Seasonal Foods June

Junecarrots, cherries, elderflowers, lettuce, strawberries, peppers, asparagus, red currants, peas, rhubarb, gooseberries, tayberries, tomatoes, courgettes, broad beans

So happy to eat some delicious summer tomatoes!

February Seasonal Foods

February
Cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, chard, chicory, forced rhubarb, kohlrabi, leeks, parsnips, spinach, swede, turnip

I find this list interesting, since only chard has shown up in my CSA basket. I've been receiving lots and lots of oranges, rosemary, radish and (believe it or not) strawberries. Hmmm.....

Taste of the Earth Mushroom Soup

My lovely friend Sandra drove out from Sedona, AZ to pay me a visit after Christmas. I wanted to have something warm and comfy waiting for her when she arrived after several hours of driving. I came up with this soup inspired by the earthy appeal of the mushrooms. We enjoyed catching up over a bottle of Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, warm crusty whole grain bread and bowls of warm soup. When we were done eating she asked for the recipe. This is the best I could do from memory, so some of the measurements are approximations.

1 oz package of dried porcini mushrooms, reconstituted per package instructions. Reserve liquid.
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 white onion, diced
approximately 1 lb of baby portabellas (crimini), washed and sliced
2 Tablespoons butter
1, 48 oz carton of organic un-chicken stock or veggie stock
1 small bunch fresh sage chopped, about 3 Tablespoons
1/2 pint organic half and half (for less fat use whole milk)
salt and pepper to taste

• In a stock pot, over medium high heat, melt butter and add garlic and onion.
• Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes
• Lower heat to medium and add baby portabellas, stirring to mix well with garlic and onions.
• Cook over medium heat until mushroom begin to get tender and soft.
• Add porcinis with soaking liquid along with stock.
• Once liquid reaches a simmer, turn down heat to low, add sage, and cover the pot.
• Simmer on low for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add half and half and stir.
• **Using a hand (immersion) blender, puree soup in the stock pot and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• continue cooking over low heat for another minute or two to allow flavors to meld.
• Serve with warm crusty bread.

**If you do not have a hand blender, you may puree this soup in a regular blender in batches. Remove soup from heat. Temper the blender by only adding about a ladle full into the blender, cover and puree. While pureeing, slowly add more soup a ladle at a time until about halfway full. Puree on low speed. This should prevent the hot soup from exploding all over your kitchen.

Braised Cabbage

As promised a recipe using the beautiful head of red cabbage I received in my CSA box last week. A great side dish!

INGREDIENTS
1 small to medium head of red cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, sliced into half moons
1 red apple cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Heat olive oil in cast iron skillet over medium heat.
• Add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Lower heat to medium low and add onions. Caramelize onions until golden brown and tender, about 5-7 minutes.
• Add red cabbage and mix with onions and garlic.
• Add apple cider vinegar and brown sugar mix and cover.
• Braise cabbage for 20 minutes.
• Add apples and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Enjoy!
  

Season Foods for December (San Diego)

December
Celery, cabbage, red cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, pumpkin, beetroot, turnips, parsnips, sprouts, pears.

My CSA this week had a beautiful head of red cabbage. One thing I love about my CSA basket is that it inspires me to get creative in the kitchen. Let me put my creative juices to work and come up with a red cabbage dish and I will post soon :)

Persimmons with Prosciutto and Goat Cheese

I made this for a friend's birthday dinner and it was a hit. My original plan had been to stuff fresh figs. When I couldn't find any figs at the store I had to think fast. First thinking of using pears or even dried figs, I then came across the persimmons! This idea started forming. I wasn't sure if the persimmons would hold the shape, but with the help of a toothpick they make a perfect one bite appetizer!

INGREDIENTS
3-4 Persimmons
4 oz goat cheese, soft
2 Tablespoons chives, minced
zest from 1/2 lemon
4-5 strips of prosciutto
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Handful of sunflower seeds for garnish

• Using a mandolin slicer, slice persimmons 1/8 of an inch from the bottom up to make circles. Then cut a slice from the edge to the middle (i.e the radius of the circle). Do not cut the circle in half. Fold the persimmon so that it makes a cone shape. Use a tooth pick to hold the cone in place.
• Let the goat cheese sit out for a bit so that it is soft. Mix the chives and lemon zest with the softened goat cheese.
• Cut the prosciutto into about 1 inch strips. Fold each piece inside the persimmon cone. Top with small ball of goat cheese (nickle size).
• Garnish with about 2 sunflower seeds for each cone.
• Arrange cones on your serving tray.
  
• Heat balsamic and brown sugar over medium high heat to a simmer. Let balsamic simmer for about 10 minutes or until it coats the back of a spoon. Stir frequently so as not to scorch.
  
• With a small spoon drizzle on top of persimmon cones.
  

Las Onces and Cilantro Chutney

In my family, when my dad would get home from work, he and my step mom would sit down and have a small bite to eat and cup of coffee. I didn't realize that is is a typical Chilean tradition until I went back with them to Chile about 2 years ago. Chileans tend to eat dinner much later than in American culture, so, Las Onces, which typically takes place around 6-8 pm, is like a small snack to tide you over before dinner. Usually this snack consists of coffee, tea,bread, toast, butter and jam.

Why is this late afternoon snack called Las Onces?
At the end of the 19^th century, the workers in the salt peter mines, run by the English, would have their tea time accompanied by shots of fire water or "aguardiente". To disguise the fact that they were drinking liquor so early in the afternoon, they came up with a code word, once, now referred to in the plural as “onces.” Once, which means "eleven" in Spanish is the number of letters in the word aguardiente. With the passage of time, tea time became known as onces.

In my family, a favorite is smashed avocado on toast, or some other salsa/chutney like spread on toast. The following recipe is a quick chutney you would most likely see at the Mendez table for Las Onces. I think it would make a great appetizer or addition to any meat and cheese plate.

One bunch cilantro, washed, dried, with about 2 inches of the stems cut off, and finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced or put through a press
2 Tablespoons, Olive Oil, or a little more
salt to taste
French bread or baguette sliced and toasted

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Add additional olive oil if needed to bind the veggies into a spreadable paste. Spread on toasted french bread or baguette. You could spice this up with a little crushed red pepper flakes too :)

Watermelon Feta Salad

I made this salad last year for a friend's Memorial Weekend BBQ. She requested it again this year and I was happy to recreate the dish. It is surprising how well these odd seeming ingredients blend together for a perfect savory/sweet refreshing summer salad. Yum!

1. One 8-pound seedless watermelon, scooped into balls with a melon
baller or cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (10 cups), chilled
2. 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3. 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4. 2 teaspoons kosher salt
5. 1 teaspoon Sriracha
6. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled (2 cups)
7. 1 1/4 cups pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped (optional)
8. 1 small sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
9. 1 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves
10. ½ cup cilantro leaves chopped

Set large colander/strainer inside larger bowl. Prepare watermelon and place in strainer. Allow watermelon to strain while preparing the rest of the dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, salt, Sriracha and pepper. Place strained watermelon in a large bowl, reserve liquid to use if needed. Toss dressing with the watermelon, feta, olives and onion and toss gently. Stir in mint and cilantro and serve. The salad will most likely “juice up” again from the watermelon, if not add reserved juice.

Mango-Ginger-Curry Soup with Shrimp

I made this for a dinner party this week and it was a hit! A great chilled soup for summer, full of vitamin C and nutrient rich coconut milk!

2 ripe mangoes (1lb each), peeled and cubed
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 large clove garlic, minced (maybe a little more if you're a garlic lover like me)
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger (again, more if you love ginger)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red curry paste (or more :))
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can light coconut milk (13.6 oz)
1/2 cup coconut water (more for a thinner soup)
3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
shrimp, cooked, for garnish
cilantro, chopped for garnish

Pulse mangoes, shallots, garlic, ginger, curry and salt in a food processor until smooth. Add coconut milk and water and pulse until well combined. stir in lime juice. Transfer to a bowl and cover and chill for at least one hour. Divide among 4 bowls, garnish with shrimp and cilantro. Yum!

I think the whole shrimp is a nice presentation but you may want to dice the shrimp and garnish that way.

Seasonal Foods for March

Can you feel that spring is almost here? I had some early strawberries about 3 weeks ago that were simply delicious. Shop your local farmers market and see what's seasonal.

March
Beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, mint, parsley, broccoli, radishes, rhubarb, sorrel
sardines (fresh ones!), lobster

McGross.

This is absolutely disgusting. If you can't read it (pronounce it) don't eat it. And please please don't feed it to your children!

http://www.organicauthority.com/foodie-buzz/what-is-in-fast-food-chicken-hint-its-not-chicken.html

Great recipe for Thanksgiving!

Sweet Potato Spoon Bread

From Super Natural Cooking

By Heidi Swanson

3 medium large red-fleshed sweet potatoes

1/3 cup unsalted butter

4 large shallots, sliced into thin rounds

6 oz fresh goat cheese 9or maybe a little more…it is cheese after all)

¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour or while whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup boiling water

3 large eggs (organic)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, garnish

· Preheat over to 350 degrees F, position rack in the middle of the oven, and butter a 2 qt casserole pan

· Pierce each sweet potato with a fork a few times. First, wrap each in parchment paper, and then aluminum foil. Pierce the foiled potatoes to allow steam to escape. Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until they are fork tender. Cool until they can be handled, using a big spoon, scoop out the flesh.

· Increase oven temp to 425.

· Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat and stir in shallots. Cook, stirring frequently until shallots are golden and butter has browned, about 9 minutes.

· In a small bowl, whisk or blend the goat cheese until fluffy and light; you may need to add a few teaspoons of water if the cheese is dry.

· In a large bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, salt and pepper. Add a splash of the boiling water and stir to make a paste,

· Continue adding the boiling water a bit at a time until it is all incorporated. Batter may be a bit lumpy, no worries.

· Add 3 cups of the sweet potatoes and blend using a hand blender or by hand. Stir in sautéed shallots and all of the butter in the pan, then stir in eggs one at a time.

· Put 2/3 of the sweet potato mixture in the prepared casserole dish and top with dollops of the whipped goat cheese. Finish with dollops of the remaining sweet potato mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until goat cheese begins to color and the potatoes have set.

· Serve topped with a dusting of Parmesan.

Facebook

Please check out (and "like") Green Goddess Gourmet San Diego on facebook. I post many articles and recipes there!

Salud!

An Interesting Article

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/beware-misleading-ingredi_b_736273.html#s144171

Pan Roasted Organic Chicken with Braised Kale and Quinoa

(serves 3-4)

2 Tablespoons olive oil
One small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
Organic chicken, drumsticks and thighs (3 each), skin on, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
Salt to taste
Juice from half and orange, save the other half for garnish
1 cup quinoa

• In a large skillet with lid, heat olive oil using medium high heat.
• Add onion and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent, stir frequently
• Reduced heat to medium and add chicken, brown on each side and cover
• While chicken is cooking, prepare quinoa. (see note below)
• When quinoa is cooked (15 minutes), add kale to the chicken. Reduce heat to low and use tongs to gently flip kale uncooked kale on top to bottom of the pan. When most of the kale has started to wilt add orange juice, cover and allow kale to slowly cook for 5 more minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Add more salt to taste is needed.
• Spoon quinoa on center of the plate, next layer kale and chicken.
• Garnish with orange slices

*Rinse quinoa well and strain through colander. Heat 2 cups of water in a kettle to boil. In a small sauce pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add quinoa, stir frequently until you start to smell nutty aroma. Add hot water to quinoa, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.

*Remove skin on chicken for lower fat version

Recipe to go with latest post

http://www.organicauthority.com/organic-food-recipes/desserts/organic-fig-almond-frangipani-tart.html

A Love Affair

I am in love, love, love with fresh figs right now. I can't visit the farmers market without immediately buying a small basket and sampling this delicious fruit as I enjoy the rest of the market (and then I turn around and do it again the next morning at the next market). I have a particular fondness for the Black Mission figs found locally, probably through October. Not only do they have a unique texture and taste, but they are simply beautiful. I almost always split the fig in half lengthwise before eating just so I can admire the beauty of the fruit before enjoying the taste. They may be enjoyed plain, as an appetizer, or make a visually and tasty addition to salads, sides and sauces (and I haven't even gotten to desserts!). Below is a simple way to enjoy these tasty little guys as a appetizer or munchie for you next wine party. I've also included some of the health benefits. Enjoy!

Black Mission figs
Soft goat cheese, possible chevre
chives, cut into 1 inch pieces
a couple of slices of prosciutto, sliced into strips about a 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long
sunflower seeds

Slice some figs completely in half lengthwise. Others, remove the stem and make 2 crisscross slices in the top, cutting about half way down the fig from top to bottom.
For the halved figs, put a small dollop of goat cheese and top with either 2 pieces of the chives or sunflower seeds.
For the crisscrossed figs, roll the prosciutto into a funnel and gently stuff the fig. You may add chives to this one for garnish. Play around with the ingredients or come up with your own! But the combination of the sweet fig, creamy cheese and salty prosciutto or sunflower seeds is delicious.

FIGS

• a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps control blood pressure
• A good source of dietary fiber
• A good source of calcium
• Fig leaves have been shown to have anti-diabetic properties, lower triglycerides and inhibit certain cancer cells
• Eating 3 servings of fruit may lower risk of age related Macular Degeneration