Recipes Archives - Page 16 of 16 - domenica dreams of calamari

I love figs. so. much. We’ve had a big ole fig tree in our front yard for as long as I can remember. I used to take my first-day-of-school photos in front of it every year. Last year when I went back to school in SLO my friend and I realized how many figs were going uneaten on our fellow community members’ bountiful trees. We decided it was not only tragic but a crime against humanity so we started doing nighttime missions to relieve their trees and transport the fat figs to a more happy home, with us. Where they would be thoroughly appreciated*. Although they aren’t the black mission figs I am used to from my tree in San Diego, they are free and we do it for the figs sake, so I’m not going to complain. BUT the late summer months at home when our tree produces, are some of my favorite days of the year. I check the tree daily, sometimes two or three times. I will not let a fig go to waste. I’ve made many a fig recipe this year but this is one of the simplest and tastiest.

Fig & Olive Tapenade

10 ripe figs
2 cups pitted kalamata olives
a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
3 sprigs rosemary and or thyme

Blend ingredients together and get some good crackers or bread. It’s also divine on top of roast chicken or next to herby lamb meatballs.

*we have also been asked to leave our schools’ orchards, for sneaking into the fig tree enclosure

Sometimes when I don’t feel like going out or going grocery shipping, I pretend I’m on Chopped and turn it into a cooking challenge to figure out a meal using what’s on hand. It’s quite a skill to have, if I may say so myself.

One night my mom and I came home with no specific dinner plan but some pretty great things came out of it. We had some trusty brussels sprouts on hand. Knowing you have a stash of brussels at home is always reassuring because they’re versatile and they last a long time. You can roast them, sauté them or slice them up raw for a substantial salad, which is what I decided to do on said night.

Recipe:

1 lb brussels cleaned and thinly sliced
2 cups frozen edamame
3 shallots
1/3 cup golden raisins/golden berries/dates/dried apricots
1 tbsp yellow miso *note
1/3 cup pistachios
2 tbsp tahini **
generous splash tamari (soy sauce is ok too)
a few generous squirts sriracha
couple of tsps black and/or white sesame seeds

heat a small pat of butter in a nonstick pan and caramelize shallots
clean and slice brussels, leaving out bitter, white cores
cook edamames
soak your dried fruit of choice in hot water to plump them up, drain and add to sliced brussels along with the edamames
heat miso in the pan used for caramelization, add pistachios, don’t worry if it’s gooey, it will be fine once it joins the other ingredients *
add the miso/pistachios, tahini **, tamari, sriracha and sesame seeds, toss

* you can skip the miso pistachio step and just use slivered almonds or plain pistachios if you’re not feelin it

**my favorite tahini (especially for this recipe) is the whole foods brand because it’s more viscous than your average thick, sticky tahini. it’s also usually the cheapest

We’ve remade this salad a few times and switched up the nuts and dried fruits depending on what’s available and/or on what sounds appealing to the chefs at the moment.

Speaking of tahini and this salad, this is one of the things we showed our neighbor how to make in an impromptu “what makes good leftovers” cooking class at her house. We also made this tempeh-tahini bake creation that is one of my all time favorite comfort food dinners. We actually adapted the recipe from a lamb dish in “Jerusalem” by Ottolenghi and Tamimi. I will have to remake it to figure out proportions and measurements. I’ve never paid much attention because I am too focused on eating it. RECIPE COMING SOON

Category: Recipes

Fig & Olive Tapenade

Brussels, Edamame and Tahini Salad