Lunch Challenge: Tomato, Basil, Feta Salad A La Casa De La Pav Gardens

It’s lunchtime here on a slightly overcast Friday afternoon in our little neck of the ATX hood. I haven’t been to the market in about a week. I’m famished and have basically no food around. Really? The truth is I have a pantry full of ingredients and a fridge that needs a little stock rotation. And I don’t want to cook. So the challenge is getting something in my belly fast that’s simple and delicious! So here goes…found some feta in the cheese drawer, picked heirloom tomatoes and basil from the garden, have the ubiquitous salt, pepper & olive oil…I think that will work. Let’s do it!

Ingredients

1/2 medium size heirloom tomato, sliced 1/8”
Slice of Feta cheese, 1/8” slice 
Leaves of fresh basil stem 
Sprinkle of salt & pepper 
Drizzle of a good quality olive oil

Process

On a small salad plate, arrange slices of tomato and Feta so that they over lap. In between place a leaf of basil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Done. Eat with joy!

Tips 
*Use your favorite tomato. 
*Tomatoes can be roasted. 
*Salad best during tomato season. 
*Nice to serve with a big hunk of crusty bread or garlic toast.

p.s. The yellow flowers are from our ever blooming fennel plants that have gone to seed.  They’re beautiful and delicious adding a wonderful little crunch along with a slight anise flavor.

Now, time to eat!!!

Pimento Cheese (Please): A Simple Sandwich

The first homemade pimento cheese I ever tasted was made by Mrs. Moore (the mother of my good friend Elizabeth).  At my house we always had some yummy pimento cheese in the fridge for cracker/celery snacks and sammies.  So it wasn’t unfamiliar to me but the concept of making it from scratch was-completely and totally.  Needless to say, I’ve been thinking about Mrs. Moore’s pimento cheese ever since; and it’s been just a few years (please let’s not go there).  Anywho, this simple and quick recipe is my ode to a fond memory and some rockin’ pimento cheese!!!

Ingredients

4C sharp cheddar shredded cheese
3Tbls minced pimento, drained
1Tbls fresh dill fronds, rough chop
2 ½ Tbls chive, minced
½ C mayonnaise 
1tsp-scant, cayenne powder
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp fresh ground pepper

Process

Place cheese, pimento, dill and chive in a medium bowl.  Set aside.  In another bowl, mix thoroughly 1/2C mayonnaise, cayenne, salt and pepper.  Add mayonnaise mixture to bowl with other ingredients.  Mix all ingredients until incorporated.  Place in a tightly sealed container and store in refrigerator.  Refrigerate for up to one week.

Yields:  up to 5 cups

For the sandwich

2 pieces of your favorite bread
1tsp of mayonnaise
½ C of pimento cheese

Process

Place 2 pieces of bread next to each other on a cutting board.  Spread half of the mayo on one slice and the rest on the other slice.  On one slice of bread dole out all pimento cheese and spread edge to edge evenly.  Place second piece of bread on top of other piece with spread pimento cheese.  Align both pieces of bread.  Evenly slice off each side of crust.  Set crusts aside. Slice crust-less sandwich in half then each half into triangles.  Place on a long platter and serve immediately.  
*note: crusts can be eaten as a snack & “tasters” (they will have some pimento cheese on them)

Yields:  1 whole sandwich, 2 halves or 4 quarters

Tips
* pimento cheese can be served on crackers, celery and anything else you love
* take pc out at least 10minutes before spreading or serving so that the cheese can warm for easier action

Sesame Seeds: A Toasting

Sesame seeds are those little tiny “flat” seeds that stick to the top of your mouth, lodge in-between your teeth and give you that familiar crunch when munching down on them. And you can’t just munch on one seed. No, it’s at least several at a time. If you are a fan, like me, then here is a quick and simple way to toast your most commonly found hulled sesame seeds.

As the seeds touch the heat in a hot pan, the perfume that hits the air is earthy, mellow and heady.

1/2 C of hulled sesame seeds

Place a small sauce pan on the stove. Bring heat up to medium. The inside bottom of the pan should feel hot to the touch. Pour sesame seeds into pan. Distribute the seeds so that they coat the bottom of the pan evenly. Do not walk away! Watch over the seeds lovingly; moving them around gently every minute or two. You will notice that the seeds will begin to have a shine to them. This is the oil coming out of the seed as it heats up. The heat will cook the oil making the seed turn a golden brown.

Once the seed has turned a golden brown take the pan off the heat and gently scatter the seeds on a cool surface. This will rapidly stop the cooking so that the seeds will not overcook or burn.

Store seeds in an airtight container & in a cool place. The seeds will last for up to 2 weeks. I love to eat toasted sesame seeds sprinkled in salads, on cooked fish, in rice and on toasted sweet buttered bagels. Tip: Never leave your seeds alone on the stove.

Sweet Roasted Peppers

Aren’t these peppers stunningly beautiful?  They’re 2-bites of sweet with a touch of heat.  Bite into one and their juices slide around on your tongue while the colorful flesh melts leaving a longing for more….many more! Here is a quick recipe for this delicious fall treat.

Ingredients

1 bag of sweet baby peppers
1/4 C of extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp of kosher salt
1.5 tsp of fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven 400°
Place the peppers on a half sheet pan.  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt & pepper all over peppers.  Mix all ingredients so that the oil, salt and pepper surrounds each pepper.  Place in oven until the skins of the peppers begin to get soft and you see their skin charring slightly.  This will take up to 20 minutes.  Check at 10 minute intervals.  Once the peppers are done take out of the oven and cool.  Serve.

Yields 8 to 10 servings.

*these can be served by themselves, with a dipping sauce, sliced on salads – basically sky's the limit!