Gochujang Veggies with Midnight Grains & Kimchi Mayo

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Dice the sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Trim and quarter the radishes. Cut the scallions into 1 inch pieces. Peel and mince the ginger and garlic. Halve the lime(s), juice one half (1 lime), and cut the other half (1 lime) into wedges. Roughly chop the ikmchi

Cook the midnight grains--Add the midnight grains, minced ginger, minced garlic, 1 cup water, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and grains are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside, covered, to steam.

Roast the vegetables--Place the diced sweet potatoes, quartered radishes, and sliced scallions on a baking sheet. Toss with gochujang and sesame oil. Roast until sweet potatoes are fork-tender and browned, 15 to 18 minutes.

Prepare kimchi Mayo--Add the chopped kimchi, Vegenaise, and lime juice in a small bowl. Stir until combined.

Fry one egg in a cast iron skillet.

Serve--Divide the cooked midnight grains between plates. Top with gochujang roasted vegetables and dollop with kimchi mayo. Serve with a fried egg on top and lime wedges. Enjoy!

Quickle

Lemon Polenta Cake

1 3/4 sticks of butter
3 lemons juiced and zested
2 cups Almond meal ground
3/4 cups polenta/cornmeal
4 eggs
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup Sugar

1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Oven at 350
Butter and sugar together
Add eggs
Mix dry ingredients in
Then add lemon zest as the last step

I also let the batter sit for about 20-30 mins before putting in the oven. I think it helps the hard polenta soak up the liquids/fat before the baking begins and makes it an overall softer cake. Also seems to let the lemon zest oils get into the batter more.

After baking-
Make a syrup with the lemon juice from the 3 lemons and powdered sugar in a pan, so just melt the sugar for a few moments until liquid- stays liquidy

Pour this syrup over the top of the hot cake when it comes out and let cool. This brightens things up.

You can make this in a round breakaway pan or a ceramic dish.

check it with a toothpick to see when it’s done about 40 minutes

Kale Salad with roasted sweet potatoes

This salad is ideal for making ahead for company (or tomorrow's lunch). The sweet potatoes can easily be traded out with the seasons for things like fresh apricots or squash.

Ingredients

• 2 medium unpeeled, cubed sweet potato
  
• Extra-virgin olive oil
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• 1bunch kale (preferably lacinato or dinosaur kale), ribs removed and finely sliced, about 2 1/2 cups
  
• 1/4cup almonds, cut roughly in half
  
• 1/4cup feta
  
• 1 apple (I prefer envy) cut into small pieces
• Fresh lemon juice
• Directions
• 1. Heat oven to 425° F. Toss sweet potato cubes in just enough olive oil to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet (lined with parchment for easier cleanup), leaving space between the cubes. Roast in the oven until tender and caramelized, about 40 minutes, tossing with a spatula every 10-15 minutes. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet in the same oven until they start to smell nutty, tossing once, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
  2. In your bowl, toss the kale with the almonds, feta, sweet potatoes and apples. Season to taste with lemon juice and olive oil (approximately 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Divide salad between two plates or eat straight from the bowl! 

Carrot Soup

This is my go to soup when I want something cozy and unbelievably delicious. It's easy and even better the next day. Pair it with a whole wheat sourdough and you are done!

The Wooden Palate, Editor's Pick in PALM SPRINGS LIFE: MODERNISM ISSUE

Food For Thought: My favorite Salad

This is my favorite salad ever. We even made it for our wedding in a giant bowl..It's filling, flavorful and fun. You can add more or less of any ingredient. 

Arugula Salad with Sweet Potatoes, Apple, Pomegranates and Walnuts

• 1 large sweet potato (Korean if you can find. They have red skin and white flesh and are just divine)
• drizzle olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4-5 cups Arugula
• 6-8 leaves Basil, ribboned
• 1/2 of an apple cut into small pieces (Envy or Pink Lady)
• handful of pomegranate seeds
• handful of walnuts
• sprinkle of feta
• Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, Cut sweet potato in 1/2" pieces pretty consistent in size. On a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper toss sweet potato pieces with drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until soft, about 30 minutes. Take off the pan and let cool while you prepare the rest of the salad. You can make sweet potatoes a day ahead of time as well.

In your favorite salad bowl..like our Perfetto... Add Arugula, basil ribbons, apple pieces, pomegranate seeds and sweet potatoes. Toss with lemon mustard vinaigrette and salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle the top with walnuts and feta. Delish!

Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

• 1 small shallot, chopped
• ¾ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 Purée shallot, oil, lemon juice, mustard, and honey in a blender until smooth; season with salt and a generous amount of pepper.

Food for thought: Chocolate Ginger Hazelnut Biscotti

I am having a hard time finding a good biscotti in this town. Mostly they are almond, a bit boring and not even crunchy! Seeming only once baked and not the requisite twice baked cookie, hence "biscotti". I used to make them all the time when I lived in Seattle, but got out of the habit of baking here in LA because it's always so hot. Baking is more enjoyable to me when it's cold and or rainy...or possibly that's when I'm craving the comfort of baking. It has been both of those things here a lot lately so I broke out my old recipes and gave them some upgrades. 

This recipe is fantastic and easy and can be changed to add cranberries or apricots or just nuts, don't like chocolate, take out the cocoa powder! Biscotti also keep well for weeks, getting better by the day. 

Chocolate Ginger Hazelnut Biscotti

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 Tbl melted butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups floor

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts

1/2 cup chopped candied ginger

Preheat oven to 400. Toast nuts until browned, about 8 minutes, then remove bitter skins by rolling them in a towel.

In a food processor, combine sugars, extract, butter and eggs, process until combined. Add dry ingredients, process until combined, add nuts and ginger and process a couple times to mix them in.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll into two logs about 10" long. Pat the logs to 2 1/2" wide. Place a couple inches apart on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake 20 minutes until firm and browned. Remove from oven, reduce heat to 325. While still warm cut logs diagonally, lay cut sides down on sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes more until dry. Cool on wire racks and enjoy!

Pressed: Michael S. Smith, designer for the Obamas, picks Mod Bowl as favorite

Michael S. Smith, designer for the Obama's picks our Mod Bowl as a favorite on the Goop site. 

Read the whole story here.

Food for Thought: Scones on a rainy day

Sunday was cold and rainy and a perfect day for making my favorite scones. These are so tasty and easy to make, you could easily swap out the dried apricots for cranberries or dates or raisins. Have fun and Enjoy! Shown here on our beautiful abstract board with pepin french rolling pin.

Apricot Ginger Scones

• 2 cups flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ Tbs baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cardamom
• ¼ cup butter, cold, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
• ¼ cup chopped candied ginger
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup apricot nectar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, cut in butter with a pastry blender, or two forks, or your fingers! Until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the apricots and ginger and toss well, making sure each piece is well coated in flour and not clumped up with other apricot pieces. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine buttermilk, apricot nectar and egg; add to the well and mix with dry ingredients, until dry ingredients are moistened (dough will be sticky). Add a sprinkle of flour and knead 4-5 times while still in the bowl. Take out of the bowl, pat into a 9” circle on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut dough into 8 wedges. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until golden.