Pretty Pickled Peppers

You don't want to know how long these have been in my fridge, but i think they get better with time.  Isn't pickling... like a fine wine?  Ok... June 13th.  And i'm sure my mother is asking "of what year?"  I had everything ready to go for this post, then i had my nasty fall and never got around to posting this.  I just re-discovered a jar of these in my refrigerator and was surprised at how tasty they were and i thought i should share with you!

As a kid i thoroughly loved raw green bell peppers.  Then, at 7, i had my tonsils removed and, ever since, you couldn't pay me to eat a bell pepper.  Whether green, orange, yellow, red or purple - i won't get near them with a 10 foot pole.  Then, on the evening of Tuesday, February 22, 2011, the stars must have aligned in a way that amazed me... i watched a little boy eat a baby orange bell pepper, and you could see how much he enjoyed it, while at the same time it emitted an aroma that i thought was so fresh.  I got up and got one of those same orange peppers, and LOVED it!  In fact, i ate two more -- one yellow and one red, and the entire time i kept thinking "i can't wait to call mom and tell her that i now eat bell peppers, albeit, not green"!

So now that i love these little sweeties, i'm finding a lot of goodies to incorporate them in, but the first thing is some pickled sweet peppers...

Ingredients:

• Mixed baby peppers (whatever colors you like)  
• 1-1/2 c. white taragon vinegar
• 2 T. pickling spices
• 1/4 c. sugar
• herbs are optional (dill, taragon, almost anything)

Wash the peppers and stick each one with a fork so that they don't pop or burst when you boil them.Place the uncooked peppers in a pot of boiling water for just a few minutes.  You don't want them too soft; it's nice if they have a little snap when you bite into it.
Remove the peppers from the pot of boiling water and let them cool.
Meantime, boil the vinegar, pickling spice and sugar for about 5 minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved. 
Stack the peppers in a canning jar any way you like.  I lined mine all vertically and alternated colors.
Pour the cooked vinegar mixture over the peppers to fill the jars.

 Voila! 

Mom's Cucumber & Onion Salad

I picked up a couple pounds of meyer lemons and was planning on making lemon bars or lemon & rosemary jam.  Unfortunately, i just haven't felt like cooking.  But i have felt like some of my mom's delicious cucumber & onion salad.  It's similar to Factor's, but it's even better because we use the persian cucumbers and slice them paper thin.   Plus, i use Splenda sugar instead of the real thing, so at least i don't have to feel guilty when i eat a cucumber salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of white vinegar
• 1 cup of sugar (or splenda)
• 1-1/2 cups of water
• 1 sweet onion
• Dill
• 12 Persian cucumbers.

Heat the vinegar, water and sugar in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves.
(To make it super easy, i just add all 3 ingredients to a 4 cup pyrex measuring bowl and then heat it in the microwave for 5 minutes.)
Let the mixture cool, either in the refrigerator or on the counter.
Slice the cucumbers and onion as thin as paper.  I use a mandolin which does the job perfectly and in a flash!
After the mixture has cooled, pour over the cucumber and onions. 
Add the dill.

Buon appetito!

Delicious Truffled Potatoes & Onions

Who said quick and easy can't be delicious?

I've been slaving over a pumpkin cider soup, and decided to take a break to do something quick and easy with my Japanese Yam, fingerling potatoes and red onion. 

Karen and Enrico gave me a special bottle of black truffle infused olive oil for my birthday.  I decided it was time to mix all of these delicious ingredients together.  What a combination!  Because i sliced the onion on the thin side, i thought i might be better off adding it after the potatoes cooked for a bit, but then decided "easy" had to mean easy as 1-2-3. 
   1 - Quickly prepare the ingredients;
   2 - Pop them in the oven; and
   3 - Buon appetito!

Can you see the truffle in the olive oil bottle!

Ingredients --

• Fingerling potatoes
• Japanese Yams
• 1 Red onion
• Truffle-infused extra virgin olive oil
• Black pepper
• Herbes de provence

Chop the potatoes into small pieces.
Slice the onion into thin slices and separate from each other.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the potatoes and onion.
Sprinkle with fresh black pepper and herbes de provence.
Bake at 350°F. for about 30 minutes or until the onions are crispy and the potatoes are starting to crisp on the outside.

Onions are crispy, and potatoes are crispy on the outside and smooth and creamy in the inside.

Autumn Beet and Kale Salad

I enjoy beets, and really appreciate the beautiful colors in "golden" beets.  Yellows, oranges and reds.  At the farmers market i picked up a bunch of baby golden beets and a bunch of baby purple beets.  The man said i can get a third one for $1, or pick any bunch of greens.  Since i only knew i wanted to make a salad, i opted for fresh kale.  And while i was there, i picked up mint and persian cucumbers.  How could i go wrong? 

Baby golden and purple beets

Fresh kale and mint

Then i suddenly realized that i can add golden raisins and dried cranberries to pick up the colors from the beets while adding a sweet touch.  Fun!  My only dilemma was what kind of dressing?  And then i remembered i still had some of the vinaigrette from Sunday Suppers at Lucques (recipe, below).  The dressing was delicious then, and equally good on the beet salad. 

Beets waiting for their jacuzzi to warm up

 

Cooked and peeled beets

Salad Ingredients -

• 1 bunch of baby golden beets
• 1 bunch of baby purple beets
• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 handful of fresh mint leaves
• 2 persian cucumbers, chopped
• 1/4 cup of golden raisins
• 1/4 cup of dried cranberries

Wash and scrub the beets well and cook in a pot with covered water until al dente.
I like to put on rubber gloves and then firmly rub the beets so that the peel falls off.
Cut the beets into bite-size cubes and refrigerate.

In a bowl, add chopped kale and fresh mint.
Add persian cucumbers, beets and then add golden raisins and cranberries.
Crumbled goat cheese and toasted nuts are a delicious option to this salad.

I then lightly tossed with Suzanne Goin's (Sunday Suppers at Lucques) vinaigerette (recipe below)...

~

The beginning of a delicious vinaigrette

Vinaigrette Ingredients -

• 1 T oregano leaves
• 1/2 clove garlic
• 1 1/2 T red wine vinegar
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 t kosher salt

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the oregano, garlic and 1/4+ t of salt until it is a paste.
Transfer the paste into a bowl and stir in both vinegars.
Whisk in remaining 6 T of olive oil.

Buon appetito!

One bean, two bean, three bean, four!

Three bean, four bean, five bean and tomato salad

I've had such a craving for legumes lately.  Clean, satisfying proteins.  I decided between fresh beans/peas and the delicious heirloom tomatoes, i would make a bean and tomato salad.

When i was at the farmer's market i bought a variety of beans -- blackeyed peas, some kind of a bean in a purple hull, and fava beans (one of my favorites).  They're all so beautiful in their raw state.  It's a shame they lose their vibrant color when you cook them.  And i also had chickpeas that i had cooked up and froze, although not quite sure what i plan to do with all of them.  Fava beans are interesting -- they're in a thick and padded hull.  The inside of the hull has almost a cotton-like padding.  And still, with this thick hull, the beans are in yet another shell-like compartment.  Once you cook them out of the hull, you have to yet again take off the outside layer of the bean.  I've heard people say that, to cook fava beans, is a labor of love, and i agree.  They're time consuming, but in my opinion, well worth the effort. 

Fava beans, blackeyed peas, and purple-hulled beans.

The well-protected fava bean.

Beautiful beans.

I wasn't quite sure what to do with them, so i took all the beans out of their pods or hulls and boiled them

A beany jacuzzi

Once the beans were cook, i drained them and immediately put them in an ice bath so that they would keep their colors.  I then marinated them in olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, fresh oregano, a sprinkling of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. 

 I then sliced a delicious heirloom tomato and spooned the bean mixture over the tomato slices.

Voila! 

Another Saturday with not just any Heirloom Tomato Salad

Heirloom tomatoes, burrata, fresh made croutons and fresh herbs.  Happiness!

I was going to my sister and brother-in-law's for a BBQ and decided i had to give the heirloom tomatoes another try; they're everywhere i look.  Perhaps i was disappointed with them earlier in the summer, it may have just been too soon.  I decided to make a salad inspired by a recipe in Suzanne Goin's, Sunday Suppers at Lucques.  Actually, my salad was more than "inspired", it was the salad from Suzanne Goin's cookbook, other than mine had all large heirlooms chopped - no baby tomatoes and no slices.

Fresh organic heirloom tomatoes, opal basil and bermuda onions

First thing Saturday morning I ventured to the Santa Monica farmers market.  This is one serious farmers market.  Usually i go on Thursday to the Century City market, but you can't compare them.  I guess it's also two very different crowds and needs.  But i have a new home for Saturday mornings.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the varieties the Saturday organic market offers.  Cheese!  I actually bought curds and don't have to make my own.  I bought some beautiful blackeyed beans in different color hulls.  Let's see if i can remember to photo them before cooking.  If so, you'll see these beauties soon.

The salad was delicious!  As my father said, "it's a hit!"  The dressing is one that i'll have to make for a variety of salads.  It was easy and has a perfect punch for those times you want something a bit more than olive oil & balsamic, yet it didn't distract from any of the deliciousness that the tomatoes, the croutons or the creamy burrata brought to the dish.  In fact, my mother was wowed by the dressing and said she would love some to have for other salads.  Yes, i'll now have to find some cute bottles to make this dressing even more special.

Here's the recipe with my adaptations --

• 1/3 loaf rustic white bread
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon oregano leaves
• 1/2 clove garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 pounds heirloom tomatoes, assorted sizes, shapes, and colors
• 1 teaspoon fleur de sel
• 2 tablespoons sliced opal basil
• 2 tablespoons sliced green basil
• 2 pounds mozzarella cheese (I used mostly buffalo and a little burrata)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced bermuda onions or shallots
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad Assembly -
Core the heirloom tomatoes.  Cut them into wedges or large chunks.  Season with the fleur de sel and some pepper.  Spoon a little of the vinaigrette over them, and scatter a little basil on top.

Cut the burrata and buffalo mozzarella into large chunks.
Add the thinly sliced onion.
Toss in the vinaigrette
Gently toss in the croutons.
Scatter the parsley and remaining basil leaves over the top of the salad.

Burrata!  My absolute favorite.

Directions for Croutons -
Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Cut the crust off the bread (i like the crust, so i left the crust on) and tear the remaining loaf into rustic 1-inch pieces.  Using your hands, toss the pieces with 2 tablespoons olive oil, squeeze the bread gently to help it absorb the oil.  Toast on a baking sheet 12 to 15 minutes, stirring a few times, until the croutons are golden brown and crispy on the outside. 

Fresh made croutons

Directions for Vinaigrette -
Using a mortar and pestle, pound the oregano, garlic, and a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt to a paste.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in the vinegars.  Whisk in the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil and taste for balance and seasoning.  (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, place the garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle the salt over it.  Using the side of your knife, smash the garlic and salt together until you get a paste.  Then cut the oregano very finely into the paste.)

The beginning of a delicious vinagerette

Bon appetito!

Thanks Audrie & Georg!  A happy bar-b-que was had by all.  Oops, until the kitchen sink decided it was too full and had enough!

Roasted Tomatoes with Ricotta Cheese and Balsamic

Ever since i can remember i've thoroughly loved ricotta cheese.  But not just any ricotta - i prefer Poly-O ricotta.  Even their "part skim" is very good.  When Amanda worked for me i turned her onto it and i remember she told me her mother bought ricotta as she requested, but she bought Precious brand, which just won't do.  Once a Polly-O girl, always a Polly-O girl.  Um... until you learn to make it yourself.

After completing my new kitchen i thought it would be fun to take a cooking class or two.  I then decided a mozzarella or ricotta cheese making class would be ideal.  Low and behold, HipCooks in West LA had just listed a new class entitled "The Cheese Whiz", where we would learn how to make mozzarella, ricotta, chevre, mascarpone and fromage fort.  I was in heaven!  Not only would i learn to make these two wonderful italian cheeses, but i got mascarpone and goat cheese as a bonus. 

We did a lot with the various cheeses, and i was impressed with how easy it is to make these different cheeses, as well as the lovely hors d'oeuvres we made in order to sample the goods.  I decided that, since this is the height of our tomato season, i would make the roasted tomatoes stuffed with ricotta cheese and then drizzled with a balsamic reduction.  Yummm.  Other than the small amount of fat in the cheese, it's actually a healthy and low calorie dish that can be used as an hors d'oeuvres, a snack, or have one or two along with a green salad and call it lunch!  Also, the nice thing about making ricotta is that you use buttermilk, which contain the enzymes necessary to turn the milk into curds and whey.  No necessary cheese-making enzymes necessary for ricotta.  We'll save those for the mozzarella.

RICOTTA CHEESE
Ingredients and necessities -

• 1 gallon of organic, whole milk*
• 1 quart of buttermilk**
• thermometer
• a large, non-reactive stock pot that holds at least 8 quarts

1. Pour both containers of milk into the pot and place on a medium burner.
2. Slowly and occasionally stir the milk ensuring nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.  Just stir occasionally; you don't want to stir too often.
3. When the milk gets to about 120°F., you will notice the curds forming.  
4. The goal is to get the milk to 180° F.
5. Turn your stove off and remove the pot.
6. You now have a pot of curds and whey.
7. Carefully, and with a serrated spoon, scoop out the curds and place into a cheesecloth lined colander or strainer.  Use about 4 or 5 large layers of cheesecloth.  
8. Gently pull together and twist the top of the cheesecloth so that it compacts the curds (which is now ricotta). 
9. Place it in the colander or strainer and put that over a bowl in the refrigerator.  
10. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and then your ricotta is ready to be eaten.

The whey, or liquid extracted from the cheese, is actually an excellent source of protein.

*I tried making this with low fat milk, but i was only able to get about 2 tablespoons of cheese out of a gallon of milk.  Apparently, for this recipe, you must use whole milk.

**Buttermilk is actually a low-fat milk product, and not made from butter.  In fact, it's the remaining liquid after churning milk into butter, which is why you might see very small flecks of yellow in the milk, which are tiny pieces of butter that didn't make it to the top in the skimming process. 

Bon appetito!

ROASTED TOMATOES
Ingredients -

• Any kind of delicious tomato (I find compari, or roma tomoatoes are a great size and work well for roasting.  Heirlooms are too large, although they would be delicious.)
• fresh oregano or basil
• extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt
• pepper
• fresh garlic is optional

1. Slice the tomatoes in half (lengthwise).
2. Scoop out the seeds.
3. Lay the tomatoes face up (scooped out side face up) on a cookie sheet.
4. Sprinkle the chopped herb, salt and pepper so that each tomato half has a little of each.
5. If you want the garlic flavor, now's the time to add it.
6. Brush a little extra virgin olive oil on top of the tomatoes.
7. Slowly roast in a 300°F. oven for about 4 hours or until the tomatoes look shriveled up enough, yet you don't want them charred. 
8. After the tomatoes have cooled down, fill each one with some of your homemade, delicious ricotta cheese.

BALSAMIC REDUCTION
Over a low heat, pour 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar into a pan, stirring occasionally.  The heat will slowly reduce the liquid, turning the balsamic into a delicious syrup.

Drizzle a little onto the top of each tomato stuffed with cheese, and enjoy.