Argentina in Appalachia: Ramp Chimichurri Steak over Salad

This weekend at the farmers market, it was officially spring.  They were selling green things!!!! Officially trumpeting in the season were ramps.  It was pandemonium at the farmer's table, at 10 am I was three people deep trying to get some of these Appalachian "spring leeks." I wanted to make something not on the farmers suggestion board, and came up with a delicious and quick weeknight dinner.

Chimichurri Sauce with Ramps
1 bunch ramps
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil 
2 tbsps red wine vinegar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp sea salt
a generous pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Cold wash ramps. Slice off bottoms, chop and inch or so off the top.  Remove any slimy outer skins.  Cold wash again. (Obviously, wash your parsley and cilantro.)
2. Combine all ingredients in your food processor or blender.  If using an immersion blender, chop up ingredients and start with the wet ingredients and just a handful of the herbs.  Keep adding until herbs are gone.

Chimichurri Steak Salad
Steak, 1/2 lb - 1 lb of your choosing (Hint: a thin, chewy cut of meat will do just fine)
8 campari tomatoes, 20 cherry, or  25 grape tomatoes
1/4 vidalia onion, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
mixed greens
olive oil
red wine or unseasoned rice vinegar
salt
Chimichurri sauce (recipe above)

1. Set aside 1/2 - 1 cup of chimichurri sauce. Marinade the steak for six hours (or while you are at work) in the remaining sauce.
2. When ready to cook, take out reserved chimichurri and bring to room temperature. 
3. Brush tomatoes with olive oil and salt. Put under broiler until skin blisters.
4. Meanwhile, grill or cook steak in a skillet with a splash of olive oil.
5.  In a bowl, combine mixed greens, avocado, vidalia, and tomatoes.  Top with the steak, sliced.
6. Thin remaining chimichurri with a tablespoon or two of vinegar.  Pour atop steak and serve. Break the tomatoes to combine with chimichurri/steak juices to make a killer dressing for the greens while you eat!

A Succulent Re-Do

 future inspiration

My friend Annie had some ladies over for some terrarium making a couple of months ago.  It was delightful, we got our hands dirty and everyone walked away with a little green to brighten our dark Brooklyn apartments.

Unfortunately, I put a lid on my succulent terrarium. It just looked prettier that way, okay?  My little desert plants rotted away, one by one, with just a hint of moisture.  I recently opened the lid to see yellow round mold spores clumped on the soil.  YUCK.  So, I created a succulent arrangement to replace my terrarium, one I cannot put a lid on. I think I like it better.

 

How to make a succulent arrangements

(or, what I have learned along the way)

• Put a layer of small stones at the bottom of your container, about one inch.
• Line with a layer of charcoal, about a half inch.
• Combine cactus soil and perlite, at a ratio of about 50/50.  You may elect to use sand. Even  the store bought cactus soil can be too moist.
• Place your succulents as you'd like the arranged, bring soil over to bury the roots, keeping the roots fairly shallow. Press lightly.
• Spritz with water when completed.
• Let the soil dry out completely before watering.  Do not water often or the plants will rot.
• Place near a nice, bright window.
• Remove any rot immediately, as it will spread to the other plants.
• Resist the urge to cover it, no matter how cute.

The trouble with cilantro

My mother said to me yesterday, "Where did you learn to garden? I can't keep anything alive." I answered my mother that I didn't. I just keep trying, and every year I've gotten better.  Part of my success is due to my hideous self watering, well draining container.  It babys my herbs when I don't have time to do so myself.

This year I added cilantro to my miracle container. Then came the wind, and somehow the roots came to the surface. I reburied them.  It happened again.  I reburied them again.  Then I noticed the stems were tangled. So after some fruitless internet research, I untangled them. Now they are limply strewn about, leaning on my dill and slowly bringing it down.  (I still have no clue why the roots keep coming to the surface, but I'm just going to let that slide.)


 So, things to know before you grow cilantro:

• Cilantro is a cool weather plant, believe it or not. It bolts (flowers) really quickly when the weather warms up to 75, and you can no longer enjoy it's deliciousness. 
• Cut off the flower heads to extend the plant's life. This is not guaranteed to work, but I hear the flowers are edible and rather yummy.
• Alternatively, let the flower heads drop and pray for a second crop of the season.
• It prefers morning and late afternoon sun, even though it is technically a "full sun plant" because it is so sensitive to heat.
•  Cilantro does not transplant well.  (Oops.)  You are better off seeding directly in the container.
• It grows in clumps because its stems are weak. (Ah, whoops.)

Good Morning! Morning Glory Muffins

A week doesn't go by without me wishing two things: (1) It is summer, and I am on an ocean beach (2) I have in my possession a beautiful Morning Glory Muffin ready for snacking.  This recipe is a slight modification from the original Morning Glory Cafe in Nantucket as featured in Gourmet.

Morning Glory Muffins
1 apple, peeled and grated (trick: grate the apple as a whole, using the core as a handle)
2 cups carrots, coarsely grated (use a food processor or you will be grating all day)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked, sweetened coconut 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup sugar (use only 1 cup if using sweetened apple sauce)
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce (preferably unsweetened, adjust sugar if sweetened)
1 tsp vanilla



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin tins well.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.  Add the first five ingredients, and stir.
3.  Whisk remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, and then add to dry mixture.
4. Spoon into muffin tray and bake for thirty minutes or until the muffins are firm and spring back to touch. Take out of the oven and cool on wire racks. For best results, let sit several hours (24 ideally) before eating.

Sirens and Muses: Springtime

 

A pilfered spring sprig

Don't you sometimes need a little inspiration?

After graduating from college, life was great. I lived in my favorite neighborhood, frequently saw my friends and boyfriend, and was walking distance to everything I enjoyed.  I had a healthy lifestyle and my spirit was adventurous and inspired.  But... it wasn't going anywhere, and let's face it, I am an ambitious lass.  Twenty-five hit me with a loud smack in the face.

Now I'm in law school, and while I am almost 1/3 of the way to going somewhere in life, my "life" as I knew it was gone.  I often tell people I feel like Rapunzel, sitting in my turreted apartment building on the very edge of Brooklyn, waiting for my rescue.  (Reading ridiculous amounts of six point print and typing furiously as I wait.)  Delayed gratification can be a struggle.

Today I lunched with a friend who is pursuing the romantic entrepreneurial lifestyle I envy.  His stories reminded me that being inspired is a key element to enjoying life.  So, I now introduce Sirens and Muses, a series of posts: temptations and inspirations to prod us into creating, into getting all hands on deck.  Even when we don't have time to create, we can dream.

Spring Peas

I am ignoring the fact that I have not even touched my Contracts reading for later today in order to share a little bit of goodness with you.

Pea salad. I know what you are thinking, but hear me out. Sweet peas, herbs, feta... it can't get much better. I have not yet seen any peas at the farmers market, so I used frozen peas. However, the texture of fresh peas would be delightful. I paired this dish with lamb and potatoes on Easter, and it stole the show.

Amy's Pea Salad

Ingredients:
1 1 lb bag frozen, petite peas defrosted (Whole Food's own organic ones are excellent)
1/3 lb good feta Not cow's feta. Not salty American feta. Good feta. (I used Valbreso.) If you can't find good feta, use goat cheese. If you want something more subtle, I think this would be great with ricotta salata also.
1/2 cup of mint leaves, roughly chopped
2-4 scallions, sliced into rounds
1 bunch of radishes, sliced into rounds or cubed
1/2 long cucumber, or one whole short one, sliced into rounds or cubed
2 tbps extra virgin olive oil
2 tbps red wine vinegar

Directions: Get ready for it... combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss thoroughly and serve immediately at room temperature.  Voila! Low calorie, extremely healthy, and oh-so-springtime.