I love summer...

Heirloom tomatoes with goat cheese and pesto, spanish tortilla, white corn

I absolutely adore summer, especially in California (you know where the temperature rarely reaches 85 degrees). AJ and I have gotten in the habit of frequenting the Mountain View farmer's market every Sunday. It is a lovely little ritual. We get some fresh air and sun, while picking up fresh produce for that evening's dinner. AJ bought me some lovely sunflowers. I didn't realize it until we brought them home, but they're actually dyed with a pink water to get that vibrant orange color!

We also picked up some blackberries, raspberries, peaches, dates, heirloom tomatoes, basil, potatoes, eggs, white corn, and onion. I knew I wanted to do a twist on the caprese salad for dinner, but wasn't sure what else to make.

Corn for the corn! I love those corn holders.

Potatoes have made a comeback as one of my favorite foods, especially after Heather made some delicious roasted ones with chilis. I had never made a spanish tortilla before, but was suddenly inspired to make one after picking up some beautiful yukon golds. For side dishes I sliced the tomatoes and topped them with peppercorn crusted goat cheese and my own basil pesto. This combo is absolutely divine! The tortilla came together fairly easily. I sauteed the onion with olive oil and boiled the potatoes for 3-4 minutes before adding them to the onions, with some garlic. I recommend letting the onions get fairly brown and caramelized - the flavor is worth the wait! Our meal was so simple, but so flavorful.

Close-up of the tortilla.

We topped our meal off with some watermelon and dates. A sweet end to a sweet meal.

I look a little tired from my run. That melon revitalized me.

Spanish Tortilla

3 medium sized yukon gold potatoes

1 large yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

4 eggs

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Olive oil

Directions

Boil a pot of water. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in frying pan on mediumheat. Cut potatoes in half, then slice them crosswise into thin slices (matchsticks) and boil for 3-4 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander. Cut onion into thin slices and sautee in pan for about 5-6 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic to the onions and cook on medium heat for another 7-8 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool in colander.

Mix 4 eggs in a large bowl with salt and pepper. Add onion and potatoes and mix with eggs. Add 2 tablespoons oil to frying pan. Add egg mixture to frying pan and cook for 5 minutes. Take a plate and place it over the pan. Invert the pan and tortilla onto the plate. I put tin foil on the plate. This made it easier to add the tortilla back into the frying pan and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

Colcannon - Another Irish Dish

The food of my ancestors - potatoes, cabbage, onions, and kale.

I am pretty proud of my Irish heritage, and while I have taken this holiday as an excuse to drink some beer, I prefer to honor my ancestors with some traditional dishes. As many of you know the potato has been a staple in the Irish diet, mainly because it is abundant and cheap.

My mom has always served colcannon on St Patty's Day, and so I whipped up this batch in honor of her (she's 100% Irish) and my ancestors. Colcannon is traditionally a potato mash combined with boiled cabbage or kale, and onions. My mom serves hers with cheese.

Peeling potatoes. A pain but worth it.

I decided to use three different kinds of potatoes that I got from the local farmer's market, a yukon gold, a redskinned, and a baker's. The yukon gold added great color and flavor.

Onions, kale, and cabbage - gotta love that green!

My mom usually does just cabbage and onions, but there was some beautiful kale at the farmer's market so I decided to add some of that in as well. It turns out kale is often served in colcannon around Halloween, as it is in season, whereas cabbage is used in the spring. Kind of cool. In California I can do both. The kale added some vibrant green color and a spinach like flavor. I think it is a keeper!

Mashing the potatoes with buttermilk, butter, and thyme.

This dish is pretty simple, you basically boil everything, mash the taters, add the boiled veggies, some cheese (I used some great Irish cheddar) and then bake it for 20 min. If you love mashed potatoes this is a great way to add some more vegetables to your diet. Boiling mellows out the cabbage and onion. I will be having colcannon leftovers tomorrow!

Colcannon Recipe

3 potatoes, peeled

1/2 head cabbage, chopped

6 leaves of kale, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

buttermilk

1 tbsp butter

1/4 tsp fresh thyme

salt

pepper

Directions:

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Halve the potatoes and cook for about 20-30 minutes until tender. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove potatoes from water. Add cabbage, kale, and onion to water. Boil for 6-8 minutes until tender. Mash potatoes in a large bowl with a couple tbsp of buttermilk, the butter, and thyme. If needed add more buttermilk until creamy. Salt and pepper to taste. Add half of cheese and boiled vegetables and mix well. Pour mixture into a buttered dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes. Broil for two minutes until cheese is golden brown. Serve with brown bread or simply by itself.

2 out of 3 JAMs