Nettle Pasta with English Peas and Spring Garlic

 Spring is here and along with it more exciting produce at the farmer's market! I think ripe peach and nectarine season is still my favorite but there is something pretty darn thrilling about the market expanding beyond chard and apples come springtime (not that I don't love both those items). I had no idea what I was going to do with what I found but I couldn't resist getting all of it - I found a big bag of stinging nettles, super sweet english peas and beautiful stalks of fresh spring garlic - the rest was history. As I walked back from the farmer's market I popped into the local grocery and picked up some nice ricotta from Bellwether Farms to compliment my pasta and add a little creamy goodness. Scroll on down for my little throw together recipe.

At Balboa Park, San Diego

Oh yeah, and I topped it with a fried egg so the yolk would add to the sauciness. Mmm

Carnitas Snack Shack, San Diego

Carnitas Snack Shack, San Diego

Balboa Park, San Diego

Chez-Inspiration - Tartine aux Herbes

After visiting Cambria, on the central coast of California, I headed homeward to LA. On my first full day back in the city we went to the Hollywood farmer's market for a little sensory overload. We perused the beautiful summer produce, dodged the meandering shoppers and sought moments of respite in the shade (usually near a picturesque trash can).

Jumping out of vacation and back to Bay Area life for a moment, I had the pleasure of getting a glimpse at the Chez Panisse 40th Anniversary celebration this past weekend at the Berkeley Art Museum. In honor of Alice Waters and her Chez-vision I whipped up my version of one of the dishes at the celebration - a tartine with herbed ricotta and radishes.

To make: I went out to our little renegade herb garden that we have on the fire escape (this is San Francisco and thus, that constitutes a garden) and picked away. I came inside with chives, oregano and thyme. I chopped the herbs and threw them in with about 1 cup of ricotta cheese. I added in a little bit of lemon zest and a sprinkling of sea salt. Once everything was nicely combined I made some toast, shmeared on my ricotta mixture and finished it off with some thinly sliced radishes.

Hollywood Farmer's Market

Alemany Farmer's Market and Candied Citrus

I have been wanting to go to the Alemany farmer's market for quite a while -- technically I have kind of already been there . . . I made a big to-do a about going a few months ago; we got on the freeway, went in circles around Bayshore drive, eventually found where it was supposed to be, sat in line for a parking space for around a half an hour, got out of the car full of excitement ANDDDDD realized that the farmer's market happens on Saturdays. It was Sunday. Flea market day. And this brings us to my first actual trip to the Alermany farmer's market.

It seems everyone compares the Alemany market to the Ferry Market , so I'll spare you the comparisons and say that I thoroughly enjoyed the Alemany market.

Among the many treasures at Alemany, I found mandarinquats - a citrus I bought simply because I had never heard of it before. I love to eat cumquats whole, but the lovely citrus man advised that I either candy the 'quats or use them in drinks.

I was feeling a bit lazy so instead of using the 'quats in some sort of suped up drink I opened a bottle of wine and decided to candy the fruit. I made a simple syrup (1 part water, 2 parts sugar) and brought it to a boil. Once boiling I threw in my thickly sliced mandarinquats, brought it to a boil and then lowered the heat and let it simmer for 20 or 30 minutes (until translucent). I poured the candied 'quats in a jar and voila! (I later used some of the citrus-infused syrup in a drink with a little gin and tonic - mmm, and you could garnish with a slice of 'quat!)

Having never heard of mandarinquats, I poked around on the internet and found that Chez Pim has chronicled her own 'quat candying adventures - to read her tale click here. 

Sweet Corn Soup with Fresh Crab

My favorite corn man at the farmer's market still had some end of the season sweet corn so I couldn't resist buying more ears than I could eat. I am not always a soup person (I didn't like the texture when I was little, it has grown on me though) but it just sounded like the perfect meal to compliment the fall crispness in the air.
To make (adapted from Bon Appetit's Summer Corn Soup recipe . . . what isn't helped by the addition of bacon?):

• Roast two poblano chile's over an open flame and once they are uniformly charred/cooked and then pop them into a paper bag and fold the bag to close. Set aside.
• Shuck three or four ears of corn and cut the kernels off.

• Break the cobs in half and toss them into a pot with 3 cups of milk, a couple sprigs of fresh thyme, two bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring just to a boil then reduce and let simmer for 5 before turning off. Set aside.

• In a separate pan drop a tablespoon of butter and saute chopped bacon (about 1/2 cup).
• Once browned, add in 2 diced carrots, 1 diced onion, 3 cloves chopped garlic and the majority of your reserved corn kernels (I saved some for garnish - they were delicious raw). Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the carrot is tender.

• Remove your poblanos from the paper bag and just rub off the charred skin (it should slide right off). Cut off the stem and remove the seeds then chop up the meaty goodness.
• Add the milk mixture in with the vegetables along with a handful of cilantro, 2 cups of water and your chopped poblanos. Once again, season to taste, if necessary (bacon = salt). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minute
• Remove the corn cobs and bay leaves then place everything in a blender and give it a zap (to your preference - chunky to silky).
• I finished by putting a big lump of crab meat on top along with some fresh sliced avocado, a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkling of raw corn kernels (& cilantro! - i put it on everything).

I served the soup with sliced radishes and fresh baked biscuits. I am completely biased, being the maker, but I will definitely make this again. One of my favorite homemade meals of late.

6.26.10

Love CUESA's "Iron-Chef" competitions, almost as much as a bag of tasty chicken heads.

Homemade Saturday night dinner: seared ono with avocado, mango, and corn salsa served with 'forbidden' rice.

6.10.10

Heirloom tomatoes at the Crocker Galleria farmer's market.