Tomato & Ricotta Salad

It’s so hard to believe that fall is in full force. Although I love to dress for autumn this morning I decided to take advantage of the days when I can still wear peep-toe shoes and capris without risking a cold, as I feel those days will just become fewer and further between. I got back late last week from a week long Texas trip and Friday was off to the grocery to restock the shockingly bare fridge. We like to eat as seasonally as possible, and while I’ve been craving hearty stews and heavy braises lately, when I spied the still-heavily-stocked heirloom tomatoes it took such a strong will to not reach for one. To taste just one more juicy, sweet tomato before it’s time to call it for the season. While I’m sure a few good, late summer tomatoes can still be found, I’d rather it be at the farmers market than Whole Foods any day and may just have to take a lunch break this week to check out what’s currently at  the market (also craving a hearty lamb tagine, would love to grab ingredients for that as well for when the temperatures dip again later this week).

I love the simplicity of this recipe but also how decadent it can be at the same time. An overindulgent dollop of creamy, herby ricotta over silky sweet and juicy slices of tomato and a drizzle of spicy, bright olive oil to finish it off, it’s light and rich at the same time. The perfect transition food. From summer to fall. From light to hearty and so on and so forth. I’m sad to lose summer, but the wonderful thing about living in the Northeast is that every season is such a noticeable change, so while it's hard to say goodbye to sandals and skimpy dresses and the bounty of produce that New York has to offer in the summer, I’m so looking forward to pumpkins, to tall boots, warm scarves, and hearty stews. But until the warm days are officially gone, hand me a gorgeous, plump  tomato and let me enjoy the last trace of summer.

Tomatoes with Miso Dressing

It's hard to believe it's mid-August. I have so many trips and adventures planned for the fall through the winter that I'm so looking forward to but I've had to wake up and be in the moment. Summer is here right now, and it's a season I love but before I know it it'll be over. But while it's here I'm going to enjoy all the best parts of the season. Outdoor concerts and movies, baseball games, boat rides, as many beach trips as possible, exploring my city and of course enjoying the produce of summer.

Since the move it's been hard to get back to my weekly Saturday morning farmers market trip. Even if I was just picking up one little ingredient or something unusual and fun to make my week brighter, it was helpful to just walk around to see what was truly in season. So it had completely slipped my mind that I'm completely missing out on tomatoes at their peak, until I visited my favorite Izakaya where we had a gorgeous heirloom tomato salad with miso dressing.

Mexican Corn Salad

If you aren't familiar with elote, or sometimes more commonly referred to as Mexican Corn, you have no idea what you're missing. Corn on the cob was one of those childhood veggies I was always on the fence with, between kernels constantly getting stuck in my teeth to the braces faze where it was next to impossible to eat. When I got older I took to removing it from the cob automatically if/when I deigned to eat it, which wasn't often. Jump to my first summer here in Manhattan (7 years ago! Has it really been that long?!?) and my co-workers are introducing me to the corn at Cafe Habana, and it forever changed my outlook of the vegetable.

Of course, when you take a grilled corn on the cob and smother it in mayo, dust it with chili powder, sprinkle... with a heavy hand mind you... cotija cheese all over it and then spritz with some lime, it's hard to be anti corn on the cob. Mexican corn will always remind me of summer, it brings me back to the days where I was still so overwhelmed with this city, in awe of the never ending heights and sprawl. I still am, too. There are still many times I'll splurge on a cab and just press my face against the glass and stare up, just the same as I did 7 years ago.

Warm Chickpea Salad

This past weekend my parents came into town, which is a rare treat. While I do love them to visit as often as possible, when it comes to travel I prefer to be the one making the journey to my hometown. But this was exciting, my Mom had been to visit a little over a year and a half ago but my Dad hadn’t come to visit since 2006 so we really did it up. AND… since this might be the last time they visited while I lived in my lovely Brooklyn neighborhood, I had planned for us to hit up one of the hotspot restaurants I still hadn’t had a chance to go to- Al Di La.

Now if you’ve lived in New York, and/or have ever looked at a must-go Brooklyn restaurant list Al Di La almost always makes the cut. Innovative and delicious, it’s been touted as some of the tastiest Italian food in the area. But I wasn’t sure if the hype was worth it… so I took my parents. The verdict: after a fairly long, albeit expected, wait as well as a mishap with their credit card machines (the machines weren't working the whole night- so we had to be cash prepared) we had some pretty darn delicious food. Would I go back? Absolutely! Would I go back on a weekly basis? Probably not- but on a random weeknight when the crowds should be somewhat thinned out and I’m looking for a good place to eat out in the hood this would be a top choice.

Autumn Farro Salad

There was a point tonight when I completely thought my dinner would consist of almonds. First, an almond cookie at work when I realized what time it was, not quite sure I'd make it home with energy to do anything much less cook. Then a handful of smoked almonds I grabbed from the store on the way home. After that I upgraded slightly to slices of mozzarella and finally I got my act together and made this tasty autumn rice salad.

A Last Summer Salad

You may think that watermelon is strictly a dessert fruit but hopefully this salad will convince you otherwise. It's sweet and crunchy from the melon, creamy and salty from the ricotta salata and the basil gives it a lovely herby, savory finish. The flavors mesh so well in a way you'd never expect that even though it may seem so wrong in your head it is just one of those crazy things that actually works. I served this salad at a little Dallas dinner party with some friends alongside grilled chicken. It was light but complex and worked very well with the grilled meat. And even better, it was a snap to make- 3 ingredients, 1 bowl, very little prep and a completely surprising and colorful addition to a party.

My friend Robin, of Silk Purse and Sow's Ear, has been part of a CSA share this summer and I've loved following her veggie takes. As much as I'd love to do a CSA it's so hard when I travel so much, so I play voyeur with hers. And every week there seems to be one little watermelon, so when we had dinner last night I talked up this salad, and how she absolutely has to try it. But Robin is also lactose intolerant... so I've been trying to think of ways to make this without the cheese and still have it stand up pretty well. 

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Over at Le Culinary Creusette, my sister had challenged her readers a week ago to make her sugar snap pea salad better. My first thoughts were to keep it simple. Radishes work best in my opinion with creamy things- on buttered bread, or with a mayo based dressing so I left them out. Same with the sumac, because its something I simply didn't have. I thought some sweetly spiced curry almonds would mesh well, and also provide a different kind of crunch against the peas, and kept the ricotta salata for a sharp creaminess. I made my vinaigrette with champagne vinegar instead of white wine, and threw some curry powder in that to tie it all together. I wish I had some butter lettuce or another vegetable but it wasn't necessarily something I missed. The result... not bad. Easily a good lunch salad or appetizer. Or perfect for a night spent nursing a sunburn after a long, hot, weekend at the beach.

Sugar Snap Pea Salad
1/2 lb. sugar snap peas, trimmed with string removed and cut in half on a bias
2 oz. ricotta salata, crumbled
1/2 tsp. champagne vinegar
1/2 Tbl. olive oil
2-3 shakes of curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Curried Almonds

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add sugar snap peas and let blanch for 2-3 minutes. Remove and shock with ice water. Trim and set aside.

2. In a bowl whisk in curry and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste for salt. Pour over the peas and crumbled ricotta salata and toss well. Add the curried almonds.

The Ugly Duckling that is Tuna Salad

There's no way to make tuna salad look good. Not lighting, not editing, not even fancy filters. No way whatsoever. But we should all be pretty clear on what it looks like anyways so I'll skip the food porn shot and instead include a few pretties below from my wonderful, relaxing concert weekend in addition to my absolute favorite tuna salad recipe that I just kind of threw together last night when I got home from my latest travels. This salad was so delicious I had to make it again for lunch today. It's that good. And super easy. And healthy.

Instagram is great for making other things look good though.
Like making the random Merriweather Fountain look like something right out of an English garden

The Best Tuna Salad
1- 5 oz can of tuna packed in olive oil- drained
1 tsp light mayo
1 1/2 tsp honey mustard
1/2 tsp horseradish
Light splash of basalmic vinegar
2 tsp currants

1. Drain tuna well, then add to a bowl. In another bowl mix together the dressing ingredients and add a spoonful at a time to the tuna until it has reached your desired meat to dressing ratio. Serve over toast or mixed greens.

Note- I don't care for too much dressing, so if you do you may want to add more mayo and mustard. Since the tuna was already packed in olive oil I like to keep the mayo (i.e. fat) on the light side anyways.

A Whole Lot of Simple... Is a Vinaigrette

I love simple. A night in watching a quirky comedy with a glass of wine. A light dinner with a friend. A date night at the movies, followed by a meal of bites that becomes a starry eyed evening. A guy turning to you out of the blue to tell you how happy he is just to be with you. A work night escaped early to learn how to preserve and can... and yes, I said that correctly. I'm chasing my dream of ultimate self-sufficiency, and in a way getting back to "simple" basics. And you get the idea anyways. I'm a girl of simple pleasures.

All tools necessary. Oil, vinegar, a whisk, a bowl and salt to taste

Thinking about canning, as well as getting ready for my 4th installment of my little Rotisserie Chicken Series *drum roll please* Chicken Stock... has made me get out and dust off my Institute of Culinary Education Fine Cooking 101 class binder. It's been basically my bible, not so much for the recipes but for the techniques. Roasting, poaching, braising, deglazing. Compound butters, stocks, clafouti. The class taught me all the things I thought I knew how to do (roasting a chicken) and all the things I wanted to know how to make every time I read a dinner menu. If you have the time and the means... take this class. It will change your life in the kitchen.

One Rotisserie Chicken Please: Part 3 Chicken Salad

Ok, so this is a bit of a cop out/completely food related post. My personal life has been going really well though and I feel I don't want to jinx anything at this point and for once I'm really liking having my own little thing that's separate from here. So when I'm ready, I'll discuss but until then... let's focus on rotisserie chicken. Chicken salad is really one of the best ways to make use of leftover chicken and there really truly are endless combinations, and several to mostly all of the ingredients are either fairly popular condiments or shelf items. To to be technical, this is really more like a formula and you can prepare however you like, but I'll give you 2 good recipe take-aways anyways, because that's what I do.

Maple Mustard Chicken Salad with pecans and golden raisins over arugula and toast

The Formula

Meat: Typically chicken but also good with leftover turkey. I also love seafood salads, but this is about rotisserie chickens here... so different post.

Dressing: I like a mayo based dressing, but done with low fat mayo. Also yogurt, sour cream and could even be a vinaigrette, or even simply olive oil.

Flavoring: Pesto, mustard, ketchup, pickles, relish, ranch seasoning, curry powder, rosemary, tarragon, cilantro, parsley, horseradish, citrus, soy sauce, etc.

Crunch: Chopped celery, apples, carrots, shallots, edamame, onions, pecans, walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, etc.

Sweet: Dried fruits like cherries, cranberries, raisins, currents, dates, grapes, apricots, honey, maple syrup, candied ginger, etc.

Tip: Don't overpower the salad by adding too much. Typically pick one from each group and go with it. Also, combine the dry ingredients separately from the dressing, then add the dressing a bit at a time and taste as you go to get the desired level dressing. It's easier to add it in then to take out when there's too much.

The Houston Supper Club

One of the best things about getting together with friends are the dinner parties. Good music, good food and, of course, good company. One of my favorite dinner parties was New Years Eve 2010, with my Dallas best friend Brenda, her husband and our college friend Ben. We drank wine, chatted about anything, everything and sat down for the best cooked steak, topped with a delicious mushroom sauce and a warm spinach salad on the side. It was quite simply the best way to end the year. And then in true Texas fashion, we got all gussied up and went out for a night on the town to ring in the New Year.

The table, all set for dinner

Ashley, my Houston best friend, has been a faithful follower of this very blog right from the beginning. So when I finally took her up on her generous offer to come visit, she made me promise that I'd at least make my short ribs. I decided to throw in my brussel sprouts as well. And then, for some 2010 nostalgia, I made Brenda's warm bacon spinach salad.

Bay Scallop Ceviche

It's not often that I give you just the straight recipe. I know, this is half food blog and half just random thoughts and life tales from some girl. But I just got to Houston less than 24 hours ago- and I'm sure you're thinking that I was in Virginia just a few days ago. You are correct, I travel A LOT- and it's muggy and humid and just the way that Houston should be. It's also February and there are flowers blooming at my very dear friends house. And before I even stepped outside the airport I had already forsaken my heavy New York clothes for the Houston uniform of tees, shorts and sandals.

So this recipe is perfect, because it's exactly what I am craving right now. A light seafood salad of sorts, laid back and fitting to the atmosphere. And while I made it in Virginia a week ago for the anti-S.A.D. party, it would be perfect on a day like today, over half an avocado perhaps, the puckery limes mixing perfectly with the buttery scallops and the crunch of the jalapeno and red onion. It's definitely a summer meal, or at least a Houston meal.

Grilled Salads and Pretty Things

I saw this 2 years ago and thought it was one of the most beautiful things that I could ever own. Bursting with so much meaning, reaching me in such a way that only a handful of things can reach and hold me to them. Yes, I'm talking about concert posters, a specific one actually but I love them in general. I adore the bands from the prints that I own, and love recognizing and supporting the artists out there supporting good music themselves. And by concert prints I'm not talking about some poster grabbed from Spencer's Gifts next to the lava lamp section. These are limited edition, hand signed and numbered, and I won't buy anything above a certain amount. Sophisticated bitch? Maybe, but it's art the way I like it.

As I said, there's been this one I've had my eye on. An up and coming artist who does these whimsically haunting prints. And since college, I wasn't crazy about the band the print is based on, but the song it references has a way of bringing me to tears in seconds. Nostalgia mixed with pure and simple beauty. So with a slightly above average pay check from here on out (that's right!) I bought it today.

Just lovely. Beautiful.  Haunting.

Thank Goodness for My Day Job!

I would describe myself as a fairly typical girl. I like to look pretty, I like to be social, I like typical girly things like flowers and manicures and dressing up, and naturally I love to shop. Before I knew how to cook, or at least cook like I do now, shopping for me consisted of Marc Jacobs, Botkier, Alice+Olivia, etc. I'd stop off at Bloomingdale's or Bergdorf's on a weekly basis and it didn't help that both were directly on my way home. But now that I have a closet full of clothes, shoes, accessories, etc, I've turned my shopaholic eye to food. And shopping now consists of splurging on terribly expensive mushrooms, creamy Burrata and other exotic cheese, and yes, ridiculously priced balsamic vinegar. Like the bottle I bought last night.

So little and innocent looking, this bottle is. And I'm definitely not telling you how much it cost.