Ramp and Mushroom Toast

Eric and I returned home on Sunday to find a note left by my mom. "I love you," it said. "We had a wonderful time in your beautiful and warm home." Somehow she'd found a way to tuck this in our office without us noticing. It was a lovely message to receive after a fantastic weekend. I'd been anxiously awaiting this visit from my parents. For one thing, they hadn't seen the house. Yes, we sent photos and videos and did our best to describe things in as much detail as we could. But that isn't the same as experiencing it.  They got to walk around the garden and see all the flowers that have started to crop up these last couple of weeks. They got to meet our neighbors and see what a charming street we're on.

There was a lot accomplished this weekend, especially in the way of decorating. They brought up furniture that came from my grandmother, who passed away a few months ago. I didn't know how it'd fit in the house, but I'm beyond thrilled with how it's all turned out.  It's nice to have a piece of my grandparents here... especially the two brown leather recliners that now reside in our living room. They were their favorite chairs and every time I sit in one, I'll remember the hours they spent in them, working on crossword puzzles, reading, or watching basketball games.

My parents took us to get some lamps and pillows and treated us to new sheets and a comforter and a throw to lay on top of the bed (you know... grown up things). And my mom, with her incredible eye, helped us figure out what art to hang on the walls.  In addition to all the errands, we did dinner with Eric's mom and dad and their partners.  On Friday, I cooked up a storm, even going so far as to make an appetizer for everyone to nosh on before the meal (again... so grown up).  There was wine and scotch and wonderful conversation. And, most importantly, we got to just be together in our home.

Ramp and Mushroom Toast

Servings 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1/4 lb ramps, ends trimmed, green parts coarsely chopped, white parts reserved 1/2 lb button and wild mushrooms (such as oyster, cremini, chanterelle, and shiitake), cleaned, trimmed and sliced thinly 1 garlic clove, minced 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (but not melted) 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons lemon zest 2 teaspoons fresh (or dried) dill Kosher salt Black pepper

1 baguette or a similar crusty bread, cut into 1/4 inch slices on a bias Olive oil

Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms for 2 minutes, or until they start to brown slightly. Add ramps and garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Mix in Herbs de Provence, balsamic vinegar, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.

3. To prepare the toast, brush both sides of the sliced bread with a little olive oil and place on a baking sheet (you may need two). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Flip the slices over and bake in the oven for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until it starts to turn golden brown brown.

4. To make the ramp butter, finely chop the reserved white parts of the ramps. In a bowl, stir the remaining softened butter with the ramps and dill and season with Kosher salt.

5. Spread the ramp butter on the toast and then top with cooked mushrooms. Sprinkle a little coarse sea salt over each before serving.

Creamy Tomatillo Dip

Creamy Tomatillo Dip | A Thought For Food

Creamy Tomatillo Dip | A Thought For Food

It's funny that just a few days ago, as we prepared for our trip to Texas, our CSA sent us a bag of tomatillo just to get us in the mood. I have a lot of love for these little guys. First off, aren't those husks just so cool? And then there's the flavor. Ever since I first cooked with them, I've been struck by their tartness. Where most dishes need acid to give it a boost, tomatillos have enough that additional lemon or lime juice is unnecessary.

The last time I played around with tomatillos, I turned them into a pesto and tossed them with pasta. Of course, my mind went in a similar direction this time, but to spruce things up, I made a creamy (and spicy) dip. Roasting allows them to blister, adding a bit of smokiness to the dip.

I may or may not post next week (who the heck knows?!?!) as we'll be touring (aka eating and drinking) our way through Austin and Dallas.  We're super excited to spend some time with friends and family. I'm ready for a taco and a margarita! That's what they eat there, right?

Creamy Tomatillo Dip | A Thought For Food

Creamy Tomatillo Dip | A Thought For Food

Creamy Tomatillo Dip

Tools Baking pan Immersion blender (or a regular blender)

Ingredients 8 oz tomatillos, husks removed 2 serrano peppers, seeds removed 3 garlic cloves, peeled 2 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt 1/4 cup fresh cilantro 4 oz goat cheese

Tortilla chips, crackers or pretzels, for dipping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.

2. Toss tomatillos, peppers, and garlic cloves in olive oil and 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt.  Transfer tomatillos and peppers to the prepared baking pan. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the skin of the tomatillos and peppers become blistered. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.

3. Transfer these ingredients to a large bowl (or use the large measuring cup that comes with most immersion blenders) and puree with an immersion blender. Alternatively, you can use a regular blender to do this.  Add cilantro and goat cheese and blend to incorporate.

4. Check for seasoning and, if necessary, add additional salt.  Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Spring Garlic Pancakes

Spring Garlic Pancakes

Spring Garlic Pancakes

This is the week of milestones.  Yes, it was Father's Day yesterday. But it was also Eric's birthday (the big 32... I like to remind him that I'll forever be his younger man).  In addition to this, we attended (and I photographed) our dear friends' wedding.  Despite a week of rain, things lightened up Friday afternoon, just in time for their rehearsal dinner, and stayed bright and sunny for the next 36 hours.  The weather reminded me of our own wedding, which occurred four years ago this week.  It's hard to believe that time has flown by like this.  I couldn't be happier with the life we've created with each other.  Full of laughter and love (and no shortage of delicious food and drinks).  We don't have a lot planned in the way of celebrations, but I can guarantee a lobster dinner and a bottle of champagne will grace our table.

Spring Garlic Pancakes

Spring Garlic Pancakes

Yield: Makes 4 pancakes

Tools Whisk

Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup warm water Vegetable oil or peanut oil 1 cup chopped spring garlic Salt

Ingredients for the Dipping Sauce 1/4 cup light soy sauce 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger 1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions

1. Make the dipping sauce by whisking together all the ingredients in a bowl.  Set aside.
2. To make the pancakes, add the flour to a large mixing bowl and slowly stir in the warm water to form the dough.  Transfer to a floured board and knead three or four times.
3. Using a knife, cut the dough ball into four even pieces.
4. Take one ball of dough and, using a rolling pin, begin to roll into a circle.  Sprinkle the spring garlic over the dough and fold it into itself three or four times, until there is spring garlic evenly placed throughout the dough ball.  Roll out again into a circle about 8 inches in diameter.  Repeat with remaining dough.
5. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat.  While it's heating, brush the pancakes on each side with oil.  Sprinkle each side with a pinch of salt.
6. Fry in the pan for 2-3 minutes, or until it turns golden brown.  Flip the pancake and cook for another 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn it.
7. Repeat with remaining pancakes.  Transfer to cutting board and cut into wedges.
8. Serve with dipping sauce.