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Comforting Recipes: Quinoa, Watermelon & Feta Salad, Roasted Pepper & Ricotta Tart, Peach & Nectarine Granita

Quinoa, Watermelon & Feta Salad


We’re back home. Everything and everyone is getting back to normal. Groceries, laundry, walks with the pups. And yet, everything’s different. Every move taken and every thing said is tinted with a veil of deep sadness and compassion.

As some of you may have learned, one wonderfully kind and talented food blogger, Jennifer Perillo, lost her husband suddenly this past weekend. I did not know Jennifer well. We had met briefly at several conferences in the past. We were Twitter and Facebook friends. We did not live close. We did not email. We did not talk on the phone. Yet, if I could wrap my arms around her today and hope it helped a little, I would.

Roasted Pepper & Ricotta Tart


Over the year, I have come to deal with the fact that I don’t care that much of August. I have a love-hate relationship with August actually. My brother passed away in August. My grandmother too. It’s my mother’s birthday in August. And my grandfather’s too. He’s 101 this year by the way. Talk about witnessing life and mortality.

I am finally ok with August being a crappy month for myself. I hate, hate, hate the fact that now it will be a difficult time for Jenny and her daughters. I, and others who have lost dear ones, know the journey ahead. And we hurt inside for Jenny and her daughters already. How to make it better? How to make it easier?

Peaches


Just like finding a few dishes prepared for you when you come back from travels, or finding the fridge a little fuller than when you left. Just like noticing a full basket of fruits on the counter and a "welcome home" note; we can be there for Jennifer and her family just the same.

Those little gestures mentioned above done by my mother in law right before we walked in the door, were immensely appreciated and resonated deeply within us. Caring for one another does is not about climbing the highest peaks or diving the deepest sea. Little gestures. A meal. A note. A walk. A hug. Expressing respect. And compassion.

Quinoa, Feta and Watermelon Salad


When I went back home to my brother’s funerals, I came back to many cards of condolences, many phone calls and texts. I also had many friends drop by with a bite to eat. They knew food was the last thing I wanted. I wanted to disappear. I was numb. But mechanically, I ate the dishes they brought over. It was sustenance. I let Bill rocked me too sleep many many nights. It was a necessity. I still sleep as little now as I did then.

For weeks, life was on auto-pilot but I do remember the comfort of sharing memories with people who came over with a giant green salad or a pint of sorbet. I remember those moments gently pulled me out of this quiet space I had made for weeks. The comfort of my neighbor Camille’s voice as she scooped her famous peach granita into little cups for us and her kids. The warmth of the oven touching my cheeks as I opened it to retrieve the first tart I had made since…since Thierry had left us.

Roasted Pepper & Ricotta Tart


Normalcy mixed with extraordinary circumstances. Jennifer and her family are going through this as I write it. They need us, our thoughts, prayers and memories of them for those who knew them. They need them now but they will need them months and years form now. Thankfully, and because the food community and humanity in general is pretty damn grand, reaching out to them is already happening.

Erika from Ivory Hut, who went through her own tragedy last year, losing everything in a house fire, is gathering the troops to help out. A care package program is being organized for those who are not in Jennifer’s area so a little piece of love and care can be delivered now and for months to come right to her doorstep. Locals are also organizing a relief effort to show her that not only we care but we are here for her.

White Nectarines


To get more details and to lend a hand and a comforting gesture, please email Erika at [email protected]

My heart is heavy for the Perillos right now. But it is also full of hope. I know there will be many a smiles in their future even only through the solace of your thoughts and words for them.

When someone around Bill and myself is going through tough times and could use a night off, we volunteer to take care of their kids, their pups or we just drop off a collection of dvds and a good meal. It’s small compared to the void we cannot fill but it’s a start. Food I can do. Which is why I am sharing three recipes (click on "continue for recipes" that are good options to bring to someone who might need a little comfort and a lot of hugs.

Peach & Nectarine Granita


This post is dedicated to Mikey, Jennifer and their daughters. We don’t know each other all that well, but I really wish I could change your August. Now and forever.

Please read this.

Quinoa, Watermelon and Feta Salad:

Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish

When it comes to food and comforting friends with a little something to nosh on, I always gravitate towards dishes that can easily last a few days and only get better with a bit of time. Lately, we have been feasting on bowls after bowls of Quinoa, Watermelon and Feta Salad many days in a row. Sometimes with a poached egg on top. In the heat of the summer, this salad is not only healthy and light but also super refreshing.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups quinoa
3 cups water
1 cup watermelon, rind removed and cut into small cubes
2 oz feta, crumbled
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped thin
1/3 cup loosely packed mint, chopped thin
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring the quinoa and water to a rolling boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover the pot halfway and cook until the water is completely absorbed and the quinoa is translucent (about 20 minutes). Let cool completely.
When the quinoa is cooled, add the remaining ingredients and fold carefully. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

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Roasted Red Pepper & Ricotta Tart:

Serves 4 as a light main dish.

Another dish that I always find easy to fix, transport and leave in someone’s fridge or freezer for them to reheat easily and quickly is a gluten free Roasted Pepper & Ricotta Tart. Accompanied by a green salad and you have something satisfying and nourishing. A little balm for the heart. And the belly.

Ingredients:

For the crust:
5 tablespoons (70gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon piment d’Espelette (or pinch red pepper flakes)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
3 egg yolks (save one white for the filling)
pinch salt
1/2 cup (80gr) brown rice flour
1/2 cup (60gr) millet flour
1/4 cup (30gr) sorghum flour
1/4 cup (40gr) potato flour
(or 1.5 cups of all purpose flour if not using gf flours)

For the filling:
3 to 4 bell peppers of various colors (red, yellow, orange)
1 cup ricotta
1 egg white
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Prepare the crust:
In a mixer, whip together the butter, piment and mustard on medium speed until light and airy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time and beating well after each addition. Mix until incorporated. Add all the different flours and mix briefly. Dump the whole mixture onto a lightly floured (use more rice flour) board and gather the dough into a smooth ball. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
When the dough is nice and cold, roll it out on a lightly floured board or in between two sheets of plastic to fit your preferred tart pan. If the dough tears while you roll or/and transfer into the pan, just patch it with your fingertips. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months and prepare it up to 4 days in advance.

Prepare the filling:
Method 1:
Preheat the oven to 400F and then roast the peppers until their skin turn black, remove from the oven, place then in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let them cool completely. Remove the plastic, and peel the skin right off the pepper, seed them too and cut them in halves or at least fairly large pieces.

Method 2:
Blacken the skin of the peppers over an open flame such as a gas stove or grill. Place then in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let them cool completely. Remove the plastic, and peel the skin right off the pepper, seed them too and cut them in halves or at least fairly large pieces.

Preheat the oven to 350F and position a rack in the middle.
In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, egg white, salt and pepper. Layer at the bottom of the prepared tart shell. Layer the roasted pepper pieces on top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

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Peach and Nectarine Granita:

Makes enough for 8

Since it’s August, and it’s still mostly to very warm just about anywhere, I got to say that the most comforting thing for me and many others I know, is still to dig my spoon in soft soothing ice cream. Or sorbet. Or granita. In this case, I was pressed to use the four peaches and nectarines we still had from our trip to the market before heading down to Florida. So easy to make and since it’s stored in the freezer, it’ll be there anytime you need a little cooling treat.

Ingredients:
2 peaches, skin and pit removed
2 nectarines, skin and pit removed
1/4 cup honey
juice of one lemon
1 cup Greek yogurt or creme fraiche

Directions:
In a food processor, puree all the ingredients together. Place in a large baking dish and freeze. After two hours, run a fork along the length of the dish, breaking up the fruit mixture into a granita. Repeat the process every hour or so for about 4-5 times until the mixture is completely frozen but you get a shaved ice consistency all the way through. We like ours chunky but the more times you run your fork in the mixture, the thinner the shavings will be.

Summer Fare: White Nectarines Pineapple Sage Galette, Chanterelles Tartines & Quinoa and Fig Tabouleh

White Nectarines Galette


Don’t judge but a slice of this white nectarine galette has ben breakfast for the past two days. Tomorrow also. Even though we are taking a road trip cross country, B. requested I’d pack the galette along for the ride. I am not that interested in breakfast usually. Unless there is pie. Or eggs and bacon. These would seriously get me in trouble. As a gourmande through and through, I’d happily sit down and cut myself a not-so-shy piece of pie if you’d let me. Especially when filled with juicy white nectarines from the farmers market.

White Nectarines


The moment I took this one out of the oven, I made another one. Certain that we would appreciate waking up to share a piece while sipping our coffees. We are indeed on the road, heading to The Pionneer Woman’s Ranch. The macaron and photo workshop weekend is finally here! And well, instead of spending time in airport, airplanes and muttering over missed flights and too short connections, we decided to pack up the van and take a littlelong trip out West.

White Nectarine Galette


I did leave a few goodies and cookies for the house sitter but not this pie. Nor the leftover sautéed chanterelles we shared for lunch under the shade of a huge oak tree in the middle of nowhere Alabama. Nor did I leave the couple of servings of the quinoa and fig tabouleh our gluttonous selves could not finish the night before we left. All three were packed up and enjoyed quietly. And well.

Chanterelles


It’s been ages since Bill and I went on a long road trip together and when I mentioned the trip to Ree he turned to me with a big bright smile “I am free that week! Let’s just get in the car and see the country!”. I gotta love his enthusiasm because if you know me, you also know that I fall asleep the minute I get in the car. There is something with enclosed spaces that make me go “ka-plunk” asleep. I feel terrible about it. Really!

Chanterelle tartines


There is nothing I enjoy more than having the time to catch up with Bill as we pass through towns along this big vast American soil. I just love this place. Its complexities and diversity. Its textures and personas. So far, I am doing good on this trip. Proof is that I am writing this as he drives. We have been able to catch up on family stories as we drove through South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and now Mississippi.

Chanterelle Tartines


We just enjoy those rare moments now when both our schedules allow for some free time together. What can I say… Fourteen years have passed since our first excursion together and we still dig just being with the other. In the moment. And I want to believe it’s not only because of the delicious foods I pack up when we head out.

garlic


These four recipes are perfect for a picnic, on the side of the road, at the local park or even on a hot day at the beach. They pack easy and well and last a while since they are better at room temperature. As I was preparing them, I wanted nothing less than to set aside some time to pull out a blanket in the backyard and have an impromptu picnic by the creek. But there was more cooking to be done before heading out!

Chanterelle tartines


When Jason at the market said he’d have freshly picked chanterelles, I literally jumped in my seat. My mind going only in one direction. Chanterelles sauteed in butter with garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Served on toast with a sliver of pecorino. That’s all I could think about. This is by far my favorite way to enjoy wild mushrooms.

Tomato Zucchini Salad


This salad of heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced zucchini and feta is actually a take on a salad I ate while in Salt Lake City during a pot luck. The original version featured zucchini, sliced thin, with feta, dill and a drizzle of olive oil. I loved the combo so much that I started my own riff on it as soon as I got home. My advice? Make more than what you think you will need. You’ll eat it all. And more!

Quinoa and Fig Tabouleh


The quinoa and fig tabouleh is an interpretation of a recipe from Elle a Table. I was intrigued by adding figs to a savory grain salad. Figs and savory are opposites and harmonious at the same time. Such a perfect fruit to pair up with tomatoes, mint and lots lemon juice! We are full blown in fig season down here and I can’t stop filling my basket with them.

Figs

Quinoa and Fig Tabouleh


I think the most doubting soul that the combo would work was Bill but as soon as I was done taking those pictures, I handed him a spoonful and before I knew it, I was almost prying the bowl from his hands so we would have some left for dinner! The tabouleh also works great with millet or other whole grains.

Galette


I will try to post some pictures and updates of the weekend on the ranch as soon as I get back, if not sooner! Have a great rest of the week!

White Nectarine Galette:

Makes one 6-inch galettes

Ingredients:
For the crust (pate brisee)
2/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup superfine white rice flour
1/4 cup sorghum flour
(or you can use 1&1/4 cup all purpose flour instead of the 3 flours mentioned above)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
8 tablespoons butter, very cold and cut in 1/2 inch dice
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup ice water
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water (to brush on the top crust)
Or milk to add some color to the crust
chopped nuts for topping (optional)

For the filling:
4 small white nectarines
1 tablespoon pineapple sage, freshly chopped (or mint, lemon thyme, lemon balm, etc…)
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:
Prepare the crust
In a large bowl, mix together the millet, rice and sorghum flour. Add the powdered sugar and mix. Add the cold butter and mix with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time and mix until the dough comes together in a ball. Flatten into a disk in between your hands and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes (you can make it the day before too).

In the meantime, prepare the fruit:
Cut the nectarines in half and remove the pits. Cut each half in thin slices. Mix them together in a large bowl with the herb, honey and cornstarch. Let stand 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F and position a rack in the middle.
When ready to assemble, roll the dough in between sheets of plastic to about 1/8-inch thick to make a rough 9 to 10-inch circle. Place the nectarine slices inside that circle. Bring the edges over the fruit to create a 2-inch border or so and repeat the procedure until a complete border is created. Brush with the egg wash or some milk if desired (adds color to the crust), sprinkle with nuts with desired, and bake for about 30 minutes.

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Chanterelle Tartines:
For 2 hungry people

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
half a pound fresh chanterelles, cleaned of dirt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup chopped flat leaf pasley
salt and pepper
thin slices of pecorino or other hard fragrant cheese.
Freshly toasted whole grain bread

Instructions:
In a large sautee pan set over medium high heat, melt the butter until it sizzles. Add the mushrooms, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and cook until nicely colored, about 8-10 minutes.
Let cool slightly and spoon a bit of that mixture onto pieces of toast with a little sliver of cheese. Serve warm.

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Tomato Zucchini and Feta Salad:

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish.

Ingredients:
3 tomatoes (heirloom if you can), cut into small cubes
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, shaved
1/3 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil, chopped
salt, pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:
Combine all the ingredients together and let sit in the refrigerator at least a couple of hours before serving so all the flavors have time to meld together.
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Quinoa and Fig Tabouleh, adapted from Elle A Table:

Serves 6 as a side dish

Ingredients:
1.5 cups dry quinoa
3 cups water
6 large figs or 10 small ones, diced
3 tomatoes (heirloom if possible), diced
4 green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts included
1/3 cup to 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh mint
juice of two lemons
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions:
In a large pot, bring the quinoa and water to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered until all the water has been absorbed (about 20 minutes). Remove from the heat, fluff with a for and place in a large bowl to cool for 20 minutes.
Add the figs, tomatoes, green onions, mint, lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste and the oil. Let sit at room temperature for another 20 minutes and refrigerate after that if not consumed right away.

Honey Apricots With Pineapple Sage Financiers & Some Farmers Market Fare…Plus, An Awesome Macarons & Photo Workshop!

Honey Apricots & Financiers


When we dropped our friend J. at the airport yesterday, it felt a little like dropping off your kid to camp. Mind you the kid has just turned forty years-old but that sparkle in his eye about finally getting some vacation time was precious. I almost ran to an airline counter and bought a ticket home!

We said goodbye, got his keys, promised to water the plants and joked "hey man! who is going to come to the house to help eat the shoot or market food?". But really, I was quite serious. I also need to explain "shoot" and "market" foods…

Apricots


One wonderful aspect of my job as a food photographer is that whether I have a magazine or a cookbook shoot, 100% of the food I work with is edible and unless a shoot is taking too long and the food is not kept refrigerated properly, we eat what we now call "shoot food" for dinner.

Also, as a food lover who tends to overload at the farmers market, it’s a blessing to have single friends like J. who are just a phone call away and hungry to come share our victuals and a glass of wine when I spend an entire day cooking and baking. We often joke that our table is more often set for four or six than for two.

Summer!


Over the few years, J. has been the recipient of quite many a phone calls to come and eat my "shoot food". From eight tarts in one single night to three stews and beaucoup caramel cake in a weekend.

What can I say… I like fresh and seasonal food, and I like to feed my friends. J. loves vegetables. He has an adventurous palate. He likes to buy cookbooks and brings them over to the house so we can brainstorm our next "market dinner". While Bill and him go play some music (they are both musicians), I cook and bake to the sound of old time jazz tunes.

Farmers Market


Since I always post on Twitter the contents of my basket after the Charleston farmers market on Saturdays, I thought I’d blog about some of the dishes I make from all those goodies and often share with friends. Like J. As we did last week before his long trip overseas.

Market Breakfast


One thing I love doing when we get home from the market is to fix us breakfast since we usually get up and go to make it there right at opening time. I am not a huge breakfast person except on Saturdays. A bed of arugula, some sauteed bacon and an egg. Over easy, sunny side up, poached…any way works for me. I have taken to sauteed some halved grapes with the bacon lately and the combination of savory and sweet it just outstanding.

Heirloom Tomatoes


We are in full blown tomato and heirloom tomato season and that makes me very very happy. We can’t get enough of them. I literally go nuts with the tomatoes at the market. We like to eat them simply in a salad with some chopped avocado, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Sometimes a sprinkle of basil. Sometimes oregano. Sometimes I just make a simple pie crust and fill it with cut up tomatoes, fresh goat cheese, a drizzle of olive oil. It’s messy. It’s fresh. It’s delicious.

Roasted Turnips & Beets


I would never have thought I would get Bill to actually ask for turnips or beets for dinner. But he does. Specifically the ones from the market. They are super fresh and sweet and when I roast them with some salt and pepper, he just can’t get enough. I roast a batch in late afternoon and we snack on those while I prepare dinner. Nature’s candy. Seriously.

Round Eggplant


Eggplant & Onion Gratin


Our market is a food lover, food photographer’s dream come true. Not only are the vegetables flavorful, fresh and delicious, they also look good. I can’t stop myself from picking up tiny baby squash or amazingly purple round eggplants. And purple onions. And purple basil. It makes for a beautiful gratin just by layering them all together. A good drizzle of cream and thanks to Nigel Slater’s book Tender we had the silkiest of side dish the other night for dinner.

Dinner at our house would not be complete without dessert of course and lately, we have been drowning (my fault) under cases of apricots. One of my favorites. I am picky about my apricots and this year they are amazingly fragrant and tasty. We have enjoyed them sauteed in a bit of raw honey and served along side cookies or tea cakes like the hazelnut financiers pictured here.

Pineapple Sage Financiers


I recently discovered pineapple sage and been adding it to plenty of dishes, sweet and savory. It’s mild, smells like pineapple and adds a lovely fragrance to tea cakes. Lemon thyme, lemon verbana lemon balm, pineapple sage…all these mild herbs lend themselves perfectly to sweet treats.

I was particularly happy to curl on the couch Saturday night with a couple of financiers and some of those honey apricots. We had just driven home from my book signing in Charlotte and I was just craving something sweet and tangy.

Book Signing


The trip was a lot of fun and it was awesome to finally hang out with Taylor in his hometown and meet some of the Charlotte food bloggers. Thank you to everyone who came to have a book signed or just say "hello", it was an honor meeting you. Of course, it was nothing like one of The Pioneer Woman's book signing where people line up for hours just to talk to Ree!

Speaking of which…It’s been hard keeping the secret of a little weekend that Ree and I have been organizing but it’s finally here! I am extremely honored that Ree has invited me to come to her ranch to teach a couple of workshops July 23rd-24th. Yes! One will be on how to make macarons and the other on food styling and photography.

She is giving the chance to 3 readers of her blog (and their guest) to come and spend the weekend learning, baking, photographing…and of course laughing and eating! You can enter the giveaway on her blog here! I can’t wait!

The best part? The minute I told Bill about what we were doing he said "I’m coming!" Then he added "let’s do a road trip there!" It’s been ages since we took a road trip together and we just love doing those. Granted I catch up on sleep but we love to discover new towns and new storied. Once I have the itinerary mapped out, I might ask some of you for recommendations of all kinds.

Honey Apricots & Financiers


In the meantime, I might just sneak away the last of the Hazelnut Financiers and Honey Apricots. And wait impatiently for dinner and a serving of that Eggplant Gratin…!

Honey Apricots and Pineapple Sage Hazelnut Financiers

Serves 6

Ingredients:
For the Honey Apricots:
1 tablespoon butter
6 apricots, halved and pit removed
1/3 cup honey

Directions:
In a large sautee pan placed over medium high heat, melt the butter until it starts to sizzle, add the apricots, cut side down and sautee for 2 minutes. Flip them over and sautee another 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and place them on a serving plate. Add the honey to the hot pan and swirl it around until hot. Pour over the apricots and serve right away

For the financiers:

Ingredients:
1 stick (115g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (100gr) unsifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup (60gr) ground hazelnuts
1 tablespoon finely chopped pineapple sage
1/4 cup (30gr) rice flour (or same amount in cake flour)
pinch of salt
4 large egg whites

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375F and position a rack in the center. Lightly butter the inside of 12 financiers molds or muffin tins and place them on a baking sheet. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan set over medium high heat, melt the butter until it turns to a rich hazelnut brown color. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Strain and reserve.
Mix together the powdered sugar, flour, ground hazelnuts, pineapple sage and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the egg whites and mix on low speed until all the ingredients are coming together. Add the brown butter, increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth.
Divide the batter among your molds and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Fresh Market Eggplant Gratin, inspired by Nigel Slater’s Root Vegetable Gratin in Tender:

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 baby round eggplant or one large regular eggplant, sliced
2 small red onions, sliced
1 cup shitake mushrooms, diced (I use a combo of shitake and oyster)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup basil loosely packed basil leaves and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup light cream (or 1/2 milk and heavy cream)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F and position a rack in the middle. In a 9×9 inch gratin dish lightly coated with a bit of olive oil, place some eggplant slices in a single layer. Top with a single layer each of onion slices, diced mushrooms. Sprinkle with some garlic, chopped basil and salt and pepper. Repeat the layering until all the vegetables are used. Pour the cream over the top and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

Squash Blossoms Two Ways: Brown Wild Rice, Feta Squash Blossoms & Crispy Fried Blossoms

Wild Rice & Feta Stuffed Squash Blossoms


Every Saturday that we are at the farmers market, I wish I could be there with my mother. She’d get a kick out of the scarlet queen red turnips, the juicy strawberries and the soft squash blossoms. My dad would enjoy strolling down the painters row filled with gorgeous watercolors or photo representations of the city, the beach houses and everything Charleston.

This coming Saturday, it will finally be a reality. My parents are arriving tomorrow and staying throughout the month. I can’t wait. It’s been almost a year since I last saw them and due to work, family circumstances, health and other, it has not been possible for either of us to get together. But tomorrow….oh tomorrow...all the hugs and kisses from my mama will be mine!

Wild Rice & Feta Stuffed Squash Blossoms


I can’t wait. Even though work won’t stop while they are here, I am looking forward to my mom taking over in the kitchen here and there. Her food is legendary good and she will have as much fun at the market as I do every weekend. I can’t wait to see my dad’s familiar frown and pondering face as he explores the art and exhibitions during the Spoleto festival starting up soon.

I’m just looking forward to just be with them and take every minute they give me. I know there will be a small period of adjustment. That’s to be expected. I often found that those adjustment times are quickly solved with a walk on the dock to see the sunset, quietly making dinner together, having breakfast on the back deck overlooking the water. All these moments where we let distance and time apart quickly fade and find each other again.

Squash Blossoms


So many things have changed since they visited last March. More work. More accomplishments. More friends. We have many things to celebrate and many new friends to celebrate them with. I am thrilled for my parents to see some old friends again and to meet new ones. My day-to-day is often what makes my parents the happiest but that’s often what I fail to talk about on the phone once we’re done with everyone’s news in the family.

So this trip, it’s all about saying thanks for the big things and celebrating all the little things. It’s about hugs. Growing up. Being my own and being their child.

Wild Rice & Feta Stuffed Squash Blossoms


I realized how much a combination of both my parents I was this weekend while leading a workshop in Sante Fe on food photography. I had the seriousness of my dad and the "well, there’s a plan, but it’s ok if we change it" attitude of my mom. I realized how far I had come and how much I’d still had to go.

I will post a longer recap of the workshop once I go through all the pics I took and gather posts from the other attendees about their own recap of the weekend. In the meantime, you can check this portrait gallery I made of the attendees and look through Ace Camps Facebook pics. To say that I had the most incredible time would be an understatement. Everyone worked so hard during the weekend and all their efforts truly paid off. There were many a "ha ha" moments around and I am only glad I was able to help others enjoy food photography as much as I do.

Fried Squash Blossoms


When I got off the plane yesterday evening, B. asked if I wanted to grab a bite in town. Non, pas vraiment (no, not really) I said. I wanted to get home, hug my pups silly and be quiet for a while. The fridge was pretty bare but we had eggs and chives which turned into an awesome omelette for two. We had an avocado, a handful or radish sprouts and a couple of tomatoes. Paired with some bread chunks and we had an incredible panzanella salad.

I also pulled a tray of Brown & Wild Rice & Feta Stuffed Squash Blossoms that I had made the week before. I gave them a quick sautee in a hot pan and we sat down to an incredible makeshift feast. My favorite kind of meal.

Fried Squash Blossoms


Every Spring that the farmers market starts, I can’t wait for squash blossoms to pop up on vendors stalls and they seem to be coming in earlier than usual this year. Obviously it does not bother me and we have enjoyed them simply sauteed with salt and pepper, crispy fried and stuffed with all sorts of delicious market leftovers. I have to say that this filling combination of brown and wild rice with feta, thyme, oregano, garlic and a touch of lemon is my favorite so far.

It made this "so happy to be home after traveling all day" meal that much more delicious. A nice change also to the usual quiche and salad tradition we have in the family when people travel. Although I might fix one for my parents tomorrow. Who knows…

I am curious though. What is your favorite meal to cook or eat when you get off the plane after a long day of traveling?

Wild Rice & Feta Stuffed Squash Blossoms



Brown Wild Rice & Feta Stuffed Squash Blossoms:

Serve 4 as an appetizer

1 cup brown and wild rice blend, cooked and cooled
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
zest of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste
12-16 squash blossoms, washed and patted dry (some I get come with a squash attached which I cut close to the stem and stir fry separately)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Combine the rice, feta, herbs, garlic, lemon zest together in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
In a large saute pan, heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
Delicately fill the inside of the squash blossom with about 1-2 teaspoons of the filling. When all the blossoms are filled, place half in the sautee pan and cook about 2 minutes per sides until golden brown.
Remove from the pan and keep warm under a piece of tin foil. Heat the other tablespoons of oil and sautee the second batch of stuffed blossoms.
Serve warm.

Crispy Fried Squash Blossoms:

Serves 4 as an appetizer

1/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup flour superfine rice flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg white
3/4 cup beer or club soda
12 to 16 squash blossoms, washed and patted dry
canola oil for frying

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, salt and pepper. Add the egg white and beer (or club soda) and whisk until smooth.
Heat canola oil in a medium deep pan (I use a 9-inch round, 2-inch tall cast iron skillet) until it reaches 375F.
Dip the blossoms in the batter and fry 2 or 3 blossoms at a time in the hot oil. Do not overcrowd them or it drops the oil temperature down which makes them cook longer, soak in more oil and get soggy.
Heat at once!

Good For The Heart Grilled Salmon Pasta & Salmon Swiss Chard Quiche

Spaghetti With Grilled Salmon, Grape Tomatoes & Capers


Real evening off with my honey. Not the kind where I have to scoot off back to my desk to finish one more chapter. Real walk with the pups. Not the kind I quickly run them around the block wishing they wouldn’t play hide and seek for 20 minutes. Real adult conversation with my mother. The kind that leaves me feeling punched to a pulp but hopeful and strong. Real shower. So hot and rejuvenating my fingers get wrinkly and my skin becomes red. All real.

It’s easy to think of everyday things as regular happenings. Amenities, privileges and responsibilities to others. They’re not. I look at my window overlooking the creek and all I see is marsh land gently swayed by the breeze and the incoming tide. I realize then that what we, B. and myself, work so hard to maintain, even when we struggle, is never taken for granted. I am thankful that my feet are grounded into grasping what is important. We enjoy running water and electricity, education, freedom of speech and assembly.

Swiss Chard & Salmon Quiche


I spent pretty much the last two weeks split between the work laid out before me and the TV turned to Egypt. It made everything we were doing, him grading paper and me writing the final chapters of my manuscript, trivial and small. And it was. And it was not at the same time. One more time I was privileged to watch another Berlin wall fall, another Romania do away with dictatorship, another Kosovo say no more to oppression and fear.

And once more I was reminded of the privilege I had to work my passion for a living and to be given the tools and freedom to do it right. So with one eye glued to the television and the other on the computer screen, I buckled down and finished writing the last chapter and appendices. When everything was uploaded to the server around noon, I crashed. We both crashed actually. Wiped out. My brain could not come up with one more proper sentence. My heart was happy for I had exercised one of my fundamental privileges, to be free to write.

Rainbow


We took the rest of the day "off". A luxury these days but we drew the curtain closed, put on old LPs, a sea of pillows down on the floor and just chilled. Bill, who held me figuratively and literally for the past three months I was writing held me one more time as I fell asleep in his arms. All the Valentine’s day commercial things might have gotten to me, but he’s my rock. And we take care of each other.

Even when things are crazy busy, there are a few things I will not make compromises about. Quiet time just the two of us with no radio, no shop talk, not bank/house talk is one of those. The other is food. Nourishing, well prepared and wholesome food. It’s one of the few things we can do to keep us going. Share with friends is even better.

Herbs


When I made this salmon and Swiss chard quiche, I actually had enough for a second one so I grabbed the phone and told our friends the house was open if they wanted to come and have a bite with us. And then I made a big plate of grilled salmon and spaghetti so I called another set of friends. Before I knew it we were 10 around the dinner table sharing a good meal and a few good laughs. Taking some time off and making sure that we eat well is one of the best thing I did these past few days.

These coming two weeks are going to be packed crazy. Virginia Willis, Angie Mosier, Gena Berry and crew are going to be here this whole week for the second round of her book Basic to Brilliant Ya’ll with Ten Speed Press. I am so excited I can’t stop bopping around. We work hard but at the end of the day we play just as hard…ehehe! The week after that I am starting a photo shoot for a more commercial client and pairing with a dear friend of mine on the project. Details soon but it’s going to be some good grub too!

Anyways…I know tomorrow there is going to be a deluge of sweet things and chocolate on the blogosphere so I thought I’d give you a couple of savory recipes with salmon which we all know is wonderful for the heart… The grilled salmon and pasta dish was so refreshing and light that I made it again the day after!

Swiss Chard & Salmon Quiche



Salmon and Swiss Chard Quiche:

For one quiche (serves 6)

Note: If we don’t wish to make this gluten free, reduce the egg yolks to 1 and use 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flours instead of the brown rice, millet, sorghum and cornstarch.

For the crust:
5 tablespoons (70gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 egg yolks
pinch salt
1/2 cup (80gr) brown rice flour
1/2 cup (60gr) millet flour
1/4 cup (30gr) sorghum flour
1/4 cup (40gr) corn starch

Prepare the crust:
In a mixer, whip together the butter and mustard on medium speed until light and airy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time and beating well after each addition. Mix until incorporated. Add all the different flours and cornstarch and mix briefly. Dump the whole mixture onto a lightly floured (use more rice flour) board and gather the dough into a smooth ball. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat oven to 350F and position a rack in the center.
When the dough is nice and cold, roll it out on a lightly floured board or in between two sheets of plastic to fit your prefered pie pan. (I went with rectangular this time) If the dough tears while you roll or/and transfer into the pan, just patch it with your fingertips. Line the dough with a piece of parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dy beans and par bake for 15-20 minutes until completely done. Remove the weights and parchment paper. At this point you can refrigerate the baked crust for up to 5 days if not using right away or freeze it for up to 3 months.

For the filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion (I used 1/2 of a giant sweet Vidalia), sliced thin
1 cup packed Swiss chard (red – green rainbow – your choice), washed and patted dry
One 4-oz salmon fillet, raw and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2/3 cup whole milk
salt and pepper
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley

Prepare the filling:
Preheat the oven to 350F and position a rack in the middle.
Heat the oil in a large sautee pan over medium high heat and cook the onion until translucent (about 3-4 minutes), add the Swiss chard and cooked until wilted. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme and parsley. Layer the onion and Swiss chard at the bottom of the crust, top with the pieces of salmon and slowly pour the egg mixture over it.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the tart starts getting golden brown and the custard is cooked.

Grilled Salmon Spaghetti with Grape Tomatoes and Capers:

Serves 2

One 6 oz salmon fillet
3 oz dry gluten free spaghetti (we go with quinoa pasta usually)
3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes
2 teaspoons capers
olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh oregano

Pan grill or grill the salmon until cooked to your liking. Let it cool and chop it roughly or just shred it apart with your fingertips. Place it in a large bowl.
In the meantime, boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Once cooked, drain, and mix it in with the salmon, halved grape tomatoes and capers. Mix and adjust seasoning if necessary. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and prinkle with a few fresh leaves of oregano.

Homemade Gravlax & Prawn Crackers Appetizer

Smoked Salmon on Prawn Crackers


Sometimes I get this crazy notions that I have a lot of time on my hand to do whatever. I know. Crazy right?! I mean, as the years go by I realize that "it will only take five minutes" will never be an accurate statement. It takes Bailey a mere 30 seconds to hide my shoe and I end up spending the next hour looking for it (what do you mean you have more than one pair of shoes?!!). However I relish recipes that allow me to marinate, brine or cure. Recipes that let time do its thing. Not in five minutes and surely not in thirty seconds.

There is virtue in meals quickly put together. My better half is eating a lot of leftovers with a poached egg on top as I work my way through several book projects at once. That really takes ten minutes and it’s just fine most nights. There are however days when I want to take more time with food. So I make ravioli and enjoy rolling dough to relieve stress and I release a few expletives in the process. I let my pan of ratatouille go on for hours until perfectly caramelized. I relish in the long simmering process of onion soup.

Smoked Salmon on Prawn Crackers


And then entered gravlax…The last time I had made gravlax was over 10 years ago. On a whim. After watching The Galloping Gourmet on T.V. I remember it distinctly because France had not been exposed to many cooking shows before and something about the concept was brilliant. The experience was so easy that I really can’t figure out why I waited this long to make it again.

It is so simple and you can literally put the cure together in less than 10 minutes and two days later have the most delicious gravlax. Bill loves it on his bagels in the morning and could not stop asking me "ready yet?" "are you sure it’s not ready yet?" I kept repeating like a stubborn mule "Thirty six hours dear. Be patient". Patience is key. The gravlax is buttery, sweet and salty and fragrant of dill and juniper berries all at the same time.

Light & Healthy


Some of us belonging to the Martha Stewart Circle were gifted with quite many pounds of fresh Norwegian Salmon as part of a campaign they were running. I love salmon but living on the waters of South Carolina, it is not a fish I buy often since it does not fish in the waters around here and I try to support local fishermen as much as possible. If I get salmon, I get Pacific wild salmon but I was intrigued by the claims of sustainability and ethically ocean-farmed raised salmon.

I got in touch with my favorite source on everything seafood, Becky from Chef Reinvented whose first cookbook, aptly entitled Good Fish is coming out in the Spring. What came out of our exchange, and without knowing lots of specifics about this company, is that not all ocean farmed salmon is equal and that some Norwegian farms are better than other farms, do not use antibiotics and monitor the growth and feeding of the salmon carefully. We both agree that even though it could be raised in better conditions than other farms in the world, it still does not compared to wild caught salmon. We also determined that it would be a waste of darn good fish not to cook with the one I had received!

Smoked Salmon on Prawn Crackers


I started with making Thai Coconut Salmon Soup actually and posted a preview on Flickr a couple of weeks ago but did not get around to post yet. The second one was this appetizer made with homemade gravlax and I could not help but make a quiche. No fear, everything will be up on the site at some point! Nothing could be easier than this appetizer. Well once the gravlax is done of course… I pan fried some dried prawn crackers (also named chips depending on the brand) and topped each with a slice of radish, some gravlax, a dollop of creme fraiche and sprinkled everything with chopped chives and pomegranate seeds. The combination of sea, sweet and salty was pure joy on the tastebuds.

Oh dear… we ate the entire thing that evening with some bubbly and shared it all with good friends.

Homemade Gravlax And Prawn Crackers Appetizer:

Serves 12

For the gravlax, adapted from The Minimalist.

Time: 10 minutes, plus 24 to 36 hours' refrigeration

1 cup salt
2 cups sugar
1 bunch dill, stems and all, chopped
2 tablespoons cracked juniper berries
1 2- to 3-pound fillet of salmon, pin bones removed.

Mix together the salt, sugar, dill and juniper berries. Place the salmon, skin side down, on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Cover the flesh side of the salmon with the salt mixture, making sure to coat it completely. (There will be lots of salt mix; just pile it on.)
Wrap the fish well. If the temperature is below 70 degrees, and it is not too inconvenient, let it rest outside the refrigerator for about 6 hours, then refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours more. Otherwise, refrigerate immediately for about 36 hours.
Unwrap the salmon, and rinse off the cure. Dry, then slice on the bias (see illustration). Serve plain or with lemon wedges, creme fraiche, sour cream or a light vinaigrette.

For the rest of the ingredients:
freshly fried prawn crackers/chips or already made ones – just make sure they are fresh! (available at most Asian grocery store)
12 thin slices of radish
1/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream mixed in with some salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Make the gravlax according to the recipe directions. Fry the prawn chips according to package instructions or use already fried ones (available at Asian grocery stores) Layer slices of radishes, slices of salmon, top with dollops of sour cream, some chives and pomegranate seeds.

Use as little or as much as you want…just be prepared. The combination is seriously addicting!!

French Onion Soup

Onion Soup


Days go by lately and they pretty much look the same. Write write write. Camera camera camera. Write write write. It’s pretty intense. It’s very insane and I would not change it for the world. Writing this book is the toughest thing I have ever done. Finding my authoring voice as well as my "manual-guideline" writing voice, as well as analyzing hundreds of my own pictures to make sure they are the best in the category they will be used for. I wondered the other day is 5pm was a decent time to finally brush my hair…

I am learning tons. About the world of editing and publishing, myself, others. About having someone busting your chop and being always one step ahead. I thought I did not sleep much, I think my editor got me beat. I often wonder if I am slow or it’s just the subject matter that makes me slow down and double triple check how I put it down on paper. I have never pondered words and dissected pictures as much as I have been doing the past couple of months. And there is so much still left to do and so little time to do it in.

Onion Soup


I do believe I’d feel different if I did not have to work my regular job at the same time. Yep. The bills still have to be paid, regardless of how long my behind is glued to the office chair or my eyes to the computer. This is by far the most challenging thing I have ever done in my career but it’s looking to be a dance of two or three of anything at least until July. And for some insane reasons, it’s not stressing me out one bit. It’s gotta be because I am doing a job that makes me smile every morning I get up.

I equated it to kitchen work the other day to Bill as we were looking over the schedules. Last time I felt such a high and peace of mind all jumbled together was when I was working in a restaurant kitchen.

Winter Salad


Talking about restaurant kitchens…I am starting the photography for Virginia Willis’s cookbook this weekend and I am looking forward to working with a dedicated crew of women, from cook to food stylist to yours truly behind the camera. We have a packed schedule the coming 3 days so you won’t see me pop around here much. Once the shoot is over for the day it’s back to writing and editing my own material. Lots of recipes to be covered for her and we have for mission to find the cover! Ah…no pressure!!

I am ready! With the intensity of the last few weeks, it would be easy to forget proper nourishment. Except I am not one to forget to eat. When time is of the essence, soups and salads are my true staples. It’s usually the same lentil or split pea soup but since my buddy Chris posted his French Onion Soup, I have been obsessed to make a big batch of it. Paired with my favorite salad of the moment and I am set. Perfect bite of comfort and TLC during quiet and studious days.

I am hoping to get plenty of "behind the scenes" shots for you guys. So stay tuned!

Onion Soup & Winter Salad



French Onion Soup: Click here for the recipe.
I’d never trust just anyone to make good onion soup like my mother used to make but his…wow! Make the time to put a batch on the stove. You won’t regret it. Use gluten free bread and you are good to go!

For the salad, lately it’s been rotating around these ingredients:
greens, granny Smith apples, feta, pomegranate seeds, vinaigrette.

Perfect lunch…

Butternut Squash and Coconut Milk Rice

Butternut Squash & Coconut Milk Rice


Every year for Christmas I bake gifts for B’s family and our friends. The tradition started 10 years ago when B. and I entered stores after stores, Christmas shopping for his relatives, only to come out empty handed. What do you get the people who have everything? Homemade goodies. And tons of them. Neatly packaged in personalized boxes with pretty ribbons and paper. I go all out. They love it.

I do love to give those boxes filled with cookies, truffles, macarons, etc…but it is easy to let flours, sugar, chocolate, vanilla take over the kitchen. There are times I feel I am inhaling far more buttercream than humanly recommended. I bet some of you can relate! Baking after work also means multitasking with dinner. Clearly not the time to experiment with new or lengthy recipes so I rely on dishes which ingredient list and method I can recite as if it were poetry. Enters this rice dish.

Weekend Cooking


In the past eight years, I have probably made this dish once a month. I know….that’s a bit scary to think we ate it or some variation of it close to a hundred times. It’s that good. It’s so easy and can be adapted to all seasons that once you get the gist of it, it’s just a matter of not eating the whole thing in one sitting.

The flavors in this recipe were the main attractions for me. Coconut, squash, onion, thyme. They left me intrigued. It’s perfectly suitable for a vegetarian night. We love it simply accompanied by a poached egg on top and a slice of bread. Simple and yet full of flavors. Easy to make and easy to eat.

Veggie Box


Right now is the perfect time to use butternut or acorn squash but feel free to substitute yellow squash or eggplant. I sometimes use finely chopped purple or flat leaf kale instead. The black beans can be replaced by any other bean such as pinto or chickpeas. Rosemary can easily replace the thyme. You get it. Use the recipe as a canvas to fit your tastebuds. We love it when the temperatures drop! Hope you will too.

Butternut Squash & Coconut Milk Rice



Butternut Squash and Coconut Milk Rice, adapted from Cooking Light 2002:

1 1/4 cups vegetable broth or water
1 cup light coconut milk
1 cup short grained or basmati rice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped
1 3/4 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
1 teaspoon chopped fresh (or 1/4 teaspoon dried) thyme
salt & pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (if using canned, drain & rinse them first)

zest and juice of one lime

Bring broth (or water) and coconut milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and keep warm (I just keep mine covered while I prepare the rest of the recipe).

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and lemongrass and sautee 5 minutes or until the onion becomes translucid.

Reduce heat to medium and add the squash. Cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in thyme, salt, pepper and black beans. Cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Add rice to squash mixture, add the lime zest and juice and stir to combine.

Scallops with Roasted Patty Pan Squash

Scallops & Roasted Vegetables


Everyday, every Winter, I am just a bundle of buzz, bliss, excitement and creativity. Everything about the day makes me move about and almost lose myself snapping photographs. The sky is magical this time of year with its every changing shades of blues. The silver and gold reflections of the water in the creek down below. I am constantly amazed at the light offering itself for the taking inside the studio. I lose myself in it as soon as the sun rises on the horizon until far after it is reasonable to admit.

Good thing my love for everything that is magical about Winter and the season is being matched with working on a few projects and chomping away at deadlines. I also love the fact that B. is either grading papers or exams in the room next to mine and through our respective silences, I know our minds are bursting with ideas. He’s constantly re-evaluating his way of doing things and presenting notions and I find myself doing the same in a different way. He is definitely the best mental partner I could have wished for.

Patty Pan Squash &Zucchini


Last Sunday morning I was writing on the couch in the studio, proof reading out loud a paragraph I was not completely happy with when B. popped his head in and volunteered to give it a look. We started talking photography and playing around with illustrations for a few chapters for a couple of hours. Before we knew it, we both heard our stomach growl. The light that day was so amazing I wanted to keep on working. But dang we were hungry too! Good thing that shooting food allows me to combine the two.

I wouldn’t normally do anything as fancy as scallops for lunch but it was Sunday after all, a quieter day for the both of us. One we like to make special. I also had been given these scallops the day before by one of the vendors at the farmers market who had just done a catering gig and was left with about two dozens huge scallops. I did not want to wait to cook them and risk being passed their peak for freshness.

Tomatoes


Scallops cook fast, so it was the perfect quick lunch to fix while B. was grading a couple more papers. I wanted to include a vegetable side other than salad (they are my typical lunch fare throughout the week), something that would cook quickly too and possibly at the same time. By their mini size, the little patty pan squashes and zucchinis I had picked up at the market the day before were perfect. I actually started with these, just sprinkled with salt and pepper at high heat while I was assembling the scallops which took me less than 15 minutes. Once they were ready to go in, I lowered the oven temperature a bit and in 10 more minutes we had lunch. Special little Sunday lunch with my honey…

I brought everything up while pipping hot and started taking pictures. The smell was so hard to resist that within five minutes we were ready to dig it. A few more snapshots later and we were eating on the couch in my office, holding our plates in our hand and laughing at our actual set up. "I love your job!" Bill said enthusiastically. Yep. So do I!

Roasted Patty Pan Squash & Zucchini


Sometimes I know what is going to end up on the blog, sometimes I don’t. This lunch was completely unplanned but the resulting dish was too good and easy to keep for ourselves. I am glad I did not wait for a special occasion. The precise moment of just being in that day was special occasion enough.

Now I am wondering what I’ll find at the market for this upcoming Sunday, ehehe….
Have a great weekend!

Scallops



Scallops With Roasted Patty Pan Squash:

Serves 4

Notes: For this dish, I counted we ate about 5 scallops each (we were hungry!) but you may want to adjust depending on their size. We ate the leftovers in a salad the next day.
To make gluten free breadcrumbs (or any kind of bread crumbs really), just process until finely ground a few slices of your favorite gluten free bread.
For this dish, start by roasting the vegetables as they take longer than the scallops to cook.

For the roasted squash:
assorted patty pan squashes or cut squash (count about a cup raw per person)
salt & peppper
about 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the scallops:
1/2 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons finely shredded swiss cheese
salt and pepper
3 tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup white wine
20 to 24 scallops (depending on their size)

Prepare the vegetables:
Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a medium bowl, toss together the vegetables, salt and pepper and olive oil.
Place the vegetables in a baking dish or roasting pan and cook for about 20 minutes. Prepare the scallops in the meantime, you wan to end up with both cooked at the same time.

Prepare the scallops:
In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, thyme, cheese and salt & peppper. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.
In a baking dish, place the tomatoes, white wine and top with the scallops. Spoon about one tablespoons of the breadcrumb mix on top of each breadcrumbs.
Lower the oven temperature to 375F and cook the scallops alongside the vegetables until done, about 10-12 minutes depending on their size. Remove both the scallops and vegetables from the oven and let cool a couple of minutes before digging in.

Gluten Free Braised Lamb Ravioli With Shitake Parsley Broth

Gluten Free Ravioli


I hope that everyone celebrating Thanksgiving this past week had a wonderful time doing so. I can safely say this Thanksgiving ranks high in the "best to date" for us. The food was outstanding. The company was delicious. Oh wait. It should be the other way around…As I told B. that evening after a strong cocktail "we had fun and we had fun making fun". That pretty much sums it up.

Making Pasta


I live for moments like these. Moments when friends just know that they are going to have a good time, relax and leave their worries behind. When they feel comfortable to dig into the fridge, get out the cutting board and chop away, preparing a delicious meal in a cacophony of pots and pans. I wanted nothing more than great friends around me at the dinner table and I got just that. I’m a very lucky girl.

Making Fresh Gluten Free Ravioli


Thank you Tami, Mike, Broderick and Jack for such a rocking day! As far as time with friends goes, I want days like Thursdays everyday. As far as the food goes, Thanksgiving seems to kick start my desire for comfort food. Perfect for slow simmering dishes such as braises or stews. Perfect for a little ravioli making action on a slower holiday weekend.

Making Fresh Gluten Free Ravioli


I have been meaning to make gluten free ravioli for so long but always found excuses not to. Truth is, I was concerned the taste would not be right and the dough would be too firm and to dry to hold my filling. That was of course until I tried Shauna’s and Danny’s recipe for gluten free pasta dough in their just released cookbook. So easy to make that you can have a bowl of fresh linguine on your plate in a little time and with minimum effort.

Stuffing for Ravioli


I could have stopped at making simple fresh pasta but one of my favorite vendors at the market, Jason from Meat House always takes care of me with something special. This time it was a nice big lamb beck. I scratched my head for a second, and seeing that he had just derailed my cooking plan for the week, he volunteered preparations and applications. When he said the words "ravioli", my ears stopped listening to any other suggestions.

Prepped Ravioli


I remembered seeing the picture for Shauna’s ravioli and immediately bookmarking it so once home I started the preparation for the dough and the filling. The beauty of ravioli is that you can fill them with just about everything you like. Right now I am tempted to shred some leftover Thanksgiving turkey with a little spinach and ricotta and do another batch. You could even make them completely vegetarian if you wanted.

We did not peep a word during our meal and ate as slowly as we could to enjoy every bit of it. You know…I might do just that for dinner tonight. Again. The broth is so light and refreshing you’d want to tilt your bowl and slurp…

Gluten Free Ravioli



Braised Lamb Ravioli With Shitake Parsley Broth:

Serves 4

Notes: the combinations of gluten free flours I used differs from Shauna’s as I used what was already in my pantry, feel free to substitute also according to your tastebuds and budget.
I like to mix the vegetables used to flavor the stock (mirepoix of carrot, celery and onion) for a few reasons: I hate to waste perfectly good food and it’s a good way to sneak in more fiber and veggies into my husband’s diet but feel free to use straight meat in the filling.
I know I don’t cut my ravioli the most conventional or easiest way. That’s my brain working right there. It does not matter how you get there as long as you get there. It’s not labeled on the ravioli as you serve them, how they were cut. The taste is what counts.
I did not have a pasta machine to roll the ravioli dough so they were a little thick but still wonderful.

For the braised lamb neck:
2 tablespoons oil, divided (olive or canola)
one 1 pound lamb neck
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 bouquet garni (I did thyme, rosemary, marjoram, peppercorn, coriander seeds in a piece of cheese cloth and dump the whole thing in with the meat)
4 cups beef stock or water
salt and pepper

For the shitake parsley broth:
2 teaspoons oil
1 cup shitake mushrooms thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
Stock from the meat preparation (at least 1 1/2 cups)

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat one tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Sear the lamb neck on all sides and remove from the pot temporarily.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil and add the carrots, celery and onion. Cook until slightly browned and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Return the meat to the pot, add the bouquet garni and enough of the beef stock to reach halfway up the sides of the meat. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer, partially cover with a lid and let the meat braise until fork tender (2-3 hours)adding more stock or water if the levels get critically low.
Remove the meat from the pot, let cool on the side. Drain the liquids from the vegetables in a strainer over a large bowl. Discard the bouquet garni. Refrigerate the stock until most of the fat raises to the top to skim it out. In the meantime, shred the meat from the lamb neck over the vegetables and mix well with your hands or a fork. Adjust the seasoning if needed.

Prepare the sauce:
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium and saute the shitake and garlic for a couple of minutes, add the parsley and the stock. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Keep warm or reheat when ready to serve.

For the ravioli dough, adapted from Gluten Free Girl And The Chef’s recipe for gluten free pasta dough:
2/3 cup millet flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon guar gum
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
4 egg yolks

Sift together the millet flour, rice flour and potato starch along with the xanthan and guar gums. Add the kosher salt and dump the mixture in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks.
By hand, Make a well in the center of the flour mix and dump the egg mixture. Working from the outside in with your hands or a large spoon, gather the flour over the eggs and work your way in until all the flour mix and liquids are mixed in. Gather the dough into a ball and use right away or keep well wrapped in the fridge until ready.
In a stand mixer, place the flours in first then add the egg mixture and mix with the paddle attachment on medium speed until the dough gathers into a ball. Use right away or park in the fridge, well wrapped.

Make the ravioli:
If you are using a pasta machine, divide the dough into four balls and roll them out to 1/2-inch thickness in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper.
Lightly flour the dough on both sides and run through the machine, increasing the setting each time until the dough is almost paper thin.
If you are making the dough by hand, roll each ball as thin as you can in between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper.
Cut the rolled out pasta into 2-inch square pieces. Add about 2 teaspoons of the meat filling in the middle. Brush the edge of the square with a little water and place another square right on top, press down and drimp the edges with a fork. You can also use a ravioli cutter to make your life easier.
Place a large stock pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil, add the ravioli and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoons and place in a serving dish. Reheat the shitake parsley sauce if necessary, pour it over the ravioli and serve.