Balsamic Grilled Radicchio + Strawberries

Summer is officially here! And we just got a new gas grill. We’ve never had a gas BBQ (always charcoal) and I love the ease of just walking outside and throwing something on for a few minutes.

We got radicchio and strawberries in our farm box this week and I put them on the grill together tonight (I love purple and red together on my plate!). The result was tasty! I put them over a bed of quinoa, but they could be served alongside almost anything. To offset the radicchio’s bitterness, I used honey in the marinade and sprinkled the final plate with strong salty Parmesan shavings.

Balsamic Grilled Radicchio + Strawberries

1. Cut a radicchio into 6 wedges, leaving a bit of the core at the bottom of each slice to keep them intact. Lay the pieces out on a platter and drizzle/sprinkle with the following items on one side. No need to measure (you’ll be fine!), just go easy on the Braggs to ensure it’s not too salty.

• olive oil

• balsamic vinegar

• Braggs Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)

• sesame oil

• honey

• black pepper

2. Thread fresh strawberries (stems removed) onto kebab sticks. Sprinkle the berries with olive oil, balsamic and coarse salt.

3. Place everything on the BBQ (gas grill on medium heat) for a few minutes on each side. I like the radicchio leaves to get a bit charred and crispy on the edges. Pull the strawberries off if they start to get to soft. (The strawberries may need a bit less time than the radicchio depending on size and ripeness)

4. Place the radicchio and berries on a bed of quinoa. If there is leftover marinade on the platter, feel free to use it as dressing. Sprinkle each plate with a hard, sharp cheese like Parmesan, if you wish.

Serving suggestions: To make this a side dish, you could serve one wedge per person, in which case it serves 6. I’d budget about 1/2 cup quinoa and 3 strawberries per person.

Enjoy warm!

Black Lives Matter

Because of the recent tragedies of racial violence and injustice I put a pause on social media posting this past week. It’s been so upsetting and I needed a minute to process, listen and learn. I’m more and more cognizant of my own white privilege. It’s been encouraging to see so many black voices lifted up.

It’s important for us all to be around people who are different from us. As Bryan Stevenson of @eji_org says,  “Get close to people you care about helping. Proximity is essential because it will change you.”

Our family is committed to doing the work past this trending news cycle. Neutrality helps the oppressor so we all need to be listening, learning, reading, making new friends, talking to our kids about anti-racism, calling people out and looking deeply at ourselves.

A few suggestions below. Black Lives Matter! And remember to vote!

READ: 

• How To Be Anti-Racist by Ibrahim Kendi

• for kids: Kamala & Maya’s Big Idea by @meena

WATCH:

• 13TH by the amazing Ava DuVernay @ava (available for free on Youtube)

• Selma by the amazing Ava DuVernay @ava (available for free an all digital platforms including iTunes + Amazon during the month of June)

• Becoming by Michelle Obama @michelleobama documentary (available on Netflix)

• for kids: Sesame Street’s town hall about anti-racism on CNN.com

FOLLOW: 

• Cookbook author @kristinagill 

• Artist @kehindewiley 

• Artist @tactilematter

• Artist @iamronnicole

• Artist @loveiswiseillu 

• Fashion @shopmcmullen 

• Design @thediarrablu

xx

Erin

Grapefruit & Thyme Aperol Spritz

The days are getting warmer and with travel plans on hold for the foreseeable future, I am imagining myself in Italy again like we were last summer. Bring on the spritz!

This spritz recipe comes from The Forest Feast Mediterranean (page 50).

Grapefruit & Thyme Aperol Spritz

Grapefruit & Thyme Aperol Spritz

(serves 1)

2 oz. Aperol

2 oz. Prosecco

2 oz. Seltzer

Mix spirits in a cocktail shaker until cold.

Serve in chilled glass with ice.

Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a fresh thyme sprig.

Cheers!

xx

Erin

Tortilla Española with Rainbow Chard

This recipe was inspired by our travels in Spain while I was seeking inspiration for The Forest Feast Mediterranean (see p.156 in the book). The Spanish tortilla is a signature dish found in bars and homes throughout the country. It is often served room temperature as a tapa, which makes it a great menu item for brunch or lunch. Enjoy!

TORTILLA ESPAñOLA with RAINBOW CHARD

(serves 4-6)

3 small red potatoes

1 small red onion

3 T olive oil

2 large rainbow chard leaves (thinly sliced)

6 eggs

salt & pepper

sprinkle of finishing salt (like Maldon salt or similar)

Fry the potatoes & onions with salt & pepper & olive oil on low heat for about 15 min in a 9-in skillet (season skillet well or use non-stick). When the potatoes are fork tender, add the rainbow chard leaves, stir in & cover until wilted (about 2 min). Turn the burner off.

Then beat 6 eggs with a bit if salt & pepper in a mixing bowl and transfer the hot potato mixture to the bowl. Stir. Scrape the skillet to remove any remaining browned bits, then return pan to a low heat. Add 2 T olive oil to coat the pan.

When the pan is hot — add back the egg & potato mixture, cover tightly with a lid & let cook on low for 5-8 min. Using a spatula, check to see if the bottom has browned. When it seems mostly intact, use pot holders & place a large plate on the pan & carefully flip the pan over, transferring the tortilla to the plate, then slide it back into the pan to cook the other side (uncovered) for about 3 min.

Cut into wedges, sprinkle with finishing salt & enjoy hot or at room temp.

xx

Erin

She's Here! + Challah Cinnamon Rolls

Baby Winnie has arrived! We are so grateful to have had a safe delivery amidst this global pandemic– it was a nervy time to be at a hospital, but all went well. We named her after my grandmother Winnie, who I was quite close with. I have sweet memories of staying at her house and waking up to freshly baked cinnamon rolls. In the weeks leading up to the baby’s arrival, while sheltering in place, I made a few batches of cinnamon rolls myself and kept thinking of her. In fact, one of my cousins texted me she was doing the same, which reminded her of our Grandma. Grandma Winnie had 8 kids! Three feels like a lot..honestly, I’m not sure how she did it! I’m sure warm cinnamon rolls out of the oven helped :)

On Fridays I often make challah for Shabbat using the recipe from my first book (last recipe in the book or here on the blog). I often make a double batch of dough so that I can make cinnamon rolls for Saturday morning. (You could also just make one batch of dough and make a smaller loaf of challah plus a few small rolls).

For these rolls, I used half whole wheat flour. I use a Kitchenaid mixer with a dough hook and let it go for a few minutes once the dough starts to form which “kneads” it. If you make it by hand, just knead it for a few minutes on a cutting board.

Once the dough has risen once, roll 8 “snakes” out by hand and lay them on a cutting board and flatten each strip a bit with your fingers. Spread each with salted butter then sprinkle the whole board with brown sugar and cinnamon. You can optionally add nuts or raisins, too! Roll each strip up and pinch tightly closed at the end so they don’t unravel. Place them in a buttered oven-proof dish, cover them, and allow them to rise in the fridge overnight (or if you want to eat them sooner, just allow to rise on your counter for about an hour).

Before you bake them, drizzle the tops with honey and a bit of sea salt. Bake as usual (350F for 25-30 min) and enjoy warm.