Though a little late for holiday cookies, this is a fantastic nut brittle recipe that I had to share!  It isn’t health food but it is delicious and a fun splurge.  I had never made candy before but this year decided to splurge and gifted a bunch of brittle to friends and family.

The primary things to keep in mind to make this recipe are: you need a candy thermometer and the salt (use a specialty salt if you can!) added at the end really does add that extra punch to the brittle!  You can use any type of nut you would like, this year I made the brittle with cashews but almonds, peanuts, anything would be wonderful.  Be sure to spread the brittle as quickly as possible as you poor onto the parchment or other pan – it begins to harden more quickly than you expect.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 12 ounces roasted salted peanuts, cashews, pistachios and/or pecans
• Fleur de sel or crushed Maldon sea salt

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, butter and corn syrup and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is light brown and registers 300° on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda. The mixture may bubble. Stir in the nuts, then immediately scrape the brittle onto a large rimmed, nonstick baking sheet (or other baking sheet lined with parchment paper).
3. Using the back of a large spoon (oil it lightly if it sticks), spread the brittle into a thin, even layer. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Break the brittle into large shards.

Ingredients:

• 1 pie crust
• 3-4 pcs bacon, cut into 1/2? pcs.
• 3 eggs
• 1c. milk (I use 2% typically)
• 1T Dijon mustard (optional)
• 3 small leeks chopped finely
• ~3/4c crumbled goat cheese

1. Pre-bake the pie crust approximately 10 minutes or until lightly colored.  Follow directions on package or recipe used.  Typically this is about 10 minutes at 375.  I like to use  pie weights to keep the crust in nice shape.
2. If necessary, change oven to 375. Cook bacon on stove top. While that is cooking, beat the eggs, milk, and Dijon together in a bowl.
3. Remove bacon to paper towels then cook leeks in some of the left over grease (or olive oil if you prefer).  Cook until softened and nicely colored. Remove from heat.
4. Spread veggies evenly in a pie plate, add bacon & goat cheese covering evenly. Pour on egg mixture. Bake 45min-1hr until egg mixture is firmly set.
5. Serve with a green salad or cooked green side for a perfect dinner.

This recipe is inspired by the outstanding cookbook: How to Cook Meat. I love the detailed pictures and descriptions the authors give about cuts of meat, best ways to prepare, and they don’t forget the sides!

Since Brad and I have joined the Marin Sun Farms CSA (I posted more info here) we have been eating both more and less meat. More because we have a certain amount that needs to be consumed within a month or two, but less too because we only eat this high-quality meat or other meat that we know where it came from. So I’m cooking more meat at home, but eating out less of it. I apologize to the vegetarians but I would encourage you to still try this recipe substituting some tofu or just making a big salad with the dressing. Its delicious!

This spice rub is so flavorful I plan to use it quite frequently. And the dressing has such a great tartness and flavor that it accents the meat perfectly. The nicest thing about this dish is the ability to sub in any type of salad or cooked greens you have, and add any veggies you like to the greens. I served the skirt steak over mixed salad greens, julienned cucumbers & carrots. We loved it!

Meat Rub Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 2 T. cracked coriander seeds (use a mortar & pestle)
• 2 T. freshly cracked pepper (or peppercorns cracked in a mortar & pestle)
• 1 1/2 lbs. skirt steak, cut into 4 portions if desired

1. Combine the spices & soy sauce in a shallow dish then add the meat to marinate.  Turn well to coat.

Lime-Ginger Dressing:

• 1/4 c. olive, canola, or grape seed oil
• 2 T. sesame oil
• 1 t. sugar
• 1/2 c. fresh lime juice
• 2 T. minced ginger
• 1-3 t. finely minced chilie pepper of your choice if desired
• salt & pepper to taste

1. In a small glass jar with a lid (or a bowl and a whisk), combine all ingredients by shaking or whisking well.  Add oil slowly to ensure well combined.
2. Bring a broiler to high with the oven rack about 5″ from the heat.

The Dish:

• salad greens, arugula, bok choy, or whatever other greens you enjoy
• 1/4 – 1/2 c. fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 – 1/2 c. fresh cilantro
• 1/4 – 1/2 c. fresh basil
• 1 large carrot peeled and cut into matchsticks (or shredded)
• 1 cucumber peeled and cut into matchsticks

1. Combine salad ingredients in a salad bowl.  Toss with desired amount of dressing and toss well.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil then place the skirt steak on the pan.  Broil for about 4 minutes per side until cooked to desired doneness.
3. Let meat rest for a few minutes before slicing against the grain and adding to the top of the salad on each plate.

Turnip greens are a bit of a rarity unless you have a garden, frequent your farmer’s market, or get a CSA box with fresh turnips. This was the first time I have been so lucky as to have the turnip greens still attached and so healthy looking that I *HAD* to eat them! If you do not have turnip greens, this recipe will work perfectly for kale, swiss chard, or even spinach.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 handfuls of cleaned turnip greens, torn to bite size pieces
• 1-2 t. canola or grapeseed oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 t. sesame seeds
• drizzle of sesame oil

1. Bring a saute pan to medium high heat then add your canola oil. When this is hot add the greens and a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Stir often so they are nicely coated in oil and can cook evenly.
3. When the greens are getting close to being finished (turning limper and a very dark green color) sprinkle the sesame seeds over them.
4. Finish cooking to desired doneness and remove from heat. Drizzle with sesame oil, mix well then serve.

This rice is quite special – and even moreso because it tastes as though it took a lot of effort but it is extremely simple! Especially if you have a rice cooker – then it might become one of your new favorites. This recipe is straight from Simply Ming by Ming Tsai – a cookbook I am only just now fully appreciating!

So let’s get to it, right?  What is an umeboshi? It is a pickled plum, Japanese style. I found them at my local grocery (Rainbow) but I am certain Whole Foods or many groceries with an “Asian” aisle would stock this as well. They were sold either in jars or in a small tupperware flat type container. I think there are about 20 little pickled plums in my box, but I only used 3 for this recipe. So they go a long way!

The flavor of the umeboshi in the rice is subtle but distinct. And it added a great hint of sourness that perfectly suits the slight sweetness of both the salmon and its miso glaze. The green onion adds a hint of freshness as well. And although I loved this paired with the fish & greens, I’ll be eating the leftovers like a rice salad dish. At least I think I will. If they last that long.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/5 c. sushi rice
• 2 c. water
• 3 umeboshi, pitted and finely chopped
• 2 green onions, finely chopped

1. Add the rice & water to your rice cooker and tell it to cook. Otherwise just follow the instructions to cook your rice on the stove.
2. When the rice is cooked, combine 2 cups cooked with the umeboshi and green onions. Combine well & serve.
3. Really, that’s all there is to it!

Note: originally served with Miso Glazed Salmon

Dinner tonight was fantastic! And I love the fact that at 7p on the west coast, it is still bright and sunny outside for me to enjoy while I type. Hard to beat!

Miso Glazed Salmon sounds super fancy, but frankly, it couldn’t be easier! Adding the sides are virtually no work, though having the ingredients on hand is the trick. Yesterday I picked up a lovely piece of salmon and today I was browsing through my copy of Simply Ming by Ming Tsai. It is really a fantastic cookbook and I haven’t (yet ) spent as much time with it as I should have considering I have owned it for years! Several salmon ideas popped out at me but the light pink Umeboshi Rice swayed me towards a miso glaze on the fish. I threw in the turnip greens because, well, it wouldn’t be dinner at the Wheat’s without a green on the plate.

I modified Ming Tsai’s recipe for the fish quite a bit, but I’ll share with you the way I made it. I hope you give it a try – let me know how it goes! The recipes for the rice & greens will be following.

A few hints & ideas:

1. You don’t have to use salmon! I’ve used nearly the same marinade on many white fishes, but in particular black sea bass is delicious.
2. Line your baking sheet or broiler pan with foil & spray with a touch of cooking spray before putting the fish on it. This will help keep clean up simple and the fish in one piece.
3. If you like sauce, boil the marinade after removing the fish. Boiling it for a few minutes will thicken it and ensure the sauce is safe to eat. You can drizzle onto the fillets when they are on the plate or just serve the sauce table side & let folks help themselves.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. Mirin (sweet)
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1 c. light miso
• 1-2 T. fresh ginger, minced or shredded on a microplane
• 1/2 c. canola oil
• 2 salmon fillets

1. In a medium bowl, combine the mirin, soy, lemon juice, miso, & ginger. Stir well. Slowly add in the canola oil while whisking.
2. Pour the glaze over the salmon and refrigerate for about 4 hours. (You can do this a bit longer or shorter, but try not to go too long because the acids will cook the fish a little bit)
3. When ready to cook, turn the broiler to high. Arrange your oven rack about 4-5″ below the broiler. Place the salmon face down (skin side up) on a broiler pan and cook for about 5 minutes. If the skin begins to burn either turn the broiler heat down or lower the rack. Flip the salmon and continue to cook for another 2-4 minutes until the fish is just cooked to the doneness you like.
4. Serve immediately & enjoy!

The other day after a Monday at the office, Brad and I arrived home and remembered – we need to eat dinner! Actually I’d been starving all day so it took no recall for me to remember this event – all I was focused on was what do I have on hand, what will be relatively quick to make, and what sounds fun for this spring Monday?

In the refrigerator I found a package of guanciale – a most amazing piece of cured pork cheek that was in my recent Boccalone box. (More on my Boccalone boxes soon!) We were told when we picked up the meat at Incanto that guanciale was the traditional meat used for spaghetti alla carbonara. And with that promise, I agreed that I would make a batch of carbonara pasta for us – one day.

The fact I must confess is that I generally do not like creamy types of sauces. I’m much more of a fresh and light flavor eater. Plus quite frankly, most cream sauces in the U.S. do a disservice to the concept of Italian cuisine and generally should be avoided – in my opinion! I’ve had cream & egg based sauces in Italy and they certainly brokered none of the complaints I have about them in the states. BUT the point is, I come from a perspective of not really loving heavy, creamy types of pasta dishes and rarely – if ever – concede to create one at home.

Tonight became the chosen evening for a carbonara adventure. Carbonara dishes come together spectacularly easily and when you can use the freshest of local ingredients, you can’t complain about the health detriments (too much). The same day we picked up the guanciale, we picked up a fettuccine from our favorite store that appealed to us. On Saturday at the farmer’s market, I had picked up fresh eggs from my favorite egg supplier. And I had parmesan in the fridge. With those simple ingredients – carbonara was ready to be made!

One note about the guanciale – though I will post much more information about it shortly when I post about Boccalone. Though it would be wildly frowned upon by a purist I am sure, do feel free to use pancetta or bacon in lieu of the guanciale which may be impossible to locate where you live. If however you can secure guanciale – it is worth the effort! We were blown away by the flavors and depth of this simple cured meat.

With those notes, I present to you fettuccine alla carbonara. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

• 4 oz. of guanciale (or pancetta or bacon)
• 2 eggs, the fresher the better
• 1 c. grated parmesan cheese
• 3/4 – 1 lb. of spaghetti or fettuccine
• freshly ground pepper & salt to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Mince or roughly chop the guanciale – the smaller the chop the smaller the flecks will be in the pasta.
3. Warm a saute pan to medium-high heat. Add the guanciale and saute until nicely browned and just a bit crispy.
4. Meanwhile cook the pasta as directed (usually 5-10 minutes) in the boiling water.
5. Lightly beat the eggs and combine with the cheese.
6. When the pasta has been fully cooked and drained, add the egg & cheese mixture and stir well. Add the cooked meat and combine. Put into serving dishes and pepper well. Add salt sparingly though.
7. Enjoy your authentic (as far as my research shows!) Italian carbonara dish!

I’m posting a large photo of this “rösti” because I love how you can see the quinoa spirals shining through! You may have several questions as you begin to read this post. Let’s see if I can guess them all:

• What is a “rösti”? From my experience (& brief research) rösti is a grated, hashed-brown type potato dish that is very traditional in Switzerland. When I had it in Switzerland it changed my perception of hash browns forever! No longer relegated to the breakfast table, rösti opens the door to a new hash brown wonderland. Or at least it did for me. At its most basic, rösti is a formed patty of grated potatoes, typically cooked with butter or another fat and often topped with any variety of items: bacon, vegetables, cheeses, herbs – anything you can imagine. If you were curious – rösti is delicious!
• What is quinoa – and how do you say that word anyway? Quinoa is pronounced like “keen-wah”. That is *my* definition, feel free to validate with Mr. Webster. Quinoa is native to South America and it is a notable grain for a few reasons. First, it cooks very quickly! Secondly, it is very high in protein, contains a complete set of essential amino acids, is jam packed with fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron! Plus – once again – its very tasty and actually has a mild nutty flavor once it is cooked. I often cook quinoa and mix it with a vegetable or bean to make a patty, but use the leftovers as a side to any dish. It is great on its own or with friends.
• And what I imagine is the other question looming about in your mind: Why parsnips AGAIN??? This is particularly easy to answer. Because I have had them in spades so far this month AND last if you remember that parsnips were featured as February’s vegetable of the month. Plus their flavor is sweet and easy going – it matches many other ingredients perfectly & cooks easily. What’s not to like?

Let’s get down to it then! This recipe (or rather my interpretation) is inspired by Mark Bittman’s most excellent cookbook: How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. It caught my eye as I thumbed thru last week and I knew we would be eating it soon! While I would not call the results of my preparation of this dish a classic rösti AT ALL, I kept the name Mr. Bittman gave the dish to honor the source of its inspiration.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. parsnips
• 1 cup of cooked quinoa
• 4 T. of butter
• salt & pepper

1. Steam or boil the parsnips whole with the skin on until they are easily pierced with a knife but mushy. This will take about 15 minutes if you steam them. Remove the parsnips from the heat and allow them to cool.
2. Combine 2 T. of butter in a large bowl with the quinoa. Add a bit of salt & pepper while combining.
3. When parsnips are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off. If possible, grate the parsnips. Using a food processor for this step is a great idea. If you don’t have a food processor, can’t be bothered, or simply want something different, either cut up the parsnips and mash well or run them through a potato ricer. Regardless of the method you use, aim to get the parsnips either grated (for a more classic rösti style) or nicely smooshed for the style pictured above.
4. Add the parsnips to the quinoa and combine well.
5. Over medium-high heat, warm 1 T. of butter in a large saute pan. When the butter is hot, add the parsnip-quinoa mixture and spread out to fill the pan as one large circle. Lower the heat to medium-low to low and allow to cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes. You should be able to smell the toasty-ness of the rösti after about this long.
6. Check the bottom to verify it is nicely browned then turn off the gas stove and place a plate over the rösti in the saute pan. Carefully flip the pan & plate over so the plate is now on the bottom and has the rösti on it.
7. Return the pan to the stove and bring to medium heat. Carefully slide the rösti back into the saute pan so that the uncooked side will now cook.
8. Allow to cook on medium to medium-low for another 10 minutes. Again ensure the bottom is nicely browned then remove from the heat.
9. This dish is best enjoyed warmed but leftovers keep very well!

• the cat is NOT allowed on the counters. She clearly wanted to be a part of the video.
• If you are looking for these beans, I purchased Rancho Gordo‘s Black Turtle beans. All of their beans are excellent so please enjoy!
• The black beans I cooked took just under 5 hours with no soaking. The great part about using the crockpot is that it warms up slowly and actually acts as a brief soak for the beans. The fresher your beans the closer to the 4-5 hour mark they will cook. They may take closer to 6 and that is fine!
• Cook the beans on the HIGH setting of your slow cooker for crockpot. Low would take a very long time!
• As I mention towards the end, beans freeze easily and happily. It is always a great idea to make extra to freeze.
• I store the beans with the stock they cooked in. Once I’ve eaten them I may save the stock for a soup or rice dish. It generally has a lot of flavor and is worth using.

Let me know how your beans in the crockpot experience goes!

Here is the recipe if you prefer to read rather than watch.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. black turtle beans
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 pieces of celery
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 T. epazote (opt.)
• 6-8 c. of chicken or vegetable stock, or just water

1. Sort through the black beans to remove any stones. Rinse well.
2. Chop the onion into about 8 chunks. Chop the carrots & celery into ~1-inch pieces.
3. Smash & peel the garlic.
4. Add all the ingredients to the crock pot container. Ensure that there are at least 2″ of liquid covering the beans. If not simply add more.
5. Turn the crocpot to HIGH. Start to check the beans after about 4 hours, though most will cook in 5-6 hours.
6. Serve immediately or allow to cool then store in the refrigerator or freeze. Beans defrost easily and even handier than a can!

This photo may not look like the best sea bass dish you have never had, but let me assure you – it is! Brad – while being a wonderful critic is not usually the first to rave about a dish. However he is still talking about this fish & veggie combo weeks later. That is pretty unbelievable around these parts – so I feel compelled to highlight that fact.

Sea bass has gotten a bad rap because there has been a LOT of over-fishing – especially of the Chilean Sea Bass. Some species of sea bass are endangered and it is important to understand where & how the fish you buy came from before just purchasing. However (at least in the bay area) finding sustainably fished sea bass is as easy as visiting Whole Foods or the Ferry Building (The San Francisco Fish Co. is my favorite). And you do not have to buy the Chilean variety – many others exist and are exquisite!

Something else I would like to note is while I love fish, I shy away from cooking it at times. I dislike sautéing fish exclusively because I have a hard time determining when it is done. I also don’t like the splattery mess. Roasting fish only works well with substantial pieces – and I usually cook for only two people so I don’t need THAT much fish. Poaching is really the perfect solution – but not all fish is quite right for poaching. Sea bass is a fish that will work beautifully being lightly seared then finished by poaching. It takes the “fear” out of cooking fish and produces a perfectly finished fillet.

The picture above shows the sea bass with the Roasted Winter Vegetable dish highlighted the other day. It was a perfect combination and I would encourage you to try it.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. sea bass fillets (you can use another white fish such as red snapper, catfish, monkfish, etc. if desired)
• flour for dredging
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 t. saffron threads
• 1/2 c. dry white wine or white vermouth
• 1 c. vegetable stock (or other stock)

1. Heat 2-3 T. of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet (non-stick works well here). Dredge each fillet of fish in flour and shake to remove excess. When oil is hot add the fish to the skillet. Cook until browned, flipping once, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.
2. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Add 2 T. olive oil and return to medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the onion and continue to cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the saffron, wine, stock, and a pinch each of salt & pepper. Place the fish on top of the onion mixture then cover the pan. Cook at a simmer for about 5 minutes until the fish is cooked thru.
4. Serve with roasted vegetables and sauce on the side.