Steamed Artichokes with Vegan Herbed Aioli

Spring is coming to southern California and even in LA, where the seasons barely change, there is something magical about this time of year. 

Flowers seem brighter, the air gets warmer and, of course, the farmer's market starts filling up with the tender greens and bright fruits that hint at the arrival of summer. 

Green Herb Risotto with Savory Mushrooms

Spring is finally here, and with it, an abundance of fresh green veggies and herbs. Living in Southern California means there isn't exactly a dearth of fresh produce in the winter, but with spring comes those tender green morsels that potatoes and squash just can't compete with. 

Freshly shelled sweet green peas!

When I saw this recipe for Green Risotto on Serious Eats, I knew I had to make it. Fresh herbs and spinach are pureed and added to creamy rice, then topped with savory sauteed mushrooms.

Tomato Jam on Rosemary Focaccia with Goat Cheese

Sweet. Tart. Savory. Rich. This tomato jam is so simple to make, yet so complexly flavored.

I made this rosemary focaccia the night before. Topped with a fluffy layer of earthy, tangy goat cheese, the rosemary focaccia stood up to the bold flavors of the tomato jam.

Greek Layer Dip

I've been seeing different versions of this dip flitting around the internet since the Super Bowl, and when I was trying to decide which dip to serve with some freshly made pita chips we got at the farmer's market, I decided that a "Greek" layer dip would be perfect.

Tapas Sunday: Eggplant Caponata

Robust and rich, this flavorful eggplant dish makes a wonderful appetizer with flatbread or toasted baguette. Eggplant is cooked with onions, tomato, garlic, olive oil, capers, olives, and fresh herbs until soft, then sprinkled with toasted nuts and served hot, room temperature, or cold. It seems like every cook has their own version of caponata. I looked at several caponata recipes for reference, but in the end I relied mostly on  my personal taste. The resulting eggplant dish was savory and oh-so-satisfying. I can't wait to try the leftovers with pasta!

Eating in Galicia: Nate's Guest Post

In June, Nate went to Spain to record the music for the movie Invasor. Knowing how badly I wanted to be there to explore the sights and flavors of Galicia, he promised to take pictures and document his favorite meals, so he could share them with me, at least visually, once he returned.

Gastronome Gone Galicia 

by Nate Underkuffler

At midday I could feel all the heat of Iberia pouring forth from the land and colliding with the undulant swells of the Ensenada Del Orzan. The water was sparkling and iridescent, lunging and swaying without respite towards the sun. The coarse quartz beach lay against the age-old stone and concrete rampart of the city’s promenade as a pile of finely-washed translucent gravel, swishing beneath the bare feet of beachgoers.

This being a travelogue of Europe, we quickly reach the subject of describing the people and their myriad eccentricities…. I can barely find a person under the age of 50, but the amount of exposed skin might exceed the modesty of an American 20 year old on spring break.

The heat may bombard us from the arid heart of Iberia, but the Atlantic sea breeze pushes right back against it; and on “The Groyne” it’s the ocean that securely claims authority. The salty air washes like a transparent extension of the cresting swells from which it originates, filling every winding, narrow cobble-stone paved alleyway in the city of A Coruña.

 As a stout Galician waiter hastily delivers me a platter of the reddest and sweetest, tiniest little shrimp you’ll ever taste (freshly yanked from the bay that morning), I can nearly see a crust of sea salt condensed from the air and accreted with loving embrace upon every window ledge and doorframe. My olfactories barely detect a distinction between the aroma of the array of tiny crustaceans adorning my plate and that of the greater ambience.

The sweet shrimp of Galicia

(These guys did a pretty decent job of embodying the 'old world charm')

It’s a damn fine place to dig into a plate of shellfish, this oft-overlooked maritime corner of Europe. A Spain that isn’t particularly Spanish. A resource-rich oasis on a typically resource-exhausted continent that isn’t particularly rich. Or particularly continental for that matter; most at first glance would be apt to mistake this for the emerald isle or maybe even California’s central coast; as long as you ignored the almost goofy rickety thicket of concrete and glass architecture. The Romans technically claimed it, but really only to satisfy their famed desire for completeness. The Arabs never really noticed it was here. And the Spanish national government has always had more than it could handle with the far more unruly provinces of the peninsula to give the little corner of Galicia much notice.

I was there to record with their Orchestra, which turned out to be a world-class assemblage of musicians ranging in origin from Bulgaria to Pennsylvania. The graciously arts-supportive government of Spain gave us free reign of the orchestra for an entire week for the purposes of promoting the Spanish film industry, and we were more than happy to take them up on the offer to inject our modestly-budgeted film “Invasor” with a healthy of dose of symphonic muscle.

But the food. Oh the food! It was heavy, light, fresh, fermented, diverse, traditional, daring and celebrated. Everything good grub should be. Here are some highlights: 

A typical lunch, delivered to us at the recording studio and presented Tapas-style:

THIS is a casual peasants’ lunch in Galicia:

Sardines wrangled from the bay strait into the sports-pub where I snacked on them like french fries while watching España trounce France in the world cup (yeah, it was legit):

Padron Peppers from Padron itself (it’s down the street) that have laid eyes upon a select few elements: a lush field, a touch of exquisite olive oil, a hot pan, and a few hefty chunks of Atlantic sea salt: 

Editor's Note: "I think your Padron Peppers are just as good...if not better!" -Nate

Lots and lots of flaky-soft pescado:

Lounging by a pool on the outskirts of Madrid at the end of a 100-degree day nursing a pitcher of ice-cold gazpacho:

Home-made empanada and Spanish omelet (true mainstays of the diet):

Pay your respects to the one and only Iberian ham sliced table-side:

It's Europe man; wheel out the obligatory life-affirming cheese platter: 

And a proper burn-it-all finale to the week, where the whole city runs around like maniacs on the beach for a night of leaping over giant bonfires. Truly, a land free from Lawyers:

Tapas Sunday: A Farm Fresh Feast!

This Sunday, Nate and I visited the Underwood Family Farms. We had quite a lot of goodies to choose from for our tapas extravaganza!

I started off by making this "Magic Sauce," a blend of olive oil, garlic, paprika, thyme, rosemary, oregano, lemon juice, salt, and crushed red pepper.

I decided to make some Roasted Baby Blue, Red, and White Potatoes. I tossed them with about 2 TBSP of the sauce, then roasted them at 400° for about 20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. I sprinkled the potatoes with salt, then served them on the table with the rest of the sauce for dipping.

Nate stepped up to the plate and made some Fried Green Tomatoes! He worked off of this recipe but made some modifications along the way. He did a great job! The crust was crunchy and not greasy, and the tomatoes were just tender enough. We dunked the tomatoes in the amazing garlic/basil dip I got from Brothers Mediterranean Food at the Farmer's Market.

Next up, I made Stuffed Red Cherry Peppers Wrapped in Bacon. Oh yeah. I cut the tops off the peppers and scooped out the seeds. They are a little spicy without the seeds, and REALLY spicy with them! I then cooked the bacon on one side in a frying pan (1 slice per pepper). The filling consisted of 2 T cream cheese, 2 T goat cheese, and 1 T "Magic Sauce," mixed together until smooth. I stuffed the peppers with the cheese, then wrapped them in the slices of bacon, with the crispy side of the bacon facing the pepper (since the outside would get crispy in the oven). I baked them at 400° for 10 minutes, until the peppers were mostly tender and the cheese was nice and gooey.

Last but absolutely not least, we had a platter of Sliced Heirloom Tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with Magic Sauce and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

We served it all with some wedges of fresh pita bread from the market and a glass each of chilled Pinot Grigio.

Not a bad spread! Though we couldn't finish any of it (except for the peppers). Let's just say I'm pretty excited about my heirloom tomato and pita bread lunch tomorrow!

Crostini with Goat Cheese and Peach-Jalapeno Jam

Last night we had some friends over, which means I got to do one of my favorite things...make snacks! I had four peaches sitting in the fridge, and I knew that a slightly spicy, sweet peach jam would be the perfect complement to some tangy chèvre.

I was right, and everyone loved the crostini. I served it along with some roasted potato bites with a homemade lemon curry mayo. That was amazing too, but I forgot to take a picture! We also had a selection of beverages, including cider, beer, and wine.

From top to bottom: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA, Lagunitas IPA, Samuel Smith's Organic Hard Cider.

Other than the homemade mayo, the crostini was definitely the big hit of the night. This recipe was super easy to put together and was just delicious! The only thing to watch out for is the boiling jam, because it splatters like crazy and sticks to your skin like magma. I have the red burn on my wrist to prove it.

Crostini with Goat Cheese and Peach-Jalapeno Jam

4 peaches, peeled and cut into chunks, then pureed in blender until mostly smooth
2 Jalapenos, seeded and diced small
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
Juice of 1 lime
1 scant cup of sugar

1 loaf crusty bread (baguette or ciabatta)

1 4oz log chèvre

Add all of the ingredients (except the bread and cheese!) to a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, stirring to combine. I recommend tasting the jalapenos to see how spicy they are. The ones I got were not spicy at all, so I added some cayenne pepper. The jalapenos did lend a nice peppery flavor to the jam, nonetheless.

Cook the jam over medium heat, and bring it to a boil. Cook it until the foam on top subsides and the jam is thick enough to stick to the back of a spoon. You can let it get as thick as you like, I would have liked to cook my for a little longer but I only had an hour and a half after I got home to clean the apartment and get all the snacks together!

Once the jam is thickened to your liking, chill it in the refrigerator.

Slice the bread about 1" thick. Brush with olive oil and toast or broil until golden and crispy on top. Spread with goat cheese while still warm, then top with peach-jalapeno jam, and garnish with some ribbons of basil.

The best part is that this morning, I made goat cheese and peach jam stuffed french toast for breakfast out of the leftovers!

Tapas Sunday: Heirloom Tomatoes

As the summer progresses, something miraculous happens at the market... HEIRLOOM TOMATOES appear at nearly every stall. Brown, yellow, red, magenta, orange...bulbous, round, oblong...these tomatoes are incredible to look at and, best of all, incredible to eat!

Nate and I were feeling tired after a late night with friends, so when we got home from the farmer's market, I wanted to whip up something easy and delicious. These tomatoes did just the trick...

They are best prepared as simply as possible. Slice, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

The yellow tomato was bright and tangy, while the brownish-greenish-reddish one tasted...like tomato heaven. Seriously, it was probably my favorite tomato I have ever tasted, even though it was pretty ugly on the outside. 

I served them alongside some wedges of warmed fresh pita bread and a garlicky, basil-infused dip I got at a Mediterranean food stall at the market.

With a glass of freshly brewed iced tea to wash it all down, this was an incredibly refreshing, satisfying meal. 

Padron Peppers

This tapas dish may be one of the simplest, quickest, and tastiest snacks ever made. Padron peppers (Shishito peppers can also be used) are quickly sauteed in hot olive oil until the skin blackens and blisters, then are sprinkled liberally with sea salt and served. A fun surprise? About one in ten Padron peppers is very very spicy, while the rest are mild (like Shishito peppers), earning them the nickname "Russian Roulette Peppers." This batch, which we served at our inaugural Tapas Sunday, didn't have any of the spicy buggers — so I guess we'll have to keep on making them!

Sauteed Padron Peppers

1 lb Padron or Shishito Peppers
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan until almost smoking. Add peppers and saute, turning frequently, until slightly blackened and blistered. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Patatas Bravas

Waxy, tender fingerling potatoes roasted until golden and crispy, served alongside a slightly sweet, tart, and spicy tomato based sauce...it may not be 100% authentic, but this roasted Patatas Bravas recipe was delicious, and made a great addition to our first Tapas Sunday spread!

Patatas Bravas are a very traditional Spanish tapas. The more authentic recipe fries the potatoes instead of roasts them, and serves them in the sauce instead of on the side. I chose to roast the potatoes to save on the calories (and the mess!), and left the sauce separate so the potatoes would remain crispy. The sauce was so good I ended up toasting up some baguette slices so we could scoop up the leftovers. Muy Bien!

Roasted Patatas Bravas

For the potatoes:
1 lb fingerling potatoes, scrubbed, dried, and sliced in half lengthwise
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper

For the sauce:

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small-diced yellow onion
2 tsp olive oil
1 T flour

1 can tomato puree
1 can vegetable stock
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 T red wine
1 T white wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.

Toss sliced fingerling potatoes with 1 T olive oil, 1/2 tsp paprika, and some salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking dish and cook for 30 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 425° and cook until golden brown and crispy on bottom.

While the potatoes are cooking:
In a medium sauce pan, saute 2 tsp olive oil, onions, and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Take care not to brown the garlic.

Add 1 T flour and stir to coat. Add the remaining sauce ingredients. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until thickened.

Serve potatoes alongside the bravas sauce. Yum!

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

I love chickpeas, and I'm always looking for new ways to cook them. Nate's not a big fan of the texture of beans, so I thought it would be fun to turn some into a crunchy, spicy snack. This recipe is really easy and makes for a great treat or part snack.

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)

1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and patted dry

1 TBSP olive oil

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350­°. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Set them on a double layer of paper towel. Cover with another paper towel, and gently roll the chickpeas to dry them. Remove the top layer of paper towel and remove any loose skins from the beans. 

Put chickpeas on a large cookie sheet. Put pan in oven and bake for 30 minutes, shaking about every 10 minutes. 

Remove pan from oven. Toss chickpeas with olive oil, spices, salt and pepper, then return to oven for another 20-30 minutes or until crunchy, shaking the pan often.