running with tweezers

like riding a bike

On Sunday, I received an early birthday gift from Mike. Not just any gift...but one that he knew would mean a whole lot to me. I got a new bicycle. A really nice bicycle. As much as it's meaningful in that we'll be able to spend time together outside and I'll be able to commute to the local market without hopping in the car, it's meaningful in an entirely different way: I've never ridden a bicycle before.

I grew up inside drawing, painting and studying. My folks (my dad in particular) never had the patience to teach me how...so it fell to the wayside. I don't blame them for it - I got to be good at lots of other things because of how I was raised. Still, I'm now faced with learning how to ride a bicycle as an-almost thirty-_______ year old person...and I'm going to be perfectly honest: it scares the be-jeezus out of me. The bruises on my legs from our quick feet-on-the-ground "walk but pretend you're riding" session on Sunday are a reminder of how it made me feel more than a bit humiliated, uncoordinated, and - well - old. That having been said, I'm determined to learn how and love it...without killing myself, my relationship or anyone else in the process.

One thing I do know how to do is cook potatoes. I put this together the other night of stuff lying around the loft. You can pop the potatoes in the oven for 30 or so minutes and work on something else in the meantime. Tossing the potatoes in the vinaigrette just as they're out of the oven means that they'll soak up all the delicious dressing - that's why the dish looks naked in the photo. Trust me, it's not. While I added some arugula and capers, feel free to improvise this. Toasted pine nuts, parsley, rough chopped herbs - it's really a blank canvas.

Warm Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad - serves 4 as a side

• 1 pound fingerling potatoes - white or purple or both - washed, dried and halved
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - set aside 1 tbsp. for dressing & 2 tbsp. for roasting
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 cup wild baby arugula
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste

- Preheat oven to 375. Place halved potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Toss to coat evenly. This should take between 30-40 minutes depending on your oven - it's about 35 in mine. You want the potatoes crisp but not brown/hard outside.

- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil. Set aside until potatoes are done roasting.

- When they potatoes are done, quickly toss them in the vinaigrette you've made. Toss gently to coat thoroughly. Allow to sit for 3-4 minutes to absorb all the flavors. Throw in capers and then salt & pepper to taste. Right before serving, add your handful (about 1 cup) of arugula and mix thoroughly. This is delicious warm but could also be served at room temperature - just add the arugula before you serve so it doesn't get mushy or wilted.

a hot streak

This post has been a long time coming - almost embarrassingly so. A few years ago at a sushi restaurant, I tasted Shishito peppers. We were steered in their direction by our server - I'm sure the bewildered look we gave him was common. "You want me to eat a pepper WHOLE?!". He said trust me...and we did. A snacky bite with more sweet than heat, it was an addictive snack.

Ever since then, I've been asking folks where to get Shishito peppers. I've bugged folks going to Asian markets and told them to look for me. I've harassed people on Twitter. Heck, I've even considered growing my own since I couldn't find them. Until this past weekend. As I wandered the produce aisles at Super H Mart, I saw a package of "Japanese sweet peppers" that looked strangely familiar. They're so inexpensive, I bought them in hopes I'd found those long-lost peppers. I had...and they were just as good as I remember.

This is a great starter for an Asian inspired meal. Make handfuls and handfuls of them because they'll quickly disappear. Allegedly, one in 100 is spicy. Otherwise, they're sweet with only a tiny burn of heat. They also cook in minutes and have so much punch in such a small package. I seasoned mine with a light sprinkle of sesame seeds alongside some citrus and smoked paprika sea salt. Eat them whole but make sure you discard the stem - they make a great "handle" to dip into the salt.

Flash Fried Shishito Peppers 

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 4 cups shishito peppers - washed & dried - leave the stem
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

- Mix kosher salt and smoked paprika in small bowl & set aside. Heat sesame oil in a wok or deep saute pan until glimmering. Throw in your peppers and move them around in the pan until they start to blister. BE CAREFUL - the skins may pop and you may get oil sputters. They should blister in 2-3 minutes. Transfer from the pan onto paper towels to drain briefly. Place in serving bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve slightly warm with lemon wedges and seasoned salt.

a recipe from an italian summer - and a giveaway!

I've been obsessing about this recipe ever since I stopped pining away for Recipes from an Italian Summer and bought a copy. The book is so stunning and beautiful - it's a photo album of my dream summer. One spent cooking simple, rustic lovely food. Throw in snapshots of outdoor picnics, tomatoes on the vine, produce close-ups - I'm in love. You'll see me cooking from this book for many months ahead.

This recipe caught my eye about 20 pages in. I've always been a fan of Pan Catalan so this Italian version was definitely for me. While the frisedda bread might be hard for you to find (as it was for me), a rustic loaf bread or Ciabatta does just fine once toasted. I shot the photo of my version while it was a little light on the tomato goodness - I didn't want it to come out looking like a wet washcloth. When you make yours, go crazy with the tomato rub. Really break it down into the crusty bread. Don't skimp on the heat, either - you can do this red jalapenos or red chilies, whichever you have. For this version, I just rubbed the bread with the chilies rather than topping with the diced version. This would be perfect picnic food - just toast the bread and take the other toppings alongside. Serve with an herby salad, some prosciutto, a slice of cheese. It's my dream al fresco food.

I'm so enamored with this cookbook that I'm giving a copy away. I'm doing this giveaway a little differently this time. To enter, all you have to do is "like" Running With Tweezers on Facebook. One random person who "likes" RWT on FB will win a copy of the book. The winner will be chosen at noon on Monday, June 7th, 2010. Since it's being shipped directly to the winner, this contest is open to US Residents only. To join the fun on Facebook, go here.

Frisedda- original recipe found in Recipes from an Italian Summer - serves 4

• 2 ring shaped loaves of bread or one long rustic Italian loaf, bone bread or Ciabatta
• 1 large red tomato, halved
• 1/3 cup rinsed and drained small capers
• 1 fresh red jalapeno or chili, seeded and finely chopped
• olive oil

- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cut the loaves in half horizontally and toast in the oven for 10 minutes until lightly browned.

- Remove from the oven and rub the cut surfaces vigorously with the tomato halves until they become red. Sprinkle with capers and chilies and drizzle generously with oil.

Note: For a picnic, toast the bread in advance, prepare the rest of the ingredients, and take them separately. Rub with tomato and sprinkle with capers, chili and oil just before serving.

travel & recipe trial-and-error

It's been another minute between posts. I've been on what seems like one long (but really awesome) photo shoot..and the days I haven't been in the studio, we've been traveling. One such trip was a wonderful weekend back and forth to Nashville. While seeing friends there is always a treat, the official occasion for our visit was something special: the spectacular wedding of Austin & Delaney. While I've just recently met them through Mike, their wedding seemed just like them: creative, casual and heart-warmingly sincere.

The bonus of the awesome event was running across this recipe. At their reception dinner, catered by Nashville BBQ joint Bacon & Caviar, I had one spoonful of this stuff and was hooked. I've been talking about it since then. I even asked the folks from the B&C for the recipe - and was shot down instantly. While my version might be a little fussier than theirs, it's darned close. Using fresh summer corn adds so much texture to this recipe. You can adjust the heat to whatever level you want but I urge you not to be afraid of the smokey paprika & chipotle powder - the sweetness of the veggies can handle it.

Chipotle Corn Salad - serves 10-12 as a side dish

• 12 ears of fresh white or yellow corn, shucked and cut off the cob
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, de-seeded and finely diced
• 3 tablespoons sour cream or creme fraiche (low or non-fat would work here, as well)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

- Place cut corn into a large mixing bowl with halved tomatoes, green onions and diced jalapeno. In a small mixing bowl, combine sour cream & vinegar. Add chipotle & smoked paprika and whisk together thoroughly. Taste it at this point - adjust the heat or vinegar level and add your S&P to taste. Drizzle it over veggie mixture and mix thoroughly. Taste one more time and adjust seasonings, if needed. You can serve this immediately or cover & store in the fridge - this salad will last for several days and only get better.

Taste of The Highlands & an incredible summer soup!

Last weekend, I was asked to be a guest judge at the 8th Annual Taste of The Highlands, an outdoor food festival to benefit Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. I was thrilled, of course. It's a great way to spend a beautiful spring day in our city - in the company of some other great judges (Broderick from Savory Exposure and the foodie event planners EatUpAtlanta) and some 30 local restaurants providing food and drink. It's also for a great cause - each year, the event raises between $25k to $35k for the charity. 

There were so many great dishes at the festival that we couldn't pick just one. We had to create a sweet category, a savory category and a special mention for best cocktail of the day. Chef Hector Santiago of Pura Vida won the savory group with his rice dish and accompanying salt cod & baby banana fritters. Best sweet went to Tierra for their Tres Leches Cake - I've tasted nothing like it. The cocktail of the day was a landslide - The Warren's White Peach & Watermelon Sangria. You can see some photos from the day here.

After it was all said and done, all of us who attended that day kept coming back to one particular dish: a chilled pea soup topped with ham and radish. On that warm, sunny day...having that nice shot of cool soup was so refreshing, simple but flavorful. We've all been talking about it for days and I've gotten my hands on the recipe. Jay Swift, chef at 4th & Swift, kindly passed this simple recipe along. It's labor intensive because of the fresh peas but once you're done with the prep, it takes about 10 minutes to get the rest of the soup together. I've omitted the ham here but it adds a nice salty touch - feel free to garnish with ham, pancetta or bacon.

Chilled English Pea Soup with Ham & Radish - recipe by Jay Swift of Atlanta's 4th & Swift - makes about 2 cups of soup

• 2 cups english peas blanched lightly in boiling salted water, drained and chilled

• 1/4 cup warmed heavy cream

• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 -3 tiny drops of lemon infused evoo (agrumato) to taste - I substituted a drizzle of EVOO & juice of half of a lemon

• water or vegetable stock (enough to make puree-able) - this depends on your own preference

- Place all ingredients except water in a high speed blender, and water until velvety smooth. Season to taste. Serve very cold with shredded or julienne radishes, diced ham of your choice and a fresh pea sprout or two in top. Have fun!

tangled up

   I'm just as confused by my love of this salad as you might be. I have a longstanding disdain for carrots - we all know that. However, I'm proud to say that I'm coming around. Wait till I make a recipe based around celery - you'll all think I've lost my marbles. I've seen a couple carrot recipes floating around on some of my favorite food blogs that have sounded just dreamy. I never pulled the trigger on those but darn I wanted to.

My immediate attraction to this salad recipe is proof of one thing: if you put a Thai or Vietnamese spin on any ingredient, I'm apt to love it - green bell peppers excluded (we're never going to mend fences). I also love the tangled up-ness of this recipe. It makes it super easy to put together and even easier to adapt the ingredients. Add extra veggies like edamame or snow peas. Substitute the mint for cilantro, which I did in my version. You can adjust the heat in any direction. I love a little spice so the red chili was a great touch for me. If it's too much for you, add more jalapeno and omit the red chili. This salad was a great side dish for a Thai-themed dinner night but would be great as a main topped with spiced chicken or seared tuna.

Thai Carrot Noodle Salad - adapted from a recipe found here at BBCGoodFood - serves 4 as a side dish

• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• juice of 2 large limes
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 large jalapeno, de-seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 thai red chili, de-seeded and thinly finely chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled and thinly grated or julienned - I slice mine with a vegetable peeler
• 8 ounces (or half of a 16 oz package - the average size I've seen) rice vermicelli noodles
• 1/2 cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro - for garnish
• 2 green onions, roughly chopped - for garnish

- Start 8 cups of water on to boil. Place dry noodles in a large heat-proof bowl. When the water comes to a rolling boil, take off heat and pour over noodles. Allow them to soak for 5-7 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Once they're tender, drain thoroughly. Return to large bowl and allow to cool. You'll mix the rest of the salad together in that bowl.

- In a small bowl, combine sliced shallots, jalapeno, red chili, fish sauce, sugar, rice wine vinegar, and lime juice. You can also make this in a small container with a lid - it makes it really easy to shake the dressing & combine all the bits.

- Once the noodles have cooled, you're ready to mix it all together. In the large mixing bowl, combine the carrots and peanuts in with the noodles. Drizzle dressing over noodle mixture and combine thoroughly so ingredients are distributed through the noodles. Add cilantro and green onion & toss again. You can serve this immediately but it tastes best if it's allowed to sit for at least 30 minutes.

a small plate

   Warm weather dining is in full swing here in Atlanta. We're a patio-dining obsessed town to be certain. One of my most favorite spots in the entire city is a little jewel box of a wine bar called Krog Bar. It's one of the most authentic tapas - note that I said tapas and not small plates - places I've ever been. It's all about the wine, the meats, the cheese and a few choice other Spanish influenced noshes...all enjoyed under a giant umbrella that spans the patio.

I had this dish there a month or so ago alongside some baguette, some perfect thinly sliced Bresaola and salty olives. Washed down with a class of crisp Rosé, it was the ideal al fresco meal. I knew I had to replicate these stuffed peppers immediately. Luckily, a trip to Trader Joe's scored a jar of Piquillo peppers, which have a sharper, tangier flavor than most roasted red peppers available in stores. You could certainly use roasted red peppers in a pinch.

The rest of the ingredients are easy to source and come together in a flash - you can have an appetizer ready in 10 minutes. Feel free to add to the cheese mixture as you see fit - chopped herbs you have on hand would be a nice touch. Serve these as an appetizer alongside some crusty bread and other antipasti like artichoke hearts or olives. 

Goat Cheese Stuffed Piquillo Peppers - makes 8 peppers

• 8 ounces good quality goat cheese, softened to room temperature
• 8 whole peppers from a jar of roasted whole Piquillo peppers - Trader Joe's is a source for them
• zest of one lemon
• juice of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• salt and fresh course ground black pepper to taste (for both the goat cheese & the vinaigrette)
• crisp greens, prosciutto, flat-bread or toasted crostini are great to serve alongside

- Place softened goat cheese in a small mixing bowl and mash in lemon zest, salt and pepper (a large pinch of each should suffice). Set aside or place in piping bag/makeshift Ziplock piping bag. 

- In another small both, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.

- Drain 8 Piquillo peppers and pat lightly dry. Carefully open peppers and stuff with goat cheese - I think piping the mixture in is easiest but it's fine to use a spoon. You will use about 3/4 of an ounce per pepper. Place peppers on serving plate and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Sprinkle entire plate with chopped chives. You can serve immediately or chill for an hour or so - just make sure to bring peppers back up to slightly under room temperature before serving. If you're making these in advance, save the dressing and chive garnish for right before serving.

a savory reprieve

I needed a break. A savory break. Between the cake I just posted about and the Sugar Coma tour I was taking part in Saturday, my taste buds were a little sweet-ed out. Needing a quick lunch and something that would get me through a long day, I put this dish together in about 15 minutes. It's filling but not overly so...and it's so green & (relatively) healthy. Despite the fact that it carried me over easily till dinner, I didn't get that heavy pasta gut bomb sensation. Maybe the good-for-you greenness of it psyched me out!

While I ate this as a quick main course, this would be a great side dish for any type of protein. Dress it up with garlic, other veggies, toasted walnuts or pine nuts - whatever else you have on hand. One note of caution: this pasta doesn't reheat so well without the addition of a little sauce or extra lemon juice so take that into account if you're thinking about next-day leftovers.

Spinach Mascarpone Pasta - serves 4 as a small entree or side dish - inspired by a recipe on bbcgoodfood.com

• 1 16 oz. box dried curly shaped pasta such as fusilli or cavatappi
• 1 6 oz. bag of pre-washed & prepped baby spinach leaves
• 6 oz. Mascarpone cheese 
• juice and zest of 2 lemons
  
• 6 tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese + 2 tbsp. for garnish
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives, for garnish
• salt & pepper, to taste

- Start a large pot of water to boil. When the water is up to a gently rolling boil, add pasta and cook to al dente according to the directions on the box.

- While pasta is cooking, set up a relatively large capacity food processor. To the processor add 3/4 of the bag of prepared baby spinach, Mascarpone cheese, lemon juice and 6 tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese. Puree until smooth and well-incorporated. Set aside.

- When pasta is cooked to desired texture, drain and return pan to the stove and heat on low. Add pasta back to pot and add spinach sauce. At this point, taste your pasta and then salt & pepper to taste - keep in mind the finished dish will get a light sprinkle of the salty Parmesan on top right before serving. Stir in lemon zest and remaining baby spinach leaves and heat until pasta & sauce are warmed through and the spinach is just wilted. Divide into bowls, top with a sprinkle of chives & Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

make this salad

I wish I had the time to tell you the incredible and delicious story of my week in Charleston. I really do. All the great moments with Helen as we hung out, shared stories, collaborated on a really great project. Those details will have to wait. There is a nearly-week long shoot coming up & a television commercial looming...as well as one heck of a bake sale.

One thing I can tell you about last week was that Helen changed my life forever by introducing me to the salad you see before you. A quick stop at EarthFare (something we don't have in Atlanta, darnit) for lunch noshes scored us a one-pound container of this stuff. We ate it for lunch - and dinner - on several occasions (and ended up buying a second pound) vowing to recreate it when I got home.

Here it is - this is a dead ringer for their recipe and cheaper to make at home. Believe me when I tell you that it will take you 10 minutes to make this salad...and 10 minutes to eat a batch of it. This recipe may make more dressing than required but I'd rather you have a little extra (for a marinade or something) than not enough. Just add the dressing in steps until the kale is coated but it isn't soupy at the bottom of the bowl. You must have patience here - this salad gets better with time so don't cheat and eat it straight away. A couple hours of marination changes the texture of the kale & allows for deep flavor.

Sesame Kale Salad - serves 4 to 6 as a side dish (or 2 people if you're Helen and me!)

• 1 pound of kale leaves once the tough stems & ribs are removed and roughly chopped - I used the prebagged & washed variety
• 2 large roasted piquillo peppers or roasted red bell peppers, cut into thin, bite-sized strips
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

- In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce and vinegar until completely emulsified. Set aside at room temperature.

- In a larger mixing bowl, place kale and pepper strips. Drizzle in dressing and mix the greens and dressing thoroughly - I used my hands for this. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and mix once more until evenly distributed. Cover bowl with its lid or well fitting plastic wrap. Chill for 4 hours to overnight.

melt with you

I've been around sweet stuff all week. Literally - a three day shoot of nothing but chocolate drizzles, whipped cream dollops, and mango martini pours. For most folks, this would be a dream come true. In my case, the days of drinks and desserts (and a good bit of finger licking) had me longing for veggies, bread and nothing fried. I vote savory over sweet any day.

This recipe has been on deck for a week or two now - it was in my in-box courtesy of Everyday Food. I have always been a fan of their recipes for their simplicity and ease of finding the ingredients. Despite the fact that this recipe takes about 25 minutes from start to finish to make, I just couldn't get any cooking done this week. Today, on my first real day off in a while, these beauties were my lunch - and they were good.

It's a pretty straightforward recipe. I've, of course, tweaked it slightly. Rather than chopping garlic for the mayo these veggies sit on, I threw together some mayo & great sun-dried tomato pesto (loaded with garlic & capers, as well). The gouda was replaced by shredded mozzarella cheese - I think you could use ANY cheese for these melts and they would be great. While this combination of vegetables was delicious, I think this is a great application for any crusty bread & random produce you have lying around your house. Toss them with a glug of oil, a little seasoning and heap it all on some thick cut bread for an instant and mostly healthy meal.

Portobello, Broccoli, and Red Pepper Melts - serves 4 - original recipe found here 

    •    1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets (stalk discarded)
    •    1 tablespoon olive oil
    •    Coarse salt and ground pepper
    •    4 portobello mushrooms (stems removed), sliced 1/2 inch thick
    •    2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), sliced 1/2 inch thick
    •    1/4 cup light mayonnaise
    •    2 tablespoons good quality pesto, olive or sun-dried tomato tapenade
    •    4 thick slices crusty whole wheat, Ciabatta or country bread
    •    1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

- Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, toss broccoli with oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil, tossing once or twice, until broccoli begins to char, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and bell peppers to sheet; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Broil, tossing once or twice, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes more; set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and pesto or tapenade; season with salt and pepper. Place bread on a work surface. Dividing evenly, spread with mayonnaise mixture, and top with vegetables, then cheese. Place on baking sheet, and broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.