Green leaf heaven

I've got two words for you: grilled lettuce. It may sound strange, but trust me, lettuce never tasted so good. I am now using it as a distraction from the mess that has become my life as moving day comes closer. In a room full of extra-large suite cases waiting to be filled and memories waiting to be forgotten I browsed through a plethora of caesar salad recipes today, further fueling my addiction to the combination of garlic, anchovies and a squeeze of lemon juice.

I have finally perfected the dressing after attempting it for nearly two years, the secret being that the anchovies and garlic should be mashed into a paste with a mortar and pestle before the other ingredients are added. This results in a creamy, smooth texture as opposed to a lumpier one when the garlic and anchovies are only chopped into pieces. I am also a fan of the coddled egg, I believe it gives the dressing a more authentic taste, unlike that of mayonnaise.

Since I had the dressing down I was looking for a creative take on the basic salad. I found it on the Food52 website, a Fully Grilled Caesar Salad. The recipe calls for lightly-grilled lettuce, this is achieved by cutting a heart of romaine lettuce in half, brushing the cut side with olive oil and sprinkling over salt and pepper and then grilling it for about two minutes, leaving one side of the lettuce slightly charred and the other crisp. Pretty much it's green leaf heaven.

Although I took the lettuce idea from the recipe, I kept the rest my own, using my own dressing recipe and adding some grilled chicken into the equation, which isn't necessary but turns the salad into a full meal. As much as I hate to use the word, this recipe is yummy with a capital Y.

Grilled Lettuce Caesar Salad

Serves 2 as a meal

3 anchovy fillets

1 clove of garlic, peeled, plus extra for the bread

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1-1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large egg, coddled

1 large romaine heart, cut in half length wise

1/2 a ciabatta, cut into 1 inch slices

2 skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1. Pound the anchovies and garlic clove in a mortar and pestel until they form a smooth paste.

2. Add in the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and stir, then quickly mix in the coddled egg. Set aside.

3. Brush the cut sides of the romaine with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat the grill or a grilling pan over the stove and set the romaine on top, cut sides down. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the cut sides have charred but are not wilted.

4. As the romaine cooks rub the bread slices with a peeled garlic clove and brush over a layer of olive oil. Remove the lettuce and grill the bread until golden brown.

5. Place each half of the romaine on a plate with the bread.

6. Grill the chicken breasts until cooked thoroughly, but not dry.

7. Once finished remove and cut into strips.

8. Add the chicken to the plates of romaine and drizzle over the dressing, finishing with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.

9. Serve as a meal or cut the recipe in half for a side dish.

Getting out of a funk

What do you get when you put moving half way across the world and going back to school together? One HUGE, nervous headache. The reality of my move to San Francisco is setting in. After three glorious years spent in Barcelona, I have just one month left until I board a plane to London, then I'm off to the Golden Gate. I am excited, don't get me wrong, but the final countdown has turned into an emotional roller coaster.

I began the week feeling a little down in the dumps, realizing that I would have to leave behind a group of people who have stolen a place in my heart. Feeling above and beyond anxious, I did what I always do when I hit a rough patch....bury my feelings in pasta. The past few days I have been on a pasta binge, using everything from clams to eggplant to create dishes of comfort. I even attempted homemade ricotta and asparagus ravioli, a recipe from Babbo's Mario Batali, which would have been fantastic if I had a pasta machine (if a recipe calls for one it usually means it's necessary). Normally long hours spent in the kitchen clear my head, but this problem was not going to be cured by a little chopping and frying, not even large bowls of carbohydrates could solve this one.

Apparently the only combination that could get me out of my slump was Led Zeppelin and an iPhoto slideshow. After listening to Fool in the Rain on repeat, I began to browse through photos of the past few years and my mood suddenly lifted. I have had the best experiences of my life in these past three years and that alone is enough to keep a smile on my face. It also is enough to snap me out of my pasta funk, although I enjoyed it, and keep the adventure alive. In celebration of my return to the unknown I found an asian beef salad recipe that uses fish sauce, lemon grass and serrano chili to give it a real kick...just the kind i've been needing.

Asian Inspired Beef Salad

Adapted from a recipe on Food52 by Amanda and Merrill

Serves 2

Dressing:

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons unrefined sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons lemongrass, microplaned

1 tablespoon lime zest2 teaspoons serrano chili, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons canola oil

Salad:

1 pound beef sirloin, grass fed preferred

1 tablespoon sesame oil

kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper

2 cups red leafed baby romaine

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup basil, roughly chopped

1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1/3 cup mint, roughly chopped

1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced

2 vine ripe tomatoes, cut in quarters

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake until combined. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

2. Rub the beef with sesame oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. Combine lettuce, herbs, red onion and red pepper in a salad bowl, toss to combine.

4. Heat a stove top grill pan and sear beef until cooked to your liking. About 2 - 3 minutes each side depending on thickness of the cut of meat, will result in medium rare. Slice meat into thin strips.

5. Toss the greens with 1/3 of the dressing.

6. Divide salad greens onto serving plates. Top with the sliced beef and tomatoes. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top of each salad.

7. Serve.

Tart envy

Today my head feels like the inside of my refrigerator, filled with the weekend's leftovers, fresh vegetables, everlasting sauces and some random objects that I cannot identify. In order to make sense of it all I am making tarts...well one giant tart. A tart has the clarity my head is lacking; it is precise, has organized layers and stands firm...plus, it is made up of sugary goodness. It's desirability lies in the combination of two very different worlds, that of a thick, strong crust and the other of a soft, sweet center. A discombobulated refrigerator, on the other hand, is anything but desirable. Packed with confusion and lack of purpose, that is unless one can find the ingredients inside to make a tart. Perhaps I'm spreading the metaphor a little to thin, but you get the point.

I found this recipe for Strawberry Tarts with Lemony Mascarpone Filling today on the Food52 web page and was immediately drawn in by the photo. This was one good looking tart, perfectly shaped and topped with glossy, fresh strawberries. There was only one word to describe it: IRRESISTIBLE. The woman who made the recipe, ChezSuzanne, also used the word "easy" when describing it which helped matters. I don't own tartlets, so I decided on making one giant tart. They say you are what you eat....I wish I were this zesty, sweet tart.

Strawberry Tarts with Lemony Mascarpone Filling

A recipe by ChezSuzanne on the Food52 web page

(If you do not have tartlets you can make one big tart using a pie dish and the same recipe)

Tart Shell (Pate Sable):

6 1/4 ounces (weighed) all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

3 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 large egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons ice water

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate pieces

1. Rub the lemon zest and sugar together until the sugar is moist from the lemon and very aromatic. Set aside.
2. In a food processor, blend together the flour and salt. Add the lemon sugar and mix well. Add the butter pieces all at once and process just until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea sized butter lumps.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients. Drizzle over the flour mixture in the food processor and pulse just until the mixture comes together. Remove from the bowl onto a lightly floured workspace and gently knead with fingertips 4 or 5 times to form a ball.
4. Separate into 4 equal sections (about 3 oz each), flatten into discs, and wrap in wax or plastic. Refrigerate for 30 - 45 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Roll out each disc on a lightly floured workspace and line 4 tartlet pans with the dough. Dock with a fork and freeze until firm - at least 15 minutes. The longer you freeze them, the better they will keep their shape during the blind baking step.
6. Line the tartlets with parchment paper or foil and pie weights or beans. Blind bake for about 20 minutes, or until the crust begins to lightly brown. Remove the weights and paper/foil lining and continue to bake until golden brown - about 10 - 15 minutes. Cool completely.
7. Melt the chocolate over very low heat or in the microwave until melted. Using a basting brush (I use a plastic one for this), brush on a layer of chocolate onto each cooled tart shell bottom. I use about 1 Tablespoon of chocolate per tart shell.

Lemon Mascarpone Filling and Strawberries:

1/2 pound mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

14-16 strawberries

2 tablespoons apricot puree (strained from preserves)

1. Whisk all the ingredients together except the strawberries and apricot puree. Spoon or pipe into the tart shells.
2. Slice the strawberries and arrange around the tart shell. Melt the apricot puree so that it is pretty liquidy and brush onto the strawberries.
3. Top with whipped cream, Chantilly cream, chocolate shavings or sifted confectioner's sugar.