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Next Up: Chocolate Chips Cookies
TODAY tonight: Cauliflower Steak
If you're unfamiliar with my "TODAY tonight" series, it's when Carson won't stop talking about something he ate at work, so I make it at home to shut him up. However, this time around, I didn't even have to wait to hear him rave. I was watching Aarti Sequeira on the show and I instantly wanted everything she cooked. She made cauliflower three ways, and I could practically taste the vibrant, Indian flavors through my TV screen.
It was the "cauliflower steak" with a lime yogurt sauce that made me run to the store for the vegetable. I cook cauliflower a lot, but something as simple as cutting it differently and marinating it with different spices completely transformed it for me. I am obsessed. Even my son loved it! I will make this again, and again, and again. Recipe here.
And speaking of Today Food and vegetables, I will be there tomorrow trying to get Carson to eat a particular one he doesn't like... wish me luck!
We served it with a version of this salad because we just can't get enough.
Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Peaches with Burrata and Basil – An Exceptional Summer Exception
Having said that, I used a domestic version, which works beautifully here, so we’re not expecting you to use up your precious prosciutto di Parma.
As far as the peaches go, you want something ripe, and sweet, but still somewhat firm. Above and beyond not being too soft, you must also make sure you’re buying “freestone” peaches. Non-freestone varieties will not separate as seen in the video. Ask the produce person at the market, and if they’re not sure, have them cut one open. They’re usually happy to do so!
After you talk to them, head over to the cheese department, and pick up some burrata. This extra rich and creamy cousin of mozzarella is not that hard to find, and really puts this over the top. You could use a nice, fresh mozzarella, or even a full-fat ricotta instead, but, if at all possible, find some burrata, and treat yourself to one of the world’s great cheese experiences. I hope you give this great summer recipe a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small portions:
2 ripe, sweet, but not soft peaches (must be “freestone”)
3 or 4 thin slices prosciutto, torn in ribbons
6 ounces (about 3/4 cup) burrata cheese
salt and pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil as needed
1 tbsp finely sliced fresh basil leaves
Nectarine Salsa
Here's a great little salsa that's perfect with grilled pork of some sort, or with chicken. I hope you'll enjoy it!
Nectarine Salsa
2 large nectarines, diced
200 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 red onion, finely diced
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp mango chutney
1 tbsp olive oil
salt, pepper
Mix everything together and let it sit for a little while before serving.
Kale, Quinoa and Chicken Salad
People, it's hot. Like, real hot. Like, I thought I'd sit outside for a minute with my computer and let my just-showered-hair (after 3, fine 4 days) dry in the summer breeze until I realized my boobs were already sweating HOT. When it's this hot, I feel the need to eat really light, probably because my body feels bloated and heavy and I also want nothing to do with the kitchen. This is, eat lots of vegetables (and sip white wine for lunch?) type of weather. But I always forget how easy it is to throw a salad together for lunch. For some reason it doesn't SEEM easy, but with leftovers involved and some minor weekend prep, a week-day salad can be effortless. See the one I just made below...
Kale, Quinoa and Chicken Salad
Serves 3
1 bag frozen quinoa with vegetables* (or 2 cups cooked quinoa)
3 cups baby kale
1 cup shredded roasted chicken
1 avocado, diced
3 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup crumbled greek ricotta** (or goat cheese, or feta)
Balsamic glaze
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Prepare quinoa as instructed on bag (I did this Sunday night and kept it in tupperware). Assemble rest of ingredients and toss. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
*Found this in the organic section of the freezer.
**Sometimes I get in a feta/goat cheese rut, so I tried this Greek ricotta the other day and I'm OBSESSED! So creamy.
Next Up: Something with Peach
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Instagram baking challenge 2
For our second week of Instagram Baking Challenge, we made these overnight rye buns. I wasn't crazy about the result - they look pretty but tasted a bit boring. So no recipe this time! But do follow us on Instagram and join in the fun!
Pasta with Arugula Pesto on TODAY
In case you missed my Today Show segment yesterday or need the Bow-Tie Pasta with Arugula Pesto recipe, click here for both! And I'll be back next Thursday... trying to get Carson to eat his veggies. It should be entertaining :) Have a great weekend!
Photos by Samantha Okazaki.
Tuna Avocado Toast + Bertolli Contest
Want to know something? I love olive oil. Some women collect shoes, or handbags, or jewelry... and I collect olive oils. One of my favorite brands, Bertolli, is celebrating their 150th anniversary and they sent me that beautiful anniversary bottle above. It's so pretty! I want to carry it around like a handbag or wear it on my feet! I'm very normal! Anyway, to celebrate, Bertolli is having a recipe contest in which you could win a trip to Tuscany (as well as other prizes) just by submitting a dish using Bertolli oils. Check it out here and enter soon, the deadline is July 31st!
The other night, using Bertolli olive oil (duh), I tried to recreate a dish we recently had at the Manhattan Beach, CA restaurant Love and Salt. If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I pretty much fell in love with this restaurant right away. We ate insanely crispy yet juicy roast chicken, and pasta with bone marrow (yup), and a salad with crispy garbanzo beans... all while sipping spicy margaritas. And we began the meal with an albacore tuna and avocado toast. This toast was something magical... every bite so full of bright texture and flavor. I could have made love to the toast alone... perfectly crispy and probably soaked in delicious olive oil. Creamy avocado, with a hint of lemon, topped with fresh, chunky tuna that melted in your mouth, and sprinkled with some sort of olive (caper?) mixture and a sliver of onion. Am I still talking about this toast??
I thought it would be the perfect appetizer to make with my fancy olive oil, see what I did below...
I had ciabatta bread leftover from our local pizza joint, so I used that, however you could use sourdough or french bread. Just slice, and sauté on the stove in a splash of olive oil over medium heat until both sides are golden. Take a can of solid white albacore tuna (soaked in water), drain and place in a bowl. Scoop out an avocado into another bowl and mash with a fork. Take the juice of half a lemon, and sprinkle over both bowls. Drizzle both bowls with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. To assemble toasts, spread avocado first, then tuna and then top with some chopped kalamata olives (or use an olive tapenade). Serve and enjoy!
Fish Tikka Masala
Here's a dish we first got in one of those pre-planned grocery bags that are so popular in Sweden at the moment. We've tried several providers, and this particular recipe comes from City Gross. We actually like their service quite a bit, they're very reasonable and the food was good. This fish dish was our absolute favorite! So easy and so tasty, it's something we're definitely making again. We modified the recipe to work for us.
Fish Tikka Masala
serves 4
500 g white fish (we had cod)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp cooking oil
400 g crushed tomatoes (one can)
400 g coconut milk (one can)
1 tbsp concentrated vegetable stock
1-2 tsp honey
salt, pepper
Heat the oil in a large pot in low heat. Fry the onions, garic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, coconut and the concentrated stock and cook for ten minutes. Taste, and season with honey, salt and pepper. Mix the sauce with a handheld blender until smooth.
Dice the fish and add to the sauce. Let it simmer on low heat until it's cooked through.
We served it with cooked rice and a simple salad - the dressing is just plain yogurt with salt, dried mint, a tiny bit of sugar, and then thinned with a little water.
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