Can we celebrate that fact that even in New Hampshire, we can get pre-packaged Indian food that is actually good?  You may have noticed this bread in the bakery section of your market.  Naan is a staple food throughout India and the far east.  (More info here about the history of naan and images.)

I've only eaten it in Indian restaurants and have never made it, but I did pick up a package the last time I went food shopping.  It may change my life.

Usually, I use the lavash flatbread when making flatbread pizza or as an accompaniment to some of my vegetarian meals.  Its good,  but naan is another experice entirely.  Its more flavorful.  It stands up to heartier toppings.  Its got a really satisfying bite (can bread be al dente?)  Seriously love it. There is a whole wheat version, which has more fiber for those of you who are into that.  Its very good. You can eat it right our of the package, cold, but I recommend doing a little quick grill in a hot skillet or on your grill a minute on each side to bring out its chewy texture and savory flavor.  It will taste like you just baked it in your own tandoori oven. 

When I made at home for lunch recently, I heated it up and then topped it with the following:  a layer of red pepper hummus, chopped cucumber, chopped tomato, chopped kalamata olives and shredded romaine.  I drizzled with a few drops of olive oil, and ate it like a folded pizza.  So good.  So very good. The possibilities for naan pizza (naanza?) are only limited to what you've got hanging around in your fridge and pantry.

Next time, I make a curry I'll make a mint salsa, (olive oil, fresh mint, chopped red pepper and garlic) and use the naan as an accompaniment  with the mint there to cool it down.

 Chickpea Curry Ingredients:

• 2 cans of chickpeas drain and rinse off the packing liquid
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 5-6 cloves
• 3-4 green cardamoms
• 5-6 peppercorns
• 3 large onions sliced
• 2 large tomatoes chopped
• 2 tbsps minced garlic
• 1 tbsps ginger paste (if you can find a jar of this)
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsps garam masala
• 1"piece of ginger julliened
• 2 tbsps fresh cilantro leaves chopped fine

Preparation:

• Whiz 2 of the sliced onions, the tomatoes, ginger paste, garlic together into a smooth paste in a food processor.
• Heat the oil in a deep, thick-bottomed pan on a medium flame.
• Add the bay leaves, cloves, cardamom and peppercorns and fry for  30 seconds.
• Add the remaining sliced onion and fry till light golden. Add the onion-tomato paste and fry till the oil begins to separate from the paste.
• Add the dry spices - cumin, coriander, red chili, tumeric and garam masala powders. Fry for 5 minutes. This is a masala.
•  Add the chickpeas and gently mix.
• Add salt to taste and water to make gravy (about 1 1/2 cups).
• Simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes.
• Use a flat spoon to mash some of the chickpeas coarsely. Mix well.
• Garnish with julienne of ginger and finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve  with white or brown basmati rice, the warm naan and mint salsa.

Chow,

Nancy lives in Seacoast NH and enjoys food, fashion and all things Mediterranean.

 

 

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Fall is upon us, and what a glorious fall we are having this year.  Mild, sunny days, crisp, cool nights and produce shelves erupting with gorgeous squash, gourds, pumpkins, pomegranates and apples.  Statistically, most people list fall as their favorite season. Its easy to see why; fall connotes the "hunker down," the annual nesting that we New Englanders, anyway, look forward to after a hot and humid summer (OK, back when we used to HAVE summer). In my family, I know autumn has arrived when we put the gardens to bed, chop firewood and smell that autumnal combination of forest, leaves and earth in decomposition. Sort of gross, but totally necessary.   It’s also when I start shifting away from salads and clear soups to stews and more substantial meals. In keeping with the Mediterranean philosophy of eating lots of grains and vegetables, this post is all about the mushroom.(photo courtesy of Healthy Home Harvest, LLC.)

 

What could be heartier, earthier and woodsier than a mushroom? Going with the whole fall/decomposition thing, fungi actually recycle dead organic matter into useful nutrients like magnesium, potassium and fiber.  For those who omit meat from their diet, mushrooms also provide a rich, meaty texture.  Recently I purchased a pound of Italian dove and oyster mushrooms from Healthy Home Harvest LLC, of Barrington and Northwood, NH,  growers of high-quality, organically-produced plants and mushrooms. One peek inside the bag was enough to give me a night’s worth of Alice in Wonderland dreams.  Those buggers were FUNKAY.

 

As luck would have it, I was not afforded the luxury of cooking with the beauties over the weekend and thus, had to come up with a weeknight dish that would use most of the yield; couldn’t risk the possibility of the glorious specimens going soggy on me.  I debated using them in an old Epicurious standby, beef stew with mushrooms (and a whole bottle of red wine) but decided I didn't want the mushrooms to have to compete with any meat. Instead, I found a recipe for mushroom lasagna that called for both dried and fresh mushrooms (over a pound) and a béchamel sauce.  Not a super simple dish, however, it is positively To. Die. For. Grab a hefty glass of good Spanish red, put on some music and roll up your sleeves.

 
Mushroom filling:
2 cups boiling water
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound of wild mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Côtes du Rhône or other fruity red wine
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Béchamel: 3 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Remaining ingredients: Olive oil or butter for greasing pan
1 (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

To prepare filling, combine water and porcini in a small bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Drain porcini through a sieve over a bowl, squeezing porcini to extract liquid. Reserve 1 1/2 cups liquid; discard remaining liquid. Rinse porcini, and drain. Chop coarsely; set aside.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add wild mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté 5 minutes or until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown. Stir in porcini, wine, and soy sauce. Cook 4 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in parsley and rosemary. Add the reserved porcini liquid; bring to a simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

To prepare béchamel, place milk in a 4-cup glass measure. Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes or until hot, stirring after 2 minutes. Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, stirring with a whisk, and cook 1 minute or until bubbly, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a simmer; cook over low heat 8 minutes or until sauce slightly thickens, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spread 1/2 cup béchamel in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with oil or butter. Arrange 3 noodles over béchamel; top with 1/2 cup béchamel. Top with 1 cup mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers three times (dish will be very full). Cover with foil; place baking dish on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover lasagna; bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

Chow,

Nancy Pearson

Nancy lives in Seacoast, NH and enjoys food, fashion and all things Mediterranean. 

 

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Am I the only person who manages to put ON weight over the summer?  Maybe it’s the ice cream, gelato and fried clams.  Yeah, it probably is…So that leaves me heading into the fall season craving comfort food but having to shed a few around the middle. (And bottom, truthfully).

I have a few stand by dishes that seem to work out well, and have at least one friend who threatened bodily harm if I did not share.

 

Curried Squash Soup

1 Butternut or other orange winter squash, cut in half and roasted

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced (optional)

2 TBS curry powder or more to taste.  Curry paste works as well.

1 TBS brown sugar (optional)

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp salt

Fresh pepper

1 TBS olive oil or vegetable oil

2 quarts fat-free low sodium vegetable broth

Fresh chopped cilantro or mint

 

In large pot, sweat onions in olive oil.  Add garlic, don’t burn. Add spices and brown sugar and sauté about two minutes. Scoop cooled squash out of its skin and sauté briefly with fragrant mixture.  Add diced potatoes, and stir to coat.  Add broth, salt and pepper and simmer about 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Taste seasonings.  Adjust to your taste by adding more curry or pepper.  Use an emersion blender or transfer to a blender and pulse until smooth.  The potatoes will make it lighter in color and slightly creamy, but you can opt out if watching carbs. Pour into bowls and garish with chopped herbs.  Sometimes I add slivered almonds or pumpkin seeds as well.

 

Baby Bok Choy and Grilled Salmon for Two

 

1 salmon fillet, about 12 oz. 

1 package of adorable baby bok choy (I buy this at Lo’s Oriental Market) sliced

1 inch slice of ginger, sliced

1 clove of garlic, sliced

2-3 scallions, sliced on the diagonal

½ red onion, sliced into strips

¼ cup soy sauce plus 2 TBS

¼ cup honey

1 TBS Peanut oil

1 TBS sesame seeds

 

Marinate salmon in equal parts soy sauce and honey and grill.  Set aside. In wok or cast iron skillet, add peanut oil and white parts of baby bok choy.  Stir one minute. Add red onion, scallion, and ginger. Stir another minute. Add garlic, green parts of bok choy and 2 TBS soy sauce.  Stir another minute and pour out onto plate.  Place salmon fillet on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Serve over brown rice or 1 package Japanese soba noodles (about 4 oz.).  Broccoli rabe, kale or spinach can be swapped in for the bok choy.

 

Flat Bread Pizza

1 package Joseph's Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat  Lavash Flat Bread

sliced tomato

sliced pepper

caramelized onions

sliced mushroom, zucchini, broccoli florets, etc. (leftover veggies already cooked and seasoned work GREAT for this)

1 modest handful grated cheese of choice

1 bunch arugula

sliced black olives

1 TBS goat cheese

olive oil

 

Pizza 1: brush one lavash bread with olive oil while on a baking sheet. (unless you have a pizza stone)  Place diced tomato and other veggies in a pleasing pattern, being careful not to overload the delicate flat bread. Sprinkle with 1 handful of grated cheese of your choice; I like a hard salty cheese like a Parmesan. Optional; fresh herbs. Carefully place in a 425 degree oven for about 3 minutes.  Watch like a hawk.  Pull out before it gets too brown on edges.  Slice and serve.  Will be crunchy.

 

Pizza 2: Brush lavash bread with olive oil.  Dot with sliced Greek olives.  Sprinkle with generous amounts of black pepper.  Place in oven as above.  When it comes out, spread arugula over top of hot pizza, top with dots of goat cheese and drizzle with a bit of olive slice and serve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chow,

Nancy Pearson

Nancy lives in Seacoast New Hampshire and enjoys food, fashion and all things Mediterranean.

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 My peaches are in!  I inherited a small peach tree in my backyard which blooms each spring and produces bushels of sweet, juicy peaches every August. At first, when the harvest came I went into bake and preserve mode, making chutney, cobbler  and pie like a mad woman.  After all, there is NOTHING like home made peach pie made from peaches still warm from the sun. Sounds great, right?  Until I started to pack on the pounds...

Plan B. Faced with a never ending supply of ripe peaches, I learned how to make freezer jam and I froze the rest of the peaches for the fall and winter.  (OK, I still make one summer pie) Freezer jam is great, no cooking and not hot kitchen.  I find traditional recipes too sweet, though, so I cut back on the sugar and my results are more of a compote than a jam.  That's fine by me, though.  Freezer jam is easy and you can buy handy plastic freezer jam jars in the grocery store that won't shatter with the cold.

I also try and use peaches in regular recipes.  Peach salsa over white fish or chicken, peaches tossed in arugula and goat cheese,  grilled peaches with a red meat, and of course, I toss them into any summer sangria.

 Good peach salsa

2 ripe, but firm medium peaches

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice1/4 cup finely chopped red onion1/2 cup diced red and/or green bell pepper

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon (or to taste) minced jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Chop, gently toss in bowl, let sit a bit. This is great with salty corn chips, on a crisp flat bread cracker spread with cream cheese or goat cheese, and adds a summer freshness to grilled halibut or chicken.

 

 

My mother-in-law, an excellent home cook, introduced me to home made peach pie. How did I miss this as a child?

Babs' summer peach pie

(Recipe calls for double pie crust)

1 egg, beaten
5 cups sliced peeled peaches
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts.
3. Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour over the peaches, and mix gently. Pour into the pie crust, and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie crust, and fold the edges under. Flute the edges to seal or press the edges with the tines of a fork dipped in egg. Brush the remaining egg over the top crust. Cut some pretty  slits in the top crust to vent steam.
4. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the vents. If the edges brown to fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking. Cool before serving. This tastes better warm than hot.

Chow,

Nancy Pearson

Nancy lives in Seacoast, New Hampshire and enjoys food, fashion and all things Mediterranean.

 

 

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You know that game where you sit around and try and think of your stripper name?  A few years ago my husband coined me "Miss Bountiful", both for the fruits of my garden, and for other reasons…

 

But it got me thinking about bounty. Right now, with the heat, humidly and...dare I speak its name, sun, things are actually growing.  Can I get an “Amen?”

 

Whether you belong to a CSA, stop by your local farmer’s market, or pick from your own veggie plot, your fridge is probably packing more fruits and vegetables than usual.  This means salads for dinner, veggies on the grill, plenty of gazpacho and pasta with colorful, crunchy veggies.  Culinarily speaking, this is my favorite time of year, even if the kitchen is god-awful hot.

 

Some easy and summer favorites don’t even need cooking.  A plate of sliced tomatoes still warm from the sun, sprinkled with sea salt and fresh basil and drizzled with live oil is something that CAN NOT be replicated with store bought tomatoes.    If you’re adventurous and have a hand blender, homemade aioli (mayo) is easy to make and better for you than store bought, plus, you can flavor it with lemon, wasabi, pesto, etc. Aioli and crudite are a feast for the eyes and a great way to use up veggies and beat the heat. Cucumber slices with fresh dill and Greek yogurt is cool and refreshing with some grilled salmon.  Watermelon, mint and feta salad hit the scene a few years ago and the salty sweet combo is really good as an elegant “primi” on a hot night. Literally, you toss all three ingredients gently in a bowl and chill.

 

 

 

If you can stand the oven, summer squash and zucchini (most of us have mega amounts of these) are delicious coated in fresh herbs and made into gratins.  A variety of leafy greens, such as Swiss chard, spinach and beet greens sauteed in olive oil and garlic is not only delicious and super rich in nutrients, but can be be made "Spanish" with raisins and pine nuts. I planted golden beets this year which have taken monstrously long to grow, but I roasted some this week with ground cumin and grated ginger and served them with butterflied whole grilled chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

The memories of last winter's sad looking supermarket produce are fading fast. Why can't we New Englanders enjoy a fresh harvest all year long? If I didn’t have to work full-time, maybe I could stock my freezer with the summer's bounty.  Oh home mortgage and college tuition! You really cramp my style.

 

For now, I’ll be happy with the ease of walking outside and picking dinner.  That’s what I call summer lovin’.

 

Chow,

Nancy Pearson

Nancy lives in Seacoast, New Hampshire and enjoys food, fashion and all things Mediterranean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It started with Peter Mayle’s charming book, “A Year in Provence”, grew stronger during my own trip to the south of France and then kicked into overdrive when a visit to my sister brought me to the central California coast.  I dream of lavender fields. I don’t want to merely look at or drive past them; I want my own field, carpeted with row after perfect row of luxurious purple-blue lavender. In Los Olivos California, near Santa Barbara, we visited Clairmont Farms, which is a lavender farm.  Yes, a lavender farm.  People really live this way! What the heck am I doing on the raw NH coast?

 

Lavender has a history that goes back 2,500 years and has so many uses it would take three blog entries to do it justice.  Briefly, the ancients used lavender in cosmetics and embalming, as an insect repellent, in culinary dishes and teas and to safeguard against evil.  It is even thought to protect against the plague and cholera. How romantic!  Today, lavender is used in much the same way and one is hard pressed to find a commercial perfume product without it.  I like the idea of lavender in the kitchen.  Herbes de Provence is a mixture of herbs from that region and varies from recipe to recipe.  It consists of any combination of dried thyme, lavender, fennel and savory, but can include rosemary, marjoram chervil and tarragon.  It is the lavender, though, that makes the flavor so interesting. It is both earthy and floral. I sprinkle a generous handful on potatoes before roasting, add it to an omelet or mix with diced tomatoes, olives and garlic to cover and bake swordfish. For fun, try this refreshing and unabashedly girlie drink.

 

Pink Lavender Lemonade  

Equipment needed: Medium saucepan, strainer, large pitcher

2 ½ c Water
1 ½ c Sugar
½ c Frozen or fresh, hulled strawberries ¼ c Fresh Lavender flowers chopped 2 ¼ c Fresh Meyer Lemon juice (Tuttle’s Red Barn on Dover Point Road often sells these for the same price as a regular lemon).
2 ½ c Water
½ c Sugar (optional) If using Meyers lemons, sugar may not be required.
Fresh Lavender flowers for garnish

In Medium saucepan, combine 2 ½ cups water, sugar and strawberries. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes to extract pink from strawberries. Remove from heat. Stir in lavender. Cover and cool. Strain cooled liquid into large pitcher, gently pressing juice from berries. Add remaining 2 ½ cups water and lemon juice. Stir well. Add ½ cup more sugar, if desired. Just before serving, add ice cubes. For the romantic, pour into chilled collins glasses, garnish with lavender flowers and commence speaking French.

In my dream I am not living in cold, dark New Hampshire, but a much sunnier, dryer, hospitable climate where one can grow lavender for miles and rosemary "shrubs" dot the landscape year round. In Provence, fields of carefully planted and cultivated lavender go for miles along the countryside and roadways.  In the local shops bunches of dried lavender hang from ceilings and baskets spill over with colorful sachets wrapped in Provencal fabrics, lavender oils, honey and hand made olive oil soaps.  Lavender appears on local menus and is featured in the perfumes made in the region.  Try that with lobster!

 

 

 

I have grown lavender, with much success, in my Massachusetts and New Hampshire gardens and even started some from seed (not easy!) last spring. Two plants survived this winter! By next summer, I will have an honored area in my new herb garden entirely devoted to lavender, in hopes of recreating a miniature version of my lavender dreams.  Stay tuned to see how well it goes!

 

Lavender Biscotti

Equipment needed: Cookie sheets, 1 small and 1 large mixing bowl, whisk or hand beater

 

2 c All-purpose flour
2 tsp Baking powder
¼ tsp Salt
½ c Coarsely chopped macadamia or hazelnuts
2 Lg Eggs
½ C Granulated sugar
3 tsp Dried lavender flowers ¼ c Melted butter
2 Tb Honey
1 Tb Lemon rind
Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tb Milk
½ tsp Vanilla or lemon extract

Optional: melted chocolate for dipping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl combine all dry ingredients, lavender and nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, butter, honey, lemon, lemon rind, milk, and vanilla (may use beater on slow instead of the whisk). Add to flour mixture. Stir well. Dough will be soft and sticky. Spoon onto cookie sheet into 2 "log" shapes: approximately 2 " wide. Bake 35 minutes until golden. Remove from oven. Cool 10 minutes. Place on board, cut into 1" wide slices. Place on sides on cookie sheets. Return to oven cook 20 minutes longer, turning once. Cool on rack. Optional to dip or decorate with melted chocolate. Yield: 2 dozen

Chow,

Nancy Pearson

Nancy lives in Seacoast New Hampshire and enjoys food, fashion and all things Mediterranean.

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One of the best things about eating a great meal out is thinking about how to recreate the essence of the dish at home.  Not one to fuss too much with laborious steps and fancy technique, I usually end up simplifying things by swapping out ingredients and altering a few steps.

 

Recently, we enjoyed a fabulous date at Cava. The fourth rainy day of our vacation in early July found us tucked inside the cozy restaurant, drinking wine and savoring a  lengthy Spanish lunch.  Where does one find white anchovies?  That is still a mystery to me, but I have managed to recreate Cava’s cheese plate combination; a gorgeous Manchego and apricot plate served with a drizzled jam, crispy home made biscuits and garnished with delicate rosemary leaves.  These simple and fresh ingredients pair so well; the creamy and slightly salty cheese, the sweet and juicy apricots, the crispy biscuit and the drizzle of jam come to life with a sprinkle of rosemary to remind you that you’re eating a Mediterranean inspired dish. It reminds me so much of my trips to Spain and Italy, it is easily among my favorite desserts in Portsmouth.  At home, swap out whatever cheese and fruit you have on hand and arrange on a plate.  Drizzle with a store bought jam (my favorite is a fig and orange jam from Spain) add a bread stick or biscotti, sprinkle with some pine nuts or hazelnuts and fresh rosemary leaves.   Heaven!

 

 

 

Last week we had a GREAT meal at Brazo.  We ordered, among other things, the Fire Grilled Churrasco, which is skirt steak topped with Argentine chimichurri. After the first bite, I knew I would be making a chimichurri at home very soon. It has all the elements I look for in a good knock-off; fresh and identifiable flavor, healthy ingredients and a bit of a kick.  Plus, the versatility and uses for a chimichurri are endless.  Meat, poultry, even a nice firm white fish would be great paired with this condiment, and honestly, who doesn’t love to say “chimichurri?”

 

So, if you're a food freak like me and pay close attention to what's on your plate, you can open up your culinary repertoire considerably by eating out and trying a variety things, which is of course, the spice of life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chow,

Nancy Pearson

Nancy lives in Seacoast New Hampshire and enjoys food, fashion and all things Mediterranean.

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I know you’ve been there.  We all have.  You come home from work tired, starving and a little fried.  From here, the rest of the day can go into a few different directions. I really do try and avoid going down the take-out route.  The food is never very good (I live in NH not NYC), always too salty or fatty and usually more expensive than it should have been.  There is another route, though, that depending on how you look at it can be an opportunity for creativity.

 

In my house, it’s called, “What’s in the fridge?” Sometimes I have the foresight to take a piece of meat or fish out of the freezer before leaving for work, but more often, I arrive home with nothing waiting for me.  Usually I take this opportunity to pour a glass of crisp rose or a nice, buttery chardonnay, open the fridge and take inventory. It’s a little bit Zen for me. A decompression, of sorts.

 

With my obsession for Mediterranean and Asian food, I usually have a lot of fresh ingredients on hand, but also have a pantry stocked with beans, grains, condiments and spices.  Sometimes the most creative and tastiest meals have been created in my kitchen because I was forced to use what I had on hand. 

 

I usually start by making a salad.  Salad greens are like pasta.  They can be topped with anything and are mainly a blank canvas for other ingredients.  One of the best go-to salads in my house has only five ingredients.  Greens, fresh fennel, sliced oranges, olive oil and lemon juice. I also usually have the makings for a Greek salad, which instead of lettuce, uses cucumber, tomato, feta, olives and zesty oregano vinaigrette.

 

With salad out of the way, I can focus on something more substantial.  One of my favorite, cheapest and all around dependable dinnertime saviors is the humble egg.   Uovo. Huevo. Oeuf. They all sound similar. An Italian frittata, a Spanish tortilla or a velvety French omelet, when paired with some roasted rosemary potatoes or crusty baguette and a green salad, is an easy, healthy, affordable and totally convenient meal in any season.  In summer, I usually have an obscene amount of fresh herbs on hand.  In winter I am always stocked with cheese and pancetta or chorizo, in spring there is asparagus and spinach in the veggie drawers, and in the fall, brie cheese and apples or mushrooms are ever present—and make an elegant and hearty main course.  PS, egg dishes are a great cold lunch the next day, too!

 

Chow,

Nancy Pearson

Nancy lives in Seacoast NH and enjoys food, fashion and anything Mediterranean.

 

 

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I know, I know, fruits and veggies are good for me and I totally understand that growing these items is labor intensive and time consuming.  I get it; farmers need to make a living.  But…I dropped $60 at the farmer’s market and didn’t bat an eyelash (or so my husband told me).  Do I need therapy?

 

No.  Food is expensive.  Even a trip to the supermarket can set you back a lot more than it used to. For this girl, however, food and wine are my entertainment, my hobby and my aphrodisiac-- so the way I look at it, a few adjustments here, a cute pair of new shoes not purchased there, and I can still enjoy fabulous food and wine without filing for chapter eleven.  The secret? Rely on culinary regions with a rich history of poverty (pun intended).  By borrowing from the cultures of the Mediterranean and Asia, anyone can make magic with almost nothing and still have crazy flavor.  These regions traditionally had to stretch very few resources into meals for many people.  Meats, fish and poultry are used as flavorings, not the star attraction.  Sure, you have to kind of enjoy being at the cutting board, but who doesn’t?  Besides slimming the wallet, this type of cooking has added bonus points for slimming the waistline. 

 

 

 

 

Currently, my favorite main dishes (just in time for summer) are in salad form, which can be a godsend on a hot and humid night.  A bed of greens and a legume or grain, a small bit of protein like tuna, chicken or shrimp and a host of chopped, diced and sliced veggies and seasonings can take your taste buds around the world and back again.  My top summer salad meals are: Mediterranean tuna salad with chic peas, Thai beef salad, salad Nicoise and a simple Grilled shrimp and avocado salad with roasted corn and cilantro. 

 

Café Mediterraneo, at 119 Congress Street makes an $8.00 salad to die for that is easily a meal all on its own. INSALATA ESPECIAL - Cafe Med's own House salad includes tuna, eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes and black olives on a bed of romaine lettuce with homemade house dressing.  This robust and hearty salad is a complete meal for me, but it would also be a great starter for a couple or a small group to share.  Bold and filling, this simple and affordable dish is packed with delicious and Über healthy ingredients.

 

Chow,

Nancy Pearson

Nancy lives in Seacoast NH and enjoys food, fashion and all things Mediterranean.

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I’ve been thinking lately, about tomatoes.  Perhaps because this unrelenting weather has stunted the growth of my little beauties in the back yard and wonder if my earthy spring efforts will be for naught.  I am pulling for them and visit them every afternoon to chat them up and encourage them to spread their wings and become the unruly climbing vines that nature intended them to be.

 

In the meantime, I’ve been hovering, anticipating the many dishes we’ll make together; gazpacho, salsa, insalata Caprese, tomato bisque, and of course, marinara.  What other fruit is as delicious raw as it is cooked, dried, even concentrated?  Is represented in so many different cultures?  Has so many varieties, colors and shapes?  The humble tomato adds joy to the plate with its cheerful color, lycopene, vitamin C and its sweet, juiciness.

 

Last spring, I ordered gazpacho at Ristorante Massimo (formerly Alberto’s) at 59 Penhallow Street in Portsmouth, which was elegant and refined and infused with such flavor, even after all this time I can still invoke its essence.  The chef had pushed it through a chinois, which is a conical sieve with an extremely fine mesh used to strain custards, purees, soups, and sauces so the texture was smooth and graceful, unlike the rustic version I make at home.  An insider told me one of the chef’s secret ingredients was radishes, which I can’t imagine could make anything taste that good, but I’ll keep an open mind.

 

So, while I fret and worry and make daily visits to my plants in the back yard, I’m holding out hope for the good times my tomatoes and I are going to share once summer actually arrives.  Which it will, I am sure.  Won’t it?

 

Chow,

Nancy Pearson

Nancy lives in Seacoast NH and enjoys food, fashion and all things Mediterranean. 

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