Asparagus - Loved 3 Ways

Asparagus. The tall green trees of the vegetable forest. They are cousins to broccoli; the shorter, fuller shrub like relative. But trees, all the same. I love these tall beauties all on their own, just as much as when mixed in with other vegetables. I love asparagus grilled, or sautéd, roasted or steamed.  It's safe to declare that I simply love them.  

I guess all that love started a want.  How can I include these more often but with flair.  That's when I began flirting with ways to enhance these long, earthy stalks. A simple addition of one or two extra items is all that was needed. Once I did, they went from average vegetable side dish, to a 'stand out, move over' dish. It doesn't take much to make them shine brighter.  Here are three ways, but I don't need to tell you that there are countless others. 
On tap today:

1. Quail Eggs, Shallots

2. Goat Cheese, Lemon Zest

3. Chorizo & Caramelized Onions

Long, tall, green. Like cypress trees swaying in the wind.

Asparagus, chorizo, caramelized onions, goat cheese, lemon, shallot, quail eggs.

The first time asparagus arrived at my enhancement clinic, I made hard boiled eggs, quartered them, steamed the asparagus, scattered some thinly sliced shallot then drizzled the entire dish with balsamic vinaigrette and served them as an appetizer.  My latest upgrade;  swap the big ole chicken egg for their diminutive cohorts, the quail egg, I must admit I loved it even more.  The quail eggs are petite and deliver a more delicate touch.

Asparagus with Hard Boiled Eggs & Balsamic Vinaigrette

When cooking the quail eggs, drop them in boiling water for only 2 minutes, then into a bowl of cold water, and peel. This amount of cook time and cold water shocking provides soft yolk perfection.

The next time asparagus showed up for some freshening up, I grilled them, let them cool slightly then crumbled goat cheese along their bristled tops, let it rain lemon zest and drizzled a red wine, lemon shallot vinaigrette.

Asparagus with Goat Cheese & red wine, Lemon shallot Vinaigrette

It's truly as simple as adding goat cheese, lemon zest and drizzling with a red wine shallot vinaigrette. This ain't brain surgery, I know but it does taste good to the brain, the taste buds and the belly.

The third time the asparagus knocked at the refresh clinic, they were seeking a bit more intensity. So a good helping of sautéd chorizo and caramelized onions with just a drizzle of oil, coarse salt and pepper fit their request.

Asparagus with chorizo & caramelized onions

Sauté chorizo and chop into small pieces, add caramelized onions and drizzle of oil.

3 approaches. 3 ingredients.

In all these versions, I opted to oven roasted the asparagus. I preferred this method over steaming for this round.. You can prepare them to your liking. These are just three simple stories to tall tales of a stalky green vegetable. Of course, there are more tales to tell...

Asparagus in quiche.  Or salads. 
Use creamy sour cream mustard dressing or a blue cheese dressing
Asparagus tart
Grilled asparagus tossed with pasta

3 ways? Oh dear asparagus, stop by the enhancement clinic any day of the week, there are an eternity ways...

Amuse Bouche...That's not English, Right?

Oh the French, they do give us some wonderful food and great phrases.  And the one that starts it all off is the Amuse-bouche.  The literal translation is mouth amuser.  In a restaurant, this is the appetizer before the appetizer. Not ordered from the menu by a customer, but given as a complimentary single bite from the chef to start your meal.  It is meant to amuse the mouth. Get it ready for the meal. Whet the appetite and get the patron excited for what is to come. 

Only the French would think of amusing your mouth. I dare say that the Italians aren't into amusing so much, but straight up satisfying from the onset.  I do love the idea of tickling the tongue with a little nosh to get you primed.  A little food foreplay, wouldn't you say?

This practice doesn't need to be limited to restaurants. As JuanCarlos and I prepare for a trip to France, I reasoned that this was a perfect time to honor their tradition and share some ideas on the subject. So go ahead,  treat your guests to an Amuse Bouche.  You like them, don't you?  So amuse their bouche.

Remember this is meant to be just one little bite not a full blown appetizer. However,  any of these can be an appetizer. (Just love when things can do double duty).  An amuse bouche can range from the elaborate to a very simple offering. 

Here are six offerings, each providing the all important combination of salty, sweet, tang, texture to get the mouth party off to the races.

Goat Cheese & Nut Topped Grapes

These are an easy, pop in your mouth kind of bite.  Refreshing and textural, and create the "more please" effect. 

• Use the stemmed end as the base, as this will help the grape stand up.

• Slice a tiny bit off the top of the grape to have a level landing spot for a dollop of goat cheese.

• Using a small spoon gather 1/2 tsp of room temp goat cheese and place it atop the grape. (I use my clean fingers to create a little dollop)

• Dip it in the crushed/ground nuts (such as pistachios or a mix of pecans, walnuts or whatever nut you like). These can be made ahead of time, but save the nut dipping til just before serving. You don't want the nuts to get soggy in the refrigerate. NOBODY likes soggy nuts.

Prep yourself with everything at the ready. Look how simple this is. 3 ingredients. 3 steps: Slice, dollop and dip

You can store in the fridge like this with plastic wrap

Dip right before serving.

Salmon Topped Cucumber or Apple

Alright, this may be two bites, but satisfying ones, for sure. These deliver a creamy texture paired with a cool crisp  and salty bite.

Salmon / cream cheese roll up a top a cucumber slice.

• Cut a 1/2" slice of cucumber.

• Pipe a dollop of soften cream cheese on top.

• Place a small piece of smoked salmon laid down in a crossed fashion.

• Pipe another dollop of cream cheese in the center and top with capers and dill.
  (You can also use the Salmon Roll method. On a large piece of plastic wrap lay the salmon down, making sure to overlay slightly. Spread softened cream cheese on top. Sprinkle with capers, then roll up like a sushi roll, Refrigerate. Once chilled, cut into 1/2” rounds placing atop each cucumber slice. Adorn with dill, as seen above.)

Refreshing on a slice of apple. This is from my Lox on What? idea.

Pea Soup Shooter

A chilled, tall drink of spring. (I have not tried these recipes but wanted to provide a few links for your reference.)
Pea Soup Shooter
Pea Shooter
Pea Soup

These were part of the offering at a catering event I did with Regina Mallon Enterprises, food by Special Attentions.

Dates Packed & Wrapped

Boy, does this one get every part of your mouth ready.  It's got salty, sweet, crunch and tang.

Another 3 step method, Slice, stuff and roll.

• Slice open a Meedjol date just enough to remove pit and replace with something better.

• Stuff it with gorgonzola cheese and a marcona salted almond.

• Wrap the date with Serrano or Prosciutto ham.

Simple set up of jamón Serrano, gorgonzola, marconas & dates.

Just a little slice, yank out the pit and replace with yumminess.

Cranked up Caprese Skewers

This is an amped up Caprese salad on a stick.

Ratcheted up a notch by grilling them until they are just warmed then dipped in grated cheese. Oh the melt, the sweet, the salt.

Another simple set up with just a few ingredients.

Once grilled, roll them in grated cheese. Want some heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes, too.

• Skewer a grape tomato, a bocconcino, piece of basil and another grape tomato. (You can certainly serve them as is. But I highly recommend you go the next steps. Also, you can prepare these ahead of time and refrigerate until grilling.)

• Coat with oil, salt and pepper and lightly grill, then roll in Parmesano Reggiano, and serve immediately.

Chorizo-Manchego-Olive Skewer

A one bite tapa mix that makes a hearty first nibble. 

Warm, cold. Savory, salty, creamy. Need I say more?

• Cut Manchego cheese into cubes.

• Slice and sauté the chorizo.

• Skewer the trio ending with an olive.

Honestly, I feel like I could create one every week.  The options and ideas are 'to infinity and beyond'.  Just think of little bites that would get your guests ready for more.  Oh la la to the French for their playful amusement.  What a fun game of enticement. 

Any Night Meal - Al Fresco

That's right the weather has turned... Finally.  I'm sure you have washed off the furniture, swept the patio and tidied up whatever outside area you have, whether it be a terrace, a small deck or a rolling pasture. It's time to go - al fresco.

Of course, we are all anxious to throw garden parties, BBQ's and the like after enduring a long, long winter.  And California, please spare me the "oh, we have that all year round" remark.  We know just how special you are.  The rest of the country suffers through changes.  Which is why we are outdoor party ready.  But you don't need to orchestrate a shindig in order to delight in the summer's offering. Taking in an evening breeze while savoring a meal doesn't need to equate to a big ordeal.  A simple dinner will do just fine so you can bask in the longer days, the extended light and the brisk air of a summer's eve.

You can set the table and create warm vibes, or simply put dishes on the patio table.

Cocktails - Here's a few ideas:

• Aperol Spritz - Aperol, Prosecco, sparkling water and an orange slice

• Sparking White or Rosé Cava

• Rosé Wine- My choice is French first, my second choice is a dry Spanish one like Muga

These Aperol Spritz cocktails are easy to drink, so be careful. If it's a school night, maybe just have one.

A dry rosé is the antidote to any long day.

If you don't want the alcohol:

• Cranberry juice, sparkling water and lemon wedge, or even add some frozen berries

• Watermelon juice, sparkling water, basil leaves

• Sparkling Water with Lemon & Lime Slices

The idea is to enjoy something refreshing.  So, go ahead and shake up a cool drink of your favorite flavors.

The Meal

• Summer Tart , simple puff pastry topped with farm fresh vegetables of the season

• Large salad, it can be as simple as lettuces lightly tossed with fresh lemon juice and oil. Or a nectarine salad to reinforce that summer feel

• Roasted salmon or grilled shrimp

• Yogurt with honey and nuts

Puff pastry tarts don't need to be complicated. Fill them with whatever is fresh and seasonal and pop them in the oven. I always add cheese!

Salad ideas

Nectarine Salad

Baby Lettuces

Butter lettuce with orange segments, avocado and cucumber. Super refreshing

Watermelon & Feta cheese served with a crisp white wine - La Val Albariño from Spain.

Main Dish ideas

Keep it simple and roast fish on the grill.

Roasted Salmon is perfect for outdoor entertaining.

You can even have dessert without a fuss.  Some Greek yogurt, nuts with a drizzle of honey is the just the right amount of sweet to finish off a meal. The idea is to get outside.  Grab whatever food you have and put it on a platter, pop open a beverage and breathe in the fresh air.  And the sheer joy of dining al fresco.  

Whole Red Snapper stuffed with lemons and parsley and grilled on the BBQ. So fresh and clean and ideal for a summer night.

Yogurt drizzled with honey & nuts equals an easy, satisfying dessert

Farmer's Market - A Field of Riches

It's Farmer's Market season.  And the pickings are not just good, they are great. It's my favorite, and the most glorious way to shop for food.  Buying fresh, locally grown produce, and selecting from what is in season.  I am a firm believer that this is what our bodies crave and how they were meant to be nourished; eating what is available at the moment.  Don't just take my word for it.  Here are a few links about how to eat seasonally and the benefits.

Eating Seasonally and Locally is Better for You

The Health Benefits of Eating Seasonally

I could go off on a rant here about one of the possible 'why's' so many people are having food issues.  The list is long but I think a contributing factor might be eating out of season, and eating the same food over and over again because we like it so much, and it's available... even when it really shouldn't be.  In the good ole days, people ate what farmer's grew, harvested and sold in that season. Period, the end. They didn't have Fed Ex flying food all over the country or world, for that matter.  It's almost like our bodies yearn for the exact foods particular to that time of the year.  Like strawberries in the summer or pumpkin in the fall.  But now with super fast transportation,  you can have strawberries in the winter and pumpkin in the summer.  It's bat shit crazy, I tell ya.  

I try to eat as seasonally as possible.  It's the reason that I don't really have a desire for salads in the winter. My body pines for warm foods, so I create salads that fit the bill by adding winter items to them.  A good example is my Salads: Hot & Cold.  And it's also why every summer I wait, like a child anticipating Santa's arrival, for our farmer's market to open its stalls.  I jump out of bed on Saturday, drink my java and grab my straw basket to head into town.  I never have a plan. Just $$$ in my pocket, joy in my heart and big, child like enthusiasm. That's all you really need. 

Me in my local farmer's market get up ready to stuff my bag.

I love everything about a Farmer's Market.  I love seeing all the people milling around, some willing to chat over what to make with this or should they buy that.  I love the artisans that come to sell their foods, their handcrafted wares and field flowers. I love the variety, and the natural look of the food.  Oddly shaped beauties made with nature's hand and stirred with love.  Not uniform, genetically duplicated food that looks as if it were pushed out of a mold. 

Carrots with character.

Jewel tones of swiss chard.

Rows of corn... or corn rows?

I love the intimacy of a market, where the producers/owners are beaming with pride to tell you about their products. It's a community, with mutual respect.

The owners of Beth's Farm Kitchen. They were eager to have me try their Hot Loving Habanero Jelly.

I love it all so much that no matter where we are traveling, I find the farmer's market and make a bee line.

Whether in S.F area, or Aspen, Miami or Florence, Italy, Union Square NYC or my little town, venturing out to mingle among the masses of produce is how I get my jollies.

Have hat will shop, that is my motto. Me buying papaya and mangos at the Sunday's Farmer's Market on Lincoln Road Mall in Miami, FL.

Artisan bread at the market in Marin County, CA

Have your best friends take you to their favorite markets, as Dominique and Neil did when we visited them in Marin County, CA

Fruits in Florence, Italy. Shopping in Europe is different than in the U.S. They shop more often, sometimes daily buying what they need for that day's meals. Then go out and get was is fresh for tomorrow.

And what's not to love.  I have purposefully posted so many photos to show the absolute allure of this art form.  To tempt you. To lure you in and make you want to find the nearest market. Row after row.  Pile after pile. Each item perking up fresher than the next.

Plums and currants at the market in Hudson, NY

Greens at the market in Hudson, NY

Flowers at the Aspen Farmer's Market.

A length of peppers from which to choose at the Union Square Market in NYC

Another huge plus is that you can discover new and interesting foods that don't usually appear at an ordinary supermarket. This is where the fun really begins, in the "what is that? and how can I use it?"

These Mexican Gherkins are similar to a cucumber

These mushrooms look like coral reef. They are earthy and vibrant.

It's Farmer's Market season y'all.  Grab a bag, satchel, basket or whatever brings you joy.  Put on sunglasses, grab a hat and mingle with both the food and your fellow shoppers. It's a visual feast in every regard. 

You'll want to buy everything. But try and show better restraint than I do. Often times I over buy out of sheer excitement.

There are goodies of all kinds to indulge and experience.  Snag a baked item, hold onto your coffee and weave your way through.  Get up and get out there. 

I like to ask the farmer for recommendations, or how it was grown, and why it is special.  Alright, if you don't feel like going that far, just breathe in the glory of buying what you need for the immediate days, then get excited to return the following week.  It's a simple pleasure. Leisurely wander around with a curious set of senses, picking up produce, smelling it and thoroughly reveling in how fortunate we are to have such abundance.  Enjoy the moment.  As I do this time of year.

Here are some links to help you find a farmer's market near you.

http://www.pbs.org/food/features/farmers-market-listings/

https://www.bonappetit.com/gallery/farmers-markets-worth-traveling-for

https://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/

Fill your basket, then once home start figuring out all the possibilities. If you need help, here are just a few recipes I made with my finds over the years.

Graped Up Bibb Salad

Tarts of Summer

Swiss Chard, Potato & Eggplant Hash

Zucchini Crudo with Shaved Parmigiano & Mint Oil

Balsamic Bathed Carrots Wrapped with Zucchini

Corn & Fruit Salad

White Eggplant App - Greek Style

Corn Salad - Fresh & Roasted

The Great Tomato Caper

Happy feeling, smelling, tasting and picking.

Butter Lettuce with Orange, Blueberries & Crunch

It's funny how some ingredients gravitate towards one another. Or maybe it's me that gravitates towards them. Either way, it's nice to meet up with refreshing ingredients. 

Such as Butter lettuce. I enjoy its soft, delicate taste.  And even though it is mild, it's not too precious that it can't handle some zing and crunch.

Which is why I paired it with orange segments for the zing and seeds for the crunch, and blueberries just because.  Well, not just because. Everything should have a purpose, and these certainly do.  They provide yet another flavor level, adding the tart/sweet level to be exact.  I've made this salad a bunch of time (using nuts)  but the blueberries are a recent addition, as this salad hit the big time, this go around.

Straight up sunflower seeds

Bursting with a tart bite blueberries

This is not a complicated salad, yet it is complex in flavors and textures that all mingle beautifully with a variety of proteins for the main meal. Such as steaks, grilled or roasted fish, pork or chicken.  Its flavors are mild enough so as not to compete, but bold enough to say 'I'm crisp and refreshing, so don't pass me up."  What more can you want from a simple salad? I, dare say, not much. 

So, when during my recent internship at a prep kitchen in Miami I was tasked with making a salad for family meal (that's when the entire staff eats lunch together), I thought this salad might fit the bill. I've always enjoyed it, and was hoping that my new found friends would like it, too.  What I didn't expect was that head Chef MJ liked it so much she decided to offer it at the café for a lunch special the following week.  If you could see my face you would see joy and pride, and a sense of ultimate validation. I guess this little salad of bold flavors and subtle notes from a delicate lettuce got its star on the big screen stage of eateries. 

The line up.

Ingredients
 

(Serves 6 as main or 8-10 as a side salad)

2 heads Butter, Bibb or Boston lettuce
3 oranges, segmented
1 pint blueberries
1/4 cup pecans, roasted, chopped or sunflower or pumpkin seeds
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 scallions, sliced
 

Dressing

5 t orange juice
4 t lemon juice
4 t lime juice
2/3 c olive oil
2 T cilantro, minced
1 T ginger, grated
2-3 crushed garlic clove
salt, pepper to taste

Instructions

Wash and completely dry the lettuce. Gently tear it into bite size pieces.  If you are using pecans, place them in a 300 degree oven for 5-8 minutes to lightly toast.  Or you can toast them in a pan on the stove.  If you are using seeds such as sunflower or pumpkin, you can toast them or not.  Segment the oranges over a bowl so you can catch all the juices and use for the dressing. Toss together the lettuce, scallions, onions, ⅔ of the orange segments, ⅔ of the pecans or seeds reserving the remainder to decorate the top of the salad.  Whisk together all the ingredients and lovingly pour over the salad and mix well.  Do not over dress the salad.  You just want it all lightly coated.  Then using the rest of the oranges and nuts decorate the top.

You may notice some radicchio in this closeup shot. At the last minute, I added some to bulk up the salad because we had another person joining for lunch.

This is a wonderfully, refreshing summer salad.  Or anytime salad.  I think it will brighten any BBQ.  Pair it with spicy ribs.  Pair it with grilled meats or sausages.  Pair it with whole roasted fish.  Go ahead, pair it with anything.  

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