The apple orchard and a savory squash, apple and quinoa crumble

It had been raining all day on our last day in Vermont. I loved the grey skies and how they brought out the intensity of the colors. Before heading home, Nadia had one more stop planned for us. We were to visit her good friend's orchards. It was the pinnacle of our trip. A farm filled with apple and plum trees, grape vines, raspberry bushes, horses and so much more we didn't get to see.

As soon as we arrived, the skies turned bright blue, clouds dissipated, leaving us with a beautiful summer-like afternoon. I knew how excited the kids would be to pick fruit right off the tree.



The orchard provides much more fruit than the family can consume and Nadia goes often to pick whatever they do not want. "Will they mind if we take some home with us?" I asked feeling a bit shy about taking from someone else's orchard. "Believe me, they are happy we are picking it" she replied.

So we went at it.

There were so many different varieties of apples. The intense dark plum skin on some really drew my attention. I had never seen apples quite that dark. Inside the flesh was white with streaks of pink. Absolutely gorgeous. Do you know which variety that might be?

We loaded a box with apples and plums that we brought back home with us. My mom made vanilla bean, cinnamon and lemon-flavored apple and plum jam as soon as we returned, which she is still enjoying every morning for breakfast.



Needless to say, I cooked a lot with apples last week. One of my favorites, this savory red kuri squash, apple and quinoa crumble with goat cheese, sage and parsley. We ate it with a green salad. It was lovely.

For dessert, one of my childhood favorites that is included in my upcoming cookbook. Gluten and dairy free vanilla and cardamom flavored natillas with sauteed apples. Natilla is a light custard that we grew up eating. My grandmother made it perfectly every time with raw milk and cinnamon. Always makes me think of her.



You can see Nadia's post with images from our visit on her blog. So beautiful.

Red kuri squash, apple and quinoa crumble

serves 4 to 6

Crumble topping

1/2 cup (70 g) superfine brown rice flour
1/2 cup (70 g) quinoa flour
1/2 cup (70 g) cold cooked quinoa
1/2 ounce (15 g) finely grated Idiazabal or Manchego cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil

In a bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients. Add olive oil and stir until a sand-like crumble forms.

Chill the crumble while preparing the filling.

Filling

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium leek, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium red kuri or hokkaido squash, peeled and diced (about 3 cups diced)
1 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
3 sage leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 medium Gala apples, peeled and diced
3/4 cup (185 ml) chicken stock
1 ounce (30 g) goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 400F (200C)

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until tender, but not browned. Add the squash, parsley, sage, salt, pepper, and coriander. Increase heat to medium high and stir. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken stock and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook another 5 minutes until soft but not mushy.

Transfer the filling to a greased baking dish or individual over-proof bowls. Top with the crumble.

Bake the crumble until topping golden and filing bubbling, about 30 to 40 minutes for a larger dish and 20 minutes for individuals. Serve warm.

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I Leave Them with Cookies and Milk

Today I leave for France where I will be teaching a 4-day food styling and photography workshop in the dream-like background of the Dordogne region.

Our workshop will be held at this amazing manoir. Can you guys believe this place? I cannot wait to swim in this pool. The weather is expected to be beautiful. We couldn't ask for better conditions.

However, this is the first time I will be traveling without my babies. It will feel strange not to have them with me. "I want to come with you amatxu" Jon said to me this morning when I drove him to school. He will be quite the traveler one day.



My parents are here taking care of the children while I'm away and C. works.

I baked lots of goodies for them this week. Chocolate and apple muffins, rice and coconut milk puddings with sauteed apples, red currant shortbreads, and multigrain chocolate and hazelnut cookies with a touch of sea salt. I left some of the cookie dough in the freezer for this next week, in case there are unexpected cravings. Are cravings ever unexpected anyway?

I promised them they could have cookies and milk everyday after school. It caused quite the excitement.



So I am off for now.

I will be back in a few days hopefully with photos from our workshop, Dordogne, and from a day in Paris.

Be good and see you soon!

Multigrain Chocolate and Hazelnut Cookies

Makes 20 cookies

2 oz (55 g) hazelnuts
8 Tbs (110 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (110 g) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) natural cane sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
3/4 cup (105 g) superfine brown rice flour
1/4 cup (35 g) teff flour
1/4 cup (35 g) quinoa flour
1/4 cup (35 g) amaranth flour
1/4 cup (30 g) tapioca starch
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 oz (85 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or mini chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Bake the hazelnuts for 7 minutes. Remove them from oven and transfer them to a clean kitchen towel. Rub the hazelnuts against the towel to remove their skins. Let them cool and roughly chop them. Reserve.

In the bowl of a stand mixer on medium high speed, mix the butter, brown sugar, and natural cane sugar with the paddle attachment until light, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and egg and mix until combined.

Whisk together the superfine brown rice flour, teff flour, quinoa flour, amaranth flour, tapioca starch, salt, and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture. Mix on medium speed until dough comes together. Add the chopped hazelnuts and chocolate. Mix to combine.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment and roll into a log that is approximately 2 inches in diameter and 13 inches long. Chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

Cut the cookie dough into 1/2 inch disks. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or silicon mat. Space them 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Remove from oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before picking them up.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

The dough can also be frozen tightly wrapped for up to 3 months.

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The Manuscript and the Scones that Will Take Us Home

"I feel like I am forgetting something" I emailed my agent Judy on Thursday. I had just submitted the manuscript for my cookbook to my editor. It was time to celebrate, yet I felt as anxious as ever. "Yes, you forgot to celebrate!" she wrote back. I laughed.



So true.



After months of working on this manuscript as if it were my third child, I am done. I have created it, now it's in someone else's hands. Of course there will be revisions and edits, but the recipes are set, the images captured, and the stories told. And here is a small sample of the images you will find in it.







These props will finally have a home and some order.



C. will thank me.



I am looking forward to the promise of time off with my family back in the Basque Country. I am ready to relax, cook with my mom, drive along the coast while stopping for a pintxo or two, pick apples from my uncle's orchard, and sit under ancient oak trees while the children play.







The last thing I baked this weekend were scones. Three batches of them to be exact; until my oven finally gave up. It has had enough. Almost like life telling me it is time to stop baking compulsively.



I got it. It's time to stop.



We will take these with us on the plane. Full of black raspberries, red currants, quinoa, and oats.







I leave you with this recipe and soon I will be back from images from our trip. In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying your summer with your loved ones, cooking, and eating away.



See you soon!



Black Raspberry, Red Currant, Quinoa, and Oat Scones



adapted from Dorie Greenspan



makes 10 (2-inch) scones



1 1/3 cup (140 g) gluten-free oats

1 cup (140 g) superfine brown rice flour

1/3 cup (70 g) natural cane sugar

1/3 cup (45 g) quinoa flour

1/3 cup (40 g) tapioca flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Zest of 1 lemon

10 Tbs (140 g) unsalted butter or non-hydrogenated shortening (I used shortening)

1/2 cup (125 ml) unsweetened almond milk ( you can use whole milk)

2 eggs, divided

1/2 cup black raspberries

1/3 cup red currants

Demerara sugar, to sprinkle on top



Put the butter or shortening in the freezer for 30 minutes.



In a large bowl, whisk together the first 9 ingredients. Take the butter out of the freezer and grate it into the dry ingredients using a box grater. If you don't have a box grater, then just cut it into small pieces (no need to freeze) and work it into the flour. Coat the grated butter with the flour and spread it throughout.



Whisk 1 egg and almond milk together and add it to the flour mixture. Fold using a spatula or your hands until flour moist. It will be lumpy and chunky. Just press it together with your hands. Add the black raspberries, red currants, and fold.



Transfer the dough to your work surface and knead a few times until it comes together. Pat to a disk that is about 3/4-inch thick and cut scones using a 2-inch cookie cutter. Place the scones on a baking sheet and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with demerara sugar.



Bake at 400F (200C) for about 18 minutes or until golden. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before lifting them. Serve while warm. They can also be frozen for up to 1 month.

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Lunch with Oh Joy! and a Pip Studio Giveaway

One of my favorite columns on Oh Joy! is Lunch Lady where different artists share their lunch fares. So fun. So when Joy asked me if I would be interested in sharing one of my typical lunch meals, I jumped on the idea.

And here it is, one of my usual suspects. Mushroom and walnut quinoa with eggs and watercress. Creamy, crunchy and peppery.



One of the questions she posed was "dessert with lunch?" and my answer, "always a little something". In this case a quick pear, cranberry and hazelnut crumble. Why not.

When I make crumble topping, I always make a large batch so I can freeze some and that way I can have crumble whenever I want to. just toss some fruit together with a bit of sugar, spices, cornstarch and topped with the frozen crumble. Super easy. You can read the post here.



On another note, I wanted to tell you a little bit about Pip Studio. First I have to disclose that I have not been paid to write about them or have this giveaway.

Pip Studio is the work of Dutch artist Anke van der Endt, who happens to be one of my best friends' sister in law. I was introduced to the line a couple of years ago and I loved the feminine and flirty touch. Her line is now sold in major shops like Liberty and many high end boutiques and specialty shops.



They were kind enough to send me an enormous package of tableware a couple of months ago and because it is the holiday season and because I love it, I thought I'd share some pieces with you dear readers. So what do you say? All you have to do is leave a comment between now and Monday December 13 at 5pm EST to enter this giveaway.

Thank you Joy and thank you Anke!

Mushroom, Walnut Quinoa with Fried Egg and Watercress Salad

2 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup mushrooms (shiitake, oyster and baby bella)
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs mascarpone
1 Tbs walnuts, chopped
1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbs chives, chopped
Eggs, to fry
Watercress to garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic and mushrooms on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. Add the quinoa and stir for about a minute. Add the chicken stock and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and add the mascarpone, walnuts, parsley and chives. Adjust seasoning.

Gently cook the eggs in a little bit of olive oil and serve on top of the quinoa. Dress the watercress with olive oil and place on top of the egg.

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Pumpkin, Quinoa and Hazelnut Gnocchi and Some Chocolate Pot de Creme

Our farmers market finally started again. I cannot believe it has been six months already since we enjoyed our last farmers' market tomatoes, berries and more. Even after all these years, I still find it fascinating how when the rest of the country is going into almost hibernation, we are now enjoying being outside and our growing season begins once again.



It was about 6:30 on Sunday morning when J. came rushing in our room. "Can we go to the farmers' market park and get some doughnuts with the sprinkles on them?" It is one of the things we look forward to the most. Walk around, get fresh produce and eggs for the week, something to eat and then head across the street to the park.

We played hard indeed.



C. took the kids to a friend's house to give me some time to work and unwind. Sometimes, there is nothing better than an empty house and silence.

I put all my farmers' market goodies away, sat down and then felt a sudden urge to make gnocchi. It had been a long time.



I remembered my years in the pastry kitchen when our head chef would arrive early in the morning, before any of his cooks did, so he could make pasta in peace and quiet. Kneading, rolling, filling, folding... Not a word, just music and his pasta.

Perhaps the silence I found at home was really what inspired me to make these gnocchi. Little dumplings of roasted red kuri squash from the market with Robert and Paula's eggs, quinoa flour and hazelnuts. They were delicious and rich tossed in brown butter, fresh sage and toasted hazelnuts.



For dessert, these little pots of chocolate and hazelnut butter custard made with coconut milk and vanilla bean.

The perfect ending.

Red Kuri Squash, Quinoa and Hazelnut Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Sage and Toasted Hazelnuts

makes enough for 2 large or 4 small servings

1 lb (454 grams) roasted red kuri squash puree (1 medium red kuri squash)
olive oil and salt to roast the squash
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup (60 grams) quinoa flour
1/4 cup (30 grams) hazelnut flour
2 Tbs (20 grams) tapioca starch
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Dusting gluten free flour mix
3 Tbs butter, browned
2 Tbs frsh sage, finely chopped
2 Tbs toasted hazelnuts, chopped
Parmesan cheese, optional

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Cut each half into strips and place them on a baking sheet. Toss them with a little olive oil and salt. Roast them at 400F for about 30 minutes or until tender. Let them cool for a few minutes until cool enough to handle.

Puree the squash into a large bowl with a food mill or a potato ricer. This allows the puree to be light and fluffy and the dry ingredients are incorporated quickly without having to overwork the dough. Weigh 1 lb of puree.

Add the egg yolk, quinoa flour, hazelnut meal, tapioca starch, salt and nutmeg. Mix with a fork. It will be a sticky dough.

Dust a wooden board or your work surface with flour. Coat your hands with flour. Take a medium ball and roll it into a long log that is about 1/2" thick in diameter. Cut this log into 1- 1 1/2" pieces. Roll each piece on your fork to create indentations and drop it on a baking sheet lined with lightly floured parchment. Repeat until you have cut all the dough.

You can cook them on freeze them at this point. To freeze them, stick the baking sheet in the freezer and when the gnocchi are hard, put them in a freezer bag. If you decide to freeze them, do not thaw them out before cooking.

To cook them bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi in it. They are done when they float to the surface.

In the meantime, heat the butter in a large saute pan. Let the butter brown. Add the sage and toss the cooked gnocchi in it. Serve with toasted hazelnuts and parmesan.

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An Easy and Quick Late Summer Lunch

Although we have not had a break from the heat and autumn is far from showing its first signs, I feel excited about the new season and being able to sleep with our windows open. School started and we are now back into a routine (after a week of miserable jet-lag, that is). I like routine, I thrive on it. So I always like to have my meals planned out and my life scheduled around them.

I take after my mom on this one.



September is shaping up to be a very busy month with a couple of time consuming projects one after another. When I'm busy, I try to cook quick and healthful meals. I am completely committed to nutrition and mindful eating now and my body thanks me for it (no vertigo in months!).



I was recently writing about autumn and its bounty and I got hungry for root vegetables. Our farmers market starts in less than a month and I'm excited to see what all the farmers will have to offer. All kinds of carrots, turnips, parsnips, beets.

What is better than a simple plate of olive oil roasted root vegetables with a touch of salt?



When I saw this beautiful bunch of parsley root at Whole Foods, I immediately thought of the wonderful aroma of they would bring to a simple bowl of mashed potatoes. Coconut milk, olive oil, parsley and salt. That's all they needed. And some spicy shrimp with a touch of lime.

For dessert, this quinoa pudding I make often times for breakfast (similar to this). Quinoa cooked with hemp milk, vanilla and just a touch of sugar. Then I cooked some plums en papillote with brown sugar, vanilla bean and lemon thyme leaves and served them over the quinoa. So simple, quick and delicious.



Shrimp with Parsley Root and Potato Mash

Makes enough for 2 people

Bunch of parsley root (6 pieces), peeled and diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic
3/4 cup coconut milk
1-2 Tbs olive oil
Parsley, chopped
Salt

8 large shrimp, peeled
red pepper flakes, to taste
salt
2 Tbs olive oil
Lime wedges

In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Season it with a generous amount of salt. Add the parsley root and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the potatoes and cook for another 10-15 minutes until both tender. Drain.

In the meantime, grate the garlic into the coconut milk and heat it gently (I do this in the microwave since it's such a small amount).

After draining the potatoes and parsley root, mash them, add the warm coconut milk with the garlic, parsley, salt and add the olive oil. Adjust liquid and season it as needed.

In the meantime, heat 1-2 Tbs of olive oil in a saute pan on medium-low heat. Add the red pepper flakes and infuse the olive oil for a minute. Season the shrimp with salt and cook them in the olive oil for 1 minute on each side.

Serve the shrimp over the parsley root mash with more fresh parsley and lime wedges.

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A Weekend of Gluten-Free Bread Baking

If there is one food other than eggs I love, it must be bread. When given the choice, growing up I always preferred a loaf of bread or a bocadillo over dessert. Pan con chocolate was always my favorite mid afternoon snack after school.

My mom or aunt or anyone who would pick us up from school in the afternoons, always had a loaf of bread stuffed with bars of chocolate inside. Sometimes even Nocilla, which was our version of Nutella.



Although I did have bread baking classes in culinary school, pastry chefs and bakers always had different roles in all the places I worked. Even rivalry at times. Bakers were super fast and sometimes even messy. Pastry cooks meticulous. (ok, I know I will get some grief by saying that!). Pastry was my love.

I did however go through a bread baking phase a few years ago. I became a bit obssessed with Peter Reinhart, Richard Bertinet and Ciril Hitz. I read and experimented at home.



Soon after that, C. also started experimenting with sourdough bread baking trying to emulate the taste of the northern California sourdough loaves he grew up eating. But recently all that came to a halt when we had to start living gluten free. I have had great gluten free bread before (particularly from this place), but apart from this, I had not been very successful at baking it at home.



A few days ago, my friend K. sent me a link to a recipe published in Body & Soul magazine. It was loaded with great grains and molasses. Not just plain rice flour, but millet, teff and quinoa (a substitution I made since I cannot have soy).

So this past Sunday morning, while I had the house all to myself, I decided to bake bread and play around with the recipe. I made different batches with raisins and pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, and dried fig and walnut.



Nothing beats the smell of yeast fermenting and bread baking in the oven. This is a great basic recipe that can be adapted to add other flavors and textures. My freezer is now stocked up with bread and I will certainly be using this recipe again.

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Heirloom Tomato and Quinoa Galette with a Farmers Market Salad

This weekend was the last official weekend for our farmers market. I just cannot believe how time flies. It is almost May, which means we are going to be left without one of the things we look forward to the most every Sunday morning. Luckily, some of the farmers have chosen a close by location to set up stands for a couple more weeks, but not long enough.

I asked one of the farmers what they do in the summer and she told me, "Go on vacation". I smiled. So well deserved.



My first stop every Sunday, and definitely one of my favorites, is the heirloom tomato farm stand. Her tomatoes are like no other . Sweet, soft and buttery. Every Sunday we buy about five pounds of tomatoes to last us through the week. A little mid morning snack of sliced tomato with avocado, sea salt and olive oil. Nothing beats that.



Perhaps because my life has been a little chaotic lately, I have been craving simplicity all around and that includes food. It's not a stretch for me as Basque cuisine is all about ingredients and quality and little about method and technique. All I crave are soups and salads and quinoa has really become a staple in my diet. Quinoa porridge with hemp milk in the morning, quinoa tabouleh, quinoa with watercress and pumpkin seed pesto...

Our friend P. who is originally from Peru was telling me stories about how they used to make her eat quinoa as a kid. Her parents are taking a trip home soon and she was telling me about all the different varieties they have. Even pink. "Even pink?", I asked. "I must get my hands on some".



So when we thought about making a quick galette for lunch, I thought of making a quinoa crust for added protein and earthy flavor. We accompanied the galette with a simple salad of watercress, watermelon radish, edible flowers, baby carrots and a lemon vinaigrette.



Quinoa Pate Brisee

85 grams quinoa flour
65 grams superfine brown rice flour
20 grams potato starch
3 grams salt
2 grams xanthan gum
115 grams butter or non-hydrogenated shortening, cold and diced
80 grams ice water

Place all the dry ingredients in the food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the cold and diced butter (or shortening) and pulse about 10 times until butter is cut into the flour into chunks (not too small). Add the water and pulse until comes together. It does not need to form a ball. Just combined.

Dump the dough onto a board and form it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and flatten it a bit. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Heirloom Tomato Galette

Quinoa pate brisee
2 lbs heirloom tomatoes
1 oz goat cheese
Olive oil
salt
Freshly ground pepper
Egg wash

Roll the pate brisee to about 1/16"-1/8" thick, forming a circle. You can cut the edges to make a perfect circle or just leave it as for a rustic look.

Cut the tomatoes in slices that are about 1/4" thick. Place the tomato slices on paper towels to drain some of the excess water. Pat the top also. Place the tomato slices on the rolled pate brisee. Fold the edges over the tomatoes.

Dab some goat cheese on top. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. brush some egg wash on the edges for a golden brown crust.

Bake in a preheated 450F on the lower half of the oven for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 400F and finish baking for another 15 minutes until crust golden brown. Make sure the bottom crust is cooked. You can even bake it on a pizza stone if you have one.

Drizzle with more olive oil and serve with a green salad.

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