Baked Penne With A Twist

Lately I've been wanting to cook more foods from places that I have a heritage in. This should be quite simple, considering I'm a mutt of eight different ethnicities, however, I find that I really only want to cook one type of cuisine: Italian. I know exactly why, it reminds me of my mom's cooking and home. My mom's primarily Italian, her mom was full Italian and therefore Italian food is what I grew up eating. No complaints there. Who can resist a good chicken parmigiana or lasagna? And quite honestly, whoever can is a fool.

So last night after a very long day of classes, indoor cycling, work, class, and rock climbing, and before my indoor soccer game, I decided it was definitely a night for pasta. I really wanted to do some sort of baked pasta type thing but I wasn't feeling tomato sauce. It's just not the same when I don't have time to slow cook it and tomatoes aren't in season. So instead I decided to use some left over fava bean pesto I had made for crostini a few days back. And then I said, what the heck? I need some more Mediterranean flava in here and decided to use some eggplant I had bought last week. And I know, eggplant isn't quite in season but give me a break... I really want to make eggplant parmagiana... or grilled eggplant sandwiches. Yum!


So there it went. And I was quite impressed. I only had an hour to do this all before my soccer game which meant I had to be speed racer in my kitchen. The methodology may be a little unorthodox, the ingrediants a little different than what it normally seen in a baked pasta dish but it worked out wonderfully!

Fava Bean Pesto

1 pound fava beans (you know the drill, shelled, peeled, all that fun stuff!)
1 minced garlic clove
juice from 1 lemon
a sprig of rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil (or less if you want)
and sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

put the fava beans, garlic, lemon juice, and rosemary in a food processor and pulse until it's all coarsely chopped. Add in the olive oil, while still blending, to the desired consistency. Finally add in the salt and pepper.

Baked Penne
2 1/3 cups whole wheat penne
1 large eggplant
a few good handfuls fresh spinach

Turn oven to 400 degrees F. Cook penne on the stove as normally would. While doing this, cut the eggplant into bite size morsels and steam in another pot for about 10 minutes. When pasta is al dente remove from heat and drain. Make sure to reserve a little liquid to mix in with the pesto. Put pasta back in the pot and coat with the pesto. Stir in eggplant and spinach. Move to a 8x8 baking dish in bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and bake for an additional 5.
(note: I didn't do this, but it adding mozzerella to the top of the pasta before baking may be really tasty!)

-Caroline

Fresh Chickpeas

I had heard whispers, but I was unsure if the rumors were true. Could I maybe be totally out of touch with the industry and trends I love so dearly? Well upon entering the W.F. I came upon something i had yet to caress between my fingers... Fresh Chickpeas (or Garbanzos). I had never seen such a thing before, not even at the farmers market. Of course I am dimwitted enough to think that there was no such thing as fresh chickpeas the only forms i had ever seen were canned or dried, I had merely assumed that none of the crop was reserved for the produce section. I grabbed about a pound of the strange pods. Fresh chickpeas are almost an oval shape that has pointed ends that slightly curl upward and a thin rigid outer layer. Upon opening the pod you discover that there is more air inside than chickpeas... but that was fine some surprised me with two well developed peas. After shelling the peas I submerged them for a few minutes in boiling water heavily salted along with fava beans i had shelled as well (Luckily i enjoy repetitive mundane tasks). Using both of these beans i took a note from Caroline and made Bruschetta.

Fava bean and Fresh Chickpea Bruschetta

1lb Favas
1lb Chickpeas
1 handful of Mint
2 handfuls of Mache
2 cloves of Garlic
1/4 Red Onion diced
1 meyer lemon
Olive Oil
Salty Pepper

After the tedious task of shelling the beans and peas throw them down in a pot of boiling water for about three minutes (No one likes mushy beans!). After draining hit them with an ice bath so they stop cooking. Now i didn't know this and maybe i am just blond but the Favas aren't done yet! They must first shed their skin before you use them. After cutting all the goodies to the texture you like throw them all in a bowl to get and mix. Voila!

SERVE RIGHT AWAY! ON A BAGUETTE... or i used Sweet BATARD!

Annie

Sour and Bitter

This is a recipe for the most incredible salad that i rocked out last night!

Salad Part:
1 grapefruit (segments)
2 Belgium Endives
2 handfuls of Mache
1 bunch of Watercress
Mint
Cilantro
1 Lime
Tish of Olive Oil
Cut the everything so it looks pretty or whatever, throw it all in a bowl. Squeeze the lime on top and drizzle the tish of olive oil, then salt and pepper to taste. (Try rocking out some crazy sea salts like the Black Cyprus)

Shrimp Part:
1/2 lb. of Shrimp
Cilantro
2 cloves of Garlic
Olive Oil
Olive Oil in Pan. Heat Oil. Add Shrimp and goodies. Cook for a minute or two. Put Shrimp delicately on top of the salad mixture...

Annie

From China with Love

my mom's in China on a business trip. Everytime she goes, she comes back with some sort of wild story about something that she ate or she experienced. Usually she tries to stick to food that she is accustomed to or able to recognize. Apparently last night's dinner was a little much for her. (No offense mom). I think it sounds pretty fun!

"OK, so we went to that old seafood restaurant tonight. It is on stilts in the middle of the dirty river. The floor is old and I am afraid we will collapse and drown. We had pigeon! It is supposed to be famous in Zhongshan. It was BBQed and cut up into sections but still looked like a pigeon—lots of bones! Yuck! We also had shrimp with the heads, spicy crab-mixed in chile peppers. We used chopsticks and our teeth to crack the shells! Oh yes, eggs, like a frittata, with small fish mixed in. Needless to say, I am hungry now, since I couldn’t eat much. So you are correct, Chinese food is not filling!

I almost forgot the pear and chicken soup. And no dessert. Miss you and love you.

Ann/mom"

-Caroline

So good!

...Need I say more? Okay, I probably do because 'so good' could allude to all sorts of foods and things. Last night I went out to dinner with a few good friends. Downtown Santa Barbara has all sorts of dining possibilities but we decided on SpiritLand Bistro on East Victoria St. I had heard about this place months ago but it's hidden off of State St, nestled in between Spanish style apartments, and somehow it always alluded me. But last night a friend suggested we go and I could not have been more excited.

Spiritland Bistro prides itself on being 95% organic and buys the majority of its produce from the fantastic Santa Barbara farmer's market. However, since it is global cuisine it must import some things that are not available at a local level. The restuarant is adorable- cozy, intimate, and simple. There is a mix of freshness and relaxation in the air that suggests the need to take the time to sit down, relax, and embrace the cuisine.

As it happened one of my friends used to go to school with the daughter of the woman who owns the restaurant. Score! an in!


The menu was fantastic- everything sounded excellent and our waitress was so knowledgeable about the menu (owner's daughter). We casually grilled her with questions about the menu which ranged from macademian crusted sea bass to raw vegetarian lasagna. There were also multiple drink options that spanned the spectrum from elixirs to fruit martinis. I was in heaven. Fresh, local food. Multiple vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free options. Basically hippie heaven. I mean, come on, the logo even has an Ohm sign in it. The chef is from Sri Lanka and studied culinary arts in France and was a genius. I had the Caribbean curried sweet potato soup which was amazing. The other girls had Tuscan Primavera and Fusilli Rice Pasta, Hawaiian Nut Crusted Sea Bass, and a Caesar Salad. Everything was delicious. The Sea Bass was so buttery and rich and perfectly cooked. It was a satisfying meal but not over powering. Not heavy, leaving us with that disgustingly full feeling but rich and delectable and perfect.
Plus we had an in remember? There was a reason I told you that. As our waitress cleared our plates she asked if we were in a rush or we had time for dessert because she would like to bring out a few things for us to try. Well of course no one can resist free dessert.


She brought out wildflower honey lavender creme brule, dark chocolate macadamian truffles with coconut, and dark chocolate beet flourless cake with vanilla ice cream and a beet reduction. O my goodness. Orgasmic! I took a bite of the truffle and thought I died and went to heaven. It's amazing what good quality chocolate can do for you. We slowly devoured the entire dessert plate- cherrishing the tastes, textures, scents. Letting each bite linger in our mouths. The truffles melted upon touching your tongue, the creme brule was so smooth so light so irresistable, the cake was rich and moist and gooey... honestly, I could go on forever describing the perfection of these desserts.


We sat in the resturant for almost three hours embracing our meal, our food, and our company. Needless to say, the night was a success.

-Caroline

Lima

She says it tastes like a lime without the acid. She looks sad, disappointed by her not sweet, not sour, exotic Mexican fruit from the Farmer's Market.

I want to try it, too. I take a small slice and bring it to my mouth. It is not like a lime.

This lima is mildly sweet, with these delicate, almost secret flavors. Secret flowers and the scents of some far-off Mexican garden creep into the pulp. They don't explode on the tongue. If you are patient, they bloom, mostly on the back of the tongue, like those tea leaf bouquets at fancy Japanese joints that unfold in hot water and infuse the teapot. Notes of jasmin and lavender sit on my tongue and make my whole mouth feel lighter, a little tingly, like how the lining of my skin seems to blend a little more into my surroundings after a few drinks, so that the separation between my body and my environment blurs a little and I'm not sure where one starts and the other begins.

It's like white pepper. She says basil, and I understand that popping then numbing feeling you get when drink good peppery chai. The lima pulp pops but doesn't explode. It's less feisty than other citrus, and the juice spreads.. and numbs you gently.. and it is not like a lime.. and I like it.. and I want to try it again..

...and then I wonder.

( How much of this am I pulling out of my ass?)


-La

Asparagus.... o how I love thee....

...Let me count the ways. As a distraction from my paleoethnobotany (try saying that 5 times fast eh?) reading I decided to plan what I was going to make for dinner. I bought a bunch of asparagus yesterday at a farm stand and, above the Eric Clapton song playing in my apartment, I hear it calling to me. Ok, so maybe all my pbot reading has me going a bit delusional but, none-the-less you have to admit food speaks. It tells you if it's ripe through its color, its fragrance, its feel. It tells you if its ready to be eaten through much of the same elements along with its pop, snap, or sizzle as it roasts elegantly in the oven or simmers, bubbling ever so lightly, on the stove.

MMmmm, just thinking about the luxurious smells and sounds makes me hungry. And reminds me of my audacious asparagus that was yearning to be eaten. But that's where the dilemma came in. What to do with it? So many options... so many choices... what is my indecisive self supposed to do? My desire to make the perfect dish has gotten the best of me. Normally I love grilling asparagus with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and lemon but I feel like I do that too often. So then I started looking around through various blogs and cookbooks trying to find something that sparked my interest. Orangette has a asparagus flan that though I'm curious about doesn't fit my evening, Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson has an asparagus puree that did catch my eye but I don't want pasta, Jamie Oliver and Jamie's Kitchen had poached eggs with asparagus on toast which I have been wanting to try but again, it just doesn't seem right tonight. And then roast asparagus and a balsamic vinegar reduction sneaks it's way in and always does its magic... BUT NO! I want something else... so I kept looking, searching, yearning for the perfect asparagus recipe... and finally it came like a shining star in a dark night. I know, I had you worried there for a second didn't I?

There it was on 101 cookbooks... simple, elegant, perfect. " Spring Panzanella". I know right, why didn't I think of this earlier? It was exactly what I wanted for a warm spring night- lots of veggies and crunchy, toasted bread. Besides the fact that anything based on Italian food is excellent, it was a Swanson recipe (aka my current culinary muse).


The recipe is so simple but yielded an aromatic, colorful masterpiece. My first bite was like an explosion of tasty Italian flavors in my mouth. And the contrast of textures between the toasted, garlicky bread and the crunchy, oily asparagus was a perfect pairing. I made a few minor tweaks such as substituting the thyme for rosemary on the croutons, using a sweet onion instead of a shallot since that's what I had in my pantry, and frozen spinach because I always have that on hand. Never the less, I'm happy to say my taste buds are satisfied and my tummy full!

Ando so it went,
Caroline

Sticky, Sweet and Salty Pasta

Today it rained. After Floatopia, sweat stains in class and short shorts since Spring Break, it rained. The lunch that Taylor and I came up with was fitting, because it was sticky and sweet and salty and most important, warm and hearty, like a winter dish. Here's the method:

Sticky, Sweet and Salty Pasta (of the Woods!)

Bring a pot of water to a boil; cook 1/2 box of whole wheat penne or other dried pasta.

To season two chicken thighs (mine were boneless and skinless,) Taylor uses olive oil, salt and pepper on both sides, finishing with a generous dash of Herbs de Provence.

In a large and shallow preheated saucepan on medium-high, we cooked a bit of olive oil with two smashed garlic cloves and added the chicken thighs. We cooked them on both sides to nearly done, then took them off the heat and transferred to a plate.

In the same pan we added a bit more olive oil, and one chopped leek, cooking over medium heat until almost golden around the edges. Then add one very large sliced portabella mushroom (you could use any kind you like) along with a handful of chopped thyme, and a sliced red bell pepper. Cook these for a few minutes, just until the mushrooms are nearly cooked through.

About here we drained the pasta, reserving some of the pasta liquid. Then we added the chicken back to the saucepan, along with a few tablespoons each balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Stirring at this point helped keep the carmelization of the vinegar and soy on the food and not the pan. Once the liquid added has been cooked into the chicken and veggies, add the pasta and a bit of the pasta water to the pan. Toss and plate.

We topped ours with lots of ground pepper, shaved parmesan and herbed goat cheese (Taylor liked the goat cheese!! Yay!).

-La

Welcome spring! I love this time of year. I think it's my favorite. The air filled with the scent of flowers and fertilizer; the grass a vibrant, brilliant green; and purple and yellow wildflowers consume the open fields. I don't know, you the saying "spring is in the air" well there's reason that's so popular. There's just such a fresh atmosphere abEditout spring. Everything comes back to life and is rejuvenated. Maybe it's because I'm a spring baby myself that I appreciate the beauty of spring so much. Or maybe it's just because it's a great season and means the emergence of spring fruits and veggies!! Hooray!

I went down to the farmer's market in Santa Barbara on Saturday and was so giddy. It was a beautiful sunny morning and the market was bubbling full of life. I couldn't help but smile as I walked around (or rather skipped around dodging anyway in my way) tasting all the juicy red strawberries I could get my hands on. And there were fava beans! Score! Fava beans are such a rare treat that I hop on the opportunity to get them any chance I get.
I have been waiting for an opportune time to eat them. I wanted to do it when I had the time to prepare them or someone to share them with. However, being a busy college student living alone and having busy college friends meant I had to settle for just one of the two. So last night, coming back from a soccer game I decided I could not wait any longer. I wanted, needed to eat my magical beans!But honestly, they are soo soo soo much work! Although half the fun of them is the anticipation and anxiousness one feels while she is standing in her kitchen for 20 minutes peeling the little boogers. But after a stressful and somewhat hectic day the repetitive motion of removing the brilliant green beans from their cushioning home was somewhat theraputic. I had a pretty good method of removing the inner bean from its casing too. It seemed to help to peel back the end that was attached to the pod and then use my index finger and thumb to squeeze the little gem out.

Originally I thought I was going to make bruscchetta with the fava beans but after all my preperation I decided they had to be eaten el naturale. I had to savor their flavor in the purest form, unihibited by things like thyme and bread and olive oil (although I will make that the next chance I get). And so it went, I ate my beans like the delicate jewels that they are. With just a hint of sea salt, I ate the little things slowly, one by one, and with my hands. They were too dainty for utensils. Plus it's more fun to play with my food!
-Caroline

Passion and Fish Tacos

The aesthetic beauty of the world has been laboriously sought after by a select within history. The things that we see, taste, and hear are all products of one person’s passion for their task and practice. Passion is the most fruitful quality; everything that is brought forth from it is of the upmost value. Even the simplest things that have been created by passions, such as fruit, are heighted to exceptional levels. I am always seeking the labors and products of others passions, whatever their craft may be. My life is guided by my desire to surround myself with things that others pour their hearts into. Above things of a personal nature what I value most is passion, whether it is a farmer’s, a painter’s, or my own. Passion has been central to the way in which I live my life and those I choose to share it with.

As I began to mature and seek out my life’s path I was disheartened because I had yet to find a special talent or something that I was clearly successful at. It was not until I found I loved coffee did I understand what is most important about life, and that is finding a passion for something and being willing to pour everything that you possess into it. I realized that Passion was what guided innovation and culture as well as my own life. Often times passion takes on negative connotations in our society, it is viewed as something negative to shy away from. Obviously a product of our puritan roots the definitions given by Merriam Webster’s Dictionary and Dictionary.com, all depict passion as being a quality of something that is uncontrollable and because of the strong emotions that surround it, it is thus negative. I disagree strongly with the subtle innuendos of these definitions, which I find to be rigid and negative.

Though passion in all of its forms can often times be associated with irrationality, this irrationality is also what drives that single focus to perfection. A person of moderation and apathy may lead a stable life but it will never amount to one that is fully lived. I hope to never be a person that is absorbed in the myth that happiness is found through apathy; I believe that contentment can only be sought through pursuing something that you feel passion for regardless of the actual task. The extremes of passion are where life can be fully lived even if some believe that it is a life lead by an irrational desire. The events that I value most within life are created by a person’s passion for their task, whether it be preparing food all day in the kitchen in order to enjoy it with family and friends or creating something for a person to enjoy and indulge in. Passion should not be a value that we shrink from but one that should be completely embraced within our society and culture.

On that note... everything that we do and eat should be created out of passion for the ingredients and the experience of eating with the people that we care most about. Sharing a meal with friends and family is of the up most priority to us, but not always a reality. Sitting in Lala's kitchen is a treat that happens all too rarely. On the last occasion we sat chatting excitedly about the opening of Lala's Creamery, an old fashioned ice cream parlor, and making amazing fish tacos.

Family Fish Tacos

2 lbs Petrale Sole

1 can of refined black beans

1 onion

1 tomato

bunch of cilantro

tortillas

garlic

and basic house hold ingredients (not sure if that is allowed in a recipe)

So we started the delicious meal by preparing the fish. First rinse all of the fillets gently to get off any grossness, then grab a plate or bowl and throw in about a cup of all purpose flour. Lightly flour each side of the fish so that there is an even coat. Preheat a huge pan with oil and butter (You will know when it is hot enough when you throw in a drop of water and it sizzles). Throw the fuckers in the pan and let them fry up minute and a half on each side or when each side is golden and crisp.

As for the black beans I was only gazing over La's shoulder while she made them but it looked as if you... Preheat oil in the pan add a little bit of diced onion after that gets going throw in the garlic ( Burnt garlic tastes bad). Add the whole can of beans and let that all cook together till it is heated through and smelling amazing, at the end throw in some cilantro action.

We ate out whole meal family style with 8 people, the fish tacos were served with Spanish rice, beans, diced onions, and tomatoes. But just throw down whatever suits your palate.