Autumn Picnic Food

September in Petaluma means chilly mornings, followed by sweltering afternoon sun. The leaves are starting to yellow, the grass is a pale gold, and it's apple time. I suddenly feel the desire to make heartier fall food, but it's so hot by dinnertime I can't stand to be in the kitchen.  Yesterday I took advantage of the cool morning and made some things ahead of time, a few Asian takes on picnic food, using sweet and bitter vegetables, and some stuffed eggs with a little wasabi kick. Good served cold as lunch food, the salad can also be warmed up and served with pork or chicken at dinner, or with a poached egg over top like everything I seem to make...

The salad is made with roasted beets, Brussels sprouts, and apple, drizzled with a vinaigrette of seasoned rice wine vinegar made with grapefruit and a little sea salt. It's simple.

 

Roast the cubed produce on a sheet pan, drizzled with olive oil and a pinch of salt, 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. While they are cooking prep the vinaigrette.  I added thin slices of red onion and beet to the mix to pickle for the stuffed eggs. If doing that step, allow the slices to sit submerged for at least 15 minutes. To make the vinaigrette, mix 1 part seasoned rice wine vinegar to 1 part fresh squeezed grapefruit, with salt to taste.  The result is tangy and a bit sweet. Drizzle as much as you like over the roasted vegetables while still warm. Salad can be served at any temperature.

I made my stuffed or deviled eggs with just a touch of mayonaisse and a little fresh wasabi and sea salt to taste. Peel hard-boiled eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolk and mash with a fork, adding mayonaisse one heaping teaspoon at a time until you get to the right consistency.  For every egg yolk I used about 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon of wasabi, not too spicy, but flavorful. Stuff the eggs and top with the pickled vegetables, serve chilled.  

Campfire Oats

Oh mason jar. If you weren't so darn useful I'd be sick of you by now. This summer we spent an incredible amount of time at home, tearing things down, building them up. One week we did decide to get away and disappeared into the woods for some camping by the Russian River. It was a test to see if we are all ready to rough it together in a tent with nothing but fire to cook our food.  The boys love to run around in nature and as we suspected, they caught the camping bug. We taught Jasper how to build a campfire.  Around it we read ghost stories, roasted weenies, toasted and burned marshmallows, brewed morning coffee and tried out an idea I came across for mason jar oatmeal. I meant to write about this last month after our excursion, but the the house just took over. Now as we are gearing up for school I thought I'd share the oatmeal recipe as a back-to-school hot breakfast. Made ahead of time and stored in the pantry, all you have to do is pour in hot water and screw the top on, allowing it to stew while you pack lunches and wrangle people to the table...

In addition to 4oz mason jars with lids you need a 1/4 cup of quick oats (or other quick cook grain) and about this proportion of dried fruit, nuts, spices, and brown sugar.  Be sure to add a pinch of salt. Layer into the jar and fit the lid tightly for storing for up to 2 months. To prepare for eating all you have to do is boil some water and pour over the oats almost to the lid line. Seal the lid and allow to stew for 3 minutes.  No extra dairy needed, the oats become creamy and sweet. 

A Summer Chowder

We are really in the sweet spot of summer, when the corn is sweet, and squash and tomatoes are ripe and full of flavor.  Here's a pretty summer chowder chalk full of everything summer with a simple corn stock, salty Canadian bacon and sweet shrimp.

Summer Corn Chowder
6 servings

5 Ears of corn
12 cups water
2 Small zucchini or other summer squash, diced
2 4 small potatoes(yukon gold, white), chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
3 slices Canadian bacon, diced
1 lb medium uncooked, deveined shrimp, chopped into 1" pieces
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp peppercorns
1/4 fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Coarse pepper

Shave the uncooked corn from the cob, reserving kernels in a bowl, and place the cobs into a pot with the water, 2 of the 4 potatoes, the celery, 1/2 of the onion, thyme sprigs, peppercorns and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes. 

While the stock is building, warm olive oil over medium flame in a large saute pan or cast iron skillet. Add in the remaining potatoes, zucchini, other half of onion, garlic, and Canadian bacon. Saute until onions become translucent and potatoes begin to soften.  Add in the corn kernels, and ladle in two cups of stock (you may wish to strain the whole ingredients from the broth). Simmer in the pan until liquid begins to reduce, stirring frequently.  Add in two more cups of stock, reduce heat to medium, and cover for 15 minutes.  Add in shrimp, folding into the chowder, adding in another 2 cups of stock.  Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes until shrimp is pink and plump.  

Portion into bowls and garnish with cilantro and tomatoes, sea salt and red pepper flakes.

A Decade Later

Last week Adam and I celebrated our ten year wedding anniversary.  It hardly seems possible that a decade has gone by since we gathered our family and friends together in a redwood grove in Berkeley and traded vows and rings. Yet here we are. He with silver in his hair, and I with a little more laugh in my lines. We have our two wild haired boys, our now 15 year old cat, and the shelter and promise of our new home. As it turns out, a lot can happen in ten years. We managed to sneak away for a long relaxing weekend in Palm Springs, where we slept in, laid by the pool, and ate late night dinners, but before we left we celebrated with the boys.  At our wedding Adam and I served a family style paella at each table, so we thought it would be the perfect way to recreate the memory. As we sat together in our new backyard, pink peonies on the table like my bouquet, telling bad knock knock jokes, squabbling, sneaking kisses, talking about the big day, we ate our wedding food; our family complete.  

 

I shared a paella a few years ago, here's an updated recipe using little neck clams and a fish stock for cooking. Garnished with green olives for a salty bite, I like this version for it's true seafood flavor, and upping the saffron gives a stronger mineral taste. A chilly Albarino is the perfect wine pairing.

Wedding Paella

12 oz linguisa, cut into 1/2" slices
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
5 cups fish stock (found in frozen section at whole foods)
1 tbsp paprika (smokey spanish variety)
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crumbled
Salt and pepper
8 oz boned, skinned firm white fish (halibut) 
1 lb shelled, deveined shrimp, tails on
8 oz clams, soaked and rinsed, in their shells  
12 cup pitted green olives, cut in half
Lemon wedges 

1. In a 15" paella pan or cast iron skillet (with at least 2 1/4" tall sides) over high heat, turn sausages occasionally until browned on both sides.

2. Reduce heat to medium-high and add olive oil to pan; when hot, add onion, bell pepper and garlic and stir often until onion is limp.  Add rice and stir until it begins to turn opaque, 2-3 minutes.  Stir in wine, fish stock, paprika, and saffron.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring once of twice, until rice is almost tender to bite, 15-18 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Meanwhile, rinse and drain fish and shrimp; cut fish into 1" pieces, scrub soaked clams, discarding any gaping ones that don't close when you tap their shells.

4. Gently stir olives, fish, shrimp and sausages into rice mixture; arrange clams on top.  Cover pan with foil or lid and cook until the rice is tender to bite, fish and shrimp are opaque but still moist looking in center of thickest part, and mussel shells have popped, about 7-8 minutes. Garnish with lemon wedges.

 

Lemon + Thyme

Almost daily, I whip up a lemon-thyme vinaigrette, toss it with arugula and wolf it down with dinner.  I love the bite and saltiness with the peppery greens.  Lemons and thyme are staples in my kitchen, I use them in so many things, from brines to homemade cleaners.  Grind leftover lemon and thyme in the garbage disposal sometime, it's wonderful.  This pair is also really good for you.  Lemon is astringent and thyme is rich in antioxidants. I thought I'd share a few summer inspired lemon-thyme concoctions with you to try over the weekend.  xo, Heather

Here's something to make for your next summer BBQ. Grab a decent handful of thyme, and thin slices of lemon rind, wedge into a spray bottle and fill with water.  Chill in the fridge and use as a body mist to cool off on a hot day. Place the bottle in an ice bucket on a picnic table for guests.  You can use experiment with your herbs. Lavender, mint, rosemary and rose petals would all be wonderfully aromatic and soothing.

I am a big fan of tzatziki. It's both refreshing and satisfying.  Try this twist using quark, a lower fat fresh cheese with a creaminess and natural tang similar to yogurt.  I zested a teaspoon each of lemon rind and thyme (stems removed), added a decent pinch of flaky sea salt to make this version.

Cut up cucumber spears and portion into 8oz glass jars filled with 2oz of the quark for a grab and go snack.

And here's that vinaigrette recipe.  Is it a vinaigrette if it doesn't call for vinegar?  Tried and true, whisk or shake 1 part olive oil to 2 parts lemon juice with a little freshly minced garlic, a pinch or two of sea salt and plenty of fresh thyme leaves. You can drizzle this over grilled chicken and shelfish, toss pasta, marinate beets, or use as a salad dressing.  It's so versatile and a great alternative to vinegar based dressing. 

Pizza Friday

So you guys know we make homemade pizza every Friday, as evidenced by this little movie. Remember when Poppy Haus made movies? We've gotta do some more... Since posting about our pizza tradition, I've heard from so many people that they do the same thing, so I thought it would be fun to share what we put on our pizza each week. The boys almost always have the same thing, but Adam and I tend to use fun combinations of produce and cheese, sometimes with meat, sometimes with a farm egg cracked on top. For this first one, I played with the dough a little, adding some of our fresh rosemary bounty and walnut oil to the mix, topping it with sweet and tart blackberries, a nutty manchego, salty ham, and some peppery rocket added for the last five minutes of baking, no sauce just a bit more walnut oil and sea salt. I think it's rather pretty, and oh it was delicious! Here's the link to my pizza dough recipe with baking instructions. Happy Weekend!  
 

Rosemary Garlic Brined Chicken

My amazing real estate agent brought me a whole grocery bag full of rosemary clippings from her garden last week, with a little note that suggested we could roast a chicken?  Seriously, is your agent that good? Okay Tina, you're on. I'm going to do several posts over the next few weeks that will creatively feature the wonderful, aromatic herb, starting out with a rosemary brine for roasted chicken. 

I am a person who individually doctors every bite of chicken, I just think it tastes so much better with a pinch of salt. Brining the chicken before cooking infuses the meat with flavor, and ensures each bite will be perfect. When I make brine I use herbs, garlic, and ginger, adding some savory to the sweet/salt of the basic mixture.  

  
To make a rosemary brine for a 3lb whole chicken you will need:

1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
3 slices fresh ginger
8 cups hot water

Combine ingredients in a large, deep bowl, stirring until crystals are dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.

I add the chicken whole or butterflied (cut out the back bone and press to crack the breast), or butterflied and cut into 6 pieces (breasts, leg/thigh, and wings).  

Brine chicken for a up to 4 hours.  When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse the chicken and pat dry, reserving the rosemary and garlic for cooking.  Place breast side up on a sheet pan, drizzle with a little olive oil on the skin. Place Rosemary and garlic around the chicken on the pan. Roast for about 35 minutes, or until the breast reaches 180 degrees, and juice runs clear.

Food and Flowers

Every week I pick up flowers at the market. Just as I would replenish the fruit bowl, I make a fresh arrangement for our table.  Right now I am loving proteas.  They are beautiful, weird, and they come in the colors of summer, something that I am really looking forward to.  I thought I might start an occasional series that pairs food with fresh flowers- starting this week with a little Cinco De Mayo flair, because Mexican food goes so well with pretty flowers. For this week's recipe I give you spicy sausage tacos with a simple slaw. This recipe is very flavorful, and so quick to prepare, making it perfect for a week night meal or party food. Happy Weekend!

Spicy Sausage Tacos (3)

6 corn tortillas
2 fully cooked sausage (I used Trader Joes new Korean Style Chicken)
2 cups shredded cabbage 
1 tsp minced serrano or jalapeno 
1/4 diced red onion, plus a few thin slices for garnish
1 lime, juiced, plus wedges for garnish
1/2 avocado, sliced
cracked sea salt

Slice the sausage and sear over medium-high flame in a frying pan until firm and charred on both sides.  In a mixing bowl, toss together cabbage, onion, lime juice and sea salt to taste. Warm tortillas in a pan (dry) on stove top to soften and bring out flavor.  Double tortillas and portion slaw and sausage and avocado slices, garnishing with slices of red onion and lime wedges. Serve with an ice cold Pacifico (obviously).  

Now for the flowers...

I put this arrangement together using a proteas and green snowballs, both found at my local Trader Joes.  Proteas will last up to two weeks with a a fresh cut of the stem and plenty of water, so I'll just switch out the snowballs when they start to wilt. Cutting the stems at different heights gives this simple bouquet some dimension.