Eat Bang Us

I can't believe I'm writing this, but I'm sort of over caprese. Shhh shhh shhh shhh. I know. I KNOW. Crazy talk. But it's true. My threshold for caprese was met, I have full caprese saturation.  During the summer, and what has become that typical Los Angeles post-summer phase where it's in the 80s through November, caprese is my answer to anything. Tomatoes are at their peak in flavor and texture, basil is growing like mad, and the combination with milky mozzarella is always delicious.  But always delicious can get a bit boring, and in an attempt to avoid a desert island scenario where I only eat caprese, I decided to mix it up.  

Sumac, a Turkish spice, gives the eggplant a tart kick, and when combined with cumin and chili powder, this basic salad of tomatoes, basil, and feta takes a decidedly middle eastern and delicious turn.  

 


 




Ingredients:
For 4-6

3 cups tomatoes, wedged or chopped into 2 inch sections
1 garlic clove, minced
2 small eggplant (net 2 cups)
1 teaspoon sumac (or lemon zest if you can't find it)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili
salt and pepper
1 pita, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1/4 cup basil, chiffonade
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
balsamic
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 cup feta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice the eggplant into 1 inch thick slices.  Drizzle with half of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, sumac, chili and cumin.  Drizzle the pita with the remaining olive oil and some salt and pepper.  Cook both in the oven for 15 minutes.  Flip the eggplant and cook for another 10 minutes until the pita is golden brown and the eggplant is tender.
Chop the eggplant into 1 inch sections and add to the tomatoes. Add the herbs, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic, and sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper.  Stir to combine and then add the pita and feta, stirring a couple of times to combine.

Watermelon is one of my all time favorite things. Sweet and crisp, juicy but never cloying, it's quite possibly the perfect summer snack.  It wasn't until recently that the whole "savory watermelon" thing occurred to me.  There's pickled watermelon rind in the south, small chunks tucked away in spicy latin ceviches, and that feta salad that I've had at practically every barbecue this summer.  And this is my version.

Why watermelon and cheese? Isn't that weird?

I'm glad you asked.

Yeah, it's weird, but weird in the way bacon + maple syrup is weird. It's weird, but rightly weird. It's OMG I ate the whole thing weird.

The sweet crispness of the watermelon, along with the juicy acidity of the tomatoes pairs beautifully with the goat cheese.  You could pop feta in there too, basically any cheese that has a dense, chalky texture and a fresh, almost briny flavor.  The salty/creamy thing in the cheese is dynamite with the watermelon, and with a subtle kick of chili, it's the perfect salty/creamy/sweet/tart/crunchy/spicy combination.  Enjoy!






Vinaigrette:

Salad:
1/4 watermelon, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
2 heirloom tomatoes (or 3 regular tomatoes) cut 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup goat cheese, sliced into small chunks
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallot
1/4 basil, thinly chiffonade
2 tablespoons mint, thinly chiffonade

Combine the chilies, vinegar, olive oil, and a big pinch of salt and pepper in a small container and mix to form a vinaigrette.  Put the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and pour the vinaigrette over it. Let the bowl sit in the fridge for 1 hour, then serve.  Enjoy!

Summer is just the best. Such a boring thing to say, I know, but isn't it though? So in a fit of experimental laziness, I combined my favorite things about summer (stone fruit, heirloom tomatoes, and fresh herbs) in a bowl and called it a day.  The result? sweet, earthy, tart goodness. The tomatoes have enough sweetness to not get overwhelmed by the fruit, and the herbs add a refreshing kick to the whole thing.  It's pure summer, and a really interesting twist on a boring fruit salad.


 







For 2 - 4

1 large yellow peach
1 heirloom tomato (I used the pineapple variety for their color and flavor)
1 cup cherries, halved and pitter
2 tablespoons basil, chiffonade (rolled up and chopped into ribbons)
2 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon mint, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice up the peach into thin slices, roughly cube the tomato into one inch chunks, and combine with the cherries in a bowl.  Add the herbs.  In a small lidded container or with a whisk, combine the lime juice, agave nectar, olive oil, salt and pepper until mixed together.  Pour over the herbs and fruit and combine to dress.  Enjoy!

My brother Henry and I have officially started a tradition. Well, we've done it twice, so that counts, right?

It's called Pizza Night, and though I make pizza for the fam at least a couple of times a year (or at least whenever Henry badgers me about it), its big moment is on Christmas day.

After presents and breakfast Henry and I make the dough, and while the family is out to the movies, it rises. Everyone picks out their toppings and we stand around the kitchen eating our piping hot pizza. This time around (for the inaugural Christmas Day pizza, click here) I took the leftovers from my Christmas Eve pasta and some inspiration from my favorite Italian Classics. The results were delicious:


NOTE: All of the pizzas use the same dough recipe.


Pizza Dough
For 4 10-12 inch pizzas

3 cups high gluten flour (I use King Arthur's Bread Flour), though All Purpose is fine too.
1 teaspoon yeast (half a pack)
1 3/4 cups warm water (about 70-80 degrees, not too hot or you'll kill the yeast)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil

In a the bowl of your electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil. Stir gently to combine. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and on the second highest speed (8 on a Kitchen Aid) knead the dough for 15 minutes, or until it has formed a ball on the hook and has completely pulled away from the sides of the bowl. The best test to see if it's elastic enough is to pull off a tablespoon of dough and stretch it into a square. You should be able to pull it thin enough to see light through it without it tearing. It is tears knead it for another minute. When it's ready, knead on the highest level for an extra two or three minutes. Lightly oil a container with olive oil, add the dough, and cover with a lid (or plastic wrap if using a bowl). Mark or mentally note where the dough is, and note where it should be for it to triple in size. Set aside in a warm spot (on top of the fridge is great) and let it ferment for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until tripled in size.

An hour before making the pizzas set your pizza stone in the center of the oven and crank it up as high it can go for at least an hour.

When the dough is ready, scoop it onto a floured counter (it'll puddle out) and cut into four equal pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes. When ready, pick up a piece of dough and stretch at the edges, moving the dough through your hands in a circle. It doesn't have to be perfect, just get it as thin as you can and put it on a flour baking peel or rimless cookie sheet. Add your toppings and bake for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!


Red Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (or pureed if you prefer that texture)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
1  tsp paprika


Bring the olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and minced garlic up to heat over a medium flame for about a minute. Stir in the tomatoes, paprika and the fresh oregano and bring to a gentle simmer.


Breakfast Pizza
1 pizza dough recipe (makes 4 small pizzas)

Preheat oven on highest heat with a pizza stone for at least an hour. On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one)smooth 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese (there should be a lot of space around each slice), hash browns, and bacon. Pop on the pizza stone and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then pull the pizza out and crack the one or two eggs on top of the pizza. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parsley. Bake for another 5-6 minutes and eat ASAP. Not that that will be a problem. Enjoy!



Classic Margherita
1 pizza dough recipe (makes 4 small pizzas)
1/2 cup red sauce
8 oz bufala mozzarella (2 balls), sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 16 slices)
1/2 cup basil, chiffonade
Olive oil


Preheat oven on highest heat with a pizza stone for at least an hour. On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one)smooth 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese (there should be a lot of space around each slice).  Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of basil and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 8 minutes. Slice and enjoy!


Herbed Breadsticks
1 pizza dough recipe (makes 10 medium breadsticks)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon oregano, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup corn meal, finely ground
Olive oil
1/2 cup butter, melted


When you make the pizza dough, add the garlic and oregano to the mixture, and continue normally.  Preheat oven on highest heat with a pizza stone for at least an hour. 


When the dough is ready, scoop it onto a floured counter (it'll puddle out) and cut into 5 equal pieces, and divide those pieces again. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes. When ready, pick up a piece of dough and roll out into logs about 12 inches long.  Roll the logs in the cornmeal and place on the floured baking peel, one at a time.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 8 minutes or until puffed up and golden brown.  Brush with butter and serve. Enjoy!

On today's episode of Food for Thought, I made three very different salads with one vinaigrette.  Once you have the ratio down of 1:3, you can make fresh vinaigrette tailored to your palette any time you want to rustle up a quick salad (I also add my vinaigrettes to pasta, rice, grains, anything that needs a little perking up).  I chose three salads that work in almost any situation: hearty and perfect for lunch or a side,  leafy and easily multiplied for two or four or twelve, and, of course, one involving bacon. These aren't boring "side salads" all sad and wilted, these are fresh, flavorful, and super delicious. Enjoy!

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Arugula, and Pecans

Henry and I have officially started a tradition. Well, we've done it twice, so that counts, right?

It's called Pizza Night, and though I make pizza for the fam at least a couple of times a year (or at least whenever Henry badgers me about it), its big moment is on Christmas day.

After presents and breakfast Henry and I make the dough, and while the family is out to the movies, it rises. Everyone picks out their toppings and we stand around the kitchen eating our piping hot pizza. This time around (for the inaugural Christmas Day pizza, click here) I took the leftovers from my Christmas Eve pasta and some inspiration from my favorite Italian Classics. The results were delicious:

1. Cherry Tomato Margherita with Lemon Zest and Truffle Salt
2. Broccoli Rabe with Hot Sausage
3. Pasta Pizza (Roasted Butternut Squash, Sunchokes, and Fennel with Walnut Pesto, finished with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage)
4. Roasted Radicchio with Balsamic vinegar and Chevre

Enjoy!

NOTE: All of the pizzas use the same dough recipe.

Pizza Dough
For 4 10-12 inch pizzas

3 cups high gluten flour (I use King Arthur's Bread Flour), though All Purpose is fine too.
1 teaspoon yeast (half a pack)
1 3/4 cups warm water (about 70-80 degrees, not too hot or you'll kill the yeast)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil

In a the bowl of your electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil. Stir gently to combine. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and on the second highest speed (8 on a Kitchen Aid) knead the dough for 15 minutes, or until it has formed a ball on the hook and has completely pulled away from the sides of the bowl. The best test to see if it's elastic enough is to pull off a tablespoon of dough and stretch it into a square. You should be able to pull it thin enough to see light through it without it tearing. It is tears knead it for another minute. When it's ready, knead on the highest level for an extra two or three minutes. Lightly oil a container with olive oil, add the dough, and cover with a lid (or plastic wrap if using a bowl). Mark or mentally note where the dough is, and note where it should be for it to triple in size. Set aside in a warm spot (on top of the fridge is great) and let it ferment for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until tripled in size.

An hour before making the pizzas set your pizza stone in the center of the oven and crank it up as high it can go for at least an hour.

When the dough is ready, scoop it onto a floured counter (it'll puddle out) and cut into four equal pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes. When ready, pick up a piece of dough and stretch at the edges, moving the dough through your hands in a circle. It doesn't have to be perfect, just get it as thin as you can and put it on a flour baking peel or rimless cookie sheet. Add your toppings and bake for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!









Cherry Tomato Margherita with Lemon Zest and Truffle Salt

For 4

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tsp lemon zest
2 balls bufala mozzarella, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
4 pinches truffle salt, or a few drops truffle oil, or you can buy cheese with truffle in it.
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons basil, chiffonade (thinly sliced into ribbons)

On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one)smooth 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese (there should be a lot of space around each slice) and dot with the halved tomatoes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and truffle salt and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 8 minutes and top with a little basil. Slice and enjoy!












Broccoli Rabe with Hot Sausage

For 4

1 lb broccoli rabe (rapini)or a head of broccoli if you can't find it
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili flake
1 pinch lemon zest
8 oz taleggio grated (or mozzarella)
4-5 fresh hot Italian sausages
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Grated Parm, optional

Break the broccoli rabe into 1 inch chunks. In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the broccoli rabe for 1 minute and the stick in an ice bath. Blanching the rabe makes it sweeter and turns is a gorgeous bright green. You can skip the step if you prefer a more bitter flavor, just saute it for a little longer.

Strain the broccoli rabe and dry completely on a towel. In a saucepan, heat up a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flake and cook until the garlic just starts to toast (careful that it doesn't brown). Add the broccoli rabe and saute for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, push the sausage out of its casings and in a pan over medium heat with a little bit of olive oil, saute it until the bits are completely brown and cooked through.

On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one)smooth 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese and sprinkle a quarter of the sausage and broccoli rabe. Top with some parm and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 8 minutes. Slice and enjoy!









Pasta Pizza (Roasted Butternut Squash, Sunchokes, and Fennel with Walnut Pesto, finished with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage)

For how to prepare the vegetables and walnut pesto, check out this recipe.

For 4
8 oz roasted butternut squash
8 oz roasted sunchokes
4 oz roasted fennel
1/2 cup walnut pesto
8 oz grated mozzarella
Grated Parm, optional
4 tblsp unsalted butter
12 sage leaves

On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one)smooth 2 tablespoons of walnut pesto onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese and sprinkle a quarter of the roasted vegetables. Top with some parm and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 8 minutes. In the meantime, melt the butter over medium heat, add the sage leaves, and continue cooking until it turns golden brown and starts turning nutty. Drizzle a quarter of the brown butter and sage leaves over the pizza. Slice and Enjoy!











Roasted Radicchio with Balsamic vinegar and Chevre

For 4
1 head radicchio, or small red cabbage, quatered
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, plus more for drizzling
8 oz fresh chevre (fresh goat cheese)
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 F. In a small oven-safe pan, drizzle each quarter of radicchio with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes, or until the leaves start to wilt. Turn up the oven to broil and broil until the edges start to brown. Take the radicchio out, slice into 1 inch sections, and immediately cover with balsamic, turning to dress.

On one stretched pizza dough on the floured pizza peel (or a floured baking sheet if you don't have one) smooth 2 tablespoons of sour cream onto the pizza, covering the whole thing, save a 1/2 inch around the edge. Top with a quarter of the cheese and sprinkle a quarter of the radicchio. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 8 minutes and finish with a drizzle of balsamic and some ground pepper. Slice and enjoy!