Pistachio Lime Bars

After my trip to Sicily, I arrived home with a bag of pistachios from Bronte, the home of (according to the Sicilians) the best pistachios on the planet.  I actually have to agree with them, they are pretty special.  I wasn't sure what I would do with them, but today I decided that I would try and make some lime bars using the pistachios in the crust, and in the filling.  I'm adapting a recipe I'd seen for lemon bars in the New York Times, but using limes since I love the flavor and I think it will be quite delicious with the pistachios.  The recipe is for a 9-inch square, but you could easily double it to make it in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.  Make sure to use pistachios from California or another trusted source, since there are quite a few from China heading into our markets.  The pistachios from Bronte tend to stay in Italy and the rest of Europe.  In Bronte the trees grow right out of the lava in the foothills of Mt. Etna.

Pistachio Lime Bars

Makes about nine 2-inch squares

For the Crust:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup chopped pistachios

1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small bits

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and coat the inside of a 9-inch square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is grainy.  
3. Press the crust into the pan, and bake for 20 minutes.  

For the Filling:
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup shelled pistachios
confectioner's sugar for garnish

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, baking powder, flour and lime juice.  
2. Pour over the hot crust, and sprinkle the top evenly with pistachios.  
3. Bake another 20 minutes, until the filling is set.  
4. Remove from the oven and immediately cut the bars into squares.  Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and cool completely.  The bars will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  Serve at room temperature.  

Press into the prepared pan

Bake for 20 minutes

Pistachios from Bronte

Sprinkle the pistachios on top of the filling otherwise if they are in the filling they will steam instead of toast

20 minutes for the filling and you are done

Cut them immediately, otherwise when they are cool you will lift off too much of the filling when you cut them

A sprinkle of confectioners' sugar and your are ready

If you would like to use lemon instead of lime, the NYT recipe called for 1/4 cup lemon juice and some zest, since lime zest is frequently bitter, I opted for 1/3 cup lime juice and no zest.  These could also be made with orange juice following the same recipe.  I've got just enough pistachios left to be able to make another batch sometime soon, and maybe use the Oro Blanco grapefruit from Specialty produce.    Ciao for now.

Bellini in a Jar

The Bellini, a magical concoction of juiced white peaches and Prosecco, is rumored to have been created at Harry's Bar in Venice.  Harry's bar was a haunt for literary figures and for the glitterati of society, during the early 20th century.  Those who passed through the doors included Orson Welles, Noel Coward, Truman Capote, Somerset Maugham, Barbara Hutton, Peggy Guggenheim and a host of others.

The drink is made by juicing white peaches, and putting the pits of the peaches into the juice, turning the juice pink.

 The juice is poured into glasses, with Prosecco, a delicious sparkling wine from the northern regions of Italy.  The good news is, that you don't need to pay a fortune to buy a good bottle of Prosecco.

Here in San Diego at Specialty Produce, the stone fruit has been amazing.  When I stopped by on Saturday, I picked up way more peaches than we could possibly eat, and so I decided to replicate my favorite beverage in a jam using these succulent peaches.

Using a combination of yellow, and white peaches, I had about 10 cups of peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped peaches, and put them into a heavy bottomed saucepan, with 3 cups of sugar, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of Prosecco--this gives you the rest of the bottle to enjoy while you are making the jam.  Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for 10 to 15 minutes.  I'm not a fan of pectin, but if you choose to have jam that is really thick, add the pectin according to the package of directions.  

This is a great Prosecco that you can find at Costco

The peaches will cook down. I like to take an immersion blender, or potato masher and mash the fruit when it's cooked down.  This is totally optional, the fruit will soften to the point where it falls apart when cooking.

This yielded two 4-ounce jars, and two 8-ounce jars.  You can process these in a water bath for 10 minutes, if you would like, or the jam will keep in the refrigerator for about 6 weeks.

Pickled

I love pickles!  I guess the first step is admitting it.  Unfortunately, store bought pickles can sometimes taste old, and not so great.  At this time of the year when pickling cucumbers are coming in to Farmers' Markets and to Specialty Produce here in San Diego, I get in a little over my head and buy them because there are so many ways to pickle a cucumber.  I'm not talking about canning jars, and buckets of boiling water to process them in, I'm talking about refrigerator pickles that can be eaten over a week, right out of the fridge.  Today when I was at Specialty Produce, I picked up some pickling cucumbers, and decided it was time to get some into the fridge for the fourth of July weekend. 

Scrub the outside of cucumbers with a vegetable brush, and then slice thinly. 

I like onions in my pickles, so I sliced a red onion the same thickness.  Sprinkle salt over the cucumbers and onions in a colander set into a bowl.  The salt will draw out any excess moisture in the cucumbers and onion, so as not to water down the pickling marinade.  Let the cucumber mixture stand for 1 hour.  Then drain off any excess moisture. 

I didn't prepare a typical pickling brine for these.  I have a recipe I use to make pickled onions for burgers, and decided that I'd use that instead.  It's simple and makes these great for tossing into salads,  onto burgers, or your favorite sausages or hot dogs. 

Pickled Cucumbers and Onions

Makes about 4 cups

This recipe is easily doubled, or halved depending on your needs.

4 cups thinly sliced cucumbers

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
sea salt
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
pinch red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano

1. Toss the vegetables with the salt in a colander, and drain for 1 hour. 
2.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, oil, pepper and oregano, and pour over the vegetables.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. 
3.  The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Drain off the pickling juices after 3 days. 

Wishing everyone a happy Fourth of July weekend! 

Have You Met the Tayberry?

Today I was at Specialty Produce and was given a box of tayberries; they look like an elongated red blackberry.  They cannot be harvested by machine, so they are picked when ripe and need to be used immediately.  Not having enough for more than a bowl of cereal or yogurt, I mixed them with some other berries, and I've made a pie with a crumble topping.

I added blackberries and some chopped strawberries to the tayberries, and then decided they would all bleed so much juice that I'd better cook them a bit before I put them into the pie crust.

Cook them for about 5 minutes, with some sugar and orange juice

I strained the juice 

I made a crumble topping because I love the crunchiness mixed with the berries

There was quite a bit of liquid left over, I'll use it to decorate the plate, and drizzle over the pie and ice cream because yes, there will be ice cream

If you have a lot of liquid leftover, use it to flavor lemonade, mixed drinks, wine spritzers, or use as a drizzle over cake, or ice cream.

And, we have pie!

Black, Tay and Strawberry Crumble Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

For the Crust

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons chilled shortening, cut into bits

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small bits

1/4 cup ice water

1. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the flour and salt.  Distribute the shortening and butter over the flour, and pulse on and off until the shortening and butter begin to be absorbed by the flour.  
2. With the machine running, add 2 tablespoons of water, and continue to add water just until the dough begins to come together.  Don't let it form a ball.  
3. Turn it out onto some plastic wrap and form into a disc.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat the inside of a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray.  Roll the dough out onto a floured board, until it is 11 to 12 inches in diameter. Put into the prepared pie tin, and pinch the sides into a decorative pattern or use a fork to make a pattern on the dough at the edge.  Refrigerate while making the berries.  

For the Berries

1 cup tayberries

1 1/2 cups blackberries

1 cup strawberries, hulled, and quartered

1/2 cup sugar (more if the berries are tart)

2 tablespoons orange or lemon juice

1. Combine the ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the berries render some juice.  Strain the berries through a fine mesh strainer, and reserve the juice.  
2. Put the berries into the pie crust.  

For the Crumble

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon.  
2. Drizzle in the butter, stirring with a fork, until the mixture begins to come together.  
3. Sprinkle over the berries.  Bake the pie for 45 to 55 minutes, until the berries are bubbling, and the crumble is golden brown.  Allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving with ice cream. 

After a little research I found that tayberries have a lot of pectin and will make a fine jam; I'm thinking tayberry and peach or nectarine would be awesome.  The Stone fruits coming in right now are awesome, so take advantage of the season and make some Christmas presents in June. If you come upon a fruit that you aren't familiar with at a Farmer's Market, use your Specialty Produce App, it's free and amazing.  Check the Google Play and I-Tunes Store and download it. 

My warning is that you will be splattered with juice, these berries are so juicy, so wear an apron when you make this---I didn't and probably won't be able to get the stains out of my white shirt.  Ah well, the price one pays for preparing great food. 

What's App?

When I open up my phone, I am amazed at what I can find with a swipe of my finger.  Although I am a tech dinosaur, I do love having a lot of information on a phone, so that when I'm looking for something I can usually get a great answer in a matter of seconds, or in my case minutes.  I'm grateful for the ability to find a restaurant, seat on an airplane, and figure out what the heck that vegetable is in the farmer's market and how do I cook it.  These are some of my favorite Apps in no given order.

The Specialty Produce App is a deep volume of information about fruits and vegetables, with photos, information about where and when they are grown, and some recipe and storage ideas.  It's awesome, and you can also "spot" produce when you are shopping, so others can see where a certain vegetable or fruit is available.  It's free.

Getting lost is a fact of life, and without Google maps where would we all be?  Stuck in the driveway.  I've used it everywhere:  in Europe, and all over the US, I'd be lost without it and that's no joke.  Free in the Google play store.

Since I travel so much keeping track of the weather is something I do a lot---OK, I'm really a geek when it comes to weather.  I sometimes gloat about our fabulous weather here in San Diego, but for the most part I'm checking out where I'm going so I can plan my packing.  Free.

How else would you know what your neighbor is having for breakfast if you weren't on Facebook.  I use this primarily to see what my kids/and their friends are doing, as well as my professional page to put up photos of food, and other information.  It's annoying at times, with the adverts and unwanted things in your feed, but for the most part, I use it to catch up.

I still don't understand it, but surprise, I've got followers, and I'm following people---how interesting!  Truth be told, if I post on my professional FB page, it goes to Twitter....incestuous.

Also not sure I understand this one either, but I put up shots of food, and other things---I have yet to figure it out, but it's there if I need it.

Getting news during the day, when I'm traveling, I depend on the AP, since it is just headlines and facts.  Free in the google play store.

I've found that Flight Stats is smarter than the airlines when it comes to posting delays and gate changes.  It's saved me miles of walking at O'Hare and Dulles.  Free.

Recently a flight was cancelled, and I was assigned a seat by the airline, this genius app will tell you whether it's a good seat or not, and has comments by travelers about the different planes and where to sit for the best experience, but as we all know flying is not fun anymore.

Worth every penny, if you are going to Italy, these apps are all you need.  Elizabeth Minchilli's recommendations are spot on, and the app is full of information, especially for first timers.

Late at night, coming home, it's nice to know you have a flashlight just in case you can't find the lock to put your key in.  I used this a lot in Italy, since the streets can be pretty dark. 

I love Uber, and have used it in Rome, New York City, and in Los Angeles.  It's clean and neat with no money changing hands, and no tipping to try and figure out.  The app is GPS based, and works amazingly well. 

Checking on the Euro when I'm Italy, this app let's me figure out how much something will cost before I buy.  Simple to use, containing all the worlds' currencies, it's awesome.  Free.

I use the Trip Advisor occasionally; I like that there are reviews from real people, and that I can compare hotels, and restaurants, and find things to do in different cities.  Free.

Last but not least, the My Gelato app---I haven't used it yet, but had to have it---it's free. 

I have more apps on my phone than I need, but I do love the instant gratification of being able to find things, get directions, as well as the weather and current news. 

End of an Era

For over 8 years, I have taught at Great News here in San Diego.  The cooking school will close at the end of the month, and the store will close due to the retirement of the owner at the end of July.  At this point, I will not have a teaching venue here in my home town.

Although I am sad about this, my heart aches for the wonderful staff in the cooking school and the retail space who gave their heart and soul to make Great News such a special place for their customers.  My pal Phillis Carey and I are working on finding another space, and will keep you posted on where we will be. Here are a few of my favorite moments from the last 8 years.

Partnering with Specialty Produce to teach the Farmer's Market Box class has been a special time for me and my students.  I'm teaching my last FMB class this Thursday night, and have a feeling I'll lose it while I'm teaching, that's how special it's been.

Aside from the Farmer's Market Box, I look forward every year to the orgy of food, fun and frivolity at the Diva/Queen event that I do with Phillis Carey.  For 2 days over a weekend, the two of us, along with every assistant in the place, put out food from 2 different menus to 52 happy students each day.  It's a huge undertaking but we have so much fun together that it more than makes up for the aches and pains the next week.  Dressing up in tiaras,  funny shirts, or aprons, we never failed to get the holidays off to a great start.

Our first year

We have been blessed with some awesome assistants

Serving a lot of food

Phillis with her second favorite thing: butter.  Her first favorite is wine!

I LOVE this woman!

Chestnut roulade

Gorgeous

And, one year I taught this 4 days after I broke my shoulder; thanks to some amazing assistants we had a ball!

To all of you who came to classes, or bought my books,  I'm so grateful that you trusted me to teach you--you've been generous with your praise and I am touched beyond words that I've been able to do something that I truly love.  Not many people can say that, and for that I am so grateful.