Ramps!

Ramps, that elusive spring vegetable that I can't ever seem to find in a store or at a farmer's market.  I guess I'm not quick enough since the window of opportunity on getting them is so brief.  But this year, I was hopeful that I could actually get my hands on some.  The town of Penninsula was having their first ever ramp festival, Ramp Up Penninsula, last weekend.  Not only was I confident that I was going to be able to purchase ramps, but that I'd also get to try some food from vendors who would be cooking with ramps.   Win win!

Yes, I did get to try some yummy food... like potato, bacon and ramp pierogi's from The Pierogi Lady, ramp focaccia bread from Sweet Mary's Bakery, and pumpkin rosemary ramp street pizza from Stray Dog Carts.

And I did get to buy some!   They were selling for $12.00 a pound, which I guess is not a bad price although it does seem kind of steep to me.  I got half a pound and then was faced with the decision what to use them in.  I decided to make a ramp Israeli couscous.  I do love my Israeli couscous.

I started out by washing the ramps thoroughly.  Like their cousin, the leek, they do get a lot of dirt in them and need to be cleaned pretty carefully and meticulously. 

Aren't they perty?  So fragrant, so fresh and so yummy!  The whites and the greens are both edible so after cleaning them, I chopped and then put them in a saute pan with some olive oil and salt/pepper.

The aroma while the ramps are cooking is absolute heaven!  It's a little bit like garlic, a little bit like leek and oh so heavenly.   I didn't cook them very long, just enough to soften them slightly.  And while they were cooking, I made the couscous.  Just follow the package, easy peasy.  Except I cook the couscous in chicken broth instead of water, for more flavor.

Once they are both done, combine and saute together for a few minutes just to meld the flavor of the ramps into the couscous.   

And serve.  Delish!  Oh wait, that was kind of Rachael Ray of me wasn't it?   Yumm-o!  Eh, that was too.  Well back to my own tag line it is... Buon Cibo mia Amici

Original Steaks and Hoagies... O.M.G

I've been to Philadelphia and I had some amazing food there.  Truly.  In fact, I have no qualms about saying that the roast pork and broccoli rabe sandwich from DiNic's in the Reading Terminal Market is by far the best sandwich I have ever had in my life.

But I also went to the famous Pat's for cheesesteak and thought it was just kind of meh.  Not bad mind you but I didn't think it lived up to the hype.  So when I started to hear about Twinsburg's Original Steaks and Hoagies, I just kind a shrugged and said, "yeah so?"  But the more I heard about it, the more intrigued I became.  And then I hear they do a version of the pork/rabe sandwich and that was that!  I had to go.   The first time I went, thinking the roast pork was that days special (they don't make it daily), they didn't have it.  I opted for an Italian hoagie:  Proscuitto, Genoa salami, capicola with sharp and mild provolone.  It was pretty damn stellar, especially with their special Bay Fries (fries seasoned with Old Bay).  Killer!

I don't find myself in Twinsburg all that often, but my vets office is practically right across the street from Original Steaks and Hoagies at 10735 Ravenna Road (330-998-6586) and my kitties had an appointment this past Saturday.  OK, I'm going! 

I arrived around 5:30 pm and was a little sad and a little surprised to find that there was practically no one there.  But I was there, so I ordered an original cheesesteak with onions, sweet peppers and Cheez Whiz.  Cheez Whiz isn't something I would normally consume but that is the traditional way to have a Philly Cheesesteak so I decided to give it a go.  And of course, Bay Fries.  While waiting for the sandwich, you could hear the cook in the back slamming away at the grill with his spatula, cutting up the meat.  You can actually watch him if you want.

And then it arrived at my table....

Just look at that for a minute.   You can get the small for $7.25 or the large (pictured here) for $8.50.  Do you even see a reason to ever order the small when it's only $1.25 more for the large?  I don't either.  And the first bite was heaven!  I couldn't believe how incredibly delicious the sandwich was.  And an absolute mess!  But who cares.  It was so good I couldn't believe that I actually got something else the last time I was there.   The meat is so full of flavor, the onions sweet and the sweet peppers are a nice burst when you hit one.  The traditional Amoroso roll is soft and absorbs all the meat juice.  And the Whiz, the Whiz melts into the meat so beautifully.  And the best part of ordering a large is getting a half to take home and have later or the next day.  Although it really took every ounce of willpower I had to not start snacking on it on the way home!

In addition to the sandwich, Bay Fries of course (although I have to admit, the sweet potato tots were a consideration).

These are some seriously good fries.  Crisp outside, fluffy inside and seasoned perfectly.  The serving is definitely generous too.

While eating the cook came out and asked how everything was, and I told him right then and there that this sandwich blew Pat's in Philly away.   Sorry my Philly friends, but it's true!   He said that was no the first time he's heard someone say that.  I'm not surprised. 

I asked about the roast pork sandwich and was told that it isn't ever a scheduled thing, just when the mood hits, so I got myself on an email mailing list to be informed of when they will make it.  I don't think they can top DiNic's but I'm willing to give it a try.  If it even comes close I'll be one happy girl!!

The owner, Billy from Philly, owned three Laspada's Original Steaks and Hoagies in the Philadelphia area, so he knows his stuff!  The shop features other Philly specialties as well, like Herr's chips and Tastycakes for dessert.  It's so worth to go give them a try.  As for me, I think I may find myself in Twinsburg a little more often :)

Sweet Basil

I had heard good things about Sweet Basil Pizza in Westlake, OH here and there.  Billing itself as Neopolitan style pizza, I've been wanting to give it a try since I don't think I'll be heading to Naples any time soon, much to my dismay.  So I asked my friend and occasional partner in food crime, Tom over at Exploring Food My Way, if he wanted to give it a try with me.  He did, so we did :)

Sweet Basil Pizza is located at 26235 Center Ridge Rd., Westlake, OH.  It's not exactly around the corner from where I live, but a good pizza should be worth the trip.  When we walked in we were immediately drawn to the specials board... one in particular really, the goat cheese, roasted red pepper sauce and spinach pizza.  Hmmm.... we'll keep that in mind.  The decor is minimal but you can see the dough being hand tossed from any seat in the place.  That was pretty cool.  Oh hell, the fact that it's an actual pizzeria, one where you can go in and sit down, order, have a drink and enjoy your pizza there was pretty fantastic.   It seems that the art of the pizzeria is dying in favor of take out.  Everyone is always in such a damn hurry anymore.  I loved that we could just go in and enjoy the atmosphere, talk (because it wasn't too loud even though the music choices left much to be desired in my opinion!) and enjoy dinner. 

We decided to order two 12 inch pizzas, the goat cheese one we were eying earlier and the meat lovers (sausage, ground sirloin, bacon and pepperoni).  But first we wanted to try the bread sticks and I am SO glad we did!

They were delish and piping hot from the oven.  Four bread sticks were perfect for the two of us and we pretty much devoured them in no time flat.  In fact, I am shocked we even got a photo!   They were definitely garlicky, but in my world that is not a bad thing (sorry Mom).  The marinara that was served with them was also pretty tasty and I usually skip it.  It was chunky and complimented the bread well.  I honestly could have made a meal out of these chewy, yummy breadsticks.

And then it was time for the pizza.   It is thin to win and does not take long to bake so it doesn't take long for it to arrive, and bubbly hot from the oven.  Let's start with the goat....

The sauce is good and again, garlicky.  In fact, maybe they should change then name from Sweet Basil to Aromatic Garlic.  They were not shy with it and that is not a complaint.  I very much enjoy garlic in large (but edible) quantities.  I'm not exactly sure what the spice was in this pizza, perhaps red pepper flakes in the sauce, but it wasn't too hot.  It was just a nice bit of spice.  I loved the crust.  Thin to win with just the right amount of crunch and the right amount of chew. 

Next up is the Meat Lovers...

 

Looks yummy doesn't it?  Well it was!  It was.  The meats were all thinly sliced and crisped up nicely.  The sauce was nice.  There wasn't a lot of cheese, but that didn't matter with all that tasty meat on it.  You can't get much better than crispy pepperoni and crispy bacon.  

All in all, I think Sweet Basil was definitely worth the drive and I would definitely go again.  Who's in?

Pesto is the Quiche of the '80s

Last week when I received my bi-weekly farm share I was thrilled to see a big bag of basil.  Now, I grow my own basil but for whatever reason, no matter what variety I buy, I don't get those big luxurious pesto making leaves.  I get a lot of small leaves, tons in fact, but not those big succulent leaves that I really equate with pesto.  So when I saw that bag pesto was the only thing I had in my mind for it.

First step, wash it. 

Isn't it gorgeous?  It's washed, spun and then stems removed and then it doesn't really look like as much as I thought it was going to be.  So I went out and picked some of mine to add to it, and also in this weeks basket I also got some sage so I put that in.  Hey why not huh?  

So into the food processor it goes.  And to it I added four big cloves of garlic (also in the basket).  I didn't have any pine nuts so I added almonds, which I did have (about a handful)

And then set the thing a whirrin!  Once all the ingredients are chopped nicely I began to drizzle in the olive oil with the processor running.  I would say all in all, about three quarters to one cup of extra virgin olive oil was used.

In total, I got about a cup of pesto.  Maybe a little more. You're probably wondering where the Parmesan is.  Well, I forgot it!   I totally forgot to put it in so when it was done I stirred some in. 

Now, what do with this pesto now that it's made?   Of course you can also make pasta.

But I have also used it on grilled chicken...

And I even put some in the calzone I made (broccoli rabe, sausage, leeks and provolone with a little pesto mixed it)

 

Manga!

Patience and Caramelized Onions

Patience is definitely not one of those qualities that I possess.  I'm kind of a "want it when I want it" kind of gal.  So I guess it would come as no surprise that I have never been able to make caramelized onions.  Not that it's difficult, it's just one of those things that takes time and patience to make.  I've told myself several times, "OK, this time I'm going to make them and do them right!" and I end up with crispy grilled onions instead. 

But this time... this time I really REALLY told myself I would make them and make them right.  I had the time, and I really wanted to see if I could do it.  So I started with a heavy bottomed stainless steel pan and some Vidalia onions.  I used three small to medium onions and about 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil. 

They did kind of crowd the pan but I wasn't worried.  I know they cook down a ton so I just let it go.  I had the heat on high just to get the oil going then turned it way back to medium low.  I stirred the onions around to make sure all of them had some a little coating of oil  Once the onions started to soften a little, I added a bit of salt.  And then I pretty much let them go.  I came back to stir them once in awhile but for the most part I didn't do much except watch.

After 20 minutes... (and now the heat on low)

After 35 minutes.... (and at this point the aroma is amazing!)

 

After 45 minutes....

 

And at this point I turned off the heat completely and took them out of the pan.  You can see how much they have shrunk down.  They smelled so good I think I could have just eaten them with a spoon and been happy!  

But alas, I had some DiRusso's turkey Italian sausage ready for sammies.  Don't scoff at my turkey sausage!   If you haven't tried it, you don't know how good it really is and when you're watching your calories and still want those flavors, yeah it works for me.

Sausage, caramelized onions and some quick sauteed spinach.  It was delish.  And now I know, I can make caramelized onions!  Here's my tips if you have found yourself having a hard time with caramelized onions too.... use a stainless steel pan, not a non stick.  Low low low heat is your friend.  I may have gone to the extreme of low, but I'd rather do the low and slow thing than the fast and burnt thing.  Don't forget the bit of salt.  And if the pan is getting too dry, add more oil.  

Enjoy the yumminess!

Down on the Farm

This year, for the first time in my life, I've gotten a farm share.  If you don't know what that is, its where you pay a certain amount of money up front and, depending on how much you pay, you get a share of the crops from the farm.  My friend Lynn and I split the share and we get it every other week.  We got our first one this past Friday.

Isn't it gorgeous?  What we have here is spinach, kale, red leaf lettuce, cilantro, dill, scallions, spring mix, another red lettuce that I don't know the name of, pea shoots and garlic scapes.  Oh seriously, this stuff is gorgeous!  And I will be getting something every other week until November 8!  The possibilities are so exciting.

So what did I make first?  Well a salad of course, with the beautiful red lettuces.

I dress my salads simply... extra virgin olive oil (one half cup), balsamic vinegar (one quarter cup) and honey (2 Tablespoons).  I didn't use to add honey, but one day I decided to try it out and loved it so much I always do it now.

The second thing I made was Israeli couscous with sauteed pea shoots and garlic scapes.  I have come to really love Israeli couscous.  My go to small pasta had always been orzo.  And I do still love it, but there is something about the Israeli couscous I simply adore.  It may be the texture I love so much.  It has great texture.   The one I use is Bob's Red Mill Tricolor Pearl Couscous.  And if you live in Northeast Ohio, you can get this very product at Marc's for $2, which is much cheaper than you will find anywhere else.

I started out with the gorgeous garlic scapes and pea shoots, two products I have never used before in my life, but was so excited to try out.

Everything on the pea shoots are edible, the stems, the leaves, the little peapods and even the flowers so all I did with these was peel the leaves off the harder bottom stems then chop up the rest.  I then sauteed them for a short amount of time, it did not take long for them to wilt, and then added the chopped garlic scapes afterward because I didn't want them to cook too much.  Then added a little salt and pepper.

There is really not as much oil in the pan as it looks here, oh wait... I added a little chicken broth.  That's why the pan looks like it's drowning the veg!   I added the broth just to slow down the cooking process because the couscous wasn't quite done.

After it was done, I added it to the pan with the shoots and scapes.  And gave it a good toss (and a little more salt and pepper). 

I served it with roasted chicken breasts with lime and ginger.  To make that I simple put two large chicken breasts in a baking dish, squeezed the juice of one lime over the top of the chicken, then sprinkled with salt and pepper and then grated some ginger over the top (probably about a little less than a teaspoon on each piece).  Bake uncovered for about 45-55 minutes depending on how thick the chicken is, at 350.  The meat was juicy and succulent while the skin was crispy perfection.   Simple, easy and tons of flavor!

Manga!

Graeter's Ice Cream - O.M.G.

Graeter's Ice Cream has always been one of those elusive ice creams you hear about but never really buy.  Not because of any other reason than it wasn't readily available in the area.  You had to go to specialty stores or be in Cincinnati, where it's made.  But alas my Cucina loving pals, Graeter's Ice Cream is now available at Giant Eagle stores! 

The  five generation family-owned business since 1870, has pioneered the French Pot process of making only 2 gallons of ice cream at a time with all natural ingredients and it shows.  I have been lucky enough to taste the insanely delicious black raspberry chip as well as the super rich chocolate chocolate chip, vanilla chip and mint chip.  All are so dreamy and wonderful, but for me, being the chocoholic that I am, it's chocolate chocolate chip all the way (with a little bit of black raspberry chip mixed in for good measure).  The chocolate chips used are the best I have ever tasted.  They are more like shards in different sizes and shapes and quite frankly some of them are huge!   Good news for me!   The more chocolate the better. 

It's important to support smaller companies and Graeter's qualifies... and the fact that it's an Ohio based company is something that appeals to me too.  It doesn't hurt that it's freakin amazing ice cream.  Next time you're in Giant Eagle, check it out.  I know you will not be disappointed.