so now it is spinach week...what would popeye say?

for some reason, we did not eat spinach often when we were kids. i don't know why... maybe it was not widely available unless you had a garden and planted your own? my mom rarely used canned vegetables...but every once in a while she would serve canned spinach. have you ever tasted canned spinach? if not...don't. it has been many years...but i still remember the slimy, metallic taste...ick! so i always thought i hated spinach. fast forward many years to my early 20's. spinach salads became very popular...remember? i discovered the taste of fresh spinach and fell in love. why would anyone eat the canned version? then i started sautéing spinach...all greens actually...and they became a staple in my home.

something magical happens when you sauté spinach...the sweetness intensifies. i heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet, add some minced garlic, a pinch of aglio-olio-peperoncino (or red pepper flakes), sea salt and black pepper...throw in the spinach...and sauté briefly, just until the spinach begins to wilt. delicious! it always amazes me how dramatically the spinach reduces when cooked. a huge panful becomes a pretty tiny serving...but that amount retains all the vitamins, minerals and fiber...how cool is that?

don't you love it when something that tastes good is actually really good for you? spinach (and all dark leafy greens) meets this criteria beautifully. spinach is an excellent source of niacin and zinc, and a very good source of fiber, protein, vitamin a, vitamin c, vitamin e, vitamin k, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin b6, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and manganese.* so eat spinach...eat a lot of spinach...happily, it is spinach week at fall fest..so here we go...

*nutrient data provided by USDA SR-21

i took a different approach to my planter boxes this year. instead of all flowers, i plant mainly vegetables & herbs with a few flowers for color. (i already have a lot of rose bushes and hydrangeas so am well stocked with flowers for cut arrangements.) this fall i have added lettuce, spinach and kale to the planters...hopefully they will thrive and fresh spinach will be available whenever i wish...just a few steps from my back door.i am still getting a lot of zucchini and summer squash in my weekly csa box. i just harvested the last of the jalapeños from my garden...had some organic carrots on hand...so i created (inspired by bon appetit) a mixed vegetable fritter recipe...full of veggies & just enough flour to bind together...and served over a huge mound of spinach lightly dressed in a honey-mustard vinaigrette. perfect for the warm weather we are having the last day of summer.

mixed vegetable fritters on spinach with honey mustard vinaigrette
1 lb mixed zucchini & summer squash (1 lb total)
1/2 lb carrots
1 tsp kosher salt
1 jalapeño seeded and minced
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch freshly cracked black pepper
grey sea salt
pinch aglio olio peperoncino (or red pepper flakes)
2 tbsp honey mustard
4 oz crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 large handful per person organic baby spinach leaves

honey mustard vinaigrette
1/8 cup champagne vinegar
pinch grey salt
pinch black pepper
1 tbsp honey mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

make viniagrette... add vinegar, salt pepper and mustard to small bowl and whisk to incorporate. pour in e.v.o.o in a stream whisking constantly. taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. transfer to small mason jar with lid and set aside.

make fritters... preheat oven to 350 degrees. using the shredding disc with the largest holes on a cuisinart, grate the zucchini, squash and carrots. (alternatively, you can use a box grater...again, use the side with the largest holes). place the shredded vegetables in a colander set over the sink and sprinkle with the kosher salt. let sit for 30 minutes then pour onto a clean kitchen towel. tightly roll up the towel and let sit for another 15 minutes. squeeze the towel tightly to extract as much liquid as possible and set aside.

add flour, baking powder, pepper , aglio (or red pepper flakes) and a pinch of the grey sea salt to a mixing bowl and mix together. scrape in the grated vegetable mixture from the towel, the jalapeño and the mustard. stir until the dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. add the feta and stir again.

add the grapeseed oil to large skillet and heat over medium heat until the oil begins to shimmer. using a ladle, drop the vegetable mixture into the hot oil and then flatten each fritter into a disk approx 3-4 inches in diameter. cook 5 minutes, or until side is deep brown and then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes. when done, fritters will be deeply caramelized brown on both sides. be careful not to burn. depending on the size of your skillet, you will have enough batter to complete this process 2-3 times. you can either serve the fritters as soon as they are ready, or place on a rimmed cookie sheet and keep warm in preheated oven while you finish the rest of the batter.

to serve... mix the vinaigrette by shaking the mason jar (ensure lid is tightly capped). place the spinach in a salad bowl and dress lightly with the vinaigrette, about 1 tbsp per serving. season to taste with sea salt and pepper. add the spinach to a serving platter and top with the fritters. serve immediately. (alternatively, create individual servings with a large handful of dressed spinach on a salad plate and top with 2-3 fritters per serving)

happy fall everyone...and happy spinach week. let me know what you think of the fritters...and, if you have any tips on growing spinach, please, please share...

want to win a free cookbook? remember when i told you that i had a recipe published in a new cookbook thinkfood, recipes for brain fitness? i was thrilled to receive a couple of copies in the mail. i am featured on page 47!! i have decided to give away a copy...my first ever contest. all you need to do to enter is leave a comment on one of my september 2010 blog posts. tell me in the comments that you would like to be entered in the drawing. i will announce the winner during the first week of october...so be sure to check us out to see if you win.

now it is your turn to participate in fall fest. simply leave your spinach tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating summer and now fall fest 2010. as always...its been a blast...happy fall everyone..

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "

do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page
& follow me on twitter

to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

you say potato?

ok...so i am cheating...but just a bit. and i have a really good reason. you see it is white (or colorful “white”…but not sweet) potatoes week at summer fest. each week of the fest i post a new recipe and tell you the story of how the dish came to be. this week i contemplated buying some potatoes and experimenting with a few ideas i have in the back of my mind....then real life intervened. a good friend asked me to make the desserts for her wedding (gulp!). she is from the south and planned a very southern menu...fried chicken, collard greens, grits, succotash...served with champagne and excellent wine. they did not want a traditional wedding cake...instead pies, crisps, cobblers and homemade vanilla ice cream were requested. now...i am so, so, so not a trained caterer...so making enough baked goods for 100 + people...not to mention the homemade ice cream... took a bit of logistical planning. the wedding was this past sunday...i went to the commercial kitchen at 6:00 am that day...prepared and baked everything!..delivered the 8 pies, 2 cobblers and 2 crisps (the ice cream was made earlier in the week)...showered, changed and then attended the festivities that evening!

pie photo courtesy julie dalrymple
potato photo courtesy suat eman
can i just say that two days later i am still exhausted?? i have an even greater respect for chefs, cooks and caterers...wow...you guys do that every day? so...enough with the wedding story...i will blog about the event...and share the recipes later (peach pie with pecan crisp topping anyone?) for now, i just must be honest and say i did not have the energy to create a new potato recipe...

happily, i have a number of favorite potato recipes from the past few years of blogging and i am "repurposing" three of my favorites. but first, i want to talk a bit about the nutritional aspects of potatoes. i have so many friends who...in the interest of health...are foregoing "anything white". no white sugar, flour, potatoes...etc. i totally get the first two...but potatoes? really? here are some potato facts from the washington state potato commission's website:

THE HEALTHFUL POTATO
Misinformation and misconceptions regarding the nutritional value of the potato abound. In fact, an average (~5.3 oz) potato with the skin contains:

45% of the daily value for vitamin C
620 mg potassium, comparable to bananas, spinach and broccoli
trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc

all for only 110 calories and no fat.
And potatoes with the skin on are an excellent source of fiber. In fact, with 2 grams of fiber per serving, a potato equals or exceeds that of many "whole" grain products-whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta and many cereals

Despite the popular notion, the majority of nutrients are not found in the skin, but in the potato itself. Nonetheless, leaving the skin on the potatoes retains all the nutrients, the fiber in the skin and makes potatoes easier to prepare.
how great is that? i love potatoes. i roast them all the time. diced, roasted with onions, evoo and sea salt, then topped with a poached egg...perfection. or check out my baked potatoes for dinner? post ...loaded with a delicious roasted vegetable mixture of broccoli, garlic, leeks and cremini mushrooms, tossed with e.v.o.o and seasonings... add a small salad and dinner is served.

i am a "potato skin" person...even in my mashed potatoes or, as i refer to them, smashed potatoes ...with e.v.o.o instead of butter and seasoned with a delicious roasted garlic puree...yum.
this is the perfect time of year to serve our napa farmhouse potato salad chock full of red skinned potatoes, fresh peas, green onion, red onion and kalamata olives tossed in a honey mustard vinaigrette.

see what i mean...potaotes are delicious, nutritious, inexpensive and incredibly versatile....what are your favorite ways to prepare them? and...that roasted potato/poached egg combo sounds like the perfect, easy dinner for tonight....off to the kitchen...

want to win a free cookbook? remember when i told you that i had a recipe published in a new cookbook thinkfood, recipes for brain fitness? i was thrilled to receive a couple of copies in the mail. i am featured on page 47!! i have decided to give away a copy...my first ever contest. all you need to do to enter is leave a comment on one of my september 2010 blog posts. tell me in the comments that you would like to be entered in the drawing. i will announce the winner during the first week of october...so be sure to check us out to see if you win.
now it is your turn to participate in summer fest. simply leave your potato tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating summer fest 2010. as always...its been a blast... one more thing...next week begins fall fest. same idea...new logo...

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page & follow me on twitter

to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

it is garlic week at summer fest...so what is pan amb tomaquet?

so...garlic week at summer fest...hmm! this one is a bit more difficult for me than the other weeks. tomato week? focus on tomatoes...easy. corn week? lots of main dishes featuring corn. but how do you focus on an ingredient you use all the time? i add garlic to everything. garlic, onions and extra virgin olive oil make an appearance almost daily.

i am sure there will be many recipes for garlic soup, garlic chicken, roasted garlic etc. in the postings. i decided to take a bit of liberty with the theme...and promote garlic as an essential ingredient for today's recipes. actually, "recipe" is a bit of a stretch...technique is more accurate. so...how about pa amb tomaquet? (and what is it anyway?)

pa amb tomaquet is one of the dishes from gott's restaurant that i mentioned a few posts ago. as chef rick robinson says:
"less a recipe than a technique, pa amb tomaquet is a traditional catalan tapa. grilled bread is rubbed with a cut garlic clove, then a ripe tomato half is vigorously rubbed against the bread, almost like a hard cheese on a cheese grater. top it off with excellent olive oil and good sea salt for a perfect starter!"
chef gott recommends this as an appetizer...honestly, i can make it the meal...sometimes i grate some parmigiano-reggiano on top...perfect with a glass or two of wine. i know this sounds really simple...you may be asking "what's the big deal?" let me respond by saying "big deal...a really big deal". however, as with every dish i talk about, the quality of the ingredients makes all the difference & takes something simple and pushes it over the top. i use amazing bread from model bakery here in napa. the olive oil is my favorite...extra virgin, from hudson ranch in the carneros region. the tomatoes are heirloom, local and organic. the salt is a grey finishing salt. a key ingredient is the fresh local & organic garlic rubbed on the grilled bread. garlic rubbed on grilled or toasted bread is one of my most favorite things.
easy garlic bread in my home is simply grilled bread (i use my panini press when it is off season for the outdoor grill)...rubbed with a garlic clove and drizzled with the evoo...and, of course, sprinkled with sea salt. sometimes i top with chopped italian parsley and freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano.
another way to use the bread, tomato, garlic, salt combo is making a quick topping of chopped tomato, chopped garlic, chopped italian parsley and chopped basil tossed with some of the olive oil & sea salt and then mounded over the garlic bread. for a jazzed up version of this, try heirloom tomato tapenade with bruschetta with olives, red bell pepper, capers, red pepper flakes and sherry vinegar added to the mix.
so...when it is garlic week i stick with garlic bread and variations of that theme. what are your favorite garlic recipes? and, if you do not like garlic (shudder!)...please tell me why?


want to win a free cookbook? remember when i told you that i had a recipe published in a new cookbook thinkfood, recipes for brain fitness? i was thrilled to receive a couple of copies in the mail. i am featured on page 47!! i have decided to give away a copy...my first ever contest. all you need to do to enter is leave a comment on one of my september 2010 blog posts. tell me in the comments that you would like to be entered in the drawing. i will announce the winner during the first week of october...so be sure to check us out to see if you win.

now it is your turn to participate in summer fest. simply leave your garlic tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating summer fest 2010. as always...its been a blast...

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™ "live a green life of style™ "

do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page & follow me on twitter

to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

want a free cookbook? and a recipe for spicy three chile & carrot salsa

o.k....so you have to read to the end of this post to find out about the free cookbook. first, i must tell you that i am thrilled it is pepper week at summer fest 2010...i love spicy food...love salsa...love chiles!

coincidentally, i made a "csa salsa" this past weekend. my weekly organic vegetable box contained carrots, heirloom tomatoes, white onions and poblano chiles...along with a lot of other items. my jalapeño plant is full of peppers...i had a couple of limes on hand....and i always keep a few tins of chipotle peppers in the pantry as i am addicted to the hot, smoky taste. i had company all weekend and was craving mexican food...thought grilled fish tacos sounded nice...and wanted a new & different topping. in one of those "eureka" moments, i decided to add grated carrots to a salsa that would also use up some of the pepper bounty. guess what? it was delicious. we ate the salsa all weekend...with tortilla chips...on the fish tacos...spooned on top of a frittata i made for sunday brunch...

happily i received the update regarding summer fest 2010...btw, it is continuing until the end of november...soon to transition to "fall fest 2010". when i learned this week was pepper week i knew this would be a perfect choice...especially with the labor day weekend fast approaching. make this. make a lot of this...it keeps for a couple of days and can be used with everything. maybe as a topping for burgers? sandwiches? a side dish with grilled chicken? i think you will find many options. me? i am making another batch...hope there are more carrots in this week's csa box... happy labor day everyone!

csa spicy three chile & carrot salsa
3 large carrots, well scrubbed
1 med white onion, diced
1 fresh poblano chile, seeded and minced
2 fresh jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced
1 canned chipotle chile, seeded and minced
1 tsp to 1 tbsp adobo sauce (from the canned chipotle)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 heirloom tomatoes, seeded and diced
juice 1/2 lime
sea salt

grate the carrots (i use my cuisinart, but a box grater works too). add all ingredients to a medium bowl. (the adobo sauce is very spicy...so start with the tsp measurement to keep it mild...use the full tbsp for a hotter version) stir to combine. refrigerate for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to blend. taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

now...about that free cookbook. remember when i told you that i had a recipe published in a new cookbook thinkfood, recipes for brain fitness? i was thrilled to receive a couple of copies in the mail yesterday. i am featured on page 47!! i have decided to give away a copy...my first ever contest. all you need to do to enter is leave a comment on one of my september 2010 blog posts. tell me in the comments that you would like to be entered in the drawing. i will announce the winner during the first week of october...so be sure to check us out to see if you win. if you absolutely can't wait...and want a copy now... the books will be available through amazon next week. for now, you can buy the cookbooks on the posit science website.

and remember, you can sign up for the free recipe of the week program at any time. click on this link to subscribe....you will get an email each week for 50 weeks highlighting one of the recipes. the recipe of the week pages give blogger tips, info about the blogger, and photos along with all of the recipes.

ok...a salsa recipe just in time for the labor day holiday and the chance to win a free cookbook...good post, right? now it is your turn to participate in summer fest. simply leave your pepper tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating summer fest 2010. as always...its been a blast...

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page& follow me on twitter
to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

ZBKNXP4J78ES

the best tomato sauce in the world? and gott's gazpacho recipe

at long last it is tomato week at summer fest 2010! every year i write about my passion for in-season tomatoes and list a number of recipes. this time i decided to start with a not-really-recipe recipe...and tell you about a couple of tomato experiences that i am still dreaming about...(yes, i do get a bit passionate about tomatoes)

let's start with the "best tomato sauce in the world" story. my husband peter is not one to succumb to hyperbole and "red sauces" for pasta are not his favorite thing. he will eat them...but does not rave about them. last week i was given a huge bowl of cherry tomatoes that were so ripe they had actually split. i was helping a friend cater an event...we were making tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil on skewers appetizers...and 1/2 of the tomatoes were unusable for this dish. score for me. that day was packed with projects and i needed an easy, effortless way to use my unexpected gift. the result? slow roasted tomato sauce...pure magic.

the key to the sauce...and there is no point in making it if you ignore this point...is to use the best, freshest, organically grown tomatoes and best quality ingredients (the ingredients really do make the difference). slow roasting concentrates the flavors and enriches the sweetness. plus, it takes 5 minutes to assemble and then you can pop in the oven and forget about it for hours. there really isn't a recipe...just a very flexible technique. you can use whatever quantity of ingredients you like. here is what i did:

the best tomato sauce in the world
ripe, organically grown, in-season extra sweet cherry tomatoes
sweet onions
garlic
extra virgin olive oil
good quality pure balsamic vinegar
sea salt
black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
fresh basil, torn into pieces

preheat oven to 275 degrees. add tomatoes to a rimmed baking sheet. with a sharp knife, pierce each tomato. ( this will ensure they deflate while roasting as you do not want hot tomato juice exploding in your mouth. since my tomatoes were split, this step was completed for me by mother nature). chop onion and mince garlic and add to the baking sheet. drizzle the e.v.o.o. over the tomatoes...about 6 passes of the bottle. drizzle the balsamic over the vegetables...about 3 passes of the bottle. sprinkle a pinch each of the salt and pepper over the vegetables and place in preheated oven for 2-4 hours. the longer you roast, the sweeter the final result.

prepare pasta according to package directions. when ready to serve, place cooked pasta in a serving dish. pour in the roasted tomato mixture, ensuring you get every drop of the juice. stir into the pasta. add the fresh basil, adjust seasonings if desired and serve with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano.

so back to peter. he took one bite and said..."wow, this is really good". another bite and said "honey...this really, really is delicious". next thing i knew, he was mopping up every bit of sauce with bread. he finished dinner and proclaimed..."that is the best tomato sauce in the world". and the name was born.

my second tomato story of the summer happened last night. i was invited to a "bloggers' dinner" at gott's roadside restaurant. gott's...formally known as taylor's refresher...is a napa institution...serving the best burgers, fries, sandwiches and salads possible. gott's has three locations...two in napa and one at the ferry building in san francisco. this is their story:

all gott's photos courtesy ashley teplin
"since 1999, joel and duncan gott have kept alive a tradition of classic handmade american food. born on a roadside, raised in a ferry building, our family-run kitchen serves up mighty fine eats that draw people from all over. artisanal ingredients in traditional recipes combine for a refreshing take on old favorites. surprising menu special keep hungry customers coming back to see what's next. and carefully chosen beers and wines make eating this good even better. bring your family, friends, or just your big appetite. whether there's two people or twenty ahead of you in line, we'll make it worth your while".
as someone who has stood in line there many, many times...i was thrilled to be invited to the dinner. gott's has taken 2 acres of their st helena property and planted, as garden manager christopher landercasper (landy) told me "over two miles of vegetables if you lined them up in a row". their objective is to exclusively use their own organically farmed produce in their food. this summer they are featuring daily specials with fresh-from-their-garden produce...offerings such as fried zucchini with ranch dip (all herbs from the garden), pesto potato fries and fried green tomatoes.
garden manager christopher landercasper, "landy" photo courtesy ashley teplin
but last night's dinner was all about tomatoes...gott's has over 700 tomato plants and they harvest daily. they are anticipating over a ton a week starting in september! and executive chef rick robinson has been playing around with tomato recipes all summer and created a "round the world tour of bread & tomato" dishes for us. we started with pa amb tomaquet (grilled bread rubbed with garlic & tomatoes and moved on to gazpacho, panzanella, tomato, zucchini & chevre tart, scalloped tomatoes and ended with "southern tomato sandwiches"...chef rick's homage to his north carolina roots...white wonder bread spread with "duke's" a brand of mayo he had shipped from the south for the occasion, thickly cut beefsteak tomatoes, salt and pepper. you know what? it was delicious!

gott's executive chef rick robinson, photo courtesy ashley teplin
if that wasn't enough (it was, but what the heck?) we moved on to burgers...because it is not really gott's without burgers...so beef and vegetarian options were offered...and we ended with fresh-from-the-garden (of course) melons topped with locally made vanilla ice cream. the wine served was spot on (we live in napa after all) and...probably the best touch...the other bloggers are good friends...so perfect weather, terrific friends and delicious, locally grown food....a perfect night all around.

every dish was wonderful...and i have enough notes from the garden tour for numerous stories...so eventually i will post each recipe. today i am starting with the gazpacho because it was my favorite. it was so amazingly good that i urge each of you to go out...gather the ingredients...and begin making this today. i am a gazpacho fan but...as chef rick says "there are a lot of insipid gazpachos out there) ha! my favorite quote of the night....this one is perfect and...if i may be so bold...the best gazpacho in the world...



gott's gazpacho chef rick reports that this "classic cold soup of andalusia features tomatoes and cucumbers from gott's garden, and is thickened with bread in the classic style".
yield- approx 1 gallon

7 lbs ripe, in season tomatoes
1 lb red onion, peeled & chopped
1 lb green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 lb cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1.5 lbs ripe, in season tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 t cayenne
1/8 c + 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1/8 cup + 1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 good quality baguette, two days old, crusts removed and cut into 1" cubes
method-prep work day before:
1. finely chop 7 lbs of tomatoes in cuisinart, mix with 1 tbsp salt and refrigerate overnight in non reactive container (do not use a metal bowl).
2. mix remaining ingredients, and refrigerate overnight in non reactive container.
3. the next day, strain all liquid out of the reserved tomatoes with a sieve or china cap (a conical sieve with an extremely fine mesh) that will allow some pulp, but no seeds and skins through. work to get all juice, then discard pulp, skins and seeds.
4. combine strained tomato liquid with other vegetables and seasonings and blend. (a blender will give better texture than a cuisinart, but either is acceptable.)
5. garnish with some sliced green onions, if you like, or taking it a step further, a little chopped salsa of tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, bell pepper garnished with croutons.
ok...there is my tomato fest post for 2010...hyperbole? maybe...but i think not...try the recipes and let me know what you think in the comments section of this post.

now it is your turn to participate in summer fest. simply leave your tomato tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same...be sure to check out the comments because all of my fellow tomato dinner bloggers will be posting links to their blogs with their gott's story...check them out...i am fortunate to be friends with some amazing writers...

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach

and deb puchalla for coordinating summer fest 2010. as always...its been a blast...

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page
& follow me on twitter

to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

maybe balsamic roasted peaches?

fresh strawberries drizzled with excellent balsamic vinegar...and just a dusting of cracked black pepper...are one of my all time favorite things. just as is...or as the topping for vanilla ice cream...delicious. so i was over-the-moon excited to read a blog post by my twitter friend @lelonopo where she suggested roasting strawberries with balsamic. once of those times where i smacked myself in the head wondering why i never thought to do so. i mean..c'mon...i am the roasting queen...i roast everything in sight....why not strawberries? in balsamic?

well let me tell you...roasting the berries in balsamic is brilliant...just brilliant lelo! they became my go-to dessert during june and july...perfect over ice cream...or pound cake...or served with cookies for dipping in the lovely strawberry/balsamic glaze that is a side benefit of this process. for my last cooking club meeting i made a gluten-free crumb cake (more on that in another post) because one friend is gluten sensitive...and i spooned massive amounts of the strawberries and sauce over the cake and topped with coconut ice cream....delicious! truly one of those dishes where everyone asks for the recipe...and says things like "wow, this one is a keeper" or "please make this again soon" or..."who knew? healthy, yummy and gluten free".

so now it is stone fruit season...and a few weeks ago i thought...if berries work, why not peaches? or apricots? or plums? or (you get the idea). guess what? they work.

it is stone fruit week at summer fest. i started to blog about the peach pie i have been making all summer (a good friend asked me to make the desserts for her wedding this september... gulp!...and they want pies, cobblers and crisps instead of a traditional cake...i have been experimenting all summer) but i decided to wait until after the big day and share the actual recipes, photos, tips and learnings. instead of pie this week...how about the balsamic roasted fruit? easy...effortless...different...delicious. (and, if you can still find them, give the strawberries a try too)

this is one of those no recipe, recipes...you need only three ingredients: the fruit, brown sugar and balsamic. use the best quality you can because you will really taste the difference...organic fruit & sugar, real balsamic vinegar. you don't need the super aged kind...but check the label to ensure it is pure balsamic. it should simply say "contains grape must"...no added sugars or colors or preservatives. i did vary from lelo's recipe in that she used white sugar and i prefer the less sweet (to me at least) taste of brown sugar but you can use whatever you like. i like to sprinkle fresh herbs on the fruit when serving. mint is a natural, but basil has become my favorite. oh, and did i mention any leftovers are delicious on pancakes the next morning? i think i need to start roasting now!

i am always amazed that even though the fruit is roasted for 40 minutes, it holds the shape so well.
balsamic roasted peaches
2 lbs peaches (or any stone fruit), pitted and cut in half
1/4 cup brown sugar*
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

preheat oven to 425 degrees. place prepared fruit in a large mixing bowl. sprinkle sugar over the top. sprinkle the balsamic vinegar over the mixture and gently stir to combine. arrange fruit cut side up on a rimmed baking pan. drizzle any fruit juice over the top and place in preheated oven. roast for 40 minutes. remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. place fruit in serving dish and pour balsamic syrup over each piece. serve warm or at room temperature.

*note, the amount of sugar is approximate depending on how sweet the fruit is and your taste preference. i suggest you taste a piece of the fruit you are going to roast to determine amount of sugar to add. with very sweet white peaches i might only use 1/8 cup sugar. the peaches i used today were not sweet at all and, even though i don't like it too sweet, i needed to use a couple of tablespoons more sugar. experiment to find the finished taste you like and then go from there*

**for the roasted strawberries, use 6 cups whole berries, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tbsp balsamic**

now it is your turn to participate in summer fest. simply leave your stone fruit tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating summer fest 2010...and...happy blogging.

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
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what to make for herbs-beans-and-greens week?

so the instructions for this week's summer fest read "herbs-beans-and-greens week, any one or both/all your choice". way too many choices for me. i have a ton of herbs growing in the garden and have been using them in everything savory and sweet. regular readers know that i am a "bean aficionado"...love them! and greens...what can i say about greens? now take beans, herbs and greens...mix & match and you have a zillion options. try baked beans my way , beans & greens or our garbanzo bean salad for a few examples.

last week i had the pleasure of visiting hudson ranch, the farm that grows the delicious produce found in my weekly csa box. hudson invited all the csa members to a tour of the ranch/farm and then we were asked to stay for dinner. what an amazing experience...and one of those opportunities where i am smacked in the face with the realization of how incredibly fortunate i am to live in this beautiful place called the napa valley. the weather was perfect, the food was amazing, the other csa members were interesting, fun and very passionate about cooking/eating and...most of all, the process of walking through the garden to see the fruit and vegetables that would be added to my csa box that day....to hear about the heirloom varieties & the organic growing principles...to pick & immediately taste peas, beans, corn while standing in the field...this was truly living the "farm to food" experience many of us are seeking. can you tell that i had a blast?



i just want to take a minute to thank our host for the evening, lee hudson, of hudson ranch. lee lead us on the tour and i had the opportunity to spend some time with him asking questions and hearing about his philosophy regarding farming, ranching and wine making. (and thanks so much for the pie dough tips!!) a bit about lee from the hudson ranch website:

"The peaceful, bucolic setting of Hudson Vineyards belies the energy, intensity and passion of proprietor Robert Lee Hudson. Foresight and extraordinary diligence transformed the land into today’s highly esteemed vineyard. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Lee received his B.S. in Horticulture at the University of Arizona. He then worked with the esteemed Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac, in Morey St. Denis, Burgundy; learning that great grapes from hallowed vineyard sites produce truly world class, fine wines. Lee returned to the States to continue his studies in viticulture and enology at University of California at Davis, where many of his classmates are now his clients. Lee searched for property from Santa Barbara to Mendocino, before deciding on the Carneros property, founding Hudson Vineyards in 1981."

photo of lee hudson at hudson ranch
one of the dishes we had at the csa dinner was a white bean puree served with toasted pita crackers. the beans were delicious...subtly flavored with garlic & rosemary and made with fresh beans...so the cooking time was much shorter than if you started with dried. i was inspired to go home and make the puree but could not find the fresh cocoa bianco variety...hopefully they will be in our csa boxes soon...in the interim, i substituted dried heirloom beans. any white bean would work in this recipe...i used runner cannellini beans from rancho gordo. one last tip...hudson ranch did a bit of a rough puree...there was texture and the beans were not completely smooth. i liked it that way...and made mine the same way...but you should puree to the consistency you like. final note...i did not have hudson's recipe...made this one up based on my memory of the taste. if i get their recipe...and there are substantial differences...i will post that one too...enjoy!

white bean puree
8 oz dried white beans such as cannellini, navy or white kidney ( or cocoa bianco if you can find them)

1 two inch sprig of fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 small white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
sea salt
freshly cracked pepper

check beans for small pebbles or other foreign matter...discard and then rinse in cool water. place beans in large stockpot and cover with two inches of water. soak for 4-6 hours.

meanwhile, sauté onion and rosemary in olive oil until soft...do not season. once beans have completed their soaking time add onion mixture to the stockpot. add additional water if needed so that beans are covered with about an inch of liquid. bring to a boil for five minutes and then lower heat to simmer. cook until soft (this can take between 1-3 hours). once beans are soft...season to taste with the sea salt and pepper.

drain beans but keep the soaking liquid. place 1 cup of beans in a food processor (keep the rest for another use). add the garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes and 2 tbsp bean soaking liquid and pulse until you have a smooth paste. season to taste with the sea salt and pepper. add additional soaking liquid if needed to achieve desired consistency. serve with pita chips, crackers and/or a crudités platter. the dip is also really good spread on toast with your favorite sandwich makings.

(note...you notice i did not instruct you to drain the beans after soaking...this is a tip i learned from rancho gordo...a lot of the nutrients are lost when you toss the soaking liquid...and i never notice any difference in the "bean effect")

so there you go...my contribution for this week's summer fest...a recipe with beans & herbs...two out of three isn't too bad. as always...much thanks to margaret roach
and deb puchalla for coordinating summer fest 2010.... and i know i still owe you the grilled corn recipe from last week. soon...i promise!

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page& follow me on twitter

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is it corn week yet?

i just spent the past 5 days in southern california visiting family. we stayed at my sister and brother-in-law's home in seal beach. they live two blocks from the beach and...as i am a so cal beach girl at heart....i spent a great deal of time sitting on the sand thinking, dreaming, planning. i have never found a place where i feel more at peace than at the beach.

now it is tuesday night and i am back in napa and slammed with projects. i have not yet figured out how to have my own business and take time off without suffering the consequences of trying to catch up. i have spent the day filling orders and updating paperwork....not testing corn recipes for week two of summer fest like i had planned. i even had the perfect dish selected....grilled corn with onion spread...kind of like a fresh, organic, delicious onion dip..without all the scary ingredients you typically find in packaged mixes. i have been making it all summer and was all set to make, photograph and blog it....i really am determined to share it with you...so check out my blog this weekend. i adore fresh corn...so two corn posts in a row is ok...right?


a couple of years ago, i posted a recipe for a family favorite... corny corny lena cake... a chocolate cake made with fresh corn. unusual? yes. delicious? of course! i thought i would repost as it is definitely worth repeating. so...here i am posting chocolate vegetable cakes two weeks in a row. zucchini cake last week? chocolate & corn cake this week? think it is time to move away from desserts for a few weeks?

so...check out this post from 2008 to get the background story and the recipe for the lena cake...and please share your favorite corn recipes in the comments section.

as always...much thanks to margaret roachand deb puchalla for coordinating summer fest 2010....
best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page& follow me on twitter
to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...