Lavender pork fillet

Spring is here and so is fresh, tender arugula...a great pairing to many proteins.

To me, when it comes to mea, nothing scream "SPRIIING" like this little pork number...

Sorry...this time I couldn't wait....

Very easy: Place equal amounts of lavender seeds and sea salt in a mortar and grind.
Use the "lavender salt" to rub your room temperature pork fillet ( I like to use the points, or tips, called solomillo in Spanish ).
Heat a skillet, preferibly cast iron, and drizzle with just a few drops of vegetable oil.
When it's HOT, sear the meat on every side and finish in the oven till pale pink ( 145° ) if you " dare" or 165° if you like to "play it safe".
Even faster: sliice the pork in one inch thick medallions and skip the oven part...
As the meat is ready, slice it in medallions and place it over a bed of tender spring arugula and drizzle with the very best olive oil you can put your hands on..  ; )
Same more sea salt and perhaps a tiny squeeze of lemon and I¿you'll thank me.
Another great side for this would be a pretty clean and simple cauliflower puree ( you'll find it somewhere in the blog, looking for the label...).
The wine...I'd say a lighter, crispier red or white like a good Traminer would cut it really really well....
Cheers!

Just a little note on the temp: Trichinosis is today pretty much absent from US and Canada pork.
More info here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichinosis

Pasta with olive oil poached yellowtail, potatoes, garlic and arugula

OK.. this was lunch today...an experiment inspired by my garden.

While waiting for the pasta water to boil, I cubed a nice piece of yellow tail loin and placed it in a pan with a load of evoo, lots of garlic slivers, a touch of hot peppers and a good pinch of coarsely cracked black pepper and poached it on very low heat.

Poaching the cubes of yellowtail a side at the time

Once the fish was almost done I added a diced boiled potatoe

cooked the thing a while longer, till the fish got just a hint of color and then added the pasta

I don't think I have to tell you how to cook pasta, don't I?

Once  pasta, potatoe, fish, garlic and oil got to know each other and started to get along, I added a bunch of fresh, tender arugula from the garden, tossed it all together again

and served it with a few mustard sprouts thrown in there, more as a second thought than to give it more flavour.

Got to admit it was good...not over the top, but a good, light pasta dish after all.

Try it and let me know.

Buon appetito

Peaches, arugula, goat's cheese and pumpkin seeds salad

Here's a fresh salad and rich salad from sunny Baja:

You'll need to toast a handful of pumpkin seeds (pepitas, in Spanish) in a dry skillet, over medium heat. You'll know when they're ready because they´ll start popping and flying all over the stove top     :  )        

Prepare the dressing by mixing 1 measure of honey, 2 measures of olive oil, 1 measure of your choice of vinegar - I like sherry for this one,  some finely minced shallot, a touch of Dijon mustard  and season with S&P .

In a bowl toss the arugula and the wedges of peach with the dressing; arrange casually on a plate and top with soft goat's cheese, like Montrachet , and a sprinkle of chopped and whole pumpkin seeds.

Pronto!  Enjoy.                                                                      

Heirloom tomato and onion salad with Parmigiano & herbs granola

This little salad is a jewel.

Making the "granola" is worth the extra time since it's very good, distinctive and keeps very well.

Let's start with the granola then.

In a large bowl mix 3 measures unsweetened puffed rice (I make my own, but that will be the subject of a future post),1/2 measure pumpkin seeds, 1/2 measure sunflower seeds, chopped bacon, pancetta or prosciutto, fresh thyme and a little rosemary, a good sprinkle of Parmigiano, S&P and a big splash of good olive oil.

Mix everything well, spread on a baking sheet, just like making regular granola and bake in a medium hot oven, stirring a couple of times , until nicely golden.

The salad is basic: arrange a bed of arugula, mizuna or other greens you like; on top lay wedges of different varieties of heirloom tomatoes and on  top of this thinly sliced purple onion tossed with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, S&P, some fennel seeds if you have it or cumin seeds.

That's it, simple as that!  A great side for a BBQ'd steak or fish.

Buon appetito.