Posts Tagged ‘fresh herbs’

Breakfast in Montreal

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Vbar and I flew north this past weekend to go visit Riane in the lively city of Montreal.   It was a packed apartment with six of us pals plus two cute pups so meal planning involved some strategy.  The first morning there we made a giant batch of scrambled eggs and bagels from a bakery down the street.  Morning numero deux left us much less hungover and much more ambitious so we decided to replicate a tasty breakfast dish that Riane’s mom made for us when we visited them out in California.  We decided on this dish because we had a beautiful sourdough baquette we purchased at Marche’ Atwater the day before, along with some left over spinach and peppers.  The only items missing were the eggs and cheese which we got from the convenient corner store while we took the pups out for their morning walk.

Sausage, Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Torta RusticaSTA72327

Just like a fritatta this egg dish is very versatile.  The main ingredients are baguette, eggs and cheese so its up to the cook what other tasty veggies and meats they want to throw in.  Sausage would have been ideal but instead we went the vegetarian route with spinach, onions, garlic, green pepper, and tons of fresh orgegano.  I was too famished to waste time getting a decent picture, but our potatoes also came out delicious with a few minutes under the broiler at the end and some freshly chopped parsley.

STA72328This breakfast provided the starch and carbs we all needed to throw back some mimosas and move on to some whiskey gingers!

Here is a shout out to the two well behaved pups that entertained us all weekend.

Emma Bear & Moose

Emma Bear & Moose

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Posted in Cheese, Montreal, baking-savory, cocktails, vegetarian | 1 Comment »

Herb Saver

Friday, February 5th, 2010

It happens every year, the cold weather hits, I bring my potted herbs inside, and then they die.  I can’t blame it on abundance or lack of sun because I have tried all windows in two different apartments.  I even tried watering them frequently and infrequently; tending to them daily and leaving them alone for a week.  I finally gave up on having a windowsill herb garden year round and looked into other options.

Although I always prefer fresh herbs I bump up my dried use in the winter months such as thyme, oregano and rosemary.  I tend to stay away from dried basil or parsley, they don’t have any aromatics so if a recipe calls for it just use the real thing.  If you have the option of buying in bulk it’s usually cheaper and you get to use your own spice jars, but if not a brand that always treats me well is simply organic.

IMGP1136I got this herb saver as a present from my brother and it works like a charm. The shelf life is amazing, fresh rosemary and thyme have lasted up to three weeks and the leafier herbs such as basil and sage will last around a week and a half.  The herb saver  alleviates the guilt I often faced from throwing away a pack of herbs before I got a chance to use them all, something that brings a tear to the eyes of all crows and foodies alike.

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Posted in Domestic Tips | No Comments »

Quick Tuna Tip

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

252_Celery_Leavesbasil-bsp

Adding Fresh herbs to tuna is a great way to jazz up a week day sandwich.  My favorite combo is freshly chopped celery leaves and basil, and of course a generous squeeze of lemon juice.  I’m sure there’s a multitude of herbs that would taste yummy in a tuna mixture- parsley, cilantro, etc.

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Posted in seafood, vegetarian | No Comments »

Contributions to the Crow Table

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

It was a little nerve racking showcasing our food creations to the public but that is the best way to validate your efforts.  This past weekend Mo, Vanessa and I all received positive feedback from the tasty morsels we presented on the Crow Table.  I borrowed alot of recipes for this event which I will give credit for below.  The focus was on dips and easy finger food that didn’t require plates/utensils and overall garbage which I believe we achieved.  Here’s my Spread:

White Bean Dip w/ Pita Chips
Created by Giada DeLaurentis,
Introduced to the Crows by Riane Welch
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Sun Dried Tomato Spread w/ Ricotta Cheese
Courtesy of Riane’s Mom Cheryl, first tasted by the Crows on a party boat on Lake Mission Viejo
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Ingredients:
1 C sun dried tomatoes in oil, 2 garlic cloves-minced, 1Tb capers, 2Tb Italian seasoning or fresh chopped herbs, 1tsp salt, 5Tb Olive oil, 2Tb red wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients in food processor until smooth- check for seasonings

Serving: Spread Ricotta Cheese then Sun Dried Tomato mixture onto cracker and enjoy!

Prosciutto Wrapped Pears and Arugula

IMGP0742Created by Rachel Ray (i know what you’re thinking but don’t judge until you try them!)
The only change I made to this recipe was by adding honey to the vinaigrette that I dressed the pears and arugula with.

My final contribution was created by myself, but trust me it’s incredibly simple: Crudites platter with Fresh Herb Veggie Dip
Fresh Herb Veggie Dip

Combine 3 parts greek yogurt, 1 part sour cream.  Add a splash of lemon juice, one grated garlic clove and a ton of freshly chopped herbs (I used chives, oregano, thyme, basil and parsley).  To thin the dip out and add texture and color I grated a half a zucchini into the mixture- seasoned with salt and pepper and its ready to go!

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Posted in Jamaica Plain, baking-savory, vegetarian, vinaigrette/marinade | No Comments »

Colorful Salad

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

Monday night I got to hang out with a good friend that I rarely get to see. We made pinhole cameras (or rather started to make pinhole cameras), and made a retro typewriter work in a build up to a delicious diner. Here are some action shots!

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For the main bit I made Mo’s Sauce-y Vodka Sauce- although I had no heavy cream so I improvised with a  whole milk/cream cheese combo that did the trick less a few cream cheese lumpules. So good! I have never been able to master the thick/richness of a store bought sauce, but this one didn’t need it. It was especially good as leftovers the next day as the liquid had soaked into my al dente noodles.

I had no lettuce, but a good array of fresh salad veggies- plus an avacado to boot! Along came the inspiration for this delicious summer side salad that rounded the meal out perfectly.

Bright Summer Salad

1 cup blanced sugar snap peas

2 inches paper thin sliced English Cucumber

1 shaved carrot (done with the veggie peeler)

1 can cannellini beans rinsed, drained

1 small red gypsy pepper

paper thin sliced onion, to your liking

1 very large yellow heirloom tomato, cubed

Avacado- Cilantro Sauce

1 whole avacado

the top part of a cilantro bunch (about 1/4 cup)

1 clove garlic

juice from 1 lemon

Salt & Pepper

a few T Olive Oil

Milk- as needed

In a blender (or it fits perfectly in 1 of the cup shaped parts to the magic bullet) combine all the ingredients minus the milk. Blend until smooth. Open, taste for further seasoning. If you want a more watery sauce use milk to thin it out.  Toss with veggies and serve immediately.

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Posted in San Francisco, pasta, salad, sauces, vegetarian | No Comments »

Veggie Homefries- A morning Staple

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
Looking at the recent fresh tomato post- I was inspired by some farm fresh red potatoes (a great alternative from the “pink skinned” ones you buy at the store). The skin has such a deep color you just know its packed full of nutritious iron- i couldn’t wait to get them onto the stove and into my mouth.
Homefries are usually my favorite part of breakfast-especially when they’re dipped in a golden runny yolk. Here is the recipe I’ve been using for a couple years now, it varies a little from batch to batch but the simple technique is a keeper.

Veggie Homefries
The ingredients vary depending on how many i am feeding and whats in my fridge but the staples are: unpeeled red or golden potatoes-medium diced, onions-diced, assorted colored peppers-diced, mushrooms-chopped, garlic-minced, red pepper flakes, olive oil, butter, salt, pepper, fresh thyme, oregano and parsley.
I also prefer to mix sweet potatoes with the regular but don’t always have them on hand

  • Put diced potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil, drain once potatoes are al dente (they will continue cooking in the pan, if overcooked it will turn into hash-which is still yummy but not always desired)
  • Heat butter and olive oil in a saute pan and add drained potatoes, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Saute on medium high until they start to get brown
  • Once potatoes start forming an outer crust add onions, after another five minutes add peppers, mushrooms, garlic, thyme and oregano
  • When all has reached your desired crispiness, remove from heat and add fresh parsley

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Posted in vegetarian | 1 Comment »

Getting Saucy

Monday, August 31st, 2009


It is (sadly) the end of summer. But before the colder months officially set in there is one of my favorite foodie seasons- tomato season. Tomatoes are gorgeous right now- and the crows have been snacking on big, plump, brightly colored heirlooms sliced onto fresh bread.

I engaged in my own personal end-of-summer tradition this weekend- getting saucy. Off of tomatoes. Let me explain. I am a total marinara sauce snob- a product of being lucky enough to grow up in a Sicilian family where having jarred sauce in the pantry was the embarrassing equivalent to a dirty bathroom or being out of salt. Simply not done. Every summer my mother would cook an enormous pot of marinara sauce with the tomatoes she grew in her own garden and then freeze individual portions in her large basement freezer. That way there would always be fresh homemade sauce all winter- for pasta, lasagna, eggplant parm- where ever it was called for. And I became spoiled.
So now I follow suite, making my own sauce at the end of every summer. This year I made a total of 7 quarts; from roughly 16 lbs of fresh (although regretfully not homegrown) roma tomatoes. And although my mother’s and my grandmother’s sauces put mine to total shame, at very least the ten perfectly stacked portions of sauce in my freezer right now assure me that there will be no need for jarred sauce in this apartment this winter.

There is no exact recipe here for this marinara- for things like wine, paste, salt, pepper and basil you have to just taste and add as you cook. But basically for 7 quarts of marinara sauce I used:
16 lbs fresh roma tomatoes, diced with skin on
1 can tomato paste
2 medium yellow onions
1 1/2 heads of garlic.
1 large bunch of garlic
1-2 cups of red wine.
Absolutely, positively, never any sugar. This is law. I don’t think I really need to explain.
Total from start to finish this whole operation took me about 1:45- about an hour for prep and to get it started and about 45 minutes to simmer. I tossed some of the fresh sauce with spaghetti and topped with grated parm- served up simple with a side salad. A delicious way to celebrate the close of my favorite season.
Mangia bene!

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Posted in pasta, sauces, vegetarian | 2 Comments »

Barley Monster

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Everyone has their favorite grain and mine just happens to be Barley- I like its texture and ability to absorb delicious flavors without getting mushy. Barley Salads are great as leftovers and that’s why I make them so often; it’s perfect to bring to work for lunch because it allows me to avoid the dreaded microwave.

I found this fabulous recipe: Quinoa with Roasted Zucchini, Feta & Oregano in a Healthy Eats email and decided to give it a whirl, but of course I needed to make some adaptations to the OG Recipe.

I substituted the quinoa for barley- I had it in the pantry and like I stated before I’m a Barley Monster. My Quiona Cousin Mo would have done differently but I’m sure it’s just as tasty with either grain. Second I added tons of fresh oregano and thyme rather than the dried- It’s summer and time to take advantage of fresh herbs growing in yards or on porches! Lastly, I added some sliced grape tomatoes to the salad to get some more summer flavors in there. This salad tastes even better when consumed at the beach.

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Posted in Cheese, grains/nuts/lentils, salad, vegetarian | No Comments »

Pasta Salad Season

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

One of my favorite things about a summer BBQ or Picnic are the side dishes. Chip and dip platters, roasted veggies, kabobs, cole slaw, your almost full before you even dig into a burger or dawg. My new summer side dish love is the versatile pasta salad. I’m not talking about the stuff you buy at the deli that is drenched in Wish Bone Italian Dressing; I’m talking about these bad boys:

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad w/Artichoke Hearts & Orzo Feta and Tomato Salad w/Marjoram Vinaigrette
Now these are the Pasta Salads I’m looking to scarf down this summer.

I saw Barefoot Contessa make a yummy Lemon Fusilli Salad with Arugula so I found the recipe online, tweaked it a bit and ended up with a tasty Pasta Salad that I would be proud to present at my next Picnic.

Changes in Recipe:

  • I didn’t have arugula so I just added extra broccoli
  • Swapped the Fusilli for some Bow Ties
  • Added the lemon juice at the end, I didn’t want the taste to get bitter while simmering on the stove but I still added the zest at the beginning
  • Substituted half of the cream with vegetable stock to cut back on some of the richness, but I had to simmer it a little longer to get the right consistency
  • NOTES: I know this recipe calls for the broccoli florets, but I happen to really enjoy the steam. If you peel off the outer tough ends, the inside is nice and tender. Also this recipe works great cut in half

Here is my finished product, it’s fine served warm or at room temperature. I would love to hear some other Pasta Salad recipes that you Crows are cooking up!

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Posted in Cheese, pasta, vegetarian, vinaigrette/marinade | 3 Comments »