Lightning-Fast Vegetarian Appetizer: Hummus and Pesto Terrine

My mom rolled into Thanksgiving this year with this quick and delicious vegetarian starter. We liked it so much that she whipped it up again for me and my dad the next night for dinner. I’d call this recipe “food assembly” rather than “cooking,” which makes it idiot-proof even for non-cooks. But it’s pretty; it’s healthy; and thanks to the sweet tomatoes, it tastes fresh. Serve it with chips, crackers, crusty bread, pita, or vegetables.

Enjoy!

xx Anna

Recipe after the jump.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner: Leek, Gruyere, and Bacon Quiche

Before we left on this tour, I had a bunch of things I needed to use up in the fridge–eggs, leeks, some bacon I found in the freezer–and I didn’t have time to assemble something at home for every meal, however easy. So with one quick trip to the store for heavy cream and gruyere, I made this crust-less quiche while I did my laundry and tidied up.

Quiche is genius because it’s an appropriate dish for any time of day. And this one, loaded with cream and cheese and bacon, will stick to your ribs through long days of rehearsing or video-shooting or running errands…

To make sure your slices look pretty on the plate, wait for the custard to cool entirely (no cheating!) and cut it with a very sharp knife. Or your slices will look a little squirrelly… like mine below!

Enjoy!

xx Anna

Foodie Find: Cecina (or Bresaola), a.k.a. Thinly Sliced Cured Beef

We had a day off in Amsterdam, and in between the yoga studio and my uncle’s house, I ran across this treat in one of the many cheese and charcuterie markets that dot every street. Bresaola has a similar texture to prosciutto, but the flavor is less salty and more, I don’t know, delicate. I love prosciutto with a passion, but bresaola is a little more sophisticated. And tender. The little package of 4 slices that we bought barely lasted long enough for me to get a picture.

I’m going to come out with it: the cured meat and cheese in Europe is better than what we get in America. And less expensive. And you eat it for breakfast. What’s not to love?

Amsterdam Salad: Smoked Salmon Salad with Arugula and Endive

Hello from Munich!

Sorry for the silence: 0ur fall tour started a few weeks back and cooking went completely and totally out the window. The closest I get to cooking now is smearing peanut butter onto a banana, or stirring milk into coffee. But the cured meats and cheeses in Europe are to die for. (More on that later…)

But it was not so last weekend, when I had an evening off at my uncle Jim’s fully stocked house in Amsterdam. While the cats were out at the opera, the mice got into the kitchen, and whipped up this little salad in about five minutes.

Enjoy!

xx Anna

Smoked Salmon Salad with Arugula and Endive

Serves 2

• Arugula, washed and dried
• 1-2 endives, washed and coarsely chopped
• smoked salmon slices
• aged chevre or creamy cheese of your choosing
• olive oil
• champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• salt
• pepper
• French mustard

Toss arugula and endives with a generous drizzle of olive oil, a small dash of vinegar, salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of spicy French mustard. Place salmon and goat cheese on top.

Pair with whatever wine your uncle Jim recommends you drink from his wine cellar. You won’t be sorry.

Caprese For Brunch, You Ask?

Fall appeared in Los Angeles with all the subtlety of King Kong. Just two weeks ago, east L.A. was still sweltering with the heat of a thousand angry suns. And now? Nights are a little cool; mornings are a little gray; and the temperature during the day is a lovely 75 degrees. This is, to be fair, about as much seasonal change as L.A. gets.

But on my regular runs around Echo Park and Silver Lake, I can still see people’s end-of-season tomatoes ripening on the vine. So let’s call this a transitional recipe, from summer to fall.

A caprese is one of the easiest hearty salads you can make. The key is to make it when tomatoes are in season, and spring for the nicest mozzarella and freshest basil you can afford. Slice, compose however you like, garnish with olives, and dust everything generously with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

And for brunch, break a just-boiled egg over the top.

xx Anna