ricotta and piquillo pepper frittata

key adaptation saveur

brunch is my favorite weekend activity. more delicious brunch dishes to come soon. first prepared this dish for taryn's birthday this past may and enjoyed it so much that it had to be duplicated the very next day and enjoyed throughout the week. this dish is equally delicious served hot or cold. it pairs well with a salad for a lovely lunch. 

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup grated pecorino

• 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

• 2 tsp dried basil

• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes

• 8 eggs, beaten

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

• 2 purple, 2 red skinned, 2 yukon gold, sliced into 1/8" rounds

• 3 piquillo peppers, seeds/excess liquid removed, sliced into 1/4" strips

• 3/4 cup ricotta 

1. turn oven onto the broiler setting.

2. in a large boil, whisk together 1/4 cup of pecorino, parsley, 1/2 tsp of salt, oregano, dried basil, red chili flakes, eggs, and season with black pepper. put egg mixture aside. 

3. in 10" nonstick oven proof skilled over medium-high heat. add the remaining salt, onions, and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned and carmelized and soft, about 20 minutes.

4. turn heat down to medium-low heat, add egg mixture to skillet and lightly stir to distribute the onions and potatoes evenly. scatter the peppers over the top, spoon the ricotta over the mixture in 6 dollops and sprinkle with remaining pecorino. cook slowly until egg mixture sets and is almost cooked through about 15 mins.

5. turn off heat and place skillet under the broiler until cheese is lightly browned and egg is completely cooked. run a rubber spatula around the edges of the frittata to loosen it. slide the frittata onto a serving plate or cut into 8 slices and serve from the pan. this is sometimes easier and fool proof then trying to remove from pan.

farro salad with broccoli and red cabbage

key creation

this is my favorite cold salad of the summer. i've prepared it midweek for co-worker lunches, hollywood bowl concerts and summer friday picnics. farro (similar to barley, but better) has a lovely, chewy, satisfying texture that makes me think that i could live a happy life as a vegetarian. 

BUT let's not get crazy. 

ingredients:

• 1 cup farro, cooked and cooled

• 3 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced

• 2 cups broccoli

• 1 fresh ear of corn, husked

• 4 scallions, finely chopped

• 1/3 cup basil leaves, loosely chopped

dressing:

• 2 tbsp wasabi mayo 

• 1/2 tsp white miso

• 4 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

• 1 tsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp honey

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• s/p (salt and pepper)

• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely diced

1. boil farro for 20 mins or until desired tenderness. add salt to water midway through cooking. 

2. cut broccoli into bite sized florets and blanch. set aside.

3. boil ear of corn for about 5 mins, remove from boiling water. allow to cool before carefully removing kernels with knife. set aside. 

4. in large bowl combine cabbage, broccoli, corn, scallions and basil. 

5. in smaller bowl whisk last eight ingredients for dressing until well combined.

6. lightly toss dressing in larger bowl with veggies. 

7. chill salad for about 30 mins and then enjoy.

farro is mostly a whole grain and it's best to add salt or acids later in the cooking process so it doesn't slow the softening of the grain. 

blanching is an easy technique used to keep vegetables crisp and tender. boil vegetables briefly then chill them in ice water. this preserves texture, color and flavor.

shopping notes:

farro can be a little tricky to locate. in los angeles you can find at surfas in culver city. look for it  in the refrigerator section. 

wasabi mayo and white miso can be purchased at any specialty japanese market such as mitsuwa. surfas also carries many specialty items.

http://www.mitsuwa.com/tenpo/sant/eaccess.html

summer friday beach day

summer friday sandwich

key creation

inspired by an upcoming summer friday and the recently passed bastille day, i stumbled across a sandwich recipe for "pan bagnat", a french picnic staple. being a recipe purist, i followed the directions exactly and it was very delicious but felt it lacked the extra zest and spiciness needed for a sandwich. the recipe below is my version losing the black olive tapenade and replacing it with a garlicky basil spread. additionally, i've added piquillo and jalapeno peppers to give the extra kick. it's important to season well with salt and pepper along with extra olive oil for drizzling. this sandwich needs to rest and chill out in the fridge so the flavors have a chance to combine and intensify.

'la maison du pain' located on quiet stretch of pico blvd at ridgeley is my favorite bakery in the entire city. words cannot describe how much i love my neighborhood boulangerie...it makes me so happy. for this recipe i've used their house baguette because of it's flat rectangular shape, perfect for stacking ingredients. the black olive baguette is another favorite along with the decadent and creamy chocolate mouse. 

http://www.lamaisondupain.net/

 

ingredients

• 1 freshly baked 'la maison du pain's' house baguette, sliced lengthwise

• 6 tbsp basil spread (see below)

• 2 cans trader joe's solid white tuna in olive oil, drained

• 3 scallions, thinly sliced 

• 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

• 6 radishes (mix white and red varieties), thinly sliced

• 8 cherry tomatoes (mix yellow and red), sliced in half lengthwise 

• 2 traders joes's piquillo peppers (excess liquid/seeds removed), thinly sliced 

• 1 jalapeno, seed removed, finely chopped

• extra olive oil for drizzling

• s/p (salt and pepper)

basil spread directions:

1. in food processor combine  1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, 3 tbsp olive oil and 2 cloves garlic. pulse until well combined.

sandwich building directions:

1. combine tuna and scallions together in bowl with fork. drizzle 1 or 2 tbsp of olive oil. add salt and pepper to taste.

2. spread basil mixture on both sides of sliced open baguette.

3. layer ingredients first with tuna, radishes, tomatoes, piquillo peppers, egg slices and jalapenos. 

4. drizzle oil oil over stacked ingredients and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. place top portion of baguette on top. wrap sandwich in tinfoil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or better overnight.

6. cut into desired sized slices and enjoy.

marinated green bean and zucchini salad

this salad is very refreshing for hot summer days. the only down side is that it does require a bit of prep work so allow plenty of time. 

ingredients

• 1 lb zucchini, trimmed

• 2 lb green beans (mix green/yellow), trimmed

• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped

• 1 cup white mushrooms, sliced

• 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

1. using a knife or mandoline, julienne zucchini.

2. halve the green beans lengthwise and again horizontally. 

3. blanch vegetables, drain, and transfer to a bowl. 

4. add dill, scallions, and mushrooms. toss with vinegar and oil, season with salt/pepper. 

5. refrigerate for at least 30 mins before serving. 

note: the longer the salad sits; the vibrant greenness of the vegetables will begin to fade. 

 

"french 75" bastille day cocktail

key adaptation gourmet

recipe inspiration for this drink concoction began with the impending celebration of france's bastille day. my dear friend karen resides in paris and well in her honor i celebrate bastille day. any excuse to have a party.

1. fill a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and add 1 jigger (3 tbsp) of hendrick's gin, 3 tbsp  simple syrup and 3 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice. shake mixture vigorously. strain evenly into 3 (6 oz) high ball glasses packed with ice. top glass with chilled champagne. 

shopping note: surfas in culver city sells 6 oz high ball glasses for about $15 per dozen.

http://www.surfasonline.com/ 

oatmeal blueberry cookies

key adaptation 7.15.09

cookies have become my new tiny obsession and this oatmeal cookie is my new favorite. 

these can be enjoyed anytime of day; morning, noon and night. in my opinion, oatmeal cookies should be served chewy. cardamon is the secret ingredient bringing depth to the spiciness of the cookie. due to the high level of moisture from the fresh berries, i like to store extras in the fridge to prevent them from spoiling too quickly. 

ingredients:

• 1 cup flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground cardamon

• 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 2 tbsp honey 

• 1/2 cup raspberries OR blueberries

• 1/3 cup pecan, broken into small to mid-size pieces

1. mix dry ingredients together and set aside.

2. cream butter and sugars until well combined and creamy.

3. add egg and honey, mix well. stir in vanilla.

4. stir in dry ingredients. stir in pecans. stir in raspberries.

5. let dough rest in fridge for an 30 mins to firm up.

6. drop by the rounded teaspoons on cookie sheet.

7. bake at 350 degree for about 8-10 minutes, until edges are golden and just set. 

8. cookies are best enjoyed chewy.