Osso Buco, Toasted Pine Nut Gremolata

Mario Batali's Osso Buco 

marries 

Martha Stewart's Creamy Polenta

A match made in heaven...

Last Sunday Father Adam and I made this Osso Buco. We were impressed first with how absolutely delicious it was, and even more with how much easier it was to make than we had imagined. While Father Adam browned the seasoned veal shanks in olive oil in the hot Le Creuset French Oven, I prepared the Basic Tomato Sauce.

Once browned, the shanks are removed from the pot (to rest in the Italian countryside). 

Carrot, onion, celery, and thyme are then browned in the same pot over medium heat. The tomato sauce, chicken stock, and white wine are added to the pan and brought to a boil.

The shanks and accumulated juices go back in. Cover and cook in a 375° oven. Now we have two and a half hours to relax, drink the rest of that bottle of wine, chop some parsley, toast some pine nuts, and zest a lemon.

Later the meat is falling off the bone and the sauce is rich and complex. About 20 minutes before the osso buco is to be done, we prepare the polenta, recipe here.

Serve the tender veal shank over Creamy Polenta and sprinkle the top with Toasted Pine Nut Gremolata, made by combining toasted pine nuts with chopped Italian parsley and lemon zest. The complete recipe for Osso Buco, Tomato Sauce, and Gremolata can be found here.

Dessert?

The Next Day...

Perhaps you noticed the portion size of those shanks? There was plenty left over. So I cooked some mostaccioli, tossed with olive oil and the leftover gremolata. I shredded the remaining veal and heated it up with the sauce.

Mostaccioli, known in Italy as “Penne Lisce,” are a specialty of the Campania Region in southern Italy which includes the cities of Naples, Capri and Sorrento. Penne, which means “pen” in Italian, gets its name from its shape. Penne are tube-shaped with angled ends cut to resemble a quill or pen point. Unlike penne which are ridged, mostaccioli are smooth in texture. They are designed for chunky tomato, meat and cream sauces.  (from Barilla website)

I have a fondness for mostaccioli because growing up in the 1960's in a non-Italian household in Chicago, this was exotic! The spelling and pronunciation were foreign. In addition, we immensely enjoyed Mom's elbow macaroni with butter and melting American cheese torn into strips, and spaghetti with broiled pork chops on top, which we called "PC & S."

My mother served her mostaccioli tossed with butter and canned S & W Stewed Tomatoes with Onion, Celery, and Bell Pepper. We loved it. 

I once asked her if she had to do that airplane trick to get us to eat when we were little. You know, where the food on the spoon is the airplane and the hangar is the mouth? She laughed. No. You kids? You ate everything. You were NOT picky eaters!

So, I just called my mother to find out more about this mostaccioli dish she used to make for us. She told me that she used S & W because it tasted the best. It did. I remember. Thanks Ma! Thanks so much...

Mostaccioli with Pine Nut Gremolata, Veal Ragù

Curried Pork Fried Rice

Curried Pork Fried Rice

Red and Green Bell Pepper

Scallion, Napa Cabbage, Bean Sprouts

Heat peanut oil in a wok or large pan over high heat. Add minced ginger, garlic and thinly sliced scallions. After about a minute add diced bell pepper. When the bell pepper starts to soften, add shredded Napa cabbage and thick sliced scallions. The last vegetable to add is the bean sprouts. Then add cold cooked white rice and mix thoroughly.

The Sauce:

All toasted sesame oils are not alike. La Tourangelle makes a sesame oil that is far superior. This producer partners with one of the oldest Japanese oil mills. The oil is crafted in central Japan strictly following 270-year-old traditional methods. The quality of sesame oil varies depending on the quality of the seeds, and the length and temperature of the toasting process. La Tourangelle's Japanese partner uses only the freshest, highest quality seeds that are painstakingly cleaned and slow toasted. 

In addition to the delicious sesame oil, it is the curry powder and fish sauce that give this fried rice its standout flavor! The sauce is made with 2 parts toasted sesame oil, 2 parts low-sodium soy sauce, 1 part fish sauce, 1 part curry powder. Trader Joe's has a nice curry powder containing: cumin, turmeric, coriander, chili, mustard, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cayenne, cinnamon, black pepper, and saffron. They recommend toasting the powder first, in a dry skillet for best flavor. 

After adding the rice to the vegetables then toss the sauce into the rice mixture. (When we were in Thailand a few years ago I became addicted to fried rice for breakfast. One of the components of Thai fried rice is fish sauce, which gives it a unique flavor).

I cook the ground pork in a separate pan. I use my ceramic titanium nonstick Scanpan, and do not add any oil. Season with a little salt and pepper, break up the pork, yet still leave it in bite-sized clusters. Drain the cooked pork in a colander. Gently toss the pork with the rice mixture. 

Curried Pork Fried Rice

Serve with hot sauce on the side. Cilantro garnish.

From My Garden

Queen Elizabeth grandiflora rose (pink) 

Wildfire hybrid tea rose (bright orange) 

Julia Child floribunda rose (yellow) 

Lavender sprigs

Bejeweled Salmon

 Fresh Wild Kenai River Sockeye Salmon

Roasted with Creme Fraiche

Over Emerald Seaweed Salad

Topped with Coral Ikura

Seaweed Salad: Mix bright green seaweed with a small amount of toasted sesame oil, seasoned rice wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds.

Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper. To get the skin extra crispy, I put the salmon skin-side down over a sizzling hot teaspoon of olive oil in a ovenproof sauté pan and sear on the stove top over high heat for a few minutes. 

Then top the salmon with crème fraîche and finish by roasting in a 400° oven. Serve over the seaweed salad, top with ikura (salmon roe). The terrific idea for roasting salmon with crème fraîche is not mine. I read Molly Wizenberg's story of her father's Alaskan fishing trips in Bon Appétit, and being a big fan of this French cultured cream, I thought I would try her method. The charming story can be found here.

Bejeweled Salmon: Coral & Emerald

Alaskan salmon, prepared French/Japanese fusion style, has bright clean flavors, a variety of interesting textures, and is a visual stunner!

Rue Mouffetard

We met George and Patricia for a tour of one of the oldest streets in Paris, the bustling and colorful Rue Mouffetard. It is the remnant of an old Roman road with structures dating back hundreds of years. The narrow cobblestone street functions pretty much the way it has for centuries in a neighborhood where people come to shop, eat, meet, and socialize.

The market is open every day except Monday. I will freely admit that I am jealous of the life of my gracious Parisienne friend, Patricia. In my fantasy I come here every morning (excepté lundi) to peruse la viande, les fruits de mer, les fruits, les légumes, le pain et les fromages, then choose what looks freshest and suits my mood and the weather. 

I pick up une bouteille de vin (ou de deux) to accompany my treasure, then go home to my apartment château to cook for family and friends and fellow bloggers who happen to be visiting Paris. Including YOU I hope! 

Mollusques et Crustacés

Peg, Kristy and Susan

Look at the little pooch under the woman's chair bottom left.

Fromage

Fraises

There are several varieties of strawberries.

Gariguette

Mara des Bois

Asperge

Coeur de Boeuf

Don and his favorite, The Foie Gras Market!

La Contrescarpe

Kristy and Peg

Merci beaucoup to our friends in Paris, George and Patricia, for the camaraderie and wonderful experience of La Mouffe! I hope the two of you will visit Los Angeles soon, so I can return the warm hospitality.

À bientôt!

Suprême - Cheese of the Month

Purple Asparagus with Suprême Sauce

• French 
  
• Cow's milk 
  
• Soft ripened 
  
• White rind 

Sounds really good, like Brie, right? Not exactly. Suprême is enriched with crème fraîche. Produced in Burgundy since 1926, it was introduced in the 1930's under the name “Les Ducs” then by 1968 Suprême des Ducs was distributed internationally. If you are interested in wine pairing, by all means try a Red Burgundy! 

Suprême

Not to take anything away from Brie, Le Brie is King and one of my favorites, in fact, it will be Cheese of the Month in July, so please stop by then for some new Brie recipes. But here we are featuring the esoteric Suprême. Flavors that pair well with this cheese include hazelnut and roasted garlic. Please be sure to visit the Ile de France website for more recipes and information about Suprême.

Purple Asparagus with Suprême Sauce

Simmer the asparagus in boiling water with lemon juice.

Eighteen seconds later  (thanks to digital camera information) you can already see the purple is fading away. If you have your heart set on preserving the original purple color, I am afraid that you have to serve it raw. Which would of course be delicious, as noted in an earlier post, Grilled Purple Asparagus and Tofu, this variety is sweeter and less stringy than green asparagus.

Regular readers of Taste With The Eyes may have noticed that I am a crème fraîche aficionado, and since Suprême is made with it, I thought I would melt the cheese after removing the rind, and add a little crème fraîche to make a sauce. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice (and salt if desired) on the asparagus and ladle the Suprême sauce over. Voilà! Easy and elegant!

More Cheese of the Month!

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Escarole Stuffed with Suprême

Quarter a head of escarole keeping the bottom stem intact. Drizzle with your favorite (or mine, see below) Dijon Vinaigrette. Place a slice of Suprême in the center of the escarole. Wrap with prosciutto.

Jacques Pepin's Vinaigrette in a Jar

• 2 tsp chopped garlic
  
• 3 Tbs Dijon-style mustard
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
  
• 1/4 c red or white wine vinegar
  
• 1 c extra virgin olive oil

Put all ingredients in a jar, screw on the lid, and shake very well.

Grill over medium high heat, turning, until the prosciutto gets crispy, the cheese starts to melt, and the escarole begins to char and wilt. Serve with extra vinaigrette on the side.

Great starter for an alfresco grilling party!

Suprême, Roasted Garlic, 

Grilled Escarole and Japanese Eggplant Sandwich

The ultimate veggie sandwich! There is so much going on here you won't miss the meat. It is smokey and garlicky, rich and creamy, slightly bitter (in a good way) from the escarole, and silky and toasty...

Lightly brush the escarole with olive oil. Grill over medium high heat, turning until slightly charred and slightly wilted.

Grilling Japanese Eggplant. 

The long slender shape makes it perfect to fit the rolls.

More about eggplant here.

Brush a halved roll with hazelnut oil and grill until toasty. Spread warm roasted garlic cloves on one half, sliced Suprême on the other half. The warm bread will start to melt the cheese.

Top each side with grilled Japanese eggplant and grilled escarole respectively. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.

A Supremely Flavorful Sandwich.

Thank you to Ile de France for introducing us to Suprême!

Thank You Buitoni & Foodbuzz!

Hi Lori Lynn!

Buitoni and Foodbuzz are excited to announce that you are the GRAND PRIZE WINNER of the Buitoni Riserva pasta sauce contest!

Your recipe, Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Veal, Portobello, Fried Sage and a Pinot Noir Cream Sauce, was a wonderfully creative and original showcase for Buitoni’s Wild Mushroom Agnolotti. Thank you for creating such a great recipe!

As the winner, your Grand Prize is a delicious array of VIP Buitoni coupons and an All-Clad Copper Cookware set, perfect for creating more fantastic recipes! 

We made your recipe as a taste test—it was truly amazing!

Here is the recipe once again:

Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Veal, Portobello, 

Fried Sage and a Pinot Noir Cream Sauce

Portobellos are seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper then grilled until tender.

Veal medallions, cut into the same size as the portobellos, are seasoned with salt and pepper, dusted with flour and sautéed until golden brown over medium heat in a mixture of half olive oil half butter. Squeeze 1 T. fresh lemon juice over the veal then remove from the pan. Keep warm.

Add 1/4 c. minced shallots and 1/2 t. thyme to that same pan and sauté briefly. Add 1 c. Pinot Noir, raise the heat to high, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of pan.

Continue cooking over high heat until the wine is reduced to about a quarter cup.

Add 1 c. veal stock to the pan and reduce again.

Meanwhile, cook the Buitoni Wild Mushroom Agnolotti according to the instructions on the package in boiling water with 1 T. olive oil.

When the veal stock has reduced by half, whisk 3 T. crème fraîche into the sauce. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Sauté a handful of fresh sage leaves in 1 T. butter, turning once, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove sage leaves to a paper towel.

To assemble: Place the warm portobello in the center of the plate, top with a fried sage leaf then a medallion of veal. Take 3 wild mushroom agnolotti and surround the mushroom cap. Sparingly ladle warm Pinot Noir Cream Sauce over the pasta and veal. Crumble fried sage leaves by hand and sprinkle over dish. Garnish with a whole sage leaf. (The concise recipe can be found here). 

THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!

And thanks again to my brother Bill. I couldn't ask for a better Sous Chef! Happy to cook for you anytime you're in town, Billy!

It sure is fun to be a grand prize winner. But, you know, beyond winning, it is quite satisfying to create a dish, and hear that others truly enjoy it. The wonderful and generous prizes pale in comparison to the pride and joy in sharing our creation and finding out that it was honestly appreciated and savored. I am grateful to Buitoni and Foodbuzz for the recognition and to all of you who left encouraging comments on the original post and on the Foodbuzz recipe link.  That is the true prize!

A Hearty Congratulations to the Other Winners! Don't these recipes sound delicious? You can read more and link to their sites from here on Foodbuzz.

PrincessBacon

Luscious Smoked Tomato Sauce with Portabellas & Fennel

FoodMuse

Fried Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Tomato, Fennel, and Olive Gremolata

dvmamg2001

Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Garden Vegetables in a Creamy Sweet and Savory Sherry Sauce

From Whence the Sweet Bird Sang

Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Cognac-Cream Sauce and Baby Pea Shoots

eCurry

Agnolotti with Sundried Tomatoes, Peppers, Almonds & a hint of Saffron

SippitySup

Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Spring Vegetable Ragout

Chefectomy

Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Caramelized Shallots, Thyme and Mushroom Broth

The Feast Within

Manchego Mornay Sauce for Buitoni’s Wid Mushroom Agnolotti

FotoCuisine

Buitoni Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Champagne Chile Cream Sauce

Fusion Burger & Garden Tour

Particularly Flavorful Grilled Burger, Asian Influence

Grilled Roll Brushed with Wasabi Butter

Cilantro, Scallion, Wild Arugula

I buy the ground round from the butcher shop, ground fresh that day. Gently mix the beef with a judicious amount Oyster Sauce, Soy Sauce, Hunan Red Chile Sauce. Form into an oval shape to match the fresh baked rolls from the bakery. When the burger is cooked to your liking, remove from grill and keep warm while grilling the rolls generously brushed with Wasabi Butter (softened butter mixed with wasabi powder). Serve with Cilantro, Sliced Scallion, Wild Arugula tossed lightly with Toasted Sesame Oil and sea salt.

Speaking of Grilling...

Come on outside with Wilson and me. The barbecue is on the side patio. Take a little tour around the garden. 

Sixteen Candles Floribunda Rose

David Austin Old English Rose "Heritage"

Wilson at the front gate.

Eastern Redbud Tree

He's a good guard dog.

African Iris and Sweet Pea Shrub

Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile)

Brugmansia (Angel's Trumpet)

I leave you with one of the most fragrant roses in the garden, 

French Perfume Hybrid Tea Rose.

Joyeux Anniversaire

Mille Feuille au Chocolat

Today Marks the Two Year Anniversary of

Taste With The Eyes!

Cooking, photographing, writing, then ultimately sharing my culinary adventures on Taste With The Eyes is a source of much joy for me. This little food blog is an ongoing learning experience, a terrific creative outlet, and a source of pride. It has opened doors and provided new opportunities. It is the means with which to connect with fellow foodies, and a wonderful way make new friends with various interests and passions from all around the globe. I am grateful to have the opportunity to share food and ideas and experiences with you.

Reading your blogs provides an awesome source of inspiration, a conduit of creativity, and a heartfelt connection through your personal stories. Your enthusiasm is infectious. I cook, dine, laugh, and cry with you.

Your kind, knowledgeable, clever, and sometimes funny comments are deeply appreciated. I learn so much from you, way beyond food and cooking. You amaze and inspire me.

 

Thank you! 

My Legume Love Affair Round-Up

My dear dear friend of many years, Allison Lew, was among seven chefs to be inducted into Share Our Strength's Operation Frontline Hall of Fame this year. Volunteers are inducted to the Hall of Fame for outstanding dedication to teaching low-income families how to prepare healthy, tasty meals on a limited budget. Allison volunteers at the Oregon Food Bank's Nutrition Education program which uses the Share Our Strength Operation Frontline Curriculum. Share Our Strength is a national hunger-relief organization working to make sure that no child in America grows up hungry. You can go here to find out how you can get involved. For My Legume Love Affair event, Allison shares one of her favorite bean recipes at the end of this post.

MY LEGUME LOVE AFFAIR

11th HELPING

Black Bean, Tomatillo and Green Olive Salsa

The only saving grace was a ravishingly salty and sassy jolt of fresh salsa, so good that I scarfed it down before I could artistically arrange it in a bowl. So very good, in fact, that I made it a second time, and, again, scarfed it down before I could get it into that bloody bowl. It is said by fairies, elves and other supernatural types that the third time is the charm. 

Susan

The Well-Seasoned Cook

New York

A special thanks to Susan, the creator of this fabulous event!

Lentil Beans with Spanish Chorizo Sausage

A family Spanish recipe. 

A hearty stew flavored with fresh vegetables, Spanish Chorizo and 

Pimenton (Spanish Paprika).

Diana Bauman 

A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa

Des Moines, Iowa 

Judias Blancas Con Espinaca (Spinach and Beans) 

I love legumes. Packed with protein, nutrients and best of all, my 

kids will eat them!! Now that local Spring veggies are in season, 

this is a great dish to use up that Spinach. 

Diana Bauman 

A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa

Des Moines, Iowa 

Kairi Ki Dal/ Raw Mango Dal

I like to dedicate this recipe to all the buddy bloggers who visit, appreciate and encourage me.

Lubna Karim

Yummy Food

Bangalore, Karnatka, India

Mutter Paneer Masala / Green Peas with Indian Cottage Cheese

When the soft and gorgeous green peas combines with a golded fried, pleasant-tasting paneer with some aromatic and flavourful Indian spices the outcome is simply luscious and palatable.

Lubna Karim

Yummy Food

Bangalore, Karnatka, India

Rajma N Tomato Rice

Red kidney beans (Rajma) are grown in many places around the world and can be found in the cuisines of Spain and Latin America. These kidney beans are large and deep maroon in colour.

Priyasuresh

Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

Paris, France

Lobia Mushroom Curry

Lobia is an Indian curry made with black eyed beans. Made with freshly roasted and ground aromatic spices along with other ready made spices this dish has a wonderful flavour. The aroma infused by freshly ground spices along with the creamy texture imparted by ground coconut, this dish goes well with Indian breads like Chapati/Roti/Naan.

Pooja S

My Experience With Cooking

Loves Park, Illinois, USA

Chole Paneer Masala

Chole (Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans) masala originated in North India and is popular all over the country especially by the name Chole Bature. Chole/Channa is served with Batura which is an Indian bread deep fried in oil. This is a popular breakfast dish served with curd and pickles. It is also a snack food sold by street vendors. The method of preparation varies in different parts of the country due to the choice of spices and other ingredients. Paneer, a protein rich food is made by curdling boiled milk with lime juice or vinegar. This is later strained and squeezed and kept with weights on top for some time before cutting into pieces.The addition of paneer to Chole gives an added taste to the entire dish.

Pooja S

My Experience With Cooking

Loves Park, Illinois, USA

Kara Vadai

A deep fried fritter made with chickpea flour and split moong dal. 

Perfect snack with tea.

Divya Vikram

Dil Se...

Los Angeles

15 Bean Sloppy Joe's

A new take on a classic favorite... this recipe adds 15 Bean soup to a traditional Sloppy Joe recipe. The results are something the entire family will LOVE!

Matt Huntley

Hurst Bean Blog

Indianapolis, Indiana

Channa Masala

A rich Indian curry that is made with Chick peas as the main ingredients. It is an excellent side dish for Indian breads like pooris, Naans and Chappathis.

Hemamalini

Salt to Taste

Illinois, USA

Sausages with Lentils

This is a simple & fast "surely-you-have-everything-on-hand" kind of meal.

Oh, and its delicious too.

Andrea

Redheaded Kitchen

Milwaukie, Oregon

Red Lentil and Preserved Lemon Soup

The soup was hearty, spicy and delicious. E was very impressed and we both had a second helping because it tasted so good.

Johanna

Green Gourmet Giraffe Blog

Melbourne, Australia

Black-eyed Pea and Bottle Gourd Kurma

This black eyed peas and bottle gourd kurma is a delicious gravy and goes well with bread or rice with its coconut and fennel seed aroma.

Rekha

Plantain Leaf

AbuDhabi (U.A.E.)

Healthy Sprouted Bhel

A Spicy Indian quick snack for entertaining!

Muskaan

A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine

Red Chori (Red Small Beans) Salad

Red Small Beans, (Red chori) also known as adzuki beans, are small, oval, dark-reddish brown beans. They have a strong, unsually sweet flavor and creamy texture.

Muskaan 

A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine

Plantain & Blackbeans Veggie Patty

Believe it or not, plantain is one of the healthiest foods in the world in terms of its nutritional value. The nutritional value of plantain is even greater than that of its closest relation banana. When cooked, the fruit is extremely low in fat, high in fibre and starch. It is very low in cholesterol and salt too.

Muskaan 

A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine

Rajma (Kidney Bean) Salad

Kidney beans are an excellent source of molybdenum!

Sadhana

A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine

Sprout Curry with Goda Masala

Goda masala is a fragrant spice mix from Maharashtra. It keeps for a couple of years in the freezer and I use it just for this recipe with any kind of soaked and cooked beans or sprouted lentils.

Bee and Jai

Jugalbandi

North Western U.S. 

Black-eyed Peas with Fenugreek and Tomatoes

Earthy black-eyed peas are an ideal solution for a quick, but comforting and nourishing meal.

Lisa

Lisa's Kitchen

London, Ontario, Canada

purè di fave e bietola / fava bean and chard purée

This dish was created with the help of Ms Serendipity, that nice companion of many adventures in the kitchen (and elsewhere). It all started at the farmers' market...

Simona 

briciole 

Northern California 

Channa Ham

I was hungry and had some chickpeas I had soaked overnight and wanted something easy but tasty for my meal. So I cooked the peas along with a piece of ham hock and then sauteed it with onions, cilantro, green onions and a pinch of ground cumin.

Cynthia

Tastes Like Home

Barbados

Fresh Green Hummus

While looking on at clearance fruit and vegetable racks at Pete's the other day, I came across a huge bag of fresh Garbanzo beans...

Courtney

Coco Cooks
Chicago

Chinese Black Bean Soup

Black bean soup is one of my favourite Chinese soups. Black beans (also known as black turtle beans due to their shiny, dark, shell-like appearance) are super nourishing, they have a deep “meaty” taste akin to mushrooms, and are packed with antioxidants.

wiffy

Noob Cook

Singapore

Moong Dhal Payasam

Moong dhal payasam is another authentic south-Indian dessert prepared during the festival time. It is fairly easy and doesn’t involve many ingredients.

Cham

Spice-Club

California, USA

Chilli Soy Chunks

These Soy Chunks are a made from textured soy flour in the form of chunks or granules, giving them a meaty texture. I have cooked them with an Asian twist, with the flavors of Sesame, Red Dry Chilli & Soy Sauce all combined in the spicy sauce which makes the chunks absorb in all the wonderful flavors & the zing. Enjoy this deliciously healthy dish with white or brown rice.

Soma 

eCurry

Texas, USA

Black-eyed Pea Rice

Not a traditional one, but an effort to create a healthy and quick rice variety!

EC

Simple Indian Food

India

Three Color Bean Salad

Cooked red beans, steamed green beans, fresh mango squares,
extra light olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, crushed red pepper to taste.

Caution, the vinegar has to be kept light so as not to mask the sublte flavor of the beans and mango!

Tash
Mostly LA County
Palos Verdes Daily Photo
Palos Verdes, California

Sweet Chile of Mine

My dish was a Mexican Chile, inspired by Chile had during a recent visit to a restaurant in Seattle, that I had to recreate for my family.

Bird's Eye View 

Food and Laughter

Gurgaon, India

Alubias Pintas con Arroz y Pimientos del Padrón 

A classic pink/purple Beans stew with a twist to a modern and transformed dishes. Same ingredients and same recipe with three different results on the plate!

Núria

Spanish Recipes

Barcelona, Spain

Chana Masala

Onion, garlic, jalapeno and cumin seeds. How can this not taste good?

The tomatoes make this dish very colourful.

Nina

Miss.Adventure@Home

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Green Curry Soup with Tofu, Chicken, and Green Peas

A vegetarian version made with vegetable stock, omitting the chicken, and substituting light soy sauce for fish sauce is also very tasty.

Lori Lynn

Taste With The Eyes

San Pedro, California

And the winner is...

...Divya Vikram of Dil Se!

As part of My Legume Love Affair's Round Up, Susan offers one of the lucky participants (chosen at random) a prize. This month's prize is A World of Dumplings by Brian Yarvin. Please email me at tastewiththeeyes AT cox DOT net to receive your prize! YAY Divya! Congratulations!

From Chef Allison Lew

Vancouver, Washington

Hi Lori Lynn!

This is one of my favorite bean recipes. I teach cooking-based nutrition classes to low income groups as a chef volunteer through Oregon Food Bank. This recipe is part of the "eating right" curriculum from Share Our Strength's Operation Frontline program. This recipe is endlessly adaptable to ingredients you have on hand, and with a little cheese grated on top, this dish provides nutrition from 4 of the 5 food groups for less than $1.40 per serving. Enjoy!

Allison

PASTA WITH BEANS AND GREENS

Ingredients

• 1 (13 ounce) package whole wheat pasta 
  
• 1 medium carrot 
  
• 1 large clove garlic 
  
• 2 medium onions 
  
• 2 pounds (1 large bunch) collard greens 
  
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil 
  
• ½ cup water 
  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
  
• 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes 
  
• 1 teaspoon salt 
  
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 
  
• 3 (15 ounce) cans lima beans 
  

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. 

2. While pasta is cooking peel, rinse, and dice carrot, and onions. Peel and mince garlic. 

3. Rinse collard greens — more than once if necessary to remove all grit, remove tough stems and chop coarsely. 

4. Heat canola oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat and sauté garlic, carrot, onion and greens until onions are soft. 

5. Add ½ cup water and spices and cook until greens are tender. 

6. Drain and rinse beans in a colander. Add beans to the greens. If needed, add a little more water to make a sauce. 

7. Toss greens and beans with cooked pasta and cook for 5 more minutes or until pasta is heated through. 

Serves 12, 1 cup per serving

Thank you to Allison and Susan, The Well--Seasoned Cook, and all the contributors to My Legume Love Affair! It has been my absolute pleasure to be your hostess for the month of May. I now pass the baton to Apu of Annarasa blog for the 12th Helping...

Grilled Purple Asparagus and Tofu with Tahini and Sweet Soy Reduction

Grilled Purple Asparagus and Firm Tofu

Drizzled Tahini and Sweet Soy Reduction

Garnished with Red Pepper Flake 

Black and White Sesame Seed

Purple Asparagus is a little sweeter (20% higher sugar content), more tender and less stringy than green asparagus. It is great in salads. Originally cultivated in Italy, this asparagus shown here was grown in California. If you want to retain the purple color, serve it raw or cook briefly in simmering water with a squeeze of lemon juice. Cooking the asparagus on the grill it tends to lose its pretty purple color and turn a dark green, but is still sweeter tasting and I prefer the texture over its cousin.

Season the asparagus and tofu with olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. 

The Sauces

One of my favorite sauce combinations is tahini (ground sesame seed paste) and sweet soy reduction.

Sweet Soy Reduction: Heat ½ c. each low-sodium soy sauce and mirin (rice wine) in a sauce pan, with 1 t. each minced garlic and ginger. Reduce by half. Strain. Add honey to taste. Or you can substitute good bottled teriyaki sauce as a shortcut.

I serve variations of these sauces with petrale sole, or tossed with soba noodles. or shown below with albacore.

Fresh Albacore Pan-Seared in Butter and Soy Sauce

Tahini and Sweet Soy Reduction

Fresh Herb Garnish

Ladurée

Kir Royale et Macarons

I am the proud owner of some absolutely darling watercolor paintings by very talented artist, Carol Gillott. You can visit her at Paris Breakfasts blog, she paints Paris dreams! A couple of my treasured original paintings are impressions of Ladurée, so of course on our trip to Paris last week, we had to stop in.  Trouble is, however, this was not really a tea drinking crowd.

My brother Don and his best friend Jack

Tea? 

Maybe next trip...

Imagine our delight that late Monday morning as we walked into Ladurée to find Le Bar! A toast to Kristy's 40th birthday with Kir Royale!

Cell phones were ringing. "Meet us at Le Bar at Ladurée!" Within the hour all 8 members of our party were at Le Bar. The atmosphere is so very fabulous and fun, and the bartenders could not have been more engaging.

What vacations are all about!  Dessert and Champagne to start the day. This is the famous Ispahan Verrine with flavors of raspberry, lychee, and rose.

Oh you must try the Chocolate Verrine too!

Of course we had to do a little shopping. Ladurée's mascot looks a lot like my Wilson, don't you think?

Wilson The One-Eyed Boston Terrier

(visit some of his adventures here)

Macaron Heaven

Le Petit Déjeuner 

On the day of our departure Susan and I had a later flight, so we returned to Ladurée for breakfast. My omelette a la truffe noire...stuffed with shaved black truffles.

The most perfect rolls and jauntiest wrapped butter to accompany le omelette...

And dreamy coffee service...

Breakfast: simple and oh so sublime.

75 Avenue des Champs-Elysées

Paris

Let's meet again at Ladurée!

Side note: I flew to Paris on Air France. My thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones of those who flew on Flight 447. May those travelers Rest In Peace.