Onion Jam

Ingredients:

• 6 large red onions thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• Smoked Paprika (according to taste)
• 1 cup coffee (fresh brewed drip coffee)
• 1/2 cup currants (you can use raisins too, but I prefer currants)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
• extra water

Directions:
In a heavy bottomed pan:

1. Fry the onion until lightly browned (you could do this in batches too)
2. Add garlic and continue and cook for a few more minutes on medium heat

After ~5 minutes of cooking

3. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the water. Simmer for 2 hours adding 1/4 of a cup of water every 25-30 minutes or so and stirring.
4. To store:

• Once cool, store in the refrigerator in an airtight container
• Or you can can it (while still hot)

Serving suggestions:

Open faced sandwich with onion jam, goat cheese, walnuts and arugula


Crostini with burrata, onion jam, fig & ghost pepper salt

Fall & Winter Gardening

One of the nice things about living in this area is that we have 3 distinct growing seasons. Evidently it is very Mediterranean...

Many people plant a summer garden, and then think they need to wait till spring to start their garden back up. Not true. One of the nicest things about fall and winter gardens is the relaxed pace.

In summer, you are constantly at war with your garden, and with mother nature. Literally by the time you pick your vegetables and bring them in the house, there is that much more already ready to be picked. It is frantic! You are always trying to out-speed your garden by canning, pickling and preserving. Plus there are bugs and other creatures to contend with, and weeds growing at the same pace as your veggies.

Yes, mother nature does have a sense of humor, and she IS laughing at you!

Fall and winter bring cooler temperatures, and with that a much easier pace of gardening. You can actually enjoy the process, and your garden.

So, what actually grows when it is cold, wet and all round icky? Lots! Here are some things I have had success with:

Kale: I have only grown Tuscan kale. It is really yummy, you can harvest very young leaves to use fresh in salads or allow plants to mature and use as a cooked green. The larger leaves without the center rib can also be crisped in the oven for a yummy snack. Kale is especially good after a frost, and can be left in your summer garden as long as it is in a slightly cooler spot. It will bolt if too warm.

Cabbage: Savoy cabbage - thats the way to go. It is one of the prettiest and tastiest cabbages. It is great braised, stuffed, or raw. What makes it better than any other cabbage is that it lacks that characteristic odor regular cabbage has when cooked.

Cauliflower: The best variety I have found is snowball. The others I tried didn't look anything like what you get in the stores, the head wasn't compact and it tasted meh. The other trick that might have helped was that I grew it in the same box as my fava, so it was protected through the winter. The result, beautiful white, compact cauliflower!

Fava: Great ground cover for the cold weather! The easiest thing to grow, don't bother with seedlings, just go to the local store, but the dehydrated beans, soak overnight, and plant straight in the ground! The blossoms have a wonderful fragrance too. Sure prepping it is a little work, what with peeling the pods, cooking and then peeling the beans, but it is so worth the effort!

Carrots: Again, another easy veggie! Plant the seeds directly in the ground. 2 things to make sure (very, very sure) - (1) Turn the soil really well where you plant carrots so they can grow easily. If there is too much resistance from the soil, you will get misshapen or very small carrots. (2) Thin your seedlings regularly so the carrots have room to grow.

Onions: Bunching onions, torpedo onions, yellow, white, or red onions. They all are really easy to grow. Best if you can prevent them from bolting, though the flowers are really good to eat too! The resulting onion bulbs are just as tasty, though a lot smaller.

Hopefully this gives you an idea of what you could plant in your garden over the next few months. When in doubt, just visit your local nursery and see what they have.

Happy gardening!

Fancy Brunch?

I sure do! It makes me feel like a socialite enjoying the weekend (never mind that I am generally the one making brunch...)

One of the easiest dishes, yet one that will wow fellow diners (IMHO) is fritata. The best part? It can be served at room temperature! So, you now get to eat with everyone.

Bring on the mimosas!

Herbed Frittata:
2 servings

Ingredients

* 4 eggs
* finely chopped green onions (2-3)
* finely chopped fresh herbs (any mix you like)
* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used Gruyere)
* 1 medium potato, sliced thin, and cut into quarters (best not to use too starchy a potato, the red skin potatoes work well)
* 1/4 cup shelled fava beans or peas


Directions:

Fritata:
Heat broiler. Break eggs into medium bowl. Whisk together eggs, splash of milk, green onions, chopped herbs, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and ground black pepper; set aside.

Heat olive oil in 12-inch broiler-proof skillet with flared sides over medium heat. Add egg mixture. Lift edges of egg mixture as it sets, allowing uncooked mixture to flow underneath. When edges begin to set (top is soft, but not runny), place eggs under broiler, 3 to 4 inches from heat. Cook 1 minute or just until set. Top with cheese; return to broiler just until cheese is melted.


Fava/Pea Salad:
Toss the fava with some thinly sliced green onions, herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

To serve cut fritata in wedges, top with salad. Enjoy!