Jalapeno & Mint Meatballs

image megan*christine



a few holidays’ back my italian nanny taught us how to make gnocchi. the lesson itself was a beautiful gift, and the tips were priceless. despite how modest my grandmother can be, you can't let her fool you. she is an amazing italian cook, and everyone in our family can attest to that. it's been in the recent years that she finally saw our appreciation, as grandchildren, from another level, as we begged for her recipes so that we could recreate her dishes on our own. of all of her creations, i think the family would agree that her anise cookies, tomato sauce, chicken cacciatore and meatballs are the best. i steer from baking, so i have yet to attempt the cookies, but my sister-in-law, jessa, mastered them (which makes my brother quite the happy man). this past weekend i contemplated dusting off the recipe for her meatballs, as i challenged myself to make better meatballs than a local market in san francisco. with bryan's deep appreciation of meatballs, i anticipated that he might be a tough critic. i picked through epicurious for a good recipe, finding one for meatballs in tomato serrano chile sauce, and tweaked it for personal taste. the below is my version of the bon appetit recipe, and i think we could have handled more jalapeno (but that is us). i think two clean plates said enough, but this was pretty tasty

Jalapeno & Mint Meatballs

Meatballs
2 sandwhich thins toasted and choppped into small pieces
1/4 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound grassfed ground beef
1 (14 1/2) -ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Sauce
3 medium jalapenos, stemmed
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 (14 1/2) -ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
Salt & Pepper

1/4 cup EVOO
2 cup water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups Instant Brown Rice
1 can Organic Black Beans
1/3 cup white onion, chopped

For sauce:

Line heavy small skillet or baking pan with foil; add chiles and garlic. Bake on Broil until skins begin to blister and blacken, turning frequently, about 15 minutes. Cool garlic slightly, then peel.
Working in batches, puree tomatoes with juices, whole chiles, and garlic in blender until almost smooth. Add S&P to taste.

For meatballs:

Combine bread, milk, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper in large bowl. Mash with fork until thick paste forms. Mix in beef, tomatoes, egg, and mint (mixture will be soft). Using 1/4 cupful for each, form mixture into 2-inch balls (or desired size).

Heat oil in heavy large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook, flipping until all sides are browned. Add tomato puree; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a small pan, saute onions until clear and add black beans. Simmer until warm.

Bring Water to a boil in small sauce pan, add rice and cook for 5 minutes.
Spoon Rice and Beans into a shallow bowl. Top rice with meatballs and sauce and serve.

jalapeno honey dijon pork

A relaxing week inVirginia ended with an incredibly fun, but excessive in every way, weekend in DC.  It felt so great to be back in the kitchen and not eating out.  With the little energy I had in me, this recipe delivered a lot of flavor in little time.

**I chose to slice the pork in medallions instead of kabobs & broiled instead of grilled.  I served with cauliflower mashers & broccoli sauteed with tapatio, honey & lime.

From Gourmet magazine

Jalapeño Honey Mustard Pork Kebabs

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey

1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 fresh or pickled jalapeño chili, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves)

1 pork tenderloin (about 3/4 pound), trimmed and cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces

Prepare grill.

In a bowl whisk together mustard, honey, garlic paste,lemon juice, jalapeño, and salt and pepper to taste and reserve 1 tablespoon of marinade in a small bowl for basting kebabs.


Add pork to marinade remaining in bowl. Toss pork pieces to coat well and marinate 15 minutes.


Thread pork onto two 10-inch metal skewers and grill on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 4 minutes. Turn kebabs and baste with reserved marinade. Grill kebabs, turning and basting them, 10 to 15 minutes more, or until pork is cooked through and registers 160°F. on a meat thermometer. (Alternatively, kebabs may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.)


image megan*christine

black and white pop

 

http://houseoflove.chebellafiori.com/2012/07/06/black-and-white-pop/

images morgan maassen, krys stanley, rue

golden run

a few shots while i was enjoying a quick run to the golden gate bridge during lunch.  can't complain about the summer sunshine in san francisco.  it's a great run along the water, which eventually leads up to the bridge (at which point i turned my loop). 

walk to the park

i decided to take a stroll from the marina to AT&T park to watch the giants play the dodgers.  it was a 4 mile walk, which isn't bad at all on a nice san francisco day (although my fancy sandals may have been a bad choice in footwear).  walking along the embarcadero i was amazed to see how much space was left unused on the piers.  although, i have no idea what the city has planned or what absurd zoning regulations may exist for such a space.  i did appreciate the extensive public art, which frankly is around much of the city.  always a supporter of the arts, public pieces are mutually beneficial to both the artist and the greater population, making a space that much more aesthetically pleasing. 

exploring LoHi

before heading to the airport, i decided to explore the LoHi neighborhood in denver.  previously i had enjoyed drinks at linger and a delicious dinner at root down (both which i highly recommend).  but i hadn't seen the area during the day.  for those familiar with san diego, it felt a bit like the east village.  a boom in redevelopment brought in fresh establishments and renovation.  an artistic vibe is evident through galleries and graffiti (i have a soft spot for graffiti).  and with the addition of the pedestrian bridge, getting to downtown is very easy by foot or bike.

* images megan.christine

summer in march

images megan.christine

it was an incredibly beautiful weekend in socal, and i made sure to take full advantage of it.  with temperatures in the 80's, it felt like summer arrived in march.  after an early morning hike, i spent much of sunday on my cruiser.  riding back to cardiff from encinitas, i caught the gorgeous sunset from my favorite lookout.  

mt. woodson

images jess nies burridge

if you're ever looking for a good hike not to far from san diego, head out to poway (about a 30 minute drive from downtown) and hike up mt.woodson.  overlooking lake poway this approximately 7 mile trail (from the parking lot at lake poway) is a great workout, with a slow steady incline in a beautiful setting of trees, boulders and desert shrub. recommend starting out early in the morning, as the temperature definitely rises during the day!

restaurant design

through my m+m (mangia & mingle) posts, i highlight the design of establishments (mostly local to southern california), and include a fair amount of restaurants (also capturing their cuisine).  design can set the tone, draw the crowd, and echo the essence of the food served within.  it's fascinating all the elements that go into planning the interior space, as it'll inevitably provide the first impression to customers long before they are served a meal or take a sip of their drink.
this thursday, the AIGA idea series presents restaurant design at the neurosciences institute in la jolla (10640 john hay hopkins drive) from 5:30-8:30pm.  featuring three local restaurant designers (micheal soriano from onairos design, paul basile of basile studio and barbara rourke from bells & whistles), they will present recent projects and hold a moderated speaking panel.  but before the panel begins, they will have a "chef-off" and "mix-off" between local restaurants so that everyone can experience the branding that they achieve to establish.  it should be a great night of discussion and perspective!

avocado, edamame & quinoa salad

image megan.christine

flipping through february's in style magazine, i found a feature on spices.  it included a recipe from chef yotam ottolenghi (ironically my friend made his tofu & brussels sprouts this past weekend, which was amazing).  below is my tweaked version of his avocado, fava & quinoa salad.  i ate it for lunch and it was easy, filling and delicious!  

* cook 1 cup quinoa, set aside

* microwave 1 lb frozen edamame (shelled), set aside

* in a large bowl, mix juice of 2 lemons and 2 thinly sliced avocado

* add quinoa, edamame, 2 minced garlic cloves, a handful of chopped basil, a handful of sliced radishes (my grocer did not have them today), 1 tbsp cumin, 1/4 tsp red pepper chili flakes, drizzle of olive oil, s&p to taste.

* toss gently and serve

leap

image from a facebook post

happy leap day!  strive to make the most out of this "extra day!"

factoid (as learned from orgegonlive.com):
even though leap year occurs every 4 years, there is an exception to the rule.  it is not observed on years divisible by 100, unless they are also divisible by 400.  for example 2100 is not a leap year, but 2000 was.

a morning in santa monica

images megan.christine

i went up to santa monica to visit one of my best friends.  with both of us being early risers, sunday found us wandering around town at the crack of dawn.  looking back i realize just how much we did in one morning.  it was nice to explore, just next time hopefully more will be open!

santa monica farmers market: pick up fresh produce, eat street food with fine presentation, support the local artisan, and enjoy the petting zoo of farm animals

main street: a block away from the beach, shops (like weego baby & weego home), restaurants & bars.  very local feel.

m street kitchen: hip restaurant that always has a crowd, sleek modern interior & delicious food.  for breakfast try the farmers market root vegetable hash with lemon aioli and poached eggs (light & flavorful)

montana avenue: (7th to 17th) stroll on the tree lined street, which runs all the way to the beach, and stop into the many shops & restaurants

yogaworks: awesome yoga studio (los angeles & orange county), check out carolina goldberg's vinyasa flow (2/3) in santa monica, it was incredible

big . bowl . of . veggies

images megan.christine

life catches up with you.  between the holidays, traveling and socializing, it's easy to eat out, eat fast, and toss back some drinks.  i knew i needed to regroup and get back in my kitchen when i contemplated getting rockstar in bulk.  after talking with some of my girlfriends, i became even more aware that i wasn't alone.  supporting one of our friend's products, we decided to go on a cleanse to "revitalize healthy liver function" by eliminating certain foods and habits from our lives (temporarily).  i had done something similar years ago (although it wasn't a regimented plan with supplements) and found it extremely beneficial to how i felt.  since i maintain a generally healthy lifestyle, it's not difficult to adapt to the plan.  heavy on produce and non-processed food, i have pulled out some great old recipes and find that not much has changed to the way i usually cook.  but what is pretty tough is the no coffee, wine, cheese or bread (the italian in me is crying).
for some of my favorite go-to recipes, i look to dietitian ellie krieger for tasty, healthy and easy meals.  this tuscan vegetable soup was quick, simple and full of flavor!

Terrific Tuscan Vegetable Soup

• One 15.5-ounce can cannellini or other small white beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed

• 1 Tb. olive oil• ½ large onion, diced (about 1 cup)• 1 medium carrot, diced (about ½ cup)• 2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)• 1 small zucchini (about ½ pound), diced (about 1½ cups)• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)• 1 Tb. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried• 2 tsps. chopped fresh sage or ½ tsp. dried• ½ tsp. salt, plus more to taste• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth• One 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices• 2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed), chopped• 1/3 cup freshly grated 1/3 Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a small bowl, mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves; cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

                                       Serve topped with the Parmesan, if desired.  

wash it away

image monique williams

today was stormy in southern california.  along the coast spurts of rain showers passed quickly and were mixed with the peeking sun.  i watched the clouds dance in the sky for much of the afternoon from my cardiff perch.  a storm can be quite soothing, as my friend, monique, captured in torrey pines beach.  needing a little monday re-setting herself, she went down to the beach and went out in the rain.  sometimes you just have to wash it all away.

candy for the feet

it is parisian, christian louboutin's, 20th anniversary as a revolutionary footwear designer.  with his distinctive red soles (which came to existence out of sheer accident), his shoes are the ultimate fashion, coveted by many.  he uses only the best quality in materials, and with the superb craftsmanship and talent to create imaginative shoes, how could you not want a pair!?

"these heels are candy for the feet; they're for please, not practicality." ~christian louboutin

if you decided you wanted to add to your own shoe collection, louboutins are sold in bergdorf goodman, select department stores and boutiques. below are a few of his designs and sketches that caught my eye.

images louboutin

m+m: snooze

image megan.christine

successful after our second attempt, we finally had the timing, patience and appetite to grab a bite at snooze in downtown denver.  this "am eatery" serves a breakfast and lunch menu that has earned quite an incredible reputation for delicious food, evident by the long line regardless of what day of the week it is, or the time.  but at least while you linger on the sidewalk or lounge under heat lamps (they are flipping hot), sometimes for up to hours, you can sip on a fresh cup of coffee or enjoy one of their many adult beverages.  we chose fresh squeezed grapefruit drinks, including the hound dog (like a greyhound) with citrus vodka, grapefruit juice and a touch of raspberry liqueur.  the restaurant, which has 5 locations in colorado and 1 in california (san diego, hillcrest, 3940 5th avenue), has an energetic atmosphere that is pumped with loud music, a mid-century modern interior with bright colors, and lots of movement.  they deliver big tasty belly fillers, and with everything looking incredible, it's hard to choose just one.  on this occasion, i picked the bella!bella!benny.  if trying to recreate, it included: thin slices of prosciutto, taleggio cheese and poached eggs on toasted ciabatta, topped with cream cheese hollandaise, balsamic glaze and arugula.  as a side, they served perfectly crisped hash.  salty, shredded and browned on all edges, i wish i had enough room to devour the sweet and spicy potato mound.... but at least i got to share it.

images snooze

corporate organics

images megan.christine

i returned from colorado to an empty refrigerator.  while the grocer is on today's long to-do list, i did find it quite easy to convince myself to stop in la jolla's university town center campus pointe complex to meet my friend for lunch at her office.  the newly revamped building is seeking LEED certification, and has directed focus to corporate responsibility.  within the campus setting, they share an amazing "cafeteria", fibonacci's, run by waters fine food, in collaboration with urban plantations.  not only is the food delicious, but a majority of the produce come from an organic garden that they maintain right outside the buildings.  it's quite brilliant.  keep your employees happy, healthy and they don't have to stray far for a good lunch, thus upping productivity and general attitude.  we filled our salad containers with kale, chard, and roasted root vegetables.  strolling over to the gardens we enjoyed an hour of sunshine in the grass, and got a wonderful break to the day!

geometry for the belly

 images hildebrand & kenedy

as i sat grazing on some appetizers last night after arriving in denver to visit family i noticed a cookbook on display across the kitchen.  void of color, the black and white shapes jumped off the cover and caught my eye.  the book, the geometry of pasta, is a collaboration between caz hildebrand and jacob kenedy.  hildebrand, a talented graphic designer, beautifully illustrated the shapes of italian pasta through black and white graphics.  the composition is artistically laid out throughout the pages, and almost dance around the recipes and writing by kenedy, owner of london's bocca di lupo.  inspired by the "italians' preoccupation with choosing the right pasta to go with the right sauce," the book includes an inventory of pastas, organized by shape "pastas a-z."  each section includes the history, evolution and best use of each pasta.  pasta varies across italy, and kennedy captures the philosophy behind the recipes.  with over 100 authentic recipes and an index of sauces, flipping through the pages ignites your appetite.  one of my favorite dishes is cavatelli con salsiccia e broccoletti (broccoli rabe and sausage).  the recipe below reminds me of a similar dish i had years ago at trattoria i trulli (in encinitas), in which they use orecchiette pasta.  i have recreated this many times (often using broccoli, instead of broccoli rabe) and it's incredibly simple and delicious.  bon appetit! 

cavatelli con salsiccia e broccoletti 

1 recipe "2 finger" cavatelli

1 small bunch (3/4 lb-1 lb) broccoli rabe

1/2 lb italian sausage, skin removed, crumbled

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

6 tablespoons of EVOO

3/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

grated pecorino, to serve

put the pasta to boil. in a separate pot boil the trimmed broccoli rabe in well salted water (3-4 minutes).  put the crumbled sausage, garlic and oil in a pan, and fry over medium heat until starting to colour - break the meat up with a spoon as much as you can. add the red pepper flakes, then a few seconds later the drained broccoli rabe.  saute briefly, seasoning with salt and pepper, adding a little pasta water and allowing to bubble down.  now add the drained pasta with a few more teaspoons of water.  cook together for a minute, and serve with grated pecorino.  

m+m: underbelly

images megan.christine

the weather was rather nasty yesterday in san diego, and with the rain and strong breeze, the cool temperatures felt even chillier.  i went to meet a friend for lunch and knowing that i wanted something warm, we decided it would be a great time to try underbelly, the japanese ramen bar in little italy.  in a tiny space (~1,000 sq feet), part of an incredible jonathan segal glass building on kettner & fir in the heart of little italy, the minimalist interior (by studio number one, mauricio couturier, and paul basile) is brought to life by a giant succulent wall bearing the image of mao zedong (by black lotus floral).  the space fills up fast, and thankfully the glass walls double as tabletops, as they fold down blending the indoor and outdoor space to expand the establishment.  the flow of fresh air and exposure to the elements would on any other day in san diego be perfect, but with the current weather i had to keep on my jacket and wavered between a craft brew or a hot tea (hopefully they will solve this winter dilemma, perhaps add some ceiling heaters).  rumor has it that they are expanding the space into the upstairs and will also include a patio, to all be completed in the summer of 2012.  underbelly is a creation of arsulan tafazoll and nathan stanton, and the duo already has some incredible downtown restaurants under their belt; neighborhood, craft & commerce, noble experiment, and el dorado.  it lived up to it's expectations, with a large selection of local and international beers (the gold taps are all unmarked) and the small japanese menu is heavy on pork and vegetables.  we opted to start with the shrimp gyoza (shrimp, shitake, asparagus and scallions), and both got the vegetable ramen (truffle oil, shitake, hon shimeji oyster mushroom, enoki, white asparagus, topped with bean sprouts, ginger, scallions, seaweed and sesame seeds).  while the plates were on the smaller side (they simply wet your palette), the house ramen is a healthy portion.  they don't serve the ramen with spoons, and after you've retrieved the "goodies" with your chopsticks, the only option to finish the dish is to pick up the bowl and slurp away (which is encouraged).  just as the space is expanding, so is the menu.  they plan to add oysters and japanese whiskey, proving that these guys know how to capitalize on a niche market.  underbelly has done an incredible job with a difficult space and a unique menu.  i will surely be returning.

although they list most of the ingredients on the menu, i thought i'd look into making some homemade japenese ramen myself and found this recipe.  i have yet to try it, but it looks relatively easy and healthy.