Fresh Approach Cooking

Labels: blueberries, Breakfast, LittleBlueDynamos, Vegetarian

Not going to really blog much, but did want to post a picture of this cold soup that was served at our Chicks with Knives dinner and include the recipe.

Labels: Soup, Vegetarian

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Apparently, I am somewhat obsessed with making this purdy lil' cake. According to the notes in the margins I have made it nine times since 1999. For me, that's a lot, since I rarely bake and even more rarely eat cake.

Labels: Dessert, Vegetarian

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

Labels: Appetizer, Vegetarian

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

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

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

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

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

Anyway…

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

Ha!

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

So here you go my peaches, my loves…

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

And I do hope you will.

So try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

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

Put the truffle butter on a plate.

Slice your chives on the bias.

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

Pour the mayo in to a small squeeze bottle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

>Makes about 20 arancini.

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

Arancini means little oranges.

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

Follow me on twitter

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

Labels: Appetizer, Vegetarian

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Hi peaches!

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

Plus…there were cocktails.

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

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

Oops.

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

Try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

xoxo

Pickled Asian Pears

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Makes about 3 cups.


© 2010 Fresh Approach Cooking
______________________________________

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

Follow me on twitter!

Asian pears are in season from July into late October.

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

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

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Potato delight!

Growing up, my parents (much to their credit) didn’t have a lot of pre-made foods in the house. No frozen dinners, or packets of instant anything. And there just weren’t any unhealthy snacks. (Again, to their credit.) Maybe there would be pretzels, and once in awhile a few dozen packets of airline peanuts would show up, but that was about it. Certainly no chips...

Now, one day, when my brother and I were 9 (me) and 11 (him) we decided we really needed those potato chips…and since there were none to be found, we naturally just got it in our heads to make them ourselves.

(This is where us seeking adult supervision would have been helpful. But we were really independent children, and not exactly prone to telling anyone what we were up to most of the time. Or, ever really.)

If I recall correctly, without consulting any one or any books, we surmised that chips are made by dropping thin slices of potato in to hot oil. Super easy! So, we got out a large pot, a giant jug of olive oil, some knives, some tongs and paper towels. We set the pot on the stove, filled it with oil (I’d say just around a gallon) and sat to wait for it to boil.

Yes. We sat waiting for the oil, to boil.

Now some of you may not realize what is wrong with that statement, so please let me clarify. Oil, does not actually boil. I mean it gets good and hot, yes, but it does not visually indicate it is hot with bubbles breaking the surface. No, really hot oil just starts smoking. At first. Then it bursts in to a huge flash fire.

Good times, good times. And by that I mean, near fiasco. (And alas, this is not even the first or last story of us nearly burning the house down. Oops!)

I do know we somehow got the fire out, (we are nothing if not level-headed people) poured the screaming hot oil off of the balcony (Believe it or not, this was the action that got us in the most trouble. The stain from the oil never came out of the pavement below. ) and fanned the extremely thick black smoke out of the kitchen as best we could. When my parents found us we were sitting nonchalantly on the couch watching cartoons and eating apples.

The lesson there kids, is that oil doesn’t boil…and when we are adults and armed with a little know how, chips actually are easy to make at home.

I still don’t have pre-made food in my house though…so recently, much like that day…when I wanted something fried and salty, I did what I have always done. Made them myself. And they were good. And the house is still standing. A triumph indeed.

Now try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

3 large fingerling potatoes
2 cups canola oil
Salt
1 large sweet onion
4 cloves garlic, rough chop
1 quart buttermilk

Peel all of the potatoes. Slice one in to thin rounds, and the other 2 just into a rough chop. Soak the slices in cold water while you prepare the soup.

In a medium soup pot, sauté the potato pieces, onion and garlic until soft. Add buttermilk and salt and reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Remove from the heat and puree in batches. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Taste and add salt and white pepper as needed.

In a medium pot, pour oil to a depth of ½ inch. Heat until a thermometer reads 310F. Remove sliced potatoes from cold water and pat dry. Fry until golden, remove, sprinkle with salt and let cool.

Use the chips as a garnish on the soup.

Serves four.

I used Weiser Family Farms potatoes and sweet onions, that I got at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. The buttermilk was left over from making butter. Yes, I'm that big a geek.

© 2009 Fresh Approach Cooking
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Labels: Luncheon, Soup, Vegetarian

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

(So sad!)

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

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

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

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

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

Now try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Story and recipe for schav from The Jew and the Carrot

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So try this my peaches, and enjoy.

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

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

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

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

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

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


Makes about 36.

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

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

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

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

Labels: Appetizer, Pasta, Vegan, Vegetarian

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I feel like getting all-kindsa serious up in here...because in some weird fashion, this cheesecake deserves it.

Without a doubt, this here slice of delights has been my single greatest culinary triumph to date.

(In the dessert realm, anyway.)

How so? Well, you see...

As a few of you astute readers may have caught on by now; for the last few months I have been working along with a friend, throwing roaming dinner parties under the guise of the Chicks with Knives Sustainable Supper Club.

It's your basic underground, moveable restaurant kinda thingy. A la the Ghetto Gourmet.

We pick a date and write a menu, send out invites and lo and behold a fantatic set of total strangers show up at a secret location and good times are had by all.

It's simply dreamy.

And my peaches? Thus far, it has been a smash-hit.

(Can I get a holla? Holla!)

We make the kinds of foods that rock our own world - being all Sustainable/Organic/Local and Ethical - and it has been our distinct pleasure to serve it to people who really seem to dig our vibe.

Hip-hop-hooray!

As an added bonus, I get to feed people the food I grow in my own garden, and the food my friends and neighbors have grown too. We serve local meats and fruits and veg and keep it as earth friendly as possible without getting preachy.

So really, it's just lovely and fun and puts a smile on my face.

Which leads me to the cheesecake...the featured dessert at our most recent and most decidedly faboo, sit-down. An insane sounding Fennel Cheesecake. More to the point, a Crustless, Franchi Fennel Cheesecake with Candied Carrot Frizzle and Tree-Tomato and Grapefruit Sorbet.

Welcome to the wackness.

And yet, it worked like a DREAM! I swear.

So much so that I have made it three times since and am still getting calls and emails asking for the recipe. Raves I tell you, raves are all I hear. Such a nice thing!

There is just something so decadant and different about it. You will just have to try for yourself and see. It's is creamy and smooth and rich and airy. All at once.

The fennel is not at all pronounced, but just lends a backround note that leaves you guessing. And if you don't tell your guests that the garnish is carrot, they may never be able to figure out what it really was. (Just make sure you use a truely sweet carrot. Taste a few in your bunch to find out.)

Now me, I used all fair-trade/organic/homegrown/local ingredients and I swear it added to the specialocity of this...but even if you aren't (like me) out harvesting fennel seeds, you can still make a good show of this...and I hope you will.

So try this my peaches, and taste the joy.


1 organic fennel bulb, small dice (about three quarters of a cup)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup organic, fair-trade, vegan sugar
1 tablespoon organic butter
2 teaspoons ground fennel or anise seed mixed with 1 T. sugar
2 pounds organic cream cheese
1 1/4 cup sugar
5 cage-free, organic eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons Ouzo, Ricard or Sambuca or 1 teaspoon anise extract
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup sour cream


Preheat oven to 325F.

In a small saucepan, combine the fennel, sugar and water and simmer until the water is mostly evaporated and the fennel is sticky and translucent. Carefully pour out on to a Silpat non-stick baking sheet, non-stick baking sheet or parchment paper. Set aside to cool. Break up with a fork a few times as it cools to prevent clumping.

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Lightly butter a 10-inch Springform pan and dust the interior with fennel or anise seed. Knock out any excess. Wrap the exterior of the pan with foil. Set aside.

Using a Cuisinart, blend the cheese until soft. Add the sugar and blend for 2 minutes, to incorporate. Add the eggs, one at a time. Then add the lemon zest (if using. I didn’t use it.), alcohol (or extract) cream and sour cream and process for another minute. Fold the candied fennel into the batter.

To create a water bath, place the prepared, foil-wrapped, Springform pan into a larger roasting pan. Pour the batter in to the Springform. Place roasting pan with the cheesecake in it into the oven on the center rack and then pour the boiled water in to the roasting pan to create a water bath. The water should come half way up the sides of the cheesecake pan.

Bake for 1.25 hours or until just set; the center should still have a wiggle to it.

Turn the oven off and let the cake cool in there for up to two hours, then refrigerate for at least six hours prior to serving.

Makes one large cheesecake.

(I served this with carrot strips that I tossed in corn-starch, fried, and then dusted with confectioners sugar, slightly sweetened whipped cream and a tree-tomato and grapefruit vodka sorbet.)

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

Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake anyone? How about a Vegan Eggnog version?

The book the Professional Pastry Chef says: "The main difference between the New York style cheesecake and the regular cheesecake, is that here, the sour cream is part of the filling and is mixed with the other ingredients at the beginning. In the other cake, the sour cream is added as a topping after the cream cheese filling is partially baked. Secondly, in the regular cheesecake, the ratio of sour cream to cream cheese is just about equal. In the New York style, only a small amount of sour cream is used by comparison. Lastly, the New York style contains approximately half again as much egg." Which I guess makes this cake NY style...

Labels: Dessert, Gluten Free, Vegetarian

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Hello!

How are you today?

Feeling sassy?

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

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

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

I thought so.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
______________________________________

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

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

History of the potato? Sure! Right here.

Labels: Appetizer, Gluten Free, Vegetarian

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Last Sunday night I was expounding (as I am prone to do) to an enthralled audience (I'm sure...) on the difference between beets and chard, when someone stated that they are nothing alike, from a nutrition standpoint.

Well. She was just plain wrong.

And, of course, exactly right.

Beets and chard are not much alike - nutritionally.

One is a sugary root and the other is a leaf for heavens sake.

But I was talking about beet greens.

Which are nutritionally quite similar to chard, only a bit of a different color and texture...because chard is just a variety of beet in which the root is not overly developed.

In other words (and much like this post) I wasn't clear about what I was talking about. Since I was talking about beet greens.

And to think, I used to work in "communications." The irony is not lost on me. (And I do hope that is the proper use of that word.)

The good news is, I have this space to clarify (or not, depending on if this is clear to you.) and to post a nutritional power-house recipe for chard and chick peas.

A quick side-dish. It is perfect with brown rice or as a filling for tacos. I also like to use the left-overs in a fritatta.

So try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

1 bunch chard, sliced thin
1 bunch beet greens, sliced thin
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
juice and zest of one small tangerine
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1 large beet, cooked and diced
1 cup chick peas (boiled or canned, whichever)

Rinse the greens and set aside. Do not dry.

Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the shallot and garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the greens and fruit juice and zest. Saute until wilted. Add the beets and chick peas and stir to heat through.

Serves four.

© 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.

Chard - n. - Long succulent whitish stalks with large green leaves; Beet lacking swollen root.

The beet (Beta vulgaris) is a plant in the amaranth family. It is best known its numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is probably the red root vegetable known as the garden beet. However, other cultivated varieties include the leaf vegetables chard and spinach beet, as well as the root vegetables sugar beet, which is important in the production of table sugar. - Wiki

Misshapen fruit and vegetables won a reprieve on Wed from th EU as it scrapped rules banning overly curved, extra knobbly or oddly shaped produce from markets. Ending regulations on the size and shape of 26 types of fruit and vegetables, authorities killed off restrictions that had become synonymous with bureaucratic meddling. In July, these standards for the 26 products, as varied as peas and plums, will disappear. For 10 other types of fruit and vegetables, including apples, citrus, peaches, pears, strawberries and tomatoes, shape standards will remain. – NY TIMES

Labels: Gluten Free, Low-Carb, Side-Dish, Vegan, 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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Last weekend took a bite out of me.

It all started innocently enough.

An invitation to a birthday party, a few beers, (my commitment to eating local ends at beverages you must understand) a couple of shots of who-knows-what, a scandalously short skirt and one reckless piggy-back ride, all conspired to land the Ombudsman in the hospital getting stitches at 3 am.

Poor, sweet man. Bled like a stuck pig he did. (Sorry, icky, right?) And after the doctor had his way, he looked remarkably like Frankenstein’s Monster. (With a nicer smile.)

Bless his heart. And his noggin.

Oh. Sweet love. (Thank GOODNESS he never reads this. I swear he would kill me for gettin all gushy. But I’m a girl. And a friend. So there you go.) Needless to say, my guilt is paramount and my heart is heavy and the poor boy is a bit shamed and ego-battered (but enviously well insured! The pay as a city worker may be sputtery but heavens does that insurance rock!) well...all that called for soup.

But what kind at this crux of the seasons?

Looking around the farmers market the next day, I found myself in a bit of a conundrum. There were tomatoes and pumpkins. Corn and persimmons. Basil and beets. End of summer, beginning o fall. Which to choose? The last of the warm summer harvest or the new and exciting autumn delights?

I opted for both by making a nourishing tomato soup to offer a bruised and battered man. Summery tomatoes in a warm bowl. The orange and fennel and tomato melding in to a perfect meal.

Fresh and spry, simple and delicious. Very quick (quicker than most of my recipes!) Perfect for what ails you or just the right thing for a lovely luncheon…So try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

(As you can see from the photo I did not include the croutons. I mean, I did, but we ate them before the shot was taken...)

1 small baguette, sliced on the bias (yeilding 12 slices. save the rest for something else)
olive oil
1/4 stick butter
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 small fennel bulb, coarse chop
1 carrots, peeled and rough chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon orange zest
4 small tomatoes, cored and rough chopped
1 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes with added puree
3 cups vegetable broth
Optional garnish (lower calorie if you skip it)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
2 more teaspoons orange zest

Preheat oven to 350F.

Brush olive oil on both sides of the bread. Season with salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until crisp, to make croutons.

In a food processor, chop the onion, fennel, carrot and garlic.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and next 5 ingredients. Cover and simmer vegetables 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Whisk cream, rosemary and 1 teaspoon orange zest in bowl until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir remaining 1 teaspoon orange zest into soup. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle cream mixture over and serve with a few croutons.

(For those of you following my eat-local-ism...the bread was local artisan made, but obviously not with local ingredients. Everything else came from the Hollywood Farmers market or my own garden.)

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
______________________________________

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

A 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans contains about 1 1/2 cups beans, after draining and rinsing. One cup dried beans yields about 3 cups cooked beans.

Order your Montery Bay Aquarium Sushi Pocket Guide now! So "you’ll be able to make seafood choices that please the palate and protect the world’s ocean wildlife."

Restaurants in Los Angeles that I have a hard time Googling: Eat. Local. 8 oz. Food. 15. Milk. (Couldn't find links for some. Because their names are dumb! You try searching for "Food restaurant in West LA" or "Local restaurant on Sunset blvd.") Any to add?

Labels: Low-Carb, Luncheon, Soup, 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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Well it certainly has been an age since I put up a post for my Kitchen Project series, now hasn’t it!

The idea being that this is a recipe that takes some time and is more of a “let’s spend the day indoors” event than a “Hey, what’s for dinner”? It's a way to connect with food in a more meaningful way by dedicating a block of time to it.

So let's get on with it!

What with today being the beginning of (Northern hemisphere) autumn, I can think of no better time to wax rhapsodic about that which is the beet. Seasonal, bright and tasty.

And to gild the lily as it were, we will be, immersing said beet in to a briny solution and calling it a pickle.

Oh my oh my.

I love pickles.

Who’s with me?

It’s the sweet-and-sour saltiness that gets me.

Plus, I can make them myself which adds to their fabulocity. Mix and match flavors, and a bite full of heaven is mine.

And if you play along, it can be yours too.

In this case, by using golden beets the counter tops (and my fingertips) stay white and I end up with jewel-like glasses of treats. Heady and delightful. Perfect with a charcuterie plate or cocktails or alongside roast meats. Nothing could be more autumnal.



So try this my peaches and taste the joy.

7 pounds of small golden beets, with roots and 2 inches of tops
1 California bay leaf, dried

A few sprigs of fresh thyme
10 cloves
10 peppercorns
2 cups organic, raw sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
8 – 10 pint jars (I like Kerr or Mason brand)

Scrub beets thoroughly. Add to a large pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Boil until just tender (approx. 15 – 25 minutes depending on size.)

Drain beets and cover with cold water. When cool, trim the tops and remove skins. Slice into ¼ inch thick slices or wedges.

Combine bay leaf, thyme, cloves, peppercorns, sugar, salt, vinegar and water in a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Reduce the heat and let the liquid simmer for 10 minutes.

While the liquid simmers, pack the beets loosely into pint or quart mason jars.

Pour hot liquid over the beets, leaving ¼ inch of space at the top. Close the jars and process for 30 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Store the beets in a cool, dry place for three weeks before eating.

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking

______________________________________

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.

Restaurant review I just felt like sharing. Aronia de Takazawa.

Told you I like pickles! Here we have fennel, carrots and onions…

Labels: Gluten Free, Kitchen Project, 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
______________________________________

© 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