Fresh Approach Cooking

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When you garden and you get your little hands on a seed catalog…well…lemme tell ya, it's pretty hard to pick what to get first.

Most people (well, maybe just me, but I like to think its most people too) go a bit mad and order enough seeds to fill a few acres of land, instead of the small plot they most likely have.

(Again, maybe just me…)

And it’s so hard to pick what to get, too. With new varieties there is no way to know what will thrive, what you will really love and so on.

I remember my first-ever glance at the amazing, terrific, words-cannot-describe, Seed Savers Exchange catalog. Every glossy page had my eyes wide and my mind reeling for days. Peaches, you have no idea. I wanted it ALL.

Beans and tomatoes and chiles, oh MY.

Luckily, I am a girl who has a pretty good grasp on my own little (gardening skill) limitations, (after catching my breath) so I just stuck with a few things, including these beautiful Sultan’s Golden Crescent beans. (Which I let curl up the corn stalks. Pretty glam, eh?) I mean…this is from their catalog:

"Rarely offered and almost extinct. SSE is pleased to reintroduce this variety. Very distinct curly yellow snap bean, stringless, prolific and very good taste.”

Rare, with good taste. Naturally, I had to give them a go.

And go they did! Go-go-pole-beans! Up-up and away.

Then it came time to eat them. Mmm. Mmm. So delicious.

Now you may not have them (I can't imagine you do…) but Im betting you can get yourself some regular string-less pole beans, and those will work just dandy. Uh-huh. Dandy indeed.

And in an effort to highlight the wonder that is these darlings, you may want to do something simple and fresh. Just like this.

So try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

1 pound string beans, trimmed
2 T mayonnaise
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 T minced dill
1 T minced shallot
A few leaves of basil, torn
¼ cup fresh mozzarella (I got mine from the Hollywood Farmers market...mmm.)
Salt and pepper

Plunge the beans in to a large pot of boiling, salted water. Let cook for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients. (Except the cheese.) Season to taste. Add the cheese and let it marinate for up to a day.

Add the beans, season again and serve.

Serves four as a side dish.

© 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.

String beans are green beans with "strings" that are tough to eat and should be removed.

Would you like to follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/ChickswKnives

Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron from meat. So add some fruit salsa to your grilled steak or burger.

Labels: Salad, Side-Dish, Vegetarian

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When the phone rang at 8pm (well, did it’s little tune/jingle thing. Can you program a phone to actually just, ring anymore?) I glanced down at the number so artfully displayed and did a double take.

Knowing there is an eight-hour time difference I had to wonder, who on earth was calling me from England at that hour?

I figured it must be a drunk dial, let it go to voicemail and forgot about it. Drunk dialers are only fun for about a second after all.

What a bummer mistake.

It was a British friend and they were calling with a bit of a rambling message, but alas, she was in Los Angeles on a layover to Hawaii and had been trying to reach me all day.

Sigh.

She had called in the morning asking if I wanted to meet for a pumpkin scone.

At noon, she called to see if I wanted to meet for pumpkin curry.

At three, for a pumpkin latte, and at dinner time for a slice of…you guessed it…pumpkin pie.

Turns out the radiant lass loves her some pumpkin and apparently had spent her entire 9 hour layover alone except for one very happy cab driver, hunting it down all over this fair city and consuming with abandon.

Had I only picked up that call. I could have invited her over for a feast.

Happily, she will be in town again on her return and I will be able to offer her this delight.

I emailed and confirmed.

Now try this my peaches, and taste the joy.


1/2 shallot, minced
6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
1 small Kabocha squash
2 large Asian Pears
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 small heads frisee, rinsed and torn
1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces

Preheat grill to medium.

Whisk shallots, rice vinegar and Dijon mustard in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste with curry powder (if using) and salt and pepper.

Slice the squash in half. Remove seeds and slice in to 1/4 inch thick slices.

Core and slice the pear into ½ inch slices also.

Toss the squash and pears together with the vegetable oil, salt and pepper.

Grill or pan sear the squash slices until just cooked through about 6 minutes. Set aside and repeat with the pears, which will take one or two minutes.

Toss the frisee and walnuts in the dressing and serve with the squash and pears.

(The vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper were not local. Everything else was.)


© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
______________________________________

© 2008 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.comIf 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.

Frisée - French, from feminine past participle of friser, to curl. The pale, yellow salad green is a member of the chicory family.

In the last few years plantings of Asian pears were made in New Zealand, Australia, Chile, France, and the eastern and southeastern United States. Since 1984 about 500 acres of Asian pears have been planted every year in California. - Perdue.edu

LONDON, England (AP) -- The British pint has become the latest victim of the global credit crunch, with total beer sales dropping around 7 percent in the third quarter of this year. The British Beer and Pub Association said that 161 million fewer pints were sold between July and September compared with the same period last year -- a fall of 1.8 million pints a day.

Labels: Gluten Free, Luncheon, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian

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The weather forcaster just informed me that she expects the weather to be 80F at the beaches today.

A siren song if I ever heard one.

But I promised to take in an exhibit at the Getty Museum with the fam. Who I love. And am always excited to spend time with. (Because they rock.)

That said...I'm wondering...

What if I show up at the wrong Getty museum (the Getty Villa, which is in Malibu and therefore closer to the beach) and then feel oh-so-sorry and traipse off to get some rays instead?

Nah.

Better stick with the plan. The beach will be there tomorrow too...

Lucky I have a plan to keep my beach-body (ha ha) through the winter, so it will be there tomorrow too.

What's my plan, you ask?

More salads!

Like this one. A variation of my beloved Waldorf. Crunchy, tangy, full of flavor and with the excellent addition of roasted grapes. Gots to love it.

Try this my peaches, and taste the joy

1 cup red grapes
1/4 cup walnuts
2 stalks celery, sliced
Leaves from celery, torn
1 small fennel bulb, sliced
1/2 teaspoon minced winter savory (or other winter herb)
1 tablespoon mayo
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Turn your oven on to 400F.

Toss the grapes with a tiny amount of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the grapes in an oven proof pan (I used my trusty cast-iron). Arrange the walnuts on a sheet pan. Put both into the oven. Toast the nuts until just browned (about 8 minutes.) and the grapes until just bursting (about the same, but they may need a turn or two.)

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Toss together the rest of the ingredients. Season to taste. Add more or less lemon juice as needed.

Add the walnuts and grapes after plating. (They don't look as pretty when they are coated in mayo. And this way the nuts won't get soft.)

(This was 99% local for me. Even the eggs and olive oil for the home-made mayo. The salt and pepper were the only imported items.)



© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
______________________________________

© 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.

The Franciscans planted California's first vineyards the 1700's.

Today, the average person in the U.S. consumes about 8 pounds of fresh grapes per year. 98% of these grapes come from California.

The name fennel originates from the Greek word for "marathon” which is the famous battle at Marathon in 490 B.C. where the Greeks fought against the Persians on a field of fennel. - Food Reference.com

Labels: Gluten Free, Salad, Vegetarian

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Tell me peaches, are you taking part in the Eat Local Challenge?

You know...one month of 100-mile diet/local eating? Brilliant concept.
Important concept.

I'm on day six and rockin it like no other. (With exceptions of course. Since there isn't much alcohol for those cocktails produced in these parts. Yet.)

And talk about fab-tastic diet! I feel so invigorated and empowered and sassy. Supporting local farmers and the local economy.

Plain and simple, it's the best! (Plus, I swear, I lost that stubborn 3 pounds I am always whinging about. Most happy!)

I could go on and on, but since most of you aren't in a temperate climate, it may not be the easiest thing for you to take part in. But no worries, since this recipe can be made any old place. Texas, for instance. (Since I assume, based on the name - that is where it originated.)

It's just a bean-dream. All kinds of yum. Makes a girl smile.

The flavors are smokey and salty and creamy (that be the beans) and nutty (beans again) and get better n' better after a day or so of marinating. And it is totally open to being fussed with so you can really do whatever you like to make it your own. I personally served it as a side dish, but I hear tell that in Texas it is actually a kind of salsa. (As in, for chips. Seems...tricky to me. What with the beans being round-ish and all. But hey. Texans have skillz.)

So try it my lovelies and taste the joy.


4 cups cooked black eyed peas
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper
2 sweet chile peppers, sliced
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 cup flat leaf parsley
1 stalk celery, small dice
1 ounce speck (smoked prosciutto), torn

Toss the beans with the oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Toss in peppers, onions, parsley and celery. Let rest until ready to serve.

Just before serving, in a dry skillet, saute the speck until crispy. Garnish beans with speck and serve.

Serves six to eight

In this recipe, all of the ingredients either came from the Hollywood Farmers Market or my own garden.

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking

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2008 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://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 my copyright. And generally cheesing me off.

Speck is leg of pork which has been cured in salt and spices. It rests for several weeks before being cold-smoked slowley at 20°C or lower. The speck is then allowed to mature for about five months.

We served a version of this at our August Chicks with Knives Sustainable Supper Club. If you are in LA, I hope you will join us for the next one!

I heart Tiffany.

The suburban New York store where Tom Carvel launched his Carvel's ice cream empire is set to close after more than 70 years. Tom Carvel's ice cream truck got a flat tire on Hartsdale's Central Avenue in 1934. He was forced to pull over and did such brisk business that two years later, he opened an ice cream stand on the spot, about 25 miles north of Manhattan. - AP

Labels: Gluten Free, Salad, Side-Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

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While reading the book The United States of Arugula (Lovely book, but my, what a cheese-ball title) by David Kamp, a brief passage stuck with me enough so that I am about to look it up and share with you. Yes, my dears...for you.

Ah. Here it is.

I am copying from page 154 of the soft-cover edition, where Mr. Kamp is speaking about the ever-so (devilishly) outspoken Jeremiah Tower (who I just can't help but adore.) and his tenure at the acclaimed (and indisputably influential) Berkeley, California restaurant, Chez Panisse, in the early 1970’s. The italics are Mr. Kamps.

What was most extraordinary about their partnership, Bishop says, is that Tower wrote out these elaborate, themed menus, a different one for each night of the week, and sent them off to Goines to be rendered in calligraphy, printed up, and posted for public viewing a few days before they’d be served…without ever having cooked any of the dishes described.

*Gasp!*

The scandal!

Oh. Wait. Really?

Who doesn’t do that?

I certainly do. Every darned time. Conceptualize first. Cook later. It seems only natural. Is that not natural?

And if not, I guess I am just doing things the JT way, because I never have a recipe first. Or, mostly never.

I just think of best and most intriguing ingredients, string their names together into a pretty title and start cooking. Seems like the right way to go.

Makes cooking that much more of an adventure I say. And lends itself more to my very own artistic expression...

This tartlette, for instance, was conceived as such:





Right there you have whole recipe so far as I can tell. Hardly needs much explanation. I would argue that anyone with a basic knowledge of cooking could take that title, and the ingredients and pretty much come up with a sensational recipe. Perhaps it would be a free-form tart. Or maybe the tart would rest on a bed of the greens. Maybe the pickled onions would appear minced up in the dressing. The possibilities are endless and endlessly delightful. It's what I love about cooking. The interpretivnessocity of it all.

But not everyone has a basic knowledge of cooking now do they. And some people just happen to like a good old fashioned recipe. Nothing wrong there! So for them (and you!) I present my interpretation (read: recipe) of that string of pretty words. Its a good launching point and hopefully one that will inspire.

The Rocket and Torpedoes business is just me thinking I'm a cut above sassy, when it really just means arugula (called Rocket in the UK) and Torpedo onions, which are elongated red onions. You can use whatever you have on hand. I also incorporated Indonesian Long Pepper which was grated on a microplane. Chic and warm, it’s a nice variation from regular black pepper. All together this makes for a sensational starter or light luncheon.

So try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

Your favorite whole-wheat tart dough recipe – enough for two large tarts
12 large tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt
½ cup pickled torpedo/red onions
Parmesan cheese
2 cups arugula (Rocket) greens
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 scant teaspoon lemon juice
6 each, organic Indonesian long pepper, grated as needed
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
Pepper as needed

For individual tarts you will need six individual removable bottom fluted tart pans. Otherwise, just make one large tart.

Core your tomatoes and slice lengthwise. Coat the skin lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Place cut side down on a sheet pan and roast at 500F until the skin blisters – about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Make your crust and blind bake. When slightly browned, remove from the oven and immediately grate some Parmesan cheese into each shell. Let cool then top with tomatoes.

For your vinaigrette. Whisk together the mustard, long pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Toss the greens with a scant amount of the dressing.

Top each tartlette with the greens, some of the pickled onion and another light grating of Parmesan and long pepper.

Serves six



© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
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© 2008 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.com/

Coffee is one of the world's most chemically treated food commodities. DDT, malathion, BHT, and petroleum-based chemical fertilizers are commonly used in it's production. - Los Angeles Magazine

Japanese Black Trifele are ttractive tomatoes that are the shape and size of a Bartlett pear with a beautiful purplish-brick color; the fruit are perfect and smooth with no cracks. The flavor is absolutely sublime, having all the richness of fine chocolate. -Baker Creek Seeds

Labels: Luncheon, Salad, Side-Dish, Vegetarian

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Now lookie here my little geese. My darling ganders. My sweet peaches.

What with that arbitrary holiday known as Labor Day (which I am all for, being a Union lovin’ gal and a bit of a socialist at heart and whatall) having come and gone you may be thinking “Alas! Summer is over! Whoa is me!”

But lament not!

According to the sun and the moon and the celestial path of this good earth I can assure you summer (in these here parts) is not at all over. (Unless you are the school attending type I suspect) And the bounty continues and the delicacies abound and let’s face it…there is much to revel in still.

You can still feel the sweet kiss of the sun and bite in to the heavenly fruits of the day. The moment has not passed.

(And to think. You accuse me of being hyperbolic. Haven’t we talked about this? I am! I am!)

As a darned fine example of the sustainable pleasures on which we feast, I offer you this. This dreamy delight. This earthy rendition of fantastic. This which will make your eyes smile and your mouth sing. Yes indeedy my angels my loves, this is that good. This is that simple. This is that close to summertime perfection.

This recipe, which was taught to me (though altered slightly) by the amazing, the incredible, the utterly foxy, Meg, of Large Marge Sustainable Catering, is what I am talkin' about. (And I hope if you have any catering needs you will give her sweet self a jingle and tell her I send my love.)

And as a fabulous bonus in my particular case, the ingredients seen here are all from my garden (yes, even the avocado). Which makes my heart beat that much louder and my desire for you to try it that much stronger. Home grown happiness.

Now please do try this and taste the joy.

4 ears of sweet corn
1 large avocado, diced
1/2 cup small, whole, purple (opal) basil leaves
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt

Cut the kernels from the corn. Toss (oh so gently) with the rest of the ingredients. Season. Taste. Re-season as needed. Serve as soon as possible.

Serves four.

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
______________________________________

© 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 my copyright. And generally cheesing me off.

In LA? Come take a cooking class at LA Food Works!

More than 50 million students eat lunch in school cafeterias daily. With the dawn of the new school year, districts across the country are signing on to the burgeoning "farm-to-school" movement. As a result, a number of school districts have cut back on fruits and vegetables purchased from large distributors in favor of working individually with local farmers. While that can be more expensive and may involve more work, food directors say it pays dividends in fresher, better-tasting produce that more kids eat. Signing up more kids for school lunches can help the bottom line, since schools receive a per-student subsidy from the Agriculture Department's National School Lunch Program. At the same time, schools are bolstering regional agricultural economies. - WSJ

Dark opal basil is a cultivar of Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil), developed by the University of Connecticut and John Scarchuk in the 1950s. With deep purple, sometimes mottled leaves, it is grown as much for its decorative appeal as for its culinary value. Dark opal basil is a past winner of the All-American Selection award. - Wikipedia

Labels: Gluten Free, Raw, Salad, Side-Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

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On one flawless Southern California morning, I dolled up and walked my self over to photographers heaven, Samy’s Camera.

Armed with the make and model of the camera I had meticulously researched scrawled on a slip of notebook paper, I was finally ready to commit.

Arriving on the 4th floor, my info was conveyed to the adorable sales clerk. The camera was procured. Price was confirmed and a credit card about to change hands.

It all seemed so easy. (Sigh)

But then, alas, a few questions were posed. A revelation was made. (That I take pictures of food.) A different camera was offered up. (Waterproof! Smaller! Not available in fashion-colors!) The transaction completed and I traipsed off with what turns out to be the most annoyingly lame and un-useable camera known to human kind.

Seriously kids, do you see those pictures? That is a sampling of a month’s worth of trying every silly setting on the thing. Here there and everywhere the camera has come out and failed me spectacularly.

Dishes have not been recorded, moments not captured, and sadness has settled in my heart due to a stringent no-return/no-exchange policy (and a vague hope it was just really me and not the camera.)

But then I realized something…a little something. I can still share recipes without photographic evidence and you will still love me.

Well, I hope so anyway!

So while I do my darndest to figure out this shamefully overpriced digital contraption, I shall leave you with a recipe for Greek salad.

And I leave the imagery of this perfect summer salad to you.

1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced
½ teaspoon salt
A few grinds of black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
½ medium red onion, sliced thin
2 English cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, thick slices
6 large tomatoes, each tomato cored and cut into wedges
¼ cup loosely packed torn fresh parsley leaves
20 large kalamata olives, each olive pitted and quartered lengthwise
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped

Whisk together the first seven ingredients in a large bowl.

Add the sliced red onion and cucumber and toss; let stand 15 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and parsley to bowl with onions and cucumbers and toss to coat.

Divide lettuce on wide, shallow serving bowl or platter; top with vegetables, sprinkle olives and feta over salad. Serve immediately.

Makes enough for six to eight people.

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
______________________________________

© 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.

Are you coming to the Chicks with Knives Sustainable Supper Club dinner?

More than 90 % of American wine production occurs on the West Coast. A large part of carbon-dioxide emissions associated with wine comes from simply trucking it from the vineyard to tables on the East Coast. A wine bottle holds 750 ml and generates about 5.2 pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions when it travels from a vineyard in California to a store in New York. A 3-liter box generates about half the emissions per 750 ml. Switching to wine in a box for the 97 % of wines that are made to be consumed within a year would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about two million tons, the equivalent of retiring 400,000 cars. - NY Times

Labels: Gluten Free, Raw, Salad, Side-Dish, Vegetarian

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The Ombudsman is not just a mediating master...he is a regular Svengali when it comes to food (and pretty much everything now that I think of it). Just one off hand suggestion and next thing you know, I am growing corn. Because home grown corn is so fab. Or so we hear. (Report on that next week.)

One side-ways glance at a taco truck and everyone in the group is lining up with cash in hand. A whim involving Santa Rosa plums, a jar of pickled herring and a surf board and next thing you know…trip to Mexico. (There is a food correlation there. It’s just hard to extract.)

I tell you the boy is like an air borne pathogen. In a friendly way. (Is there such a thing? Maybe he is more like perfume? No. That’s too girly. I’ll stick with pathogen.)

He is forever getting people to try running a marathon (really) or eat at random Vietnamese hole-in-the-wall mini-mall lunch spots. Sampling fare such as this.

Then, of course, you/one/I become addicted to it/that/whatever-it-was he has introduced in to your life and you/one/I become that much more worldly and happy for it. And you/one/I start to wish I were better at navigating since I could never find that spot again without a chauffer.

So I am forced to make my own version at home and that is just fine by me.

And for you my peaches (and Santa Rosa plums) I share this version of the classic dish that is the best side-salad you can imagine.

Try it and taste the joy.

2 firm, green mangoes
2 vine-ripe tomatoes
1 cup blanched green beans, sliced on the bias
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 red Thai bird chile, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 kaffir lime leaf, minced very fine
Fish sauce, to taste (optional)
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup Asian basil (Thai Holy, Opal or Siam Queen)

(My ingredients were all local and organic. Even the mango. A good way to go, ya? But if that's not feasible where you are, try it anyway. It's a tasty dish)


Peel the mangoes with a vegetable peeler. Grate or julienne the mango and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, chile, lime juice, brown sugar, vinegar, kaffir and fish sauce.

Taste and adjust as needed. It should be a balance of sweet, sour, spicy and salty.

Toss the dressing with the mango. Set aside.

Slice the tomatoes into long strips, removing the seeds. Add to the mango along with the green beans. Let rest for 10 minutes. When ready to serve, add fresh herbs.


Serves four.


© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
______________________________________

© 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.

Bennigan’s, an Irish-themed bar and grill with about 200 sites across the country, filed for bankruptcy, a move that will put hundreds of employees out of work and leave many landlords with empty retail space during a painful time in the real estate market. Sister brand, Steak & Ale, will also close. - NY TIMES

If fresh kaffir lime leaves are not available, use the tender new leaves of lime, lemon or grapefruit.

Are you coming to the next Chicks with Knives Sustainable Supper Club dinner? If you are in LA, I hope you will!

Labels: Gluten Free, Raw, Salad, Side-Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Oh dear, oh dear.

I am officially a guilt-ridden bourgie girl with a food-complex.

How could this happen? It's so tragically cliche.

In the last few weeks (between reading a few intense books The Ombudsman threw my way in his ongoing effort to nurture my inner nerd/keep me single) I managed to read The Omnivore's Dilemma and Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood.

Whoooo.

Now peaches, in case you aren’t familiar with these tomes, they are of the genre that can best be described as, “we are all going to h*ll in a hand-basket unless we start making some informed decisions - stat.”

These books are informative, brilliantly written, methodically researched, heartbreaking and scary and happily (very happily) also tinged with hope.

The hope part being that, if we really do all pull ourselves together (for heavens sake!) just a tiny bit - and pay attention to our food choices - crisis can be averted and our lives and health and the world in general may just well improve. Super-fab news indeed. (And what a relief to hear!)

Phew.

My immediate (band-wagon-esque) instinct after all this intense info was to run out to the farmers market (as I do every week. I'm not really that new to this bandwagon) and buy something, anything, that I could feel chic and eco about. Naturally I ended up with...sea vegetables from The Carlsbad Aquafarm.

I mean, talk about a non-controversial food choice! It's (mostly) local, it's (totally, fer sher)healthy and it grows back quick as a wink.

Joyousness.

Sure, sure, it could be argued that it looks like something Little Orphan Annie's plumber pulled out of her shower drain...(oy!) but thrillingly, it's crisp, ocean breeze taste trumps it's trendiness impaired looks. In fact, there is also an delicate beauty to it that cannot be denied.

Keeping it light simple, I added a few salad-y ingredients and voila, a perfect summertime meal. And guilt free to boot.

Try it my peaches and taste the joy. (And I promise this is my last preachy post. For now...)

1 cup red seaweed, torn apart
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, large mince
1 small jalapeno, large mince
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
A few drops of sesame oil
1 green apple
English cucumber
Sea salt (naturally!)

To make the dressing, combine the ginger with the jalapeno, vinegar and oils. Taste and season with salt.

Peel and dice the cucumbers and add to the dressing.

Slice the apple and fan out on two chilled plates. Top with the sea vegetable. Spoon some of the cucumber over it and serve immediately.

Makes two large salads.

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
______________________________________

© 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.

The latest edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, now includes edamame (immature green soybeans), pescatarian (a vegetarian who eats fish) and about 100 other newly added words that have taken root in the American lexicon. GoErie.com

2007 vodka sales at the supplier level reached $4.3 billion, a 7.65% increase over 2006

Joey Chestnut is the 2008 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest winner. It was initially a tie between Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi at 59 hot dogs each, which lead to a sudden death show down. This year's event was cut down to 10 minutes vrom 12. Prior to Chestnut's record - Japan's Takeru Kobayashi had been the crowning champ for five years straight. - Gambling911

Labels: Gluten Free, Low-Carb, Raw, Salad, Vegan

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I tell you kids, there are stars dancing in my hazel-colored eyes.

On Saturday night, after a delish dinner of fish tacos (natch), The Ombudsman and I moseyed on up to the spectacularly awesome Griffith Observatory to check out the rings of Saturn and craters of the moon at their monthly star-gazing lawn party.

What can I say…it was celestial. The evening was balmy, the city lights were a-twinkle (oh yea. A-twinkling.) and the mood was just right.

Makes a girl want her own telescope, (and a space walk!) I tells ya…but I would probably use mine to spy on the neighbors as often as I would spy on the heavens.

(Oh admit it, so would you.)

Actually, I think I’d like it to zoom in through a restaurant window and just take a little look-see at what people are eating. How fun would that be?

The first place I would zoom in on (with my magic telescope) would fer sher be the Zuni Café up there in San Francisco. (What? It’s an imaginary magical telescope! I can look anyplace I want!)

They are legendary and just a tiny peek at their world-famous roast chicken would be worth the effort (of calibrating my magic telescope to do such a thing.)

I think I would also have to patiently wait, watching every order to check out how they plate this salad. Since it is also from their cookbook (renowned, beloved and beyond delightful) and I am curious what their version would look like.

Mine was a riot of colors. Reds and greens, creamy white and burnished gold. Come to think of it, much like the rings of Saturn itself. The only difference between my version and theirs is that their recipe (I found) was a bit fussy, so I’ve paired it down a scoatch.

The main thing here is that cherries are oh-so-very not in season here in North America land, so unless you have some frozen and are in a defrosting kinda mood (which I actually was. These beauties were picked in Washington last summer, expressly for me. Awww…) I would suggest giving this another month or so before trying (cruel, aren’t I!)

Now try this my peaches, and taste the joy.


1 cup whole cherries (with the pits)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 ounce Kirsh
2 Tablespoons Raspberry balsamic vinegar
8 ounces mixed greens (I used something called California mix from Bristol Farms, I quite liked it, since there were lots of fuschia colored greens tossed in)
6 ounces Saint-Marcellin cheese,
8 slices toasted baguette (crostini)
Salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Rub the cherries with a few drops of olive oil, season with kirsch and a pinch of salt.

In a small bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add a few drops of the kirsch, taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Slice the cheese into six equal portions.

Place each portion of the cheese on top of a crostini on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the cherries on another sheet pan. Roast until the fruit is near bursting and the cheese is beginning to slouch, about 6 minutes,watching the cheese carefully.

Dress the lettuces and hazelnuts very lightly in the vinaigrette and arrange on six plates, leaving the nuts behind for the moment. Garnish with the warm cherries and their juice and nest the warm cheese crostini next to each salad. Sprinkle hazelnuts over the top of the salads. Season with salt and pepper and serve with additional slices of toasted peasant-style bread.

© 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. This means you choice cooking recipes. Stop stealing my content.

Kirsch, also known as Kirschwasser, is a fiery clear cherry brandy made of black cherries and their pits.

Zuni Cafe is located at1658 Market St.(bet. Franklin & Gough Sts.) in San Francisco, CA.

Broadway in New York City shifts west at East 10th Street because a cherry tree once stood there.

Labels: Luncheon, Salad, Vegetarian

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That poor, sweet darling of a man, The Ombudsman, has had a very up and down two weeks.

The boy got himself a bit sick, then moved on to much sicker, then was in agony, and then went to a meeting in at his office (his office that is an excellent example of stylish 1960's post modern architecture, I must add) and then passed out and then drove himself home and then the next day decided maybe it was time to go to the emergency room.

Aww. Poor puddin'. Broke my heart. He was trying to be so brave...(and yet he makes a good argument for "so smart, yet so dumb," don't you think?)

And then, while still a bit ill, he surprised me with two very much lauded and supremely desired tickets to see the extremely awesome spectacle that is Grizzly Bear play on a bill with our very own Los Angeles Philharmonic. (Harmonic indeed.)

The man is a peach I tell you, a peach.

I was a bit worried for him as we set out, (what with the temporary deafness, insane cough and heavy dosage of assorted prescriptions) but he assured me all was well, and he was excited to be out and about after all that he had gone through.

Well, he made it through and I am happy to say the concert was beyond awesome, and bless his heart, he is fine now, (phew). But I was compelled (and pleased) to make him his favorite, elaborate salad/finger food the next day, as thanks for a perfect, lovley evening which he really, really shouldn't have done. But I'm glad he did.

And now you dolls, I am sharing with you.

Try it and taste the joy.


1 large head romaine lettuce
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
½ cup fresh Thai basil
1 fresh lemongrass stalk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 rice paper rounds
2 mini red bell peppers, sliced into rounds

In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, vinegar and lime juice together to dissolve the sugar.

Peel off the hard outer layer of the lemon grass and mince the soft core.
Reserve 8-12 leaves of the basil and mince the rest. Add the lemon grass, basil and mayo to the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Cut the lettuce leaves into 3 inch strips and divide into four portions.

Quickly dip one rice paper wrapper in warm water until softened. It will feel rubbery.
Then, cut it in half.

Lay out a half round on the work surface, with the straight edge away from you. Arrange one of the portions of romaine and a few basil leaves in a little pile about 3 inches from the right edge of the paper, letting the tips of the leaves extend over the straight edge. Fold the bottom up over the greens, then fold the right side up over the greens and roll the lettuce up in the wrapper. Continue with the remaining rice paper and romaine.

Drizzle the dressing on a plate and top with two salad rolls, garnish with pepper rounds and serve.

Serves four as a first course.

© 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.

Well, I'm pouty! We drove by last night only to find out The Coronet Pub closed down. Darn it!

Basil is sacred to both the Sub-Asian deities, Krishna and Vishnu. You can buy Sacred Holy Krishna Basil seeds here.

This recipe is an extremely altered version of the Romaine on Romaine recipe in Michel Richard's stunning and brilliant book, Happy in the Kitchen. Make sure to check it out sometime!

Labels: Gluten Free, Luncheon, Salad, Vegetarian

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Ooh, ooh. It's leap day! Also known as Sadie Hawkins Day. Or, apparently the day ladies are given social permission to ask men to marry them.

What sassy good fun. Hippity-hop.

Me, I'm avoiding (The Ombudsman) any such entanglements, just in case things get weird, and focusing on the important things.

With the blissful weather (Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus! The Groundhog was wrong! Spring has sprung! Whoopeeee!) I have a whole new zest for life (which was tricky, since I was a pretty zesty girl to start with) and renewed zeal for all things food.

The markets round the hood are a bounty of early strawberries, lithesome asparagus and the last of the sparkling citrus. Peppers are just coming to an end and me, I'm all aflutter (A flutter? Fluttery? Flibberty! I digress...Happy Leap Day!) over what's in store, in this cusp of the seasons.

It's as if we have it all right now. Winter, spring, summer and fall.

So what do I do with this co-mingling of delights? Why this salad of course. A salad without greens. Because darlings, not all salads are leafy.

It is a nice little way to combine the best of late winter/early spring produce in a summery-weather way. Ties is all up quite nicely, don't you think?

Try this my peaches, and taste the joy.


6 large red bell peppers
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and minced
4 cloves of garlic
4 teaspoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Roast your peppers over an open flame, or under the broiler until charred on all sides. Place in a bowl and cover the bowl to allow the peppers to steam a few minutes.

Meanwhile, mince the garlic and saute briefly in the olive oil. Add the capers just at the last moment then remove the pan from the heat. Set aside to cool.

Remove the peppers from the bowl, rinse off the charred skin, and remove the seeds. Slice into strips.

Layer on a platter, drizzle with olive oil, garlic and capers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves six

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The edible ice cream cone made its American debut at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis and now, the ice cream cone has won Senate approval to become Missouri's official dessert.

Pork producer Smithfield Foods said Thursday that third-quarter profits fell about 10 percent on lower live hog prices and higher raising costs, but the results beat expectations handily. The nation's largest hog producer and pork processor also forecast a difficult fourth quarter. - AP

Labels: Gluten Free, Low-Carb, Salad, Side-Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Here in Los Angeles, we are experiencing the "dead of winter."

Ironically, that translates to picture perfect weather all around.

Which is why, the Ombudsman and I went over to the beach yesterday for Bloody Mary's and a bit of splashing around.

There wasn't a tourist for miles...the air was clean (as clean as it can be I suspect), and the gulls are out of town. The waves were big and the light was bright. It was just wonderful. Just, wonderful.

Ah, LA, how I love you so.

Winter at its finest.

And now for a recipe. A slight variation on my previously posted, Moroccan Carrot Salad, this may look similar and has a bit of spice too, but it's an all-together different experience.

Bright and sunshiny, crunchy and divine.

Try it my peaches, and taste the joy.

6 carrots, peeled
1 cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated - use a Microplane for this!
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Sesame seeds and more parsley for garnish

Using the large holes on your box grater (or the shredder disc on a food processor), shred the peeled carrots.

Toss that with the parsley.

In another bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, Szechuan pepper, ginger (and the juice!), mayo and sesame oil. Taste and adjust to your taste. (And add salt.)

Stir that into the carrots, let rest for a few moments, garnish then enjoy!

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The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has developed a coding system that explains where a meal was caught. That code often appears on fresh and frozen fish sold in the United States and Europe, but deciphering it requires specialized knowledge (FAO Zone 34 is Ghana, for example). - NY Times

Looking for flavored salts created in Los Angeles? Salt + Artistry = Saltistry

Baby carrots are full-grown carrots cut into 2-inch sections, pumped through water-filled pipes into whirling cement-mixer-size peelers and whittled down. Miniature carrots are the brainchild of Mike Yurosek of Newhall, Calif. Baby carrots come from one place: Bakersfield, Calif. The state produces almost three-quarters of U.S. carrots. - USA Today

Labels: Gluten Free, Salad, Side-Dish, Vegetarian

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Oy.

I super-duper hope the current writers strike gets settled soon!*

The economic ramifications get me all anxious. First they walk out, then shows shut down, then...sooner or later, we all feel the crunch.

I just have to clear my mind I suppose. No sense in fretting over something that I have no power over, right? Right.

Still. I'm a just a tad frazzled and it's only been a few days. I cannot even begin to fathom this debacle going on for (the predicted) months.

So, thinking about what can a girl do to settle a whizzing brain and a dizzy stomach, I figured a salad heavy on the mint was just what I needed. Somehow the idea of all that gentle goodness filling my tum seemed like the call.

The result was really light and refreshing. Personally, I think mint, parsley and basil all work perfectly well as salad greens and should be used accordingly...such as in this dish. Enjoy!

2 cups salted, boiling water
1 cup quinoa
1 small bunch radishes, cut into quarters (top to bottom)
1/2 cup kalamata olives, cut into quarters (top to bottom)
2 cups whole mint leaves, divided
1 cup parsley, rough chopped
Juice and zest of one small lemon
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Olive oil as needed
Salt to taste

So when working with quinoa, it's always a really good idea to rinse it a few times in cold water. Supposedly this takes away any bitterness. I have never skipped this step, trusting it is really needed. That part is your call.

Add the quinoa to the boiling water and reduce the flame to medium. Allow to simmer, uncovered for about 15 mintues, or until the quinoa opens and you can see the white rings (it will be obvious, even if my description isn't.) Remove from the heat and drain.

While it is simmering away, rough chop 1/4 of the mint and finely mince 1/4 of it. Leave the rest of the leaves (1/2 cup) whole.

Rough chop the parsley.

Toss the rest of the ingredients together and then add a tiny bit of olive oil. (I found if you add more than a tablespoon the whole dish gets insanely heavy...) Taste and adjust as needed.

Serve room temp or cold.

Should serve about 4.

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* The Writers Guild of America is currently on strike. These are the people who write all of the TV shows, films and plays in the US.

I certainly am not the first person to think of this dish...check out this version.

Quinoa is available at Trader Joes. Assuming you have one nearby.

Ten small radishes equal 8 calories

On December 23rd in Oaxaca, Mexico, there is a Radish Festival that involves ornate radish carvings!

Labels: Gluten Free, Salad, Side-Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

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At this time of year, summer and fall always struggle for domination in Southern California.

Sure, the calendar says it's October, yet, the mercury hovers at 90F.

The days are short, and pumpkins are in the market, but we are warm and want light foods. Despite our inner thoughts begging otherwise...

Me, I have an entire shelf of clingy sweaters waiting to be worn, but in the meantime, I clothe myself little dresses in earthy colors and look longingly at my boots, wondering how many more days I have to savor wearing sandals. I have a arsenal of recipes featuring squash and peppers, apples and pears, perched on the precipice, yearning to be tried out, but alas, they just don't seem to match the climate. How can I eat soup on days like this...and yet, how can I resist?

The confusion...it's just so like L.A. Can't decide which we want, so we take both. Warm and cool, up and down, waxing and waning. It's all good by us.

Like this salad. At first glance, it's the absolutely strangest combination of textures, colors and seasons, and yet...it works flawlessly. The dense, earthy beets, the lightness of the watermelon. And since watermelons at this point in the autumn are more texture than flavor, the sharp-sweet dressing is the perfect accessory for these dainty foods. And bonus, the watermelon takes on an astonishingly vivid hue when mingling with the beets.

So despite the calendar and the weather report, when it comes to this dish, summer and autumn are tied. For now.

Try it, and enjoy

3 large beets
Olive oil
Salt
1 small, seedless watermelon
1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
large pinch black pepper
2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Goat cheese and black pepper for garnish

Preheat your oven to 400F.

Coat the beets with olive oil. Place in an oven proof dish. Add 1/4 inch water to the pan. Add some salt to that water. Cover the pan with foil, and roast in the oven for at least 1 hour, (up to three, depending on the size off the beets.) until a knife can be inserted into one with ease. When done, remove from the oven, leaving in the pan. Uncover and let cool completely, before trimming the root end off and slipping off the skins. Dice into even pieces. (You may want to wear gloves while doing this. Beets do stain after all...)

In a blender, combine the vinegar, thyme, mustard and sugar. Blend and while the blender is on, add the olive oil. Stop half way through, and taste. Add more oil as needed. Season with salt and set aside until ready to finish the salad.

Peel and dice the watermelon to the same size dice as the beets. Toss the two together with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a sprinkling of goat cheese.


Serves four

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A 2006 U.S.D.A. test found 81 percent of potatoes tested still contained pesticides after being washed and peeled, and the potato has one of the the highest pesticide contents of 43 fruits and vegetables tested. - NY Times

When I wrote graffiti my name was Slop
If my rap's soup my beats is stock
Step from the tables as I start to chop
-Beastie Boys, Intergalactic

Donating to The Red Cross of Los Angeles is a great way to help out those affected by the recent fires.

Labels: Gluten Free, Salad, Vegetarian

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There is much about our dear boy the Ombudsman that puts me to shame.

For instance, there is his unwavering commitment to civic life, his energy efficient car, and of course, the fact he doesn't own a television.

Okay, that last bit just confuses me really. But only because he will comment on current shows, or funny commercials, all without having a set to call his own...

But recently, like a primitive life form emerging from the primordial mists of bass-ackwards...it hit me how he pulls of this parlor trick...he watches programs on his laptop.
And in the same brilliant flash, I registered that so could I.

And that my friends...is...pathetically...where I have been.

No, not watching reruns of Mr. Bean (that honor goes to the boy...) no, I just spent approx. 44 hours of my life over the last few days watching shows I never knew existed. Eyes like saucers in the dark...mindlessly absorbing videos for songs I had almost forgotten existed, reveling in the beauty of Mr. Belvedere, circa 1987. (I have terrible taste in tv, what can I say...) Feasting on all sorts of wonderments produced by our friends at the BBC. And catching up on Heroes. Episode after episode of Heroes.

I'm a changed woman I tell you. Changed.

And while my mind was going grey...alas...so did the vast majority of the contents of my fridge.

But I am a resourceful gal. Oh yes, indeedeeeeeeee. I am. I pushed aside the jars of mustard, and that bag of green slime, that may or may not have started out as basil, and I made me a meal. An astonishing meal.

A meal for the ages.

All that and I was able to use some fresh tarragon. My herb-du-jour, and the only green thing still discernible in the crisper drawer.

It was Waldorf Salad, and lo, it was a delight. Easy-breezy to make, and all the ingredients were on hand.

What more could a telly-addict ask for...


1 cup red grapes, halved
2 stalks celery, large dice
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted

Combine the mayo, tarragon and lemon juice. Add salt and sugar as needed.

Toss the rest of the ingredients in a bowl along with the mayo dressing. Taste, adjust seasonings as needed, and serve.

Serves two
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Created at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in 1896 by maître d'hôtel, Oscar Tschirky, the Waldorf salad was an instant success. The original version of this salad contained only apples, celery and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts later became an integral part of the dish.

"You're the top, you're a Waldorf salad". - Anything Goes/Cole Porter

Labels: Gluten Free, Luncheon, Salad, Vegetarian

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Labels: Condiment, Gluten Free, Salad, Side-Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Australia is just the best.

Not that I've ever been there (I have an aversion to flights that long. Anything that lasts more than 12 hours - and I am out.) but they have such a cool vibe, and a good thing going. Sun, surf, food.

They are so rockin' a country/continent in fact, that they had a party just to introduce some of their fancy-foodstuffs to our shores and wadda ya know...I was invited.

G'Day indeed!

We ate lamb, (natch) and kiwi jam. We had fois gras (take THAT Chicago.) and lots of other things that I forget because of the copious amounts of wine. Lovely Down Under wine.

And as part of their brilliant marketing strategy, these culinary goodwill ambassadors gave out goody-bags. So we could continue the gluttony in the privacy of our own homes. (It's as if they some how knew their product would end up getting reviewed on line...)

Oh yea baby.

Good-ies!

My favorite item, by far, was this adorable can of tuna. G'Day Gourmet (TM) Tuna.

I know what you are thinking, I do...can of tuna? What gives?

But seriously kids, this is more than just a can-o-tuna. Its sustainable, low/no mercury, TASTY tuna. Seasoned tuna. Mild Indian Curry seasoned tuna. Lip smackin' goodness right out of a can.

This stuff is my idea of pre-made food heaven. It is just what I look for in a quick-bite-delight. Really flavorful and earth friendly.

Can I get a "hallelujah!"

(The packaging is way cute too...seriously adorable.)

And I didn't just slap this stuff between two slices of bread and call it luncheon...no I did NOT! I made it into Empanadas (omg, SO perfect with that recipe) and into this tuna salad extraordinaire.

This light, wiz-bang-pow flavor packed, nutrient dense, high protein, low-carb (ack, sorry, had to say it) wonderment. It may seem like a funky combo, but the sweetness of the pickles, and the crunch of the water chestnuts perfectly match the richness of the fish and the fire of the (0optional) chile.

So good.

SO good.

So if you find some of this on your grocers shelves (Whole Foods has it.) this is the perfect way to indulge in its savory sinfulness (actually, not sinful at all, I was just going for alliteration.) and if you don't have access to it...well, for one, ask your grocer to add it, or try adding some curry powder to your regular tuna. Not as good, but still a plan.

Okay, and now the recipe! Enjoy!


3 cans G'Day Gourmet Mild Curry Tuna
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup peas
1 small Thai chile, minced (optional)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, diced and cooked
Some parsley, minced
1 heaping teaspoon sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup water chestnuts, slivered

Combine all, season to taste with salt and pepper. Let sit to meld, about 15 minutes.

Makes enough for four servings. Can be reduced or increased as you like.

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62-year-old Jennifer Brown was thrilled to be awarded second place for her Victoria Sponge in a baking contest at her her village carnival in Wimblington, Cambs England... and she was intrigued to find out which cake had beaten her tasty treat to the top spot. Then judges revealed her cake had been the ONLY entry. Organisers had spotted her sponge had rack mark indentations from where it had been in the oven - and decided it just wasn't up to the high standards demanded of coveted top place. "I must admit I have never heard of coming second in a one horse race before. "But I haven't taken it personally - I had a good laugh about it." - The Mirror, UK

The term curry was invented by the English, East Indian Trading Co.

G'day Gourmet offers seasoned tuna and salmon. Other choices include:Chili, Lemon Pepper, Mild Indian Curry, Tomato Basil, Tomato Onion, and Tomato Salsa. I tried them all, and loved them all.

Labels: Gluten Free, Low-Carb, Luncheon, Salad, Seafood

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I was down in San Diego recently, trying my level best to zen out.

Why? It is just a nice place to focus on emptying ones mind. (Well, if you don't have a place in Palm Springs that is. But if you do have a place in Palm Springs, well, Hi! My name is Rachael and I want to be your new best friend.)

I was there for a few days to relax, enjoy and focus on finding my own personal Bodhi tree, as it were. But try as I might to focus on getting my mind to release, what I just kept finding myself wondering was if the real key to happiness is being a former member of (late 90's boy band) N'Sync.

I mean, of the two former members of said band that I can actually name/think of/picture, they both seem to be living quite large (in the parlance of our times) these days, right? Right. And the one that I somehow ended up having dinner with, well, bless his heart, he seems like a real swell kid, and living large only begins to describe this young gentlemans liifestyle.

We were a large group, and I certainly was the only person there who was a friend of a friend of a friend of the bartenders next door neighbors best friends hairdresser, but none the less, there I was, basking in the oddly B-list glory of it all. (And yes, I am throwing out this story because I jokingly mentioned another "celebrity" in my last post. Just keeping up with the theme you see. The theme.)

But the best part of meeting a boy who I really had no clue about, (minus distracting me from my Buddhist-ish mission) was hearing some strange tales of his fan encounters. Stories involving things like ladies undergarments, large stuffed animals and food. Lots and lots of food. Eating it, being given it, shopping for it, and most importantly (to this rambling post), having it thrown at you.

Now, I am not one to take another persons story and make it my own (and let's face it, I could hardly pass off a 26 year old boys encounter with a tweenaged girl in a supermarket somewhere in central Florida as my own, try as I might) but I will say that should you ever find yourself face to face with your teenaged dream boy, lobbing produce at him is not the way to go. Nope. Under no circumstances should you find a root veg and toss it his way.

On the other hand, you can invite him over for luncheon and offer up said root veg in a delicious and media-body-conscious medley such as this. It will knock his socks off. Much as the beets in his story did...but that is for him to tell some other time.

For now, try this and enjoy!

2 avocados, sliced thin
2 large tuna steaks, diced
2 large beets, roasted, cooled and diced
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion, minced fine
2 Tablespoons highest quality olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 anchovy, mashed (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine the onion, olive oil, vinegar, mustard and anchovy. Season to taste. Divide into two bowls. In the first bowl, toss in the beets and let marinate while you compose the dish. In the second bowl, do the same with the tuna and cucumbers.

Lay down a layer of the avocado on four chilled salad plates. Top with some of the tuna and then the beets. The beets are going to stain everything red, so don't stir them around too much. Drizzle with any remaining dressing, season with pepper and serve.

Serves four.

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Buttery Goodness Now America's Top Domestic Product. New data from the U.S. Commerce Department show that rich, buttery goodness beat out automobiles, timber, and crispety-crunchitiness as the country's most valuable commodity in fiscal year 2006. "Soaring demand among consumers for the melt- in-your-mouth sensation of buttery goodness, combined with increasing production efficiency, meant that more then 32 million tons were manufactured and consumed last year," said Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, who noted that sales of chewy, double-stuffed deliciousness stagnated in this same period due to inflation and regional shortages of cream filling. Domestic orders for farm machinery, icy-cool mint, and computer components also fell last year. - The Onion.com

N'Sync did a commercial for McDonalds in 1999.

And yes, name dropping is tacky, bad form, and all that. But in this case, I plead guilty for the sake of comedy. Thank you.

Labels: Gluten Free, Luncheon, Salad, Seafood

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Are you indecisive?

Sometimes you want a simple, chic salad.

Sometimes you want a soul-satisfying soup.

Sometimes you want both.

And really...there is an argument for one and an equally good argument for the other...

So you opt for the salad because the weather is warm, but then half way through you realize you just can’t finish it all. (Eyes are bigger-than-your-stomach syndrome, perhaps?)

So being the waste-no-want-not kid you are, you box it up and put it in the fridge. (Without sog-inducing dressing of course.)

Later, as the sun sets, there is a chill in the air and you think...”Gee, I could really go for some soup, I sure wish I had some.”

And maybe for a second (just a second, since we all know it’s unbecoming) you pout. Lower lip trembling, in a pah-teh-tic voice, you say aloud, to no one in particular, “I want soup.”

But right then, a thought comes to you! A lightbulb over the head kinda moment.

That salad? It can be transformed! It is really just soup ingredients waiting to be heated and pureed.

It is dinner indeed!

Your wish is granted.

Soup will be on the table in less than 10 minutes.

You, my friend, are a genius.

Peppery salad, rich and a healthy, hearty soup. One recipe. Two meals.

Oh yeah.

So try this as a salad, or as a soup, either which way, I am sure you will enjoy...

1 large bunch watercress
2 medium yukon gold potatoes, cut into wedges
6 large radishes, cut into wedges
4 large spring onions, quartered (through the root)
Olive oil
1 T. fresh oregano, minced
6 cups chicken stock
2 tsp. sour cream (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Chives for garnish

In a large pot, boil the potatoes in the chicken stock until just tender.

Meanwhile, heat some of the oil in a saute pan and saute the radishes. Set aside when just browned. Add the onions and do the same.

When the potatoes are done, remove with a slotted spoon and saute in the pan with the oregano.

Reserve the chicken stock.

Toss the salad together and dress with a light vinaigrette.

To make the salad into a soup, add all the sautéed ingredients and the watercress into the chicken stock and simmer for 3 minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. The first time I made this I left it sorta chunky, (See picture the the right) the second time, I pureed it smooth. (As you can see in the top photo.)

They were both nice.

If you want to make it richer, add a dollop of sour cream, (or creme fraiche) and stir it all together to combine.

Season to taste and serve with chive garnish.

Serves two to four.

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Labels: Gluten Free, Salad, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian