All Posts By: NANCY DeLUCIA REAL

Last week, I stumbled across these fresh cranberry beans at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. These beans really captured my attention. Just look at them!

They’re fresh and this means that they take less time to cook than packaged dry beans. In honor of Cinco de Mayo, we’re makin’ some frijoles refritos or refried beans. You can add these creamy beans to tostadas and tacos or serve them as a dip with tortilla chips. I’m sure you won’t forget the Tequila shots and/or the Margaritas… y andale! Or, just go for it!

Inactive Prep Time: Overnight soaking, plus 45 minutes to boil the beans
Prep Time: 15 minutes (for refrying the beans)

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh cranberry beans (if using dried beans, allow 20 to 30 minutes more for cooking)
1 yellow or white onion, peeled and halved
3 bay leaves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 strips of bacon (optional)
3/4 cup peeled and finely chopped yellow or white onion
Half a Serrano chile, finely minced
4 to 6 tablespoons Half n’ Half cream
1 Chipotle chile in adobo sauce, mashed*
Salt, to taste

Soaking & Cooking Directions:

1. Place beans in a 4-quart glass or porcelain bowl; add enough cold water to cover the beans.

2. Cover the bowl and let beans soak overnight.

3. After the beans have soaked overnight, drain them completely.

4. Transfer the beans to a 6-quart sauce pot; add the peeled and halved onion and the bay leaves.

5. Cover the beans with about 2-1/2 to 3 quarts cold water (there should be 3 extra inches of cold over surface of beans).

6. Bring the beans to a boil.

7. After beans come to a boil, set heat on low. Simmer the beans for about 45 minutes or until they are tender, but not broken.

8. Set the sauce pot with beans aside to cool.

9. After the beans have cooled to room temperature, drain them, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

10. Discard onion and bay leaves.

11. Transfer the drained beans to a food processor; process beans into a puree.

Refry the Beans:

1. In an 8-quart sauce pot, heat the oil.

2. When oil is not, add the bacon strips, finely chopped onion and the minced Serrano chile.

3. On medium-high heat, stir-fry the mixture until onion is translucent and bacon turns crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes.

4. After 2 to 3 minutes, remove the bacon strips and discard them.

5. Using a wooden spoon, carefully stir the pureed beans into the stir-fried mixture.

6. Constantly and quickly stir the beans, bringing them to a boil – stand away from stove to avoid hot splatters.

7. Immediately lower the heat setting. If the boil is too strong, cover the sauce pot to avoid hot splatters once more.

8. Constantly stir the beans for about 2 to 3 minutes.

9. After 2 to 3 minutes, add the Half n’ Half cream and the mashed Chipotle chile; continue stirring until the refried bean mixture is uniform.

10. Stir in about 1 teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust seasonings.

11. Serve immediately.

*NOTE: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are sold in cans. They can be found in the international foods section of standard supermarkets or in Latin American grocery stores.

Text & Photographs ©2014 Nancy DeLucia Real

During the winter months, we either eat comfort foods that are super-rich or we grab snacks that turn into extra pounds very quickly.

To get back into a low-fat regime, try this delicious cucumber salad. The cucumbers are marinated in distilled vinegar, water and honey. This Marinated Cucumber Salad takes just a few minutes to prepare. It’s a non-fat recipe and you can also enjoy it as an appetizer or a snack.

Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 cup cold water
1/2 cup distilled vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
Dash ground black pepper
8 to 10 Persian cucumbers
1 medium carrot
1/2 cup thinly-sliced red onion, soaked in cold water and squeezed dry

Directions:

1. In a 2-quart glass or porcelain bowl, whisk together the water, vinegar, honey, salt and black pepper; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, rinse the cucumbers in cold water. Cut off and discard cucumber tips.

3. Peel the cucumbers and slice them into 1/8-inch thick circles.

4. Add the cucumber circles to the marinade in bowl; set aside.

5. In the meantime, rinse the carrot in cold water. Cut off and discard tips.

6. Peel the carrot and slice it into 1/8-inch thick circles.

7. Add the carrot slices to the cucumbers in bowl.

8. Add the drained onion slices to the cucumber mixture in bowl.

9. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

10. Refrigerate the cucumber salad for 2 hours – this will allow time for marinating the salad.

11. At serving time, drain the salad and transfer it to a serving bowl or platter.

12. Serve Marinated Cucumber Salad immediately.

Note: Should the Marinated Cucumber Salad stay in refrigerator overnight, the cucumbers will become soft and watery.

Text and Photograph ©2014 Nancy DeLucia Real

Symbolizing fertility, eggs are featured in the traditional foods of many cultures during Springtime.

In Italian gastronomy, colorful eggs are used to decorate baked delicacies at Easter. They are reminiscent of rebirth and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Celebrate Spring or Easter by making this festive bread known as pane di Pasqua. – Italian, for Easter Bread!

Active Prep Time: 45 minutes (for making dough & coloring eggs)
Inactive Prep Time: 90 minutes (for two dough risings of 45 minutes each)
Bake Time: 30 to 35 minutes

Prepare the Yeast Starter:
1/2 cup water
1 envelope (7 grams or 1/4-ounce) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

1. In a 1-pint metal bowl, combine the dry yeast and the sugar; set aside.

2. In a 1-pint sauce pot, heat the water until it is warm, but not hot.

3. Pour the warm water over the yeast-sugar mixture.

4. Swirl the bowl slightly to mix the dry and wet ingredients gently.

5. Cover the bowl and place it on a wood board for 15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, assemble the dough ingredients as follows:

Prepare the Dough:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons rum (light or dark)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 to 3-3/4 cups all-purpose, unbleached organic flour

1. Heat the water and milk together in a 1-quart sauce pot until the liquid is barely lukewarm; set aside.

2. After the yeast mixture has risen for 15 minutes, it will look puffy. Transfer it to a 6 to 8-quart mixing bowl or a stand mixer.

3. Whether using a hand mixer or the stand mixer, on low speed, stir in the water-milk liquid, egg, sugar, oil, vanilla, rum, cinnamon and salt.

4. When the mixture is smooth, gradually stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time.

5. Each time you add 1 cup of the flour, make sure the batter that forms is smooth and uniform.

6. After adding about 3 cups of the flour, a dough should form. It will be thick and sticky.

7. At this point, use a wooden spoon to mix in an additional 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour.

8. The dough should amalgamate and become semi firm, but soft and easy to handle.

9. Transfer the dough to a smooth, lightly floured wood board and knead it lightly until dough is uniform. [When kneading, to prevent dough from sticking to the board, lightly add flour to top of dough and wood surface.]

NOTE: Do not place the dough on marble, granite or tile, as these surfaces are too cold and will halt the rising process of the dough.

10. When the dough is smooth, set it aside.

11. Oil an 8-quart bowl; transfer the dough to the oiled bowl.

12. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel; set bowl away from draft and let dough rise for 45 minutes.

13. After 45 minutes, punch down the dough and, with a knife, divide it into 3 equal pieces.

14. Shape each of the 3 dough pieces into a ball; set them aside.

15. Take one dough ball and place it on a lightly-floured wood board. Gently begin rolling the dough ball, stretching it to out, to the sides.

16. As you roll the dough ball, it will elongate.

17. Continue the rolling and stretching process until you have made a strand of dough measuring 23 to 24 inches in length. Set the dough strand aside.

18. Repeat the above rolling and stretching technique for the remaining two dough balls. You should now have three strands of dough.

19. Place the three strands of dough next to each other, to form three rows (they will be parallel to each other):

20. At one end of the dough strands, press them into each other so that they hold together. Begin forming a braid:

21. After completing the braid, shape it into a wreath. Press edges together to close the wreath (it will be a circle). Set the dough wreath aside:

22. Meanwhile, line an 18-inch X 12-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.

23. Gently lift and quickly transfer the wreath onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.

24. Cover the wreath with a clean kitchen towel; set baking sheet with wreath aside on a wood surface or in a cold oven to rise for 45 minutes.

25. After 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 375°F. In the meantime:

Prepare Egg Wash & Decoration:
3 colored Easter eggs (made a day ahead, per instructions on one Easter egg coloring kit)
1 egg yolk, mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water (this is the egg wash)
Nonpareils candies

1. Place the colored eggs, spaced evenly, over wreath; gently push them into dough until they are snug.

2. Brush top of wreath with egg wash (DO NOT BRUSH THE COLORED EGGS).

3. Sprinkle the wreath with nonpareils candies:

Bake the Bread:
1. Place the baking sheet with wreath on a rack positioned in center of preheated oven.

2. Bake the bread for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, insert a pointed knife in the bread. It should come out clean. If not, bake the bread for 5 more minutes.

3. After 30 to 35 minutes of baking, transfer the baking sheet with bread to a counter to cool (at this point, marble granite or tile counters can be used).

4. Serve the Easter bread warm or at room temperature, but cutting it into 2-inch thick slices.

TO STORE: After the bread has cooled completely, cut it into 4 sections. Wrap each section in plastic wrap and place it in double freezer bags. Freeze the sectioned bread for up to one month.

TO THAW: Remove bread section(s) from freezer bags and unwrap. Place the bread section on a plate, covered with a new sheet of plastic wrap, to thaw for 1 to 2 hours. Slice the bread and serve.

Text & Photographs © Nancy DeLucia Real

Don’t you just love homemade jams and preserves? Making them is easy, too. For a quick strawberry jam, all you have to do is boil the fruit with sugar. In no time at all, you’ll spoil everyone who tastes this delicious concoction! Enjoy Quick Strawberry Jam on toasted bread at breakfast, or whenever you feel like having a natural snack.

Ingredients:
16 ounces (one pound) fresh strawberries
1/2 cup granulated, organic, unbleached sugar
Dash cinnamon

Directions:

1. Remove and discard stems from strawberries.

2. Rinse the strawberries; cut them into fourths, lengthwise.

3. In a 2-quart sauce pot, combine the strawberries, sugar and cinnamon; stir with a wooden spoon.

4. Bring the strawberry mixture to a boil; immediately reduce heat to medium and stir.

5. After reducing heat, cook the strawberry mixture for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. After 3 to 5 minutes, using a hand masher, mash the fruit. The mixture will now have liquid as well as pulp.

7. Cook the strawberry jam for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced and thickened.

8. Transfer the hot jam to a glass bowl or jar. Partially cover the bowl or jar (this will let the heat and steam escape).

9. When the jam has cooled completely, store it in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate it up to one week.

Note: the consistency of Quick Strawberry Jam will appear more runny than conventional jam (this is due to no thickening agents being added).

Text and Photographs ©2014 Nancy DeLucia Real

In the last two weeks, as I’ve gone up and down the stalls at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market, it’s been difficult to ignore the bright, multicolored cherry tomatoes. Don’t they look spectacular?

In response to one of our Facebook friends, here’s a recipe for tomatoes and basil (btw, we’re using cherry tomatoes here). Simply, cut the cherry tomatoes in half, add salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil and basil. Get some good European-style bread and eat your heart out! Now, who says you have to cook to eat well?

Prep time: 15 minutes (for washing and cutting the tomatoes)
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
One quart cherry tomatoes, washed & dried with paper towels
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 to 5 large fresh basil leaves, washed & dried with paper towels

Directions:

1. Remove stem from each cherry tomato. Cut each tomato in half; set halved tomatoes in a serving bowl.

2. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Using two spoons, gently stir in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Toss and taste.

4. If needed, add a little more olive oil, one tablespoon at a time. Taste the tomatoes with each olive oil addition.

5. Using kitchen shears, cut the basil leaves into slivers; toss the basil slivers into the tomato salad.

Serve Cherry Tomatoes & Basil with fresh, crusty bread.

Text and Photographs ©2014 Nancy DeLucia Real