Author: Wona Miniati

Strawberries have started appearing on shelves here in California.  It is a cheery announcement that summer is upon us!

Unlike traditional salsas that have onions for some bite and spice, this one is intentionally kept simple to let the fruit really shine. If you’re looking for a more complex salsa to serve with meats or an entree — add some onions, perhaps some jalapeno, and read our list of a dozen things to do with salsa.
 
If strawberries or mangos aren’t available yet where you live, try substituting other fruits such as melons, kiwi, pineapple, or whatever is in season and fresh.  This dish will only be as good as the fruit you can find.

There was quite a bit of dicing and chopping, I will admit, and the task was interrupted often by eager little ones who kept returning for more juicy samples.  But the colorful and flavorful confetti was worth the wait.  I cut the fruit into a small dice to make the salsa easier to pick up with chips.  And the chips of choice?  Try cinnamon pita chips for a real flavor surprise.  It would be a great appetizer for any poolside party or back yard BBQ.  If you prefer milder flavors, serve with regular pita chips or tortilla chips.

And please, don’t throw away any leftovers!  Simply throw into a blender with some yogurt and ice for a delicious smoothie.  You can even freeze the smoothie mixture into popsicle molds for a tasty afternoon treat.

Strawberry Mango Salsa Recipe

2 cups diced strawberries
2 cups diced mango
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice (from 1 lime or lemon)
¼ cup chopped mint or cilantro (optional)

1. Stir all ingredients gently in a serving bowl. 
2. Allow to rest for 15 minutes for flavors to meld.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 8

So simple, and so incredibly delicious.  Roasting at high heat brings out the natural sweetness in cauliflower, and the sweetness is balanced by salty Kalamata olives.  A great rustic dish that’s equally good as an appetizer or side.

I remember hating cauliflower as a kid because the school cafeteria always boiled the life out of them, and when they’re boiled that long, they stink.  Literally.  So I’d given up cooked cauliflower and opted instead to always eat cauliflower raw, usually with hummus or other dip.

The first time I tried roasted cauliflower as an adult, I couldn’t believe my senses.  It didn’t SMELL like the nasty cauliflower of my youth.  It certainly didn’t TASTE like dead veggie.  And thus my opinion of cauliflower was changed overnight.

I think roasting has become one of my favorite ways to cook, ever since becoming a mom.  It’s fast, it imparts great flavor to foods, adds terrific color, and best of all, is hands-free.  Meaning I can let something cook away in the oven while I tend to my active toddlers.

I happened to have some extra Kalamata olives on hand and decide to toss them in with the cauliflower.  I think they really pair nicely together, and the olives added enough saltiness such that I didn’t need to add salt.  If you skip the olives, sprinkle lightly with salt, or add some grated Parmesan after roasting.

Roasted Cauliflower with Olives Recipe

1 (12 oz) pkg Cauliflower Florets, or 4 cups cauliflower cut into florets
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp 21 Seasoning Salute, or your favorite seasoning
1/2 cup olives, about a dozen

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss cauliflower with olive oil to coat evenly.  Sprinkle on 21 Seasoning Salute and stir evenly.  Mix in olives.
3. Place seasoned cauliflower on a baking sheet, spreading evenly in a single layer.  Roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through baking time to roast evenly.  Cauliflower will be crisp-tender.  If you prefer softer cauliflower, continue roasting for an additional 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and serve.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 6

Spring is in the air, and I love dining al fresco when we can.  I recently made a simple one-dish meal of clams and linguine, which we enjoyed outdoors with a glass of crisp white wine, admiring the spring crop of herbs and veggies we recently planted.

Now I must admit upfront, this is more of a product review than a recipe.  And that’s because the box of frozen clams at Trader Joe’s comes fully seasoned and is delicious as-is.  I added a big squeeze of lemon and a heavy sprinkling of herbs because that’s what I usually do with seafood, but you could make it even easier on yourself and still impress guests.

I learned about Trader Joe’s Steamed Clams from my Japanese hairdresser.  I usually chat with her about best places to get fresh sushi, her favorite sake brands, or travel.  But on my latest visit, we started talking about Trader Joe’s and she went on and on about the frozen clams and how they’re as good as any you’d get at a restaurant.  She keeps them constantly stocked in her freezer.  I hadn’t even noticed the clams until she mentioned them (and how many thousands of times have I shopped there?), but I knew I had to try them.

You’ll find Steamer Clams in the freezer case next to other seafood items.  They come in a sealed tray with garlic butter sauce.  Toss all the contents into a frypan and voila!  Done in about 6 minutes.  I chose to squeeze a whole lemon into the sauce for an extra burst of freshness, and I also chopped up some fresh basil leaves from our herb garden.  I think you could also stir 1/4 cup heavy cream into the sauce for extra creaminess.  I also tried a version with Fresh Bruschetta Sauce (one of our favorites!) stirred in, but I felt that the strong tomato & garlic flavor of the bruschetta overpowered the delicate clams.

I served the clams on a bed of linguine pasta.  There was enough sauce in the pan to lightly coat the pasta, but if you like lots of sauce on pasta, you’ll probably need to make extra sauce.  Or you could serve these clams on their own as an appetizer.

Linguine and Clams

8 oz linguine or other pasta
1 (16 oz) box frozen Steamer Clams in Garlic Butter Sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Shredded Parmesan Cheese (optional)

1. Cook pasta in salted boiling water.
2. About 5 minutes before pasta is done, cook clams in a frypan according to package instructions.  Drain pasta while clams are cooking.
3. Add lemon and stir into clams.  Pour clams over pasta, and sprinkle liberally with basil.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves 2-3

Panzanella is a popular bread salad from Italy, celebrating summer flavors of ripe tomatoes, cool crunchy cucumbers, and fresh basil.  It is one of those peasant foods using simple ingredients that has become fancy enough for restaurant menus and party spreads.

Panzanella is made using stale bread, day-old or even week-old.  Don’t try to use fresh-baked bread because it will get soggy when tossed into the salad.  Stale bread crisps nicely in the oven and retains its texture when tossed in dressing, so it’s important to use bread that’s at least a day old.  I like using a baguette or ciabatta, but any hearty crusty bread would work.  I routinely toss scraps of leftover bread in a Ziploc in the freezer, and when the bag is full, I’m ready to make another batch of panzanella.

It was in one of these regular panzanella-making moments when the idea dawned on me to roast salmon in the oven along with the bread cubes.  My son had requested salmon for dinner that night, and I had planned on making panzanella anyway, so I thought, why not combine the two?  I think I hit upon a new favorite twist on panzanella.

Conveniently enough, I found that the salmon pieces cooked in the same time it took to toast the bread pieces in the oven.  (If you’re 

skipping the salmon, you can toast the bread cubes in a skillet with some olive oil.)  I don’t like raw onions, so I tossed onions in with the salmon and bread, and they softened nicely.  But if you like the bite of raw onion, you can toss them into the salad uncooked.

I’ve served panzanella at umpteen parties and potlucks, always to rave reviews.  Soemtimes I’ll make a Greek version by adding feta cheese and olives.  Sometimes I’ll add other crunchy veggies like sugar snap peas or carrots.  Or freshly shucked corn when it’s in season.  Play around with it and add your favorite veggies.

Let the salad sit for about half an hour to let the bread soak in all the wonderful, fresh flavors.  The bread will burst with flavor in every bite, and it’s probably my favorite part of the salad.  Still crunchy and chewy, but full of flavor.  Never throw out stale bread again!

Salmon Panzanella Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 4-6

In preparation for St. Patrick’s Day next week, I dusted off an old recipe for Irish soda bread that a friend gave me years ago.  If you’ve been averse to soda bread because you find it tough and dry, try this version.  Sour cream and eggs make this bread more moist than traditional soda bread, a quality that may offend die-hard , but will likely appeal to the rest of us.

Breads generally fall into two categories: quick breads or yeast breads.  Quick breads, as the name implies, are faster to prepare because you simply mix the ingredients and bake.  Baking soda or baking powder is the leavening agent that makes quick breads rise.  Yeast bread, on the other hand, uses yeast at the leavening agent, and needs to be proofed, dough kneaded until elastic, and then allowed to rise twice before baking.  Yes, quite a bit more time and effort, and hence my affection for quick breads like Irish soda bread.

Soda bread is a staple in Irish cuisine, served at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  This version with raisins is mildly sweet and perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea. In fact, when I served toasted slices to my kids, they squealed in delight, “Oooh!  Giant biscotti!”  You could make a savory version by reducing the sugar and using caraway seeds (available at most health food stores or specialty grocers) or sunflower seeds (note: baking soda makes them turn a dark green, so don’t be alarmed).

This bread is a cinch to make, but another option for St. Paddy’s day is beer bread mix at Trader Joe’s.  Simply mix the box with 1 bottle of beer, and drizzle melted butter on top before baking.  I found that the 1/4 cup butter called for on the box was too much and would reduce to 1-2 Tbsp next time.

The one warning about quick breads like soda bread and beer bread is that they’re best eaten immediately, right out of the oven, or within a day or two.  After that, the bread starts to get harden rapidly, and you could put your teeth at risk by trying to eat it.

This recipe makes 1 large loaf, or split the dough in two and make an extra loaf to share with a friend or neighbor.

Irish Soda Bread recipe

3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
2 eggs
1 (16 oz) container regular or light sour cream (2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Add raisins and mix them in with your fingers, making sure raisins separate and are coated with flour.  This way the raisins won’t all clump together in the dough.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, and then add sour cream and combine again.  Add to flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined.  Dough will be sticky, like biscuit dough.  Do not overmix, as this will result in tough bread.
4. Dust your hands with flour and lightly shape dough into a circular mound, approx 8″ wide.  Use a gentle touch; do not knead or handle dough too much.  Transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet (or line baking sheet with a Silpat), and cut a big X on top.  Not only does this make your bread look quite professional, but it also allows the heat to get to the center.  I’ve also read that Irish folklore says the cuts “let the fairies out.”
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  If splitting dough into 2 loaves, check for doneness at 35 minutes.

Sweet variations: substitute cranberries, currants, or dried blueberries for the raisins. 
Savory variations: reduce sugar to 2 Tbsp, omit raisins, and instead use 1 Tbsp caraway seeds or 1 cup sunflower seeds.

Note: white flour will yield softer, fluffier bread, but for extra fiber, you can a mixture of white flour and whole wheat flour.  Whole wheat flour versions won’t rise as much and will be noticeably denser.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 16

Many moons ago, I was introduced to Monkey Bread, and I just couldn’t get enough.  Warm, pillowy soft dough covered with cinnamon caramel-like goo…  For a carbo-holic like me, it was pure heaven.  Yes, it’s so 1960’s, but it’s so darn good.

I think of monkey bread as a lazy version of cinnamon rolls or sticky buns, and many people serve it as a breakfast treat.  In our home, monkey bread is a dessert and shall remain so until the kids go off to college.  I’ve tried over the years to make healthier versions by severely reducing the butter and sugar, but the quest has been unsuccessful.  In fact, my friends used to beg me to make monkey bread for any brunch gathering.  But the last time I brought my famous monkey bread, I had altered the recipe so much that it had hardly any butter or sugar left, resulting in fairly dry, tasteless bread that hardly anyone touched.  No one has asked me to make monkey bread since that disastrous day.  So I’ve given up on trying to make this classic “healthy,” and accept it for what it is — a yummy gooey pastry that doesn’t make any pretense about being a diet food.  Moderation, people!  Moderation is the answer!  Please don’t eat the entire pan in one sitting.

The original recipe I had used bread dough, which is available ready-made in the freezer case at most grocers.  But that version required letting the dough rise to double its size before baking.  This recipe uses canned buttermilk biscuits instead, which you can bake immediately without waiting for it to rise.  Trader Joe’s buttermilk biscuits are larger than other brands, so note the size difference and if using other brands, you may need 3 cans instead of 2.  If you don’t have a Bundt pan, you can use a 9″x13″ pan, or halve the recipe and bake it in a 8″ or 9″ round pan, reducing cooking time to ~25 minutes.

I couldn’t resist the urge to reduce the sugar and butter — but I didn’t go too far this time, so hopefully I can win my friends back with this version.

Monkey Bread Recipe

2 (16 oz) cans refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/4 cup raisins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Cut biscuits into fourths and toss biscuit pieces in cinnamon sugar mixture until each piece is coated.  Alternatively, you can shake biscuit pieces in a Ziploc bag to coat, but I find it’s just as easy to toss in a bowl.

3. If using nuts and raisins, sprinkle several spoonfuls into the bottom of a Bundt pan.  Arrange biscuit pieces into the pan, sprinkling in remaining nuts and raisins as you go along.  Pour any remaining cinnamon sugar into pan.

4. Melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan, stirring until dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup.  Pour this mixture evenly over biscuits.

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until browned.  Invert immediately onto a serving plate, letting the sticky syrup seep through (otherwise syrup will harden on bottom of pan).  Serve warm if possible.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Serves 10

This is a quintessential winter soup, starring kale, a hardy leafy winter vegetable.  Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry kale, but Marcy Rosenthal, who sent me her recipe, suggests using spinach instead.  Great idea!  I think this soup would also be good using TJ’s Southern Greens blend of collard greens.  But if you can get fresh kale, try it while you can – it’s packed with nutrition and antioxidants.

I’m not sure why I never tried kale until just a few years ago.  I always had the misconception that it was bitter, so I was delightfully surprised when I bit into some kale, wincing in anticipation of the bitterness, and instead was met with an earthy, almost sweet flavor.  I’ve loved kale ever since.

I decided to put a Latin spin onto this recipe by making it similar to Caldo Verde, a popular Portuguese soup.  By cooking the kale (or spinach) for just a few minutes, the leaves retain their vibrant green color. I love how the specks of blended greens make almost a pesto-like base for the soup, with larger chunks of kale and potato lending a satisfying heartiness. Sausage or chorizo chunks can be added for an extra punch of flavor and protein.

Note: I used chicken broth, but if you’d prefer to use vegetable broth, I have a tip for you.  Make your own veggie bouillon using this quick tip from Heidi Swanson: www.101cookbooks.com/archives/homemade-bouillon-recipe.html.  I tried making this soup with the boxed vegetable broth, and I wouldn’t use it again.  The broth had a weird, canned after-taste that I didn’t care for at all.  But if you use the right broth, the soup is absolutely delicious.

I hope you try both versions of potato and kale (or spinach) soup, posted below.  For more soup recipes, see our January newsletter, which has 12 more soups you can try.

PORTUGUESE STYLE POTATO AND KALE SOUP RECIPE

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed, or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 lb potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large bunch kale, chopped, or 1 pkg frozen spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
Smoked sausage or chorizo, cooked and chopped (optional)

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pot.  Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes longer.
2. Pour in broth, potatoes, and chopped kale stems (these cook longer than the leaves).  Bring mixture to boil, then cover, lower to simmer, and cook for 10 minutes until potatoes are almost tender.
3. Increase heat and add kale (if using spinach, add it at this time).  Cook for 5 minutes until leaves turn bright green.  Do not overcook.
4. Blend half of the soup using an immersion blender or regular blender.  Combine soup and check for seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Top with sausage if desired.

POTATO AND SPINACH SOUP RECIPE
by Marcy Rosenthal

1 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 Tbsp butter
1 container Mirepoix (or use 1 cup each: chopped onion, carrot, and celery)
2 leeks, white and light green parts, washed and thinly sliced
6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
4 red potatoes, chopped in big dice with skin on
1 tsp salt or Herbamare
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 chicken garlic & herb sausages, sliced (optional)

1. Heat oil and butter in a big soup pot and sauté mirepoix and leeks for about 10 minutes until golden, soft and sweet.

2. Add veg broth, potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. 

3. When the soup is cooked, take half of it and place it in a blender to puree. Add this back to the rest of the soup and then add the frozen spinach, the beans, and sausage if you like sausage and want more protein.