cook like james

A friend of mine recently brought me a bag full of grapefruit picked from her tree in Palm Springs. There’s nothing like fresh grapefruit and this recipe takes it to a new festive level. Broiling grapefruit is quick and easy and can be increased to accommodate any number of servings which makes them a great brunch option. Serve them warm or at room temperature with some Greek yogurt and granola.

Download Caramelized Vanilla Spiced Grapefruit recipe

Serves 4.

2 large grapefruit

2 tablespoons  maple syrup or honey

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cardamom (optional)

1. Position an oven rack about 4 inches below the broiler and heat the broiler on high. With a serrated knife, cut the grapefruit in even halves. Using a small paring knife or a grapefruit knife, cut each section away from the surrounding membrane. Set the grapefruit halves in a shallow broiler-safe pan or a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet). If necessary, trim a thin slice off their bottoms so they sit level.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the pure maple syrup or honey, brown sugar vanilla extract and spices. Drizzle the mixture over the grapefruit halves. Broil until bubbling and lightly browned in spots, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Fresh corn on the cob just seems to be a summer tradition for most people. It’s so simple to do, but everyone I know seems to use a different method – grilled, steamed, boiled, microwaved. When I was growing up, we picked fresh corn from the garden and it was thrown into a pot of boiling water, cooked briefly, stacked on a large platter, slathered with butter and placed in the center of the table. It’s still my favorite method, although grilling is a close second.  This recipe is pretty fool proof and brings out the natural sweetness of fresh corn.

Download BEST SIMPLE BOILED CORN ON THE COB recipe

4 teaspoons granulated sugar

4 ears fresh yellow corn, husked

Butter

Salt and ground black pepper

Pinch of cayenne, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place corn in large container and soak in cold water to cover for at least 30 minutes.

2. Bring 1 gallon water and sugar to boil in large pot. Add corn; return to boil and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and serve with butter, salt, and pepper (and cayenne) to taste.

Fast Easy Homemade Applesauce

A friend of mine called and asked me what was the best way to use up a bunch of apples and I naturally suggested applesauce. I often find the crisper drawer in my  own refrigerator filled with a variety of apples and end up throwing them into a pot with a few ingredients to create a delicious homemade applesauce. It’s so versatile – I add it to oatmeal at breakfast, blend a scoopful into smoothies, use it to replace pumpkin in muffin recipes and it’s also a great accompaniment to many main course dishes. 

Download Fast Easy Homemade Applesauce recipe

4 pounds apples, such as McIntosh, Gala, and Braeburn

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

1 cup apple juice (or water)

3 inches of cinnamon stick

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons brown sugar (optional)

1. Peel, core, and slice apples.

2. In a large pot, bring apples, salt, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and apple juice (or water) to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until apples are very soft and falling apart, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Mash with a potato masher or pulse in a food processor until smooth with small chunks remaining. (Add sugar, if using.)

4. Let cool, and then transfer applesauce to airtight containers.

My friend Lauren was visiting over the 4^th of July weekend and brought me a bag of these exotic limes. She is part of the team at Good Land Organics™ which is located in the hills of Goleta, California, two miles from the Pacific Coast.  This certified organic land is called Condor Ridge Ranch, and is a unique ecosystem, unlike almost any other in the area, that allows them to grow a diversity of exotic sub-tropical crops.  The soil is a rich clay loam free of chemical pesticides. The winters are mild and typically frost-free, while the mild summer days start with foggy mornings.  These climate patterns contribute to their ability to grow the specialty sub-tropical fruits others cannot. Check them out at  http://goodlandorganics.com

The Australian Finger lime has a wild look, much different from most citrus fruit, somewhat resembling a baby gherkin, up to 3 inches in length with a purplish or greenish black color. To find the “caviar”, just cut the lime in half and give it a gentle squeeze – the tiny beads just “ooze out as if erupting from a mini-volcano. Unlike the tender, tear-drop-shaped juice sacs in standard citrus, the translucent, greenish-white or pinkish vesicles in finger limes are round and firm, and pop on the tongue like caviar, releasing a flavor that combines lemon and lime with green and herbaceous notes.” (LA Times 12/23/09)