We’re here in the in between. Winter is on its way out but Spring still feels a world away. We’ve seen the same offenders in our vegetable drawers for months and I, for one, am ready for a change. But the frozen rain and threats of snow persist, keeping the asparagus from venturing out of the earth and the Rhubarb from turning to its ready-to-use ruby red (unless it’s green rhubarb).

Within our current limited resources I’m trying to make our salads a bit more exciting. And as is often the case I find a bit of restriction a great exercise in creativity. I’m constantly looking for new flavor combinations and new methods of cooking the same ingredients I’ve been working with for months.

I’ve always been a fan of salad. I find comfort in knowing I’m not alone. It really wasn’t until I started stretching my imagination and moving beyond greens doused in blue cheese dressing (although, at times, nothing can be better) that salads started to really inspire me. Now I find myself dreaming of salads and enjoying them daily.

If I’m having this much fun with them now, imagine what Summer will bring.

Orange Salad with Cocoa Nibs

serves 1

1 orange

2 Tablespoons cocoa nibs

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons aged balsamic

2 cups fresh spinach

salt and pepper

Carefully cut the rind of the orange off, taking as much of the white pith as you can. Cut the orange in rounds.

In a small bowl add the spinach and place the orange rounds on top. Sprinkle with the cocoa nibs and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy immediately.

Grilled Zucchini Salad
serves one

2 small zucchini
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 Tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (I used basil, mint, tarragon, and cilantro)
salt and pepper
lemon juice

Using a mandoline (or a steady hand and sharp knife) very thinly slice the zucchini.
Toss the zucchini in olive oil and salt and pepper.
On a hot grill pan or indoor grill, sear the zucchini until dark marks appear, about 30 seconds. Flip over and repeat on the other side.
Toss the grilled zucchini in a bowl with the fresh herbs and a hefty squeeze of lemon. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Avocado Salad with warm Jalapeno vinaigrette
serves 2

¼ cup coconut oil
1 Tablespoon chopped shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
½ to 1 sliced Jalapeno, deseeded (depending on how spicy you want it)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
salt
2-3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 avocado
greens (spinach, cress, arugula, cilantro) or 1 cup cooked quinoa

In a skillet add the coconut oil and shallots. Cook for 2-3 minutes until just golden around the edges. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute more then turn off heat. Stir in a pinch of salt and lime juice.
Pour ½ of the warm vinaigrette over half of an avocado that is sitting on greens.
If using quinoa stir some of the vinaigrette in the quinoa. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in chopped cilantro and cubed avocado.

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It’s a rare move when I swap out ingredients in order to preserve calories. My philosophy, after years of learning through mistakes, has become quality over quantity. It’s actually become somewhat of a motto for my husband and myself becoming a daily practice in the kitchen and beyond (I find it particularly helpful in the closet as well).

I’d much rather eat a smaller portion of a bittersweet chocolate made liquid by the addition of hot cream and then served with more cream than a large amount of a less flavorful dessert containing ingredients that read “non-fat”. It has been my experience that I walk away from a few bites of something decadent and rich feeling very satisfied and quite okay by the fact that I left a good portion of it untouched or saved for someone else.

But what is really glorious is when you lighten a normally hefty meal without surrender the flavor or overall satisfaction. This salad has done such a marvelous thing.

It’s in these cool, gray months that my body yearns for food to comfort. Ones laden with cream and butter comfort me nicely particularly around the mid-section but there are times when I must resist such urges. With comfort food in mind I was set on a classic caesar. Slightly spicy, salty from a touch of briny anchovy and of course, creamy.

Where I would normally reach for oil and egg yolk to work the ingredients into an emulsion I grabbed greek yogurt – a very popular ingredient in our house as of late. The idea was to just replace some of the oil with the yogurt but when I tasted the mix of lemon, anchovy, garlic, dijon, parmesan, and yogurt I found no need for the oil. What I did find was a near replica of a classic caesar dressing without the addition of any rich oils or fats.

I did however top mine with a few nice slices of seared tenderloin (quality over quantity) and sat down to one of the best lunches I’ve had in quite some time.

A Lighter Caeser

This is a very forgiving recipe. Taste and adjust as you please, I promise I won’t be offended. Just remember that you want the dressing to taste strong as the romaine will tame its flavor. Top with slow-roasted tomatoes, shavings of Parmesan, roasted chicken, or steak for a complete and healthful lunch or dinner.

1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 teaspoons dijon
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 Tbl fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper
2 Tbl finely grated parmesan

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Carefully combine with fresh, chopped romaine. Serve with shavings of Parmesan.

Keeps in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for one week.

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If I could to speak to myself on the day of my wedding over eight years ago, this is what I would say…

I understand you’re a bit scared. You’re young and you are about to make a decision that will affect the rest of your life. You think it’s the right choice, you think you love him but what really is love? I know that’s what you are thinking because I am you.

For months leading up to the wedding day you’ve been asking everyone who would listen to help you understand what love really is. Sure he gives you butterflies and you can’t imagine not spending every day with this man. You’ve lost countless hours of sleep just clinging to his presence and not wanting to waste a moment with him. But is that really love? Is that enough to sustain a marriage that will survive moves across state lines, financial stress, young children, loss, and much more that we have yet to experience?

In case you do read this you should know that you made the right decision. But you didn’t really know love. The love you felt on the day you stared at him down the aisle, anxiously awaiting that glimmer in his eyes as he saw you for the first time in your wedding dress and the last time you weren’t his wife, that love was just the start.

At the time you thought love was how he made you feel. You questioned love the moment the butterflies didn’t flutter as rapidly as you thought they should. You resented him for shining light on parts of you that were selfish and gross. He didn’t complete you in the way you expected him to and surprisingly he didn’t completely understand you from the moment you both said, “I do.”

Love isn’t simply about how he makes you feel. I know that now. Love is a choice and love is action.

Now you realize that love is him warming up the espresso machine for you in the morning so it’s ready when you wander sleepily down the stairs. Love is how he saves the last scoop of ice cream for you, every time. Love is the way he wrestles with your sons (you have two and I can’t wait for you to meet them) after a long day of work. Love is the way he dances with your daughter (she’ll make you melt with each glance into her big brown eyes).

You slowly start to understand that when your dad told you, “Love is a choice”, he wasn’t being as unromantic as you first thought. You’ll realize that each day you have a choice. You can either choose to love Gabe and allow your feelings and actions reflect that or you can choose to allow the daily difficulties and his imperfections (yes, I know you can’t see it now, but he’s not perfect – and neither are you) to become a disease in the marriage.

Some days are better than others but over time you’ll realize that praying for and encouraging him is more useful than resenting him. You’ll start to see all the things he does for you and your family rather than focusing on what he doesn’t do. And you’ll realize that on the day you married him you really had no idea what love was and that eight years later you love him in way that you never thought possible.

It’s going to be hard. You’ll find out things about yourself that you really wish could have stayed hidden and yet, through it all you slowly become a better person. One that really knows and understands love – at least I hope that’s what happens, I’m not quite there yet.

What I do know is that no matter how tired you are, no matter how much you would just rather curl up on the couch and tune out the noise of the day, every once in awhile you need to put the kids to bed a bit earlier and ask your husband out on a date, even if that date happens at home.

You’ll plan the meal with great excitement and get inspired staring at the vibrant produce at the store while Ivy (that’s your daughter) tries her best to pull everything off the shelves and into the cart. You’ll spend the next 7 hours, on and off, preparing for a meal that you and your husband will devour in 10 minutes. He’ll appreciate every minute of your effort and you’ll love every chop of an onion and knead of the dough. You remind yourself of this moment and how many times before you’ve learned the same lesson – choosing him over your own selfish desires is what love is all about.

Menu
orange and avocado salad with shallot vinaigrette
pulled pork with a fennel, apple and raddicchio slaw on a sesame bun
piment d’espelette roasted new potatoes
caramel walnut tart with whipped creme fraiche

Plan
To eat around 8:00 pm the pork should be in by 1:30pm at the latest. So plan to put the rub on the pork that morning or the night before.
The tart and both dressings can be made the day before.
I pulled the pork out of the oven for close to an hour and set it over very low heat on the stove top while I roasted the potatoes and baked the buns.
When the pork was nearly finished we made the orange salad and enjoyed that as our first course. As the pork cooled, I finished up the cole slaw.
All that and it was gone in under 10 minutes but we’ve been eating incredible left overs for days.

Orange Salad with Avocado and Shallot Vinaigrette

1 Tbl chopped shallot
3 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbl fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspon salt
fresh pepper, to taste
2 large oranges
1 avocado
2 Tbl thinly sliced red onion (optional)
1 Tbl chopped Italian parsley

Combine the first five ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together, taste, and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Cut the peel away from the orange then slice in ¼” rounds. Arrange on two separate plates, top with sliced avocado and red onion, if using. Spoon a bit of the dressing on each plate. Top with fresh Italian parsley and serve immediately.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Fennel, Apple, and Radicchio Slaw

Pork Rub
for a 5-7 pound pork shoulder

3 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ teaspoon cayenne
3 Tbl paprika
3 Tbl kosher salt
1 Tbl brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 Tbl yellow mustard

In a morter and pestle or a food processor, mince the garlic then add the spices and salt. Stir in the mustard. Rub this over the pork and let sit for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.

After the pork has bathed in the rub place in a large roasting pan and roast at 300*F for about 6 hours or until falling away from the bone.

Barbeque Sauce

1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbl yellow mustard
½ cup ketchup
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
3 garlic cloves
1 small shallot, chopped
a few drops of natural hickory smoke

Combine all the ingredients in a medium sauce pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Once pork has finished roasting remove from the pan and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Add ⅔ of the bar-b-que sauce to the juices left in the roasting pan and scrape up any crusted on bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer gently while the pork rests.
Using two forks and possibly your hands too, pull apart the pork into bite-size shreds.
Add the pulled pork into the sauce. Taste and add more sauce if you think it needs it or reserve remaining bar-b-que sauce to serve with the sandwiches.

On a freshly sliced sesame bun add a good amount of pork then top with the fennel slaw. Enjoy immediately.

Fennel, Apple and Radicchio Slaw

½ cup creme fraiche
2 Tbl mayonnaise
2 Tbl olive oil
1 Tbl apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tbl lemon juice
3 green onions, sliced
1 fennel bulb, julienned
1 apple, julienned
1 cup thinly sliced radicchio

In a small bowl combine the first six ingredients. Set aside.
In a medium bowl add the fennel, apple, green onions, and radicchio. Toss with about ¼ cup dressing to start. Taste then add more as needed.
Can be made up to an hour in advance. It keeps for a day – perfect for leftovers – but doesn’t look nearly as fresh and starts to droop a bit.
The dressing could be made up to 3 days in advance.

Sesame Seed Buns
makes 9-12 buns
The point of a date night is not to exhaust yourself before the date actually happens, so I realize that after roasting a pork shoulder for 7 hours many may feel that making your own buns is just asking too much. I’m okay with that. I am, however, a bit crazy and can’t get enough of playing in the kitchen, especially when doughs are involved. So I’ve included the recipe for those who are like me or if there comes a day when you do decide to make your own buns.

2 teaspoons yeast
1 ⅓ cups warm milk
2 Tbl honey
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 Tbl (1/2 stick) butter, soft
2 Tbl sesame seeds
1 egg, lightly beaten (egg wash)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the yeast, milk and honey. Let stand for 10 minutes as which point you should see lots of bubbles and some definite growth happening.
Add flour, salt, and egg and mix with the dough hook to combine. While the mixer is running on medium-low add the soft butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape down the bowl then continue to mix for 8-10 minutes.
Cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let double, about two hours.
Roll the dough into tight balls estimating that you will get between 9-12 buns. This is just a bit under ½ cup of dough per bun.
Place on a parchment lined sheet tray (you may need two if you don’t want them to touch at all) then cover with plastic wrap and let double again, about 1 ½ hours.
When the buns are just about doubled, pre-heat the oven to 400*. Brush the buns with the additional egg and top with sesame seeds.
Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes, until deep golden on top and bottom.
Let cool on a wire rack to prevent steaming.

Piment d’espelette Roasted Potatoes
It’s worth the online order or visit to a specialty store to gather this ingredient. Similar to paprika without the intense smoke and a stronger, fresh heat in place of it. A dear friend brought this back from France and I can’t help but put it in nearly everything.
If you can’t find it you could use paprika or simply do a perfectly delicious garlic roasted potato.

1 ½ – 2 pounds new potatoes, cut in rough ½” pieces
1 ½ Tbl extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons piment d’espelette
¾ – 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Pre-heat your oven to 400*F. Combine all ingredients and roast on a parchment lined sheet tray making sure the potatoes are not too crowded or piled on top of one another. Roast until interior is tender and the exterior edges are crispy and deep golden in places, about 40-50 minutes.
–

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In the weeks leading up to my trip to Morocco it was the tagines and fragrant spices that I anticipated. Thoughts of fatty, braised chunks of lamb studded with apricots and warming harissa made the days before I left move at a pace that would make a snail appear as a sprinter.

As one can expect, the food did not disappoint. There was couscous so perfectly prepared that my satisfaction in the store bought version has been crushed. A sweet and savory b’stilla laced with chicken and showered with cinnamon and powdered sugar and a chicken tagine with french fries – that’s right, FRENCH FRIES!! – sealed my love for this vibrant country. But it was the Moroccan breakfasts that I most long to recreate now that I’m home.

Fresh squeezed orange juice greeted me nearly every morning and woke me up more effectively than three children jumping on my bed ever can. Beyond the juice there was an assortment of breads. Some resembling airy pancakes, others seemed to enjoy a leisurely bath in hot oil before settling into their position of my breakfast. With the breads there was always Amlou, honey, and assorted fruit preserves. Speaking of fruit; the hot Moroccan sun does wonders to intensify the sweetness. Bananas are nearly half the size and twice as sweet, grapes taste of candy, and the citrus requires no additional sugar to tame its pucker.

Proving that point was this salad. A simple salad made up of no more than four ingredients in stunning jewel tones and sweet, slivered dates. Its beauty drew me in but the taste left me pining for its presence during the days that followed.

Segmented grapefruit sat next to bright bites of lemon. The tartness took me by surprise as I had never simply eaten a bite of lemon, except maybe as a child to somehow impress other with my sustainability against the harsh sourness. With the addition of the dates, the entire bowl was perfectly sweet.

And then there’s mint. The herb that I had once relegated to tea and little else. Even refusing to allow it to be a final course garnish as it never made sense to me to add something for the color when the flavor was not wanted. Now there is rarely a day that goes buy when I don’t reach for the emerald leaves.

I’m home now and citrus season is in full swing along with the desire to enjoy a bit more fruits and vegetables ridding myself of nearly an entire month where sugar and butter made up the bulk of my diet. No regrets here, but it did leave me longing for the freshness of a salad such as this one.

The sweet milk granita is purely optional but turns this salad into a stunning, and healthful dessert. I love the ease of turning this sweet cream into a granita. After stirring the ingredients together I add it to a metal cake pan and pop the whole thing in the freezer. Every thirty minutes, or whenever I remember, I simply give the mix a quick stir with a fork to break up any large ice chunks, until the mixture is well-frozen. The resulting granita is flecked with vanilla beans, light ice crystals and a soft texture that melts into the crevices of the segmented citrus that it’s scooped over. You can also churn this mix in an ice cream maker if you want a smoother texture. The choice is yours.

When the presence of fry bread and fresh squeezed orange juice are missing from my mornings, this salad fills the void and reminds me of what Morocco tasted of.

Grapefruit Salad

Inspired by a salad enjoyed at Heure Bleue Hotel in Essaouira, Morocco

Makes 4 smallish servings.

While I loved the puckering tang of the lemon in this salad I do prefer the much gentler sourness that comes from a Meyer lemon, so I’ve used that here instead.

2 large grapefruits, segmented

1 meyer lemon, segmented

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh mint

1/4 cup thinly sliced dates

Combine the citrus segments and the mint. Add the dates just before serving.

Finish with a small scoop of Sweet Milk Granita if you desire.

Sweet Milk Granita

adapted from pastrychefonline.com

I love the simplicity of this granita and the fact that it doesn’t need an ice cream maker. The resulting texture is light, with flaky ice crystals that melt freely into the citrus. Usually I would oppose this texture when cream is involved but for this it works. If you prefer a perfectly creamy texture feel free to churn in an ice cream maker.

1 cup  (9 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 1/4 cups (9 oz) hot water

1/2 vanilla bean, split

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients and stir well. If you are using an ice cream maker, chill this mixture completely before churning.

If turning into a granita add mixture to a metal pan (I used a 9″ square cake pan – the bigger the pan the faster it will freeze). Let sit in the freezer for about an hour initially then break up mixture and any formed ice crystals with a fork every 30 minutes until completely frozen. This process will give the desired light texture with uniform ice crystals – the mark of a well-made granita.

Best served the day it’s made.

*If you happen to forget about the granita and it freezes solid you can either remelt and start again or you can process in the mix in a food processor to break up ice crystals.

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It had been on the calendar for over a week but in an instant this date night felt particularly important.

Last Sunday a dear blog friend lost her husband. One moment he was a husband and father to two sweet, young girls and then suddenly he was gone.

Hearing this news took my breath away. The pain I felt for Jennie and her family was deep and lacking in the words I wanted so badly to comfort her with.

There are no words. I continue to seek them but nothing can illustrate the sorrow, the pain, and the sympathy.

I quickly was struck with the reality of how much I take for granted and that this life hangs by a mere thread, a moment. In an instant your everything that has become such a part of your daily existence could be gone. What I anticipate and rely on to be with me on this day, this year, and this lifetime could just as easily vanish like a passing wind. It’s not the thought of my own mortality that scares me but the thought of being left on this earth without someone I love so deeply. That thought is too much to bare.

And that is Jennie’s reality. There have been many moments throughout the week where I have sat staring at my computer screen trying so desperately to think of something, anything, I could do.

Then she posted this. Peanut Butter Pie. It was his favorite.

It was something I could do. A way to honor this man, Jennie’s husband.

With each stir of the spoon and fold of the spatula I thought about Jennie and the man she lost. As I crumbled the cookies and stirred in melted butter I prayed for his girls. As the chocolate shavings rained down over the top of the pie I thought of my own husband and thanked God for this moment I have with him. I am not guaranteed another one but for now he’s here and we have this night and this pie.

Preparing each course of the meal felt poignant. I took my time as I carefully layered each potato into our potato cake. I felt the warmth of the sun on my back as I gathered the tarragon, thyme, mint, and coriander seeds from the garden. Setting the table with multiple layers of dishes, cloth napkins, and candles informed us that this time was to be taken slowly, enjoyed, and savored.

The meal was simple but the purpose was powerful.

We talked, laughed and enjoyed one another’s company. Then we ate pie. Two forks, one pie. We both felt the weight of the significance of the pie. There were moments of no words as we let the sweet, cool bite swallow any words we tried to muster. Breaking the silence we laughed about Gabe’s precise eating style as he carefully tried to make the pie appear as if it wasn’t being devoured by two forks rather than being cut into appropriate pieces. I, on the other hand, simply ravaged the pie, letting the mess be what it is as I enjoyed that moment.

I hope for more dates with my husband. If it were up to me there will be dozens of more pies eaten together, straight from the pan. But it’s not up to me and I’m okay with that because I trust the one who is in charge. I do know that I have now and I pray that the impact of this moment will be carried with me for a very long time and I will try so very hard to not take the things and people that exist in my everyday for granted.

Particularly my husband. I vow to give more loving glances, more heartfelt “I love you’s”, more gentle kisses, and more peanut butter pie.

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

adapted, slightly, from Jennifer Perillo

Serves 10 to 12

8 ounces chocolate cookies (I used a recipe for Brave Tarts Fauxreo’s)

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

5 oz mascarpone

3 oz sour cream

1 cup creamy-style peanut butter

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350*

Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.  Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well.  Press mixture into the bottom and pie pan. Bake the crust for about 15 minutes, until set and crisp. Add the chocolate to the warm crust and let the residual heat melt the chocolate. Spread the chocolate with a spatula and sprinkle the peanuts on top.

Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form.  Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use.  Place the mascarpone, sour cream and peanut butter in a deep bowl.  Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner’s sugar.  Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and salt. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.

Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream).  Fold in another ⅓ of the whipped cream.  Reserve the remaining whipped cream to top the pie. Pour the filling into the prepared pie pan.  Using a microplane, grate chocolate on top of the pie, if desired, and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving. Serve with remaining whipped cream.

Green Coriander Dressing

This is for true cilantro lovers as the green coriander packs a floral punch.

1 tsp green coriander seeds

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

1 teaspoon fine mustard (such as Maille)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon mascarpone or heavy cream

1 tablespoon minced shallot

salt and pepper

In a morter and pestle crush the green coriander. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Potato Cake

adapted from Nigel Slater

5 (or so) potatoes (I used new potatoes)

1 red pepper

1 small onion

1 stick butter, melted

5 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed

salt and pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 400*

Slice all the vegetables very thin. A mandoline will make this job a breeze.

Butter a loaf pan and line with parchment so that the parchment hangs over the edge.

Start with a few layers of potatoes adding butter, a few thyme leaves, and a pinch of salt and pepper over each layer. When you deem necessary add a layer of red pepper, then onion.

Continue layering the vegetables, butter, thyme and salt and pepper.

Bake for about an hour or until the top is golden and the potatoes are tender when a knife is inserted through the middle.

Remove from the oven and let cool about 10 minutes before trying to transfer the cake to a plate.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

–

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After much checking and rechecking of the calendar, ensuring there was room for us in the inn, and lining up homes for three children for one weekend every other step of “Mission: Get away for a night” was simple.

We were set to spend a leisurely weekend on Lummi Island staying and dining at the Willows Inn. There is much to be said about that meal, and most likely you’ll hear about it from me in some way, shape or form as it left me very inspired and eager to recreate some of the dishes. One being the cocktail leading up to the meal. For now, I want to talk to you about lunch.

It was an unexpectedly inspired meal that we had in La Conner which is just about an hour north of Seattle, nearly a hop, skip, and two jumps away from the Canadian border.

Resting peacefully in the middle of hundreds of acres of farmland, La Conner is on most days void of much excitement. In the summertime the streets are lined with eager tourists happily enjoying their ice cream as they weave in and out of antique stores and art galleries. On a gray day, such as the day we went, the sidewalks are nearly bare and the ice cream store is busy serving lattes in place of the cones.

taking refuge from the gray in a little bookstore in La Conner

As per the recommendation by my mom and dad, who have recently moved to a small neighboring town, we found ourselves nestled into a narrow, dark wood lined booth with the only light being brought to us by the stained glass window casting an orange hue on the benches that seemed to have been ripped right out of a nearby church. It was Nell Thorn and it did not disappoint.

I had set my prejudices on this innocent, mostly tourist town and had no expectations of a great meal. I sat there corrected as I slipped comfortably into our booth warmed both by the glass of wine and the fact that a very well used deck of cards was waiting for us on the ledge of the window.

photo by gabe

Gabe heeded my nudges and ordered the pulled pork sandwich as the waiter sold it well boasting of the local pig and the smoking done right out back. With plans to eat a good portion of Gabe’s meal I ordered the Asparagus and Ramp bisque and a simple endive salad.

Nell Thorn’s Endive salad

I’d like to say that the soup tasted like grass because that’s what I told Gabe after taking my first bite, but that just doesn’t sound good and that’s not fair because this soup deserves much praise. It tasted of grass in the sense that it was so fresh it was as if with each spoonful I was unearthing an herby, lightly reminiscent-of-onion scented form of grass. One in which I wish I could plant in my yard so that I could simply lay there and eat this flavor all day. I guess that would make me a cow.

I made the right decision by insisting Gabe order the pulled pork. It was so good I wanted to go tell all the other diners that there is no need to look at the menu, you must eat this sandwich. It was perfectly smoky – like real smoke, not the kind sold by the bottle. And rather than being doused in a tangy red sauce that hides the pork itself this sandwich harnessed the fat from that cut of meat to act as the sauce. So all you tasted was perfectly tender and smokey pork made possible to eat with a soft brioche bun.

What I’m really here to talk about is the endive salad because since eating at Nell Thorn just a couple of weeks ago I have recreated this salad at home and have eaten it at least five times. I just don’t think I will ever tire of it. It’s an impossibly easy salad that makes a weeknight meal feel as special as Sunday dinner. And although mama always urged not to eat with your hands I think she would make an exception as the endive creates its own edible bowl, forming a perfect valley in which to float a sharp vinaigrette, creamy goat cheese and well-toasted hazelnuts. That’s it.

Maybe it’s just that I like to eat with my hands or it’s possible I can’t get enough of the bitter crunch leading into a smooth tangy cheese and then another crunch from an earthy hazelnut while all mingled in a bright dressing. Whatever the case may be I think it’s time you join me in eating this salad.

Continue for recipe

Scallion Vinaigrette

1 scallion (green onion)

2 Tablespoons Champagne vinegar

1 teaspoon mustard (use a nice French mustard such as Maille)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Finely mince the white part of the scallion. You may slice and reserve the green part for garnish if you wish.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the vinegar and mustard. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk. Taste and add salt and pepper.
If you want a touch of sweetness you may add a bit of honey. I tend to like a real vinegar punch.

To arrange the salad you will need endive, toasted hazelnuts, and a good quality creamy chevre. I also used little parsley leaves and chive blossoms to garnish.
Remove about ¼” off the bottom of the endive and carefully peel of the outer leaves. Continue to cut of the end and remove the leaves until just the small interior leaves remain. If you prefer you could just simply slice the endive and serve as a less composed salad.
On each endive leaf place a hazelnut, about a half teaspoon of goat cheese and a light drizzle of the vinaigrette. Garnish with the herbs or just a touch of finely slice scallion greens.
Serve.
This makes a wonderful light addition to a cocktail party.

*Check out the other date’s.

Dating My Husband: Cacio e Pepe

Dating My Husband: Beet Pasta, Chocolate Pear cake

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Navy, mustard and gray. I have dubbed those my spring colors. A deep, golden-yellow t-shirt with delicate flowers framing the dipping “v” shape of the neck doesn’t have time to get replaced to the closet as I rarely take it off. My navy striped hoodie is typically worn on top as it’s not quite t-shirt season. For my feet, gray converse.

I have made it a mission of sorts to flood my Spring with as much of these colors as possible. In fact those three colors are setting the scene for my boys’ birthday party happening in a couple weeks. Gray striped paper straws, giant goldenrod balloons, and deep blue candies for decorating the cake. In fact this morning I did what any other visually obsessed mother would do and limited their painting palette to those three colors as we were crafting some of the party decor. My poor children were refused red. I need help.

Colors paint my seasons as new favorites emerge in sync with the delicate Spring blossoms or the warming Summer sun. As the colors and seasons change so does the food.

While drenched head to toe in my current colors I am most likely eating this salad. It is my new favorite. And as with favorites I wonder how I ever lived without it and I can’t begin to imagine that I will ever stray from it. But I will. Another salad will come into my life as new produce comes to peak. I’ll trade in my favorite salad and I’ll find new colors.

But for now this is what’s hot right now and I am sticking to it.

It is a salad that Spring invented. A soft butter lettuce paired with thinly shaved radish, creamy avocado chunks, and a healthy handful of  fresh herbs. The more the merrier: chives, parsley, tarragon, dill, cilantro, basil, and cilantro. This salad has shed its heavy winter coating and replaced that with a light champagne vinaigrette made ever so creamy with a touch of creme fraiche.

Cream is a fine replacement if creme fraiche is missing from your fridge. Sour cream is also viable. But I’ll tell you what, go pour yourself a cup of cream. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Now add to that 2 Tbl buttermilk. No buttermilk? Do you have lemon juice? No. Vinegar? There you go. Okay, add some vinegar to the cream. Now leave it on the counter. In time (12 hours or so, most likely less) it will thicken and through the magic of bacteria (yum) you’ve made your very own creme fraiche. Now use for dressings, soups, ice cream making, potato toppings, pie accompanying, etc. Creme fraiche provides the luxury of cream with the delightful addition of a soft tang. It is a staple in my fridge.

continue for recipe …

Spring Herb Salad with Creme Fraiche Vinaigrette

Serves 4-6 as a first course

The choices of herb possibilities are completely up to you. I like to use quite a variety as it gives this simple salad interest and a new flavor in every bite.

Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons creme fraiche

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1/2 teaspoon honey

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Stir all ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.

…

2 heads of butter lettuce, outer leaves removed

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced 1/2 inch thick

1/2 cup assorted whole fresh herb leaves (such as tarragon, chives, parsley, dill, basil, mint, and cilantro)

Arrange washed and dried lettuce on a platter or in a bowl. Drizzle with dressing then garnish with radish, avocado and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

One last word from me (for now). I can’t even begin to tell you how honored and excited I am to say what I am about to say. Eeep. Saveur magazine (along with a nudging by you fine people) have nominated me for Best Food Photography. Crazy. Stunned. Happy. If you would be so kind as to vote I would LOVE it. (Just go to the BEST FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY category and click on the blog to place the vote). In the midst of that category are some dear friends and INCREDIBLE photographers, as I said, I am honored.

–

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I don’t eat healthy unless it first and foremost tastes great. I will not choke down dry bread just because it’s laden with nuts, seeds and whole grains. I refuse to gulp a green smoothie that tastes more of compost than fresh fruit. Maybe in the past I would have but I’ve tasted too much great food to waste my time just eating for the sake of eating healthy.
If, however, food is full of flavor, complexity, AND it’s good for me – well then great, that’s an added bonus.

This doesn’t mean I spend my days eating Cheetos and Snack packs. Luckily I find vegetables extremely delicious and whole grains taste nutty and much more interesting than their refined twin.

When I am in a season of trying to shape up a bit – i.e. now – I will often focus on reducing portion sizes rather than going through extreme diet changes. Not allowing myself to enjoy some of my favorite treats makes me pretty sad and quite moody. That on top of the fact that we Seattle-ites don’t see much of the sun these days – I need as much happy as I can get. So I reduce rather than refrain.

UNLESS I find a recipe that is good for my soft, post-baby body and it tastes amazing then I allow myself to go crazy. Like this Chicken chili which is packed full of nutrient-dense vegetables and the perfect amount of spicy heat. It’s easy to throw together and makes a hefty amount so your set for a few healthful lunches too.

I do, however, have to watch out for the amount of cornbread I consume with my chili.

This recipe originally came from lovely Ina Garten. I’ve since made it many times and have adapted it to suit us quite nicely. Healthy AND delicious. Perfect.

Chicken Chili
inspired by Ina Garten

2 large yellow onions, medium dice

2 Tbl butter

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced

2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

2 15 oz cans black beans

1/4 cup minced cilantro stems

3 cups chicken cooked, shredded

To serve: Cilantro, sour cream

Cook the onions in the butter over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and their juice to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cooked chicken, black beans and cilantro stems to the chili and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. Serve with the cilantro and sour cream (light if your really trying to be good).

This is the cornbread I use (recipe from Food Gal). We used to eat this for “family meal” during my Spago days. There is nothing like it. Perfectly sweet, great texture and generously “glazed” with butter and honey.

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I know I may be jumping the gun a bit by posting a “Winter” recipe as it seems Summer has just recently said its final goodbye. But as the wind currently wisps outside my windows and the rain pelts down on the fragile jewel-toned foliage I just know the trees that were barely clinging to their few remaining leaves will be skinny skeleton limbs in the morning.

Also, I just couldn’t wait to tell you about it.

Winter is not often highly regarded for its salads. All that is about to change.

Julienned fennel, celeriac and apple are lightly coated in a tangy homemade Creme Fraiche dressing. Piled high on plate, one invisions the hopeful thought of white snow in the months ahead, as their fork lunges into the crisp salad. This welcomed change of taste is a far cry from the usual roasted, braised and baked dishes that accompany the chilled Winter.

I must give credit for this ingenious dish to Mataio, chef and owner of Ciao Thyme Catering. You may recognize this company from such weddings as Molly and Brandon’s. It is also known as my former place of employment before we made the move to Seattle.

I say former but on occasion they let me back in to teach and play in their gorgeous kitchen filled with the colors of Tuscany – it is always a joy to return. The food that emerges from that place is beyond fantastic. It is inventive, mostly local and filled with more passion that I’ve ever seen presented on a plate.

Jessica and Mataio, owners of Ciao Thyme catering are currently spending the month of November traveling in Italy – I am more than a bit envious. The driving force behind this trip is to seek new tastes, new dishes and a renewed purpose and love for the food they create. The lessons learned from this trip will fuel the creativity needed to inspire the menus that are never repeated. I will be the first one lined up at the door of Ciao Thyme upon their arrival home, waiting for the Italian inspired dishes to emerge.

Winter White Salad
Serves 4 as a side salad

Celeriac, also know as celery root, is the unsung hero of this dish. The flavor is similar to that of celery but with more spice and none of the obnoxious strings. It crunches like a carrot and yields an aromatic fragrance that will leave you wondering why you’ve never taken note of it before. You’ll have to get beyond the warty and hard to peel exterior but once you do you will be rewarded with a unique flavor and a crisp crunch that we so long for in the cold Winter months ahead.

1 apple – I used a tart Pink Lady and loved the flavor it added.
1 Fennel bulb
about 1/4 of Celeriac, peeled
1 small Leek

Using a Mandolin with the matchstick blade carefully slice the apple, fennel and Celeriac. Each item should yield about 1 1/2 – 2 cups once cut. You can play with the quantity of each depending on your flavor preference. Keep all the sliced produce in a bowl of cold water with a touch of lemon juice to keep them from browning. When ready to dress the salad make sure you completely drain the matchsticks.
Thinly slice just the white part of the leek. Separate the rings.
Make the dressing.

Creme Fraiche Dressing

Making your own Creme Fraiche is an easy and rewarding experience. Here is my version which yields a thick tangy cream that you will often find a stash of in our fridge.
1 cup Heavy Cream (I microwaved it for 20 seconds to take off the chill and to speed up the process) add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the cream. Stir. Let this mixture sit out for several hours until thick. At that point it can be refrigerated and kept covered for a couple of days.

1/4 cup Creme Fraiche
2 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together.

Lightly coat the fennel, celeriac and apple with the dressing. Garnish with the leek rings and small parsley leaves. Serve immediately.

*As a side note I will be teaching a class in Bellingham, WA at Ciao Thyme. It is a Holiday Baking course covering some fundamental baking techniques like caramel, meringues and pie crust. I would LOVE to see some of you there – in fact I’d LOVE to see ALL of you! Check out their website for more details.

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I grew up in raspberry country. Otherwise known as Western Washington. The fields were perfectly stacked with rows of raspberry bushes creating a dizzying pattern as I stared out the window of our old station wagon (complete with exterior wood paneling).

Growing up around here it was expected that once you hit a certain age you would be spending your Summers under the hot sun in the raspberry fields, endlessly picking. And for my brothers and I there were no exceptions, especially considering our Aunt and Uncle owned a small raspberry farm.

I made $5 that Summer.

This was due to the fact that my cousin, who lived on the farm, would often take me away from my picking duties so I could come play with her some place other than the raspberry fields. But mostly it was because I could not stand to pick the perfectly tart and sweet berries that scream all that is good with Summer and put them in my bucket. I thought it such a shame for them to land *plunk* against the white plastic pail rather than in my mouth so that their red juices could stain my too-young-to-wear-lipstick lips.

Flash forward twenty years to where I now revel in the delight of picking berries but still can’t resist popping a few into my mouth.

Knowing that the bounty would inevitably be small I still thought it would be fun to take my 3 year old and 1 year old berry picking a couple of weeks ago. That day we were hunting strawberries. After about 10 minutes of picking the boys were showing signs of being ready to go (i.e. screaming, whining, kicking dirt, etc.)

We headed into the barn to pay for our nearly 30 berries and that’s when I spotted them – the season’s first raspberries. My inner 8 year old self squealed with joy and grabbed a flat without hesitation. (I also walked away with 3 flats of jam berries that are now canned and waiting for me to relive the Summer’s harvest in the dead of Winter).

The raspberries that didn’t end up in my mouth joined the meager bounty of freshly picked strawberries in a bowl mixed with fresh mint, Greek yogurt and honey. Becoming the best fruit salad I have ever tasted.

Simply toss several pints of both raspberries and sliced strawberries into a bowl. Add just enough Greek yogurt to give the berries a sleek, white coat. Add finely sliced fresh mint and drizzle with honey until you deem sweet enough.

The success of this salad depends on the quality of the berries. Choose wisely and resist the urge to eat them all before they end up in this dish. Your discipline will be well rewarded.

A few from my fellow Raspberry Fans:

Raspberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake from Obsessed with Baking

Raspberry Maple Ice Cream from Christie’s Corner

Raspberry Mule from Mix Shake and Pour

Raspberry and Pink Peppercorns from the ever sweet Aran at Cannelle et Vanille

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