Happiness is shelling peas

Freshly shelled peas

A friend recently asked me if there was any exciting produce at the farmer's market lately.

"Well," I told her, "besides all the baby squash, there is the matter of fresh peas."
"But it's such a pain to shell them." she said flatly.
And then there was an awkward pause.

I mean, I love shelling peas.
Love it.

And if you get yourself in a kind of zen mode you can stand there, staring out the window, shelling till your fingernails turn green, and when you finally snap out of it you've got a bowl full of peas and even perhaps some new realization about your life or the universe or your next door neighbour.

The shelling of peas requires the ability to space out, and that is something that I am entirely good at.

So yes, I went home with fresh peas while my friend did not. The requisite spacing out occurred as I shelled them and then it came time to eat them. I dwaddled around for about an hour doing other things, all the while trying to decide what exactly I wanted to do with them. This can sometimes take a while. I don't like to rushing into these things because I hate to be disappointed. So, I had a chit chat with my mom on the phone, threw some laundry in the dryer, flipped through a magazine until finally I had it.
Seared chicken breast with pesto and fresh peas-- completely inspired by the presence of peas on my counter and fresh basil pesto in my fridge.


Seared chicken breast with pesto and fresh peas


It's nothing fancy, but it sure made me happy. They say that basil is a mood lifter and I swear it's true. One bite of some fresh pesto and I make that Nigella face, the one that in some circles might be considered a bit over the top, maybe even obscene, especially when she adds the finger licking.
But I completely understand where she's coming from, because between the pesto and the peas I was pretty much on cloud nine.



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How I made it

The peas were blanched in boiling water for a minute or two until desired tenderness, then drained and rinsed in cold water. The chicken was seared in a pan (with olive oil) and cut into strips/wedges when done. Combine the peas with the chicken in a bowl and toss with some fresh basil pesto-- as much or as little as your heart desires.
Easy peasy.
Pun intended.

*note, this recipe is especially easy if you happen to have pesto in your fridge. If not, you have no choice but to dig up your favourite recipe and get to it.


Variations:
This dish would also be good with some pasta shells in the mix.
Or try some crumbled feta on top.
It might even be great with a mint pesto, if you happen to like mint enough, which I do.

Pattypan!

Ontario grown pattypan squash and baby zucchini


Tomorrow is July 1st, Canada Day, and for the first time in 4 years I am actually at home, in Canada, for the holiday.

In honour of the occasion, I made a trip to the farmer's market and brought home some locally grown produce. In my 4 years abroad I rarely came across pattypan squash so when I spotted it at the market I have to admit I was pretty excited. For one thing, the word "pattypan" is particularly fun to say, but they're also pretty darn cute to look at.

Now, I'm worried that you're going to read this and think that I make the most boring salads. Well what's a girl to do. I like to keep my relationship with vegetables as uncomplicated as possible.

And yes I did notice that lately all my vegetables seem to be topped with some sort of cheese. I never said I was perfect.

This is the simplest salad to put together: nothing more than sliced baby squash which are blanched for no more than a minute in boiling salted water. They are then drained, dried off on a clean kitchen towel then dressed with olive oil and white wine vinegar and finally topped with goat cheese* and slivers of mint. It's not unlike a salad I talked about 2 years ago so it seems I'm still a fan of the zucchini and mint combo.

It's a perfect summer salad, great with some crusty bread and some homemade white wine sangria in a big jug in the middle of the table. I'll tell you about that soon, but in the meantime, eat your veggies and have a happy Canada day.






* I used goat milk feta
**This salad is completely inspired by a recipe in: "Best of Taste Cookbook by Williams Sonoma"

Beer and Chocolate. You just can't go wrong.

Chocolate Guinness Cake by Tish Boyle

I have had this recipe bookmarked since..
Well since forever.
I finally got to it this past weekend and let me tell you: what with that Guinness in there it was pretty fun to make.
And to serve.
The general discussion around the table went something like this:
"Chocolate and Guinness?"
"As in the beer?"
"In a cake?"

And there was me, proud as a peacock, pretending like I make unique and fabulous cakes all the time.
(In an alternate reality, that one where I have my own private jet, I actually do make fabulous cakes all the time)

The cake was moist and flavourful, with just a hint of cinnamon, and the best part of all was that it wasn't overly sweet. Admittedly, we all decided that it shouldn't be eaten solo--it needs ice cream or even some crème anglaise alongside in order to make it shine. It would be kind of like making a really fabulous yellow cake but eating it just plain. It's still a great cake, but it's even better with some icing, right?
Maybe even a little caramel sauce would have done the trick on this one.

In any case, the cake was a hit and the leftovers were safely left behind at my brother's....
Damn.
Why do I always do that?



Chocolate Guinness Cake. Those nubbins in there are pecans..


Click here for the recipe for Chocolate Guinness Cake

*I used Valrhona cocoa powder in this recipe
*and yes I will make this cake again

Dama Bianca. Indeed.

Fennel and Celery Salad, it's better than you think

Ok, enough with the cookies, right? Although, G and I are booked in for 2 more barbecues this weekend and I have a Chocolate Guinness Cake in mind to bring to one of them. That is if it even makes it out of the house. Does that thing not look dangerously good? It's not at all light and summery but it's supposed to rain all weekend so I think it might do just fine.

In the meantime, this girl has not forgotten her love of all things green. Even those that are so pale they are practically white.
Put your sunglasses on now if you must.
I tell you, they don't call this dish Dama Bianca for nothing.

I know fennel is not the most popular vegetable, and even I have to admit that prior to making this salad my love for fennel was somewhat conditional. I love it roasted, sauteed, and baked, but eating it raw was just not something I did.

But I try to be an open minded gal. And I had the most perfect bulb of fennel just begging to be appreciated in all it's raw glory, so I figured it was time to give it a shot.

I didn't have buffalo mozzarella on hand as the recipe calls for, so I used some ricotta salata, which is almost like feta cheese. With a simple lemon vinaigrette this salad made me quite happy, and definitely made up for all those cookies I've been indulging in lately.

I always determine the success of a recipe by whether or not I think I will make it again to serve to guests and yes, I do believe I know a few people who will enjoy this as much as I did.

I might switch up the cheese in the future, but the base salad worked well for me. It was fresh and light and the fennel, though raw, was made quite mild by the vinaigrette and by being thinly sliced.
Perhaps that was the key I've been missing all along.

And actually, I think you could even toss some white beans into the mix to to make the dish a bit heartier.
Or sliced white new potatoes.
Or even some white rice.
Or make a chicken salad out of it, and throw it in a wrap...

Oh be still my heart.
You gotta love a recipe like that.


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Fennel and Celery Salad (Dama Bianca) from Epicurious
note: I only cut up as much fennel and celery as I felt like eating and then reduced the vinaigrette by roughly 1/3rd. It's an easy recipe to adjust to your appetite.


Yes, I did eat the whole thing but I stopped to take a picture
halfway through because the cheese looked better crumbled.
Am I right?

More cookies. Chocolatey ones.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

There was no road trip this time to justify the baking of cookies, but there was a barbecue. I expected to wake up the morning of with some energy--a grocery list of stuff and ideas in my head of what I was going to bring.
But alas, that was not the case. Instead I woke up feeling like I just wanted a slow and easy morning and a hot cup of coffee to go with it. A trip to the grocery store was the last thing I was in the mood for.
Thank god for a well stocked pantry.
I showed up at that barbecue with a salad made of fregola sarda (Italian couscous) and some Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

I don't bake as often as some do, so I'm always a little wary to try out a new recipe when I'm intending to actually feed other people with it. But these did not disappoint in the least.
The batter worried me at first because it felt much drier than what I'm used to. It became something like damp sand and I expect that if you overmix the batter the cookies will come out drier and crumblier. By some stroke of luck I managed to get it right and they turned out moist and almost fudgy. That part surprised me since the recipe calls only for cocoa powder*, no actual chocolate. They were reminiscent of a brownie, without the sometimes aching sweetness that comes with a brownie.

In any case, it's definitely a recipe I'm going to make again.
Barbecue or no barbecue.



Wishing I had taken home some of the leftovers


Chocolate Crinkle Cookies from Williams-Sonoma

*I used Valrhona cocoa powder which is some fine, fine stuff.

In Defense of Recipes

Random Lunch: greens with goats cheese and pinenuts
and chickpeas with basil pesto

I've known two people in my life who have disagreed with my use of recipes. Both of them are relatives, and both are of the male persuasion and, it need not be said, but both deserve a swift kick in the backside.
The suggestion is that somehow I am less of a cook because I follow recipes.
I know, right? It's blasphemy.
In fact, I would happily challenge both of them to a duel in the kitchen starting with a spice rack showdown.
I've got spices that I'm sure they don't have and damn it, I know how to use them.

Nothing makes me happier than finding a recipe that I not only want to make again, but that is easy enough that I can wing it the next time. And soon enough, the technique, method or combination gets stuck in my head and becomes mine to improvise with. It's that point, the point where I don't need to follow the recipe anymore, that gives me freedom in the kitchen. The more I am able to improvise, the less I am confined to a cookbook, and less frequently do I stand in front of the fridge or the pantry not knowing what to make.

Of course, the quest is never ending. There are millions of recipes out there and only so much time to cook them. And sometimes you get yourself all geared up to try a new one only to find that you're out of baking soda or that your sour cream has gone moldy. And when a recipe goes wrong altogether, oy, that can have devastating consequences. Although temper tantrums are rare, I did once throw an innocent spoon at the wall in protest of a most craptacular recipe.

But this is our curse, right? The curse of the person who loves to cook, and who loves to see the reaction on people's faces when they try something we've made.
Gad. How I love to feed people.
What is that all about anyway.

Elsa Schiaparelli apparently once said: "A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness."
I like that.
Don't you?



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Just a few of the online recipes I've made (and enjoyed) this month:

Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Marinated Zucchini and Green Bean Salad
Japanese-Style Fried Brown Rice
Sushi Bowl
Scallops with Tarragon Cream

A road trip and the easiest cookies ever

Flourless peanut butter cookies

G and I are heading to Montreal this afternoon and there's nothing I like more than a road trip.
It's about a 6 hour drive from Toronto to Montreal---not so long that you dread it, but long enough to justify packing some road trip food.
I've stocked up on water, apples, junk food (I won't pretend otherwise) and some Flourless Peanut Butter cookies. The recipe calls for the addition of chocolate chips, but as you can tell I opted to leave them out.
Just this time though.
Because I love me some peanut butter and chocolate.
And let me tell you that I have never put together a batch of cookies so quickly and with such little mess to clean up afterwards. Five simple ingredients (6 with the chocolate chips) and you're good to go.
So satisfying.
They're peanutty without being overly rich and they're perfectly moist despite the complete lack of butter.
It's like magic.


So, I've got cookies in hand, the GPS is in it's place on the dashboard and the Ipod is fully loaded. I'm ready to hit the road.

See you in a few days.



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Flourless Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip cookies from Epicurious
If you've got a perfect peanut butter cookie recipe already, that's great. But I am always happy to find recipes that give good results for minimal effort. This is the kind of recipe you keep on hand in case of emergency. Sometimes an impending road trip (or a cookie craving) just doesn't want to wait for the butter to come to room temperature.
If you know what I mean.

Time passes but there are still noodles

I could eat these everyday

I may not be so good with posting lately but people, I am still cooking and I am definitely still eating. So what's the deal? Well sometimes a girl just goes through phases. After 3 years writing this blog I guess you just have to go with the flow a little bit. What surprised me most was how often G kept nudging me with the constant question "Did you post today?". Until he finally just up and said "I miss your blog."
If that doesn't surprise a girl, I don't know what will.

So I figured it was time to get my butt in gear. Thankfully I had this picture I had taken of some peanuty noodles that I seem to make on a regular basis these days. I give all the credit to Heidi--this recipe is so easy to throw together and is now on constant rotation in our household. The beauty of it is that you can adapt it with whatever leftover vegetables you have in the fridge--and you can throw in some tofu or chicken or whatever strikes you. Of course, hers looks much prettier than mine but my tastebuds were quite content. And G lapped up a good 3 bowls full the first time that I made it for him. This is the man who instead of admitting that he is a picky eater declares himself a "supertaster". (insert eye roll here)

So listen. Without much fanfare the 3 year anniversary of my blog went by. Three years! In that time I have posted from apartments in 4 countries. I certainly don't feel like the same person I was when I started this blog and I keep thinking that I need this blog to catch up with me a little bit. It served it's purpose as a bit of a food/travelogue and a way to keep in touch with family and friends back home but now that I am back in Canada it needs to serve a new purpose in my life. Perhaps I've ignored it a bit these last few weeks because I'm still working out it's identity crisis.
But I think I've got it figured out now people.
And it won't be so long until the next post. I promise.

Until then, you've got some noodles to make.



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Heidi's noodle recipe

I baked it myself

Soda Bread from Alice Waters The Art of Simple Food

It's not the best idea to stay up until 3 in the morning listening to music with a friend when you've got another friend coming by for Sunday morning breakfast at 10. You set the alarm for 8 and in a sleepy daze you set about making pancake batter and then you remember that your breakfast guest is a vegetarian so you put the bacon back in the fridge with a mild sense of regret and longing. If anything can put a spring back in your step it's the smell of bacon in the morning.
And then you start questioning whether she'll even be in the mood for pancakes, maybe she'll just want toast and eggs. Or yogurt and fruit. And then you realize you are a bit of an obsessive host and that maybe you should just sit down for a minute and have a cup of coffee.

I'm not sure what logic went through my mind when I decided that it would be too much work to walk to the shop to get bread for breakfast (which is a mere 2 blocks away) and opted instead to bake a loaf at home to save myself the trip.

But I tell you, Alice Waters' soda bread is really that kind of bread. It's so easy to throw together that by the time I would have walked the 2 blocks to the shop the loaf would have already been in the oven. Since it uses baking soda instead of yeast, there's no waiting for it to rise, and there's just enough kneading to make you feel accomplished.

It looks nice, don't you think? It's got a dense and chewy crumb and a nice crunchy crust. Top it with a little jam with the longest name ever (Red Lavender Strawberry Merlot Jam) and you can't go wrong. Sure, compared to a yeasted bread it is a little soft on flavour, but it's quick and easy and homemade, which makes it taste awfully good to me.

Because I don't want to mess with the goddess that is Alice Waters, I will not post her recipe. Instead I will direct you to a website where someone has already gone to the trouble of posting it. So click below for the recipe.

Alice Waters' Soda Bread
from the Art of Simple Food

Turning yogurty

Feeling scientific

I began to bore myself with all my talk of wanting to make my own yogurt. This isn't a recent obsession, I've been going on about this for years. You'd think I would have made it by now, patted myself on the back, and moved on.
I kept looking longingly at yogurt makers, which is stupid because they aren't really all that expensive. But I was worried that I would buy it only to have it spend the rest of its miserable life gathering dust and wasting valuable real estate in my cupboards. I even had a friend who encouraged me to do it the old school way, like her mother used to do it. They were encouraging words, and I felt genuine enthusiasm when she explained the process to me.
That was three years ago.
And then suddenly the other day I found myself in my kitchen sterilizing jars in my oven.
I was finally doing it: making my own yogurt.
After years of avoidance, it's a phenomenon I cannot explain.
But after a night of sitting out on my counter doing its thing, (turning yogurty in scientific terms) I dug my spoon in. And since I'm the only yogurt eater in my house, double dipping was definitely allowed.
It was silky and smooth and mild and HOMEMADE.
And that made it taste twice as good.
Now let's hope this sticks and that I don't find myself a year from now wondering why I only ever made homemade yogurt this one time. Because really, it was so damn easy, I don't think I've got any excuses anymore.


Homemade Yogurt
from issue 35 of the Donna Hay magazine
A candy thermometer is required!

Heat 1 litre of whole milk in a saucepan until it reaches 95c or 203F.
Then pour it into a sterilized glass jar and allow it to cool to 42c or 108F.
Stir in 1/4 cup of thick natural yogurt and seal the jar with a tight fitting lid.
Wrap the jar in a towel and leave at room temperature for 8-12 hours or until the yogurt is thickened.
Drain any excess liquid that gathers on the top of the yogurt before refrigerating.
The yogurt can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It makes approximately 4 cups.

She suggests that clean jars can be sterilized by putting them in a preheated oven at 160c or 320F for about 10 minutes.

Roasted cauliflower with a kick.

Before and after: Roasted cauliflower with Sel de Guérande and piment d'Espelette


I know, I know. I can hear you thinking that cauliflower isn't all that exciting.
Tsk tsk I say. Cauliflower is plenty exciting.
I mean, I've been known to sit down with a bowl full of it and if that just doesn't spell fun then I don't know what to say.

If you think about it, tearing it apart can be really therapeutic. You can put all your muscle into it, scrunch your face up, clench your jaw and just give it all you've got. And it makes such a satisfying crunching noise, like it knows you mean business.
So much cheaper than therapy.

Does it sound like I have anger issues? Because I swear to you this is completely innocent.
Although I will admit, sometimes a girl just needs to vent, you know?

And not only does it help you get all your demons out, once you've roasted it you'll realize how crazy good it is. I just can't seem to get enough of it and that whole 'me with a bowl full' was no joke. I love it when it gets those darkly browned bits-- little nubbins of concentrated roasted cauliflower flavour. It's such a sweet reward after all that venting.

So listen, if you've never tried roasting cauliflower before then you just better get right to it. Cancel your weekly therapy session and push up your sleeves.
I mean really, whatcha waitin' for?




Piment d'Espelette for a bit of a kick

Roasted Cauliflower with Piment d'Espelette

Since we're talking about being a bit fiesty, the Piment d'Espelette is important. But feel free to substitute that with whatever inspires you. It's also just as excellent with just salt.

Break a head of cauliflower into florets--they will cook more evenly if you keep them of relatively equal size, but I like to have some with well browned bits, so I break them up into various sizes.
Rinse the florets well and dry with a clean towel or the oil will not stick.

Toss the florets with enough olive oil to coat well. For a large head of cauliflower use a few tablespoons.
Sprinkle with a good pinch of sel de guerande or other crunchy sea salt.
And if you have it, add some Piment d'Espelette to give it a bit of a kick.

Place on a baking sheet, roast at 190c (375f) for 25 to 30 minutes or until desired doneness. (Cooking time will also depend on your oven).


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A little info in English on Piment d'Espelette can be found here

A good egg makes a good aioli.

Aioli made with the best eggs ever..

The night we got back from our trip to Rome we were so tired and our fridge was as empty as it had ever been so we just ordered Indian take out. You know how the Brits like their curries.
But the next night, after a trip to the grocery store to restock, I cooked up a veritable feast. A roasted chicken, some roasted vegetables, some toasted bread crumb salsa from the Zuni cookbook and just for good measure a side of Alice Waters' aioli.

Now let me tell you.
That was some kind of meal.
Maybe it was just the relief of being home, and of having all that wedding madness over with. Maybe.
Or maybe it was just that it tasted so so good.

It was my first time making aioli and I have to admit I did curse a little bit when it did not turn into aioli on my first try. So I grabbed another egg yolk and slowly added my failed batch and lo and behold it started to emulsify. I now know that the key is to add the oil much slower than you may be tempted to. I'm sure that Confuscious once said: "She who rushes the aioli will be disappointed."
Or something like that.

And I swear this aioli was made better by the eggs that I have been completely devoted to for many months now-- they're eggs from rare breed hens which graze outdoors and lay only about 2 or 3 eggs a week. They're produced by Clarence Court and are available at Waitrose. And if you've got nothing better to do on a saturday night you can even watch the hens in action.

I love these eggs-- the yolks are so perky and vibrant--orange almost, and I just think it's so darn cute that they only lay a few eggs a week. Perhaps they're trying to tell us that a good egg can't be rushed.
And I can't say I disagree.



Alice Waters' Aioli recipe
A straightforward recipe, and if it doesn't work the first time there is a fix. Thank god for that.

Clarence Court
the best eggs ever.

The colours of Fall..

Man, I love the internet.... Doesn't it just look so darn yummy?


*Click each picture for it's corresponding link, mouse over for it's description.

Braised baby bok choy

I gotta tell you that I think baby bok choy is one of the snazziest looking vegetables around. I mean look at it, how perfect is that colour and that shape? But no matter how much I try to convince G of its visual appeal, he is still not a big fan of its slightly bitter taste. (I'm sure he's not the only one).

So, I do what any baby bok choy lovin' gal would do: buy it and eat the whole damn thing herself. (And it's kind of fun to say "baby bok choy", don't you think? It has the same appeal on the lips as that "baby back, baby back, baby back ribs" thing.)

Believe it or not I recently came home with some UK grown baby bok choy.
UK grown!
I kid you not.
And I usually do the same old thing with it--steam it and top it with a dressing made of soy sauce, sesame oil, a bit of sugar, some water and dried chilies.
But this time I threw caution to the wind and braised it, with a little help from Epicurious.
I mean it's bok choy people, it doesn't need to be complicated, right?

Braised baby bok choy with a shot of sesame oil



The recipe at Epicurious for Braised Baby Bok Choy calls for the bok choy to be braised in a cup of chicken stock and 3 tablespoons of butter for about 5 minutes until tender. (With the lid on the pan! And note that I cut the bok choy in half down its length.) Then you remove the bok choy, reduce the stock to about 1/4 cup, then add 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil and pour this over the bok choy.

Since G was having none of this, I couldn't justify 3 tablespoons of butter. So, I used only a tablespoon but I still got a good wollop of yummy butteryness- the liquid gets all tucked into the leaves as they wilt. I can only imagine how sinfully good it must taste with 3 tablespoons.
And in the end, just before eating it, I could not resist adding a sprinkle of sesame seeds, because a girl needs her omega 6.
Some of the reviews suggest adding a shot of soy sauce as well which is a suggestion that I wholeheartedly support.

Me and my cravings.

Seared tuna with spring onion and carrot salad

I am very susceptible to bursts of enthusiasm when it comes to food. Perhaps they are better referred to as phases, or even cravings. Some of it is the fault of the seasons: when asparagus season arrived this year I ate it twice a day. G thought I had lost my mind but by the time the season had ended I still hadn't tired of it.

Then there was this cumin and carrot salad that I really should tell you about--it's light and healthy and tastier than you would imagine an average carrot salad could be--and a few months ago, I made it almost daily. Eventually, I moved on, and while that carrot salad is still a definite favourite, it is no longer an obsession.

Sometimes it's a particular spice that grabs my attention for awhile, or a particular method of cooking. And yes, since we're talking about cravings, I will admit that sometimes a girl just wants to ditch it all and sit down with a big old bag of doritos.
But lately I've been experiencing a repeated craving which is a first for me.

Spring onions.

Usually I only buy spring onions when they are called for in a dish, otherwise I have no use for them. They are not one of those staples that I always have on hand like carrots or red onions or garlic. But these days I find myself making things just so that I can use spring onions.
I wish I could explain this one, but I'm stumped.

Nonetheless, I most recently satisfied my craving with an asian style dish of seared tuna with a spring onion and carrot salad. And because I had some time on my hands I tried to make the dish look all fancy pants. A girl needs a bit of glamour in her life sometimes, you know?

I'm no Top Chef, but it sure is fun to try every now and then. It's not until you have a look at your pictures later that you realize that perhaps you were a bit sloppy and maybe next time you need to apply yourself a bit more. But I swear it looked pretty darn perfect in real life. And my little spring onion and carrot salad, as simple as it was, made the dish.



Seared tuna with sugar snap peas and a spring onion and carrot salad
Serves 2

The spring onion and carrot salad
1 to 2 carrots
the green parts of 2 spring onions
a pinch or two of sesame seeds (white or black or both)
Dressing:
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp rice wine vinegar

I was in a patient mood when I made this and actually cut fine ribbons of both the spring onion and carrots by hand. If you have a tool that will make this step easier then I am extremely jealous of you.

Blanch the carrots in simmering water until they were pliable like noodles. I did this so that I could twist them easily with the green onions. The length of time you blanch the carrots will depend on how thinly you managed to slice them.
Drain the carrots and dry them off on a clean kitchen towel.
Mix the dressing ingredients together.
Toss the spring onions and carrots with the dressing, and let sit for at least 20 minutes before serving so the green onions will soften.

You can easily make more of this, just double the dressing if you need to. And if you prefer more carrot and less green onion, or vice versa, that works too.


The sugar snap peas
A handful per person.
Steam until crisp tender. Dry with a clean kitchen towel. Toss with a bit of toasted sesame oil. They don't need much, maybe 1/2 a teaspoon for 2 handfuls of snap peas.

Seared Tuna
2 tuna steaks
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
salt and pepper
2 tsp peanut oil

Combine the soy sauce and rice vinegar and add to the tuna in a ziploc bag or a tupperware container. Make sure the tuna is coated in the marinade. Marinade for at least 30 minutes.
Remove from marinade and sprinkle both sides with a bit of salt and pepper.
Sear the tuna in peanut oil in a non-stick pan until desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side. If you have a good piece of tuna it would be a shame to overcook it. (I'm guilty of that)

Assembling the dish
Basically just do as pictured, with maybe I bit more tidiness to your flair than I managed. Lay the snap peas on the bottom, top with the tuna, and finally the carrot salad. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top and serve. Set out some extra soy sauce at the table if desired.

Notes:
Snow peas would be an easy substitution for the sugar snap peas. You could also just put the tuna on top of some white rice if you wanted and in that case I would definitely serve it with some extra soy sauce alongside the dish.

September evenings with roasted chicken

Sunday night was one of those cool and quiet sort of nights, where it's warm enough to justify a cold bottle of white wine, but it's cool enough to warrant drinking it with a sweater on.

We sat outside noticing how the light is already beginning to change, it's less vibrant but somehow cozier. I still can't believe it's already September, we've been here 9 months and I feel like I just got here, like I'm still settling in. But such has been my life for the last 4 years, always feeling unsettled, with a suitcase at the ready in case we move again.

I don't have to tell you that I'm grateful for all these experiences. Four countries in four years is something I never imagined for my life.

But sometimes, on a quiet September evening, a girl just wants to sit back and feel like she's firmly planted, to wiggle her toes in the grass and know that at this time next year, she'll be staring at the same grass.

I know that it's not likely going to end up that way. The neighbours upstairs fight all the time and the traffic outside our window is noisy and rushed. Between the two of them, sometimes there's just no room left for my own thoughts.

And I'm a girl who likes her peace and quiet.
Sometimes I like to turn the stereo up, loud, but sometimes I just prefer to turn the damn thing off.
If only my neighbours had an off switch.

So yeah. It's September. Cold wine, a warm sweater, a handsome fella, and Zuni's roasted chicken with bread salad. It doesn't get much better.



I have never had this dish in the restaurant but I have made it many many times at home. Unfortunately I wasn't paying all that much attention to getting a good picture (can you blame me?) so these will just have to do.
Luckily for me, the whole recipe and instructions are already posted online at MSNBC right here.
G and I both love this dish---it looks and tastes divine.



Rushing to take a picture so we could get to the business of eating.

I bet this tastes better when Zuni does it..

Farro and Tomato Salad with Basil and Anchovies

I recently crossed another food "first" off of my list.
It goes by the name of Farro.
Ok, so you probably eat it all the time and you are shocked that I have never had it OR made it myself.
But for those of you aren't so well acquainted with farro, let me get technical for a second.
Farro, is an ancient variety of wheat, and it is very commonly eaten in Italy.
To put it even more simply: farro is like a bowl full of little wheat nubbins.
And I do love a big bowl full of nubbins.

The only farro recipe I could find in my cookbooks came from Zuni. My instincts nudged me at first. No, they actually screamed at me and told me to NOT follow this recipe. And before I proceed, let me just state this is not an attack on Zuni, this is just me knowing my tastebuds and that's that.
I loves me some Judy Rodgers so don't even go there.

First of all the combination of tomato and cucumber bores me (don't come near my tabbouleh with that cucumber!) Add basil to the mix and I am pretty much down for the count and snoring loudly.

Ok, maybe you love the combination, but this is not always about you, ok?

But I figured it was Zuni, I had to give it a shot. Yes, I have faith in the almighty Zuni.
And who knew, maybe with the anchovies this would be some miraculous combination that would change my life forever.

I cooked the farro for about 10 minutes, and let it cool. I then added some chopped tomato, cucumber and a couple of salt-packed anchovies. I tossed it with a mix of olive oil and sherry vinegar. Finally, I added some fresh basil and some salt and pepper and dug in.

Alas, it did not change my life forever.

But I tried, and that's what counts.

The good news is, I sure do like farro. Hearty and chewy and, well, hearty some more.

And have no fear, I did eat that bowl of misguidedness. I mean it was fine, but I did feel some regret about the fabulous farro salad I could have had if I had followed my instincts in the first place.

And the truth is, that I bet this farro salad tastes fabulous when Judy Rodgers has a hand in making it. I bet she has some magical pixie dust that she sprinkles over it at the end that would just make me want to eat it all the time. But alas, said pixie dust cannot be found in my cupboards, and last I checked, there was no Judy Rodgers in there either.

But at least there is Farro in my life now. I can definitely see some wheaty nubbin happiness in my future.

Chicken pot pie in summer? Oh no you didn't.. Oh yes I did.

How old school was I last night, whipping up a chicken pot pie. I don't even eat chicken pot pie let alone bake them from scratch. I couldn't even tell you what prompted me to make one. Considering my lack of experience, I took the easiest route possible and followed a recipe called Easy Chicken Pot Pie.

How lazy am I? Did I just lose my foodie club membership? Is there even a club because I think someone forgot to invite me.

And I know what else you're thinking. Chicken pot pie doesn't seem like a summer dish. I mean if it isn't green and leafy and easy on the muffin top it just doesn't work, right?

But people, it seems that it is monsoon season here in England. I did not realize that my umbrella and I would become so close. I swear, it rains when I wake up, it rains when I'm eating my lunch and oh surprise, it is raining by the time I go to bed.
Help.
Send sun.
Or a new umbrella at the very least.
I mean, you know it's rainy when those umbrellas that attach to your head start seeming like a good idea.

You know what it feels like these days?
October.
No kidding.
I rode my bike the other morning with a pair of gloves on.
So perhaps now you understand how chicken pot pie fits right in to my current reality.

And I know you're looking at that picture and thinking I've got a whole chicken under there. But I promise you that is only a wee tiny ramekin peaking out from under that golden top. Perhaps I was a bit heavy handed with the puff pastry.
But G says there is no such thing as too much puff pastry.
He is quite the philosopher.

The recipe was simple and it hit the spot. I figure that for a first timer, it was a good start. One day I will make it again with a more contemporary variation, unless it's raining (which is highly likely) and I need some comfort food, then I might just stick to it old school.



*************
Easy Chicken Pot Pie at Epicurious

Because I can never follow a recipe exactly:
I substituted celery for carrots
I used onion instead of shallot
I added dried thyme because I wanted to see some herbs in the mix. (the recipe has you remove the bouquet garni)

A little braised chicken, alot of self-satisfaction..

Braised chicken in aromatic tomato sauce

I'm a bit obsessive about a certain New Year's resolution that I made to myself.
But before I get into that there's something you must know about me first.

For the last few years I have diligently recorded every single recipe that I have made on a spreadsheet, with detailed notes about any changes I made and whether or not I liked it.

I swear though, if I didn't write it down, I would forget by the next week that I had even made it. I am very forgetful.

But now, with my trusty spreadsheet at hand, just ask me what I made for Christmas dinner in 2004 and I will whip out my computer and with a few clicks you will have your answer. And I'll be smiling and feeling all high and mighty and pleased with myself and stuff.

I know this rates really high on the dorkiness meter, but I feel ok about it. I am fully at peace with the dorkiness that pervades my life.

So let's get back to this New Year's resolution.
On January 1st, 2007, I, like many other food loving people, resolved to cook more new recipes.
Big deal, right?

Well I'm only telling you this now because I kind of wanted to brag a little.

It turns out that since January I have averaged 4 new recipes a week.
That's 16 recipes a month.
That's..pauses to mentally calculate that..192 recipes a year! (ok, I used a calculator)
Give this dork a gold star already.
No, not for the math, for the cooking.
Geez.

********************
So, according to my spreadsheet, (mouse clicks heard in background) recipe #12 for the month of April 2007 is:

Braised Chicken in Aromatic Tomato Sauce (click for the recipe)
from Bon Appetit at Epicurious.com

I really enjoyed this and will make it again. The aromatics in the sauce are a combination of allspice, cinnamon, paprika, cloves and nutmeg. I am a big fan of allspice as it is, so that is what drew me to this recipe. The leftovers the following day were even better.

I know, it's easier if someone just sticks to a recipe and tells you if it was good or not. But that would just be too easy. I basically used the recipe for inspiration and just did what felt right.
Luckily, it all worked out for me.

My changes:
1 tsp of ground allspice, instead of whole allspice.
1 tsp of ground cinnamon, instead of a cinnamon stick.
Sweet pimenton (spanish paprika) because I think it has a richer, smokier flavour than "regular" paprika.
I added a good splash of sherry to the sauteed onions before adding the spices.
I used one 400g can of chopped tomatoes which I pureed first for a smooth sauce.
I filled that tomato can twice with water and added it to the pot.
I added 2 fresh bay leaves to the pot.
I served the dish with couscous instead of pasta.

Note: the recipe makes a good amount of sauce for pouring over pasta, rice, couscous, or whatever you want to serve it with.

Purple sprouting broccoli. My new favourite thing.

Purple sprouting broccoli with a chili and sesame dressing

I like regular broccoli but the fact is it kind of bores me.
Then I moved to Britain. I stuck around through winter and it's already well into spring, and a strange looking broccoli is now appearing in the markets.

I ignored it at first, people. No kidding, I completely ignored it.

Then one slow evening while G and I contemplated the mystery of the cobweb that is forever dangling from our ceiling, I decided to see what google had to say about purple sprouting broccoli.
And boy, it had plenty to say.

Suddenly I felt a bit panicked-- here was a vegetable that the Brits have a serious fondness for and tragedy of tragedies, it has a very short growing season. Had I missed my chance?
Thankfully no.
And now, it's my new favourite thing.
But I do tend to obsess sometimes. There was that eggplant binge I went on in 2005.
Perhaps there's some pattern of obsessiveness related to purple foods? And what about that Purple Rain poster I used to have in my bedroom?

....

Purple sprouting broccoli doesn't taste all that much different than regular broccoli--it's mostly a texture thing. The stalks are slimmer and thus more tender and when you steam it the colours just pop. And you know I have a thing for popping colours.



I've eaten it many different ways lately, but I got a little bit of help on the last one.
I steamed the broccoli and tossed it with a dressing of sesame oil, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce and dried chilies, and topped it off with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
It came together in a snap and as simple as it was, it was extremely good.

Click here for Delia's full instructions.
Notes:
-where her recipe listed dessertspoon, I took that to mean tablespoon. Whether that is correct or not, I don't know, but it tasted great.
-I used dried chili flakes instead of a fresh chili because that's what I had on hand.

Life is just a bowl of salad.

Pasta salad with Feta, Yellow Pepper and Snow Peas

The other day G innocently asked me what I would be posting about next.
Here's what he heard:
"Blah blah blah blah salad."
"You always talk about salads." he said.
What I heard, between the lines, was: "Yawn."
Problem is, everything I eat on a regular basis these days falls under the category of a salad.
Whether it has a base of leafy greens, bulghur, couscous, lentils or pasta, in my mind, if its loaded with vegetables, and it's not saucy, it constitutes a salad.

Men.
So difficult.

I mean, sometimes life just IS a bowl of salad.
It's not always about complicated and unusual recipes. Is it?
So here I am, talking about salad because that's what makes me happy.


The story starts something like this: I spotted Martha's recipe for Pasta Salad with Feta and Snow Peas and I could tell it had everything a girl like me could want.
It had pasta for one thing, the all-important feta cheese, and a miscellaneous array of vegetables in attractive and complimentary colours. And, to top it all off, a generous dose of fresh coriander. How could it get any better?

I enjoyed it. I did. There was nary a noodle or vegetable left in that bowl once I had finished with it.
But something about that raw yellow pepper didn't sit right with me. It was like putting an outfit together that is just close to perfect--you are seriously looking your sassiest self-- and then you go and throw on your mother's pearls and suddenly your fab is nothing but drab.

I wanted to love that pasta salad. I really did.

So I tried again.
This time, I swapped the yellow pepper for some sautéed zucchini, tweaked the vinaigrette a bit, and bingo, we had lift off.
I admit, it looks prettier with the yellow pepper, but sometimes a great personality is more important than being pretty. Right?


Pasta salad with Snow Peas, Zucchini and Feta

Pasta Salad with Snow Peas, Zucchini and Feta inspired by Martha

This serves one very hungry person as a main dish. I added alot of vegetables so the salad could actually serve 2 as a side dish, despite the small amount of pasta in there. It's up to you.

60g orriechette pasta (which is about 1/2 cup of dried pasta)
1 zucchini, chopped (feel free to only use half if you want).
a small handful of snow peas, sliced on the diagonal into 1 cm strips
1 or 2 teaspoons of thinly sliced scallion a.k.a green onion (I used the green part)
a tablespoon or two of chopped fresh coriander (or to taste)
A tablespoon or two of crumbled feta cheese (or more to taste)

Vinaigrette
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 of a small clove of garlic, finely chopped (this part is optional, Martha's recipe does not contain garlic, but it adds a slight kick)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta. Add the snow peas to the pasta water at the last minute or two just to blanch them but keep them slightly crunchy. Drain and rinse pasta and snow peas in cold water. (You can blanch the snow peas in a separate pot of water if you prefer)
Saute the zucchini in one teaspoon of olive oil over a medium high heat until browned.
Add to the pasta with the snow peas.
Mix the vinaigrette ingredients together and add to the pasta.
Finally add the scallion, coriander and feta to the pasta and mix altogether.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Make ahead and serve cold or eat it right away while it's still slightly warm, whichever you prefer.
If you make it ahead, put the coriander in just before serving.

Zuni's Orange-Currant Scones

Zuni Orange-Currant Scones. Not shy on the butter.

When I returned from my recent trip to Canada I expected that I would bring some things back with me. But in the end, the treasures that ended up in my suitcase weren't entirely what I had anticipated. I thought I would have a suitcase full of Triscuits and Smartfood, two things that I covet and miss on a regular basis.
But these suddenly were bumped in priority and were replaced with a strong desire for a big tub of all natural smooth peanut butter, and Bandaid brand bandaids.

Because, first o