Jamie Oliver's (Zucchini) Spaghetti with Sweet Cherry Tomatoes, Marjoram and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I bought a new toy recently, this spiralizer, and I have been having fun making and enjoying raw zucchini noodles. I will probably branch out from zucchini at some point, but since they are so plentiful and cheap, and make tasty spaghetti, they are my noodle of choice at the moment. ;-) Of course I still love my pasta, but having a lighter veggie option is fun too. I have had my "noodles" with different pestos and with my favorite Jamie Oliver's Cherry Tomato, Caper and Balsamic Sauce (BTW: that sauce won a lot of fans at Whole Foods when I cooked it and added the zucchini noodles for a demo).

Since it is potluck week at I Heart Cooking Clubs, I decided to go with another of Jamie's pasta sauces and try the Spaghetti with Sweet Cherry Tomatoes, Marjoram and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, replacing the spaghetti with zucchini noodles. With local zucchini and tomatoes from the farmers market and marjoram from my herb garden, it is fresh, light, and perfect for summer.

Jamie says, "When tomatoes are good, this is super nice. It’s a warm dish as opposed to hot, and it is even great when cold as a salad for picnics."

Sweet Cherry Tomatoes, Marjoram and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
From "Happy Days with the Naked Chef" by Jamie Oliver
(Serves 4)

1 lb dried spaghetti, spaghettini or linguine (I used my spiralizer to make zucchini noodles)
11-14 oz ripe cherry tomatoes, red and yellow
2 good handfuls of fresh marjoram or basil, leaves picked
6-8 glugs extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 Tbsp white or red wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put your pasta into a large pot of salted boiling water and cook until al dente (check the package for cooking time). While it’s cooking, halve the tomatoes, put them into a large bowl, and add your herbs, olive oil, garlic and vinegar. Season to taste, and scrunch with your hands to slightly mush the tomatoes. This can sit now until the pasta’s ready. Drain the pasta, and while still steaming hot mix well with the tomatoes, check the seasoning and serve. Easy peasy.

Notes/Results: A very simple sauce with a lot of flavor. The sweetness of the cherry tomatoes combines well with the herbal, citrus notes of the marjoram (similar to oregano but more delicate in flavor). I did reduce the olive oil--less is needed to coat the veggie noodles than is needed for pasta. The sauce would be excellent with regular pasta noodles, but it really works really well with the zucchini noodles too, making this a lighter and lower calorie dish. It's a simple way to enjoy raw food and takes just minutes to put on the table. Although the capers in Jamie's other sauce still have my heart and I like its warmth with the raw zucchini noodles, this is a tasty second and I would make it again.


You can check out what the other IHCC participants made for their potluck creations by going to the post here and following the links.

Simple Veggie Wonton Soup: A Little Healthy Comfort for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

After a few rounds of cold soups this past month, compounded with a long and busy week, I needed a bowl of something warm and comforting, but quick and easy too. Leftover veggies and a package of pre-made spicy vegetarian wontons were the inspiration for this Simple Veggie Wonton Soup. A garlic and ginger spiced vegetable stock packed full of cabbage, carrots, celery, snow peas, baby spinach and the little wonton packages, it is a substantial but not heavy soup that is light enough for warm weather.

Simple Veggie Wonton Soup

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Makes 2-3 Servings)

1 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, moinced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 quart low-sodium vegetable stock
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 small head of cabbage, shredded
1 medium carrot, sliced very thin
1 stalk celery, sliced very thin
1/2 cup snow peas, sliced in thirds
2 handfuls baby spinach
4 green onions, diced
1 package spicy vegetable wontons or pot stickers
salt and pepper to taste
chili paste or sambal oelek to taste
cilantro leaves chopped to garnish
toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Cook wontons according to package instructions, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, saute garlic and ginger in olive oil until soft and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes. Add cabbage, carrot and celery and simmer for another 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add snow peas, spinach, and green onions and cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and season with salt, pepper and chili paste as desired.

To serve, place a few won tons in each bowl and ladle the soup over them. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.


Notes/Results: Warming and flavorful. The veggies are cooked but still crisp, complementing the texture of the soft pillows of wontons. Since these were spicy vegetable wontons, they added a nice kick to the broth, but you can add more chili paste if you can only find plain wontons. Or, of course you can make your own wontons too if you have a little extra time. Comfort in a bowl in under 30 minutes and a good way to work in those all those healthy veggies, I would make this again.



It's a little quiet in the Souper Sunday kitchen this week but we do have two delicious soups and five fantastic salads, so let's take a look.

Making her first appearance at Souper Sundays is Ramya from Ramya's Recipe..., blogging from the UK and here with a tasty Sweetcorn Chicken Soup. She says, "Hot Soups are a comfort food on cold evenings. Though it is summer here, last few days have been rainy and cold. This is one of the easiest soup and I made it specially for my daughter who loves sweet corn and chicken. This soup is very healthy too as I have not added even a drop of oil, but it still tastes yummy." Welcome Ramya!

Akheela of Torviewtoronto made a Spiced Soup Rasam and says, "This is a flavourful soup that can be served before a meal or with a meal. It is tangy soup made with a combination of spices and healthy ingredients. Can drink this on its own or with rice, usually rasam is served as a starter when serving rice and curries. It can be strained and served if you prefer a clear soup and not to have the whole spice seeds while drinking."

Pam from Sidewalk Shoes has a simple colorful Everyday Fruit Salad to share. She says, "I installed a calorie app on my phone. This has resulted in a lot of changes. A lot of negotiating. After a particularly bad day, I don’t do stressful eating anymore, I hoard and save up my calories so that in the evening I have 160 of them left. That’s for my gin and tonic. A necessity. The other thing I’ve learned. You can eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Lots. Instead of dessert, I’ve been making fruit salads. It’s fun. And colorful. And it doesn’t take many calories. I need to save them, you know."

Tigerfish from Teczcape - An Escape to Food made some fun Quinoa "Sushi" - Zucchini Wrapped Quinoa Salad. She says, "Nothing is new here (quinoa salad, again!) except to eat it differently...the sushi-way. Using thin slices of roasted zucchini to wrap up quinoa salad. This quinoa salad is made from cooked turmeric-infused quinoa + radishes + bell peppers. Let's call it a popper salad! A playful mouthful of textures and mild flavors."

Elizabeth from The Law Student's Cookbook turned her Roasted Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and Shrimp Salad into a high-protein option. She says, "The night before I had made coconut shrimp for dinner. Thing is.. I didn't end up eating it, because I had forgotten I had dinner plans. But I didn't want the shrimp to go bad, so since they were thawed out I cooked them up and decided I could find a use for them later. Their use became apparent the next morning when I was throwing this salad together. In the shrimp went and up the protein increased to 23 grams!"

Janet from The Taste Space has two salads to showcase this week. About her 11-Spice Lentil Salad with Capers and Currents she says, "I had witnesses. We unanimously agreed this was a wonderful lentil salad! Sweet, savoury, and salty, deep and complex, warming yet refreshing… and quite addictive! I stuck with the base of the recipe, tinkering only minorly with the spices (decreased the pepper and chili flakes), and thought the capers and currants were fabulous. The ingredient list is long, with 11 different spices, but they really blend harmoniously."

Janet follows the lentil salad up with Ottolenghi’s Cabbage and Kohlrabi Salad. She says, "Since it is cherry season in Ontario, I tried the salad with both fresh and dried cherries, and the latter are definitely the winner. Which means everyone wins, because then this becomes a year-round salad. I also decreased the amount of dressing while adding in more vinegar, increased the sprouts and substituted some dill seeds since I didn’t have enough fresh dill."

Some fabulous dishes this week! A big mahalo to everyone who joined in. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the sidebar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!

Peach Crumble: It's Peachy Keen (and Delicious!)

Are you a crisp, crumble or cobbler person? Or do you prefer a clafoutis, a buckle, a Betty, a slump or maybe a pandowdy? (Here's a great little breakdown of each of these desserts at O Chef). Me? I'm usually a crisp or crumble girl because I'm a sucker for any kind of crumbly, oaty, streusel topping.

It's "Time for Dessert" at I Heart Cooking Clubs this week and I wanted to use some peaches I bought on sale at Whole Foods. No, they are not a local fruit in Hawaii and not as near as good as a freshly picked orchard peach, I get that. Still, much as I try to focus on local ingredients and we have so much glorious tropical fruit to work with, sometimes a girl just needs a peach, ... or plum, ... or a few cherries. These were actually pretty sweet and full of flavor. I bought a dozen and ate most of them, but managed to save enough to make a small crisp. The closest Jamie Oliver recipe I could find was his Apple Crumble so I swapped in the peaches and was good to go. With a touch of cinnamon, and just a light kiss of cardamom added to the topping, and served with good vanilla bean ice cream, it was a delicious summer dessert.

Apple Peach Crumble
Adapted from Jamie Oliver.com
(5 Servings)

For the crumble:
35g rolled oats
35g wholemeal flour (I used white wheat flour)
35g margarine or butter
20g caster sugar
(I added a good-sized pinch of cinnamon and a dash of cardamom)

For the filling:
400g cooking apples fresh peaches, peeled, cored and quartered
50g sugar, to sweeten
1 tablespoon water

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Peel and core the apples, quarter and cut in to chunks Peel, pit and slice the peaches.

Put the apples peaches into a pan with the sugar and water. Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes and place in a small ovenproof dish.

Place the flour and oats in a bowl and mix well. Cut the margarine or butter into small cubes and add this to the oats and flour. Mix with your fingertips until it resembles an even crumb texture. Add the sugar (and cinnamon and cardamom) and mix through.

Cover the fruit with the crumble mixture. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until the crumble is golden and the apples peaches hot.

Notes/Results: Warm sweet peaches, crumbly oat crust, cold and creamy ice cream--it doesn't get much better than this. I liked the extra touch of flavor of the cinnamon and cardamom I added to Jamie's recipe--just a little bit, so they enhanced rather than overwhelmed the peach flavor. An easy, homey, tasty recipe that I would make again.

You can see what desserts the other IHCC participants made this week by going to the post and following the links.

Happy Weekend!

The Book Tour Stops Here: "My Year With Eleanor" by Noelle Hancock, Served with Eleanor Roosevelt's Scrambled Eggs

Entertainment blogger Noelle Hancock was so busy and wrapped up in writing about the latest celebrity exploits she was neglecting her own life. Having a rare relaxing moment sipping piña coladas on the beach in Aruba, when a co-worker calls and the website has been shut down. Three weeks later, without a job and realizing she's also without much of a life, Noelle was making the rounds of coffee shops when she spies a quote on a chalkboard:
"Do one thing everyday that scares you"

--Eleanor Roosevelt

Ruminating over the quote, Noelle decides to spend the last year of her twenties doing the things she fears and confronting the self imposed insecurities and fears that have ruled her life.

Noelle Hancock's "Year of Fear" is chronicled in her book "My Year With Eleanor: A Memoir." The book's almost 300 pages fly by with Hancock's fun and breezy writing style. It reads as if you are meeting an old friend for coffee, catching up and laughing while they recount their crazy exploits. Some of the things Nicole does to overcome fears are grander gestures--climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, shark diving, taking fighter pilot lessons, sky diving. Others are smaller but no less significant--volunteering at a hospital, negotiating interest rates, meeting with former boyfriends to find out why relationships ended. It's the smaller, more personal changes she made that I found most endearing and engaging. Don't we all have tiny little fears that keep us from doing very simple things?


Interwoven throughout the book are the things that Hancock learned about Eleanor Roosevelt and how Eleanor overcame her own fears and forged a path for herself to an incredible and meaningful life. As an admirer of Eleanor Roosevelt ever since I wrote a report on her in grade school, I loved reading her stories, experiences and transformation alongside the author's.
"Do the things that interest you and do them with all your heart. Don't be concerned about whether people are watching you or criticizing you. The chances are that they aren't paying any attention to you."

--Eleanor Roosevelt

The book is fun, insightful, and easy to relate to--whether you are ready to climb a mountain or not. Eleanor Roosevelt changed throughout her life from a timid young girl, to a courageous woman. Noelle Hancock found herself changing during her "Year of Fear" to be bolder, more passionate and more engaged with life. In this book, I learned a little something from both of them.

You can see what some other bloggers had to say about "My Year With Eleanor" and learn more about the author Noelle Hancock, by going to the TLC Book Tours page and following the links.


My first idea in making something inspired by "My Year With Eleanor" was to make something I am "afraid" to make, something that intimidates me. Alas, I got a bit behind with life in general and I needed to make something quick and easy, so I looked to see if Eleanor Roosevelt had any recipes that she was known for. Turns out Eleanor wasn't much of a foodie, but there were a few to choose from and I ended up with her eggs.

From a Gourmet article from 2009 entitled "FDR's Anti-Epicurean White House" Laura Shapiro says, "It was a Roosevelt family tradition to have scrambled eggs on Sunday night, and Eleanor used to make them herself in a chafing dish, right at the table. In a lifetime packed with servants, this was the only meal she regularly cooked. The rest of the menu—“cold meat and salad, a cold dessert and cocoa” as she described it once—was probably assembled by other hands. But Eleanor scrambled the eggs."

Eleanor's eggs were no means a health food dish as they are scrambled with cream cheese and cream, but they sounded like fun and I found a recipe on Recipe Secrets.net and made a half-batch.

"This was a favorite dish of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was prepared frequently for him by Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. She would usually prepare this recipe in a chafing dish at the dinner table."

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's Scrambled Eggs
Source: Portsmouth, Ohio-Times, Thursday, 12/28/49 via Antilope at recipesecrets.com
(Serves 4)

1 (3 oz) package Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup cream or top milk
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
few grains of pepper

Mash the cream cheese with a fork into a frying pan. Add cream or top milk, and heat until cheese has melted and cream is bubbling.

Break eggs into a bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add salt and pepper to beaten eggs and mix all ingredients with the cream cheese mixture in the frying pan. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pan, using long, folding strokes.

Remove from heat when consistency is creamy and serve at once. Do not overcook.


Notes/Results: Creamy and dreamy eggs--these are fluffy and full of flavor. Although Eleanor was not a fancy woman, I didn't think she would mind if I served my eggs on a leftover (toasted) crumpet that needed to be used (Eleanor liked thrifty) and added a layer of sauteed spinach (I need my greens), and sprinkled on some tarragon and chives (just a bit of each) from my herb garden. I used some local golden-yolked eggs from the farmers market, fresh and perfect. I can see why Eleanor made these right at the table, the eggs are much prettier right out of the pan and I was a bit slow in getting them plated and pictures snapped. Still they were quite yummy as a light lunch/brunch with some fresh fruit. I would make them again.

Note: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher through TLC Book Tours but I was not compensated for this review or influenced by anyone--as always my thoughts and opinions (on books and scrambled eggs) are my own. ;-)

Sweet Corn and Coconut Milk Soup: Cold and Creamy for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I have been quite the cold soup kick lately with the warmer weather this past few weeks. (Hey, this one isn't a gazpacho so I am branching out at least!) There was fresh Kahuku corn at the farmers market--so sweet it is a shame to cook it, so instead, I made it into this cold and creamy soup. The key player is the corn, but coconut milk adds the creaminess and some herbs from the garden and a little kick of chili pepper enhance the sweet corn flavor. A light and lovely summer dish.

Sweet Corn and Coconut Milk Soup

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

(Makes about 4 servings)

3 1/2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels (about 4 to 5 medium cobs), separated
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp flax seed or extra virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 chili pepper, deseeded and chopped
2-3 sprigs fresh lemon thyme (or regular time), leaves removed
2 tsp fresh marjoram, chopped (optional)
water to thin to desired consistency
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a blender, blend 1/2 the corn and all other ingredients until mostly smooth. Add the remaining corn to the blender and pulse for about 5 seconds. Taste and add sea salt and pepper. Chill and allow flavors to blend. Serve cold and enjoy.


Notes/Results: Fresh, sweet, cool and creamy. Because the corn is not cooked, you'll want to use freshest and sweetest corn you can find. I like this soup chilled, but you could warm it or serve it at room temperature if you prefer. I wanted to harvest and use some of my lemon thyme and marjoram, but other herbs can be substituted. Quick, easy and good, I would make this soup again.

Let's take a look in the Souper Sundays kitchen:

Joining me in summer cold soup bliss is my friend Kim from Stirring the Pot with this very pretty Cold Melon-Berry Soup. Kim says, "If you're like me, you simply cannot get enough of all those sweet juicy melons that are in season right now. I have no problems eating melon as is, but this cold melon-berry soup is certainly a beautiful alternative. Sweet, colorful, and inviting this soup would be wonderful served as part of a breakfast or brunch menu. We absolutely loved it!"

Joanne of Eats Well With Others is in the cold soup club this week with a White Gazpacho from The Joy of Cooking. She says, "As I mentioned before, this week we are cooking the recipes of Irma Rombauer and so I chose to make her white gazpacho to eat with my popovers. Light, refreshing, and both sweet and tangy at the same time, this soup is perfect for the obscenely hot and humid weather we've been having (especially if you have cucumbers taking over your fridge. Like some of us do.)."



And Janet from The Taste Space is also feeling the cold soup love with this colorful Mango Gazpacho. Janet says, "Adapted from The 30-Minute Vegan, this is a wonderful chilled soup with summer salsa flavours. Gazpacho is a Spanish chilled soup typically filled with tomatoes, peppers and onions that is partially pureed to give it a chunky soup-like consistency. In this Thai-fusion version, mango is added to the traditional tomatoes and bell peppers, along with cilantro and parsley. The sweetness from the mango is countered beautifully by the zippiness from chili flakes and chile powder."

Janet is rockin' the mangoes this week with this Latin-Spiced Mango Lentil Salad (aka Lentil Mango Picadillo). She says, "In this meal, you have Mango Gazpacho diving into French lentils with an earthy undertone from the cinnamon and cumin, frolicking with the coriander, thyme and oregano. It is a lovely, light lentil salad infused with a savoury tomato-mango salsa. I loved the background of the cinnamon and the bite the French lentils imparted to the salad. Delicious, despite using Tommy Atkins mangoes. ;)"

Tigerfish from Teczcape - An Escape to Food has an Avocado Brisling Sardines Sandwich. She says, "I got this sandwich idea from Alton Brown's episode on.....Sardines! A good sustainable Omega-3 friendly sandwich, baby! I adapted his dressing for sardines: use cilantro instead of parsley, and added a little diced tomatoes. Then everything fall in place as what he "taught". Spread the avocado on a toast, then lay the dressed sardines on top of the avocado. Very tasty! I love it! ...speaking from me who is not really a big fan of avocado. But when it's done this way, I embrace it graciously."

Graziana from Erbe in Cucina is here with a Basil Hummus and Tomatoes Sandwich. She says, "The hummus is a traditional dish of Arab cuisine, whose main ingredients are chickpeas and sesame paste (tahini). It has slightly different recipes from country to country, and it's widespread since ancient Egyptian times. Hummus can be spread on bread or sandwiches, and I served with a Bear Claw tomato from my rooftop. Bear claw are beefsteak tomatoes, with large meaty fruits."

Sharon (aka: The Travel Cook) from Brainfood made these chunky Pimento Cheese Sandwiches. She says, "Having lived in Pennsylvania for several years I remember the luscious pimento cheese sandwiches we used to take on picnics. ... If cheese is your fix then try this tantalizing Pennsylvanian style pimento cheese sandwich. Its easy enough for the kids to mix up, and lasts a long time in a cooler on an extended journey."

Foodycat says that she is finally jumping on the Bánh mì bandwagon with these lovely sandwiches. She says, "For my Bánh mì I started with a couple of part-baked baguette (and completed the baking thereof). I applied a goodly base-layer of mayonnaise. I smeared a layer of pork pâté. I placed batons of cucumber. I added warm medallions of sweet cooked pork (following the recipe in my Spirit House cookbook). I topped with pickled beansprouts and beetroot. I applied a final garnish of coriander leaves. Very generously filled sandwiches! But through sheer greed, I could have eaten another."

Finally, girlichef is sharing her son's French Fry Sandwich (aka Teenager Sandwich). She says, "Last weekend, I heard my teen rooting around in the kitchen. Refrigerator doors opening and closing. Drawers sliding in and out. Wrappings that crinkle as they are moved to the side...jars that clink as they bump against one another...and thoughts churning with a burst of inspiration. He yelled out of the kitchen and asked me if he could make something for himself that involved the oven. About a half an hour later, with a satisfied (and hungry) look on his face, Lyrical Teen showed me his lunch. He said he was inspired by something he'd seen on Food Network and also in my copy of The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches. His version of a French Fry Sandwich."

Thanks to everyone who joined this week in with their delicious dishes. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sunday logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!

Grilled Fish with Peperonata and a Cookbook Review of Everyday Grilling by Sur la Table

I am very behind in my cookbook reviews and Everyday Grilling: 50 Recipes from Appetizers to Desserts by Sur la table kept falling to the bottom of the stack. You see I am not much of a griller. It's not that I am afraid to grill, although I won't say I am completely comfortable with it, but mostly I just find it hot and smoky, and not how I want to spend my cooking time. I am pretty handy with my grill pan though and I am far happier hanging out in the kitchen, fan blowing, and doing my grill work there. So this poor little cook book sat neglected for months, which is a shame really because it is chock full of some wonderful recipes--whether you grill with charcoal, gas, or put the grill pan on the stove. Sur la table, a favorite store to get lost in for hours, is the master of the small cookbook. They always manage to pack in plenty of mouth-watering recipes, cooking tips and colorful photos into small (in this case 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" and 124 pages) square packages.

Everyday Grilling covers it all from an introduction to grilling with tools, tips for the two different types of grills, grilling times, gadgets, etc., to chapters on Appetizers, Salads and Sandwiches, Vegetables, Main Dishes and Desserts. I tabbed some delectable-sounding recipes to make such as Planked Big Easy Shrimp, Grilled Romaine with a Six-Minute Farm Egg, Grilled Tuna Nicoise with Anchovy Vinaigrette, Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwich with Asian Pears and Prosciutto, Grilled Leeks with Romesco, Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Tahini Sauce, Grilled Country Pork Chops with Bourbon-Basted Grilled Peaches, Grilled Eggplant Cannelloni with Ricotta and Prosciutto, Grilled Pineapple and Pound Cake and Planked Papayas with Fresh Lime Drizzle. A great book for grillers and grilled food lovers, Everyday Grilling would be a fun gift with some grilling sauces or barbecue tools.

The recipe I selected to road test Everyday Grilling was the Grilled Swordfish with Peperonata. I love grilled fish, it's easy to do on a grill pan, and I find grilled peppers (and capers!) completely delicious. I was going to get some local swordfish (shutome), but when I got to the store I saw that the blue marlin (kajiki), looked better than the swordfish so I got that instead. Served with an herbed brown jasmine rice and a kale salad, this was a colorful, healthy and delicious dinner, and while I didn't cook it outside on a grill, it was consumed and enjoyed on my lanai.

Everyday Grilling says, "In Italy, peperonata--braised peppers with tomato and onion--is typically served as an antipasto or side dish, but it makes a superb fish topping. Substitute tuna, halibut, or cod for the swordfish, if you prefer. Swordfish should be sliced thin and cooked quickly for maximum juiciness. If your merchant has already sliced it into thick steaks, ask to have it halved horizontally, or do it a home yourself with a long thin knife."

Grilled Swordfish with Peperonata
Everyday Grilling by Sur la table
(Serves 4)

Peperonata:
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grated plum (Roma type) tomato (*see note)
2 large bell peppers, 1 red & 1 gold, seeds removed and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
kosher or sea salt
generous pinch of hot red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tbsp capers, preferably salt packed, rinsed
red or white wine vinegar
12 fresh basil leaves

steaks, about 6 oz each and 1/2 inch thick (I used kidjiki--Marlin)
extra virgin olive oil
kosher or sea salt
1 tsp fennel seed, crushed in a mortar or spice grinder

To make the peperonata, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over moderately low heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and simmer until it loses its raw taste, about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and season with salt and hot pepper flakes. Cover and simmer gently until the peppers are tender, about 25 minutes. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the mixture looks dry, or uncover the skillet at the end of cooking to evaporate moisture if the mixture is too juicy. The juices should be concentrated, not runny. Stir in the capers and a splash of vinegar to brighten the flavor, then taste for salt. Set aside to cool until just warm, not hot. Stir in the basil, torn into smaller pieces.

While the peperonata is cooking, prepare a moderate charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium (375 degrees F.). When the peperonata has been set aside to cool, brush the fish generously on both sides with olive oil, then season on both sides with salt and fennel seed. Grill directly over the coals or gas flame, turning once, until the fish is white throughout but still juicy, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Transfer the swordfish to a serving platter. Top each steak with some of the warm peperonata, mounding it attractively. Serve immediately.

*Note: To grate plum (Roma type) tomatoes, cut the tomato in half lengthwise. Discard the seeds if the recipe directs. Grate the tomato flesh on the coarse holes of a box grater until only the tomato skin remains in your hand. Discard the skin.


Notes/Results: This was excellent, each bite packed with flavor from the peperonata. In fact, I may just have to recommend that a side dish of this peperonata be served with all grilled fish (or chicken, sausages, tofu... sticks, roof tiles...), it is THAT tasty. ;-) I loved the tasty contrast of the sweet peppers with the hot pepper flakes and spark from the the tangy vinegar and capers. It does take a little time to prepare with the chopping and braising but it is easy enough and well worth the time. A delicious and colorful dish, I have a feeling that I will make this peperonata often.

Disclosure Statement: This book was provided to me from the publisher to review but my thoughts, opinions and experiences cooking from it are all my own.

Breakfast Eggy Crumpets (for Dinner) from Jamie Oliver

Passing by some packages of crumpets in my local grocery store, I got to thinking about them. Yes I easily develop food obsessions. I like how spongy crumpets are and how much softer they are (even when toasted) to English muffins--soaking up the butter, jam or whatever you put on them so readily. I needed an excuse a reason to buy a package, and since our theme for I Heart Cooking Clubs is "Brit Bites"--celebrating British foods, crumpets seemed like a great choice to work with. Even better... I found this recipe for Breakfast Eggy Crumpets on Jamie Oliver's website. I love how he uses them here as a sort of french toast--soaking them in eggs and frying them up.

Now, Jamie recommends serving them with smoky bacon and brown sauce (see my note about brown sauce below the recipe). Since I am not having bacon in my house at the moment, I substituted some veggie sausage links. Now before anyone gets all up in arms about the bacon thing and telling me that it's dumb to have eggs with "fake" veggie sausage, etc., let me explain. I LOVE bacon and I LOVE sausages. In my own mind and humble opinion, sausages come in all kinds of variations, different meats, even meat alternatives and most of them taste pretty good to me and give satisfaction when a sausage craving hits. Bacon on the other hand is sacred--no matter what you do or say, veggie bacon or turkey bacon never really tastes like bacon so I have no real desire to eat them. Since I am limiting my meat intake lately for a variety of reasons, it is far better for me to have a box of veggie sausage links in my freezer, pulling out a few links when the occasional craving hits than a package of real bacon that is likely to seduce me with it's scent and have me devouring the package in a matter of hours days. So... a few veggie links, that although I concede are not nearly as good as rashers of thick bacon, still provide a nice meaty counterpoint to the sweet maple syrup. (Yes Natashya, it was Canadian maple syrup!) Whew! OK, I said my veggie sausage links piece. ;-)

Made with local eggs and served with the browned veggie sausages and a citrus fruit salad, tossed with some orange mint from my herb garden, these Breakfast Eggy Crumpets made an excellent breakfast-for-dinner plate of goodness.

Jamie says, "This cheeky little version of eggy bread is one of my favourite breakfasts - particularly if I’ve got a hangover! *Brown sauce is great with the eggs but maple syrup is fantastic with the smoky bacon, so take your pick. I got the idea of adding some chilli from a scrambled eggs dish I had in Italy – delicious."

Breakfast Eggy Crumpets
Jamie Oliver
(Makes 2 Servings)

2 large free-range or organic eggs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped
6 rashers good-quality smoked bacon (I used veggie sausages)
olive oil
4 round crumpets
brown sauce or maple syrup, to serve

Crack your eggs into a bowl and give them a little whisk with a small pinch of salt and pepper and most of the chopped chilli. Then heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the bacon in a tiny amount of olive oil. Let it crisp up on both sides. Meanwhile, get your crumpets and really push them into the egg and chilli mixture. Turn them a few times – they’ll soak it up like a sponge. Push the golden bacon to one side and tilt the pan so the fat runs into the middle. Add the crumpets to the pan and fry them for a few minutes until golden, then turn them over and fry them on the other side.

Serve the eggy crumpets topped with the crispy bacon, with a dollop of brown sauce or a drizzle of maple syrup. To finish, you can sprinkle over any extra chopped chilli, if you’re a chilli freak like me. Perfect – heaven on a plate.

*Brown Sauce--I wasn't sure what exactly Brown Sauce is so I looked it up and found this fun article about it.


Notes/Results: Although I am not as effusive as Jamie, who calls this "heaven on a plate," it is pretty darn tasty. Like a lighter, chewy French Toast, the eggy crumpets are perfectly satisfying. I like the little bites of chili mixed in with the sweet syrup. The chilies, veggie sausage and tart and minty citrus salad keep the dish from being too sweet. A delicious dinner or breakfast, this dish made me very happy and I will make it again.



Check out what British food delights the other IHCC participants made by going to the post here and checking out the links.

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Lori from Fake Food Free!

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Aloha,