Author: Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons

November – Celebration Salad
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November – Celebration Salad

This is a perfect salad to round out your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu. Juicy roasted grapes combine with cauliflower (Romanesco if you can find it), the slight bitterness of endive, and the crunch of toasted hazelnuts. Thinly sliced parmesan adds umami at the end. Serve this salad at room temperature, you can make it several hours ahead. At the last minute combine with the dressing and shave over the parmesan with a Y-peeler.

Roasted grapes, cauliflower, endive salad

Roasted grapes, cauliflower, endive salad

Ingredients:

  • I head of regular or Romanesco cauliflower
  • 1 bunch of seedless green or muscat grapes (the red ones would be nice with regular cauliflower), about 3 cups – mostly separate them but leave one or two in small clusters
  • 2 heads of endive
  • parmesan – shaved
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped if whole
  • olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons of grainy mustard
  • 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
Roasted grapes, cauliflower, endive salad

Roasted grapes, cauliflower, endive salad

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 435 degrees F or 220 degrees C
  2. Separate the cauliflower into florets, on a baking sheet toss them with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. On a separate baking sheet, toss the grapes with a bit more oil, salt and pepper
  4. Roast both sheets until the cauliflower is golden the the grapes are blistered, about 30 minutes. Let them cool a bit before assembling the salad.
  5. While they are roasting, make the cider vinaigrette. In a bowl or jar, whisk (or shake) the mustard, vinegar, honey and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Separate the endive and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces
  7. Toss the roasted cauliflower, grapes, and endive with the dressing. Scatter in a bowl or platter. Arrange the grape clusters around the platter. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and shave the parmesan on top.
Roasted grapes, cauliflower, endive salad

Roasted grapes, cauliflower, endive salad

This recipe came from the cookbook Salad Freak by Jess Damuck. I think I have earmarked more recipes in this book than any on my shelves.

This works well with regular cauliflower, in that case use red grapes . It was garnished with pomegranate seeds (for extra color) and pickled mustard seeds. Instead of parmesan, I shave sharp white cheddar on top.

Celebration Salad

Celebration Salad

Celebration Salad

Celebration Salad

You can find out how to make the pickled mustard seeds here. They make a great gift and keep almost forever in the fridge.

 

This will be my contribution to the Fiesta Friday virtual blogging party. It’s Fiesta Friday #511 hosted by Angie and Co-hosted by  Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook

 

In My Kitchen – November 2023
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In My Kitchen – November 2023

Thank you Sherry for hosting In My Kitchen, a collection of posts focusing on what is new in kitchens around the world. You can read them all on Sherry’s Pickings.

Not a whole lot has been going on in my kitchen. October and November have been filled with travel. We stayed with friends in the California  gold country, then a reunion of our New Zealand gang at Donner Lake, then on to Mexico for a week long retreat with a girlfriend, and finally Utah to visit yet more friends at their lovely second home.

My contributions to the parties are usually wine and goat cheese from our local Anderson Valley (Mendocino County) wine region.

I did cook dinner one night for our Donner group.

Asian salad with brown rice noodles and peanut dressing

Asian salad with brown rice noodles and peanut dressing

 

The New Zealand gang minus Bob who took the picture

The New Zealand gang minus Bob who took the picture

The dogs didn’t go to New Zealand but had a wonderful time on the trails near Lake Tahoe where they were able to run off-leash. That’s me in the middle of the back row.

In my kitchen I have a selection of goat cheese from Pennyroyal Farm in Boonville, CA (in the Anderson Valley wine region). I belong to both their cheese and wine clubs. If you get a chance to visit, you shouldn’t miss this stop. They serve lunch in addition to wine and cheese tastings. Anderson Valley wineries feel like Napa and Sonoma 40 years ago, they are friendly and welcoming and you don’t need a reservation. Because the valley is cool, most wineries focus on white wines and pinot noir.

This quarter's cheese selection from Pennyroyal Farm

This quarter’s cheese selection from Pennyroyal Farm

In my kitchen I have this package of crisp red peppers. They added a nice crunch to our green salad.

Crispy Red Peppers

Crispy Red Peppers

In my kitchen I have a new chili paste. Sally at Bewitching Kitchen wrote about it recently in her blog post for Aji-Amarillo roasted chicken thighs. We eat a lot of chicken and I am always looking for new flavors. I know Amazon isn’t everyone’s favorite, but it allows me to purchase items that are not available in our rural outpost.

Aji Amarillo Chili Paste

Aji Amarillo Chili Paste

I am still trying more salad recipes from the cookbook Salad Freak. Last night I made this one with roasted Romanesco cauliflower, endive, roasted grapes and hazelnuts with a apple cider vinegar dressing. It was delicious. We had some cold roast chicken on the side.

Roast Romanesco cauliflower, grapes, endive salad

Roast Romanesco cauliflower, grapes, endive salad

I will try and post the recipe for you in the next few days.

I am finding it difficult to come up with recipes I haven’t already posted. There are a lot of them after so many years. If you are looking for something you can search the categories on the right side as you read the post. Unfortunately it doesn’t work with your phone, you won’t see it.

The New York Times published a recipe for fried rice with kimchi a few months ago. One of the commenters wrote that they made it with riced cauliflower. I decided to try it and it was very successful.

Fried Rice with kimchi

Fried rice with kimchi

I garnished it with fried shallots.

Gnocchi has appeared on our menu more frequently since I discovered that you can stir fry the fresh varieties without cooking them first. This time it was sauteed with turkey sausage.

Turkey sausage with fresh gnocchi

Turkey sausage with fresh gnocchi

It was delicious garnished with pomegranate seeds.

 

In my kitchen I have a new cookbook, a birthday present from my dear husband.

It is much more that a cookbook and I am enjoying reading about her life and thoughts about food.

From my kitchen I can see this lovely new vase, another gift for my birthday. This time from a lovely friend. I filled it with the last of this year’s dahlias.

Lastly I wanted to leave you with a couple of amazing sunsets. This one is from our last night in Utah. From our friends’ front porch looking out over the Capital Reef National Park.

And this strange cloud formation was seen from our car on the drive back to the bay area. I don’t think I have ever seen this particular type of cloud before.

It looks a bit like a spaceship or like the alien in the movie Nope by Jordan Peele.

In My Kitchen – September 2023
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In My Kitchen – September 2023

I will get this post into Sherry at Sherry’s Pickings for the monthly blogging party just under the wire. In My Kitchen is a regular collection of blog posts from around the world, highlighting what is new in all our kitchens. Thank you, Sherry, for continuing to host this long-running party for us.

So what is new in my kitchen? Not too much actually. I was sick with COVID-19 for almost three weeks, at the end of August and the beginning of this month. Not terribly sick, thank goodness. But I relapsed after taking Paxlovid, turning positive and having to isolate again. My enthusiasm for cooking waned and my dear husband took the reins. The surprise hit was a very simple dish of shredded sharp cheddar mixed with mayonnaise and spread on crisp whole-grain toast, with sliced tomatoes on top. We saw the recipe in the NY Times cooking section. It’s something that would only be fantastic with aged cheddar and perfectly ripe summer beefsteak tomatoes. It needed nothing else although he sometimes added rotisserie chicken or arugula. I will add some pictures in the future because he will be making it again, this time to enjoy with a chilled glass of wine.

Late Summer Tomatoes

Late Summer Tomatoes

This bread was a discovery. It’s from a local bakery and makes the most delicious base for those open-faced sandwiches; a mix of rye and wheat flour plus seeds.

Hanne's Austrian Seed Bread from the Fort Bragg Bakery

Hannes’ Austrian Seed Bread from the Fort Bragg Bakery

But while a languished in our guest bedroom, the dahlias bloomed. Fresh flowers cheered my days, seen from the kitchen.

Dahlias

Dahlias

Dahlias, a Sunflower and other mixed blooms from the garden

Dahlias, a Sunflower, and other mixed blooms from the garden

The zucchini didn’t stop their growth while I was away from the kitchen. We are starting to grow tired of our usual method of serving them, grilled simply with olive oil and salt. Still grilled but topped with a spicy sauce and fried shallots gave them new life.

I purchased a new cookbook while cruising the internet. I love the pictures in all of Donna Hay’s books, this one is full of healthy vegetable-heavy recipes as well.

 

I have grown tired of fumbling through my overcrowded utensil drawer for serving spoons and forks. Adding another caddy to the counter put them easily at hand.

Serving Utensil Caddy

Serving Utensil Caddy

These oil sprays came from Trader Joe’s when I was there a month ago, useful when you only want a bit of oil to glaze a chicken when it’s ready for roasting or a hot skillet.

Olive oil and avocado oil spray

Olive oil and avocado oil spray

And lastly, here is a quick photo of our new water dispenser. Our problem with a well that has been contaminated with salt is too long (and boring) to write about here. The water is safe for washing and watering plants, but not ideal for drinking. We have begun getting deliveries of water, both for us and the dogs. Here you can see me, in my COVID-19 bathrobe (I was living in that thing), taking a picture of the water cooler (and inadvertently myself).

 

September – Spicy Gochujang Zucchini
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September – Spicy Gochujang Zucchini

If you have a vegetable garden, chances are that your produce drawer is overflowing with zucchini right now.

Zucchini

Zucchini

Simply grilled zucchini, sliced thickly and dressed with good olive oil and coarse salt is a treat, until it isn’t. As the season nears its end, this simple sauce adds some interest. It keeps well in the fridge and can be used on other vegetables. I am imagining roasted cauliflower or green beans in the future.

I whipped up a double batch to have on hand.

Grilled zucchini with spicy gochujang sauce

Grilled zucchini with spicy gochujang sauce

Note: I used to cut the zucchini into thin slices, about 1/4 inch. I found I prefer a thicker slice which retains some bite when cooked. But you can decide this based on your preference.

Spicy Gochujang Sauce for Vegetables:

  • 2 tablespoons gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari, regular or low salt
  • 1 tablespoon of seasoned rice wine vinegar (or 1 tablespoon of regular rice wine vinegar + 2 teaspoons of brown sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
  • splash of orange juice

Zucchini:

  • 4 or 5 zucchini, cut into thick slices
  • 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • Fried shallots or onions for garnish

Method:

  1. Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch strips, place in a colander with 1 teaspoon of salt, and mix until the salt covers each slice. Leave in the sink while you prepare the sauce. After 15 minutes I lay the zucchini on paper towels or a clean tea cloth and blot it dry. There is no need to rinse.
  2. Grate the garlic or pulse until finely chopped in a mini food processor
  3. Add the other ingredients, whisking to mix or pulse them all with the garlic
  4. Add a bit more orange juice if needed to make a thick but pourable sauce
  5. Grill the zucchini or cook stovetop with a bit of olive oil
  6. Arrange on a platter, drizzle the sauce over, and sprinkle with fried shallots or onions

I use these shallots quite often as a garnish. You can purchase them online.

Fried Shallots

Fried Shallots

Grilled zucchini with spicy gochujang sauce

Grilled zucchini with spicy gochujang sauce

In My Garden – August 2023
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In My Garden – August 2023

I don’t seem to be able to spend much time at my desk these days. Lots of my time is spent in the garden, some in the kitchen, although that also seems to be limited in the summer. It’s too easy to plop something on the grill and make a salad. The first tomatoes are at the market and we will make a meal out of toasted sourdough bread, sliced summer tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, grilled zucchini from the garden, and whatever protein seems available at the moment. Fresh mozzarella comes to mind, beer can chicken, or a piece of fish.

Beer Can Chicken

Beer Can Chicken

There are a couple of recipes for beer can chicken on my blog. You will find one for a Middle Eastern inspired one here and an Italian-inspired one here. 

I don’t actually use a beer can anymore, but you could. I found that they tip over too easily and now use this handy grill plate with containers that lock. I originally purchased it from Williams Sonoma, I am not sure if they still carry them.

Anyway, this is supposed to be a blog post about the garden so let’s get on with it.

We replanted the front garden bed after the deck was completed. It will be a couple of years before the small  ceanothus and  rock rose shrubs hit their stride. Along with them are some Dutch irises and variegated lavender.

2023 front garden

2023 front garden

By the front steps I planted fuschias (mite resistant) and purple clematis.

fuschias (mite resistant) and purple clematis

fuschias (mite resistant) and purple clematis

The fuschia on the right is Old Berkeley, an heirloom variety and it has really taken off.

The three raised beds that were replaced in the vegetable garden area are doing well now they are out of reach of the redwood roots. The asparagus crowns are showing their ferny beauty. It will be a couple of years before I can harvest the stalks.

Asparagus

Asparagus

We have harvested a few meals of zucchini for grilling.

Zucchini

Zucchini

And the bush beans that were planted three weeks ago are showing signs of flowering in another week or so. I seeded three different varieties.

Bush beans

Bush beans

We hope to finish one more raised (really raised) bed this week. Digging out all the redwood roots, repairing them, raising them a foot above the ground, and refilling them with new soil takes some time. Look at the roots invading this one. They had filled the entire box, breaking through the heavy weed cloth and wire mesh.

My back appreciates them being above the ground.

The flower beds at the back of the house are beautiful, here’s a quick glimpse.

I’ve had lots of cut flowers for the house.

Speaking of cut flowers, the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens recently held a cut flower arranging workshop. I hosted and got to attend. The arrangements were beautiful and it was a lot of fun, true artistry was expressed. It was very inspiring. Here are some pictures of the arrangements…

The dahlias are in full bloom at the Gardens and they were front and center in most of the arrangements. My own dahlias are a few weeks behind. Look for pictures next month.

The native bumble bees are everywhere in my garden, they especially love the lavender. The Spanish lavender along the driveway is the first to bloom, followed by the French lavender about a month later. They both teem with bees when in bloom.

You may remember my poor lemon tree that was on the back deck in a half wine barrel. When work started on the deck it was relegated to a spot under the bottle brush tree in the back. The barrel was falling apart and I am afraid I forgot to water it most days. When the deck was completed we planted it in the ground, giving it lots of new soil, water, fertilizer and finally some love. Well, much to my surprise, it is rebounding and shows new growth. I am hopeful it will bloom and produce some Meyer lemons next year. Meanwhile I will continue to give it love.

The pollinator garden also has a lot of bumblebees as well as birds and butterflies. It’s a wild place with grasses blackeyed Susans, Shasta daisies, yarrow of various colors, and assorted natives.

It’s a challenge to keep up with the deadheading, watering and weeding, a busy time in the garden. But I love it.

Lastly, this cloud formation was seen in the sky above the garden. I’m not sure I’ve seen a similar one before.

Clouds

Clouds

Happy gardening everyone.