Soft polenta with mushrooms and gremolata

polenta

8C water

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

2C stone-ground yellow cornmeal

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2C cream

1/2C grated Parmesan cheese

freshly ground pepper to taste

gremolata

1/2C Italian parsley leaves

1 tsp. garlic

1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

mushrooms

1 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1-1/2 lb. mixed mushrooms, thickly sliced

4 oz. young greens, i.e. spinach, pea shoots, coarsely chopped

  (4C packed)

For the polenta:  Bring water to a boil and whisk in the polenta in a slow, steady stream.  Add the salt and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until the polenta is thickened and tender, about 15 minutes.  Whisk in the butter and cream and season with pepper.  Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the polenta to prevent a film from forming; cover and keep warm.

For the mushrooms:  Melt butter and olive oil in a pan, add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.  Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden and tender.  Stir in the chopped greens and cook until wilted.  

For the gremolata:  mince the parsley and garlic with the lemon zest.  Set aside.

Pour the polenta onto a large platter; if the polenta is very thick, reheat with ½ cup of water before servings.   Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and spoon the mushroom mixture on top.  Sprinkle the gremolata over the mushrooms and serve warm.

MAKES:  6 servings

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Leek Leek and Potato Tart

pastry

1-1/2C flour

pinch salt

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

1 large yolk

filling

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 or 3 slices bacon, cut into pieces

3 – 4 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced

salt and pepper to taste

¾ lb. red potatoes, roasted, cut into ½-inch slices

1C cream

1/2C manchego or goat cheese

For the pastry:  Put flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse 2 – 3 times.  Add the yolk and pulse to combine.  Add water as needed to form a dough that holds together.  Form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.

For the filling:  Heat the butter in a pan, add the bacon and cook until brown.  Set aside.  Add the leeks, salt and pepper and cook until wilted and tender.  Add ¼ cup of the cream and cook until mostly absorbed.  Add the potatoes and ¼ cup more of the cream and cook until cream has absorbed.  Continue adding cream until the mixture is thick.  Remove from the heat, stir in bacon and let cool.  Stir in the cheese.  Preheat oven to 375F.  Roll out the pastry to a 17-inch circle.  Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Spread with the leek mixture, leaving a border of about 2-1/2 inches all around.  Fold the border back over the filling.  Bake for 40 minutes or until bubbling and welling browned.  Slice and serve.

MAKES:  8 - 10 appetizer servings

Cranberry-bean salad with butternut squash and ricotta salata

½ lb. cranberry beans, cooked or 2C canned

1-3/4 lb. butternut squash, roasted, peeled and cut into 1-inch

  cubes

1 lb. broccoli rabe, trimmed and separated

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. spice rub

4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained and crumbled

4 oz. ricotta salata, shaved or pecorino romano, shaved

1/3C whole almonds, roasted and coarsely chopped

2C herb salad or greens of choice

Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar

2 tsp. mustard

6 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F.  Toss the broccoli rabe with olive oil and spice rub and spread on a cookie sheet.  Roast until tender – about 20 minutes.

Shake vinaigrette ingredients together in a jar.  In a large bowl, toss the cranberry beans, butternut squash and broccoli rabe with vinaigrette to coat.  Add the bacon, cheese, almonds and greens and toss again, adding more vinaigrette if necessary.  Divide among plates and serve.

MAKES:  6 servings

Mixed Berry Slump

dough

1C flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

2-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. lemon zest

pinch salt

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4C buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

½ tsp. vanilla

filling

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 pints raspberries

1 pint blackberries

1C sugar

1/4C brandy or orange juice

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

vanilla ice cream or cream

For the dough:   Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, zest and salt together in a food processor.  Pulse in butter.  Mix buttermilk, egg and vanilla together and pulse in just until combined.

For the filling:   Heat butter in a pan over medium-high heat, add berries, sugar and brandy and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to

medium-low.  Simmer until fruit begins to break down, about 3 minutes.  Combine lemon juice and cornstarch until mixture forms a smooth slurry.  Stir slurry into fruit; simmer mixture until filling thickens.  

mixed berry slump

Drop tablespoonfuls of batter onto fruit filling (an ice cream scoop works well for this).  Try to keep dumplings from touching each other.  Cover slump with skillet lid; reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer slump until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean, about 25 minutes.  Let cool 5 – 10 minutes.  Spoon into bowl, dumpling sides up.  Serve with ice cream or cream.

MAKES:  6 servings (2 dumplings each)

Santa Barbara – February, 2017

I had planned to drive up to Big Sur for a few days, stopping in Santa Barbara on my way up but the roads were closed.  Sooo, I decided to go ahead and spend the day in Santa Barbara.

On my way up 101N I stopped at the Camarillo outlets (Carmen exit) to stretch my legs and check out the Oakley store where in the past I had found some things I liked.  Not this time…So, I drove on up to San Ysidro Ranch where I had a delicious lunch at the Stonehouse Restaurant, i.e. beet, pear and quinoa salad with macona almonds and a moist chocolate cake.  Weather was lovely.

Once in Santa Barbara, I parked near State street and visited the Museum of Art nearby where I enjoyed several wonderful exhibitions.  Christian Marclay’s “telephones” (1955) is a sequence of film clips featuring people dialing, answering, talking, listening on and finally hanging up an assortment of old fashioned telephones – really amusing!!!  Also a very nice exhibit of the art of David Wiesner, a highly acclaimed picture book artist and early master of wordless picture books.  Even the permanent collection had some wonderful paintings of great masters.

Afterwards, I wandered up State street and enjoyed the evening organic fruit and vegetable market as well as the unique shops still open.  Checked into my airbnb to see where it was located and then drove down to the beach and walked to the Stearns Wharf and pier filled with restaurant and shops.  Wandered over to the “funky section” on Anacapa and had dinner at the ecletic Lark Restaurant which has received so much acclaim.  I sat outside by the firepit and had some cornbread, Brussels sprouts and dates and a deconstructed crème brulee – all excellent!!!

In the morning I took a walk to the Santa Barbara Mission and Botanical Gardens which I will visit another time and then drove back down to the funky area for a pecan sticky bun and rich coffee at Helena Bakery.  As the day was gorgeous I walked along the ocean to the harbor and shipyards to watch the gigantic waves before heading home before the traffic.  It was a lovely day.