This is the time of year when one of my favorite seasonal foods, the Padron pepper makes its very short, annual appearance.
By the way, in the video I refer to them as "Padrones," which is what I've always called them, and what the guy I always bought them from at the SF Farmers' market called them. However, they are more commonly called Padron peppers (just in case you are calling around looking for some).
What follows is a repost from 2008...
Padrones are small green peppers, native to Spain, but occasionally available in American farmer's markets. The season is short, and in just a few weeks they disappear, like some mysterious, charismatic visitor, leaving just as things are heating up. They tell you they'll see you next year, but that doesn't help the melancholy as you mope over to the jalapenos.
In addition to their complex, bitter-sweet flavor, the usually mild padrones are the world's most exciting pepper to eat. This is due to a fascinating genetic oddity - one out of every dozen or so peppers is really spicy!
So, there you are, happily enjoying your time with this sexy, soft-spoken Spaniard, and wham! Out of nowhere you get slapped in the face! By the way, if this metaphor is ever made into a movie, Penélope Cruz will be playing the part of the temperamental pepper.
As you'll see in the video, a simple preparation is recommended. A quick sizzle in hot olive oil, and a few flakes of "Fleur de Sel" sea salt is all that's needed with this late summer treat. Too many ingredients, and the flavor will not be fully enjoyed. Think about it, in the movie, should Penélope Cruz be in a 3-piece suit, or a simple cotton sundress? Enjoy!
A special thanks to Steve Eliot for his generous gift of these beautiful padrones.
I've decided to determine the length of my blog posts by the beauty of the recipe displayed therein. It's a very logical system. If a recipe produces a batch of stunningly beautiful photos, then I'll write a long, wordy post (including gratuitous name-dropping and self-serving anecdotes) to give the reader plenty of time to soak it all in.
However, if the recipe looks like this Sausage, Potato, and Zucchini Stew, then the shorter the post, the better – a couple of short sentences and on to the video. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but not in this case. Visually, this is truly dreadful. It's a good thing this vegetable stew is so easy, nutritious, and delicious!
I used a spicy, garlicky andouille sausage here, but any spicy link will do. We've covered the glut of late summer zucchini before on this blog, and this is another great remedy. Well, I've subjected you to this grotesque image long enough, so I'll mercifully end the post. Enjoy!
Ingredients: 1 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound spicy smoked sausage 1 onion, chopped 6 zucchini, cut in 2-inch pieces 1 1/2 pound small Yukon gold potatoes, cut same size as zucchini 1 quart vegetable or chicken broth water as needed salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 bay leaf few springs of fresh thyme 1 tablespoon sliced fresh chives (and/or any fresh herb) handful of "sweet 100" cherry tomatoes *some crusty bread wouldn't be a bad idea
Very soon, if not already, you're going to be faced with one of summer's great dilemmas; what the hell am I going to do with all these zucchini?
Maybe they're from your garden, or possibly some sadistic neighbor's, but regardless of where they came from, there they sit on the counter, taunting you with their size and numbers.
While it will probably only put a small dent in your cache of courgettes, this recipe I posted last year is very simple and quite tasty. Enjoy! Tuna Zucchini Elbow Pasta - It's Just Dinner
I almost didn't film this meal. Initially, it struck me as so mundane and unimpressive that I wasn't sure it would make a worthwhile video recipe. Then I remembered I'm an atypical Food Wishes fan. While it's getting harder and harder for me to impress myself, thankfully most of you remain fairly easy to impress.
I don't say that with condescension, but with envy. I have to remind myself that not everything I make has to be a "special." That it's okay to just cook, film, and post without a point, or an angle, or even a reason.
This recipe is not impressive, it's not interesting, there are no new techniques, it doesn't remind me of any funny stories, and it certainly isn't going to win any beauty contests. I promised myself to never use the phrase, "it is what it is," but here, I really have no choice. It is what it is, and that's just dinner. Enjoy!
1 lb elbow macaroni olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 6 large zucchini, 1/2-inch cubes 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc., the usual suspects) 3 1/2 cups marinara sauce 1 1/2 cups water 12 oz tuna Parmesan cheese
I never make cold broccoli salad, so when I decided to film a recipe for one, I didn't have a ton of previous experience to draw from.
I remember having a great one next to a piece of grilled salmon in Monterey years ago, but all I remembered was it was very cold, very lemony, and kind of spicy.
The only other cold broccoli salad taste memory I have is from the annual post-Passport, Sunday night dinner that Bill Frick hosts for the family after the event. Bill makes a super simple, but perfectly delicious version that really shines next to a platter of grilled chicken.
Using both these salads as inspiration, I proceeded with the blanching and the whisking, and what was produced far exceeded my expectations. This is a great tasting, very refreshing, and believe it or not, interesting salad.
Will this become your favorite summer side dish? I doubt it. It's really very good, but how can you complete with such iconic picnic table fixtures as potato and macaroni salad? Let's face it, it's still broccoli after all.
Nevertheless, you can never have enough vegetable side dish recipe ideas, so I hope you give this tasty, easy-to-make salad a try. Enjoy!
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds broccoli 3 cloves garlic, mashed 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp rice vinegar 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1/3 cup olive oil red pepper flakes to taste salt and pepper to taste
This lovely bowl of spring is a perfect example of when recipes are, and are not, important. The ricotta gnocchi part of the plate requires a fairly precise formula. If any of the three main ingredient amounts are altered, you could be looking at quite a mess. That's certainly not the case for this sauce.
If I made this same combination of ingredients 100 times, each version would be different, which I how I believe these things should work. When I buy peas at the farmers market, I'm not thinking I need 2 cups, I'm thinking I need to buy some peas. The same goes for the mushrooms. Grab a handful and keep moving.
Here's the recipe. Take some mushrooms, preferable wild morel, and saute in olive oil until they smell meaty and delicious. Add some garlic and cook for a minute. Add some vegetable broth, about a 1/2 cup per person, and bring to a boil. Add some peas and cook until tender. Season, add a little cheese and fresh herb, and use as a sauce for the gnocchi.
Besides a general guess at how much broth you need, there's no reason to measure anything else. You could halve or double what I used and argue either way that your sauce is better than mine. Of course, we'd both be right.
There's a common belief that chefs never use recipes, which in the case of the sauce is totally true. But, when a specific texture, density, or viscosity is required in a dish, like for these delicate dumplings, chefs have no problem whatsoever following a formula.
What's my reason for pointing all this out? I don't really have one. You should make this. It tastes good. Enjoy!
For the ricotta gnocchi: 1 pound really good ricotta cheese 3 large eggs 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon black pepper pinch of fresh nutmeg Makes enough for about 6 servings
For the sauce: Splash of olive oil handful of mushrooms some fresh peas few cloves of garlic salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste about 3 cups of vegetable broth grated Parmigiano-Reggiano chopped parsley, mint, and/or basil
This super simple prosciutto wrapped asparagus recipe sets a new record on Food Wishes for fewest number of ingredients. Some asparagus, prosciutto, and that is it. The fat from the roasting prosciutto provides numerous benefits.
It adds the perfect amount of saltiness. It imparts that rich meaty flavor that only pork can deliver. You'll even get a little pepperiness . I'm more than happy to enjoy asparagus in its natural, swine-free state, but once in a while I need to animal it up a little.
This is such a versatile dish. You can make it for a quick snack as I did, but image a little raft of these glistening spears as a base for a piece of grilled chicken, or tossed on top of a pasta, or salad. You can also break from the two ingredient plan and add lemon, parmesan, aioli, romesco…actually, it would be quicker to list what it doesn't go with.
Asparagus is plentiful right now, so next time you're at the grocery store, or better yet, the farmers market, pick up a few bunches and give it a go. You can really use any thinly sliced cured meat, and I've done this with Serrano ham, as well as smoked Black Forest ham with equally delicious results. Enjoy!
I'm in San Antonio for one more day, so in lieu of a new video (btw, you'll see a fantastic asparagus recipe Monday), I decided to link to this fava bean how-to. Fava beans are one of my favorite spring vegetables, but many people just don't know how to prepare them.
This is the time of year when one of my favorite seasonal foods, the Padron pepper makes its very short, annual appearance.
So, there you are, happily enjoying your time with this sexy, soft-spoken Spaniard, and wham! Out of nowhere you get slapped in the face! By the way, if this metaphor is ever made into a movie, Penélope Cruz will be playing the part of the temperamental pepper.
