Summer in April

We're supposed to hit 86F here today. It's April; we should be at least 30 degrees cooler and it should be raining. Instead it's dusty and dry and we're sweltering. Something seems to have run amok. It's just a little bit scary and it's too hot to sleep but I'll be damned if we're turning the air conditioning on in April. At least the heat is off. The garden is easily a month ahead of schedule and seems to be barreling on by leaps and bounds. Blooms we normally don't see until May:

the wisteria on Friday

on Saturday

...Sunday

Crab Apples on Friday

on Saturday

Sunday...

Lilacs-Friday

Saturday

Sunday...

Who knows where we'll be by June, and I still haven't planted anything new...too early!

We may as well make the best of it though and enjoy the clear blue skies

and have some Summer food outside

Onion Tart with bacon or olives adapted from The New York Times

FOR THE DOUGH:

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

180 grams (about 1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil

FOR THE ONION TOPPING:

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

3 large onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced 1/8-inch thick

Salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (for bacon version only)

2 garlic cloves, minced (olive version only)

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped (olive version only)

4 ounces ( 1/4 pound) fresh ricotta (or goat cheese for olive version)

4 ounces ( 1/4 pound) smoked bacon, cut in thick lardons (or pitted green olives for olive version)

4 ounces crème fraîche.

1. For the dough: In a mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Stir in 1/4 cup flour and let the mixture get bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the kosher salt, butter or oil and remaining flour and mix to form a rough ball. Knead the dough (with hands or stand mixer) for about 5 minutes. Let rise, covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap, until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Or refrigerate in a zippered plastic bag and let rise several hours or overnight.)

2. For the topping: Heat 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil in large skillet over medium-high burner. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the caraway seeds (for the bacon version) or the garlic and thyme (for the olive version). Let cool to room temperature. Put the bacon, if using, in a small pan and cover with 1 inch water. Simmer for 2 minutes, then drain and cool.

3. Set oven to 375 degrees. Punch down the dough and knead into a smooth ball, then let it relax for a few minutes. Roll to a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a 12- by 17-inch baking sheet lined with parchment. Stretch the dough to an elongated oval about 11 inches by 15 inches.

4. Mix the ricotta (or goat cheese) with half the crème fraîche and dab spoonfuls of the mixture evenly over the dough. Spread the cooked onions over the dough, leaving a half-inch border. Top with the reserved bacon (or olives), scattered evenly. Drizzle the tart with the remaining crème fraîche.

5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning the baking sheet if necessary, until well browned. Cool on a rack for a few minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Asparagus Soup with Poached Eggs adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large leek, white and light green portions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. Hungarian paprika, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 1/2 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed, spears cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 Tbs. chicken or vegetable stock concentrate
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 6 poached eggs
• Fresh tarragon leaves, flat-leaf parsley leaves and chopped chives for garnish

Directions:

In a large saucepan over high heat, warm the olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the leek, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the 1 tsp. paprika and cook, for 2 minutes. Add the asparagus, stock concentrate and water and cook, stirring occasionally until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.

Place the spinach on top of the soup mixture and cook for 1 minute. Using a towel, hold the lid down and blend on the highest setting until the soup is smooth.

Season the poached eggs with salt and pepper and lightly sprinkle with paprika. Pour the soup into 6 warmed bowls and top each with 1 poached egg. Garnish with tarragon, parsley and chives and serve immediately. Serves 6.

and maybe give somebody a bath

 

...Max, where are you?

 

Pascua Florida

Translation: Feast of the Flowers and it usually refers to Easter. History lesson: Ponce De Leon first saw Florida during that holiday and named it after it. But I live in New Jersey and early April is a little too soon for the flower explosion that he was referring to, except this year has been a little different due to our very warm winter so on our walks

we found flowering trees

the tulips I planted years ago at the front of the house which the squirrels love to munch on

but still, the lilacs are just starting

and so is the dogwood

and the crab apples

Not yet ready to bring inside for our Easter celebration. Luckily we still have daffodils to brighten our table

and food to celebrate with:

Roast Lamb with Rosemary adapted from Saveur issue 131-Greece
Serves 6- 8

1  4–5-lb. semi-boneless leg of  lamb,

 
   preferably New Zealand

Kosher salt, to taste

8 cloves garlic

1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. Aleppo pepper

15 sprigs fresh rosemary

1. Put lamb in a roasting pan and make 3 incisions in lamb, spaced about 3" apart, down to the bone. Season lamb generously with salt; set aside. Put garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until minced. Add oil, lemon juice, mustard, and Aleppo pepper and purée. Rub mixture all over lamb and let marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

2.  Heat oven to 500˚. Tuck rosemary underneath lamb.

Put roasting pan into oven, reducing heat to 350˚ after 20 minutes and cook,  turning once and basting occasionally with the juices in the pan, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 135˚ (for medium), about 1 hour. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let cool for 20 minutes. Carve lamb and serve. 

Serve with Greek Salad

 

Mix torn lettuce leaves with quartered tomatoes, thinly sliced onions, thinly sliced cucumbers and Kalamata olives. Add salt, pepper and fresh Greek oregano to taste. Sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil, toss.

 

and roasted potatoes

 

and Max to make us smile

 

 Happy flower feasting!

My life in dog years - part 2

Rusty

OK, technically Rusty wasn't my dog; but I guess you could say the same about Pichi. Here's the story. One day when I was about 16 I was visiting a friend's house and her Siamese cat had had kittens; the father was some tomcat from around the neighborhood and anybody's guess. When my mother came to pick me up I walked out holding a tiny little black kitten with piercing green eyes. As I walked towards the car my mom's head started shaking vehemently, no way was I bringing him home, no pets, period. I stood by her side and showed her this adorable creature giving her that age old excuse every kid has of how "it just followed me around", and besides look how incredibly cute he is. Clearly I wasn't going anywhere without this cat so she finally gave in saying something like "OK only for a couple of days and then we'll bring him back". Yeah, right. To my surprise my brother thought he was adorable and chided me for leaving him outside when it was cold (he was an outside cat). He was also mean as could be and hated me. He would scratch me when I picked him up and squeezed him (wonder why), bite my nose every time I brought him up to my face and tried to put my eye out several times. His name was Bacan, and no that is not bacon misspelled; it's Spanish slang for "cool".

About two months into Bacan's reign my brother appeared with this adorable Irish Setter puppy. He had great big paws, a round puppy face, light red hair and trouble staying on four legs. My brother had gotten him from a breeder and since he was an AKC pup and had papers he named him the overly pretentious name of Rusty Winds Nikya. Apparently his mother had been some haha specimen and her name was Ch. Cherokee Nikya. Humpf! Bacan took one look at him, hissed, arched his back and started plotting murder. My mother took one look at him and though, so much for no pets. Within a couple of weeks Rusty had grown quite a bit. I remember looking out at the backyard one day and saying "who's that", it was Rusty. His fur had turned a dark luminous red and he was tall and slim and his face wasn't round. Bacan looked up at him and decided he'd better make friends. And friends they were, for life. Rusty grew and grew and grew, he was like a horse. He was also the sweetest most loving dumbest dog ever. He would stand up and put his front paws on your shoulders and try to hug you while licking your face. Trouble was he was huge and towered over a lot of people and almost knock them down and that tongue could change your features with one big sloppy kiss. Bacan adored him, and vice versa. They would spend all day together, playing, chasing and napping; they were inseparable. And since Bacan was the mean one, if anyone spoke in a cross way to Rusty he'd defend him with his life, or claws. As is wont to happen when my brother got married Rusty stayed behind; his apartment wasn't big enough. Then I got married and moved away, Bacan stayed behind too. My mom and my aunt had two pets or kids. Rusty had always had a bad tummy so the vet had suggested that he be fed home made food so my mom would boil these giant pots of lamb, carrots and "malanga" (Malanga is a root vegetable who's translation is cocoyam (?) which is very good for stomach ailments.) every week and this is what he would eat. Bacan sometimes shared. Rusty had grown very quickly and at an alarming rate when he was young, therefore his bones never quite developed strong enough. When he was about nine he started to develop arthritis and even though he was given medication it just continued to get worse; to the point that he couldn't stand without assistance, and he weighed a tremendous amount. My mother called me one day to say that since he couldn't stand anymore the vet had recommended they say goodbye...and she did. Two days later Bacan disappeared; a week later they found him lying underneath the house by following the odor. And my heart sank a little bit more. No pets.

Malanga Pure

2 or three malanga, about 1 lb.
Salt to taste
2 to 3 tbpn of butter
1/2 cup of milk

Peel the Malanga, cut into large chunks, cover with water and add salt.
Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes until soft.
Drain.
Add butter and mash the malanga
Add milk and stir until smooth

Taste and adjust seasoning

Malanga fritters

1 lb. of malanga
1 egg
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbspn chopped parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white vinegar
1 1/2 cups oil for frying

Peel and grate the malanga

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Heat the oil in a saucepan to 375F.
Shape the fritters using a large teaspoon and fry in hot oil until golden
Drain on paper towels.
Add salt to taste

Makes about 20 fritters

No blossoms dearie

For years I have been wanting to go to Branch Brook Park in Newark for the cherry blossom festival but somehow it always gets away from me. By the time I realize it it's time has passed. It is usually 1 to 2 weeks behind the more famous one in Washington DC and rumor has it that it is even more beautiful but with the DC one getting all the publicity it just goes over my head. This year however I was determined. Their website said it would be held from April 7 through April 22 but since the weather has been so warm and everything is blooming very early I decided we should go the week before, March 31st. And then it rained all day.

The website said that peak has passed

and sigh, I've missed them again. So I'll just cheat a little bit

and look at these from a few years ago and console myself listening to this

dining on this

Veal Scallops with mustard lemon caper sauce
serves 2

4 veal scallops
salt & pepper
flour for dredging
4 tbpn butter
2 tbpn olive oil
1 tbpn Dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbpn drained capers

Between two sheets of plastic pound veal until very thin.
Season with salt and pepper and dredge in flour dusting off excess.
In a large skillet melt two tbpns of butter over medium heat, add olive oi.l
Brown veal scallops about two minutes on each side. Put aside.
Add the remaining two tbpn of butter to the skillet and melt over low heat.
Add the mustard and stir into the butter.
Stir in the lemon juice and then capers.
Return the veal to the skillet, turning in the sauce.

Serve with buttered pasta

and start dreaming about next year

My Life in Dog years-part 1

Pichi

When I arrived on this earth Pichi had been a part of the family by a bunch of years so he was as much of a sibling to me as my brother who preceded me by a year and a half. In fact this picture was taken way before I was even a gleam in my father's eye. He was a mutt. Part Welsh Corgi, therefore the short legs and stocky body, and part who knows what else. I remember my aunt always saying that he looked like the RCA dog

frankly, other than the coloring I fail to see the resemblance, although for years I thought the RCA dog's name was Pichi. I'm sure my brother and I drove him crazy. I remember trying to ride him like a horse, he let me. I remember one very rainy day when we were stuck inside the house and were bored with our toys we decided to construct Pichi a dog house made from some cardboard boxes we found. We set out to put this wonder of modern architecture together making sure that we cut out windows and such, then we put it over him. We forgot to cut out a door and the poor thing couldn't get out which he seemed to really want to do since he just fit in it and was probably suffering from claustrophobia. We wouldn't let him so he walked around in this box with windows until my mother appeared and rescued him from his prison. He continued to play with us and we weren't allowed to put him back in "the house". He clearly had infinite patience. Our neighbor down the street gave me a puppy once from the huge litter his dog had given birth to. We named him Campeon. He was white with some black markings and being a puppy was as cute as could be. Two days later my brother found an abandoned puppy in the corner who looked exactly like Campeon but his tail had been chopped off. He brought him home and we named him Mochito (Stumpy in Spanish). Now Pichi had to deal with these two new additions to the family. Again he showed infinite patience. When their three food bowls were put out Campeon, who was very feisty, would step under Pichi's legs and eat from his bowl ignoring his own. Pichi would step back and wait until he was finished and then he would eat. Campeon would nip bite the ankles of all who came to visit so one day my Dad went out with him and returned alone. He had given the little monster back. A couple of weeks later when the cleaning lady was cleaning and had left the door open Mochito ran out never to be seen again. Pichi was king of the castle once again. (It's a good thing, those two were Great Danes). When we left Cuba we took him to stay at the neighbor's house across the street; I asked why Pichi wasn't coming with us and was told that he couldn't come on this plane but Maria Luisa would send him over soon. I remember sitting on the back stoop of our little house after school every day wondering if each delivery truck that went by was bringing Pichi. Finally after several months I asked when he would be arriving. My Mother looked at me and said "oh honey, Pichi died."  My heart sank, I didn't understand. I was 7, he was 17. My first brush with doggy mortality.

Many years later when I was taking flamenco dancing we had a recital and I performed in a number from a Spanish operetta called "Las Leandras" and I found out who he was named after: "El Pichi"

it means "the gigolo".

Sprung...Sprang...what happened?

I thought for once we were going to have a lengthy Spring but Winter decided to return, or at least put in an appearance, and the temperatures plummeted last night. Every single magnolia blossom seems to have shriveled in the cold and they now droop and have brown sickly looking veins. I was terrified for my day lilies which started to pop up last week and are making quite the showing...and I can't believe I just wrote that...in March??? I usually don't spy a day lily until May. They're holding up and looking perky though so that's a relief, so are the Stella D'oro's and the peony shoots. Let's hope the cold snap doesn't hang around too long because we're not liking it

and are a bit nervous about the early growth. And on top of that I switched my clothes and gave myself a beautiful pedicure, only to hide it. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to eat Springy.

Seared Salmon Fillets
serves 2

Season Salmon fillets with Salt & pepper and brush with a mix of finely minced garlic and olive oil

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add Salmon fillets, non-skin side down and sear about 4-5 minutes. Flip over brushing with any left over oil and garlic mix and sear another 4 minutes.

serve with

Spring Risotto
Serves about 3

1 leek- washed and sliced across in 1/2 in rounds
1/2 cup minced onion

1 to 2 tbsp of butter
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken broth, simmering
1 tsp salt
3/4 to 1 cup frozen peas
grated Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add onions and cook until translucent-about 2 minutes.
Add leeks and cook stirring about 3 minutes (add more butter if it's too dry)
Add the rice and stir in for 1 to 2 minutes
add salt
Add the wine and stir until the liquid has evaporated

Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth stirring until evaporated. Continue adding the chicken broth in this manner until most of the the liquid has been incorporated and the rice is al dente. Add the peas and the last of the liquid

stir until all is incorporated. It should be a little sticky. Serve and top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Put these flowers on the table

and don't step outside. At least not today.