The Colors of Summer with Tomato Crumble and White Peach, Lychee and Red Berry Pops

As I was saying...

I love summer. But mostly, I love the summers in cooler climates. I long for the crisp morning sun, afternoon naps with the windows wide open, just like I remember. I don't mind the heat, but I do need a break from it.

I am obsessed with all the reds, different ranges of blues, turquoise... The color of crushed berries and the ocean.



I took the day off from work one morning last week. I packed a picnic to take to the beach with the kids. Manchego and membrillo sandwiches, fresh cherries, and slices of olive oil cake. The beach was nearly empty and the skies threatened rain. Perfect really.

But it was also very, very hot. So hot that after an hour, Jon complained about it. "Can we go home now? It's just too hot amatxu!"

I couldn't agree more.



When we arrived home, we decided to just have our picnic under the tree behind our house. A quick one as the midday heat was still menacing.

I pulled out some savory crumble from the freezer and mixed it with black cherry tomatoes and sliced Brillat Savarin. Remember this heirloom tomato and almond crumble tart from last year? Something similar.

In 15 minutes we had tomato crumble, cheese sandwiches, and fresh cherries. As fast as we ate it, we were back inside.



The kids were running around in the kitchen. Restless. Jon chasing after Miren, always trying to get some kind of reaction from her. It was chaos and sometimes the only way I get to keep them quiet is by letting them help me cook.



"Bring your chair Jon" I asked him. He stood next to me as I was peeling the white peaches and the lychees. "I will help you with those red ones" he said. I don't think he had ever seen a lychee until that day and by the look on his face as he tried to peel one, he was not a fan.

"It will be good, I promise" I assured him.

We blended the peaches, lychees and yogurt to make some faux ice cream pops.



I don't think we left the air-conditioned house the rest of the afternoon. Lots of crayons, sheets and sheets of paper, a game or two of Go Fish, and some popsicles.

I suppose we are creating summer memories as is.



On another note, I am super excited to tell you about our feature in the new special summer issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. A party we threw at our friends Lena and Ted's house with lots of food, some fishing, and pool time. I styled it and it was beautifully photographed by the amazing John Kernick. I hope you have a chance to pick it up. It is full of wondeful summer stories.

Thank you!

White Peach, Lychee, and Raspberry Pops

Makes 8 popsicles

1 cup (125 g) raspberries
1/4 cup (50 g) natural cane sugar
2 white peaches, peeled, pit removed, and diced
6 fresh lychees, peeled and pit removed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup (50 g) caster sugar
1 1/2 cups (175 g) full-fat, Greek-style yogurt

Start by placing your molds in the freezer.

Cook the raspberries and cane sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat until it thickens, about 3 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and let it cool completely. Once cooled, pour in the popsicle molds coating the sides. Return molds to freezer.

In a blender, puree the white peaches, lychees, lemon juice, caster sugar, and yogurt. Pour in the popsicle molds and freeze until solid.

To serve, run hot water on the sides of the mold to help release the pops.

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The Colors of Summer with Tomato Crumble and White Peach, Lychee and Red Berry Pops

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Summer Heat

I love summer.

As far as I can remember, it has always been my favorite season (well... maybe right after autumn). I love its colors, the fruit, the long and lazy days, sunshine, water... But Florida is hot. Really hot, which means outdoor activities are kept to a minimum. Instead we try to find ways of staying busy indoors and take abundant trips to the pool.

We also make lots of ice cream.

I will share this recipe with you soon, but in the meantime, I wanted to say hello.

Hope summer is good to you!

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Summer Heat

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Cape Gooseberries And A Spring Panzanella

Sometimes a simple aqua-colored paper box filled with golden gooseberries is enough to brighten my day.

"Oh I haven't seen these since my summer in Portugal!" I gushed as soon as I saw them. There they were. Cape gooseberries wrapped in their wrinkled, papery, brown-colored shell. "I have no idea what I will do with them, but I need them" I told Jody. I am still amazed of all the wonderful things she grows.



When I arrived home, the kids were intrigued by the little fruits. "Can I try one amatxu?" Jon asked. I loved his curiosity, although I had a feeling he wasn't going to be very keen on them. He squinted and shook his head. "I think I am going to cook them in a little bit of sugar" I told him. "That would be better, I think" he replied.

Cape gooseberries, also know as physalis, are closely related to tomatillos and other plants such as tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes. It is full of tiny seeds and when ripe, it is very bright yellow and very sweet. Although it is often times used as a garnish for desserts, I think this doesn't really do it much justice. It makes great pies and jams and I have also seen many cakes recipes with them.



I decided to poach the gooseberries in a light sugar syrup as some of them were still not fully ripe. I made honey and yogurt panna cotta and served the poached gooseberries on top.

It was Easter weekend after all and I wanted something very Spring-like. Something with lots of greens and color.

Along with some of our neighbors, we put together a small egg-hunt for the kids. Lots of tattoos, stickers, mighty beans, and an occasional tootsie roll that Miren tried to hide in her shoe.

I had to confiscate a few.



I had some leftover gluten-free hearty bread that I rubbed with garlic and toasted with some olive oil. Perfect croutons for a spring panzanella salad. Shredded zucchini that almost looks like pasta, blanched asparagus tips, shaved fennel, garlicky croutons, and watercress made a perfect lunch.



Spring Panzanella Salad

Serves 3

3 slices hearty seed bread (I made my own)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 plus 2 tbs cup olive oil, divided
1/2 cup green asparagus tips
1/2 fennel bulb, thinly slices
1 zucchini, grated into long strands
1 cup watercress
1 small spring onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbs lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 325F.

Rub the sliced of bread with the raw garlic. Dice the bread into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss them with 2 Tbs olive oil and bake them for 10 minutes until golden and crunchy.

Blanch the asparagus tips in salted boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and shock them in ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain them.

Toss the bread croutons, asparagus, fennel, zucchini, watercress, and spring onion in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, rest of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss the salad and let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes for all the flavors to macerate. Serve immediately.

Yogurt and Honey Panna Cotta

2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (100 grams) natural cane sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
3 sheets gelatin
1 cup (250 ml) full fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup good-quality honey (I used acacia honey)

In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla bean until it comes to a simmer. Remove from heat.

In the meantime, soak the gelatin in ice water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess water and add the gelatin to the hot cream. Whisk to dissolve. Pour this into a clean bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes. Add the yogurt and whisk well.

Spoon about 1 Tbs of honey into each glass jar. Pour the panna cotta on top and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until completely set.

Poached Gooseberries

1 cup (250 ml) water
1/2 cup (100 grams) natural cane sugar
Peel of half lemon
2 sprigs lemon thyme
1 cup cape gooseberries, outter shell removed

In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar, lemon peel, and lemon thyme together over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add the gooseberries and cook for 2 minutes or until they start to lightly pop. Spoon them out of the syrup and cool them slightly.

Serve them on top of the panna cotta.

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Cape Gooseberries And A Spring Panzanella

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The Season of Pink Apples and a Cake

We arrived back in Florida this past weekend after having one of the best summers in years. It was one of those times where it seems like the stars were aligned perfectly for us. The weather and the mood were everything I needed to disconnect and then, reconnect once again.



One of the things I was most excited about when we were home were all the apple trees ready to be picked. Anywhere we drove, the roads were lined with trees full of bright pink, red and green apples. From a far, they even sparkle in the sun. So beautiful.

I pointed them out to everyone and it's amazing how people take such things for granted. I did too when I lived there not so long ago. And now, I have a new appreciation for them. I believe photography opens one's eye to little things. Light and details suddenly take another dimension and priority.



I told you about my uncle Javi's garden and how much I love visiting there. We picked kilos of apples, pears and different varieties of plums. I watched my uncle make the most amazing jam with Claudia plums that he later used to fill some sable cookies for the pastry shop.

Early one morning, I called my aunt Agurtzane. “Can I come photograph the sheep today?”. “Of course!”, she replied. They are indeed my favorite subject and in our family any excuse is a good one to set up an impromptu picnic.



We brought the apple and walnut cake I made with the apples we had picked a couple of days before and had some cheese, membrillo, chorizo, jamon and of course some wine. We sat under a large tree and talked for hours. Then put on our wellies and headed down to where the chestnut trees are to look for mushrooms.

My dad and all of my uncles are avid mushroom hunters and pickers. It is almost considered a sport here and it is a tradition that is passed down generation after generation. I cherish the memories of going hiking with my dad looking for mushrooms and I really wanted J. to experience it.



The recipe for this cake comes from my mom. It's her super easy and versatile yogurt and olive oil cake. It literally is one container of yogurt, 2 yogurt containers of sugar, 3 containers of flour... And it works every time. We sauteed some apples in butter and sugar and added some walnuts to the batter. It was a good addition to a perfect mid morning picnic with family.



Apple, Walnut, Yogurt and Olive Oil Cake

makes 1 bundt pan

Note: these measurements are using a 125 ml container of yogurt, which I have found that is the standard size both in Spain and the US. I will refer to the 125 ml container as measure. I really need to give you an exact metric/US measure but in the meantime, I wanted to share this.

1 measure (125ml) plain yogurt
1 measure demerara sugar
1 measure sugar
4 eggs (3 if they are extra-large)
1 measure light olive oil
1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 measures gluten free flour mix or all purpose flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum if using the gluten free mix
1 Tbs baking powder
pinch salt
handful of chopped walnuts
2 pink apples
2 tsp butter
2-3 Tbs sugar

Butter and flour the inside of a bundt pan.

Slice one of the apples thinly. Heat the butter and 1 Tbs sugar in a pan. Add the slices of apple and cook for a minute on each side. The sugar doesn't have to caramelize. Let the slices cool slightly and then line the bottom of the bundt pan with them, overlapping slightly.

Dice the other apples and cook them in the remaining butter and sugar. Let them cool.

In a bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour mix, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugars, eggs, olive oil, vanilla seeds and cinnamon. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients and mix. Fold in the chopped walnuts and sauteed apples.

Pour batter into pan and bake in a 350F (180C) oven for about 30 minutes or until done (depending on the size of the pan)

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The Season of Pink Apples and a Cake

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Sweet Potato, Yogurt and Hazelnut Cakes

Our little M. turns two weeks old today and our lives have forever changed. We have been spending a lot of time inside, nesting, enjoying the quiet time and resting when the little bean sleeps. I am so thankful to have my mom here to cook healthy meals for us. I don't know how I would do it without her, really.

I also have to thank you all for all the wonderful comments and words you left for us in the last post. It's overwhelming and very, very touching. We really appreciate it.



I slowly started baking again over the weekend, but at a much slower pace as the little one requires so much attention and needs to be nursed often. I had forgotten so much about this stage in a baby's life and I feel like I'm learning everything all over again. She is also a very different baby than J. was. Perhaps an easier baby? Or maybe I'm more relaxed about it all.



I made these sweet potato, homemade yogurt and hazelnut cakes a week before M. arrived. I actually had to make them twice because the first time I made them, they disappeared so quickly that I had none to style and photograph. These were definitely a hit. Moist, crunchy and spicy. I even turned some into cupcakes with a simple mascarpone and mace icing.

Right before the birth, I told you about my yogurt making craze. I made yogurt about every other day and enjoyed it in so many different ways like the maple and yogurt panna cotta, these sweet potato cakes or just plain with some caramelized apples and pistachio crumble. My kind of healthy and comforting snacks.



Sweet Potato, Yogurt and Hazelnut Cakes

300 grams sweet potato puree (from about 2-3 medium size sweet potatoes)
100 grams brown sugar
50 grams sugar
3 eggs
100 grams homemade yogurt (or whole milk store bought)
100 grams vegetable oil
Zest of half an orange
160 grams flour
40 grams hazelnut flour
4 grams sea salt
4 grams baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
130 grams hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
30 grams hazelnuts, chopped for topping

Place the sweet potatoes in a baking dish and bake at 400F for about 45 minutes to an hour until flesh is fork tender. Let them cool, cut them open and scoop out the flesh. Puree it.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, hazelnut flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, yogurt, oil and orange zest. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk until combined. It will be a runny batter. Fold in the toasted and chopped hazelnuts.

Pour the batter in the molds (about 3/4 of the way full), sprinkle the top with chopped hazelnuts and bake at 350F until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Time will vary depending on the mold. For small loaf pans, about 22 minutes, the smaller individual molds about 17 minutes.

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Sweet Potato, Yogurt and Hazelnut Cakes

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Maple and Homemade Yogurt Panna Cotta with Poached Forelle Pears

I cannot believe that I am actually writing this post in between was seems to be early labor. Contractions have been happening on and off for the last few hours and when I visited my midwife this morning, she said this baby is well on her way. I never thought I would be blogging or tweeting through this (so unlike me), but the excitement is way stronger than I anticipated. I believe nature is wise and that my body was actually waiting for my parents to arrive to really get things going.



I made this panna cotta a couple of days before my parents actually arrived, but I knew I had to freeze some for them to taste. Poached fruit is one of my mom's favorite desserts and I have fortunately inherited that from her. So simple and light.

It had been a while since I made homemade yogurt, but for some reason, I have been at it again lately. I've been using yogurt in almost everything and I love the touch of acidity that it adds to the panna cotta. It's a beautiful contrast to the sweet and dark maple syrup.



So this is it for now. Short and sweet. Like I said before, now we just have to let life happen. I will be back shortly with news, more recipes and photos to share. Thank you very much!



Poached Forelle Pears

300 grams sugar
600 grams water
2 vanilla beans, split
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tbs fresh ginger
8 forelle pears, peeled


Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. Turn heat to low and poach the pears (they may not al fit at once) until tender, about 15 minutes.

Maple and Homemade Yogurt Panna Cotta

500 ml heavy cream
150 grams dark maple syrup
4 sheets of gelatin
250 ml homemade yogurt

Place the heavy cream and maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a light boil. In the meantime, soak the gelatin sheets in ice water until soft, about 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatin and add it to the hot cream. Stir to dissolve.

Transfer the cream to a clean bowl and let it cool to body temperature. Add the yogurt and stir. Pour into containers and refrigerate until set.

Serve with the poached pears, maple syrup and some chopped pistachios.

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Maple and Homemade Yogurt Panna Cotta with Poached Forelle Pears

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Baking with Persimmons and Some Childhood Memories

When I spotted the first persimmons of the season this past week, I almost broke out in laughter thinking about my childhood memories associated with them. Not all good, believe me.



Although I grew up surrounded by persimmon trees (we call them kakiak or caquis in Spanish), this was not a fruit we ate or knew how to cook with. Instead, the over ripe fruit would always end up smashed on the ground making a jam-like pathway on our way to school everyday.

My school was right next to a convent were the priests had their own vegetable garden and tons of fruit trees; persimmons amongst them. The trees were lined up right next to the sidewalk so when autumn came, boys loved climbing up and getting the hardest persimmons to use as shooting devices against us girls. I remember having many, many persimmon-impact bruises on the back of my legs. Thank goodness I can look back and smile.



If you have never had a persimmon, you must know that there are two types, which have different characteristics. The Hachiya persimmon is the variety I grew up with and unless they are very ripe, they are almost inedible when raw. They have an oval shape and are mainly used to make jams and cook with. The Fuyu persimmons on the other hand, are flat like a tomato and can be eaten raw like any other fruit. Some have large seeds inside, but some don't.

I was surprised to find that everyone of my friends that walked into our kitchen this week asked, "what are those?". I was surprised of how unknown they seem to be to some. I suppose their childhood memories don't include persimmon fights.



Growing up, I don't ever remember my mom baking any extravagant desserts, mainly because we grew up in the family pastry shop and we had abundant leftover brioche and pastries everyday. But I do remember her lemon, yogurt and olive oil cake that called for one yogurt container of this, three yogurt containers of that... So I took that idea and adapted it to include almond flour, muscovado and the traditional yogurt and olive oil. This makes such a moist cake and can be made alone or with basically any fruit.

The cool temperatures have also arrived in South Florida and at night I have been craving creamy desserts like these mascarpone and marsala sabayon verrines with pistachio and almond crumble and poached persimmons. I thought I lost my sweet tooth during the first months of this pregnancy, but I believe it is back and these did the trick.



Persimmon Upside Down Yogurt and Olive Oil Cakes

Makes about a dozen 3" cakes

2-3 Fuyu persimmons, thinly sliced
1 Tbs butter
2 Tbs sugar

275 grams flour
30 grams almond flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
7 grams baking powder
pinch of salt
4 eggs
200 grams sugar
40 grams muscovado
Zest of 1 lemon
250 grams plain yogurt
225 grams light olive oil
2 persimmons, small dice
Squeeze lemon juice

In a large saute pan, melt the butter and sugar together. Add the sliced persimmons and cook until softened about 3-4 min on each side. Place them on the bottom of the cake pans and let cool. Proceed with cake batter.

Cut the two other persimmons and toss them in lemon juice.

In a large bowl, combine flour, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs with the sugar, muscovado, lemon zest, yogurt and olive oil. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the diced persimmons.

Pour batter over the caramelized persimmons (make sure these are cool). Bake at 350F for about 15-20 min until golden brown and when knife is inserted, it comes out clean. Let the cakes cool before unmolding.


Poached Persimmon, Mascarpone and Marsala Sabayon and Pistachio Crumble Verrines

Makes 4-6 large verrines

Poached Persimmons

400 grams water
200 grams sugar
4 Fuyu persimmons, medium dice

Make a sugar syrup with the water and sugar by bringing them to a boil. Slowly poach the diced persimmons in the syrup until softened, about 10 minutes. Note that the persimmons might still keep "a bite" and not become completely soft if they are not very ripe.

Mascarpone and Marsala Sabayon

3 egg yolks
50 grams sugar
25 grams marsala
110 grams mascarpone
70 grams heavy cream, soft peaks

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and marsala together in a medium bowl. Place this over a double boiler and cook until it thickens while constantly whisking. Make sure the water in the water bath is simmering not boiling.

When the sabayon thickens, remove from heat and whisk in the mascarpone cream. Cover with plastic wrap and let it cool in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Then fold in the soft peak heavy cream.

To assemble the verrines, layer pistachio crumble, poached persimmons and the sabayon.

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