By Laura Stec
E-mail Laura Stec
About this blog: I've been attracted to food for good and bad reasons for many years. From eating disorder to east coast culinary school, food has been my passion, profession & nemesis. I've been a sugar addict, a 17-year vegetarian, a food and en...
(More)About this blog: I've been attracted to food for good and bad reasons for many years. From eating disorder to east coast culinary school, food has been my passion, profession & nemesis. I've been a sugar addict, a 17-year vegetarian, a food and environment pioneer, macrobiotic, Master Cleanser, ayurvedic, and officially-designated health-nut or party-girl (depending on the year). Professionally, I've worn many industry hats including: line cook, corporate chef, Food Coach, caterer, product developer, restaurant reviewer, culinary school teacher, corporate wellness educator, food co-op clerk, author, and even Cirque-du-Soleil lead popcorn concessioner! For years I managed an outdoor kitchen, deep in the bear-infested woods of Tahoe, and also for hospitals (the most unhealthy kitchen I ever worked in?), Singapore high-rises, mule-pack trips, Canadian catholic rectories, and more events than I could ever recall. Yet I still keep discovering. Actually, I adapt everyday by new lessons learned from teachers, customers and students. However there is one food truth I now hold sacrosanct: Eaters are motivated by pleasure. So no matter what we discuss here - recipes or restaurants, food politics or pairings, local events, food as art, or even as God, I will always come from a high-vibe, party perspective. Oh I do still long to change the world with great tasting food, but know in my heart, "If it ain't fun, it don't get done!" So - wanna come to the Food Party? By the way - it's a potluck.
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Here’s a great Memorial Day BBQ Recipe, using the fresh cherries that are everywhere right now. Buy local at Olson’s Cherry Farm, and learn about this Sunnyvale treasure, and their upcoming farms tours in last week’s blog,
Berries and Cherries.
Cherry Brie Quesadilla with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce and Heart Garnish
PICKLED HEART: watermelon radish, kohlrabi or jicama + Pickling sauce (umeboshi vinegar + agave)
CHIPOTLE SAUCE: ½ jar raspberry jam (substitute apricot)
1 tablespoon (or to taste) adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers)
4 quesadillas
A piece of brie
1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced thin into half moons
1 cup cherries, pitted and sliced
microgreens
Day before: Combine 2 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar in a small pot with 1 tablespoon agave. Heat to combine and let cool. Slice the watermelon radish ¼” thick and cut out with a heart cookie cutter. Let sit 4 hours or over night.
Combine jam and add chipotle adobo to taste (sweet but peppery and as hot as you like). Set aside.
Slice brie into fingers ¼” thick. Cover tortillas with brie, squirt on a touch raspberry sauce over cheese, add a few sliced cherries and cover with another tortilla.
(at
Cooking at the Market we added a small dash of smoked salt).
When time to serve, drain heart pickles and set on a paper towel. Save the brine and pickle again.
Heat the tortillas in a covered dry skillet on medium heat till cheese melts. Optional: heat on a BBQ. Remove to cutting board and slice into 8 triangles. Garnish with jalapeno slice, heart, dot of sauce and microgreens.
