Printer & Piemaker: Food

Another Green Couscous

2012-01-21T23:35:00.000-08:00

This one comes from Jamie Magazine and is a little bit quicker to prepare than the Ottolenghi recipe (due to the lack of caramelized onions)- I think it took me about 15 minutes altogether, and I've made it twice this week already! Full of broccoli, greens (Jamie uses spinach but I had kale), toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and seasoned with harissa, I found this to be very satisfying and quite healthy.

Chicory and Roasted Beet Salad, Curried Chicken Salad, Toast

2012-01-16T22:07:00.000-08:00

I made the chicken salad with a bit of curry powder and a good amount of mango chutney mixed in. I dressed the chicories and beets with orange juice, and tossed some toasted pumpkin seeds in as well.

Dessert Tray

2012-01-15T20:10:00.001-08:00

From left to right: brown butter shortbread, rose jellies, truffle balls, lime meltaways. For the truffles, I used the recipe for my favorite truffle cake, and I just rolled the ganache into balls and tossed them in the candied almonds instead of layering them.

Creme Fraiche Scones

2012-01-15T20:08:00.001-08:00

I've been looking for a good scone recipe for years, and I think this is the one! These are slightly sweet and they would be great for shortcake too. I served them with clotted cream, homemade lemon curd, and cherry-lime-ginger jam that I made from the cherries I harvested this summer.

Finger Sandwiches

2012-01-15T20:06:00.001-08:00

A few lady friends came over for tea and as usual I went a little overboard. I made some classic British sandwiches: cucumber and butter, egg salad with watercress, roast beef with horseradish creme, curried chicken salad with mango chutney, and salmon and cream cheese.

Winter Vegetable Salad

2012-01-13T22:49:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of Jamie Magazine came in the mail yesterday and it's full of recipes I want to make (including a whole section on celery!). This salad was perfection: roasted root vegetables (beets and carrots in this case) and red onions, toasted chunks of bread, shredded chicken, pomegranate seeds, sunflower seeds and pepitas, and an assortment of beautiful baby chicories from the market, all dressed in a honey-orange vinaigrette. There are a lot of components, to be sure, but in all it took about 40 minutes to prepare (including roasting time), and I will definitely be making it again. I only wish my shoddy nighttime photography accurately depicted what a beautiful plate this was.

Lentil Soup

2012-01-11T18:57:00.001-08:00

I saw lentil soup on another blog recently and decided I should make some. I improvised mine- first I made some veggie stock (carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, bay, peppercorns), then I cooked lentils in it along with some more carrots, celery, and onion, puréed about 2/3 of that, and added the rest back in for texture. I had it with some whole grain bread from Acme, and it really hit the spot!

Celery, Romaine, Apple

2012-01-11T15:46:00.000-08:00

Pomegranate Tangerine

2012-01-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

Chickpea and Kale salad with Cilantro, Red Onion, and Lime

2012-01-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

Also: a little toasted coriander, cumin, and chili.

Here is why dried chickpeas are so much better than canned ones: because you can add flavor to them by cooking them with garlic, salt, and herbs, or even a little tomato. Canned chickpeas can be seasoned, but they won't take on the flavors in the same way. Also, the texture is so much better with ones you cook yourself; canned ones can be a bit mushy sometimes.

Cheater Mac and Cheese

2012-01-08T19:10:00.000-08:00

Every now and then I find myself desperately craving mac and cheese, but don't have the time or patience to wait for it to bake. This version tastes just as good and uses so much less cheese that it's a healthy option, too, and it only takes about 10 minutes to put together. Here's how: boil pasta, drain and toss with a little butter, shaved Parmesan cheese to taste, salt and pepper, and top with toasted breadcrumbs. You'd be surprised how little cheese you need to get the full effect- you can use something other than Parmesan, but I recommend something equally strong-flavored.

Smashed, Spicy Kabocha with Yogurt

2012-01-06T11:27:00.001-08:00

I roasted the squash with cumin, coriander, caraway, clove, and crushed chili, and a little garlic and bay leaf.

Beet, Grapefruit, Tangerine

2012-01-06T11:26:00.001-08:00

Cucumber, Kale, Celery, Apple, Lime

2011-12-27T01:52:00.000-08:00

Grapefruit-Carrot-Orange Juice

2011-12-24T11:53:00.000-08:00

Black Bean Chili with Skillet Cornbread

2011-12-17T22:23:00.001-08:00

I made a big pot of chili for a dinner party the other night, using Anaheim and Pasilla peppers, chipotle in adobo, and a healthy dose of Ancho chile powder for an extra kick. I served it with a dollop of sour cream, some crumbled cotijo cheese, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime, and am enjoying the leftovers as I write this post. I also made sweet potatoes baked in foil (with maple butter), and skillet cornbread from this recipe, which is now officially my go-to cornbread recipe.

Fettucine with Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Anchovy, Garlic, Chili, and Breadcrumbs

2011-12-12T21:27:00.000-08:00

This weekend ended up being a lot more taxing than I expected, so I decided to postpone my cleanse for another, sunnier week. In the meantime, I've been enjoying solid, cooked food, and this simple dish really hit the spot tonight when another friend who's been under the weather stopped by.

Pre-Cleanse

2011-12-09T21:57:00.001-08:00

I have a confession: I am a closet juicer. I purchased my very own juicer recently and am completely in love with it. It's generally not a great idea to drink too much juice, especially fruit juices or starchy vegetable juices (like carrot or beet) because of the high sugar content, but I have been starting every day with a glass of leafy green juice (I like a combination of kale, celery, romaine lettuce, green apple, ginger, and lemon), and it makes me feel great. The wonderful thing about drinking your vegetables is that it gives your digestive system a break- you get to absorb all the nutrients in the food without having to process any of the roughage.

Although I normally only drink one glass of juice a day, I try to do a juice cleanse for a few days every season. In the past I've ordered juices from Blue Print Cleanse (some other great bottled options are Can Can Cleanse here in SF, Organic Avenue in NY, or Ritual Cleanse in LA), but the shipping time really depletes the enzymes in the juices that are so nutritionally important, and the cost is a bit prohibitive for regular cleansing, which is why I saved up for my own Super Angel 5500 juicer.

It's important to wean yourself off of most foods before you start juicing, to avoid shocking your body, so I like to spend the week before a cleanse doing just that. On Monday I stopped eating meat, Thursday I stopped eating (most*) refined sugars and white flours and had my last bit of dairy, and tomorrow (Saturday) I will start eating only raw vegetables and fruits so that on Monday my body is adjusted and ready to cleanse! In the past I've made some scheduling mistakes and started cleansing without a much prep time, and the resulting detox was pretty gross. I'm starting my three day cleanse on Monday, so in the interest of this blog being a record of what I eat, I thought I'd share some of the raw foods I'm eating this weekend, and the juices I'll be drinking next week.

Some of the easiest and best things to eat in preparation for a cleanse are raw greens, like arugula. I dress mine in a little bit of mustard and lemon juice, and I like to have some avocado with it for substance. Because I haven't gone completely raw yet, and I do love my fiber, tonight I also had half a roasted sweet potato with some salt and pepper.

*I must admit I was not super strict about this one- today I had some bhatura with lunch- but I won't be having any more grains (even whole ones) for the rest of the week.

Chocolate Layer Cake

2011-12-05T01:21:00.000-08:00

My mom and I were reminiscing about some of the "special treat" foods we would eat when I was a kid and my father would travel. (When my mother travelled, my dad and I would eat all kinds of hot dog concoctions, among other things.) I specifically remembered eating macaroni and cheese, and Entenmann's chocolate cake- which my mother tells me we only had one time, in a pinch- so we decided to recreate the meal when my father left on a month long trip to Patagonia. We used this recipe from Katie Quinn Davies. We opted to make it square so it would be more reminiscent of the supermarket variety.

Shepherd's Pie

2011-11-30T18:15:00.000-08:00

This was a collaboration- we used lamb cooked with onions, yellow beets, herbs, and red wine, and we topped it with potatoes mashed with celeriac and a healthy sprinkling of aged cheddar cheese. This picture is terrible, but I can promise that the result was delicious!

Chickpeas, Squash and Purple Kale with Yogurt

2011-11-10T16:22:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the master, Yotam Ottolenghi- I cooked the squash with caraway and it was delicious!

Hummus with Preserved Lemon

2011-11-09T13:21:00.001-08:00

Hummus: chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt. I think it's best when you use dried chickpeas, but canned work if you're in a hurry.

Yogurt with Persimmons and Honey

2011-11-07T15:02:00.000-08:00

Scrambled Eggs with Purple Kale, Creme Fraiche, and the Last of the Cherry Tomatoes from my Garden

2011-11-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

Sweet Potato and Lentil Tacos with Goat Cheese and Arugula

2011-11-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

This was a quick and easy meal that was super satisfying: sweet potatoes, salty lentils, creamy goat cheese, and fresh greens dressed in lemon juice to add some texture and acidity. I used white sweet potatoes, which is why you can't really see them in this picture.

Couscous with Basil Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes

2011-10-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

(Pesto recipe here.)

Lentils and Squash

2011-10-19T12:41:00.001-07:00

Last week it was summer here in the Bay Area- 80 degrees and sunny- and yesterday it turned cold and cloudy, with even a bit of rain. Although the weather report promises highs in the 70s for the forseeable future, my palate is starting to shift towards cozy foods like this wintertime classic. I probably eat some variation of this dish every day during the colder months, maybe with chickpeas or black beans instead of lentils, or sweet potato instead of squash, or the addition of some hearty greens or even a grain like couscous, farro, or rice. Sometimes I'll add cheese in the form of buffala mozzarella, homemade ricotta, or chevre. But the basics are always the same: roast the squash for about a half hour with spices and olive oil (I like a combination of coriander, clove, nutmeg and chilli), cook the lentils at the same time with herbs (thyme, sage, or even just a bay leaf can be great) and garlic, and combine.

Lentils with Cherry Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

2011-10-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

The last of the cherry tomatoes from my garden...

Chickpeas, Avocado Toast

2011-10-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

Pear Clafoutis

2011-10-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

When I was in Paris a couple of years ago, I had the most amazing clafoutis in a tiny wine bar near the Louvre. It wasn't on the menu, but the woman behind the bar brought a slice out for another patron and I pointed and somehow managed to order one myself. This recipe was Julia Child's, and it wasn't quite as custardy as the one in my memory, but it was still a delicious way to use up more of my dad's pears and the perfect finish to a French themed picnic dinner this weekend.

Spicy Squash, Black Bean, and Herb Salad with Lime

2011-10-13T19:44:00.001-07:00

Black Cod Baked with Tahini, Spicy Roasted Squash, Chickpeas and Spinach, Herb, Orange and Olive Salad

2011-10-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

A team effort: three dishes from Moro and one from my imagination. It is still hard to get good lighting at night without some sort of fancy rig. I'm working on it...

Caramelized Fennel with Goat Cheese, Shelling Beans, and Arugula Salad

2011-10-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

The caramelized fennel is a recipe from Plenty.

Roasted Jerusalem Artichoke and Cherry Tomato Salad with Haloumi

2011-10-05T16:52:00.000-07:00

This is the first Ottolenghi recipe I haven't loved. I love all the ingredients individually, but there was something about the combination of the Haloumi (admittedly, the recipe calls for Manouri, but suggests Haloumi as a substitute) and the sunchokes that just didn't work for me. I roasted the sunchokes on a tray instead of in a covered dish as the book recommends- I wanted them to get a little caramelized and I thought that with all the liquid in the dish they would just steam. I think I probably should have just put the tomatoes on that same tray, instead of caramelizing them in a frying pan as the recipe specifies, if only to save dishes.

*Addendum! In my hurry to eat, I completely forgot to add the basil oil, which is supposed to be drizzled over the top of the salad. Not sure if that would have changed my opinion or not...

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Lemon Grass Creme Fraiche

2011-10-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

Another from Plenty. The yams are roasted with ground coriander and olive oil, and the sauce is made of lemongrass, ginger, lime juice and zest, and creme fraiche, and garnished with chillies and cilantro.

Green Couscous

2011-10-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

Another one from Plenty; I guess if it weren't for the sections on eggplant and mushrooms, I would just give in and say I'm doing one of those "work your way through the cookbook" projects. But it's hard not to keep going back to the book, when every recipe I've tried has been a winner, including this one. It's couscous with lots of herbs (dill, mint, parsely, cilantro, tarragon), caramelized onion, toasted pistachios, chillies, and arugula.

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Tagine over Saffron Couscous

2011-09-30T20:58:00.001-07:00

Wow. This morning, exhausted and feeling lazy, I decided to soak some chickpeas to have for dinner, without any sort of plan for how I wanted to use them. At some point this afternoon, I pulled out my trusty copy of Plenty and took a peek to see if any new chickpea recipes would inspire me, and discovered this one, which called almost exclusively for ingredients I already had at home (the squash, cilantro and tomatoes came from the garden, and the rest was all in the pantry- I keep harissa and preserved lemons in my fridge at all times), except for parsnips and carrots, which I left out. The dish has a few different components- the chickpeas (which I cooked with the tomatoes, bay leaf, coriander seed, and garlic), the couscous (cooked with saffron, and I added some ghee at the end for extra yumminess), and the squash (which I roasted in a dutch oven with shallots, more bay leaf, cardamom pods, star anise, cinnamon, and a myriad of other recommended spices)- but in the end it is pretty simple, and if you have the patience to let some chickpeas soak and wait 45 minutes for them and your squash/root veg to cook, the rest comes together in no time. And boy oh boy is it good! I am already anticipating the leftovers...

Toasted Fresh Cannellini Beans, Early Girl Tomatoes, Mascarpone

2011-09-28T16:08:00.001-07:00

The dollop of mascarpone made this a very decadent lunch.

Eggs with Arugula, Yogurt, Fried Sage, and Chillies

2011-09-25T19:02:00.001-07:00

Guess where this came from? Yep, Plenty. What can I say? Every recipe looks better than the last, and I don't think there's a single one I'm not dying to make.

Roasted Autumn Fruit with Custard

2011-09-25T17:09:00.001-07:00

Our friends from Seattle were in town so Erik and I made this to take to a lovely dinner in their honor. We used two kinds of figs and two kinds of pluots, cooked with a little lemon juice, orange zest, sugar, and vanilla bean.

Tarte Tatin with Creme Fraiche Ice Cream

2011-09-22T12:10:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make something using my dad's current crop of extra tart apples, and as it happens, apple pie is a favorite of the dinner guest I was having over this week. Instead of an American apple pie, I decided to try my hand at the classic French version- tarte tatin. I've made banana tarte tatin, and tomato tarte tatin, but never the traditional apple. I followed Jamie Oliver's recipe, which was very simple, but I got impatient waiting for the liquid from the apples to reduce before adding the puff pastry, and it got a little soggy. When I reheated the tarte for this photo, it got a little close to the broiler, so my apologies for the unsightly burnt edge. Either way (soggy or burnt) it still tasted great, and the ice cream (for which I used David Lebovitz's recipe) was fabulous and the perfect tangy accompaniment to this sweet dessert.

Fig and Basil Salad with Goat Cheese

2011-09-22T12:06:00.000-07:00

Inspired by yet another recipe in Plenty, with Genovese and Thai Basil, Arugula, and a pomegranate molasses dressing.

Braised Short Ribs and Rapini over Fresh Corn Polenta

2011-09-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

I have been eyeing this recipe for fresh corn "polenta" in Plenty for a while now. The corn was so sweet, I would happily eat it for breakfast any day of the week. Last night I served it with braised short ribs and some sauteed rapini to cut the richness of the beef. I cooked the ribs for about four hours with beef stock, red wine, and lots of aromatics. Yum!

Charentais Melon, Buffala Mozzarella, Basil, Sea Salt, Olive Oil

2011-09-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

I guess this is just a fancier version of cantaloupe and cottage cheese, but boy is it good...

Roasted Butternut Squash with Lime, Chillies, Cilantro, and Yogurt-Tahini Dressing

2011-09-20T22:27:00.000-07:00

Another Ottolenghi recipe (the squash is marinated in cardamom and allspice), made with the first of my homegrown butternut squashes! I am so proud of this little squash- he started as a seed that I saved last year, sprouted in my kitchen, planted and nurtured, and tonight he made a delicious dinner!

Shakshouka

2011-09-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Shakshouka is a North African dish. I followed Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe in Plenty, which includes a bit of sugar, and I think next time I'd probably just wing it instead. Either way, it was a delicious breakfast!

Fresh Butter Beans with Tuna, Onions, Capers and Chillies

2011-09-11T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is a preparation I use a lot for quick pasta dinners (sautee onions until translucent with chilli flakes and capers, add tuna packed in oil to warm through, and toss with pasta), but I had these fresh butter beans from the market, and I thought I'd use them instead. Cannellinis and tuna are a classic combo, and I thought this worked out really well.

Tomato Party!

2011-09-07T21:53:00.000-07:00

Erik came over and we made this dish from Plenty, which is actually called "Tomato Party." It consists of: couscous, fregola, roasted and fresh tomatoes, garlic, tarragon, mint, and oregano. It was good warm but I think it would be even better as a cold salad for a picnic or barbeque. Also, it made me think of this song.

Bruschetta with Braised Fennel and Salumi

2011-09-02T21:52:00.001-07:00

Strawberries with Creme Fraiche and Sugar

2011-09-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

Early Girl Tomatoes with Fleur Vert Goat Cheese and Basil

2011-08-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

Whole-grain Mustard, Rabbit Rillettes, and Peach on Walnut Toast

2011-08-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

Spicy Chickpeas, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

2011-08-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

Tomatoes and Chevre with Blistered Padron Peppers

2011-08-12T20:40:00.000-07:00

It's time for late summer produce, which means the dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes are back! I can guarantee that I will be eating this for lunch almost every day for the next month.

Fresh Black Eyed Peas and Smashed Sweet Potato

2011-08-12T20:20:00.001-07:00

All summer long I have been eagerly anticipating the appearance of this little box tucked away at the back of the market, and yesterday it showed up! These fresh black eyed peas are so good, nutty and sweet, and cook up really quickly with some herbs and a tomato from the garden. I like to eat them with smashed, roasted sweet potatoes, finished with really good olive oil and sea salt.

Lentils and Celeriac with Toasted Hazelnuts

2011-08-08T19:14:00.001-07:00

Another one from Plenty. I had some celery root that I was planning to use in a salad, but when I saw this recipe I knew I would make it instead. This is my idea of the perfect easy dinner for one, and boy was it good! The hazelnuts and mint together with the tang of the vinegar reminded me a lot of a lamb and rice dish my mom would make when I was little, almonds, mint and lemon. You can buy the ingredients for this any time of year but I feel like this would be especially delicious on a cold winter or autumn day.

Start by putting hazelnuts on a baking sheet in the oven at about 300 degrees for 15 minutes. While they are toasting, put lentils in a pot of water seasoned with a bay leaf and thyme, and start to boil. Start a second pot of salted water boiling for the celeriac. Cut the celeriac into large chunks (or "chips" as Yotam puts it), and add them to the water. Let both pots simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the celeriac is tender and the lentils are al dente. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and coarsely chop the mint and set aside. When the lentils are done, drain them and toss immediately with salt and pepper, a little red wine vinegar, olive oil, and hazelnut oil (about 1.5 parts olive to one part hazelnut). Add the celeriac, mint, and hazelnuts. All told, this shouldn't take more than a half hour and it is well worth every minute. As far as quantities go, I like to make about 1/4 cup of dry lentils per person, and you can portion out the other ingredients accordingly... I think I used about 1/4 cup of whole hazelnuts, a small handful of mint leaves, and one medium celery root (about the size of a baseball), and that was good for two servings. I eyeballed the oil and vinegar but I'd bet I used about a half a tablespoon of each oil and half a tablespoon of vinegar as well.

Green Bean and Pea Salad

2011-08-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

This was adapted from Ottolenghi's Plenty. I bought the most beautiful, dark purple beans to use, thinking they'd look stunning next to the traditional green ones, but in the cooking process they lost all their color and this is what I ended up with. They are dressed in toasted mustard seed and coriander, red onion, tarragon, and lemon. I also added some baby beet greens to bring in some color.

Finocchiona, Ricotta, Caramelized Fennel and Olives

2011-08-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

It's National Sandwich Month, so I thought I'd use a few of the things in my fridge to make one for lunch today. Finocchiona is one of my favorite salumi, made with fennel seed, so I caramelized some fennel to go with it, added some chopped olives and a little ricotta to temper the saltiness of the meat.

Fried Lima Beans with Sorrel, Sumac and Feta Cheese

2011-07-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

I met Yotam Ottolenghi last month and when I saw this recipe on David Lebovitz' blog recently, I knew it would be the first dish I'd try from the new cookbook, Plenty. When I was a kid, there was nothing I hated more than lima beans. I even made a list of 10 reasons I refused to eat them, and my babysitter helped me illustrate it. Everytime my mom made something with lima beans, I'd have to eat five of them before I was allowed to pick the rest out and I would always grumble about it. But those were frozen, or sometimes canned lima beans, and it wasn't until recently that I tried dried ones and even fresh ones that are considerably less mushy (my major complaint with the beans of my childhood). In this dish, the sumac and sorrel make a really nice lemony contrast to the toasty beans. I'll definitely be making this again!

Roasted Plums with Baked Ricotta

2011-07-31T18:55:00.000-07:00

My dad has an abundance of Satsuma plums and has been offloading them onto me regularly. I baked these with some honey and spices (vanilla bean, cloves, cardamom), and had them for breakfast. They were a bit tart (the skin can be very sour on this variety of plum and that comes out when they are cooked) so next time I would add a good handful of brown sugar as well.

Open Faced Goat Cheese, Roasted Tomato and Arugula Sandwiches

2011-07-31T18:50:00.000-07:00

Fresh Shell Beans Over Polenta

2011-07-27T21:33:00.000-07:00

I picked these Cranberry and Scarlett Runner beans from my garden today and there were just enough to make dinner for one. I simmered the beans with some marjoram, slowly cooked onions with thyme, and served them together over creamy polenta drizzled with a little good olive oil. Let me tell you: this was a winner! I will definitely be making this again once more beans start showing up in the market, and next year when (hopefully) my harvest is a little more plentiful.

Zucchini Flower Frittata with Sweet Corn, Basil, and Homemade Ricotta

2011-07-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

Braised Fennel with Olives Over Polenta

2011-07-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wished you hadn't followed a recipe? This was one of those dishes that I could picture in my head and probably would have made much better if I'd winged it. In the end I felt like I could have left out the vinegar, used less tomato paste, less chillies (although maybe the ones I used were especially spicy) and more salt. Next time...

Peaches with Greek Yogurt

2011-07-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

Roasted Sweet Potato and Cranberry Beans with Ricotta

2011-07-16T13:59:00.001-07:00

This is a River Cafe dish that's become a staple in my kitchen. I love making it with fresh cranberry or Borlotti beans when they are in season because it speeds up the cooking process, but it's just as good with dried beans soaked overnight. The beans are cooked with sage, garlic and a tomato, and the sweet potato is cut into chunks, tossed with olive oil, marjoram, and chili flakes, and roasted at 400 degrees for about a half hour. Fresh mozzarella is amazing with this dish but I didn't have any... to be honest, the ricotta just wasn't the same.

Zucchini and Arugula Frittata with Goat's Milk Feta

2011-07-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

Frittatas really are the best way to get lots of veggies into a meal. I had some zucchini that was starting to wrinkle, and a big bag of arugula in my fridge, and half an hour later: lunch! I don't use a recipe for frittata- in this case I just sauteed the onions with some herbs and garlic, added in the zucchini and arugula and let them wilt, and then poured in beaten eggs. I scrambled them around a little and then let them set around the edges before crumbling some feta on top and sticking the pan in the oven for a few minuts, until the center was set. Finally, I put the frittata under the broiler for about 2 minutes, just to brown the cheese a bit and puff the eggs up.

Basil Devilled Eggs with Fried Capers

2011-07-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday what I expected to be a quiet holiday with a couple of friends turned into a big party. I made lamb and beet burgers, a couple of salads, grilled corn with garam masala and lime, sangria, Eton Mess, and these devilled eggs, inspired by Orangette's recipe. Instead of topping the eggs with the basil aioli, I mixed it into the egg yolks, and I thought that worked out really well. The fried capers on top were a great addition and I will definitely be finding ways to use them in other recipes too! Sadly, this was the only picture I got of the eggs before they were devoured... if anyone else took a better pic, let me know!

Summer Sangria

2011-07-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for Moscato d'Asti and as great as it is on its own, it also makes an amazing sangria. Here I used a combination of peaches, plums, and a handful of cherries, but really any summer fruits will work. I also added some green apple and grapefruit to give it an authentic sangria feel.

Lamb Burgers

2011-07-05T12:13:00.000-07:00

For these, I mixed ground lamb with finely chopped red onion, fresh Greek oregano, ground cumin, and salt and pepper. I served them with mint chutney, feta cheese, and chopped olives, on rosemary focaccia.

Beet Burgers!

2011-07-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

When I was in Austin a couple months ago I had an amazing veggie burger at 24 that was made with beets, lentils, and brown rice. I found this recipe on the Kitchn that looked similar, and with a couple of small modifications I think it came out great! Here's how I made mine (warning- lots of prep work is involved). I used chickpea flour so that the burgers would also be gluten-free.

1/2 cup cooked brown rice (you should overcook it so it's very soft)
1 onion, diced very fine
3 large red beets, also chopped very fine (you could use a food processor for this)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 C cooked lentils, slightly mashed
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 Tbs ground coriander seed
1/2 C chickpea flour
salt and pepper
olive oil

Sautee the onions with a little olive oil until translucent. Add the beets, garlic, and coriander and season with salt and pepper. Once the beets have softened (shouldn't take long since they are chopped so fine), add the mixture to the rice and lentils in a large bowl. Check for seasoning and add the lemon juice and chickpea flour to help bind the mixture together. Form into patties.

When you are ready to serve the burgers, heat olive oil in a very hot pan and cook the patties until browned and crisp on one side before flipping (about 2 minutes per side). The patties may fall apart a bit in the pan, but you can just push them back together with a spatula and once they are cooked they should hold together pretty well. If you have time, form the patties ahead and regfrigerate for an hour or two before cooking them- this will make them hold together much better.

Serve with roasted tomatoes, goat cheese, and arugula lightly dressed in lemon juice. I think the burgers eat best on a softer bun, since they are relatively fragile- a harder roll will squash them and make for a messier meal.

Farro with Cucumbers and Radishes in Buttermilk Dressing

2011-07-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

Recipe from 101 Cookbooks.

Shaved Carrot Salad with Harissa, Mint and Feta

2011-07-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

I like Amy Chaplin's harissa recipe, and I usually keep a little jar of it in the fridge to season veggies and chickpeas easily.

Ricotta with Peaches and Acacia Honey

2011-07-02T10:48:00.000-07:00

Roasted Beets with Spiced Chickpeas, Avocado and Arugula Salad

2011-07-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

Black Bean and Avocado Tacos with Cotija Cheese

2011-06-21T18:23:00.001-07:00

I cooked the beans with chillies, cumin, oregano and garlic, and then garnished with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. The only thing that would have made this dinner better: an ice cold watermelon agua fresca.

Strawberries and Cream

2011-06-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about living in the UK (in my opinion) is the amazing variety of dairy products; your average grocery store has at least four kinds of cream to choose from, and when I lived in London I loved to buy double cream to pour over the incredible strawberries that were available in the summer. The heavy cream one can buy here in the States is much thinner but makes a decent substitute when I have freshly picked berries in my kitchen.

Pistachio Mortadella and French Mustard on Seeded Wheat, aka Bologna Sandwich

2011-06-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

Roasted Rhubarb over Yogurt

2011-05-21T11:23:00.001-07:00

I roasted the rhubarb with lemon zest and juice, finely minced ginger, and brown sugar. Best breakfast ever!

Green Salad and Buffala Mozzarella

2011-05-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a week of food frivolry in New York and as I was driving home from the airport all I could think about was a big, leafy salad and a ball of fresh mozzarella di buffala. I dressed these beautiful baby gem lettuces with a balsamic and mustard vinaigrette, and drizzled a little good olive oil over the mozza- so simple, but so satisfying!

Farro Pasta with Baby Broccoli, Anchovy, Garlic, Capers and Hot Chillies

2011-05-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

Beet and Goat Cheese Bruschetta and Salad with Asparagus, Fennel, Arugula and Toasted Almonds

2011-05-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

My favorite salad dressing these days is a little Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and some finely chopped shallot. Super healthy and super yummy! The beets were dressed in red wine vinegar, capers, sliced spring onion, and chervil.

Blueberries and Granola

2011-05-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

This blog has really evolved into less of a recipe collection and more of a documentation of the simple foods I like to prepare for myself at home, rarely requiring any instructions at all. I am contemplating changing the header to reflect this- the fact that these are things that are relatively quick and easy to make for just one person (but also adaptable for more diners)- but I'm not quite sure what I should say. Any thoughts from the readers?

Chickpeas and Kale with Vegetarian Grain Sausage and Corn Tortillas

2011-04-21T00:37:00.001-07:00

Truffle Cake aka The Second* Easiest Cake in the World

2011-04-20T01:40:00.001-07:00

This is a combination of two different River Cafe "truffle cake" recipes- one had a more mousse-like filling that used egg yolks and butter with the chocolate on top of a hazelnut praline crust, and the other was simply chocolate and cream, or 100% ganache. I opted to make the praline crust with the simple ganache on top and the combination was perfect. I used Mission almonds instead of hazelnuts, which my mother doesn't like. Aside from an hour of chilling in the fridge, this cake came together in about a half hour and required almost no effort at all, and only five ingredients, all of which I had in my pantry. I served it with whipped cream and it was such a huge hit at our Passover meal that I will definitely be making it again.

2 C Mission almonds (or hazelnuts)
6 Tbs Demerara sugar (you could also use Turbinado or brown)
1/2 C butter (I used salted and I thought it was a nice compliment to the bittersweet chocolate)
450 g dark chocolate (70% is recommended)
10 oz heavy whipping cream

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Butter the bottom of a 9" springform pan, line with parchment, and butter the paper as well. Roast the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes, and then pulse in a food processor until coarsely ground.

Melt butter in a saucepan and add sugar, letting it boil until a light caramel forms (not very long). Add the nuts and stir for a couple of minutes so that everything sticks together. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and spread into an even layer while still hot. Let cool.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Heat the cream and then stir it into the chocolate until combined. Pour on top of the praline crust and refrigerate for at least an hour until you are ready to serve.

When you are ready to serve the cake, wrap a towel soaked in hot water around the sides of the pan for a few seconds to melt the ganache slightly so that the ring will come off smoothly. When serving, dip your knife in warm water between slices for super clean cutting.

* the easiest cake in the world is Icebox Cake.

Lentil and Veggie Tacos

2011-04-16T20:12:00.000-07:00

I love that you can put anything in a tortilla and call it a taco. In this case, I used leftover lentil salad (lentils, shallot, garlic, herbs, red wine vinegar) that I heated up, leftover veggies (peas, asparagus, spinach and spring onion), and a little goat cheese. Yum!

Rigatoni with Roasted Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

2011-04-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

I freeze lots and lots of roasted tomatoes every summer so I can eat them year round. This is one of my favorite ways to use them. It's so easy- I just chop up the tomatoes and let them thaw, and toss them with the hot pasta when it's cooked. The tangy goat cheese crumbled on top is the perfect compliment to the sweet tomatoes.

Beets with Preserved Lemon, Chickpeas with Harissa, and Asparagus

2011-04-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

Spring Veggies Over Polenta

2011-04-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

Black Beans and Quinoa with Kale, Celery, and Onion

2011-04-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

Also: coriander and oregano, and celery leaves, cilantro and green onions tossed in at the end.

Chickpeas and Asparagus with an Egg

2011-04-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

Mezze-ish

2011-03-31T22:36:00.000-07:00

I had a bunch of recipes with a bit of an Eastern bent bookmarked (okay, Nice is not really Eastern...), so I made a meal out of them for a tv viewing party. Clockwise from top: herb salad (parsley, cilantro, mint, arugula, spinach, and preserved lemon), olives, socca (so easy!!), pickled watermelon radishes, roasted beets with harissa, green bean raita, and (middle) sweet potato, kale, and quinoa cakes.

Shaved Fennel, Asparagus, and Arugula Salad

2011-03-30T20:02:00.001-07:00

I had this with a sliced, hard-boiled egg on top... yum!

Kale, Yellow Beet and Barley Salad with Red Onion and Feta Cheese

2011-03-29T18:38:00.000-07:00

Adapted from this recipe. This was even better the next day.

Egg in the Middle

2011-03-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

I know most people call this Toad in the Hole, but my mom always called it Egg in the Middle. Instead of making soldiers out of the cut out bread, I tore it into breadcrumbs that I toasted with a little garlic and lemon zest. Yum!

Poached Salmon with Lentils

2011-03-10T11:26:00.001-08:00

I really need to work on my night photography skills. Lunch always looks so much nicer than dinner!

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Beet Salad

2011-03-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

Bruschetta is the perfect vehicle for almost any salad. Inspired by this recipe, I dressed the shaved asparagus with some finely sliced shallots, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Beet salad recipe here.

Arugula, Mandarin Oranges, Smoked Almonds

2011-03-08T19:41:00.001-08:00

Chilled Asparagus with Crab, Lemon Yogurt Sauce, and Breadcrumbs

2011-03-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

For the lemon sauce: grind garlic into a paste using a mortar and pestle. Season with salt and pepper and add lemon juice to achieve the desired consistency. Finish with freshly grated lemon zest.

Broccoli Manchego Melts on Seeded Wheat Bread

2011-03-07T16:45:00.000-08:00