{Don’t they know it’s rude to stare?}

They’re hee-ere….not the extraterrestrials, the fava beans.  They are just vegetables after all so don’t worry about them tying you up and holding you hostage or overthrowing the government or anything like that.  Just don’t look them straight in the eyes or they might hypno-bamboozle you flat in your tracks. If they do manage to outsmart you while your cooking, then you had it coming, dummy.  The weirdest part I admit is the googly eyes, I don’t remember that from last year — maybe they’re evolving, rapidly. Scary!

{Just look at them trying to intimidate me on my own porch!  Cigarette butts everywhere — such the riff raff.}

When I lived on the east coast we got Gypsy Moths this time of year. Out here in California we get fava beans (pretty sweet I know).  This recipe would be all wrong with caterpillars though, so for all you New Englanders, nice try but no substitutions.

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{Long noodles cooked in aromatic broth with young spring vegetables, basil, and crispy tofu.}

I know a long life noodle from a curse you to an early death noodle any day of the week — and these my friends are like if that pool from the movie Cocoon made noodles too.  Magic.  I also believe in the mighty power of suggestion and all jokes aside, whenever I see these on a menu, it’s one order for me please thank you.  Spring is my favorite time of year for food, everything grows in such abundance that certain vegetables are often harvested when they are young and at their most tender.

Earlier in the week I made some delicious chicken broth using ginger and chilies so when I saw all the sweet organic veggies at the market my mind began to wander, and then all I needed was noodles.  There’s a tiny market nearby that make homemade vermicelli that they don’t cut; it’s simply folded over and then packaged.  Each strand is about three feet long and is so delicately thin that cooking them within a broth is perfect.

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{Pillowy, soft poached eggs rest their weary yolks upon toasted buttery breads.}

This is my favorite breakfast, pure and simple.  I’ve tried for years to perfect the soft boiled egg and just cannot get the yolk perfect and ensure the top shell is removed sans those most undesirable shards.  And that the yolk is runny on the inside and jelly around the edges that is easily achieved by poaching.
There’s something comforting about this meal’s raw elegance in that, if for some reason I should wake up in the forest alone and hungry, I’m secure in the fact I could scavenge old bread and an egg from the dwellers there to poach and toast by a sunlit stream.  I’d serve it on dewy leafs to the field mice, burrow owls, and any forest friends awake and hungry.  Here’s what you need for kitchen preparation (ad-hoc wilderness improvisations are up to you of courshe.)

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{Tender pieces of halibut lightly coated in sweet rice flour and stir-fried with ginger, garlic, soy, and citrus ponzu.}

When I saw this halibut in the market I couldn’t resist it’s charms.  It’s milky complexion, that sweet saline bouquet, I was powerless to it’s sorcery.  Oh, wicked fish your death was not in vein!  Your icy grave is a throne by which we mortals worship; come with me now — the finest soy derivatives await you!

This is the type of dish I frequently make — two main ingredients and then flavored with what I have fresh and handy. I always have garlic, ginger, limes, and Asian pastes and sauces.  I was craving those flavors anyhow so away I went with my trusty wok.

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{This belated Valentine tart more than made up for it’s tardy arrival.}

{I cant resist these, crispy thin charred shallots are the secret ingredient.}

I’ve been sitting on this post for weeks now, it seems I’m paralyzed by my own dim wits and flat can’t get it together. This is it, despite the state of things — it’s going up today.  I do have to admit, covering my face in shame, that I’m deeply entranced by the Big Brother feeds right now.  I can’t look away.  At this point I think I’m just waiting for them to start eating one another and last night I swear I saw cannibalism peek it’s cute little head through the front door before shyly scampering off.  He’ll be back, I’m sure of it and I’d better not miss a thing!

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{Thin veal cutlets, creamy sauce, olive dressing, and coral pasta might just do the trick.}

Really that’s just Italian for tuna and veal which I am aware doesn’t much sound like creatures that would get along well on a plate or barn or sea.  Sometimes you have to take a chance and this is one of those days.  Like with life, things are going to get worse before they get better.

There is an unlikely and deep involvement with the stinky anchovy to contend with.  And rogue as he may be, this dish would be nothing without his unique brand of social graces.  Along with the aforementioned, you will also enjoy an excruciating task of squeezing the seeds from one million tiny olives.  Just let your mind wander, and one harrowing cup worth of fruit later, you’ll thank me as your thoughts exit the existential to marvel over your yield.

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{Feast your eyes on that leafy lettuce landscape!}

This is the most aromatic dish I can ever remember cooking.  When the lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and chilies are sizzling away the most intoxicating  scents filled the house.  I just couldn’t get over it or imagine the taste would live up to this finest of foreshadowing. But did it ever, this was right up my alley and smack on the money for me.  The flavors are vivid and perfectly combined to not overpower one another, it reminded me of the the most magnifiscent Thai meals I still dream of.  In fact, I just went to the store for more chilies so I can make this again tonight.

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{Here’s the high res version, I just love how the ahi is vibrantly peaking out from behind it’s marbled sesame seed overcoat.}

Just moments before I dropped, yes, fall down go boom, my camera — I took these pictures of what would be our dinner.  I can’t believe I can take pictures inside at night with a flash now.  Or at lease I could before I klutzed it up good and proper and dropped my precious D80, crocodile tears!

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{I poached this recipe from my friend  Rasa Malaysia, if you don’t visit her blog already, her photography and recipes are magnificent and always full of inspiration.}

This is the first time I made my own chili paste and was surprised to see how easy it is.  You have much more control this way too over the heat and quality or mixture of chilies you use.  The oyster sauce added that perfect sweet heat element that I love so much.  What I was unable to depict in the final picture, because I waited until the next day for natural light to snap the finished dish, was all the delicious sauce that we poured over the angel hair pasta along with the clams.  I think over night it drank it all up, the noodles were wonderful cold the next day so I can’t be too upset about this turn of events.

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Here’s to wishing everyone a a happy and healthy new year.  Drive safe and and don’t eat too many LemonBerry tarts like the one in this picture.  It’s the first taken with my new Nikon D80 (my BIG gift!!).  The recipe for this tart is the same as here, only we adoringly adorned it with blackberries, raspberries, powdered sugar, and strawberry leaves.  xo, Aria

{tags Nikon D80 LemonBerry Tart Recipe}