From the Market: Tomatillos

This was my first time working with fresh tomatillos and was blown away by the texture and color of them.  I didn't even know the insides were so melon-y and white inside. Got these from Berkeley Bowl Marketplace [West] and they are normally sold with these dark green, papery husks on them.  You need to peel the husks before cooking with them, rinsing thoroughly to remove the sticky sap/nectar left on the shiny skin. 

I used these for a Salsa Verde, but you can also make a great soup, gazpacho, sauce or relish.

Tara's Breakfast Bowl

Ingredients: organic Vanilla yogurt, fresh blueberries, Ruby Red grapefruit, Trader Joe's Mixed Berry Granola, organic Orange Blossom honey

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There is a great honey farmer who has a stand at the San Francisco Ferry Building's Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings.  His Orange Blossom honey is the best with yogurt or even ice cream.  

This is a really yummy and refreshing breakfast that will definitely hold you over until lunchtime; something that you can adapt to your liking, using whatever fruits you choose - plus it's easy and quick to throw together.

Spinach + Portobello Mushroom Lasagna

Ingredients: Basil-Ricotta filling, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, spinach, Portobello mushrooms, basil, marinara sauce, lasagna pasta

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I was never a fan of lasagnas that went overboard with Ricotta in between the layers, so I always make sure to just barely spread it on and just add more food filling.  The basil-Ricotta filling was super easy: just throw a handful of fresh basil and Ricotta into a food processor and you're ready.

Frozen spinach is always the best for lasagnas - simple, easy, and ready to use.  I rarely ever buy frozen food, but frozen vegetables are a definite exception. They are already cooked and blanched and make your life a lot easier when you want to whip something up quickly and simply.  Just make sure the frozen spinach you use in a lasagna is drained. 

To get that yummy, crispy top layer, make sure you cover your lasagna with foil for the majority of the cooking time, then remove the foil and increase the heat (to BROIL or 550F) for the last 20 mins.

** TIP: You really really want to make sure your frozen spinach is dry by first draining it through a colander (after it's defrosted, of course) and then spreading it out in a single layer on a bunch of paper towels and patting it thoroughly.  

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit magazine [February 2000].

Shaved Fennel Salad w/ Prosciutto

Ingredients: prosciutto, shaved fennel, lemon zest, olive oil, kosher salt, cracked pepper

Fennel is an amazing late-winter/early spring vegetable that's incredibly refreshing and not used enough. The inner layers of the bulb is where all the good stuff is hidden; I think this is why it is often bypassed at the markets by home cooks because most don't know how to prepare it. But it's super easy. Trust me.


Uncooked, fennel is crunchy and its flavor is very mild and sweet with a hint of anise.  The cooked version is often used in soups and stews and has a softer texture with a flavor of cooked radishes.

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All you need to do is cut off the green stocks and fronds completely. From what I know, these parts are inedible, but correct me if I'm wrong...


Cut off the underside of the bulb and peel away some of the dirty or browned outer layers.

And that's it. It's important to remember that the way you cut the fennel bulb will effect its taste.  Thinner slices will warrant a sweeter flavor.  Thicker, cubed cuts will tend to be bitter. 

** TIP: Use your mandolin slicer! 

Garlic + Sage Potato Chips

Ingredients: red, purple, and gold potatoes, kosher salt

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I infused the vegetable oil I used to fry the potatoes with fresh sage and garlic cloves. Make sure you pat the potatoes dry with paper towels first, before frying them. Also highly recommend investing in a chef's mandolin slicer - the ones with the best blades are from Japan.

Vanilla Bean + Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Ingredients: heavy cream, whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, fresh vanilla beans, and dark chocolate

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I have a new-found appreciation for my Cuisinart Ice Cream/Sorbet Maker (a birthday present years ago from one of my best friends).  If you have one, put it to use!  The machine does all the work! Plus homemade ice cream always tastes better.

Recipe adapted from the Cuisinart Recipe Booklet  [comes with the Maker].

Whole Roasted Chicken w/ Lemon + Thyme

Ingredients: 3-4lb organic, free-range chicken, fresh thyme sprigs, lemon, kosher salt, black pepper

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And for all you fellow frugal gourmandes, whole chickens are much cheaper - this cost me $5.31 at Trader Joe's and will last me a whole week.  It takes about 50 mins to roast in the oven and the key is to turn it twice during the cooking so that the juices distribute evenly (no one wants dry, stringy chicken).

Recipe courtesy of Alice Waters from The Art of Simple Food [Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2007]

From the Market: Winter Apples

Got these from the Temescal Farmer's Market - incredibly sweet and tart, they were so good once chilled and paired with some Edam or Gouda

French Bouillabaisse w/ Spanish Chorizo

 

Ingredients: mussels, shrimp, Spanish chorizo, canned diced tomatoes, fresh Saffron threads, onions, carrots, orange rind, fish stock, white wine, Italian flat-leaf parsley.  Served w/ Semifreddi's Garlic Croutons.

Recipe adapted from Bouillabaisse, Simplified [Cookie, March 2008]

Fig + Walnut Bars

Ingredients: fresh purple figs, oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, Meyer Lemon rind, toasted candied walnuts, powdered sugar

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit magazine, January 2010

Les tomates provençales

 

Ingredients: tomatoes, hardboiled egg, capers, flat-leaf parsley, olive oil, sea salt, cracked pepper

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This was a last-minute dish I made for a Bastille Day Picnic last summer.  Very simple and easy to put together once you've chopped everything up - the presentation makes it look like I put more effort into it than I did! It's a really great picnic food and goes well with a piece of baguette and your cheese of choice.

Pumpkin Pancakes + Organic Maple Syrup

Ingredients: Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pancake mix (I cheated), cinnamon, butter

Pan con tomates a la Barcelona

Ingredients: grated Roma tomatoes, garlic-rubbed toast, Manchego cheese, Arugula salad with olive oil + lemon

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Late afternoons/early evenings during the summer always remind me of Barcelona.  I got a craving for the Catalunyan version of pan con tomate and decided to get the grater out along with a bunch of summer tomatoes. This pairs nicely with a dry, Spanish Albariño wine.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients: semi-sweet chocolate, heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla extract, and 2 egg yolks.  

Served with vanilla bean whipped cream.