes. We ate plate fulls of these for dinner! To learn how to use fava beans, see the recipe Sauteed Zucchini and Fava Beans with Mint and Taragon.
Fava Bean-Basil Puree
Makes 1 ½ cups
Late Spring, Early Summer

-2 pounds fava beans in pods (1 ¼ cups shelled and peeled)
-1 ½ cups packed basil leaves
-1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
-2 tablespoons vegetable stock or water
-Salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste

Shell and cook the fava beans until tender according to the instructions in the Sauteed Zucchini and Fava Beans with Mint and Tarragon recipe.Peel the fava beans and set aside. You should have roughly 1 ¼ cups peeled beans.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Dunk the basil leaves into the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove and immediately shock under cold running water. Squeeze out any extra liquid and set aside.

Heat ½ tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add in the diced onion. Cook the onion until it begins to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the 2 tablespoons of liquid and cook until the onions are tender and the liquid as evaporated. Set the onions aside.

Set up a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Add in the fava beans, basil leaves, sautéed onion, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground white pepper.

Zucchini Fritters with Greek Yogurt, Tomatoes, and Oregano

2009-06-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

I am just going to post a recipe today featuring the great zucchini that has been at the market. This can be made with green zucchini, golden zucchini, or a mixture of both. Use a really good full fat Greek style yogurt for this, it is delicious!

Zucchini Fritters with Greek Yogurt, Tomatoes, and Oregano
 Makes 12 appetizer size fritters
 Summer

-4 small zucchini or 2 large (about 10 ounces)
-¼ of a yellow onion
-1 tablespoon chopped oregano
-1 egg
-2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
-Salt and fresh ground white pepper
-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-9-10 grape sized tomatoes, quartered
-4 tablespoons Greek yogurt
-Oregano leaves for garnish

Shred the zucchini and onion using either a food processor fitted with a shredding blade, or by running them over the large holes of a cheese grater. Combine and place into a bowl, sprinkle with a good pinch of salt, and let sit for about 10 minutes to draw out the zucchini and onion’s water. By the handful, squeeze out any extra water and place the dry zucchini and onions into another bowl. Discard the water or save to add to vegetable stock (remember, it’s salted).

Combine the zucchini-onion mixture with the chopped oregano, egg, flour, and fresh ground white pepper. Mix well with a fork to form a thick paste (this paste should be mostly zucchini and not too much batter).

Heat the two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Fry a small bit of the fritter paste to taste for seasoning. Adjust seasoning with salt and fresh ground white pepper as necessary. Drop 1 tablespoon sized balls of the paste into the hot oil, flattening each one a bit as you go to form small 1 ½ inch cakes. Do no more than 4-5 at a time. Brown well on one side, flip over, and brown the other side. If the fritters are browning or burning very quickly, turn your heat down a bit. If they are taking a very long time and seem to be soaking up a lot of the oil, turn your heat up. Each batch should take about 5 minutes total. Remove from the oil onto a plate with paper towels to drain. Top each fritter with 3 pieces of tomato, a small dollop of the Greek yogurt, and a little oregano leaf. Serve immediately.

Whole Foods Chef Certificate, Cuesta College

2009-06-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

For anyone living in the San Luis Obispo area, Cuesta College will be offering whole and natural foods based culinary classes starting Fall semester. Yours truly will be teaching all six classes. Each class is two nights a week, three weeks each, and the classes include:

-Whole Grains Cookery
-Seasonal Cuisine
-Healthful Ethnic Cuisine
-Raw and Living Foods
-Alternative Baking (whole grain flours, natural sweeteners...)
-Advanced Vegetarian Cuisine

Not many community colleges offer these types of classes as part of their culinary arts program. I wrote the curriculum for these classes last year while I was pregnant, and teaching them this coming fall is going to be my first time back to work since my daughter has been born! I am really looking forward to it. Hope to see some of you there. Just click here to go straight to cuesta's online catalog. Scroll down to page 28 for culinary classes.

Chilled Carrot Coconut Soup with Lime Pickled Red Carrots, Cilantro, and Sesame Seeds

2009-06-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

The carrots at the market have been amazing the last couple of weeks. Esters's Farm sells beautiful bunches of rainbow carrots, which consist of the colors yellow, orange, white, and red. Though these carrots are beautiful to look at, I prefer the flavor of the regular orange carrots available right now. The rainbow ones are great to add a little color in garnishes. For the red carrots, do not peel them, or you lose the color. Also, they turn a dark, rusty brown when roasted, which is also gorgeous, but not red.

I am not usually a fan of chilled soups, but I love this one. I think it's the coconut milk. This soup becomes silky smooth from the coconut fat. A little of this soup goes a long way, it is rich! I like to serve it in little bowls or cups as an appetizer. The flavor of the carrots is of utmost importance here, so only use the best. I use the red carrots for the lime pickled carrots to give a little color contrast. The sweet and sour red carrots go wonderfully with the fatty coconut in the soup.

Carrot Coconut Soup with Lime Pickled Red Carrots, Cilantro, and Sesame Seeds
Serves 2-4 as a small serving appetizer
Spring, Summer, Autumn

Pickled Carrots
-2 red carrots, sliced into
paper thin rounds
-Juice of ½ lime
-1 ½ - 2 teaspoons agave nectar
-1-2 teaspoons umeboshi plum vinegar
-touch of chili paste
-1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Carrot Coconut Soup
- ½ small yellow onion, sliced
- ¾ pounds carrots, sliced
- ¼ hot jalapeno, or ½ of a mild one, sliced
- ½ tablespoon minced ginger
-1 clove garlic, smashed
-2 cups vegetable stock
-1 cup coconut milk, plus extra for drizzling
-Salt and fresh ground white pepper

Soup Garnish
-chopped cilantro leaves
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

For the Pickled Carrots: Combine the paper thin carrot slices with the lime juice, agave nectar, plum vinegar, chili paste, and sesame oil. Toss to combine and set aside.

For the Carrot Coconut Soup: Combine the sliced onions, sliced carrots, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, and vegetable stock in a 2 ½ - 3 quart soup pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are very tender. Puree the soup in a blender, in batches if necessary, until completely smooth. Add in the coconut milk and blend again. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground white pepper. Pour the soup into a shallow bowl and place into the refrigerator. Chill until quite cool.
Pull out the soup and ladle into small bowls or cups. Top with a helping of the pickled carrots, chopped cilantro leaves, toasted sesame seeds, and a light drizzling of extra coconut milk.

Early Summer Vegetable and Kamut Berry Salad

2009-06-01T08:15:00.001-07:00

This whole grain salad was made spur of the moment, and was delicious. The farmers market was just beautiful on Saturday, and this salad showcases some of the most recent new comers to the market. Kamut Berries (as well as spelt) are an ancient type of wheat, easily digestible, and hypoallergenic. Many people with wheat sensitivities find they can consume Kamut berries. Quick note about cooking Kamut, or any type of wheat berry; they are very chewy. It can be hard to tell when wheat berries are done. They will be tender, non chalky, very chewy, and void of any raw flavor.

Early Summer Vegetable and Kamut Berry Salad
Serves 4 as a side dish, 2 as a light lunch

-1 golden beet
- ½ cup kamut berries
- ¼ pound green beans, stemmed
-7-10 grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ¼ cup minced red onion
-Handful chopped and toasted hazelnuts
-1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
-1/2 tablespoon chopped tarragon
-1 tablespoon chopped parsley
-3-4 tablespoons Sherry Vinaigrette
-Salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 350̊F.

Wash and trim the golden beet. Wrap in foil and place in the oven. Bake the beet, letting it steam in the foil, until tender, about 45-60 minutes. Un-wrap the foil and let cool. Peel and dice the beet into small cubes. Set aside.

In a small sauce pan, place the kamut berries and cover with 2 ½ cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender but still chewy, about 45-60 minutes depending on the age of the berries. Drain, cool, and set aside.
Cut the green beans into thirds. Steam or blanch until tender but still slightly crisp, about 4 minutes. Shock under cold running water and set aside.

Combined the diced beet, kamut berries, green beans, tomatoes, red onion, hazelnuts, mint, tarragon, parsley, and 3 tablespoons of the sherry vinaigrette in a large bowl. Mix well and taste for seasoning. If the salad seems dry, add a little more vinaigrette. Remember, you can always add more, but never take away. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and fresh ground white pepper.

Sauteed Zucchini and Fava Beans with Mint and Tarragon

2009-05-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

Lots of summer vegetables are showing up at the market such as green beans, tomatoes, peaches, and zucchini. Lots of zucchini actually, and here is my first recipe of the season. I had to add in fava beans, they will not be around for very long!My nine month old daughter has discovered she loves steamed zucchini chunks, it is her new favorite snack!

Sauteed Zucchini and Fava Beans with Mint and Tarragon
Serves 4 as a side dish
Early Summer

-1 1/2 pounds fresh fava beans
-1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-2 shallot lobes, sliced thin
-8 small zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
-2 tablespoons chopped mint
-1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
-1 tablespoon butter
-salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste

Peel the fava bean pods and remove the beans. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the fava beans until tender, about 2-4 minutes for smaller, very fresh beans, longer for larger, older beans. Drain and shock under cold running water. Slip the beans out of their skins. Discard the skins and set the beans aside.

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. When hot, add in the sliced shallots. Cook 2 minutes or until slighty soft and beginning to brown. Add in the zucchini and a little salt and white pepper. Saute, stirring frequently, until the zucchini are just tender and slightly brown, about 5 minutes. Add in the fava beans, mint, tarragon, and butter. Heat through and allow the butter to melt. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground white pepper.

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Making a Difference!

2009-05-23T06:15:00.000-07:00

I am someone who firmly believes that every person has the power in them to make a difference in this world, and it is our duty to make this world a safer, cleaner, more peaceful place for our children. As busy adults, we tend to forget that even our smallest daily decisions can make a difference, and we sometimes feel discouraged as others around us seem to completely neglect this simple concept.

I receive an email newsletter once a month from a terrific food policy organization called Food First. In the latest issue, issue #128, the very first story immediately caught my attention. The story is about a group of fourth graders in Madison WI who are doing what us adults should be doing; making a difference. These fourth graders formed a group, the Boycott School Lunch (BCSL), after conducting some cafeteria experiments with their school lunches, like measuring how much grease they could squeeze out of their hamburgers. Their goal is to bring awareness and change to their school lunch options. They decided to hold a protest by staying back from their cafeteria lunch and holding their own homemade, healthy hot lunch on tablecloth covered picnic tables. Their protest, however, was cancelled by administrators due to technical and legitimate reasons, but the story is still quite inspiring. Please read the the full story by Mary Ellen Gabriel fromt the Capital Times

Bulgur Wheat and Fava Bean Salad with Feta Cheese, Lemon Basil, and Mint

2009-05-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

You know warm weather is coming when fresh fava beans show up at the farmers market. I feel that fresh fava beans our one of our last truly seasonal vegetables. By this I mean that you will almost never find them available in a grocery store or super market out of season (like we do tomatoes, asparagus, and artichokes).

The first of the season fava beans are the best. Even the large beans are tender, requiring only 3-4 minutes of blanching. If you have ever worked with fava beans, you know that they require affection and patience to work with. Only people who love favas actually cook with them. Fresh favas come in large, thick, hairy green pods. These pods must first be split open to reveal the beans inside. These beans then need to be dunked in boiling hot water for a few minutes (depends on their size and age) to make them tender, and to soften their leathery outer skin. This skin then needs to be peeled off (its easy, just pop the beans right out) before the bean can be used. All in all, fava beans have about an 80% loss when all is finished. 1 1/2 pounds of beans in pods will yeild roughly a cup of peeled beans. Fava beans are like artichokes; a bit of a hassle to work with, but sooooo worth the effort!

Fava beans go wonderfully with wheat, salty cheeses, fresh spring herbs, potatoes, artichokes, peas, and even early tomatoes. My favorite herbs to go with fava beans are tarragon, chives, parsley, basil, mint, chervil, and thyme. I have a mini basil garden going, and my lemon basil is flaunting a few beautful,leafy sprigs, which I decided to use in my first fava bean recipe of the year; Bulgur Wheat and Fava Bean Salad with Feta Cheese, Lemon Basil, and Mint. If lemon basil is not available, then any early basil will do. I really love the mint in this recipe as well. The salty and creamy feta cheese really ties the chewy bulgur wheat and tender favas together, while chopped walnuts add a nice toasty crunch. This is a really nice side dish. I used a full 3 tablespoons of exceptional extra virgin olive oil and the juice of two juicy lemons. If you feel the salad is too dry, add more oil or lemon juice if need be.

Bulgur Wheat with Fava Beans, Feta Cheese, Lemon Basil, and Mint Serves 4-6 as a side dish
Spring, Early Summer

-1 cup bulgur wheat
-1 ½ pounds fresh fava beans
-1 small shallot lobe, minced
-1 tablespoon minced fresh lemon basil
-1 tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves
-2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese*
-Juice of 2 lemons, or to taste
-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or to taste
-Handful toasted and chopped walnuts
-salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste

Place the bulgur wheat in a 2 quart pot and cover with 1 ½ cups water and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Cook the bulgur wheat until it has absorbed all the water. Let rest ten minutes, off heat. Uncover, and fluff with a fork. Refrigerate the bulgur if not using with in the hour.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the fava beans from their thick green pods. Add the fava beans to the boiling water. Blanch until the beans are tender and their skins slip right off, about 3-4 minutes for young, first of the season beans, a little longer for later season beans. Drain and immediately run under cold water until cool. Peel the fava beans. They are now ready to use.

Combine the bulgur wheat with the fava beans, minced shallot, lemon basil, mint, parsley, and a little salt and fresh ground white pepper. Stir to combine. Add in the feta cheese, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and chopped walnuts. Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary with salt, fresh ground white pepper, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil.

*Note: If your feta cheese is very moist and creamy instead of dry and crumbly, add it at the end of mixing, after you have adjusted to taste, otherwise, this dish will get soggy and the feta will disappear into the bulgur wheat.

Two Great Appetizers

2009-05-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

Artichokes and cauliflower are two of my favorite spring vegetables. In the two following recipes, they both are prepared into terrific appetizers, or would be great in a tapas spread. For the first, artichokes are combined with smooth and creamy pine nuts to make a wonderful pesto, which is then stuffed into cremini mushrooms. This pesto, if you have any left over, keeps well in a glass jar with a little olive oil on top. Left overs can be used as a sandwich spread, as a crostini topping, or even on pasta.

The second is a pungent and intriguing plate of large cauliflower florets roasted with yellow curry powder. Great served warm, or even at room temperature.

Artichoke-Pine Nut Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms

For the Pesto
-1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot lobe, minced -
-2 medium artichokes, trimmed and quartered
-1 strip lemon peel
- ½ cup pine nuts
-1 teaspoons minced fresh chives
-1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
-1 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
-Salt and fresh ground white pepper

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add in the minced shallot lobe. Sauté, stirring often, until the shallots are soft, about 3 minutes. Add in the artichokes and strips of lemon peel. Just cover with water or vegetable stock, season with a pinch of salt, and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer the artichokes until tender and only a tablespoon or so of liquid remains. Remove the lemon peel.

Place the warm artichokes into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S blade. Add in the fresh herbs and a little salt and white pepper. Pulse the processor to grind the artichokes into a coarse puree. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

For the Mushrooms
-15-20 cremini or white button mushrooms, stems removed
-1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-Salt and fresh ground white pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 375̊F.

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel or wash cloth. Toss the mushrooms with 1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive. Use just enough oil to coast the mushrooms. Season with a little salt and fresh ground white pepper.

Place the mushrooms in a large baking dish in one single layer, stem end facing up. Cover with foil and bake in the oven until the mushrooms are tender, about 15minutes. Remove the foil, and pour out the juice that has collected in each mushroom. I save this juice to add to stock, or to make vinaigrettes, or even to thin the artichoke pesto if it is too thick.

Fill each mushroom with a good spoonful of the pesto. Cover the dish back up with foil, place in the oven, and warm the mushrooms through, 5-10 minutes more. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Curry Roasted Cauliflower Florets
-1 head of white cauliflower
-1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-1 ½ - 2 tablespoons curry powder
-Salt and fresh ground white pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400̊F.

Remove the leaves from the cauliflower. Divide the cauliflower into large florets. Toss the florets with the extra virgin olive oil, curry powder, salt, and fresh ground white pepper.

Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Place the cauliflower in a single layer on the baking sheets.Place the cauliflower in the oven and roast, stiring from time to time, until slightly brown and the cauliflower is tender. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Red Romaine, Asparagus,and Radish Salad with Sweet and Creamy MeyerLemon-Tahini Dressing

2009-04-18T21:29:00.001-07:00

Where do I start! I love salad (I think I have mentioned this before), and spring time is when I really get to enjoy salads almost on a daily basis.

Salads,in my mind, have to have certain components to be really good. For starters, all ingredients must be fresh, seasonal, and of the highest quality. Two; there needs to be a variety of colors, textures, and flavors, but of course,they need to compliment each other. And three; the dressing or vinaigrette needs to be good. I am sorry (not really), but no ranch dressing in my book. This salad meets all my required components. The red romaine (Clark Valley Farms), is beautiful; crunchy, juicy, red on the tips and outside leaves,and light green the closer you get towards the heart. This week is the first week that I have seen such beautiful radishes (again, Clark Valley), I couldn't resist. Their gorgeous red color just pulled me in. Sliced thin, they offer a little crunch, a little mouth feel, and a little spice. I also added steamed asparagus pieces, thinly sliced refreshing fennel, and good raw and fatty walnuts (radishes need a little fat to compliment their crunch and spice). The dressing is a mixture of local honey, local Meyer lemons, shallots, tahini (sesame seed paste), and excellent extra virgin olive oil.

Meyer lemons are my favorite acid to use in vinaigrettes and dressings during the spring. According to Food Lover's Companion (Herbst, S.T. 3rd edition. Barron's Educational Series, 2001), a Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and an orange. Compared to a regular lemon, Meyer lemons have very smooth skin; sweeter, less acidic juice; are quite fragrant; and are rounder in shape. This dressing can be used in any salad, and is especially good with wild rice and asparagus. If you don't have tahini, or you just don't like it, pureed avocado would be just as good. Once you make your own dressings and vinaigrette, you will never buy an already made one again!

I like to garnish this salad with raw walnuts (not toasted to preserve their precious omega-3s), and the fronds from the bulb of fennel. Tarragon leaves would also be a nice garnish here as well. I always add herbs to my salads; they add such a nice surprise in between bites!

Red Romaine, Asparagus, and Radish Salad with

Sweet and Creamy Meyer Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Serves 2-4 as a first course or last course

Spring

Dressing

-1 tablespoon minced shallot

-1 tablespoon honey

-juice of 2 Meyer Lemons

-1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

-1 tablespoon tahini

-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or to taste

In a pint sized glass mason jar, combine all ingredients except the extra virgin olive oil. Close the lid tight and shake well. Add the olive oil and shake well again. Set aside.

Salad

-1 head red romaine, cut into fork size pieces, washed and spun dry

-1/2 bulb fennel, core removed,sliced thin on a mandolin (a Benrinner mandolin is my favorite)

-3-4 Cherry Belle radishes, washed and sliced thin

-10 asparagus spears, cut into 1/2 inch lengths, steamed and quickly cooled

-Handful of chopped, raw walnuts

-Fennel fronds for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or on a plate. Serve with the dressing on the side.

Whole Wheat Penne and Cauliflower alla Puttanesca

2009-04-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

This is my kind of pasta dish. Contrary to the Penne Pasta with Multicolored Cauliflower and Gorgonzola recipe I posted a while back, this pasta contains no cream or cheese, and uses whole wheat pasta instead of semolina. About once a year I will make a pasta containing cream and cheese, usually for my husbands satisfaction, otherwise, I prefer tomato or vegetable based sauces and whole wheat pasta.

Alla Puttanesca is one of my favorite tomato based sauces. This sauce is an aromatic, intense mixture of plum tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, kalamata olives, capers, and oregano. Both whole wheat pasta and cauliflower stand up well to this pungent sauce. Anyone reading know the orgins of the name Alla Puttanesca? I will tell you, but please, no one be offended, this is food and cultural history. The word puttanesca derives from the Italian word puttana, which means "whore". It is believed that Italian ladies of the night used this pungent and fragrant sauce to entice customers. Interesting food history isn't it?

Whether you like the meaning or not, this sauce is delicious, and it can be made any time of the year. The original version contains anchovies,but of course, I left this out. You can use any kind of salty black olive, and if you like a little heat, add a pinch of red chili flakes right at the end.

Whole Wheat Pasta and Cauliflower Alla Puttanesca
Serves 4 as an entrée
Autumn, Winter in some areas, Spring

-12 ounces dry whole wheat Penne
-2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
-1 medium carrot, diced small
-2 large shallot lobes, minced
-3 cloves garlic, minced

-2 cups small cauliflower florets

-2 1/2 cups diced canned plum tomatoes with juice

-1 cup reserved pasta water

-1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano

-1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved

-3 tablespoons capers

-Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Set the pasta aside.

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a very large sauté pan over medium high heat. When hot, add in the diced onion and carrot. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and carrot begin to soften around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add in the shallots, garlic, and cauliflower. Sauté until the cauliflower begins to slightly brown and soften, 4-5 minutes more.

Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, the 1 cup of reserved pasta water, and the oregano. Cook at a simmer until the sauce becomes thick, and the cauliflower is tender. Add in the pasta, olives, capers, and season to taste with salt and fresh ground white pepper. Heat through and serve hot.

Re-Visiting Old Favorites

2009-04-09T07:12:00.000-07:00

I thought I would re-visit some of my favorite recipes from last spring. I have been blogging for about a year now, though, I did sort of neglect Seasonal Cuisine for about the first 6 months of my daughter's life (if you remember, I had a baby back in September). Even though I like all of my recipes, I do like some more than others.

I have to say my favorite recipe, and most versatile, is Savory Roasted Spring Vegetables. This recipe can be adapted to any season, and has been my quick fix meal 3-4 times a week since my little girl was born. For those occasionally cold and rainy days we have in early April, think about Hearty Spring Minestrone. This soup is filled with great spring vegetables, whole wheat pasta, and energizing beans; a perfect soup to revitalize you on a cold day. Since strawberries are coming back in full force, with blueberries soon to follow, I've been making Berries and Cream Steel Cut Oatmeal, my favorite pregnancy breakfast. With all the beautiful golden beets showing up at the farmers market, Golden Sunshine Slaw would be a nice change from a green salad. And last but not least, my favorite grain salad, Asparagus and Wild Rice Salad. This salad is my favorite for spring get togethers and caterings. It is a glorious combination of asparagus, wild rice, fennel, hazelnuts, and a Myer lemon-Shallot vinaigrette. Yum Yum!

Spring Vegetable Pad Thai

2009-04-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

What could be better than a big bowl of vegetable packed Pad Thai. Pad Thai is a classic Thai rice noodle dish tossed with a sweet and sour sauce, scrambled egg, bean sprouts, scallions, and served with lime wedges. Usually, it is made with some kind of meat, such as pork or shrimp. Being a vegetarian, I omitted these two items, and instead used an array of fresh, gorgeous spring vegetables. Of course, tofu cubes could be used as well.

My husband and I love Thai food, and especially Pad Thai, but are to frequently disappointed when we are served rice noodles swimming in that hideous, fluorescent pink sweet and sour sauce that you find in cheap Chinese food places. That is not Pad Thai. Pad Thai sauce is sweet and sour in flavor, but is brown in color, and the final dish is usually quite dry. The sour component comes from tamarind, a tropical pod like fruit that is processed into a paste. Tamarind paste can be found at any Asian grocery store. There is a great Asian grocery on the corner of Monterey and Johnson streets in San Luis Obispo. Tamarind can be bought as a paste, or as a big block of dried fruit with the seeds. If you buy the big block, just cut off pieces, soak in a couple tablespoons of hot water, and then press through a small sieve to get all the pulp but no seeds. The seeds are large, you won’t miss them. The sweet component of the sauce typically comes from palm sugar, but I just used brown sugar in mine. Fish sauce is the salty element of the sauce, but again, being vegetarian I omitted this part and replaced it with an equal mixture of lime juice and soy sauce.

I packed this Pad Thai full of beautiful spring veggies I picked up on Saturday. The asparagus still looks and tastes great, but is getting thicker by the week. The snap peas are wonderful and I had to use them here. Red scallions are showing up at the market, as well as green garlic. I also used carrots to add some color. I used the best eggs you could ever buy; Farmer Jim’s eggs from Park Organics. His hens are laying generous amounts of eggs right now, so buy them while you can. They have the orangest yolks you will ever see (yolk color is a reflection of nutrient content and of what the hens are eating; greens, bugs, and all that good stuff hens are suppose to eat), and the cleanest egg flavor you will ever taste. These are the kind of eggs I feel are worth eating. Anyways, enough with my ranting, on to the recipe! Once everything is prepped, this dish goes quite quickly, so don't be intimidated by the list of ingredients.

Spring Vegetable Pad Thai
Serves 2-4 as an entree

Sauce

-2 tablespoons tamarind pulp

-2 tablespoons brown sugar

-2 tablespoons lime juice

-2 tablespoons shoyu or low sodium soy sauce

Chili-Vinegar Sauce

-1/4 cup brown rice or rice wine vinegar

-1/2-1 teaspoons sambal olek or chili flakes

-1/2-1 teaspoon sugar, or other sweetener like agave nectar

Pad Thai
-10 ounces dry Thai rice noodles

-2 tablespoons peanut oil or other high heat oil
-1 bunch thin asparagus, trimmed and
cut into ½ inch pieces
-15 snap peas cut into ½ inch pieces
-2 thin carrots, cut in half and thinly sliced
-2 eggs, whisked

-5 red scallions, sliced

-1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Set aside.

Whisk sauce ingredients together and set aside. Whisk chili-vinegar sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil, or other chosen oil, in a large wok set over high heat. When a whisper of smoke shows, add in the asparagus and snap peas. Toss constantly with a large spatula for 1-2 minutes. Add in the carrots and toss 1 minute more. Push the vegetables up the side of the wok and pour the whisked egg into the bottom. Stir the egg constantly for 1 minute, or until scrambled. Toss the cooked vegetables back in with the egg. Add in the mung bean sprouts, scallions, ginger, and garlic. Toss constantly for 1 minute more. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

Immediately re-heat the wok with the remaining tablespoon of oil. When hot, add in the rice noodles and toss constantly, pressing the noodles to the side of the wok to slightly brown and sear. Toss for about 1-2 minutes, add the vegetables back in along with the sauce, and toss 1 minute more to combine. Serve hot with lime wedges and the chili-vinegar sauce.

Penne Pasta with Multi-Colored Cauliflower and Gorgonzola

2009-04-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite produce items to show up at the Spring market is multi-colored cauliflower. Purple, orange, light green, and white, these cauliflowers are stunning to look at, leaving you baffled by Mother Nature's ability to make food naturally beautiful.

Cauliflower in general is considered royalty in my cooking repertoire. When truly farmers market fresh (I have never met a large chain grocery store cauliflower I liked), this sweet and slightly nutty vegetable can be served raw in a crudites spread, with pasta, gratin style, sauteed, and anything else you can imagine. The trick is to not over cook it! I think boiling is bad for almost any vegetable, but especially cruciferous ones that tend to let off that unpleasant, old cabbage smell. So steam or blanch quickly.

Cauliflower loves the company of strong, salty flavors such as black olives, gorgonzola, capers, curry, and red chili flakes. I decided to go with rich and creamy gorgonzola cheese, which, when mix with a little cream, makes a terrific sauce, filling each little penne tube and perfectly covering each cauliflower floret. Make sure to cut the cauliflower about the same size as the pasta. I taught this pasta at my Mediterranean Harvest cooking class at Edna Valley Vineyards. Someone suggested a little tarragon as a garnish to this pasta. I tried it tonight, along with parsley and chives, and it was fantastic!

Penne Pasta with Multi-Colored Cauliflower and Gorgonzola

Serves 4

-8oz dry, short style pasta such as Pipe Rigate, Fusilli, or even orzo
-2-3 cups chopped multi-colored cauliflower
-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
-1 large clove garlic, minced
- ½ cup heavy cream
-3 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
-Salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste
-Chopped flat leaf parsley, chives, and a little tarragon to garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente. Remove the pasta from the water with a slotted spoon (save the boiling water), toss with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking, and set aside. Bring the pot of water back up to a boil and blanch the cauliflower until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add in the diced onion. Sauté the onion until it begins to soften around the edges, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté one minute more. Pour in the cream and bring to a simmer. Let simmer about 1-2 minutes to slightly reduce. Whisk in the gorgonzola to create a smooth sauce. Add in the cooked pasta, and cauliflower. Heat through and season to taste with salt and fresh ground white pepper. Garnish with minced fresh Italian parsley, chives, and a small amount of fresh minced tarragon.

First Question!!

2009-04-02T07:20:00.000-07:00

I've been asked my first question! Thanks Carolyn, so great to here from you, I am really glad you like the blog. Carloyn asked where to find golden beets and fresh garbanzo beans.

I buy my golden beets at the Saturday morning farmers market in San Luis Obispo. This market is located in the Bed Bath and Beyond parking lot, and is from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. This is the market I do almost all of my shopping at, though I am known to roam the other markets just for fun. Golden beets are not as readily available at the farmers markets as red beets are. Most vendors that sell red beets will also sell golden beets, but not as frequently. Because of this, it is a little hard to assume you will find golden beets any given week. Generally though, they are more frequently available in the spring, with a more steady supply. Golden beets are very sweet, just like red beets, but with much less of that "dirt" (I say this with affection), taste. They can be used just like red beets in salads, roasted as a spring vegetable, or sliced thinly for a slaw (see Golden Sunshine Slaw, May 15 2008 post).

Fresh garbanzo beans have an extremely short season, about 3 weeks. La Familia farm from Los Osos (they have that great pumpkin patch during autumn located out on Los Osos Valley Road), sells fresh garbanzos in the the autumn at the Saturday morning SLO market. We probably won't see them until September (if I remember correctly). Fresh garbanzos are really fun, I am already thinking of recipes for them. They look like fat little green pods of edamame. La Familia farm also sells the best ever dried pinto beans, as well as other dried beans. Now you have no reason to buy dried beans from the store! Their dried beans are so fresh that they need no soaking and cook fairly quickly.

On another note, I just want to give a quick thanks to everyone who attended my cooking class at Edna Valley Vineyards last night. I had a great time, and thanks for your positive feedback and support.

New Features!

2009-04-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

I have added two new features on the left side bar; Cory's Top 5 Produce Picks, and What's In Season. There is so much great produce showing up at the farmers market that I thought my top picks for the week (or month, depends on produce turn over) would be a nice Seasonal Cuisine feature. Now, these are not my only picks, just the five produce items I probably couldn't live without for the week. This list will also help to showcase those produce items that only seem to hang around for a couple of weeks, like fresh garbanzo beans. I have also decided to add a list of what is in season, which will be located underneath the blog archives. This will be a general list that changes 4-8 times a year. I actually think there are 8 seasons, produce wise that is! I have some other great ideas in the works, so keep reading!

Mediterranean harvest Cooking Class

2009-03-31T06:57:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone. I am teaching a demonstraton class tomorrow night, April 1st, at Edna Valley Vineyards in San Luis Obispo. The theme is Vegetarian Mediterranean Harvest. If you would like to sign up, please go to Edna Valley Vineyards website. Thanks everyone!

Ask Cory

2009-03-30T06:26:00.000-07:00

I have recently noticed a jump in how many people are reading, or at least viewing, Seasonal Cuisine, and I thought it might be fun to here from some of you. I would like to get to know my readers, so I am going to dedicate one day a week to answering any food, cooking, and nutrition questions anyone might have. If I don't know the answer, I will find it for you. In addition to answering questions, readers could write in to suggest topics of discussion, other food and cooking related websites or blogs, good books and articles, or anything else having to do with cooking and the world of food. Just follow the email link to the left to ask a question or leave a suggestion. I hope some of you participate!

Welcome Spring Soup

2009-03-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

Hello Spring! Finally, winter seems to be coming to a close. Not that we really have true winters here on the Central Coast. I love spring, and I love the spring farmers market even more. Asparagus, fresh peas, pea tendrils, artichokes, baby rainbow chard, baby beets, spring onions, and spring garlic are all showing up at the market. To welcome in spring, I decided to make a green soup filled with quintessential spring vegetables. This soup was not only inspired by spring, but also by my daughter's new favorite solid food combination; green pea and spinach puree.

This soup is a very green puree of spring onions, green peas, and spinach, and is garnished with sauteed asparagus, pea tendrils, and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil. Beautiful purple chive blossoms or arugula blossoms would be a perfect garnish as well. This soup is also quick to make, and can easily be made with frozen green peas.

Welcome Spring Soup

For the Soup

-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-2 spring onions, bulb only, sliced
-1 large garlic clove, sliced
-1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
-1 strip myer lemon peel (optional)
-3 1/2 -4 cups vegetable stock or water
-4 cups green peas
-3 large handfuls cleaned baby spinach
-salt and fresh ground white pepper

For the Garnish
-1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-1 bunch thin asparagus, or 1/2 bunch thick asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
-2 large handfuls cleaned pea tendrils
-salt and fresh ground white pepper
-exceptional quality extra virgin olive oil for garnish

In a 4 quart soup pot, heat the tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat. When hot, add in the spring onions and garlic. Add a small amount of salt and sweat the onions until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the mined thyme, lemon peel, and 3 1/2 cups of stock or water. Season again with a little salt and white pepper. Bring to a simmer, and simmer 10 minutes. Add in the peas and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes depending on the size and freshness of the peas. If using frozen green peas, cook just ntil the soup returns to a boil. Add the spinach leaves, turn off the heat, and stir until the spinach has wilted. Blend the soup, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Pass the soup through a fine mesh strainer for a thinner, smoother soup, or leave as is. Add the additional 1/2 cup stock if the soup seems too thick.

Heat the 1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a medium sized saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add in the asparagus and saute until tender. Add in the pea leaves and saute about 1-2 minutes more, or until tender. Season with salt and white pepper.

Re-heat the soup if need be and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with a spoonful of the asparagus and pea tendrils. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with chive or arugula blossoms if available. Serves 4.

Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens

2009-02-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

This dish is delicious! Just what I needed on a cold and windy night. I am a big fan of leafy greens, and the collards at the market were looking quite beautiful. The thick, dense leaves of collard greens are packed with nutrition, boasting terrific amounts of folate (for all you mamas-to-be out there), calcium, cancer fighting phytochemicals, and minerals. I personally believe that collards are what Popeye was eating, not spinach; they seem to have a strengthening power that is un-explainable. Though both black eyed peas and collard greens are particularly popular in the southern United States, they are used all over the world. Black eyed peas are actually native to North Africa, and collards are quite popular in the Mediterranean. Soaking the black eyed peas shortens their cooking time, but not by that much, so it is not necessary. The older your peas, the longer the cooking time. Mine only took about 30 minutes with soaking, but I have had black eyed peas take almost 1 1/2 hours, so be patient if need be.

My recipe is not traditional; there is no bacon or ham. I added a small amount of diced preserved tomato for color and a little sweet/acidity dynamic, which worked really well. A splash of fresh squeezed lemon juice right at the end is just perfect.

Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens

Serves 4 as a main course with rice

-1 cup dried black eyed peas, soaked in 3 cups water for 6 hours to overnight, floating and discolored peas discarded
-1 bunch collard greens, washed, thick ribs removed, and leaves sliced

-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

-1 small yellow onion, diced small

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-2 preserved plum tomatoes, diced

-Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (less than half of a lemon)

-salt and fresh ground white pepper

Place the peas in a large pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer and cook, skimming any scum that rises to the surface, until the peas are tender but still holding there shape, about 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the age of the peas. Drain and rinse again in cold water. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the sliced collard greens and cook until just tender and bright green, about 3-5 minutes. Drain immediately and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well and set aside.

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add in the onion and saute until beginning to soften and slightly brown, about 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat to medium and add in the garlic and tomato. Saute another 2-3 minutes. Add in the peas and collard greens and a little salt and fresh ground white pepper. Heat through, adding a little water or vegetable stock if the mixture seems too dry. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, fresh ground white pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve hot as is, or with brown basmati rice.

Vegetarian Feast

2009-02-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

Spring Rolls woth Sesame Dipping Sauce
Roasted Vegetables with Black Olive Tapenade

Roasted Pepper Crostinis with Fontina Cheese and Arugula

Ellissa and Me with Roasted Beet, Feta Cheese and

Walnut Salad in the Background

These last two weekends were my annual Vegetarian Cuisine class that I teach for Cuesta College. We had a great time, as always, and the food was delicious! This year was extra special, as I had a gorgeous little assistant with me (my daughter Ellissa, see above). I just wanted to write a quick post and say thankyou to everyone that participated in the class, great job!

High Levels of Mercury Found in Corn Syrup

2009-02-02T17:02:00.000-08:00

I receive e-mail updates from the OCA (Organic Consumers Association), and an interesting, if not frightening, article was recently posted regarding the mercury content found in high fructose corn syrup. According to the article, which is based from the original article written by the scientific journal Environmental Health, mercury was found in nearly 50% of tested commercial high fructose corn syrup samples. A separate study by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) detected mercury in one third of 55 of top name brand products that list high fructose corn syrup as the first or second ingredient. These brands included Quaker, Hershey's, Kraft, and Smukers.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is found in almost every processed or packaged food product. Soda, obviously, is by far the worst since it is purely HFCS with water. Other common foods containing HFCS include packaged lunch meats, canned soups, breakfast cereals, bottled salad dressings, and even yogurt. Many of these foods are popular among our children, and are overused in our school systems and institutions. According to the above report, most teenagers take in above 80% of average levels daily of HFCS. Average American daily intake is a whopping 12 teaspoons, which is equal to 1/4 cup. Please follow the link above to read the report which is full of information.

Going Organic Without Breaking the Bank

2009-01-07T14:11:00.000-08:00

So now that we understand the importance of buying organic foods, let's take a look at the prices. Yes, organic food is more expensive, simple as that. But it is possible, and worth it when the true cost of conventional food is taken into account (use of fossil fuels, middle men, pesticides, genetic engineering...this could be a post all on its own). My husband and I have been eating almost 100% organic for almost 5 years now, and I have found that I spend almost as much as everyone else on groceries. There are quite a few ways to buy organic at a reasonable price, you just have to do a little extra work. Here are my suggestions for eating organic without breaking the bank.

-Shop at Your Local Farmer's Market:

This is quite a simple concept. Since you are buying your food directly from the farmer, it is guaranteed to be cheaper. I find that the exact same head of organic lettuce at my favorite health food store is twice as much as it is at my farmer's market. By shopping with local farmers, you take the middle men right out of the picture, and your money goes straight into the pocket of your neighbor. The farmer becomes directly woven into the community, while the community becomes intimate with its local food source. A win win situation. If you don't have time to go to a farmer's market, then join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). A CSA does all the work for you by assembling a box of fresh produce, usually with recipes included, and delivering it either directly to you, or to a drop off spot. It doesn't get any easier than that. And again, your supporting a local farmer.

-Shop and Eat Seasonally:

Again, simple concept, but hardly done by anyone. Buying fresh produce out of season is bound to be much more expensive. Fresh tomatoes in winter not only taste terrible, but cost quite a bit. Not worth it! Keep your foods seasonal. This may be a bit hard at first, especially if you are use to eating the same foods year round. There is an amazing array of fresh produce out there, and every piece has its own season. If you follow the above concept to shop at your local farmers market, then you will inevitably be shopping seasonally. The two are one and the same.

-Shop at Local Health Food Stores and Co-Ops:

Organic foods are always more expensive in a large chain grocery store than they are at a local health food store or Co-Op. Most health food stores and co-ops buy directly from farmers, which again, gets rid of middle men. Large chain grocery stores buy their foods from other companies, who buy their food from other companies, and so on and so forth. This is especially true for already prepared and packages foods.

-Cook Your Food Yourself:

Buying already packaged and prepared foods is much more expensive than buying the raw ingredients. This is probably the hardest part for people, but the most rewarding, and there is no way around it. If you want the reward, you have to put in the effort! Pick one day a week where all you do is cook for the week ahead, freezing if necessary. There are many ways to make your cooking life easy. It is worth the investment.

"Dirty Dozen": Which Produce You Should Really Consider Eating Organic

2008-12-20T05:32:00.000-08:00

Interested in cutting your exposure to pesticides found on produce by almost 90%? Who isn't? According to the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit research organization, there are twelve fruits and vegetables that everyone should really consider eating organic. These twelve have been labeled the "Dirty Dozen", and are consistently found to have the highest amounts of traceable pesticide residues, significantly increasing your toxic exposure. These twelve are:

Peaches
Apples
Strawberries
Nectarines
Cherries
Pears
Imported Grapes
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes

By eating these twelve fruits and vegetables organic, the Environmental Working Group found that a person could cut their exposure to pesticides on produce by 90%. That is quite significant! They also came up with a list of the twelve fruits and vegetables with the least amount of traceable pesticides. They are:

Onions
Avocados (my favorite!!)
Frozen Sweet Corn
Cabbage
Broccoli
Asparagus
Frozen Peas
Pineapples
Mangoes
Kiwi
Banana
Papaya

If you are only willing to buy some food organically, then consider these two lists when shopping.

Remember that these lists only consider produce. Your pesticide exposure from produce is minimal compared to foods such as meats and dairy, which, according to the EPA, are significantly higher in pesticide residues. Coffee is another culprit. Another point to consider is that imported fruits and vegetables most likely contain higher amounts of pesticides that are now illegal in the U.S. This is one of those ironic (or is it idiotic) situations where we manufacture tons (literally) of toxic pesticides that we as a nation have deemed illegal to use, yet sell to other countries, and then import the foods sprayed with these illegal pesticides. Hmmmm? Real effective! When buying your produce from conventional farmers, pay attention to where it was grown and opt for grown in USA. Most fruits and vegetables have a sticker that will say where it was grown. Another quick fact about those elusive stickers on produce; a sticker that starts with a number 4 is conventionally grown, while starting with a 9 is organic. All of this information is definitely food for thought!

Why Go Organic

2008-12-14T16:03:00.000-08:00

There have been a few hot words in the past couple of years, one of them being the word organic. All of us have been hearing that organic foods are a better choice than conventional foods, but many ask, "Is it worth the price?" In my opinion, definitely. For some, not so much, especially with this down economy. My husband and I have been eating almost 100% organic, and about 75% local), for about 5 years now, and we do not spend that much more on groceries than anyone else. Since I seem to be having a hard time writing recipes due to my new hobby of drooling over and cuddling with my new daughter, I thought I would write a series of 3 posts about eating organically. I think that deep down in most of our hearts we know it is the right thing to do, for both body and planet. I'll start my series with what organic actually means when it comes to food, and then my top 8 reasons for going organic. The next two posts will be regarding the dirty dozen (the top 12 foods you should really consider eating organic), followed by how to go organic without breaking the bank.

Why Go Organic

Organic foods are required by law to be produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering, and other practices such as irradiation and the use of sewer sludge (Organic Agriculture and Production. Organic Trade Association’s Manufacturer Survey (2006), Retrieved from http://www.ota.com/). There are governmental standards for organic farming. According to the Organic Trade Association (OTA), in 1990, U.S. Congress adopted the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) as part of the 1990 farm bill. Over a decade of public input and discussion finally resulted in a National Organic Program, which was published by the USDA in December of 2000, and implemented in October of 2002. Through a complex process, quite a few dollars, and a lot of inspections, farms can become certified organic. Farms can carry this “certified organic” label, and consumers can be assured that the food they are buying meets governmental regulations for organic farming. Here are my top 8 reasons for buying and supporting organic foods:

1. Avoiding Chemicals: 90% of the chemicals approved by the FDA for food production have not been tested for long term effects before being deemed safe (Environmental Working Group (2006). FDA Monitoring & Enforcing. Retrieved from www.egw.org). 46 of our most popular fruits and vegetables can have up to 192 different pesticides between them (Environmental Working Group and Stonyfield Farm (2006). Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. Retrieved from www.foodnews.org). These pesticides are absorbed into the human body and stored in fat tissues. They can be found in mother’s breast milk, and the urine of our children. Very scary!

2. Organic Foods are More Nutritious: According to certified nutrition specialist Virginia Worthington, after examining 41 published studies comparing the nutritional value of conventional produce to organic, she concluded that organic foods contain 27% more vitamin C, 21.1% more iron, 29.3% more magnesium, 13.6% more phosphorus, and 15.1% less nitrates(Worthington, V. (2001). Nutritional Quality of Organic Versus Conventional Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains [electronic version]. Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine, 7(2). Retrieved from www.foodisyourbestmedicine.com). The increase in nutritional value of organic foods is in large amount due to healthier soil. Pesticide free soil is full of life, nourishing the plants that in turn nourish us.

3. Better Flavor and Taste: Organic farming works with the rhythm of the seasons, resulting in foods being grown during their natural cycles which creates the best products possible. The plants are also forced to, in essence, fend for themselves to fight off pests, disease, and the stress of their surrounding elements. One way they may fend for themselves is through the production and use of phytochemicals, which also give very distinctive tastes to certain foods (Beling, S. (1997). Power Foods. New York, Harper Collins). Garlic, onions, and cruciferous vegetables are all examples.

4. Avoiding GMOs: Our local farms are being threatened by loss of diversity due to GE foods. Genetic drift is a serious problem and could wipe out our regional foods, leaving the fate of our farmers in the hands of large biotech corporations. It is estimated that 75% of the food in grocery stores contain GE ingredients. The FDA does not require safety testing, labeling, or even notification of new GE products that go to market. The citizens of the U.S. are guinea pigs to an enormous biotech corporation experiment, and they are not even aware of it. More long term studies need to be done to assure the safety of these crops, and we should be allowed to know exactly what these crops are being genetically altered with (many crops are altered to produce pesticides while growing. These “foods” are actually considered a chemical and not a food). (Genetically Engineered Foods/Crops (2002). Creative Health News. Retrieved from www.creativehealth.farvista.net ).

5. Avoiding Hormones and Antibiotics: According to a Union of Concerned Scientists report (Union of Concerned Scientists (2002). Hogging It: Estimates of Antimicrobial Abuse in Livestock. Retrieved from www.go.ucsusa.org), 70% of all antibiotics produced in the United States are fed to chickens, pigs, and cows, strictly for growth promotion. When humans consume these meat products, they directly ingest these drugs. Fish are farmed with the same degrading practices, as well as dairy cows and egg laying hens. The only safe way to avoid this is to go organic, hormone, and antibiotic free. Even better, go organic, grass fed meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs. Support animals being able to live like animals, in pastures eating nourishing green grass, instead of being confined to fight their natural instincts. If you are a meat eater, I highly suggest you read Michael Pollan’s (2006), The Omnivore’s Dilemma, part 2, regarding grass fed livestock.

6. Preserving Ecosystems: Organic farming promotes harmony with nature. It nurtures the land and works in a symbiotic relationship with the seasons, not against them. Organic farming takes work, and thought, by using crop rotation, natural methods of pest control, water management, and companion planting, which creates natural, mini-ecosystems that function as nature intended. Preserving and protecting ecosystems is the key to success.

7. Reduces Pollution and Protects Water Sources: No pesticide use means no run off into local water supplies, creeks, streams, and oceans (where everything eventually ends up). Obvious and enough said!

8. Preserves Diversity: This is extremely important. Organic farms have to be diverse to survive, especially in a local market. Diversity means the farmer is not putting all of his or her eggs into one basket, like monoculture does, and can ultimately survive if a crop fails. Diversity also creates natural ecosystems with their own forms of pest control, resulting in no real need for pesticides, and gives the consumer many honest, clean food choices. Diversity also gives us the chance to preserve heirloom type vegetables, and allows us to continue the tradition of passing seeds down through generations.

Harvest Squash Soup

2008-11-13T11:56:00.000-08:00

Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year. The farmer's market is overflowing with an abundance of produce. I love how summer vegetables and fruit linger into November and mingle along side both autumn and winter produce. Hard squashes are a favorite of most during this time of year, so I thought I would share my best recipe for Winter Squash Soup. I developed this recipe last autumn. I wanted something that really let the squash speak for itself instead of being hidden and masked by lots of different flavors such as ginger, curry, or apple. Any hard squash can be used in this recipe, but keep in mind that some squashes are starchier than others, requiring a little more vegetable stock to achieve the right consistency. Kobacha is probably the starchiest, so add vegetable stock accordingly. Though not neccessary to make this soup good, toasted pumpkin seed oil is an indulgence, quite expensive, and well worth every penny. A little goes a very long way, so just a drizzle in each bowl of soup is enough. The oil puts this soup over the top.

As you can probably guess, I am still quite busy with my new little Ellissa. She is my world and keeps me occupied most of the day. I hope to start posting more regularly as she becomes more accustomed to the world, but no promises.

Harvest Squash Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seed Oil
*Serves 4-6 as a first course, or 2-4 as a main course
*Autumn, Winter

-2½-3 lb winter squash such as Acorn, Kobacha
or Butternut Squash
-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-1 small sized yellow onion, sliced
-1 large clove garlic, smashed
-3½-4½ cups autumn vegetable stock, or more if necessary
-1½ teaspoons smoky paprika
-2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

-1/2 of a cinnamon stick

-Salt and fresh round white pepper to taste

-Toasted pumpkin seeds (to garnish)

-Toasted pumpkin seed oil (to garnish)

Pre-heat the oven to 375̊F. Cut the winter squash in half length wise using a heavy, sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds, and drizzle the squash halves with half of the olive oil. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and place the squash halves cut side down on the sheet. Roast in the oven until quite soft, about 30-45 minutes. If using Kobacha squash, you might find the flesh much starchier than expected, and not as soft. To tell if it is done roasting, scoop a little of the flesh and if it resembles baked potato flesh, it is done.

Heat a heavy, medium sized soup pot over medium heat. When warm, add in the rest of the olive oil, along with the onions and chopped garlic. Cook until the onions become slightly soft. Add in the squash pulp, about 3 ½ cups of stock, paprika, half of the thyme, and the cinnamon stick. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer until the squash becomes very tender, and the soup seems like it is almost pureed, about 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the cinnamon stick, and prepare a blender.

Blend the soup on high, in batches if necessary, until very smooth. If the soup is too thick, add in additional stock. The amount of stock needed is determined by how starchy the squash is. When finished, the soup should be the consistency of heavy cream. Return to the pan and turn the heat on low to re-warm. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzling of deep green, toasted pumpkin seed oil, and a sprinkling of the chopped, left over thyme.

Update

2008-10-04T10:20:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone. As you may have noticed, I have not updated Seasonal Cuisine in quite some time. I had my baby, a little girl. Her name is Ellissa Riane Faysal. She is now a month old and is as wonderful as can be. If you would like to see pictures, go to www.coryfredbaby.blogspot.com. I will probably not update Seasonal Cuisine for quite some time, maybe another couple of weeks. We are still adjusting, and Freddy has been the main Chef in the house lately, I have been a little too busy. But please check back often.

Our Favorite Summer Dinner

2008-08-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

This beautiful platter of summer vegetables and feta cheese has become one my husband and I's favorite summer dinners. It is so easy to do and tastes wonderful. This is a great way to showcase all those amazing heirloom tomatoes available right now at the farmers market. Make sure you use a good quality feta cheese. The one I use is a sheep milk feta made in Israel. I buy it at Trader Joe's, and it is delicious (and free of hormones, even better!!). The secret here is to keep it simple and to season to taste, that is why there is no recipe, just guidelines. Let the vegetables and cheese speak for them selves. I consider items such as high quality extra virgin olive oil and good vinegars to be seasonings, so they should be added to personal taste. We usually eat this with toasted baguette, toasted whole grain country bread, or with whole wheat pita bread. You can put the platter together ahead of time, just do not season the tomatoes until last minute, including the drizzle of olive oil.

Our Favorite Summer Dinner

For the Tomatoes

-Heirloom tomatoes of all kinds, sliced or cut into wedges

-Chopped fresh basil

-High quality extra virgin olive oil

-Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Decoratively place the cut tomatoes onto a big platter. Drizzle with good extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with chopped fresh basil, salt, and fresh ground black pepper.

For the Feta

-1/2 block of sheep milk feta, sliced

-High quality extra virgin olive oil

-Sprinkling of red chili flakes

Place the feta slices next to the tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with red chili flakes.

For the Green Bean and Cucumber Salad

-Steamed green beans, cut into thirds (probably about 1/2 pound)

-1 cucumber, thinly sliced

-1/4 cup of quartered kalamata olives

-Drizzle of red wine vinegar (probably about 2-3 tablespoons)

-High quality extra virgin olive oil (about 3 tablespoons)

-Salt and fresh ground pepper

Toss the green beans, cucumber, and olives together. Drizzle with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and adjust vinegar and olive oil to desired taste.

Spaghetti with Heirloom Tomatoes, Leeks, and Olives

2008-08-07T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick recipe to try. It screams summer, is quite fantastic, and really easy to make. Make sure to add the heirloom tomatoes right at the end so they do not get overcooked. You just want to warm them through. I used a large variety of heirlooms including Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, and Pineapple. If you live in the Central Coast area, there is a man who sells all of these beautiful tomatoes at both the Morro Bay market (Thursdays, 3-5 p.m., Spencer's shopping center), and the Los Osos market (Monday, 2-4:30 p.m., Baywood).

Spaghetti with Heirloom Tomatoes, Leeks, and Olives

-8 oz dry spaghetti (whole wheat or regular)
-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-1 large or 2 small leeks, white and light green parts only
thinly sliced into half moons
-3 large cloves garlic, sliced thin
- ½ cup dry white wine

-Zest of 1 small lemon

-1/4 cup kalamata olives, quartered

-2 cups roughly chopped heirloom tomatoes

-1/4 cup thinly sliced basil

-Salt, black pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add in the leeks and a pinch of salt. Sweat the leeks until they become soft and tender, stirring frequently, about 7-10 minutes. Adjust the heat if necessary to avoid too much browning. Add in the sliced garlic and sweat 2 minutes more.

While the leeks are cooking, add the spaghetti to the boiling water. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, or until the spaghetti is tender but al dente. Strain, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water. Place the hot pasta in a large bowl.

Add the white wine, lemon zest, and kalamata olives to the leeks. Cook about 3 minutes, or until the juices in the pan have reduced by about half. Add in the tomatoes and the reserved pasta water. Cook just until the tomatoes become warm and the sauce is slightly thick. Season with salt, black pepper, and a small pinch of chili flakes to taste. Pour the hot sauce over the pasta, add in the basil, and toss to distribute. Serve hot.

Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup

2008-07-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry everyone about the long pause in between postings. It may be like this for the next couple of weeks as my husband and I reach our last month of pregnancy. We are about to start month 9 and I'm finding it a little bit harder to stay focused. I have also been working on my book quite a bit, as well as a few other things, so my next couple of postings may just be recipes and not much else. Anyways, the recipe I'm posting today was something I made quite quickly with a whole lot of extra veggies I had in the refrigerator. This soup is a great way to use up all the extras that come from gardening friends. The list of ingredients is a little long, but it is very easy to make and delicious. I used my stripped corn cobs to make a light stock for the soup, but any vegetable stock can be used. Just make sure your stock is not salted. You want to do the seasoning, not the company making the stock. I also like to scrape the corn cobs once the kernels have been removed. Scraping removes the extra bits of corn still attached inside those little individual cells on the cob, and also removes a very tasty sort of corn cream that comes along with the little pieces. This step really makes a differenc in the end product, so don't skip it.

Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup

For the Corn Stock

-3 ears sweet corn, kernels removed and set aside, cobs saved

-1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

-4 cups water

Scrape the corn cobs with the back of your knife to remove the hidden bits of leftover corn kernels, as well as the creamy corn milk. Place with the reserved corn kernels. Put the cobs into a large soup pot along with the chopped onion and the water. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Strain and set aside to use for the soup. This should make 3 - 3 1/2 cups stock.

For the Soup

-1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or butter (butter is best when it comes to anything involving sweet corn)

-1 medium red or yellow onion, diced small

-2 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small

-reserved corn kernels from cobs, or about 2 cups

-3 - 3 1/2 cups corn stock or vegetable stock

-1 crookneck or Gold Bar squash, diced small

-1 zucchini, diced small

-1 cup thinly sliced green beans

-1/2 cup green peas, defrosted if using frozen

-1 ripe tomato, diced small

-1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

-1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

-salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the extra virgin olive oil or butter in a soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add in the onion and cook until it begins to slightly soften, about 3 minutes. Add in the potatoes and cook about 3-4 minutes more. Add in the corn and the stock. Bring to a simmer, and gently cook until the potatoes become tender. Remove from the heat. Transfer half of the soup to the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Roughly puree and add back to the pot with the other half of the soup. Alternately, smash half of the soup with a potato masher until you obtain a rough consistency, or even use a hand held blender to puree half of the soup in the pot. Return the pot to medium heat.

Bring back to a simmer and add in the green beans, squash, and fresh green peas if using. Cook about 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables become tender. Add in the defrosted green peas (if using instead of fresh), diced tomato, and fresh herbs. Heat through and season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve hot.

Eggs Baked with Tomatoes, Summer Squash, and Red Onions

2008-07-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

I think eggs are highly under appreciated. They have received a bad rap for raising cholesterol, though now many studies are suggesting otherwise. I have a different concern regarding the egg; its quality. Don't worry, I'll keep it short.

Eggs have always been an important component of the small family farm. Hens not only supply a farming family with plenty of tasty, high quality protein, but also with terrific manure to fertilize growing plants, as well as some pest control. But just like dairy and meats, much of our egg production has left the small family farm to be raised by enormous agribusinesses, losing most of the beautiful qualities an honest egg has to offer. Hens no longer roam free to peck at bugs and fill up on grasses, which is what gives an egg it's bright orange yolk and omega-3 fatty acid content. Instead, they are packed into small cages and fed highly un-natural diets, making their yolks and whites pale, unhealthy, and tasteless. No wonder we insist on omelettes overfilled with meats and cheeses, our eggs have no true flavor. I truly believe an omelette should be about the egg, not the huge mess added to it. Eggs (as well as dairy, meats, and good wine), should have flavors reminiscent of the landscape in which they have been raised. There is a beautiful word for this; Terroir. Terroir means "the tastes that emerge from the natural environment where a food is cultivated" (Trubeck, A. Eating Well Magazine; 3 Questions for a Food Anthropologist. August 2008, pg 16). Shouldn't all food follow this rule? On this note, I am begging you to use good eggs. Most store bought, industrially produced eggs are not worth the $1.69 you spend. Yes they are cheap, but for good reason; they offer nothing in flavor or nutrition. Spend $4.00 at your farmers market, or $3.69 for organic, free range eggs. Forgo the hormones and antibiotics. Taste, savour, and support farmers making a difference; not only in protecting diversity and natural landscape, but human health as well. Consider the true cost of a cheap egg, which ultimately exceeds it's cheap price tag. O.k., I'll stop ranting, most of you know me well and have heard this before.

This recipe is very good and easy to prepare. I would say it easily serves 2-4 as a main dish when served with a side of creamy polenta or rice pilaf. A nice loaf of fresh, crusty bread would also be excellent.

Eggs Baked With Tomatoes, Summer Squash, and Red Onions

-1 medium sized red onion, diced small

-3 small summer squash (zucchini, gold bar, crookneck...), cut in half and sliced 1/2 inch thick

-3 medium sized tomatoes, cut into large chunks

-1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

-2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

-4 to 5 large, free range, organic eggs

-salt and black pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a heavy 9 inch square ceramic baking dish, layer the diced red onion, squash, tomatoes, and herbs. Toss with the extra virgin olive oil and season with a little salt and black pepper. Place in the oven, covered, and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the vegetables become tender and the tomatoes have released their liquid. Taste the vegetables and add a little more seasoning if necessary. Crack the eggs into the vegetables, letting them rest right on top (they will settle in as they cook). Place back into the oven, uncovered, and cook until the eggs reach desired doneness; about 15 minutes for a medium cooked egg. Remove from the oven, sprinkle a little fresh salt on the eggs, and serve hot.

Summer Panzanella Salad

2008-07-08T10:12:00.000-07:00

Panzanella salad is traditionally an Italian bread salad made with tomatoes, onions, stale bread chunks, basil, vinegar, and olive oil. Some recipes call for soaking the stale bread in water to soften and then the water is squeezed out, while others prefer the bread crunchy or even toasted. Cucumbers, peppers, and other herbs may also be used.

I personally like to use bread chunks that have been tossed in a little olive oil and toasted in the oven. This allows the bread chunks to soak up the dressing and become slightly chewy. Bread soaked in water first and then squeezed out leads to a soggier salad. I also like to add cucumbers and peppers. In this recipe I used Armenian cucumbers. Armenian cucumbers are long, curled, and a very light green color with shallow grooves running the length of the cucumber. They are quite crunchy with smooth, firm flesh and thin skin that does not need to be peeled. Armenian cucumbers seem to be less watery than English cucumbers, so they do not leech lots of liquid once salted in a salad. But by all means, any cucumber will do for this recipe. I also used an Italian green pepper, which is a long, slightly twisted pepper with thin flesh and a small seed pocket. It does not resemble a green bell pepper at all, but does taste slightly similar. Italian green peppers are a bit stronger and more peppery, but with no heat. They kind of taste like a jalapeno that lacks heat. Again, any kind of pepper could be used here such as red or green bell peppers, or even a jalapeno or Serrano if you like a little heat. The only thing I ask of you if you make this recipe is to use fresh herbs and a high quality cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. The quality of the olive oil is very important since the bread will be soaking it up.

Summer Panzanella Salad

-1 small shallot, minced
-1 small clove garlic, minced
-1 medium sized Armenian cucumber cut in half
and sliced thin
-1 ½ cups mixed small tomatoes, sliced in half
-1 Italian green pepper, seeds removed, sliced thin
-1 cup toasted or stale bread cubes
-2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

-1-1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

-Salt and black pepper

Combine everything in a large bowl and toss to mix thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Let sit at least 15 minutes. Taste again and adjust seasoning if necessary, adding more extra virgin olive oil or balsamic vinegar if desired.

Mixed Summer Beans with Shallots and Pistachios

2008-07-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

I spent the last four days at my parents house up by Yosemite and while there I went to the farmers market down in Fresno. Kind of old stomping grounds, I use to shop there for a restaurant I worked for about 5 years ago. All the same farmers and all the same great produce. I love my farmers market here in SLO, but the Fresno one does have some extras that we do not have (just yet anyway). Being so hot in the valley, the Fresno farmers market was overflowing with summer produce. Lots of tomatoes, all kinds of summer beans, okra, eggplants, basil, corn, and my favorite, watermelon (I bought one and it was delicious!). Many kinds of stone fruit including peaches, nectarines, plums, pluots, and apricots. Lots of berries too. Because it is so hot, the Fresno market does not have many of the items we have year round such as carrots, beets, broccoli, and greens (there were some greens, but they were quite shabby looking), so the SLO market does have an edge. There is a wonderful organic stand at the Fresno market that sells specialty Italian varieties of produce. I bought some terrific basil, Trumpet squash, and red torpedo onions. At another stand I bought the theme of today's recipe; mixed summer beans. I purchased Romano, yellow wax, and green beans. I plan on going back this Saturday since I will be in the area again for 4th of July. I will admit, I LOVE the heat and miss it during the summer months. I love Cayucos, but it is a little cold for me.

This recipe is delicious and quite beautiful. If you happen to see Royal Burgundy beans in addition to green beans and yellow wax, buy them. They will lose a little color once cooked, but they are still gorgeous. The fresh herbs in this recipe are essential, so if you can't find fresh oregano and thyme, then use fresh parsley or basil instead, don't substitute dry herbs. Other nuts can be used as well such as walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds.

Mixed Summer Beans with Shallots and Pistachios

-1 pound mixed summer beans, tails removed
-2 shallots, minced
-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped
-2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

-1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano

-salt and white pepper to taste

-squeeze of lemon

Steam the beans in a steamer basket set over boiling water until tender but still with a slight bite (al dente). Alternatively, blanch the beans in boiling salted water until al dente. When tender, immediately run under cold water or shock in ice water to stop the cooking process and set the color. If using Royal Burgundy beans, the purple color will fade a bit with cooking. Set aside.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add in the minced shallots. Sweat the shallots until they soften and just slightly brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the pistachios, cooked beans, fresh chopped herbs, and about 1-2 tablespoons water or vegetable stock. Stir to combine and heat through, about 3-5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt, white pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.

Eggplant-Tomato Gratin

2008-06-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

According to Food Lover's Companion (Herbst, S.H. 2001, 3rd ed.), a Gratin is any dish that is topped with cheese or bread crumbs and browned until crispy under a broiler or in the oven. A Gratin can also refer to the actual cooking vessel of the ingredients, and is usually shallow and wide to allow for maximum surface area of crispy cheese and breadcrumbs. Either way, gratins (as a cooking vessel or as a prepared dish), are beautiful things!

In most instances, thinly sliced vegetables are layered into a shallow baking dish with herbs, seasoning, butter or olive oil, and sometimes cream or stock, and then baked until savory soft, topped with cheese, breadcrumbs, or both, and then browned under the broiler. Sometimes the vegetables can be cut in larger chunks or slices, or even cubed. Potatoes are most commonly used in gratins, but most vegetables will work. Vegetables especially suited to gratins include root vegetables (celery root is terrific), eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and winter squash. Adding cream, butter, and cheese in between layers will create a very rich gratin, while using just olive oil and softer, juicer vegetables are good for lighter, less filling gratins.

The following recipe is simple and quick to prepare despite what looks like lengthy directions. The slicing of the vegetables and chopping of herbs takes 10 minutes, and making the breadcrumbs takes 5. Use already prepared breadcrumbs if you like, making prep time even less. My recipe for garlic breadcrumbs makes more than you will need, but they freeze very well and are easy to pull out and sprinkle on almost anything baked to add flavor and texture. Top fresh tomatoes with the crumbs and broil for a great side dish, or use as a binder or soup thickener. I used 2 small eggplants for this dish weighing about 3 ounces each. I prefer small, baby eggplants or thin Asian eggplants over the large globe style; I find them less bitter and feel they have better flavor and texture. If you use a large eggplant, which is perfectly fine, you will probably need less slices to cover the bottom of your baking dish. For my cooking vessel I used a shallow Le Creuset ceramic baking dish (a wedding gift from my wonderful culinary arts students), but any shallow baking dish will work. You can also make individual gratins if you like, separating the ingredients into individual creme brulee style ceramic dishes and shortening the cooking time. The cooking time for this gratin is lengthy (most are), but necessary to create a savory soft texture and to concentrate the juices from the tomatoes.

Eggplant-Tomato Gratin with Garlic Breadcrumbs

For the Gratin
-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-8 slices eggplant, ¼ inch thick
- ½ sweet yellow onion, sliced thin
-9-10 slices fresh tomato, ¼ inch thick
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
-1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
-salt and black pepper

For the Bread Crumbs

-3 slices bread, toasted until dry
-2-3 cloves garlic, minced

-1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

-1/2 tablespoon of gratin herbs

-small pinch of salt and black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400̊F.

Mix the chopped herbs together, setting aside ½ tablespoon for the bread crumbs.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil all over the bottom of a 9” by 9” ceramic gratin or baking dish. Layer the slices of eggplant on top of the oil, overlapping if necessary. Season with a small amount of salt and black pepper. Spread the thinly sliced onions evenly over the eggplant. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil and half of the chopped fresh herbs. Layer the tomato slices evenly over the onions, overlapping if necessary, and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes. Season again with a small amount of salt and black pepper, and the rest of the fresh chopped herbs. Place the gratin dish, uncovered, into the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the sides begin to brown and the eggplant begins to soften. Place a cover over the gratin and continue baking another 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables begin meltingly soft and tender. Remove the cover and bake 10-15 minutes more to concentrate the juices. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, grind the dry bread slices into crumbs. Add in the minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and reserved ½ tablespoon of chopped herbs. Grind again to mix. You will have more bread crumbs than you need, so save or freeze for another use.
Turn the oven to broil. Sprinkle 3-4 tablespoons of the bread crumbs over the top of the gratin. Place under the broiler and broil until the crumbs become brown and crispy, and the gratin juices are bubbling. Serve hot, warm, or even at room temperature.

Portabello Mushroom, Arugula, and Pine Nut Salad

2008-06-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Your probably beginning to notice that I love salads. Salads can contain almost anything you like and do not have to be restricted to just greens and chopped vegetables. Salads can be composed of cooked grains, potatoes, and pastas; they can be hot, warm, or cold; and they can contain a variety of textures, colors, and flavors. This salad in particular combines warm, cooked mushrooms with cool, spicy arugula, sweet tomatoes, and creamy pine nuts. The vinaigrette utilizes the warm juices from the cooked mushrooms to give it a depth of savoriness that you could never find in a store bought dressing.

Please do not be afraid of the ingredients list, I know it seems involved. The salad comes together quite easily and quickly. You can also use grilled mushrooms instead of baked, chopped tomatoes instead of cherry or grape tomatoes, and walnuts instead of pine nuts. Roasted and chopped red peppers would also be delicious here. Ahh, the wheels are turning and the possibilities endless. Most of the prep work can be done a day ahead, just do not combine any of the salad ingredients until last minute to keep them from getting soggy. The mushroom can always be re-warmed right before tossing the salad.

Mushrooms

-2 large or 4 small portabello mushrooms, cleaned of any dirt
-1 clove garlic, minced

-1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

-1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

-salt and black pepper

Salad

-2 large handfuls baby arugula

-1 large handful baby spinach

-1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes

-1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

-1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts

Balsamic Vinaigrette

-1 tablespoon strained mushroom juice

-1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

-1 1/2 teaspoons stone ground mustard

-1 teaspoon agave syrup

-3 tablespoons cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

For the Mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the mushrooms in a shallow baking dish, gill side up. Mix together the minced garlic, chopped parsley, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Generously brush this mixture over the mushrooms, using all of it. Lightly season with salt and black pepper. Cover the pan with foil and place in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Strain the juice that has collected in the pan and save. Set aside mushrooms and keep warm.

For the Balsamic Vinaigrette

In a bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of the reserved strained mushroom juice, the balsamic vinegar, mustard, and agave syrup. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, while constantly whisking, to create an emulsified vinaigrette. Alternately, combined everything but the olive oil in a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously. Add in the olive oil and shake vigorously again. This will not create a permanent emulsification, but it is much easier to mix up when needed.

To Compose the Salad

Slice the mushrooms thinly on a bias and place decoratively on a platter. Toss the arugula, spinach, tomatoes, basil, and pine nuts together gently. Lightly season with a little salt and black pepper. Drizzle on as much vinaigrette as you like, without saturating, and gently toss with your hands. Pile the dressed salad on the platter with the mushrooms and serve.

Lime and Peanut Bathed Soba Noodles

2008-06-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

This dish is actually a soba noodle salad filled with crunchy vegetables, cooling herbs, and a tangy lime-peanut dressing. I just think it sounds nice to be bathed in lime and peanut! I have been making soba noodle salads for a long time, and there are so many ways to vary this one recipe. Use calcium packed almond butter or tahini in place of the peanut butter, and change the vegetables and herbs according to the seasons. Replacing part of the nut butter with a light or dark miso will give the dressing a more dynamic Japanese flavor, while leaving it as is keeps the dish on the South East Asian side.

Soba noodles are a terrific, versatile ingredient. They are Japanese in orgin, and are made from a mixture of buckwheat flour and wheat flour. Sometimes wild yam is also added. Soba noodles have a darker color and heartier flavor than traditional wheat and rice noodles, which also work perfectly in this dish. Using a thin rice noodle would be more traditional to the South East Asian flavors of the other ingredients in the recipe, but I like the additional nutrition and flavor that soba noodles offer.

Buckwheat itself is native to Russia, and the so called grain is actually the seed to the buckwheat plant which is weed like and related to rhubarb. Buckwheat is grown all over as a crop cover to replenish lost nutrients in soil. It thrives is cold climates. The sprouted greens are quite nutritious as well and make a great addition to any salad. They have a very mild, earthy flavor. The grain is very substantial and will fill you up fast. It also digests slowly, so is wonderful for anyone suffering from blood sugar imbalances. Buckwheat is particularly high thiamine, riboflavin, and other B-complex vitamins. It is also high in calcium and phosphorus, as well as other minerals, and boasts quite a high lysine content (6.1%), which is greater than any other cereal grain. Buckwheat is also considered a good blood builder, removes toxic wastes from the body, and is good for the kidneys.

Soba noodles can be used in many different preparations other than this salad. They are great anywhere that a rice noodle or wheat noodle would be used in any Asian inspired dish. I particularly love them in a hot broth with fresh basil, cilantro, and jalapeno slivers added right at the end, finished with a squirt of lime. Very tasty! For the salad, make sure your mung bean sprouts and herbs are as fresh as possible. I love mint and cilantro, but any kind of basil would also be fantastic in this dish. I use shoyu in this recipe, which is an unpasteurized, naturally fermented soy sauce, but you can use low-sodium soy sauce if you like. I also use agave nectar (a syrup made from the same plant as tequila) because of its neutral flavor and low impact on blood sugar levels. Agave can be found in any health food store or Trader Joe's, is an excellent substitute for sugar, and is much more of a whole food.

Lime and Peanut Bathed Soba Noodles

For this salad, slicing the raw vegetables thinly is very important. I suggest using a Benrinner mandolin, but a sharp knife will work just as well. I slice the carrots into thin planks on my mandolin, and them cut them into very fine strips with a sharp knife. You could also grate the carrots on a box grater, or even peel them into long strips with a wide peeler.

Salad:

-6 oz dry soba noodles cooked according to package directions and cooled

-2 small cucumbers, sliced thinly into half moons

-2 small to medium sized carrots, peeled and cut into fine strips on a mandolin

-1 1/2 cups very fresh mung bean sprouts

-6 leaves crunchy lettuce such as romaine, sliced into thin strips

-1/2 cup cilantro leaves

-1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves

-1/4 cup toasted and chopped peanuts (optional)

Dressing:
-1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

-1/2 teaspoon chili paste, or more to taste (I personally like more)

-3 tablespoons agave nectar

-2 tablespoons shoyu (soy sauce)

-1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root

-1 clove garlic, minced fine

-3 to 4 tablespoons smooth, organic, natural peanut butter (use more if you like a thicker, fattier dressing).

To Make the Salad:

Combine the cooked and cooled soba noodles with all of the vegetables, but not the herbs. Combine well in a large bowl and set aside. To make the dressing, whisk together all ingredients until completely smooth. Taste to adjust seasoning with agave syrup, shoyu, and chili paste if desired. More shoyu means more saltiness, and agave more sweetness. Pour the dressing over the noodles and vegetables and toss to completely coat. Add in the fresh herbs. Remove the salad with tongs from the large bowl to a serving dish or tray. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Any dressing leftover in the bowl can be used on any other salad.

New World Quinoa Pilaf

2008-06-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

Native to Chile and referred to as the "Mother Grain" by the ancient Incas, Quinoa has been nourishing and sustaining civilizations for thousands of years. Quinoa is not a true grain in biological terms. It is the seed to a bushy plant that is a distant relative of spinach. Quinoa is used however just like most grains, and is a perfect stand in for rice and wheat. It is a small, round, flat seed that varies in colors from beige, to red, to black. It is a whole food, retaining both its germ and bran. When cooked, the germ creates a whitish ring around the quinoa with a little curly tail coming from the grain. I have been passionately in love with quinoa since the day I met it six years ago in a restaurant I worked in. I have been seeing it pop up more and more in cook books and food magazines, which is terrific as it deserves a high place in any whole foods kitchen.

Don't let the modesty of this tiny, mighty seed fool you; it is a powerhouse of nutrition. Quinoa is one of the few grains (amaranth and teff are the others), that is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids. Most grains are low in the amino acid lysine making their protein profile incomplete, but not quinoa. Quinoa is high in fiber which helps to protect our bowels and heart; it is packed full of minerals such as magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, iron, copper, and manganese; it is high in B vitamins which are essential for energy production, and it is also high vitamin E, a wonderful antioxidant and cell protector. Quinoa also contains no gluten, making it perfect for gluten sensitive people. It has a rather mild flavor that is quite pleasing, which I think would make it kid friendly. Quinoa goes well with most foods, but especially South American and Mexican flavors. It has an affinity for chilies, cumin, cilantro, lime, potatoes, sweet potatoes, avocado, tomatoes, and squash. Use quinoa in place of rice for a more nutritious meal. Quinoa can also be found in flour form and can be used in place of 25% of wheat flour in most recipes. Quinoa may first be rinsed before using to remove its natural coating of saponin, which is natures bug repellent. The saponin can be bitter and soaping tasting, but I have found that it just depends on the quinoa. I always cook a small bit just to see if this is even necessary, and I usually find that it is not. Saponins are not bad for you, so it is not a big deal, it all depends on your tastes. Quinoa can be found in any health food store or Trader Joes.

New World Quinoa Pilaf

This is not a completely traditional pilaf cooking method. Normally when cooking in the pilaf style, all of the ingredients are cooked together. However, I don't like overcooked summer squash with raw potato if you get my drift, so I tweak the method a little. The quinoa itself is cooked like a pilaf, then the rest of the ingredients are sauteed on the side and folded in.

-1 cup quinoa, rinsed
-1 3/4 cups water

-1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

-1/2 cup small diced purple onion

-1 teaspoon fresh ground cumin

-2 small Peruvian purple potatoes, diced small

-1 cup green beans cut into 1/2 inch lengths

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 Gold Bar summer squash, diced

-2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

-salt and fresh ground pepper

-lime wedges to garnish

In a medium sized pot heat 1/2 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add in the diced purple onion and sweat until translucent and beginning to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the fresh ground cumin and cook about 30 seconds to 1 more minute. Add in the rinsed quinoa and stir to coat with the onions and oil. Let the quinoa slightly toast, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the water, a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. The second it boils, turn down to a low simmer and cover. Cook the quinoa until all liquid has been absorbed and the germ of the quinoa begins to curl, about 15-20 minutes. Let rest, covered for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, Heat the rest of the extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add in the diced potatoes. Stir often to prevent the potatoes from sticking, purple potatoes can be rather starchy sometimes and will stick easily. Cook until the potatoes begin to slightly brown and soften on the edges. Add in the cut green beans and a pinch of salt. Cook about2 more minutes. Add about 3-4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) water or stock to the pot and cover. Let steam about 3-4 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost completely soft. Remove the l;id and add in the squash and garlic. Continue cooking until the squash is just tender, as well as the green beans. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir the sauteed vegetables and chopped cilantro into the quinoa. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve with lime wedges.

Red Oak Leaf, Nectarine, and Goats Cheese Salad

2008-05-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

I could devour a big plate of salad every single night. Salads filled with greens, vegetables, fruits, and nuts are the perfect vehicles for all foods seasonal and fresh. Every season offers fantastic choices for composing a great salad. Farmers markets overflow with all kinds of beautiful and interesting salad greens, from red leafed lettuces, butter cos, romaines, loose leaf, and arugula.

At my central coast farmers market, red and green oak leaf lettuce is in full swing. Oak leaf lettuces look exactly like their name, like large, long oak leaves. The red variety is actually almost purple in color, with the leaves becoming green the closer you get to the heart of the head. I believe salads should be simple so that the true flavors of each vegetable stand out. This also means using a simple olive oil based dressing as well. The salad below was truly inspired completely by what was available at the farmers market. The first nectarines showed up at our market about a week ago and I just had to use them. I always try to include something crunchy in my salads such as a lightly toasted nut or seed. I lightly toast nuts and seeds to preserve their precious oils and flavors. The Sherry Vinaigrette makes a great all purpose dressing.

Red Oak Leaf, Nectarine, and Goats Cheese Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

-1 head Red or Green Oak Leaf lettuce, roughly chopped or torn, washed, and spun dry

-2 nectarines pitted and sliced thin

-2-4 oz chevre style goats cheese, crumbled
-1/2 cup lightly toasted pistachios

Sherry Vinaigrette

-1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
-1 tablespoon raw honey
-5 tablespoons sherry vinegar
-9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-Salt and pepper

In a large bowl or on a decorative platter, place the chopped and cleaned greens in a mound. Decoratively arrange the nectarine slices, and crumbled goat's cheese on or around the greens. Top with a scattering of the lightly toasted pistachios. Alternatively, toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Be careful not to smash all the goat cheese crumbles. Make the dressing.

Combined the mustard, honey, and vinegar in a glass jar fitted with a lid. Shake well to combined. Pour in the oil and season with salt and pepper. Replace the lid and shake again to combined. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the dressing over the salad, and serve the rest on the side.

First of the Year Summer Squash and Romano Beans

2008-05-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

Black Beauty, Gold Rush, Zephyr, Rond de Nice, Peter Pan, Eight Ball, Crook Neck, Middle Eastern; yellow, gold, black, deep green, white; long, skinny, thin, scalloped, round, trumpet shaped; only a prolific vegetable could come in such a bounty of enticing names, colors, and shapes. Summer squash, in its most general term, is a highly underestimated vegetable (or fruit I should say). I say underestimated because, like tomatoes which also have the same prolific nature, summer squash is available year round in every grocery store, yet in only 2-3 varieties. It is easy to take them for granted, as if they should be available year round. But like a tomato out of season, summer squash out of season can be watery, soggy, flimsy, and pithy, with no real flavor except that of which it is cooked in. I think my appreciation and love for all foods seasonal began with this fruit, and like so many other gardeners, it was one of the first foods I ever grew. Of course, again like everyone else, I planted about 8-9 plants thinking I could keep up with them. A truly rewarding experience as I shoved summer squash into every willing and not so willing refrigerator. My husband drew the line one night as we sat down to a dinner of sauteed zucchini, summer squash salad, and squash fritters. I am only allowed to plant 4-5 plants at the most now!

Come mid May to early June, farmers market stands everywhere are over piled with summer squash of all kinds. Look for, and even ask for, more interesting and unknown varieties such as trumpet squash (a sort of bulbed squash with a long, slender neck and golden green color. The flesh is a golden yellow with a butter flavor.); or Eight Ball (a perfectly round, very dark green ball of squash that does look quite similar to an eight ball). Don't be afraid to buy outside of the conventional zucchini and crook neck, you will be pleasantly surprised. When cooking such a tender food, the most devastating thing we can do is to overcook. Please do not overcook your squash, I am begging you! A few minutes in a saute pan is all it needs. Avoid adding extra water or too much moisture to summer squash, unless it is the form of a beautiful homemade dressing. Summer squash made into a raw salad is also a terrific way to utilize this abundant fruit. Just slice thin, or peel into ribbons, dress with a little lemon juice and a good glug of outstanding cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, a summer herb such as basil, salt, and fresh ground black pepper. A terrific side dish for a BBQ. Add a few quartered grape tomatoes and some toasted whole grain bread spread with goat's cheese for a satisfying lunch. Your options are limitless.

The recipe below contains another prolific, truly summer vegetable with a general name; fresh summer beans. In this recipe I used the very first Romano beans available. Romano beans, also known as Italian flat beans, are a delicious, meaty, tender alternative to the classic round Kentucky Wonder or Blue Lake green bean. Romano beans are flat and wide, with a round bean inside, and like other summer beans and wax beans, they come in a range of greens to yellows to purples, and need minimal cooking. Look for them at your market, or even grow your own. They grow exactly like other fresh bush beans and the seeds can be found just about anywhere. Make a small spot for them in your summer garden and you will have plenty! They are wonderful with lots of olive oil and garlic, or lightly steamed and mixed with cucumbers and tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Their flavor is delicate, so keep it simple. Romano beans are also a classic addition to any summer minestrone (see the Spring Minestrone entry from Monday, April 28th).

Sauteed Summer Squash and Romano Beans with Tarragon

-1 generous tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-4 summer squash of any kind, washed, cut in half, and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
-1/2 pound Romano beans, cut into thirds
-1 large garlic clove, minced
-salt and fresh ground pepper
-1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. When hot, add in the sliced summer squash and Romano beans. Season with a little salt and pepper. Saute about 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the squash and beans begin to soften on the edges. Add in the garlic and saute 2 more minutes, or until the squash and beans are tender but still slightly crisp to the bite. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped tarragon and serve. This is also fantastic with toasted pine nuts added at the end of the saute.

Golden Sunshine Slaw

2008-05-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

Vibrant and colorful, golden beets and carrots are loaded with powerful antioxidants, especially beta-carotene, the vegetable form of vitamin A. Antioxidants, as well as phytochemicals, are what give colorful fruits and vegetables their distinctive colors and smells. Thousands of these chemicals are already known to researchers, with thousands more probably unknown . Plants produce these chemicals to help them fight off pests, disease, and pollution, and in turn, when we eat these foods, the same chemicals offer up the same protection for our bodies. Antioxidants and phytochemicals from whole foods are finally being recognized for their cancer fighting abilities. I say whole foods because antioxidants act differently when they become isolated in a supplement. An isolated antioxidant will not offer the same protection in supplement form as it will in whole foods form. One carrot, or one beet, has thousands of different protective properties within it, and all of them need each other to work efficiently. When one property is removed and isolated, it no longer has the help of the thousand other chemicals, and will not offer the same effective protection. Whole foods are always better than supplements.

I won't go into all the different antioxidants and phytochemicals within a beet or carrot, you will probably get overwhelmed. The most important thing to note is that all colorful fruits and vegetables are packed with these naturally occurring chemicals, and should be the backbone to any whole foods way of life. Reds, oranges, greens, purples, whites, and yellows; each color offers thousands of different protective properties. My best nutritional advice to anyone is to pay attention to the colors you eat throughout the day or week. Ask yourself, "did I eat something purple today?", or "did I have an orange fruit of vegetable?". Eating a range of colors guarantees a balance and variety of nutrients. In my perfect world, organic, in season, colorful fruits and vegetables would be the base of my food pyramid (but then again, my perfect world would not have a food pyramid! That is a different argument though).

On to the recipe! This slaw is the radiant colors of sunshine, hence the name. The colors are dramatic, the flavors bright, and the texture refreshing and crisp. Serving beta carotene rich foods along with a little fat helps the body to absorb the beta carotene more efficiently. Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A in the body, and fat from the olive oil helps to transport the vitamin A into our cells. Other fat soluble vitamins include D, E, and K. The olive oil also helps to slightly soften the fibers of the beets and carrots, as well as heighten their wonderful flavors. Fat is also a flavor transporter. If you can get hold of rainbow carrots (carrots in all different colors such as red, white, orange, and yellow) use them! Don't peel them, just give them a good scrubbing and then slice. The colors of this salad will be even more magnificent. We eat with our eyes first, so I believe food should be beautiful, and if you are using gorgeous farmer's market, in season produce, you won't have to do much to accomplish this. This slaw is great when served along side the Rosemary-Garlic Smothered Potatoes. I would say this recipe serves 2-4.

Golden Sunshine Slaw

-2 medium sized golden beets

-2 medium sized carrots

-Juice of 1 Myer lemon

-Juice of 1 orange

-1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

-1 teaspoon agave nectar

-1/2 teaspoon whole grain mustard

-1/4 cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

-1/4 cup lightly toasted sunflower seeds

-Salt and fresh ground white pepper

Remove tops and woody bottoms from the beets. Save the tops for another use if desired. Peel the beets and the carrots. Using a sharp mandolin, such as a Bennriner mandolin, slice the beets into very thin circles. Make three different stacks of circles, and with a sharp knife, finely slice the stacks into very thin strips (like angel hair pasta but thinner). Place into a large bowl. Slice the carrots length wise on the mandolin the same thickness as the beets. Again, make three stacks, and slice thin to create very fine ribbons of carrot. Place into the bowl with the beets. Lightly season the beets and carrots with a little salt and freshly ground white pepper. Toss to coat.

In a separate bowl whisk together the citrus juices, apple cider vinegar, agave, and mustard until well combined. Add the olive oil to this mixture in a slow, steady stream while constantly whisking to create a semi-emulsified dressing. Pour about half of this dressing over the beets and carrots. Toss to coat. Taste to adjust seasoning of salt and pepper. Let the salad rest about 10 minutes and taste again. Add more dressing if needed, but about half is usually sufficient. The leftover dressing is great for green salads. Toss in the sunflower seeds and serve. This slaw will stay fresh about 2 days.

Rosemary-Garlic Smothered Potatoes

2008-05-09T07:43:00.000-07:00

Potatoes are an all time American favorite, as they should be, they are native to the Americas. Even so, the potato was not introduced into North America until the 18th century. According to Elizabeth Schneider, author of Vegetables, from Amaranth to Zucchini (2001, William Morrow, pg 500), the potato took the long route to North America via Irish immigrants instead of coming straight from their native South America. There are over 2,000 varieties of potatoes grown throughout the world, yet in America, only about four are regularly grown and consumed. Fortunately, because of farmers concerned about diversity and chefs looking for more interesting vegetables to put on their menus, our potato portfolio is expanding.

Small, petite potatoes are all the rage, as well as potatoes varying in colors from red, to gold, to white, to purple. It is good to experiment with all kinds to find the ones you enjoy the most. Just because the color is pretty does not mean the flavor is all that interesting. A potatoes texture can vary just as much as its color and shape. Some potatoes, such as reds, are waxy in texture and hold their shape well once cooked. Waxy potatoes are excellent for steaming, boiling, and roasting. Starchier potatoes, such as russets, have a fluffy, dry texture and fall apart more easily once cooked. Use these as mashed potatoes, or in potato gratins where their starch content is necessary to hold the gratin together. Blue or purple potatoes are quite popular because of their unusual, interesting color. Their flavor can be quite good, and they are a little more on the starchy side. They fall apart a bit easily when boiled and turn an odd gray color, which is unattractive for a mashed or pureed potato. Use these in a mix of roasted potatoes or roasted vegetables to bring out their unique color. The distinctive Fingerling potato is also a new favorite. They are quite pricey, are always small, and have an elongated, slightly twisted shape. They come in all colors and flavors and are firm when cooked. They are great for potato salads, roasted, braised, or sauteed.

Don't be fooled by the label "New potato", which most people have come to understand as meaning any small potato. A new potato is actually the very first harvest of a potato plant while the foliage is still green. New potatoes can be be both small and mature and are easiest to find in late spring through summer at a farmers market. New potatoes will have very thin, delicate skin and juicier flesh. A potatoes natural season is late spring and all during summer, but once harvested and properly cured, they can be stored throughout the autumn and winter until the next crop arrives. This ability to store well makes the potato a great autumn and winter food when other foods are scarce.

Prepare the more unique potatoes and small potatoes simply. Their delicate flavors can be overpowered easily. Potatoes have a natural affinity for flavorful fats such as good olive oil and walnut oil, as well as almost all herbs. Just a little extra virgin olive oil, flaky salt, and parsley will make an amazing side dish out of almost any small potato.

Rosemary and Garlic Smothered Baby Red Potatoes
For this dish I like to use potatoes no bigger than the size of a golf ball, but any potato can be used, just cut them into the appropriate sized chunks. Fingerlings would be perfect for this dish as well. If you happen to come across a variety of potato called German Butterball, buy some, they are wonderful and would be great here. They have a papery skin and beautiful yellow, buttery flesh. This recipe would serve between 2-4 people as a side dish.

-15 small red potatoes about the size of a golf ball.
-4 large cloves garlic, minced
-1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup water of vegetable stock
-salt and freshly ground pepper (I like to use white pepper)

Scrub the potatoes clean if any dirt is still clinging to their skins. Cut the potatoes in half length wise to create the most surface area possible.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until quite hot. Add in the potatoes, cut side down, and immediately shake the pan to keep the potatoes from sticking. Let the potatoes become golden on the cut side, shaking the potatoes often to keep them loose, about 7-8 minutes. When golden, turn off the heat and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Return the pan to medium heat and add in the garlic along with a little salt and pepper. Add in the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes to soften. Add in the rosemary and about 1/2 cup water or stock. Bring to a simmer and partially cover the pan. Let the potatoes cook until they are easily pierced with the tip of a knife yet still slightly firm. If the liquid in the pan dries up before the potatoes reach this point, add in the last 1/4 of liquid to finish. Remove the lid and turn up the heat to finish reducing any liquid that remains in the pan. Swirl the pan to coat the potatoes in the garlic, rosemary, and reduced liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot or warm.

Whole Wheat and Rosemary Crackers

2008-05-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

Making homemade crackers is much easier than most people believe. I love to have crunchy snacks hanging around for quick eating, especially since I seem to be snacking more than usual (I think this may be due to being almost 6 months pregnant). By being homemade, I can control what goes into my crackers, which means minimal processed ingredients and no trans fats.

Below is my favorite cracker recipe. I had a craving for wheat crackers one day, threw a couple ingredients into a food processor, and these Whole Wheat and Rosemary crackers were the end product. These crackers are packed with good for you ingredients such as walnuts and flax seeds for omega-3 fatty acids, and protein; whole wheat flour for B-vitamins and fiber; and olive oil for heart healthy fat and vitamin E. You can use either golden or dark brown flax seeds in this recipe, but don't use the already ground flax seed meal that can be found in some stores, there is a good chance it could be rancid. I buy whole flax seeds and store them in my freezer so they stay as fresh as possible. Flax seeds make a great binder in most baked products, but they will lend a little flavor. Flax seeds are a great source of fiber, and an even better source of omega-3 fatty acids, especially when uncooked. Omega-3 fatty acids are very sensitive to heat. Once baked, these crackers will last for quite a few days in a zip lock bag. My good friend Cherie says they are great for back packing trips. I like to eat them with garbanzo bean or white bean hummus and sliced tomatoes when they are in season. Cut them into any shape you like before baking, and make sure to chill the dough before rolling out, otherwise it will be too sticky.

Whole Wheat and Rosemary Crackers copyright 2007 by Correne Quigley

-1 cup walnuts
-1 cup whole wheat flour
-1 tablespoon golden flax seeds
-½ tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
-Sea salt and pepper
-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-¼ cup of fresh water, or more if necessary

In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, grind the walnuts into a fine meal. Add in the whole wheat flour, flax seed, rosemary, a good pinch of fresh sea salt, and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Grind again to mix and slightly chop the rosemary and flax seed. With the machine running, slowly add in the olive oil, followed by the water. Add enough water so that the dough just forms a ball in the food processor, about ¼ of a cup. The dough should be moist but not sticky. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm.

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll out the disc of dough to desired thickness. Thicker dough will yield softer crackers. 1/8th of an inch is about good. Cut into desired shapes, rectangles are always nice, and place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake until the crackers are lightly brown on the edges, about 15 to 20 minutes. Keeps fresh for a few days when stored in a plastic bag. Great for camping trips!

Ginger and Garlic Stir Fried Snap Peas

2008-05-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

Stir frying is one of my favorite cooking methods. It is usually quick, tasty, and interesting, especially if you are a fan of assertive flavors such as ginger, garlic, and chilies. Snap peas, and also snow peas, are both great for stir frying because they hold their shape well during cooking, are easy to cook in whole form, and are the best when served crisp-tender (tender to the bite but with a little bit of crunch still left).

Here is a quick spring pea identification lesson: Shelling peas, or English peas, are thick, full pea pods with distinctive tender whole green peas inside. Usually these peas are shelled from the pod and then used, and the pod can be used for soup. Snap peas are pods that are a little less full, and a bit smaller than shelling peas, but still contain a whole green pea inside. Both the pod and pea are eaten together as one whole unit rather than separate, and usually the pods need to be de-stringed. Snow peas are wide, very flat pea pods with just the start of green peas forming inside. These too are eaten as one whole unit, and also need to b de-stringed. Snow peas are what we typically see in Asian stir frys. Any of these peas could be used for this recipe.

The issue with stir frying is that it needs to be quick and done over high heat. This can take some practice. My advice is to have everything that will be used in the stir fry cut and ready to go before the pan even goes on the burner. Have everything close at hand so that you can go straight from one step to the next without hesitation. This makes stir frying a whole lot easier. I also feel that a gas stove is the best for stir frying. The heat can be controlled easily, and gas stoves usually have enough power to keep the wok hot. When stir frying, add the ingredients to the pan according to how long they will take to cook. For dense ingredients, such as carrots, broccoli, and onions, slice thin or cut into small florets and add in the beginning. For aromatic ingredients such as garlic, ginger, and chilies, mince and add more towards the end to keep them fragrant and fresh. Eggplant, sliced peppers, cut green beans and peas, and summer squash can all be added in the middle of the stir frying process, again, depending on what ingredients are being used. Add delicate greens and herbs right at the end, along with any sauce ingredients. Most any vegetable can be stir fried, so try this recipe with any of your favorite seasonal vegetables. some of my favorites are summer squash with the addition of Thai basil, broccoli florets, sweet potato slices, green beans, and asparagus.

Ginger and Garlic Stir Fried Snap Peas

-2 teaspoons coconut oil or olive oil (I prefer an unrefined coconut butter or oil for stir frying)

-3/4 pound de-stringed snap peas

-2 whole scallions, sliced thin

-1 generous tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

-1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic, about 4 cloves

-3 tablespoons vegetable stock or water

-1 teaspoon chili paste (optional if you like a little heat in your stir fry)

-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

-2 teaspoons sesame seeds

-Salt to taste

Heat a large, flat bottom wok over medium high heat. Add in the coconut oil/butter and as it melts scoop the oil up the sides of the pan to coat. Add in the snap peas and stir fry continuously until the peas begin to turn a bright green and ever so slightly soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the scallions and again stir continuously until they begin to wilt, about 30 seconds to a minute. Add in the minced ginger and garlic. Stir fry continuously until the ginger and garlic become very fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the vegetable stock, stir to coat the peas, and cook for about2 minutes more, or until the peas are a crisp tender. The stock or water will help to soften the peas just a little and to moisten the whole mixture. Add in the chili paste if using. Turn off the heat and mix in the sesame oil, seeds, and salt to taste.

Hearty Spring Minestrone

2008-04-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

A steaming bowl of well flavored broth filled with hearty beans, whole wheat pasta, and fresh vegetables; how could you go wrong? Minestrone soup is welcome at most tables, is adaptable to any season of the year, and can be a meal in itself.

Minestrone soup has many interpretations depending on geographical regions, whats available at the market, and the person preparing it. It almost always has some kind of bean, pasta, and mix of fresh vegetables. Minestrone can be finished and served with a drizzle of flavorful extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or swirled with a pungent pesto. Any way you make it, consider the season you are experiencing, let the farmer's market inspire you, then prepare. In the summer, use a light broth with diced summer squash, fresh tomatoes, green beans, yellow wax beans, whole basil leaves, orzo pasta, small white beans, and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. In the autumn, consider peppers, butternut squash, cranberry beans, leeks, a small shaped pasta, and a dollop of basil pesto. In the winter, go with root vegetables such as turnips, leeks, rutabagas, carrots, potatoes, celery root, hard squashes, large white beans, whole wheat pasta, and a grating of fresh Parmesan. Below is my recipe for a spring minestrone, but please, adapt to your tastes. Good vegetables in the spring include asparagus tips, cleaned and quartered small artichokes, fava beans, carrots, cauliflower, and spinach. And remember, there are many more options than what I listed above, so be creative.

Hearty Spring Minestrone

-1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

-1 leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned, cut in half, and sliced thin

-1/2 fennel bulb, diced small

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 large carrot, peeled and dice small

-9-10 cremini mushrooms, sliced

-2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme

-6 cups vegetable stock

-2 canned plum tomatoes, diced small

-12 snap peas, de-stringed and cut into thirds

-2 large handfuls fresh spinach

-3 cups cooked, whole wheat pasta such as spirals, or elbows

-1 15oz can rinsed kidney beans

-1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

-Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add in the leeks and fennel, and sweat for about 2-3 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften around the edges. Add in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add in the carrots, mushrooms, and chopped fresh thyme, and cook until the mushrooms begin to wilt and release their liquid, about 3 minutes. Add a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Add in the vegetable stock and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until well flavored and the vegetables are tender. Add in the snap peas, spinach, pasta, and beans. Bring back to a simmer and cook until the snap peas are tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as necessary. Finnish with the chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil or sprinkling of Parmesan.

Savory Roasted Spring Vegetables

2008-04-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

Roasted Vegetables are my quick fix dinner. Their versatility makes them appropriate for any season, they are easy and quick to prepare, delicious, and beautiful. All you need are sturdy seasonal vegetables, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of herbs, salt and fresh ground pepper, 30 minutes in the oven, and you have a great side dish or even full dinner. I don't know anyone who does not enjoy roasted vegetables.

Since they can be suited to any season, it is hard for a dish of roasted vegetables to become boring. Here is quick list of options for each season, along with good accompanying fresh herbs:

Spring

Beets, Cauliflower, Carrots (whole when small), New Potatoes, Baby Artichokes, Fennel, Spring Onions, Butter Turnips, Whole Red Radishes, Asparagus.

Herbs: Thyme, Oregano, and/or Savory added at the beginning. Parsley, Tarragon, Chive, and/or Fennel Frond added when the veggies come out of the oven.

Summer

Summer Squash (just wash and cut in half), Fennel, Potatoes, Peppers (in large chunks), Eggplant, Corn Cob Pieces, Garlic Cloves, Halved Plum Tomatoes.

Herbs and Seasonings: Thyme, Marjoram (really good with summer squash), Minced Garlic (the garlic works here because most summer vegetables need little roasting time), all added at the beginning. Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, added at the end.

Autumn

Sweet Potatoes, Any kind of Potato, Winter Squash (butternut chunks, acorn round, kobacha, sweet dumpling, pumpkin), Beets, Cauliflower, Carrots, Chunks of Peppers, Eggplant, Whole Garlic Cloves.

Herbs and Seasonings: Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Marjoram, Whole Bay Leaves, Fresh Ground Dried Chilies, Fresh Ground Cumin, all added at the beginning. Parsley and Basil added at the end with Eggplant and Peppers.

Winter

Potatoes, Onion Pieces, Winter Squash, Sweet Potato, Celery Root, Turnips, Rutabagas, Whole Garlic Cloves, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cabbage Wedges, Fennel (if you have good winter weather).

Herbs and Seasonings: Rosemary, Sage, Oregano, Thyme, Whole Bay Leaves, Paprika, Mustard, Winter Savory, all added at the beginning.

I'm sure there are other options I have missed, so be creative. It is hard to mess up roasted vegetables. A few rules to follow are; always cut the vegetables in larger chunks so they do not dry out, drizzle with olive oil for moistness and flavor, salt right before putting in the oven (if you add salt an hour before roasting, the salt will pull out moisture from the veggies, making them crisp up more in the oven, which can be good for potatoes if you like oven fries), and cut everything the same size so they cook in the same amount of time. Roast vegetables between 350 degrees (for harder, denser vegetables that need longer cooking) and 400-425 degrees for shorter cooking vegetables.

Savory Roasted Spring Vegetables

-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

- 1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into large florets

-3 medium sized carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

-2 large spring onions, cut in quarters through the root

-3 red or golden beets, peeled and cut in quarters

-2 bulbs fennel, cut in quarters through the root

-1 tablespoon fresh chopped savory

-salt and fresh ground pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss all the cut vegetables, except the beets, in a large bowl with the olive oil, most of the savory, a sprinkling of salt, and fresh ground pepper. Pour out onto a sheet tray lined with baking paper and arrange in a single layer (use two sheet trays if you need to). Toss the beets with the left over savory, a little more olive oil if the bowl is dry, and salt and pepper, arrange on the sheet trays as well, away from the other vegetables (the beets will turn everything red or yellow). Roast in the oven, stirring about every 10-15 minutes, until tender and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes. Serve hot.

Berries n' Cream Steel Cut Oatmeal

2008-04-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

Breakfast has always been a bit of a challenge for me, actually eating it that is. I am now finally in the habit of eating breakfast every morning. One of my most favorite breakfast foods is steel cut oats, which are more nutritious than quick cooking oats, and definitely more nutritious than instant packaged oatmeal. The more you process a food, the less nutritious it becomes. But, instant oatmeal is always better than a sugar cereal, so I am not denouncing it.

If you have the inclination, and time, steel cut oats are worth it. They make a substantial breakfast, have a wonderful chewy texture, and sweet, true oat flavor. They are not hard to prepare by any means, they just need to cook for about 20 minutes with occasional stirring. Steel cut oats, or Scottish oats, are whole oat groats that have been cut into two or three pieces. Oats are great for helping to lower cholesterol (as is any whole grain), are high in soluble fiber (which helps to remove cholesterol), have good amounts of B vitamins, calcium, and protein. Oats are good anytime of the day depending on how they are prepared. In countries where oats are an important food source, places such as Ireland and Scotland, oats are eaten as a simple porridge just flavored with a little salt and fat. Oats have a natural affinity for many foods. Examples are berries, bananas, apples, pumpkin or butternut squash, nuts and seeds, cinnamon, and root vegetables. Berries happen to be my favorite, and since organic strawberries have shown up at the market, I can't seem to get enough of the following recipe; Berries n' Cream Steel Cut Oatmeal. I don't actually use cream, but you can if you like, it will be much richer than my version. I like to use a thick, homemade almond milk, or full fat soy milk. If this was to be prepared on a weekend, say for company, I would set out a basic, piping hot pot of cooked steel cut oats and put all the garnishes on the side, like a buffet, and let everyone make their own. It's hard to say how much milk and sweetener a person likes in their oatmeal, it's quite personal actually.When finished, this oatmeal turns a beautiful purple and smells heavenly with berries. This oatmeal is a great start to any day. The below recipe serves two if you have a hungry husband and are yourself pregnant, or 4 with other foods along side, like toast or scrambled eggs.

Berries n' Cream Steel Cut Oatmeal

-1 cup organic steel cut oats
-3 cups water
-pinch of salt
-4 cups of berries, fresh or frozen (defrost before hand)
-soy milk, almond milk, cow's milk, or even real cream (you will need much less if using real cream)
-real maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup

Place the oats, water, and salt in a 4 quart saucepan and bring up to a simmer. Simmer the oats, stirring often, until quite tender and the oatmeal is very thick, about 20 minutes. Set up a large bowl of the berries, a pitcher or two of chosen milks, and a bowl of chosen sweetener/s. Ladle the very hot oatmeal into each bowl and let everyone garnish their own. Alternatively, add the berries to the oatmeal and stir in while still on the heat to slightly soften the berries. Serve as above. I like to add frozen blueberries and blackberries to the oatmeal while still on the heat, stir in to defrost and soften, stir in strawberries and maple syrup off heat, and then top with a good pouring of fresh, homemade almond milk.

A True Vegetable of Spring; Fresh Fava Beans

2008-04-17T13:11:00.000-07:00

Ahh, fava beans, one of the last truly seasonal vegetables. Every spring their thick pods begin to overcrowd the market stands. I'm a lover of fava beans and have high anticipation every spring for their arrival. I say they are one of the last truly seasonal vegetables because you would be hard pressed to find a fresh fava outside of its spring season. Unlike foods such as watermelon, tomatoes, and asparagus, fresh favas cannot readily be found year round. But this fact is what makes them so spectacular and worth the effort. When we eat seasonally from farmer's markets we soon begin to appreciate a food for what it's really worth. If you have to wait for tomato season, or watermelon season, your going to respect and treat that food with nothing but integrity, knowing you have waited all year for the best a season has to offer. One of the greatest concepts of a seasonal farmer's market is what it can't provide; year round promises of tasteless, inferior produce.

If you have ever prepared fresh fava beans, you know they can be a bit of work. Their thick pods must first be removed to reveal the light green, kidney shaped beans inside, which then need to be quickly steamed or blanched to remove their leathery outer shell. These de-podded and de-shelled beans are what we normally consume as fresh favas. Fava beans can also be left on the vines to grow large and yellow, and then dried to be used year round. Most favas are eaten in this form, but I prefer the fresh version more. I have heard and read recipes using the pods of the fava beans, but have never found one I really enjoy. I don't like wasting food, and fresh fava beans have a waste percentage of about 80%, so I typically compost my pods, which seem to break down quite fast and add a good amount of greens to the compost pile. If the beans inside the pods are small an naturally tender, then their leathery outer shell does not need to be removed.

Since fresh fava beans take some effort to prepare and are only around for a short amount of time, I like to prepare them as simply as possible. I actually prefer to prepare most of my foods in simple ways, letting their true flavors, colors, and textures speak for themselves. I believe there is great genius in simplicty. One of the tastiest ways to prepare fresh favas is to serve them with a good bread, sheep's milk cheese, and cracked black pepper. I decided to go with this theme for my first fava preparation of the season, but switched out sheep's milk cheese for goat's (only because that is what I had on hand). I also had a bunch of beautiful red spring onions, so decided to incorporate those as well. Spring onions look sort of like overgrown scallions, with bulbs that get bigger as the season progresses. If you can't find spring onions, then use scallions instead, or even an equal amount of minced shallot. For the favas, first remove the beans from the thick pods. Drop the beans into a pot of boiling water and blanch for about 1-2 minutes if they are to be sauteed later, or until tender if being used right away. For this recipe, they will be sauteed later, so blanch quickly to avoid overcooking them. Once blanched, shock in cold water to stop the cooking process and set the color. Slip the favas out of their leathery skin and set aside. Now they are ready to use. You will need about 1 1/2 pounds of fresh favas in their pods to get 1 cup of ready to use beans.

Fava Bean, Spring Onion, and Goat's Cheese Crostini

-8-10 slices whole grain baguette or other sturdy, crusty bread
-4 large cloves garlic, papery skin still on
-4 oz chevre style goat's cheese at room temperature
-1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
-1 cup shelled and peeled fresh fava beans
-3 small spring onions, bulbs and 1 inch of green top, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
-salt and fresh ground black pepper
-fresh chopped parsely

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush each slice of whole grain bread with a small amount of olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake until slightly browned on the edges and crunchy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. These toasts can be done up to a day in advance. While the toasts are baking, wrap the whole garlic cloves up in a small piece of foil and bake until very soft, about 20 minutes. Squeeze the garlic out of its skins, chop fine, and set aside.

Lightly mash the goat's cheese with a fork in a bowl. Mix in the roasted garlic, minced rosemary, and a little salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a medium sized saute pan, heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add in the fava beans and sliced spring onions. Season with salt and a little ground black pepper (don't overdo the pepper!). Stir often, adjusting the heat as neccessary to avoiding burning, until the onions have wilted and fava beans are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add a splash of water or vegetable stock, about 1-2 tablespoons, and stir to mix. This gives a little moisture to the mix, which may be quite dry. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the fresh chopped parsely.

Spread each toast with some of the goat's cheese spread, top generously with the sauteed fava beans, and a little more fresh chopped parsely if desired. Great with a salad of seasonal greens and fennel, and maybe even a poached egg.

Energizing Green Spring Broth

2008-04-15T08:04:00.001-07:00

I decided to use up my asparagus ends from Sunday's salad. I despise throwing food away, and try to utilize as much as I can from everything I buy, especially since the cost of food is rising considerably. I always save the tough, woody ends of my asparagus stalks, you know, the ones you snap off before cooking the delicious stalks and tips. Woody as they may be, they still harbor some great asparagus flavor.

Another so called vegetable scrap that I save is the long, light green, hollow stalks from fennel bulbs. I look at fennel as two vegetables, plus an herb (herb coming from the beautiful, feathery green fronds that grow from the stalks). These stalks can be stringy, but are very potent in fennel flavor, and I find it a shame that most fennel sold in grocery stores comes with its tops hacked off at the bulb. Murderous if you ask me. If you make any kind of stock, especially vegetable stock, these tops can be a great addition, just like leek tops, celery root tops, and spring onion tops.

So, now I have a bag filled with two texturally unappealing vegetables that have tremendous flavor. What to do? Soup is the first thing to come to mind, but with the stringiness of both vegetables, a pureed soup is not going to work well. But a pureed soup strained to make a flavorful broth would. So, that is what I did, and the recipe is posted below. The broth is energizing, clean, and light. I added some sauteed minced fennel bulb and extra asparagus tips to enrich the broth a little as a garnish, along with a quick mint oil for aroma and richness, and a sprinkling of rosemary flowers for a sudden, once-in-awhile burst of flavor. The broth is not substantial enough to be a meal on its own, but makes a great first course before a light dinner. I would probably serve four people with this broth, in 1 cup portions. You will need some special equipment for this broth, which, if you cook a lot, you might already have. You will need a very good blender (a vita-mix is the best), and a fine mesh strainer. After you strain the broth and see the contents that are left over, you will immediately understand why it has to be strained. The mint oil taste delicious, but is not necessary. A drizzling of good, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil would be just as tasty. I used the enchanting little purple rosemary flowers for garnish just because I had some in the garden. Here is the recipe.

Energizing Green Spring Broth

-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil**

-1 cup chopped spring onions (about 4 small bulbs) or scallions

-1 clove garlic, sliced

-2 cups chopped fennel stalks

-3 cups chopped asparagus ends

-1 quart vegetable stock or water (I used water)

-salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

For the Garnish:

-1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil**

-3/4 cup small diced fennel bulb

-15 asparagus tips, about 1-2 inches long

Heat the olive oil in a 4 quart soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add in the chopped spring onions and sliced garlic. Stir often, letting the vegetables sweat, soften, and release their water, about 3-4 minutes. Adjust the heat if needed so that the vegetables do not brown or burn. Add in the chopped fennel stalks, a pinch a salt, and stir. Again, let this sweat for about 3 more minutes, stirring often. Add in the asparagus, another good pinch of salt, white pepper, and the stock or water. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the asparagus and fennel are tender, about 15 minutes. Pour the soup into a blender, and puree on high until very smooth, or as smooth as possible. Do this in batches if necessary, I do not recommend filling a blender up to the very top with hot liquid, you are almost guaranteed to burn yourself. Strain each batch through a fine mesh strainer, pushing on the solids to extract as much broth as possible with the back of a large ladle. Return the broth to the clean pot and re-heat and season as necessary. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish as desired.

For the garnish, heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. When warm, add in the diced fennel, and sweat until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir often and adjust the heat as necessary to avoid browning, this should be gentle cooking. Add in the asparagus tips and about 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a simmer and slightly cover to let the asparagus steam to a crisp tender. Garnish each bowl of broth with a spoonful of asparagus tips and diced fennel, and rosemary flowers if available, or even some chopped fresh mint.

Mint Oil

-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil**

-1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Heat the olive oil and mint leaves in a small pan over low heat. Let the oil become quite warm to soften the mint leaves. Leave on gentle heat for about 4 minutes, turn off the heat, and let infuse for at least 30 minutes before straining. Drizzle into the above broth to garnish. Save any left overs in a small jar in the refrigerator.

**I almost always cook with an extra virgin olive oil because it has a slightly high smoking point and is heart healthy, but I do not cook with the best one I can find. I usually keep two kinds of extra virgin olive oil on hand; a cold-pressed, organic one that I use to season, say for salads or dips, or for anything where the flavor of the oil is important. For cooking, I buy a less expensive extra virgin olive oil that is not as high quality.

Asparagus and Wild Rice; A Beautiful Combo

2008-04-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

I think spring may officially be here. Well, at least on the Central Coast of California it is. I spend about 45 minutes to an hour every Saturday morning at my local farmer's market buying food for my husband and I (me plus growing baby) for the week. About 75% of what we eat comes from this market, and we eat almost 100% seasonally. The California Central Coast is blessed climate wise and we have packed farmer's markets year round, brimming with seasonal produce. If you start to follow this blog, you will notice that almost all of my recipes are based upon the seasons and what produce is available at my market. That is not to say that I do not buy produce from other regions, for example tropical fruits. I do, but if a food is local to my region, I always opt to buy this first before any other.

The last two markets have been showing the promises of spring, with snap and shelling peas, asparagus, more varieties of greens than I can count, fava beans, and spring garlic and onions at every stand. We always have cauliflower, broccoli, radish, fennel, carrots, and beets (as I said, we are blessed) so these are usual foods on our weekly menus. I bought my first bunch of local asparagus and decided to make the below salad with it, one of my favorites. I wrote this recipe a little over a year ago and added it to a small vegan cookbook I wrote for a vegetarian cooking class I teach a couple times every spring.

Normally, I cook wild rice in the fall and winter, with its complex flavors and heady aromas comforting our chilly house, but this recipe is a good way to use wild rice in the spring. Wild rice is one of the few grains (actually, the seed to an aquatic grass) that is native to the Americas, the Great Lakes area to be exact. Most of the wild rice available to us today is actually commercially grown in California. This wild rice lacks the complexity of available colors and flavors of a true wild rice, but is still good, and is a little more consistent in size and cooking time. If you have some true wild rice available, use it, your salad will turn out a little more interesting. This salad is quite light on the stomach and I find the additions of Myer lemon and fennel to be crisp and refreshing. If asparagus is not available or unwanted (who doesn't like asparagus?), snap peas are just as good, and toasted sunflower seeds make a tasty replacement for hazelnuts. I also sometimes like to add thin slices of steamed beets to the bottom of the platter. I always save my ends that I remove from my asparagus spears to use in some kind of pureed soup where the stringy texture will not prevail. Most likely a recipe featuring these ends will come forth some time this week, so stay tuned and save yours. Hope you like the salad.

Wild Rice, Asparagus, and Hazelnut Salad with
Meyer Lemon-Shallot Dressing

-½ cup wild rice
-15 asparagus spears with tough ends removed, cut into

¾ inch pieces and slightly blanched**
-½ cup finely minced fennel bulb
-½ cup toasted, chopped hazelnuts
-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
-1 teaspoon minced tarragon
-1 tablespoon minced fennel frond

Dressing Ingredients:

-1 tablespoon minced shallot

-1/4 cup Myer lemon juice
-1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

-2 teaspoons raw honey
-2 teaspoons white miso
-1/4 cup organic, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:
Combined the ½ cup wild rice with 1 ½ cups water and a pinch of salt in a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil and immediately turn down to a simmer and cover. Cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Pour the rice out onto a plate to cool. When cool, combine the cooked wild rice with the blanched asparagus spears**, minced fennel, and chopped hazelnuts. Season with a little salt and pepper, set aside.

For the dressing:
Place the minced shallots, Meyer lemon juice, vinegar, honey, and white miso in a medium sized glass jar fitted with a lid. Shake the jar to mix the ingredients and to incorporate the miso. Remove the lid and add in the olive oil. Shake vigorously again. Alternately, whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Slowly add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, to evenly incorporate while constantly whisking.

Assemble the salad:
Pour about 4 tablespoons of the dressing over the rice mixture to moisten. Mix well and taste for seasoning of salt and white pepper. Let the salad stand a few minutes to absorb the dressing and taste again. If it is too dry and bland, add about 2 more tablespoons and repeat the same procedure, allowing the rice to absorb the dressing. This recipe usually takes about 6 tablespoons of dressing, but it is a good idea to add slow. You can always add more, but never take away. Add the herbs right before serving to preserve their bright flavors. This salad serves about 4 people as a side dish, or 2 as a main course.

** To blanch the asparagus pieces: Instead of dropping the pieces into lots of rapidly boiling salted water, instead, I place the pieces into a large bowl and cover with three times as much simmering water and cover. I leave this for about 3-4 minutes, or until the asparagus reach a crisp-tender texture. I then immediately drain the asparagus and run under cold water to cool quickly and preserve crunch and color. I like the asparagus just slightly crunchy for this dish, and I prefer the gentle cooking this method provides. Your asparagus will not turn brown from this unless you leave it in the hot water for a long time. This is the method I use when I want to just take away the raw edge from a vegetable.

My Food Philosophy

2008-04-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

Since this is my very first blog post ever, I'm going to start with an introduction of who I am, followed by my food philosophy.

I've started this blog as a way to convey my thoughts, emotions, knowledge, and passions for seasonal foods, small farmers (usually organic), vegetable gardening, and most of all, cooking. I'm a whole foods chef (with classic French training) and I teach culinary arts for my local community college. I am married and 5 months pregnant with our first child. I feel as if I have so much to say and teach regarding whole, seasonal foods, and am hoping this blog can be an effective avenue to have lively discussions regarding current foods systems, concerns, sharing of cooking knowledge and recipes, promotions of farmer's markets and CSAs, or anything that has to do with clean and honest foods. Most of the time I think I will be posting recipes I am writing for my cook book Seasonal Cuisine, but also intend to include posts about current food issues and happenings, book reviews (involving food of course), probably rantings and ravings over certain food systems (school lunches being a big one), and so on. I would appreciate and welcome any comments, questions, answers, stories, and discussion topics.

So now that you know a little about what I am hoping to offer and gain from this blog, here is My Food Philosophy. I give this to all my culinary arts students so that they can know right away how I feel about food and cooking.

My Food Philosophy

You will never meet a gardener who does not appreciate and respect every meal they prepare and consume. Gardeners are aware of the part they play in maintaining the health of their plot, and understand that they must work with the rhythms of the seasons and forces of nature, not against them. My parents fed our family straight from the garden, and most of what we ate came from it. Everyone had to participate in the planting, growing, composting, and nurturing of this garden, deepening our relationship with our main source of food. This was the start of a love affair for me. The process of life in a garden, from soil, to seed, to family table, was something I learned at quite a young age.

Along with this garden came a nightly tradition; my family always had dinner together around the table, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I have come to deeply appreciate this simple household rule that kept (and still keeps), our family so well bonded. This simple ritual of family meeting around a table of honest food to nourish hungry bodies, also nourishes hungry hearts. It’s a ritual missing from many families that could make such a difference. More than just physical nourishment was accomplished at our family dinner table. Jokes were told, chaos awakened, peculiar eating habits discovered, and the fate of boyfriends decided, all in one glorious hour of consumption. There is more to food than the ability to quench bodily hunger; its ability to bond and connect is its greatest virtue.

Honest food prepared with love and integrity has the magnificent ability to bind not only families, but communities as well. Different cuisines stir up interests of origin, especially in the minds of young people, and as knowledge and understanding are established, fear and hatred are broken down, and acceptance, if not respect, is accomplished. The connection between earth, seed, plant, table, and body, can be realized in any honest meal, and everyone in this world, no matter what country or culture, takes part in this connection.

My eating habits have changed somewhat since I was a little girl, running around in that garden, but I have lost neither love, nor hunger, for that earth to table relationship. My seasonal, whole foods diet is a direct product of that relationship, and is the basis to my outlook on life. I know that in every country, every culture, there is a similar little girl skipping through rows of tangled beans, nibbling fresh carrots and peas, developing the same love for earth to table, and realizing that all human beings are connected through the simple, basic act of eating. Our actions at home can have profound effects else where, and just the act of being responsible for what we eat can change the world we live in. As John Muir once said, “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

Enjoy!

~Correne Quigley-Faysal~