Little. Baby. Tomatoes.

As stated in my previous blog post, my new proximity to the local farmer's market has been both awesome and problematic. I simply cannot pass up beautiful summer produce, and this is especially true when it comes to tomatoes. I have written before about my undying devotion to the summer tomato, and now that the only thing between me and a ripe 'mater is a short walk, I find myself with an excessive abundance of colorful tomatoes.

Now, not just any tomato will stop me in my tracks. Plain ole' beefsteaks or romas don't do a whole lot for me. I am sure it is possible to grow a delicious roma tomato, but I can't shake the many experiences I have had trying to make my grocery store-bought tomato taste like something. Anything. So when it comes to picking them out locally, I stick to one rule: the more colorful (and in some cases, ugly) the better.



But today's recipe makes use of the most beautiful varieties I have found lately - tiny, adorable, perfect little globes in all shades. Growers have been bringing red/green, purple, bright orange, yellow and green striped. They have delightful names like chocolate cherry, orange blossom, and banana gold, and they also happen to be intensely sweet. They pop in your mouth and taste like a burst of summer. How can I pass them by?



I have been bringing these beautiful little treats home by the bagful, and figuring out the best way to enjoy them (other than eating them right from said bag). Because they are so incredibly delicious on their own, I like to do put them in dishes that allow their flavor to shine.



I have also been coming home with a lot of bread from Lorraine's, so my go-to dish these days is Panzanella - Tuscan bread salad. I cannot get enough of this dish. I have made it 4 times in the last week, and yet my mouth waters just thinking about making it again. The juxtaposition of the super sweet tomatoes with the salty olives, rich olive oil, and acid from the vinegar is a pretty amazing combo. Throw some fresh basil on that and you got a slice of summer heaven.



My recipe is not traditional, but I make it how I like it. It is usually made with larger tomatoes, but the baby heirlooms work perfectly here, preventing the soupyness you might get from lots of seeds.  I also like to toast my bread so it doesn't get soggy. The measurements are rough because this is one of those "throw some stuff in a bowl and eat it" dishes. Play with it and see what you like. Feel free to also add garlic, cucumbers, or even feta to yours. Enjoy, then make it again, and enjoy again.

BABY HEIRLOOM PANZANELLA

Ingredients
1/2 loaf rustic white or whole wheat bread, cut into bite-sizes pieces
2 pints local baby tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup green olives
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
sea salt
black pepper
large handful fresh basil (about 15-20 leaves), roughly chopped
small handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400. Toss bread pieces with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

2. In large bowl, carefully combine tomatoes, olives, onion, olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Cool toasted bread and add to tomato mixture. Add basil and parsley, stirring to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Throw in a splash of olive oil or vinegar if needed as bread soaks up dressing. Devour.

A Day at the Vineyard & Brown Rice Risotto

Hello, friends! Happy holidays to you all. I hope you are all enjoying a long vacation with close friends and family.

It's been too long since I posted. Although my goal is to post at least once a week, I got caught up in the end-of-the-year chaos. It happens. Aside from the usual Christmas shopping and travel-planning, the end of the semester is a busy time for college instructors (my day job). Final grades are due, and then there is the never-ending stream of emails from students who never really came to class all semester but are suddenly interested in passing. So, once the emails were ignored and the grades submitted, Geoff and I packed up our stuff and our "special needs" dog Tommy, and headed to Tallahassee for a week of Christmas festivities. 

That went by in a flash, and now we are about 600 miles north in Geoff's hometown in Central Virginia - a beautiful part of the country home to many local vineyards and breweries. If you read any of my traveling blog posts, you probably know that I have a serious love for wine, and lately my husband has gotten into it at a much higher level than myself. So, the fact that his parents live in a town surrounded by lots local vineyards is pretty freaking cool. 

I also love that we get to spend our summers here (we run a summer theatre festival) because it allows me to take advantage of the amazing Virginia produce.

OK love note to Virginia section is now officially over. <3

This week, we were fortunate enough to spend the afternoon at Ankida Ridge Vineyards, the newest local vineyard in Amherst County. We met the owners, Christine Vrooman and her son, Nathan, last summer when we invited them to pour their newly bottled wine at our outdoor production of Twelfth Night. We later found out that this event would be their public debut, which made us feel super special. Their wine was a hit with the audience, and more importantly (well to me, anyway), I loved it. 

They are currently selling two varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are not necessarily considered to be the norm in Central Virginia. Almost all of the vineyards in the area focus on sweeter wines - Viognier, Gewurztraminer, Rosé . The reds tend to either be Cabernet Franc (not my fav) or a some sort of blend that includes Cab Franc. Ankida is doing things their way, and I like it. They have already been given rave reviews by a number of wine enthusiasts, including Dave MnIntyre of The Washington Post. In other words, they are makin' it happen.

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Savignon, and Chardonnary fermented in french oak barrels

2010 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir ready for tasting

On Wednesday, we drove the windy mountain roads up to their tucked-away winery. It is a beautiful location, even in the dead of winter. I can only imagine what it must look like in the fall.

The view from the vineyard

Young Chardonnay planted in rows

Christine and Nathan walked us through their process, from growing and picking the grapes, to fermenting and bottling. It was informative and super interesting, and it didn't hurt that we were able to taste some wine while we were there. Also, they had cheese. I love cheese. 

Christine. She knows her wine.

Geoff and his parents. It's a very serious moment.

Geoff smelling the Cabernet as it ferments

Cheese.

Cab Franc made with grapes from Donald Trump's vineyard

We left there with some bottles of chardonnay, so I decided that a creamy risotto would make a perfect pairing to the crisp, dry white wine. 

Before I move on to the recipe for today, a quick disclaimer. Risotto purists, stop reading now. I do not stir this risotto constantly, I do not add the broth a thumb-full at a time, and I use BROWN RICE. I know, it's a crime. But I like it, and it's healthier, so deal with it. 

Risotto can be made with a number of different vegetables and protein, but I went with what I already had in the refrigerator. A big, sturdy head of winter radicchio added a pop of color and a lot of flavor, and topping it all with a poached egg made it a meal. Although I don't usually eat eggs, I have been reading one of my new Christmas books, An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler. She worked with Alice Waters for years, and writes her book more as a narrative than a series of recipes. She, like Alice, promotes simple, local, seasonal food, and somehow she makes a poached, local egg sounds absolutely delicious. I still have no desire to eat a factory farmed, genetically modified egg, but a local brown egg from Horse and Buggy Produce with a bight golden yolk will do just fine.

Enjoy this risotto as a main dish with a small green salad, and feel free to top it with whatever protein you have on hand.

Brown Rice Risotto with Radicchio & Poached Egg

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups short-grain brown rice

1 small head radicchio, minced

3/4 cups dry white wine

6 cups vegetable broth

1 cup grated parmesan cheese (good quality)

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
black pepper

4 teaspoons white vinegar

4 local free-range eggs

Instructions

1. In saucepan, heat vegetable stock to slow boil.

2. In large, wide-sided skillet, heat oil and butter over medium. Add onions, saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and radicchio, saute for 3-4 more minutes. Add brown rice, stir to combine, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until rice starts to toast - about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in wine and cook until liquid has evaporated.

4. Stir in 4 cups vegetable stock, cover, and let cook for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring frequently. When liquid as evaporated, and rice is still chewy, add more broth. Continue to do this until rice is soft. If 6 cups of broth is not enough, begin to add hot water.

5. When rice is almost done, boil water and vinegar in a saucepan and poach eggs for 3 minutes.

6. Season the risotto liberally with black pepper, and taste. Depending on the broth, you may not need to add salt, but adjust as needed. Add parmesan and parsley to risotto and stir to combine. Pour into individual serving dishes, top with a poached egg, a garnish with a sprig of parsley or additional grated parmesan.

Herbs & Hors d'oeuvres

The farmer's market on Saturday was an herby delight! Although it is only Spring, the summer vegetables are in full-force here in Florida. I left the market with beautiful bunches of dill, parsley, mint, cilantro and basil. I got so excited about my bounty that I decided to use all of them in one dinner.


Luckily, I was having some friends over to eat some of these herby creations. I already had curried tofu marinating in the fridge, and some beautiful butter lettuce from the market as well. Indian was the obvious thought, but that cuisine alone wouldn't allow me to use all my goodies. So, i decided an international appetizer night was needed. Please excuse the picture quality - I hope to get a better camera soon!

Beets: 2 ways.

Hello, autumn.

It was cold this morning. I don't know about you, but the first morning with a bite in the air is the best day of the year. Suddenly, everything changes. Your mood, your outlook on life, your energy level - all are instantly lifted. Today was that day, and with my autumn euphoria came a craving for all the tastes the season has to offer.

Ra-ta-touille!

I just got this month's issue of Vegetarian Times in the mail. The cover features autumn produce. Not so fast,my friends.

Zucchini Salad - Simplicity at it's Best

Sometimes I want to cook a big, crazy, messy, complicated, multi-step concoction - and sometimes I want to feel like I am eating as mother nature intended.

This dish was born on a day I was craving a salad, but had only a zucchini and some other miscellaneous veggies on hand. Who said a salad needs to have lettuce, anyway?

For those of you that have run out of things to do with your abundance of summer zucchini, this one's for you!


Simple Zucchini Salad for 1
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp greek yogurt
pinch of salt (more if you are not using feta)
pinch of fresh ground pepper
1 large zucchini, shredded*
2-3 green onions, sliced thinly on a bias
1 small handful chopped fresh basil, italian parsley, or mint(I used all three)
feta and roasted almonds to garnish** (optional)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients.

Add the zucchini, onions, herbs, and toss with your hands gently until veggies are coated. "But Ashley," you say, "Why do you measure stuff in handfulls?" Well, because I am allergic to measuring, and because I have never in my life said "This food has too many fresh herbs in it." CRAZY TALK.

Serve in a bowl, and top with feta and chopped roasted almonds.

That's all! Simple, delicious, healthy, and a perfect afternoon snack or side dish to a lovely dinner.

*For the zucchini, I like to use the biggest setting on my box grater. Cut off the ends, and grate the zucchini on each side until you hit seeds, and then move on to another side. Seeds tend to get mushy, so keep them out.

**I like to roast my own nuts (giggle). Buy some raw almonds, place them on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake in the oven on 400 for 10-12 minutes. You will know they are done when they start to fill your kitchen with a lovely smell.

Farmer's Market & Impromptu Tacos!

My, I love Thursday mornings! The farmer's market in Ormond Beach boasts my favorite produce guy, the super-secret Thai shitake grower, and the organic baker who speaks mostly German. I can barely contain myself!


My return to the market this morning after a summer away was delightful. My farmer guy, Mike, was there with some exciting new items. I found plump white eggplant, okra, yellow squash, and a bundle of basil as big as a cabbage. What do I love best about this Mike? Aside from his kids, who entertain me with their latest school lessons while I shop, the produce is incredibly cheap. I bought all of those items for $8. The basil alone would have cost that much at Publix. Anyway, a successful produce purchase - one that will surely spark a pesto post dish of some kind later in the week.

Sidenote: my mushroom lady was happy to see me, and informed me that she will start bringing shitakes to the market again now that I am back. Am I the only person who appreciates a $4/lb bag of the freshest, most meaty shitakes I have ever seen? Jeez!

While I was finishing my stroll, I passed the seafood guy, who convinced me to buy some local sea bass. It was super expensive, but I decided to support local and buy enough for a small lunch for 1.

Which leads me to the food for today....

Impromptu Fish Tacos!

Why the exclamation point? Because fish tacos are the bees knees! If you haven't ever had a true fish taco - put on your shoes, go to the closest seafood shack, and dig in.

Because this was an impromptu lunch, and I am making an effort to use what I have rather than hitting the store every time I have an idea, this one is not my super ideal taco - but it was a damn fine stand-in.

I had some compari tomatoes and greek yogurt*, so I decided to throw together some salsa, and top with lime creme.

Impromptu Fish Tacos
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 lime, juiced (roll the lime before you cut it to release the juices)
1/4 cup greek yoghurt (I like full-fat for this)
pinch cumin
pinch chile powder
pinch garlic powder
sea salt & fresh ground pepper
1/4 lb sea bass (mahi-mahi would be great here too)
1 TB olive oil
small handful fresh cilantro
2 corn tortillas**

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, half the lime juice, and salt to taste. Set aside.



In a small bowl, or ramekin, combine yoghurt, the rest of the lime juice, and a pinch of cumin.

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. In the meantime, heat another small skillet to medium hot. When hot, place corn tortilla in the dry pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side to warm/toast the tortilla. This will prevent it from falling apart when you eat it.

Season fish with cumin, chile powder, garlic powder & salt. I am not big on measurements, but a light dusting of each works well. When the oil is hot, add to pan and shake once. Cook 2-3 minutes, being careful not to move the fish (you want to let it get a golden crust). Turn and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side. Test the fish with a fork - if it is flaky and falls apart easily, it is done. Immediately move to a plate.


Now all you have to do is assemble your tacos! Throw on some pieces of flaky fish, salsa, and top with your lime creme and some fresh cilantro.

I hope you enjoy!

*I use Greek yoghurt in place of sour cream, cream cheese, or mayo in a lot of my food. Yoghurt, even made from whole milk, is much healthier, and I never miss out on the taste. Try it!
** Some people prefer flour tortillas, but corn are traditional for fish tacos. Flour overpowers the delicate taste of the fish - so if you haven't tried it yet, give it a go.

Spicy Shrimp and Collard Greens over Creamy Polenta

I have this habit of trying a dish once and then moving on.

So, in the spirit of change, I decided to focus on once recipe this week. For some reason, I have been craving shrimp and polenta for quite a while now. I am not sure if I have ever eaten this dish, but the idea of sweet juicy shrimp in olive oil over creamy polenta has been taunting me. I did a little recipe research to get some ideas, and dove in earlier this week for my first attempt.

This is such a simple dish, so my first try surprisingly successful. However, the greens weren't cooked as well as I would like, and I felt like there was a depth missing in the shrimp.

So, on my second attempt, I came a little closer to perfection. Here it is...


1 cup polenta
3 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb medium/large wild shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on (why? it's prettier)
4-5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 cayenne or jalepeno peppers, minced
2 TB tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, juiced
1 TB butter*
handful chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley
4 cups chopped fresh collard greens or spinach
Sea salt & pepper

In a saucepan, bring vegetable broth to boil. Slowly whisk in polenta (whisking prevents clumping), add bay leaf, and a couple pinches of salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil over med heat in a large skillet. Add garlic and chiles, saute for 3-4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. When the garlic begins to brown, add wine and tomato paste, whisk, and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Add shrimp, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. This step is important. Overcooking shrimp is a very common mistake, and can make the difference between juicy and fishy.

While the shrimp is cooking, heat up a small amount of oil in a deep skillet, and add turnip greens and a pinch of salt. Cook them for a minute or two, adding a little water as needed to steam. They should only need a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a mesh strainer to drain the water. Try not to squeeze them too hard, or they will loose their form and look like a mess.

Ok, back to the shrimp - When the shrimp is almost opaque, it is time to add the next ingredients. Add lemon juice**, butter, and parsley, and remove from heat immediately.

Test polenta, and add salt if needed. If it is too thick, whisk in more broth or water to desired consistency. Add 1-2 TB of butter for extra goodness.

In a shallow bowl, spoon polenta in the bottom, Place a mound of greens on top, and, then pour shrimp and pan sauce over top. Garnish with a sprig of parsley.

Voila! A delicious dish that is both simple and impressive. This recipe can be little tricky on timing, because there are a number of things that need to happen at once. Don't get overwhelmed by it - just try it a couple times to get your rhythm.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and as Julia would say, "Bon Appetit!"

*For butter, I use Earth Balance, a vegan butter alternative. I am not vegan (hence the shrimp recipe), but I find it yummy and it is made from mostly expeller-pressed oil, so I feel it is healthy. However, if you would like to use real butter, I suggest getting some farm fresh butter from a farmer's market in your area, preferably from a grass-fed cow farmer. The taste difference will blow you away.

**If you don't have a juicer (like me), squeeze your lemons over a mesh strainer to eliminate seeds.