Gastroanthropology

Peach Vinaigrette + Spiced Pecans

Perfect Peaches...ripening under hot California sun!

This past weekend I had the wonderful fortune of getting fresh yellow cling peaches straight from a California peach ranch. One of my dearest friends supplies me with the best peaches in the summer. The peaches are so sweet and delicious...it is such as shame that most yellow clings get sent straight to the cannery. The peaches are a bit stubborn because the flesh does cling to the pit. They are a tad more work but absolutely worth the effort.

So, after the peaches are grilled for afternoon BBQs, quartered for pie, sliced for cobbler, chopped for jam, pureed for sweet ice tea, and frozen for winter months, what do you do with them? Dice them up for peach vinegar! For peach vinegar... macerate (in a nonreactive pot) 3 cups small diced peaches with 1 cup champagne or rice wine vinegar for 1 week. Keep covered and stir the mixture once or twice a day. At the end of the week strain the mixture, getting as much liquid out as possible. Store in a sterilized jar and keep in fridge for up to 3 months.

The peach vinegar makes a lovely mild, sweet, peachy vinegar - great for summer salads. Fresh greens, sliced fresh peaches, and spiced candied pecans tossed in peach vinaigrette...a perfect lunch as the last of the hot summer days come and go...wow, tomorrow it's September already.

PEACH VINAIGRETTE

• 1 ripe peach, cut into chunks
• 2 Tablespoons peach vinegar (see above), or champagne vinegar
• pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 4 Tablespoons pecan, walnut or canola oil

METHOD

In a small food processor or blender, puree peach until smooth. Add vinegar, salt and honey. Blend for 10 seconds. Continue to blend on low while drizzling in the oil. Use immediately.

SPICED CANDIED PECANS

This recipe for spiced candied pecans is inspired by the same friend who's family owns the peach ranch. These are usually made with walnuts (which come from this ranch as well in the fall!), but works well with pecans too.

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon honey (or corn syrup)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (or your desired combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger)
• 3 cups pecan or walnut halves

METHOD

Melt sugars until dissolved and starting to bubble. Add honey, salt, vanilla, and spices. Stir in nuts till they are all coated. Pour nuts onto a foiled and greased (or use a silpat) baking sheet. Toast nuts at 350F for 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven. When cooled break apart and serve in salad. These candied nuts keep well in the freezer in an airtight container for snacking as well.

Jersey Royal Potato Salad + A Plenty Cookbook Give-Away

I stumbled upon Ottolenghi soon after I arrived to London when I was discovering all of its different neighborhoods. All of their locations are a tube ride and walk away so I don't frequent it as much as I'd like, but now I have Plenty, a delicious compilation of Ottolenghi's best dishes, and all vegetarian to boot. I'm not a veggie by any means, but realize that meat does not a meal make, and its better for my body and the planet to limit meat intake.

Plenty is exactly what this book is. Plenty of recipes, pictures, and ideas for what to do with your CSA. I barely flipped through the first few pages when I came across a recipe for a warm potato salad with semi-soft quail's eggs. Basically, as soon as you take your cooked Jersey Royals (or New Potato) out of their scalding hot water, you slice them in half or quarters. Toss with a freshly made pesto, petit pois peas and finely shredded mint. Add halved semi-soft boiled quail's eggs. As Ottolenghi says, this is a very posh version of an ordinary spud salad. 

I know this cookbook isn't as easy to get in the States just yet, but if you leave a comment you may just win one! This contest is open to everyone and the winner will be chosen at random in two weeks, May 18th - This contest is now closed. The winner is Lisa of dandysugar!

Halloumi Salad

After a whirlwind Easter Weekend in western Austria and southeast Germany that included some skiing and lots of bread dumplings... 

and Bavarian pork knuckles...

I needed something on the lighter side for lunch today. Simple and easy - Halloumi Salad. Halloumi is a cheese that comes from Greece and Turkey. When aged, the sheep's milk (or goat's milk) cheese is firm enough to be grilled and still hold its shape. I often pan sear a few thin strips of halloumi in a small pan and add to a salad for lunch.  

Here I have it with some beets and jarred marinated artichokes over lamb's lettuce. I find its not necessary to dress the lettuce because the halloumi is quite salty and the marinade dripping from the artichokes is flavor enough.

But, back to Austrian foods...we did sample plenty of apple strudel on our trip. Nate and I had lengthy discussions about the necessary characteristics of the best apple strudel. We agreed on ratio of apple to strudel dough, texture, and level of sweetness. We disagreed on the presence of raisins. He likes them, I couldn't care less of they never existed. So, of course, apple strudel recipe testing begins at home and posting should soon follow.

Chicken Pot Pie + Winter Slaw

Was it me mourning the sudden death of summer? Chicken pot pie and colorfully delicious root veggies in season, along with cold temperatures outside - so, its actually enjoyable to stand near a hot stove - why was I dreading winter? Actually, the torrential downpour that soaked my summer-tan gone to pale skin in the three-block-walk from the tube stop to my apartment summed it up last night. 

Well, it is our second winter here in London, and as it gets dark at 4PM we are reminded how far north we really are. Curling up on the couch with loads (so English, I mean "lots"!) of books, woolen blankets, and hot chocolate season has officially started for me. Fall is actually the time when English farmers markets shine with seasonally grown products. Homegrown root veggies from beets...

to carrots...

are at their best. Not to mention alliums from leeks to garlic to shallots to onions are also at their peek. Having fattened up all summer, meat, game, and poultry are also ready for slaughter. Huge numbers of locally caught fish and shellfish are in season as well, which is the best time to eat them to preserve fish stocks. Lastly, my favorite winter fruits - apples, pears, and quince - are gorgeous right now. Fall is definitely and English cook's dream if you are trying to avoid imports.

CHICKEN POT PIE

This chicken pot pie uses the meat from a previously roasted chicken. Since leeks are in season, I've used tons of leeks for their delicious mild onion flavor. Use the recipe as a guide and substitute with what you have, what you like, and what is in season for you. Making a pot pie is a great way to use up leftovers, especially after Thanksgiving. Turkey for chicken, a bit of brussels sprouts, mashed sweet potato, cranberry, etc. all mixed up with gravy and covered with a bit of puff dough - yum!

I haven't noted specific amounts because this is not a time for measuring - make as much as you need. Just make sure you have enough puff dough to cover your pot pie.

• Roast Chicken meat (cooled and shredded)
• Leeks 
• Corn
• Green beans
• Celery
• Butter
• Flour
• Chicken stock (and drippings if you've saved from the roasting)
• Heavy cream
• Salt + Pepper
• Parsley
• Puff Pastry dough
• Egg wash

METHOD

All vegetables used should be cleaned, seasoned, and pre-cooked. Toss together shredded chicken and vegetables. Make a gravy - start by making roux with the butter and flour, add drippings, add chicken stock and finish with a small amount of cream. Pour over the chicken + vegetable mixture and toss together. Add chopped parsley and salt + pepper to taste.

Place in a baking dish (large or individual - whatever you fancy (so English, I mean "whatever your like"!). Place thinly rolled puff pastry over the top of the mixture. Dock the dough to let steam escape. Brush with egg wash and cook in a 350F oven until the puff dough is cooked through and golden brown.

Serve alongside a winter slaw - the more colorful the better. 

WINTER SLAW

• 1 c shredded beets
• 1 1/2 c shredded carrots
• 1 c shredded cabbage
• 1/2 c thinly sliced celery
• 1 small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 c pomegranate seeds
• salt to taste
• 1/4 c freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 c walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

METHOD

Shred and cut as needed. Toss all ingredients together. You can make this ahead of time, but add walnuts just before serving.

Everything used in the pot pie recipe was locally sourced. For the slaw there were four exceptions - olive oil, oranges, pomegranate and walnuts. But, oranges, pomegranate, and walnuts are in season in other parts of the world! If you are in England and want to be totally local - omit the pomegranate, orange juice (substitute freshly pressed apple juice), walnuts (substitute toasted pumpkin seeds), and olive oil (use rapeseed oil).

Also, if you can, try and visit a farm. When you see how the foods you eat are grown and reared, the choice for organics and sustainability is easier to make. Support farmers who practice better treatment of animals and that are stewards of the land they grow on. If you can afford organics, buy them, and hopefully, with time, that will help others afford organics as well.

I Left My Heart in San Francisco and Dinner for Two

Most of you know that I am a California transplant living in London. While I'm trying to love it, London has not yet found a special place in my heart. While it's a tourists heaven with museums, parks, theater, and shopping, as a resident it's gloomy, it's cold, it's a tax for this and a tax for that - but still nothing works properly, and nobody likes to smile. I spent the latter half of December at home in California and it was so nice to see the sun and visit some of my old stomping grounds.

First stop, the San Francisco Ferry Building. What other place in the world can you get Mexican, sushi, caviar, chocolate, beignets, coffee and burgers all under the same roof? Not to mention there's also a gourmet kitchen store, fresh oysters, hot pastrami sandwiches, organic produce, and a farmer's market!

   

Second stop, Fillmore Street for my favorite cup of Special Dutch hot chocolate at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Probably not a true hot chocolate connoisseur's drink but it's a flavor that can't be recreated anywhere else.  

Heading towards the water to Chestnut Street for some shopping and dinner with a dear friend at A16. A16 has been on my list of favorites since the night it opened and I've been a loyal fan ever since. There's something relaxed and cozy about the restaurant and the food. While they serve Italian food and wine, at its heart it is truly San Francisco. SF is a place unlike any other. Apart from its amazing location in the universe and in the great state of California it's people make it a wonderful town. The people are multicultural, friendly, well-versed with politics, the environment, food and sustainable living. It's a smart town, but not pretentious and snobby. It's down to earth, but not rough around the edges. The patrons you see at A16 are just that - its cool, but not too cool. It's Meatball Mondays, but Brunello wine. It's pizza, but finished with chocolate budino and vanilla semifreddo. For dinner I had a beet and potato salad with radicchio, pizza with fennel sausage, and a semifreddo with chestnut.

Since a part of my heart must be here in London with my significant other, I made an A16 inspired dinner. You can see A16's cookbook on my list to the right. These exact recipes are not in there. Savory cookbooks give me ideas, but rarely do I follow them to any degree. 

For dinner tonight we had a roasted beet and potato salad with goat's cheese and a baked haddock with lemon and basil. These recipes are easy to make for two or one (scale up for more) and use the oven only.

ROASTED BEET AND POTATO SALAD WITH FRESH GOAT CHEESE

Peel and cut up two large beets and one large potato in a large dice. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and three medium garlic cloves (whole) and put them into a 400 Fahrenheit/ 200 Celsius oven. Bake for about 25 minutes till potato is throughly cooked and has formed a light brown crust. A few minutes before its done throw a handful of fresh walnuts over top to toast. As soon as the potatoes, beets, garlic and now walnuts come out of the oven transfer to a bowl and pour one heaping tablespoon of maple syrup over top. Squeeze 1/4 of a lime or lemon. Add bits of fresh goat cheese. Toss together with a handful of bitter mixed greens. Don't worry about leaving the garlic whole - they should be roasted and mild and have a bit of brown crust on them as well. The goat cheese will melt - creating the most delicious dressing for the salad.

BAKED HADDOCK WITH LEMON AND BASIL

Clean and skin haddock fillet (or any fish you like). Slice one lemon. Lay out a piece of aluminum foil and a piece of parchment over it. Spread lemon slices in two rows. Put fish on top of the lemon. Sprinkle a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Sprinkle whole basil leaves over top. Fold the parchment and foil over the fish and pinch the ends tight so no liquid is lost from the fish as its cooking. Place on baking sheet and bake in the same 400 Fahrenheit/ 200 Celsius oven for about 10 minutes or until fish is done. Serve as is in the parchment - there are delicious fish juices there that flavor the fish and keep it moist.

Tips: As soon as the beets and potatoes come out of the oven have the fish ready to go. By the time you assemble the salad and have a few sips of wine the fish should be ready. Clean up is a breeze with only one roasting pan, maybe two if you've lost some fish juice. 

Basil Leaves - these were from the freezer! This summer I froze individual leaves and then put them in a plastic bag. This is a great way to save over-producing summer basil plants. Use in instances like this fish bake or stirring a few into pasta sauce during the winter months. Basil is also very easy to find in stores all year round.