A Foodie Day

Let’s just say, yesterday was a good day.  Especially since almost every ingredient I used throughout the day came from local Oregon farms (or waters).  Check it out:

Breakfast (which turned into Brunch by the time it all came together): Deconstructed Egg Salad; soft boiled quail eggs with a creamy vinaigrette, with tender greens and scallions, and bacon.  I’m sure it was quite a sight to see, me hunched over the counter for nearly 30 minutes delicately peeling the thin skins on all those darn little quail eggs, but it was worth the backache, and the time.

Lunch: “Blue” Pesto over Tomatoes; a sweet, tangy, and creamy blend of blueberries (we keep getting more from our CSA basket!  Last summer was 42 potatoes, this summer should be 42 blueberries!), blue cheese, lemon basil, and lemon juice, poured over freshly picked beefsteak tomato slices.  Unlikely combination, fantastic concoction!

Happy Hour: Lemon Pepper Edamame; Just like it sounds!  Creamy, crunchy soy beans, still warm in their pods, topped with a sprinkle of freshly cracked pepper and lemon zest.  The bowl was gone while the hour was still happy.

Dinner: Sauteed Shrimp with Tomatoes and Chard; since Rob is out of town, my mercury level will definitely rise this week with the amount of shellfish I’m planning on consuming (despite all my efforts and preparations, he still won’t touch the stuff).  This simple meal, combined with fresh artisan sourdough, completely rounded out the foodie day.  I was licking the bowl.  Literally.  Please don’t judge.

Sauteed Shrimp with Tomatoes and Chard (serves 2) 

• 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 
• 1/2 small sweet white onion (Walla Walla is great), thinly sliced
• about 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered 
• 2 c swiss chard sliced into very thin ribbons, called chiffonade (measure after you slice) 
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 c chardonnay 
• 1 tbsp marscapone cheese
• zest of 1 lemon 
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• s&p 
• good crusty bread, to serve, preferably sourdough

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over med-high heat.  Add the onions, and a bit of salt, and saute until translucent.  Add the tomatoes and the chard, and continue to saute until the chard has just started to wilt.  

Meanwhile, season the shrimp with salt and pepper.  

Once chard has started to wilt, add in the red pepper flakes, oregano, and deglaze the pan with the chardonnay.  After about 2 minutes, add in the shrimp, and saute until shrimp is just starting to turn to pink.  Cover the pan and let simmer until shrimp is just cooked, about 3-4 minutes.  Take off the cover, turn off the heat, and add in the marscapone cheese, stirring to incorporate.  Taste for seasoning.  

Serve in a shallow bowl with the pan sauce, and with chunks of bread to rip off and soak up all the goodness.  Then, lick the bowl when finished.  

Enjoy!  

Sig got a hold of a rogue blueberry. He played with it for a while, but then swallowed it whole, and started begging for more. Figures.

Tags: bread, shellfish, shrimp, swiss chard, tomatoes