Fiddlehead Tart

Today was my day to play, after a week of work and painting the house. The day started out gray and cold, and it was not the weather I had envisioned for a first summer trip to the coast. I puttered around and the day was almost gone but by 4pm I got on the road because I knew I would regret tomorrow if I had given in to laziness and excuses. Magically, the clouds disappeared and the sum came out. By mid-May, the days are quite long and so a late trip would still be worthwhile.

Sometimes, it is all in the drive anyway. A drive, sunshine, the landscape flying by, the clouds and the thoughts and mind recharge.

My favorite barnyard was open, including a new wooden horse.

My favorite coop, the Belfast coop.

Besides the chives seedlings, a tiny chihuahua was waiting for his owner. He was so tiny and vulnerable, easily to be scooped up and taken away. But this is Maine, and we all trust each other. 

Or bring the big black dog to protect the little white one.

Backstreets of Belfast.

All walks typically bring me to Chase’s Daily for a meal. This time, for dinner, since Friday is the only day Chase’s serves dinner (besides breakfast and lunch). As usual, their fare is vegetarian and from their own farm.

Dinner only one day a week translates into ‘booked solid’ every time but there are seats at the bar.

A business woman’s handbag: Kate Spade handbag with Macbook Air, Tuscan Kale and a piece of parmesan cheese.

 

While waiting for dinner, I did something old fashioned: reading the New Times in paper form and being in Cannes for the film festival.

 

I had ordered the daily special: Fiddlehead Tart with goat cheese, herbs and an egg custard with early greens. It was perfect.

An entire mini tart with a rustic crust for me.

Here is a glimpse of the chef (white apron).

After it was all said and done (eaten) I headed out for short walk.

Yes, this is Maine. A lot of old cars.

Everywhere. Because, it is almost all in the drive. And the rest in the fiddlehead tart.

Quinoa salad

I started a new project. Painting my house. That is the insides, just a new coat of eggshell since the woodstove is doing a good job keeping us warm and coloring the top of the walls in a Martha Stewart dusk shade. Cats are helpful and observe the spectacle from underneath the canvases.  They think it is all a wonderful game, furniture in different places, lumped together, canvases on top, new places to hide out and not to be found.

I converted the quinoa from the other day into a quinoa salad. There are few necessary ingredients: something crunchy like celery, something satiating like chickpeas (or fava beans), something herbal (basil?), something oniony (green onions?), and some fruit (grapes). Dressing is almost not necessary if the quinoa is cooked with some flavor. For my version of ingredients at hand I used chickpeas, green onions, celery and strawberries. Perfect!

Bea also has a great recipe: quinoa salad with fava beans.

Portion control?

Problems with portion control? Here is your tool.

Rinsing Quinoa

The sun is back but it is cold. The citrus kiddos got rolled back into the house. The winter wool sweater is unearthed from the was-winter pile. Brrr. Today, browsing throughan absolutely Target I found something new in the Giada for Target section that I don’t have yet: a fine mesh sieve, perfect for rinsing quinoa. Swiftly taken home I tried it out for Trader Joes tricolore quinoa and my favorite quinoa recipe. Not just a bland water+quinoa mix but the whole shebang with butter, onions, garlic, wine and quinoa. Unfortunately I was out of white wine so red wine had to do but the acidity of the white wine might be better. Nevertheless, wine adds flavor.

First. rinse the 1 cup quinoa. (in the Giada di Laurentiis fine mesh sieve from Target. Or something else that does not flush the fine grained quinoa through the holes.)

 

Next, fry a chopped onion in 1 tablespoon of butter until slightly brown. Add 2 small garlic cloves, microplaned, to the pot. And the rinsed quinoa, and toast it for 1-2 minutes.

Now, add a 1/2 cup of white or red wine, mix in, and cook off the liquid. (You are left with the flavor but without the alcohol).

Add 1 cup of water, some salt and thyme, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for about 20 min or fluffy. --- Serve or use it as a start for a quinoa salad.