QUINOA ORZO WITH ASPARAGUS + PRESERVED LEMON DRESSING

Purchasing my first bundle of asparagus each year marks a tectonic shift in our kitchen. I feel ready to let go of heartier soups and starchy roots as I start to dream of the vibrant greens that only early spring can bring. Peas, wild nettles, bright salads, freshness...

Today I wanted to share a super easy dish that lets asparagus bask in its natural glory. Speaking of natural glory... have you tried storing your asparagus in water? It's a great way to keep the spears firm and fresh. I like the notion of treating asparagus like any other spring bloom... maybe I'm just a produce nerd, but I'd be quite happy to get a bouquet of asparagus in lieu of flowers.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 cups uncooked quinoa orzo* (any orzo will do here, or you could substitute a few cups of cooked wild rice for this recipe)
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and sliced
• 1 large or 2 small preserved lemons (if you don't have access to preserved lemons - I think using additional fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest would make a nice substitution). For details on making your own preserved lemons, here's a recipe for you.
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + more to taste
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan + shaved Parm for serving
• freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
• for serving: arugula or chopped parsley; another squirt of fresh lemon juice; shaved Parm or crumbled goat cheese

*A local company named Edison Grainery has been doing all sort of interesting things with grains, specifically organic quinoa. We're addicted to their quinoa crispies and I really like their quinoa orzo.

Fill and large stock pot with tap water and salt very generously. Set pot over high heat and bring water to a boil.

In a large mixing bowl, set up an ice bath for the asparagus.

When the water comes to a rolling boil, blanch asparagus slices until vibrant green and just tender, depending on the thickness of your stalks, this could take 1-3 minutes. Don't pour out the cooking water, simply scoop out tender asparagus with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge the veg into an ice bath. Keep your salty cooking water on the stove and use it for your orzo.

Cook orzo until it reaches your desired texture. (For those of you using the Edison quinoa orzo, I've found that the cooking time is much longer than that suggested on the package.)

While the orzo is cooking, go ahead and make your dressing. A note on preserved lemons: when using preserved lemons, you want to discard the flesh and use only the peel. Rinse the pieces of preserved lemon peel and place them in a blender or food processor. Add olive oil, lemon juice, grated Parm, plenty of ground black pepper and salt to taste. Blitz all ingredients. Taste for seasoning and add a little more lemon juice and/or salt as desired.

When the orzo has finished cooking, drain and transfer it to a serving dish. Pull asparagus from the ice bath, pat dry and add to the orzo. Generously dress the dish, adding additional salt or lemon juice to your liking.

Serve warm or room temp with ample freshly ground black pepper, shaved Parm or creamy goat cheese, scattered arugula leaves or chopped herbs. Although not necessary, I like to give the dish one last squeeze of fresh lemon juice just to bring out the springy brightness.

Enjoy!

serves 4-6

BTW, did you guys read the new piece by Mark Bittman about cooking and eating in Berkeley? I'm happy to see Mark so enjoying California produce and our beloved Monterey Market, but I have to say... I'm scared that the already-insane parking lot situation is about to get much much worse!

BRULEED POMELOS WITH HONEY + NUTMEG

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!  I don't know about you guys, but every time the New Year comes around I'm so grateful for the citrus bounty. What better way to bring brightness to winter than cutting open a Meyer lemon, Ruby Red grapefruit, juicy little Kishu, or sumptuous blood orange?

These past few weeks, we've been downing citrus like we're in a heavy battle against scurvy. While I'm always happy to devour citrus in its unadorned natural state, I've been having fun caramelizing the fruit under the broiler. I've played around with a bunch of tasty flavor combos, but my favorite of the moment is pomelo slathered in honey, topped with a sprinkling of fresh nutmeg. I think this simple treat would make a delicious partner to so many breakfasts and brunches - from eggs and bacon to a hearty bowl of oatmeal.

I hope the new year is treating you well so far. Here's to a delicious 2015!
xoxo
E

BRULEED POMELOS WITH HONEY + NUTMEG serves 4

• 2 ripe pomelos (Ruby Red grapefruits would make a nice substitute)
• 4 heaping teaspoons honey
• freshly grated nutmeg (please please grate whole nutmeg yourself with a microplaner - the freshly grated spice is so much more aromatic than the pre-ground variety) - keep in mind... if you're not a fan of nutmeg, you could use cinnamon instead

Slice pomelos in half. (I suggest cutting a slice off the bottom of each half so that the pomelos will stay stable with a nice flat surface.)

Crank up your broiler.

Place pomelo halves on a baking sheet, face up. Slather a heaping spoonful of honey onto the flesh of each pomelo.

Place pomelos under the broiler until the tops are bubbling and the pith turns golden brown. (This takes about 5 minutes with my broiler.) Pull the tray from the broiler and immediately grate nutmeg over the pomelos - it will happily blend with the warm honey and juicy citrus.

Serve warm.

ALMOND CAKE WITH CARDAMOM + BLOOD ORANGE

A rich, moist almond cake with a hint of cardamom and blood orange zest, with a simple side of blood orange slices... yep I gotta say, this cake is really working for me. I'm a total sucker for almond flour, my favorite ingredient in GF baking. I deeply appreciate that almond flour creations don't even try to mimic your standard wheat flour baked goods. Instead, almond flour treats have their own distinct flavor, texture, and magic deliciousness that no other flour can achieve - and I like that everything is packed with nutty protein.

Can I digress for just a moment to talk about our current citrus obsession? We are crazed around here as the winter citrus season winds down. Paul has been juicing up a storm - blood oranges, tangerines, cara caras, grapefruits, pomelos - whatever he can get his hands on. And two weekends ago, Paul and I walked over to our friend Laura's house to raid her extremely happy Meyer tree. I preserved a ton of lemons which will go to good use in the next few months - a tangy preserved lemon salad dressing seems to go with everything spring and summer.

GO WITH ANYTHING CAKE  adapted from Lucas Holloweg's Good Things to Eat

printable recipe

• 3 eggs, room temp
• 150 grams (5 1/2 ounces) powdered sugar, divided
• 175 grams (6 ounces) almond meal
• pinch of crumbled sea salt flakes
• 1/2 blood orange, juice and zest (if you don't have access to blood oranges, any nice orange, tangerine, or lemon will work here)
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• for serving: 2-4 blood oranges, peeled removed and slices 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Separate egg whites and yolks. In a medium mixing bowl, mix yolks with 125 grams (4.5 ounces) powdered sugar. Add almond flour, crumbled sea salt flakes, orange juice and zest, and cardamom. Stir to combine all ingredients - the mixture will be thick and paste-like. Set aside while you whisk your egg whites.

Before whisking egg whites, be sure to clean your whisk and bowl thoroughly so that there's not a hint of oil/grease to inhibit the eggs from whisking properly. I rub my whisk and bowl with a slice of lemon - the acidic juice cuts through any residue. Whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining sugar and continue to whisk egg whites they've formed stiff peaks.

Fold egg whites into the yolk/almond mixture. Don't overmix... we want some streaks of white after mixing.

Prep a 7 inch cake pan. First, thoroughly butter the inside of the pan. Then, cut a round of parchment paper to fit into the bottom of the pan - butter the paper too, just in case. Pour the batter into your prepped pan. Bake cake on the oven's middle rack for 35 minutes.

Let the cake cool on a rack before slicing. (Before removing the cake from the pan, be sure to slide a knife down around the edges to make sure it easily separates from the side of the pan.) Keep in mind... any gooey center of the cake will firm up as it cools.

Before serving, dust the cake with powdered sugar. Serve your slices of cake with rounds of blood orange on the side.

Serves 6-8

GOODBYE 2013 + A SIMPLE ZUNI DESSERT

Every time the calendar changes I feel the weight of tucking away another year. I cannot believe 2013 was the year my babe turned 13, or that I actually finished writing my own book. Those milestones, both personal and momentous, fill me with deep gratitude. At the same time, 2013 was a year where many of my dear friends' parents and grandparents became ill or passed away. In these middle years, I feel sandwiched between the hope and possibility I see in my kiddos and the messy pain of witnessing loved ones stoop, ache, and slow.

Judy Rodgers was one of those we lost last year. Though I never met her, Rodgers deeply impacted me, along with so many others. I treasure the lazy Sunday afternoons P and I have spent at Zuni snugged into a tiny table near the long zinc bar, grazing on oysters, Caesar salads, crispy fries, chilly martinis. Life doesn't get better than that. Digging deeper into my memory, I see myself eating at Zuni before my Senior Prom feeling very grownup in uncomfortable heels and a fancy dress, made to feel totally at home in Rodgers' restaurant. A decade ago, Rodgers' brilliant cookbook, The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, let us bring her food into all of our kitchens. Her perfect roast chicken is the one Paul makes on a weekly basis, her brined turkey is the one we sit down to every Thanksgiving.

When Rodgers succumbed to cancer last month, I knew I wanted to mark her passing here, to pay my respects. I thumbed through her book looking for just the right recipe to embody what I loved about her food. As I flipped to the final pages, I found the recipe I wanted - dates stuffed with mascarpone, pistachios and pomegranates plus mandarins, blood oranges, and a splash of orange blossom water - a simple, beautiful, delightful dessert infused with Rodgers' magic.

DATES stuffed with MASCARPONE, POMEGRANATE, PISTACHIOS + MANDARINS, BLOOD ORANGES  and a splash of ORANGE BLOSSOM WATER

INGREDIENTS adapted from Judy Rodgers' The Zuni Cafe Cookbook
printable recipe 

• 4 mandarins
• 2 blood oranges
• splash of orange blossom water 
• 8 ripe dates - Medjools are always my favorite
• 8 teaspoons mascarpone
• 30 roasted/salted pistachios, shelled and coarsely chopped
• seeds from 1/2 pomegranate 

Prep mandarins and blood oranges by slicing the top and bottom off the unpeeled fruit. Resting each orange on its flat bottom, use a sharp knife to cut off strips of peel and pith, rotating the citrus and cutting until the fruit is naked and ready to be sliced. Once the peel is removed, slice the citrus horizontally into nice pinwheels. Scatter the citrus rounds onto a plate. Add a light splash of orange blossom water to the citrus - I'm amazed at the dreamy way the orange blossom water heightens the natural perfume of the fresh citrus slices.

Cut each date with a slice large enough to remove and discard the pits. Carefully stuff each date cavity with 1 teaspoon mascarpone. Press some chopped pistachio and pomegranate seeds onto the mascarpone. Scatter the remaining pistachio and pomegranate onto the plate if you so desire.

Rodgers' brilliant combination of flavors, textures, and colors is the embodiment of seasonal brightness on a plate. Thank you Judy.

Serves 4 
  

POMEGRANATE GRANITA

Granita. I'm a sucker for sparkly jewel-toned shards of delicious ice.

Light, refreshing, and super easy to make, granitas are my go-to dinner party dessert. While I do enjoy granitas in the heat of summer, I actually prefer them after heavy winter fare, when a rich dessert just feels like too much. This pomegranate granita would be wonderful after a hearty veggie stew, a feast of succulent roasted meat, or even Thanksgiving dinner.

Pomegranates have a tangy, tannic, earthy flavor which I find mysterious and totally irresistible. Straight pomegranate juice can be quite intense so I've added orange juice and zest to mellow things out just a bit, and the extra layer of flavor adds a wonderful citrusy brightness to the dessert.

We all need an easy recipe (which can be made in advance) to help out with the holidays, right?

 

INGREDIENTS
printable recipe

• 3 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 1/3 cup tap water
• juice and zest of one large orange or two smaller satsumas
• 1/2 cup light agave nectar
• optional for serving: candied orange peel; whipped cream with a splash vanilla extract & sweetened with powdered sugar or agave

In order to thoroughly integrate all ingredients, vigorously shake up pomegranate juice, water, orange juice, zest, and agave nectar in a large lidded jar or old milk bottle (you can also use a mixing bowl and whisk if that's easier for you).

Transfer liquid mixture to a baking dish and place it in the freezer. Every hour or so, remove the dish from the freezer and scrape the solid bits with a fork. After a few hours of freezing and scraping, your granita will be ready to serve. (Keep in mind that the shallower the baking dish and more spread out the liquid, the quicker the chill.) If you forget to scrape the granita regularly and end up with a frozen block of pomegranate ice, go at it with a fork until you have a beautiful flaky consistency.

If you are a serious pomegranate lover like my kids are, serve little glasses of this granita all on its own. You can also top it with candied orange peel, or keep in mind that the granita is absolutely delicious topped with billowy sweet whipped cream.

Once it comes out of the freezer, granita melts quickly - be sure to eat it immediately after serving.

Serves 6-8. Keeps in the freezer for 2 weeks.
 
 

DREAMY BOURBON SOURS

You know that feeling? When something tastes just right?

One little sip of this Bourbon Sour leads to another. Your taste buds try to pinpoint exactly what's at play in the delectable concoction... Citrus, for sure. But what kind? Orange? Lemon? What's that hint of sweetness mingling with the bourbon? Maple syrup? You take another sip. Wonder about these things. Smile. And sip some more.

When our friends Dave and Roxy came over for dinner last fall, they brought cocktail fixins and when I saw the ingredients going into Dave's mix, I knew the drink was going to be good - but I didn't know it would be this good! Dave was kind enough to share the recipe and so was his original source, James Schaaf - thank you Dave and James.

We've now made this cocktail many many times for friends. Those who've tasted it always ask us to whip up another batch the next time we get together. With Labor Day just around the corner, you know what to do to make your friends happy.... a backyard BBQ with Bourbon Sours sounds good, doesn't it?

INGREDIENTS (per drink)
printable recipe

• fresh juice of one lemon, pulp and seeds strained (Meyer's are fantastic, if you can get them)
• 4-5 dashes orange bitters
• 1-1 1/2  tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 ounces bourbon or whiskey of your liking

Fill a big mason jar or cocktail shaker with all ingredients, including a few ice cubes. (Feel free to make one, or many cocktails at once.) Give everything a good shake and you're good to go.

Place fresh ice into a glass (or glasses) and pour the chilled, mixed cocktail over the ice. Discard the ice used for shaking.

Sip right away.

SLOW COOKED SALMON WITH MEYER LEMON RELISH

Today, I want to share something fun and summery - just the kind of recipe we all could use in our repertoire - an easy, scrumptious dish to feed a family, which can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd. When we first made this Chez Panisse slow cooked salmon recipe a decade or two ago, I was wowed by its simplicity and honestly, I can't believe it has taken me this long to share it here. Extremely low heat and gentle moisture (provided by a little pan of water at the bottom of the oven) make for the most tender and succulent fish imaginable!

The heavenly Meyer lemon relish also comes from Chez Panisse - it's fresh, tangy, and slightly sweet thanks to the the natural sugars in Meyer lemons. I think the relish would be great with all sorts of seafood and its bright flavors make it a perfect companion to the buttery rich slow cooked salmon.



It's hard for me to believe we're deep into July already. I turned in my manuscript last month  (woo-hoo!) and I have to admit, I've felt spent. I put every droplet of creative juice and inspiration into the book. When I finished I was totally euphoric, but quickly I crashed - my creative well felt fully tapped. So, mostly I've let myself be slow and lazy these past few weeks: I've slept a lot and savored quiet time with friends, family, P, and the kiddos.

After being away and having some serious downtime, I'm itching to get back to the kitchen and cook again with all of you. I've missed you guys!!

INGREDIENTS barely adapted from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook
{printable recipe}

SALMON:

• 1 center cut King salmon fillet (1.25 - 1.5 pounds)
• olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

MEYER LEMON RELISH:

• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
• sea salt
• 1 large Meyer lemon
• 1/4 cup olive oil (the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup, but 1/4 cup seems like more than enough to me)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Place a baking dish filled half way with water on the lowest rack of your oven, making for a nice moist environment for the salmon to cook.

Lay the intact salmon fillet on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush the salmon with a little more olive oil. Salt generously and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Transfer salmon to the warm oven. It should take between 45 minutes to 1 hour for the salmon to cook, depending on the size and thickness of your fillet. You can tell the salmon is done when the fish feels just firm to the touch and the juices are starting to break through the surface. Alice says you can serve the salmon right away or let it rest for up to 3 hours before serving. (Doesn't that sound helpful for a dinner party you want to prep in advance?)

While the salmon is cooking, make your Meyer lemon relish: first, in a small bowl, macerate shallot for 10-15 minutes in vinegar or lemon juice with a pinch of sea salt. Next, (leaving the skin on) cut lemon into 8 wedges. Remove seeds and cut out the core. Cut wedges in half again and slice very thin. Add the slivers of lemon to the macerated shallots. Add olive oil and parsley. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

When you're ready to eat, use your hands to break the salmon into chunks and serve with the Meyer lemon relish. YUM!





Serves 4

A SALAD FOR THE EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD {+ my little video on how to supreme an orange}

Alice Waters' original Edible Schoolyard is a five minute walk from our house. For years, we've taken early evening strolls through the garden, ogling the vast array of plants, herbs, fruit trees - all inspiring our own tiny backyard veggie garden.

When our boy Otis was getting ready to enter middle school two years ago, we couldn't resist King. We wanted Otis to have the freedom to safely roam our neighborhood, ride his bike to school, have local friends, and be a part of our community school. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the Edible Schoolyard was a huge draw for us in making this change.  King kids are fortunate enough to have classes in both the Kitchen and Garden programs associated with the Schoolyard.  Every time I visit, I'm stunned to see a huge group of middle schoolers not messing around or worrying about being cool, but totally focused and invigorated about cooking, gardening, eating, and learning. I've never seen adolescents so excited about vegetables! Who wouldn't want their child to have this invaluable education... an education which instills a passion for learning that permeates all aspects of the school, way beyond the Garden and Kitchen.

King kids know they're lucky to have the Schoolyard - I see them taking great pride in knowing where food comes from, and how to grow and cook nourishing food for themselves.  I dream of these King kids becoming parents a generation from now, and the joy and knowledge they will be able to share with their own families - the healthful meals they will cook with their own children.

When my amazing friend Phyllis asked if I'd be interested in teaching a class with her at the Edible Schoolyard to benefit our Berkeley Public Libraries, I immediately said "YES!" On Saturday, we had a blast cooking with 11 adorable kids and their moms, dads, and even a few grandmothers. Phyllis, a pastry master, taught everyone to make sumptuous savory tarts - my oh my were they incredibly good. Then, I worked with the gang on making a deconstructed salad and taught the kids how to whip up a simple vinaigrette in mason jars. Watching all their eager little faces as they shook up salad dressing and ate lettuce like it was candy made my heart swoon. While I always feel lucky to cook with my own kids and their friends, it was totally inspiring for me to cook with this group of kiddos I'd never met. I feel incredibly lucky to have had the tiniest taste of the magic the Edible Schoolyard gets to experience every day. I'm savoring it.

CITRUS, FENNEL, RADISH + PISTACHIO SALAD
 serves 4
{printable recipe}

For the dressing:

• 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
• generous pinch of good sea salt
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil

For the salad:

• 1/2 pound baby arugula, or butter lettuce
• 1 medium fennel bulb
• 6 radishes
• 8-10 kumquats
• 2 oranges: Cara Cara or blood oranges are my favorites here
• 1 cup roasted salted pistachio, shells removed; or 1/3 cup pepitas
• optional: arugula and/or fennel blossoms

The dressing: First, place all ingredients in a lidded jar. Shake vigorously until dressing has emulsified. Dip a leaf of lettuce into the dressing and add more salt, vinegar, or oil to your liking.

The salad: Wash, fully dry and place your salad greens into a large bowl. (Keep in mind that fully dried leaves will be key to your dressing adhering nicely to the greens later.) Trim and thinly slice fennel bulb and radishes. Slice kumquats thin, leaving skins on. Remove any seeds.

Supreme oranges. (See video at the end of this post.)

Place fennel, radishes, kumquats, orange slices, and pistachios (or pepitas) into individual bowls.

When all of your salad components are prepped, and you’re ready to eat, lightly dress your greens. (Go ahead and use your hands to toss the salad - it's the best way to get a beautiful even coating of dressing on all the leaves.) Place bowls of chopped goodies on the table and let everyone make the salad they desire. Pass around small pitcher of extra dressing in case anyone wants to add another drizzle to his/her plate.


I decided to make a little video for you guys ( my first ever!) showing the simple way to supreme an orange. If you struggle to slice clean segments of citrus and are looking for a little help, I hope this video makes your life easier....

OTTOLENGHI SAFFRON CHICKEN SALAD {+ A BOOK UPDATE}

Whenever I buy a new cookbook, I bookmark the recipes that tempt me. Do you do that too? Well, when I brought home Ottolenghi's new book Jerusalem last fall, this chicken salad was the first thing I needed to make. It took me a while to get to it, but here I am, and it was worth the wait. The chicken salad is infused with a not-too-sweet orange syrup - its flavor reminiscent of kumquats, which I love. All the herbs and crisp fennel makes the dish super refreshing. And the sliced chili gives the whole thing a nice kick. I can see making this salad for a lunch with friends - I think they would ooh and aah at the wonderful flavors. Ottolenghi mentions the option of substituting arugula for the fennel; being that I'm a huge fan of both fennel and arugula, I think I'll toss both veg into the salad bowl next time.

INGREDIENTS closely adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamini
{printable recipe}

• 1 orange
• 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
• sea salt
• ground black pepper
• 2 fennel bulbs, sliced thin
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 cup torn basil leaves
• 1 spicy chili - Ottolenghi calls for a red chili, I used a serrano
• juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 400.

Slice the ends off one orange. Leaving the peel on, slice orange into 12 wedges. Place wedges in a small saucepan with honey, white wine vinegar, saffron, and just enough water to submerge the orange slices. Add more water as needed during cooking. Simmer for 1 hour. In a blender, or food processor, puree cooked orange and its liquid - this syrup will be your sauce.

Heat a large oven-proof skillet (I use my beloved cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil to the hot pan. Sear both sides of the chicken breasts for a couple of minutes. Season generously with sea salt and ground black pepper. Transfer pan to the hot oven to finish cooking the chicken - about 15 minutes.

Place 1/2 of the orange puree in a large salad bowl. ( Save the other half of the puree for another salad dressing - or add a bit more to this salad if you so desire.) When chicken is cool enough to handle, tear it into large pieces. Toss the chicken with orange puree. Add to the bowl: 3 more tablespoons olive oil, thinly sliced fennel, cilantro leaves, torn basil leaves, and sliced chili. Toss everything with your hands. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt, pepper and lemon juice as desired.

Serve and enjoy!

Serves 6 

A little book update...

As many of you know, I have been busy writing and shooting my own cookbook. The project is a huge one, and I'm loving the challenge. It feels strange to be doing all of this cooking, and to not be able to share it with you guys until the book is done. I'm bursting! So, I thought I'd share a few photos of my little home studio with the walls plastered with book images, and other tid bits from the book work.

This book has changed life at our house. Our dining room is no longer for dining, as it has become a (very messy) prop zone.  My recipe notes are bursting from their files and are covered with food stains. The daily piles of dirty dishes have been epic. Mostly, we are eating like royalty, but once in a while the redundancy of perfecting a recipe gets to be a bit much  - there are only so many muffins, quinoa salads, galettes, gimlets, etc a person can ingest in a day. The perfectionist in me is on high alert - I am testing and retesting, writing and rewriting recipes to make sure that not only are they delicious, but that they really truly work in all of your kitchens as well as they do in my own.

(No, that little note from my Lilah doesn't have anything to do with my book other than the fact that I keep it on my desk for a little inspiration. It always makes me smile)

The book is starting to feel (and look) REAL and I couldn't be more excited!

OOPS... I MADE KUMQUAT MARMALADE

My marmalade was an accident. Let me explain...
 
We have had a major gardening renaissance at our house. After being away for a year and leaving our backyard veggies in the hands of a very kind, but non-gardening Finnish couple, we had some serious work to do. Our fence fell over, everything went to seed, and in many ways we had to simply start over.

Actually, the blank slate has been fun - there is something so soothing and simple about digging in the dirt. We recently planted a Pink Pearl Apple, Seckel Pear and a Blenheim Apricot to espalier along our sunny (rebuilt) fence. Arugula, broccoli raab, Japanese onions and favas are also taking root. Woo hoo!

When we were picking up supplies at Berkeley Hort the other day, I fell for a kumquat. It was sitting there calling out to me with cascades of adorable miniature fruit and lush green leaves. When I asked one of the gardeners about this little tree, she told me that kumquats are known to bring good luck and prosperity - I was sold.

To honor our newest little tree, I wanted to cook up something to share with you. I planned on making candied kumquats. Without a recipe and winging it in my typical fashion, I had marmalade before I knew it.  It was really good and just as a marmalade should be - tangy and thick.

Do you guys eat kumquats? How do you use them? I love that the little citrus gems can be eaten whole. And, I often slice them up and toss them in salads or just pop one in my mouth for a puckery bite.

Note: If you don't have access to kumquats, feel free to use orange peels for your marmalade.




HONEY-CITRUS MARMALADE makes one small jar of preserves
(printable recipe)

• 18 kumquats (or substitute 1 cup sliced orange peel, with as much pith removed as possible)
• 2/3 cup honey ( if you like your marmalade a little sweeter go ahead and add another 1/4 cup)
• 1 cup water

Thinly slice kumquats and remove seeds.

Place honey and water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium flame, stirring occasionally, until the honey has dissolved.

Add the sliced kumquats to the pan. Simmer uncovered and maintain a gentle bubbling for 30-35 minutes. When the mixture of fruit, honey, and water has thickened up, you're all done.

Remove pan from heat, let cool, then scoop marmalade into a little jar. Go ahead and feed yourself a few generous scoops of marmalade on crackers with butter.

Enjoy!

RADICCHIO SALAD WITH CARA CARAS, ALMONDS + ROASTED SHALLOTS

When I am putting together new things to share with you, I find that a few posts in a row will follow a theme usually dictated by the season's current bounty.  January was all about eating greens every which way and this month seems to be about apricots, peaches, pale rose.... not the edibles, but the colors.

Lately I've noticed that color is coming into play in my kitchen in a big and unintended way: last post I was dreaming of the warm glow of summer in the Corfu, and now I find myself instinctively drawn to a palate of blushing Cara Cara oranges, deep purple radicchio, and magenta shallots. And next week, I've got a little kumquat treat to share with you... again those colors are calling my name these days!

I've read of the importance of eating foods of all colors, not just for aesthetic reasons but for health. This instinct seems natural, so I think I'll just ride this rose colored wave until my body takes me in the next direction.

Note: this salad can be modified in many ways and this recipe is far from rigid or exacting... If you cannot get your hands on Cara Caras, use whatever navel oranges are at their peak at your market. And instead of almonds, roasted hazelnuts would be great here. And if you don't want to go to the effort of roasting the shallot, the salad will still be good. 


INGREDIENTS makes 4 salads
(printable recipe)

• 4 shallots
• olive oil
• salt
• balsamic vinegar
• 2 large heads of radicchio
• 1-2 Cara Cara oranges
• 1/2 cup dry roasted almonds

Preheat oven to 350.

Trim and peel shallots. Place peeled whole shallots in a small baking dish. Drizzle on a tablespoon or so of olive oil, a tiny splash of balsamic, and a sprinkle of salt. Using your hands, toss shallots to coat. Cover baking dish with tinfoil and place in the hot oven. After about 35 minutes, you can remove the tin foil, and roast the shallots uncovered for another 10 minutes.

Let the shallots cool to room temp, chop them up, place them in a small bowl, and cover them with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Let the shallots rest in the vinegar while you prepare your salad.

Clean and trim radicchio, making sure to discard any wilted exterior leaves. Remove core and chop radicchio into long ribbons and divide the ribbons evenly between 4 salad plates.

Peel and slice your Cara Cara oranges using the technique in the photos below. (Cut a slice off of each end of the orange, then using a carving knife, remove the peels in strips.) Slice the peeled Cara Caras and remove any seeds you see. Layer the sliced Cara Caras onto the radicchio.

Coarsely chop almonds and sprinkle them over the salads.

Add about 1/2 cup olive oil to your macerating shallots and whisk until you have a nice thick dressing. Add salt to taste.

Lightly drizzle dressing over the salads.

Enjoy!

CHICKPEAS + DANDELION GREENS

I'm all about greens these days.

Since the New Year, I have been going without refined sugar, and skipping most dairy. As an always-hungry omnivore, I resist restrictions in my diet like a petulant child being told to put down the candy. But once in a while, I just get to the point where my body needs a break. When one glance at a butter cookie starts to make to make my belly ache, it's time to switch things up. Amazingly, my biggest craving right now is for greens, and I'm not gonna fight a desire that's this healthy.

Last post, I shared a Breakfast Salad (Greens for breakfast? Yes, please!). Now, I have another recipe for you that packs a healthy punch. Dandelion greens are high in antioxidants, as well as Vitamin A, Potassium, and Vitamin Κ.*

(Plus, I love an excuse to photograph Meyer lemons from the little tree in my backyard....)

INGREDIENTS  adapted from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day
(printable recipe)

• 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups dandelion greens, washed and stems trimmed ( I think mustard greens would be good too)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• zest of one lemon
• juice of one small tangerine
• sea salt

Place cooked garbanzo beans in a medium sized mixing bowl.

Once all your ingredients are prepped, get out a large saute pan, and place it on the stove top. Pour in olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Turn heat to medium. Once the garlic sizzles a bit without browning, add the greens. Toss everything a few times with tongs to coat the greens with the warm oil. Cover pan with a lid and cook for 2 minutes or until tender.

Add the wilted greens to your bowl of garbanzos. Stir. (I liked using my hands to mix everything together.) At this point I strayed from the original recipe and added the juice of a fresh tangerine: the sweetness of the citrus helps to temper the bitterness of the greens. Add sea salt to taste. Top with lemon zest.

Serve and enjoy. I ate this dish all on its own as a satisfying lunch. I also bet it would be delicious served over quinoa or other healthy grain.


*source on nutritional facts on mustard greens