Seduced By an Avocado

Last night on my way home from work I stopped by the supermarket to find something to cook up.  The past few days I had used up all my farmers market finds and was in need of some new inspiration.  After meandering around the produce section at Whole Foods I was less than inspired.  While I am craving asparagus, I did not want to purchase any, knowing that soon enough I would have local asparagus from local farmers on my table.  

But soon enough the ripe avocados seduced me with their bumpy dark peel.  After picking up a few I knew that they were perfectly ripe.  Now my challenge was to plan my dinner around the avocado.  I slowly started picking up various things.  A lemon, a bunch of beets,  a small bag of walnuts, and baby-boc-choi.  I knew I had some leftover blue cheese at home and some delicious green onions from the market.

Once I got home I started my avocado centered dinner by halving the beet and roasting it in a 400 degree oven tossed with some olive oil and salt and pepper.  Next, I halved my baby-boc-choi and sprinkled olive oil and salt and pepper on it. The beets were fork tender after about 45 minutes, at which point I toasted the walnuts and put the baby-bo-choi on the grill pan. Finally, right before the baby-boc-choi was finished grilling (just long enough to wilt it and bring out the crunchy crispness) I added the green onions to the grill pan.

Meanwhile, I prepared a simple lemon olive oil vinaigrette, with lemon juice, tad of mustard, tad of honey and salt and pepper and olive oil.

Now for the seduction of the avocado:  I cut up the avocado in cubes, tossed with cubed beets and diced tomato and tossed in the toasted walnuts and vinaigrette. Next add crumbled blue cheese (left over from a cheese plate several nights ago) topped with baby-boc-choi and grilled green onions.

YUM!

Avocado,  you can seduce me anytime you want.  I don't care if you are not local!

Homemade Pizza

Trader Joes always has exactly what I am looking for. This time it was pre-made pizza dough: Joe's price is right $.99. Plus they have a great variety: regular, herb, and whole wheat. Sometimes I like to get all three and have a pizza party.

After a trip to the farmers market I had local portobello mushrooms, homemade pesto, local mozzarella cheese, and green onions. I knew the best way to use all of this was on top of a fresh pizza.

After rolling out my dough (in a shape roughly representing the West Bank)I brushed the dough with Olive oil and spread my homemade pesto on the pizza. Next I added portobello mushrooms, which had been tossed with olive oil, rosemary and red-pepper flakes. Next layer, fresh tomatoes and top with fresh green onions. Put in oven, until the mushrooms and tomatoes are nicely cooked. Finally add mozzarella and let melt. Top with fresh cut green onions.

Morels

It is April and the once a year crop of morels has made its rounds. So tonight I shared my morals with some of my closest friends. We had deliciously plump (happy pigs) Pork chops- marinated in lemon juice, rosemary and thyme grilled, and sauteed morels with shallots, butter and cream. YUM! I love the earthy taste of morels shared with friends. For desert we had delicious dark chocolate with red hot pepper and ginger snaps.

Wet and Cold Spring Evening

The past week has been damp and cold. An unwelcome part of spring. But I guess summer will be here soon enough. Tonight. after putting some recently sprouted seeds in little better soil and setting up a grow light for those recently germinated seeds, I decided to cook up some potatoes and mustard greens that I have.

I'm making a simple potato soup: Saute 2 onions in olive oil with a bay leaf and chopped rosemary, peel, quarter and thinly slice potatoes. Add the potatoes to the onions until they are coated and sauteed. Next add a cup of water a 1.5 teaspoon of salt. Then add 1 quart water. Bring to boil and let simmer for 30 minutes. Finally I'll put a cup or two of the potatoes through a food mill then mix in with some butter. and quickly boiled mustard greens, red pepper flakes and lamb sausage balls.

Top it off with shaved Parmesan Cheese

Potato soup on a cold damp spring evening is perfect!