Wild Rice and Cherry Salad

I realize that the days of cherries may have passed us by...but I did manage to score a lovely package of organic cherries the other day and tried this salad, inspired by a recipe from the lovely Heidi Swanson. When it's this hot outside (and by this hot I mean waaaay into the 100s), I cannot eat hot food. In fact, it's hard to eat any food at all. But I was inspired by the colors of the bright red cherries against the black wild rice. And the prospect of having plenty of leftovers for me for lunch.

It was everything I hoped for--full bodied and filling, but with a certain fresh tang from the crushed cherry dressing and arugula. I'd try it again with Santa Rosa plums which abound in the markets now. In fall, it would be excellent with dried cranberries, cherries, or fresh figs. In winter I would eat it with fresh mandarin oranges. And in the spring it would be excellent with strawberries. It's just the sort of salad that you can play around with. In fact, it may demand it. Switch out the nuts, the grain, the cheese or the greens to make it uniquely yours, and to suit the season. And guess what? It's gluten free.

Wild Rice and Cherry Salad

Printable Recipe

Loosely Adapted from Super Natural Every Day

This versatile grain salad will work in any season by simply swapping out whatever fruit is available at your farmers' market. It makes for a lovely lunch, or light main course.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Yield: serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked wild rice

4 handfuls wild arugula

2/3 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

1 1/2 cups sweet cherries, pitted

1/2 cup toasted walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar, or white wine vinegar

sea salt, to taste

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, or goat cheese

Preparation:

1. Rinse wild rice. Bring 4 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add wild rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer over low heat until rice is tender, about 40-45 minutes. Drain rice and set aside.

2. While rice is cooking mash 1/3 of the cherries in a jar with a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon. Add walnut oil and vinegar, close lid tightly and shake until combined. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to season and taste.

3. Tear remaining cherries in half. Toss wild rice with the arugula, most of the pecans, and most of the remaining cherries until evenly combined. Add a generous splash of the dressing and toss again. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or dressing if necessary.

4. Top salad with remaining cherry halves and pecans, and crumbled cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yes, Peas!

A season of change is upon us. My rose bushes are in full bud, the peas are ready to harvest, and the days are longer and warmer and sunnier. I love this time of year--the time when I can open the windows and let in the breeze which smells of jasmine, cut grass and citrus blossoms. The birds feel it too and are a mass of righteous chirping in the trees (and pooping on my window box).

Spring is nature's way of extending her hand, offering up the promise of much bounty in the months ahead.


There's the promise of cooking and eating outdoors...of late bedtimes, and fireflies, and sandy toes. The promise of family time and leisure after so much hard work. And the promise of renewal and restoration after loss, heartache and tragedy.

The clustercuss of events in Japan has captivated my attention these past few days, as I'm sure it has yours. It is unfathomable that life and livelihood can be lost in an instant. And it has been an poignant reminder that life is all too short and all too fragile.

If you haven't already, please make a contribution to help the survivors of this horrific triple-punch of quake, tsunami, and nuclear catastrophe. And then, after you've made that donation, you must make this risotto which is for me, the paramount comfort dish.




This risotto is so rich and creamy, and each tender bite is chock full of the springtime tastes of wild arugula, leeks and home-grown peas. And it's topped with crispy bacon...need I say more? The recipe makes a lot (we are big fans of leftovers for lunch), and I will post a recipe tomorrow showing you how to make this leftover risotto, or any leftover risotto, into something really, really special.


Spring Pea, Leek and Arugula Risotto
Printable Recipe

Freshly picked peas, leeks and wild arugula are the stars in this creamy spring risotto. Risotto is very simple to make, though it does require one to stir the pot. I highly recommend that you turn on some music, pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy the process--pour, stir and simmer (and sip). Repeat.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: serves 4 with leftovers

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 leeks, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups arborio rice
1 quart chicken stock, simmering (I heat mine in a pyrex pitcher in the microwave)
1 cup freshly shelled English peas
3 large handfuls of arugula, wild or otherwise.
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

Preparation:

1. Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add rice and stir until grains are coated with the oil and butter. Add the wine and simmer until it is almost completely absorbed.

3. Add one cup of warmed stock to the rice. Simmer gently, and stir occasionally, until broth is almost absorbed. Continue in this way, adding broth in one cup increments until all the broth has been used, and rice is tender and creamy. It should take around 20 minutes.

4. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the peas. The heat from the rice should cook them sufficiently. When the rice is done, stir in the arugula, one handful at a time, until it is wilted. Stir in the cheese and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary.

5. Serve the risotto immediately in wide bowls, topped with additional Parmesan cheese and crispy bacon if using.

The Case of the Smuggled Tomatoes

The tomatoes to your left, were picked off my tomato vines in California with only their first blush of red, carefully tucked in my carry-on, and placed on the window sill here in Cape Cod to ripen. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to transport tomatoes in a bag onto an airplane? Well, it is! Not only are there heavy books and magazines to contend with...but also feet....and beverage carts....

Anyway, they made it, ripened beautifully and were tossed into a salad of arugula, corn, chicken and blue cheese earlier this week. And they were worth the effort to transport, because unlike backyard eggs, you really can tell the difference in flavor with homegrown tomatoes! The arugula came from the FM here in Bass River and the corn from Jersey (shhh)....It was a fantastic and simple summer meal. As all summer meals should be, no?






Arugula Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, and Blue Cheese
adapted from Everyday Food

There are so many things going on in this salad, I feel it needs minimal dressing. But if you like your salads more heavily coated, you may want to double the lemon and olive oil. This would make for a fantastic lunch or light dinner.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: serves 2ish

Ingredients:

1 bag of baby arugula
2 large tomatoes, sliced
2 ears of corn, steamed for 2-3 minutes until tender and sliced off the cob *
1/2 cup sliced red onion
2 cooked chicken breast halves, sliced
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
juice from one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Place arugula in a large salad bowl. Add in tomatoes, corn, red onion, chicken breast, and blue cheese.

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil until combined. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

3. Toss salad with dressing until lightly coated. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

*You can also try microwaving your shucked corn. Place it on a plate and cover it with a paper towel. Microwave it for about one minute per ear.

Farm to Table

Friends, it's on! Summer is here, and with that comes amazing things out of the garden. And everything, it seems, is on steroids this year. Here on the Cape, things usually get a slow start....but sunny weather and warm temperatures, coupled with a mild spring have made produce large and in charge. There are armfuls of lettuce, tomatoes the size of melons, squash (already!), and pea vines, 10 feet tall! It really is a sight to behold.

Luckily, not only do we have our own little garden out back, but we belong to a CSA (or community supported agriculture), where we get a fantastic assortment of produce that we pick up weekly from Seaweed and Codfish Herb Farm. Veronica, the owner/operator/farmer, is a total character, and the first time we met her, she was tending her farm barefoot wearing only shorts and a bra (it was a really hot day). Certainly comfortable among her many chickens, goats, ducks, vegetable beds (and in her own skin), she's one of the few farmers on Cape Cod who grow lettuces all summer, as well as many other crops. When you go to her farm, not only will she show you around so you can meet her many furry and feathered friends, she will take you out to the garden so you can get your pick of lettuce and veggies, which she pulls up and picks for you on the spot. Talk about farm to table!

This evening we picked up edible flowers, red lettuce, boston lettuce, lambs tongue lettuce, 2 pounds of snap peas, a dozen eggs, 3 zucchini, 2 not-quite-ripe tomatoes (her first), kale, cippolini onions, mint, beets (with greens attached) and an herb bundle, that had parsley with leaves so big, they looked like they came out of the Jurassic era.

So what does one do with all that fantastic produce from the CSA basket? Well, for starters, because there is little choice in what you get, you're forced to try things you never have (kohlrabi anyone?), and challenge yourself with new recipes to use up things you have been eating in (over)abundance (kale anyone?). It can be difficult to eat it all up before the next batch arrives....in fact, I still have a kohlrabi languishing in the fridge from last week. But sometime this weekend, I shall make salad or slaw!

For tonight, we whipped up one dozen farm-fresh eggs and poured them over some of the freshly-picked veggies which were sauteed briefly in olive oil. It was a frittata of sorts (sounds so much fancier than baked eggs, doesn't it?), that was simple and perfect and even kind of elegant, especially when topped with a Jurassic parsley leaf. This could also double as an appetizer when cut into small squares and served at room temperature.








Farm Egg and Veggie Frittata

This simple yet elegant dish works well with just about any vegetable you have on hand. Try it with asparagus, or crook-neck squash, add crumbled cooked sausages or peppers...have fun and don't be afraid to experiment! Because eggs are the main ingredient, make sure they are the freshest possible.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: serves 6 as a main course

Ingredients:

1 dozen eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream, half and half, or milk
1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
2 zucchini, sliced into half moons
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 large handfuls of arugula, spinach or chopped young chard
1 tablespoon olive oil
Minced parsley

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Set aside.

2. Beat the eggs, with salt, pepper and cream in a large mixing bowl until combined. Set aside.

3. Heat olive oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add zucchini, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini becomes tender and onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the arugula (or whatever tender green you are using) and cook for 1-2 minutes more, or until it just begins to wilt.

4. Spread the veggies evenly out in the prepared 9x13 inch dish. Sprinkle over the cheese and then pour over the egg mixture.

5. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until puffed slightly and cooked though in the middle.

6. Garnish with minced parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.

At Market...Corn

Fresh corn is the sure sign that summer has arrived. Though we try to rush it, there really isn't much point because the best corn is the stuff that is grown right around the corner, not states (or countries away).

It was fun to watch the progress of the corn crops as we made our way across the country and back. In June, the rows were still small, with no visible ears. But by August, the corn was high and the silks were turning brown, a true indicator of ripeness. On the Cape, just towards the end of our visit, the so-called "native" corn was ready, and boy was it delicious. The kernels were tiny and sweet, just bursting with flavor. We hadn't quite gotten our fill by the time we had to leave, but fortunately for us, we have a local farm stand that grows fine corn too. And it opened just in time for our return to California.

Corn is best eaten within a day or two of being picked. And by now, you should know what that means...to experience corn at its very best, you need to buy it at the farmers' market or at a farm stand. Though eating it straight off the cob is wonderful, sometimes it's fun to mix it up a bit too. When I saw a recipe for risotto with fresh corn and arugula in Food and Wine Magazine, I knew it would be a hit and a great way to make use of abundant corn. Though it is a pretty standard risotto recipe, it has quite a few (easy) steps, so it would be a perfect meal for a leisurely weekend evening, when you have some time to devote to meal preparation.

Corn Risotto

serves 4-6 as a main course

4 ears of corn, shucked, and cut in half

8 C chicken broth

2 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 oz bag of baby arugula

salt and pepper

1T butter

1/2 yellow onion

1/4 pound raw, spicy Italian turkey sausage, removed from casing

2 C arborio rice

1/4 C dry white wine

grated Parmesan cheese

Bring stock to a boil in a large stockpot. Place halved ears (8 pieces total) in the broth to boil for 3-4 minutes, or until crisp tender. Remove to a cutting board to cool and keep broth simmering on low heat. Meanwhile, heat olive oil and garlic over medium low in another large stockpot. When fragrant, drop in arugula and stir frequently until barely wilted, just a couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from pan.

When cool enough to handle, grate 2 pieces of the corn on the large holes of a box grater and set aside. Cut the remaining kernels from the cob with a sharp knife and set aside.

Wipe out arugula pan and add butter. Heat over medium low and add onion. Saute for 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add sausage to pot and break apart with a spatula. Cook until browned through, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice and grated corn, taking care to coat each grain with fat. Add wine and stir until absorbed. Then, over medium low heat, add broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently after each addition, waiting until broth is absorbed before adding more. Continue in this way, adding broth in intervals and stirring, for about 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. It should be creamy and moist. Stir in corn kernels and arugula to reheat.

Taste for seasoning, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve hot.

B.A.M. Pizza

It's Friday, and I am really trying to stick with our "Pizza Friday" tradition. One of my favorite pizzas to both make and eat is like the B.L.T. pizza from California Pizza Kitchen. But since tomatoes are hard to come by these days, I have come up with a version that is perfect for fall using bacon (really pancetta), arugula, and mushrooms. It was a really delicious way to end the week.

B.A.M. Pizza

1 pound of crimini mushrooms, sliced

4 oz pancetta, diced (I buy a pre-diced package from Trader Joe's)

2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

2 large handfuls of baby arugula, rinsed very well

2 handfuls mozzarella cheese

1 handful Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 500° for 1 hour.

Brown pancetta over medium heat until almost crisp. Drain onto paper towels and saute mushrooms in remaining fat. Salt and pepper mushrooms to taste and saute until moisture is evaporated.

Onto prepared and stretched crust (click here for recipe), drizzle olive oil liberally. Sprinkle garlic and mozzarella cheese. Spoon over pancetta and mushrooms and place 2 large handfuls of baby arugula over that. Drizzle more olive oil on arugula leaves and sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Slide onto heated pizza stone and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust is a crisp as you like. Remove from oven and drizzle on more olive oil.