Well, after the delicious risotto that Kareem and I enjoyed I already had in mind what I would do with the leftovers.  I'd seen Giada De Laurentiis do it once on her show and I had the luxury of enjoying them in Italy too: arancini.  These are crispy golden orbs that are filled with the creamy risotto of your choice (in this case mushroom) and nestled in the center a gooey surprise of fresh mozzarella.  The Italian name for these, 'arancini' means little oranges – something that these treats loosely resemble in appearance.  These are incredibly easy to prepare and they make for a delicious snack or appetizer.

Enjoy!

Arancini
 

• Leftover risotto (you can make as many or as few as your leftovers will allow)
• 1 egg (This was enough for 5 balls that fit into the palm of my hand – about the size of a small clementine)
• 1 Tablespoon of water
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (I used plain panko bread crumbs – panko are the Japanese-style crumbs and they are available at most grocery stores now)
• 1 ball of fresh mozzarella, cubed into small 1cm sized pieces
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

1)  Take some of the risotto and form a small ball in the palm of your hand – roughly the size of a clementine.  Insert a piece of the fresh mozzarella into the center of the ball and roll the ball so that it's uniform in shape and the mozzarella is hidden in the center.  Make as many of these balls as your leftovers allow.

2)  Crack the egg in a dish and whisk well – add a tablespoon of water.  Prepare another dish with the bread crumbs.  Now taking each ball one at a time dip them into the egg mixture – allow the excess to drip off and then roll into the bread crumb mixture so they are evenly coated.

3)  Heat a sautee pan over medium to high heat and add the olive oil.  When the pan is hot add the balls and rotate them once each side turns golden brown.  Once they are done let them rest for a few minutes on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. 

I decided to make a mushroom risotto – I thought it would be the perfect dish to showcase this delicious import.   I turned to one of my reliable cookbooks to guide me on this quest: Jamie Oliver's first book, The Naked Chef.  He had a recipe for mushroom risotto that I loosely followed – adding a few of my own little changes here and there.  What resulted was a melt-in-your-mouth fragrant risotto that was the perfect host to the medley of mushrooms. 

Since I made a lot of this risotto I was excited to experiment with the leftovers.  Stay tuned…

Mushroom Risotto with Vermouth and Thyme

• Arborio rice – I used about 2 cups (recipe called for 14 oz)
• 1 quart of vegetable stock (use your favorite kind)
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced (one clove to cook with the mushrooms, 2 cloves with the rice)
• 1 onion, finely chopped (I used a red onion because that's what I had)
• 3 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 Cup of dry white vermouth (I used Martini's 'Bianco' because that's what I had in my cupboard – you can use white wine too)
• A few tablespoons of butter cut into small cubes
• Parmesan cheese to grate over the risotto
• 9 oz of fresh mushrooms – I used two packages of mixed wild mushrooms from Trader Joe's – place in a bowl of warm water to let them reconstitute
• One handful of fresh thyme (remove the leaves from the stems and chop)
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Freshly cracked black pepper

1) To start heat the stock in a pot – use the element on the stove directly behind the one that you'll be using to make the risotto because as you cook the rice you'll be adding ladle fulls of stock into it and this will minimize spillage and make it easier on you.

2)  After the mushrooms have had a chance to soak in the water take them out (save the water – you can add it to the stock as it has lots of great mushroom flavor) and add them to a heated pan with a tablespoon of olive oil.  Cook for about a minute then add the garlic and a pinch of salt.  Cook for a few minutes – add a few squeezes of lemon juice and the thyme.  Taste the mushrooms to make sure they are nicely seasoned.  Chop 2/3 of the cooked mushrooms and set aside – the other 1/3 will be added at the end to give more texture to the risotto.

3)  In a separate pan heat the olive oil and add the finely chopped onion – you want to cook the onion slowly here (medium to lower heat) be careful not to brown the onions rather "sweat" them until they become translucent.  After about 3 minutes of cooking add the minced garlic (2 cloves) and cook for about 2 minutes.  Once the onions are soft and translucent add the rice – this is the point at which you have to start constantly stirring.  No walking away from the stove!  Constantly stir the rice (again you don't want to add any color to the rice) – you might need to turn down the heat a little.  After a few minutes it will start to look shiny and translucent.  It may make crackling noises.  Add the vermouth or white wine – continue to stir.  Once the liquid is almost completely absorbed into the rice add a ladle full of the broth.  The heat on the pan should be medium at this point – you want the liquid to simmer.  Add the chopped mushrooms.  Now continue to add one ladle full at a time while stirring constantly – as soon as the rice has absorbed most of the liquid add more stock.  Continue to do this for about 15 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt here and there but do so sparingly – you can always add more later after you've given it a taste – add the pepper to taste too.  After the 15 minutes of stirring and ladling, taste the rice – you are trying to achieve soft rice that still has a slight bite to it – think al dente.  Once you get to that point add the butter and let in melt into the risotto along with the rest of the mushrooms and some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!
 

My usual M.O. in the kitchen is to prepare things that are simple and straight forward.  While I love to spend hours experimenting in the kitchen I reserve that activity for a weekend afternoon not an evening during the week when I'm tired and hungry.  This recipe is one of those weekend afternoon activities.  While it's simple in theory it proved to be a little more demanding in execution.  The batter is a breeze to pull together but where I ran into a little more difficulty was in the making of the actual spaetzle.  The idea is to run the batter through a colander with wide holes – there are actually special colanders that are designed precisely for the making of spaetzle and all you have to do is run the batter through the colander so that the batter drips into a pot of boiling hot water and voila, spaetzle.  Well, I didn't have one of those aforementioned colanders so I employed another method that my Grandmother used to use whereby you "simply" tilt your bowl of batter over the side of your pot of boiling water and using a knife slice off strips of batter so that they drip into the hot water to form the dumplings.  You can dip your knife into the boiling water occasionally to clean it.  I found this to be easier said than done but the delicious finished product was reward enough to make me want to try these again soon! 

Spaetzle 

Serves 4

• 2 1/2 C flour
• 1/4 Teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 Cup water
• 1 Onion, sliced thinly
• Butter or olive oil for sauteeing the onions and then the spaetzle if desired

1)  Sift the flour and salt and set aside in a bowl.  Mix the eggs with the water and beat together.  Make a well in the middle of the sifted flour and add the egg – stir together gradually mixing together until it forms a smooth batter.  Let it stand for 30 minutes.

2)  Slice the onions into thin half-moon pieces.  Heat a pan over medium and add either a pat of butter or a tablespoon or so of olive oil just enough so that the onions won't stick to the pan.  Add the onions and allow them to sautee over medium to low heat until they are caramelized and look golden brown.  This will take awhile – be sure to keep an eye on them and lower the temperature as needed – you want them to cook slowly so that the onion turns sweet and if the temperature is too hot they will burn before they have a chance to caramelize.

3)  Boil water in a large pot – when water is boiling season it with salt.  Then take the bowl of batter and tilt it over the pot of boiling water – using a knife only allow strips of the batter to drip into the water. You can do this by cutting the batter as it drips into the water or taking strips of the dough dipping the knife into the water to release it from the knife.  Allow the spaetzle to cook for about 5-7 minutes once they float to the surface.  You'll want to do a few batches so that you don't crowd the pot and to account for more even cooking time.  When they are done cooking using a slotted spoon drain and then set aside on a plate or covered casserole dish to keep warm. 

Note:  Don't be afraid to sacrifice a few spaetzle initially to practice this method – it takes a few trial runs to get the technique down. 

4)  Season with salt to taste and serve with the sauteed onions.

Enjoy!  

The class we signed up for was entitled: Indoor Grilling with Diane Brown .  The menu included everything from Tuscan bread with white beans to swordfish with papaya salsa.  We also made a skirt steak with a delicious marinade.  Of all the recipes we learned though, my favorite was the grilled corn with roasted red pepper salad.  The summery components of this salad combined fantastic flavors which were enhanced by the grilling and roasting methods that we used.  This salad not only tastes delicious it also looks amazing and will be a great guest at any summer table.

This salad is very easy to assemble, the only elements that require a little extra work are the corn and peppers.  These can be prepared indoors or on an outdoor grill too.  Either way works very well and you'll be happily rewarded with a colorful delicious salad!

Grilled Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Salad

8 Ears of fresh corn, shucked

2-3 Large red peppers

3 Scallions, sliced on a diagonal

1/4 Cup red onion, chopped

1/4 Cup white wine vinegar

1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a little to drizzle on the corn before grilling

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, remove leaves from stems and chop

1/4 Teaspoon sea salt (you can add more to taste)

Hot sauce (as many dashes as you like, start with a little and adjust to meet your tastes)

A few cracks of black pepper

1)  The first step is to get the corn grilled so that it has time to rest and cool so that you can easily handle it.  There are several ways that you can grill the corn, if you have an outdoor grill that would work very well or you can use a grill pan on your stove top.  To prepare the corn, simply shuck it and remove any of the silk or hairs and then drizzle the corn with just a little bit of olive oil.  Use your hands to evenly coat the corn with the oil.  Add to a hot grill or if you're using a grill pan, heat it over medium to high heat – I usually test the pan to see if it's hot by running my hand under the tap and flicking just a little water on the pan – if there's an immediate sizzle then I know that the pan is hot and ready to go!  Add the corn and keep some tongs handy for turning them every now and then so that they get evenly grilled.  You're looking for the kernels to be mostly brown with some of them beginning to char.  You may hear an occasional "pop" – not to worry that is just some of the kernels popping.  When the corn is done remove them from the heat and put them aside to cool.

2)  In addition to the corn needing some time to cool, the red peppers will also need to be made in advance so that they have time to cool down after roasting.  Roasting the peppers can also be done in several different ways: you can do it on a grill outside, you can do it directly on the element of your stove top if you have a gas stove or you you can stick them under the broiler.  For each of these methods you'll need a pair of tongs to turn the pepper each time a side gets black.  You'll need to keep an eye on these – if you're placing them directly on the elements on your stove top you'll need to watch them the entire time and turn them as they need it.  Broiling seems to be the easiest method that I've tried unless you have a grill that's easy to start up.  What you are trying to do here (against your better judgment) is completely char the outside of the peppers.  I know that sounds strange but not to worry, the tender flesh of the pepper stays protected by the outer skin and will get sweet, soft, and delicious.  So once you've chosen your method for roasting and your peppers are black and nicely charred, place them into a bowl that is large enough to accommodate them and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Covering them will allow them time to steam and that in turn will make it very easy to remove the skin and unveil the yummy roasted pepper beneath!  Now one thing that is extremely important to remember is that when you remove the skin DO NOT RINSE the peppers under water – if there is a little bit of charred skin that ends up in the salad that will add great flavor.  Rinsing the peppers however will remove all of that great flavor you worked so hard to achieve.  Instead remove as much of the skin as possible and also remove the seeds from within and the stem.  Chop into small pieces and place in a small bowl with the balsamic vinegar and include any of the juices from the peppers too.  The recipe recommends leaving it overnight to marinate but in class we didn't have time to do that and it turned out delicious.

3)  Cut the corn in half cross-wise so that the corn has a sturdy flat surface on which to stand while you cut the kernels from the ears.  Add the corn to a medium to large sized bowl and add the peppers, red onion, scallions, thyme, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, hot sauce, black pepper.  Mix and well and taste – adjust the seasonings accordingly.

Note:  This recipe serves 4-6 people but can easily be halved if you don't plan on making this for a crowd.

I was inspired to make this dish because the wild Sockeye salmon looked too good to pass up at the store today! 

I definitely recommend keeping an open mind when visiting the grocery store to pick up items – especially when it comes to something like seafood.  Buy what's fresh – you can ask your fish monger to find out when things arrived to learn what the freshest catch is.  Also, learn what day they get their deliveries that way you'll know the best days to buy fish.

Here is the salmon, lentil, and salad recipes.  Click here for the tzatziki recipe .

Note before you start:  To get the timing right with these three dishes, start by preparing the lentils as they need about 30-45 minutes to cook.  Then make the tzatzki as the flavors get stronger when it has some time to marinate together.  After the lentils have been cooking about 25-30 minutes start preparing the salmon and while the salmon is cooking you can work on the salad which will only take a few minutes to assemble. 

Spiced Lentils with Fresh Herbs

1 Cup french lentils
3 Cups water
1 Teaspoon sea salt
1 Teaspoon cumin
1 Teaspoon curry powder
1 small handful of fresh basil, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
Freshly cracked black pepper

Note:  you can use any combo of fresh herbs that you like or happen to have on hand.  Sometimes I'll add some dried rosemary if I don't have the fresh available and it works well.  I do like to have at least one fresh herb though.

1) Begin by adding the water and lentils to a pot, cover them, and place them over high heat and bring to a boil.  Once they reach boiling, lower the heat to a simmer.  I leave the lid off at this point.

2) Add the salt, cumin, curry powder, and black pepper.  Allow them to cook and absorb the water.  About 30 minutes.  

3) Once the lentils have finished cooking and all of the water has been absorbed taste them to see if they need more salt/pepper.  Add in the chopped herbs and stir in – the heat from the lentils will awaken the fragrant aromas from the herbs and they will slightly wilt.

Simply Seasoned Salmon

1/2 lb. Fresh salmon filet (I figure about 1/4 lb. of fish per person)
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

1) Allow your grill pan or skillet to heat on the stove over medium heat while you prepare the salmon.  Drizzle the olive oil over the fish and using your hands rub it over both sides of the fish so that it is lightly coated all over.  This will prevent it from sticking to the pan and also help the seasoning adhere to the fish.  Then sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on both sides of the fish as well as the freshly cracked black pepper. 

2) To test the pan to make sure it's hot enough I usually just run my hand under the tap and flick a little water on the pan – if you hear and see an immediate sizzle then you know the pan is ready for the fish.  Place the salmon skin side up and leave it for about 5-7 minutes.  You'll be able to see the part of the fish that's cooked along the side of the fillet – it turns from the raw fish into light pink cooked salmon.  It's ready to flip when the flesh side on the pan is golden brown and caramelized and the fish looks about half cooked through.  Flip and allow it to cook about another 5-7 minutes.  Depending on how thick your fillet is this time can vary slightly.  With salmon you'll know if it needs more time because the inside will still be raw or undercooked – so rather than being light pink and flaky it'll be darker red and well, not flaky.  Sometimes you just need to take a little peak with a knife to know for sure – cooking times can vary depending on how hot the pan gets and how thick the fish is. 

Simple Baby Spinach Salad with Everyday Honey Balsamic Dressing

For the salad: 

A few handfuls of baby spinach leaves
A handful of grape tomatoes, leave whole or chop in half
A few Tablespoons worth of chopped red onion

1) Add the baby spinach to a salad bowl, add the grape tomatoes and chopped onion

For the dressing:

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Teaspoon honey
1 small pinch coarse sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

1)  Add all of the ingredients and mix well.  Add to the salad and toss! 

There was one meal that was so simple yet has stood out in my memory.  The hostel where I was staying had a pizza night and had ordered several types of pizza.  I made a concerted effort to try a rectangular slice of each flavor while also keeping in mind that there was also a dessert pizza of Nutella and powdered sugar to try.  The potato and rosemary pizza was one that I'd never seen before nor have I encountered since my trip to Certaldo, and it was one of the best pizzas that I'd ever tried.  It was so simple yet so flavorful and fragrant from the rosemary.  It was light and perfect for a hot summer's eve.

Now let me digress for just one moment.  My friend Cathy at A Blithe Palate invited me to partake in an event called "Cookbook Spotlight".  She would send me a copy of Mitchell Davis' new cookbook, 'Kitchen Sense' , and I would choose a recipe and blog about it.  I was delighted to be asked to participate, and you can imagine my surprise when I came to page 102 of Davis' book and found a recipe for potato and rosemary pizza, which Davis calls Potato Focaccia.  I knew immediately that this was the recipe that I was going to try. 

There are two dough recipes to choose from, one taking 1h 15min and the other 8h 30 min.  If you don't feel like making dough, you can buy some fresh dough from your local pizza place.  I wanted to make the dough because I think of yeast as being fickle and I was intimidated by it.  I just followed the 1h 15min dough recipe very closely and to my surprise, there were no problems.  I left the soft dough in an oiled bowl by my stove to rise and lo and behold it did just that!  I was ecstatic!  

A small quibble with the cookbook at this part of the pizza-making process: the section on pizza requires that you flip to a different page to learn how to roll out the dough, and determine the temperature to bake the pizza.  I found that a little confusing.

Once you have the dough however, the rest is a cake-walk.  Dealing with the toppings was a breeze since they require a few simple ingredients. When I took the pizza out of the oven it was golden brown around the edges and easily slid off the baking sheet onto my wooden cutting board so that I could slice it into rectangles.  The pizza looked beautiful.
So did the pizza live up to the revered memory I have from my trip to Italy? 

Absolutely! 

This is such a fantastic combination – the crust is light and crisp, the potatoes soft, and the rosemary fragrant.  The coarse sea salt that I used added a nice surprising burst of flavor while the extra-virgin olive oil was a discrete but a noteworthy flavor on this pizza.  While this pizza is a departure from the typical tomato and cheese-based variety it has strong flavors that are complimentary and it is extremely versatile.  This pizza can be served as hors d'oeuvres, alongside a filet mignon, or as is with a simple salad of mixed greens.

I should also mention that this pizza recipe is consistent with my theme of simple meals – the dough is the only element that could require a little extra time to prepare (if you choose not to buy it), but it makes such a terrific crust that I highly recommend that you try it once.  This is also a very inexpensive recipe that can easily be made for a large number of people.

Quick Pizza Dough from Kitchen Sense by Mitchell Davis

Ingredients: 

• 4 Teaspoons (1 1/2 packets) active dry yeast or 3 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water (110F) – I used very warm tap water
• 6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing the bowl
• 4 Cups all-purpose flour or a combination of 2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons kosher salt – I used coarse sea salt because that's what I had on hand

To make by hand:

Place the yeast in the bottom of a large bowl and add the lukewarm water.  Stir with a whisk or wooden spoon to dissolve and then add the 6 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 cup of flour – whisk until smooth.  Add another cup of the flour and the salt and mix well.  Add the rest of the flour and stir with the spoon to incorporate as much of the flour as you can – then transfer onto a clean surface – all of the dough, flakes of dough, and flour.  Begin kneading the dough with both hands – folding the dough over and pressing it out – turn and fold again.  Incorporate all of the flour into the dough.  After about 10 minutes of kneading the dough should have a soft, smooth texture, and it won't be sticky.  Shape the dough into a ball.

To make with an electric mixer:

Place the yeast in the bowl of the mixture fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add the lukewarm water and stir with the paddle on low to dissolve the yeast.  Add the 6 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 cup of flour and beat on medium-low speed for a minute or so until smooth.  Switch to the dough hook.  Add another cup of flour and the salt and mix well.  Add the last 2 cups of flour and put the machine on low until the dough forms a mass around the hook.  Let the machine knead the dough for 2 minutes.  Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and scrape out the bowl.  Knead for a few minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Shape the bowl into a ball. 

Place a teaspoon of olive oil in the bottom of a large, clean bowl.  Place the ball of dough in the bowl and move it around to coat with the oil – this will prevent the dough from sticking and make it easy to remove from the bowl after it's risen.  Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm place such as near a preheating oven, or in an oven with a pilot light.  Leave the dough to rise – it should double in size after about 45min to 1h.  Punch down the dough and divide in half or quarters depending on how large you want your pies.

This recipe will make 2 1/4 pounds of dough, enough for making two 14 inch pizzas or 4 10 inch individual ones.

Potato Focaccia from Kitchen Sense by Mitchell Davis

Ingredients: 

• 1 Large Red Bliss or Yukon Gold potato (12 oz) – I was using half of the pizza dough and found that one large Yukon Gold was just barely enough to cover the pizza – just to be safe I'd suggest using 2 large potatoes
• 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – I used coarse sea salt here

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Bake the potato for about 35 to 40 minutes – it should give ever slightly when pressed, but still be firm.
3. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.  Then peel and slice it very thin.  You can use a mandoline to get the super thin slices.
4. Meanwhile adjust the oven rack to the highest setting and preheat oven to 500F.  Prepare the dough on your baking sheet or pizza pan – you can either roll it out with a rolling pin or use your hands to stretch out the dough – you want a thin evenly distributed crust.  I used half of the dough to make this pizza as I was only cooking for two.  Davis offered information on storing ready made dough – either in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to two months.
5. Arrange the potato slices in an attractive pattern on the crust – spoon or brush half of the olive oil evenly over the potato.  Sprinkle with the rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Bake for about 25 minutes until the potatoes and crust are nicely brown and crisp.  Remove from the oven and brush or drizzle with the remaining olive oil.  Enjoy!

Thoughts on the cookbook:

I appreciate Davis' philosophy about cooking:  all one needs is a little common sense.  I find that the way Davis writes and how he explains things are very easy to follow and encouraging.  There are many recipes, like the pizza recipe, that offer different versions allowing one to explore and try out different flavors.  Davis also includes practical advice on how to store things and prepare them in advance.  I would love to see photos of his dishes as that is often what entices me to try a particular recipe in the first place.   Looking through each page though, I am intrigued by many of the dishes I came across and I've ear-marked them for future reference.  Next on my list to make: peach galette (peaches are in abundance at the local market), and charmoula sauce to accompany grilled fish.    

Basil Pesto Sauce with Asparagus and Strozzapreti

2 Big handfuls of fresh basil (use the basil leaves, remove thick stalks)
1 Handful of fresh baby spinach
3 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/2 Clove of garlic (or one really small clove)
2-4 Tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 Teaspoon of sea salt
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 bunch of asparagus (preferably the thin ones)
1/2 to 3/4 lb. Strozzapreti pasta (or something similar in size and shape) – I factor 1/2 lb. for 2-3 people, leftovers are great the next day too if you decide to err on the generous side
3 Tablespoons lowfat milk
2 Tablespoons cream

1) Begin by making the pesto in a food processor. I usually toast the pine nuts first so that they have enough time to cool while I prepare everything else. Toasting is done by just adding the nuts to a dry pan and placing over medium heat – gently shuffle them in the pan so that they get a golden color on most sides. This happens quickly so be sure to keep a watchful eye on them. Let them cool on a plate before adding to the food processor. Meanwhile add the basil and spinach to the food processor along with the garlic, salt, and lemon juice. If the pine nuts have cooled you can add them now. Blend these while streaming in the olive oil through the feed tube in your food processor. Begin by just adding a few tablespoons and then add more very slowly until you get a thick yet slightly runny consistency. Err on the side of dry because you can always add more olive oil if needed. I find that the amount of olive oil and salt will vary so I’ve provided amounts to start with although you might find you need more. After everything has been blended taste it, if it needs more salt add another pinch – you can add a little more lemon juice or olive oil too if needed. Pesto is one of those things that is super simple, and once you know the ingredients and a rough idea of quantities you won’t need to measure because you can just taste as you go. (The reason I’ve added spinach to this pesto recipe is to make the sauce extra green, typical pesto also usually has parmesan cheese that I’ve omitted here.)

2) Once you’ve got the pesto ready to go it’s time to make the pasta and asparagus. In a pot begin boiling water for the pasta – cook the pasta according to the package directions – you want the pasta to be al dente. Then heat a skillet under medium heat and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. I chop the asparagus on a diagonal approximately the same size as the pasta – chop off the bottom stalky part which is too tough to eat and discard. A trick in preparing asparagus is that if you hold the tip and the end of the asparagus and slightly bend the staulkier end – the spot where it snaps indicates the part you should chop off and discard. Add the asparagus to the skillet along with some chopped garlic (I just add the 1/2 clove that I didn’t use in the pesto) and saute until it looses its rawness. I still like the asparagus to have a little bit of crunch to it so I only saute it for about 6-8 minutes or so – this time can vary though depending on how thick the asparagus is so just taste a piece or use a fork to test how tender they are – you want them to be cooked so they are not raw and totally crunchy but you don’t want them to be limp or too soft. I’m a big advocate of tasting as you cook, if you haven’t noticed, so just taste as you go along.

3) Once the asparagus is cooked add the milk and cream to the saute pan and stir it for a minute or so – turn off the heat and then add the pesto and stir all together. It’s now time to add in the pasta. You’ll have a beautiful creamy, green, fragrant sauce. Enjoy!

As I began combining ingredients, tasting along the way, I found that this recipe contained such flavorful ingredients that there was no need to get carried away with lots of oils, spices, and condiments. Thus, you’ll find that this recipe is super simple to make but not at all simple in the flavor department. Another great feature of this salad is that while being high in protein and high in fiber on account of the beans it also has no fat! There is no oil or fat of any kind in the dressing. It’s because of this (and of course the beautiful colors) that I was inspired to call this salad: Black Bean and Mango Fiesta Salad!

Black Bean and Mango Fiesta Salad

1 15oz can of black beans (rinse beans thoroughly with water)
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1/4 red onion finely chopped
1/2 red pepper diced
small handful cilantro chopped
2 limes
1 Teaspoon honey
1/4 Teaspoon cumin
1/4 Teaspoon sea salt

1) Rinse the can of black beans under water to get rid of the syrup that they are preserved in and add to a medium sized bowl. Chop the mango, red pepper, red onion, and cilantro and add to the bowl.

2) Cut the limes in half and squeeze out all of the juice from all four halves into the medium bowl filled with the beans and chopped ingredients. I find that sticking a fork into the lime half and twisting it as you squeeze the lime helps to extract as much juice as possible. Once you’ve juiced the limes into the bowl add the honey, cumin, and salt. With a large spood mix well so that everything is combined. Taste it to make sure that all the flavors are balanced to your liking.

Curried Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

Left over roasted winter vegetables (anything from 1-3 cups)
1 Cup couscous
1 handful sultanas (white raisins)
1 handful toasted pine nuts
1/4 C lemon juice (1 to 1 1/2 lemons – this will vary a little depending on how juicy your lemons are)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Teaspoon curry
1/2 Teasponn cumin
1/2 Teaspoon dried coriander
Sea salt/pepper to taste

Some other additions that are really good: grilled chicken or grape tomatoes….
1) Prepare couscous according to package directions – and allow some time for it to cool a little before assembling the salad. Use a fork to fluff up the couscous.
2) In a dry pan add the handful of pine nuts and over medium heat allow them to toast – keep an eye on them as this happens really quickly! When they are golden brown remove from heat – they’re done!
3) Chop the leftover roasted vegetables and add to a medium-sized bowl, add the couscous, curry, cumin, coriander, olive oil, lemon juice, pine nuts, and anything else such as grilled chicken or grape tomatoes. Taste the salad to see if it requires any additional salt/pepper. I recommend tasting because the roasted vegetables will already have been seasoned with some salt and pepper and you won’t want to over-do it!
Enjoy!

One of my favorite dishes, which is super simple, is roasted winter vegetables. I shouldn’t even call them ‘winter’ vegetables because a lot of these are now available all year long and you can mix and match your favorites once you get the method down.
My favorite combination involves: sweet potatoes, parsnips, leeks, fennel, Yukon gold potatoes, garlic cloves, and cremini mushrooms (baby portabellas). I just chop all of these vegetables into about equal size pieces for uniform cooking (except for the garlic which I just smash with the side of a knife to remove the paper skin) and I place them on a baking sheet. I then sprinkle with coarse sea salt, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and mix together with my hands until all the veggies are coated in the oil and salt. They then head into a 425F oven for about 30-40 minutes until they are golden and crispy on the outside but soft on the inside (you can test how soft they are by poking with a fork). These roasted veggies are so delicious and work beautifully with just about anything. I also have a great couscous salad that I like to make with the leftovers so stay tuned….

Roasted Winter Vegetables

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes (keep peels on)
2 med Yukon gold potatoes (keep peels on)
1 leek
1 fennel bulb
4-5 cloves garlic
2-3 handfuls cremini mushrooms (cremini’s are baby portabella mushrooms, you can also use 2-3 chopped portabellas here)
Sea salt
Freshly cracked pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

*Dried herbs optional

1) Chop all the veggies to about equal size – I usually cut into about 1 inch pieces. Since leeks are delicate and cook quickly I’ll leave them a little larger – same with the mushrooms. For the garlic – leave them whole and just peel them – they’ll get lovely and soft from roasting. If you have a wide 8” chef’s knife – use the side to whack the garlic and the peel will come right off. (This is so satisfying to do!)

2) Once all the veggies are chopped just put them on a baking sheet and sprinkle about a tablespoon of sea salt over the veggies – I never measure here. You can then drizzle with olive oil – again, I never measure but I’d say a few tablespoons should do the trick. You don’t want lots of olive oil – just enough to lightly coat all the veggies so they get the flavor and also so they don’t stick to the baking sheet. Use your hands to mix everything together…

3) Put the baking sheet of veggies into a 425F oven for about 30-40 minutes – half-way through I usually take them out to give them a little shake and flip with a spatula. I’ve noticed that ovens can vary a lot so after about 20-30 minutes keep an eye on them the first time you make them to learn just how long it takes to get the veggies just right. You’ll know when they are ready because they’ll have crispy golden edges but inside they’ll be soft and delicate. To check for softness use a fork and poke one of the thickest vegetables – if the fork goes in easily they are ready!

A quick word on the vegetables:

This is a fun method for cooking lots of different and interesting vegetables so definitely get creative here!

Parsnips, if you’re not familiar with them, look like carrots but they are white. Their flavor is slightly spicy and fragrant – it’s very unique – you have to try ‘em! I just prepare them as I would carrots – peel them and chop!

Fennel is a white looking bulb with long green fronds attached that look like dill. Fennel has a fantastic licorice flavor that mellows when roasted. I love to enjoy fennel uncooked as well – it’s great in salads. To prepare fennel you’ll only use the bulb so chop off all of the fronds from the base of the bulb. (You can save the fronds for garnishing.) You’ll also want to chop off the bottom of the bulb and remove the outer-most pieces of the bulb. Chop in half, remove the tough core, and slice to your desired size and shape.

Leeks look like huge over-sized green onions with much tougher green tops. They have a very gentle onion flavor and are fantastic roasted. Sometimes I’ll roast just a few leeks and sprinkle them over salad with some goat cheese – really yummy! To prepare leeks you’ll want to chop off the dark green tops – you’re only going to eat the white and really light green parts – the rest is very tough. You’ll also want to chop off the little roots at the bottom of the leeks. At this point you can either chop the leeks into 2 inch disks or you can cut them lenth-wise and then chop them into your desired size. Either way though you’ll want to soak them or run them under water to make sure that all the grit and dirt is removed. Because these grow in loose soil they almost always have dirt hidden in their layers. One method I’ve seen used is to chop them as you’ll want to use them and then just put them in a big bowl full of water to soak for a few minutes – shake them around a little with your hand and the dirt will sink to the bottom.

Cremini mushrooms are just baby portabellas. Either portabellas or creminis can be used here. I’d recommend cutting them a little larger than the size of the potatoes just because they will cook faster. Also, make sure that you do not wash or soak mushrooms! They will soak up tons of water and make for some soggy roasted veggies. To prepare mushrooms you’ll just need a damp kitchen towel and then you just gently brush off any dirt that way…