Superfood Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 carrots

2 beets

2 apples

(Shred all of the above in food processor with grating attachment, or you can slice all of the above thinly using a mandolin)

1 bunch broccoli (finely chop florets)

1-2 bunches kale (chopped finely)
1/4 cup roasted & salted sunflower seeds (shelled)
1 avocado, cut into cubes

Dressing:

Juice of 2 lemons

6 finely chopped garlic cloves

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

the zingiest pasta of summer

hey peeps. just devoured a pasta like this at cuoco.  i'm all about lemon, garlic & spice and have been all over this since i figured out how to replicate it at home.

Dan isn't big into carbs so it's my go-to when he's not home.

SPICY LEMON, GARLIC & PARM SPAGHETTI
If you're eating for 1, here's what you'll need (multiply accordingly if there are other guests in your party, or extra hunger in your belly):

8 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup parsley (finely chopped)
1 tbsp butter
splash of olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (use your microplane)
zest of half a lemon (or zest of a full small lemon, use your microplane again)
spaghetti for one, can be quinoa or regular gluten pasta (cooked al dente in heavily salted water)

cook your spaghetti in heavily salted water (i heard somewhere that pasta water should taste like the ocean). drain and set cooked pasta aside. add butter, olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes to your pan. cook about 5 minutes on low heat, until garlic is cooked and not brown and the spice of the flakes begins to develop. add in lemon zest. add in your pasta. toss. remove from heat and add in your finely grated parm.

get that pasta into a bowl and slurp it up.    

i glove glogg

as part of the Hatch family Christmas tradition, glögg is made and enjoyed by all around the holidays.  according to the internet, it's typically made with wine and actually means "mulled wine." this is the sacred Hatch family recipe, a booze-free winter warmer. it heats up your bones and keeps you on your toes.

glögg
2 cups loose black tea
10 cups water
3 cups pineapple juice
3 cups orange juice (juice of 3-4 lemons)
3/4 cups fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp whole cloves
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 quarts water


mix tea and first ten cups of water. brew tea for about ten minutes and strain. add the remaining ingredients to the strained tea, stir well and bring to a boil. cook on low overnight or for a few hours to get the flavors really going.  

Have a lemon soup

Every year since we first moved to Seattle in 1994, we've gone to the fall Greek Festival at Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church.  After sixteen years this festival draws us in with the dancing (little kids dress up and perform traditional Greek dances on stage), food and a Greek market that will knock your socks off.  It's the ideal place to stock up on blocks of feta, kalamata olives, fresh-pressed olive oil, salty capers and fresh baked breads and baklava.  And the ladies at the checkout will pinch your cheeks and sweetly ask if, "you want another loaf of bread, honey? God bless you." It's a marvelous experience, and I'm always amazed at the camaraderie between the people at the festival, it's like a big family and they welcome you in with kindness and their delicious cuisines. This year was the 50th anniversary of the Greek festival, and we were there again with our tokens, and after a stop at the market, sat down and enjoyed a few favorites - avgolemono soup, lentil soup, Greek salad, and mini donut holes.  Everything I tried made me want to master the art of Greek cooking, and promptly pick up some books and spices to do so.  Until then, here's a recipe for their lemon soup, that requires only a few basic ingredients - eggs, rice, chicken broth and lemon. When all mixed together a heavenly combination is created.  I'm still trying to figure out how they season their lentil soup, it's the most flavorful I've ever tasted, I'll keep you posted on that quest.

AVGOLEMONO SOUP (GREEK LEMON SOUP)

Ingredients
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup long-grain rice
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley

Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large sauce pan. Toss in the rice, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. While you wait, whisk together the egg yolks and lemon juice.

When rice is done, turn off heat. Remove about a ladle full of the hot broth, and whisk it into the egg-and-lemon mixture. When combined, take this mixture and whisk it into the sauce pan. Return the pot to medium heat, and cook until soup is hot, but not boiling.

Garnish with parsley and a slice of lemon, and serve.

spicy citrus fish

as I have mentioned, Mark Bittman knows what is up. I was looking for new and exciting ways to prepare fish and this one really struck my fancy. I served it with halibut from the market cooked on the grill. This salsa is so refreshing and flavorful,it would be good with all types of fish or even atop grilled chicken, shrimp or pork tenderloin.


It's got a bit of a kick to it, even though I didn't use the full-strength habanero peppers Mark recommends, I tried it with one serrano pepper and one fresh jalapeño pepper, both chopped - ribs, seeds and all.  If I were to make it again, I would probably try to decrease the spice by either using just one jalapeño or just one serrano.  


This citrus-salsa comes for traditional Mayan cuisine and is known as xec 
(pronounced "shek"), it's traditionally made with bitter oranges, grapefruits and lemons.  I tried it with one orange, one grapefruit, a lemon and a lime.

Here's the recipe in it's full, shining glory:


Fish with Spicy Citrus Salsa
Mark Bittman, the Minimalist

1 small grapefruit

1 orange

1 lime

1 large lemon

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/3 cup red onion, minced

1/2 habanero, jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded and minced

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons oil

1-2 halibut fillets, 4 to 6 ounces each, preferably skin on (and scaled).

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut orange and grapefruit in half horizontally and section it as you would a grapefruit; do this over a bowl to capture all its juice. Remove seeds and combine flesh and juice in bowl. Repeat with lime and lemon. Stir in cilantro, onion, pepper and salt. Set salsa mixture aside.

Put oil in a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. A minute later, add fish, skin side down; season top with salt. Cook until skin begins to crisp, 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to oven. Cook another 3 or 4 minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife meets little resistance when inserted into thickest part of fish. Serve fish with xec, immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

roasted artichoke

I grew up loving steamed artichokes served with lemon butter.  My favorite part was the artichoke heart at the end, once all the leaves had been eaten, and eating the heart dipped in more lemon butter.  I saw this recipe for Roasted Artichokes the other day on Pinch My Salt and had to try it.  If you try making this, make sure to cook the artichokes long enough for their size, probably about an hour and 15 minutes, otherwise they turn out being slightly bitter. Both artichokes tasted pretty good, but the smaller artichoke of the two tasted better.

WHOLE ROASTED ARTICHOKES

What to do:
Preheat oven to 425. Rinse the artichokes, and cut off the top quarter of the artichoke, and the bottom of the stem so that it can sit flat on the base as it bakes.  Rest each artichoke on a piece of aluminum foil that you've drizzled with olive oil.  Stuff 2-3 garlic cloves in the leaves of each artichoke, douse with the juice of half a lemon, and about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Sprinkle with kosher salt.  Wrap entire artichoke in aluminum foil and bake at 425 for about an hour and 15 minutes.  Serve with lemon butter or the lemon and oil juice that results from baking.  Don't forget to eat the heart once you've finished all the leaves.

quin whaaaa??

I'm always on the look out for a tasty new salad.  It's nice to have a big batch on hand for lunches and dinners throughout the week. this particular quinoa salad is filled with herbs, veggies, lemon juice and vinegar. plus it's pretty versatile in terms of herbs and veggies that can be included, and the freshness of the lemon vinaigrette makes it perfect for spring and summer. i just learned that quinoa is a close relative of beets and spinach, part of the reason why it's so healthy.  it's also extra good for you because of its high levels of protein, amino acids, fiber, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. to top it all off, it's gluten-free. go quinoa.  

Refreshing Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 cucumber, cubed

3 roma or on the vine tomatoes, cubed

4 green onions, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

1/3 cup italian parsely or cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup basil, chopped

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

Rinse quinoa in cold water in a fine mesh colander and let drain well. Bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and bring to a full rolling boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer; simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let the quinoa slowly finish for another 10 minutes. Cool in the refrigerator.

Peel and dice cucumber. Dice the tomatoes. Thinly slice green onions. Chop fresh mint,  chop cilantro or parsley and basil. In a bowl mix together lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil.

When the quinoa has cooled, toss with cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, herbs and dressing.

i wouldn't really call it a flower

cauliflower or "cabbage flower" is something I ate a great deal of growing up, but never especially enjoyed.  it was usually served steamed, watery and on the bland side of things.  sometimes served with cheez whiz, which is a sauce that you can conveniently scoop out of a jar and melt, in order to easily pour over any vegetable. you can also add it to macaroni noodles for a "homemade" macaroni and cheese sauce or add salsa to it for a homemade chili con queso dip.

on a recent visit to New Orleans, we ordered a fried cauliflower appetizer served with a chile vinegar sauce.  Although everything is better fried, including the pickles, oysters, okra, chicken and dough that were also consumed on this NOLA trip, I try to steer away from the deep fried lifestyle at home. This appetizer opened my eyes to the flavor potential of cauliflower that is so often masked or subdued by steaming.  It also inspired me to pair it with something more acidic, to give it a little zing.

this is a good side dish for any meal, and is also nice served chilled in a salad.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and broken into small florets
4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoons of grated parmesan to finish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim cauliflower and set aside in a mixing bowl.  Mix garlic, lemon and olive oil in a small bowl.  Pour the lemon garlic mixture over the cauliflower and stir to coat the florets evenly.  Spread onto a cookie sheet or baking dish, and bake for 5-8 minutes or until tender.  The cauliflower may brown on one side, but that adds to the flavor.

Toss with parmesan before serving.

lemon + capers = chicken piccata

ever since my mom introduced me to this dish a few years ago, I have been obsessed.  I became even more obsessed when I discovered that it's pretty breezy to make.  it's just browning some chicken, squeezing some juice and making a little sauce out of the juice and capers. easy breezy. lemon and capers. pure enjoyment.

CHICKEN PICCATA

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt half of the butter with half the olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt remaining butter and olive oil together. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Serve with pasta, I usually toss the pasta with the remaining sauce from the chicken.

living off the land, a labor of love

Labor day weekend marks the best weekend of the year to live off the bounty of the land. this is because all laborers take a break, and no one is around to cook your meals and wait on you hand and foot. to commemorate this day we caught a few crabs, Dan caught a salmon and then we ate what we caught.


the prize-winning salmon

if you extend your arm so that the fish is closer to the camera, it makes the fish look bigger. that's why this fish looks so huge.

crabs from the crab pots

crabs cooking in a pot on the BBQ

LEMON DILL SALMON

Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. worcesterschire

juice of half a lemon

2 tsp. dried dill

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Mix all of these ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

for the fish:

olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1-2 lbs. salmon fillets

salt and pepper

juice of half a lemon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After you've prepared the sauce, drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a glass baking dish, and cover with sliced onions. Place salmon fillets on the bed of onions, salt and pepper fish, and then cover fish with the juice of half a lemon. Spread the salmon with a light layer of the sauce mix, and then sprinkle with additional dill for garnish. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until fish is opaque. Serve fish alongside the baked onions.

this pie sweats...so you don't have to

this was my first endeavor with a making a lemon meringue pie, and i made it for corey moran's birthday dessert. it was pure deliciousness. gotta love the lemon. i really really love the lemon. i think this is my new favorite. and now that i know that this isn't such a high maintenance pie after all, and that i can turn egg whites into stiff peaks while i'm watching tv (thanks to the kitchenaid), we are in trouble. i want to make it everyday.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE
(Courtesy of Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything)

1 flaky pie crust (out of the freezer section or homemade)
1 cup granulated sugar
salt
boiling water
4 eggs, separated
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons grated or minced lemon zest
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

In saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, and flour. Gradually add hot water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Stir small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks to temper, then return to hot mixture. Bring back to boiling and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add butter and lemon zest. Slowly add lemon juice, mixing well. Pour into pastry shell. Spread meringue over filling to the edges. Bake at 350 F for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool before cutting, best served cool.

Bon Anniversaire, Kelly Dear!

If one lady has got the joie de vivre, it's this girl. Sweet little Kelly had a b-day last week, and for her special day she had a sweet little sushi celebration. To satisfy Kelly's lemon love, Lily brought lemon cupcakes with white icing. She made the candied lemon segments herself, and they were perfect. moshi moshi j'taime. j'taime kelly aussi.

tangy surprise ice cream minis

these ice cream sandwiches are adapted from the Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Bluberry Swirl featured in this month's Gourmet. i'm not going to claim that i used the recipe they provided, although it was 100% what inspired me to go down this path, i made a few significant departures that resulted in an ultimately tangier and more miniature product. here's where i strayed...i did not bake my own sandwich layers. i used the leftover nilla wafers from the cheesequakes. i did not measure a gosh darn thing. i just put some blueberries in a pot and some juice in some ice cream, and ta-dah....it became a dessert. this is a perfect no-bake treat for those who don't like to measure and have come to appreciate the art of eyeballing and taste testing. i have learned that, in life and in cooking, your eyeballs and taste buds rarely let you down.

Here's about what i did, and what ingredients are needed to recreate:

Tangy Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Snacks

40-50 nilla wafer snack cookies
3 cups vanilla ice cream
1 lemon (juiced and zested)
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, i used frozen)
2 tsp. cornstarch

Mix ice cream with zest of one lemon and 1/2 of the lemon juice, place back in the freezer while you prepare the blueberry compote. Heat blueberries over medium heat until they release some juices, mix cornstarch and remaining lemon juice and add to blueberries. Stir about 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour. Once the compote has cooled, swirl into ice cream mixture. Sandwich blueberry lemon ice crean between two nilla wafers and wrap in cellophane. Chill another hour before serving. Makes 20+ ice cream sandwiches.