The Picky Gourmet

Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter Pasta

Posted on November 22, 2011 by PickyG

Where do I begin? I suppose I should offer a brief explanation for my absence. I can hardly believe it’s been almost three months since the last time I posted here. The main reason I took a break from blogging was that my computer decided it had had just about enough of me. Every time I tried to upload pictures it would moan and groan and get so hot I could barely put my hands on it. After replacing the fan and doubling the RAM (which I did all by myself! Whatup now, computer? whatup now?!) my laptop is back on track. I <3 my Mac! $100 and a little elbow grease makes a five-year-old computer good as new!

Another reason for my mini-break is…I got a new job! I love, love, love my job. It’s a perfect fit for me. I work minutes from my house, I have the most wonderful co-workers anyone could ask for and the job itself is like a dream come true. I couldn’t be happier, I am pinching myself every day, I don’t know how I got so lucky! Working and daylight savings has made it hard for me to post. I get home from work and I’m sleepy and its dark and I have little desire to cook and even less desire to write a post. The thing is…I miss this! I miss this space and I miss you. Hi. I’m back.

One more note before we get to the food bits. Remember my last post about my crummy photo skillz? Well I finally did something about it! I have been taking basic photography classes at Santa Monica College. My teacher, Jones is hilarious and awesome. I have learned so much. Sadly, the photos for this recipe were taken before I started the class but I’m hoping over the next few weeks and months you will see some improvement. And now…on to the food.

I discovered this recipe on Pinterest AKA crack for twenty/thirty-something-girls. I saw it, it looked awesome, I made it, it was, the end.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 pound asparagus
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 lb. gluten free rotini (I love Ancient Harvest Corn and Quinoa Blend)
- 1/4 lb butter, cut into pieces
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Heat oven to 400F. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the spears into 1 inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with the oil and 1 tsp of salt. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes.

While asparagus roasts, add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until about 3 tablespoons remain. Stir in the brown sugar. Remove from the heat.

Drain the pasta and toss with the butter, vinegar, asparagus, Parmesan.

Serve with additional Parmesan.

Adapted from Food and Wine.

Recipe Card

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Spaghetti with Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Posted on August 25, 2011 by PickyG

yikes, too bright.

Okay, the pictures for this recipe are kind of weird. The truth of the matter is that I have no idea how to take pictures. Everything I know about photography I learned by trial and error and a 2 minute, exasperated lesson once attempted by a friend who got fed up with my utter lack of basic photographic knowledge. Taking pictures of food is one of those skills I wish I could just be blessed with without having to put in the necessary grunt work of “learning” and “understanding.” I don’t learn well by reading. I get fidgety and antsy and the technical stuff makes my eyes glaze over. My solution has been to fly by the seat of my pants; point, shoot, look, adjust the aperture, point, shoot, hope for the best. Seriously. That is how I take every picture you see on this blog.

Sometimes, this works out okay for me. The secret to any of the halfway decent looking pictures on this site is my lens. The same frustrated would-be photo instructor advised me a while back that I needed a good macro lens. I got one and suddenly my creepy, congealed, shadowy risottos were looking steaming, colorful and bokeh-riffic. A lens can only take you so far though. I think it’s time for me to invest in a class or two with a real teacher who is used to teaching numbskulls like myself what all those weird looking buttons and knobs do. In the meantime, I will keep doing my best to show you the food I cook while attempting to keep the grease/cheese/cornstarch off my camera. It sounds easier than it is.

out of focus/too dark

This recipe is so quick and easy it’s a joke but it also happens to be spectacular and a great way to use up not-so-tasty cherry or grape tomatoes or those that are inching past their prime. Oven-roasting tomatoes brings out their fruitiness and sweetness while garlic, balsamic and goat cheese turn a handful of tomatoes into a rich, complex and creamy sauce. With only a few ingredients and a very minimal investment of time, you have a perfect summer supper.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 Tbsp garlic infused olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic, thinly sliced
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 tsp good balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese (I used Mitica Cana de Cabra, a tangy, slightly sour, super creamy spanish cheese that I am currently obsessed with)

- 8-10 oz dried spaghetti

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 F

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

flashy!

Toss halved tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and vinegar together in a bowl then spread evenly on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Place the sheet in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.

While tomatoes are roasting, prepare your preferred spaghetti of choice (I’ll say it again, mine is Ancient Harvest Corn/Quinoa blend) according to the specifications on the package.

I don't even know...

Remove the tomatoes from the oven and immediately toss them with pasta and goat cheese until the cheese has melted and formed a sauce with the tomatoes and their juices.

jesus, this cheese looks menacing

Inhale. Rejoice.

at least it tastes good!

Recipe Card

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Dad’s Rhubarb Streusel Cream Pie

Posted on August 10, 2011 by PickyG

Lily amongst the violets and the rhubarb

I spent my weekend visiting my adorable new family member (Lily the puppy) in my charming home town (Louisville) in my beautiful home state (Colorado.) It was remarkable to see the changes that have transpired since I last visited, two years ago.

Lily and Mr. Bill

The town (voted the best place to raise a family by money magazine) has changed a lot since I grew up there. Downtown Louisville was pretty much unchanged in the 18 years I spent there. I knew Main Street like I knew the back of my hand. Spaghetti and meatballs from The Blue Parrot, cheese enchiladas from Senor T’s, egg drop soup from Double Happy (until I decided egg drop soup was disgusting and stopped eating it), cinnamon rolls from Karen’s Country Kitchen. These were the meals and the places I grew up on. It was strange and sad to see most of these places replaced with “hip” new restaurants and bars. It made me nostalgic for the simplicity and hominess that I took for granted all those years. Luckily, there is one place that never changes too much: my house.

I can still hear the train whistle and the endless drone of lawnmowers from my childhood bedroom. I can still count on the open door policy of my street; on any given day you will find neighbor visiting neighbor for a chat, a snack or mostly a request for or offer of a helping hand. This may sound cheesy and folksy but I can assure you, it’s the real deal. My semi-jaded L.A.-born sous chef was shocked to see the doors left unlocked and the casual drop-ins that happened all weekend and happen every day on the street where I am from. The most comforting thing of all about home is that I can still count on my dad to make endless pies from the sour cherries, apples and rhubarb he picks right from the trees and bushes in our yard.

This recipe is a little messy, you won’t get any picture perfect slices but you will get comfort and a taste of home, just like you remember it.

For Crust:
- 1 unbaked 10-inch pie crust (my dad used Gluten Free Pantry mix but you can also buy these in the gluten-free freezer section at Whole Foods)

For Filling:
- 4 cups diced rhubarb
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp gluten free all-purpose flour (optional)
- 3 eggs

- 1/4 cup whipping cream

For Topping
- 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp gluten free all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup softened butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a bowl, combine rhubarb, granulated sugar, 3 Tbsp gluten free flour (optional), eggs and cream.

Pour into pie shell and bake 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees.

Prepare topping:
In a food processor first add brown sugar and process until lumps are gone.
Add butter and pulse until butter is distributed.
Add flour and cinnamon and pulse a few times to combine.
Add pecans and pulse until roughly chopped.
Add oats and pulse a few times to distribute and break up slightly but do not over process. The oats and pecans are meant to provide texture and crunch.

Sprinkle topping evenly over filling and return to the oven to bake 35-40 minutes until topping is browned and filling is set (will still be slightly jiggly.)

Place on cooling rack and cool to room temperature then serve with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

To. Die. For.