Yesterday we had some new friends over for dinner, and I planned the menu while starving after my morning yoga class. I resurrected the tomato soup (tomato soup recipe) I always make (but haven’t for about a year), took a hint from a restaurant we went to recently and constructed a fried-chicken breast nuggets dish on fresh corn, English peas, and kale. I already had the peas and corn from my farm shipment and wanted to make sure they didn’t go to waste.

Fried Chicken Breast Nuggets on Kale, Fresh Corn, and Fresh English Peas

3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 bunches kale
4 ears corn
1/2 lb fresh English peas in pods
Sunflower, avocado, or peanut oil enough to fry in a large, high sided skillet, about 2 cups or more
2 T butter

For Chicken Coating:
1 C flour, set aside

For Chicken Batter:
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 egg whites (can use whole eggs if you prefer)
1/2 cup milk

Frying the chicken:
Cut the breasts into a few different sized chunks in order for the chicken to cook evenly by being fried. None are larger than 1.5 inches thick, 2 inches long, 2 inches wide.

Heat oil at least 1 inch deep in a large high sided skillet; do not fill the skillet more than half way. It should be about 375 degrees; if you don’t have a thermometer (I don’t), test it with a bit of batter.

Generously salt & pepper two sides of the chicken pieces, and coat in flour. Dip into the egg mixture/batter, then back in the flour, placing within a few minutes into the hot oil.

I fried the chicken in 3 batches in a 10 inch skillet to not over crowd.

Chicken will become golden and firm when poked, flip it only once and remove and place on a rack or paper towels to drain. If desired, sprinkle with sea/kosher salt at this point.

The vegetables:
Ahead of time, wash and cut your kale–remove the thick stem, cut into 1 inch pieces. Boil some water, add salt when boiling and blanch the kale for a few minutes until deep green and tender. Drain and set aside.

Wash the corn and cut it off the cob, remove the peas from their shells.

While the oil for the chicken is heating, heat the butter in a skillet. When hot, add the corn and some salt, and continue stirring or flipping until 1/3 is golden/gaining color. Add the fresh peas and cook a few more minutes as the chicken finishes its last batch of frying.

Assemble by placing the hot corn mixture on the plate or bowl, adding the kale and topping with the fried chicken.

Plum Ice Cream:

A friend and coworker gave me some delicious, overly ripe plums last Wednesday, so I made plum preserves of the immediately with very little sugar so they retained their color and tartness; I left them in as large of chunks as was possible and canned up two small jars. They came into play when I decided to make a delicious, custard-y vanilla ice cream and swirl them in.

Adapted from David Lebovitz

3/4 Cup milk
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
2 T brown sugar
pinch salt
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 plump, full size vanilla bean
1/3 cup plum preserves

Heat the milk, salt, and sugars in a saucepan over low heat until sugars combine and milk is beginning to look granulated/clear. While milk is warming, scrape the vanilla bean seeds out of the pod and add it to the milk, and add the pod itself too.

Whisk lightly the egg yolks in a bowl and gradually add warm milk to temper/warm the egg yolks. Once warmed, pour the egg yolks into the sauce pan with the milk and stir well as you do so to prevent coddling.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a spatula until custard is thick enough to coat the spatula. Strain the mixture into the cold heavy cream, wrinsing the vanilla bean pod and adding it back in again. Chill thoroughly and then follow your ice cream maker’s instructions, adding the preserves when the ice cream is fairly thickened, almost done.

Plum preserves recipe: Wash, then cut plums into halves or quarters if they are still very firm, place in a pot, cover with about 1/8th to 1/6th the volume in sugar, the juice of a lemon or lime or more for a great quantity, and bring to a boil; immediately reduce to a simmer for just a couple of minutes, turn off, and can.

The beets and rainbow chard are growing well since I planted them about a week ago. The beets seem as if they’ll do especially well.

Over the weekend I purchased the last of the plants I intend to grow in the coming months and managed to pot everything. Now it’s a learning curve of what each plant needs and monitoring for pests.

Yesterday was a bit of a food adventure, a day-trip to the east bay, a stay-cation. I took a good friend with me over the bay to Oasis Food Market–among other delights, they make their own middle eastern pastries including the filo itself. This is rare. And delicious. We met up with the owner and had lunch, and were introduced to our new favorite pesto-family item, a Turkish spread of almonds, pistachios, and red bell pepper. I managed also to score some harissa to make Smitten Kitchen’s carrot salad with feta and mint. We made our way to Cactus Jungle (bad name, great staff) where I purchased some pots and the lemon cucumber plants a friend told me I might find here.

All and all, the organic vegetable container garden now has:

- Early Girl Tomato
- Little gem lettuce
- Green lettuce
- Red lettuce
- Arugula
- Thyme
- Basil x 3
- Rainbow chard
- Red beets
- Spring onions

All of which I’m very excited about and hope not to kill. Here are some pictures to help me watch it grow (or putter out):

You might notice from here on out that my dinnerware is increasing in attractiveness/quality. Gone are the 70’s Mikasa stoneware plates (re-purposed to the space we used to live in below our unit, where an office is nearly complete in renovation), hello nice new modern neutral white porcelain.

This is also a new tart pan, hoping to make its public debut at a brunch or happy hour party, and this is the first tart it has produced.

I’ll have an update on the container garden tomorrow, as I spent much of today buying and planting a few additional crops.

Asparagus and Onion Tart

For Tart Crust (Shamelessly taken from Smitten Kitchen who took it from elsewhere)

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, diced
1 egg

For Tart Filling

1/2 lb asparagus, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
1 large white or yellow onion, sliced in quarter rings
2-3 T mascarpone cheese
1 T truffle butter, 1 tsp truffle oil or heavy pinch truffle salt
3 eggs
1/2 C cream/milk or mixture thereof
2 oz gruyere, comte, or other nice melting cheese
1 T dijon or other high quality mustard (I used whole grain)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
salt & pepper
1 T butter

Preheat oven to 425. Heat the butter in a skillet and sautee at medium low the onions. When translucent (about 20-30 minutes) and beginning to brown, add the sliced/peeled asparagus. Meanwhile, make the tart crust. Cook the vegetables through, turn off the heat, add the truffle butter and mix, then leave to cool off.

Mix the mascarpone (can substitute sour cream/creme fraiche too, or add it) and eggs together until the mascarpone is loosened. Add the cream/milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Grate the comte or other cheese.

Brush the tart shell with the mustard. Add the onion and asparagus, top with cheese evenly. Pour the egg mixture on top, evenly and bake for 20-30 minutes until filling is puffed and golden.

Tart Crust

Combine the dry items, then add the butter in small chunks and use a pastry cutter or your fingers (quickly) to make into fine meal/breadcrumb consistency. Add the egg and mix with a fork until it comes together, then roll it out on a floured surface to the shape you need for your tart pan. Refrigerate or pop in the freezer for 15-30 minutes until firmed up. Does not need to be baked ahead of filling/cooking.

* A few notes:

- Filling - if you have experience making tarts, quiches, etc, feel free to re-combine tasty creamy dairy items as needed with what’s on hand to make the liquid portion of the filling

- Filling - if you prefer, you may leave the peeled asparagus un-sliced and arrange in lengths along the long pan, should you be using the same shape. It would make a pretty presentation for a brunch or otherwise.

After thinking for some time, I planted a container garden. Actually, I planted half of what I’d like to, and can’t find some of the plants I’d like to plant. Perhaps they’re out of season. That’s how amateur I am.

The beets, rainbow chard, and early girl tomato plant are in pots. I’m awaiting more pots this weekend, in which to put the genovese basil, arugula, red and green lettuces, and english thyme.

I’ve been tending to the garden, too. Last weekend a hydrangea, a fuchsia with light lime color leaves and several other decorative plants went into their new homes. I found a spiral rush (think thick grass worms in the shape of unicorn horns!) and put it in a fabulous galvanized pot. Still have some decorative sage and other interesting plants to put in the ground over the next few days.

A few weeks back I planted begonias, and they seem to be pretty happy where they landed.

Here are some SF purveyors I used in my recent gardening:

Three Bees Nursery

Flora Grubb Gardens

Under One Roof

A few weeks ago I ventured to my local Whole Foods in search of a case’s worth of new wines.

In my experience, wine selection at Whole Foods locations varies quite a bit by neighborhood and by staff, but the one in SOMA within San Francisco, while small, has a nice selection, with more than 50% of their wines being in the under $20, usually under $15 range. I have no problem paying for a good bottle of wine, but I do enjoy the thrill of discovering a very palatable wine under $12.

And lo, I managed to bring at least one great find home. This red wine from Argentina is really pleasant, drinkable, great with BBQ. It won’t age well, and doesn’t have the longest most interesting finish in the world, but for $8.99 without a case discount, it’s a real bargain with no nasty throat burning, lower acid than most wines in its price range, and its versatility. And, if you can find it locally, I’d definately recommend giving it a try. I went back and got a case.

Here’s one online source to check it out or buy it.

The recipe is here; I swapped out the ricotta for sheep’s ricotta, which I do whenever possible as a recipe calls for ricotta, swapped the mozzarella for a semi firm american cheese - Wagon Wheel also known as “batch” from cowgirl creamery, and swapped the sour cream in the crust for creme fraiche from cowgirl as well. Delicious!

Prosciutto wrapped Pluot

Simple–great fruit, slices of it, wrapped in very thin prosciutto, paired with a soft cheese like burrata in this case, or seasoned ricotta (season with olive oil or flavored olive oil, salt, pepper), drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar.

Halibut on Truffled Corn

I’ve made this as an appetizer as well, and substituted asparagus shavings steamed lightly for the asparagus itself, and served smaller pieces of fish.

For 4

1.3 lb halibut fillet, skinned
3-4 ears fresh corn
1 pack rainbow microgreens
12 asparagus spears (or 5 if you are shaving them)
fresh thyme
truffle oil
hazelnut or walnut oil; if unavailable substitute mild, high heat oil - a few T
toasted sesame oil - 1 tsp
gomashi - ground salt and toasted sesame seeds
salt & pepper

You’ll need two skillets.

Lightly peel the asparagus and place on parchment paper. Dress lightly with olive oil or flavored olive oil (lemon, clementine, etc; alternatively add lemon or other citrus zest). Wrap peeled asparagus in parchment paper to enclose, and place in oven at 350.

Heat 1-2 T nut oil and toasted sesame oil in nonstick skillet or skillet with good sides for flipping at medium high heat. When hot, add corn. When corn begins to color, reduce heat to medium and add thyme. Continue flipping or stirring every 30 seconds to 1 min.

Meanwhile, heat a few T of oil in a pan for the halibut at medium high/high heat. Use enough to easily coat the bottom of the pan. Dress halibut fillets in gomashi and a dash of fresh ground pepper. Top side down into the pan first when oil is hot. When 2/3rds cooked, flip.

When corn is finished cooking, turn off heat and add 1-2 tsp truffle oil, mix. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove asparagus from oven. Total cooking time for most asparagus will be about 15-20 minutes, but check it as ovens vary.

Assemble as pictured on top of the corn; corn, halibut, microgreens, asparagus.

Apricot Ricotta Tart

3-4 cups nuts of any combination or variety: blanched/blanched slivered almonds, raw cashews, macadamias
5 dried apricots
2 T melted butter
6 fresh apricots
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup mascarpone cheese
8 oz ricotta cheese (preferably sheep’s milk)
orange blossom water
honey
benedictine or other brandy/liquor

For the Crust: Chop finely the dried apricots. In a food processor, blend nuts and dried apricots until fine meal is formed. Add 2 T honey, 2 T melted butter and blend until sticky ball is formed. If too sticky, add more nuts. Should be able to hold together.

In a 9 1/2 inch tart pan, press out the crust evenly and then place in freezer or refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes.

For the Filling: Mix the ricotta, marscapone, 1-2 tsp orange blossom water, 2T honey and 2-3T benedictine/brandy for the filling. Chill.

For the Topping: Wash and quarter the apricots. Start a simple syrup of 1/2 C sugar and 1/2 C water in a large sautee pan. When made, add the apricot quarters and reduce heat to simmer, turning occasionally until fruit plumps but does not fall apart. Remove pieces onto a cool platter as they finish cooking. After fruit is removed, gently raise heat to create apricot caramel.

Bake the tart crust at 350 for 15 minutes until coloring golden. Remove and let cool thoroughly or pop into freezer/oven to bring it down.

Fill with ricotta mixture, top decoratively with apricot slices. If you want the topping to be glossy, melt some red currant jelly in a pan and brush on top. It will dry clear as pastries from a bakery.

Epic! Bringer of many delights, apple of the world’s eye, greatest feat which mankind has eaten…the cheesecake. Those are chocolate chips my friend, consider it a bonus.

I have made a Florence google map guide to my favorite places and picks for accomodations, shopping, restaurants and wine bars in Florence along with extensive notes for each marker and some suggestions for what to pair the stop with. I hope you’ll find it useful!

Some regular readers may have noticed a certain obsession lately, namely that my creativity in the kitchen with concerns to ice cream has been largely centered around tea as of late. In terms of flavor, this is my favorite ice cream tea to date.

This may not come as a surprise to anyone who makes ice cream at home, but I have finally concluded that anything less than 50% cream and 50% half & half is just not creamy enough to make a soft, scoop-able, delicious ice cream at home. The photo above was made with 100% half and half, and while the taste was delicious, the texture was lacking. So, I have amended my recipe below for your future success.

1 oz Rishi Vanilla Mint Pu-Ehr Organic Tea
1/2 pint organic half-and-half
1/2 pint organic whole cream (I recommend Straus Family Creamery for your ice cream dairy products)
1/3 cup sugar + 1/3 cup water
Additional boiling water

Combine the sugar and water and bring to the beginning of a simmer over heat to make a simple syrup. Turn off heat and reserve. Does not have to be cool to use.

In a medium to large metal or glass bowl add the tea, but reserve from the 1oz enough for one pot–you should brew it when you eat the ice cream for a hot & cold experience. Pour enough boiling water over the tea to moisten all of it and let brew 1-2 minutes.

At 1-2 minutes, add the half and half and the cream, then the simple syrup. Cover and let stand in refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 36. Optional: let stand at room temperature for 30 min-1hour for more intense flavoring, before placing in refrigerator.

When mixture is fully chilled, follow instructions for your ice cream machine being sure to strain the mixture as you pour it into the machine.

As a tangent, the folks at Rishi Tea are really down to earth. It came as a bit of a surprise to me that they’ve been around for more than 10 years, because they really run as a small, local company simply doing good business, and they have some really great products. Like my friend P at Red Blossom, they source their own teas and have personal relationships with the growers, and have some great products they offer for wholesale–so you can likely find their products locally if you prefer not to order online.

If you enjoy less traditional teas such as blends or fruit infusions but appreciate excellent quality, for example, this vanilla mint blend, Rishi is a great source. I also enjoyed their “iron goddess” oolong, but as a moderately experienced oolong drinker (read: I have no right to be snobby and am only moderately more exposed to excellent teas than the next person), I’d personally return specifically for the flavored teas and look forward to experimenting with more of them in cuisine as well (plum oolong dashi with umeboshi-pork roll and shiso?? just an idea).

Come to think of it, it’s pretty much summer, so some flavored ice tea could be in order for back yard get-togethers, and they seem to have some tasty options.