It's Easy Being Green: Edamame-Bean Summer Salad

I admit it - I'm a bit obsessed right now with sunflower sprouts.  I mean, they're just so good!  Rather than just eat them out of the bag by the handful, I decided to put all of my green market buys into one fab dish.  This salad is so yummy that I wanted to eat the whole bowl but restrained myself to stretch out the joy for a least one more day.  And incidentally I discovered my new obsession - fresh edamame beans.

Edamame and Green Bean Salad
serves four

I know, I know....things like fresh edamame beans and sunflower sprouts are not your standard supermarket fare.  I've suggested some substitutions you might try.  Whatever you use, make sure it's fresh - and preferably local.  This is not about food snobbism but the pure pleasure of eating really really fresh things that just came out of the earth.  I promise that you will feel like you've been given a giant vitamin.


1 pint fresh edamame beans (approx one c shelled; use frozen edamame if fresh are not available)
2 c mixed beans (green, yellow, purple - so pretty! or just good ole green beans will do too), trimmed and cut in half
1 tbsp plus ¼ c olive oil (make sure the ¼ c is your very best stuff)
1 lg shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 anchovies, either packed in salt and rinsed, or oil-packed, cut into thirds
¼ c chicken stock or water
2 c fresh sunflower sprouts (use lettuce if sunflower sprouts are not available)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Splash Champagne vinegar (use white wine vinegar as a sub)
½ tsp French grey sea salt (or any fine grained salt)
Pinch sugar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste.

1.  Rinse edamame thoroughly to remove any sand.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the beans.  Boil for approximately 7-8 minutes, or until the beans are cooked but still with a firm bite.  Drain the beans, rinse with cold water and set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add shallot and garlic and saute for a minute until fragrant.  Add the beans and anchovies and continue cooking, stirring constantly.  After a few minutes, add the stock or water and cook until the beans are tender-crisp, about 7-10 minutes. Take off heat and set aside.

3.  In a small bowl, combine the ¼ c olive oil, mustard, vinegar, salt, sugar and pepper and whisk until thoroughly blended.

4.  Put the sunflower sprouts in an attractive serving dish.  Top with the green beans, and then the edamame.  Pour dressing over the salad, toss gently and serve.

I got the fresh edamame beans from O.K. Farms, which has a stand every week at the Liberty Village "My Market". It's the first year they've grown the soybeans and they're absolutely fantastic.

Mellow Yellow: Fabulous Yellow Pepper Sauce

There is a recipe here, I swear.  But first I want to talk about olive oil.

How many different kinds of olive oil have you tasted in your lifetime? Maybe you always stick to the tried and true, Colavita, say, or simply something that’s handy and relatively inexpensive in your part of the world. Maybe you have a favourite Italian spot that cheerfully and generously puts miniature carafes of olive oil on the table, the better to soak your bread in. You might even splurge regularly for a bottle of rich oil from a far flung place: Italy, Spain, Greece.

Sadly many imported olive oils are simply bottled off shore. The olives themselves might be a mongrel mix of dubious pedigree, and the oil may not even be extra virgin, even though the label says so.

So, when your feet are on the soil that yields the olives; when you shake hands with the producer who protectively watches every tree; when you taste that oil, with a terroir to rival any fine wine; and when that oil explodes on your tongue in a burst of fruity spicy goodness – oh my. You are done with that other stuff.

The beautiful grounds of Fattoria Montalbano

This is the olive oil of Fattoria Montalbano in Regello, just 27 kilometres south of Florence. Luciano and Daniela Nustrini run Montalbano, a wonderful agriturismo set on 25 acres in lush and lovely Tuscany. In addition to the beautifully rustic villas that house guests, the fattoria (farm) produces what I think just might be the best olive oil ever. The four family whippets rule the roost, while the lone shaggy dog Iago eyes them laconically. There are an equal number of cats, including this tortoise beauty we adopted for three days. Plus chickens, goats, a sad looking donkey, and incidentally four children.

All that and yet Montalbano is blessedly secluded and deeply restful. The guest villas are set some distance from the house, ensuring privacy and the ultimate chance to relax. Breakfast is low key and casual, and the small villages of San Donato in Fronzano and Donnini have well equipped greengrocers so that you can make your own meals, and only slightly further afield there are plenty of options for small and delicious trattorie and osterie.

Lunch al fresco on our private terrace

Our room with a view...

Lavender and rosemary as far as the eye can see

 But by far our favourite meal in our three nights stay was at Montalbano itself. Daniela, who never seems to sleep, will occasionally make dinner for guests. The multicourse meal is served in the taverna, a 300 year old cantina originally used to store olive oil. Lit with hundreds of candles, served alongside the farm’s own delicious Chianti, the meal was sumptuous and completely satisfying.

Salsa di Peperoni Gialli (Yellow Pepper Sauce)
makes approx four cups

This fabulous yellow pepper sauce was actually served atop grilled bread as part of the antipasti course at Montalbano. In the middle of serving several tables, Daniela generously jotted down the recipe for me.  Not only wrote it out, but tied it with a beautiful fragrant flower from the garden.  A truly memorable night.

As I contemplated how I would cook my fresh halibut for dinner tonight, it struck me that this sauce would be an unusual – and unusually good – accompaniment. I lightened the sauce by using yogurt intead of whipped cream.

3 large yellow peppers
1 tbsp good quality olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
Scant c water
½ c plain low fat yogurt (I used goat yogurt in a nod to Montalbano’s herd)*
½ tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
Coarse black pepper to taste

1. Wash the peppers and slice them into thin slices.

2. In a large skillet, combine the oil, garlic and peppers over medium high heat. Add the water and cook, stirring constantly, until the water is almost evaporated.

3. At this point, the peppers will begin to brown. Continue cooking, a couple of minutes more, until they are evenly and very lightly browned. Remove from heat.

4. Transfer the peppers to a blender and blend to a smooth puree. Place in a bowl, add the yogurt and stir thoroughly. Add the salt and pepper, and adjust for seasoning.

The sauce can be used as it is at Montalbano, as a spread on grilled bread, or a dip for crackers. Thinned with a little vegetable or chicken broth, it would be a wonderfully different type of cold summer soup.  And, as I thought, it really was unusually good on a piece of simply roasted halibut, served alongside a salad of mixed sunflower sprouts and pea shoots that were topped with sprouted radish and lightly dressed with Fattoria Montalbano's finest. 

The greens are from Kind Organics, a local farm that's been operating since 1999.  Sandra and Tamas Dombi, along with partner Amber Malek, grow the most incredibly fresh greens: they taste alive when you eat them, and are best served just as I did, with a bit of crunchy salt and that amazing oil.  And if you haven't had fresh sunflower sprouts, make a vow to find them before summer's over.

Taste of Summer: Tomato Gazpacho with Avocado-Lime Salsa

My little cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen. Every morning, on my way to work, I check the plants, hoping that a small yellow or red/green globe is ripe for the picking. My beauties are all heirloom varieties from Vicki's Veggies, who hosts an annual tomato seedling sale in the spring. With very little sun in my yard but very high hopes, I bought some plants.

Vicki's Veggies, in beautiful Prince Edward County

Vicki's amazing greenhouse full of 'lil baby tomato plants

My lone Anna...usually prolific, but not in my garden

The first to appear was an Anna Russian. It was almost too beautiful to eat, shading from pink to red to green. Sadly my little Anna Russian gave its all to that one tomato, and promptly produced no more. But, boy, was it delicious.

The others though, seem to have adapted to their cramped containers. Negro Azteca and Yellow Pear are full of fruit and flowers, while Dr. Carolyn takes a more leisurely stroll towards ripeness.  All that garden activity made me hungry for a fresh tomato gazpacho.  Bosco Farms at Liberty Village’s My Market spoils me for choice. With a precious string-bag full of heirlooms, the soup’s but a blender blitz away.

Farm Fresh Tomato Gazpatcho with Avocado-Lime Salsa

serves 6

8-10 heirloom tomatoes*
1 medium English (seedless) cucumber, peeled
3-4 red scallions, a mix of red, white and green parts (or one very small red onion)
1 large red bell pepper
½ c chopped cilantro
12-15 fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
½ tsp coarse black pepper, or more to taste

* Use like-coloured tomatoes to avoid a "muddy" looking end result

Take advantage of the market's summer bounty

1.  Roughly chop all of the ingredients.  Puree in blender in batches (unless you have a supersized blender).  I like a smooth consistency but you can leave it a bit more chunky, if you desire.



2. If blending in batches, combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir in the salt, pepper and the vinegars.  Adjust for seasoning, top with a dollop of Avocado-Lime Salsa (recipe follows) and serve.



Can be made ahead - in fact, this soup benefits from being well chilled, especially during the dog days of summer.

Avocado-Lime Salsa
makes approx 2 cups

This lime-infused salsa is the perfect dollop with the gazpacho. I shamelessly ate the leftovers right from the dish, no tortilla chips required.

2 large ripe avocados
3 tbsp lime juice
1 small shallot, finely minced
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
½ jalepeno pepper, seeds and pith removed, finely minced
½ tsp salt, or to taste
½ tsp pepper, or to taste

1.  Pit and dice avocado.  I like larger chunks for this salsa.  Put in a small bowl and combine with the lime juice.

NB.  If you are handy with a knife, you can try a neat trick I learned recently to remove that pesky pit.  Cut the avocado in two lengthwise, and - carefully - holding one half in your hand, take a sharp knife and strike the avocado pit hard enogh so that the knife adheres to the pit.  A little wiggle, and the pit is removed.  I then dice the avocado with the skin still on, and scoop it out with a spoon.





2.  Add the rest of the ingredients, stir gently and adjust for seasoning. 

Flower Power: Pasta with Zucchini Flowers, inspired by La Bella Italia

If I could pinpoint one thing that I love about Italy – one word that sums up the feeling I have there – it’s leisurely. Lunch is a two hour affair. One lingers over a coffee as long as a three course meal. Yet things move simultaneously fast and in slow motion. That exquisite first slither of pasta. A waiter rushing past to make sure the plates get to the table HOT. You are surrounded by an energy that centres on the plate. And because so much time is taken up in eating – eating deliberately and joyfully – there must be real satisfaction in it.

Our lunch at Trattoria Quattro Leoni in Florence was the perfect manifestation of all of that. Like many of the city’s best osterie and trattorie, it’s been around forever. Well, 1550, to be exact. My guess is that there are items on the menu that aren’t that far off from what a poor struggling Renaissance artist might have enjoyed those many years ago. 

Here's a visual tour of our lunch...

A mixed plate of Crostini misti of course featured beans and lardo

No surprise that I chose Antipasti toscano: affetati e crostini di fegato

(assorted cured meats and a delicious chicken liver crostini that is unquely Tuscan)

Penne al sugo alla toscana

Pici alla salsiccia e finocchietto

This was definitely the "winner".  Pici is a thick, hand rolled pasta - think spaghetti on steroids.  The gorgeous sauce had two types of sausage.

The place was renovated in 1995, but it still retains an air of authenticity. Who matters as much as what...here’s what Quattro Leoni’s website says about the trattoria’s manager:

Stefano di Puccio is the actual manager of the Quattro Leoni. He is well known in the city not only for his past activity as a player of the Historical Florentine Soccer, but also for his inclination to cooking, his sincere hospitality and he is a very nice guy.

Football, hospitality, plus he’s a nice guy. What more could you want a pranzare?

Here’s another take on fabulous pici from Fabio Bongianni, complete with step by step photos of how to make your own pici. Pici Pachino, Porcini e Fiori di Zucca. 

While I didn’t make my own pasta today, I also took advantage of the market's bounty of zucchini flowers to create a wonderful pasta dish for lunch today, inspired by Ottolenghi. Sitting outside with friends, sipping wine and idling the afternoon away was almost as good as being in la bella Italia.

Torchietti with Zucchini
serves four as an appetiser portion

One of my guests is a vegan, and this pasta (made with dried semolina pasta) is perfect, with grated cheese optional for your other diners.

⅓ c olive oil, plus ¼ c
Flour, about ¼ c
6 baby zucchini
9-12 fresh zucchini flowers
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
½ c frozen edamame beans
6-8 large basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
¼ c chopped Italian parsley
2-3 sprigs fresh marjoram
250 g good quality dried pasta
Grated zest of one lemon
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, optional

1. Trim and slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin slices. Dredge very lightly in the flour, shaking to remove excess flour. Set aside on a clean plate.

2. Prepare the zucchini flowers. Open the flowers gently and remove the pistils. Set aside.

3. In a medium skillet, heat ⅓ c olive oil over medium heat. Gently fry the zucchini until lightly browned, and turn to brown both sides. The zucchini will turn brown quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.

4. In the same pan, quickly fry the zucchini flowers until they are just wilted (they do need to be dredged in flour). Place in the same bowl with the zucchini slices, pour the sherry on top, stir and set aside.

5. Steam or blanch the edamame for a few minutes until they are barely tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

6. Combine the basil, parsley and olive oil in a small food processor and blend to form a thick paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

7. Cook the pasta according to directions in salted boiling water. When the pasta is al dente, drain, and return it to the hot pan, shaking to dry slightly. Immediately add the basil/parsley sauce, and then add the zucchini, edamame, lemon zest and capers. Stir to combine and serve.

Dinner Tonight: Gorgeous Grilled Veal Chops

Summertime, and the grilling is easy.  Or should be.

So many meat recipes call for elaborate rubs or marinating times of up to 24 hours. That works with planning. These veal chops are perfect for the last minute cook, super delicious and dinner-party worthy. Why wait for the weekend? These can be made tonight, no planning required.

Charcoal-Grilled Veal Chops
serves four

4 meaty bone-in veal chops
2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
¼ c olive oil, more if needed
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Salt and pepper

1. In a mini food processor, grind the mushrooms into a fine powder.

2. Combine the mushroom powder with the garlic and olive oil. Mix until well blended into a paste; add more oil if the paste is too thick (it should not be runny, but be thin enough to be spread easily).

3. Pat the chops dry and generously season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, rub the porcini paste all over the veal chops evenly and set aside.*

4. Prepare your grill. We love the smokiness of real hardwood charcoal best. Grill the chops until rosy pink inside and slightly springy to the touch, about 5 minutes per side. Let rest for a few minutes so that the juices absorb into the meat.

5. Serve the chops alongside a fresh green salad with your garden’s first early tomatoes, a glass of Pinot Noir at the ready (but surely this isn't your first glass?)

*If you do have time on your side, let the veal chops marinate in the rub for as long as you're able.

Daring Cooks Challenge - Chicken with Curried Tomato Almond Sauce

I love almond butter.  There's no denying that almond butter on a slice of crispy toast is a tad dry (try slicking some real butter underneath for just the right amount of creaminess), but you also can't deny the healthy goodness of almond butter.  It never really occurred to me to make my own until I saw this month's Daring Cooks' Challenge.

The July 2010 Challenge was hosted by Margie of More Please and Natashya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies. They challenged Daring Cooks to make their own nut butter from scratch, and use the nut butter in a recipe. I opted for the almond butter - natch - and made the delicious Indian-scented chicken dish that was adapted from The Food Network's Butter Chicken recipe.

I made further adaptations to the challenge recipe, using almond milk instead of regular, and cutting down on the (real) butter.  I also used chicken thighs, as I prefer the tasty meatiness of dark chicken meat, and found it a great foil to the rich sauce. 


 Chicken with Curried Tomato Almond Sauce
4 servings

2 c raw whole almonds*
1 tbsp olive oil
6 skinless boneless chicken thighs
Salt to taste
½ tbsp garam masala seasoning
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, cut in half lengthwise
1 large garlic cloves, minced
15 oz good quality tomato sauce
⅓ c almond butter
⅓ cup almond milk
½ cup chicken broth or water; more as needed
1 c frozen peas (optional)
Hot basmati rice for serving
Slivered almonds and parsley (optional)

*You will have plenty of almond butter left over.  Use it as a healthy alternative to peanut butter, or in protein shakes.

1.  Turn on food processor, and slowly add almonds in a steady stream. Grind the nuts in the processor until they form a paste or butter. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes for whole almonds; the skin of whole almonds will leave dark flecks in the butter.  


2.  Pat chicken thighs dry and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Heat olive oil a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken; sauté about 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Cool slightly, slice chicken thighs; set aside on clean plate and keep warm.

3.  Stir garam masala, ginger, cinnamon, and pepper together in a small bowl to make spice blend. Set aside.

4.  In the same skillet, melt the butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook gently for several minutes to infuse the butter and oil with onion flavor. Add the spice blend and garlic and cook for 1 minute or till fragrant, stirring constantly. Add the tomato sauce, stir well, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Remove onions and discard. 

5.  Whisk in almond butter and milk until thoroughly combined with tomato sauce. The almond butter is thick so it takes a while to make a smooth sauce. Return to simmer. Add broth (or water) to sauce to reach desired consistency; return to simmer. Add more broth (or water) as needed to thin sauce as desired.

5.  Stir frozen peas (if using) into sauce. Transfer sliced chicken to sauce. Simmer gently for a few minutes until peas and chicken are heated through.

6.  Serve chicken and sauce over rice. Garnish with chopped parsley and/or sliced almonds if desired.

We neither used the rice nor the garnish, but just had the chicken straight up, with a lovely green salad on the side. Thanks, daring Cooks, for a delicious dinner treat!