market fresh radishes with rosemary whipped butter and sea salt

Nothing much to say today- life has been sort of a whirlwind lately- but I wanted to share these beauties I picked up at the farmer’s market. Sometimes it’s the little things that pull us through.

fresh radishes, go get some.

*****

market fresh radishes with rosemary whipped butter and sea salt

This is hardly a recipe, I know, but it’s simple and lovely all the same. The rosemary and the butter tame the racy radish bite and the sea salt ties it all together. I like to make a little extra butter to keep in the fridge so feel free to play with the amounts here.

6-8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped rosemary

2 bunches fresh radishes, trimmed, rinsed and sliced thin

1 Baguette

Sea Salt to taste

Combine butter and rosemary in an electric mixer and beat until the mixture is well combined and begins to appear somewhat fluffy. Spread butter on baguette slices and top with radishes and a light sprinkling of good quality sea salt. Enjoy!

Oh, and when you are done with all those radish greens you should probably make this... I know I will.



big crumb rhubarb coffee cake

This past weekend spring decided to finally show up and grace Seattle with its presence. Nothing but blue skies and temperatures so perfectly warm we never wanted to head indoors.

When the sun is out like this the entire city opens wide up. Windows and doors are propped open and swung out and the whole neighborhood seems to be in the street.

We bumped into friends at the farmer's market, took long walks, ate in restaurants with garage doors pulled wide open, and we sipped cocktails on sunny patios- including our own. It was heavenly.

Monday evening the sun was still shining and Jimmy was working late so I threw open the windows and turned up my new Alabama Shakes album {which I purchased at an actual record store }. Then I poured myself a healthy glass of wine and got to baking Melissa Clark’s big crumb coffee cake, because, well, why not?

Recipe Adapted from Melissa Clark via The New York Times

This cake kicks butt. It’s been on my radar for quite some time so when I saw a gorgeous pile of fresh picked rhubarb at the market, I just knew it was meant for this recipe. The crust is crumbly with butter and the fruit gets jammy in pockets and sticky around the corners and the cake itself is lighter than light and so, so moist. It’s pretty much spring on a dessert plate and if you are swooning right now, you’d be correct.

rhubarb filling:
1/2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed (about 2 stalks)

1 tablespoon fresh orange zest

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 vanilla bean, sliced lengthwise with a paring knife and seeds scraped out

for the crumbs:

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup melted butter

1 3/4 cup cake flour

for the cake:

1/3 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

(or one more vanilla bean)

1 cup cake flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into 8 pieces

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Slice the rhubarb 1/2 inch thick and toss with the orange zest, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla bean seeds. Set aside.

Next, make the crumbs. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, cinnamon, salt, and butter until the mixture is smooth. Stir in flour. It will look like a solid dough.

To prepare the cake, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment: mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until the flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two more batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Separate out 1/2 cup of batter and set aside.

Scrape the remaining batter into prepared baking dish. Spoon rhubarb over the batter and dollop previously set-aside batter over rhubarb. This doesn’t need to be even.

Using your fingers, break topping mixture into big crumbs, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size and spread over cake. Bake for around 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool before serving.



mini caramelized onion and asparagus quiches

From where I sit...








Pink flowers extend across our open windows. My feet rest on a sun-warmed patch of floor as the light slowly stretches across the room. M. Ward is crooning from our record player and the quiches are cooling on the counter. Scents of fresh air and sunshine and slow cooked onions float through the apartment.

And just like that, it's Saturday again.

*****

Caramelized Onion and Asparagus Mini-Quiches

Melissa Clark taught me how to make quiche. I’ve used her recipe from In The Kitchen With A Good Appetite as inspiration for many a quiche/tart. She created her recipe after being inspired by Julia Child who, in turn, was undoubtedly inspired by someone else, and so on. I just love that about cooking. Typically, I like to make this recipe in mini-tart pans because they make for great lunches and easy leftovers. This recipe will easily translate into one 9-inch quiche if you prefer.

favorite pie dough

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks and very cold

2 cups all purpose flour, chilled

Pinch of salt

100 ml ice cold water

for the filling

3/4 cup grated good quality sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

1 small bundle of asparagus, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal

First, prepare your pie crust. (Do ahead! Crust can be made the night before and should sit in fridge for at least an hour before baking.) The most important thing to remember with this dough is that it should remain as cold as possible. I like to cube my butter first, then let it sit in the fridge for a bit longer before I start making the dough. I also like to measure out my flour into a bowl and let that sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes until both the flour and bowl are chilled. Once your ingredients are cold- combine the butter, flour, and salt in a food processor. Pulse a couple of times then let it run for another 15-20 seconds until the mixture resembles course gravel. Pour the dough into your chilled bowl and make a well with your hands in the center. Pour in 1/2 of the water and gently mix it into the dough until it is fully incorporated. Add a little more of the water bit by bit, again mixing with your hands in between additions, until the dough just begins to come together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until the dough comes together in a cohesive ball. Split dough into two discs, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, preferably two, until ready to use.

When you are ready to make the quiches, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and set aside. Carefully roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface so that it is about 2/8 inch thick. Cut out 4 circles with about an 8 inch diameter and press each into a 4-inch mini tart pan, letting a bit of the dough hang off the sides to allow for any shrinkage that might occur. Line the dough with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place tart pans on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil/pie weights and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the crusts are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle each crust evenly with the cheddar. Return baking sheet with crusts to the oven and bake for another 10-13 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and very well browned (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Whisk together the eggs and cream until well combined and season with salt/pepper. When the crust is lightly browned and the cheese is melted, divide the caramelized onion across each pan. Top with an even amount of asparagus and carefully pour in the egg mixture. Return to the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top of each quiche is puffed and golden and the middle is set.

Allow the quiches to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove from pans and serve warm with fresh greens on the side.



Jimmy and I are moving to Austin in July...

I'm still adjusting to the idea.

Don't get me wrong. I love Austin. L O V E. It has things like El Chilito and South Congress and SXSW.

Oh, and Jimmy got a fantastic job.

 

All the logic is pointing us forward. It just hurts knowing what I will have to leave behind.

I did a lot of cooking and picture taking this weekend. There's nothing like the good crack of an egg or running a sharp knife through fresh produce to give a girl some space to process.

I'm grateful that I still have time here. Time to soak in the salt air and drive along the coast. Time to spend with my friends and eat at my favorite restaurants. Time to roam the farmer's markets, go for ferry rides, eat fresh oysters, and actually appreciate the rainy days.

I can't wait to share it all with you soon.

warm weather might be a long way off

but it sure felt good to see the sun this weekend

we took long walks

and sat by the water

and in the evening we grabbed a bottle of wine to watch the sun

a half circle on the horizon

dip into the ocean

happy spring, friends

empanadas with golden beets, salami, and cilantro

I walked around our neighborhood last weekend taking the final few pictures on a roll of film I had started in Hawaii. I’d forgotten how much I love shooting with film- the anticipation, the not knowing, the magic.

Jimmy had to work both Saturday and Sunday and I was fighting a cold but it felt good to spend some time alone- to find my footing, my balance- to take pictures and cook and rest.

roasted golden beets + salami + cilantro empanadas

I’ve never had much luck with pastry dough but this video from Gordan Ramsey changed all that. The key is keeping the butter cold. Make sure you put a bowl into the fridge ahead of time so that it is nice and chilled when you are ready to make the dough. Once I have the dough made, I like to work with the empanadas in batches so that I don’t have all the dough out on the counter at the same time. Watch the video. Do what he says. Make some pastry. This recipe takes some preparation but it’s actually simpler than it seems. Make sure you read through all of the instructions before beginning.

Oh, and a note about the measurements: I feel like I have the best luck when I weigh out my ingredients, especially when making dough. However, if you don’t have a scale at home try using a 1:2 butter to flour ratio- for this recipe you can use about 1 ½ cups of butter and 3 cups of flour.

for the dough:

400g flour (chilled)

Pinch of salt

200g unsalted butter, cut into cubes and kept cold

100ml cold water

for the filling:

8-10 small(ish) beets, cleaned and trimmed (but not peeled)

½ cup cilantro (or more to taste), chopped

8 ounces salami of choice, cut into bite-sized pieces

½ tablespoon olive oil

1 egg yolk, lightly whisked (optional)

Start by preparing your dough. Whisk together the flour and salt and combine with butter in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse (no more than 20 seconds) until butter is incorporated and the texture resembles course gravel. Transfer into a chilled bowl (see note above) and make a well in the center. Slowly pour about two thirds of the water into the well and gently stir with your hands until water is mostly incorporated. Add the rest of the water and work dough together until a ball has mostly formed. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough until it comes together completely. Divide dough in two, form into balls, and let settle in fridge for at least 30 minutes (preferably an hour or two).

Next, roast your beets. (Do ahead! Beets will keep in an air-tight container for a day or two). There are several ways to roast beets but I like to wrap them in foil, place them on a baking sheet, and park them in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 30-45 minutes (or until they are tender and easily pierced with a fork). Once beets have cooled enough to handle, their skins will be easy to peel right off. Chop peeled beets into bite-sized pieces and set aside or refrigerate in an air-tight container until ready to use.

Once your dough is nicely chilled, toss beets, cilantro, salami, and olive oil together in a bowl until well combined and set aside. Remove one dough ball from fridge and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough out until it is thin (about 1/8 inch) and cut into circles with about a 4-5 inch diameter (small salad bowls work well as a guide). Add a scoop of filling into each circle and fold over edges, leaving a little extra dough on the bottom layer to pinch up and fold over the top layer. Pinch around edges with your fingers or the tines of a fork until empanada is totally sealed. Place empanadas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for about 10 minutes to re-chill the crust. While first set is chilling, repeat the process with second ball of dough.

Prior to baking, brush the tops of each empanada with the egg yolk (optional). Bake each tray in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Serve warm.

li hing mui paloma

It’s a nice reminder to recognize the good things about being away from home so that you can incorporate them back into your routine long after you’ve left- like not rushing, and impromptu naps, and afternoon cocktails. These are the parts that I want to remember.

li hing mui paloma

Li hing mui  or li hing powder can be found at most Asian food markets unless you happen to find yourself in Hawaii- then it can be purchased, well, just about everywhere. I was lucky enough to be given a tub of the powder from some lovely friends during our visit, but if you don’t feel like searching for it, pay no mind, just replace the li hing powder with some sea salt. Same goes for the grapefruit soda. Can’t find any? Just replace it with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and some soda water. Cheers!

¼ teaspoon (or more) li hing powder

Freshly squeezed juice from 1 lime

2 ounces tequila

grapefruit soda

Combine li hing powder, lime juice, and tequila in a glass of your choice. Fill your glass with ice then top with grapefruit soda. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.