Fresh Approach Cooking

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Apparently, I did not blog in 2011. Well, not here anyway. I did post a few of my (edited) thoughts elsewhere though. On the L.A. Weekly blog Squid Ink in particular. That was fun.

Labels: Appetizer, Vegetarian

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To make arancini you first must have left-over risotto.

But honestly – who has such a thing? Leftover risotto? Ha! But even if one does – who suddenly thinks to fry it instead of re-heating it?

Oh, wait, I know! I know! (Hand shoots up in to air)

Me. I had left over risotto and I fried it.

That’s sort of what I do. I guess. I cook, I eat, repeat.

Anyway…

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted on this site. Not for lack of cooking, or photographing, but just from lack of…um…posting.

Ha!

But here I am. Posting. I think I was motivated to do so because I am attending something called Blogger Prom this upcoming week and part of me realized I don’t exactly qualify to be there unless I am a blogger…so I thought I might as well hop to it. (Though in actuality, I’m not even going as a blogger, I’m going as a guest of one of the Prom Committee members. Insert confused snickers here.)

So here you go my peaches, my loves…

A simple recipe (well, no, that isn’t true at all…it’s a bit complex. Not in a Top Chef kind of way, but still…) for you to make at home.

And I do hope you will.

So try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

2 cups day old mushroom risotto (porcini mushroom, if you can)
3 ounces brie with truffles (or, not, your call)
2 eggs
1 ounce water
1 cup flour
3 cups panko breadcrumbs
3 cups vegetable oil
Truffle salt to taste
1 small black truffle, shaved (domestic is realistic.)
½ cup mayonnaise (home-made is best!)
White truffle butter
Silver dust (available from high end pastry supply shops)
Chives

Put the truffle butter on a plate.

Slice your chives on the bias.

Form the risotto in to balls with a pinch of the brie in the center. (If you dampen your hands before doing this, it works better.)

Pour the mayo in to a small squeeze bottle.

Stir together the eggs and water in a small bowl. Place the flour in another bowl and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl.

In a deep sauce pan heat the oil over medium high heat to 350F.

Dip each ball of rice in to the flour, then egg, then panko.

Fry until crispy. Remove from oil and place on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with truffle salt immediately.

When cool enough to handle, inject the balls with a small squirt of mayo.

Rub the mayo insertion point on the truffle butter. Top with a slice of black truffle that has also passed over the truffle butter. (This helps it stick)

Dip a dry paint brush in to the silver dust. Position the brush over an arancini and knock gently to coat. Top with a slice of chive and serve.

>Makes about 20 arancini.

© 2010 Fresh Approach Cooking
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© 2010 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.com If you are not reading this at the aforementioned URL or in your RSS feed, the site you are looking at are violating my copyright. And that's rude.

Arancini means little oranges.

I've been bloggin' so long, turns out, I've done something like this before...check it out!

Follow me on twitter

Most commercial truffle oils are flavored with synthetic compounds such as 2,4-dithiapentane, one of many molecules that give Italian white truffles their distinctive aroma.

Labels: Appetizer, Vegetarian

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Hi peaches!

SO get this…recently I was invited to a food event featuring some lovely local chefs doing a cooking demonstration. I was in and excited to go, since a few of my friends were planning on attending, too. Sounded like a nice way to spend a few hours…ya know?

Plus…there were cocktails.

The funny part was that when I checked in and was handed my nametag I honestly was mildly surprised to see I was there representing this blog! Ha!

It’s not that I forgot I had it, I just somehow didn’t realize other people were still tuned in!

Oops.

So…after that jolt…and three weeks later, I’m back here…with a quickie post on pickled Asian pears. Because they are beyond delicious, super easy to pull off and you should make some.

Try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

xoxo

Pickled Asian Pears

(This is a quick pickle, which means it does not need to ferment and is ready to eat as soon as it is chilled.)

4 large Asian pears, peeled, cored and sliced in to ¼ inch wedges

1 large red onion, sliced in to thin wedges
3 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
2 tablespoons white wine
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

In a large, non-reactive (that means, don’t use aluminum) sauce pot, combine the onion, water, vinegars, wine, sugar, salt and spices. Let simmer for 3 minutes then taste and adjust salt/sugar/vinegar to balance. It should be a bit salty (it IS a pickle) and not overly tart.

When the flavors are to your taste, then add the pear and simmer 4 minutes. Don’t boil, simmer. Boiling not good. Simmer, good.

That’s it! Take off the heat and let cool. Transfer to another container and chill in the fridge until ready to eat.

I served them alone, but you can try them on a cheese plate, or with pork, or any bbq kind of meal. Super yum!

Makes about 3 cups.


© 2010 Fresh Approach Cooking
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© 2010 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.com If you are not reading this at the aforementioned URL or in your RSS feed, the site you are looking at are violating my copyright. And that's rude.

Follow me on twitter!

Asian pears are in season from July into late October.

Desserts for Breakfast posted a beautiful Asian pear frozen yogurt and lemon ginger macarons recipe. Check it out here.

Labels: Appetizer, Condiment, Gluten Free, Pickle, Vegan, Vegetarian

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For you, my peaches, we have a photo and recipe for a summery sorrel soup that has always been much maligned due to it’s fantastically unsavory color.

(So sad!)

It is a dish with a color that exists somewhere between not-so-plucky army green and decidedly cringe-worthy, cement grey.

Something one associates with World War 2 era British school dinners and/or prison food. (Or, as Sam called it, "Sludge taken from Shrek's swamp.") So…in other words…it lacks a certain visual appeal.

But that color, what-ever-it-is, is a deceptive little shade of…um…not-so-pretty, because the soup itself is really extra terrific. It packs a bit of pow in that drab dress coat. It is bright and sour and creamy and cold and unexpectedly divine.

And not only is it a wee bit hard on the eyes, and oh so very easy on the palate, but it is also a very humble Russian peasant soup (when called schav) and at the same time, a very upscale French delicacy known as soupe a l’oseille. Go figure. One soup, two ends of the culinary spectrum.

But names and looks aside, it really is one of the best things you can eat on a hot day. Simple to make, and simple to eat. You will thank me for this recipe and I promise, after the first sip, you will have a whole new opinion of that old maxim that we eat with our eyes.

Now try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

2 T olive oil
3 pounds sorrel leaves (I used a mix of French sorrel and red sorrel from my garden)
2 quarts water
1 large baking potato, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper
1 T lemon juice
3 eggs , beaten
1 cucumber, sliced (for garnish)
Dill sprigs (also for garnish)

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot, over medium heat. Add the potato and cook (stirring often) 5 minutes. Add sorrel and water and bring to a boil. Let cook about 30 minutes.

Whisk together three egg yolks, temper with the hot soup, and whisk it all into soup. Return to the stove and cook for 3 more minutes. (Do not boil, or the eggs will scramble.)

Working in batches, carefully puree the soup in a blender.

Taste, adjust seasoning and add lemon juice as needed. Chill. Garnish with cucumber slices and dill sprigs and serve.

(Some people like this with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, too.)

© 2009 Fresh Approach Cooking
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© 2009 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.com If you are not reading this at the aforementioned URL or in your RSS feed, the site you are looking at are violating my copyright. And that's rude.

Story and recipe for schav from The Jew and the Carrot

What is it about the Tamra Davis Cooking Show that has me coming back for more?

The common sorrel, or spinach dock, is a perennial herb, which grows abundantly in meadows in most parts of Europe and is cultivated as a leaf vegetable. Because of the mildly acidic taste, it quenches thirst, and may be helpful in boosting the appetite. Wiki

Labels: Appetizer, Gluten Free, Luncheon, Soup, Vegetarian

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Technology still sometimes leaves me bug-eyed. How about you?

I mean...there you are, using your phone, browsing the web, taking pictures and emailing someone 2000 miles away or texting someone sitting next to you, all at the same time. It's really a bit astonishing.

Much like our food, of course. Even this most mundane things have a lot going on!

We can't just drink that glass of water and not remember that a whole lot of nature and technology and man-power went in to it appearing in a vessel with some frozen cubes and a slice of citrus for our consumption. It too is astonishing.

That's pretty much the gist of my world these days. Taking a moment to appreciate that which got us what we eat. It's a vast and amazing system! Wooo---eeeee. Again...it leaves me bug-eyed and slack-jawed.

Like when I was in my favorite old-fashioned book store and I came across a photo of pyramid shaped ravioli. So cool! I snapped a picture of the picture with my phone, emailed it to a friend and queried if she thought we could muster something like that for the vegan edition of our underground supper club, Chicks with Knives. Wham-bam, she replied and we were a go. Technology in action.

Then we just got our sweet selves to the bountiful local farmers market, pondered the fillings possibilities and voila...ravioli. (Well...there was a lot more to it than that. Testing and fussing and tasting and contemplating and pasta rolling and breaks and laughs and all that good stuff. Plus we changed our minds about what sauce went best with it about sixty-five times. And I swear at one point we thought about deep-frying them. Or maybe that was just me. I do love deep-fried!)

So we made 90 of them (Took us, what, three hours? Give or take.) and served it at our swank little dinner party to our glamorous guests and it was a smash hit. (Which I can say with confidence because - technology again - they were reviewed on line by other bloggers.) And that, was that. Technology meets old fashioned cooking. A match made in...the year 2009. And perfection all around.

They are toothsome and filling and salty and rich (without dairy!) and have a faint perfume of garlic and orange. The chive blossoms as garnish offered just the right visual punch and a tiny bit of additional flavor. (Coarse salt would be nice too...naturally.) We only offered two per person (because in all honesty...making another 35 of them would have killed us at that point. It's a lot of work doing this sort of thing on a grand scale!) but at home, I would encourage you to serve five per person.

Now, all of the ingredients in this recipe were organic and sourced locally (mostly at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. We used Santa Barbara Olives and olive oil for instance) but you can really do with anything if that's how you swing. ;-)

So try this my peaches, and enjoy.

1 cup durum wheat flour
1 cup semolina flour
2 tablespoons white flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
water as needed
4 extra large artichoke hearts
1 large baking potato, peeled, cut in to chunks and boiled
1/4 cup dry cured olives, rough chopped
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 tablespoon minced spring garlic
1/4 cup minced parsley
salt to taste (you won't need much if the olives are salty.)
Olive oil and chive blossoms for garnish

In a mixer, combine the flours. Add the olive oil and enough water to bind. Continue to mix until it all comes together adding water, as needed, to keep it smooth and not tacky or crumbly.

Roll out the dough using a pasta maker (per the manufactureres directions) or with a rolling pin. Cut in to four inch squares and chill until ready to use.

Trim down the artichokes (we used ones that were huge. Like 4 pounds each.) to their hearts and steam until soft. Mash with the potato (to bind), olives, garlic, zest and parsley. Season to taste.

Mound 1 tablepsoon of filling in to the center of each square of pasta. Lightly brush the edges of the pasta with a touch of water then gather up the corners and pinch shut. Using pinking shears, cut to crimp and seal. Freeze until ready to serve.

Boil the ravioli in a large pot of salted water until cooked through...about 3 minutes tops. Drain and serve with warm olive oil and chive flowers.


Makes about 36.

© 2009 Fresh Approach Cooking
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© 2009 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.com If you are not reading this at the aforementioned URL or in your RSS feed, the site you are looking at are violating my copyright. And that's rude.

All artichokes commercially grown in the United States are grown in California.

Have you read Secret Suppers by Jenn Garbee yet? So great...

If you are in the Bay Area, the Millbrae Spring Faire is this weekend and features a Ravioli dinner.

Labels: Appetizer, Pasta, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Happy new year everyone! I hope you had a safe and lovely NYE and that you are primed and ready for the next 365 days of madness, glory, good eating and delights.

(What can I say...all things considered, I still hold out for hope and change and all those pretty buzz words...)

My holiday season was quite terrific – with warm days and lots of festive goings on. It really was just flawless.

The one mistake I have made though, was neglecting my beautiful garden. I hadn’t even peeked at it until today and while it really does look a mess (grass has sprung up everywhere. Aye-yi-yi) the soil is dark and rich and lovely and lots of things have burst out in their winter glory.

The celery and fennel have gone wild in a good way, the arugula and sorrel in not-such-a-good-way. And the spinach! My word, it was everywhere. Again. It’s amazing and beautiful. So, naturally, I tore it all out. Not in a malicious way…but because I wanted to eat it. Mmm. But the big suprise was that there were exactly three parsnips. I was so shocked. Sure, they were a bit anemic but I had grown them myself and was pretty excited about that.

Starry-eyed surprise.

I decided to make a soup I have posted here before...but this time, had the time to really sass it up. Because while a bowl of soup is a beautifully rich meal, a bowl of soup with some sass to it is all the better. And that is where the parsnips came in as little starry soufflés.

The concept is based on the Fluffy Spinach Bites in Michel Richard’s glorious cookbook, Happy in the Kitchen, but I changed it up quite a bit to meet my needs.

They came out beautifully. They have the most incredible texture. Light and fluffy for sure, but dense with flavor.

And if you like them (and I know you will.) they also make a fab little passed appetizer. And don't be daunted by the long recipe, it really is a snap to do. Just go with it and reach the zen.

To make three different croutons, I made a base of the parsnip flavor then divided it in to thirds and flavored the other batches with carrot and roasted pepper (respectively.) You can really do any assortment of flavors you like, but my point is that this makes three batches of 64 bites each which is a lot. They hold in the fridge for three days or you can just make a third of this in only one flavor. Just don’t try to make three flavors with a third of this…you won’t get enough “batter.”

Now try this my peaches and taste the joy.

3 pounds parsnip, peeled and diced small
1 large carrot, peeled and diced small
1 red bell pepper, roasted and diced
3 cups heavy cream
12 eggs
1 teaspoon sugar
salt
3 tablespoons gelatin
2 cups parmesan cheese
1 large pinch black pepper
1 large pinch grated nutmeg
½ cup (additional) parmesan cheese
1 large pinch chile flakes

Preheat oven to 300F. Line three 8” square baking pans with foil. Make sure the foil overhangs on two sides so later you can lift the soufflés out. Butter the foil and set aside.

Steam the parsnips and carrots, separately until very soft. (In a steamer basket works best, though I admit, I microwaved them with a bit of water.)

In a blender, combine the steamed parsnip with all of the cream, eggs, sugar, salt, gelatin and parmesan. Puree until smooth. Remove and divide evenly between three large bowls. Season one batch with black pepper and pour in to the first baking pan.

Puree the second batch with the steamed carrots. Add a pinch of nutmeg, pour in to the second baking pan.

Puree the third (last) batch with the roasted pepper, additional cheese and chile flakes. Pour in to the third baking pan.

Bake all three pans for 30 minutes or until firm. Remove and let cool. When ready to serve, cut in to desired shapes and re-heat on a lined baking sheet for 10 minutes or until warmed through.

If you are using them in soup, ladle some of the soup in to a shallow bowl. Swirl some cream on top (using a squeeze bottle works best.) then top with croutons.


Serves six to eight as a soup garnish and 20 - 24 as an appetizer


© 2009 Fresh Approach Cooking
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© 2009 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.com If you are not reading this at the aforementioned URL or in your RSS feed, the site you are looking at are violating my copyright. And that's rude.

We served this soup at the November edition of the CWK Sustainable Supper Club. Are you on the list?

Crystal City, Texas is the self proclaimed Spinach Capital of the World, though California produces far more spinach than Texas growers annually.

Michel Richard was the James Beard Outstanding Chef award in 2007.

Looking for other spinach soup ideas? Check out what Ilva did at Lucullian Delights.

Labels: Appetizer, Gluten Free, Soup

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Hello!

How are you today?

Feeling sassy?

I hope so! (Me? I'm stupendous! Cannot complain~)

Are you prepared for the onslaught of holiday delights? Are you ready to start indulging like none-other?

Perhaps you are in need of the taste appeal of a potato chip?

I thought so.

These are - without a doubt - the fussiest and silliest things to make...and there is even an easier way to do them that involves a few sheet pans and a brick, but I like this method and am here to share - yes indeedy.

It does require a Mandoline slicer though, for sure. So bust that pretty thing out and rejoice that you have an excuse to use it. And if you haven't got one...um...you should skip this. Because as much as I would like to say you can accomplish this with a good sharp knife...you can't. (Shrug.) But onward anyway!

So this recipe is for stained glass potato chips. Sometimes called potatoes Maxine (but only by someone I'm not entirely sure I trust with culinary nomenclature.)But you know...it's the method when you sandwich herbs in between two paper thin slices of Idaho potato. So it looks purdy and has a hint of fabulous. Because in these economic times, potatoes are still cheap and cheerful even if not much else is.

So try this my little peaches and taste the salty-fried joy.

2 large Russett/Idaho/Burbank potatoes
2 cups clarified butter or canola oil (go for the butter if you can)
1/2 cup assorted fresh herbs (obviously I used fennel fronds and oregano leaves. Just make sure you use soft herbs and nothing woody that will tear the potatoes...like rosemary)
Salt

Slice the potatoes in to almost translucent thin slices. Keeping pairs together.
Lay one slice down and add some herbs. Flatten with your fingers and top with the matching slice. Continue with the rest of the potatoes.

Heat the butter/oil and add the chips two or three at a time. Fry until golden. Remove to a cooling rack (good idea to put that rack over a paper towel or cloth so your counter stays clean.) Salt and continue frying the rest of the chips.

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
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© 2008 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.com If you are not reading this at the aforementioned URL or in your RSS feed, the site you are looking at are violating my copyright. And that's rude.

As dictated by French law, the third Thursday of November -- is the first day of the year when Beaujolais Nouveau can be sold. The red wine, made from Gamay grapes, is the first wine of the new season. Though critics long have dismissed Beaujolais Nouveau as unsophisticated, the wine surged in popularity in the 1980s and '90s. More recently, subtle price increases in the relatively inexpensive wine, along with competition from other cheap wines, have chipped away at sales. Distributors and wine shops expect sales to drop slightly, maintaining the downward trend that began earlier this decade. Last year, 2.55 million bottles of the wine were shipped to the U.S. That's down from 3.9 million bottles sold in 2001.The average price this season will be $12.99 to $14.99. That's up about a dollar from last year, he says. Sales for the 2007 season were down 12% from 2001. - WSJ

History of the potato? Sure! Right here.

Labels: Appetizer, Gluten Free, Vegetarian

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Now mind you, I am not the only woman vying for The Ombudsman’s time. Sure, his quality time is spent with me, (or so I like to think. Being that kind of friend) but he also spends some hours with The Historical Babe, doing all sorts of bendy yoga maneuvers and dining on raw foods.

Seriously, it seems as if they're always getting massages and doing all sorts of calming activities. It's sexy stuff.

So when I ran in to them outside of the very chic and delightful Akasha restaurant in when-did-this-place-become-cool Culver City the other night, I wasn't the slightest bit surprised. Having just eaten there myself in the company of everybody's favorite Texan, Pace, I was able to vouch for it's excellence and tranquil vibe.

The ideal spot for the health and environment conscious who still want a super star meal.

What is so darn-tastic loveroo about it is that they are all about the whole grains and locally sourced biz-nizz. Makes a girl happy. Plus, the food is just dreamy fabulocity. All earthy and groovy without getting too darned granola. (Not that I don't love my granola-eatin' peeps mind you, but this restaurant is just not that vibe) In other words, it gets my kudos rating.

Having split a roasted artichoke, tomato tart (so delish!), short ribs and a summertime trio of desserts (yum. rhubarb. yum.) I did think I may have gone a bit on the heavy side for such a postcard perfect evening. So the next day, with my farmers market bounty calling, I made this fun soup duo to balance things out. Light for heavy. Vegetable for animal.

Easy as can be to zip together and a visual delight to present. It's light and refreshing and just what a girl needs on a lazy summer day. Especially after sampling Akasha's key lime and hibiscus cocktails...

So do try this my peaches and taste the joy.

4 each tomatoes, 2 red, 2 yellow
4 cups melon, 1/2 watermelon, 1/2 cantaloupe
2 each bell pepper, 1 red, 1 yellow
2 each jalapeno chile pepper, one red, one green
2 each cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 cups white bread , crusts removed
2 tablespoons sugar, as needed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and pepper
3 bunches chervil , optional, for garnish


In a food processor, combine all of the red ingredients (including all of the tomato paste) and half the garlic, olive oil , vinegar and bread. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding sugar only if needed.

Clean out the food processor bowl and do the same with the yellow ingredients, (excluding the tomato paste) taste and adjust seasoning (salt, sugar, vinegar) as needed.

Refrigerate each batch until chilled.

To serve, you can either pour the two colors into a bowl simultaneously (side by side) or use chef rings (round cookie cutters) to make a bulls-eye pattern. You can also use a toothpick, drawing out from the center to create a pattern.

Garnish with chervil and serve.

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
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© 2008 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" www.freshcatering.blogspot.com This RSS Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, or at the aforementioned url, the site you are looking at is guilty of infringing upon terms of copyright. And generally cheesing me off.

Stellar Organics Wine from South Africa is the top selling organic wine brand in the UK. Organic wine is now the largest sector in the organic alcohol category, and accounts for 56% of its sales; which with an extra 267,000 shoppers buying organic wine this year compared to last year, is an increase of 42% year on year. Stellar's wines are organic and Fairtrade, the only wine to gain both labels. – Harpers.co.uk

It costs farmers £1.45 to produce a kilo of pork, according to BPEX (the British Pig Executive), which represents the pork industry. At the beginning of 2008 supermarkets sold pork for £1.05 a kilo, and by May - eight months after farmers had started bearing the increased cost of feed - it had still only gone up to £1.20 a kilo. 78 per cent of the British public said they were prepared to pay more for pork to help farmers who have been campaigning for a better price. - BBC

Labels: Appetizer, Raw, Restaurants, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

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I am filled with the joy of the season. The soft light of spring with it's promise of the new. I am just a big ol' puddle of happy-person.

Yesterday, upon waking, I could just smell it in the air. Picnic season had arrived.

Fab-tastic! (Insert girly-squeal.)

And you know full well by now that nothing makes me flash my pearly whites like a sunny day, a relaxed destination and a basket full of comestible wow.

Nothing beats it. Don't you agree?

So after a rousing go round on the Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel (which - as I write - is for sale on eBay. No, I'm not kidding.) we had worked up an appetite for something just so. Basket in tow, we made our way out to the sandy beach and indulged.

It was just what we needed to pair with our locally produced wine and home-made crackers.

Smooth, tangy, creamy...you know. All those things you look for in a cheese-spread kinda thing on a perfect spring day.

Now sweet peaches, I could ramble and raconte on the serious subject of copyrights, copyright infringement and boring legal mumbo-jumbo style speak for a few moments prior to sharing this most delightful recipe, OR I can just warn you (sternly) that Boursin is trademarked and (lovely) delightful and not at all this recipe.

I hopes to tells ya.

Nope, this recipe is just for something somewhat (but assuredly not) similar. Basically, its a soft, spreadable, flavored cheese. Whimsical and tasty.

So try it my peaches, and taste the joy.

2 ounces goat cheese
1 ounce cream cheese
1 ounce butter
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives

Using your hands, smoosh everything together and form into a nice disk. Pat, while smiling then serve with crackers.

Yup, its that simple, elegant and ready to devour.

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking

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© 2008 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" www.freshcatering.blogspot.com This RSS Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, or at the aforementioned url, the site you are looking at might be guilty of infringing upon terms of copyright.

Boursin's traditional cheeses (Garlic & Fine Herbs, and Pepper) are certified kosher by the Orthodox Union. Boursin is also proud to support the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation.

Faced with rising demand and empty shelves, officials at a New Hampshire's Fall Mountain Food Pantry are asking area farmers and gardeners to "grow a row" for them and donate the food.

Labels: Appetizer, Gluten Free, Vegetarian

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I write in books. I write in books in ink. I write in books in black ink that sometimes smears across the smooth pages because despite my attentions I am still a left handed writer.

I am forever underlining passages and leaving myself small comments in the margins.

A book is a personal item, to be devoured, and the notes that lie within are my mark. They remind me of where my mind was when I was reading it, or where I wanted my mind to go. Much like this site.

Since this is my habit, it should come as no surprise that I have little scribblings scattered throughout my cookbook collection too. Usually phrases no more descript than “Made, 1/25/06. Perfect.” But just enough info for me to recall the dish, the meal, and the company it was made for. Always a wonderful thing. Like a small notation on my life.

I can open any number of recipe collections and be transported as easily as I am by my favorite authors of fiction. With the words upon the pages come memories of good friends and good food. All of them blessings.

Now, tomorrow is my birthday, and we are going to a simple and beautiful restaurant that evokes so many memories for me. Memories of lovely times spent with new friends, old friends, family and loved ones. It is a place I retreat to for a quiet evening of fine dining in a graceful setting. It is old and new all at once, and it is perfection. I dream of their food, and the calm it brings me.

And yet, I do not have a copy of the cookbook they created, and therefore there is not a word in my hand etched out within. Perhaps I will fix that. And then I can recall what I am certain will be a fabulous meal.

This is just a recipe I have never written down, so in the spirit of keeping this site as my personal storehouse, I will post it now.

Try it my peaches, and taste the joy.


1 pound button mushrooms
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and black pepper
Bay leaf for garnish

Mince the mushrooms until very fine.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Cook the shallot until translucent, then add the mushrooms and herbs. Saute until cooked through.

Remove 3/4 of the mixture and add to a food processor with the cream. Process until smooth. Remove and taste. Add salt and pepper. Add back the remaining mushrooms. To fancy it up, put into a large ramekin, top with a bit more herbs de Provence and a bay leaf Chill and serve with crackers.



© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
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Soda makers, Dr Pepper has promised that if Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose releases "Chinese Democracy" at any point in 2008, everyone in America will receive a free can of Dr. Pepper.

Kosher salt weighs at least 26 percent less by volume than table salt. That means if you use a 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt in a recipe calling for 1/4 teaspoon of table salt, you’re adding too little.

Lucques was chosen by Los Angeles Magazine as the number one restaurant (out of 75) in LA in their March, 2007 issue. “As native Angelenos, Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne understood something about the city’s dual fascination with what’s fleeting and what’s permanent. Lucques captures this paradox. It has the snap of the new and the ease of the classical. Goin’s cooking style, Mediterranean in its inspiration, quietly flirts with the traditional repertoire. The restaurant defines the city’s laid-back luxury; it is gracious and timeless and, dare we say it, grand.”

Nacho-cheese-flavor Doritos, which contain five separate forms of glutamate, may be even richer in umami than the finest kombu dashi (kelp stock) in Japan. - NY Times

Labels: Appetizer, Something Else, Vegetarian

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When my darling, the Glamazon, was a wee bitty child, (pre-glamazon days, which I believe should be called the precocious years,) she announced, in response to my fathers query, "What do you girls want for lunch?" that her favorite food was Chicken Nuggets, and that is the only thing she was willing to eat.

Now, my father is not a fast food eater, nor is he a pop culture follower, so he just roared with laughter, eyes twinkling.

He sincerely thought she made it up. In his reasoning, there was no way there could there be such a foodstuff, it simply had to be the concoction of a fabulous four year old mind. Nuggets of chicken???

Now mind you, at that point in my young life, I had never indulged in a Chicken Nugget, but being a child, I was all very aware of their existence. My parents wouldn't have dreamed of letting us sample that sort of thing. So naturally, I chimed in saying that was all I wanted for lunch too. As the words came out of my lips, I was anxiously wondering...could this be the day? Would my father actually take us to a fast food chain to eat fried, compressed chicken bits served with gloopy, sugar dense, dipping sauce? The possibility of it all almost felled me.

Well, miracle of miracle, my food-conscious father whimsically decided to indulge Pre-Glamazon's fancy. (She was just so irresistibly cute.) So into the car piled four kids, one adult, and palpable anticipation.

Seemingly moments later, our food devoured, my father turned to the Pre-Glamazon, and asked if she had enjoyed her lunch. Tears welled up in her big golden eyes, (yes, her eyes are golden. It's stunning.) as she proclaimed they were "dreadful" and her new favorite food was hot dogs.

Turns out, her parents had never let her have them either...sly child that Glamazon.

After that day, I'm not sure I ever ate them again. They weren't to my taste. I know for a fact my father never did either. As for the Glamazon, she currently lives on a steady diet of salads and Champagne, as all good glamour girls do...but while none of us eat them, 20+ years later, my father still lovingly calls her (with that smile in his eyes)...Chicken Nugget...

This appetizer, it's an adult version. Real chicken. Complex flavor. Simply stunning.

1 T. fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon chile, minced
1 t. vegetable oil
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 T brown sugar
1 T lime juice
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup water

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup peanuts
1 T. ground cardamom
1 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. salt
1 cup rice or wheat flour
2 eggs
4 chicken breasts
Corn oil

Saute the ginger and chile in the vegetable oil. Remove from heat and whisk in the peanut butter, soy, sugar, lime, coconut and water. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Cut chicken into bite-sized bits.

Whisk eggs in a bowl.

In a Cusinart, combine the nuts, spices and rice flour. Pulse to combine. Pour this into a shallow bowl.

Dip the chicken bits into the egg, then the nut mixture. When all the pieces are coated, saute in the corn oil until golden brown. Serve room temperature with peanut dipping sauce.

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Do I love Food? Heck yes, and if you live in Los Angeles, you should too. Review coming soon.

Other ways to play with Peanut Butter? Cookies anyone?

McDonalds Chicken McNuggets (C), were introduced in 1983. 6 pieces have 250 calories. A McNugget is a small piece of minced chicken and mechanically separated meat held together with phosphate salts and chicken skin. The pieces are coated with batter, then deep-fried and sold. - Wikipedia

Labels: Appetizer, Chicken, Gluten Free, Low-Carb

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Admit it my peaches; you, like me, have a cupboard full of random foodstuffs, a fridge crammed with leftover bits of who-knows-what-all and an astonishing assortment of condiments.

All that and a full bar, that, alas, consists more of things like creme de menthe and blackberry schnapps, than the Scotch and hand-crafted Caribbean rum you would prefer. (Okay, maybe that is just me. Me, the girl who is in need of a drink, and yet only has some postively methuselean lemoncello chilling in the freezer. Sigh.)

And while my pantry may (may I say, just may) have a wider and (possibly) more upscale assortment of choices than the average home, (due to compulsive grocery shopping and a slew of friends who work in the culinary arts) I still have to do something with all of it, and you should too! Waste not, want not, and all that, right?

But what do you do with all those bits and bits?

Simple really. Just takes a lightning bolt of adult style imagination, a stout heart, and an affinity towards fried foods, and...voila! Cocktail snacks!

It's just perfect really...because as we all know (okay, those of us who work) after a long hard day earning your tosheroons, we sometimes don't delight in heading towards a hot stove. (Not Hot!) So this is the ideal solution. A lil' nibble, ready in seconds (that is, if you go ahead and freeze them after making them in advance and whatall) made from what is on hand...and this particular mix is pretty over-the-top.

I had some leftover, nutty farro, (an ancient wheat, that seems a bit barley-like to me), woodsy dried morels, some rich brie cheese and a tiny bottle of earthy truffle oil. Together, they made my head swim...and the Ombudsman ate so many, he spoiled his appetite. Silly Ombudsman, spoilt his appetite.

Keeping in mind, this is what I had on hand, you can make variations, and variations, and then a few more variations, as long as the underlying technique stays in tact.

And what is that technique? Well, you just have to follow the recipe and see!

So try this my peaches, then pour yourself a drink, and enjoy!


2 cups cooked and cooled farro
3 eggs
.5 oz dried morel mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water, then minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup flour
Brie or fontina cheese, or both
Bread crumbs
Oil for frying
White truffle oil for garnish

In a large bowl, combine the farro and one of the eggs. Mix. Add in the thyme, mushrooms and a hearty amount of black pepper and salt. Mix to combine. Add a bit of the flour and then gather a small handful of the mixture into your hand. Squeeze and see if it holds together. If it doesn't, add more flour, if it does, stop where you are.

Now this bit takes some lets-all-play-along logic, since I'm not entirely sure I can explain it...

Set out a sheet pan, a bowl of water, a bowl with the remaining two eggs which have been slightly stirred, and a bowl with some of the bread crumbs.

Dip your hand into the water, then gather and form some of the farro in the well of your hand. Add a small pinch of cheese to the center of the farro. Close your hand around it, and seal in the cheese. Dip the now round ball of farro into the eggs, then the bread crumbs to coat. Place on the sheet pan and continue until you are out of farro. At this point you can freeze the farro or shallow fry it and serve with a drizzle of truffle oil.


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Farro is a grain that is the ancestor of modern wheat, you can substitute arborio rice

Have you seen this post on Acme Instant Food? Hilarious!

Federal health officials are allowing Chinese shrimp producers to resume shipping to the US. The FDA put the restrictions in place after repeated tests showed farmed seafood had been contaminated with drugs the agency has not approved. The FDA made the exemption after inspecting processing plants. It also received third-party analyses of five consecutive shipments of shrimp that showed them to be free of any contamination. - AP

Labels: Appetizer, Tapas, Vegetarian

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Color me giddy.

I'm multi-tasking!

How so?

Well, I am sitting on my sofa, writing this post and carefully savoring the spinach crescents you see pictured. (Carefully because crumbs are not happy making...)

There are two things of note in that sentence. Well, three if you count the sublimely tasty snack food...

The first is that I mentioned my new sofa. Yup. It's so purdy. I love it. The Rock Goddess says it's not comfortable though. Then again, that came from a woman who just bought (-warning, image is a bit racy -) this...now really kids, does that look comfy? Hot, yes, but not really what one would call lounge-wear. So, I rest my case. She doesn't get the comfy concept. Then again, she is a Rock Goddess, and I am simply a girl with a blog...but I digress...

The second, and really, much more important (at least to me) fact in that statement I started with is that which allows me to be in this location...I got a laptop! Welcome to the digital age, Rachael!

Yea me! It was a bold choice, lemme tell ya, but I felt I really had to take that leap into the present and...voila, here I am! Thanks for coming along!

So now, for your reading pleasure, I will be able to post from all sorts of exotic locales...The Coffee Bean! T-Mobile Hot Spots! Hotels! The list goes on. I can't wait to explore it.

And what will I treat myself to as I lounge poolside, blogging? Well, Turkish Spinach Crescents of course!

I first had these courtesy of my beloved friend The Chemist's mother. She is Turkish, and made them, and then promised to teach me how to make them. And then moved away. Sigh. Leaving me to fend for myself. It took some time, but I feel confident with the results. Supremely confident. Downright smug really. They are that good.

The secret, I learned, is sumac. Its a snazzy, sour, spice. I really dig it and find it gives just the right sass to this simple, fab, delight.

This is a recipe that is going to seem extreme. It's a bit time consuming, and includes an ingredient you may have to source at a Middle Eastern market. But that all said, it's pretty dang fine, and worth the effort. Then again, you can really skip making the dough and just buy some of the pre-made product too. I'm just saying...

So try this my peaches, and enjoy!

4 tablespoons yeast
¼ teaspoon sugar
½ cup water
4 cups flour (bread flour if you can find it)
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup lukewarm water

4 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped
1 medium onion, minced fine
1 tablespoon sumac or the juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon oil
salt and pepper to taste


Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water, and let that stand in a warm place for 10 minutes until it is nice and frothy.

Stir in the 1/2 cup of flour, cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes in that same warm place.

To finish the dough, put the 3 1/2 cups of flour in a large bowl, and make a well in the center.

Put in the yeast-and-sugar mixture, salt, olive oil, and 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water.

Gradually work in the flour to make a soft and sticky dough.
Knead the dough on a floured surface for 15 minutes.

The dough will be very sticky at first, but as you knead, it will gradually cease to stick to your hands.

You should have a damp and very springy dough that offers no resistance to kneading.

Put the dough in a oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for an hour.

(You can refrigerate or freeze the dough at this point until you're ready to use it.)

Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a log.

Cut into 8 equal pieces, and roll each one into a golf-ball sized bit.

Place the dough balls on a lightly floured surface, and leave them to rest for 30 minutes under a tea towel.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, and if you have them, heat tiles 30-40 minutes before baking.

Roll one ball of dough on a floured surface into a circle 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick and 4 inches in diameter.

Add a bit of the filling in a straight line across the center. (As if you were making an equator with it.) But leave a gap on each edge.

Roll the dough up and then pinch the ends together to create crescents.

Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and perhaps a light dusting of Parmesan cheese.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes..

Serve hot.

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Sumac is a tart and sour spice, with slightly astringent overtones, that is very popular condiment in Turkey and Iran. Uni-Graz.At

The uber sensational Treva strikes again! Scandal! (For the record, not only do I adore her beyond words, but we also happen to be related, ergo my enthusiasm on this subject...)

I can't stop laughing at this commercial from Carl's Jr. I wish it was my ring-tone...

Labels: Appetizer, Vegetarian

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Me, I'm a lucky girl to have two older brothers whom I love very much...the seriously brilliant one (IBBBH*) and the stunningly genius one (IBBBJ**).

And, heck yes, I'm bragging.

Both of my brothers are tall and handsome, hard working and goodhearted. (Frankly, I find it altogether shocking we all come from the same gene-pool. I can barely balance my checkbook half the time! So really, I got nothin' on um. Plus the really disconcerting part is that our sister is actually the smart one. Scary...innit?)

The younger (I'm the youngest) is the one who makes me laugh, he is the political one, with a serious penchant for quality foods, and the older one (well, also political) is the one who challenges me to be a better person, who sits up straight, and is infinitely patient.

IBBBJ lives in NYC. Making the world a better place. IBBBH resides in Southern Spain...making the world a better place too.

I love visiting NYC to hang out with my IBBBJ. I am always beyond excited to see him and go out do dinner, so he "can show off by getting (me) something fancy."

It takes a bit more to get organized enough to haul myself across two continents. But when I do I bask in the warmth of IBBBH's wonderfulness (no, not a word...) where the main focus is always family (and, flamenco, or so it seems. Lots of Flamenco.) and eating. This is me after all. While UBBBH is not exactly a foodie - he likes his brown bread and herring more than most things - he is indulgent (if not bemused) by my obsession.

What both of these boys (okay, fine, they are men) can agree on, food wise, is this extremely classic tapas, inspired by the bounty of Andalusia.

So easy to make, so deliciously tempting. It will make your head spin for a moment. In Spain, or New York, or where ever your family happens to be.

So try it my dears, and taste the joy.

8oz salt cod, soaked in cold water for a minimum of twelve hours, and up to 24
1 sprig parsley
2 whole cloves
1 lb russet/Idaho potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup Spanish olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Black pepper and paprika
At least, 15 piquillo peppers, drained, rinsed and pat dry
½ small onion

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and mash well.

In a sauce pan, add the salt cod parsley and cloves, and cold water, just cover the fish. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and let stand for ten minutes. When the fish is cool enough to handle, drain and flake the flesh into a bowl, removing the cloves, parsley, bones and skin.

Place the fish, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor bowl and pulse to combine. Add the potatoes and pulse again. With the motor running, add the olive oil.

Season with pepper and paprika.

Spoon the mixture inside the piquillo peppers.

Reserve any remaining filling. Season the remaining filling with finely minced onion.

Preheat the broiler to high.

Arrange the peppers in a single layer in a broiler-proof glass baking dish. Pour 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over them. Sprinkle salt over the peppers. Broil for 5 to 6 minutes.Serve the hot peppers on a bed of the filling.

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*How smart? He once co-authored a paper entitled: The Quantum Vacuum and the Cosmological Constant Problem

**How smart? He earned his masters degree at age 19.

Locally, piquillo peppers can be purchased at Surfas in Culver City, La Española in Harbor City and Nicole's in Pasadena. I have also seen them at Cost Plus, Whole Foods and Bristol Farms.

The name piquillo means "little beak". Traditionally piquillo peppers are grown in Northern Spain - GourmetSleuth.com

Labels: Appetizer, Gluten Free, Seafood, Tapas

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It has come to my attention (because I have been paying attention you see) that the posts on this site rarely, if ever have anything to do with the accompanying recipe.

Seriously.

I mean, let's face the facts...not every event in life leads to a delicious meal (though wouldn't that be nice) and not every meal has a
great/mildly interesting/remotely readable story attached.

Heck. Sometimes, a girl just makes dinner.

Or has a cocktail snack.

Lil' nibbles if you will.

So I am implementing a new policy that may or may not stick.

From now on, I'm going to write some non-sense (in other words, that part is status quo) and then include a recipe. There may be a correlation, there may not. I'm going to stop worrying about it. Are you okay with that?

Who knows, it might be fun. Less pressure. (Um, cuz, you know, this site is too uptight as it is...)

So here goes...random babblings by a girl who cooks...

I joined a swim club. I tried to explain this to The Ombudsman, who mistook my comment to mean I had joined some sort of athletic group that meets at a pool. I mean really. The mear thought of it all (knowing me as he does) had him laughing so hard something akin to a snort occurred. And then another. It basically had the boy rolling on the floor.

What I had meant, of course was that I joined a club with a pool for the summer. So I can lounge in peace and get some rays without going to the gritty/grotty beach. Working out was not on my agenda. Laps and whatnot are not my thing. I wear bikinis. They aren't designed to actually stay on under exertion (or so I suspect, never having tried it.) they are for show. For show people.

All that transpired as we ate these mushrooms and downed yet another delightful Dark and Stormy (Note to self: must post about that...) and it was as I ate my third one that I realized he may have been on to something. What with my habit of eshewing real meals in favor of cocktails and requisite salty-fatty cocktail snacks, maybe I should have joined a more athletic group.

Hmmm. Food for thought.

6 medium portabellas mushroom caps (Trader Joes sells "Stuffing Caps" Clever people.)
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 heaping tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried herbs (oregano and thyme are nice)
2 thick slices of cooked sausage or salami, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350F.

In a medium pan heat the oil and saute the shallot and garlic until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir to combine and remove from the heat. The mixture should be moist, if not add a bit more oil. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Using a small spoon, scoop the gills out of the mushrooms. Lightly oil the tops of each mushroom. Fill each cap with the bread-crumb mixture. Don't pack it in, but make sure it isn't too loose either. The cap is going to shrink while it bakes after all.

Bake on a lined cookie sheet or in a dish, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until browned on top.

Remove from the oven, let cool slightly. Serve.

Makes six.

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Look at how pretty a vegetarian version of these can be! Or how they look with spinach! Mmm.

More than 85% of Australian households purchase fresh mushrooms regularly; 55% of them boy at least once a week and 385 of primary grocery shoppers always have them on their shopping list.

In the mid 1970's most of the mushrooms eaten in Australia were in cans, today Australians eat 85% of their mushrooms fresh. -Australian Mushrooms.com

Labels: Appetizer

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You know that part of your yoga class....just at the end, when you are lying peacefully on the mat in corpse pose (do yoga pose translations rock or what.), eyes closed, breathing regulated, trying to empty your mind?

Yea. Well, my mind is pretty empty usually anyway. No need to take it to extremes. So, to prevent myself from getting any ditzier, I instead focus on lunch. Or dinner. Or whatever meal is next I should say.

And there on my mat, like a nursery-schooler gone mad, I start to ponder the contents of my fridge. And how soon I can peel myself up off of the floor and go eat.

All that bending and stretching builds a girls appetite!

I really do enjoy a post yoga snack...

And this is what I indulged in today.

Lucky me, right?

Wanna join the fun?

Well, to do so, let's just pretend that you heeded my call way back when, about trying your hand at making Duck Legs in this manner, when plump and juicy figs came back onto the scene...that would make following along with this post that much easier...since you would have said duck legs on hand, and would be ready for the next step.

It is the true spirit of Vinyasa indeed. Flow. Om.

And when you have your snack all made up, after about 1 minute of work, try it paired with some fine bread, a bottle of wine (should you be eating at a decent hour) or a bit of port...you cant beat it for taste. Its rich and sweet, heady and robust. A pefect foil to all that yoga business, I promise...

So try this my dears, and enjoy. (Can also be made with roast chicken. Mmm.)

2 duck legs, skinned and shredded, with fat
1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary
4 large, ripe figs or apricots diced
A nice pinch of pepper

Using a large knife, roughly chop all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings to your fancy. Serve room temp with bread or crackers.

Makes about a cup

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Earlier this month a federal judge upheld Chicago's ban on foie gras in restaurants. In dismissing the lawsuit by the Illinois Restaurant Association, U.S. District Judge Blanche Manning ruled that the city had a constitutional right to enact the ban. The Illinois Restaurant Association said it was considering an appeal. - AP

China has around 12 million cows producing 3 tons of milk each per year. The Chinese are estimated to consume about 18kg of dairy produce per capita. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has drawn up a new national standard on raw milk that will make testing for antibiotics in raw milk compulsory for dairy processors. Antibiotics are widely used by Chinese farmers in their dairy herds and there has been no regulation in place to restrict their use. A recent survey has shown that around 50 percent of milk products on the market contain antibiotic residues. In the U.S. and other countries, cows given antibiotics are typically withheld from the milk supply for some days and both farmers and dairy processors carry out routine testing for antibiotics, with serious penalties for those found to be selling milk containing residues.

Labels: Appetizer, Duck, Gluten Free

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This seems insane, right? Breaded and fried avocados?

I mean, really. Yikes!

But...

Insanely GOOD is what you should be thinking.

Look, I too was skeptical, but I thought it through and decided to give it a whirl. I mean, life is short kids! Why not go on and make something different?

And you really can't go wrong with deep-fried. Right? Right.

Fried is my favorite food group after all...

And you know what?

This is the ultimate. Mouthwatering decadence. Crispy, smooth, spicy, sweet, salty, rarefied, divinity.

If you got the time and you got the dime (and the waist-line. Ha ha) get thee to the market then get on home and make a serving of these to munch. You'll thank me peaches, you really will.

Try it, and enjoy.



1 small pink papaya, peeled and seeds removed
4 green kiwis, peeled
2 red bell peppers
1 red jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
1/2 cup brown sugar
Zest and 1/4 cup lime juice

6 avocados, somewhat firm
3 eggs
Sea salt and black pepper
1 package panko bread crumbs*
5 cups canola oil
Tortilla Chips to serve

Dice some of the papaya, kiwi, bell pepper and chile pepper. Add the rest along with the sugar, lime zest and juice in a food processor and puree. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Combine the diced fruit with the pureed batch. (You can also leave it all diced, or puree it all. I just find the puree can get soupy...)

Beat eggs in small mixing bowl until combined. Place panko crumbs in separate bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet at least 2 inches deep.

Heat to hot but not smoking. Cut avocados into half, tip to tail. Remove the pit, and using a spoon, scoop the flesh out of the skin.

Dip each avocado half into the egg and then into the panko crumbs.

Fry until crisp and golden.

Transfer to paper towels, season with salt.

Fill with fruit salsa and serve.

*Why panko? They are crispy and have more texture than plain breadcrumbs. I don't know that I would make this with regular breadcrumbs. If you can't get Panko, try finely crumbled crackers.
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A collector for the Royal Horticultural Society of Britain sent fresh kiwi's to Britian from China in 1847, and another collector sent the seeds to England in 1900. Kiwi plants were first exported from China to the United States in 1904, and seeds were brought to New Zealand in 1906.

Are you taking part in the Eat Local Challenge?

Demand for organic milk in the U.S. has been growing 20 percent or more a year, so much so that in 2005, some retailers posted signs in their dairy cases apologizing for not having enough of it. - NY Times

Labels: Appetizer, Vegetarian

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Here we go again my food frenzied friends...(try saying that a few times fast!)

I do hope you will indulge me as I delve into yet another in a long list of tasty cocktail snack recipes. A catagory of foodstuffs near and dear to my little ol' heart.

Hand held foods are the very bestest!

And these?

Figs stuffed with goat cheese. Wrapped in pancetta then broiled to perfection.

Mmm.

And what about the recipe? Is it complicated? WIll it take time? Do you need to plan in advance?

Nope.

All that happens is that you have to take a few ingredients that you love, combine and cook. A few minutes later, they emerge hot from the oven. Then you can go on and pop one into your mouth, chew and smile.

That is all there is to it.

Pow!

A snap to make and a bold, delicious combo of yum.

Go ahead. Sit back for a moment and imagine yourself eating this. Crispy, salty pancetta, sweet smooth and crunchy figs, warm, tangy goat cheese with a hint of cardamom.

I suggest you pair this with a good, strong bev and make a night of it.

Cheers.

3/4 cup goat cheese
Black pepper to taste
A hearty pinch of ground cardamom
1 cup dried mission figs, sliced in half
20 slices pancetta, very thinly sliced
½ cup dry Marsala wine
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter

In a small bowl, stir the black pepper and cardamom into the goat cheese. Taste and adjust as needed. Set aside.
In a large saute pan, melt the butter and brown sugar and cook about 4 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the Marsala.

Return to the stove and add the figs. Cook, stirring until they are completely coated .

Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

When they are cool, take about a tablespoon of the cheese and make it into a small ball and place on the cut side of the fig and press down to form a mound.

Wrap each fig in pancetta to completely cover the goat cheese.

Place on a lined baking sheet and broil until the pancetta is completely cooked and crispy, turning once to get all the sides cooked. Remove and serve warm on a platter.

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On this day in 1930, Twinkies went on sale for the first time

Louis Flores Ruiz, who founded Ruiz Foods in 1964 - the largest manufacturer of frozen Mexican food in the U.S., has died. He was 88. The privately held corporation is the largest Latino-owned manufacturing firm in California and had $326 million in revenue in 2005. The Ruiz company has been recognized as a pioneer in the automation of tortilla-making.

Pancetta: Cured pork belly that is rolled and tied. Unlike American bacon, it is not smoked.

Labels: Appetizer, Tapas

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Wowee, another artichoke recipe!

I know! It’s practically un-American, but until last night, I had never (to my knowledge) consumed that which is...(the oh-sure-now-you-tell-me it’s glorious) Spinach Artichoke Dip.

Of course, now I’m wondering if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Sure, it’s come across my path. I mean, it’s on the buffet at most parties, and available in the market pre-made, but since I’m not much of a hot-creamy-cheesy-dip girl, it’s just never really drawn me in.

And truth be told, I’m pretty durned sure that somewhere in the back of my mind I just KNEW it would be supremely tasty and yet so insidiously bad for me that I should just plain avoid all contact. Kinda like cheesecake (which, I have had, I'm not from Mars!)

I have self restraint most of the time mind you, it's just that last night, what with the combination of good friends (one who a top-notch mixologist with a heavy hand) sitting around catching up, and well, self control weakens...you with me?

I dug in.

Sure, sure, it most likely could be pinned as the second biggest culprit in the American Obesity Epidemic...well, we’ll just have to turn a blind eye to that.

So now that I have taken the plunge, I suggest you do too, because it is hot-creamy-cheesy-goodness, with just enough spinach to let you deny it's ALL bad for you.

Oh and as for you skinny types, I just have this to say...the low fat version is for suckers. Go for the gusto, and let out your pants, because one bite, and you will be hooked...

12 oz. fresh baby spinach
3 Tbsp butter
1 (8oz.) package cream cheese
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 (16 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese to top
Tortilla chips and salsa for serving

Rinse the spinach, then pile it all into a large pan over high heat until wilted. Drain spinach well, pressing between paper towels. Chop spinach.

Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cream cheese and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until cream cheese melts. Fold in spinach, artichokes, sour cream, and mozzarella cheese; stir until cheese melts.

Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately.

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In September 2006, The Scripps Research Institute and McDonald’s announced a collaboration regarding research and educational initiatives to drive progress toward a solution to childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes. McDonald’s will contribute $2 million to The Scripps Research Institute to address these critical health issues facing America’s youth. - McDonalds.com

The first Chili's Restaurant opened in Dallas, Texas in 1975.

The artichoke is an unopened edible bud of a perennial thistle plant native to the Mediterranean.

Labels: Appetizer, Vegetarian

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You like to eat duck right?

And Thai food? You like Thai food too, right?

Oh yeah baby, you know you do...

And I do too.

Heck yea, I do.

And what else do we all love?

That's right...cocktail foods.

Small bites of salty-tangy-sweet-sour-puckery-blistering that make that Friday night-end-of-the-work-week bev just so much more enjoyable.

Or, at least, foods that makes it easy to have something resembling dinner while standing up at a function...

Which leads me to this. This which is (yet another) cocktail food you simply must try.

I fully admit that I didn't come up with this play on Tom Yum Goong soup, but once I heard of it, I did make it, and I did tweak it and I did eat it (and then eat some more, and well, you get the idea) and lo, it was tasty. Really tasty.


Rich, dense duck meat paired with fragrant Thai basil, cooling cucumber, sour lime zest and a touch of soy, it was hard to just eat one (which, I didnt. I ate more like, oh, twenty).

Trust me, its worth making. So try it yourself, and enjoy!

Labels: Appetizer, Duck, Low-Carb