Brûléed Grapefruit with Flowering Rosemary

There's not many things in life quite as satisfying as cracking into the top of a crème brûlée. That is, until you meet a brûléed grapefruit and then you're like DANNNNNNG. For a little twist, I infused the sugar with fresh rosemary harvested from the backyard and garnished with rosemary flowers. I experimented with little mandarins as well and it was equally delicious! 

INGREDIENTS

1 Grapefruit
2 T White sugar
1 Sprig of flowering rosemary

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut grapefruit in two and trim bottoms so the grapefruit halves don't wobble. I also like to cut out each section so they're easy to get out. 

2. Carefully place cut side down of a paper towel for 5 minutes to dry out a little bit. This helps with the brûlée'ing.

3. Remove flowers from rosemary and set aside. With a mortar and pestle, smash the rosemary sprig into the 2 Tablespoons of sugar for several minutes. Then, pour the rosemary-sugar through a sieve. Save sugar, toss rosemary.

4. Sprinkle sugar evenly on both grapefruit halves and, with a kitchen torch, quickly brûlée each grapefruit until golden brown. I found I got the best results if I brûléed the sugar before it got too wet with juice. Let cool slightly and top with rosemary flowers.

Serves 2. 

Guava Cantaloupe Love Bowl

It's almost Valentine's Day and I'm feeling all the love with this delicious smoothie bowl made with all the things that make my heart go BOOM! For starters, one of my favorite tropical fruits — guava. Last Thursday, I bought a guava at the farmers' market and it's been ripening on my counter these last few days making the whole kitchen smell incredible. I decided to treat myself to all its goodness today along with frozen cantaloupe, banana, raspberries and a confetti party of toppings. As much as Valentine's Day is about saying I love you to all your nearest & dearest, it's also a wonderful time to say I love you to yourself and your body with healthy, loving food. I've been reading Rupi Kaur's beautiful collection of poems the sun and her flowers and this one perfectly captures this sentiment:

look down at your body
whisper
there is no home like you

- thank you

 Happy Valentine's Day, lovelies! 

xx

INGREDIENTS

1 T coconut oil
1 T buckwheat grouts
1 guava, peeled, chopped and frozen
1 banana, 2/3s chopped and frozen, 1/3 sliced fresh for garnish
1/2 cup frozen raspberries plus a couple for garnish
1 cup frozen cantaloupe balls
1/2 cup nut milk
1 T Macadamia nut butter
1 T shaved unsweetened chocolate
1 T shaved coconut
Drizzle of Just Date Syrup
Rose petals (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a sauce pan, heat coconut oil and toast buckwheat grouts until just starting to golden. Set aside to cool.

2. Blend frozen fruit — guava, banana, raspberries and cantaloupe — with nut milk in a high-powered blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl. 

2. Top with fresh banana slices, a few frozen raspberries, toasted buckwheat, a drizzle of mac nut butter, chocolate, coconut, date syrup, and rose petals. 

Serves 1.

Harissa Cauliflower Steaks

Just popped these beauties out of the oven! Gorgeous cauliflower and romanesco steaks brushed with harissa and olive oil, then roasted in high high heat. Finishing touches include fresh cilantro, dill, sesame seeds, toasted pinenuts, urfa biber and a squeeze of Meyer lemon! The spice of the harissa makes this dish really POP and puts a lovely twist on one of my all time favorite roasted veggies. I also love the sweet smokiness of the urfa, a Turkish chile pepper. Not super common, I bought my urfa biber from one of my favorite local spice shops, Oaktown Spice. You can also order it online here. 

Enjoy these steaks as a meatless main course or a side dish. I'll be serving this later with turkey-zucchini kofta and tzatziki as a Mediterranean-inspired supper. But we all know who is going to be the star of the show! 

INGREDIENTS

1 head of cauliflower, cut lengthwise about 1/2 inch thick
1 head of romanesco, cut lengthwise about 1/2 inch thick
1 T harissa paste
3 T olive oil
2 T toasted pinenuts
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Squeeze of Meyer lemon
Salt & pepper
Pinch of urfa
Herbs for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Cut cauliflower and romanesco into steaks. I save the smaller pieces that don't stay attached to the stalk for later but you can throw them in the oven as well if you'd like. 
2. Whisk olive oil with harissa paste to combine. On a nonstick baking sheet, brush steaks on each side with harissa-oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes flipping halfway through.
3. When finished, squeeze a wedge of Meyer lemon over the steaks. Garnish with herbs, sesame seeds, a pinch of urfa, and toasted pinenuts. 

Serves 4. 

Cast Iron Steak

This is my favorite way to prepare steak—seared in a screaming hot cast-iron pan and then placed on a dressed board to rest. Slice and serve on top a bed of fresh wild arugula. I especially love New York Strip and Ribeye prepared this way. 

INGREDIENTS

Steak
Fresh herbs (e.g. cilantro, dill, tarragon)
Olive oil
1 wedge of Meyer lemon per steak
1 garlic clove per steak
Fresh horseradish, grated
Salt & pepper
Arugula

DIRECTIONS

1. First, let steak sit on counter wrapped in paper towels to bring up to room temp for about 30-60 minutes.

2. Put 1/4 tsp kosher salt in cast iron and heat for a few minutes on medium high. 

3. Meanwhile “dress” board by chopping a bunch of herbs on it. I especially like dill and cilantro. Then add a glug of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a couple turns of salt and pepper. I also LOVE fresh horseradish and a small crushed garlic clove for an extra kick.

4. Next, turn on vent and fan cuz this can get a little smokey! Pat steak one more time with paper towel. Put steak down on cast iron pushing down with your fingers on the meat so it's fully touching the pan. Flip every minute for a total of four minutes. Check temp with meat thermometer. Should be around 120-125°F for medium rare.

5. Let steak rest on the dressed board for about 5 min, slice, and serve on top of fresh arugula.