Sweet Pea Pesto

Pesto always appears so gourmet, but it's the easiest thing this side of your food processor. When was this great rumor about pesto fanciness spread? Do you think it was some council of old timey Italians scheming to fool Popes and Doges? I'm painting a great mental visual on that one that includes elaborate headwear and painterly hand gestures.

Whoa... I just went all college art history on pesto. Let's all calm down and eat some noodles. Here's the deal... pesto is simple and people think it's fancy. No sense in telling them it's super easy, just take the credit.

This version strays from the traditional basil, subbing in springy peas, mint and arugula; all rounded out with asparagus and prosciutto. And seriously, I made this in about 15 minutes on a weeknight. Fancy weeknight win!

Sweet Pea Pesto
1 bunch asparagus, cut in 1-inch chunks
1lb angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup mint leaves
2 handfuls arugula
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 slices prosciutto, cut into 1-inch pieces.

Fill a large pot with water, cover and bring to a boil. Add asparagus to boiling water and cook for two minutes. Use a skimmer to remove asparagus to a bowl of ice water. Add pasta to remaining boiling water and cook according to package instructions.

Combine peas, parmesan, mint, arugula, salt and pepper in food processor. Pulse several times and then stream in olive oil while processor runs.

Add prosciutto to a small pan over medium heat and cook until lightly crisped, about 2-3 minutes.

Toss cooked pasta with pesto sauce and asparagus. Top with prosciutto and enjoy.

Cocktail Hour: Gin Buckets

Every party needs a cocktail. Even better when it is potent, easy and refreshing for a hot night. Enter the Gin Bucket. I made this for a recent party and it went down easy (maybe too easy for some) on a 95 degree night. Citrus and sparkling water keep things bright.

As you may have gathered from some of my other cocktail recipes, I'm a big fan of gin. For the longest time I thought I didn't like it because I don't particularly enjoy Gin and Tonics. Turns out, I actually just don't like tonic. Yay for liquor! With a herbacious bite, gin pairs beautifully with a number of mixers (lime juice, grapefruit juice, Snoop, etc.).

But back to the buckets...

For a martini or classic cocktail, you really need to class it up with your gin brand (I like Hendrick's or Bombay Sapphire), but since this was to be mixed with lots of citrus goodies and enjoyed by masses, no-name gin is just fine. As a particularly classy lady, I purchased gin in plastic. For serious.

You'll use citrus and mint to "marinate" the gin overnight, giving it incredible fresh flavor. Honestly, any subtle undertones in a top-shelf gin would be lost in this process, so bottom-shelf is just fine. 

Once chock full of flavor, just add a bit of simple syrup for sweetness and sparkling water to cut the bite. With this baby over ice, you won't even feel the last fleeting bouts of humidity. Enjoy the heat while it lasts.

Gin Buckets
1 handle no-name gin
3 lemons
3 limes
1 bunch mint, rinsed
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3 liters sparkling water

Juice two limes and two lemons into a large pitcher; throw in remaining halves and slice remaining whole lime and lemon for the container too. Add the bunch of mint and pour in the gin. Cover and allow to sit overnight.

Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir periodically until sugar dissolves, but do not boil. This is simple syrup. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Remove mint and lemon and lime halves, leaving the slices in the container. Stir-in simple syrup.

Serve over ice, pour about a shot of gin into each glass. Top with a healthy pour of sparkling water (these are strong) and garnish with a lime slice. Enjoy!

Simple Secrets: Watermelon Feta Bites

Sometimes you need an easy party dish. And sometimes you want to look fancy. These don't have to be mutually exclusive. Here's an idea.... skewer cubes of watermelon and feta, garnish with a mint leaf.

Boom. Fancytown.

Sweet, juicy watermelon pairs beautifully with dry, salty feta; with mint perfectly punctuating the flavors.

Such jazzy little soldiers all in a row.

Thai Steak Salad

Before I left Chicago, I put together one last quick meal in the tiny kitchen. It was a bittersweet endevour to say the least, but the outcome couldn't have been better. Between the going away dinners and packing up the kitchen (I have wayyyyyy too many white dishes), we were eating out nearly every night. We need some lighter, fresh fare to balance. 

Thai Steak Salad is one of my favorite options for when you're craving bright crunch, but need some substance to fill you. I never once saw this on a menu during my time in Thailand, so I can't claim that the execution is authentic, but fish sauce and loads of fresh herbs really do harken back to the incredible cuisine found there. And especially as we head into the heat of summer, this is a great recipe to have up your sleeve(less?).

Green stuff is really at the heart of this dish's flavor and your fingers will smell delicious after prepping it all. There are certainly circumstances in which dried herbs are a find substitute for fresh, but this simply isn't one of them. The herbs will not only provide flavor, but will be part of the leafy greens of the salad. Green onions, lime and cucumbers join the green party like it's St. Patty's (with less morning drunkenness, of course).

Thai basil, mint and cilantro are at the center of attention at this salad party. Each bringing a different flavor note, to build bright complexity. Traditional fresh basil would work just fine here, I just happened to stumble upon Thai basil at the store this week. This variation has slightly more licorice flavor and a sharper pointed leaf. But again, regular ole' fresh basil would be just as good.

A word on chopping herbs... they can be sensitive little bitches. Yes, I just called herbs bitches. They deserve it for so easily bruising. The easiest technique I've found is to stack them up and roll them into an "herb cigarette" and slice. Some of you may be more experienced than others with this rolling technique. I always have to laugh when I see Martha Stewart-types doing this on TV. I'm also very mature.

I had my butcher fillet the hangar steaks so that they were nice and thin. Skirt steak would work here too, but I think hangars have a lovely tenderness. Just be sure it's something cut thin, so that you can easily eat in a salad.

This is where you're all about to get uncomfortable... there is fish sauce in this recipe. You know how Thai food and other Asian takeout never tastes the same at home? It's because we're all terrified of the easy-to-find, yet unfamiliar Asian condiments used to create the flavorful sauces. Do you want to put fish sauce on your cereal? Probably not, but this is the stuff that gives the dressing its authentic flavor. Trust me. Fear not condiments.

Once grilled-off, thinly slice your steaks and top with the goodie herbs, veggies and dressings. See that fish sauce wasn't so bad, right? Or are you still distracted by my joint joke earlier?

Thai Steak Salad
1 1/2 lb hangar steak, filleted and at room temperature
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped Thai basil
1/2 cup chopped mint
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
4-5 green onions, chopped
3 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sriracha

Preheat grill over high heat. Brush vegetable oil on steaks and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-high and grill steaks over direct heat for 3-5 minutes per side until medium-rare (times may vary depending on the thickness of your steaks).

While the steaks rest, combine basil, mint, cilantro, onions, lettuce and cucumber in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and sriracha for dressing.

Thinly slice your steaks against the grain and arrange atop lettuce mixture. Lightly dress salad and enjoy.

Asparagus Goat Cheese Salad

Somehow all at once, spring happened in Chicago. The sneaky buds have covered barren branches with specks of green and bold stalks of yellow forsythia have burst from seemingly nowhere.  All of this triggers my appetite to crave green. Bright, grassy, sweet green. A feast of fresh.

In what form can I get the most of these treasures? A grain salad is the perfect dumping ground for all that calls me. And naturally, carbs always make things good. I’ve packed this quinoa salad with none other than the all stars of spring – asparagus, peas, mint, green onions, goat cheese and radishes.

A word on asparagus cooking… I strongly advise grilling them. I prefer them cooked this way always, but it’s especially important for this salad, with its delicate flavors. A bit of char lends just enough depth.

For easy slicing, just run the radishes across the slicing blad of a cheese grater. Takes 30 seconds for ultra-thin pieces, just watch your fingers!

Asparagus Goat Cheese Quinoa Salad

1 ½ cups quinoa

3 cups water

5 green onions, chopped

½ cup mint, chopped

1 bunch asparagus

1 cup sliced radish

½ cup goat cheese crumbles

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat grill. Toss asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill over medium direct heat until just tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and chop into 1-inch pieces.

Combine quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes until quinoa absorbs all of the liquid.  Remove cooked quinoa from heat and fluff with a fork.

Whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with vinegar and salt.

Allow quinoa to cool for a few minutes until just slightly warm. Toss together with onions, mint, chopped asparagus, radish, goat cheese and olive oil mixture. Serve immediately.

Chickpea Quinoa Salad

I know it's hot and all, but I can only eat lettuce so many days in a row. I was craving something with some heartiness and bite. I needed carbs for heaven's sake! 

I stumbled upon Giada de Laurentis' Orzo Salad recipe years ago and have been tweaking and modifying it ever since. This is a great example of how you can really pump up the nutrition in a recipe with some simple adjustments. I started with whole grain quinoa, instead of white flour pasta. And you guessed, doubled the tomatoes. In the end, I also only went with about half the suggested dressing. 

Doesn't this look like the freshest bunch of summer friends? The mint was purchased, but the basil was some how kept alive on my back porch. Yay for not killing plants!

I usually whip up a big batch of quinoa every few weeks and keep it in the freezer in small batches. Thaw overnight or just pop in your microwave. This works with most whole grains. 

The vinaigrette is simple and straightforward, with a touch of sweetness from honey. 

Get the party started by combining all of your ingredients. Bonus points if you can let this marinate for a hour or so.

We enjoyed solo this time, but this is excellent with grilled chicken or turkey sausage. Lovely dish to bring to a BBQ too!

Chickpea Quinoa Salad
For Salad
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

For Vinaigrette
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of one lemon
2 teaspoons honey
S&P

Combine salad ingredients in large bowl. Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together. Toss salad with vinaigrette. Allow salad to marinate for a hour or more. If you're making a day ahead, reserve the fresh basil and mint until just before serving.