Panzanella is a great way to use up leftover stale bread and you know how I love to NOT waste food! You can use any bread you like – gluten-free, grain-free all work too. It is classic to make panzanella with juicy tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and basil, but you can switch it up during different seasons. Chickpeas are not a common ingredient in panzanella, but I love adding them to make this a main dish. Also, the vinaigrette in this recipe is amazing. You can also make a crouton-less and chickpea-less version of this salad + the vinaigrette and use that as a topping for grilled steak, chicken or a side of fish. Just chop up the veg a little smaller!
Welcome in the Fall season with this delicious Apple Spice Cake! With fresh apples, the perfect blend of warming spices, and pantry baking staples, this perfect cake is packed with Fall flavor, and will be one of your favorite recipes in no time!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Apple Spice Cake Recipe
When September rolls around, I drop berries and stone fruits like a hot potato and move right on over to apples and pears for fruit desserts. I taught this Olive Oil Apple Spice Cake last year and then proceeded to make it for the Jewish holidays and every time we had people over in the Fall. Then all my friends who ate it asked me for the recipe and I told them, “Sorry, it’s exclusive tomy online cooking class!” Little did they know I tweaked an Ottolenghi recipe. LOL. This cake reminds me of a better version of the Silver Palate chunky apple walnut cake that I made 100 times when I was in college.
Cake can be made 2-3 days in advance
It’s so apple-y!
The ultimate fall cake, perfect for holidays and entertaining
Freezes well
No need for frosting, glaze, or anything over-the-top!
This recipe calls for very simple ingredients– many of which you may already have on hand. Please see recipe substitutions in the recipe card below to make a gluten-free version or to swap ingredients if you don’t have them.
Raisins: I prefer unsulphured raisins.
All-purpose flour: I know I rarely use all-purpose flour, but it helps keep this cake from getting too heavy.
Buckwheat or Rye flour: This has a nice earthy taste that provides an interesting flavor in baked goods and pancakes. You can use more whole wheat pastry if you don’t have either of these.
Whole wheat pastry flour: milled from white wheat berries, this is lighter than traditional “whole wheat flour” and less bitter. I love the earthiness whole grain flours provide.
Cinnamon: apples and cinnamon are BFF’s!
Nutmeg: I love a little nutmeg, but it can get overpowering, so I am conservative when I use it.
Cloves or Allspice: a little goes a long way. That’s why I only use 1/8th teaspoon.
Baking soda: Standard Arm & Hammer baking soda reacts with the acidic ingredients to provide extra leavening.
Baking powder: I prefer an aluminum-free baking powder to avoid a metallic taste in baked goods. Besides, it’s not like we need any more aluminum in our diet.
Apples: now is the season even though you see apples year-round at the market. I like Granny Smith apples, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Honeycrisp apples, or Fuji, but use what you like.
Sugar: I use a dry sweetener in this recipe. I recommend cane sugar because it dissolves well and is light-colored. You can also use maple sugar (more expensive), coconut sugar (will result in a darker cake), or light brown sugar if that’s all you have.
Olive oil: is one of my go-to fats of choice in baked goods. Olive oil pairs well with fruit, vegetables, and chocolate.
Eggs: I use 2 large eggs plus 2 large egg whites.
Vanilla extract: look for pure vanilla extract with no additives or artificial flavors.
Citrus zest: I like to use orange or lemon zest.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the base and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan with olive oil and line the bottom with unbleached parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 2: Place the raisins and 2/3 cup of the water in a medium saucepan. Simmer over low heat until the raisins are plump, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain any remaining water in the pan. Set aside.
Step 3: Whisk the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Peel and core the apples, then cut into 1-inch pieces and set aside in a separate bowl. The apples may start to oxidize if you do this in advance, but it’s ok because you won’t be able to tell when the cake bakes.
Step 4: Place the sugar, olive oil, whole eggs, vanilla and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is light in color and has thickened a little. You don’t want to beat at such a high speed since it can create air bubbles. Remove the bowl from the machine and, using a large spatula, add the dry ingredients and gently fold to combine. Add the apples, raisins, and the remaining 1/3 cup water (or equivalent amount of calvados, if using) and stir to combine.
Step 5: Place the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk at high speed until soft peaks form. This will take a little longer if you’re using a stand mixer due to the small amount of egg whites. Gently fold in the egg whites into the batter, then transfer the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Step 6: Smooth the top with a spatula and bake in your preheated oven for 40 – 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes. Run a thin knife along the perimeter of the cake, unmold and transfer the cake to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 7: Once cool, you can dust with a little powdered sugar if desired.
Recipe Tips
Use room temperature ingredients, especially eggs. You may not realize it, but it makes a difference!
Don’t use your peppery, artisanal $50 olive oil here. Just the one you use for daily cooking is fine.
Use the apples you enjoy. I tend to prefer Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady in cakes.
Use a toothpick or skewer to determine if the cake is done. Dry crumbs are ok. A sticky batter is not.
If you don’t have a springform pan, use a 9-inch round with parchment lining the inside and coming up the top at least an inch.
While this is a delicious cake on its own, if you want to drizzle a little caramel syrup or layer a little cream cheese frosting over the top, that is an option.
Recipe Substitutions
Buckwheat or rye flour – Use more whole wheat pastry flour
Wheat flours – Use a good GF flour blend, like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill.
Ground cloves – allspice
Cane sugar – Maple sugar or coconut sugar. Keep in mind that white sugars result in a lighter cake, where darker sugars will make the cake more brown.
Orange zest – Lemon zest
Raisins – Diced dates or chopped walnuts
Storage and Serving Tips
You can slice and serve this easy apple cake by itself or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or salted caramel ice cream!) or a dollop of whipped cream. Lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.
Store your cake in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. It will keep for 2 days at room temperature or 5-6 days in the refrigerator.
For longer storage, let the apple spice cake cool completely. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let it sit for a bit at room temperature before serving!
If you give this apple spice cake recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a star rating and review! I have started a weekly Monday newsletter with tips, musings, new recipes not published here, fun new finds, and more.Subscribe for free here.
For more delicious recipes and to learn how to be a better cook, check out mymonthly online cooking classes. I have been teaching people for 15 years how to cook healthy food that their families love! Join me!
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The Best Olive Oil Apple Spice Cake Recipe
Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi
Welcome in the Fall season with this delicious Apple Spice Cake! With fresh apples, the perfect blend of warming spices, and pantry baking staples, this perfect cake is packed with Fall flavor, and will be one of your favorite recipes in no time!
2/3cupunsulphured raisinsany color (I bet diced dates would be great, too)
1cupwaterdivided OR ⅔ cups water + ⅓ cup calvados (apple brandy)
1 ½cupsall purpose flour
½cupbuckwheat or rye flouror just use more whole wheat pastry flour
½cupplus 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonground nutmeg
⅛teaspoonground cloves or allspice
1 ½teaspoonsbaking soda
1 ½teaspoonsaluminum-free baking powder
½teaspoonsea salt
1 ¾poundsapplesabout 3 large, such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Honeycrisp or Fuji
1cupunbleached organic cane sugarmaple sugar, or coconut sugar
⅔cupunrefinedcold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil + extra for greasing pan
2large eggslightly beaten, plus 2 large egg whites
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
1teaspoonfinely grated orange or lemon zest
Optional: powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly grease the base and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan with olive oil and line the bottom with unbleached parchment paper. Set aside.
Place the raisins and 2/3 cup of the water in a medium saucepan. Simmer over low heat until the raisins are plump, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain any remaining water in the pan. Set aside.
Whisk the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Peel and core the apples, then cut into 1-inch pieces and set aside in a separate bowl. The apples may start to oxidize if you do this in advance, but it’s ok because you won’t be able to tell when the cake bakes.
Place the sugar, olive oil, whole eggs, vanilla and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is light in color and has thickened a little. Remove the bowl from the machine and, using a large spatula, add the dry mix and gently fold to combine. Add the apples, raisins, and the remaining 1/3 cup water (or equivalent amount of calvados, if using) and stir to combine.
Place the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk at high speed until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the egg whites into the batter, then transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and bake for 40 - 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes. Run a thin knife along the perimeter of the cake, unmold and transfer the cake to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Once cool, you can dust with a little powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
Recipe Tips Use room temperature ingredients, especially eggs. You may not realize it, but it makes a difference! Don't use your peppery, artisanal $50 olive oil here. Just the one you use for daily cooking is fine. Use the apples you enjoy. I tend to prefer Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady in cakes. Use a toothpick or skewer to determine if the cake is done. Dry crumbs are ok. A sticky batter is not. If you don't have a springform pan, use a 9-inch round with parchment lining the inside and coming up the top at least an inch. While this is a delicious cake on its own, if you want to drizzle a little caramel syrup or layer a little cream cheese frosting over the top, that is an option (Ottolenghi suggests a maple-cream cheese frosting, but I didn't think it needed it.)Recipe Substitutions Buckwheat or rye flour - Use more whole wheat pastry flour Wheat flours - Use a good GF flour blend, like King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill. Ground cloves - allspice Cane sugar - Maple sugar or coconut sugar. Keep in mind that white sugars result in a lighter cake, where darker sugars will make the cake more brown. Orange zest - Lemon zest Raisins - Diced dates or chopped walnutsStorage and Serving Tips You can slice and serve this easy apple cake by itself or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or salted caramel ice cream!) or a dollop of whipped cream. Lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired. Store your cake in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap. It will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature or 5-6 days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, let the cake cool completely. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let it sit for a bit at room temperature before serving!
I made this cake once to bring a friend’s house for dinner and people were stealing each other’s crumbs. I served it to my family and my son spit it out. Just being honest. It would be really awesome to say that my family loves everything I make, that my 10-year-old scarfs down whole grain cakes with rosemary and dark chocolate and never, ever, ever asks for Flaming Hot Cheetos. But alas, I live in the real world with at least one child, as well as one adult, whose palates are rather, shall we say, simple.
But if I catered to the lowest common denominator in my house all the time, we’d never get to know the deliciousness that is this nutty, earthy, lightly sweet cake with a savory infusion of rosemary. And dark chocolate! Maybe it sounds like a weird combo to you. I actually wasn’t sure myself when I first whisked these ingredients together, but the scent emanating from my oven was enough to convince me that this is a very tasty cake.
I love rustic desserts. The flavors are deep and I don’t have to worry about anything looking too perfect. And I think anything rustic lends itself better to whole grain flours. I found this recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, Good to the Grain, by Kim Boyce. She uses refined flours and refined white sugar, but I actually think the cake tastes better and more interesting with whole spelt and whole wheat pastry flour, and sweetened with maple syrup. I also don’t find myself in a sugar coma after eating a piece of this.
I mentioned that I have made this cake for after dinner, but I think it would also be lovely for a brunch. Sweet and savory all in one easy-to-bake cake. Maybe with a dollop of Greek yogurt. Love it. No thanks, Mr. Picky? No problem. More for me!
Whole Grain Olive Oil Cake with Rosemary and Dark Chocolate Recipe
1cupunrefinedcold pressed, extra virgin olive oil + extra for greasing pan
¾cupwhole spelt flouror use all purpose
1 ½cupswhole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
¾cupGrade A maple syrup or natural cane sugar*
1 ½teaspoonsaluminum-free baking powder
¾teaspoonsea salt
3eggsat room temperature
¾cupwhole milk or unsweetened hemp milkat room temperature
1 ½Tablespoonsfresh rosemaryfinely chopped (measure, then chop)
5ouncesbittersweet chocolate70% cacao, chopped into ½-inch pieces
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil.
Whisk the dry ingredients (including cane sugar, if using) in a large bowl. Set aside.
In another large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the maple syrup (if using), olive oil, milk and rosemary and whisk again.
Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry, gently mixing until combined. Stir in chocolate. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading evenly and smoothing the top.
Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the top is domed, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake can be eaten warm or cool from the pan, or cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic, and kept for 2 days.
Notes
*If using cane sugar, add with the dry ingredients. If using maple syrup, add with the wet ingredients.
We all have those recipes we love but don’t make very often (for me it’s chicken pot pie and spanakopita.) And then there are the recipes you rely on when you don’t want to think about what to make. Those are your go-to, no-fail, everyone-loves-this recipes. I wish I had an endless supply of those. But I am going to share one of my-go’s with you today! This roasted veggie buddha bowl is just that. I swear I could eat this every day. I taught this recipe in my classes in January and I actually did eat it every day and I never got tired of it.
A Buddha bowl is really just a simple combination of (usually) lightly steamed vegetables on top of a gluten-free grain, like brown rice, and often topped with a sauce or dressing of sorts. It is a very clean and healthful meal, but very satisfying. Personally, I prefer all my meals in a bowl. I love when all my food gets combined and every bite has a little bit of everything. It’s Mr. Picky’s worst nightmare.
A Buddha bowl is flexible. Clean out of the vegetable crisper and use what you’ve got. Not in the mood for rice? Use quinoa or millet. Soy or peanut-based sauces are very popular on Buddha bowls, but I am kind of obsessed with my lemon-tahini dressing from this salad, so I adapted that for this recipe. And even though I said a Buddha bowl is usually made with steamed vegetables, who says you can’t roast them? Like with a little coconut oil until the edges are just a bit crispy. Heaven!
I make dinner for my family every night (and if you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you would know exactly what that looks like!) Even though I am a big proponent of one meal for all, there always those days I ate a late lunch after a class and I’m not feeling like the roast chicken and potatoes I am making for dinner that night. This Buddha bowl is my go-to on nights like that. I’ll make a big pan of roasted veggies for all of us and then whip up this dressing and a pot of steamed quinoa and voila! I have something a little lighter and I’m a happy camper. That’s not to say that my husband and my kids don’t like Buddha bowls. They all really do, especially my girls. As you would imagine, Mr. Picky doesn’t exactly eat his in a bowl. Rice in one separate, distinct area on a plate, roasted veg in another and hold the dressing, please. No problem, dude.
If you decide to make this dressing for your Buddha bowl, you really have a nice vegetarian meal no matter what grain you use since tahini is basically just sesame paste. Sesame seeds are high in protein, good fats and did you know, calcium? Just good to know if you’re looking for non-dairy sources of calcium. And if you make this with broccoli and kale, you have a very calcium-rich meal. I also like to sprinkle everything my Buddha bowl with gomasio, a macrobiotic condiment which is just a mixture of sesame seeds and sea salt. The one I use by Eden Organic also has seaweed in it. If you have all the other ingredients, but not the gomasio, make this anyway — you will love it and you will feel awesome after eating it. Have a lovely weekend!
Roasted Vegetable Buddha Bowl with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
2small cloves of garlicgrated or minced or just smash the cloves if you don't actually want to eat the garlic, but still have a subtle garlic flavor
¼cupraw tahiniroasted tahini is fine, but raw is a little milder
3-4Tablespoonsroom temperature or warm water
¼cupunrefinedcold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
¾teaspoonsea salt + more to taste
pinchof cayenneoptional
8-10cupsmixed vegetables such as 1 head of broccolicut into bite-sized florets and stems, trimmed and chopped AND 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets*
2Tablespoonsmelted unrefined coconut oil or unrefined olive oil
3-4large leaves of kalewashed, dried, stems removed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Steamed brown ricemillet or quinoa for serving (optional)
Plain or seaweed gomasio for sprinkling on topoptional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
Make the dressing (or you can make while the vegetables are roasting): in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, tahini, water, olive oil, salt and cayenne until well blended. Just use the amount of water you need to get the consistency you want.
In a large bowl, toss the broccoli and cauliflower with the coconut oil. Don’t wash the bowl yet. Place the broccoli and cauliflower in one layer on the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for about 20-30 minutes, or until tender and golden in spots. I like to turn the vegetables after about 15 minutes.
Take the kale leaves and rub them around the bowl with any remaining coconut oil until lightly coated. Tear until large pieces and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place on top of the broccoli and cauliflower in the oven and roast until the kale is just crispy, about 5-10 minutes.
If you’d like to eat this as a “bowl,” place a scoop of rice/millet/quinoa in a bowl and top with the vegetables. Spoon some sauce over everything and sprinkle with gomasio, if desired.
Notes
*Other roasted veggies that would be great are beets, carrots, and sweet potatoes!
I hope you all had a merry Christmas! We’ve had such an amazing few days with my family in New York. Christmas Eve is always such a special night and this year was no exception, with 94 of us at my aunt’s house for dinner. NINETY-FOUR. And four ladies announcing they are expecting so we’ll be 98 next year? My aunt is an absolute genius to be able to orchestrate a sit-down pot-luck for so many. I swear she could run a small country. Heck, she could probably run THIS country! We were in four different rooms eating 7 or 8 different types of fish (and a few veggies for good measure.) Although it’s really not about the food for me, instead my favorite moment of the evening is listening to all the little ones sing around the Christmas tree watching the staircase in hopes that Santa makes an appearance, which he always does. Then everyone screams and the flash bulbs go off as if there were paparazzi in the house. It never gets old for me.
Christmas Day is always the perfect balance to the evening before. It’s quieter, just 17 of us at my parents’ house and my mom is in charge. We always start the meal with tortellini in chicken broth, which my kids love. Then she makes a beef tenderloin with a red wine sauce, stuffed mushrooms, green beans with shallots and a green salad. This year I was hoping to add these amazing potatoes to the menu. I made them for Jenni Kayne’s holiday cooking class a few weeks ago and I knew they would be perfect with my mom’s menu. They would actually be perfect with almost any menu! But I’ll admit, I bailed at the last minute, thinking we had plenty of food already, I was a little tired from having gone to bed at 2:00 in the morning, and no one would care if we had or didn’t have potatoes on Christmas. Really, everyone looks forward to all the cookies after dinner anyway.
Alas, I still would love to share this recipe with you because I know you will love it and I know you will find a place for it in one of your upcoming weeknight dinners or even for something as special as New Year’s Eve. I love crispy, roasted potatoes plain and simple, but these have an extra umph from the gremolata. Gremolata is an Italian garnish traditionally made with finely chopped fresh parsley, raw garlic and grated lemon zest. I’ve had it before on osso buco, roasted vegetables and even pasta. It’s just bursting with flavor and freshness and makes ordinary potatoes out of this world. I love it! For this version of gremolata, I added a little orange zest, crushed red peppers, and fresh mint and thyme, all of which I adore with potatoes. I also made the gremolata once with a little fresh rosemary instead of the thyme and dropped the chili flakes just because — also delicious!
Try and find these teeny fingerling potatoes if you can. They are so creamy and super easy to use since you just just have to wash and dry them, no peeling, no chopping. BUT, if your market only offers Yukon Gold or red skinned potatoes, go for it. They’ll still be delicious.
I am hoping you are finding time to rest and restore your energy this week. Acting like a superhero is totally overrated and people who look like they do it all don’t, and if they do, they’re exhausted. Being a good parent or a good host/hostess or a good cook is good enough. Sounds like a good new year’s resolution for me for 2014!
1/3cupfresh parsley leaves and tender stemsfinely chopped
2heaping Tablespoons fresh mint leavesfinely chopped
2teaspoonsfresh thyme leavesfinely chopped
1large clove of garlicminced or grated
a pinch of red pepper flakes
2poundssmall fingerling potatoeswashed, dried and halved (leave whole if they are only an inch or so long)
3Tablespoonsunrefined olive oildivided
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
Make the gremolata: in a small bowl mix together the zests, herbs, garlic and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread the potatoes in an even layer and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon of sea salt and black pepper to taste. Place in the oven for 35 minutes.
After 35 minutes, remove the potatoes from the oven and add another tablespoon of olive oil and half the gremolata. Toss until well combined. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving bowl. Toss with the remaining gremolata and taste for seasoning. Sprinkle with an extra pinch of salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
You can totally do this. The idea of roasting and deboning a whole fish sounded incredibly intimidating to me when one of my students asked me to prepare it in a class for her husband’s birthday. She said, “the only dish I must request is whole roasted branzino — it’s my husband’s absolute favorite and I would love to know how to make it.” “So would I!” I thought to myself. But instead I offered with confidence, “Absolutely! I will show you how to make the best branzino.” My family ate branzino once a week for a month until I had it just right.
I have taught whole roasted branzino in a few classes now, and most recently at Jenni Kayne’s house for her Holiday Class with The Chalkboard. I wanted to post this recipe now, because Christmas Eve is around the corner and whenever I think of Christmas Eve, I think of fish. It is traditional in Italian homes to eat seven or more different types of fish on that night. I don’t know what we’ll have this year, but typically we start off the evening with spaghetti with clam sauce. Then a few people in my family will make the most classic Italian Christmas Eve fish, baccalà, a dried and salted cod. There are also usually eel, mussels, salmon, stuffed clams, shrimp and crab. However, I will most likely never see branzino at our Christmas Eve table because it’s not something you make for a crowd, and we are a CROWD, anywhere from 60-80 people.
Believe me, it’s not that roasting a whole fish is difficult. In fact, it is just as easy, if not easier, than roasting a whole chicken. If you can find really fresh branzino, aka Mediterranean snapper, there is very little you need to do to it for it to taste good. Isn’t that always the way when you start with good ingredients? But I usually make one whole fish per person and that would need to be a ginormous oven to cook 60 of these. Besides that, most people don’t know how to debone a fish and I wouldn’t want to sit there fileting dozens of these beauties. And therein lies the tricky part about roasting a whole fish — getting to the actual meat when there’s still a head and a tail and loads of bones in the way. Of course, I am going to show you right here how to do this so you’ll be able to have your way with a whole fish when you go out to eat or if you have a dinner party, you can do this for your guests.
I found these beauties at my local Whole Foods for $12.49 per pound. Look for clear, shiny eyes and glossy, not slimy skin. It should also smell fresh like the ocean and not “fishy.” You have every right to ask the fishmonger if you can take a sniff of the fish. People do it all the time, and the fishmongers are used to it. I do, however, consider this a special occasion fish, not because of the price, but because it flew first class from Greece to get to my market. Normally I try to limit (not necessarily eliminate) imported fish given the heavier environmental impact versus those locally caught. If you can’t find branzino in your area, walleye or another small whole fish in the 1 to 1 1/2 pound range will do.
A whole roasted fish stays nice and moist because of the bones and the skin, which I think also give it great flavor. All you need is a healthy sprinkling of salt inside the cavity along with lemon slices and some fresh parsley or fennel fronds. After you take the bones out, you can choose to leave the skin or or remove it. A final drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and a quick squeeze of lemon is all you need to have an amazing piece of fish.
6 1 to 1 ¼poundwhole sea bass or striped bassscaled and gutted (you ask the fishmonger to do this for you)
Sea salt
2lemonssliced into thin rounds
6sprigs of parsley or some fennel fronds + extra fennel fronds for the pan
Unrefinedcold pressed extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rinse each piece of fish and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange some fennel fronds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place the fish on top of the fronds. You don’t have to use fennel fronds, but I like the flavor they infuse.
Season the cavity of the fish with a healthy pinch of sea salt. Fill each cavity with some parsley or fennel fronds and 2 slices of lemon.
Drizzle the fish with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Roast the fish for 20 minutes. Take a peek under the skin along the backbone. The flesh should be opaque and not translucent.
To filet the fish, use two large spoons or a large spoon and a fork and start by removing the head and the tail. They should break off easily from the rest of the body. Remove lemon and parsley from the cavity. Scrape all the flabby pieces off the bottom of the fish. Turn the fish around and run the spoon along the backbone of the fish to remove the small bones at the top. Wedge your spoon into the middle of the fish to open up the fish so you can remove the spine. Lift the spine from the flesh. Take the meat off the skin, if desired, and transfer to a warmed plate. Sometimes I run my finger across the flesh to make sure I got all the bones. Don’t worry if you missed a few, just warn your dinner companions ahead of time that you’re not an expert and that there may be a pin bone or two.
Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil and a little more lemon if you wish.
If you follow me on either Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, you’ve probably figured out that I am back on Long Island at my parents’ house. We picked up Daughter #1 on Saturday from her summer program in upstate NY. I was so beyond excited to see her after 6 weeks, I was afraid I was going to suffocate her when I saw her. It was great for the five of us to be together again and I couldn’t resist another visit to Stony Brook. Love that place in the summer.
We’ve had an amazing few days here — peaceful, not in a rush to do anything, no stress, beautiful. My father’s garden is bursting. I lost count of how many basil plants he has this year, perhaps around 40. I have made pesto every day so far! But the big fun has come from the new outdoor pizza oven my father had built. It was a major project when I was here in June, with each of my parents saying to me without the other hearing, “I don’t know what we were thinking.” But once the dust settled, literally, we have enjoyed the most fantastic pizzas — you know the thin kind with a little char on the crust? So darn good. Not fitting in my skinny jeans today, but so. darn. good.
Sorry this isn’t a post about making your own pizza in a wood-burning oven, but I personally don’t have one nor will I in my current house since my “yard” is a patio! Figuring most of my readers don’t own one either. Instead I wanted to share my favorite new green bean recipe. No yawning! These are great! But I know where you’re coming from. Green beans come into season in the summer and I try really hard to get excited about them, but they have to compete with tomatoes and corn. Kind of hard to do. I honestly don’t have too many exciting green bean recipes that I think to myself, “I am soooo craving those such-and-such green beans.” Until now.
I taught these honey-lemon green beans last month and I couldn’t wait to eat them after each class and any leftovers for dinner the same night! The dressing has a bit of mustard too, and a little kick from the cayenne which is always something I love paired with sweet (honey.) They are seriously addictive. One of the only cooked vegetables Mr. Picky likes is green beans, but he doesn’t care for vinaigrettes yet. Except he did love these! He’s starting to develop a taste for spicy food. Very exciting!
The recipe for the green beans and the dressing is completely straightforward and quick to make. If you are in a time crunch, just make that and forget about the shallots. Blanching and quick-pickling the shallots is definitely another step that won’t make or break the recipe, although they are scrumptious. You can certainly take care of that while the beans are cooking and while you’re setting the table or grilling some fish. But sometimes when I try and multitask too much, that’s when I forget things -like shallots pickling in apple cider vinegar that I remember when I start washing dishes.
Spicy Honey-Lemon Green Beans
Pamela, adapted from "The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen" by Peter Berley
3Tablespoonsunrefinedcold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Spread a clean kitchen towel on a baking sheet and set aside.
In a large pot, bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add kosher salt.
Place the sliced shallots in a bowl and cover with 2 cups of the boiling water. Cover the bowl with a plate and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
Drop the beans in to the remaining boiling water and cook, uncovered, for 4 to 6 minutes, until crisp tender. Drain the beans and spread them on the cloth-lined pan.
Drain the shallots and toss them with the vinegar, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Set aside.
To make the vinaigrette, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, honey, salt and cayenne in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in the oil until creamy.
Drain the shallots once again and squeeze dry. Add the shallots and the string beans to the vinaigrette and toss well. Sprinkle with another pinch of sea salt or to taste.
If you have time, let it marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving just to allow the flavors to permeate the beans. If you don't have time, they'll still be great.
Notes
These really aren't that spicy, perhaps a 3 on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the hottest. But you can certainly adjust the level of heat to your liking by increasing or decreasing the cayenne.
Someone leaked to Mr. Picky that in one of my recent posts I was guessing that he wouldn’t be showering regularly at camp. It wasn’t a judgment on my part, just an observation from past history. However, it seems as though Mr. Picky interpreted that as a challenge. What you might not know about Mr. Picky is that he is competitive to a fault. He also loves statistics and keeps track of everything, especially when he’s first in something. But believe me, his “firsts” are not what you might expect. “Hey, Mom. Did you know I was the first one down for breakfast 8 days in a row?” Or not firsts. “Mom, guess what? Guess what, Mom? I was the second youngest at camp. By 20 days.” So I wasn’t entirely shocked when Mr. Picky said to me the other day that he’s on a showering streak. Huh? “Mom, guess what? I have showered 37 days in a row! For real. I’m not even joking.” I need to blog more about him not eating cooked vegetables.
Well, Mr. Picky had to come from somewhere. Guess what, friends? I’ve eaten a tomato in some way, shape or form every day for the last 24 days and I’m not even joking. Whereas I fear Mr. Picky is on a quest to find his way into some imaginary record book for showering, my daily tomato indulgence is for pure pleasure. Furthermore, I know my streak will come to a sad end in a few months when tomato season is over.
I have a total obsession with summer tomatoes. I always have. When I was little, I would take a salt shaker into my father’s garden and have a tomato party. First, I would pluck a nice ripe tomato off the vine. For the first bite, I always had to shake a tiny bit of salt in my mouth and then take a bite of tomato. Salt doesn’t stick to a whole tomato. After that bite, I would shake the salt on the cut part of the tomato and eat away. My mother told me a few times I even ate several green (underripe) tomatoes and made myself a bit sick to my stomach.
But I am only interested in local, summer tomatoes. Nothing else compares and I wouldn’t even waste your time on tomatoes before June or after October, and even that is pushing it. So right now, I’m in my glory and I am snatching up different varieties every week. So happy! And tomatoes are amazing for you – I just posted something on my facebook page yesterday about all their health benefits.
Something I just started making the last few years are slow roasted tomatoes in the oven. Damn! Have you ever tried these? I’m not talking about sundried tomatoes, which for some reason I don’t like. Slow roasted tomatoes are super-sweet and moist. You can cook them as long or as little as you like, but I prefer to bake them until their texture is like moist, dried apricots. So darn good and soooooooo easy! It’s barely cooking, people. And you can use them in a million ways. Delicious on an antipasto platter, with crusty bread, eggs/frittatas, sandwiches, salads, in pasta, etc. How could I forget straight-off-the-pan? Such deliciousness if you have patience to slow cook them. I figure since I waited all winter and spring for tomatoes, what’s a few hours?
Preheat oven to 275 F degrees. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or use a 13 x 9 baking dish. If you want to make more tomatoes, use a large baking sheet.
Arrange the tomato halves, cut side up, in one layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Place a sliver of garlic on top of each tomato and scatter the thyme sprigs over. Drizzle a little oil over the tomatoes and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake until desired texture is reached. I like to go 3 hours. More time will result in drier tomatoes. Less time will result in juicier tomatoes. Ovens also vary, so check tomatoes periodically.
Store in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to a week. Covered in oil, the tomatoes will last a few weeks. You can also freeze them right on the sheet pan and when the tomatoes are frozen, transfer them to a covered container to freeze (ideally a freezer bag that is as small as will fit the tomatoes.)
Notes
*You can also use halved cherry or grape tomatoes and cook for less time.
