I Love You More Than Food

Category: appetizers

  • Mussels & Clams Pastis

    Mussels & Clams Pastis

    mussels pastis

    BiRite Market opened up a location a short bike ride from my house, and I’ve made it an excuse to shop in smaller quantities and incorporate the exercise of going to the store as an excuse to make even fresher meals. These beautiful PEI mussels were filled to the edge of their shells with meat, the freshest I’ve seen in a long while and exceptionally tender.

    When shopping for shellfish, always make sure your shells are not broken (throw the mussel out if it is!), that they close when you agitate them, are free of debris on the outside (scrub them with cold water), and that you toss any that don’t open after cooking (though a small crack open is perfectly fine!).

    In case you have not cleaned or bought bivalves before, here’s what I do to clean them up and inspect them:

    How to Clean Mussels and Clams

    1) Bring them home immediately, and if you aren’t using them in the next hour, open up their bag and put them in the refrigerator so they can breathe, or set them on ice and leave them out, as they do in the store. Always buy them the same day you intend to cook them.

    2) 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking, place them in very cold fresh water and leave them unagitated for at least 10 minutes. They will relax, open up, and use the fresh water, thus rinsing out any sediment, sand, etc from the inside of their shells.

    3) Before removing them from the water, inspect each mussel or clam for any missing chunks, major cracks, etc. If it has an imperfection, throw it out. If it does not close when you handle it, throw it out. Even when buying from a quality fishmonger, you’ll likely have 1-2 that get thrown out before cooking.

    4) Next, if especially dirty, replace the cleaning water and recover in very cold water. Remove any “beards” or seaweed looking bits that are hanging out the side of the mussels shells. Do this with a quick jerking action down towards the thickest side of the mussel. It will take a little effort, especially if they are very fresh. Strain them and cook them within 20 minutes or so!

    Mussels & Clams Pastis Recipe

    Serves 2

    1.5-2lb of mussels and clams
    2 T olive oil
    1 large shallot, chopped finely
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1/2 C white wine
    1 C Pernod or other anise liquor
    2 T fresh parsley, roughly chopped
    salt & pepper

    In a large pan that will fit all of the mussels and clams, add the olive oil and heat to medium. Add the garlic and shallot, cooking until nearly translucent or beginning to be translucent, but not caramelized or browned. Add some salt, the white wine and pernod, and reduce slightly, raising heat immediately to high or medium high.

    Add the mussels and/or clams and cover, cooking about 2 minutes before checking. Cover again if they are not all or mostly opened. When all are opened, remove lid and stir well, adding fresh cracked pepper. Remove the mussels and clams and set aside in a warm spot or in a heated bowl (or place into heated individual serving bowls). Change heat to high and reduce liquid by 1/2, then add the parsley and serve over the mussels and clams.

    Serve with french fries or bread with butter.

  • Fava Bean & Blood Orange Salad with Ricotta Salata

    Fava Bean & Blood Orange Salad with Ricotta Salata

    Fava Bean & Blood Orange Salad with Ricotta Salata

    Spring is a time of transition–Fava beans, along with calcots, ramps & fiddleheads, are some of my favorite in-between spring crops. The hearty fava’s season is a bit longer, and they’re more available across climates and geographies than some of the others, and they pair well with a variety of other foods, and can be really enjoyed both hot and cold.

    Blood oranges have a late season this year, so I’m still enjoying them here in California. This is a really straight forward but delicious and loved dish, which serves 3-4 as a side.

    Fava Bean & Blood Orange Salad Recipe

    1-2lb fresh fava beans, whole
    1 medium blood orange, peeled with a knife
    1 tbsp (Spanish! buttery!) olive oil
    Ricotta salata (or bits of fresh goat cheese, farmer’s cheese, sheep’s feta or shaved pecorino romano)
    lots of salt & fresh cracked pepper

    Pop the beans out of their pods, and bring water to boil. Boil the beans for about 1 minute, until the color has brightened a bit. Strain, and dunk immediately into a cold water or ice water bath. Once cooled, strain again and begin peeling the beans out of their membrane. You can do this part ahead, stopping at any junction and resuming later. Cut the blood orange into diced chunks. Toss all the ingredients together, topping with shaved ricotta salata (which I clearly managed to get in the photo…) or other cheese as mentioned above.

  • Blanched Vegetable Salad with Lemon Ricotta and Shallot Vinaigrette

    Blanched Vegetable Salad with Lemon Ricotta and Shallot Vinaigrette

    Blanched Vegetable Salad Blanched Vegetable Salad with Shallot Vinaigrettewith Shallot Vinaigrette

    Blanched Vegetable Salad with Lemon-Ricotta and Shallot Vinaigrette Recipe

    Serves 4

    4 leaves butter leaf lettuce, washed
    1 watermelon radish, sliced thin with a mandolin
    1/2 C snap peas, trimmed and blanched in salted hot water for 30 seconds-1 min
    2 C broccoli and cauliflower in even, small pieces, blanched in salted hot water for 1 minute
    1/2 C ricotta cheese, fresh
    Zest of 1 lemon
    1 shallot, finely diced
    2 tsp djon mustard
    1 T olive oil
    2 T fresh lemon juice
    2 tsp fresh dill or tarragon, chopped finely (or 1/2 tsp dry and soaked in the lemon juice for a few minutes)
    salt & pepper to taste

    Set the ricotta out to room temperature. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard together, and add the fresh herbs and shallot, along with salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Leave to sit for 5-10 minutes (or store up to three days in refrigerator).

    Once you have prepared all of the vegetables (the snap peas, broccoli, and cauliflower not only need to be cut to an appropriate size, but also should be blanched for 30-60 seconds in salted, boiling water), assemble by placing lettuce at one end of plate, or off center on a round plate, and arranging the blanched vegetables from there.

    Use a spoon to drizzle dressing over the blanched vegetables, then mix the ricotta with a bit of salt and the lemon zest. Top the salad with a quenelle of ricotta, and a few slices of watermelon radish.

  • Shrimp Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Tomato Red Pepper Sauce

    Shrimp Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Tomato Red Pepper Sauce

    A new favorite, this shrimp stuffed poblano peppers recipe can be prepared ahead and cooked on a weeknight, it’s healthy and chock-full of vegetables and lean protein. I clearly was lazy in peeling my peppers, but we didn’t mind a bit of charred skin here and there.

    [buymeapie-recipe id=’2′]Shrimp Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Tomato-Red Pepper Sauce Recipe
    Serves two for main course

    The Peppers & Filling
    4 poblano peppers, charred over a flame and peeled or cooked at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and peeled
    3/4 lb shrimp, peeled and chopped roughly
    2 cloves garlic, minced finely or mashed
    2 T fresh cilantro and/or basil, chopped
    1/4 red bell pepper, chopped finely
    1/2 tsp ground cumin
    3/4 tsp sea salt

    Combine all but the peppers in a bowl, and stuff the peppers with the mixture, closing them again as best you can. Bake in oven at 350 for 8-11 minutes, depending on size of the peppers. Shrimp will be completely white and pink when done.

    For the Tomato-Red Pepper Sauce
    1 large red bell pepper, roasted at 400 degrees, peeled, seeds removed and tossed into a blender
    2 ripe, never refrigerated roma tomatoes or one small can peeled roma tomatoes or chopped tomatoes
    2 cloves garlic, chopped
    1 tsp chili flakes or equivilent
    4 small-medium shallots, chopped finely
    2 tsp coconut oil or other cooking oil

    In a sauce pan, warm the coconut oil and add the shallots and chili flakes, cooking until shallots begin to go limp. Add the garlic and chili flakes, followed immediately by the tomatoes–slice thinly the tomatoes and add to the pan, cooking at medium heat until they are falling apart, about 20 minutes. Add it all to the blender with the roasted pepper and puree. It will likely be thicker than soup; you can thin it with vegetable or chicken stock, or serve it thick under the cooked peppers.

  • Lamb & Pork Albondigas in Sherry Cream Sauce

    Lamb & Pork Albondigas in Sherry Cream Sauce

    My new favorite party food! I whipped up a small batch of these a week ago as a cozy dinner for two, and last night I served them as host to a St.Louisan reunion over the Cardinals-Giants game at my home; they were a bit hit, and I know they will be for you too.

    Sherry Cream Sauce Recipe
    Makes about 3 cups of sauce

    3 fresh, ripe, never refrigerated roma tomatoes sliced thinly or 1 small can roma tomatoes, peeled
    4 cloves garlic
    1-2 tsp chili flakes or chopped dried chili
    5 medium-large shallots, diced roughly
    1 cup good Spanish sherry (olarosa, etc)
    1 cup homemade chicken stock, or whatever the next best thing you can find is
    2 bay leaves
    olive oil
    salt and pepper to taste

    In a large sauce pan or small coquette, warm about 1-2 T olive oil at medium heat. Add the diced shallots, dry chili,  and garlic. Cook until color is changing and shallots are becoming limp, about 5-8 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, and simmer for 15-45 minutes, depending your hurry. Remove the bay leaves and puree at least 1/2 of the mixture (or all of it) in a blender or with a blending stick.  Return to the pan and continue to keep heated on low if not serving immediately, or store for later at this point.

    Lamb & Pork Albondigas (meatballs) Recipe
    Makes about 30 1-inch meatballs

    1 lb ground lamb
    1 lb ground pork
    2 tsp smoked paprika
    1 tsp ground coriander
    1 tsp ground cumin
    2 tsp salt
    4 T (1/4 Cup) buttermilk, almond milk, or milk
    4 T (1/4 Cup) thinly diced white bread or other bread (I used a completely grain free cashew based bread that I make myself)

    Combine bread, milk, and spices, stirring gently. Add remaining ingredients and mix well, then forming the mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs and placing on foil, parchment, or whatever item can hold the raw meatballs. In a large skillet (such as a 12″ cast iron), warm coconut oil or another high-heat oil at medium high heat. Cook the meatballs without moving them for the first few minutes as to form a caramelized crust on one side, then flip them over to ensure they cook through without burning. You may need to do this in batches.

    Serve the sauce over the meatballs family style or in individual bowls. It is ok to store the meatballs in the sauce for later use, however, they will lose any crispy coating they have developed from the cooking process.

  • Fennel & Stone Fruit Salad, Tri-tip on Coconut Corn Salad, Flourless Chocolate Cake with Creme Anglais Whipped Cream

    Fennel & Stone Fruit Salad, Tri-tip on Coconut Corn Salad, Flourless Chocolate Cake with Creme Anglais Whipped Cream

    Stone Fruit Salad with Cucumber, Bell Pepper, Peaches and Plums

    tritip on coconut corn salad

    quick flourless chocolate cake with creme anglaise whipped cream

    For seven weeks, we’ve had family staying with us. They’re really nice people, interesting, appreciative, but man.. It was rough. I wasn’t conditioned for this. Never in my life did I think I’d have people living effectively in my house for seven weeks in a go. I’ve barely cooked for two months because of it, but the eve before their (very recent) departure (which was followed by 24 hours of blissful retreat in Calistoga), I made a seasonal and tasty multi-course dinner for us all to enjoy. Then, I made it again, a little modified, in Calistoga for our hosts.

    Fennel & Stone Fruit Salad Recipe
    Serves 4-5 as a starter
    Very fast if you have a mandolin! See the mango version here.

    1 small head fennel, sliced very thin, with a mandolin
    1 white peach, sliced with a mandolin
    1 red plum, sliced with a mandolin
    1 black plum, sliced with a mandolin
    1 large cucumber, cut in half, seeds removed, sliced with a mandolin
    1 orange, yellow, or red bell pepper, diced
    1 T seasoned rice vinegar
    2 tsp mirin
    1/2 tsp kosher salt
    2 tsp toasted sesame oil
    raw sesame seeds to top

    Mix it all together, and serve in beautiful messy lumps, like bedhead, with sesame on top.

     

    Tri-tip on Coconut Corn Salad with Chard Recipe
    Coconut Corn adapted from Heidi Swanson
    Serves 4-5

    1.5-2lb tri-tip or flank steak*
    5 ears corn, kernels sliced off
    2 T butter
    1 T fresh thyme
    1/2 C raw, soaked almonds, chopped
    1 very small red onion (1/2 large)
    1 C raw, dried flaked coconut (The bigger the better), toasted freshly
    4 C torn chard

    Sautee on the corn in the butter at high heat, giving it color but retaining crisp texture. Add chard, thyme and some salt to taste. Turn heat off, mix in onion, almonds, and coconut.

    Season tri-tip with salt and pepper. Cook on low heat in a closed top grill for about 10 minutes each side. It will be medium.

    *You could also choose to make a roast (5 lbs=4 hrs in oven at 250=rare, delicious roast beef) and serve that on top instead, or use flank steak, which you may want to marinade in garlic, whiskey, sesame oil and soy sauce for at least an hour or no more than overnight.

     

    Quick Flourless Chocolate Cake with Creme Anglais Whipped Cream
    Serves 5-6

    No-Bake Chocolate Cake From Heidi Swanson

    I made creme anglais the evening before with Gran Marnier Souffle (which photographs terribly!), and had some leftover. I mixed it into whipped cream; it was divine.

  • Raw Mango, Fennel, and Cucumber Summer Salad

    Raw Mango, Fennel, and Cucumber Summer Salad

    raw mango, fennel, and cucumber summer salad

    Raw Mango, Fennel, and Cucumber Salad Recipe
    Serves 4

    1 very ripe mango, cubed
    1 small head fennel, sliced very thinly with a mandolin
    1 large cucumber, cut in half, seeds removed, and sliced thinly with a mandolin
    1 T seasoned rice vinegar
    2 tsp mirin
    1/2 tsp kosher salt
    2 tsp toasted sesame oil
    raw sesame seeds to top

    Mix everything together, and top with sesame seeds upon serving.

     

  • Roasted Crispy Chickpeas with Bangkok Spice

    Roasted Crispy Chickpeas with Bangkok Spice

    One of my all time favorite upscale bar snacks, these crispy, fluffy, roasted chickpeas are versitile and delicious. You can serve them by themselves as a snack or on a salad to add a substantial note to it, such as the Arugula Pistachio Salad. These are also known as garbanzo beans–so, roasted crispy garbanzo beans with bangkok spice.

    Roasted Crispy Chickpeas Recipe
    Feel free to make a double or triple batch. This is a great snack for 2-4.

    1 can or 15 oz cooked chickpeas
    1 T olive oil
    Salt
    Bangkok spice or Cajun seasoning (or similar)

    Preheat oven to 400. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. Dry them between paper towels, lightly smashing each one to break it open. If you have a cast iron pan, add the olive oil and mix the chickpeas into it. If you don’t, use a heavy bottomed baking pan or pie pan. Add the salt and spices, mixing well. Bake for 35-45 minutes, agitating/stirring every 10 minutes for maximum crispiness.

     

  • Magical Arugula Salad with Pistachio Dust

    Magical Arugula Salad with Pistachio Dust

     

    I’ve served this arugula salad with pistachios countless times over the last month. For a catering event I headed, for friends at dinner time, for family at dinnertime, for lunch with a friend, while visiting Calistoga, and others. It’s a hit 100% of the time and it’s very filling.

    Arugula Salad with Pistachio Dust Recipe

    For four

    8-10 cups baby or wild arugula
    3 oz parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated
    1/2 C raw hulled pistachios, ground in coffee grinder or mashed with mallette into dust, crumbs, and chunks
    Juice of 1 lemon
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    olive oil
    salt
    fresh cracked pepper

    Whisk the lemon juice with olive oil–use 2x more olive oil than lemon juice. Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss arugula in the dressing. Toss arugula in parmasean, then in pistachio. Serve!

  • Backyard Feast: Fava Beans and Pecorino, Rosewater Fruit Salad

    Backyard Feast: Fava Beans and Pecorino, Rosewater Fruit Salad

    Backyard feast with pecorino and fava beans, rosewater fruit salad, mexican chia crackers, and raw macadamia nut cheese rolled in pistachios

    Fava Beans with Pecorino

     

    Rosewater Red Fruit Salad

    The weather has been wonderful lately, a real treat compared to last year’s never ending “winter” in SF. We’ve been enjoying our backyard and sat out around 3:30pm yesterday to have a little backyard feast after a rough day of household tasks (and, admittedly, the diligent avoidance of all things Bay to Breakers, and the decision to not leave our own property, which has become an annual tradition on the day Bay to Breakers is held; we cannot get that drunk anymore, we are too old). Oh, and to observe the solar eclipse, which made some really neat patterns on our front door and cast an interesting level of clear, bright light onto the whole Golden Gate Park area.

    I offered up a civilized bottle of vinho verde, raw macadamia nut cheese rolled in pistachios, raw “Mexican” chia crackers, raw sugar snap peas, rose water fruit salad with raw cashew cream sauce and delicious fava beans with pecorino.