Zucchini and Arugula Salad

I had to share this gorgeous salad presentation that two of my students made today at Bauman.  I love it not only because of how it looks (and tasted!), but because it was a life lesson on a plate.   I dig when that happens!!

I remembered this recipe from when I was a student at Bauman a couple years ago.  One of my classmates created a beautiful salad with thinly shaved zucchini, sliced from end to end into long ribbons.  She laid them in a cross on the plate, placed the arugula salad on top and folded the zucchini up around it, like a little gift- wrapped package.  Not having read the recipe myself (I was making something else that day), I thought this was how the recipe was written.

So today when I went to check on Claire and Maria to see how they were doing on their salad, I was surprised to see that they had cut the zucchini into thin discs, not long ribbons.  I questioned it, and then looked at the recipe to see if they had mistakenly cut it the wrong way.  The recipe only said to cut the zucchini thinly, no direction other than that.  I told them about the way my classmate had done the dish, but assured them that they way the recipe was writtin, they hadn't done anything wrong.

Two things happened.  First of all, I think that it challenged them to make an equally stunning presentation, maybe for me, but maybe for themselves.  And they did not dissapoint.  I saw them scrambling around the kitchen looking for something that eluded them..."Chef Suzanne, do we have those round things?" my favorite Irish lass, Claire, asked.  I finally figured out she meant ring molds and gave her a handful.

I'm glad that I got caught up in all the other goings-on in the kitchen, so I didn't see what they were planning until it was presented to the table.  What a wonderful surprise!  I told the entire class that this salad was by far one of my favorite plating presentations that they have put before us so far this semester.

And that's when the second thing happened: I realized that just because you think something is good just as it is and you think it's right, it doesn't mean that something better can't come along and change your mind.  Maria and Claire changed mine today.  I used to remake the dish from my semester, but now I have a new version that's even better.  (I'll be stealing this one, ladies!).

Once I perfect my own recipe, I'll share it, but if you want to give it a try now, the basics are:
Thinly slice zucchini rounds and soak in a little olive oil and salt to cover, until they become soft and pliable.
Toss arugula and micro greens (love them!) with a vinaigrette and anything else you want, keep it delicate, though.
They layered zucchini slices, then arugula, then more zucchini slices, and more arugula.
Then they topped it with ricotta salata cheese (it's a sheep cheese, so the lactose intolerant may be able to handle it, but goat cheese would work, too.)

Yum it up!  And look pretty!

Hello Fava Bean

My sister took me to a book signing for Marie Simmons at Greens in the city.  Annie Somerville interpreted a few dishes from Annie's new vegetarian cookbook, Fast and Fresh Vegetarian.  One of the dishes was a creamy polenta with fava beans, English peas, and I forget what else - but it was fabulous!! I don't think I'd ever had a fava bean before and certainly had never cooked them ...Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter had made me completely uninterested.  When my sister said that she's never cooked them because "they're too much work," I heard a triple dog dare.

I was doing a cooking demo at the Sebastopol farmers' market the next weekend, so I asked one of the farmers that had fava beans, "I heard these are hard to deal with?"  He said, "yes."  Dang, could my sister be right?

Not giving up yet (sibling rivalry is great, isn't it?!), I approached another farmer later that week in Corte Madera.  When I said the same, "I hear these are hard to deal with," he quickly said "no."  And then he explained to me  that all I had to do was blanch them for a few minutes and the skins will easily break open and out comes the bean. Maybe late in the season the bean inside has a bit more coating to it and you would have to peel that off, but still, that doesn't seem like a lot of work to me.

I bought a bunch of beans and went home wondering what the heck to do with them.  Got to love Google.  After looking at a ton of recipes  (well, 4 or 5 is about my limit, really) I found an idea for a dip/spread and made a few adjustments to make my new Springtime friend....Fava Bean & Arugula Spread on Watermelon Radish:

By the way, watermelon radishes were new to me, too....but oh, how I love them .  Sooo pretty.

Oh yeah, and I win the triple dog dare.

Fava Bean & Arugula Spread                                                                             Makes 1 cup

1 pound fava beans

1 cup chopped arugula, divided

2 ounces goat cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Zest and juice from one lemon

¼ teaspoon salt

Pinch cayenne

¼ cup chopped radish

·         Bring a large pot of water to boil and add fava beans.

·         Cook 3 minutes, then plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking.

·         Shell the beans and place in a food processor along with ½ cup arugula, goat cheese, dill, lemon juice & zest, salt and cayenne.  Blend until smooth paste forms.

·         Place mixture in a bowl and fold in remaining ½ cup of arugula and chopped radishes.

·         Serve on radish slices. (crostini works, too, but I always try to keep it veg-based)

Box of Yum...

I love the days that I get my CSA (Community Sponsered Agriculture).  It's a little like Christmas morning to me, even though I know exactly what fruit and veggies I'm getting.  So it's exactly like the year my sister Michelle was about 11 and I was 7, and we unwrapped all our gifts a week before Christmas when our parents were out and then re-wrapped them.  Not much of a surprise Christmas morning, but still fun to have new stuff to play with.

This week I'll be playing with arugula, artichokes, butternut squash, onions, potatoes, carrots, romaine, apples, oranges and pears...

I'm thinking Butternut Squash and Apple Soup, Stuffed Artichokes, Maple Glazed Carrots, and Fig and Arugula Pizza (with goat cheese, of course).  Sounds like a good week, so come back and check out the culinary mischief...

For starters, here's what happened to the  juicy oranges and peppery arugula from the Box of Yum:

Smoky Tilapia in Citrus Sauce

Serves 4

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

2 teaspoons agave nectar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon mirin

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon coconut oil

4 tilapia fillets

4 cups arugula (baby spinach works great, too)

¼ cup sliced almonds

¼ cup dried cranberries

In a small bowl combine the juices, agave, oil, tamari and mirin.  Set aside.  In another small bowl mix paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.  Rub mixture over tilapia fillets.  Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add tilapia and cook 3 minutes.  Turn each fillet, add citrus sauce and continue cooking 3-4 minutes until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.  Mix arugula, almonds and cranberries together and divide among four plates.  Top with tilapia fillet and sauce.