Cucumber and Zucchini Panzanella

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Lattes and Leggings

This panzanella takes me back to when I was a kid who had a thing for raw zucchini. The same odd child that loved anchovies on Greek salads and munching on raw green onions like they were carrot sticks. We never had a salad this fancy or anything, but it reminds me of how delicious raw zucchini is on its own. Soaked in good olive oil and red wine vinegar. Simplicity at its best.

Panzanella is traditionally made with stale bread and tomatoes, but Mario Batali’s version of cucumbers and zucchini is a twist on the classic salad with very little adaptation needed.

Have you ever heard of burpless cucumbers? I didn’t know much about them either until I asked the farmer. How are they different compared to the normal variety you see at the store? According to the farmer, it’s the best tasting cucumber ever. It’s sweet, seedless, and one of their most difficult crop to grow. But of course I thought to myself, why are they called burpless? Do cucumbers really make you burp, and I just haven’t noticed this whole time? All I can say is, after eating this panzanella, the cucumbers weren’t so burpless…unless I just inhaled my food to fast. Who knows.

The key to this salad is to use stale bread so that it doesn’t get soggy when tossed with the olive oil and vinegar. The bread is warmed and toasted in the oven to add even more crunch. I love this seeded bread which adds some texture to the salad.

Since we’re working with raw ingredients, use the best quality that you can…especially the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Make sure to use extra virgin olive oil because it’s fruitier and has more flavor than regular olive oil. I used this aged red wine vinegar that is budget friendly.

The veggies and bread soak up the flavors for a refreshing late spring panzanella.

Cucumber and Zucchini Panzanella
barely adapted from Molto Batali

The key to this panzanella is to make sure the bread is somewhat stale before toasting in the oven so it won’t become soggy when tossed with the oil and vinegar. Use good quality ingredients, especially the olive oil and red wine vinegar for best flavor.

serves 4

Ingredients
1 cucumber, trimmed and thinly sliced (preferably seedless variety)
1 zucchini, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
10 fresh basil leaves, torn
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups day-old multigrain or seeded bakery bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large salad bowl, add the cucumber, zucchini, onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and half of the basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the bread cubes on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until warmed and toasted. Add the bread and remaining basil to the veggie mixture. Gently toss to combine. Let the panzanella sit for 5 minutes to soak up the flavors before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Herbed Chicken with Spring Vegetables

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Lattes and Leggings

Last Friday it was pouring rain. Dark and windy. The kind of day where you want to stay inside curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee. That morning I came across a tweet that the Union Square Greenmarket posted. It was an Instagram picture of rainbow carrots. Knowing they would be all snatched up by lunchtime, I rushed for the raincoat, umbrella, and boots and headed out the door.

With a half mangled umbrella covering my major frizz-ball, slightly damp hair (ladies you know what I’m talking about), I arrived up the stairs from the subway station to see a scarcity of white tents and really no one around. Was I the idiot that treked to the farmer’s market for a bunch of carrots? Yep.

Might as well stroll around the market and see what else they had since I was already wet. There were mounds. Ok barrels of snap peas that I couldn’t resist. So I bought just enough snap peas for this dish remembering the cashier’s dirty look gleaming right at me because all I had was a twenty.

I had some leftover scallions from a prior trip to the farmer’s market that were still sitting in the fridge. Without letting them go to waste. they made a perfect addition to this dish.

This is a redo from an old post that I did like a year ago. Obviously the photos were no good, but most importantly, the recipe itself needed updating. It’s crazy how what you eat and how you cook can evolve and change over time…from using more fresh herbs to seasonal vegetables to supporting local farms. This dish really celebrates spring. The produce of spring.

The chicken is stuffed with fresh herbs tucked underneath its skin to keep it moist and full of flavor. Don’t skip out on the fennel seed. It adds a depth of flavor that takes the chicken from ordinary to something special. The vegetables are simply sauteed with salt and pepper. The meaty mushrooms flavor the broth. A simple dish to let the vegetables’ flavors stand on their own.

Herbed Chicken with Spring Vegetables
adapted from Giada’s Kitchen

Don’t skip out on the fennel seed. It adds a depth of flavor that takes the chicken from ordinary to something special.

serves 2

Ingredients
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken breasts, boneless with skin
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
6 spring onions, trimmed (white and light green parts only)
1 small bunch rainbow carrots, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup snap peas, trimmed and strings removed
1 portobello mushroom, stemmed and sliced

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, add the parsley, thyme, garlic, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Stuff the herbed mixture underneath the chicken skin. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side face down. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until skin is crispy and golden. Turn the chicken over and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish skin side up. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through.

Meanwhile, using the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly browned. Add the chicken broth and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the snap peas and mushrooms. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced. Serve with chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bing Cherry Yogurt Smoothie

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Lattes and Leggings

If you’ve been following this blog for awhile now, you probably know that I don’t own a blender. My kitchen has seen some pretty horrific scenes from the good ole blender. Liquid splattering all over the cabinet doors, purees that weren’t quite “pureed”, burning up the motor…you name it. So I just stick to the food processor. It juices, grates, purees…as long as no ice is involved, it can do just about anything, including this smoothie.

It’s June which means cherry season! There are different varieties of cherries, but bing cherries really stand out. They’re juicy, tart, and slightly sweet. They’re plump and oversized compared to the average cherry.

Dark chocolate adds an indulgent factor to this smoothie. I used a 72% cacao bar. As the smoothie blends, you will see bits of chocolate still present creating texture in the drink.

Tangy Greek yogurt is blended with the cherries and is the stand out flavor. This smoothie is filled with lots of protein from the yogurt and almond butter, giving you lots of energy to get you through the workday.

Honey naturally sweetens it up. The smoothie really needs it to balance out the tangy yogurt and sour cherry flavors. All in all, this is an indulgent smoothie, but still a great option for a healthy snack or dessert.

Bing Cherry Yogurt Smoothie

serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 cup bing cherries, pitted and stems removed
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons chopped dark chocolate (72% cacao)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon almond butter

Directions
In a blender or food processor, add the cherries, greek yogurt, almond milk, chocolate, honey, and almond butter. Cover and blend until smooth. There will still be bits of chocolate present in the mixture. Pour smoothie in a glass and garnish with a cherry on top.