Kongnamul: Soybean Sprout Salad

Sundays are sometimes a blur. There is laundry, grocery shopping, bills, sifting through piles of random paperwork and receipts (why do I even keep these?) and cleaning the kitchen floor and then suddenly it's 4:30pm and I haven't even thought of what I should make for dinner.

I did manage to sneak in a wonderful Anusara Yoga class at Yoga Tree. It was hard work, but I felt so proud of myself for stretching through the tight spots and taking some time to breathe and clear the clouds, so to speak.

The rain clouds have been rollin in this week and it's been a little cold and gloomy around here. Perfect for some Korean Tofu Kimchi Stew. And definitely some banchan, which I like to call vegetable snacks that are generally very easy to prepare. You know I love me some Korean food.

Kongnamul is one of my favorite types of banchan. It's a crunchy soybean sprout salad with a hint of sesame.

It's really cheap, too-you can buy a whole pound of sprouts at almost any asian grocery/market for about $1.20. I like to buy the loose ones and not pre-bagged sprouts because those tend to get soggy and rancid very quickly.

Note: I made that cute little ceramic plate at Color Me Mine.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 pound of soybean sprouts
* 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
* salt to taste
* Optional: small amounts of chopped green onion, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, soy sauce


DIRECTIONS:

* Fill a medium pot about 2/3 full with water and 1 tsp. of salt and bring to a boil.
* Rinse the sprouts and discard any wilted sprouts.
* Toss in the sprouts, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.
* Drain and rinse in cold water until cooled (or plunge them into a bowl of ice water if you like it extra crunchy).
* In a bowl, combine the drained, cooked sprouts, sesame oil, salt and any other optional items you may be using.

Ta-da! So easy.

This dish will not keep more than a day or so in the fridge (it becomes soggy pretty quickly), so I highly recommend eating it up fresh!

Nem Khao: Laotian Crispy Rice Salad

You know what I miss about the cities I have traveled to? The. Food.

I've often dreamed about flying back to Sydney (where I lived for nearly a year) for a plate of hand-pulled noodles from Chinese Noodle Restaurant. Perhaps flying home to Maui for some Sam Sato's Dry Mein Noodles would be a lot cheaper. But, believe you me, not a day goes by when I don't crave my San Diego comfort food of choice: a thali plate complete with rice, perfectly bubbled naan smeared with ghee, smoky murgh makhani and mushroom masala from Punjabi Tandoor. Most of these dishes sink into my memory and become the elusive stuff that dreams are made of. But, occasionally, I work up the nerve to trust my palate, memory and photographs and re-create a dish. And sometimes, it actually works.

And, tonight, a wonderful Laotian classic called Nem Khao made its way to the dinner table.

Some time ago, my dear friends and trustworthy foodies, Ali and John, recommended a tiny little Laotian mom-and-pop place in San Diego called Asia Cafe. You might notice that all the yelpers said to order the one thing that is inexplicably not on the menu: Nem Khao. I love secret menus!


Nem Khao is essentially a salad composed of fried rice balls that have been mashed up and tossed with generous amounts of scallions, cilantro, and peanuts. Like any regional specialty, the recipes vary widely. Some might have lemongrass and ginger; some use seasoned patties with spices and egg. This dish generally contains some sort of pork and is almost always served with red chili peppers (as noted in photo above) and doused with fish sauce and lime juice.

I omitted the pork and chillies because I wanted to focus on recreating the foundation of the dish, which is the rice salad. Now, this is all speculation, but I believe Asia cafe keeps it simple. Besides some key ingredients, this dish is all about texture. You use cooked jasmine rice that has been chilled to get rid of excess moisture. You could use broken jasmine rice (cheaper) or regular jasmine rice. Or you could gently pulse some jasmine rice in your food processor to break up the grains just a little bit, but I don't think this step is necessary. You fry up some rice patties until they form a nice, crispy golden brown crust, but still maintain a fluffy interior.


Then you chop it up into rugged chunks and toss it with lots of scallions, cilantro, shallots and peanuts. A winning combination, really. Kind of like the Asian version of Panzanella, but rice replaces bread and cilantro steps in for basil.

A dose of salty fish sauce is the cornerstone of this dish, but it livens up into something so nice and bright when it tag teams with fresh cilantro, lime and scallions. Some peanuts join the green party for some added crunch.



INGREDIENTS:

2 cups jasmine rice (cooked and chilled)
1.5 to 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
4 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. lime zest
pinch of sugar
* 2 tsp. garlic, crushed
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
3/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
small pinch of kosher salt (optional)
canola oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:

* Cook the rice as directed and let it cool and then chill. You do not want to fry wet hot rice, so this step is important.
* Form the rice into 6 large patties (at least one-inch thick).
* In a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven, pour about 2 cups of oil for the shallow fry and heat on medium-high.
* Fry the patties for about 5-7 minutes on each side. You want to allow it to become golden brown before flipping the patties, but be careful not to burn them.
* Place patties on a paper towel to drain excess oil and cool for a few minutes.
* Roughly chop up the patties and place in large mixing bowl.
* In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, garlic, sugar, lime juice and zest and add this mixture to the rice.
* Add in the scallions, peanuts, shallot and cilantro and mix everything together.
* If necessary, add a pinch of kosher salt to adjust seasoning to taste.

Veggie note: If you want to make this vegetarian/vegan, you can make some Fishless Fish Sauce. I'd love to know how it turns out!

BBQ Chopped Salad at California Pizza Kitchen

I am not sure I have ever been so excited about a post before! Are you ready for this?! I have successfully made the BBQ chopped Salad from California Pizza Kitchen, which I have been smitten by since I first had it several years ago. And even more exciting--I made a vegan version by omitting the chicken and making a vegan garden herb ranch dressing. Since I know I am not the only one who loves this salad (and CPK's miso salad), I thought I should show you how you can make it too!

I should probably point out that I am not vegan and it isn't generally my mission to veganize things, but there is a really easy explanation for making vegan versions of things. You can usually make vegan versions with the stuff that you already have in your kitchen, refrigerator or pantry! It's true. That's how this salad came about--I didn't have any chicken in the house or ranch dressing.

My friend, Eli, says that the best restaurants are those that create dishes that inspire you to want to figure out how to make the dish yourself in your own kitchen. I have to agree. I am not a trained chef and I often eat wonderful, delicious things that make me think "I have absolutely no idea how to make that". But what really makes me excited is when I eat something and I can detect all or most of the ingredients. Then I feel pretty confident that if I just gather those familiar ingredients up, I will likely be able to recreate that dish even without a recipe. That is what makes me excited about cooking in my kitchen or sharing those experiences and knowledge with all of you.

At CPK, a half order costs $8.99 and a full order is $12.49, plus $2.00 if you want to add on a half of an avocado. It's a pretty pricey salad, which is partly why I desperately wanted to make it at home. Here is the thing about this salad--it does have many ingredients, but it is not necessarily labor intensive. It's just a matter of assemblying it all together. Of course, I am sure that it's much easier at a restaurant when all the items are prepped and chopped and the prep cook just mixes up a serving when ordered. But since you and I don't have prep cooks in our kitchen (or, if you do, can I come over?!), just put a little music on and chop away and it will be pretty simple to mix altogether once you have all the items ready. Also, if you aren't vegan and already have some ranch dressing, go ahead and use that! And if you want to add some protein to the salad, you could throw in some cubed or marinated tofu (or even brown up some diced tofu and simmer it for a couple minutes in some of the bbq sauce).

Now, the star quality of this salad is its crunchiness--every element is meant to give the salad a great, satisfying crisp crunch. All of these crunchy bits are what saves it from the fact that it is a fairly wet salad, as salads go--the ranch dressing is pretty thin and then it is topped with bbq sauce. This is why I don't recommend putting any tortilla strips or chips into the salad to be mixed in because it tends to become soggy too quickly--just keep it as a garnish for the top!

BBQ CHOPPED SALAD
Adapted from the original recipe from California Pizza Kitchen

INGREDIENTS FOR VEGAN RANCH DRESSING:

* 6 oz. silken tofu (like Mori-Nu) or 1/2 package of tofu
* 1/2 cup vegenaise
* 1/4 cup green onion, chopped (about 2-3 stalks)
* 4 tsp. lemon juice
* 1 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
* 1/4 tsp. dried dill (or 1/2 tsp. freshly chopped dill)
* 1.5 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
* 3 tsp. red wine vinegar
* 3 tsp. agave nectar

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

* 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce (about 1/8-inch-wide strips)
* 6-8 fresh basil leaves, shredded into 1/8-inch-wide strips
* 1 medium sized jicama, diced into small cubes
* 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 cup sweet white corn kernels (freshly cut off the cob if possible)
* 3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
* 2 large ripe fresh tomatoes, diced (save a handful for garnish)
* 1 ripe avocado, diced (garnish)
* 1/2 cup good quality bottled barbecue sauce (for garnish; I like Trader Joe's Kansas-style BBQ sauce)
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (for garnish)
* large handful of tortilla chips, lightly crushed (for garnish)
* lime wedges (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS FOR ASSEMBLY:

* In a blender, whizz all the ingredients for the salad dressing together until smooth. Don't worry, it will be a little runny.
* In a large bowl, mix together all of the salad ingredients except for the garnish items (some tomatoes, bbq sauce, tortilla chips, and lime).
* Add the ranch dressing to the salad in small increments until it is dressed to your liking. I used less than 1/4 cup so there will be plenty of dressing leftover.
* Pile the salad onto a large plate or serving platter. Add the diced tomatoes around the edges of the salad, top with the avocado, scallions, tortilla chips and lime wedges. Drizzle some bbq sauce over the whole thing.

Ta-da!

Winter Lettuces with Roasted Beets, Chèvre and Hazelnut Butter

I have a few friends who adamantly proclaim that they don’t make soup in the summertime or that they don’t bother with salads in the winter when there are plenty of stews and soups and root veggies. I think growing up in Hawaii caused me to miss this seasonal bandwagon.

I am currently reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Vegetable Miracle, which has been teaching me all sorts of new seasonal facts about the lives of various produce. For example, I had no idea asparagus had such a short frenzied season where the young shoots spring up sometimes six inches in just one day and that the stalks start losing flavor, vitamins and nutrients the second you whack off the little young shoots?! Who knew?!

I am really fortunate to live amidst the produce bounty of the bay area and have daily access to one of the world’s best farmers markets. I stopped in on a cold and windy Thursday and found a bounty of various winter greens from the chicory family. I walked over to the girl chanting “We've got beautiful bitter greens—there are no sweet lettuces in winter!” I purchased a mix of gorgeous seasonal greens, some golden beets and fingerling potatoes and a nice scoop of fresh chèvre from Cowgirl Creamery. I was in business.

I made a quick salad for dinner by tossing the greens in the best olive oil I own and a splash of muscat vinegar and then I topped the greens with the roasted beets and fingerling potatoes and flung about some of the chèvre. And a nice hunk of french bread. But the best compliment to the salad was a generous smattering of hazelnut butter along the rim of the plate so I could press my fork into it for each bite.

I first learned of the magical union between beets and hazelnuts from a Spruce salad consisting of paper-thin shaved beets, tangerine segments, chèvre and toasted hazelnuts.

A glass of nice crisp white wine and I'm all set.

Recreating Ubuntu

In honor of Ubuntu receiving its first Michelin Star, I decided to attempt to re-create some of Jeremy Fox's brilliant dishes. Since his cookbook is not yet in print, I scoured the internet for some of his recipes and found several here and here, including his famous Cauliflower in a Cast-iron Pot. My friend Jesse had raved about this dish, but, unfortunately it was not on the menu during my visit. I also wish I could have tried the beloved strawberry sofrito pizza, because I am forever intrigued by fruit used in savory preparations. Strawberries and onions?! I don't knoooow...but I do know that I trust Jeremy Fox.

Lavender Marcona Almonds
Of course, I had to figure out how to recreate the Lavender Marcona Almonds even though you can purchase them, among other things, at the Ubuntu Annex.

Turns out, it's really more of a no-recipe recipe. To make things easier, I bought a bag of Marcona almonds from trader Joe's that are already lightly oiled and sprinkled with sea salt. In a mortar and pestle, I ground up about 1/2 tsp. of lavender and added about a tablespoon of cane sugar and ground it up a little more to mix thorough. Then, I mixed the lavender sugar with about 3/4 cup to 1 cup of almonds and added in 1 tsp. of good quality olive oil to moisten it all up. That's it! Note: Lavender in food is a bit of personal preference--it truly depends on how much you like the flavor of lavender. I use it conservatively,because I find that, if you use too much, your food might end up tasting like soap. Also, if you prefer the nuts warmed, you can lightly toast them for a couple of minutes before you mix in the lavender sugar and olive oil.

Green Bean and Plum Salad

Fruit used in another savory composition?! I would never have paired green beans and plums, but Jeremy obviously put a little thought into this pairing because it was an outstanding combination.

This salad looks extremely simple--delicately composed of simple ingredients, but I found it to be a little complicated once I added up all the individual steps. For one thing, trying to shave ripe plums on a mandoline proved to be a small disaster, so I ended up slicing them by hand. The salad was clean and fresh, bursting with intense flavors. Once again, in Ubuntu, we trust.

Grits Infused with Goat's Milk

I also tried to recreate a dish I had tried at Ubuntu: grits infused with goat's milk with domaine de la chance egg, homemade goat ricotta, green tomato jam, and autumn thinnings. In my adaptation, I cooked polenta in goat's milk whey (leftover from making some goat's milk feta) alongside some roasted tomatoes and sweet yellow peppers and topped it all off with a fried egg and a generous heap of parmigiano reggiano. While the dish looked beautiful, I didn't really like the flavor of the polenta, so I won't post the recipe here. Ubuntu is, by far, one of my favorite restaurants, and I can't wait to go back! After all, I do have a birthday coming up on November 28 (and that means fall season vegetables!!!)

Welcome Home Salad with Nectarines and Roasted Cipollini Onions

In the midst of drafting memos and reading discovery requests (are you yawning yet?), I often find myself thinking about food--from what I am going to make for dinner to menu planning for some event that doesn't even exist yet. I don't think you understand--I love menu planning. I think that it should be a national policy to ask every person--maybe on graduation day from high school or college--Tell us, graduate: "What do you like to talk about?" This would be the perfect steer-you-in-the-right-direction question because when people love something-when they are passionate about something, it shows. Their eyes light up. Their voice becomes animated and excited. You can just tell. Then you hand them a card with their destined profession (matched up to their passions, of course, this isn't a caste system!) and dust your hands off and send them on their way!

So, the only problem with this scenario is that, in my case, if you had asked me this profound question on the day I graduated from college, I don't know what I would have said. Maybe my love for writing. But what I liked to talk about would not have been food. Because that didn't fully develop until about my second year into law school--when I was already full speed ahead on a one way path down a certain raging river, if you catch my drift. Ha!

So there it is. The lawyer who loves to talk about food.

My form of daydreaming frequently consists of menu planning. Sexy, I know. So when two of my friends, Aja and Erin, drove up from Los Angeles to San Francisco, they arrived weary and hungry--and full of junk food and candy eaten out of boredom and/or desperation along the way. I decided to make them something light yet comforting: some polenta cakes and a simple salad of mixed greens topped with heirloom tomatoes, slices of sweet nectarine and roasted cipollini onions.
Cipollini onions are sweeter than yellow or white onions, but not quite as sweet as shallots, but they are also small and flat which makes for perfect roasting. Instead of following a recipe, I gave them a good rub of olive oil, sea salt and pepper and then a quick douse of balsamic vinegar and put them in the oven at 350 degrees until they turned soft and melted, about 20-25 minutes. For the greens, I drizzled a little bit of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and some sea salt and pepper. Keep it simple because the "dressing" and flavor will all come from the juices from the onions, which you can drizzle over the salad after the onions are roasted. Now, I added a last minute quick grating of some Parmegiano Reggiano, but you can leave this out if you want to keep it vegan...

Welcome.

Vegan Avocado "Cream"

If you got caught doing something naughty (we won't get into the particulars, okay?), would you feel better about it if, in fact, it wasn't actually naughty--but just seemed naughty?! I would. That's kind of how I feel about some of my attempts to make "healthier" versions of things--especially vegan versions of things. Like when I make "sausage gravy" that is-get this-made with fat-free "sausage" and fat-free cannellini beans. It's like I am tricking my mind--and I'm not talking about the kind of mind trick Heintz is playing with their green ketchup. That's just wrong--I don't care if it "tastes the same". It's more like a gentle coercion of my mind and tastebuds into thinking that I am being incredibly indulgent on a Sunday morning when I scoop gravy over warm biscuits.

Same thing goes for using silken tofu to make vegan dishes creamy and rich like fettucine alfredo or even flourless chocolate cake!

This avocado "cream" blends silken tofu and avocado with a healthy dose of fresh parsley, scallions and basil to make an incredibly decadent topping. Depending on what you want to use it for, you can adjust its consistency by adding a little more water or lemon juice. Suggestions for use: sopes, salads, tacos or taquitos, sandwiches, dip for veggies, and tortilla wraps...

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 shallot, minced finely
* 1 clove garlic, minced finely
* 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
* 4 tsp. lemon juice
* 1/2 ripe avocado
* 6 ounces silken tofu
* 1 scallion, chopped
* 1.5 Tbsp. fresh parsley leaves, chopped
* 2 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, chopped
* 1/4 tsp. sea salt
* 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
* 2 Tbsp. water

In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth. Add more water if necessary to thin it out.

Vegan Hijiki Barley Salad

I have a childhood friend named Jamie. When we were young, Jamie and I spent many of our afternoons playing in a sandbox at her grandmother's house. We would stay in that sandbox for hours (creating all sorts of elaborate stories and role-playing adventures) until her grandma called us in for lunch. Being from Japan, her grandmother would make up lots of little dishes that, all together, would create a total sum of delicious. Maybe some broiled fish, some steamed rice, some sushi, some sunomono or namasu (pickled vegetables salads), some pickled daikon, a handful of sliced tangerines in a cute little flower shaped cup, some hard-boiled egg maybe. All arranged in dainty little ceramic plates and cups.

I love this style of eating (same prinicple goes for Spanish tapas!). Luckily, California--and San Francisco especially--has also cropped up with lots of "small plates" restaurants like Andalu and Cortez and Alembic.

I am lucky to work in the San Francisco financial district, which has a plethora of lunch options to cater to all sorts of clientele. And one of the best spots is grabbing some lunch at one of the vendors at the Ferry Building. I got the idea for this cold barley salad from the Japanese "deli" called Delica rf-1. Why you would name your restaurant Delica rf-1 escapes me, but I eat some potato korroke and forget all about the name.Barley really is an ideal grain--its nutty in flavor with a toothsome chewiness that is quite endearing. This salad is also packed with nutrients--hijiki is naturally rich in calcium, iron and fiber (for food safety reasons, be sure to buy the best quality you can find from a natural food store)!

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

* 3 or 4 radishes, shaved thin
* 1 cup pearl barley
* 1 cup shelled edamame
* 2-3 Tbsp. dried hijiki or arame (or mixture of both)
* Other optional additions: grated carrot, daikon, lotus root, arugula or mizuna lettuces, or cubed tofu

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MARINADE:

* 1 Tbsp. walnut oil (or other neutral oil)
* 1 tsp. sesame oil
* 3 tsp. miso paste
* 2 Tsbp. rice vinegar
* 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
* 2 Tbsp. Braggs (liquid aminos)
* 1 tsp. agave (or honey if you'd prefer)
* 3 Tbsp. mirin
* 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

* Whisk togther all marinade ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
* Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. When cooked, barley expands to 4 times its size so you want the grains to have plenty of space to roll around! Cook the barley in boiling water for 35-40 minutes or until tender and chewy. Drain, rinse and place in a large mixing bowl.
* In a small dish, soak the dried seaweed for 10-15 minutes in warm water. Then boil in a small pot for about 2-3 minutes. Drain, rinse and roughly chop.
* Grab your bowl of barley and add in the shelled edamame, shaved radishes, and chopped seaweed (and any other ingredients you may want to add).
* Pour the marinade mixture over the salad and stir until mixed.

Healthy Green Goddess Dressing

My uncle Lee owns a 30-some-odd acre farm in Haiku, Maui. He is what I like to call an all-around guru. He knows something about everything. Everything. He can stretch out your spine and tell you how your nerves in your feet are connected to other parts of your body (my friend Pete can attest to this). He can prepare a Hawaiian fish like you have never seen or tasted before (which is how he introduced me to Herbamare). Years and years ago, I came across his huge 5-gallon glass containers with a 3-inch thick mushroom molded to the shape of the glass for making homemade kombucha tea (this was waaaaay before kombucha tea became trendy and companies started selling commercial versions with pretty labels and fruity flavorings). He can whip up an all-natural elixir to cure any ailment you might have. He can build a house. With a pool. He even built a traditional Hawaiian hale (pronounced ha-lay), which are gorgeous, traditional structures from old Hawaii and you can rent them if you find yourself on the beautiful island of Maui. The hales are built by hand using all natural materials from the land-no nails, no screws. Amazing, right?! I know.
My uncle Lee also serves these amazing salads in giant gorgeous wooden bowls. And, somehow, I am always lured away from other meal items to take seconds (or thirds) from the never-ending-giant-bowl-of-salad. I don't know why I am perpetually surprised by his salads. I mean, the man also grows his own mangosteen and hearts of palm. And sweet white pineapples. And apple bananas that look like this, which, in my opinion, if you have never tried an apple banana, is worth the entire trip out to the islands. You gotta love the man. He is...amazing and wholesome. Going to his house, even if it is just for dinner, is like a little retreat to a healthy land of feeling good and full of energy and life.

I wish I had a more exciting post to go with this story of my uncle. But it is about salads. Well, about a salad dressing that kind of reminds me of his magical salads.

I wonder, since when did the "garden salad" get such a bad rap?! I like lettuce. I love cucumbers and tomatoes. I dunno. Is it because it seems a little boring?! Maybe. I love salads (especially chunky, chopped ones) that have all sorts of neat ingredients. But if you are gonna go the simple garden salad route, I think you need a snazzy dressing to get things going.

So I gave some thought to some of my favorite salad dressings and, while I love a good balsamic vinaigrette, I have always been a fan of Annie's Green Goddess dressing. So, I thought I would try my hand at making Green Goddess Dressing using the good natural fats of olive oil and tofu rather than the more traditional sour cream and mayonnaise. It turned out great and I am so glad I can make it at home now!

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 shallot, minced finely
* 1 clove garlic, minced finely
* 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
* 3 tsp. lemon juice
* 3 Tbsp. olive oil
* 6 ounces of silken tofu
* 1/4 tsp. anchovy paste (optional)
* 1 scallion, chopped
* 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
* 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
* 1/4 tsp. sea salt (or more to taste)
* 1/4 tsp. freshly ground cracked pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. I like to put it into a squeeze bottle so I can drizzle it on salads...

An Ode to Beets

You have been awfully patient with me and my streak of Carb-o-holics Anonymous meetings. Sometimes I just get hooked on the magical comfort of carbs, which, in the interest of science, may be simply explained away by the increase in production of serotonin, but I like to think of it as *magic*. Did you know that protein blocks that release of serotonin, so having a vegetarian pasta will actually feel better than if it was loaded with chicken or meat?! Keep your carbs vegetarian when you really want to relax and take in the comfort factor of your food, then switch it up to have proteins and vegetables together for a low-carb meal when you want to feel energized.

The way I'm talkin, you might think this is going to be another post about the beloved carb, but it's not! It's about beets! I know, I know, besides the occassional trial of this or that, I really have been a nay-sayer about beets and I'm not sure why. I think, dear reader,that I am coming around. And it's all because of Spruce. Spruce introduced me to a new way of thinking about beets. It wasn't a creative preparation or anything unique or fancy, but it was the combination of flavors that really got under my skin. In fact, I had gone on to order lobster, but found that little salad to be the absolute highlight of my meal! "I'm sold," I announced loudly to my dinner companion, who laughed at me as though his love of beets had been around for decades and I was really, really late to get onboard. I have to admit that there is something oddly seductive about its deep red color with a sweet savory flavor...

Photo courtesy of the talented Mr. Jason Henry:
On a large flat plate, red beets had been shaved paper-thin (only a professional mandolin could have accomplished this without the beet tearing or becoming mush). The beets were then topped with some fancy greens (perhaps arugula and frisee) that had been tossed in olive oil, Banyuls vinegar, and salt and freshly cracked pepper. The greens were dotted with little slices of baby tangerines, as sweet and juicy as can be. Then, then, there was a lovely scoop of warm goat cheese sliding down the mountain of greens. All of this was then topped with a sprinkling of delicately toasted hazelnuts, halved and skins peeled.

You're sold too?! Yeah, no kidding. Since my Neighbor the Chef works at Spruce, I got to meet the Salad Station Guru. He's only 19, but, oh my, that boy can make a salad!!!

That salad at Spruce inspired me to revisit my trials at cooking with beets. On evening after rushing home from work, I quickly blanched some fresh asparagus and arranged them on a plate with some thinly sliced beets (that I purchased already steamed and peeled!) and topped it with a handful of toasted walnuts and some knobs of goat cheese. Then I drizzled a Beet Vinaigrette over the whole thing and *Zing*, there it was!
INGREDIENTS FOR BEET VINAIGRETTE:

* 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
* 5 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 tsp. dijon mustard
* 1 tsp. lemon juice
* 2 tsp. beet juice
* a little squeeze of honey (optional)
* salt & pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together until emulsified.

Zucchini Carpaccio

Carpaccio is traditionally made with beef, but there are countless variations cropping up on restaurant menu's and cookbooks. One of my favorite versions is carpaccio made with fresh sashimi grade ahi tuna...My farmer's market is brimming with such gorgeous veggies that I figured I should make a carpaccio with a vegetable! Yes, it can be done! Warm summer months call for inventive and unique spins on the good ol' salad...














This is a dish that is maddeningly easy to make, but exceptionally impressive!

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 small or medium zucchini (green or yellow or both!!)
* good quality olive oil for drizzling
* 2 Tbsp. fresh ricotta
* 3 Tbsp. fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, chives, chervil, and/or mint)
* 2 tsp. lemon zest plus a nice squeeze of lemon juice
* kosher salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste

The trick is to buy small or medium sized zucchini so it is easy to shave into very thin slices with a vegetable peeler (or mandolin if you have one, but it is totally not necessary). You simply shave the zucchini into paper thin slices, arrange in a flower like design on a plate (working from the outside inwards). Sprinkle the fresh herbs on, drizzle the olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest, scatter a few dollops of ricotta, salt and pepper it to taste and that's it! It really IS that simple, I promise.
Simply gorgeous.

Panzanella: Italian bread salad

When I moved to San Francisco back in 2004 (gasp!), everyone told me that the summer months are generally cold, overcast and grey, and that October was the best month for sunny nice weather. I didn't believe them (read: I didn't want to believe them). It's true, I grew up in Maui so my general idea of seasonal weather is all screwy...but I still didn't believe them. There is just something hard wired about expecting June, July and August to pour down sunshine right down on a pool with me sitting next to it with a cold lemonade or margarita in my hand. You too?! Maybe the movies created a vision of summer that I just never spliced with reality or a specific locale. Turns out, for the most part, "they" were right about the weather--it was grey when I wanted it to be gorgeously warm and sunny (except for that strange summer last year when it was sunny and pretty every day of the summer that I had to spend indoors studying for the California Bar Exam and then, lo and behold, like magic omniscient weather, it got grey and windy and cold for the EXACT 3 days I had to take the exam!). Regardless of what the weather is like, I am a rebel when it comes to foods you're "supposed" to eat during certain types of weather because I am from Hawaii so I just never adapted to that way of thinking--I make soup in the summer and eat hot noodle soups even when it's hot outside. I sometime crave ice cream when it is raining. I long for rustic winter vegetables in August...

And any day is a good day for some bread salad, if you ask me....Panzanella might be one of favorite salads--the perfect combination of bread cubes lightly tossed with the flavors of fresh tomato and basil and olive oil!In addition to being a great salad, it is the perfect accompaniment for roasted chicken or other meats because it combines the veggies and starch in one...not to mention it is a lovely way to get all your leftover veggies (or that lingering jar of olives) out of your fridge and into a happy belly. I first started thinking about making panzanella one summer day when it started appearing everywhere--every swanky cafe had it on their menu, various food network chefies started making their own version (try Michael Chiarello's recipe for Pea Panzanella), and I started craving it everywhere I went until I finally made it myself one day (and then made it again about 3 more times in the same week).

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING:

* 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
* 1/4 tsp. anchovy paste (optional)
* juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
* 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup good quality olive oil
* 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

* 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
* 1/4 red onion, minced
* 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
* 1 Tbsp. baby capers
* handful of basil leaves, torn or shredded
* 1 loaf of rustic bread, cut into cubes
* olive oil for drizzling
* 2 cups of fresh spinach or mixed greens
* 2 cups of ripe tomatoes (heirloom, early girls, cherry tomatoes or vine ripened tomatoes), roughly chopped
* 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
* salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

* Make the dressing (whisk together in a bowl) and set aside to let it sit so the flavors combine.
* Put the bread cubes on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and pop them in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until they turn lightly brown (then set aside to let them cool and they will become crunchy!)
* Combine the rest of the salad ingredients in a large bowl and mix.
* Just before serving the salad, lightly toss the bread croutons into the mix.
* Garnish with additional parsley and basil.

Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Sometimes when I see big bins of grains at a grocery store, I have to really, really restrain the urge to just stuff my hands deep down into the bins. I just imagine what it might feel like to dive into a big pool of rice and then I start to laugh and giggle and then I have to get out of the grocery store immediately before I start to attract attention to myself. You get this same urge too?! No? oh...

I desperately love Orzo...hot, cold, room temperature, whatever. It's is ridiculously yummy mixed with some fresh chopped parsley, olive oil, lemon juice and pine nuts and served with some grilled salmon...But orzo is also the perfect pasta for a pasta salad...

Every time there is a BBQ, pool party or picnic, someone always requests (read: demands) that my cousin, Laura, bring this Mediterranean salad...So, I decided I should slumber party at her place and help her make some so I could share the recipe with you too (after all, you have lots of BBQ's and pool parties and picnics to attend and everyone could use an easy, delicious and ever-popular recipe in their recipe arsenal).

You can also tailor the ingredients to add more of what you like and less of what you don't!

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 package of Orzo (cooked according to directions on package and drained)
* Olives (Oil cured or kalamata olives)
* Sundried Tomatoes
* 2 or 3 Heirloom Tomatoes (or a handful of cherry tomatoes)
* Feta cheese, crumbled
* Artichoke hearts (optional)
* 2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed
* handful of basil leaves, chopped
* salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
* 1 tsp. dried oregano (optional)
* 1 bottle of Red Wine & Olive Oil Vinaigrette (use to taste)

Mix it all up and refrigerate until you are ready to serve...

Thanks, Laura!

Ogo Seaweed Salad

Now, a note about the key ingredient: red ogo seaweed. Red ogo is a type of Limu (LEE-moo), which is the Hawaiian word for seaweed. Unfortunately, outside of Hawaii, red ogo may be extremely difficult to find (I purchased mine fresh at a local market in Maui, froze it and hand carried it on a plane with some dry ice back to San Francisco for those moments when you just want that taste of the islands and nothing else will do....). But there are actually many kinds of edible limu and they are all great additions to salads, sandwiches, poke......I have even occasionally seen it in dried form! So, if you can find this gem, use it! And if you can't, the salad will still be yummy without it but you may want to add a little salt to taste (since the seaweed is what adds a naturally salty flavor to the salad).

You can make variations on this salad if you wish--I made the regular recipe with the tomatoes and then a version without tomatoes and I just added in more carrot shreds.

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING:

* 1/2 cup white vinegar
* 3 T. soy sauce
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 2 tsp. sesame oil
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

* 1/4 cup red ogo seaweed
* 2 vine-ripened tomatoes (or 5 or 6 smaller campari tomatoes), chopped
* 1/2 cucumber, halved and deseeded (or one thin japanese cucumber)
* 1/2 carrot, shredded or julienne
* 1/4 red onion, minced finely

DIRECTIONS:

* Mix all dressing ingredients together.
* In a separate bowl, mix all salad ingredients together.
* Pour dressing over salad mixture, cover and refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes to let the veggies soak up the marinade!

Serve chilled.

Enjoy!

Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette

Moving into a new apartment inevitably means getting rid of lots and lots of stuff that you have accumulated--from gorgeous shoes that you never wear because they give you painful blisters--but that you keep around because they are, well, gorgeous...to mismatched coffee mugs (does anybody really have a full matching set?!) to half empty jars of salad dressing...

So, now that I am delightfully snuggled into my new home, and I wanted to make a salad, of course I don't have any ready-made dressings on hand...So I whizzed this up with things I did have the smarts to keep...and I think you are going to love it--especially because its approaching summer and it is the perfect dressing for a sassy little salad.

I might be the biggest fan of chopped salads that ever lived. And I highly recommend using this vinaigrette with a big, chunky mix of whatever you have on hand: corn, cucumber, tomato, avocado, mango, arugula, watercress, asparagus, etc...

LEMON-SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
* 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
* 3 Tbsp. shallots, grated fine (like juicy pulp)
* 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
* 1/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
* 1/4 tsp. rice wine vinegar
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 Tbsp. honey
* 1/4 cup walnut oil
* 2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
* sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

* Put all ingredients except for the walnut and grapeseed oils in a blender (or food processor) and puree. (If you don't have a food processor or blender, a whisk will work just fine!)
* Slowly pour in the oil until mixture begins to emulsify.
* Add salt and pepper to taste and mix again.

Voila!

Spinach Salad with Toasted Nuts, Asparagus and Roasted Beet Chips

I've always completely understood Popeye's fascination with spinach. Now, its true that what Popeye ate seemed to look like an amorphous heap of green goo that claimed to be spinach, but in reality, spinach is so versatile and healthy that I never grow tired of it and, between you and me, I eat my way through huge 3 pound bags of baby spinach weekly (unfortunately, a lot does not go a long way when you steam it so it is pretty easy to chow through that much spinach). Steamed. Sauteed. Raw. Baked. YUM.

(My 5-year old niece recently sang me a song she had learned at school about hating soggy greens, but all I could think of was how much I adore steaming a huge pot of spinach and serving it with a squeeze of lemon juice and spritz of apple cider vinegar...try it!)



Now, what I have never been known to like is beets. Beets. Deep red, messy beets that dye everything it touches and seem too messy to even bother. But then a friend of mine stayed at my apartment, went to my local farmers market and suddenly there were beets in my refrigerator that she had left behind with a recommendation on how she likes to prepare them. And every time I opened up the fridge in the next two days, there they were--sitting there, sad and lonely. Ok, fine. Beets it is. Here is where i have to admit to my friend (and you) that I followed her recommendation (sort of) and made a delicious (and I mean taaaaasty) meal using those beets...

It is easy to prepare, super healthy and the combination of flavors in this salad is most definitely a happy accident...

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/2 cup of raw, unsalted mixed nuts (I used almonds, cashews and peanuts, although I highly recommend adding a small handful of salted marcona almonds)
* 4 or 5 cups of raw spinach (thoroughly washed)
* 8-10 spears of asparagus, cut into 4 inch segments
* 1/2 cup edamame, shelled
* 3 beets, washed and peeled and thinly sliced
* 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary (leaves taken off the twig and chopped)
* 1/2 tsp. of coarse flakes of sea salt (or to taste)
* 2 Tbsp. olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

* Place the thinly sliced beets on a baking tray, drizzle half of the olive oil over it and sprinkle some of the chopped rosemary on top on them and bake in the oven at 425 degrees for about 20-25 minutes (careful not to burn them--you want them to be thin and crispy on the outside with a little bit of soft give when you bite into them). Note: the beets pictured here were cut a little too thick and I wished I had used a mandolin to ensure thin wafers.

* Lightly toast the mixed nuts and set aside.

* Blanche the asparagus segments for 30 seconds in boiling water, strain and then sautee them with the edamame beans on high heat with the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil for about 2 or 3 minutes (you want them to brown a little bit without overcooking the asparagus, which should retain a slight crunch for the salad!). Sprinkle the flakes of salt over the asparagus and edamame just before you plate it.

* Put the spinach on the bottom and top with the asparagus and edamame mixture, toasted nuts and surround with the beautifully-colored baked beet chips!

Serving suggestion: I used a simple balsamic vinaigrette on my salad, but just about any salad dressing would be fabulous on this salad!

Anniversary Dinner

Whew! My friends, it has been awhile since I have posted--but rest assured, it hasn't been because I haven't been eating (because I have been)...I have been working a lot and apartment hunting in any free time I have (which has been such an exhausting project to say the least)...

In any case, my 2-year anniversary (April 4) with my significant other snuck up on me so fast that, once again, I was completely outdone by him and came home after a very long day at work to find a little scroll on my desk tied up by a blue ribbon, which was a typed dinner menu that read:

Enjoy a fresh seafood dinner by candlelight:

*Miso Soup with sesame seeds
*Sashimi of Saku Tuna, Yellowtail, and Salmon
*Prawn, avocado and edamame salad
*Steamed rice with Furikake garnish
*Nigori Sake

It was the perfect light and fresh dinner I needed! And if you haven't tried Nigori (unfiltered sake), I highly recommend trying some because it is very refreshing, unique and absolutely yummy. Think of it as...rice milk. with alcohol. Pictured here is Snow Beauty, but there are many, many different kinds to try. I love the descriptions of sake because, similar to descriptions of wine, there are abundant adjectives and complex comparisons (that was an alliteration accident, i swear! oi!) that I find wildly entertaining and imaginative...

But what I really want to rave about is the Prawn, avocado and edamame salad he created for the occasion, because it was soooo good and deserves a guest spotlight so you can enjoy it at home too!

Prawn, Avocado, and Edamame Salad

INGREDIENTS:

* 5 or 6 large uncooked prawns, peeled, deveined and cleaned (frozen or fresh)
* 2/3 cup edamame beans (shelled and rinsed)
* 1 tsp. sesame oil
* 1 tsp. mirin
* sea salt & pepper (to taste)
* juice and zest of 1 lemon
* 1 large tomato (vine-ripened is best!), cubed
* 1 large avocado (Haas if possible), cubed

DIRECTIONS:

* Heat pan to medium high heat and add sesame oil.
* Sautee prawns and edamame beans with mirin, lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper.
* Let cool and toss with tomato and avocado.
* Serve in a mound or pack into desired shape and top with a chive or garnish of choice.

Variations: try adding fresh mango chunks!

Thank you, Honey! Happy Anniversary!

Blood Orange Salad

Blood oranges are a great winter fruit--you can eat them raw, you can cook them down to a syrup for desserts, you can juice them, or you can add them to salads!

INGREDIENTS:

* red leaf or butter lettuce
* 1 blood orange
* dried blueberries
* dried cranberries
* goat cheese (optional)
* walnuts

Serving Suggestion: Use a sweeter dressing to counter the sour of the blood oranges...I recommend a fruity vinaigarette or a poppy seed dressing!

Furikake Somen Salad

I *adore* Japanese food: light. healthy. comforting. flavorful. artful and delicious.

Now, I completely sympathize with those who feel the confusion and bewilderment when going to an asian grocery store for the first time because there are sooooooo many unfamiliar ingredients and even if I could guess what something was by the packaging, I would have no clue on how to use such an ingredient. However, I am lucky that my brother married a woman from Japan so I have someone to help me sort through (read: explain) all the items I cannot read in the grocery store. As we came across about 50 jars of furikake, she explained that Furikake is a common table condiment in any Japanese household much like salt is a common table condiment in an American household. I picked a simple, traditional Furikake with just Nori and sesame seeds...but the possibilities and flavors are endless and I encourage you to explore the options....

INGREDIENTS:

* Somen noodles
* Iceberg lettuce, shredded
* Carrots, shredded
* Green onions
* Furikake
* Somen Tsuyu (Noodle soup base that is diluted with water to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

* Boil somen noodles for 3 minutes. Drain and run under cold water.
* Roll somen around a fork to shape little balls. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
* Arrange first 4 ingredients to make a beautiful salad!
* Sprinkle with Furikake.
* Put Tsuyu in a separate side dish for dipping or put tsuyu over salad as desired.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do...

Miso Salad at California Pizza Kitchen

In the food mecca of San Francisco, I almost *never* go to a chain restaurant like California Pizza Kitchen because there are too many other unique options. But, I am a fan of the BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad (chopped lettuce, black beans, sweet corn, jicama, cilantro, basil, crispy corn tortilla strips and Monterey Jack cheese tossed together in a garden-herb ranch dressing and topped with chopped BBQ chicken breast, diced tomatoes and scallions and then drizzled with BBQ sauce). Recently, I returned to CPK with some friends and discovered this new Miso Salad on the menu...

I am *hooked*. It is so ridiculously satisfying and delicious. I am now determined to make my own version at home (and so can you!).

INGREDIENTS:

* Shredded Napa cabbage
* Fresh avocado
* Julienne cucumbers
* Daikon
* Edamame
* Carrots
* Red cabbage
* Green onions
* Cilantro
* Crispy rice noodles
* Crispy wontons
* Miso dressing
(and you can order it with or without grilled chicken or blue crab & shrimp, but I like it vegetarian...)

There really isn't a recipe for this salad as far as proportions go--just go by feel and taste. Have some faith--it will be delicious.

*YUM*

Update: I was successful at making the BBQ chopped salad at home. So exciting! Now, you can too!