kalamata olives

A Seasonal Meal to Chew On While We Consider Google Panda

25 Apr 2011
Spring onion linguine with olives, lemon & rosemary

A seasonal meal: That’s my hook today. Well that and something else I hope you’ll chew on…

First the seasonal meal: I baked sweet spring onions with lemon slices, kalamata olives & rosemary. It became rich and fragrant. I could have eaten it with a spoon straight from the oven. It would also have made a fantastic topping for crostini. But I tossed it with linguine and called it default pasta. Default past with no faults! Get the recipe for Spring Onion Linguine with Lemon Slices Kalamata & Rosemary here.

It’s a terrific pasta recipe. But spring is green. So, here is a recipe for a cold crisp plate of steamed asparagus with goat cheese and arugula sauce. At the last minute I decided maybe this dish was a little too green and threw some radishes on the plate. I felt the presentation needed something surprising. It turns out radishes and goat cheese are perfect partners (kinda like radishes and butter, only better). I am going to get them hooked up again very soon.

Of course a seasonal meal would be lacking without something a bit sweet. So if you CLICK here I have a Norwegian Orange Cake recipe for you. I took the recipe from the LA Times this past Thursday. Sure it’s sweet and highly seasonal, especially in Norway. But I chose this cake for it’s coincidental timing in my life. You see I found out on Wednesday that this June I will be participating in a Culinary Travel Tour to of all places– Norway! The timing of this Norwegian cake in my life was just too eerie. I had to make it immediately.

You may have noticed that I presented a full meal here. I don’t usually do that. But you see I am trying to keep you interested because I have something else I really want to discuss.

Google Panda.

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Spring Onion Linguine with Lemon Slices Kalamata & Rosemary

Onion Pasta with Olives, Lemon & Rosemary
By jgreghenry Published April 25, 2011
Prep time: 120
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
  • 0.5 c extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 t sea salt
  • 6 clv garlic, peeled & minced
  • 1 c kalamata olives, pitted & halved lengthwise (i use lindsay)
  • 1 T rosemary leaves, minced
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds ends discarded
  • 1 lb dried linguine, or other ribbon style pasta
  • 0 lemon wedges, to taste
  • 0 grated parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions

Toss the onions with the olive oil and sea salt. Add the garlic, olives, rosemary and lemon slices, followed by the white wine. Set aside to let the onions soften and “weep” their moisture about 1/2 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the juicy onion mixture about 1 1/2 inches deep in a large, flameproof baking dish (such as a 10- by 14-inch lasagna pan). The liquid should be about 1/2 inch deep; if not, add a little water. Cover tightly with a lid or a layer of foil. Bake about 1 1/2 hours, Stirring the mixture about halfway through and then recovering the dish. Pull the onions from the oven and set aside covered while you boil the pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and return it to the same pot it was boiled in. Add the onions and all of its liquid. If necessary add a scant 1/2 cup of pasta water if necessary. Turn the pasta out onto a serving platter garnished with lemon wedges and parmesan cheese to taste.

Notes:

serves 4

Market Matters- Baked Artichokes

20 Mar 2011
artichokes

It’s artichoke season in California! So it's down the hill and off the the Hollywood Farmers Market for this week's Market Matters.

While it’s true that in California artichokes are available throughout the year to varying degrees, peak season is from March to May with another flush of this thistle like flower in October. That means markets all across the US are filling up with gorgeous green globes right now.

It also means you should get your hands on some.

California pretty much supplies the entire U.S. with artichokes. Our central coast has the perfect climate for them to thrive. So we take the artichoke pretty seriously. So seriously that we started naming artichoke queens to be ambassadors for this tasty thistle way back in 1947 when a young woman named Norma Jean was crowned Castroville's first ever Artichoke Queen. Yep, the artichoke launched the career of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.

I may not be a blond bombshell, but as a Californian I consider it my duty to sing the praises of this very important cash crop. Because a lot of good cooks get flustered when in the presence of artichokes. They are thorny and altogether a bit intimidating. So I'll throw out a few guidelines on choosing, storing and prepping artichokes. Maybe the folks in Castroville will hear me and offer me Marilyn's old crown. Who knows? A boy can dream, can't he?

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Baked, Artichokes with Onions, Lemon, Kalamata Olives & Rosemary

Baked, Artichokes with Onions, Lemon, Kalamata Olives & Rosemary
By jgreghenry Published March 20, 2011
Prep time: 5
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb thinly sliced sweet yellow onions
  • 0.75 c olive oil
  • 0 sea salt
  • 3 clv garlic, slivered
  • 0.5 c kalamata olives, pitted & rinsed
  • 1 T fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • 0.25 c dry white wine
  • 4 bright green, tightly closed artichokes, 3 1/2 inches in diameter
  • 0 crusty bread or cooked pasta, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the onions with about 1/2 cup of the olive oil and about 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt Add the garlic, olives, and rosemary. Toss the lemon slices with the onion mixture, add the white wine, and set aside to let the onions soften and “weep” their moisture while you trim the artichokes. Trim the bottom of the stem of each artichoke slightly, leaving as much as possible attached, then carefully peel the stalk. Remove badly damaged or dry outer leaves. Trim the thorns with scissors or slice them off with a sharp paring knife. Cut the artichoke in half, and then use a stainless steel spoon or paring knife to carve under and remove the thistly choke, leaving the meaty bottom intact. Rinse in cold water; don’t drain well– a little water between the leaves helps ensure that the artichokes cook thoroughly and evenly. Sprinkle the artichokes with salt, squeezing and folding them so some salt falls between the leaves. Drizzle and rub with the remaining olive oil to coat thoroughly, and then squeeze the halves so you can trickle and rub some oil between the leaves. Spread the juicy onion mixture about 1 1/2 inches deep in a large, flameproof baking dish (such as a 10- by 14-inch lasagna pan). The liquid should be about 1/2 inch deep; if not, add a little water. Nestle the artichokes cut side down in the bed of onions. They will be crowded. Cover tightly– first with parchment paper, then foil, dull side out– and bake until you can easily pull out a second-tier leaf and the pulp at its base is tender. This usually takes about 1 1/2 hours; the exact size of the artichokes, as well as the baking dish and oven performance, will affect the cooking time. Be aware that the outermost layer of leaves will emerge a little leathery, but tasty and edible. Once a test leaf is tender, raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F, uncover, and bake for about 15 minutes longer to concentrate the flavors and lightly brown the tips of the vegetables. Serve hot, warm, or cold, as is, or with homemade mayonnaise flavored with lemon, garlic, or a few chopped anchovy fillets. Include some good crusty bread for scooping up the onion mixture, or toss the onions with some cooked pasta to serve on the side.

Notes:

serves 4 These are even better after a night in the refrigerator as they get even silkier. Source: Judy Rodgers, The Zuni Cafe Cookbook

Food & Wine Pairing- Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet with Grilled Leg of Lamb

26 Jul 2010
Sippity Sup prepares a stuffed leg of lamb

I was recently invited to a small dinner with Dennis Cakebread of Cakebread Cellars. I know, close your mouth, I was equally shocked.

Now, I don’t want to fall all over myself but I do consider Cakebread to be a benchmark California winery. They have an iconic Chardonnay that may be the very definition of a California Chard. But frankly it is their reds that really get my attention. Big, sweetly-oaked Pinot Noirs, abundantly aromatic Syrahs and elegant, well-balanced Cabs that are nicely acidic.

Many of the styles and trends (for better or worse…) we associate with California wines began because pioneers like the Cakebread family saw the potential of the California climate and terroir of the Napa valley.

Still, I am not here to discuss California wine styles. That’s not what I do. That's not my thing.

But I do want to talk about what to serve with this excellent wine. And make no mistake it is an excellent wine with a price point to match. So whatever recipe we develop needs to be equally special.

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