Baked, Not Fried.

Crispy shrimp with cannellini beans.

Ingredients
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
5 Tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 19-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
2 bunches arugula, thick stems removed

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the bread crumbs, rosemary, 3 Tbsp of the oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.

Transfer the shrimp and excess crumbs to a baking sheet. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and the crumbs are crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a few seconds. Add the beans, 1/4 cup water and 1/4 each of salt and pepper. Cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss with the arugula.

Serve the bean mixture with the shrimp and sprinkle any remaining bread crumbs over the top.

Serves 4.

Healthy Take on Thai

I came across this recipe in Food and Wine magazine and I have been craving the flavors ever since. Soba noodles are made of buckwheat flour which provides vitamins B1 and B2, several minerals and nearly twice the amount of proteins found in rice. Garlicky, spicy and bright with lime, this is a dish that is full of flavor and warms the body on cold winter days.

Soba Noodles with Sauteed Shrimp

6 ounces soba noodles

1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp tamari
1 tsp agave syrup
2 large shallots, thinly sliced and separated into rings
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tsp lime zest
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined
salt
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
lime wedges, for serving
black sesame seeds, for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add soba noodles and cook according to directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Place in a bowl and toss together with 2 tsp of the oil with the soy sauce, tamari and agave syrup. Set aside.

In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of the oil. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden brown and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel. Do the same with the garlic and transfer to the paper towel.

In a bowl, combine the lime zest and juice with the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil. Toss in the shrimp and season with salt. Saute the shrimp in the pan over medium to high heat, turning once, until glazed and cooked through.

Arrange the noodles in a bowl. Top with the shrimp and sprinkle with the scallions, cilantro, crushed red pepper and the fried shallots, garlic and sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges alongside.

Serves 6

Enjoy!

Super Bowl Sundayyyyy

This year I wanted to tackle (no pun intended) Super Bowl by keeping it simple, hearty and wake up with no regrets. We had a few friends over. I put on a pot veggie chili and I asked that everyone bring something to nibble on. Hummus and crudites, chips and salsa, wings and wine. It was the prefect table of food to get comfortable and enjoy the game (er, the company, commercials and wine)...

Veggie Chili

I found a chili recipe on VegNews.com. I was excited to read that the Austin Fire Department's Engine 2 is vegetarian and they shared their award-winning recipe for all to try. This recipe is adapted from theirs.

1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 packages vegetarian "beef" crumbles
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 can pinto beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons flour
Water

Sautée onions and garlic in a heavy pot. Add vegetarian crumbles and cook a few more minutes. Add the rest of ingredients, except flour, and add enough water to cover ingredients plus 1/2 inch. Simmer for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.Add enough water to the flour to make a thin paste, and add to pot. Stir until chili thickens. Serve with sliced avocado on the side. Serves 6

I have to say, it was a hit and the guys didn't care that it was meatless!

Of course I had to have something sweet to end the night with...

Vegan Chocolate Rice Treats

1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
3 cups brown rice cereal
1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the brown rice syrup, almond butter and chocolate chips together until smooth. Stir in the brown rice cereal until thoroughly coated. Press into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan and allow to cool completely. Place in the refrigerator and let set before cutting. Serve at room temperature.

The Kind Diet

I just purchased Alicia Silverstone's new book, The Kind Diet, and I cannot put it down. I have not completely read through the entire book yet but I have been jumping around in excitement and have already dabbled into some of her recipes tweaking things here and there, because, well, that's just what I do... Last night I made a version of her Radicchio Pizza with Truffle Oil. I turned it into an appetizer by using whole wheat small pita bread for "pizza crust" and quartered each small disc into bite-sized pieces. It made for a flavorful crispy bite. The night grew long with wonderful company and a tad too much wine, so I drank her "Cure-All Tea" (made with kukicha, umeboshi plum and shoyu) this morning, which helped to cure my hangover and ease my digestive system. Tonight I tackled her Morroccan Couscous. I couldn't help but think of one of my all-time favorite Moroccan Couscous dishes from Cafe Gitane when I saw this recipe. I added a little "Cafe Gitane/Erin flare" to Alicia's version and came up with something that hit the spot...

Moroccan Couscous

2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/4" cubes
2 cups yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into 1/4" cubes
1/2 large eggplant, cut into 1/4" cubes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can chickpeas, drained
extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp Earth Balance butter
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1 1/2 cups whole wheat couscous
2 scallions, chopped
homemade or store-bought hummus

Directions

Cook the couscous according to directions and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat a splash of olive oil and add the garlic, onions, squash, carrots and eggplant. Season with salt and pepper and saute. Cover with a lid until the vegetables being to soften.

In the meantime, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the butter, cumin, saffron and freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Cover the pan and steep for 15 minutes.

Add the can of chickpeas to the vegetables and saute together until the chickpeas start to brown a the vegetables are cooked through (butternut squash ad eggplant should be easily punctured with a fork).

Transfer the vegetables and chickpea mixture, along with their juices into a large bowl and add the couscous. Bring the vegetable broth back to a boil, then pour over the couscous mixture all at once. Cover tighly with a lid or plate and let sit for 15 minutes. Add the scallions and toss the couscous and vegetables with a fork.

To serve, place a tablespoon of hummus on the bottom of a bowl and top with the warm couscous mixture. Top with a few more scallions and season with crushed red pepper flakes and salt.

Serves 6.

Next time I make this I might try adding some golden raisins or dried apricots and toasted pine nuts, flavors that are in Cafe Gitane's version. Only a few recipes into Alicia's book... I am excited to get through it all!

Winter Kitchen

Nothing says winter comfort like pasta made with fresh ingredients. In any season, the aromas of basil, tomatoes and garlic cooking make any stresses from your day disappear (having a glass of good red wine in hand doesn't hurt either). I couldn't tell you the last time I ate pasta, but occasionally it's just the thing to settle you in and warm you up. The tomato sauce is always the key ingredient in Italian pasta dishes. I learned an incredible and simple sauce while on our honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast this pas fall. I didn't have fresh vine ripened tomato puree on hand (like we used in Italy) but I did have my favorite can of San Marzano diced tomatoes. I used whole wheat thin spaghetti and added shrimp to this dish...

Tomato and Basil Spaghetti with Sauteed Shrimp

whole wheat thin spaghetti
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can San Marzano diced/pureed tomatoes
large shrimp, peeled and deveined
fresh basil, chopped
olive oil
course sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

In a small sauce pan, add a little olive oil and heat 2 cloves of garlic and basil over high flame. Add the can of tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and simmer the sauce for about 10 to 15 minutes.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a few pinches of salt and the pasta and cook according to directions. Once cooked, strain the water and bring the pasta back to the pot.

Season the shrimp on both sides with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to another medium pan and heat the remaining garlic for a few minutes until you smell a subtle aroma. Add the shrimp, turning once until cooked through ( a few minutes on each side). You may have to do this in a few batches, depending on how many shrimp you have. Set aside.

Toss the spaghetti, tomato sauce and shrimp in the large pot. Serve into bowls and season with crushed red pepper flakes and top with fresh basil.

Enjoy!

Black Beans and Rice

Looking through my previous posts, I realize that I have never written about one of my all-time weeknight staples. After a long day and not looking forward to ordering in, black beans and rice is a dish that I go to quite often. I keep the ingredients in my pantry at all times. It's a simple preparation that can be thrown together quickly. Paired with a simple salad of fresh ingredients along with sliced avocado on the side...here is my take on black beans and rice.

Black Beans and Rice

splash of olive oil

I (15-ounce) can black beans (with liquid)
1/2 green pepper, diced
rice (I suggest Uncle Ben's Instant Whole Grain Ready Rice)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
splash of cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
sea salt
pinch of dried oregano
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

Cook the rice according to package directions. In a medium pan, heat the olive oil and toss in the onions and garlic for a few minutes. Add the green pepper and a pinch of salt and saute until soft and slightly browned. Add the full can of black beans, pinch of dried oregano, splash of vinegar and a little more salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes or so until some of the liquid is absorbed and the texture is to your liking. Serve over rice with a few slices of avocado and top with crushed red pepper flakes.

Serves about 2.

I think the best part about it is that it makes for incredible left-overs. Top off a salad with some fresh corn and tomatoes for lunch or roll up in a corn tortilla for a vegetarian taco dinner the next night!

Holidays

I just returned to New York after spending a week with my family in Florida. Needless to say, as much as I needed a vacation, I found myself in the kitchen. Every night. Strumming up some new and some old recipes to celebrate the holidays. I do have to say that trials in a big kitch are much more exciting than experimenting in my little one in the city. Here is a glimpse of our Christmas Eve and Christmas night menus...we were sure to have options to satisfy everyone's taste buds, with my vegan and non-dairy preferences and the very meat-y, full fat preferences of my husband and brother. I think it all came together perfectly (I even may have convinced some that the vegan recipes might just be more enjoyable than the "real thing").

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies made it to the cookie jar the first night...you have to have treats around the holidays so I made sure to have something that I could enjoy snacking on. I found this recipe from Hello Veggie. They were the perfect thing. Nutty and chocolate-y, vegan and simple to make. I used coconut milk and dark chocolate chips in mine. Maranathan almond butter is one of my favorite things and I was very happy to use it as the main ingredient for a cookie!

Christmas Eve was started with Daniel Boulud smoked salmon, caviar and champagne...we then had our traditional Florida Stone Crabs, served with a wild rice salad (a recipe my mother-in-law introduced me to at Thanksgiving). Being that this was my husband's first Christmas away from home, we were sure to include a little bit of his family tradition with his mother's Santa Clause Soup (an incredible potato-based soup, topped with fresh chives and bacon). I had a little trouble trying to create a non-dairy version for myself, but everyone else thoroughly enjoyed it! (Another challenge for next year!)

Wild Rice Salad

Cook the wild rice in chicken or vegetable broth. Set aside and let cool. Add fresh herbs and vegetables of your choice. I added freshly chopped parsley, green onion, chopped artichokes and halved grape tomatoes. Toss with a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon juice and dijon mustard and top with toasted slivered almonds for a nice crunch. This should all be made at least the day before so the flavors can marinate together. Add the almonds just before serving. I prefer this rice cooked a little al dente but can be cooked longer for a fluffier texture. You might also consider adding shrimp or slivered prociutto ham.

It has started to become a tradition for my husband and I to bring pumpkin pie to the table. We made this for the first time a few years ago and thought we should bring it back again. I considered creating a vegan-ized version but then thought, why mess with a good thing?? (plus, he wouldn't have it any other way!). This Pumpkin Pie recipe is from Williams-Sonoma and will remain in my recipe box for a very long time. The best part is the port-poached cranberry topping! While I personally could not enjoy our pie this year, it was rewarding that everyone else could, and I was sure to have something else to satisfy my sweet tooth.

I found a recipe on Marika Collins' blog madcap cupcake. She has some of the best recipes for sweet vegan treats! I wanted something chocolate-y, decadent and easy to make. This seemed like just the thing that everyone could enjoy. She originally vegan-ized these Nanaimo Bars from a recipe that she had found in the Vancouver Sun newspaper. Anyways, here is my version!

Vegan Chocolate-layered Bars
Bottom layer : 1/2 cup earth balance (or other vegan margarine)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tbsp flax meal
3 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups crushed graham crackers or crumbs
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Middle layer: 1/4 cup earth balance (or other vegan margarine)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp vanilla custard powder (or instant vanilla pudding powder)
3 tbsp plain soy milk (I used coconut milk)

Top layer: 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 tbsp earth balance (or other vegan margarine)

Directions

To make bottom layer: Grease a 9-inch square cake pan. (Marika recommends lining the bottom with parchment that stuck out the top so you can lift everything out after). In a small bowl, beat flax meal and water together until frothy, set aside. In a sauce pan over low heat, combine 1/2 cup earth balance, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla . Add flax mixture and stir constantly until mixture thickens. Add graham crackers crumbs, coconut, and chopped nuts, stirring to combine. Press the mixture into the greased pan.
To make middle layer: In a large bowl, beat together 1/4 cup earth balance, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla custard powder, and soy milk until creamy. Spread custard mixture over graham cracker base in pan. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

To make top layer: Melt semi-sweet chocolate and 1 tbsp earth balance. Pour over chilled bars and spread over top. Return to refrigerator to chill until firm (at least 1 hour).

For Christmas dinner we had a choice of a rosemary and garlic roast leg of lamb or pan-seared salmon fillets. Served alongside was a warm butternut squash and arugula salad and brussels sprouts and apples. Apple Crisp for dessert. We pulled together a classic recipe for the lamb and a simple preparation for the salmon. We adapted one of Heidi Swanson's brussels sprouts recipe from her 101 Cookbooks blog, both veggie dishes were vegan of course!

Rosemary and Garlic Roast of Lamb

1 leg of lamb, bone in
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 lb potatoes
1 cup chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, chives and parsley)
2 cups diced onions
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup red wine

Wash and half the potatoes. Season with salt, pepper, a little olive oil and freshly chopped rosemary. Rub a whole leg of lamb with lemon juice and freshly chopped rosemary, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Place the lamb in the center of a roasting pan and assemble the potatoes around it. Roast for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F and then turn down to about 350 degrees F for an hour or so, until the meat is cooked to your liking (a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast should register about 145 degrees F to 150 degrees F). In the meantime, on the stove-top, add mixed fresh herbs and onions to pan, stirring to combine. Add chicken stock and wine and reduce over high heat until sauce consistency. Slice lamb and serve with sauce drizzled over the top.

Warm Butternut Squash and Arugula Salad

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced to bite-sized pieces
olive oil
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
3 Tbsp dried cranberries
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup apple cider
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp shallots, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 ounces baby arugula
1/2 cup walknuts, halved and toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Brussels Sprouts & Apples

1 large apple, cut into bite-sized wedges
1 lemon, juice only
fine-grain sea salt
olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
pure maple syrup
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped
12 ounces brussels sprouts, washed and quartered

Soak the apples in a bowl filled with water and the juice of one lemon.

Add some olive oil to a heated pan and stir in the garlic. After you start to smell a nice aroma, stir in the maple syrup, and cook another 30 seconds or so. Drain the apples, and add them to the skillet, cooking for another minute. Scrape the apple onto a plate and set aside while you cook the brussels sprouts.

In the same pan (no need to wash), add a touch more oil, a pinch of salt, and dial the heat up to medium-high. When the pan is nice and hot stir in the brussels sprouts. Cook for a few minutes, stirring a couple times until you get some golden bits, and the rest of the sprouts are bright and delicious. Stir the apple mixture back into the skillet alongside the brussels sprouts 1/2 of the pine nuts - gently stir to combine. Remove from heat and enjoy immediately sprinkled with the remaining pine nuts.

I found a vegan and raw pie crust at Whole Foods while shopping around and was determined to find a way to use it. It was made with organic dates and almonds, among other ingredients. My family was insisting on an apple pie-sort-of-dessert so I thought I'd go the apple route. Because the pie crust directed me to just fill with fresh fruit and serve raw, I opted not to bake the crust. Instead, I baked the apples and topping separately and then filled individual ramekins with the pie crust pressed into the bottom for a nice surprise "crust". It turned out incredibly well!

Oatmeal Crunch Apple Crisp

Filling
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp flour

Topping
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2- 4 Tbsp Earth Balance (or other vegan butter), cut into small pieces
1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To prepare filling: Combine apples, 1/2 cup brown sugar, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the apples and toss again. Spray a glass 9x9 pan or pie pan with non-stick spray, fill with the apple mixture and bake for about 30 minutes

Meanwhile, prepare topping: Combine 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons at a time of the Earth Balance with a fork (or your hands) until evenly distributed. Stir in the nuts.

After the apples have baked for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven and scatter the topping over the apples. Return it to the oven and bake until the topping is golden and the juices are bubbling around the edges, 20 minutes more. Once cooled, scoop out portions to fit each individual ramekin (trying to keep the topping on top!). Top with whip cream (rice whip is a great vegan option) or ice cream and enjoy!

Chickpea and Asparagus Quinoa

I adapted another one of Heidi Swanson's fab recipes from her blog 101 Cookbooks tonight. I am on a major vegan kick right now and she's got some incredibly tasty options in her archives! She uses brown rice in this recipe, but I wanted to substitute quinoa. She drizzles with a homemade tahini dressing that is to-die-for! I made a little extra and will definitely use throughout the week on other dishes, like sauteed kale or serve with hummus and veggies.

Ingredients
extra-virgin olive oil
1 14-ounce can of chickpeas, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup almond slices, toasted
fine grain sea salt

Tahini Dressing
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup tahini
zest of one lemon
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp hot water
1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt

Make the dressing by whisking together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt. Set aside.

Add olive oil to a big skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and sprinkling of salt. Let the beans saute for a couple of minutes (Heidi recommends waiting for some crusty color on them). Add the garlic and onions. Stir for a minute. Stir in the asparagus with another pinch of salt, cover with a lid for a minute or two to steam- just until the asparagus brightens and softens up slightly. Uncover and stir in the quinoa and almond slices, reserving a few almonds for the garnish. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve into bowls and drizzle with a little of the tahini dressing to your liking.

Serves about 4.

Berry Breakfast

Always inspired by Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks blog, I am finally diving in and giving a crack at her recipes. I wanted something healthy, satisfying and slightly sweet this morning. I scanned the shelves of my fridge for ideas: left-over quinoa (something that I have been making a lot of lately. A great replacement for brown rice or pasta- sauteed with different varieties of vegetables or served alongside a fillet salmon with fresh herbs). Fresh raspberries also caught my eye and I immediately thought of a recipe that I had come across just the other day- Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa. Heidi's take on a recipe from Dr. John La Puma's recent release - Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, a book that she highly recommends written by a someone who is both a doctor and chef. I made it with similar ingredients that I had around the house and it was the perfect start to my Sunday morning. After this trial, I am sure to add this book to my collection.

Warm and Nutty Breakfast Quinoa

I used a red quinoa here and raspberries, instead of blackberries. My quinoa was already made with water, so I never incorporated the milk. Also, a few of Heidi's notes and tips from the book: blueberries may also replace the blackberries, dark honey may replace the agave nectar, and walnuts may replace the pecans. I also added a few hazelnuts to mine. I thought it was a wonderful addition.

Ingredients

1 cup organic 1% low-fat milk, or soy milk
1 cup water
1 cup organic quinoa
2 cups fresh blackberries
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted*
4 teaspoons organic agave nectar

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in berries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar over each serving. *While the quinoa cooks, toast the pecans in a small skillet on medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Serves 4.

A warm welcome back to reality...

Just back from tying the knot and honeymoon-ing in Italy...it was an incredible whirlwind of a dream and now the only thing that I wanted to do all weekend long was eat comforting, home-cooked foods and settle back into reality. The jet-lag was taking longer than expected to recover from, even after trying to strategically plan our sleeping patterns by drinking copious amount of espresso (my Italian jones) on the long flight home. Two of my friends wanted to do a Sunday night dinner so I (obviously) convinced them to come over so I can cook for them instead. We opened a bottle of Chianti and sat around nibbling on fresh fig, prosciutto and clover honey. After some gossip, I started to make the Cioppino, a San Francisco fisherman's stew with fresh lump crab meat, large prawns, halibut and clams. It's good to be home...

Cioppino
(Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking)
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 bay leaves, broken in half
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes
3/4 cups Chianti wine
1/2 cup sauvignon blanc wine
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3/4 lb firm white fish, like halibut, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 lb Dungenuss crab claws, or lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
20 large shrimp (prawns), peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp Tabasco
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and bell peppers and saute until just tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, and red and white wines and bring to a simmer. Partially cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the oregano, thyme, fish and clams. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the crab and shrimp, cover and cook until the shrimp and fish are opaque and the clams have opened, 3-4 minutes. Discard any clams that failed to open. Stir in the Tabasco sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Divide among the bowls and serve at once.
A warm piece of baguette is always good to soak up the juices at the end. Please do stay tuned for a future post on our wedding and Italian travels...Ciao for now!