My cupboards are about to explode with little bags of this and little half canisters of that left over from my April shoots. I have chocolates chips in an array of shapes and colors. I have candied dried fruits and just about any nut you can name. I’m not sure what to do with it all… I shutter at the idea of throwing it away (even things, like banana chips that no one in my family likes), but I really don’t have the room for it. So, when I started craving cookies today, I decided it was time to make a dent in at least some of it. Today’s lucky remnants included a bag of Trader Joe’s dried valencia oranges, a little can of Ginger People’s candied ginger chips, some Dagoba choco-drops and some oats thrown in for good measure. The resulting cookies look deceptively like plain old Toll House, but the ginger gives each nibble a lingering little zing.

PS: A piece on sour cherries that I worked on last summer with Matthew and Dana is now on Gourmet.com, along with one of my photos. It’s so exciting to seem my photo up there!

Everything Out Of the Cupboard Cookies
Makes about 24

1/2 c unsalted butter
1/2 c golden brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 egg
2 t orange juice
1/2 t vanilla
1 c all purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 c oats
1/2 c dried orange pulp
1 t dried citrus zest
1/4 c candied ginger chips
1/2 c chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and both sugars until they are lightly fluffy, stopping the mixer a few times to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In a separate bowl lightly mix the egg, orange juice and vanilla. Add, all at once, to the creamed butter and beat until it is pale and creamy.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until just combined.

Stir in the oats, orange pulp, citrus zest, ginger chips and chocolate chips.

Scoop little balls of dough, about 1/2 inch in diameter onto the baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges.

Let the cookies cool on a wire rack, if you can stand to wait.

Do you like pistachios as much as I do? The addictive process of popping them out of their shells. I’ll just shell 10 more, I think, only to find myself a few minutes later repeating the same thing, just 10 more. I give the thin brownish purple skins a little pinch to expose the green nut meat. It’s good that I enjoy the shelling process because I seem to eat almost as many as I’m going to need. For this recipe, I ended up with a healthy cup full… but who knows how many ended up in my belly along the way.

I think that this chile lime mixture would work well with almost any nuts… but I love the bright green color with the red spices from the paprika and chile. And the lime tang really wakes up the sweetness in the pistachios. These are the perfect little addictive snack to munch on if you are enjoying a little Cinco de Mayo cocktail as well.

Last weekend, I trekked up to Swanson’s nursery for a little spring gardening fix. Since we moved, I no longer have a yard with fresh raspberries, strawberries and rhubarb shooting up… I really should have done something about that last fall, but never quite got around to it. Now, that is remedied with a couple of blueberry bushes thrown in the mix for good measure, along with a new garden star that I have never thought of before: Sweet Bay. Apparently, bay leaf is quite easily grown around here (I think it is pretty easy to grow it almost anywhere), so I’m quite excited to see how my little shrub grows. It’s already pretty bushy with bright green, shiny leaves which seem worlds away from their dried cousins that I’ve always used in the past. Since the flavor of bay is quite strong, I went ahead and plucked off a few leaves to see how it compared to the dried variety.

My initial thought was for some bay infused ice cream. I remember a few posts that had me intrigued in blogs over the years. However, that loaf of Brioche was staring at me, telling me a pudding was in order. It didn’t take me along to decide that if bay was wonderful in ice cream, it would be equally delicious in a custardy bread pudding, adding a hint of slightly green, earthy spiciness.

For a starter recipe, I found a lovely, simple brioche pudding on Food & Wine, and altered it slightly to add in the bay and skip the healthy dose of berries that would have overwhelmed the bay essence. Of course, me resisting berries is like a cat resisting a mouse… so I ended up drizzling on a quickly made strawberry syrup in the end.

This pudding is a lovely thick and moist, subtly sweet treat… and great for either breakfast or dessert. The bay came through, although it was quite subtle. However, after preparing the dish, I realized that it’s best to use more mature, leathery bay leaves rather than the softer new leaves, so patience with my bay bush is definitely going to be called for.

The recipe for zhatar (sometimes zaatar, sometimes za’atar) seems to vary by region, but usually includes the combination of thyme and sesame with ground sumac. The dish that I was preparing for my client also introduced ground pistachios into the mix. Yum! It may not be traditional, but I highly recommend it. I also like throwing some red chile flakes into the mix for a little kick.

You can use the zhatar on eggs, like I did with these poached eggs over hashed fingerling potatoes. But, it’s also fantastic on yogurt with a little lemon and olive oil mixed in, or sprinkled on top of hummus.

By the way, I received a fantastic treat in the mail today! The first issue of Edible Seattle. This is a magazine that I’d be excited about regardless, but it is all the more fun because it is packed with my photos (including the cover shot!) and an article I wrote last fall on Maria Hines of Tilth. The magazine should start showing up on shelves soon!

The thing is, it’s hardly fair to call these mixed berry muffins “muffins“. They are really more fruit than crumb, which is just the glue to hold all the juicy berry goodness together. I think they really should be called muffin mixed berries. And they were the first recipe I made from Seasonal Kitchen by Michele Cranston, a book I’ve really grown to adore. The beauty is that they are even seasonal in winter (in fact, that’s the section they appear in the book) because they use frozen berries. I’ve started keeping a huge bag of mixed frozen berries in the freezer, and whenever I need a quick idea for breakfast or a road trip, these muffins have become the answer. The only thing I don’t love about the recipe is the oil… it calls for vegetable oil and I think that’s just missing an opportunity for adding flavor. Instead, I’ve started using coconut oil which adds just the teaniest tiniest hint of coconut… not enough that coconut-haters will notice, but enough to give them a little something-something.

Now, quickly, before something comes up again and I don’t finish this post, here is the recipe:

Most of the time, this free food is simply left over from a shoot that I’m doing. Sometimes, it’s sent to me by companies that are looking for feedback, really excited about sharing their product with someone who thinks a lot about food, or someone who is simply looking for extra press. I certainly understand that there are some bloggers out there who prefer not to accept free stuff… but I’m not one of them. When I get free stuff, I never promise to write about it on this blog. It takes something pretty special, in fact, to make it on here. And, sometimes, I still don’t even get around to it. But, sometimes, like today, I do.

Today, I want to share with you a fish that I am really excited about. When I got mail from Hannah asking if I’d be interested in trying some Kona Kampachi from Kona Blue, I was intrigued. I’m a huge fan of sushi, and will always have a hard time turning away from sashimi-grade yellowtail. But, what really struck me is that Kona Blue is a company trying new methods of fish farming that attempt to solve some of the problems of related to traditional “aquaculture.” In-shore fish farm can create serious pollution problems, releasing waste and excess nutrients into water at rates that can’t be cleaned up by natural processes. Those farmed fish also tend to suffer from mercury poisoning. Kona Blue is fishing in large sea-cages sunk into deep water far off shore, so the fish can basically school as they would in the wild and the pollution problems can be avoided. And, at the same time, the natural fish population is not being depleted. The fish also boast a 30 percent fat content, high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, and no detectable mercury.

I think it’s really early to tell whether these new fish farming practices are a good thing or if they introduce problems of their own. But, I applaud companies for trying to solve some of these problems in a responsible way. Plus, I can tell you this, the fish is beautiful.

My package arrived well packed in ice, but not frozen, so the two, large fillets were immediately ready to use. The fillets are thick and fatty… perfect for a nice lunch of sashimi, with a ton still left over.

In fact I’ve been playing with a variety of preparations… the fish is so fresh, it’s almost a crime to cook it… but in addition to a sashimi miso salad, some simple nigiri sushi, I also lightly seared a good chunk and served it with a butternut squash mash and a fresh lemon dressing. Yum. I still have a whole fillet left that will have to be put to use quite soon. In the meantime, I thought I’d share a few shots and recipes with you.

If you want to try to find some of this fish on your own, you can order it from their website… but shipping is quite expensive. If you are in Seattle, Uwajimaya sometimes has it in stock and several area restaurants, like Canlis and Oceanaire have it on their menu. Or you can check out Kona Blue’s extensive “where to find” list.

PS: Thanks to Matt for correcting my initial mis-statement that Yellowtail is Tuna. In fact, it is its very own fish. All these years of ordering hamachi, and I always thought I was eating tuna!!!

Seared Yellowtail in Lemon Dressing
From Arabesque by Claudia Roden

I went searching through about 15 different cookbooks to find this super simple seared tuna recipe. Most of the other recipes I found piled on enough seasonings that the flavor of the fish would be lost. This yellowtail was far to lovely to cover up. What loved about the Arabesque recipe was how delicate the dressing is… it brightens and enriches the flavors already in the fish. I substituted hazelnut oil in the dressing, which I thought brought even a new dimension to the flavor. The original recipe also recommended pairing the seared fish with mashed potatoes, but I had some left over roasted butternut squash that I smashed up with a little OJ and a little cream which went beautifully with the citrus sauce on the fish. A little mache salad on the side brings a little more springtime to the plate.

1 lemon
2 T hazelnut oil
salt & pepper
1 thinly chopped green onion (or fresh chives)
2 T olive oil
1 thick-cut fillet of sashimi grade yellowtail (or tuna)

Zest and juice the lemon into a small bowl. Add the hazelnut oil, green onion and freshly cracked pepper. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a pan on high heat. Just before the smoking point, add the fish. Sear for only 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat. Slice into thin slices and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Pour the dressing over the top to serve.

Yellowtail Sashimi in Miso Dressing
From Harumi’s Japanese Home Cooking

Here’s another lovely recipe from Harumi’s Japanese Home Cooking. This is so simple, but does require the best fish you can find, with a good amount of fat on it. The fat helps give a wonderful silky mouthfeel, not to mention a richer taste. You’ll need a few ingredients that you’ll probably have to go to an Asian market to get. Red miso paste and mirin can be hard to find in some supermarkets.

1/3 lb sashimi-quality yellowtail (or tuna)
3 T red miso paste
1 1/2 T casters (super-fine) sugar
1/2 T mirin
1 t rice vinegar
1/8 t dry mustard
1 1/2 c chopped green onion or chives
1 T finely grated ginger

Mix together the miso, suar, mirin, vinegar and mustard, until smooth and the sugar has dissolved.

Cut the fish into little cubes, about 1/2 to 1 inch each, and place in a medium sized bowl. Start adding the dressing a little at a time, stirring gently, until each piece is nicely coated. You may not need to use all the dressing… and I think it is best not to add too much dressing or you won’t taste the fish.

To serve, place in individual bowls, and top each with the green onion and a little dollop of freshly grated ginger.

Then, I got some really crap news and everything went all topsy turvy. Stuff that I’m hoping, like the weather that has just rolled in after a lovely blue sky morning, will simply blow over after a good night sleep. Stuff I’m hoping that I’ll never really be at a point that I’ll have to tell you about it. Stuff that I’ve at least for a little while pushed aside and to bake these lovely little raspberry upside down tea-cakes that I saw in my latest Donna Hay acquisition, Off The Shelf: Cooking From the Pantry. I really kind of bought the book for this recipe. It’s one of those things you look at and say, now, why didn’t I think of that?!? This book is simply full of recipes like that… quick, delicious things you can make from stuff you probably have on hand in the pantry or in the freezer.

Anyway, so I made these cakes to take my mind off the crap news. And, then, I got to eat the yummy tea cakes to take my mind off the crap news. And then, I had to go and spin for 2 hours to work off the crazy crap news cakes. So, here I am. Still pretty topsy turvy. But, at least I still have some upside down cakes to keep me company.

Raspberry Upside Down Cakes
Makes about 20 small cakes

8oz unsalted butter
1 c caster sugar
1 t vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 c flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
about 10oz frozen or fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 325F.

I used silicone cupcakes cups for this so I didn’t need to grease the cups, but if you are using a metal pan, you should. Or, you could line them each with parchment.

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth and pale yellow. Then, beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth. Sift the flour and baking soda together and then fold into the batter. The batter will get fairly thick.

Line the bottom of each cup with a layer of whole raspberries (don’t defrost the frozen ones… just put them in the cups frozen). Then, top with batter, filling to the top of the cups.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cakes puff up and turn a light golden brown. Cool them on a rack in the cups for about 5 minutes, then remove from the cups and invert to serve.

Luckily, this week’s request was not so hard to fulfill. The first batches of rhubarb are actually starting to appear! These early stalks are tender and scarlet all the way through with huge tartness. I quickly put the stems to use stewing them up with some sugar and cloves and pouring the scarlet mash over a boozy whipped cream for a light, spring syllabub.

I only got one jar full from the rhubarb I bought for the shoot. But, luckily for me, this is only the beginning of the season.

Rhubarb Syllabub
Serves 2-4

White port is a lovely dessert sipping wine to have on hand, and I like the flavor of it in this dish. However, it can be tricky to find. If you can’t find it, use a good drinking sherry or even a nice dessert wine.

6 young stalks of rhubarb, trimmed
2/3 c sugar
4 cloves
2 lemons
1 c heavy cream
2 T caster sugar
1/2 c white port

Cut the rhubarb into 2 inch lengths, and heat with the sugar, cloves and juice of 1 lemon until boiling. Reduce heat to low, and stew until the rhubarb softens. Set aside to cool.

Mix together the cream, sugar, port and juice from one lemon, and whisk until medium peaks form. Scoop into individual glasses and chill for about 30 minutes.

To serve, top with the stewed rhubarb, and a bit more whipped cream if desired.

The only thing that sounded good to me was the cardamom lassi recipe in February’s Saveur. It’s also just about the only thing I had the energy to prepare. So, after sending the rest of the family, now relatively healthy, out to find food for themselves, I hacked my way into the kitchen and managed to operate my immersion blender without incident, resulting in a cooling, spiced yogurt smoothie sort of a thing. My first attempt, using Fage Total whole fat yogurt was so thick a spoon was definitely called for. A little splash of milk while blending will give you more sip-able results if your yogurt is too thick.

I’m slowly getting back on my feet, enough to attempt adding some mango to the mix and even snap a few photos.

Yep, that’s about it for today. It’s time to head back to the couch again.

Cardamom Lassi

If you can find it, or have the patience to make your own, use coarsely ground cardamom rather than the fine ground stuff. To make your own, buy the cardamom pods, empty the seeds into a mortar and pound them a bit.

Makes 2

2 cups plain yogurt
3 T sugar (or even better, honey or agave syrup)
1 t coarsely ground cardamom
some diced mango (optional)

Blend. Chill for 30 minutes. Drink!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you haven’t been to Design Sponge before, you are definitely in for a treat. So much to browse through and add to your secret desires list. I am very excited that Kristina asked me to be a little part! You can find the ice cream recipe and a little more about it here.