Food glorious food!

Food images courtesy of Smitten Kitchen

 So, okay, I do obsess about food and I promise this is not going to be a blog only about food. Promise.
A recent house guest asked me if there was any food item I didn't like and I couldn't think of one thing. Now allow me to clarify. The food needs to be fresh, made with loving care and attention to flavor. But, I will eat anything if it is prepared well. Insects are not on the list but I don't consider them food, at least not for me.
Over the years I have collected hundreds of recipes. Recipes like, Falling in Chocolate, Preserved lemons, Garlicky Kale & Spinach dip, and on and on....
I get weekly temptations from Chowhound, Smitten Kitchen, Tasting Table so, I am giving myself a project. I will try one new recipe a week from my existing collection.
Wish me luck!

We love citrus

The tangelos are quite tart this year

We had a bumper crop of lemons, grapefruit and tangelos this year. I have made more lemonade this year! Here's a great recipe for cucumber lemonade-

Cucumber Lemonade

2 cups freshly squeezed lemons
2-3 cups water with 1/4 to 1/2 cup honey
1-2 english cucumbers pureed in a blender

Melt the honey in the water and add it to the lemon juice. From there you will want to adjust the sweetness and intensity. If it's too tart add more honey and/or water. Too sweet? add more water.
I like mine pretty intense. Add the cucumber puree to taste.

A flat of tomatoes

I have been lusting after the flats of Compari tomatoes at Mc Clendon's booth at the farmer's market for several years now. It never seems to be the right timing but last week I decided to go for it!
Here's the fruits of my labors and here's the recipes:

Fresh Tomato Sauce
( this is adpated from a Marcella Hazan  recipe)

10 pounds of tomatoes quartered
3-4 sweet Vadalia onions ( or 10-12 cippolini)
1.5 to 2 sticks butter ( can substitute some of this with olive oil but not all-the butter gives it an amazing flavor-duh)
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups fresh cut basil

Put all ingredients in a large pot and boil then simmer for 3-5 hours.
Using an immersion blender, break up the remaining bits. Add fresh basil at the end. Do not cook after adding basil.
I like to add fresh basil on top of the finished dish as well with some Parmesan cheese.

Roasted Tomatoes

Small cherry tomatoes or Compari tomatoes
olive oil
garlic salt and pepper

Put the tomatoes on a cookie sheet. If the tomatoes are larger than a cherry tomato, cut in half and place the cut side up. Toss the tomatoes with olive oil and crushed garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. bake at about 400 degrees until the tomatoes are a bit charred.

These are fabulous to have on hand. They last for weeks. I add them to everything-
sandwiches
salads
eggs
pizza
bruschetta

Chartreuse Delight

 It's been almost one year since I last posted on this blog. Where has the time gone? More on that later....
For now, here's one of my latest joys: raw juicing. I know, I know I'm late to the trend (nothing new there) and I'm not a zealot. In fact, I have a wee bit of cynicism for those leaping on the bandwagon. But, each time I pour (then drink) these nectars of the gods, I become more of a believer. It's never the same any day of the week. It starts with what's in my fridge. Lately I have been cultivating certain taste profiles that I particularly like. Here's a recipe for what I made today (pictured).

Here's to your health!

Chartreuse Delight

1 tangelo
2 gala apples ( small)
1 stalk fennel with fronds
1 handful beet greens
1 golden beet
1 small piece ginger
1 wedge lemon with the rind