FIRST DAY OF SPRING 2011

The day has finally come---and we are celebrating with clear blue skies and 55 F degrees. This has lasted almost one week so we are confident that the Earth has turned. The pictures of the pruned Red Twig Dogwoods and Shrub Roses shows our work the past 3 days--time to prune back, remove dead wood, and cut away the old rose galls that plagues our shrub roses. They are easy to see before the branches sprout new leaves.

The peonies, of course, are what this spot will look like in about 45 days.

Seed catalogs are arriving daily--so much temptation! I will be planning my herbs soon--those not perennial will be started indoors or purchased from a licensed nursery in our area for setting out mid-May. It's too risky here to be more optimistic about frost. Mother's Day is the traditional date for lilacs and planting in the home garden. Stay tuned!

We will watch the finals of the Indian Wells (Palm Desert, California) Tennis tournament this afternoon and enjoy some quesadillas made with left overs from the week--EASY and delicious.

What you need:

A package of tortillas--I use a low-calorie wheat tortilla, but choose your favorite.

Chopped greens: Leftover spinach, Swiss chard, cilantro, fresh parsley, or whatever you have.
Use frozen if thawed first and squeezed dry. Leftover green beans, asparagus, and corn also work.

Grated cheese: Any grated cheese will do--a great way to use up leftover bits of cheese. If you want the gourmet touch, use goat cheese or feta with spinach and cilantro.

If you don't count calories, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet, add chopped vegetables, and heat for about 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, squeeze of garlic, and a pinch red pepper flakes (optional, but delicious). This mixture may be heated in the microwave without oil.

Choose your method of final cooking:

Skillet on top of the stove (non stick is good). Place tortilla in the pan, spread with the vegetable mixture, sprinkle with grated or crumbled cheese, top with a second tortilla and heat until cheese melts. This goes FAST. Watch carefully for melt, and then flip over to heat second tortilla. Cut into desired serving pieces and eat warm.

Option: For one, just heat it "open face" and fold over. Cut into thirds and enjoy.

Microwave Oven: Place tortilla on a serving plate and follow above method. Cover with vegetable mix, add cheese, nuke about 30 seconds--depending on strength of your microwave. If using a top tortilla, rather than just folding one over, removed, flip over, and give it another 30 seconds.

KGC

SOUP PISTOU FOR YOU (and your guests)

"Pistou" actually means pounded basil. It translates into the more familiar example of pounded basil---our old favorite, pesto.

In the South of France, a luscious white bean soup base with spring vegetables is a very popular dish. The "pistou" or pesto is mounded in the soup bowl first, and the broth with beans is ladled around for an attractive service. At table, each guest mixes the parts together with a soup spoon and enjoys the dish with crusty bread, a simple wine, and perhaps a piece of seasonal fruit for dessert. We offered pears today.

There are resemblances to minestrone--a soup with a million variations, and often differentiated with colored beans (red). Please consider preparing the parts of this soup separately and combining just before service--nothing worse than re-cooked green vegetables.

The beans can be finished well ahead. The "pistou" can be finished well ahead. Your choice of fresh vegetables for color and garnish should be lightly cooked and added just before service.

Traditional pistou often includes bits of pasta (any small shape, or broken bits of spaghetti) or torn pieces of day-old bread. Your choice. Tradition also includes much more olive oil than this recipe, but we're counting calories--you'll never miss it.

Soupe Au Pistou

Bean base preparation: Soak overnight to reduce cooking time:
(Of course you may substitute canned beans if you wish--about 4 cans).

1# dried white broad (lima) or smaller white beans covered with several inches of water
2-3 bay leaves

Next day, drain soaking water, rinse beans well, and cover with fresh water (about 3 inches over the top of the beans). Add 2 teaspoons salt and 2 more Bay leaves and simmer on medium heat, partially covered, for about 1 hour or until beans are tender to bite. Test one. If it "bites" to your liking, remove pot from heat and set aside. A lovely stock forms magically from the beans themselves. You may add some chicken stock if you wish but it isn't necessary.

Pistou Preparation:

Place in a microwave-proof dish:
1 large onion diced
4 cloves garlic, pressed, or minced if you prefer (mince is smaller than dice)
1/4 cup water
Cover with glass lid, or plastic wrap and nuke on high for about 3 minutes. This microwave technique for onions or other aromatics (celery, carrots, leeks) eliminates the need for cooking oils. Drain off any excess water, and dump into a skillet.

Add 2 cans whole Roma style tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes if you have them. Don't buy the pre-seasoned cans of tomatoes--not authentic taste, and often include sugar. Break up whole tomatoes with a spoon.

Add 1-2 teaspoons salt (optional)
Add 1 teaspoon ground pepper

Add 1/4 cup commercial pesto (or make your own)*
Gently combine all ingredients.

Cook this mixture until it is reduced (15 minutes)--all water is evaporated. Ingredients remain recognizable, but more like a paste than a pasta sauce. Set aside until service. It continues to improve in flavor.

Select your additional green vegetables--fresh string beans are excellent, along with some shreds of green cabbage (available all year around). Match stick slices of carrot, zucchini, turnip, leek, even peas, are all good. Use what is in season---the white beans and "pistou" can be made from canned ingredients, but not the accompanying veggies.

See blog post February 14, 2010, for info on microwaving FRESH vegetables--including such delicate greens as asparagus and fresh green beans. Neat and quick.

Assembly for Service Presentation:

Reheat beans and their broth
Reheat the tomato/basil "Pistou"
Drain green beans or asparagus or whatever you are using for contrast garnish

Place a scoop of "Pistou" (about 1/3 cup) in the center of your soup bowl
Place the contrast veggie next to it (green beans today)
Carefully ladle the soup stock around the pistou.
Top with a tablespoon of grated Parmesan or other hard Italian type cheese

Serve with crusty rolls or baguettes.

KGC

*Pesto can be easily made in the processor. When we don't have fresh basil in winter, I buy it prepared at Costco. If all isn't used within about 10 days, divide into portions and freeze. Convenient.

Make your own if you have fresh basil:

Place 4 cups fresh basil leaves (clean, dry,loosely packed) in the food processor
Add 4 gloves peeled garlic and pulse a couple of times.

Add and pulse again:
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1-2 teaspoons salt (optional--cheese may be salty enough) TASTE it.

Now with processor running, add about 1/2 cup olive oil in a thin stream.
It may not be necessary to use it all. Stop when it looks well incorporated and is the nice creamy texture you like.

There are many variations of the proportions of basil = garlic = oil = Parmesan. Experiment for your favorite. "Pesto" is now being made with other herbs such as parsley or cilantro. Delicious, but not really "pesto".

A GLASS OF WINE AND THOU....

There is a hint of spring in the air--at least the temperatures are above freezing and our driveway is clear for the first time in many weeks. The last golf game was played at our neighborhood club on November 17, 2010--a record spell. We rarely have snow on the ground without a thaw for this long.

How to make the time pass? One of the pleasure of life, of course, is a glass of wine with a bite of cheese, a fire, a good book, a good friend. Some of us are still maintaining the post-new year food modification regime, with success I might add. Wine is that little gift of the grape that often is cut out of diets due to calories (about 100 per four (4) ounces or 4 PointsPlus for the same amount if you are a Weight Watcher (who isn't?). This is a scant half glassful for a standard kitchen wine glass.

A solution that works for me is dilution with sparkling water. I can tolerate with grace one (1) ounce of wine and three (3) ounces of sparkling water or club soda with ease. See photo. It looks like you are having something, with some flavor and color, that definitely raises the spirit. If you prefer something non-alcoholic, do the same with cranberry juice or your favorite.

Before you laugh, give it a try. I've long preferred to eat my calories rather than drink them, but this isn't a bad trade off. Especially now since I can't eat so much either.

Make exceptions for rare vintages, your wedding, or other special occasions. But for the routine evening this substitute passes muster for many.

Stay tuned---

Homemade crackers and thin flat breads to follow--mostly made with ground chick-pea flours and meals.

KGC