English Peas, Buckwheat Greens And A Strawberry Tart

It has been quite hectic around here.

During these past couple of weeks, I have had to park my book writing routine aside to focus on a couple of other projects I am super excited about. I wish I could share more, but we will have to wait. All I can say is that it involves a major magazine and I had a blast.

However, all of this has taken a bit of a toll on me.



When I woke up Sunday, I felt as though I had run a marathon. Sore and exhausted.

C. encouraged me to take some time for myself in the morning. He took the kids and I headed to the farmers' market. I find it relaxing to walk around, people watch and get inspired by the produce and talking to the farmers I have come to know this year.



Unfortunately, it was the last day of the market. Yes, when the rest of the country is just now gearing up for their growing season, ours is coming to an end. Well, not exactly. Things will still grow in the summer, but much slower and not so abundant. Most of the farmers I know take the summer off to travel and learn from other farmers.

As it was the last day, I indulged in everything I saw. The usual suspects such as eight ball zucchini, heirloom tomatoes, strawberries, mulberries, farm eggs, kale, beets, english peas... But I also found buckwheat greens.



This was the first time I had even seen buckwheat greens. Beautiful greens with tiny little flowers.

As I started to read about them, I found out that they can be somewhat toxic when consumed in large amounts and that is why they are not recommended in juicing. However, a small amount can be beneficial.

Sunday night, I made a quick soup with English peas and buckwheat greens. The soup was tasty and mild. Spinach or even lettuce would work just as well.



When Monday came around, I was ready to start testing more recipes for the book.

I really feel so lucky to be able to do what I love. Time flies when I am working and enjoy every second of it.

But when time flies, lunch must also be quick. Crushed pea, cherry tomato and goat cheese tartines to go with leftover soup from the night before. I blanched some English peas in salted boiling water, then crushed them with a fork. Mixed with goat cheese, scallions, olive oil, salt and pepper on toasted gluten-free bread.



I was testing a new tart dough and with the leftovers, I made a quick almond and strawberry tartlet that Miren and I had for dessert. Took a couple of chairs outside and had an impromptu picnic in the back lawn.

Then back to work.

English Pea and Buckwheat Greens Soup

Serves 4

2 Tbs olive oil
1 leek, white part only diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
2 cups shelled peas
2 cups buckwheat greens or spinach
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
5 sprigs thyme leaves
3 cups chicken stock
Goat cheese, optional
Chopped scallions, optional
Olive oil

In a small pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek and the garlic and cook for 3 minutes until soft.

Add the rest of the ingredients and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce heat to medium low and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until soft.

Puree the soup. Serve with chopped scallions, goat cheese, drizzle of olive oil, and toasted bread.


Strawberry and Almond Tart

Makes 6 3-inch tartlets

Pie crust of your choice (mine was gluten free)
½ cup (110 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup (110 g) natural cane sugar
1 egg
½ tsp almond extract
1 cup (110 g) almond flour
1 Tbs (10 g) tapioca starch
¼ tsp salt
2 cups sliced strawberries

Pre-heat oven to 400F.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until light. Add the egg and almond extract and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix.

Roll out the pie dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut 6 4-inch disks and fill tart molds with them. Cut off excess dough.

Fill the tart molds with frangipane and arrange the sliced strawberries on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until crust golden.

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English Peas, Buckwheat Greens And A Strawberry Tart

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What Basque Cooking Is About

It has been hot in South Florida this past few days, reminding us that the cool weather that I love so much is leaving us soon. Mornings are still cool, but temperatures soared into mid to high 80s during the day.

This is the peak of growing season. It was really noticeable when I visited Robert and Paula at their farm Sunday afternoon. I had to get my weekly eggs and say hello to the baby goats and chickens.

Their tomatoes were ripening, the squash were also ready to be harvested and all the herbs were flowering. All this warmth and abundance of produce put us in the summer spirit.



"What do you want to have for lunch?" mom asked after breakfast. You see, this is how it goes in our family. We finish one meal, clean up, and start thinking about the next one. Is this normal?

"Let's stop at Whole Foods after the farmers' market and see what kind of fish they have today" I told her.

When we arrived, we picked up a whole yellow-eyed snapper. Fresh as can be. "Why don't we make your fish soup? I would love that". We smiled and proceeded with local clams, mussels, and Key West pink shrimp. I was anxious to get home and start cooking.




While my mom was busy in the kitchen making the fish stock, prepping all the vegetables, and also cooking a batch of arroz con leche, Miren and I ate a bowl of heirloom cherry tomatoes with olive oil and sea salt.

We went outside to look at the flowering herbs and our wild strawberry plant. There is one ripe strawberry at the moment. I think I will wait one more day to pick it. There are some more ripening and there is such anticipation in the family. They are nature's candy for sure.




When we came back inside, dad took over baby watching duties. By the time I walked into the kitchen, mom had the arroz con leche cooling and the fish soup ready. "I'm waiting for you to take photos so I can add the fish into it!". She's amazing. So efficient. And well, me?... procrastinating.



But I did manage to make a quick galette with leftover dough from the book shoot. Tossed together strawberries, rhubarb, apple, sugar, and chamomile leaves to make a super simple filling. By the time I photographed the soup, the galette was ready.

"Mahaire!" I shouted to get my dad's attention who was still bird watching with Miren. Lunch was served.

And so when people ask me what Basque cooking is all about I say, "taking what is available and fresh, and preparing it as simply as possible". No big fuss. Knowing how to pick the best ingredients, how to smell the fish and look into their eyes to see how old it is... That is what Basque cooking is about.



All the credit for these dishes goes out to my mom who keeps us nourished and well fed during this crazy time for me. I'm not sure what I would do without her.

Eskerrik asko amatxu.

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What Basque Cooking Is About

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The Growing Season

It may be a shock to some of you to know that our growing season is actually coming to its peak. Despite some freezing temperatures earlier this month, we have had fairly mild weather that has allowed for crops to grow and flourish. Our farmers market is full of tomatoes, peppers and strawberries.



"Would you want some of our candy beets? They are ready to be harvested", emailed my friend Lena on Friday night. "Sure!".

I was excited to show my mom the beautiful little garden that Lena's boys have put together this year. It was full of beets, peas, greens and squash. The tomatoes were still a bit green, but I brought home a bag full of candy beets and pea shoots.



These kids really blow me away with how they are dedicated to looking after this garden and so knowledgeable at such a young age. Impressive. It reminds me of how lucky I feel to have grown up surrounded by nature and agriculture the way I did. It has showed me so much.

Speaking of where I grew up, El sent me a link to a recent show about the Basque Country. You could take a look if you would like to know more about where I come from.



Sunday morning, my mom, M. and I headed to the farmers market where we found beautiful local ingredients that will go into recipes for the cookbook.

We arrived home hungry and anxious to eat some of the gorgeous tomatoes. I roasted them with some olive oil, thyme, chili flakes and sea salt. Made a quick pesto, toasted breadcrumbs with olive oil and garlic and tossed it all with quinoa pasta. So fresh and ready under 20 minutes. My kind of meal.

For dessert, chocolate and raspberry financiers. A good Sunday lunch indeed.



Chocolate and Raspberry Financiers

Makes 12 financiers

1/2 cup (110 grams) unsalted butter
4 egg whites
1/2 cup (105 grams) coconut palm sugar
1 cup (100 grams) almond meal
2 Tbs (15 grams) cocoa powder
4 oz (110 grams) raspberries, fresh or frozen

In a small saucepan, heat the butter until foamy and the milk solids start to brown on the bottom of the pan. It will smell like roasting nuts; about 5 minutes. Strain the brown butter into a clean bowl and cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, almond meal and cocoa powder. Add the cooled brown butter and whisk until all is incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Line a muffin pan with baking papers, place the batter in a piping bag with a round tip and pipe it into cups. Fill a little bit less than half way. Press raspberries into the batter. Bake at 350F for about 18-20 minutes.

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The Growing Season

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Pear, Apple and Fennel Salad and More Holiday Cookies

It's hard to believe Thanksgiving came and went in a blink of an eye. 'What comes next?", asked J. who can only tell time by the order in which holidays are approaching. I really wanted to tell him to enjoy the moment, to savor every second he has because time will fly soon enough. But again, I remember my own anxiety with time when I was a child. Soon was never soon enough.



We cooked, we ate and we enjoyed each others company this weekend. Thanksgiving morning we took the kids to the park. It was a beautiful morning and the streets were deserted. We had the park all to ourselves. "Let's really enjoy dinner" I told C.

It is easy for me to feel rushed at the dinner table with small children, especially when is just us. Just us might make it seem less important sometimes, but I was determined to sit down, enjoy and have a long conversation with my family, just like we used to do growing up. And so we did and it is the special moment I took away with me this weekend.



I spent Saturday morning baking cupcakes and more holiday cookies. C. asked to make his favorite pistachio sandies. Crumbly and soft, covered in melting powdered sugar. One of my all time favorites as well. I took some cupcakes to my friend Lena's house in exchange of some fresh greens from her garden.

Lunch was simple. I craved simple after all the heavy cooking and eating of the previous days. Thinly sliced apples, forelle pears and fennel with a simple apple cider vinaigrette inspired by Donna Hay's towering salads.



And so let the holiday baking continue...

Pear, Apple and Fennel Salad

makes 4 servings

2 honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
4 forelle pears, thinly sliced
2 fennel bulbs, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup fresh watercress
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

In a large bowl, combine water and the juice of 1 lemon. Thinly slice the apples, per and fennel and place the slices in the water immediately after to avoid oxidation. To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the mustard, apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Stack the sliced vegetables and garnish with watercress leaves. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle the vinaigrette on top.


Pistachio Sandies

makes 2 dozen 1" ball cookies

4 oz (115 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup (45 grams) powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup (110 grams) superfine brown rice flour
2 Tbs (20 grams) tapioca starch
1/4 cup (40 grams) pistachios, chopped
pinch of salt
powdered sugar, for rolling

Cream the butter and powdered sugar together for a minute or so. Add the vanilla extract. Add the flour, tapioca starch, salt and chopped pistachios. Mix until the dough comes together.

using a 1" ice cream scoop, scopp out the dough forming little balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 1" apart.

Bake at 350F for about 15-18 minutes until bottom lightly golden and when touched, they don't fall apart. Let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Roll them in powdered sugar while still warm.

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Pear, Apple and Fennel Salad and More Holiday Cookies

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Friends I Can Rely On and BlogHer Food'10

Sometimes it's hard to explain all the little obstacles that come along with being an ex-pat. Having to leave all friends and family behind, all contacts and all resources to start a new life somewhere else. I came into this country with two suitcases, one filed with clothes, the other with books and CDs. All my possessions, or so I thought at that time.



I suppose those were indeed all my possessions, my material ones, but there is always something else in one's life beyond the material. A support system is the thing that perhaps I underestimated the most when I left my home. Don't get me wrong, I came here for love and I wouldn't change it for anything in the world, but now I realize how much more difficult life can be without that support system, which is built through years of belonging in one place.

The people you know to call when you need something specific, the friends that will watch your kids when you need to run to the doctor, the ones that know someone who knows someone...



You might be wondering why I'm mentioning this to you now. Well, I suppose having children changes everything. The saying "it takes a village to raise a child" has never felt so true to me. Having people we can rely on and trust becomes a necessity. You see, I am leaving for San Francisco this Thursday to attend BlogHer Food '10. I am utterly excited to be there, catch up with dear friends and connect with new ones. (Perhaps you might even be there this weekend and if so, please come by and say hello!).

But there is a lot of planning that goes on with leaving for so many days. Making sure the kids are looked after, maintaining a routine, being fed... Yes, kids require a lot and this trip was no different.



It was my friend Karen who came to the rescue this week. Sometimes when I most need it, she comes to my rescue always with a smile and pure generosity. I couldn't ask for a better friend who I can trust and rely on. Always. And she never asks for anything in return. That is what I'm talking about.



My way of paying her back is always through food. I don't think I have ever met a person so grateful for everything I make. It makes me happy to see her enjoy all my experiments or even my everyday staples, like a simple lentil soup. So of course, I cooked and baked for her to show her my appreciation.

A plate full of quinoa spaghetti with roasted golden baby beets, red kuri squash, bacon, garlic and chilis. So simple, but so much flavor.

For dessert, these black plum, almond and chocolate cakes. Gluten free and so moist. Almost like a brownie.



She was happy and that made my day.

If you attending BlogHer Food '10, I will see you there. Can't wait.

Roasted Golden Baby Beet, Squash and Bacon Quinoa Spaghetti

makes 2 servings

2 bunches of baby golden beets, peeled
1/2 medium red kuri squash, peeled and sliced
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 slices of bacon, sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbs red chili flakes
8 oz quinoa spaghetti (or any kind you like)
Beet greens or spinach

Toss the beets and red kuri squash with the olive oil and salt. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for about 20-30 minutes or until tender.

Place the bacon in a pan and start browning it. Add the garlic when it starts to get some color and the red pepper flakes. Set aside.

In the meantime, cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water. Reserve a little bit of the cooking liquid and drain. Toss the pasta with the bacon, garlic and roasted vegetables. Add a little bit of the cooking liquid if needed. Serve with some beet leaves or spinach.

Plum, Almond and Chocolate Cakes

makes 6 4" cakes

2 eggs
1/2 cup (100 grams) cane sugar
1/2 cup or 1 stick (110 grams) butter or non-hydrogenated shortening
2 oz (55 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup (120 grams) almond flour
1/4 cup (40 grams) superfine brown rice flour
2 Tbs (20 grams) cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 black plums, sliced

Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set this over a water bath to melt. Let it cool slightly.

Sift the dry ingredients together.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and the sugar. Add the melted chocolate and butter and whisk. Add the sifted dry ingredients and whisk until combined.

Spray molds with cooking spray. Divide the batter between the molds and top with the slices of plum.

Bake at 375F for about 20-25 minutes or until center cooked.

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Friends I Can Rely On and BlogHer Food'10

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Purple Corn Muffins and Poached Salmon Salad

Living far away from home means that I don't always get to enjoy the subtleties of my family's and friends' everyday lives. I miss the everyday hellos on the street and the "vamos a tomar un cafe?" exchanges. Proximity, even with silence, is enough sometimes.

I have noticed recently that those phone conversations with friends always end up with talks about food. Not food in general, no. Detailed descriptions of what we have been eating, what new foods we have discovered, what "el gordo" cooked on yesterday's show... I mean it goes on and on.



Recently, I have been very conscious and mindful about what I eat. Rather than focusing on things I cannot have, I have been focusing on things I should be incorporating into my diet. Always learning about new foods and their benefits (learning tons from Sarah Wilson I must say).

And it was in one of the hundreds of late night Twitter chats I always have with Y, where she told me about the purple corn she bought. I had seen blue corn before, but had never had the purple kind. Come to find out, it is widely used in Peru where my good friend P. is from.



The next morning when I saw P., I bombarded her with questions and she told me about the different purple corn dishes her grandmother used to make for her as a child.

I immediately ordered some organic purple corn online and couldn't wait to cook with it. I made some breakfast purple corn porridge, mazamorra morada and these purple corn and banana muffins. The muffins are sweet and good for you. Can you believe that?



I actually served the muffins with a large salad of greens, fingerlings, snap peas and salmon to make one satisfying lunch.

I warmed up some olive oil and infused a bunch of mint and thyme into it. Then slowly poached the salmon in the oil for a few minutes, just like my grandmother used to do with bacalao. Served with with watercress, baby romaine, arugula, blanched snap peas and super buttery fingerlings. Salt, olive oil and lemon.

So simple and abundant.



Gluten Free Purple Corn and Banana Muffins

makes about a dozen and a half muffins

3 eggs
50 grams (1/4 cup) organic cane sugar
280 grams (1 cup) ripe bananas, pureed
125 grams (3/4 cup) vegetable oil
25 grams (2 Tbs) coconut milk (can use whole milk if you like)
75 grams (1/2 cup) superfine brown rice flour
20 grams (2 Tbs) potato starch
20 grams (2 Tbs) tapioca starch
100 grams (3/4 cup) purple cornmeal
25 grams (1 Tbs + 2 tsp) baking powder
3 grams (1/2 tsp) salt
1 gram (1/2 tsp) xanthan gum

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, bananas and milk. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the liquids to the dry and mix until combined.

Divide the batter into your baking cups and bake at 350F for about 15-18 minutes depending on the size.


Poached Salmon, Snap Pea and Fingerling Potato Salad

makes 2 servings

2 cups of mixed greens (watercress, baby romaine, arugula, herbs)
1 cup of fingerling potatoes
1 cup of snap peas
8 oz (225g) salmon
Olive oil for poaching
Thyme
Mint
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
Large pinch salt

Place the potatoes in a pan and cover them with water. Bring them to a boil and cook until fork tender. Drain and peel them. I like to serve them when they are lukewarm in the salad as they absorb more of the dressing this way.

Blanch the snap peas in salted boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain them and shock them in ice water. Reserve.

Place olive oil (enough to cover the salmon almost all the way up) in a small pan. Add some thyme and mint leaves to the oil and let it steep in medium low heat for a few minutes. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add the pieces of salmon and reduce the heat to low. There might be a little sizzle but must be gentle. Let the salmon cook for about 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness, until it turns pale pink.

Remove the salmon from the oil. Let it cool on a plate. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and flake it with a fork.

Place the greens, snap peas, cut fingerlings and salmon on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Toss and taste to adjust seasoning.

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Purple Corn Muffins and Poached Salmon Salad

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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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Heirloom Tomato and Quinoa Galette with a Farmers Market Salad

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