avocado

Entrée, Breakfast, Spring, Summer, Gluten Free

HUEVOS A LA PLAZA DE MERCADO

Sara Forte · April 27, 2015

There has been some well-deserved chatter about Tara's book. I'm adding my cheers and high-fives and big hugs because it is remarkable and sincere and just dang good. You see, Tara and I were working on our books at the same time, and I felt like I had a pal struggling along side. Thousands of miles away she may be. But I knew then, in those texts, that this girl cared far too much to be producing anything less than wonderful. She took this project seriously and it comes through on each and every page. It's not just that the recipes are unique, but she writes head notes and directions more beautifully and thorough than any I've seen. I feel like I can hear her talking me through it - anticipating my questions. That is what makes a great cookbook author. I skimmed through the book soon as it came and am currently spending evenings doting over every word because I just love how she writes. I'm throwing down a good amount of praise but this book deserves it. I have made the raspberry rhubarb rye crumble twice now, subbing strawberries in for the raspberries on her forewarning that it is quite tart and I wanted to reign that in a bit. This may be her debut in the cookbook world but it sure doesn't read like it's Tara's first rodeo by any stretch.

I can make a breakfast tostada. I know my way around an egg and a good sauce but these! These were just really special and have me jonesing to host a backyard brunch. I generally don't go futzing with charred vegetable sauces and fresh salsas first thing, but think these are the perfect to make the night before. Even a few days prior. You can't shortcut this step because the sauces are what make these exceptional. I've been thinning out the charred green onion one with more citrus and using it as a green salad dressing and am using some of the salsa for a brothy tortilla soup tomorrow night. I'm just saying they're really great.

So proud of you, Tara. xo

HUEVOS A LA PLAZA DE MERCADO // Serves 4

Recipe from Seven Spoons: My Favorite Recipes for Any and Everyday by Tara O'Brady

The sauces took a bit more time than I would spend on an average morning breakfast but are worth every moment. Consider making one or both the evening before and this dish will come together in minutes.

/ RED SAUCE /
Small bunch of cilantro, leaves and tender stems
2 shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 jalapeno, mostly seeded and chopped
1 can (15 oz) whole, fire roasted tomatoes
(4-6 ounces chorizo or sausage - this is included in Tara's recipe but we skipped the meat here)
Salt and pepper, as needed

/ CHARRED GREEN ONION DRESSING /
6 green onions
2 serrano or jalapeno chiles
generous pinch of smoked paprika
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, not nonfat
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (or more greek yogurt but the mayonnaise makes for great texture)
small bunch of cilantro, leaves and tender stems
zest and juice of one lime
1 Tbsp. agave nectar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

/ EGGS + TOPPINGS /
mild olive oil or ghee for cooking the tortillas and egg
8 small corn tortillas
4-8 eggs
2 avocados pitted and diced small
baby tomatoes, halved
4 ounces queso fresco
Mexican-style hot sauce
2 limes, cut in wedges

To make the red sauce, in a blender, combine the cilantro, shallots, garlic, jalapeno, tomatoes and their liquid and buzz to make a puree.

Tip the tomato puree into a hot pot with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce is thickened and tastes cooked. Around 30 minutes. Check for seasoning and keep warm.

For the green onion dressing, heat a large, cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the green onions and chiles, turning often, until charred all over. About 10 minutes. Let the vegetables cool on a plate. Trim the roots off the onions, as well as any leathery parts of the green end. Stem the chiles and remove some, most or all of the seeds depending on your spice preference.

In a blender or food processor, buzz the green onions, chiles, paprika, yogurt, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime zest and juice, agave and oil until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Chill for at least an hour for flavors to develop.

Heat a touch of oil in a large cast-iron skillet. Working in batches, warm the tortillas (or over an open flame if you prefer). Keep the tortillas warm in a preheated oven. Cook your eggs to order. Assemble your eggs over a warm tortillas with some of the red sauce, avocado, sliced baby tomatoes, queso fresco and some fresh cilantro. Drizzle on the green onion sauce and hot sauce if using. Tara suggests throwing them under the broiler for a quick minute just to give everything one last char. Serve the eggs right away with lime wedges on the side.

The sauces can be kept covered in the fridge for a week.

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Side, Gluten Free, Spring, Summer

ROASTED SWEET POTATO WEDGES WITH AVOCADO CHIMICHURRI

Sara Forte · April 20, 2015

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges . Bowl & Spoon Launch party

I ordered a diet coke on the plane ride home and Hugh gave me a wide-eyed side glance when he heard me ask the stewardess. It was a silent understanding that I was needing my routine back. I'm not a soda drinker so Hugh knows when I order one, I'm not particularly feeling myself. One could think of a few worse vices, no? I had a just barely sleeping, teething baby on my chest and I was so tired. So tired from not sleeping well and stressing about the book and hosting a workshop and talking in front of people and being super social that I was one more night away from a melt down. I ordered a diet coke because there was really no other way to rebel against my own self in that moment. I love being away but being away and working with a baby is just...different. Different as in I needed wine but took the free diet coke instead and called it even.

I had the sweetest time at the book signings meeting a handful of you. This space feels real and communal for me but there is nothing like some good ol' fashioned face time. I hope there is more of it to come, cross your fingers. We taught a photography workshop while in Seattle at Aran's dreamy studio and I felt the spark to be cooking more. I have a bundle of new cookbooks and I'm just going to surrender to other peoples' instructions to coax me back into cooking. I do it for work and because I need to feed my family, but it has lost a bit of its romance as of late. It was so refreshing to talk about what we/I do with other people. I think I felt outside of it for a season, if that makes any sense. So it goes with the value of community, I needed other like-minded people to get my wheels turning. How one can feel so depleted and filled up in a given week is beyond me but that is life and I'm still learning.

I have been doing some recipe development for Electrolux as they build a pretty neat food blog for prospective customers and curious home cooks. There are a few more springy dishes coming up next week as well if you remember to pop over. I know there are a grip of sweet potato recipes that I've shared here, but I need to add this one to the list because I love having them with a solid dipping sauce. Also, the leftovers in a tortilla with a handful of fresh greens - instant lunch. Think guacamole with an extra bit of heat and generous amount of herbs. I leave mine pretty chunky but you could mash it more smooth and perhaps thin it with more lime juice or olive oil. I hope you don't mind one click over - the site is worth a peruse aside from these tasty potatoes anyway.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO WEDGES WITH AVOCADO CHIMICHURRI // Serves 4

The recipe can be found at the Electrolux blog Live.Love.Lux

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Entrée, Gluten Free, Salad, Side, Spring

GREENY SALAD WITH CRISPY CHICKPEAS + ROASTED JALAPENO DRESSING

Sara Forte · February 10, 2015

I deleted the words I was struggling through to sum up the responsibility I feel to Curran after listening to my cousins talk about their mom at my aunt's memorial last weekend. I'm not talking making baby food and reading him books, but the big stuff, or the in-between. I have the most intense dislike for the word "supermom" because it always seems to be used in a context which dumbs down the job of being a mother to sewing the best Halloween costumes or having the most crafts at your kids' birthday party while encouraging competition and comparing and blech. I listened to how her boys' spoke of how much she taught them through gracious discipline, humbled generosity, taking them on adventures and quiet listening. If the phrase existed before my generation of parenting, my Aunt actually would have been a textbook supermom, but her boys didn't praise her sewing or baking or gardening or crafts. They spoke of how she made them feel - how she built them up and encouraged them to find a way that made them truly happy. Our parenting is so much more relational than we see in the small picture. To nurture that is a role you don't read about in a baby book, you get a clear picture when you hear young men describe the sort of mother they knew. The honor is mine.

“You will learn a lot about yourself if you stretch in the direction of goodness, of bigness, of kindness, of forgiveness, of emotional bravery. Be a warrior for love.”

- Cheryl Strayed

It's been warm here this week and all the plans of stews and roasted this and that don't sound right. I have a salad in our new book that is full of all my favorite green things, and this is similar. It looks gorgeous in all it's monochromatic colors while still having contrast of texture and flavor. The chickpeas are like a teeny crouton and with the snap of the seeds, this is almost closer to a slaw with all it's crunch. Anyway, it's nice to change up the routine I've been in of roasted squash and see spring around the corner.

GREENY SALAD WITH CRISPY CHICKPEAS + ROASTED JALAPENO // Serves 4

The smoky chickpeas adapted from The First Mess

This should yield enough dressing for a second salad. When I ate the leftovers of this, I added on some pom seeds and sheeps feta (my staples) and they work so well here. If you want a little color, sweetness and salty cheese, they're a welcomed addition.

/ smoky chickpeas /
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and towel dried
1/2 tsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. smoked paprika
few pinches of sea salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400'. On a parchment lined baking sheet, toss the chickpeas with the maple, oil, paprika and a few picnhes of salt and pepper. Spread in a single later and bake for 20 minutes until crispy. Set aside while you prepare the rest of your salad.

/ roasted jalapeno dressing /
1 roasted jalapeno*
1 Tbsp. chopped shallot
1/2 cup (a handful) roughly chopped cilantro
juice of one lime (about 1/4 cup)
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. agave nectar or honey
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Stem the jalapeno and remove all, half or none of the seeds depending on your spice preference (I used half and found it plenty spicy). Into a blender or food processor, combine the roasted jalapeno, shallot, cilantro, lime juice, white wine vinegar, agave, olive oil and salt. Blend until well combined.

* To roast the jalapeno, coat the outside in oil and roast at 400' for 20 minutes. This can be done while you're baking the chickpeas.

4 packed cups baby kale
2 cups shredded brussels sprouts
3 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 cup finely diced cucumber
1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 avocado, peeled and quartered

In a large salad bowl, combine the baby kale, shredded brussels, green onions, cucumber and half of the pumpkin seeds. Toss with desired amount of dressing and top with the remaining seeds, crispy chickpeas and avocado.

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