egg season

As spring draws near the social calender fills up with semi-formal occasions; brunches, baby and wedding showers, Passover and Easter dinners, and graduation celebrations. The events tumble on until we can finally bust outside and start the party outdoors.

With new beginnings as the general theme of spring, my thoughts turn to eggs dishes. Eggs are the universal symbol of rebirth and immortality. They are part of a Seder plate at Passover celebrations and the central motif of Easter baskets. 

I usually start stock piling my egg shells this time of year, carefully blowing them out by pin-pricking each end and forcing out the contents with exerted breaths to preserve the fragile casing for decorative dying. This delicate task becomes monumental as the days to Easter get closer. I hate to have to blow out a large quantity at one shot - as I begin to tire the pin holes get larger and my cheeks begin to ache. The demand for eggs to dye shrinks and swells from year to year with the amount of children gathered in my home for the decorating activities.

This means having on hand a ready supply of recipes that require beaten eggs, to use up all the contents. An artichoke frittata is a simple dish that can be made ahead for a party- chilled, sliced and served as finger food.  Presented tapas style with a dollop of Romesco sauce, you have a perky and very tasty little morsel.

 Serve the frittata in bite sized pieces as a light nibble while sipping wine.

I recently can across this brilliantly blended white wine: Nautique Esprit de Blanc from Peconic Bay Winery on the North Fork of Long Island. The wine has a fresh fruity crisp flavor that is perfectly balanced, complex and fun to drink. It makes a very nice pairing for any spring meal. The jaunty label evokes a brisk breeze on the bay and it you find yourself yachting this spring, the artichoke frittata travels well.  

As a hardcore land lubber I will be sipping my Nautique from the comfort of home as I take a rest from blowing out egg shells, a task that gets me a little hyperventilated.

Artichoke Frittata

2 cups of artichoke hearts- they can be canned or frozen

6 eggs

1/4 parsley, finely minced

salt and pepper to taste

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

•If the artichokes are frozen, run them under warm water till thawed, and then drain. If canned, rinse under cold water and then drain. Chop the artichokes roughly into bite sized pieces. Add salt and pepper to taste.

•In a small bowl combine the eggs and parsley and whisk to combine.

•In a nonstick pan heat the olive oil on a medium flame, add the minced garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.

•Add the artichoke hearts to the pan and stir often, coating the artichokes with the garlic and oil. Continue to saute for about 7-10 minutes till the artichokes begin to get touches of brown spots.

•Lower the flame slightly and add the butter, allow it to melt down through the artichokes to the bottom of the pan

•Spread the artichokes evenly across the pan and pour the egg mixture over them. Allow the eggs to seep through the artichokes without stirring.  Continue to cook on a low even flame and let the egg mixture set. 

•Using a spatula gently push the edges of the frittata towards the center as it is cooking, continuing to allow the egg mixture to seep down through the vegetables. When the frittata seems to be well set on the bottom, get a plate the same size as the pan. Lay the plate on top of the frittata and quickly flip the frittata onto the plate. Gently slide the frittata back into the pan and allow it to cook until the egg is set on the bottom side, for another minute or two. 

•Slide the frittata out of the pan and on to a serving plate. Allow the frittata to cool to room temperature before cutting into small serving sizes. 

Sever 4-8 at room temp.

obsessing

Deborah reports on her trip to Paris...

When it comes to Paris, what can I say?  I obsess. This recent visit  had me completely captivated by Parisian apartment windows. The weather in Paris last week featured a magnificent October heat wave with temperatures in the low 80s. Perfect for wandering around the city and staring up into peoples homes. Not only are Parisian apartment windows over-the-top beautiful with gorgeous glass panes, elaborately lush window boxes and ornately curled iron work, no, not only all of that BUT also, they are unmarred by air conditioners! And even more dazzling for me was to see these magnificent windows thrown wide open to catch the breezes without a single instance of screening or insect netting. Amazing! See for yourself:

 

 Do people really live in these places?

Oh yes, and those awnings, the perfect accent of color. sigh.

The other great Paris obsession is of course food. One of my favorite blogs is Paris Breakfasts, the chronicles of one woman's serious obsession with French Pastry. 

 These simple fruit tarts were irresistible to me.

I like pastry too, but I am more obsessed with the fresh food markets. Last Saturday found me strolling around Paris' Marche d'Aligre, a huge open market teaming with produce and packed with shoppers. 

The garlic just flopped on top of the apples, too much!

Overly stimulated and now totally starving I headed in to the covered market area where you can buy charcutiers and cheeses. I put together a picnic of country pate, goat cheese and a container of artichoke tapanade. To round out the meal we stopped at a boulangerie to pick up a baguette and when they handed it to us it was STILL WARM! Ah heaven, you are Paris.

 

There is no shortage of perfect picnic spots in Paris. Just stroll right up to the river bank and join the rest of the pleasure seekers.

I did not have a kitchen to cook in on my trip, but I want to make that artichoke tapanade. It had a rich earthy flavor that was addictive,  scooped straight up from the container with chunks of that warm baguette. There are no artichokes in the NY farmers markets right now so for a quickie version this is what I am going to do:

Artichoke Tapanade

- Simmer a package of frozen artichoke hearts in some vegetable or chicken stock until tender.
- Drain the artichokes and puree in a food processor with a good glug of extra virgin olive oil.
- Season with salt, pepper and lots of lemon zest.

Bon appetit!

For further obsessive musings on my Paris trip this link is to my husbands blog where I wrote a post about our day at the horse races in the Bois de Boulonge.

a spring braise

Deborah
The fruits and vegetables of Spring are coming at us at long last and I can't keep my hands off them!

This week I have been making a lot of Mediterranean inspired menus, both for myself and for clients. A light braise of tender spring vegetables is perfect this time of year and goes so well with the Moroccan tagines, spiked with preserved lemons, that keep obsessing me. Artichokes, spinach and fava beans make a great combination and really bring the season to the table.

Fresh fava beans are not always easy to find, even when in season. The average supermarket will probably not carry them. I found a bounty at Whole Foods at Union Square yesterday and grabbed them up. A pound of favas in their pods will yield about a cup and a quarter of beans. Not much. The work piles up when in addition to removing the beans from their fleshy pods, they then have to be blanched and skinned. The skinning requires a pinch and a push for every bean. Not difficult, but certainly time consuming.

Is it worth it? Well, the flavor is delicate. Favas are similar in flavor, looks and texture to young fresh lima beans or edamame, and you could substitute either of those for the favas in a recipe. But fresh favas can be considered a delicacy and so I urge you to go for it if you have the opportunity.

I cheated on the artichokes, buying frozen and saving my busy work for the favas. Fresh, tender spinach leaves melt down quickly in this dish and pull all the flavors together.

Artichoke Hearts, Spinach and Fava Beans Braised in White Wine 

1 lb. fava beans in their pods

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 lb. frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted

1 lb. young spinach leaves

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chopped mint

salt and pepper to taste

For the Fava Beans:

Remove the beans from their pods and discard the pods. In boiling salted water, blanch the beans for five minutes, till tender. Strain the beans from the pot and set aside to cool. When the beans are cool enough to handle, gently remove the skin and reserve the beans.

For the Braise:

Heat the oil in a saute pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 6-8 minutes, till the onion is soft. Add the artichoke hearts to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook the artichokes, stirring ocasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add the spinach to the pan and add an extra drizzle of olive oil if the pan seems dry. Stir the spinach until it is coated with oil and the ingredients are combined. Add the white wine and cover the pan. Cook at a low temperature for 6-7 minutes until the spinach has wilted. Add the fava beans and the chopped mint and stir to combine. Cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes till the beans are warmed through.

Serves four.

Amanda
This just might be my dinner tonight! But since it is Book Fair night at the elementary school and time is a factor, I might go for the edamame idea. But I do have one question: If I decided to go with fava beans, and did not take the time to remove the skin, would this negatively affect the outcome of the dish? I have not worked with fava beans before, so just curious...

Artichokes are one of the notorious "difficult-to-pair-with-wine" vegetables. They have a tendency to make wines taste more sweet than they actually are. I have read that adding lemon to the dish and pairing with a wine with high acidity is a good remedy for this problem. So Deb, how do you think adding fresh lemon juice to the braise would affect it?

Going this route would have me adding a little lemon juice (pending Deb's response...) and choosing a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Buy extra, and use the same wine for the braise. The Sancerre region is located in the Loire Valley of France, and the wines are made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. They are bone dry, have racy acidity, and typically have very little oak influence. Winemakers tend to focus on bringing out the best, most pure elements of the Sauvignon Blanc grape as well as the terroir.

Sancerre is typically more expensive than the "everyday" category, but you can easily find great wines in the $15-$20 price range. Pascal Jolivet is a big name in Sancerre, and his wines are very readily available. One of my current favorites, though, is the Domaine Laporte Sancerre ($19.99). It offers zippy acidity combined with wonderful citrus, honey flavors, and a fine minerality.

in the mood

Deborah
I once heard a Mid-Western visitor comment that he did not like the North East landscape, complaining "you can't see anything because of all the trees." At the time I thought what a strange comment. Aren't trees the whole point? But I did appreciate the humor of the image and in fact every winter I look forward to a landscape revealed through the spindly fine lines of bare tree branches.

This weekend I went up to The Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park to hear The Waverly Consort's holiday concert of music from the Middle Ages.  The museum was decked out in holiday mode and the atmosphere was warm & cozy within the heavy stone-faced interior.

The vocal music was heavenly, echoing around the hall. 

I have been making holiday cookies, candies and latkes all month and have many more big festive meals to go. My friend Joann, a wonderful home cook, turned me on to a really tasty appetizer she served us last night from a recipe found in Cooking Light Magazine. The Artichoke and Fennel Caponata was so good, filled with fresh zippy flavor. Cooking Light has very reliable recipes and this one was no exception. It is an addictive treat that won't fill you up. Try it on the IT Crackers from last weeks post. A big batch will go a long way and makes a great condiment on grilled or roasted foods.

Artichoke and Fennel Caponata

 click here for recipe

This delicious caponata is worth a try. The recipe is simple to make and loaded with tangy capers, sweet golden raisins, lemon zest and parsley.

the wine pairing:

Amanda

Beautiful pictures, Deb. I wish I had known about this recipe prior to my big holiday party this past Saturday night, which by the way was a big hit. Lots and lots of food. Passed hot hors d'ouerves with an antipasto table, shrimp cocktail and sushi platters. The Artichoke and Fennel Caponata would have fit right in with the other antipasti.

For occasions such as a holiday bash or informal get together where there are a variety of finger foods such as this caponata, I recommend a crowd-pleasing selection of wines. I had plenty of Pink Prosecco on hand which really contributed nicely to the festive atmosphere. For whites, I had an inexpensive French blend from the Cotes de Gascogne called Domaine Sancet. It's a blend of wonderful white varietals such as Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng and Sauvignon Blanc. Lots of upfront fruit and extremely food friendly. And only $7.99 per bottle! For reds, I had plenty of d'Arenberg Stump Jump Shiraz 2008 to go around. Rated 90 points by The Wine Spectator, this ripe, juicy, fleshy Shiraz retails for around $8.99. These are the types of wines I like to offer at my parties - especially when they are on the larger size and the wallet is an issue. Simple, easy-quaffing juice is what I seek out! I save the more serious, expensive selections for smaller, more intimate gatherings where people are in attendance not only for the food and company, but for the wine as well!

fritters for all

Deborah

This is the weekend I am cooking for the big vegan cocktail party (now grown to 175 guests!) in the Hamptons. The goal of the menu I created was to keep the non-vegans not only happy, but in fact, satisfied. That led me to coming up with a fritter recipe. Who can resist something fried? My client mentioned artichokes and it seemed like a no brainer.

Feeling slightly insecure about how to keep fritters without eggs as a binder from falling apart, I did a little research. Indian cusine was a good source for an eggless fritter and I found a recipe that I could reinterpret with my own ingredients. The key it seems, is in having all your ingredients very dry. This means really squeezing the grated vegetables to get rid of excess water. 

Here is the batter squeezed as dry as possible. Just add enough flour and soy milk to act as a glue.

The technique worked like a charm and I am super happy with my test batch. Light, crispy and with a mild artichoke flavor the fritters held together beautifully! This recipe is a bit laborious but it is a great method to go back to when the occasion calls. It is perfect for vegans, those with egg alergies or when you want to make fritters and are all out of eggs.

These fritters are topped off with an egg-free lemon aioli. I am experimenting with different decorative designs here!

Vegan Artichoke Heart Fritters 

1 large potato

1 small onion

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup cooked artichoke hearts (use canned or frozen)

1 Tbs. chopped Thyme

2 Tbs. whole wheat flour

2 Tbs. soy milk

1/2 cup olive oil or canola oil

-grate potato and onion and squeeze dry

-defrost peas and squeeze dry

-mash together potatoes and peas in a large bowl

-chop up artichokes and squeeze dry, add to bowl

-mix vegetables together and add the chopped thyme

-gradualy add the flour and soy milk, making sure the mixture stays sticky and not too loose

-heat oil in a pan

-form small patties by the tablespoon and drop into the hot oil

-fry the fritters slowly, about 4 minutes on one side, so they don’t break, turn and fry 2 more minutes till golden

-remove from pan, sprinkle with salt and serve with eggless aoili

makes about 25 fritters

 Eggless Lemon Aioli

1 cup eggless mayonaise

1 lemon, juice and zest

2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

Wisk all ingredients together and serve with the fritters

Amanda
Sounds like you definitely have your work cut out for you with this cocktail party! But the challenge seems fun and interesting (probably because I'm not the one creating it...). I hope you will let us know how the party goes! And also what else you have on the menu...

Artichokes are one of those tricky vegetables to pair with wine. This doesn't mean that there are no options. Here they are fried -and I would consider this important characteristic when deciding what wine to pair with it. Plus, this is a cocktail party, so you want all-around versatile, food-friendly wines. And, with the large number of attendees, look towards inexpensive, everyday wines.

Immediately, these fritters make me think of light, crisp whites with good acidity. Fried foods tend to pair very well with wines with these qualities. Choose a California sparkler, Prosecco, Gruner Veltliner, Albarino, or Sauvignon Blanc and you won't be disappointed. All of these options will also be wonderful with the Eggless Lemon Aioli as well. Artichokes tend to impart a "sweetness" to white wines, so make sure you choose something very dry. (all of the aforementioned wines are dry...)

Caposaldo Prosecco is one of my current fave's in sparkling wines. I have it on hand all summer long and it is my "go to" bottle to bring to friends' homes. It never disappoints! Everyone loves it, and with it's inherent festivity (it is "bubbly" after all...) Prosecco makes a perfect addition to a cocktail gathering. ($11.99)

Albarino's high acidity makes it a perfect match for fried foods, and it's lean, clean, dry characteristics will work well with the artichokes.

Every party must include reds as well. For a vegan party in particular, I would go with something simple, light and fruity. I'm guessing most of the food will be on the lighter side, and a big, complex wine would only serve to overpower the hors d'oeuvres. Choose an inexpensive Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais Villages. Both of these can be served with a slight chill which is perfect for these hot summer days. Chilled Beaujolais Village in particular makes a great aperitif! And, it's extremely affordable. We just received the 2009 and it is on sale for only $8.99.

green on green

Deborah

Last night my book group converged on my home to discuss Richard Yates' novel Cold Spring Harbor. Yates also wrote Revolutionary Road and his themes of American angst and domestic unease always suit our group. We are rabid readers of classic fiction and combine our literary passion with lots of eating and wine drinking.

Some times our literary passions get the better of us. A casualty of the table.

Freshly picked flowers from the garden contributed to the Springtime mood of the evening.

Our book discussions are conducted over dinner and they are the highlight of my month. I t is especially fun when it is my turn to host. Spring weather was on the menu. I put fresh greens and herbs into every dish. My trip to Union Square Green Market earlier in the week resulted in armloads of mixed greens and lettuces. I made a braise of artichoke hearts, edamame and peas with a splash of white wine and a large handful of pea shoots. 

Braised Artichoke Hearts with Edamame and Peas

I found a vendor who sold beautiful loose mixed baby greens and I quickly filled a large bag. All I needed to do was heat some olive oil in a saute pan, I then added garlic cloves and chile peppers, cooked garlic till golden, added about a two inch piece of peeled ginger sliced, and then the greens, still a bit wet from being washed. They cooked down to a tender wilt in about three minutes.

Spicy Greens with Ginger

These two simple dishes really highlighted what is best at the farmer's markets right now. Young fresh  greens can go into everything, they cook quickly and are good for you!

Wine pairing, however, may be a challenge. Amanda, What would you serve?

Amanda
Yes, the wine pairing would be a little challenging. But we could definitely make it work! For the first dish, be sure to stay with something bright and crisp with good acidity. Artichokes are one of those "difficult" vegetables to pair with wine, but I wouldn't say impossible. First, out of curiousity, how long did you braise the veggies? Just wondering how long you needed to let the artichokes cook. I don't have a whole lot of experience preparing them - but I love them!


A nice clean Sauvignon Blanc, or crisp Albarino would do the trick here. Something "zippy" would work well. You could even use the same wine for the braising. These wines are fresh, and I think the crisp, lively quality of these wines would be a great complement to this light, warm-weather dish.


Now, a question about the greens - what type of greens were in the mix? They do look beautiful! But these aren't salad greens, correct? I would think those wouldn't stand up to sauteeing? These look more like swiss chard or collard greens? I can't tell exactly what they are from the picture. Just curious.


Again, for this light dish I would stick with white. Something from Alsace, France would be my first choice. Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris or Riesling would all work well. Whenever I think of ginger, I consider these wine options. Definitely stick with something "dry" for this recipe. Zind-Humbrecht is one of my favorite Alsace producers, and makes many wonderful wines. Their Gewurztraminer is to die for, as are most of their gems! Hugel et fils is another producer to look for, and they have an affordable line-up as well.