fresh rosemary focaccia

For those of you who are reading this post from Seattle, you're well aware of the fabulous October weather we've been experiencing. You would never know that it's actually June considering the onslaught of grey rainy days we've been having. Even as I sit here typing this post I am watching a downpour out my front window. It looks as though today's intended hike will have to wait....possibly until July.

There is an upside to this rainy weekend though - and that upside is focaccia. I've only played with making yeasted bread a few times. It's one of those things that seems like it should be easy, but can in fact prove to be challenging. Focaccia, I am happy to report, is not one of those breads. This recipe is quick - only 2 hours including rise time - and the results are delicious. I can attest to that. Once you have a loaf made the possibilities are endless. Saturday night I made sammies with oven roasted zucchini, mushrooms, red peppers and sweet vidalia onion sauce. (By the way, this onion sauce was so good that I gave it it's own post. Check it out!) Sunday morning, a breakfast sammie with tomato, sauteed mushrooms, sharp cheese and yummy sausage on toasted focaccia. I've started running again so I'm justifying this as carb loading for the upcoming week....or month maybe? Enjoy! -jz

fresh rosemary focaccia

makes 1 large loaf

1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra whole leaves for garnish
3 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 1/2 cups each all-purpose and whole wheat)
1 teaspoon salt
Olive oil for brushing
Coarse salt for garnish

Combine the yeast and warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil, chopped rosemary, salt and flour. Knead to form a soft dough. If the dough is sticky, work in a little extra flour, 1 teaspoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 6 minutes, until smooth. Pour a little olive oil in the original bowl, add the kneaded dough and turn it a few times to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise 1 hour or until a hole poked into the side of the risen dough fills up slowly.

Punch down the dough, return it to floured surface, and knead it a few times. Then, using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large circle about 1 1/2 inches thick. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased cookie sheet. Poke several holes into the dough with a fork, sprinkle with coarse salt and rosemary leaves, and brush with a little olive oil. Cover again with dish towel and let rise for 20 more minutes.

While the dough is rising for the second time, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the bread is lightly browned and firm. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe taken from: Veganomicon

sweet vidalia onion sauce

I'm not really sure why this is deemed a sauce considering it never is really reduced to a typical "sauce" texture. Regardless of classification this stuff is pretty amazing. The recipe is taken from Veganomicon and is suggested to be eaten over portobello mushrooms or on veggie burgers. I would eat this sauce with pretty much anything or even on it's own, spread over a piece of fresh focaccia. It's sweet, it's oniony in just the right way - it's simply delicious.

If you've never caramelized onions before, be advised that you cannot rush the process. 20 minutes is no joke. Keep the heat low and keep an eye on them. While the onions should turn a lovely caramel color, they shouldn't crisp. I promise they will be worth the wait! Enjoy! -jz

sweet vidalia onion sauce
makes a little less than 2 cups

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large vidalia onions, quartered and sliced thinly (about 2 cups once sliced)
1/4 cup mirin or white wine*
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon white balsamic or red wine vinegar*
1 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
pinch of salt

* I used white wine and red wine vinegar 

Preheat a large, nonstick pan over medium - low heat. Saute the onions in the oil for about 20 minutes, turning often so they don't burn. If it looks like they are getting crisp, reduce the heat. They should be very soft and honey brown. Add the remaining ingredients and stir for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm until you're ready to serve.

orzo soup

I literally just made a promise this week that I wouldn't post about soup again until September. Apparently I shouldn't make promises I know I can't keep.

This soup is just to good to keep quiet. I'm justifying the post by the fact that it's hardly "soup" in the traditional sense. Since it does have a broth base though, I suppose it has to keep it's name. It's a breeze to make and I've made no alterations to the original recipe as it appears on 101 Cookbooks. I typically cut the chard into "ribbons" to add some interesting texture. If you can get your hands on these fire roasted tomatoes, I whole heartedly recommend them. They have chilies which pack a little extra heat with the red pepper flakes. Also, for those of you who may want to default to chicken broth, this is a case where you need to stick to veggie broth. The flavor is well worth it. Have fun with the egg whites, they're my favorite part of the process! Enjoy! - jz

orzo soup
serves 4 to 6 (taken from 101 Cookbooks) 

7 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups whole wheat orzo (or other small pasta i.e. pastina)
2 cups chard or spinach, chopped
1 14-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, well drained
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
good quality extra virgin olive oil
3 egg whites
fine grain sea salt
some grated Parmesan cheese (to finish)

Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until just tender - about ten minutes. Stir in the chopped spinach;In the meantime, heat the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and a splash of extra virgin olive oil in a separate saucepan. Taste, and salt a bit if needed. Just before serving, slowly pour the egg whites into the soup, stirring quickly with a whisk. The whites should take on a raggy appearance. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve the soup in individual bowls, with each serving topped with a generous spoonful of tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and dusting of cheese.

best ever pb&j sandwich

Being the "best ever" peanut butter and jelly sandwich sounds like a lot to live up to. I can remember many fabulous pb&j sandwiches at this very moment. This one however takes the cake, or maybe the bacon as it turns out. The inspiration for this sandwich came from a local downtown bakery here in Seattle. A bakery that uses at least a pound of butter in every cookie they make. The smell of these cookies alone has almost deterred from me going to work in the morning. This same bakery also makes a wide array of sandwiches, one of which led to the best ever pb&j. Peanut butter, cranberry blueberry spread, bananas, granny smith apples....it couldn't get much better. Enter bacon. Peanut butter and bacon are an obvious match, but with the apples and bananas, this combination borders on heavenly. It's the perfect blend of savory sweetness. Grab a napkin and a tall glass of milk - this sandwich needs both. Enjoy! - jz

best ever pb&j sandwich
makes 2 sandwiches (could serve 4)

4 slices thick cut bacon
4 slices fresh whole grain bread
8 tablespoons natural chunky peanut butter
4 teaspoons Crofter's Super Fruit Spread
1 small granny smith apple, thinly sliced
1 banana, cut lengthwise into strips

Cook bacon according to package directions. Set aside on paper napkins to cool and drain. Spread each slice of bread with two tablespoons of peanut butter then 1 teaspoon of fruit spread. Layer two pieces of bread with approximately half the sliced apples on each. Layer the remaining two pieces of bread with half the banana on each and then half the bacon. Carefully join together an apple side with a banana side. Give the whole sandwich a good "smash," cut into halves and serve.

mini calzones with prosciutto, mozzarella and tomatoes

It's Monday. Again.

I realize Monday comes every week, but every weekend I find myself hoping it would hold off for just a day longer. This weekend was no exception. I spent my Friday catching up with one of my favorite people, my Saturday hosting a birthday dinner party and my Sunday trekking up a mountain then eating cheese fondue. A lovely weekend as far as I'm concerned.

It's not surprising that Saturday is the inspiration for this post. There's just no way I could pass up talking about the food my roommate and I made. Home made hummus, mini calzones, salmon with dill - pistachio pistou, rosemary potatoes...mmm. I promise I'll post more about the hummus and salmon as they deserve their own moment in time. Right now though, it's all about the mini calzones.

I can't take credit for the idea. I found the recipe for these Saturday morning as I was pouring through my newest cookbook, Jamie's Dinners by Jamie Oliver. The combination is such a simple spin on some classic combinations so I just had to try them. They turned out perfectly. Well, almost perfect. I'll have to work on my calzone crimping skills for next time. They were sort of like snowflakes - no two were folded the same. Also, using larger pieces of prosciutto to make little "bundles" with the mozzarella, basil and tomatoes would probably keep the calzones from leaking their insides while baking. All in all, these were worth the effort and will be making repeat appearances at dinner parties to come.

The original recipe did not include specific quantities for the ingredients. I've approximated here just to making shopping easier. Enjoy!

mini calzones with prosciutto, mozzarella and tomatoes

makes approximately 20

1 package frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
12 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
16 ounces fresh mozzarella balls
cherry tomatoes, halved
fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 egg, beaten
splash of milk (for egg wash)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll the puff pastry out on a lightly flour dusted surface until just under a 1/4 inch thick. Using a 5 inch plate as a template, cut out about 7 circles. On one half of each circle lay a slice of prosciutto, followed by large thumbed sized piece of mozzarella, a cherry tomato half and a fresh basil leaf. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Wrap the prosciutto around the filling to hold it together, then egg wash the edges of the pastry and fold it in half. Pinch or crimp the sides together so the filling won't leak out. Bake until golden brown and crisp on the outside.

truffle popcorn

I have great news! My cleanse is finally over. I'll have you know that it ended with plates of sushi and all the appropriate accompaniments. And it was lovely.

In that same vein, I've been reacquainting myself with many other foods and beverages. Last night was no exception. After a few bottles of yummy red wine, it was time for snacks. Enter popcorn. Not just any popcorn. Truffle popcorn. 

Truffle popcorn can made a few different ways depending on what you have on hand at home. Last night I used truffle oil because I was at a friend's house. But typically, when I'm home, I make it with truffle salt. While the two have almost the same flavor, I think the salt is a little easier to distribute over the popcorn so that each bite is packed with tons of flavor. Plus, the salt gives you an excuse to add melted butter. Enjoy!

truffle popcorn

makes one large bowl 

(or a few little ones)

4 cups unsalted popped popcorn

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1-2 teaspoons good quality truffle salt

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Add melted butter to popped popcorn slowly, stirring to distribute. Add truffle salt in portions, to taste. Finish wish parmesan cheese if using. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Serve immediately.

viceroy burgers

Sundays are for cheaters. At least according to my friend Paul they are.

This past Sunday, I buckled under the pressure. I cheated.

For those of you who are pure at heart (or maybe for those of you who aren't so pure at heart), don't get too excited.  I wasn't part of a steamy sordid affair with a somehow inappropriate but incredibly good looking man. I'm in the middle of a two week cleanse and Sunday I gave in to a deliciously sinful burger. A burger that was worth every moment. Let me explain.

The inspiration for these burgers came long before my cleanse started and consequently a long way from home. I spent a week in Palm Springs this past February in the fabulous Viceroy Hotel which is home to a little restaurant called Citron. The restaurant was of course overpriced as most hotel restaurants are. So instead of ordering a $20 cheeseburger while lounging by the pool, my friend Jill jotted down all the ingredients to the Viceroy Burger. Horseradish aoli, balsamic onions, gruyere, bacon, blue cheese and arugula. Not one type of cheese, but two. And bacon. Now you see where the word sinful comes into play.

You can imagine my delight when she called me Sunday not only to invite me over for dinner, but to tell me we'd be making Viceroy Burgers. Then I found out Sundays are for cheaters. Perfect!

viceroy burgers
makes 4

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3 - 4 tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 small sweet onion, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons horseradish
6 strips thickly sliced bacon, cooked
gruyere cheese, sliced
blue cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 cups arugula
4 whole grain rolls or buns

Season ground beef with Montreal Steak Seasoning and form into 4 patties.

Melt butter over low heat in a small skillet. Add sliced onions and cook slowly until they begin to caramelize, about 15 - 20 minutes. Meanwhile combine horseradish and mayonnaise. Set aside. Add balsamic to skillet and allow onions to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Place burgers on hot grill and allow to cook for 4 minutes on each side. Top with blue cheese and gruyere and allow cheese to melt. Remove from grill. Dress burgers with mayonnaise, bacon, caramelized onions and arugula. Serve hot.