1 1/2 pounds fresh string beans

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon salt or soy sauce (to taste)

toasted sesame seeds

1. Either using a knife or your fingers, remove the ends of the string beans. Rinse lightly. Drain. There should be a little bit of water left in the bowl (about 1 tablespoon).

2. Pour toasted sesame oil over the beans, add soy sauce or salt to taste, and toss the beans in the mixture.

3. Put the beans in a heat-proof dish, and cover with plastic wrap. Steam in the microwave for 3-4 minutes.

4. Remove carefully from the microwave and take off the plastic wrap. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top of the beans, and serve hot or at room temperature.

© Nina Simonds 2008

Six Servings

The combination of honey and orange juice gives the salmon a lovely glaze. To prevent the salmon from sticking, brush or spray oil generously on the grill and use a firm hand with your spatula. I like to make any leftovers into a main-dish salad the next day for lunch or dinner.

Ginger-Honey Marinade

1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer 5 minutes. Use as directed in the recipe.

6 salmon steaks
3 tablespoons virgin olive oil (for oiling the grill)

1. Pour half of the ginger honey marinade into a bowl and cool slightly. Keep the other half warm.

2. Put the salmon in one layer in a shallow pan, pour half the marinade on top, and turn the fish so that all sides are coated. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.

3. Prepare a medium-hot fire for grilling or preheat a gas grill, and arrange a rack 3 to 4 inches from the heat. Brush the grill with the olive oil and arrange the salmon steaks on top. Cook, brushing with the marinade, until the flesh is just opaque, about 6 to 7 minutes per side. Carefully slide the fish off the grill and serve with the remaining marinade spooned on top of each steak. Serve with a stir-fried green vegetable and steamed rice or rice pilaf.

© Nina Simonds 2008

Six Servings

Roasting asparagus spears in a very hot oven or grilling them gives them a unique and delicious flavor and texture. Try this easy recipe and serve them warm or cold.

1 ½ pounds fresh asparagus
3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
2. Snap off the tough woody ends of the asparagus and rinse the spears. Drain on paper towels. Spread the asparagus out on a cookie sheet. Mix the olive oil with the lemon zest and pour the mixture over the asparagus and make sure they are covered on both sides with the flavored oil.
3. Roast the asparagus 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Alternatively, you may grill or steam the asparagus for 4 to 5 minutes until tender. Arrange the asparagus on a serving plate and serve hot or cold.

© Nina Simonds 2008.

To make the fortunes for these cookies, cut 3- by 1/2-inch strips of paper and write or type your own fortunes with non-toxic ink. Because you must work quickly to shape the cookies, it’s best to make them one at a time. Using more than one baking sheet is also helpful because you won’t have to waste time waiting for the baking sheet to cool. A liquid measuring cup or deep heavy bowl os a good tool for shaping the cookies.

Servings: Makes about 8 cookies.

Ingredients:

1 large egg white
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped sliced almonds
fortunes

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F. and butter a large round area (about 6 inches) in middle of a baking sheet.

In a small bowl whisk egg white just until foamy. Add flour, sugar, almonds and a pinch salt and beat until smooth. Put 2 teaspoons batter on buttered area of baking sheet and with back of measuring spoon spread batter evenly into a round about 3 inches in diameter.

Bake cookie in middle of oven until golden around edge but pale in center, about 5 minutes. Working quickly, with a spatula remove cookie from baking sheet and invert onto a work surface. Put a fortune in middle of cookie and fold cookie in half. Bend pointed edges of cookie toward each other and hook them onto rim of a liquid measuring cup or deep heavy bowl to cool completely.

Make more cookies with remaining batter in same manner, letting baking sheet cool between cookies. Cookies may be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container.

Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipesmenus/gourmet/recipes

Excerpted from Gourmet magazine, February 1997

What will bring out the best and most interesting flavors of your cheeses? A few suggestions:

• Rosemary Montasio with Chianti or Syrah

• Ancho Chile Caciotta with Orange Pekoe tea

• Goat Cheese wrapped in Hoja Santa Leaf with Deus Brut des Flandres (sparkling beer!) or dark chocolate truffles

• Goats’ Milk Montasio with Sauvignon Blanc or Beaujolais

• Pecan Praline Mascarpone Tart with Ginger Snaps

• Fresh Mozzarella with Chicken Breasts and Garlic (Recipe Below)

Four Servings

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 pounds, total)
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella roll, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 4 sprigs fresh tarragon

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Melt the butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chicken breasts and sauté for 6 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides, turning as necessary. Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm. Deglaze the pan with the wine and simmer briefly to reduce to half its original volume. Return the chicken to the skillet with any meat juices and cook for 1 minute. Place 2 slices of fresh mozzarella on top of each chicken breast, and place 1 sprig of tarragon on top. Cover the pan and remove it from the heat. Set aside in a warm place for a few minutes and let the mozzarella soften and begin to melt. If necessary, return the covered skillet to low heat until the mozzarella softens. Sprinkle with additional salt or pepper, as desired. Remove the garlic.

To serve, spoon some of the sauce over each breast.

© The Cheese Lover’s Cookbook & Guide by Paula Lambert, 2000.

Natural crystal salt is a wonder, packed with health-giving benefits!!

• According to Ayervedic doctors from India, rock and sea salt are the most beneficial forms of natural crystal salt because they don’t raise blood pressure.

• Natural crystal salts can aid digestion and improve eyesight.

• Crystal salt also activates the flavors of foods, enhancing the taste.

• When used in lotions and bath salt compounds, salt softens the skin and deodorizes.

Source: Water & Salt: The Essence of Life by Dr. Barbara Hendel, MD and Biophysicist Peter Ferreira. (Natural Resources, Inc., 2003)

Makes about 1 ¼ cups

Make a batch of this vibrant spice blend and use it to flavor all types of seafood. I also use it to season roasted and grilled vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, sweet potatoes and squash. It will keep for months stored in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place.

¼ cup dried red chilies (measuring about 2 to 3 inches long), ends trimmed and seeds removed
½ cup coriander seeds
2 ½ tablespoons fennel seeds
2 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
3 to 4 whole stars anise, smashed with the flat side of a kitchen knife
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, smashed with a rolling pin
½ teaspoon whole cloves
2 ½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns
4 cinnamon sticks, broken in half and then smashed into bits with a rolling pin
1 to 2 whole bay leaves

1. Heat a heavy skillet or a cast iron pan and add the spices. Toast them over low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon for 4 to 5 minutes until very fragrant.
2. Let cool slightly and carefully pour the spices into a spice grinder or a food processor and grind to a coarse powder, about 4 to 5 minutes. Use as directed in the recipe(s).

© 2008 Nina Simonds

• According to a 2003 report published by the American Dietetic Association, the flavanols contained in chocolate, especially dark chocolate, may decrease the risk of heart disease.*
• Dark chocolate has also been shown to lower high blood pressure, as detailed in another 2003 report published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.**
• In addition, chocolate triggers the release of endorphins in the brain — feel-good chemicals like those released after running several miles — as well as serotonin, an anti-depressant.

*http://www.eatright.org/

**http://www.webmd.com/

Serves 6

“I like to dip orange sections, strawberries and crystallized or uncrystallized ginger in melted baking chocolate for an easy and DELICIOUS dessert or snack. You can also use other fruits.”

Oranges and Candied Ginger dipped in chocolate!
One 5.3 oz. Green & Blacks Baking Chocolate bar with 72% cocoa content including extra cocoa butter for easier melting
3 Navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
12 pieces or slices crystallized or uncrystallized ginger

Break the chocolate into sections and place in a double boiler (or one saucepan containing boiling water placed over another. Heat the water over medium-low heat until the chocolate is melted. Dip the orange sections and ginger slices in the chocolate and let drip back into the chocolate. Arrange on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Freeze or chill in the refrigerator until hardened. Arrange on a serving dish and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

Oranges and Candied Ginger dipped in chocolate!