I first tasted lemongrass in culinary school while preparing a dipping sauce for pot stickers. The lemony fragrant plant grows wild all over Southeast Asia and is cultivated in California. Look for firm stalks at Asian markets and when wrapped tightly in plastic lemongrass will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. The zesty lemon flavored herb is popular in Thai and Indonesian cuisines. The tough outer layers once removed can be infused into soups and iced tea. The soft inner core is sliced or chopped and tossed into Thai salads, curries, stir-fry’s and marinades.
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Arugula Pesto Pasta Serves- 4
Arugula, the peppery green leaf that adds a mustardy bite to a mixed green salad, is a delicious substitute for basil in the classic pesto recipe. Leave the oven off for this dinner, the arugula pesto is an uncooked sauce, simply stirred into the hot pasta. Add cooked shrimp or chicken for a protein boost. Tastes great at room temperature, bring plenty to share at the next concert on the beach. When purchasing arugula, look for dark green crisp leaves, free of brown spots and use within in a few days.
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Back when I was an intern in the L. A. Times Test Kitchen, Donna Deane, the test kitchen director asked me to develop several recipes for the upcoming Easter Dinner story. Um…something with chocolate Easter eggs came to mind, but that idea wasn’t practical. Instead, I pulled from a childhood memory, my mom’s devilled eggs. I updated the recipe with the addition of sun-dried tomatoes, capers and basil to give it a new twist.
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Red Grapefruit, Jicama and Pea Sprout Salad (Serves 4)
Looking for a culinary inspiration? Spring time is my favorite season at the farmer’s market. Create a simple salad with a mélange of flavors and textures using red grapefruit, jicama and pea sprouts. Red grapefruits are high in vitamin A, C and potassium adding a sweet-tart component to the traditional green salad. Using some of the vinaigrette as a marinade for grilled shrimp, turns this salad into a main dish.
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Plump, sweet blueberries are the star of summer fruits. Filled with high levels of antioxidants, vitamin C and fiber, blueberries are low in calories and delicious to eat alone or in fresh fruit salads, over ice cream sundae’s or baked pastries. Perfect now through the end of October; look for berries that are firm and dry with smooth skin.
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