In 3 short weeks I head to my favorite spot in the world–the Mediterranean sea. Once landed, I always make a beeline to the closest outdoor taverna and order me up some fresh grilled sardines. I know a lot people won’t bother to order them let alone eat them as they take a little work to peel around the bones to reach the succulent meat. But I love them and that’s what’s first the order of eating for me every time I visit.

But here at home, well, it’s a different story. Perhaps it’s the lack of balmy breezes and the parade of interesting looking international people parading by that sets the scene to dig into fresh sardines. Here at home I eat them canned like everyone else. So finding good ones is a never ending task for me, until now.

After having been raised on store brands, it wasn’t until venturing out on my own that I discovered there had to be canned sardines that would at least come close to the fresh. This week finally I found the one. Bela-Olhao Portugal lightly smoked sardines have transported me back to that favorite spot in the world. And the variety with cayenne flavored olive oil  will have you longing for the sunny Med coast.

While delightful right out of the can, let me truly bring you to Southern Europe with this Sicilian Pasta with Smoked Sardines. Just pretend there is a breeze.

www.mybela.com

SICILIAN PASTA WITH SMOKED SARDINES
2 servings

1 can (4 1/4 oz) Bela-Olhao Portugal Sardines in cayenne flavored olive oil
½ cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14. 5 oz) diced tomatoes
1/4 cup golden raisins
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 ounces ziti
1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 Tbsp minced fresh basil

1. Drain off 2 tsp of olive oil from the can of sardines. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, raisins, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 6-7 minutes or until al dente. Drain.

3. Add the sardines to the sauce and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

4. Toss the hot pasta with the sauce and top with pine nuts and basil.

All photographs and recipe testing courtesy of Olga Berman from Mango & Tomato.

There is honey and maple syrup, and in recent years agave nectar has joined to form a trio of popular liquid sweeteners. Now along comes Yacon syrup. I know, WTH is Yacon syrup!? Yacon syrup is an extraction from the Yacon plant, botanically related to the sunflower family but tastes similar to jicama. The plant is indigenous to the Andes mountains. But now, no need to trek to South America when Terr Amazon, the makers of wonderful South American inspired foods, bring this sweetener right into your American kitchen.

The root of the plant is where the sweetness is contained, and it is made up of a sugar compound called fructooligosaccharide (try saying that 3 times fast!) or FOS. Despite its long tongue twisting name, the sugar is short on calories and is processed so that it’s acceptable to vegans in lieu of honey. It’s even being studied now as to its health properties for digestive health and for use with people with diabetes. So this all sounds great, but what about the taste of my new fangled discovery?

Well, do you like caramel? Then here’s a jar full of it for you–Yacon tastes almost spot on similar to a big vat of gooey caramel. And since it’s so rich in flavor, a little goes a very long way.

The syrup can be used in beverages, salads, sauces and this dessert (which can also be a side dish) made with apples. Although this brings a bit of fall into your home when it’s 90+ degrees in most parts of the country, autumn will soon be here and these “fried” apples will goe beautifully with the leaf falling season.

www.TerrAmazon.com

“FRIED” APPLES WITH YACON SYRUP
4 servings

2 Granny Smith or Braeburn apples, unpeeled and sliced into ½ inch wedges
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp canola oil
1/4 cup apple cider
1 Tbsp TerrAmazon Yacon Syrup
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 Tbsp toasted slivered almonds

1. In a small bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and saute for 6 minutes until the apples develop a rich brown color. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 3 minutes until apples are soft. Remove the apples with a slotted spoon.

3. In the same skillet add all the remaining ingredients except the almonds. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat until syrupy. Add back the apples and sprinkle with the almonds.

All photographs and recipe testing courtesy of Olga Berman from Mango & Tomato.

While it may provide a lot of laughs in a roomful of party goers, an exploding bottle of champagne really isn’t a pretty sight. Perhaps though you are like me–perfectly adept at opening a bottle of the bubbly, but sometimes my hand is just not in condition to do so. After many years of my hands being my chief tool for 8-10 hours a day, they have become I must admit a bit arthritic even at my age. We don’t stop loving a glass of bubbles as we age, but our hands might otherwise prevent us from getting the darn cork off.

So to make opening a bottle of champagne as smooth as a good vintage year, Swiftturn from the Franmara company will become part of your uncorking equipment. Simply place the Swifturn over the top of the bottle, squeeze the teeth of the handle, twist the Swiftturn in one direction and the bottle in the opposite, twist back and forth gently.

There’s nothing more delightful than drinking stars as they say, and with Swiftturn you’ll keep all your body parts intact as you slowly sip.

www.franmara.com

All photographs and recipe testing courtesy of Olga Berman from Mango & Tomato.

Tis the grilling season. Give me any food and I’ll bet I could create a grilled masterpiece out of it. Seafood, done. Carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, no problem. Peaches, plums, pineapple, I’m there. Eggplant? Well, not so fast. As much as I enjoy the smoky taste of grilled eggplant, to tell the truth, I really dislike all the prep work involved with that one. Salting and weighting (and waiting!) and draining, oh my! Enough. I want my eggplant at the ready, so this week I stumbled upon the product of my dreams.

From a delightful small producer in Italy comes Poggio Cappiano Grilled Eggplants in extra virgin olive oil. One twist of the jar, the smoky essence of grilled eggplant is stuffed in this 6 ounce jar. Wonderfully soft and creamy, the eggplant benefits from the fruity olive oil in which it is bathed. The combination of earthy eggplant and sweet olive oil is a winning combination.

Use these little morsels just simply served speared with toothpicks, on top of pasta or rice or in this cool summer salad below.

Sure, give me a piece of tuna or salmon to throw on the grill, and I’ll enjoy every minute of preparing it. As far as eggplant goes, I’d rather have it anytime I want without lighting a match.

www.poggiocappiano.it

TUSCAN BEAN, EGGPLANT AND TOMATO SALAD
4 servings

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 jar (6.35 oz) Poggio Cappiano Grilled Eggplants in extra virgin olive oil, drained, (reserve oil)
½ small red onion, diced
1/3 English cucumber, diced
1 yellow tomato, diced
1 red tomato, diced
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes

Dressing:
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ tsp sugar
1/4 cup reserved olive oil from the jar of grilled eggplants

4 cups fresh baby arugula leaves

1. In a large bowl, combine the beans, eggplant, onion, cucumber and all the tomatoes.

2. Prepare the dressing: Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, mustard, garlic, and sugar. Slowly in a thin stream, whisk in the reserved olive oil. Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Add the arugula leaves to a shallow platter. Top with the bean salad. Drizzle with balsamic dressing.

All photographs and recipe testing courtesy of Olga Berman from Mango & Tomato.

I’ve had many kitchens in my life. The cozy warm kitchen I grew up with, the mess of a dorm room kitchen  (if you could call it a kitchen) and my beautiful, sprawling, well designed kitchen of today. But the one I really have the most delicious memories of was my cramped, 2X4 kitchen in Manhattan fresh out of grad school. I loved it so much because it was a triumph each time I prepared a gourmet meal for all those eligible young New York men (ok.. So there were not a ton of them). I amazed myself as I churned out one glorious dish after the other in a closet of a space. Turned out, I learned that I am a pretty good organizer and throw me a kitchen situation, I think I can handle just about anything.

One tool I could have used back in the early 80’s was an ingenious device that’s available to all those who struggle with kitchen space. A strainer that sits deftly and securely across your sink as you go about the chores of straining, washing and temporary storage would have made my teensy NY kitchen complete. For sinks that simply cannot accommodate strainers, this one that I found by the German manufacturer Kuchenprofi is sturdy and stable and stretches well over any sized sink to add another work space.

Sure, you could purchase a pasta insert for your pasta pot, but then there is the problem of storage again for a tight kitchen. Why not just leave the Kuchenprofi strainer sit over the sink and use not only to drain pasta, but to toss berries in one layer, wash all fruits and vegetables and keep them draining until prep time begins?

Believe me, it’s not the size of your kitchen that will make you a better cook. It’s nice, but tools like this sink strainer is what turns an awkward kitchen into a chef’s paradise.

www.kuechenprofi.de

LINGUINE WITH BLACK OLIVES, WALNUTS AND CAPERS
6-8 servings

6 anchovy filets
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp drained capers, preferably large ones
1 cup pitted black olives, preferably Gaeta (Note from Olga: I could not find these, so used Kalamata)
6 quarts water
salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled
½ cup minced parsley
1 pound linguine

1. Cut the anchovy filets into small pieces. Chop the olives coarsely.

2. Bring the 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add the salt.  Meanwhile, place the oil in a pan over medium heat and add the garlic and saute gently for about 10 minutes. Add in the walnuts and toast for 2-3 minutes. Add the capers, and olives and a ladleful of the cooking water. Add the parsley.

3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente.

4. Add the anchovies to the olives and capers. Mix well, pressing down on the anchovies until mashed.

5. Drain the pasta and immediately add the olive sauce and toss to mix.

All photographs and recipe testing courtesy of Olga Berman (Mango & Tomato)

And you thought leather and suede were just for fancy jackets and shoes. Well, now courtesy of Cuvee Kitchen Apparel, apparently pot holders have gone chic! Leather has been used for centuries offering protection and maintaining flexibility with gripping power. So it makes perfect sense to craft a most needed kitchen item out of the same material for the indoors, the BBQ, preventing burns through nonflammability and natural insulation.

With a beautiful rainbow of colors that are available, this is indeed a Fabulous Find!

www.CuveeKitchenApparel.com

All photographs and recipe testing courtesy of Olga Berman (Mango & Tomato)

As diminutive as they are, we like pods. Podcasts are extremely popular. Who could pass up a delicious pea pod? And a pod of friends bring nice warm feelings. Pods hold everything together nicely, so as my search continued in Portland last week for some really neat kitchen stuff, the Poach Pod by Fusion Brands at the store In Good Taste really caught my eye. As adept as I am at my craft of cooking, preparing something simple as poached eggs just never was my forte. My misshapen eggs might have tasted good, but looked godawful!

So I was delighted to find PoachPod, a silicone cooking tool for keep my poached eggs looking picture perfect. And not only are these two little cute pods great for poaching eggs, they also are perfect for small quantity baking and molding as well. Just oil the pod, slip in an egg, add the pod to simmering water, cover, and in about 4-6 minutes you will have a beauty to show off. And what an ingenious way to keep portions small of decadent sweets and desserts.

www.fusionbrands.com

POACHED EGGS WITH LEEKS A LA FLORENTINE
SPINACH:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium leek, white part only, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

BREAD:
2 slices, about 1 inch thick, Tuscan bread or similar country bread
1 garlic clove, smashed, left whole
1 tsp olive oil

EGGS:
2 whole eggs

GARNISH:
3 Tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the spinach: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the leeks and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add in the spinach and sauté just until the spinach wilts about 2-3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and drain off any excess liquid from the spinach and leeks. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.

2. Prepare the eggs: Evenly oil 2 PoachPods. Bring 1 ½ inches of water in a sauté pan to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer. Crack an egg into the Poach Pod and float in the water. Cover the pan with a lid and cook in the simmering water for 4-6 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the bread: Add the bread slices to a parchment lined baking sheet. Toast the bread for 1-2 minutes just until very lightly toasted. Remove the bread from the oven and rub with whole garlic. Drizzle with about ½ tsp of olive oil per slice. Set aside.

4. Use a slotted spoon to remove the Poach Pods from the water.

5. Divide the spinach mixture over the two slices of bread. Remove the poached eggs from the Poach Pods by running a spoon around the egg edge , then flip the pod inside out and gently push the egg on top of the spinach.

6. Top the eggs with Parmesan cheese. Return the baking sheet with the two bread slices topped with the eggs. Bake just until the cheese melts. Eat with a fork and knife.

All photographs and recipe testing courtesy of Olga Berman (Mango & Tomato)

Sorry Sinatra. Portland is my kind of town. I know your song says Chicago is your kind of town, but after a 10 year lapse to the Rose City, I visited there last week in complete awe of this fabulous Northwest outpost.  So why is Portland being replaced by cities like Chicago? It’s simply a mecca for food mavens. Not as brash as New York, pretentious as Miami, been there done that San Francisco or great, but oh so cold Chicago, Portland was a week of playing in a big foodie sandbox for me. I hunted, foraged and literally wore my two feet out as I scoped the food rich streets in Portland’s neighborhoods from West to Wast, North to South.

Included in my many finds was an adorable cookware store/cooking school called In Good Taste in the hip Northwest Pearl district. Perhaps this gem of a store could possibly hold some precious tools and foods for my blog entries this week, and it did not disappoint. So fun to shop for products in an entirely different part of the country–I found a few goodies that are perfect to add to the gadget drawer.

I love haricots verts. But they are not always so easy to find. So why not make your own? It’s easy with one of my golden finds: Bean Slice by David Holcomb, innovator for the Chef’n corporation. Simply use the pretty green contraption to nip off the green bean ends, then push the bean through the slicing blades and presto: instant haricots verts. I’m so glad I won’t be resigned to using just plain green beans when clearly haricots verts make a much better choice for times when sophisticated more elegant entertaining is on the calendar.
And with a website and phone number at hand, even if you can’t make it to Portland and this fabulous store, there’s a way that haricots verts are just a slice away!

www.chefn.com
1-866-642-4336

HARICOTS VERTS WITH CHERVE CHEESE

1 pound green beans (or if you can find haricots verts just start with them)
¼ cup chopped Vidalia onion

Dressing:
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
½ tsp sugar
3 Tbsp cherve cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper

Garnish: roasted red pepper strips

1. Using the Bean Slice, nip the green beans and then slide them through the slicing blades to create haricots verts. Bring a pot of water to a full rolling boil. Add 1-2 tsp kosher salt. Add in the green beans and onions and turn off the heat. Let the green beans and onions stand in the water for 2 minutes. Drain and plunge into an ice bath for 1 minute. Drain again and pat dry.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, sugar and cheese, mashing the cheese well. Slowly in a thin stream, add the olive oil, whisking constantly until combined. Season with, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.

3. Toss the green beans and the cherve dressing together, garnish with roasted red pepper strips and serve.

All photographs and recipe testing courtesy of Olga Berman from Mango & Tomato.

We are off for some Fourth of July fun and will be back with Fabulous Food Finds on July 12th!!

Have a happy and safe holiday with your friends and families. In the meantime, we’ll be hunting for some fabulous products for summer cooking!!

All photographs and recipe testing courtesy of Olga Berman (Mango & Tomato)

I’m lazy. A lazy cook that is. Not that I would ever succumb to using pre-chopped garlic or ginger: pre-packaged convenience foods have little place in my pantry. But I’m not a full out let’s make everything from scratch kind of gal. And as a culinary instructor, I give realistic ways to prepare food that doesn’t take the latter part of a day.

So I used to can. Mostly back in the day when I had little money, and preserving one season’s bounty was a delicious way for me to be frugal. Not that a little frugality isn’t useful even when your wallet is a little fuller, but if there are canned foods that save me time and effort, I’m willing to fork over a few greenbacks.

My recent acquisition on the “not home” canning front is Toigo Orchards Bourbon Peaches, capturing the perfect balance of tree ripened peaches and a Single barrel bourbon–I don’t think I ever home canned peaches tasting this good. Sweet with a good woosy punch, I think these peaches would be perfect with main entrees, in salads (as here) or serve them “straight-up.”

So a little laziness? I think I’ll keep mine as long as I can find great products like Toigo Orchards Bourbon peaches

www.ToigoOrchards.com

BOURBON PEACH AND GRILLED PORK SALAD
makes 4 servings

PORK and PEACHES:
4 (4 ounce) boneless pork loin cutlets
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
4 Toigos Orchard Bourbon Peaches

VINAIGRETTE:

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp honey
2 tsp minced fresh herbs (basil, tarragon, parsley, oregano)
1/3 cup olive oil

SALAD:

1 pound mixed greens
2 cups red seedless grapes, halved
½ cup dried apricots, chopped
½ cup dried cherries, chopped
½ cup diced dates, chopped
½ cup pecans, toasted

1. Prepare a grill to medium high heat or a grill pan. Rub the pork with the oil and salt and pepper. Cook the pork on a hot grill for about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Add a little oil to the grill or grill pan and place the peaches, cut side down and grill on each side for about 2 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Remove the peaches from the grill and set aside. {Note from Olga: I don’t have either the grill pan or a grill, so used my cast iron skillet. I cooked the pork in two batches as to not overcrowd the pan.}

2. To prepare the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients, except the oil. In a thin stream, whisking constantly add the oil until incorporated. Set aside.

3. Slice the pork into thin strips. Slice the peaches into wedges. Toss together all the salad ingredients. Place the pork and peaches on top. Drizzle with dressing.

All photographs and recipe testing courtesy of Olga Berman (Mango & Tomato)