Romesco Sauce Over Sweet Potatoes with Grilled Salmon

One of the best things about traveling is indulging in the the local food, and the lasting memories these foods create. While visiting Barcelona a few years back I was first introduced to romesco sauce. Romesco sauce is a classic sauce from Catalonia, northeastern Spain, generally made from a ground mixture of tomatoes, red bell peppers, onion, garlic, almonds, and olive oil. Almonds play a generous and key role in this delightful sauce, which is usually served with grilled fish or poultry but can also be used as a condiment or a dip.

In the Wall Street Journal this week, adapted from Mason Hereford’s recipe, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chipolte Romesco, Feta, and Basil was featured. This romesco sauce is the best I have ever had. It is a twist on romesco sauce using chipotle peppers instead of traditional roasted red peppers. So simple to make and the spicy, smoky romesco sauce dolloped over roasted sweet potatoes is a stroke of perfection. A simple grilled salmon with a pinch of chili lime salt rounded out a sensational weeknight dinner. Yum! Yum!

Please share your favorite food memory from traveling. Remember when Julia Child had just landed on French soil and had her first lunch of Sole Meunière which made her fall in love with French cuisine, totally changed her life, and she in turn totally changed our lives and our way of eating?

Bon Appétit, Bon Weekend, et Bon Easter….Bonnie

Side by Side, Bibb Lettuce Salads with Persimmons and Candied Pecans

Would you like to know a perfect holiday salad, easy, and elegant for your holiday gatherings? It is “Bibb Lettuce Salad with Persimmons and Candied Pecans.” It is chock full of fresh seasonal ingredients like cranberries, Fuyu persimmons, and pecans.

Visually, a treat for your table. Healthy and good for you. It is what I call a composed salad, which is layered with a drizzled dressing on top, rather than tossed all together. You can make this salad ahead of time on individual salad plates or on large serving platters. It has different textures of crunch and softness, and sweetness from the cranberry dressing and candied pecans that stand up well to the tang of bold crumbled blue cheese. Your family and guests will love this salad!

Bibb Lettuce Salad with Persimmons and Candied Pecans

Lovingly Adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine, December 2005

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce (purchased or homemade)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon golden brown sugar

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 heads of Bibb lettuce, coarsely torn

4 Fuyu persimmons, peeled, sliced

1 cup (generous) crumbled blue cheese

Candied Pecans

Directions:

-Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper.

-Mound lettuce in center of 8 plates. Top each with persimmon slices, then drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and Candied Pecans.

Recipe Note: I often substitute Bibb Lettuce with a Baby Spinach & Green Lettuce Mix, or when I can find it, a Baby Red Butter Lettuce. Trader Joe’s carries a ready-made Candied Pecans 5 oz. bag, perfect for salads or snacking.

If you make this salad, please share with me your comments. I would love to hear from you!

Another Related Post:

Beet & Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Heavenly Pumpkin Maple Cornbread

I have to share this delightful Pumpkin Maple Cornbread with you in case you missed it in The New York Times. I knew, just by first reading it, was going to be fabulous. Sweetened with brown sugar and maple syrup, moist and rich, this is not your typical cornbread. In fact, it is so versatile, it could be a fall breakfast sweet, a Thanksgiving side, or just a satisfying snack. Easy to make, and one I am sure you will keep in your seasonal fall recipes.

Pumpkin Maple Cornbread

Lovingly Adapted from Samantha Seneviratne

Published in The New York Times

Ingredients:

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for greasing the pan.

1 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg

¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin purée

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons maple syrup, divided

¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter the parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In a large bowl, whisk together ½ cup melted butter, the egg, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, buttermilk, and ½ cup maple syrup. Fold in the dry ingredients. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and smooth out the top.

Top evenly with the pumpkin seeds. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup.

Transfer bread in the pan to a wire rack. While the bread is still warm, brush the entire surface with the butter-maple mixture. Remove the cornbread from the pan using the overhanging parchment, and cut cornbread into pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 9-12 servings. Recipe Note: Be sure and use finely ground cornmeal, and real maple syrup for this recipe.

Pumpkin Maple Cornbread Just Out of the Oven Cooling

More Related Links:

Curried Pumpkin Hummus

Home-Grown Pumpkins

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Vintage Tray Proudly Holds Autumn Splendor

A couple of years ago I gave a tablescaping workshop for one of my garden clubs. I thought it would be fun to revisit my notes and handout and share these with you. This is the time of year when we start thinking about the holidays, gathering closer our families, more entertaining, and heightening of our home decorating.

First, think about the basics of tablescaping. Second, don’t be afraid to mix faux and real. Third, use what you love. Fourth, when decorating, choose objects and pieces that can easily transition from fall to holiday (see some ideas below). Fifth, can I use the “beauty and function” principle, will it be beautiful as well as useful in my space.

Here are some of my ideas and suggestions to get you started.

Tablescaping Ideas

“Simplicity is the best elegance.” Tablescaping is the art of decorating your table with your personal signature, and for the pleasure of sharing and bring joy to others.

Elegant Holiday Tablescape. White. Gold. Monogram China. Pearl Napkin Rings. Rosebud Centerpieces.

Basics:

Know and start with your style. Classic, Country, Eclectic, Modern, Rustic, Traditional, etc.

Find your theme. What do you collect, what do you love.

What types of pieces can bring interest to your table and hold materials.  Baskets, Brass, Ceramics, Copper, Crystal, Ironstone, Mercury Glass, Pewter, Silver, Transferware, Wood Pieces, etc.

Use pieces that can do double duty and easily transition autumn into holiday.  Antlers, Burlap and Burlap Ribbon is your best friend, Magnolia Leaves, Whole Nuts, Moss, Tabletop Topiaries, Pomegranates, Pinecones, Silver, White Pumpkins.

What is your color palette, and color accents?  Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Gold, Neutral, Pastels, Red, etc.

Use what you have. What is in your garden and on your property? What might your neighbor share with you? What have you collected over the years? What do you have which can be re-purposed?

Include an element for a pleasant surprise. Something unexpected that might evoke a smile.

Keep in mind your intention, menu and presentation of food. Buffet style, formal sit down, or simply a pretty vignette that creates a mood. Elevate serving pieces when using buffet style.

Step-by-Step Flow

1)    Place your tablecloth, table runner, antique shawl, etc. on your flat surface. Select neutrals easily carry into different seasons.

2)    Place your desired theme or objects in place.

3)    Start layering your tablescape by filling your theme.

4)    Continue to layer with smaller objects.

5)    Add accent color, glitter, and glow.

6)    Remember simplicity, and less is sometimes more.

7)    Transitioning from autumn to holiday is as simple as using neutral table runners, tablecloths, and pieces that double duty. Take out autumn pieces that don’t, and add in your favorite holiday choices.

Autumn Suggestions

Setting the Mood. Carolyn Roehm says “Texture is the preeminent design feature in fall.” Fall is all about abundance and warm tones.

Branches

Eucalyptus branches and berries, Dried Kiwi Vines, Lemon leaves, Grapevines, Magnolia Branches and Leaves, Olive Tree Branches, Smoke Tree Burgundy, Pink Pepperberry Stems, Pyracanthus Branches and Berries.

Foliage

Acacia, Cypress, Dried Leaves, Juniper, Privet and Berries.

Flowers

Dahlias, Chrysanthemums, Ornamental Millet, Roses and Rose Hips, Sunflowers.

Dried

Bark Pieces, Indian Ornamental Corn, Ornamental Grasses, Hydrangeas, Seedpods, Wheat. 

Fruit

Apples, Clementine, Figs, Kumquats, Oranges, Pears, Passion Fruit, Persimmons, Pomegranates.

Nuts

Chestnuts, Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Macadamia Nuts.

Gourds, Pumpkins, Squash

All kinds, colors, and shapes.

Miscellaneous

Antlers, Baskets, Burlap Material & Ribbon, Candles, Copper Pieces, Feathers, Plaid Material & Ribbon, Pine Cones, Silver.

Holiday Table Ready for Tea

Holiday Suggestions

Setting the Mood. Holidays are about anticipation, celebration, glow, glitter, heartfelt giving, and joy.

Foliage

Boxwood, Juniper, Magnolia Branches, Tabletop Topiaries, Pine Branches, Privet Branches,

Flowers & Bulbs

Amaryllis, Dusty Miller, Paper whites, Poinsettias, Star Hydrangeas, White Chrysanthemums.

Fruits

Whole Cranberries, Dried Pomegranates, Oranges.

Nuts

Chestnuts, Hazelnuts, Walnuts.

Objects:

Beeswax Candles and Figurines, Candles, Crowns, Ornaments, Santos, Strands of Pearls.

Pine Cones

Natural, Colored, Glittered.

I would love to hear how you decorate for fall into the holidays, and your favorite tablescaping ideas. Please share.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

The Floral Palette Shop on Girard Street in La Jolla

From time to time I write about “Places to Know” around San Diego County which are special. I was not familiar with The Floral Palette until a dear friend highly recommended I stop in and explore their original Rancho Santa Fe location at 16089 San Dieguito Road, Suite H101. Recently, owner, Natalie Maxwell has opened a second location at 7643 Girard Ave. Suite B in La Jolla. Both locations are closed on Sundays.

If you are not familiar with The Floral Palette, I would like to introduce you to it now. The flower arrangements are stunning, fresh, and very creative. Besides flowers, it is quite an extraordinary gift shop with areas that cover culinary, entertaining, holidays, accessories, baby, and much more. Both shops are expansive and beautifully merchandised, it really is a dilemma narrowing what to buy for your special someone or yourself!

The Floral Palette, La Jolla Location.

In the Floral Palette La Jolla location, there is an honest to goodness mouth-watering “Patisserie” in the back for coffee, croissants, Paris-oriented patisseries, and breads.

The Floral Palette, La Jolla, Surprise Patisserie in Back

I could go on and on raving about The Floral Palette, but the best thing is to check it out for yourself, whether the Rancho Santa Fe or La Jolla location is more convenient. Better yet invite a friend, or a loved one and make an adventure out of it.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Simple Autumn Tablescape

Not all pumpkins are orange, some are silver. Meaning use what you have. Borrowing the phrase from a Christmas card I received one year, “If you love what you have, you have everything.”

I created this simple autumn tablescape using one of my black and white tablecloths, choosing white dinnerware and napkins to match, finding tawny russet candles in my closet, looking for colored dollies in my drawer but finding forgotten beautiful autumn leaf dollies instead, adding a black ribbon to my vintage candlesticks, bringing out my little prized silver pumpkin that illuminates at night, and buying two Wee Bee pumpkins at the market. Simple, yet it creates a playful seasonal ambience that is perfect for everyday autumn, or could be further embellished for that very special harvest dinner or Halloween evening.

We all use the term “tablescape” effortlessly these days, and many of you I am sure are wiz’s at your own creative tablescapes. According to Wikipedia, tablescaping was first mentioned by television Chef Sandra Lee in 2003, so the term is less than twenty years old. Tablescaping is an example of a term called portmanteau, which is a word that blends the sounds and meanings of two words. In this case, “tablescaping” is a combining of table and landscape. Another example of a portmanteau would be combining breakfast and lunch to make “brunch.” An alternative definition of portmanteau is a large suitcase or trunk, usually leather, and able to open in two equal parts. So you can see easily where the term comes from.

I tend to decorate my four seasons and tablescapes with objects from the garden that are natural such as flowers, gourds, pumpkins, pinecones, greenery, magnolia branches, etc. It is hard to beat the beauty of mother nature. I also have saved treasures that I have bought over the years, or cherished gifts given to me by friends and family that can add a special charm.

Tablescaping is fun and creative for all to enjoy. Think of what you have, besides what you might need, and how you can create a truly amazing beautiful table. Think along the lines of color, texture, surprise, and of course, season. A beautiful seasonal tablescape heightens a room, your dining experience, and makes fond memories.

Lucky Pumpkins

Please share your favorite autumn tablescape ideas!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Polished and Ready Jam Copper Pot

Copper pots and pans are one of the essentials in a French Country Kitchen, not only for their glowing beauty, but fine functionality. Copper conducts heat very well, cooks food evenly, cools quickly, and will last forever when properly cared for. Most copper pots are tin-lined, and eventually this tin lining wears out with use, and the piece should be re-tinned by a retinning specialist. Be aware that tin melts at 450 F. degrees, so cooking in tin lined copper pots should be below that temperature. Confiture or jam making copper pots don’t need to be lined, since there’s enough sugar in jam to prevent the fruit acids from reacting with the metal. Always cook your fruit and sugar together, never cook fruit alone in a copper pot. Copper mixing bowls often aren’t lined as well, especially those intended for beating egg whites.

Some people like to keep the aged copper penny patina, and others like their copper bright and polished. It is a personal preference. Wrights Copper Cream is a good commercial copper cleaner. An old standby recipe to clean copper is mix 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup cup flour and enough white distilled vinegar to make a thick paste, use a soft cloth to rub the paste on the surface of the copper. Buff the copper pan until it shines. Rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly. Over time your piece will begin to tarnish, and you simply repeat the process again.

You can find new pieces online easily, or if you favor the hunt, search out wonderful pieces at French flea markets. It is usually the vintage, well-worn patina pieces with a history of their own, that are the best treasures to find. I can’t tell you how many copper jam pots I passed up over the years in France. I simply didn’t have immediate needs to be able to ship it home, it was generally took bulky to carry, and I didn’t want to risk damaging a piece checked in my baggage in my cross Atlantic travels.

The universe works in wonderful ways. Recently I was helping my Mom and Dad clean and organize their downstairs kitchenette. What was tucked away in one of the cabinets, was this beauty, a huge confiture copper pot—big enough to hold all of your fruit and sugar for making jam at one time. My Mom gave it to me, and I did get it home safely in my luggage. It is special to me for sentimental reasons, coming from my Mom and her kitchen in Europe, and now passed on to me. It was like finding a diamond in the rough, and fulfilling the dream to have one and display it in my home.

Copper Jam Pot Washed and Ready to Polish

Some Related Copper Websites:

Mauviel

Williams Sonoma

Elsie Green

The Cooks Atelier

East Coast Retinning

Nicholas Retinning, (No Website), 4641 Telegraph Road, L.A., CA 90022, (tel) (323) 263-0028, Est. 1965.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Miss Maggie’s Kitchen Salad Recipe

Last week I mentioned I would share the recipes from my previous blog post, End of Summer Lunch. I’ve written before about Héloïse Brion of Miss Maggie’s Kitchen, and her cookbook, and even the original winter version of this salad recipe. It is a bright composed salad that lends itself to seasonal variations easily. A composed salad is generally creating an individual salad usually in layers on each salad plate and drizzling the dressing over the top of each salad, versus creating one large salad in a bowl and tossing everything together.

Where you have pear and endive in the winter, you can have mixed summer greens and ripe peaches in late summer. The dressing is simply sauteed shallots in a little olive oil with warmed chopped pecans and almonds, placed over your bed of greens. Slice your desired seasonal fruit and place on one side, slice and place your burrata cheese on the other. Mix juice of one lemon and one tablespoon of honey, add salt and pepper and spoon over each salad. It is a simple salad with big flavor. Use the freshest and finest seasonal ingredients you can.

This salad has it all. You have your fat with the olive oil, nuts, and cheese. You have acid with your lemon juice. You have a hint of sweetness with your honey and fruit. You experience different textures throughout the salad when eating.

Dorie Greenspan’s Goat Cheese and Fig Quick Bread

This is a great recipe for entertaining, and for apéro hour. It is a cinch to make like a banana bread, with no yeast, kneading, waiting, etc. It is a quick savory bread that really captures many of the essential flavors of Provence and the Mediterranean. When I first read this recipe I knew it was going to be really good! How can you go wrong with goat cheese, dried figs, honey, olive oil, fresh herbs, and even citrus zest. It gets better, Dorie Greenspan suggests that you can easily substitute ingredients such as dried tomatoes instead of figs, different neutral oils, different cheeses, basil instead of parsley, and lemon instead of orange. She also suggests serving it warm and in thick slices. Heaven!

Goat Cheese and Fig Quick Bread

Lovingly Adapted from Dorie Greenspan for New York Times Cooking

Ingredients:

butter

4 ounces very cold soft goat cheese

4-6 moist plump dried figs, such as Mission, cut 1/4-inch pieces

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 large eggs at room temperature

1/3 cup whole milk lukewarm

1/3 cup olive oil or another neutral oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 clementine or 1/2 tangerine zest

Directions:

1) Center a rack in the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8 to 9-inch loaf baking pan with butter.

2) Cut the goat cheese into 1/2-inch pieces. It can be messy, and sticky, so don’t worry. Keep in refrigerator until needed.

3) In a small bowl, toss together the figs, parsley, rosemary, and thyme; set aside.

4) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Working in a different medium bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the milk, oil, and honey.

5) Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture, and using a sturdy spatula, stir until the dough is almost blended. You’ll still see some streaks of flour, and that is okay. Scatter the fig and herb mixture over the dough, and then cover with the chilled bits of goat cheese. Grate the zest of the clementine or tangerine over the cheese. Using as few strokes as possible, stir everything together. Once again, it might not look perfect, and once again that is fine. Scrape the dough into the baking pan, and use the spatula to poke the dough into the corners, and to even out bumpy top.

6) Bake for 34 to 38 minutes, or until the top is golden, the bread has started to pull away from the sides of the pan, and a tester or toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes clean. Unmold the bread onto a rack, turn it right side up and let cool. Wrapped well, the bread will keep for a day or two at room temperature. Time: 50 minutes. Yield: 8 servings.

Mixing the Fig and Herb Mixture Into the Dough Before Baking

Dessert is light with fresh seasonal berries topped with vanilla mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone is a light, slightly sweet Italian cheese that is easily spreadable for toast and bagels, and also used in desserts. To make vanilla mascarpone cheese simply combine well 8 ounces mascarpone cheese with a heaping tablespoon of sugar and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Place a dollop on top of your berries, and add a bit of Demerara sugar for glisten. Enjoy!

Fresh Seasonal Berries Dressed With Vanilla Mascarpone Cheese

Related Post Links:

End of Summer Lunch

Miss Maggie’s Kitchen

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…..Bonnie