Summer Lettuces

The best tasting salads are made with the freshest farm stand ingredients in the summer. Living in the Hamptons for two months, I frequented the farmer's markets as often as I could. This became the ultimate lunch in our house. Served over crispy, warm bread topped with smashed avocado and red chili flakes. It has all of the elements for a perfectly light meal. 

serves 2

heirloom lettuces, torn into bite-sized pieces

handful heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved 

1 corn, grilled and cut off the cob

2 pieces fresh multi-grain bread, toasted 

1 avocado, halved and pitted

red chili pepper olive oil

Maldon sea salt

fresh black pepper

juice, from a lemon

extra virgin olive oil

crushed red pepper flakes

sliced almonds, toasted

Toss the lettuces, corn, tomatoes with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, squeeze of a lemon, salt and pepper. Smash the avocado onto the toast with a fork and spread evenly. Drizzle with red chili pepper olive oil, lemon juice and sprinkle with Maldon sea salt and red pepper flakes. Place toast on center of plate and top with the tossed lettuce mixture. Drizzle more red chili pepper olive oil and sprinkle toasted almond slivers.  Serve immediately.

Fourth of July

Hamptons. Salmon + chicken skewers. Fresh Mango Salsa. Housemade Chimichurri. Local Corn and tomatoes. Wedge + Blue CheeseSalad.Good wine. S'Mores. Great Friends.

Arugula, Avocado + Citrus Salad

This is a wonderful and simple winter salad right when citrus is at its peak. The almonds add a nice crunch and the olives a good salty bite that pairs well with the creamy avocado. 

Arugula, Avocado + Citrus Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 bunch baby arugula, washed and dried

1 clementine, peeled, separated into segments and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 avocado, pitted and diced

black kalamata olives, sliced

slivered almonds, toasted

4 Tbsp, or more, extra virgin olive oil

juice from 1/2 lemon

1 tsp dijon mustard

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

To make the dressing, combine the dijon mustard and the lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil until it emulsifies. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Place the arugula, avocado and olives in a bowl. Toss with dressing and top with toasted almonds. Serve immediately.

Spinach + Quinoa Salad with Pears, Chickpeas and Pecans

 'Tis the Season with warm, wintry flavors. I made this salad over the Thanksgiving weekend but it's festive enough to remain on your menu throughout the holidays. The bright cranberries adds a wonderful color, flavor and texture that compliments the nuttiness from the walnuts and protein punch from the quinoa and chickpeas. Drizzle with a maple vinaigrette for a seasonal touch.  You could use pears or apples in this recipe- either one will work.

Spinach + Quinoa Salad with Pears, Chickpeas and Pecans
Serves 6 as a side dish

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa 

2  handfuls of organic baby spinach leaves, washed, drained
1 large ripe pear, washed, stemmed and cored, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup chickpeas, rinsed, drained
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

1/4 cup dried cranberries

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Freshly chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Dry toast the quinoa in a saucepan for a few minutes. Add 2 cups fresh water and a pinch of sea salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is evaporated and the quinoa is tender, about 10-15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
 

To make the dressing, combine the balsamic vinegar and pure maple syrup in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until combined. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

Combine the spinach, pear, chickpeas, parsley cranberries and 1/2 of the quinoa in a bowl.  Fluff to combine. Pour on the vinaigrette and toss gently to coat, adding more quinoa if needed. Season to taste with sea salt and ground pepper. Just before serving, add the toasted pecans and lightly combine.

Heirloom Tomato Avocado and Basil Salad

Walking through our local farmers market last Saturday in the West Village I came across an incredibly colorful table of heirloom tomatoes that I absolutely could not resist. Their wonderful colors and odd shapes immediately draws me. This salad is simple (I thought almost not worth blogging about) but after tasting, I had to share! You can use any juicy, ripe tomatoes but during this high season, if you can get your hands on the heirloom variety, I highly recommend. I added avocado because I had a perfectly ripe one at home, but the simpler the better so feel free to omit. Also, I still have some really sweet good-quality balsamic on hand (from our honeymoon in Italy) but if you don't have one I recommend creating a balsamic reduction by heating on low heat for an hour or so, until it reduces by three-fourths and becomes a thick sweet syrup.

Heirloom Tomato Avocado and Basil Salad

Serves 2

1 large heirloom tomato, chopped into small pieces
1 avocado, pitted and diced
good sweet balsamic vinegar, for drizzle
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzle
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
fresh basil leaves, chopped

In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes and avocado chunks, drizzle some olive oil and a pinch of salt and gently combine. Plate half on each plate. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and grind fresh black pepper and top with fresh basil. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Four Summer Salads to Try Now

My favorite days of summer are spent with great friends, hitting the beach, getting in some outdoor activities and ending the day cooking up fabulous seasonal dishes. Between the Hamptons, Vail and my tiny New York City terrace, I have both created and have been introduced to some flavorful fares worth acknowledging that I know will remain in my recipe book for a very long time. This past weekend was spent again in the Hamptons: two finance guys, two fashion icons, two foodies and four small white dogs (typical NYC crowd if you will), we pulled together a smorgasbord of food that will for sure remain the meal to be topped for summers to come. Served alongside perfectly grilled steaks, simply sauteed fillets of cod, a crisp rose wine and a smooth bottle of Borollo, here are the tastiest four summer salads to try now. All serve about 6 people as a side dish.

Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad

Inspired by the sweet summer corn and yellow cherry tomatoes from the farm stands in Amagansett, this salad was created by my friend Fran and has become a Hamptons house staple. It can be kept in the fridge up to a day or two so be sure to make plenty, as it's great for left-overs. Have it for lunch the next day with added greens or scooped with tortilla chips for an easy appetizer. Serve this salad at room temperature or right out of the fridge. Hold the parm to keep this dish vegan-friendly.

8 ears of corn, grilled, cooled and cut off cob
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
handful of arugula, sliced into thin strips
splash of extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1/2-1 lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
freshly grated Parmesan Regiano, to taste

Combine corn, tomatoes and arugula in a large bowl. Toss with remaining ingredients to liking and serve.

Butter Lettuce with Avocado and Asparagus

This has become my go-to salad this season. I have been using tomatoes as a main ingredient so often that I needed to change things up a bit. The crisp butter lettuce and asparagus with the peppery hints from the radish, combined with the creaminess of the avocado and the crunch from the almonds...do I really need to say more?

2 heads of butter lettuce, washed and torn into pieces
1 bunch of asparagus, blanched and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch fresh radishes, washed and sliced into thin discs
1/2 cup toasted almond slivers
2 ripe avocado, halved and pitted
extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1-2 lemons
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine lettuce, asparagus, radishes in a large bowl and set aside. For the dressing, mash the avocado into a small bowl and whisk in the olive oil and lemon juice until it forms a creamy consistency (it's ok for some of the avocado to remain lumpy). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the dressing with the salad and add in the toasted almond slivers last. Serve immediately.

Farm Stand Heirloom Tomatoes with Basil

A summer classic reinvented this weekend by my friend Karene. A foodie and a fashion-ista herself, I am always inspired by the thought that goes into each dish that she brings to the table. Stay tuned for an incredible summer dessert that she and I collaborated on together. You would never believe how healthy this flavorful dish is!

2 pints heirloom tomatoes, quartered or cut into bite sized pieces
handful of fresh basil, sliced
splash of balsamic vinegar
splash of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve immediately.

Sun-dried Tomato and Radicchio Orzo

This dish originates from our trip to Vail earlier this summer. Friends, Melanie and Bill, hosted and we all collaborated on a 4th of July feast that literally kept us feasting all weekend long. This is her recipe, also brought to the Hamptons table for another round. It's a true hit and only gets better the longer the flavors marinate together. So make ahead and keep tons as left-overs. You'll definitely find yourself sneaking your fork in the fridge for another bite.

1.5 cup orzo
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup radicchio, sliced

Cook orzo according to package directions, drain and set aside in a large bowl to cool. Combine remaining ingredients and place in fridge for a few hours to marinate. This can be made up to a day in advance. Again, the longer the ingredients sit, the tastier it gets.

Summer cooking is all about finding the freshest seasonal ingredients to work with. Feel free to visit your own local farm stands and play around with ingredients that are available to you. I'd love to hear what you might come up with!

Taco Night Twist

Taco Night Sundays has become a weekly staple for us. This Sunday I wanted to change it up a bit, still keeping it simple but a tad bit healthier. Instead of using the familiar ground turkey and caloric crispy taco shells, I opted for a lighter tilapia fish in corn tortillas. My fiance was a bit bummed at the sound of it, but when I watched him scarf down dinner raving about how good it was...well, let's just say "I told you so".

Fish Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa and Black Bean and Corn Salad

Cooking spray
1 garlic clove, minced
fresh corn kernels (about 2 large ears)
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
juice from one lime
1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 3/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 Tbsp jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 (19-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 lb tilapia fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
3/4 cup avocado, halved, pitted and sliced
Tomatillo Salsa, store-bought or homemade

To prepare salad, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds. Add corn; saute 8 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan; cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, 3/4 tsp cumin, and 1/4 tsp salt. Combine the corn, tomatoes, red peppers, onion, jalapeno pepper, fresh cilantro, oregano, and black beans. Drizzle juice mixture over the corn mixture, and toss gently to coat.

Heat the tortillas by wrapping in foil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Sprinkle fish with 1/4 tsp of salt. Combine the rest of the salt, flour and 1 tsp cumin in a medium bowl; dredge fish in mixture and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in the large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and add fish. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with fork.


Build your tacos by folding the tortillas in half and placing the fish down the center first, followed by slices of avocado and topping off with tomatilla salsa. You can pile on the black bean and corn salad or serve alongside. I used store-bought tomatilla salsa to save time. You can create your own by combining tomatillo peppers, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, garlic, and jalapeno pepper.


Use leftover Black Bean and Corn Salad for lunch the next day! I piled salad in a warm corn tortilla, wrapped tightly and sliced into small bite-sized pieces. Top with tomatillo salsa. Enjoy!

Dinner in Dwelling

There is nothing better than cozying up on the couch with a good bottle of Pinot Noir and catching up with your "stories" on the tube after a previous long night out with friends. Add great food, a boyfriend, a dog, a playmate, a sidekick, a partner or just a delusion to the picture and you've got yourself a perfect date-night in.

I have been making this salad every weeknight to go along with whatever I am having for dinner. It seems to compliment everything from an Amy's Roasted Vegetable Pizza (to die for, by the way!! No cheese, organic whole wheat crust, shitake mushrooms, roasted peppers, marinated artichoke hearts and sweet onions!) to my Turkey Meatballs, to a fillet of fish. I absolutely crave it, but I didn't realize how amazing it was until I make it for others and they are just dying for the recipe?? I spice things up as seasons change and use what is fresh and in-season, but for summer I stick to these basic ingredients:

Simple Summer Salad

Mixed Greens or Baby Romaine
Avocado (pitted and diced)
Tomato medley - Cherry, Exotic, Grape, Mini Plum, etc. (halved or quartered)
Pine Nuts
Grated Parmesan
Brianna's Real French Vinaigrette
Fresh Cracked Pepper (to taste)

Nothing fancy. No slavin' away in the kitch. Literally toss to your liking and enjoy! The sharp Parmesan cheese and the creamy avocado mixed with the simple dressing creates an appealing texture that you have just to try for yourself...

This week I ventured out and made a filet mignon to go along with my salad and used the help of Tyler Florence to create a savory Pinot Noir sauce. As I am sure you can gather, I don't eat beef too often...but I crave the occasional steak and this one was totally tasty!

Filet Mignon with Mushroom and Pinot Noir Sauce

2 filet mignon steaks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
Assorted mushrooms, halved or quartered
1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 cups Pinot Noir
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Season both sides of filet mignon generously with salt and pepper. In an oven-proof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the steaks in the hot pan and sear one sides, about 3 minutes. There should be a nice crust. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast about 10 minutes, or until steaks are cooked to your liking.

Remove the steaks and mushrooms and cover. Bring the pan back to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the wine and scrape the pan, getting up all of the good bits. Place the steaks and mushrooms back in the pan, coat in the sauce and add the butter for extra richness.

Plate the steaks and mushrooms again, topping with the sauce to serve.

Enjoy!