One Flatbread Dough, Infinite Possibilities

What is the difference between flatbread and pizza?  Somehow, flatbread seems less fussy to us.  No sauce, and a blank canvas for any number of toppings.  But really, they are quite similar.  Both doughs require a rest period in the refrigerator before baking, a process known as retarding the dough.  By reducing the temperature of the dough, fermentation of the yeast is slowed to enhance the flavors.   Both pizza and flatbread doughs are rolled thin, then quickly baked at a very high temperature.  And both bake best using a pizza stone, an inexpensive yet invaluable investment if you plan to bake flatbreads or pizzas often.  Use a peel to slide the dough in and remove it a few minutes later and you'll feel like a real pro.

Our recipe couldn't be simpler, and is ready in a snap.  Let the dough rest overnight in the fridge, and then get creative with toppings.  One recipe makes enough for three flatbreads, each of which produces a filling meal for two when served with a little something on the side.  The possible toppings are almost infinite.  We'll be posting several of our recipes over the next few days:

• Broccoli Rabe (Rapini) and Manchego
• Gorgonzola Dulce, Red Grapes and Walnuts
• Roasted Golden Beets, Texas Goat Cheese and Chestnut Honey
• Chickpeas, Feta and Tomatoes
• Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, Shaved Parmesan and Walnuts
• French Sorrel, Roasted Cauliflower and Crumbled Goat Cheese
  

Flatbread Dough

Ingredients

1/2         tsp        active dry yeast
3/4         cup       lukewarm water
1/2         tsp        sea salt
2            cups      bread flour, plus more for dusting

Procedure

1. Combine yeast and water in the bowl of your mixer.  Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Add salt.
3. Using dough hook, add flour all at once and mix on medium high.  First, a ball will form after a few minutes.  Continue until dough is smooth and satiny.
4. Remove from mixer and work by hand for about a minute, until dough springs back quickly when you press on it with your finger.
5. Flour the ball of dough to prevent sticking, then place in a large bowl.  Cover well with plastic wrap, then refrigerate.
6. Dough will be ready in about 12 hours (it should have doubled or tripled by then).  It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days but punch it down after the first day.
7. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide into three equal pieces.  Roll each into a ball, then allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before using.  If you're only using one ball, return the other two to the refrigerator in an airtight container.  When you later use the extra dough, allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling out.
8. On a floured surface, roll out dough to an 8" circle.  It will be thin.  We use a peel to place it directly on a pizza stone, but you can also roll out the dough on parchment paper and then place on a sheet pan before baking.
9. Pre-heat oven and pizza stone to 500° for an hour.  Flatbread bakes in about 5 minutes.

One Flatbread Dough, Infinite Possibilities made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community. Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!

Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

White Cheddar Shortbread Biscuits

These savory shortbread biscuits will disappear so quickly that you may consider doubling the recipe.  They have an excellent shelf life, so you can bake them the day before your next get-together, although they're so quick and easy you need not plan ahead at all.  This is an excellent recipe for kids -- just be sure to supervise if you let them shred the cheese using a microplane as we did.  Our older son ate these with barbecue sauce during the Texas Alabama game, but if you're not a crazy Texan, serve with soup or better yet chili, a fruit plate, or your favorite dip. 

White Cheddar Shortbread Biscuits
recipe from Epicurious
makes 28 biscuits

Ingredients

1/2          cup           unsalted butter, room temp
1/2          tsp            salt
1/4          tsp            black pepper
                               pinch of cayenne pepper
8             oz            extra-sharp white Cheddar, finely shredded
                               (we used a microplane)
1             cup          unbleached A.P. flour
 
Procedure

1. Combine butter with salt and both peppers in mixer on low until combined.  Don't over-mix.
2. Add flour and cheese and mix on medium-low until well combined and a ball forms.  Again, don't over-mix.
3. Wrap ball of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  If you want to use the slice and bake method (so you don't have to roll out your dough), shape dough into a log before refrigerating.
4. Heat oven to 325° convection (350° conventional).  Line two sheet pans with silpats or parchment paper.
5. Roll out dough to 1/4" thick on a lightly floured surface, or slice rounds from log that are 1/4" thick.  If rolling out dough (which is what we did), use 2" round cutter and place each biscuit on sheet pan as you cut them out.  Biscuits hold shape well when baked, so you can use any cookie cutter you like here.  You can re-roll dough scraps.
6. Bake until puffed up, golden on top, and browning on edges, about 18 minutes in our convection oven.  Store at room temp in a ziploc or airtight container.

Pasta with Fresh Chickpeas and Basil Sauce

Fresh chickpeas have a familiar flavor, but taste "beanier" than canned or dried chickpeas.  They also keep their green color when cooked, making this pasta with basil sauce particularly beautiful.  This is a quick recipe perfect for a weeknight dinner, but the chickpeas and basil sauce still provide plenty of flavor.

Pasta with Fresh Chickpeas and Basil Sauce
serves 2 as entree portion

Ingredients

Basil Sauce

4                           garlic cloves
1/2       tsp            sea salt
4          cups          fresh basil leaves
6          Tbs           olive oil


Pasta with Fresh Chickpeas

12         oz              dried penne pasta
1 -2       oz              freshly grated parmesan cheese
2           cups           fresh chickpeas, removed from pods


Procedure

Sauce

1. Puree basil, salt and garlic in food processor.  Slowly add olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pasta

1. Boil big pot of water, add 1 Tbs sea salt.  Blanche chickpeas until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
2. Cook pasta in salted boiling water.  Drain.
3. Immediately combine pasta with basil sauce and chickpeas.  Combine well, then add 1 1/2 oz cheese and mix again.
4. Serve warm topped with more grated cheese.

Pasta with Fresh Chickpeas and Basil Sauce made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community. Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!
Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

Tuscan Barley and Chickpea Soup

This soup is another wintery recipe that relies heavily on pantry items (here chickpeas and barley).  The only contribution from the garden is our Italian parsley which is thriving in our cool weather.   This is a filling vegan soup that is loaded with protein and fiber.

Tuscan Barley and Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

1 1/2          cups         canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3/4             cup           hulled barley
1/2             tsp            sea salt
2                                 bay leaves
3                Tbs           olive oil
1/2             cup           onion, chopped
1                Tbs           celery, minced
1                 qt             vegetable stock
1/2              tsp           dried marjoram
2                                 pinches dry nutmeg
                                   black pepper
                                   Italian parsley, chopped
                                   optional:  feta, flatbread

Procedure

1. Place chickpeas in saucepan and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil, add salt and bay leaves.  Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until very soft (about 1 1/2 hours).***
2. Gently saute onions and celery in olive oil until soft.  Add stock, barley, marjoram and nutmeg.  Simmer, partially covered, for about 1 hour.
3. Drain chickpeas but RESERVE THE COOKING LIQUID.  Discard bay leaves.  Puree chickpeas with 1 cup of reserved liquid.  If too thick, add more of the reserved liquid to get a thick paste.
4. Add pureed chickpeas to the barley and stock.  Soup should have a thick, creamy texture.  Add more of the reserved chickpea cooking liquid if the soup is too thick.  Season with salt and pepper, and let soup simmer on very low for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.  Serve with chopped parsley on top, and a drizzle of olive oil. 
5. We added a dollop of feta to each bowl, and served with thick flatbread.

*** We've received several questions about the cooking time for the chickpeas.  We really did cook them this long, on a low simmer.  You could probably cook for a shorter time -- just taste for flavor and softness to determine when they're done.

Tuscan Barley and Chickpea Soup made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz! 
Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

Brussels Sprout Salad with Manchego Cheese and Marcona Almonds

Peel off Brussels sprout leaves and lightly blanch them to create the perfect winter salad green.  With marcona almonds, dried blueberries and cranberries, and manchego cheese, this salad makes a gorgeous side dish or a filling meal.

Brussels Sprout Salad with Manchego Cheese and Marcona Almonds
serves 2 as an entree


Ingredients


Salad
1         pound          Brussels sprouts
1         Tbs              dried cranberries
1         Tbs              dried blueberries
2         Tbs              whole Marcona almonds
1         oz                Manchego cheese, shaved using a peeler
Dressing
3         Tbs              olive oil
1         Tbs              white wine vinegar
                               sea salt and black pepper to taste


Procedure

Dressing

1. Whisk together all ingredients and set aside.
   

Salad

1. Peel leaves off the Brussels sprouts, discarding the core.  Blanch leaves until barely tender, but still bright green.  Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well and dry.
2. Toss Brussels leaves with the cranberries, blueberries, and almonds.  Very lightly coat with dressing (there may be some extra dressing).
3. Plate and top with cheese shavings. 
4. Eat immediately.

Brussels Sprout Salad with Manchego and Marcona Almonds made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz! 
Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

 

Pasta with Spiced Chickpeas and Whipped Feta

The idea for this dish started with a Greek whipped feta recipe we discovered.  The feta is creamed with olive oil and lemon juice, and typically used as a dip or appetizer.  Here we use whipped feta as the "sauce" for a pasta with spiced chickpeas.  The flavors are distinctly Mediterranean, but unusual at the same time.

Pasta with Spiced Chickpeas and Whipped Feta

Pasta with Spiced Chickpeas

3             cups        chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2       cups        tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
3                            garlic cloves, minced
2             Tbs         fresh mint, finely chopped
1/4          cup         olive oil
1              lb           dried rigatoni pasta
                              sea salt and black pepper

Whipped Feta


1/2           lb           feta, crumbled
                              juice of 1/2 lemon
3              Tbs        olive oil
1/2            tsp        black pepper

Procedure

1. Combine chickpeas, tomatoes, garlic, mint, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Let sit at least one hour at room temperature.
2. Make Whipped Feta by combining all the ingredients in food processor until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.
3. Cook pasta.  Drain and toss with a small amount of olive oil.  Top with spiced chickpeas, then a big dollop of whipped feta.  Eat while pasta is still hot.

Pasta with Spiced Chickpeas and Whipped Feta made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz! 
Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

Eggplant compote with yellow split peas

Here we use the last Thai Long Green eggplants of the year.  This was definitely our favorite eggplant variety of the year -- beautiful, very productive and great taste.  Second place goes to Cloud Nine, even prettier and more productive but the fruits are smaller so a bit trickier to use in the kitchen.  Since both varieties are hybrids, we did not save seeds, but we will be sure to order Thai Long Green and Cloud Nine seeds for next year and we recommend that you do the same.

This dish is time-consuming, but well worth the effort.  It is inspired  by a Diane Kochilas recipe, but we adapted it to use our eggplants, basil and tomatoes.  A delicious weekend project.

Eggplant Compote with Yellow Split Peas

Ingredients

Split Peas
1        lb         yellow split peas, rinsed and drained
6        cups     water
2        cups     red onion, chopped
2/3     cup      olive oil
1                    bay leaf
2        tsp       sea salt
1/4     cup      fresh lemon juice

Eggplant Compote
1        lb        eggplant, sliced
1 1/4  tsp       sea salt
2        cups    tomatoes, peeled and diced
6        Tbs     olive oil
2                   yellow onions, diced
1        tsp      honey
2        Tbs     fresh basil, chopped
1/4     tsp      black pepper
2        tsp      balsamic vinegar

Procedure

Split Peas

1. Cook onions in 1/3 cup olive oil until soft.  Add split peas and mix well, then add water and bay leaf.  
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, partially covered, until peas have broken down, about 1 hour.
3. Add salt and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until peas are thick and creamy.
4. Discard bay leaf, add lemon juice and 1/3 cup olive oil, then cover and set aside to thicken.

Eggplant Compote

1. Heat 3 Tbs olive oil over medium and saute eggplant until golden.  Flip and repeat.  Remove to paper towels to drain.
2. In same pan, add 3 more Tbs olive oil and saute onions over low until soft and golden, about 20 minutes.  Add garlic and cook a few more minutes.  Add honey, then eggplant, tomatoes, basil, pepper and salt.  Simmer gently.
3. Add vinegar at the end, then remove from heat.
4. Serve warm compote on top of warm split peas.

Eggplant Compote with Yellow Split Peas made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community. Check it out here: http://www.foodbuzz.com/top9.. Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz! Cheers,  The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

Cosse Violette Purple Beans with Sage Salt and Lemon Brown Butter

Lemon brown butter and Sage Salt elevate the lowly snap bean to a memorable side dish.   A beautiful way to enjoy the last of the season's Cosse Violette harvest.

Ingredients

2         cups         (more or less) Cosse Violette beans,
                           or any snap bean, trimmed
2         Tbs          unsalted butter
1         tsp           lemon zest
                          juice of 1/2 a lemon
                          Sage Salt

Procedure

1. Boil water and blanche beans.  Remove from heat and run beans under cold water to stop cooking immediately.
2. Melt butter over medium.  When foam subsides, stir frequently.  When white solids turn brown and butter is fragrant, remove from heat.  Add lemon juice and stir well.
3. Put pan back on heat and add blanched beans.  Saute, adding 1 tsp sage salt and lemon zest.   Cook until beans are tender, adding more sage salt to taste.

If you like this recipe, try Roasted Cauliflower with Sage Salt and Lemon Brown Butter.
Here's a lovely, simple way to prepare Cosse Violette beans.

Cosse Violette Purple Beans made the Foodbuzz Top 9! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Check it out here: http://www.foodbuzz.com/top9 Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!

 

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Brown Butter and Sage Salt

This recipe from the New York Times introduced us to Sage Salt, now a staple in our kitchen.  Here it is used to season roasted cauliflower for a rich and filling vegetable dish.

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Brown Butter and Sage Salt
adapted from New York Times

Ingredients
                Sage Salt
1/4  cup   olive oil
1     tsp     sea salt
2               small heads or 1 large head cauliflower
6     Tbs    unsalted butter
1               lemon, juice and zested

Procedure

1. Break cauliflower into florets, toss with olive oil and sea salt.  Spread onto sheet pans.
2. Heat oven to 375, put a roasting pan with 1" of water in the bottom of oven.  This water slows the cooking, but the moisture will keep the cauliflower moist.
3. Bake until brown, about 30 minutes.
4. Melt butter in small pan over medium heat.  When foam subsides, watch closely and stir often. When white solids are brown and butter smells toasty, turn off heat, squeeze in juice of lemon and stir well.
5. Toss cauliflower with lemon butter, lemon zest, and sprinkle with sage salt.  Add more to taste.

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Brown Butter and Sage Salt made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!  
Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team.

Pasta with Fava Beans and Ricotta Salata

Fava beans, vicia faba, are one of the oldest plants in cultivation.   This popularity is attributable to the fact that they are easy to grow in temperate climates, and an excellent source of protein, minerals, fiber and folate.  While snap and lima beans are native to the Americas and thrive in warm weather, broad beans originated in the Old World and require cool temperatures.  This means broad beans are a fall crop in our sub-tropical climate.  Super Aguadulce seedlings, an Italian heirloom variety, are in the ground now, but a harvest is still months away.  

Luckily, dried favas are readily available and combine well with the fresh tomatoes and basil that are abundant in our garden right now.   If you've never cooked with dried favas before, get ready for a workout removing the outer skins.  When you see the amount of labor involved, you will also understand why European explorers were thrilled to discover and later cultivate the beans of the New World.  But when you have the time, favas have a unique and wonderful flavor that no other bean can equal.  So turn on the tv and get to work.

Tagliatelle with Fava Beans and Ricotta Salata
based on a recipe in The Il Fornaio Pasta Book by Maurizio Mazzon
serves 6-8

Ingredients

3                      garlic cloves
1       Tbs         sea salt, plus more to taste
1       lb            dry fava beans, soaked in water overnight,
                        skins removed
3/4    cup         olive oil (used in 3 different steps)
1                      shallot, minced
6                      basil leaves, torn into pieces
1/2    cup         dry white wine
                        black pepper to taste
1       lb            dried tagliatelle pasta
1                      large tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2    cup         grated Pecorino Romano
1/2    cup         shaved Ricotta Salata
                       (use vegetable peeler when cheese is very cold)

Procedure

1. Place beans in large pot and cover with water 1" above beans.  Add 1 Tbs sea salt, bring to a boil and cook until soft, about one hour.  Remove beans with a skimmer but SAVE THE COOKING WATER.
2. Heat 2 Tbs olive oil over medium and saute shallot and 2 smashed garlic cloves until soft.  Add half the basil and half the beans and cook 2 minutes.  Add wine and cook until completely evaporated, about 3 minutes.  Add 2 cups of fresh water and bring to a boil.  Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes, and then puree in a food processor.
3. Return bean cooking water to a boil and add dry pasta.  Cook until ready, then drain.
   
4. Meanwhile, over medium high for 1 minute, saute 1 garlic glove, minced, and rest of basil in 1/3 cup olive oil.  Add remaining beans and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook 2 minutes.  Add pureed beans and mix well.   
5. Add cooked pasta to fava bean sauce, then add 1/3 cup olive oil, tomatoes and pecorino.  Mix well.  Plate up and then top with shaved ricotta salata.

Pasta with Fava Beans and Ricotta Salata made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!  Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team.

Slow-Cooked Florida Speckled Butter Beans and Sorrel

Sadly, lima bean season is coming to an end.  Eating freshly picked butter beans for the last few months has been a revelation and the limas will be sorely missed.  To celebrate the last big harvest of the year, we use a slow Mediterranean cooking technique to highlight the rich buttery flavor of these beans.  Sorrel freshly-picked from the garden adds a mellow lemony flavor.  This is a weekend recipe -- total cooking time approaches six hours although the active time is barely 20 minutes.

Slow-Cooked Florida Speckled Butter Beans and Sorrel
serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

1      cup      fresh Florida Speckled Butter Beans
                   (or other fresh lima beans),
                   removed from pods
4      Tbs     olive oil
2       cups   vegetable stock
2                 onions, sliced thinly
5                 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1                 dried red chile (small), diced
                   (we used a dried cayenne from the garden)
1                 bay leaf
1      cup      sorrel, thick stems removed and blanched
                   (about 2 cups when fresh)
                   salt and black pepper to taste

Procedure

1. In a big pot of boiling water, cook beans about 10 minutes.  Drain.
2. Put beans back in same pot, cover with fresh water, and simmer for 1 hour.
3. While beans are cooking, combine onions, garlic and chile with 3 Tbs olive oil in a 2 qt. pyrex dish.  Mix well, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 300 for one hour.
4. When beans are done, drain and add to onion mixture in the pyrex dish.  Add vegetable stock and bay leaf.  Return to oven, covered, for one more hour.
5. Saute the blanched sorrel in 1 Tbs olive oil until soft and set aside.
   
6. When beans have been in the oven one hour, remove from oven and add sorrel.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Return to oven, uncovered, and bake 15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let sit 3 hours before eating to allow flavors to develop.  Keep at room temperature -- do not refrigerate.
8. Serve with cheese bread and thick Greek yogurt.

Slow-Cooked Florida Speckled Butter Beans and Sorrel made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!  Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team.

Italian chicories in the garden

Before planting our vegetable garden, chicory to us was a coffee ingredient in New Orleans.   Little did we know that we've been eating chicory in its various forms for years.  Dandelion greens, radicchio, endive and escarole are members of the chicory family.  They vary in color, texture, and growth habit, but all chicories possess a wonderful bitterness and bite.  The chicory used to flavor coffee is actually the root of an endive plant, roasted and ground.

Chicories grow best in cool weather.  Too much heat turns them unpleasantly bitter so in Houston we grow chicories in the autumn and spring.  Chicories are high in folate, vitamins A and K, and fiber.  Italian cooking embraces chicory in its many forms, and we chose several varieties offered by Seeds from Italy. This website has an impressive selection, and the seeds arrive in big, glossy, colorful packets with multilingual descriptions and cute pictographs demonstrating planting instructions.  We're growing Catalogna Punterelle, Barba di Cappuccino, and Radicchio di Castelfranco to name just a few.  

David wanted to add chicory to a foccacia featuring traditional Italian ingredients:  potatoes, pine nuts, gorgonzola dulce and rosemary.  Lots of strong flavors, so the question was which chicory would work the best.  We narrowed it down to Puntarelle or Barba di Cappuccino because they have matured the fastest in the garden.  The Puntarelle is long and narrow, mostly stem and very little leaf.  The Barba di Cappuccino has big serrated leaves with a thicker center stem.  We conducted a quick taste test and decided that the Puntarelle had just the right amount of bite for our foccacia.  We plucked rosemary from the garden, and its fragrance was almost overwhelming.  With the puntarelle, gorgonzola, and rosemary, this foccacia is definitely not for the timid.  As Nonna would say, devi accettare l'amaro insieme al dolce (you have to learn to take the bitter with the sweet). 

Foccacia with Catalogna Puntarelle, Fingerling Potatoes, Gorgonzola Dulce, Rosemary and Pine Nuts

Ingredients
1                     foccacia dough, rolled out
                       (we used our pizza dough recipe but doubled the
                       yeast and rolled it out thicker than for pizza)            
3 or 4              fingerling potatoes
1             Tbs  olive oil
1/4-1/2   cup   gorgonzola dulce, broken into small pieces
1/2          cup   puntarelle
1/2         Tbs    rosemary, chopped
                       sea salt and black pepper
1 1/2       Tbs   pine nuts

Procedure

1. Cook potatoes in gently boiling, salted water partially covered until they start to get soft, 10-15 minutes.  Drain immediately and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.  When cool enough to handle, cut into 1/4" thick slices.
2. Blanch puntarelle in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and run under cold water.  Roughly chop or keep whole if small.
3. Heat oven to 325 and bake pine nuts on a sheet pan until they start to darken and become fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.  Remove from oven to cool.
   
4. Assemble foccacia.  First brush crust with the olive oil.  Then spread around half the cheese.  Then add potatoes, then puntarelle, rosemary, and rest of cheese.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on top to taste.  Do NOT add the pine nuts at this stage.
   
5. Bake at 450 on a pizza stone (if you have one) until crust is golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes.  We have two ovens, so we preheat this oven for one hour before using so the stone gets hot. 
   
6. Remove from oven, sprinkle pine nuts on top.

Foccacia with Puntarelle, Gorgonzola Dulce, Rosemary & Pine Nuts made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!  Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

Lebanese Pies with Asian Greens and Feta

I have always loved the little spinach pies you find at Lebanese restaurants.  We just got our spinach seeds in the ground, so an authentic Fatayer is still months away.  But the garden is practically bursting with Asian greens -- we have an abundance of Natsu Rakuten, Yu Choy, Komatsuna, and Choho to name just a few.  I wish I could tell you the distinguishing flavors of each of these greens, but we always harvest the greens together and combine them when we cook.  The cooked greens taste amazingly similar to spinach.

This inspired us to create our own version of a traditional Lebanese pie using a mixture of Asian greens.  We added feta (because what's not better with feta?), and instead of making pastry dough we used store-bought puff pastry.  The results look like savory hamantaschen and taste wonderful.  If you're the entertaining type, these would make fantastic appetizers fresh from the garden.  Since our entertaining these days seems to be limited to crowds of hungry little boys, we kept all the pies for ourselves and popped them in our mouths straight off the sheetpan.  A little bit of Beirut by way of China and Japan right here in our Texas kitchen.

Lebanese Pies with Asian Greens and Feta

Ingredients

1/2         lb         assorted Asian greens, washed,
                          thick stems removed, and chopped
1                        large onion, chopped
3            tbs       olive oil
1/4         tsp        allspice
1 1/2      tsp        sumac
                          salt and black pepper to taste
6            oz         puff pastry, defrosted
1/4         cup       feta, crumbled or cut into small pieces

Procedure

1. Cook onions in olive oil until golden.  Add Asian greens and cook until soft, 1-2 minutes.  Add spices, then salt and pepper to taste.  
2. Remove from stove to cool and heat oven to 325 convection or 350 regular.
3. Flour your work surface and a rolling pin lightly.  Dust puff pastry lightly with flour on both sides and roll out until thin.  Cut circles of whatever size you prefer.  We made 3" circles, which yield mini pies.  As you cut the circles, place them on a silpat or parchment paper.  You can re-roll the extra dough after you cut out your circles.
4. Mix the feta into the cooled filling.  Place a dollop in the center of each circle and pinch a corner on the bottom left and right (if you're a military type, pinch at 4:00 and 8:00).  Last, pinch the top.  
5. Once all your pies are assembled (and don't worry if they don't look perfect), bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Lebanese pies with asian greens and feta made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!  Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

Rhubarb Strawberry Cobbler

Everyone in our house has a serious sweet tooth.  David is hooked on Skinny Cow ice cream, but I prefer desserts that are not frozen because I am always cold (ok, not always now that we live in Texas, but have you ever experienced Houston air conditioning in the summer?  Trust me, you need to carry a sweater with you at all times here even though it's 100 degrees outside).   There are a few desserts that I can make with my eyes closed, perfect for weeknight baking, and one of them is my Rhubarb Strawberry Cobbler.

Rhubarb is one of my favorite fruits.  To be accurate, I should say that rhubarb is one of my favorite vegetables.  It is a member of the sorrel family, which accounts for its sharp bitter flavor.  We have rhubarb growing in the garden, but it won't be ready for harvest until next spring.  If you want to read more about growing rhubarb in Houston, click here.  Luckily, rhubarb is just showing up at the grocery stores.   If you can't find fresh rhubarb, or it's priced out of reach, frozen rhubarb (either your own or store-bought) works well too.  Fresh strawberries are beautiful right now, but frozen strawberries also work in this recipe.

The definition of a weeknight baking project is one that works with what's available, is quick to assemble, and doesn't make a mess.  This recipe qualifies because it is so adaptable, it's quick to make (maybe 10 minutes to prep before it goes into the oven), and it doesn't create lots of dirty stuff that needs to be washed.

The combination of rhubarb and strawberry creates a fruity version of sweet tart candies.  You should adjust the sugar in my recipe based on your tolerance for tartness.  I make ours fairly sweet to try to encourage the kids to eat their fruit (although good luck right now competing with all their Halloween candy), but you could easily eliminate 1/8 cup of sugar or more if you prefer tart over sweet.   The topping on this cobbler is a sublime buttery biscuit that soaks up the fruit juices inside.   If I were being honest, I would tell you that the topping is the best part of the cobbler, but then I would lose my street cred as a devoted vegetable gardener.   So the official line is that the fruit makes this dessert.  

 

 

Rhubarb Strawberry Cobbler

Ingredients

Filling

1 1/4 - 1/12     lbs        rhubarb  (depending on how tart you like it).
                                    cut into slices about 1/2" thick
1                     pint       fresh strawberries (or 2 cups frozen)
                                    hulled and quartered
2/3                  cup       sugar
3                     Tbs       AP flour (we use unbleached)
                                    zest of 1/4 of small orange
                                   (a little goes a long way here or your cobbler
                                   will taste like orange juice)

Topping

1 1/2            cup        AP flour
1/4               tsp         salt
1                  Tbs        baking powder
2                  Tbs       sugar (plus more to sprinkle on top)
4                  Tbs       unsalted butter, cubed and kept cold
1                  cup        heavy cream                         


Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 for convection oven, or 375 for regular oven.  
2. Not to insult anyone's intelligence, but if you're using frozen fruit, defrost and drain it first.  I've tried to rush things and use semi-frozen fruit thinking it would defrost in the oven, but it doesn't cook quickly enough so your top ends up finished before your fruit is completely cooked.   Also, if you forgot to pick up an orange (it happens), this recipe is fine without the orange zest.
   
3. Combine all the filling ingredients, mix well, and put into 8" pyrex baking dish.  Or, use individual ramekins to make individual cobblers (these are perfect for dinner parties if you're so inclined).
4. Make topping.  First, combine all dry ingredients.  Then cut in the butter to resemble coarse meal.  I use my fingers for this by rubbing the butter/flour mixture between my thumb and forefinger until the butter pieces are the size of a pea (some can be bigger than that, and some a bit smaller).  You don't want the texture to be too smooth or the topping will lose its buttery richness.  You can also use a pastry cutter, food processor or forks to do this, but why create one more dirty thing to wash?
5. Add cream and mix until uniformly moist.  Spoon out on top of filling.  It should be plopped on in clumps.  You don't want a perfectly smooth topping.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar for some sparkle.
6. Bake in oven until top is golden brown, about 40 minutes.  If you used a glass pyrex, you will also see the fruit bubbling.  
7. Serve warm topped with clotted cream, whipped cream or ice cream.
8. Leftovers refrigerate and re-heat well.

Rhubarb strawberry cobbler made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!  Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

Risking it all for an eggplant

Would you risk your life for an eggplant?  This was the question I was asking myself last night as I searched in the dark during an intense thunderstorm for an eggplant to harvest for dinner.  When a lightning bolt lit up the sky, instead of dropping my metal hand pruners to avoid electrocution, I used the bright light to locate the Thai Hybrid Tiger eggplant that I remembered seeing on the plant the day before.   I captured my elusive prey, and ran into the house soaking wet but victorious.  

Vegetable gardening definitely triggers temporary insanity.  A gardening friend in Indiana e-mailed me about her frantic midnight lima bean harvest last month when an unexpected frost threatened to kill her plants.  And a customer at The Cutting Garden recently ordered flowers to be sent to her 86 year old aunt who broke an arm and a leg when she fell off the top of a wall while she was pruning her lemon tree.  

In my defense, the eggplant was needed for David's latest kitchen creation:  tostadas with black beans, cotija cheese, and eggplant.  On the side, an amazing salsa made with our fresh tomatillos and jalapenos.  Thankfully, I harvested the tomatillos and jalapenos before the storm hit.  I savored the dinner flush with the excitement of surviving danger in the name of gourmet cooking.  David just thinks I'm insane.   Please confess your craziest behavior in the name of a great meal - I know I'm not alone.

ps  Recipes for the tostada and tomatillo jalapeno salsa coming soon...

Risking it all for an eggplant made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!  Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

Tomatillo Corn Chowder

Too pretty to eat?  That didn't stop us.  And not just easy on the eyes, tomatillos are easy to grow in the hot, humid weather we enjoy (that enjoy part was said with just a bit of saracasm).  Sometimes referred to as Mexican tomato or husk tomato, the tomatillo is a tomato relative.  Both are members of the nightshade family which also includes eggplants, potatoes and peppers (and some highly toxic, poisonous stuff we'll leave for another time).  Tomatillos develop slowly while encased inside a big, round, papery cocoon.  It looks odd enough to fascinate the kids, and they also enjoy palpating the cocoon every few days to feel the fruit inside growing.  Starting out no bigger than a pea, the tomatillo gradually grows to fill the husk with a fruit that is firm, heavy and dense.  They have a great shelf life once harvested (two weeks or more in the refrigerator), and they are also beautiful.  Ours are a gorgeous glossy green the color of Granny Smith apples. 

We started tomatillo seeds back in May, and totally ignored them as soon as the seedlings were in the ground.  Luckily, these plants don't need a lot of attention and they love the heat.  They have become enmeshed with our White Dixie baby butter bean vines in a sprawling mess in the back yard, but it seems to be a happy marriage for all.  The White Dixie vines are loaded with massive quantities of fat bean pods, and there are tomatillos in their papery husks hanging everywhere.   The tomatillos resemble green Chinese lanterns adorning the plants.

Although we live in Texas, our cooking usually features Asian or Mediterranean flavors.   Since tomatillos don't often appear in those cuisines, we opted for a Southwestern soup to use our tomatillos along with our Anaheim and jalapeno chiles.  Ironically, we selected a recipe from rebar written by two Canadian restaurant owners.  Even though the authors live in the Pacific Northwest, they know how to make great Southwestern vegetarian food.  We love this cookbook, and if we ever make it to Victoria, rebar will be our first stop.

Tomatillo Corn Chowder
adapted from rebar by Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz

Ingredients

8        cups         vegetable stock
5                        Anaheim chiles, seeded
1 1/2   lb            tomatillos, husks removed
                          vegetable oil
1                        yellow onion, diced
10                      garlic cloves, minced
                          salt
1         tsp           coriander
3         Tbs          oregano
4                        jalapeno, seeded and minced
1                         zucchini, diced
2                         potatoes, diced
3         cups         corn
1         cup          1/2 & 1/2
1         tsp            black pepper
                           fresh cilantro, chopped

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 400.  Cut Anaheim chiles in half.  Toss tomatillos lightly in vegetable oil.  Roast chiles and tomatillos on a sheet pan until the skins are slightly charred.  Remove from the oven, dice the Anaheims and chop the tomatillos.
2. Saute onion in oil over medium high until translucent.  Add garlic, 1 tsp salt, and spices.  Add the jalapenos, zucchini, potatoes, and 1 tsp salt.  Saute for several minutes, then add the stock.  Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until potatoes are tender.
3. Add corn, chiles, and tomatillos.  Simmer 10 more minutes.  Add the 1/2 & 1/2, and more stock if needed.  Remove 1/2 the soup and puree.  Season with salt and pepper.  
4. Garnish with cilantro when serving. 
   

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Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team

Pasta e Fagioli with Christmas Lima Beans

Last fall at our restaurant, we made a pasta fagioli soup inspired by a recipe in Domenica Marchetti's The Glorious Soups and Stews of Italy.  This is a beautiful book that we purchased at our favorite cookbook store, The Cook's Library, in L.A.  This soup was my first exposure to Christmas lima beans, and I was so enamored of them that I decided to grow them in our garden this summer.  These giant limas are hearty and filling, the perfect bean for a soup eaten on a blustery autumn day (in Houston that means it's in the 80's).

These limas are positively gigantic, and when dried they are a lovely speckled burgundy.  The fresh beans are even prettier in shades of white, pink and fuscia. If you have read our previous entries bemoaning the long and slow process to harvest, you know that Christmas limas do not provide instant gratification to the gardener.  The vines started in April are lush and full, but it is only now that we are harvesting our first beans.   At home, we decided to make a vegetarian spin on Marchetti's soup using fresh Christmas limas, rosemary, and cayenne pepper from the garden.  Good things do indeed come to those who wait. 

Pasta e Fagioli with Christmas Lima Beans
(based on the recipe by Domenica Marchetti)

Ingredients

2       cups      Fresh Christmas Limas
                      (the original recipe uses 2 cups dried limas soaked
                      overnight)
1                    rib celery, minced
1                    yellow onion, finely chopped
3       cloves   garlic, minced
1       Tbs       fresh rosemary, minced
1/2    cup       olive oil
8       cups      vegetable stock
                      sea salt to taste
1/8     tsp       finely chopped dried cayenne pepper
8        oz        orzo pasta
                     parmesan cheese
                     homemade pesto
                     ciabatta or similar bread     

Procedure

1. In large pot, combine beans, celery, onion, garlic and rosemary.  Add 1/2 cup olive oil and stir to combine.
2. Add vegetable stock and bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer over low until beans are tender.  The fresh beans cook much faster than dried, so keep an eye on your soup as it cooks.
4. Puree 1/2 the soup and add back to remainder.  Season as needed with salt, and add minced cayenne.
5. Return soup to boil and add pasta.  Reduce to gentle simmer until pasta is cooked.  The pasta will thicken the soup considerably.
   
6. To serve, drizzle with olive oil and top with freshly grated parmesan.
7. We eat the soup with pesto crostinis. To make the crostinis, brush both sides of slices of ciabatta or similar bread with pesto and toast in a pan or on the grill. 

Pasta e fagioli with christmas lima beans made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz!  Cheers, The Foodbuzz Editorial Team