The Purple Kitchen

Katie's Back! Feast

2009-10-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

Katie, my partner in complicated cooking crime (see our past feasts: sushi, offal, around-the-world, & summer), is visiting from Scotland, where she's been living for the past year and a half. We designed a meal that highlighted seasonal ingredients, since she's been missing California produce. Unfortunately we were a bit too ambitious; we prepared 8 courses but our guests could only stomach 6. Nixed courses were a salad with arugula, heirloom tomato, avocado, and black radish, and a cheese course pairing Iberico with Bosc & Comice pear and Fuyu persimmon. We did manage to eat the following:

Spanish White Gazpacho with Grapes

Seared Duck Liver with Fig and Rosemary

Bay Scallop Ceviche with Avocado and Smoked Turkish Pepper

[photo missing]

Crispy Calamari, Baby Artichokes, Eggplant

Wild Mushroom & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry

Skirt Steak with Spicy Roasted Pepper Sauce and Savory Chimmichuri

chez johnny jump up

2009-10-12T16:17:00.000-07:00

Ridwan made an incredible nine-course meal for John's birthday. I was lucky enough to attend and help out.

Here are some shots of the finished dishes (photos by Mike Seeman):

black truffle souffle

celery remoulade, frisee, crispy duck confit

fried artichoke, capers, lemon-heirloom jam

smoked salmon, baby greens,

matchstick potatoes, creme fraiche

kabocha squash soup, bacon lardon, fried bread

roast beef, yorkshire pudding,

horseradish cream, mustard

whipped delice d'argental, caramelized fig, balsamic syrup

carrot cake

poached pear, candied walnut

Caramelized Steelhead with Sweet & Sour Sauce

2009-10-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

This delicious concoction was actually made by the Green Kitchen next door. Briefly marinating the fish in a sugar rub gives it a caramelized crust when you pan-sear it. The sauce is a nice touch.

You'll need:

salmon or steelhead

sugar

1 in ginger

2 cloves garlic

1 serrano pepper

juice of 2 limes

handful cilantro

Rub sugar into fish. Let sit 20 minutes.

In the meantime, combine sauce ingredients in a blender; blend and set aside.

Heat a non-stick skillet and add oil. Place fish in pan (skin side down if you eat the skin; top side down if you don't). Don't move it; let it cook about 5 minutes until the sides are opaque. Flip and cook 1-2 more minutes.

Serve with sauce, jasmine rice, and julienned vegetables.

Savory French Toast Breakfast

2009-10-06T17:46:00.000-07:00

This is a nice brunch dish, and could also make a light lunch. Just soak thickly sliced sourdough bread in an egg, milk/sour cream/yogurt, cayenne pepper mixture. Then lightly fry, as you would french toast. Top with heirloom tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil and arugula. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar & olive oil.

Basil Gazpacho

2009-10-05T17:40:00.000-07:00

I made this a few weeks ago and, like most of what I've made lately, I took pictures but didn't have time to post. I think gazpacho is the ideal late summer dish. You get to take advantage of sweet, juicy, cheap tomatoes, and you don't even have to turn on the stove!

You'll need (serves 2-3):

about 2lbs ripe tomatoes, cored but not peeled or seeded

1 cucumber, peeled

1 large clove garlic

1 jalapeno

1t Worcestershire sauce

1t tabasco

1t red wine vinegar

1T olive oil

salt & pepper

basil for garnish

In a blender, combine all ingredients except for basil. Blend well. Refrigerate at least an hour. Serve garnished with basil.

Cranberry Beans, Sausage, and Arugula

2009-09-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

This is an easy meal with a lot of flavor -- nice meatiness from the sausage, spicy-sweet bite from the peppers and arugula, offset by the creamy cranberry beans. You can eat it like a chili or serve over a grain; we served this over Israeli couscous.

Cook the beans first (we used fresh cranberry beans). In the meantime, brown the sausage; saute onion and garlic, add tomato paste, some cumin and cayenne...

add chopped fresh chilies (we used sweet Jimmy Nardellos and mild habaneros). Add the beans when they're al dente, and cover with chicken broth so the beans cook until creamy and absorb the rest of the flavors.

Just before serving, stir in a few handfuls of baby arugula. Stir just until it wilts. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Gioia Mozzarella

2009-09-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

This mozzarella is a revelation. I was never a fan of fresh mozzarella -- I prefer aged, "stinky"cheeses -- but that changed when I first had Burrata, fresh mozzarella with a heavy cream center. However, because of the fresh cream, Burrata has a shelf life of about 48 hours, and is prohibitively expensive. (You can find it featured in our summer feast from a few years ago.) When I discovered Gioia's mozzarella-- not Burrata, but almost as creamy and flavorful-- I ate the entire ball before it made it into the fridge. Then I bought another, and made this salad.

If you live in the LA area, I strongly encourage you to visit Gioia's factory in El Monte. If you live in the Bay Area, Berkeley's Country Cheese on Monterey & Hopkins gets a shipment in every other week.

Ocean Perch in Pastis Vegetable Sauce

2009-09-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

Any firm white fish would pair beautifully with this intensely flavorful sauce, made of Pastis (Pernod, Ricard, or any anis-flavored liquor), fresh tomatoes, and sliced carrots, and cooked down until thick and substantial. Served with garlic toasts, this makes a healthy and easy one-pot meal. I served a simple gazpacho as a first course; that recipe to come, soon.

You'll need (serves 4):

4 filets of ocean perch or any firm white fish (even filet of sole would work here, since you don't move the fish around while cooking so it probably won't fall apart)

3 medium leeks, chopped (you should have about 1c chopped leeks)

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 head garlic, crushed and sliced

2 jalapenos, chopped

1 dried chile

a mix of heirloom and cherry tomatoes, totalling about 1c, cut into large chunks

3/4c Ricard, Pastis, Pernod, etc.

1-2c chicken broth or water

1/2t saffron threads dissolved in 2T hot water (optional)

2T tomato paste

4 carrots, sliced

1/4c basil

1 loaf bread

good olive oil

Heat olive oil and saute leeks and onions until translucent. Add garlic and jalapenos, saute until garlic is fragrant. Add tomato paste and stir; cook until slightly caramelized. Add Pastis and bring to a boil; boil until reduced by 2/3 and aroma is no longer alcoholic. Add saffron, dried chile, tomatoes and broth. Reduce heat to low and cook until thick, about 30 minutes. Add carrots and cook another 20 minutes.

In the meantime, slice bread and fry slices until golden in olive oil. Salt and set aside.

10 minutes before serving, salt and pepper fish and lay on top of pan. Cover and steam until fish flakes, about 10 minutes. Serve with olive oil toasts.

Za'atar Salmon Cakes

2009-09-05T14:14:00.001-07:00

We often buy too much salmon and have just a bit leftover. Unlike other leftovers, which last up to a week, fish should be eaten within 24-48 hours. I usually flake it in a bowl, add an egg and some breadcrumbs, chopped jalapeno and green onion. This time, I added some za'atar and a bit of feta cheese too. The result, served with a bit of leftover homemade salsa and a tomato-feta salad, was delicious.

Shrimp Ceviche with Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

2009-09-05T13:46:00.001-07:00

This is a great meal to make when it's too hot to cook. The shared ingredients in the ceviche and soup bring them together nicely. If you don't want to use the stove at all, you can make the toasts in a toaster, but they're better fried in olive oil. The combination of ceviche, soup, and toasts is surprisingly substantial.

You'll need (serves 2):

for the gazpacho:

2lbs heirloom tomatoes

1 cucumber

2 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper

small handful cilantro

1t worcesterchire sauce

1t red wine vinegar

a few dashes hot sauce

1 lime

for the ceviche:

1/2lb shrimp, preferably fresh

1 avocado

a dozen or so cherry tomatoes

1 jalapeno

small handful cilantro

2 limes

toasts:

a loaf of bread (we used Rosemary Pugliese)

2 cloves garlic

1/4 olive oil

In a food processor or blender, combine all gazpacho ingredients and blend until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Refrigerate.

Clean shrimp and chop roughly. Place in a small dish and cover with lime juice, salt, pepper and chopped jalapeno. Stir and let sit until shrimp turns opaque. Add tomatoes, avocado and chopped cilantro. Cover and refrigerate.

Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet. Crush garlic and saute in oil until fragrant. Remove cloves when brown. Fry bread until golden on each side.

Serve gazpacho with a dollop of ceviche in center and toasts (and extra ceviche!) on the side.

Pig Roast

2009-09-03T14:13:00.001-07:00

As promised, here are a few shots of the pig roast. I've figured out a way to get the photos off my camera without actually finding the cord, so expect more blog posts soon!

wrapped in tin foil and chicken wire, stuffed with plums

after cooking underground, unearthed

ready to dig in

digging in

Summery Salmon Supper

2009-08-24T16:19:00.001-07:00

I realize I've been a bad blogger lately, but I've been doing all sorts of cool things outside of the kitchen, like attending a pig roast on the beach on Tomales Bay (photos up when we find the camera cord).

I also went to visit family, and my sister and I cooked up some dinner to battle the LA heat. The whole meal came together in about an hour, and since the salmon was served at room temperature, it could wait until we were ready to eat. I didn't have my camera with me, so the photos aren't the best.

The menu: Pomegranate Salmon with Feta Tzatziki; Cousous with Mint and Almonds; Tomato Salad. For dessert, Blue and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Figs, roasted until bubbly.

Pomegranate Salmon with Feta Tzatziki

You'll need:

salmon -- 1/3-1/2lb per person

1T pomegranate molasses

5 cloves garlic, minced

1t cayenne

small handful of dill

3 Persian cucumbers

1c lebne or Greek-style yogurt (normal yogurt is ok too)

a good-sized chunk of feta

1 eggplant

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Remove pin bones from salmon with tweezers. Rub salmon with pomegranate molasses and 1t garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Slice eggplant into thin (1/4 inch) rounds. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil and lay eggplant rounds in one layer. Sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bake 15 minutes, until tender; flip and bake 5-7 minutes longer. The eggplant should be golden but not dark brown. Set aside.

Mince dill and chop cucumbers. Mix with lebne or yogurt. Add garlic. Add feta and mix until incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place baking dish in oven. When dish is hot, turn oven down to 275 degrees. Place salmon skin-side down on dish and return to oven for about 20 minutes, until just done-- salmon should still be pink in the middle, at its thickest part. Let cool.

Serve salmon on top of eggplant. Top with a dollop of tzatziki or serve sauce on the side.

Cousous with Mint and Almonds

You'll need:

1/3c couscous per person

slivered almonds

1 lemon

handful of mint

Make couscouse according to package directions (combine equal parts couscous and hot water; let sit, covered, for 5 minutes; then fluff with fork). Let couscous cool. Mix in slivered almonds, chopped mint, juice and zest of lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tomato Salad

This isn't really a recipe; just combine halved cherry tomatoes (we got some really good heirloom ones at Trader Joe's, which is usually not the best place for produce), chopped avocado, red onion or scallion, olives (crush with the side of a chef's knife to remove the pit), chopped basil, salt and pepper. Dress with balsamic vinegar and olive oil right before serving.

Blue and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Figs

Preheat broiler. Halve figs and stuff with a bit of cheese -- we made some with blue cheese, some with fresh goat cheese. Broil until bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Smoky Shrimp Fettucine

2009-08-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

This dish is inspired by Spanish-style shrimp of the kind you get at tapas bars, swimming in garlic and oil and, if you're lucky, pimenton. I didn't have any pimenton on hand-- and I'm trying not to buy new stuff before leaving for a year-- so I used a combination of Hungarian Paprika and smoked Turkish pepper, to tasty results. Another nice thing is that this is ready in under 30 minutes and can probably be made from ingredients on hand (I always keep some frozen shrimp in the freezer). I brined the shrimp, based on Alton Brown's shrimp brining technique, but I'm not sure it's entirely necessary.

You'll need (serves 2):

12 oz shrimp (the cheaper small ones are fine here), shells removed

1/2 head (10-12 cloves) garlic

1t kosher salt

2 heaping tablespoons Hungarian paprika

1 T smoked Turkish pepper

1/4c olive oil

1/2lb spinach fettucine

for brine (optional):

1/4c sugar

1/4c kosher salt

3c water

Set a large pot of salted water to boil.

Dissolve salt and sugar in 1/2c water over medium heat. Add 2 1/2c cold water and stir until cold. Pour over shrimp and let sit about 10-15 minutes.

Mince garlic with salt; you should have about 3-4T.

When water boils, add pasta. Remove shrimp from brine and dry well.

Heat olive oil in a heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add paprika and smoked pepper; stir until well combined. Add shrimp and stir until just cooked, about 3 minutes.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/4c cooking liquid. Toss pasta with shrimp in pan. Add cooking liquid if sauce is too dry. Top with a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve with parmesan cheese and red wine. We drank a Domaine de Fontenille 2003 Cotes du Luberon.

Rustic Carbonara

2009-07-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

In this recipe, I was aiming for a heartier version of spaghetti carbonara (in the hearty vs delicate scale). I used whole wheat pasta and thick-cut prosciutto instead of the more traditional guiancale, and I added lots of fresh peas for some color and texture (and vegetable content). I really liked the result: the sauce turned out creamy and the dish overall somehow didn't feel too heavy or rich. It's also really easy to pull together-- the whole thing took about 20 minutes.

Whenever I make carbonara, I think of Katie, who makes it a lot. I made this while listening to her mix made on Char and Ryan's awesome interface, Flotate. Check it out.

You'll need (serves 2):

1/2 lb whole wheat spaghetti

2 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks

1 slab thick-cut (1/4-1/2 inch) prosciutto

1T fresh rosemary, minced

1c grated parmesan and/or parmesan-like cheeses, plus more for serving

1lb fresh English peas, shelled (about 3/4c peas)

lots of freshly ground black pepper

chopped parsley for garnish

Start the pasta water; by the time the pasta's done, the sauce will be ready. 3 minutes before pasta is done, add peas to cook too.

Cut the prosciutto into small cubes and saute (dry, no oil) over medium-high heat in a cast iron or heavy skillet until toasty and aromatic.

While the prosciutto cooks, beat eggs with cheese, rosemary, and pepper in a large bowl.

When pasta is al dente, reserve 1c pasta water and drain noodles. Slowly beat in 1/4c pasta water until eggs turn creamy (use more if you need). Add proscuitto, pasta and peas, and toss to coat.

Serve, sprinkled with parsley, with more cheese on the side.

Fennel Salad

2009-07-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of fennel. It's really good cooked-- it caramelizes very easily-- but it's also delicious raw, sliced very thinly, and tossed with a lemon-olive oil dressing. Here, it's paired with cheese, which adds a nice salty richness.

You'll need (serves 4):

2 bulbs fennel, fronds reserved

1 lemon

3T olive oil

salt & pepper

1/4 bunch parsley

hard cheese, like Gran Padano, Pecorino, Romano, Parmesan

Adjust other ingredients accordingly depending on how big your fennel bulbs are. Slice bulbs as thin as possible using mandoline or food processor. Toss with lemon and olive oil; salt and pepper to taste. Chop fennel fronds and parsley and combine with salad. Serve with shaved cheese on top.

My Mother's Turkey Meatloaf

2009-07-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

I thought all meatloaf was like this until I had some elsewhere, and was totally turned off by the sausage-like texture and ketchup flavor. This is more delicate, almost like a meaty mousse. It's also very easy (the entire thing can be made in the cuisinart) and pretty low-fat (turkey!). My mom uses crushed cornmeal stuffing for the topping; I used panko but will probably try it again with cornmeal stuffing since the panko didn't brown very much. It did stay crispy, which was wonderful. You can surround the meatloaf as it cooks with roughly chopped onion, carrot, and celery; these will cook in the meat juices and turn delicious.

You'll need:

1lb ground turkey

2 slices bread or 1c fresh bread crumbs

1 bunch parsley

1 very large onion

2 eggs

salt & pepper

1/2c panko or cornmeal stuffing

optional:

1 onion

2 carrots

2 ribs celery

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a food processor, grind the bread into crumbs. You'll have about a cup. Remove from bowl and set aside.

Clean and dry parsley well. Add to food processor and chop. Add onion and process until chopped. Add turkey, eggs, fresh breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and pulse gently until just combined. Turn out onto baking dish and form gently into a loaf shape. Cover with panko crumbs (press gently so they adhere).

Surround with chopped veggies and bake, covered with aluminum foil, for 25 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Check for doneness by inserting a thin knife into middle of loaf; it should come out clean.

We served this with Alton Brown's Mac N Cheese (above).

Tuna Tartare Salad

2009-07-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

This salad turns a delicate tuna tartare into a full meal. It's really, really good.

You'll need (serves 2 hungry people):

tartare:

1lb sushi-grade tuna

1 inch piece of ginger

1/2 bunch cilantro

1 avocado

3T roasted sesame seeds

1/4 red onion

1 lemon cucumber

salad base:

1 large peach (mango would be fine here too if peaches aren't in season)

3 radishes

2 large handfuls arugula

dressing:

rice wine vinegar

mirin cooking wine

soy sauce

sriracha

chopped thai chile, optional

Mix dressing ingredients, adjusting quantities to taste.

Cut peach into small cubes and slice radish. Toss with arugula and set aside.

Slice the tuna into very small cubes, removing any white connective tissue as you go. Peel, de-seed, and chop cucumber into cubes of similar size. Peel and mince ginger. Mince red onion. Chop cilantro. Combine all in a bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Pour 2/3 of dressing on tartare and mix to coat. Toss the arugula salad with remaining dressing. Serve tartare in a scoop on top of arugula salad, garnished with more sesame seeds.

Potato and Squash Gratin

2009-07-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Up until I made this, summer squash was one of the three foods I did not like. Now, at least in potato gratin form, I think it's delicious. So, even if you don't like squash, give this recipe a try. It made eating a potato gratin actually feel healthy (regardless of whether or not that's true). It's also really beautiful.

You'll need:

a mix of potatoes-- I used 2 purple potatoes & 8 small Russian Butterballs. Yukon Gold would work as well.

2 large crookneck squash

2-3T butter

1t olive oil

1/4c heavy cream

some hard cheese (I used Gran Padano; Parmesan or Pecorino would work too)

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel potatoes if desired. Slice very very thinly with a mandoline or food processor (fitted with a slicing blade). Slice squash as well.

Grease a baking dish and toss squash and potato slices on to form a bottom layer. Salt and pepper; dot with butter; grate some cheese on top. Repeat, making at least 2 more layers. Dot top layer with butter and put extra cheese. Pour cream on top.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove foil and bake until potatoes are tender, liquid has evaporated, and top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Heirloom Tomato & Bread Salad

2009-07-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful way to highlight the first sweet heirlooms of the season, and it's a very easy salad to throw together. Make croutons by tossing bread cubes with olive oil and herbs (I used herbes de provence) and baking them in a 400 deg oven for 15-20 minutes (check frequently so they don't burn). Chop up some fresh tomatoes, red onion, avocado, radishes-- whatever else you want. At the last minute, toss it all together with balsamic vinegar & olive oil and, if you want, greens like arugula.

Rosemary Wine Short Ribs

2009-07-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

I do love my short ribs, and it's been quite a while since the last ones. It's true that this is a winter dish, but I had a special request, and honestly it's been kinda wintry around here anyway. This is a dish best made in advance, meaning it's great for company-- just reheat an hour before serving.

You'll need:

4lbs bone-in English-cut short ribs (1lb per person)

1 large onion

3 leeks

1-2 carrots

6 cloves garlic

2 anchovies

2T tomato paste

1t chile flakes

1T herbes de provence

1 bay leaf

1T fresh rosemary

1 bottle red wine

1T grapeseed or canola oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Clean the short ribs well-- remove all visible fat and rinse and dry them. Salt and pepper generously. Heat oil in a dutch oven or heavy pot with tight-fitting lid over high heat. Reduce to medium-high heat and add ribs, meat-side down. Do this in batches so you don't crowd the pot. Brown about 10 minutes per side; be patient here, you want a well-browned exterior on all five meaty sides. Remove and set aside.

While the meat is browning, slice onions, leeks, carrots and garlic. Chop anchovies and rosemary.

Pour out accumulated fat and return pot to medium heat. Add all veggies, herbs, tomato paste, 1t salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until translucent (about 10 minutes). Add wine and bring to a boil. Boil until the alcohol smell disappears and wine reduces by about 1/3, 5-10 minutes.

Return ribs to pot, meat side down. The bone should not be submerged. Cover and place in oven for 2-3 hours, until meat is fork-tender.

Let ribs cool in sauce for at least 1 hour. Remove ribs and press sauce through a food mill. If you don't have a food mill, you can puree it, or you can just leave it chunky. I wanted a smoother, more concentrated sauce because I was serving the ribs with a potato gratin, so there wouldn't be a grain to soak up a chunky sauce.

If you have time, refrigerate the sauce until the fat congeals so you can remove it. If not, spoon out as much fat as you can *before* pureeing (it should be a translucent red top layer in the pot).

Half an hour before serving, place the ribs in a baking dish and spoon just enough sauce on top so they are well-coated. Reheat, uncovered, in a 300 degree oven. Reduce extra sauce and serve on the side.

I served this with a potato squash gratin (look for recipe soon!).

Chicken Bstilla

2009-07-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

This turned out way more beautiful than I expected, which is one way of saying it's easier than it looks. We also had a whole team of people putting this dinner together, and some handy tools like a food processor and one of those fast-chopping things from TV infomercials. We made a chicken version and a vegetarian version, but a real Bstilla is made with pigeon (or squab-- believe me, it's the same thing-- but which would you rather order in a restaurant?). For the vegetarian version, we used leftover rice and tofu, and made vegetable stock in place of the stewing liquid. This recipe is adapted from Claudia Roden's excellent The New Book of Middle Eastern Cooking.

inside the veggie bstilla

3lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

3T oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

s&p

1t grated ginger

1/4t powdered saffron (optional)

2t ground cinnamon & more to garnish

6 eggs, lightly beaten

1c chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2c chopped cilantro

1 1/2c blanched almonds

2T sugar

1/2c oil

14 sheets fillo pastry

powdered sugar to garnish

a slice of the chicken bstilla

Clean chicken and brown in oil. Add spices and onions and cook until onions are translucent. Add water just to cover and simmer about 30 minutes, until chicken is soft. Remove chicken and shred with a fork.

Reduce stewing liquid to 2/3 c. Pour in eggs and whisk gently until mixture is creamy & nearly set. Stir in parsley & cilantro, season with salt and pepper.

Coarsely chop almonds & fry in 1T oil, stirring and shaking pan to brown evenly. Toss with sugar & 1t cinnamon.

Brush a baking dish with oil. Fit a sheet of fillo so ends fold well up the side and overlap the edges (or use overlapping sheets, like we did). Lay 6 sheets on top of each other, brushing between each layer.

Spread chicken over pastry. Pour on egg mixture. Lay another 4 sheets on top, brushing with oil. Sprinkle almonds mixture on top, then bring the overhanging bits up and fold over the almond mixture. Cover with remaining fillo (we had 4 sheets left), brushing with oil (don't brush top layer). Tuck top sheets down inside pan, underneath pie.

veggie bstilla, just out of the oven

Bake in preheated 400 deg oven for 30 min, until top is crisp & golden brown. Turn carefully onto baking sheet & bake 15 min until brown. Serve hot, turned upside down onto platter.

chicken bstilla, decorated

Dust with powdered sugar and make a pattern of criss-crossing parallel lines with cinnamon.

We served it with Fattoush,

an Israeli/Arab-style (chopped veggies) salad

with crispy pieces of pita bread.

Smoked Trout and Wheat Berry Salad

2009-07-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

This is a great summer salad that (if you precook the wheat berries) involves no cooking whatsoever, so it's perfect for nights when it's simply too hot to be in the kitchen. I used smoked trout from Verbrugge's in Oakland; they smoke it themselves and it's not as salty as what you normally find. If you're using particularly salty trout, some croutons might be nice to cut the salt. I use Castelvetrano olives because they are particularly mild, but you would want something more pronounced if your fish is stronger in smokiness or saltiness.

You'll need (serves 3):

1 smoked trout, about 1lb

6 large leaves of red leaf lettuce, cut into small pieces

1c wheat berries

1/4c tahini

juice & zest of 1-2 lemons

1T olive oil

1/4c Castelvetrano olives

1/2 red onion

Cook 1c wheat berries in 3c water & 1t salt until tender (they'll still be al dente), about 1 1/2 hours. Drain, toss with olive oil, and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, beat tahini with lemon juice and zest. If the mixture gets too thick, add some hot water to thin. It should be thick like soft-serve ice cream.

Toss wheat berries in tahini mixture. Mince red onion and add to wheat berries. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange lettuce on plates and place a scoop of wheat berry salad in the center. Surround with trout and olives. Serve with bread.

Vegetarian version: dress salad with roasted eggplant instead of trout.

Easy Herbed Lamb Chops

2009-07-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

These little loin lamb chops are so good that you don't even need the marinade, but it's an easy way to dress them up a bit. You can barbecue these or put them under the broiler.

You'll need (serves 4):

8 loin-cut lamb chops

5 cloves garlic

2T herbes de provence (rub in your hands to break up the dry herbes)

1t cumin

1t coriander

1/2t cayenne pepper

2T olive oil

Crush and chop garlic to a paste with some kosher salt (this will help keep the garlic from sticking to the knife). Place in a dish large enough to hold the chops in one layer. Add spices.

marinating lamb chops

Clean chops (I remove all the fat; if you're barbecuing, this isn't necessary) and dry well. Place in spices and turn to coat. Drizzle with olive oil until spices just form a paste; massage into lamb. Let sit for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator. Take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking to allow for meat to return to room temperature.

Wipe marinade off lamb and broil in preheated broiler 4-5 minutes per side for medium.

Serve with quinoa and green beans with pine nuts.

Green Beans with Pine Nuts

2009-07-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

If you usually saute green beans with shallots, try this for a change of flavor. The pine nuts are a fantastic complement to the crunchy green beans, and the lemon ties everything together.

You'll need (serves 4):

1lb green beans

1/4c pine nuts, toasted

1 lemon (juice & zest)

red pepper flakes

Cut green beans into bite-sized lengths. Saute very briefly over high heat in olive oil with salt and pepper flakes. When they turn bright, pour in lemon juice and toss. After 5-7 minutes total cooking (they should still be crunchy), pour into a bowl and toss with lemon zest and toasted pine nuts.

Chipotle Corn Chowder

2009-07-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

This is a creamy, hearty soup perfect for summer colds (like mine this week). It's easy and quick to make, and very adaptable-- you can turn it into a creamy chowder or leave it unblended; you can add crab, shredded chicken or tofu to turn it into a main meal; you can adjust the level of spiciness as you like.

You'll need (serves 6 appetizers or 4 main courses):

5 ears of corn

2 medium leeks

1 onion

3c milk

1-3 chipotle chilies in adobo

1 8oz bottle clam juice (optional)

2T butter

1 bay leaf

2T tomato paste

2c chicken stock or water

Cut corn kernels off cobs with a large sharp knife. An easy way to do this is to break the ears in half and place one half cut-side down on a cutting board; then angle your knife slightly towards the cob and cut down.

Place the shorn cobs in a pot and cover with milk. Add clam juice, if using, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring often.

In the meantime, clean and thinly slice leeks. Slice onion. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion and leeks and salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, until leeks turn bright; then add corn and cook 10 more minutes, stirring often. Add tomato paste and chipotle chiles and cook 5 more minutes.

Remove corn cobs and bay leaf from milk. Add corn mixture. Cook about 5 minutes.

Blend soup in batches and return to pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Thin with chicken stock, water, or milk.