Warm Mushroom and Pine Nut Salad

 

As the fall sets in, summer salads fade as does the warm nights. No longer do I find myself craving the bright, crisp salads of summers bounty, but a warming, hearty, and earthy salad. This salad is the perfect balance between umami, sweetness, acid, and spice to warm you from the inside while keeping it light and healthy. 

Make a big batch of mushrooms and keep them as a garnish for steak, salad, soup, or even eat them by themselves. 

Serves 8

Ingredient

Arugula - 1 bag (about 6 handfuls)
Shitake Mushrooms - 1/4 lb
Honjimeji Mushrooms - 1/4 lb
Thyme - 2 sprigs
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Shallot - 1 each minced
Red onion - 1/2 each minced
Balsamic Vinegar - 1/4 cup
Honey - 1 tbsp
Walnut Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Lemon - juice of 1/2 
Toasted Pine Nuts - 1/4 cup
Chives - 2 tbsp
Pecorino Cheese (optional)

Method

Prepare mushrooms by cutting them into bite sized pieces. Place a saute pan over medium high heat. Add oil, and once hot add the mushrooms. Let sit for 90 seconds and then shake the pan. Lower heat, add thyme. Remove the mushrooms from the pan. Add shallot and red onion and sweat for  a min. Then add the balsamic vinegar and honey and let reduce till it is a light glaze. Add the mushrooms and pine nuts and walnut oil back to the pan, season with salt, pepper, lemon and herbs. 

Lightly toss the mushrooms with arugula and taste. The Arugula should lightly wilt from the heat of the mushrooms. 
 

Cioppino - A San Francisco Fisherman Stew

 

Cioppino - A San Francisco Fisherman Stew

Close your eyes. Now picture yourself on the docks of San Francisco in 1880. Children in top hats perched on carriages trot by. The fresh air whips across the bay reminding you that your city never gets too hot. The fisherman are unloading their catch of the day. An old man with weathered hands carries a large pot down the docks, yelling, 'chip in, chip in!' The pot sings as clams, crab, and fish rhythmically strike the edges. The man places the soon to be stew over an open fire at the end of the dock. As the fire crackles he adds some wine, onion and tomato from just across the bridge and lets the catch simmer. The aroma thickens and wafts over the salty boats. The deckhands begin to look up at the man. Gratefully, they migrate to the source for  a taste of the stew. It was here that Cioppino was born. Truly a perfect for a cold San Francisco day. 

Serves 8

Collage By Inas Al-Soqi

Ingredients

White Onion - 2 each sliced
Fennel - 1 each sliced
Saffron - 1 pinch
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Canned Tomato - 1 1/2 quart (6 cups)
White Wine - 1/2 bottle
Fish Stock - 1 1/2 quart 
Thyme - 3 sprigs

Mussels - 1 lb
Manila Clams - 1 1/2 lb
Squid - 1/2 lb
Sea Scallop - 1/2 lb
Jumbo Shrimp - 1/2 lb

Dill for garnish.

Method

Start off by slicing the onion and fennel. In a pot over medium heat add the vegetables to oil, sprinkle with a bit of salt  and saffron, cover, and let sweat stirring occasionally until they vegetables begin to fall apart and become sweet. 

Add the tomato,  and wine. Let wine reduce. Add the fish stock and simmer for 20 min.

As everything is simmering, prepare the seafood by washing the shell fish and removing the beard from the mussel. A fun way to prepare the squid is to lightly score the bodies at an angle and slice them into thin strips. They will curl into beautiful little flowers. Lay the shrimp, scallop and squid on a tray and season each side with salt and pepper. 

Now blend the soup, either in a vita prep or with a hand stick blender. Return to medium/low heat and season with salt and pepper. 

When you are ready to serve, add the mussels and clams to the broth, after 3 min add the shrimp followed by the calamari and then the scallops. Taste the broth again and season if necessary.

When the clams and mussels fully open in the broth the soup should be ready. Sever in a large bowl, garnish with fresh dill and enjoy! 

Mom's Apricot Chicken

Warm, Comforting, Sweet, Savory

As a kid my sister and I would always ask my mother for her sweet and savory apricot chicken. This dish still conjures memories of the family in the kitchen, sharing stories of the day. As the chicken seared, the onion caramelized, and the apricot preserve thickened, I would find myself excited and antsy to see what this weeks rendition would entail. As we gingerly removed the sizzling cast iron pot from the oven, we would gather around… lifting the lid, the comforting aroma would kiss my nose, not soon to be forgotten. The golden hue of the apricot, the bright lemon, and rich glaze left me in awe each and every time. The sight, smell and unparalleled taste are the reasons I am still in love with this dish. However, my moms is still the best. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Collage By Inas Al-Soqi 

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – 8 each
Shallot – 4 large sliced
Garlic – 3 cloves sliced
Apricot Preserve – ¼ cup
Dried Apricots – ½ cup
Lemon – 1 each sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – ¼ cup
Dill – a few sprigs for garnish
Chives – minded for garnish

The Method

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides. Now add oil into the pan. When shimmering, place the chicken into the oil away from you skin side down. Give the chicken room. It may take two batches depending on the size of the pan.  Let the chicken sit and brown. When nice and golden, remove from the pan. Lower the heat and add sliced onion, garlic and apricot jam. Stir to combine. Then place the chicken on top of the onion. Brush each piece of chicken with a little bit of the preserve and lay the sliced lemon top.

Cover and then place in a 350 degree oven for 45 min. Remove and serve. Garnish with herbs of your choice. My favorite is dill.

I recommend you serve this dish family style... dig in and enjoy. 

*Thank you to the wonderful Inas Al-Soqi for creating such a beautiful collage! See more of her work at www.inasart.com 

Simple Summer Lentils

 

The lentil is a beautiful legume. My entire life, I have leaned on lentils as a comfort food and wonderful source of protein, fiber and flavor. As as a chef, lentils are ready to take on any flavor that you impart. Although, I traditionally crave lentils in the winter months, they are a great addition to light summer meals and summer salads, adding satisfaction while still keeping it light. This recipe is perfect for those breezy summer nights. Grab a bowl and head down to the dock. Dip your feet in the cool water and nourish yourself while you enjoy a bowl. I tend to make a batch and keep in in my fridge for the week; adding an egg on top for a great easy meal. 

Lentils are an awesome power food. These slow burning carbohydrates will:

• Help with cardiovascular health! Thanks folate and magnesium!
• Lower your cholesterol
• Give you energy while stabilizing your blood sugar
• Deliver iron without the bad cholesterol and fat found in meat. 

Serves 8

Ingredients

Mixed Lentils - 2 cups
Onion - 1 1/2 cups minced (1/4 cup reserved for garnish)
Garlic - 3 cloves minced 
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Vegetable Stock (or water) - 4 cups
Thyme - 3 sprigs
Rosemary - 1 sprig 
Star Anise - 1 star
Salt and Pepper - to taste 
Lemon Juice - 1 each 

The Method

Heat a large sauce pot over medium heat. Mince the onion and garlic and sweat them in the olive oil and a covered pot until they are sweet (about 10 min.)

Wash and visually inspect the lentils to make sure there is no debris. Add the clean lentils to the pot and stir so all the lentils are coated. Add the water, vegetable stock, herbs and spices. If you want to dabble in traditional French cuisine then wrap the herbs in spices in cheese cloth with a bit of twine to make a boquet garni. 

*SEASON the liquid! Lentils absorb flavor. If the water is not salty or flavorful enough then the lentils will not be either. 

Simmer uncovered for about 20-30 min. 

Taste and season! When ready to serve, top them with onion, some additional olive oil and herbs.  

Keep the lentils in your fridge for the week and enjoy whenever you want to smile. They are that good. 

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Warming Up Your Spring Salad

This dish came out of necessity. Really, it did. I had a few ingredients laying around and I decided to toss them together with a variety of techniques. I have to admit, I surprised myself. The result was a beautifully balanced and textually magnificent warm salad. Put a piece of fish on top and you have an impressive dish that will delight your awaiting taste buds. 

Charred Edamame, Pine Nut, Pea Shoot and Shallot Salad

Ingredients

Pine Nuts - 1/8 c
Edamame - 1/4 c (shelled)
Shallot - 1/2 each (sliced)
Pea Shoots - 1 small handful
Lemon Zest - 1/4 tsp
Honey - 1/4 tsp
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2 tsp
Lemon - 1/4 each
Parmesan Cheese - 2 tsp (shaved)

Method

Start off by toasting your pine nuts over medium heat and roll the pine nuts around until they become golden, beautiful, and aromatic. Empty the pan and reserve these on the side (we will use them in a moment). While your pine nuts are working, slice the shallot. 
Next turn the heat up and add some oil - toss the edamame into the pan and let it sit for a min or so. We want these little guys to get a char. Give the beans a few stirs so they are nice and toasted, lower the heat and add the remainder of oil, honey, shallot, and lastly, the pine nuts. 
Cook over medium heat for a minute. Right at the end, toss in the lemon zest and the pea shoots. Now take the pan off the heat and with a spoon gently fold all the ingredients together. 
Finish the dish with a bit of grated parm and your favorite finishing oil. 

Serve and enjoy.