blue

hi all, we wanted to tell you how blue we are that we haven't posted in a while, but it's all for good reason!! we recently decided that after a year and a half, we needed a blog change, an update. new york can make you rethink everything... it just happens to coincide with changes in our professional life as well. we are excited to report that we are both now represented by big leo productions, happy to be part of mary, mason and willie's amazing team!! we are currently working on updating portfolios, websites, new promos, our blog and everything in between. we are looking forward to sharing new work, new ideas, new loves, new recipes and new blog posts with you. we recently worked on a job for a cheese company overseas and we still have enough cheese in our fridge to open a cheese shop. check out this new promo we put together featuring just a taste of the masses of cheese! we have had our fill with all the different things you can do with blue, but this english stilton makes a wonderful blue cheese dressing that is so simple and we can't get enough of. it's great on an iceberg wedge with crumbled bacon and slices of heirloom tomatoes or as a dip for celery and carrot sticks!

Blue Cheese Dressing

makes 1 1/2 cups

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup greek yogurt

1 cup blue cheese, crumbled plus 2 tbs

fresh cracked black pepper

in a blender, combine buttermilk, yogurt, 1 cup blue cheese crumbles and black pepper. blend until smooth. stir in remaining 2 tablespoons crumbled cheese and serve. can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

northern spy

we've probably mentioned Northern Spy Food Co. a few times since moving to new york - it's a cozy spot in the east village focusing on sustainable, local, snout-to-tail cuisine, putting out creative dishes in a beautiful space and we love it! this kale salad is a favorite of ours and has gotten a lot of attention from food websites such as tasting table, who published the recipe a few months ago. just in case you haven't tasted it or seen it yet, we wanted to share this simple tasty recipe. getting ready for urban family Easter this weekend - the menu planning has begun and we'll be sure to take lots of pictures and share recipes. what will you be cooking?

Kale Salad

serves 2

2 1/2 cups shredded kale, preferably Tuscan

1/4 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup crumbled aged cheddar

1/2 cup cubed roasted kabocha or butternut squash

juice of 1 lemon

extra virgin olive oil

pecorino, optional garnish

in a large mixing bowl, toss the kale with almonds, cheddar and squash. season to taste with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper. divide salad between two serving plates and garnish with shaved pecorino cheese if desired. enjoy!

side salad

we had a fun week/weekend entertaining the in-laws and are still recovering from all the food and wine we managed to consume in a short amount of time. despite the snowy weather we had some great dinners here and here. we decided to cook at home one cozy night and this side dish was the perfect addition to grilled lamb chops, garlic bread, spinach salad and roasted asparagus. it's a very easy bean salad from this awesome cookbook. hope you enjoy it as much as we did! off to see if this has opened yet and very excited for this show tonight!

White Bean Salad

serves 6-8

1 tbs minced shallot

1 tsp dijon mustard

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp worcestershire sauce

2 1/2 tbs red wine vinegar

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup olive oil

3 15-oz cans cannellini beans, drained

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped dill, mint or basil

3 green onions, chopped

combine shallot, mustard, salt, pepper, worcestershire, vinegar, lemon juice and oil in a small bowl and whisk to combine. in a large bowl, toss beans, onion, herbs and green onion with vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste. serve immediately or refrigerate.

fall starter

here's a quick salad that you can throw together to impress dinner guests that is much more sophisticated tasting than it is difficult to make. the combination of sweet pears and maple syrup is offset by salty gorgonzola cheese and smokey bacon - yum! try it with different combinations of cheese, nuts and firm fruit for an ever changing fall starter. is anyone else getting excited for Thanksgiving next week? we have friends coming from santa barbara and boston and can't wait to start cooking - it's definitely the best food holiday of the year.

Fall Pear Salad

serves 2

2 ripe firm pears, such as bosc or anjou

1 green onion, sliced

3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tbs maple syrup

3 tbs hazelnut oil

approx. 1/4 cup olive oil

fresh cracked black pepper

core pear with an apple corer, trying to keep pear whole. slice into 1/8-inch thick rounds and combine in a bowl with green onion, bacon, cheese and hazelnuts. in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, maple syrup and hazelnut oil. slowly whisk in olive oil, taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. toss salad with dressing, plate and garnish with pepper. enjoy!

hippie salad

today we are taking a healthy turn with a little hippie salad. quinoa has been gaining popularity and is a very beneficial grain but can sometimes be a little boring. in this easy salad we've added tons of flavor and fresh summer vegetables to liven things up. we rarely call for store bought products in our recipes but this salad utilizes trader joe's roasted garlic hummus to create a quick "dressing" - feel free to make your own hummus if you're feeling adventurous! and throw in whatever summer veggies and herbs you happen to have on hand. enjoy!

Quinoa & Carrot Salad

3/4 cup cooked quinoa

2 carrots, peeled and made into ribbons

2 medium heirloom tomatoes, cut into chunks

1 ripe avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

3 tbs roasted garlic hummus

3 tbs fresh basil, chopped

1 tbs olive oil

1 lime, juiced

salt & pepper to taste

in a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well to coat evenly.

happy mother's day

our second post for mother's day comes from the same amazing woman who gave us mom's famous chili recipe. my mom is a wonderful cook and always let me help in the kitchen growing up - i think i owe a lot, if not all, of my passion for food to my grandmas and mom. growing up in arizona, there were plenty of hot summer days that my mom didn't feel like turning on the oven or cooking at the stove. this salad is part of a vivid memory of dinner on those 115 degree days, right out of the pool, sitting at the kitchen table with my mom and dad in the cold air conditioning. the original recipe is from this classic cookbook but my mom put a few of her own improvements on it. it's refreshing, crunchy and wonderful! enjoy & happy mother's day on sunday to all those great woman out there.

Chicken Chow Mein Salad

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tbs lemon juice

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp grated ginger

2 cups bean sprouts

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1 5oz can chow mein noodles

1/4 cup green onions, sliced

1/4 cup red bell pepper, sliced

1/4 cup snow peas, sliced

in a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice, soy sauce and ginger. refrigerate until ready to dress. in a large bowl, combine bean sprouts, chicken, noodles, green onion, bell pepper and snow peas. toss with dressing to combine and serve immediately.

spring salad

here's a fresh, hearty side dish that we served along side the pineapple glazed ham at urban family easter this year. wheat berries are a fairly new grain to us but we just love the nutty taste and find them very similar to farro. the addition of tender young asparagus, fresh pea shoots and chopped mint screams spring and is a testament to the beautiful greens at farmer's market this month. we used this pesto recipe from a past post but decided to replace the parsley with basil for a more traditional flavor. enjoy!

Spring Wheat Berry Salad with Spinach Pesto

serves 8

2 cups wheat berries

2 leeks, white & light green parts only, thinly sliced and washed

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces & blanched

1 cup chopped pea shoots

1/4 cup chopped mint

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup spinach pesto (see recipe here)

2-4 tbs olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

3 oz crumbled goat cheese

in a large pot, combine wheat berries with 4 cups water and bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer and cook until tender but left with a little chewiness, about 1 hour. drain well and set aside. meanwhile, heat 1 tbs olive oil in a saute pan and saute leeks until translucent and softened, about 8 minutes. in a large bowl, combine wheat berries with leeks, asparagus, pea shoots, mint, lemon juice and pesto and toss to coat. add extra olive to loosen the pesto if it is too thick and season with salt and pepper to taste. serve at room temperature and garnish with crumbled goat cheese.

miso

we love a simple delicious salad for lunch or dinner - this one combines warm flaky salmon with fresh baby lettuces and a salty sweet asian dressing. the marinade and dressing are a great way to use up some of the white miso paste we mentioned last week! the baby romaine, baby red leaf and other fresh picked lettuce at farmer's market right now is so adorable! if you don't care for salmon, try this recipe with chicken or a nice white fish like halibut instead. enjoy!

Salmon Salad with Miso Dressing

serves 4

1/3 cup mirin

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tbs fresh grated ginger

2 tbs white miso paste

2 tsp sugar

juice 1/2 lemon

1 lb salmon filet, skin on

3 large handfuls of assorted lettuces, like baby romaine & baby spinach, washed & torn

1/2 cup pea shoots, chopped

1/2 cup sugar snap peas, sliced on the diagonal

3 green onions, sliced

4 radishes, thinly sliced on mandolin

in a small bowl, combine mirin, soy sauce, ginger, miso, sugar and lemon juice and stir. place salmon in a large ziplock bag and cover with marinade. refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. heat a large oven-safe non-stick skillet over medium high heat. sear salmon, top side first for about 3-4 minutes per side, until nicely browned and crisp. transfer pan to oven and bake until just pink in the center, about 6 minutes depending on thickness of fish. set aside.

gently toss torn lettuces, pea shoots, snap peas, green onions and radishes together and divide between 4 shallow bowls or plates. break up salmon into chunks and divide between plates. drizzle with dressing and fresh ground pepper.

Miso Dressing

1/4 cup white miso paste

1 tbs low sodium soy sauce

1 tbs rice wine vinegar

1 tbs mirin

2 tbs sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tbs olive oil

in a small bowl, combine miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, sugar and lemon juice with 2 tbs hot water and stir to dissolve sugar. slowly whisk in olive oil and set aside.

fast food

all of the sudden the mint growing in a box on our patio is looking extra green and healthy. i never think of using mint in savory dishes and tend to just make a big batch of mojitos when i have too much. this is a quick and easy recipe that's actually healthy and makes use of a little mint too! if you can't find sumac in the spice section of your local market, you can always order it from penzy but definitely don't leave it out! one of my first encounters with this spice was when i styled this recipe for a bon appetit shoot. it adds a wonderful fresh lemony flavor to many middle eastern dishes and is definitely worth adding to your spice collection.

Couscous with Minted Yogurt

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1 lemon, juiced

2 tbs mint, chopped plus leaves for garnish

1 cup whole wheat couscous

3 carrots, peeled & chopped

1 large zucchini, chopped

15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed

1 tsp sumac

2 tbs olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

in a small bowl, combine yogurt, 1 tbs lemon juice and chopped mint. mix well and set aside. bring 1 cup water to a boil with a pinch of salt. remove from heat and add couscous. stir well, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. meanwhile, steam carrots and zucchini until tender. uncover couscous and fluff with a fork. in a mixing bowl, combine couscous with steamed vegetables, beans, sumac, olive oil, 1 tbs lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste. serve with minted yogurt and garnish with a few mint leaves. enjoy!

winter salad

in an effort for a healthier 2009, i've been trying to come up with interesting and delicious salads for lunch every afternoon. we had this yesterday and it's one of my favorites so far. it's a nice combination of wintery flavors, creamy dressing, and uses the easiest cold weather cooking method - roasting! i also just found the most beautiful wild arugula at trader joes which was very exciting. see, eating healthier isn't as bad as it sounds.

Winter Roasted Salad

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cut into 1-inch chunks

1 red onion, cut into chunks

3 tbs olive oil

salt & pepper

1/4 cup walnuts

2 tbs goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 clove garlic, minced

pinch of ground cumin

3 cups wild arugula

1 small pink lady apple, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

preheat oven to 425 degrees F. toss squash and onions with olive oil, salt and pepper on a large sheet pan. roast until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. add walnuts and toss. return to the oven for 5-8 minutes. in a small bowl, whisk together goat cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and cumin. season to taste with salt & pepper. lightly toss arugula with olive oil and place on a plate or shallow bowl. top with apple, roasted vegetables and drizzle with dressing. enjoy! 

farewell to summer

i have subjected my friends to different versions of corn salad all summer and i apologize that it took me so long to come up with this version - it is by far my favorite! although corn has almost disappeared from farmer's market, the tomatoes are looking more beautiful than ever and i still have many ripening on my patio. we actually have rain in the forecast for tomorrow so i consider this my farewell to summer salad. Enjoy!

Creamy Corn Salad

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 medium heirloom tomatoes, cut into chunks

1/2 ripe avocado, diced

2 ears corn, blanched and cut off the cob

1 cup garbanzo beans

juice of 1/2 lime

2-3 tbs olive oil

1 tbs white balsamic vinegar

1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled

salt & pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl. Stir well to combine and to distribute the avocado and goat cheese into a creamy coating for the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at room temperature.