Fig, Goat Cheese, and Pancetta Flatbread Pizza

That's right another fig post. Bombarding your food blog followers with fig posts is one of the benefits of having a fig tree in your backyard. Another benefit of having a kadota fig tree is using them on homemade-artisan-flatbread pizza. 

Figs, goat cheese, and pancetta. You could probably put these three ingredients in any dish and make the dish taste like a party that everyone's invited to, except for Jared. He knows why he's not invited. But adding figs, goat cheese, and pancetta to a pizza just makes the pizza taste like sex on a jetski.

Apple Cider-Fig Vinaigrette

• 2 large Figs chopped 
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1. Heat the oil up in a pan over medium heat saute the figs for a few minutes, 3-5 should do it. 
2. Stir in the apple cider. Mash up the figs with your wooden spoon or whatever overpriced utensil you bought from West Elm.
3. Pour into a small mixing bowl and let the dressing cool in the fridge.
4. Once cooled, toss with the arugula and serve with tomatoes and radishes.

Pizza Dough 

I used America's Test Kitchen's recipe for my pizza dough. I recommend getting this recipe from their new cookbook The America's Test Kitchen Cooking School Cookbook which comes out on October 15th. Here's an Amazon link to it!

Fig, Goat Cheese, and Pancetta Flatbread Artisan Pizza (Fig Sauce)

• 4 Figs chopped 
• 1/2 small Red Onion minced 
• 1 clove Garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon Honey

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. Let the garlic and onion caramelize just a bit. OH GOD! You forgot about them didn't you? Would you look at that now they're burnt. Get out another onion and start over, or just let someone else cook.
2.  Once the onions and garlic are caramelized add everything else, stir, and let the sauce simmer for a good 10 minutes.
3. Let cool and add to your pizza crust.
4. Put sliced figs, goat cheese, red onions, and pancetta on your pizza and bake for about 10-15 minutes at 475°

Go ahead and have some fun with some end-of-the-season figs. Put them in everything! So much so that you get sick of them just in time to start binging on pumpkin spice flavored autumn products. As you might have assumed these figtastic (did I use this joke last week?) photos were taken by the super talented Katy Weaver.

Fish Tacos 2.0

Second chances. Sure, we all romanticize the past in our own way. Probably everyone who reads this wants another stab at something in their past that didn't quite work out in their favor. It could be re-doing high school, because for some reason you glorify a time when you woke up at 6 and ate lunch at 10 am. Or another chance on a relationship with "the one" whose timing was just off. Or even just another chance to finally make it all the way through the buffet to the soft serve machine.

Well, I say if you have the opportunity, go for it! Life is too short, go ahead and give the other person another chance. This is America (unless you're reading this outside of the U.S.) land of second chances!  Here's some advice: if you want to re-live high school, become a high school football coach.

Remember last year when I told you fish tacos are actually really good and that you should give them a try (here's a link if you've forgotten)? Well, I decided to take another look at fish tacos and how I could make them better. Let's just say it was worth it.

Spicy Lime Cilantro Yogurt

• 1 cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Cilantro chopped
• 2 limes zested and juiced
• 1 Jalapeno minced

1. After mincing the jalapeno and chopping the cilantro, mix into the yogurt and add the zest and juice. Refrigerate until the rest of the taco fillings are finished.

Pineapple Salsa

• 1 Pineapple chopped
• 1/2 cup Red Cabbage chopped
• 1/4 cup Red Onion chopped
• Juice from 1 lime
• 1 Carrot shredded

1. After you have chopped and shredded all the produce mix together in a large bowl with the lime juice.
2. Add to tacos once you make your fish.

Beer Battered Cod

Serves 3-4

• 1 lbs Cod cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup Flour
• Plus an extra 1.5 cups to coat the cod pieces in.
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut
• 1 Egg
• 1 bottle Beer (lager or a pilsner would work best)
• Canola Oil

1. Whisk or sift together all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix in the wet stuff (egg and beer) and the coconut.
3. Set up your workstation so you can effectively make the best fish of your life. First step to setting up your cod fryin' station is to establish a work direction. Go from cutting board with fish to the flour bowl to the batter to the oil to plate.
4. Coat the cod cubes in the flour. Dust the cubes off and submerge in the batter. Let the excess batter drip off the fish before adding it to the hot oil.
5. You heated up enough canola oil over medium high heat in a skillet to pan fry the fish right? Good. Cook each side for about 30 seconds or until golden brown.
6. Let the excess oil drain from the fish on a plate before assembling your delicious fish tacos.

So instead of having the same-old-same-old for dinner, give fish tacos a second chance to change your mind. All these fishtastic photos by Katy Weaver

Grilled Chicken with Blackberry Barbecue Sauce

If romantic comedies have taught us anything it's that Paul Rudd will continue to be in every movie ever made and that perfect couples exist and they'll eventually end up together, even if it takes some work. 

Blackberries and barbecue sauce are that perfect couple. They were meant to be together.

Sure, blackberries seem like a perfect match for pies and tarts, but no. We beg to differ. So, here it is: the unlikely love story between blackberries and barbecue sauce. 

Blackberries can be prickly, but their sweetness eventually wins almost everyone over. Meanwhile, barbecue sauce is more of a wildcard - it can be sweet, spicy, salty, or even bitter. When these two met, they both ordered the same Frappuccino while in line at Starbucks; barbecue sauce knew it wanted blackberries inside of it (things just got real saucy!). But the blackberries were reluctant at first, mainly because their parents always assumed they would end up with a nice pastry. After barbecue sauce almost lost blackberries to a cocktail, they decided to add a little heat and spice to their relationship, and become more than just work colleagues. In time they discovered what they had together was true love. They eventually got married and hired a pretty good photographer for their wedding and ended up having a beautiful chicken breast together. 

There you have it kids, true love always wins in the end, except in real life where everything usually falls apart and it's more like the ending of Wet Hot American Summer.

Blackberry Barbecue Sauce

• 1/4 cup Blackberries
• 1 clove Garlic minced
• 1/3 cup diced Red Onion
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Ketchup
• 3 teaspoons ground Dry Mustard Seeds
• 1 teaspoon Chile Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt

1. Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted add the garlic and onions. Occasionally stir the onions and garlic until they start to caramelize. Stir in the brown sugar and keep occasionally stirring to avoid burning for about 3 minutes. 
2. Stir in the blackberries and don't be afraid to mush them up, I mean they're going to get pureed later. Stir in the all the dry spices, then add the ketchup, vinegar, and worcestershire sauce.
3. Simmer over medium heat for another 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Puree with a hand blender until smooth. Serve over chicken or cornbread or literally anything you want to make more delicious.

Grilled Chicken Breasts

• Chicken
• Blackberry Barbecue sauce

1. Coat the chicken in a layer of the sauce. Grill it until properly cooked. That's it. 

Corn Bread

• 11/4 cup Cornmeal
• 1/4 cup Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 2 Eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the milk,  and eggs. 
2. Pour into an 8-inch round baking pan and cook for 15 or until golden brown.

By the way, serving the chicken on a bed of dandelion greens adds a nice splash of color to the plate. Enjoy! All photos by Katy Weaver

Grilled Lamb

When start your life you have no idea who will enter it or who will leave it. Honestly when you start off life as a baby the only things you're thinking about are; "I'm hungry," "There's no way I'm cleaning up the mess I just made in my diaper," and "I'm only going to retain, at the very most, blurry shapes from this period of my life, so why am I having such complex thoughts?" The point I'm eventually going to make is that sometimes in life you meet cool people and on rarer occasions you get to work with those people. 

That's what happened with this post. See that fancy looking ice cream up above? Well it just so happened Katy's good friend Michelle has a dessert blog, called More Chocolate! So, we decided it would be a great idea to work on a post together. 

We figured since it is summer that it's only natural that we should grill something. I decided to grill up some lamb and Michelle grilled up some peaches to go with her homemade vanilla ice cream, which you can find on her blog here. 

Grilled Lamb Chops with Peach Balsamic Sauce

Serves 3-4 people

• 1 rack of lamb or 8 chops

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup Port
• 1 Lemon juiced
•  Fresh Thyme
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. If you purchased a rack of lamb because that's all the store had, slice the rack into chops. Add the chops to the marinade and let sit for 30 minutes in the fridge.
2. Fire up that grill. Once it's hot enough grill the chops for 3-5 minutes depending on the heat of your grill, then flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes or just long enough to get some grill marks on it. Plate and serve with this other stuff that's featured below, and not just because I took the time to write all of it out.

Peach Balsamic Sauce

• Balsamic Vinegar
• Peaches Peeled and diced
• Lemon Juice
• Lemon Zest
• Port
• Salt
• Pepper
• Flour

1. In a small sauce pan add everything listed except the flour and heat over high until it reaches a boil. Once the sauce reaches a boiling point reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 20 minutes. Use a hand blender to pulverize those peach pieces into a sauce like consistency.
2. Stir in the flour and let the sauce thicken. Serve over the grilled lamb or really anything you want - lamb, burgers, ice cream, Cheetos.

Purple Cauliflower Basil Purée

• 1 head Purple Cauliflower
• 3 Tablespoons Greek Yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 5 large Fresh Basil Leaves shredded

1. Break the cauliflower head into pieces and remove the large steam. Steam the cauliflower for 7 minutes or until it's slightly soft. 
2. Drain the purple Kool-Aid-like water from the pan and add the yogurt, oil, salt and basil to the cauliflower. Use a food processor or a hand blender to blend into a paste-like consistency. Serve as a side.

Grilled Onion

• 1 large Onion peeled and halved
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 pinches of Salt

1. Drizzle oil over onion.
2. Sprinkle salt over onion.
3. Grill for 15 min on side of grill where the coals aren't too hot.
4. Slice thinly.

All wood engraving depicting images of my food by Katy Weaver. And don't forget to check out Michelle's post for dessert! 

Tuna Steaks, Sautéed Zucchini and Raspberry Chocolate Mousse

Despite what a lot of creationists think the basis of good cooking is in fact science. That's why I was interested in the cookbook The Science of Good Cooking. Within the book America's Test Kitchen tests different cooking theories and tells you which one produces the best results. These theories don't just apply to one recipe, they carry over to multiple recipes within the cookbook and can be applied to your everyday cooking. I decided to make a few of the recipes that caught my eye when reading through this fascinating book of deconstructed cooking techniques.

Pan-searing a tuna steak results in an ultra tender piece of fish that cuts like butter. While the sesame seeds add texture and a flavor that compliments the tuna. I recommend the tuna recipe even for beginners. The zucchini side dish works well with the tuna, adding just enough spiciness and texture variety to the meal. While the raspberry chocolate mousse is the perfect ending to this meal. The fluffy texture and the rich chocolate intensity leaves you satisfied with a delicious and filling feast. 

A quick side note. Since these recipes are from a book entitled The Science of Good Cooking I thought I'd share a science based tip. Don't make the chocolate mousse in 90° weather. It results in a more dense chocolate mouse, because the heat doesn't allow whip cream to set up properly. If you absolutely need to make some emergency chocolate mousse (as we've all had to do) I would recommend allowing your mousse to set up in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Pan-Seared Sesame-Crusted Tuna Steaks

Serves 4

• 3/4 cup Sesame Seeds (I used half black sesame seeds)
• 4 (8-once) Tuna Steaks, preferably yellowfin ( I used tombo tuna [albacore tuna])
• 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• Salt and Pepper

1. Spread sesame seeds in a shallow baking dish or pie plate. Pat tuna steaks dry with paper towel; rub 1 tablespoon oil over steaks, then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Press both sides of each steak in sesame seeds to coat.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add tuna steaks and cook for 30 seconds without moving steaks. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until seeds are golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Using tongs flip tuna steaks carefully and cook, without moving them, until golden brown on second side and centers register 110 degrees (for rare), about 1 1/2 minutes, or 125 degrees (for rare), about 3 minutes. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices and serve immediately.

Sautéed Shredded Zucchini with Spiced Carrots and Almonds

Serves 4

• 5 Zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded and shredded
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 teaspoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 2 carrots grated
• 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 1.2 teaspoon Ground Coriander
• 1/2 golden Raisins
• 1/2 sliced Almonds toasted
• 1-2 teaspoons Lemon Juice

1. Toss zucchini with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Transfer to colander and let drain for 5 to 10 minutes. Place zucchini in center of kitchen bowl and wring out excess moisture in batches if necessary. 
2. Place zucchini in medium bowl and sepate any large clumps. Combine 2 teaspoons oil and mix.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the coriander and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add zucchini and  golden raisins to skillet, spread into even layer, and cook as directed. Add the sliced almonds and toss to combine before seasoning with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. 

Chocolate-Raspberry Mousse

Serves 6

• 8 onces Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped finely
• 4 tablespoons Water
• 2 tablespoons Dutch-Processed Cocoa
• 2 tablespoons Raspberry-Flavored Liqueur
• 1 teaspoon Instant Espresso Powder
• 2 large Eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream chilled

1. Melt chocolate, water, cocoa, raspberry liqueur, and espresso in medium heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. Whisk egg yolks, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, and salt together in medium bowl until mixture lightens in color and thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Pour melted chocolate into egg-yolk mixture and whisk until combined. Let cool until just warmer than room temperature, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites at medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and whip until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Using whisk, stir about one-quarter of whipped egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it; gently fold in remaining egg whites with rubber spatula until few white streaks remain. 
4. In now-empty bowl, whip cream on medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, about 15 seconds more. Using rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into mousse until no white streaks remain. Spoon mousse into 6 to 8 individual serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set and firm, at leat 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Serve.

If you're in the market for a new cookbook that actually explains why certain techniques are used, then I recommend this one. The book is filled with pictures and informative tid bits that would help any chef at any skill level improve their techniques and dishes. As always the fantastic photography is all thanks to Katy Weaver! Enjoy!