These chocolate-banana-cinnamon paninis are favorites of ours.  We have them a couple of times a month for breakfast, usually on the weekend.  We like to use rustic bread from the farmers market, along with Askinosie chocolate.

Ingredients
4 slices of rustic whole-grain bread
2 ounces coarsely-chopped chocolate (I use 70% San Jose del Tambo chocolate from Askinosie but milk chocolate will work fine, too.)
1 large, ripe banana, sliced into 1/4″ thick rings
2 T butter, melted
Cinnamon

You will also need:
Pastry brush
Panini maker

Instructions
Slice the bread into 1/2″ thick slices.  Sprinkle the chopped chocolate on top of two slices.  Place pieces of banana over the top of the chocolate.  Top with the remaining slices of bread.  Brush the top slice of the bread with butter.  Sprinkle generously with cinnamon.  Carefully invert the sandwiches and place them on top of the panini-maker, cinnamon side down, being careful not to disrupt the chocolate and banana inside.  Brush the top slice of bread with butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon.  Grill on the panini-maker until the chocolate is melted and the sandwiches are golden brown.  Remove and slice in half.  Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Rhubarb is one of my springtime favorites!  It grows like crazy in my Napa Valley garden.  I’ve found that people either love it or hate it – or else they have never tried it.  

Rhubarb has edible stalks with very large leaves at the top. The stalk averages about 18 inches in length and ranges in color from green to red.  Note that the leaves of the rhubarb plant are toxic so don’t eat them – only eat the stalk.  In the markets, you will likely find only the stalks – the farmer typically removes the leaves before bringing the rhubarb to market.

When choosing rhubarb at the market, look for stalks that are full of moisture. If they are starting to dry out, they have likely lost some of their flavor and texture.   You can keep rhubarb in the refrigerator for a couple of days in a sealed plastic bag before using it.  

I think that rhubarb is best when prepared very simply. It is extremely tart so will require sugar or honey to sweeten it.   One of my favorite ways to prepare rhubarb is to roast it with cinnamon and sugar. 

Start by slicing  3 stalks into 2″ pieces and placing those pieces in a single layer in the bottom of a baking dish.  Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of melted butter. 

Sprinkle 1/3 cup coarse sugar (unrefined works great here) over the top of the rhubarb.  Then generously shake cinnamon over the top, to coat. 

Roast at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes, or until the rhubarb has caramelized.  Serve with ice cream, cookies or just plain.

Serves 2.

Sweet spring torpedo onions are in season now.  My favorite way to prepare them is to roast them.  Roasting really enhances their sweetness, and the leftovers (if there are any) are delicious when tossed into scrambled eggs the next morning.

Ingredients
Nice quality extra virgin olive oil (such as the “everyday” olive oil from California Olive Ranch)
Coarse grey sea salt
Freshly-cracked pepper
One dozen torpedo onions (red or white)

You will also need:
Baking dish
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Small pastry brush

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare the baking dish by drizzling olive oil in the bottom of the dish.  Tilt the dish from side to side to coat the bottom.  Sprinkle the bottom with coarse sea salt.

Remove the tough green tops from the onions.  Cut off the root end.  Slice the onions in half lengthwise.  Place them, cut side down, in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Brush the tops with olive oil.  Season with freshly-cracked pepper.

Cook for approximately 25 minutes or until the onions are tender and starting to brown.

Serve as a side dish.

Fava beans are appearing now in our local Bay Area farmers markets.  They are so fresh-tasting and delicious.  You do have to shell them, cook them and peel them before serving.  However, they are so worth it – and it really takes only a few minutes. 

When choosing fava beans, go for the pods that are smaller, uniformly green and crisp. The beans inside should be green, too. Avoid the larger pods that have yellowing beans inside.

Start by shelling the fava beans. Remove the stem end and pull off the string that runs lenghwise along the pod.  Open the pod and remove the beans inside.  Discard the pods. 

Cook the beans until they are just tender. To do that, put them into a saucepan and cover them in water. Bring the water to a boil and let the beans cook for only 1-2 minutes, until they are just stating to get tender and the skins loosen up. Remove the beans from the heat and drain them immediately. Fill the pot with cold water to stop the cooking of the beans. Drain again and let them rest until they are cool enough to handle.

The fava bean must then be popped out of its skin. Grasp it between your thumb and forefinger and push. The whole bean should pop out. Discard the skin and keep the naked bean.

Now that the beans are shelled, cooked, skinned and ready to go, put them onto some decorative salad plates, drizzle them with a really nice olive oil, sprinkle with a coarse sea salt (such as fleur de sel) and finish with a bit of fresh lemon zest (Meyer lemon, if possible). Add some shaved parmigiano reggiano, some fresh burrata or fresh mozarella for an extra-decadent treat.

Here are more recipes that feature fava beans:  Crostini of Fava Beans with Meyer Lemon, Seared Salmon with Fava Beans and Truffle Oil and Seared Dayboat Scallops with Fava Beans.