Tuscan Beans with Kale, Bell Pepper and Sage

For the last ten days, I've been on a healthy kick.  I decided to cut all sugars out of my life.  Probably a month long of birthday celebrations drove me to a wanting-to-be-healthier state of mind.  My body just had enough too.  I know this too shall pass but in the meantime, I have to say that it has been fun cooking for myself for a change and trying new ingredients and techniques.

First of all, I pulled out my electric pressure cooker and started to soak beans.  Not that I really have to when I cook them under pressure but it does make them more digestible.  At least that's what my friend Lisa Soto tells me and I have to say she's right and she also knows a lot more!  Cooking them like this too, they are so much better than out of a can!  You should try it sometimes...

So here is one of the dish I've made with great northern beans also know as cannellini beans.  I used some fresh kale and sage from my friend Patty's garden and it turned out great!  You may have it by itself or along grilled pesto chicken or poached lemon salmon.  At least, that's how I've been eating it so far...

Tuscan Beans wit Kale, Bell Pepper and Sage
Serves 6 as a side dish

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ brown onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped

1 bunch Tuscan kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped

1 cup water or chicken broth

4 cups cooked great northern beans

1 large yellow tomato, chopped

1/3 cup sage leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

            In a 3-quart sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 8 minutes, stirring often.  Add the kale and water,  cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the beans, tomato, sage, salt and pepper.  Stir well, cover and cook for another 5 minutes or until heated through.

Heirloom Tomatoes and Cucumber Salad with a Lemon-Tahini Dressing

After a trip to the farmers market on Sunday morning and only 15 minutes to make a dish to bring to a potluck, this beautiful healthy salad came about.  It will also be a good addition to your 4th of July table along with the expected potato or macaroni salad and coleslaw!

I hope you have a great sunny and safe holiday!  Happy 4th of July!

4 yellow, green and red Heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 Persian cucumber, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup julienned basil
2 teaspoons tahini (toasted sesame paste)
1 small garlic clove, pressed
The zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 to 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
A dash of cayenne pepper and cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Arrange the tomato slices on a platter.  Top with the cucumber slices, parsley and basil.

In a small bowl, combine the tahini, garlic and lemon zest.  Whisk in the olive oil and adjust seasonings with cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

Serves 6-8

Kale, Cucumber and Corn Salad

Not to sound like a bumper sticker but I love kale!  And kale is good for you! Rich in vitamins and minerals and high in fiber.  It has a whole list of specific benefits but that's good enough for me.  Cucumber is another good one for you, filled with vitamin C, potassium and magnesium.  It will keep you hydrated too and has been shown to reduce high-blood pressure! And then there is corn!  I loooove corn!  It is high in fiber and vitamins B and C.

So after a whole week of celebrating and eating out for almost every lunch and dinner, I needed something healthy but quick that I paired with a couple of gluten-free toast with a creamy Brie... What can I say, I'm French...

4 leaves of organic Tuscan or Black kale, stemmed
1/2 ear of organic corn, kernels removed from the cob
1 small organic Persian cucumber, seeded and diced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Wash the kale leaves and dry.  Finely shred the leaves and place in a bowl.  Now you need to massage your kale to break down the fibers and make it more tender... It works... So squeeze it vigorously a few times with your hands.  Add the other ingredients to the bowl and toss.  Let stand a few minutes before eating.  This would be great with some Feta or shredded Parmesan as well.

Serves 1

Strawberry Tart with Limoncello Cream and Toasted Almonds

Well it's been two months since I've been missing in the blogging world... Did you notice?  :-)  I have a whole set of good excuses to give you for my absence but I'll spare you and instead, will share a good recipe... Bon Appetit!  Caroline

Strawberry Tart with Limoncello Cream and Toasted Almonds

Crust:

2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted and cooled

¾ cup flour

¼ cup powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large egg yolk

3 ½ tablespoons olive oil

  

Custard:

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons Limoncello

½ cup milk

1/3 cup cream

Pinch of salt

1 large egg

2 egg yolks

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Tart:

1 ½ pints strawberries, stemmed

2 tablespoons red currant jelly

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.  Make the tart crust:  Pulse the almonds with flour, sugar, and salt to a fine powder in a food processor.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.

            Add the yolk and oil and pulse until just incorporated and a very soft dough has formed.

            Spread the dough evenly over the bottom and up the side of a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.  Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

            Line the shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights.  Bake the shell for 10 minutes.  Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and bake another 5 minutes or until golden brown.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

            (May be made the day before and kept covered at room temperature.)

            Make the custard:  In a small saucepan, bring the lemon juice, Limoncello, milk, cream and salt to a boil. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolks, sugar, flour and cornstarch.  Whisk in the hot lemon mixture and return to the pan.  Bring back to a boil, whisking constantly, and boil for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. 

Pour the custard into the prebaked tart crust and cool.

Arrange the strawberries on top of the custard, cut side down. Sprinkle the almonds in between the berries.  Heat the red currant jelly and brush over the berries. 

(May be made 3 hours ahead and kept refrigerated.)

Serves 6-8 

Chocolate Covered Candied Kumquats

A couple weeks ago a friend gave me some kumquats from her trees.  She didn’t know what to do with them and to be honest with you, neither did I… So they safely lived in my refrigerator until a couple days ago.  With Easter around the corner, I decided that I would make some sort of a dessert or candy to share on Sunday. 

An old recipe for candied orange peels came to mind.  What I remembered was they were delicious but time consuming…  I didn’t cut any corners though and thought these would be a good experiment and also a labor of love!  In the recipe that follows, I candied the kumquats but also decided to dry them.  For the ones that I made, I dried them in a very low oven for 6 hours.  I think it was a little too long.  2 hours were not enough but 4 hours would have been perfect.  Unfortunately I was not home in time and my little orange jewels got a little bit chewy...  Nonetheless they are delicious (I’ve already had a few pieces…) and they just leave you with a nice zesty citrus after thought very characteristic to the kumquats. 

I hope you get to share something sweet with your family and friends this weekend.  Happy Easter and Happy Passover!

Chocolate Dipped Candied Kumquats                                                    Makes about 130 pieces

8 cups kumquats

4 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

½ cup white chocolate, chopped

            Wash the kumquats and cut into half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds and place in a large bowl.  Cover with water by 2 inches.  Refrigerate overnight.

            The next day, drain the kumquats.  In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.  Add the kumquats and boil for 1 minute.  Drain and repeat this process with fresh water.

In the same now empty saucepan, bring the sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil while stirring occasionally.  When the sugar is dissolved, add the kumquats and simmer until translucent, about 35 to 45 minutes.

            Drain the kumquats with a slotted spoon onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet.  Drain for a few minutes.  Transfer the rack with the kumquats onto another baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Place in the oven to dry for about 4 hours on the lowest setting.

            Let sit until cool.

            Place the chocolates into 2 separate bowls.  Reserve a few pieces of each.  Melt the chocolates for about 15 minutes in the oven on its lowest setting.  Stir until smooth, adding the reserve pieces.

            Remove the rack from the baking sheet.  Half dip the candied kumquats into the dark or white chocolate and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Set aside to dry and firm up.

            Transfer into an airtight container, layered with wax paper.  Refrigerate up to a month.  Serve at room temperature.

Tarte aux Pommes

That would be French Apple Tart!  And it is my mom's recipe and the first tart I've ever made.  It is simple and simply delicious.  She still makes it quite often and it is one that I enjoying sharing once in a while.  The picture is of the last one I baked in a rectangular shape in a large and old jelly roll pan.  I arranged the apple slices in the diagonal, like my mom taught me but you can also make rows of apple slices instead.  I always have to line the pan with parchment paper because my pan is very old.  Probably the first one I bought when I moved to the states 22 years ago but it still makes the best pie crust because it is dark and thin.  It attracts the heat better than a regular metal or glass pan and therefore makes the crust brown and flaky.  The recipe calls for an 11-inch tart pan.  To make it in a large jelly roll or baking sheet like on the picture just double the recipe.  You'll even have a little extra dough and apples to make a small free-form tart that you can just enjoy on your own...

1 ½ cups flour

½ cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

4 to 5 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup apricot jam

            In the bowl of a food processor, place the flour, butter, 1 tablespoon sugar and salt.  Pulse until the mixture forms pea-size pieces.  With the machine running, add the water.  Transfer the mixture to a tea towel and press into a disk.

            Lightly flour the towel and roll the dough into an 11-inch circle.  Transfer and press into a 10-inch tart pan.  Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and refrigerate.

            (May be made the day before.)

            Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  Arrange the apple slices into 2 or 3 concentric circles, slightly overlapping each other.  Sprinkle with the 1 ½ tablespoons sugar and vanilla extract and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

            Warm the apricot jam in the microwave and brush onto the hot tart coming out of the oven.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

 Serves 6

Oven-dried Tomatoes

We've had beautiful warm days this winter in Southern California!  It's been so nice to enjoy the beach and the warm sun.  We are so fortunate.  Except today... then again, we are not shoveling snow or anything of that nature... But I thought I would bring a little bit of warmth and sunshine to your plate and these oven-dried tomatoes are perfect!  First of all, you're going to have the oven on for a while so that should warm up your kitchen. And then, these delicious morsels of tomatoes will bring a colorful and summery addition to your plate.  I pair them on a green salad with goat cheese or Feta and Kalamata olives and you have a kiss of Provence right on your plate...

5 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced 1/3-inch-thick

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme and oregano)

Preheat the oven to 250ºF.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Arrange the tomato slices on the prepared baking sheet.  Season with the sugar, salt, pepper and herbs.  Place in the oven and bake for about 2 ½ hours or until shriveled and dried. 

(May be made up to 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated.) 

Arugula, Butter Lettuce and Radish Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

This is a simple and delicious salad.  I love the unusual way the grated radishes are presented on the plate.  They become so much milder this way too.  It is a great salad along a rich stew like the Cassoulet I serve it with this week.  I hope you enjoy it.

Serves 8

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons walnut oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 head butter lettuce, washed and trimmed

4 ounces baby arugula

1 pound red radishes, washed and trimmed

8 large mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed, and sliced

            In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard and vinegar.  Whisk in the oils and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerated until needed.

            Using a food processor fitted with a grating disk, shred the radishes. 

            Form the butter lettuce into 8 cups and place on in the center of each salad plates. 

Divide the arugula among the lettuce cups and top with some mushroom slices.  Sprinkle the grated radishes in a ring around the salad on the rim of the plate.

            The salads may now be covered with film wrap and refrigerated for 2 to 3 hours before serving. 

            Whisk the dressing vigorously and spoon evenly over each salad.  Serve immediately.

            

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies with Bittersweet Chocolate

Just in time for Valentine's, I wanted to share something sweet with you... These cookies are perfect and satisfying.  They were given to me last year for my birthday by a wonderful baker and friend.  Hers didn't look like these and even though I have now made the recipe several times, I still can't replicate them!  I think she used more chocolate than called for and it turned the cookies more into a Florentine than an oatmeal cookie...  Nevertheless, they are fantastic.  This recipe makes 40 medium-size ones but you can vary the size as needed.  They are just sweet enough, chewy enough and crunchy enough.  And because they come from a Cooking Light magazine, you even feel healthy eating them!  Enjoy and have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

3 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup, lightly spooned)

3 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 2/3 cup, lightly spooned)

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

2 cups dried cranberries

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

            Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Combine the flours and rest of dry ingredients in a large bowl.

            Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Remove from the heat; add the brown sugar, stirring until smooth.  Add the sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended.  Add the cranberries, vanilla and eggs; beat until combined.  Fold in the chocolate.  Drop dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on pans for 3 minutes and remove to a rack to cool.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  Or should I say, Bonne Année?  It is still the first week of January and so I think I’m not too late in wishing all of you the best for 2012… I hope it is filled with good health, joy, love and a lot of great food that you’ll be able to share with family and friends.  If things go right and you eat well, good food should bring you health, joy and maybe even love!  I know that’s what food does for me… I am grateful to start this new year with my mom and to be able to share some great moments with her.  This is my time to cook for her and also to take her out to try dishes that she might not find in France.  Actually that’s how we closed 2011… Along with two great foodie friends of mine, December 31^st was spent eating our way through Los Angeles.  Mainly in Little Tokyo.  Even though, we didn’t step foot in a Japanese restaurant, we experienced some great cuisines!  And all this thanks to my friend June who drove us around and knew where to take us.  So today, instead of posting a recipe of mine, I want to share with you these places that we went to…

We started with breakfast at Mom's Tamale in Highland Park.  We tried their Spinach and Feta Tamale, a Chile Relleno and a Carnitas Sopa.  It is a little hole in the wall with the restrooms in the back of the kitchen!  So watch your step and enjoy some great Mexican food in a very casual setting.  I particularly loved their carnitas.

From there, we stopped at Langer's next to McArthur’s Park.  Not the best neighborhood for sure, but definitively the best pastrami I’ve ever had!  They even make their own fresh rye bread.  We ordered the legendary #19 and also an appetizer of Chopped Liver.  Everything was very good and our server matched the old feel of this 1947 must-eat!  We quickly got back to our car and headed to Little Tokyo.

The Spice Table restaurant combines the cuisines of Singapore and Vietnam, homes of the owners.  It is rather trendy with high ceilings and an open hearth where they keep the fire going all day to cook some of their dinner food.  We arrived in the early afternoon and at that time, you can order sandwiches or salads and seat in the dining room.  We shared a Bahn Mi which is a traditional cold-cut sandwich from Vietnam.  It was very fresh and delicious!  They make their own baguette on-site and head cheese.  With the addition of the crisp pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro and jalapenos, it was a perfect mid-afternoon treat.

After that we took a stroll in Little Tokyo and did some shopping.  I even scored a fun $10 colorful sweater jacket and a new hat!  You got to eat in style and you got to have a cocktail… So we headed to The Bar at Spitz LT with their very funky décor and unusual libations.  I had the Santorini Collins with an apricot, lemon, date, fig and anise infused vodka topped with fresh lemon juice, soda and infused fruits.  My friends had another one of their creations and their homemade sangria.  Mom got a lemonade.  Just what we needed…

Our next stop was kind on the German side… We went to Wurstkuche.  This a place where they make different types of sausages ranging from alligator to buffalo.  We took it easy on my mom, though I was very close from ordering the rattlesnake sausage, and we shared a Duck and Bacon with Jalapeno Peppers Sausage and a Buffalo, Beef and Pork with Chipotle Peppers Sausage.  We also devoured a side of their French fries like we had never eaten all day!  I’d like to go back and try some of their other fancy creations.

Our last stop was at the The Lazy Ox Canteen.  This is a nice restaurant with global cuisine.  Most of the specials are written on big chalkboards on the walls and the tables are set close together.  This creates a casual setting yet it has a sophisticated feel.  We ordered the Muscovy Duck and Pork Rillettes which was fabulous.  The Fried Rabbit Livers with Hearts of Palm and Anchovy Vinaigrette were not to be missed but I found the breading on the livers to be a little too heavy.  The Caramelized Cauliflower with Mint and Pine Nuts was too chunky for me but the Lamb Cheeks with Semolina and Red Wine Reduction was probably my favorite dish of the day!

We came back to Orange County and ended our day and year with June’s homemade Chocolate and Espresso Snowballs Cookies washed down with a glass of Ruby Port.  At that point, I was very happy and content.  Mom and I washed the ball drop in New York at 9pm, shared our last 2011 hug and went to bed with our fully expanded and happy stomachs ready for 2012!