Basil, it's not just about pesto...

It is officially basil season with huge, leafy bunches showing up for cheap at local farmer's markets.
When most people think of basil, they think pesto, this garlicky pasta sauce is certainly a staple in our home.

Since basil is so abundant right now, let's think outside the sauce...

I used almost a whole bunch the other day when I made a variation of our favorite green soup, what a great addition. That big basil flavor went well with the other greens giving them a great summer taste.

Here are two more recipes that highlight this leafy herb: caprese salad and basil ice cream ( yes I did say basil ice cream, don't knock it until you try it !!).

Basil leaves are also great in sandwiches, on burgers, on pizzas, in fresh spring rolls and green or kale salads.

Capreses Salad
As the tomatoes show up at the farmer's market I get a craving for caprese salad.
"Caprese" means in the style of Capri, a very cool island off the coast of Italy. I remember swimming in a grotto there as a teenager, the water was an amazing color of turquoise, but I digress.

Caprese salad is simply fresh mozzarella slices, fresh tomato slices and basil, at least that is the basic recipe.

Here's how I made my caprese salad recently for a dinner with my brother.
Ingredients
4 large lettuce leaves
2 large balls, fresh mozzarella
1 clove finely chopped garlic
10 small tomatoes or 5 large ones
1-2 tablespoons good olive oil
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar


1) I started with a bed of lettuce on a large plate.

2) Then I washed about 10 nice big basil leave and coarsely chopped them.
3) I sliced 10 small tomatoes from my brother's garden.
4) I finely chopped on clove of garlic
5) Sliced 2 big balls of fresh mozzarella.

6) I arranged all the ingredients on the bed of lettuce : mozzarella, tomatoes, garlic then basil.

7) I sprinkled the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the top.

Here's my brother ready to dive into that caprese salad.

Basil Ice Cream with Balsamic Boysenberry Sauce

I was intrigued when a friend mentioned she had made basil ice cream. I asked for the recipe, changed it to suit my tastes and voila !!

Ingredients

For the ice cream*

2 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2- 4 egg yolks ( depending on how rich you want it)
1 tablespoon vanilla
15-20 basil leaves

* Feel free to use your favorite basic ice cream recipe and infuse it with the basil leaves.

For the topping

2 cups boysenberries ( raspberries, blackberries or strawberries will work too.)
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.


1) Place the milk and cream in a pot on the stove at medium heat. Bring to just under a boil.

2) Add the basil leaves, stir, cover and allow to steep for 20 minutes. I would recommend tying the basil leave together with a bit of string, I found them difficult to fish out. Remove the basil leaves from the milk/cream mixture.

3) While the mixture is steeping, beat together in a bowl, the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract.

4) Heat the milk/cream mixture up slightly over low heat.

5) Add a tablespoon( up to four tablespoons) at a time to the egg mixture, beat in well each time.

6) Slowly pour the egg mixture into the milk/cream with the heat on low. Stir constantly.

7) Once all the yolk mixture is added cook for several minutes until it clings to the spoon and thickens. This usually take a few minutes.

8) Remove from stove, cool a bit before storing in the fridge until completely chilled.

Boysenberry Balsamic Topping

2 cups boysenberries ( raspberries, blackberries or strawberries will work too.)
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.

1) Place all three ingredients into a bowl.

2) Toss gently and allow to sit for 20 minutes.


Make the ice cream, allow to firm up in the freezer, then scoop and serve with the topping.

You will be amazed at how good this is !!

This year in review: part one.

Hoping you all are having a great holiday season.
Less than a week ago I made my last batch of almond toffee.
Christmas Eve and Christmas day saw us dining in and out with various family members.
Today we bid our daughter farewell as she drove back to her current place of employment.
Soon we will be spending New Years Eve with family on the central California coast.
Busy, busy, busy, which is why I have not posted much lately.

This is a good time to look back over the past year of foodiness and post my favorite recipes from each month. So it it not too overwhelming for me or you, I am doing it in two parts.

Here are my favorites from last January through June.

1) Laurie's Chili: such a great winter/ ski season dish. So easy to make and easy to make meaty or vegan depending on your proclivities. Serve it with my cornbread or millet muffins and a green salad !!

2) Green Soup: I make this more than any other recipe from 2012. Green soup has become a weekly part of our food intake. I do love it with parsnips for that creamy texture.

3) Brussel Sprouts, my way: I made these tiny cabbages as a side dish this Christmas Eve.  My 9 year old great-niece adored them, asked for seconds and thirds !! Just goes to show you, anything if prepared well can be a hit !!

4) Sundried Tomato Pate in Collard Leaves: These little bundles sound so strange but are so amazingly tasty !!

5) Zucchini Bites: what a great way to use summer squash and what a delicious appetizer !! You could make these same bites with grated carrots for a winter treat.

6) Summer Fruit Tart: This dessert got such rave reviews wherever it went. To winterize it use kiwis, Fuyu persimmons, oranges and pomegranate seeds, yum.

Potage St. Germain

Potage means thick soup in French and I have no clue why St. Germain had this pea soup named after him.

I can tell you that Potage St. Germain is a delightful summer soup with lots of room for variation.

My dear friend and yoga teacher served it to me for lunch the other day, I was so surprised to find it has lettuce in it !!

Ingredients
2-3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 head of butter lettuce or several baby gems lettuces*
1 cup or so chopped  leeks, spring onions or regular onions
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
4 cups water or stock
salt and pepper to taste

1) Heat the butter or olive oil in a soup pot, add one cup chopped onions or leeks.
    Saute the onions until just soft.

Spring onions.

2) Chop, wash and spin the lettuce.

Butter lettuce.

Salad spinner with lettuce.

3) Add the lettuce and 2 cups of peas to the onions in the pot, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

4) Add the 4 cups of water or stock, cover and bring to a simmer. Remove the lid and cook until the peas are tender, 5 to 10 minutes.

5) When the soup has cooled enough, puree it in a blender or food processor. To adjust the thickness, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the green stuff and blend in batches.  Add some of the water from the pot to make it thinner to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.

We like this soup without much other seasoning. In the last batch I did add the juice from one lemon. My friend Laurie adds a pinch of cumin and another recipe I saw online used fresh mint (1/4 cup for a recipe this size). You can top it with some yogurt, sour cream or fresh chopped herbs like parsley.

* Another great option is to use zucchini in place of the lettuce. I used about 2 cups chopped zucchini in my last batch and it was very tasty !!

Recipe Updates: green soup, kale salad, granola, chocolate cake

As I make some of the recipes I have shared they have had their own evolution, I want to updates on a few of the recipes.

1) Let's start with green soup.

I have been making this soup a lot. It is great for lunch or a light dinner but my new favorite secret ingredient is....PARSNIPS !! You know those anemic, flaccid carrot shaped roots that most folks don't know what to do with ??... they are amazing to pureed soups of any kind. They lend a very smooth, creamy texture when cooked in liquid and pureed. I first had them years ago in a pear parsnip soup at some fancy museum cafe. I could not believe it was a dairy free soup. I tried making a version myself and was so impressed with their creamy texture.
So when you go to make green soup add two parsnips instead of the potatoes.

Remember that flourless chocolate cake ? I loved it's texture when I made it straight from my recipe but something was missing...then a friend gave me a bar of dark orange chocolate for Valentine's day.

I decided to use it in the smaller version of the cake recipe. It's wasn't quite four ounces so I added a little more regular dark chocolate and I add the zest from one orange. Wow, what a difference that made, the flavor deepened and the cake went from being good to great !! I'll bet other flavored chocolate bars will work too.

3) Massage Kale Salad is another recipe I have been using a lot. We ( Bob and I) have found we like it with lots of grated carrot and shredded cabbage and orange slices !

I have been using my lime infused olive oil in the dressing which pairs well with the orange.

4) Granola, when I posted the recipe I gave you the original recipe with some of my modification, the ingredient list has evolved even more. Here is the real version.

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans or some of both
• 1/4 pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 sunflower seeds
• 3/4 cup  unsweetened flake coconut
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup agave 
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Green Soup

My friend Laurie posted a recipe for her green soup on her Facebook page.
I put my own spin on it and came up with this very delicious and nutritious soup.
It made a great light dinner after going out to lunch with my dad.
I served the soup with millet muffins and a modified version of kale salad .
I look forward to having it for lunch today.

Ingredients
8 cups water
1 bunch of greens, beet green, chard...whatever you have on hand.
2 red potatoes or 1 cup mashed potatoes
1 small bunch broccoli
1 large onion
2-4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup miso
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper

1) Chop and saute one large onion and 2 to 4 cloves of garlic until soft and slightly brown.

2) Rinse,stem and chop whatever greens you are going to use.

I used two kinds of beet greens.

3) Chop your small bunch of broccoli, including the leaves.

4) Chop the potatoes. I used leftover massage potatoes because they needed using and that's all I had on hand.

5) Put all the veggies into the pot with the onions and garlic and 8 cups of water.

6) Simmer for about 30 minutes, be sure the potatoes are soft.

7) I let this all cool before I blended it, I recommend that, but if you must do it while still hot, be very careful. Put small batches into your blender or use an immersion wand.
I didn't take any photos while I was blending it...it's not that attractive ;-)

8) While blending the soup add 1/4 cup miso, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon each salt and cumin powder and fresh ground pepper to taste.

9) Reheat to serve if necessary.
You can turn it into a cream soup by adding some yogurt or cream.