Greek Feast!

I made this Greek feast the other night and it was a big hit.  Bonus: eggplant and zucchini are in season right now!  Opa!

Eggplant stuffed with Lamb and Rice (serves 4)

1 onion, chopped
3/4 lb ground lamb
1 14 oz can of chicken broth
1 cup brown rice
2 eggplants
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon

1. Caramelize onion in an oven-proof pot with a little olive oil.  Add lamb.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook lamb until no longer pink.  Add broth and rice, bring to a simmer.  Move pot into a 400 degree oven, cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
2. Slice eggplants in half lengthwise.  Brush each cut side with a little olive oil. Place in baking pan, cut sides up, and roast for 40 minutes. Cool.
3. Scoop out the flesh from the eggplants and roughly chop. Add to a bowl with the mint and lemon zest.  Add lamb-rice mixture and stir to combine.
4. Divide the mixture amongst the eggplant skins (1 per person). Garnish with chopped mint.


Zucchini with feta and dill

1 medium sized zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 cup feta
2 Tbs fresh dill
3 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.  If you're afraid of raw zucchini, you won't be after trying this dish.  So simple, fresh, and easy.

Halibut with Avocado and Mango Salsa

This recipe screams "summer" to me.  Eating it outdoors on a gorgeous evening overlooking the Willamette doesn't hurt its association with the warmer months either.  Halibut is one of my favorite fish.  But, to be honest, I haven't met a fish I didn't like.
Bonus: You get heart healthy omega-3s from the avocado and EVOO, protein from the halibut, beta-carotene from the mango, and lycopene from the tomatoes. A nutritional powerhouse!

Halibut with mango-avocado salsa (serves 4)
1 avocado, diced
1 mango, diced
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
6 leaves of basil, chiffonad-ed (my made up verb)
Basil olive oil (or regular EVOO)
One lime, juiced.
1 tsp lime zest
2 lbs halibut

1. Place halibut in a glass baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, juice of 1/2 the lime, lime zest, and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Combine avocado, mango, tomatoes, basil, juice of 1/2 the lime, and 1Tbs olive oil.  Set aside.
3. Bake fish at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with a generous spoonful of salsa  on each filet.

The salsa on top of the flaky filet is amazing.  You get a little bit of sweet from the mango, creaminess from the avocado, acidity from the tomatoes and lime, and the herbaceous basil to round everything out.  Delicious!

Life update, and... peppers!

I realize i've been MIA for a while.  I've been so busy enjoying summer that i've neglected my little spot in cyberspace- my blog.  A few weeks ago, Zephyr and I took a little road trip down to California.  We stopped in Stockton to stay with a friend, then headed to Lake Tahoe.  Zephyr has been frequenting Tahoe since he was a baby (he says he's visited between 50-100 times!), and brought me there for the first time a few years ago.  I've been obsessed with the lake since, and we try to go back often. We had an amazing time kayaking in the crystal clear water, capsizing our kayak, and swimming to shore (embarrassing). We had a picture perfect dinner at the Loan Eagle Grill at Incline Village, where I devoured filet mignon with LOBSTER BÉARNAISE!!! Heaven.

After Tahoe we stopped in Chico, home to our alma mater, and I got to see some of my closest girlfriends from college, the beautiful Ana and Frances! We also visited our favorite brewery, Sierra Nevada.  That place never lets me down.

After returning from our trip, I received the unfortunate news that my grandma had passed away.  I just returned from the funeral in Washington DC yesterday.  It was a beautiful celebration of the joyous woman that she was.  My grandma was the epitome of a classy lady!  It was great to have all the family in one place, despite the sad occasion.

My grandma loved to cook.  I guess it skipped a generation, as my mom can barely work the stove (I still love you!), but I like to think I inherited my love for cooking from Grandma.
Speaking of cooking, I discovered a new addiction- padron peppers!  I found them at my farmers market and am obsessed with these little green gems. They're mild, but once in a while you get a really spicy one.  To cook them all you have to do is sautee them in a little olive oil until they start to blacken, and then sprinkle generously in sea salt and gobble them up.  I know, it sounds weird.  I wouldn't crave a green pepper or jalapeno prepared in this fashion, but trust me, this veggie's cult following is well deserved.

Stay tuned for summer recipes!