What we’ve been eating
A luscious kumquat basil tart from The Tart Lady.
A light dessert of homemade yogurt with raspberry coulis.
Ostrich tenderloin teriyaki served on a bed of baby saute greens.
Beautiful warm weather is here and with it, a lighter hand in cooking. The tart was purchased at the Westside Community Farmers’ Market and though it was early in the season they had a good showing of vendors. The tart was citrusy, eggy, and had just enough basil to make it intriguing.
The yogurt is simply local milk turned into yogurt via a Salton yogurt maker. Once it completed its 10 hours in the yogurt maker I chilled it and drained it for 2 – 3 hours in the refrigerator and it made a tart and tasty dessert. The raspberry coulis added just enough sweet. I don’t have a chinois so I ended up just leaving the seeds in the coulis.
The ostrich tenderloin was delicious. It tastes almost like a chickeney beef. GH and I both liked it and appreciated its tenderness and flavor…plus it’s extremely low-fat. It was quick and easy too.
Tatsoi and other delicious veggies
Look what the CSA bunny brought this week! Too bad I wasn’t here, otherwise I might have caught his fluffy little butt and cooked him right up.
This week we have more salad mix, saute mix, spinach, ramps, and radishes. New this week is a small head of romaine lettuce, tatsoi, dandelion greens, and watercress.
Tasoi is an Asian member of the brassica rapa family. One common name for tatsoi is spoon mustard…aptly so because of the distinctive spoon shape of the leaves. It can be eaten raw or cooked. I imagine mine will be served salad style, probably mixed into a salad with the spinach.
Dandelion greens are delicious. These are really long and generously leafed. Dandelions are rich in vitamin A, calcium, and vitamin C. These will get a quick spin around a hot pan with a little pork jowl and served up next to some potatoes.
Watercress is one of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by humans. It too is very healthful…full of vitamins A and C, folic acid, iron, and calcium. Every year I look forward to our watercress bunch. It will be added to the yearly egg salad sandwich. It is the only reason to eat an egg salad sandwich…well maybe not? Anyway…that’s my position and I’m sticking to it.
Romaine Lettuce is the lettuce for a real caesar salad. This is a small head so I’ll use a small egg (yes raw!!! oh horrors!!!), lemon juice, garlic, homemade croutons, parmesan cheese, and a good olive oil and hopefully some fine anchovies. Anchovies are so salty and provide just the right unctuousness. I can’t wait for the ultimate bad-breath salad.
Have fun readers…it’s almost Friday!!! We get to watch Lost tonight (tivBob‘d from last night) and I can’t wait.
