Tricolore Salad

I had a tricolore salad at Toscana and have been making it ever since. It's such a no-brainer. It's healthy, delicious, and easy. Perfect side salad when you want to focus more attention on other parts of the meal.

Tricolore

Arugula
Belgian endive - sliced 1" thick
Treviso radicchio - thinkly sliced or cut into small chunks
Shaved  Parmigiano-Reggiano
Olive oil
Balsamic oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Hama Hama Crab Cakes

One of the best food items I discovered in the last year is the Hama Hama crab cake using their secret Grandma Helena's recipe. They are the best crab cakes I've ever had and I was addicted immediately. I started buying them every week at the farmers market because they're perfect for a quick family dinner while also being good enough to serve to guests.

Quick Crab Cake Dinner

- Saute the crab cakes in a tiny bit of oil and butter until browned
- Serve with good aioli (I like Met Markets), a lemon wedge, and minced chive if you have the energy
- Also serve with a light arugula salad and/or steamed asparagus (asparagus is also good with the aioli and chives)

Simple. Easy. Delicious.

Pasta with Roasted Sungolds and Romano Cheese

Photo credit: Mixed Greens Blog

I go bananas for tomatoes this time of year so I make a lot of favorite recipes and try a lot of new ones. I made this recipe up the other night and loved it. I've already made it a second time because it was so good.

Tomatoes take about 3 hours to cook so I usually prep them in the morning or the day before. If making a day ahead, sprinkle with a bit of olive oil and store covered in the fridge.

Regarding breadcrumbs:
I make breadcrumbs from fresh loaves or baguettes once they lose their freshness and are going stale. Cut up and throw in a Cuisinart food processor to bread up into crumbs, then stick in the freezer until you need them. Toast in a touch of olive oil on medium-high heat.

Pasta with Roasted Sungolds and Romano Cheese

1lb spaghetti noodles (I used Molino e Pastificio from Delaurenti and loved it)
1 container of sungold tomatoes
1/2 - 1 container of mixed cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
4-6 garlic cloves, sliced paper thin
Fresh basil, minced
Flat leaf Italian parsley, minced
1 cup good Pecorino Romano cheese (I bought Fulvi Pecorino Romano from Delaurenti)
Breadcrumbs, toasted
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 225.

Cut tomatoes in half, then toss with olive oil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay tomatoes out, cut side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. You can throw a few unpeeled garlic cloves on the cookie sheet as well but not necessary. Cook for roughly 2.5-3 hours. You want the tomatoes to be mostly dried out. It's okay if a few are still juicy but most should be on the crispy side. Remove and transfer to a plate.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Heat olive oil and garlic in a large pan or braiser on medium heat, stirring regularly. When it starts to sizzle, keep a close eye on it. You want it to sizzle but not brown. Right before it starts to brown, toss roasted tomatoes into the pan and sprinkle with basil and parsley. Reduce heat and stir regularly so garlic never burns.

Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water, then cook the pasta noodles until al dente. Scoop out noodles with a spaghetti ladle and transfer directly to the pan with tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and toss quickly. Sprinkle with pepper and more basil. Check for seasoning. Add more cheese if necessary. Plate pasta and sprinkle each serving with toasted breadcrumbs. 

Blueberry Robbcakes with Blueberry Maple Syrup

I'm overwhelmed with blueberries lately. I over-bought them at the farmers market for fear of running out mid-week of our favorite fruit to snack on. Then my daughter and I went to a U-pick farm and surprisingly picked 3lbs. So now I'm snacking, freezing and cooking my way through about 4lbs of blueberries.

I decided to whip up some blueberry pancakes this morning. I searched a few of my favorite sites and found this recipe for Whole-Grain Pancake Recipe with Blueberry Maple Syrup. I didn't have buttermilk so I couldn't make her batter so I used my basic recipe for Robbcakes and then her recipe for the Blueberry Maple Syrup. Easy breakfast that turned out great and we all gobbled them up.

Blueberry Robbcakes with Blueberry Maple Syrup

2/3 cup buckwheat pancake mix
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp canola oil
2 tsp honey
3/4 cup milk

Mix above ingredients until smooth, then also add:

1/4-1/3 cup rolled oats
1 t ground flaxseed
several handfuls of blueberries
Cook pancakes in butter, then top with Blueberry Maple Syrup.

Corn Off the Cob

I only buy corn on the cob this time of year because you can get it fresh, local and organic. I try to only eat organic corn since it's one of the most genetically modified crops so I end up eating a ton of it while I can get it at the farmers market. If you are also overdosing on corn this month, here's a Bittman piece on corn and some great recipes to try.

Mark Bittman article: "Shuck & Awe"

Mark Bittman recipes: "12 Recipes for Corn Off the Cob"

Celebrate Summer's Bounty

This is the best time of year to shop at the farmers market. There's so much to choose from that it's hard to decide what to cook. Here are some delicious things I'm excited to make in the next few weeks. So much to make, so little time.

Tomato & Corn Pie
Cold Melon Soup with Cucumber Chile Ice
Carrot Ginger Soup
Eggplant Parmesan
Peach & Blueberry Crisp
BBQ Chicken Dinner (Whitney's recipe)
Veggie Sandwich
Pesto
Haricots Verts with Shallots
Vegetable Tian
Greek Village Salad
Gwyneth's Fried Zucchini Spaghetti
Grilled Zucchini with Balsamic Vinegar
Salmon Nicoise Salad
Spice Rubbed Salmon
Poached Salmon with Dill-Mustard Sauce
Creme Fraiche-Roasted Salmon
Halibut from Il Terrazzo Carmine
Christopher’s Texas Pecan Crusted Halibut in Tomato Orange Sauce
Bruschetta
Tomato soup
Fresh Corn Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes, Mint & Basil
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Sweet Onion and Mint
Grilled Corn with Mexican Seasoning, Lime and Queso Fresco

You should be able to find all of these recipes on the blog (except for the last one).

What are your favorite recipes for salads, tomatoes, eggplant or specific summer ingredients. Share them with me!!!!

Reading Assignments

Lots of interesting articles here....


How to Raise a Child: ‘Teach Your Children Well,’ by Madeline Levine

A Final Message From My Mother

Two Classes, Divided by 'I Do'

Friends of a Certain Age: Why Is It Hard to Make Friends Over 30?

The 'Busy' Trap

Pinterest, Tumblr and the Trouble With ‘Curation’

The Making of an Olympic Sex Symbol

Love, Money and Other People’s Children

Small Farmers Creating a New Business Model as Agriculture Goes Local

(There is a photo with this article of Wilson Fish at the Ballard Farmers Market, and you can see Tim, the guy I buy my fish from every Sunday. He's the best. If you go there, wait for Tim and tell him I sent you. And tell him you saw him in the New York Times!)

Have you read anything interesting lately? If so, send it my way.

Thank You, Ina!

I just whipped up a batch of Green Goddess dressing for the first time in a year and am so happy to have it back in my life. I try to enjoy foods when they are in season and fresh from the market so I wait patiently all year to have the things I love. It makes me excited for every meal. Tonight we'll have a Ina's green goddess salad and her California BLTs.

Again I used half the mayo and sour cream and it is perfect. I even used Veganaise this time and you can't tell the difference. The recipe makes a huge jar so there's lots for leftovers or you could share some with a friend. I'm stingy with my goods so I might use some on this Kale Market Salad or even use it for these Green Goddess Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. Yum!

Oh Billy!

Yesterday brought the first round of Billy's tomatoes at the Ballard market and I was thrilled. I can't wait for all the delicious ways to eat and prepare them. First on my list is the Tomato Sandwich from Dinner A Love Story. That will be tonight's dinner with a quick pasta and salad. In the next few weeks I'm sure to make the following and more...


California BLT

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Sweet Onion and Mint

Fresh Corn Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes, Mint & Basil

Tomato & Green Bean Salad with Homemade Pesto

Tomato Salad with Basil Shallot Vinaigrette
 
My mother-in-law's delicious salad
 
Butter Lettuce Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
 
Caprese
 
Bruschetta
 
Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
 
Tomato Soup
 
Tomato Soup, inspired by Nordstrom's Tomato Soup
 
Slow Roasted Tomatoes
 

Another favorite with good tomatoes:

Everything bagel toasted, top with plain cream cheese, tomato slices and lots of fresh ground pepper. Eat open-faced. YUM!

Do you have a favorite way to eat/prepare fresh tomatoes? Would love your recipes to add to the mix.

Goodbye Asparagus. Hello Zucchini!

No more asparagus from my favorite vendors at the farmers market. Time to pull out all my favorite zucchini recipes. I'm so excited to start in on this list. I've already been making grilled zucchini every week which my husband and I both gobble up. Healthy and delicious.

In addition to these, zucchini is great in minestrone and other hearty soups.


Grilled Zucchini

Zucchini Bread 

Pan Grilled Zucchini

Fried Zucchini Spaghetti

Vegetable Tian

Zucchini Salads

Veggie Enchiladas

Zucchini and Summer Squash with Chili, Mint and Toasted Almonds

Vij's Kitchen Staff Zucchini Soup

The Farm Pizza

Pan Fried Halibut with Horseradish

If you need a quick and easy dinner, this one takes the cake.

These measurements are not exact because I threw it together so fast.


Pan Fried Halibut with Horseradish

1 fresh fillet halibut, skinned
2 T horseradish sauce (I used Captain Toady's)
1 cup panko
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Rinse the fish and pat it dry. Smear with the horseradish, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dip into panko and cover both sides. Press firmly so it sticks. Pan fry the halibut in a hot pan with oil until golden on each side. Finish in a warm oven. Serve with grilled veggies for a quick and healthy dinner.

Grilled Zucchini

Photo via Serious Eats

Zucchini is popping up at the farmers market so I've been looking for some fun new ways to prepare it. Last week I threw together this grilled zucchini and it was great. Making it again tonight to go with the salmon on the grill.

Grilled Zucchini

Several small to medium sized zucchinis
1 T olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
garlic salt
red pepper flakes
Parmesan, grated

Cut ends off zucchini and then slice lengthwise. Using a large Ziploc, drizzle in olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic salt and red pepper flakes. Rub the sides of the bag together with your hands to get the seasoning mixed with the oil. Add zucchini to the bag and rub around to coat them with oil and seasoning. Remove and place on a hot grill cut side down. Once it's grilled, flip over and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Let cheese melt while grilling the outside edge. Remove and serve.



Simple Steamed Salmon on the Grill

I got a beautiful piece of salmon from the farmers market last week and decided to throw a bunch of stuff in a foil pocket and throw it on the grill. It didn't dry out at all because the liquid (lemon juice and melted butter) helped it to steam. It was quite flavorful and delicious. Can't wait to make it again tonight.

Simple Steamed Salmon on the Grill

1.5 lb salmon fillet, skin on
3 lemons
2 T butter, thinly sliced
few handfuls of dill
1/2-1 cup thinly sliced fennel
salt and pepper

Preheat your BBQ on high heat.

Rinse salmon and pat dry. Set in the middle of a large piece of foil. Squeeze juice from one whole lemon over the top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay dill over top of salmon. Top with tons of thinly sliced lemon. Put butter slices on top of lemon slices. Toss fennel slices with a touch of lemon juice or olive oil, then put all around the outside of the salmon. Cover with foil and roll the edges of the foil together to create a pouch. Lower heat to medium and cook for 10-14 minutes depending on thickness and how you like it cooked. Open pouch and remove dill and lemon slices. Serve salmon with fennel and a wedge of lemon if desired.

Porcini Porcini, How Do I Love Thee?

This weekend I bought some fresh porcini mushrooms at the farmers market. There are so many amazing things you can make with porcinis - pasta, risotto, crostinis - and so many ways to prepare them - grilled, roasted, sauteed. My in-laws were over for dinner last night so my mother-in-law did a quick saute with them to serve as a side dish. They were incredible. Next week I'm loading up on porcinis and trying a few new recipes.

Sue's Sauteed Shrooms

2-3 cups sliced porcini mushrooms
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 t minced rosemary (thyme would be good too)
salt and pepper

Place a cast iron skillet (or other pan) on a burner and turn the heat to high. Add the oil and allow to get really hot. Add the butter and let it melt. Because mushrooms give off a lot of moisture when cooking, you want a really hot pan. Once the butter is fully melted but before it burns, add the mushrooms and rosemary. Saute, stirring a few times. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot. Would be great with pasta or bread as well.

Halibut with Ginger and Soy Sauce

I was looking for a new way to prepare halibut so I reached out to a few friends and got some great replies. My friend Erika said that she always cooks it with a ginger and soy sauce marinade. Sounded perfect. It reminded me of my chicken rice recipe so I referenced that recipe as well. It turned out great. My husband, kids and guest loved it.

Erika grills her halibut on the BBQ but it was raining quite hard so I just roasted it. Next time I'd love to try it on the BBQ, and maybe boil the sauce for a minute so you can spoon it over the fish.

I served it with white rice, my uncle's asparagus and my hubby's cabbage.

Halibut with Ginger and Soy Sauce

1-1.5lb halibut fillet
1 lime
extra sliced green onion

Marinade:

1/3 cup soy
2 t sesame oil
3 T minced ginger
3 T minced garlic
3 T thinly sliced green onions
freshly ground black pepper

Remove skin and rinse fish. Combine ingredients and then marinate fish for 30 minutes to an hour.

Preheat oven to 450.

Transfer fish and sauce to a small oven safe dish and add juice from one lime. (I didn't do this earlier because you don't want the citrus to cook the fish.)

Cook for 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. I flipped it halfway through but might not be necessary.

Serve with white rice. Spoon sauce over fish and rice, then sprinkle with more green onion.
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Salad: Wild & Spicy Greens with Fennel

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I love the Wild & Spicy Greens mix from Alm Hill, sold weekly at the Ballard farmers market. I thought the blend seemed like a perfect match for this salad, inspired by Dinner, A Love Story. Great salad. Even the husband loved it.

Wild & Spicy Greens with Fennel

Wild & Spicy greens
1/2-1 fennel bulb, shaved into slices with a peeler or sliced paper thin with a knife
1/3 cup minced chives

Vinaigrette:

2 t Dijon mustard
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 t sugar
Juice from 1/4 lemon
salt and pepper

Combine vinaigrette ingredients into a jar and shake vigorously. Toss with greens, fennel and chives. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and serve.
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Spring Salad

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I love this simple green salad. It's perfect this time of year with the fresh asparagus and pea shoots from the farmers market. Simple and light yet still very flavorful.

Spring Salad

Tom Thumb lettuce if you can get it, otherwise Bibb or Butter lettuce
Asparagus, boiled for 2 minutes, then run under cold water or transfer to ice bath
Sugar Snap peas, shelled
Pea shoots, I prefer the leaves and small stems, remove big stems

Dressing

2 cloves garlic, boil for 10 minutes then mash into a paste
2-3 t Dijon mustard
3 T white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
juice from 1/4-1/2 lemon
1/4 t salt
Freshly ground pepper

Combine dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake until you get a creamy texture. Toss dressing over salad and serve.
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Operation Pantry Cleanout: Quick & Easy Pasta Dinners

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I love to buy the handmade pasta from Pasteria Lucchese at the Ballard farmers market. It's frozen so it lasts forever. When you're ready to use it, just throw it straight from the freezer to the boiling water and it's done in 3-6 minutes (depending on the cut).

Part of Operation Pantry Cleanout is getting through the 10 containers of frozen pasta I have. I was looking for suggestions on how to cook a few of the pastas so I went straight to the source and emailed Sam. He had great suggestions. I liked both and would make them again. I served them with broiled asparagus and salad for a quick, delicious and satisfying dinner.

Chestnut Tagliatelle

1 package Pasteria Lucchese chestnut tagliatelle
3 T butter
1/2 t truffle oil (wild guess on the amount because I just kept sprinkling drops in)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
pepper

Bring water to a boil and add salt. Throw noodles straight from freezer to boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain noodles and throw butter in the pan to melt. Sprinkle in truffle oil, stir to combine with butter and toss noddles back in. Sprinkle with grated cheese and a sprinkle of pepper. Stir to combine, then serve with more fresh grated cheese on top.

Carrot Tagliatelle

1 package Pasteria Lucchese carrot tagliatelle
1-2 T olive oil
3 T minced shallots (approximately 1 medium shallot)
1/3 cup ham, chopped (prosciutto would work well too)
1/3 cup fresh english peas
1-2T cream
1 t lemon zest (my addition)
pepper

Bring water to a boil and add salt. Add oil to a saute pan and turn heat to medium. Saute shallots until almost done.

Add noodles to boiling water.

Toss ham in with shallots and saute for a minute. Then add peas, cream, lemon zest, and pepper. Drain the noodles and throw straight into the pan with the sauce. Toss and serve.

I threw in some grilled asparagus as well and it was tasty.
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The Love of My Life

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Tomatoes are the love of my life (after my hubby and kids I suppose). I am so obsessed with tomatoes that it dictates a few of my summer months - getting to the market, selecting the right combination from Billy's, preparing salads, caprese and pastas to eat, and cooking up soups and sauces to freeze. I am wild about good tomatoes. So, you can imagine my delight when I came across a new vendor at the Ballard farmers market two weeks ago. Tomato Goodness  is selling jarred tomato sauces using all fresh, local, organic ingredients - including Billy's tomatoes. I was so excited. Last night I used my jar of Summer Sauce (tomato sauce with basil and roasted garlic) and it was delicious. It was good enough to just use as is, but I wanted to try a new recipe so I dolled it up a bit.

I used Rustichella d'Abruzzo Strozzapretti noodles that I bought at Delaurenti. I love that brand of noodles in any shape. I also bought really good ricotta at Delaurenti. It's nice to buy cheese there because it's not pre-packaged so you can buy smaller amounts of really great quality cheese for less.

My husband and I both loved this pasta. It was easy to make, simple flavors, but very fresh tasting. The ricotta was a fun new flavor to have in pasta too.


Pasta with Tomato Sauce & Ricotta
Inspired by Rachel Eats

1T olive oil (or more)
1/2 T butter
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 t minced garlic
1 jar Tomato Goodness Summer Sauce
1 package noodles
1/2 cup good ricotta cheese

Fill a large pot with water and place over medium heat.

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft. Then add carrots and saute for a few minutes, then celery, then garlic. Once everything is softened (careful not to burn), add the tomato sauce and a sprinkle of salt. Simmer for an hour.

Bring your pan with water to a boil. Season with salt (enough to taste like the sea), then cook noodles until al dente. Using a strainer or skimmer, remove pasta and transfer to the sauce pan, adding noodles one scoop at a time until it's the right balance. (I like my noodles saucy). Stir to coat.

Put noodles in bowls and top with a dollop of ricotta cheese.
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"Get through the season in style"

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I hit the farmers market every week, rain or shine, snow or hail. I have never not gone because of weather conditions. This means that several weeks or months of the year I am frozen to the bone by the end of my shopping excursion. Miserable! I decided recently that I needed some good winter boots. I wanted the warmth of an Ugg boot, but something to keep my feet dry, like a Hunter rain boot. What shoe can accomplish both warm and dry? Ah, yes, the beloved and timeless Sorel boot. I picked up a pair this weekend, just in time to see that Who What Wear claims "to get through the season in style, you need Sorel boots." Who knew your feet could be warm, dry and stylish all at the same time?!

Buy via the Sorel website, on Zappos, or in person at REI.
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