Summer On a Plate: Grilled Veggie Salad

You want quick, easy and healthy? This one's for you! I had a dozen or so beautiful little summer squash on my hands, thanks to my bi-weekly CSA delivery, and knew that unless I used them up in one fell swoop, a few might not make it. So to the grill I went, and charred them until they were blistered and just this side of al dente (that would be the toothsome side - not the mushy side). They were joined on said grill by some asparagus as well, and if I'd had had other goodies to toss on there (peppers, eggplant) - I woulda done them too. I didn't dress them up for grilling with anything but a light coating of olive oil, since I knew that their destiny was in this salad which gets beaucoup flavor from a simple dressing and fresh herbs.

Once grilled, I left the squash and asparagus in the fridge to chill, went about my day, and assembled the salad in about five minutes before serving. The chopped up grilled veg went into a big bowl with some stunning diced tomatoes (also from the CSA), a sprinkling of feta cheese, and a whole snarl of chopped basil. By a snarl, I mean a lot (I love fresh basil!). Separately, I mixed up a quick lemon vinaigrette (1 clove crushed garlic, the juice of one lemon, ample kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper)- poured, tossed, and voila. Instant summer veggie heaven.

It was so good that I'm not dreading the onslaught of squash I'm bound to get delivered in the coming weeks as farms find themselves with the inevitable bounty. To that I say bring it on, CSA. Bring it on.

Heating Up for Summer: Gratin of Greens

This is not exactly a summer dish. But then again, summer hasn't quite yet found its way to Northern California ... yet (there are signs, yes, there are signs!). But the cool temperatures have somehow not impacted people's gardens too much, as witnessed by the huge shopping bag full of greens deposited on my desk last week by my friend Aerial. (Thank you Aerial!)

I love me some greens, simply sauteed and maybe spinkled with a dash of vinegar, but due to some various and sundry personal issues that cropped up last week, I was in the mood for comfort food. Something warm and homey. So I whipped up this gratin, and loaded it with what I just knew would taste great on a cool summer night: bacon, cheese, toasted breadcrumbs. Oh yeah. So I veered from my usual healthy fare and gave in to my heart. Sometimes you just have to do it. (Honestly - it's not that bad... everything in the recipe is used in moderation. Omit the bacon and even the breadcrumbs and it would still be every bit as good.)

At any rate, it is quite delicious, and an excellent way to turn a mountain of greens into a manageable dish. Courtesy of Aerial, my greens of choice were Swiss chard and kale, but really, any greens will do. You just needs LOTS of them. So if you're with me here in the not-quite-hot Bay Area, give this recipe a try now; for those of you in other parts of the country where the weather is sweltering, well... tuck it away for a cold Winter's night. (Note: I served the gratin scooped over some creamy soft polenta and it was divine!)

Gratin of Greens (adapted from a Whole Foods Market recipe)

• 4 strips of bacon, chopped
  
• 8 cups chopped, packed greens (stems removed) - kale, swiss chard, mustard greens, etc.
• 
1 cup water 

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 
1 cup nonfat milk 

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided 

• 1 tablespoon whole wheat bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saute pan, cook bacon to desired crispness (go crispy!); place on paper towels to drain excess grease. Reserve drippings. Add the chopped greens to the bacon drippings and cook over medium heat until leaves are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, Adding water as needed for moisture. Drain and set greens aside. In the same saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. When butter has melted, whisk in the flour until blended. Whisk constantly for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk. Continue cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in half of the grated cheese. Stir in the cooked chard and bacon, then transfer to an oiled 9x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

Fava Saga

"Bag o favas in office frig" read the text from my friend Kristin, an invitation to help myself to the fava beans she had been shelling for days on end. Kristin was in the midst of a fava saga - she had inherited something like a 10-gallon trash bag full of the beans in their thick, puffy pods (about 20 pounds) as a result of another friend's garden generosity. Now if you know favas... they are a lot of work for very little return, to put it mildly. Not only do you have to free the beans from their outer pod, they have an inner pod as well that requires parboiling in order to remove. It's labor intensive, and Kristin, having socked away more than ten cups of the doubly-shelled beans in her freezer, was done. The remainder of her favas had to find a home, so naturally I jumped at them. I love me some favas.

So I strolled down to the office frig, and picked up what I can only describe as the largest assembly of fava beans I'd ever seen in my life outside of the farmers market - a mini trash bag, if you will, full of the green nuggets. It was like striking gold, especially since Kristin had done all of the round-one shelling. But my work was still cut out for me. I spent hours and hours and hours that evening parboiling and shelling my little heart out, and came away the proud owner of about six cups of my own finished product. Most went into the freezer, but what goes around comes around: I happened to be heading to a dinner party at Kristin's house the very next day... my contribution? A salad featuring fava beans, of course!

Now the salad came about in an interesting way as well. The week prior to receiving my fava bounty, my friend Carolyn had forwarded me a link to a Martha Stewart recipe for an asparagus, artichoke and fava bean salad. "This looks like something right up your alley," read her email. And of course it was.

But you know me: recipes are usually only sources of inspiration; rarely do I follow them to a T. This one was no exception. There were a couple of steps in there that I just wasn't going to do: paring down artichokes to their tender hearts from scratch - which I find to be a waste, since if I'm going to buy whole artichokes, I'm eating whole artichokes; and simmering white asparagus in a milk concoction for 45 minutes until tender - seriously? Blanching regular old green asparagus for about a minute in boiling water works beautifully for me. So, my version used canned and drained artichoke hearts, and quickly blanched asparagus. I shaved off a good couple hours of prep time. In addition, Martha's version would make for a beautifully composed, plated dish... but that isn't exactly ideal for a potluck gathering. So in my version, I tossed all of the ingredients together with some spring greens in order for it to be easily doled out from a big salad bowl.

I even tweaked the dressing - possibly the best part of this salad and what made it so yummy. Martha's version was good... but it was pale in color. I realized I wanted something green - everything in the salad was basically a shade of green, so I went monochromatic, and bumped up the flavor in a subtly different way. So, if you're aching to get some green onto your plate (literally), give this a try. Below is Martha's recipe for the salad with my adjustments noted (visit her website for her complete version).

For the Dressing

• 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 scallion, green part only (I used 4 scallions and a hefty handful of chives - that made for the green color of my dressing)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (I added way more)
  

Puree all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

For the Salad (my version)

• 2 14-ounce cans of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1 pound green asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup fresh fava bean pods, doubly shelled
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
  
• 4-5 cups fresh spring greens
• 1/2-3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Combine all salad ingredients, toss with dressing and serve.

Thinking Inside the Box

I finally did it. I joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) delivery service. I've been hemming and hawing for years now about joining one, but finally pulled the trigger when some good friends of mine raved about their CSA (and now mine), Farm Fresh to You. It seems like a perfect fit - customizable fruit/veggie options so I don't wind up with items I'd never use; home delivery on a predetermined schedule (for now, I'm going with every other week); a wide variety of organic fruits, vegetables and herbs year round. And did I mention, they bring it right to my door? Love it. I got my first box a couple days ago, and couldn't be more pleased. In fact, most of it's already gone... so good.

Here's to Project Sweet Life

"A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others." ~Author Unknown

Today marks a day that I just can't let go unnoticed. After more than 30 years of shaping young minds, imparting knowledge, mentoring, and generally just working her butt off for the benefit of her three kids, my mom is retiring. Retiring! A momentous milestone, a day well-earned, a long time in coming. I couldn't be more proud of my mom - her vast accomplishments and the legacy that she leaves in her wake will forever be the bar to which I strive. She is now free to embark on her self-described "Project Sweet Life," and to that I say, get on with it! No one deserves it more than you. Savor your coming days, eat up the possibilities that present themselves in your path, relish the small pleasures you've had to overlook while providing for everyone else. Congratulations, mom. I love you.

Utah? You Bet!

Some celebrations just call for ice cream. And if you happen to be lucky enough, that ice cream would be the famed Aggie Ice Cream from Utah State University, in Logan, Utah. I was in Logan last weekend to witness a milestone and reaffirm that my third-generation Aggie blood still runs blue.

The milestone in question was to see my talented dad perform with the group he toured with during college at USU in the 60s called The Balladiers. The performance was 43 years after their USO tour in 1968 to the Far East. They put on an amazing concert at the university's Performance Hall to a capacity crowd, strumming and singing their hearts out for two hours. It was an experience not likely to ever be repeated in such a formal way, and one that our family will never forget. I'm so proud of my rock-star, 12-string guitar-playing dad and his band mates that my heart just swells with pride thinking about what a special occasion the performance was. Words really just can't express. So thank you dad and dear Balladiers for the memories.

And in true Fare to Remember fashion, the memories can't possibly be complete without sealing the deal over food! So, once the concert was over, the guitars were all packed and the microphones silenced, we headed for the USU Ice Cream Shop to celebrate and let my dad sign a few autographs (I just made that up...). My nephew, pictured above, is enjoying one of Aggie Ice Cream's signature flavors: Aggie Blue Mint. Mint ice cream, tinted blue, with Oreo cookie bits and white chocolate chunks. Yum, eh?

The fact that the school mascot is an Aggie, you can surmise correctly that as an ag school established in the late 1800s, USU has a proud tradition of excellence in the animal sciences. In USU's case, dairying in particular. The first lick is a rite of passage for any student, and it lives up to its reputation as being some of the best ice cream you'll ever have the good fortune to try.

Here's a little bit of Aggie Ice Cream history, cobbled together from a couple of sources on USU's website:

"Aggie Ice Cream has 26 different flavors and is known around the world. Why is it so good? Well, [it] has a 12% butterfat content [and is] aged slightly longer and contains less air than most commercial brands.

"The high quality of ice cream that is being made and enjoyed around the world today links back to 1921 when Professor Gustav Wilster revitalized the dairying department after WWI. He taught his skills to his students and then [sent] them out into the world. Gustav must be credited with not only the creation of Aggie Ice Cream, but also the birth of the Utah ice cream industry. The achievements of his students led to the founding of such landmark Utah companies as Caspers Ice Cream, Farrs Ice Cream, and Snelgroves Ice Cream.

"More recently, a Korean USU student loved the ice cream so much, he devised a plan to take it home with him. He gathered a group of Korean business men, who proposed the idea to USU, and in June 2000, the first international Aggie Ice Cream Shop was opened in Seoul. Not only that, but Aggie Ice Cream was also the first ice cream to make it to outer space, thanks to USU's aerospace technologies division."

So there you have it. They make cheese too.... but I'd best just stop with the ice cream, because you do know how I can drone on and on about cheese! This post is cheesy enough. (Rim shot.)

Switching gears here, I'm also going to do a couple of Utah restaurant shout-outs. Not that they have anything to do with Aggie Ice Cream, but when I go home, my mom always makes a point of introducing me to Salt Lake City's newest and hottest. So, she and I have shared many a fine moment over great meals, and I just think a couple places warrant a mention in the event you ever find yourself in Salt Lake City and are looking for a place to eat.

• Pago: Located in the ever-hip 9th and 9th area of SLC, Pago is one of the many Utah restaurants joining the farm to table movement. I had a beet dish there that transported me over the moon; I aim to recreate it someday. Called "Cinnamon Beets" on the menu, the roasted baby beets come topped with a cinnamon/nut brittle that is to die for. It is served on a bed of greens with Greek yogurt and truffled honey. Beet perfection, if ever there was such a thing.

• The Copper Onion: Um, hello delicious! "The Copper Onion serves a wide array of dishes and [features] a menu designed to explore and share. An insistent focus on the freshest and best is paramount; sausages and burgers are ground daily, bread is baked and ice cream is made in house, offering casual diners an exceptional experience at affordable prices." The charcuterie plate mom and I shared took me straight back to Argentina; my salad of just-picked greens spiked with fresh mint was unexpected and refreshing; our entrees of cheeseburger and mussels in a black pepper cream sauce were both spot on. My brother lives right around the corner and is a regular patron, and my sister evidently knows Chef/Owner Ryan Lowder... so The Copper Onion will be in our family rotation for years to come. Thank goodness!

iPhone pics....

Bringing Argentina Home

So I recently went to Argentina. (Surely you know that, but it's always fun to say it again.) Whenever I travel, I like to come home and prepare a big meal to share with friends that reflects the cuisine of the places I've visited. Argentina was certainly no exception - I was just waiting for the right opportunity to do it up right.

That opportunity came a few weekends back when I was able to reciprocate my friend Jeff's hospitality (if you recall, he and his family had us over and he cooked up an amazing feast). The stars aligned for a weekend when everyone was available, and I got to work.

I have to say, I am very proud of the meal. It was completely over the top - more food than I care to admit, but that completely synchs with the Argentine way of over indulgence. Had to be true to form, right?

The tough part was narrowing down the menu (yes - what follows is the abbreviated version of what I originally had down on paper). Grilling steaks - no brainer. No Argentine meal would be complete or authentic without it. But the rest of it - do I pick from the Spanish influence? Or go with the Italian influence? Hard to choose, so I tried to incorporate a little of everything.

What follows is a blow-by-blow of the evening's menu, including wine pairings (which for the most part I had hand-carried back with me from Mendoza). I've also included some of the recipes so you can recreate my favorites if your little heart so desires. It's written in my version of Spanish (what little I know helped along by Google translate), so apologies to all of you who actually speak and read the language... I'm sure there's some silly "lost in translation" segments in there, but obviously, I wouldn't know. Grin.


Picadas: Salumis (Lomo, Bresaola, Secchi, Prosciutto), Olives y Más Provoleto

Cóctel Desnudo Perro

(Antipasti of meat meat and more meat! Plus olives, peppers, hearts of palm. Grilled provolone with crackers. Naked Dog Pisco Cocktail, a simple, super good recipe from The Pisco Book, which was photographed by my talented friend, Shelley, who just so happens to own a pisco import biz, ClearGrape.)

Empanadas Acelga y Salad Mixto con Vinagreta de Torrontes

(Swiss chard empanadas - the empanadas were basically the only thing I didn't make from scratch. Mixed greed salad with Torrontes vinaigrette.)

2009 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrentes (Salta)

Ravioles de Calabaza con Pesto de Sorrel

(Homemade butternut squash ravioli with sorrel almond pesto)

2008 Zolo Torrentes (Lujan de Cuyo)

Tortilla Espanola con Sofrito

(Potato tort with fried tomato sauce - recipes below.)

2006 Occhioverde Merlot (Valle de Uco)

Mollejas de Ternera Chorizo Tres Maneras

(Veal sweetbreads; a trio of sausages)

A note about sweetbreads: I was ecstatic that I made sweetbreads from scratch, and they turned out to be succulent and delicious. It's ironically the one dish that I failed to get a photo of - so sad! (The one above I nabbed from Gastronomical Me, which had been nabbed from somewhere else, but the URL doesn't work.) But I am a sweetbread convert and will make them again. It is a multi-step, multi-day process, but so very worth it in the end. When I make them again, I'll post the directions and recipe.

Bife de Costilla con Chimichurri, Frijoles Verde y Zanahoria

(Wood-grilled T-bone steaks - cooked them over wine barrel staves, no less - with chimichurri, steamed green beans and carrots. Chimichurri recipe below.)

2008 Bramare Viña Cobos Malbec (Lujan de Cuyo) 2007 Bramare Viña Cobos Malbec (Marchiori Vineyard, Lujan de Cuyo)

Dulce Vigilante (Quesillo y Membrillo)
Helados con Dulce de Leche y Salsa de Cabernet al Chocolat
Mate

("Vigilante Dessert" of manchego cheese and quince paste; coffee ice cream with dulce de leche and chocolate cabernet sauce - I guess I don't have a picture of that either, duh. Mate tea.)

Tortilla Espanola
(Adapted from About.com)

• 6-7 medium potatoes, peeled
• 1 whole yellow onion
• 5-6 large eggs
• 2-3 cups of olive oil for pan frying
• Salt to taste

Cut the peeled potatoes in half lengthwise. With the flat side on the cutting surface, slice the potato in 1/8 inch-thick slices. Make sure to separate the pieces that stick together. It is not necessary to slice the potatoes paper thin and it is best not to use a food processor or mandolin because most will slice the potatoes too thin. If you slice them a bit thick, don’t worry – it will simply take a bit longer for them to cook.

Peel and chop the onion into 1/4 inch pieces. Put potatoes and onions into a bowl and mix them together. Salt the mixture.

In a large, heavy, non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Drop a single piece of potato into the oil to ensure it is hot enough to fry. Carefully place the potato and onion mixture into the frying pan, spreading them evenly over the surface. The oil should almost cover the potatoes. You may need to turn down the heat slightly, so the potatoes do not burn.

Leave in pan until the potatoes are cooked. If you can poke a piece of potato with a spatula and it easily breaks in two, your potatoes are done. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula; place in a colander to drain excess oil.

Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat by hand with a whisk or fork. Pour in the potato/onion mixture and combine with a large spoon.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small, non-stick frying pan (approx. 9-10”) and heat on medium. When hot, pour in the potato/onion mixture and spread evenly. Allow the egg to cook around the edges. Carefully lift up one side of the omelet to check if the egg has slightly browned. The center of the omelet should not be completely cooked and the egg will still be runny.

When the omelet has browned on the bottom, it is ready to be turned to cook the other side. Place a large dinner plate (12”) upside down over the frying pan. With one hand on the frying pan handle and the other on top of the plate to hold it steady, quickly turn the frying pan over and the omelet will fall onto the plate. Place the pan back on the stove and put just enough oil to cover the bottom and sides; let warm for 30 seconds or so. Slide the omelet (which is probably still a bit runny) from the plate into the frying pan, using a spatula to catch any egg mixture that runs out. Use the spatula to shape the sides of the omelet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the center is completely cooked through. Turn off the heat and allow the omelet to set for a minimum of 30 minutes before removing from the frying pan. Serve sliced like a pie; top with sofrito (recipe below).

Sofrito
(Adapted from About.com)

• 1 can crushed tomatoes (28-29 oz)
• 1 long green pepper (Anaheim or other type that is not “hot”)
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic
• Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Chop the pepper into 1/4" (or smaller) pieces. Heat a large frying pan with a heavy bottom over medium heat. Pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Put the onions into the pan and sauté them until they are transparent, reducing the heat if necessary so as not to burn them. Add the green pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes, adding olive oil if necessary. Be sure to stir often so vegetables do not burn. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Pour the crushed tomatoes and paprika into the pan and mix well. Continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Chimichurri
(Adapted from Asado Argentina. This is the absolute best approximation of the very best chimichurris I had in Argentina; it is scrumptious!)

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 small bunch flat leaf-parsley; chopped (should equal about 1/2 cup)
• 1 medium onion; finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic; finely minced
• 1/2 of a red bell pepper; seeded and finely diced
• 1 tomato; peeled, seeded, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon bay leaf; very small flakes
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• hot chili flakes to taste (Aji Molido if you can find it)

Add all of the ingredients except the oil and vinegar into a large bowl and toss well to make sure that the salt is spread evenly around the ingredients. Next add the vinegar and water. Mix well. Finally, add the oil and mix well. Make sure that the liquids cover the rest of the ingredients. If not, add equal parts of oil, water, and vinegar until they are covered at least by a quarter of an inch. Transfer to a non-reactive clean bowl or jar and cover well. Place in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend overnight. For better results prepare at least 2 or 3 days ahead of time. If refrigerated, allow sauce to sit at room temperature for at least an hour or until the oil, if congealed, thins out before serving.