Tag Archives: olive oil

Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostini with Chocolate Olive Oil

Let Me Take You Down, Cuz I’m Going to…

Today I want to talk about straddling in the kitchen.  You know, working the line between flavors, textures and temperatures to your own advantage.  Juxtaposing ingredients to ensure that every bite is both sassy and class.  It’s similar to the way that a chocolate-covered pretzel or a good and salty margarita scratch some primordial itch that occasionally pops up and leaves you clawing the walls for the smallest taste of the intoxicating combination.  And if you don’t scratch said itch, you feel a need to indiscriminately throat chop everyone around you, until someone plies your greedy mouth with a salted caramel cupcake.  I totally approve – desperate times call for desperate throat chops, and I’d kill a man for salted caramel. Continue reading Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostini with Chocolate Olive Oil

Israeli Cucumber Salad

Cooler Than a Fucking…Well, You Know

This salad is too cool for school – it just stares you down like it’s the reason that your life is spectacular and you should adore it as such.  The recipe is wicked simple – just a little chopping and a light vinaigrette of olive oil and lemon juice to hold it all together.  It’s versatility, though, is the selling point – meaning that you can serve it with any and all things grilled or top it with feta or mix in some orzo and BAM BOOM, you’ve got yourself a new dish and a new recipe to save for the treasure trove.  Don’t thank me – thank the Olive Tree Cafe for the inspiration.  They hooked me on the stuff and I had to craft a similar recipe for myself. Continue reading Israeli Cucumber Salad

Crostini di Fave (Fava Bean Crostini)

Foodbuzz 24 x 24 | An Ode to Orvieto

This recipe was a part of a special menu for Foodbuzz’s June 2011 food blogger party, 24×24.  Showcasing posts from 24 Foodbuzz Featured Publisher bloggers, the monthly Foodbuzz 24 highlights unique meals occurring around the globe during a 24-hour period.  Read more about my meal along with all of the other recipes at An Ode to Orvieto.

Although I was first truly introduced to them in Italy, the lovely fava bean is wordly in all senses of the word.  Burgeoning natively in Asia and North Africa, and found in gardens just about everywhere else, the fava (or broad bean) serves as a tender, meaty bean that can be transformed into all sorts of loveliness.  I first tucked into them as a part of a simple appetizer in Orvieto, Italy.  We had started going to this restaurant in town that we referred to lovingly as “The Italian Pottery Barn” – aside from the menu outside and the screamingly tasty smells coming from the kitchen, one would think that they were shopping for glassware and rustic furniture over a delicious bite.  This dish, comprised of creamy fava beans slathered over crisp toast and topped with curls of pecorino romano, was the perfect opening to some of the most gorgeous farm-fresh meals I’ve eaten in Orvieto.  I remember the first time I tried these babies, my friend told me that she would never try them because typically people with fava bean allergies tend to die the very first time they tried them. She explained that she didn’t want to take a chance, all the while I nodded my head as I tucked in to the most perfect fava bean puree dressed with fruity, local olive oil. Her loss – more for me.

This recipe is sometimes served rather chunkily, but I first had it as a smooth, almost hummus-like spread.  Some folks make it with a heavy kick of garlic or basil, but the way I had it, the seasonings were mild, allowing the fava beans to shine.  The best thing you can do is get the tastiest olive oil to drizzle, your favorite bread for toast points (I love a good ciabatta) and the most savory, nutty pecorino you can find.  Then, with a minimal amount of cooking, you can relish in the the joy of the fabulous fava bean.

Crostini di Fave (Fava Bean Crostini)

1 loaf of ciabatta, sliced into 1 inch ovals
1 clove of garlic
olive oil

1 lbs. of unshelled fava beans
juice of 1/2 lemon, freshly-squeezed
4 tbs. of white balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. of olive oil
2 cl. of garlic
3 sprigs of parsley, leaves removed and stems discarded (save stems for stock)
4 sprig of mint
1/4 tsp. of salt
1/4 tsp. of black pepper

pecorino romano

Drizzle the bread slices with olive oil and toast until golden and crisp.  Rub the warm slices with the clove of garlic and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Remove the fava beans from their husks and drop into the water.  Drain and cool under running water.  Remove the beans from their outer white membrane – you’ll have two split bean halves that’ll come out of the husk.  Drop the fava beans, lemon juice, balsamic, olive oil, garlic, parsley, mint, salt and pepper into a food processor and blitz until smooth.

Slather a few tablespoons of the fava bean puree on the toasts and shave pecorino romano over the top.  Drizzle with a good olive oil and serve.

Grilled Trumpet Mushrooms

Everybody knows that I’m a fan of mushrooms.  And yes, I just said that in my best Phaedra Parks voice.  I’m amazed by folks who aren’t down with fungus, but that emotion is quickly replaced with, “If you’re not gonna eat those, I’ll take care of ’em for you.”  In addition to the plebian (but ever so delicious) market staples of white buttons, portobellos and cremini mushrooms, I’m a huge fan of those mushrooms that are literally found off the beaten path.  Maitakes, enoki and chanterelles are all beloved, and pricey morels are a necessary splurge during their short spring season.  Even the funky ones that are more chewy than spongy, like the wood ear mushrooms or black trumpets.

I particularly love the versatile ones that hold up to all sorts of cooking and cuisines, and oyster mushrooms are no exception.  Royal oysters (sometimes called King Trumpets) are fabulous in that after a little cooking, they still retain all of their flavor and their texture.  So much so that you can actually marinate them and grill them, treating trumpets like a protein rather than a vegetable.  If you see these guys at the market sometime, give them a whirl – they’re a simple side and will sway even the most skeptical mushroom eater.  Actually, sway or no, who cares.  I want to eat these and not share with anyone.  I’m not kidding.

Grilled Trumpet Mushrooms

8 trumpet (royal oyster) mushrooms, halved and bottoms trimmed
1/4 c. of white balsamic vinegar
6 tbs. of olive oil
1 tsp. of kosher salt
1 tbs. of chopped rosemary
1/4 tsp. of coarse ground black pepper

Mix balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary together in a small bowl.  Pour over mushrooms and toss to mix.  Marinate for 20 minutes.

Heat a grill or a grill pan and oil lightly.  Place mushrooms on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes on each side until the mushrooms are slightly browned.  Serve.