Genève’s Kitchen

I wrote about a great pesto dish that I enjoyed in NYC a few weeks ago but I wanted to post about the basic, pure, unadulterated version of this potent green sauce.

Pesto, as simple as it is, has complex flavors that are refreshing and yet substantial. Each ingredient is very intentional and is apparent without being overbearing. The balance of flavors is harmonious and the aromas from the fresh ingredients as it’s being made are intoxicating. The versatility of pesto is quite remarkable too. With summer almost officially here it’s the perfect recipe to have on hand for any occasion. I wanted to share my basic basil pesto recipe as it differs slightly from the one I shared with you in the post Spring in the City. From pasta salads to a condiment accompanying grilled fish there is really no limit to how pesto can be used. I love how it transforms a simple turkey sandwich or a plate of steaming hot fresh angel hair pasta.

Pesto never gets old for me. Each time I make it, I remember the first time I enjoyed it in a small restaurant tucked away in a little town in Italy near the Swiss border. I ordered it by mistake because I couldn’t understand the menu but at 13 I already knew I’d stumbled across one of the best plates of pesto I’d ever have.

Basil Pesto

2 Big handfuls of fresh basil, remove the stems
1/2 Garlic clove
1/4 Cup toasted pine nuts
1 1/2 Teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 Teaspoon sea salt
3-5 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoon of finely grated parmesan cheese

1) In a small dry pan toast the pine nuts over medium heat. Keep an eye on them and shuffle the pan from time to time so that they get a nice even golden color. The pine nuts will toast very quickly, when they are golden on most sides remove from heat and allow to cool.

2) In a food processor (you can also use a blender, just be sure to scrape down the sides frequently with a spatula so that everything gets incorporated) add the basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, toasted pine nuts, and start to pulse it. Slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube as the blender is running. You’ll notice the pesto start to come together and transform from a coarse mass of basil into a smooth sauce. The reason that I give a range for the amount of olive oil is so that you can control for the consistency that you prefer. For a more coarse thick pesto use less olive oil, for a smoother thinner sauce add a little more. Over time you won’t even need to measure as you’ll develop an eye for your desired consistency. Also, I usually wait to add the parmesan cheese until after I’ve blended the other ingredients. A very important part of the pesto-making process is to taste as you go along and adjust the flavors to your liking. Keep in mind though that the parmesan cheese is very salty so wait until after you’ve added the cheese to adjust for saltiness.

This Moroccan-style chicken recipe will send the aromas of exotic spices all through your house. If you are looking for a new recipe to “spice up” your old stand-by chicken dish, here’s just the thing. While spicy in flavor, it’s not at all hot – the spicy flavor comes from cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and a little bit of cayenne pepper. Olive oil and red wine vinegar help round out the flavors. This is such a simple marinade – the longer you let the chicken bask in the richness of the spices, the more flavorful the chicken. Whether you grill this outside or cook it on your stove – this will be an exotic departure from your regular everyday chicken. I serve this with couscous in keeping with the Moroccan theme.

Moroccan Style Chicken with Couscous

For the marinade:

1 Cup olive oil
1/2 Cup red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground coriander
2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 Teaspoons salt
2 Teaspoons sugar
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper

You can use this marinade for any kind of chicken you like: legs, breast, tenders. I usually buy chicken breast and either cut into 1 inch pieces to make kabobs or I’ll cut the chicken into strips and put them on sticks (the sticks are totally unnecessary – I just do it for effect sometimes). Cooking them as they are is great too.

Also, this makes plenty of marinade so you can easily make this for a crowd.

1) Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a medium-sized bowl (or large bowl if you plan to make a lot of chicken) and stir to combine. I reserve 1/4 Cup of this marinade for flavoring the couscous – set aside before adding the chicken. Add the chicken and stir so that all the chicken is coated in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for a 1/2 hour or longer. The longer it marinates the more flavorful the chicken!

2) Cook the marinated chicken on a grill outside or cook inside in a pan on your stove over medium to hot heat. To test when the pan is ready I flick a little water onto the pan and if there is an immediate sizzle sound then you know it’s ready to go! Make sure to allow the excess marinade to drip off the chicken before placing in the pan – you can even use a paper towel to remove the excess. This is especially important when cooking with a pan because on a grill the excess will drip down into the flames, but in a pan the excess marinade will cook the chicken differently (it’ll boil instead of fry). Also, I find that the marinated chicken cooks really well without oil added to the pan.

For the couscous:

1 Cup of dried couscous (follow instructions on the box)
The juice of one lemon
1/4 Cup of the Moroccan marinade from above
1/4 Cup chopped cucumber
1/4 Cup chopped grape tomatoes or regular tomatoes – whichever you have
Salt to taste
1) Make the couscous according to the directions on the box.

2) Chop the cucumber and grape tomatoes.

3) When the couscous is finished cooking but is still warm use a fork to fluff it up and add it to a medium to large bowl. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, lemon juice, and the marinade that was set aside. Stir together and taste. Add salt if necessary.

Serve this couscous with the chicken and enjoy!

As you’ve probably been able to gather from the number of seafood recipes on my site so far, I really love seafood! In addition to great flavor, seafood is incredibly easy to prepare and often takes only minutes to cook (it’s super healthy too). Mussels are one of those classics that seem (at least they always did to me) like they’d be a complicated thing to tackle. Well, I’m pleased to inform you that that is not the case. These little guys couldn’t be easier to prepare and it’s an especially fun meal for a small crowd because it makes for a great communal eating experience. I often serve mussels in the traditional Belgian manner with fries on the side (a.k.a. moules et frites). I either make homemade fries using Yukon gold potatoes or sweet potatoes or when I’m a little short on time I just go with a bag of pre-cut frozen fries from the store and pop them in the oven.
As for the mussels – they require even less time than the fries! When you bring home the mussels from the store you’ll want to make sure to open the bag in which they’ve been stored to give them air to breathe and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use them. The mussels need to be rinsed and if there are any little seaweed-y bits on any of the mussels (sometimes called the beard) they should be removed using a knife. Also, if you have mussels which are open, squeeze them closed with your hand for about 30 seconds, if they remain open once you release it then it’s not a good mussel and should be discarded. The opposite holds true after you’ve cooked the mussels, any that are still closed should be thrown away. Keep this tip in mind when you’re buying the mussels and make sure that the fish monger is selecting only the closed mussels for you.

The common method for cooking mussels is to create a flavorful broth in which to toss the mussels. The steam from the broth will cook and gently open the little shells so that they can bask in the savory aromas. They only take about 5 minutes!

These tasty mussels along with a warm crusty loaf of French bread to soak up the delicious broth and a fresh salad of mixed greens in a light vinaigrette is a meal that has all the “muss” with no “fuss”. Oh, and don’t forget the frites!

I serve the mussels in a large bowl, broth included, in the center of the table and I provide each participant with their own little bowl for placing discarded shells. What I love about serving the mussels this way is that it creates a shared experience – one that’s laid back, comfortable, and slightly messy but in a good way.

Moules et Frites (Mussels and Fries)

For the Moules (Mussels):

Factor about 1 lb. of mussels per person (that’s about 12-15 mussels)

1 Large shallot or 2 small shallots finely chopped
2 Cups of white wine – any kind that you like to drink (I like to have about an inch or two of wine on the bottom of the pot so if your pot is wider you can add more wine as you see fit)
2 Cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Anchovy fillets (optional but I think they add great subtle flavor here)
1 small handful of fresh basil chopped
A few turns of the pepper mill (freshly cracked black pepper)

For the Frites (Fries):

Potatoes of your choice, I like Yukon gold or Sweet Potatoes for this – the quantity will vary depending on the size of potatoes you find, just get enough for a sheet pan full of sliced potatoes. Factor 1 potato per person.

Olive oil
Salt/Pepper

1) Prepare the mussels according to the description above (rinse with water, remove any beards, discard any open mussels that won’t close with prompting), if not using right away be sure to open the bag that the mussels came in and leave in the fridge.

2) Begin preparing the fries since these will take the longest – if using the pre-frozen kind follow the directions on the package. If making fresh then set oven to 425F and cut the potatoes into fries-like shapes – toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and place in the pre-heated oven. They will need about 30-40 minutes. Give them a gentle toss halfway through the cooking process to allow even roasting. They will be done when they are tender and soft on the inside while slightly crispy on the outside.

3) When the fries are about halfway done you can begin preparing the mussels. Heat a big pot (one that has an accompanying lid to be used later on) over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. While they are heating up chop the shallots and garlic and add it to the pot. Allow the shallots and garlic to saute for a while until translucent. Add the anchovies during this time so that they have time to melt into the olive oil and butter. Add a little freshly cracked black pepper and after everything has sauteed for about 5 minutes or so add the white wine. Allow it to all cook together, make sure to stir well in case there are any flavorful bits on the bottom of the pan.

4) When the wine comes up to a simmer (soft rumbling along the surface) add the mussels give them all a good stir and place the lid on top. When the lid is on give the whole pot a little shuffle and leave alone for about 3-5 minutes – I usually find it takes 5 minutes. You want to see all the mussels opened when you lift the lid. If you lift and see that most aren’t opened continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes longer. When done sprinkle in the fresh basil and stir. I then pour everything into a huge bowl to serve at the table family-style.

Bon Appetite!

Every time I am in New York City I find myself revisiting my favorite old spots. One such spot is a little restaurant in my old ‘hood called Bread. I used to frequent this place regularly for their fantastic atmosphere and delicious and simply prepared fare. I always left inspired to recreate what I’d ordered. This past May I was in NYC and I enjoyed a delicious evening of catching up with my friend, Annick. Both food lovers, we decided to split a few items one of which was pasta with pesto and asparagus. What arrived was a generous bowl of aromatic pasta with the most beautiful spring green pesto sauce. I forget the exact type of pasta used but I found something at Whole Foods that resembles it closely called, strozzapreti (the translation of which means ‘priest strangler’ – yikes!). It is similar to the size and shape of the asparagus that accompanied this pasta and it also holds the sauce well. Ever since my return from New York I’ve been thinking about this dish and I’ve tried to make it myself several times. What made this pesto sauce so special was the balance of aromatic light basil notes paired with a rich creaminess. I think I’ve finally managed to come pretty close with this recipe. It’s such a great meal on its own or served alongside chicken, fish, or just about anything.

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!

There’s nothing I love more about food than its ability to recapture memories of special places in time. Last summer Kareem and I spent a relaxing week in the little town of Positano, Italy along the majestic Amalfi coast. We spent our days under umbrellas on the beach reading, taking walks to find gelato, and occasionally dipping into the cool blue Mediterranean. The evenings were anticipated events that we talked about during the day, as we pondered which of the many restaurants we would be feasting at that night. Such were the most pressing questions we had to contemplate. We had many great meals but one of our favorites was Frutti di Mare (fruits of the sea). This dish boasted the fresh abundant delicacies of the region: clams, mussels, and shrimp. A light tomato sauce would accompany the fresh fish and it was always served atop homemade pasta. A pitcher of the house wine paired perfectly with the dish.

When I try to recreate this dish at home I am transported again to the narrow winding streets of this quaint little town lined with restaurants and shops that overlook the sea. I try to stay true to the simplicity of Italian cooking in my rendition of Frutti di Mare. I buy the freshest ingredients and when I’m very ambitious I’ll bring out my little pasta machine and make the pasta from scratch. On a normal day, though, I rely on the pre-made stuff. It doesn’t take long to pull this meal together but it will definitely be impressive. Whether I enjoy this delicious dish in an exotic locale or on my own little balcony it’s definitely a meal to remember.

Frutti di Mare

The measurements for the fish don’t need to be too precise here and you don’t need to choose this exact assortment, see what looks fresh at your market. This amount will be enough sauce for approx. 4 people)

1/2 – 1 lb. Mussels
3/4 lb. Little Neck Clams
1/2 lb. Small or medium sized scallops
1/2 lb. Medium sized shrimp (I usually buy the pre-deveined and shelled ones)
1 Medium yellow onion, diced
2 Cloves garlic, chopped
1 15oz. can of crushed fire roasted tomatoes
2 T Tomato puree
2 T Olive oil
1 Cup of white wine (just choose a wine that you like to drink)
6 Anchovy fillets (you’ll find these in the area of the supermarket where you find the canned tuna)
A few pinches of lemon zest
A pinch of red pepper flakes
A pinch of dried oregano
A few leaves of fresh basil
Salt/Pepper to taste
Your favorite type of pasta (I used parpadelle)

Preparing the Fish

Before beginning with the sauce it’s a good idea to have the fish ready to go. The mussles and clams should be gently scrubbed to rid the shells of any grit, if you come across an open mussel or clam pinch it closed for a moment and if it stays closed when you release then the mussel is still good. If it remains open however and won’t shut with your prompting then that’s an indication that it’s a bad mussel and should be discarded. The opposite holds true after the cooking process – if once the clams and mussels have been cooked there are any that remain closed those aren’t good and should be thrown away. The shrimp should be deveined and shelled – just leave the tails on. I make things easy for myself by buying the pre-shelled and deveined shrimp. Scallops occassionally have a muscle atttached to one side which is how they anchor themselves to their shell, this part is tough to eat so it’s best to remove it simply by pulling it off. You’ll know what I mean when you see the scallop – they are smooth and slightly transluscent while the muscle is white and less shiny. You can easily remove this part by hand.
Preparing the Sauce

1) To begin add the olive oil to a large sauce pan (use a sauce pan that has a lid which you’ll need for later on). Turn the skillet to medium-low heat and once the oil is heated add the chopped onions and garlic – you want to hear a soft sizzle when you add the onion to the pan. You’ll want to saute them for about 10 minutes or so until they are translucent. Make sure the heat isn’t too high because you don’t want the onion or garlic to turn brown and color, you just want them to slowly cook and sweat-out. After about 5 minutes or so add the red pepper flakes and the anchovies – break apart the anchovies as they cook with your spoon.

Now I feel like I need to say something about anchovies because I know a lot of people don’t like them and I used to be one of them. When anchovies are cooked they literally melt away and lose their fishy flavor instead adding a unique salty and nutty flavor that is vital to this sauce. I urge even the biggest anchovy hater to please trust me on this and include them when making this dish. You won’t be sorry.

Also, I usually start to boil my water for the pasta at this stage so that the water will be ready and boiling when I want to start cooking the pasta.

2) Once the onions have become translucent and the anchovies have ‘melted’ it’s time to deglaze the pan. This process simply means that you’ll add a liquid, in this case the white wine, and the goal is to loosen the bits of flavorful onion, garlic, etc. that has browned on the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to cook for a few minutes while you use your spoon to scrape up all the carmelized goodness from the pan. Once the wine has had a chance to reduce slightly (some of the liquid from the wine has evaporated to concentrate the flavor) add the tomato paste and stir it – then add the can of crushed tomatoes. Add the pinch of oregano at this point and a little bit of freshly cracked black pepper. (I hold off on adding any salt because I find that the mussels and clams add some salty flavor when they are cooked in the sauce so after they are added then taste sauce again to see if salt is needed.) Allow the sauce to come to a simmer.

3) Once the sauce is simmering it’s time to add the clams – once they’re in put the lid on the pan. After a minute or so add the mussels and again replace the lid. (The steam is what cooks the shell fish and causes them to open). When the mussels are starting to open – after about 3 minutes – then I’ll go ahead and add the scallops and shrimp. I keep the lid on to help the mussels and clams steam. If you have any clams or mussels that don’t open after steaming for 3-5 minutes then they are no good and should be thrown away. The scallops and shrimp don’t take long to cook at all – the shrimp are done when they are pink and the scallops will no longer have that translucent look to them. (Add the pasta to the boiling water at this point).
4) The last thing I do to finish this sauce right before serving is to stir in the lemon zest and add the freshly torn basil. Make sure to taste the sauce too and make sure that the flavors are to your liking. This sauce can be kept on a low heat while the pasta finishes cooking or you can turn off the heat and keep the lid on. Serve it over the pasta and enjoy!

As you’ll notice alongside the right column I’ve added a new feature allowing anyone interested to subscribe to my blog. (When I say “I added” I actually mean that Kareem created this for me.) A subscription to Geneve’s Kitchen will mean that you’ll get an email once a day if there is a new post. I hope that you’ll find this helpful!

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With the summer weather kicking-in here in Santa Monica I want to take full advantage of the little balcony that we have for some al fresco dining. To inaugurate our summer dinners a-la-balcony I decided to set up an aperitif outside to get things started. The usual suspect to accompany an aperitif is often a cheese platter but I was looking for something a little lighter and also refreshingly different.
What I came up with is a white bean dip infused with the summery flavors of basil and lemon. To add an even greater depth of flavor I added toasted pine nuts. I’m so pleased with how this dip came out that I plan to make it again and again. Fortunately I made enough last night for an encore appearance tonight. I served this dip with some toasted crostini and a lovely chilled rose wine. (Annick – as you can probably guess, we drank our favorite, Big House Pink).

Tuscan White Bean Dip with Basil and Lemon

1 15 oz. Can of cannellini beans (rinse well with cold water in a colander before using)
1 small handful of fresh basil leaves (I used about 6-8 big leaves)
1/2 Garlic clove
2 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 pinches of lemon zest
Sea salt/ Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1) In a dry pan I add the pine nuts over medium heat. Make sure to keep a watchful eye when toasting nuts because this takes very little time and it’s super easy to burn them. Gently shuffle the pan a little bit from time to time so they get a nice golden color evenly on more than one side. You’ll begin to smell the nutty aroma of the nuts and you’ll notice they start to glisten as the oils begin to emerge from them – these are signs that they are just about ready. When they look slightly golden or toasted remove from heat and allow to cool before adding them to the rest of the ingredients in the food processor.

2) While the pine nuts are cooling begin by rinsing the beans to rid them of the syrup in which they are preserved and add them to a food processor along with the garlic clove, olive oil, basil leaves, lemon juice, lemon zest (this is best removed using a microplane or super-fine grater that will just remove the zest – avoid getting the white part known as the pith which is very bitter). Also add the toasted pine nuts which have cooled. Pulse these ingredients together in the blender – before it’s completely blended together add a pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Blend it and then taste – if you think it needs more salt or pepper add a little bit at a time. I try to blend the mixture so that it’s all combined but still has a little bit of texture meaning it isn’t completely perfectly smooth – blend it to your desired consistency though.

Enjoy with crostini which are just toasted pieces of baguette – I slice pieces of bread about 1/2 -1 inch think and line them on a baking sheet. Stick them under the broiler in the oven for about 5-10 minutes until they are toasted.

It’s so easy to make a lot of this dip so it’s great for parties and entertaining! It holds up very well in the fridge too so you can make it the day before.

In general I enjoy food and cooking as a shared experience. I like to cook meals that elicit a positive response and now that I have a blog where I write about the food that I cook I make an extra attempt at making meals that are presentable and blog-worthy. My boyfriend is definitely the beneficiary of these attempts.

On the days where I find myself having a quiet evening alone however, I relish the simplicity of the night. I can watch whatever trashy entertainment television I want without having to hear any slack for it and I can do it while eating one of my favorite simple meals.

My simple salad, which resembles a tuna nicoise salad, offers a healthy, delicious, and incredibly easy dinner any night of the week. (This is a fantastic lunch as well.)
I find that I never really make the same version of this salad twice – it’s all about using whatever you have on hand. The basic elements include either mixed greens, baby arugula, or baby spinach, canned tuna in water (I really like tongol tuna), an assortment of vegetables, some kind of cheese like goat or feta, and then my super simple everyday dressing. If I happen to have some leftover roasted asparagus from the night before I’ll add that, or if I have some great olives on hand those will go in too. Walnuts are another great addition.
This is a satisfying meal and you won’t have to turn on the stove or do many dishes. All the more time to enjoy that juicy television!
Here’s the recipe for the salad that I enjoyed today. Get creative with your version of this salad to make it your own – let your refrigerator guide you by what you’ve already got on hand…

Baby Spinach with Fennel and Tuna

• Baby spinach – a few handfuls (I always have a few varieties of greens on hand, the kind that come in plastic box-like containers are convenient and I find that they last me the week without wilting)

• 1 can Tongol tuna packed in water (I figure 1/2 can per person)

• 1/2 fennel bulb finely sliced (again, use what you have on hand – grape tomatoes, carrots, celery, sugar snap peas, roasted veggies from last nights dinner, edamame…)
• 3 Tablespoons red onion finely chopped – I only put the measurements here as a guideline, there’s really no need to measure accurately – just add your desired quantity
• 1/4 cucumber chopped
• 6 olives – these add a great salty flavor but again, totally optional
• Herbed goat cheese – I just crumble it into the salad, add desired amount
• A few leaves of torn basil

For the dressing:

This is my everyday salad dressing that I use all the time.  I never measure it – I just add these ingredients over the salad and then stir it all together. I’ve included measurements below but taste for yourself as you make this and adjust the flavorings to exactly your liking. (Dressing amounts here are for a single portion – you may need to double for a larger salad…)

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Teaspoon honey
Sea salt/Freshly cracked pepper to taste

The Santa Monica Farmer’s market that takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays is the highlight of my week. Each visit brings inspiration and renewed energy to my love of food and cooking. There are always new vegetable varieties, fruits, honeys, nuts, and olives to be discovered. I found this week to be an exceptionally great market as there were a lot of new appearances by fruits and vegetables that I hadn’t seen all winter. First I strolled past a stall with soft fuzzy little apricots – before even establishing a plan for what I would do with these apricots I began to fill a bag with some. There would be plenty of time for thinking later. Then across from the apricots I found the sugar snap peas which I’ve been buying for a few weeks now – they are so crunchy and, as the name suggests, very sweet! I meandered towards the next stalls offering tomatoes, peaches, onions, meyer lemons, and then I spotted a newcomer: cherries! These bright red little orbs were bursting with sweet flavor. I was expecting them to be tart but they were fantastically sweet. I learned that this variety was called Brooks and that they had a very short season lasting only several weeks – fortunately I came at the right time! Traversing past more stalls I was welcomed by the smells of herbs, freshly cut flowers, and the earthy fragrance that fresh produce exudes. It was very intoxicating and my mind was whirling with excitment at all of my new finds today. After stopping off at the Rockenwagner Bakery stall for the usual lemon poppy seed scone that I treat myself to and a chocolate chip cookie that I buy for my boyfriend Kareem I walked back past all of the stalls one more time. The beautiful warm sunny day was full of promise and my bag was full of goodies. It was a great morning.

And in case you’re wondering what I decided to do with those adorable little apricots, well I made a delicious compote with them to serve over cold ice cream.

Apricot Compote with Vanilla Ice Cream

4-5 Apricots sliced (will make about 2 cups worth sliced)
4 Tablespoons water
1 1/2 Tablespoon sugar (you may need to add more depending on how sweet the fruit is to begin with, tasting is the best way to tell)
1 pinch cinnamon
Your favorite kind of vanilla ice cream

Optional: toasted walnuts to top – toasting is super simple, just add the nuts to a dry pan and place over medium heat. Toss occasionally and keep an eye on them as they’ll toast quickly and you don’t want them to burn and turn bitter. You’ll know when they’re ready because they’ll give off a great nutty aroma and they’ll change color only slightly. You’ll also notice that they become slightly shiny as their natural oils emerge.

1) Add the sliced apricots to the pot along with the water, sugar, and cinnamon. Start the pot on a medium to high heat and bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer – allowing it to simmer until the fruit gets soft and a thick sauce develops (about 5-10 minutes).

Serve over cold ice cream and top with toasted walnuts (if you like nuts)! This easy compote can be made with all kinds of fruit – it’s great with berries, apples, pears or any combination thereof! This is such a great easy recipe to know because you’ll be able to whip up a fantastic dessert with minimal effort anytime. Also, if you ever have any over-ripe fruit or bruised fruit rather than throw it away try making a compote – these fruit will be delicious with ice cream as shown here, simply as it is, or with yogurt.

My inspiration for dinner this evening came in several parts. First, I happened across some beautifully ripe mangos at the store. How could I resist when they were also on sale??? Then, my boyfriend Kareem expressed to me his craving for some beans. My vision was complete when I opened up my refrigerator and found a joyfully round red pepper, 2 lively green limes, and a heaping bunch of leftover cilantro from last nights summer rolls.
I was going to create a black bean salad with mango and friends!

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.