the petite pig

mediterranean israeli couscous salad

recently, i'm all about cute little grains.  last week i set y'all up with farro and this week, it's israeli couscous (don't worry, there's more than enough room in the pantry for both).  i'm sure most of you have made couscous a few times in your life but may not be as familiar with the israeli variety, which is a pearl shaped pasta made of hard wheat (while traditional couscous is much finer and made of semolina).  and unlike traditional couscous, israeli couscous is cooked more like orzo, in a broth using about a 1:1 ratio of pasta to liquid.  it's got a tender bite and makes the cutest little pasta salads your backyard garden parties will ever see.  toss with a couple of vegetables and perhaps a protein, and you've got yourself another new hit.

mediterranean israeli couscous salad
serves 4

1 chicken breast, butterflied
salt & pepper
2.5 cups israeli couscous
3 cups chicken broth
1 tbs. olive oil
1 can of artichoke hearts, sliced into bite sized pieces
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
small handful of parsley

for dressing:
1 tsp. finely chopped shallot
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbs. white wine vinegar
3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

sprinkle salt and pepper over butterflied chicken breast, and set aside.

bring 3 cups of chicken broth to boil.  add israeli couscou and cover, lowering heat to produce a steady simmer (low heat).  while couscous is cooking, heat a grill pan to medium-high heat.  drizzle olive oil over the pan to provide a good cooking surface for the chicken.  after the pan and oil are heated up, add chicken breast, cooking on high for about 3 minutes each.  then lower heat to medium and cover chicken and pan with a piece of aluminum foil and cook for another 2 minutes.  remove from pan and leave chicken covered in foil and let cool before slicing.  once chicken has cooled (about 10 minutes), slice it up and toss with the rest of the ingredients. 

for the vinaigrette, mix together shallots and acid.  slowly drizzle in olive oil and toss all the ingredients together with the dressing.  salt and pepper to taste.  enjoy!

farro salad with roasted red peppers and beans

i’d like to introduce your pantry to a cute, little grain called farro.  i know what you’re thinking. i hate set-ups too, but trust me, this one will end in an everlasting happy union.  i first became intimate with farro about two years ago.  we met over dinner at one market.   it was all dressed up in butternut squash and had tried to disguise itself as arborio rice, appearing in a risotto.  from the very first bite of chewy grainy goodness, i was ready to walk down the aisle and commit.  unfortunately, it could sense my eagerness and decided to play a bit of hard-to-get.  after a strong pursuit though, i found it hiding in the fancy grain section at the gourmet grocery store.  it was no cheap date but sometimes you have to give some to get some.  since then, farro has always had its own little place in my pantry, and i hope after this set-up, it also finds a permanent place in your pantry as well.

it’s easy to describe why i’m so in love with this grain.  one, it originates from the great culinary land of italy.  two, it’s actually good for you, packed full of protein and fiber.  and three, there is something just so incredibly satisfying about taking a bite of farro.  it’s chewy al-dente consistency makes you feel like you’re really taking a bite of something hearty and substantive.  for that reason, i love making it for picnics and serving it alongside fish.  it holds up well during transport on its own, and it’s firmness is a perfect compliment to the tender, flaky flesh of fish. 

although farro may be a new exotic grain to you, the preparation of it is incredibly simple.  below i share a farro recipe for my new favorite salad that i make almost every other week.  i love having it on hand to throw into some tupperware for lunch or always having a quick, delicious side dish for whatever i’m preparing.  i typically buy semi-pearled farro, which cuts the cooking time by at least half.  you simply give it a few rinses (if you’ve got whole farro, i’d soak it in water overnight, just like dried beans), and boil it like pasta.  bring a pot of water to boil (about 3 cups per 1 cup of farro), salt lightly and throw the farro in and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes.  one of the best parts about cooking farro is that it’s an incredibly forgiving grain.  it won’t get all mushy on you but always remains chewy and al-dente, so if you walk away for a few extra minutes, it’ll somehow still be the perfect consistency when you come back.

so, what are you waiting for?  it’s time to pencil that first date into your calendar. 

farro salad with roasted red peppers and kidney beans
serves 4 for lunch or as a side

1.5 cups of semi-pearled farro (prepared with instructions above)
2 red peppers
2 tbs. of extra virgin olive oil
paper grocery bag
1 cup of cooked navy beans

1/2 tbs. dijon mustard
1/2 tbs. honey
1/2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

a handful of basil leaves, torn or chopped into ribbons
salt and pepper to taste

we’re going to start by roasting our red peppers.  i love the taste of fresh roasted red peppers.  yes, you can buy them jarred, but they’re simple enough to make that it’s worth just the little bit of extra effort.  start by using a paring knife and cut around the stem of the pepper and then pulling it out.  give it a quick rinse and drizzle some olive oil inside the pepper and also coat the outside with a generous amount of olive oil.   sprinkle some salt on the inside and on the outside.  place the peppers on an oven safe baking tray and broil on high in either your toaster oven if you’ve got one or your normal oven.   broil on high for 10 minutes or until the skin is black and charred and turn and do the same to the other side.   place into a paper bag and close tightly, creating a steaming effect inside the bag that will take the skins off.  remove the skins when the peppers have cooled down and then chop into bite sized slices.

combine the chopped roasted red peppers with the farro and the beans.  then make the vinaigrette by combining the mustard, honey and vinegar and slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking simultaneously.  garnish with some basil leaves and then salt and pepper to taste.  pack up in your next picnic, serve with salmon or chicken or tupperware for a healthy, hearty lunch. 

arugula salad with peaches, prosciutto & pecorino (an apartment warming dinner)

photos by colin campbell

recently tim and i entered into a new and very important stage of our relationship: the living in sin stage.  some might discount how important it is to live in sin before taking on the big "m", but seriously, we all know that you're doing all sorts of sinful things whether you're cohabitating or not.  you might as well save some rent money and get a preview into the blissful life you will definitely lead with your partner - the fresh cut flowers that are brought home every day, the after-a-long-day-at-work foot massages, the chocolates that are left on your pillow every night, the "let me do the dishes" and "scrub the toilet" offers.  c'mon ladies, you know what i'm talking about, right?  isn't this the description of the twenty-something male you're shacking up with?  ok, maybe not completely (hopefully partially???) but moving in together is a great excuse to throw a little celebratory dinner party to declare to the world your living-in-sinness.  you can even call it, "we're not engaged (yet but any day now!)" party.  that definitely won't scare him into moving back into his ol' bachelor pad. 

ok, so i wasn't really allowed to call it the "we're not engaged (yet but any day now!)" party (at least not publicly) but he did let me call it an "apartment warming" party.  we took advantage of the delicious summer produce at the farmers markets to prepare a little feasting of the senses for some of our close friends complete with fresh hydrangeas and homemade strawberry ice cream that churned while we dined (thanks gracie).  we started with one of my favorite summer salads (recipe below).  the dressing is the perfect sweetness and marries well with the pepperiness of the arugula while enhancing the natural flavors of the peaches, my favorite summer stone fruit.  choose peaches that are semi-ripe as if they're too ripe, they'll just fall apart.  finally, adding the prosciutto and pecorino layers in some unexpected saltiness.  also, who can say no to cured meats and a delicious sheep's milk cheese? 

because this was an extra special dinner and i wanted to practice my future role as a-stay-at-home domestic goddess / hostess, i even assembled "name cards" with scrabble tiles - just make sure to not invite too many people with the letter "j" in their names or you'll have to think of a creative nickname you can make for them with all the leftover e's, n's, i's, and a's you'll have.  and then after you're all stuffed, you can all engage in a friendly game of speed scrabble.  too bad "sin" only gets you three points.

 

apartment warming dinner menu:

fresh figs with honey & basil

heirloom tomato bruschetta with grilled ciabatta

arugula salad with peaches, prosciutto & pecorino (recipe below)

roasted salmon with summer corn salsa and mediterranean farro pilaf

fresh strawberry ice cream

arugula salad with peaches, prosciutto and pecorino

serves 6

6 handfuls of arugula (or other mixed green), washed and dried
2 semi-ripe peaches, sliced
8-10 basil leaves, cut into ribbons
8 oz. of prosciutto
2 oz. of pecorino cheese, shaved
fresh ground pepper

dressing:
1/2 tbs. shallot, diced
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tbs. white wine vinegar
1/2 tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 tbs. sugar
4 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

combine first three ingredients for salad.  combine all ingredients for salad dressing except for the olive oil and let sit for about 15 minutes.  slowly whisk in the olive oil to form a vinaigrette.  toss with salad.  divide equally onto 6 salad plates and top with prosciutto and pecorino.  serve with fresh ground pepper.

summer shrimp & corn salad with honey sauce

every summer, i look to the produce of the season for new salad inspirations.  the summer's fruits and vegetables are the perfect beginnings of summer salads, filled with refreshing, fresh flavors and vibrant, popping colors.  each time this year, i look for new combinations of ingredients that will remind your palate that summer has indeed arrived.  this year, i looked to an old winter comfort to build my first salad of the season.  from my bacon wrapped shrimp over polenta, i know that one can never go wrong with bacon and shrimp.  to lighten the dish up and make it a salad, i replaced the polenta with fresh summer corn.  the shrimp has been marinated with sweet honey and tart white balsamic vinegar, which forms a delicious sauce that melds perfectly with the dressing. tossed with bright cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado bites and thyme leaves, this summer salad really can be the best meal you'll make this season. 

summer shrimp & corn salad with honey sauce
serves 4

3 tbs. honey
1 tbs. white balsamic vinegar
2 tbs. canola oil
3/4 lb. shrimp, shelled & deveined
4 slices applewood bacon, sliced into 1/2 inch square pieces
1 tbs. olive oil
3 white corn, kernels removed
1 tsp. of thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
1 avocado, sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbs. white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper

whisk together honey, vinegar and canola oil.  pour over shrimp and let marinate for 30 minutes.

heat a 12" frying pan over medium heat.  add bacon and cook for about 5 minutes until the edges start to brown and crisp up a bit.  if the bacon releases too much oil into your pan, remove with a spoon and pour into a separate container (i always keep an old glass jar for times like this - you definitely don't want to pour it down your drain!).  remove bacon from pan, draining any excess fat and set aside. 

bring the same pan back to medium heat.  add 1 tbs of olive oil and then corn kernels.  saute for about 4 minutes and add thyme leaves.  cook for another minute or two and then remove kernels from pan and set aside in the same bowl with the bacon.

still using the same pan, heat over medium-high heat.  pour entire bowl of shrimp into pan including marinating liquids.  toss and cook until both sides are pink, about 6 to 8 minutes.  when the shrimp is cooked through, bring heat down to medium and simmer shrimp in the marinating liquid so that it begins to thicken into a sauce for another 2 minutes.  remove from pan and let cool.

make vinaigrette by mixing together vinegar and lemon juice and slowly whisking in the olive oil. toss with other ingredients and finish with fresh ground pepper.