Another San Diego food blog is on the scene: Amanda and her husband are recent transplants from Louisiana and they packed up their blog - What We’re Eating - and brought it along to sunny SoCal.

I stumbled upon their blog last week, not even knowing it was from a local. I love their rating system and the unique way they embark on conversations about their food experiences. Very real and very engaging.

Welcome, Amanda and Tyler!

But first…

Wouldn’t you just love to reach through the screen and grab one of these luscious chocolate-covered strawberries?

My sister-in-law Anisa hosted an amazingly delicious and well-organized Seder the other night for the first evening of Passover. We’re kind of at that age where the parents are passing the hosting responsibilities down to the next generation (US!) and Anisa’s definitely got the hang of it already. It’s just one of those life transitions… learning what it takes to host 30+ people for dinner at your house, having enough silverware and serving platters, figuring out how much food you really need, managing the stress of it all.

I contributed a side dish to the festivities, a green bean salad with a tangy creamy dressing and crunchy toasted pine nuts. The lemon and honey mixed with the creme fraiche make a sweet and intricately flavored dressing for the crunchy haricots verts. And the loads of basil added a fresh, spring-y note to the dish. I would definitely make this recipe again.

Haricots Verts and Grape Tomato Salad with Crème Fraîche Dressing
From Cooking Light Magazine (June 2005)
Makes 6 servings

I didn’t have any shallots, so I used chopped green onions instead. If you don’t have creme fraiche, you can substitute whole sour cream. I like to use Trader Joe’s frozen green beans. I quickly boil them and then shock them in ice water so that they maintain their bright color and crispy texture.

1 pound haricots verts, trimmed
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

Cook haricots verts in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.

Combine basil and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add haricots verts and tomatoes; toss gently to coat. Divide mixture evenly among 6 plates; sprinkle with nuts.

Chag Sameach to all of my Jew-homeys out there!

No matter what holidays you celebrate, a wholesome and comforting bowl of perfectly-made Matzoh Ball Soup is always a welcome addition to the day. So I’d just like to take this moment to remind you of my mother-in-law Letty’s Matzoh Ball Soup recipe. She’s the best cook I know and you won’t be disappointed with her techniques and the results.

Yum! Happy Passover!

♥Beth

Evidence that this dish is delicious: We’ve made it twice in the last couple weeks at my (picky) husband’s request.

At first bite, I was underwhelmed by the very subtle saffron flavors which are anything but in-your-face like many rich, American dishes. But ultimately the flavors won me over and I appreciated the “comfort food” nature of the chicken mixed with the tangy, creamy, golden rice. I believe the key to the dish is to let the bottom get nice and crispy before lowering the heat.

I got this recipe from a Food and Wine cookbook that compiles the best recipes from the 25 best cookbooks of 2005. This one comes from Ghillie Basan’s “The Middle Eastern Kitchen.”

Iranian Baked Rice
Recipe from Food & Wine’s Best of the Best, Vol. 8
4 to 6 servings

2 pinches saffron threads
a sprinkling of sugar
3/4 cup yogurt
2 eggs
1 onion, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small roast chicken, the meat stripped off and cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups long-grain rice, washed and soaked in salted water for about 1 hour
Roughly 1/2 cup olive oil
Roughly 1/4 cup butter cut into pieces

In a small bowl, grind the saffron with the sugar. Add a few drops of boiling water and mix well.

Mix the yogurt and eggs together, beat in the grated onion, and season with salt and pepper. Stir the saffron mixture into the yogurt, and marinate the chicken pieces in it for 1 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil with a little salt. Toss in the drained rice and cook for about 5 minutes, until the grains are soft on the outside but firm in the middle. Drain and rinse under lukewarm water.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, then mix half of the cooked rice with the remaining yogurt mixture. Heat the oil in the bottom of a heavy-based pan and spread the rice and yogurt mixture across the base and up the sides. Lay the chicken on top, followed by the rest of the rice, or arrange the chicken and rice in alternate layers. Dot the butter on top.

Poke a few holes through the rice, then cover the pan with a clean dish towl and the lid. Keep it on a high heat for a minute or two (in order to make the bottom crispy) then reduce to the lowest heat and leave the rice to steam for about 30 minutes. Alternatively, bake it in a low oven, about 325, for 30 to 40 minutes.

Spoon the cooked rice onto a serving dish and arrange the chicken on it with thick wedges of crispy bottom. If you prefer, you can turn the pan upside down onto a serving dish to present the rice in a mound.

… I’m just lost under a pile of blankets and Kleenex. Sorry for the lack of posts. I miss food blogging!

But unless you want to hear about how delicious chicken soup and Airborne remedy drinks are… a new recipe post might be a day or two away still.

Come back soon! Don’t forget about me!

♥Beth