running with tweezers

crunch time

It's crunch time...and that has multiple meanings. There is a lot going on personally and professionally that is going to require my attention. Work gets busy again this month. I have a couple projects that need some serious focus. It's also crunch time in that I need to get back into shape. The highs and lows of life (more highs than lows these days)  in the past 6 months have me feeling a bit...gluttonous. All this living high on the hog and happier than a pig in slop has me toting around a couple more pounds than I'd like. After a superb birthday week spent with amazing people both old and new (more on this later!)- and more than my fair share of pork belly and foie gras - I'm making a conscious decision to lighten up a bit.

I got inspired by this orange cauliflower at the market as a way to have a crunchy salad without the usual greens. You can easily substitute red onions for the green onion and throw in any fresh produce you have around the house. While this salad is great on its own, it is also a great base to add meats or cheese to make it a heartier meal. After this photo was taken, I threw in some chopped salami and crumbled blue cheese. 

Crunchy Cauliflower Salad - serves 6 to 8 as a side dish 

• 1 head cauliflower - broken into florets
• 2 cans garbanzo beans - rinsed and drained 
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved or quartered depending on their size 
• 3 green onions - green and white parts cut down to the root 
• 2 tbsp. chopped basil 
• 2 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley 
• zest and juice of 1 medium lemon 
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 
• 4 tbsp. red wine or white wine vinegar 
• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard 
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 

- In small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, olive oil, vinegar and mustard. 

- In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and blanch quickly, 2-3 minutes. Rinse with cold water or drop in ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and allow to cool off in colander.

- While cauliflower is cooling, add chopped onions, tomatoes, and garbanzo beans to a mixing bowl. Add in cauliflower once cool and add the vinaigrette. Toss together and sprinkle with parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Allow to marinate together for at least 15 minutes before serving.  

tropic thunder

It's hot. Already....and it's only June. As a fan of entree salads and veggies for dinner, it's the perfect way to beat the heat and eat fresh and easily. If there is an opportunity to add cheese to it - particularly goat cheese - I'm even happier.

 I came up with this recipe for a recipe contest...and then my computer died, so I never got to submit it. Let me assure you that it is easy, flavorful and visually just lovely. I love the contrast of the juicy, tropical fruit and the crisp, spicy goat cheese. A little sweetness in the dressing ties it all together.

 Feel free to wing it with the fruit and garnish you add - pineapple and papaya would be great here, as would a little cilantro garnish. Be sure to serve this immediately after frying the goat cheese so you get the spicy, oozy cheese on the salad! 

Tropical Watercress Salad with Spicy Goat Cheese - serves 4 as a starter salad or small entree salad

For the dressing:

• 2 tsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. mango chutney 
• 4 tbsp. lime juice 
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil  
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 

For the salad:

• 1 bunch watercress, rinsed, dried and tough stems removed
• 1 jar hearts of palm, cut into segments 
• 1 medium avocado, cubed 
• 1 medium ripe mango, cubed 
• 1 small red onion, cut into julienne strips 
• 3 green onions, chopped down to the white parts 
• 4 oz. soft goat cheese - cut into 4 rounds 
• 1 egg 
• 1 tbsp. canola/veggie/olive oil 
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper 
• 1/2 tsp. paprika 
• 1/2 tsp. cumin 

- Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside. If you want it less chunky, feel free to whiz it in a food processor. 

- Set out a small pan or plate. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. In another bowl, mix panko bread crumbs and the 4 spices. Dip the goat cheese rounds into the crumbs, then the egg wash and back to the crumbs again. Make sure they are coated on all sides. Set on pan and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up. 

- While the goat cheese is resting, plate your watercress, red onion, mango, avocado and hearts of palm. You can dress it now but I think its better to drizzle the dressing over the plated salad. 

- In a medium non-stick, pan,heat your tablespoon of oil over medium heat. You want to see the oil shimmering before you add the goat cheese. Remove from the chill and quickly sear the cheese on each side. You want to create a crust but do not burn the panko and the spices. 2 minutes or so on each side should do it. 

- While still warm, plate your goat cheese on the watercress salads and drizzle with mango chutney vinaigrette. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped green onion. Serve immediately. 
  
  

south by southeast

The blog hit yet another snag. My silence hasn't meant any personal traumas or anything, don't worry. Simply put, my computer bit the big one. Kaput. So after a few days of deliberation, I've joined the cult of Apple and I'm thrilled about it. It's taken me a few days to get my sea legs and figure this thing out...but I seem to be getting the hang of it. 

It's officially summer here in Atlanta - I've asked on numerous occasions if I worked through our one week of spring. That means lots of outdoor social events and potlucks. This is an Asian-influenced slaw that was really well received. I'm a slaw fan..and more specifically, I'm a fan of less mayonnaise based versions. This is tossed with a spicy, thin peanut vinaigrette that gives great flavor without being too gloppy. Add whatever mix of fresh, crisp veggies you want in your version. I edited out the carrots and threw in more pepper and herbs. Toasted peanuts would be awesome in this, too. Serve this with some seared tuna or marinated chicken. Word to the wise: take it to heart when it says to serve IMMEDIATELY once you dress it!

Asian Inspired Slaw with Peanut Vinaigrette - serves 8 to 10 as a side dish - I don't know where the original recipe came from so if someone knows, let me know and I'll credit it!

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter     
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha chile sauce
• 2 pounds napa cabbage, thinly sliced (12 cups)
• 3/4 pounds red cabbage, thinly sliced (3 cups)
• 3 medium carrots, julienned
• 2 red peppers, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 15 mint leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

- In a medium bowl, whisk the peanut butter with the lime juice, fish sauce, water, sugar, garlic and Sriracha.

- In a large bowl, toss the napa and red cabbages with the carrots, peppers, cilantro and mint. Toss the salad with the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Serve right away.

chop chop

As I've mentioned in a previous post, things have been more than a little hectic. Thankfully, I am one of those people that is still able to throw something together to eat in a somewhat healthy way. I'm a fan of using what's around, throwing it all together, zesting some lemon and drizzling some olive oil on it and making it an impromptu meal. Everyone has their specialty...and mine is salads (and soup - I'm allowed to have two, right?). I love the crunch of raw ingredients in salads and adore bowls of herby, crunchy chopped veggies. 

That having been said, I've never cooked with straight up raw asparagus. Something has been ingrained in my brain that says I have to at least flash them first. Not any more. This recipe from Anne Burrell is now in my repertoire of quick and flavorful salads. It takes minutes to throw together and goes with a variety of meals - or makes one on its own. I've twisted the recipe a bit with things like a splash of balsamic or some lemon zest. Use good quality extra virgin olive oil and great Pecorino. When there are so few ingredients in a dish like this one, quality counts more than ever!

Asparagus, Pecorino and Red Onion Salad - recipe by Anne Burrell originally found here 

• 1 bunch pencil asparagus, tough bottom stems removed
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 cup coarsely grated aged pecorino
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt

Cut the asparagus, including the tips into very thin slices, crosswise and place in a medium bowl. Add the red onion and pecorino and toss to combine. Dress with the vinegar, olive oil and salt and toss again. This salad should be fairly heavily dressed. The vinegar will sort of "cook" or tenderize the as

pretty peas

"How luscious lies the pea within the pod." - Emily Dickinson

I can't take it anymore - I had to make something using fresh peas. Of all the vegetables I love - and there are many - peas hold a very special place in my heart. I grew up eating them in everything (mostly the canned variety, bless my mom's heart) as it was the one green thing my dad could stomach. As I've grown up, I've ditched the cans and developed a full swoon lust for fresh peas. There is something romantic about opening fresh peas - that daydreamy let-your-mind-wander (mine was reflecting on a pretty remarkably amazing weekend i just had) busy work that keeps you standing at the sink with your head and hands just a-goin'.

I haven't cooked with them in some time so I was thrilled when I scored a handful of bright green fresh peas at the market. With them, I wanted to make a spin on macaroni salad. This is total picnic and potluck food for those in the parts of the world (like me) where the weather is getting good. There were gorgeous radishes at the market, too - they add such pop of color and crunch. Throw in some chopped sugar snap pea pods and chives with a tangy dressing and it's a great base for grilled salmon or seafood or alongside really flavorful sandwiches.

Pea, Radish and Orzo Salad - serves 4 as a side dish

• 1/2 cup orzo - uncooked
• 1 7 ounce container of Greek Yogurt - you can substitute sour cream if you choose
• zest of one lemon
• 2 tbsp. chopped chives
• 1 small bunch radishes - washed and cut into a small dice or thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh peas - you can substitute fresh frozen peas here
• 1/2 cup sugar snap peas cut into 1/2 " pieces - you can substitute any crunch green veggie for these. asparagus tips or green beans would also be good.
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

- In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until al dente. Cooking time will vary but it should be in the 6-7 minute range. If you are using fresh frozen peas, throw them in the boiling water with the orzo in the last 2 minutes of the pasta's cook time. Drain and allow to cool.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine yogurt,  lemon zest, and chopped chives. Add drained orzo to the dressing. To that, add your peas, radishes, and snap peas. Stir to mix thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle the mixture with chopped chives. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

greeking out

I'm starting to get that seasonal craving and nostalgia for cold soups and picnic foods. It started with the gazpacho and moved on to pasta salad (which was super delicious the next day, fyi). My desire for a not-so-traditional potato salad has hit much earlier this year than in years prior...but it happened with full force this week.

As someone who doesn't love the diced-or-mashed-into-oblivion-gooped-up-with-mayo version of this dish, I keep trying to think of ways to utilize other binders like creme fraiche or yogurt. The notion came to me to do a remixed version. Gyros and Mediterranean flavors are some of my favorites and a tzatziki-like Greek yogurt base for potato salad seemed like a natural fit. The tangy coating and crunchy veggies are a nice compliment to the potatoes. The heat from the chili can be adjusted to your liking. I am allergic to fresh dill so I used parsley in my batch - dill, mint or any combination of herbs would be delicious here.

Tzatziki Style Potato Salad - serves 4 to 6 as a side

• 2 pounds baby new potatoes - scrubbed and cut into even sized chunks
• 1 7 ounce container of Greek-style plain yogurt such as Fage
• 1 medium cucumber - seeded, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/2 medium red onion - thinly sliced
• 1 small thai red chili - seeded and finely diced. substitute 1/4 tsp red chili flakes if you'd rather.
• zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped mint, dill or parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

- In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the potatoes. Cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes in my case. Cook time will depend on the size of your chunks. While the potatoes are cooking, mix all other ingredients except the salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. When the potatoes are fork tender, drain thoroughly and allow to cool.  Gently fold into yogurt mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. This is another one of those things that tastes better as it sits so I would allow it to percolate for around an hour before you serve

it's easy eating green

As much as I love soups, I love salads equally. Not the iceberg lettuce-smother it with ranch dressing kind of salad. I like the throw it all together with reckless abandon kind of salads. Using things that you have on-hand, each combination that you make can be different every time. I'm a firm believer that if you rely on your taste-buds and include things you like, they'll all end up going together.

There are also the kinds of salads that are so flavorful and so easy, they end up being in rotation in your recipe repertoire. This is one of those salads. Trust me. I ran across this recipe while flipping through cookbooks and realized I hadn't made any of Ina's recipes in a while. It's four or five really easy to find and flavorful ingredients that you can toss together and make a quick showstopper. I made it for a dinner party last week and everyone raved. I made it straight from the recipe and it was incredible. The one note I will make is that I would watch the amount of Parmesan cheese you add at the end. If you are using prepared pesto, taste the salad before you add the cheese to make sure that you need the added salt and grate it accordingly.

Pea Pesto Salad - serves 4 to 6 - recipe originally found in Barefoot Contessa At Home

• 2 cups of frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons pignolis, toasted (see note)
• 2 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves - washed and spun dry
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto or you are free to make your own
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or to taste

- Cook the peas in a pot of boiling salted water for 1 minute. Immediately immerse the peas in a bowl of ice cold water, and drain when fully cooled.

- To assemble, place the spinach leaves in a salad bowl. Sprinkle the peas and pignolis over the spinach. Add the pesto and Parmesan cheese and toss.

Note: To toast pignolis, place them in a dry saute pan and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes, until evenly browned, tossing frequently.

eating hand to mouth

During my week taking part in the Eat Local Challenge - something I am *still* trying to incorporate into my normal routine - I had my second article due for Deep Dish over at Atlanta Cuisine. It was easy to be inspired by all of amazing produce available at the local farmer's markets during the summer months.

Beautiful heirloom tomatoes came together with a small organic-ly grown watermelon, fresh basil, and Sweetgrass Dairy goat cheese to make this delicious summer dinner salad - great textures and flavors all combined with the added bonus of being grown locally.

While some of these items may not be plentiful where you are this time of year, the premise is still the same: use what is in front of you at the time....for freshness in both taste and ideas. The loosey-goosey recipe for this salad is here at the end of the post but you can read the full article here at Atlanta Cuisine.

Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Salad

Serves 2 as an entree-size salad

• 2 green zebra heirloom tomatoes - washed and cut into wedges
• 1 large mortgage lifter tomato or other red heirloom tomato - washed and cut into wedges
• 1 pint small fry, red currant or other small red tomatoes - rinsed and caps removed if desires
• 1 small watermelon - seeds removed and cut into small wedges or slices - about 8 slices per plate
• 1 8 oz. tub of Sweetgrass Dairy fresh chevre
• 1 small bunch fresh basil - washed and dried and smaller leaves picked and kept whole
• good quality extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• good quality balsamic vinegar – optional

Arrange watermelon slices on plate as desired to form the base of your salad. Scatter heirloom tomato slices over the watermelon and place smaller tomatoes whole across the plate. Sprinkle basil leaves over the entire plate and add dabs of goat cheese, to taste. Drizzle the plate with a thin stream of extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. If you want to take this more into the realm of a Caprese salad, you can add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to the salad. Serve immediately.

from farm(ers market) to table

Here in Atlanta, the whole farm-to-table conversation seems to be at a fever pitch. We are reeling from the pending departure of two of our most talented chefs - Nicolas Bour and Michael Tuohy - whom are both huge proponents of the farm-to-table movement. While I wish both of them the best of luck with their moves, it has made me think about our dining scene here in Atlanta. With celebrity chefs moving in, two restaurants opening for every one that closes, and a fairly substantial farmstand/CSA presence here...why can't we support farm-to-table eating here in our restaurants here?

One of the people here who has been doing it very successfully is David Sweeney at Dynamic Dish. This little sparkling gem in a rough, transitional part of town has a cult following among foodies in Atlanta. His approach is simple: all organic, mostly vegetarian...and all purchased the day or so before it's prepared. I have run into him scouring the farmer's market for whatever looks fresh that day. There is no set menu - you trust his palate and his combinations of tastes and textures.

The salad in this post was inspired by one I had at Dynamic Dish. The softest, lightest organic red leaf lettuce acting as a cushion for organic black mission figs, chunks of Sweetgrass Dairy chevre, and toasted pumpkin seeds. I whipped up a quick dressing of honey, balsamic, wonderful olive oil, sea salt and pepper. It was a marvel of textures with the airy lettuce, ripe figs, and creamy goat cheese. All thrown together in an impromptu way with whatever looked incredible that day.

Next week, I will be taking part in a week long Eat Local Challenge sponsored by Whole Foods here in Atlanta. It's something I have wanted to try for a long time - I buy lots from the local markets but not  100% - and this is the perfect opportunity. With the exception of a meal out for Downtown Restaurant Week, everything I eat will be fresh and locally grown. I will be trying to blog about my creations as much as I can. I will be documenting it on Flickr as well in a special photo set. Follow along. Contribute. Better yet, eat local with me!

eat your vegetables

Everyone has their secret shame, right? I'm not talking about those photos from the 80's or the fact that you like Kenny Loggins. I mean a food secret shame. For some, it's Spam sushi - or Spam anything, for that matter. For others, it might be that late night (or early morning) 4 am run through the Krispy Kreme drive through. Then there is that lot of you that puts mayo/ketchup/mustard on everything. Weirdos.

My secret food shame for a long time was Brussels sprouts. I had them as a kid every so often growing up but they were always, umm, the frozen kind. I, like everyone else in their right mind who has had a frozen Brussels sprout, had been scarred just a little by that experience. As a teenager, though, I started getting into food and had them roasted in a very nice restaurant. Cabbagey but not - not to mention how cute they were - and caramelized and sweet from the roasting. I was hooked and have eaten them ever since. The problem is that many people think they don't like Brussels sprouts but haven't had them prepared in a modern and loving way...so when I say love Brussels sprouts, it's often met with an "Eeew."

This recipe will change your mind about Brussels sprouts, I promise. If you already like them, you'll love this. I wish I could tell you this recipe is more complicated than it is...but I whipped this together in about 10 minutes. Rustically cut, chiffonade the leaves or use a mandoline to shred the sprouts - I think it looks better and more rustic if some of the leaves are chunky or left whole.

A quick thing I did before putting the salad together was to pour semi-hot water over the shreds, leave for a minute, then drain off. Immediately after, I rinsed them with cold water to make sure they didn't wilt too much. That minute in the warm water softens them just a bit without boiling or steaming them & risking getting mushy.

The creamy Ricotta Salata makes this salad with a creamy, salty counterpoint to the veggies. If it's not readily available where you are, good quality feta will work, as well.  This dish is just screaming to be paired with a piece of grilled salmon.

Brussels Sprout Salad - serves 2 as a salad or 4 as a large side dish

• 1 pound of Brussels sprouts - washed then shredded/chiffonaded
• 2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Juice of 1 lemon - Meyer lemon if available
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 4 oz. ricotta salata cheese, crumbled or sliced into 1 oz. portions

- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice. Taste before you season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. When seasoned to desired taste, toss in well-drained Brussels sprouts. Toss thoroughly to coat with the dressing. Plate salad and top with crumbled ricotta salata (or feta) or lay slices on top if you're doing it that way. Served immediately.