This week I found mizuna at the Star Route Farms stand at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza farmers market.  Mizuna has tender dark green leaves and a pleasant peppery flavor.  Mizuna is also referred to as Japanese greens.  Some think that it tastes like arugula, but I find the flavor to be much more akin to mustard greens in flavor.  The leaves look more similar to wild arugula than mustard, though, with their somewhat feathery shape.  Mizuna is a great source of beta carotene, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. As well, it is low in calories.

Mizuna can be used in salads or sautéed in a little olive oil.  

I also add it to bacon, tomato and avocado sandwiches and to scrambled eggs for a hint of spice. 

Star Route Farms is certified organic and has 40 acres in Bolinas and another 10 acres in Thermal, California.  They grow a variety of vegetables including Asian vegetables, beets, broccoli, chards, herbs, lettuces, onions, salad greens, spinach, and more.   For more information on the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, visit the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA).

We just recently returned from Provence where the focus of our Getaway was truffles!  Black Perigord (tuber melanosporum) truffles, to be exact.   We had a fun, energetic group and an active agenda for the week. 

During our Truffle Getaway,  we stayed in a gorgeously-remodeled farmhouse in the Luberon area of Provence, near the village of Goult.  This farmhouse features five bedrooms, all with private bathrooms, a chef’s kitchen, a swimming pool, a luxurious living room with fireplace, a formal dining room and lovely grounds. 

 To start the week off, we went for a truffle hunt with a farmer and his dog, Griselle.  Griselle found about a dozen truffles in the span of half an hour.  What fun it was to see her start digging and then watch the farmer move in with his special truffle tool to complete the extraction of the truffle from the hole.  Afterward, we watched an educational video about truffles and then enjoyed a hearty dish of scrambled eggs loaded with black melanosporum truffles. 

Each day, we enjoyed spectacular truffle meals, both at home and in local restaurants.  We also had special demonstrations on truffles and got to taste several different varieties in order to understand the differences.   

We also cooked with a French chef and dined on our creations – brandade with truffles, chicken fricasee with truffled mashed potatoes and sauteed artichokes, and pineapple carpaccio and kiwi fruit with truffles.   

We ate local cheeses, some with truffles and some not.  We tasted local wines and olive oils. 

We shopped at the local markets and ate favorite regional specialties, such as saucissons, Provencal olives, tappenade, pickled garlic, and anchovy aioli. 

Did I mention that we  had fabulous meals prepared for us both in restaurants and at the farmhouse, too?   

I can hardly wait to do it again next year.

For more information and pictures from our truffle week, check out the Fresh Local and Best blog site.

Meyer lemons grow year-round in our garden in Sausalito.   They seem to really thrive on the weather here.  Meyer lemons are a cross between lemons and oranges and have a mild flavor that is sweeter than most lemons, such as Eurekas.   I use them in both sweet and savory dishes.  They are extremely versatile and highly fragrant.  A bowl of Meyer lemons sitting on your countertop with give a delicate, citrus fragrance to your kitchen.

One of my favorite ways in which to use Meyer lemons is in this Meyer Lemon Pecan Brown Sugar Shortbread recipe.  This recipe is so simple yet memorable and delicious.  This makes a fantastic pairing with a double cappuccino or espresso.

Ingredients
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, at room temperature + 1 teaspoon for pan
2 cups plain unbleached flour
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 Tablespoon cornmeal
Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
½ cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

You will also need:
Large casserole or baking dish (approx. 13×9×2”)
Microplaner or zester
Mixer

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butter the baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together in the mixer at medium speed until they are fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer and add the flour, salt and cornmeal. Mix until just incorporated. Stir in the zest and the toasted pecans.

Pour the mixture (it should still be crumbly, but moist) into the prepared baking dish. Press it down with your hands until it is even in the dish. Make decorative patterns with the prongs of a fork, if desired. Bake for approx. 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove the pan from the oven. Let the shortbread cool for about 5 minutes. Loosen the sides of the shortbread from the dish and cut into pieces. Do not remove from the pan for another 15-20 minutes, when much cooler and set. Remove carefully from the baking pan. Eat immediately or store for up to three days in an airtight container.

Makes about 2 dozen squares.

First of the season kumquats (yum!) surfaced this morning at the Hamada Farms stand at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.  I love the sweet skin and tart flesh of this citrus-y fruit.

In season, we keep a few out on the countertop so that we can just grab them for a treat when we walk by.  I also put kumquats into beet salads, use the zest to garnish fava beans and burrata, and make kumquat shortbread cookies.  One of my favorite ways to use kumquats, though, is in this dense upside-down cake.  I cook it in a cast iron skillet.

Ingredients
For bottom of pan:
1/2 stick butter (2 oz.)
¾ cup brown sugar
About two dozen ripe kumquats, washed and dried

For the cake:
1 stick butter (4 oz.), softened
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs – 2 separated into yolks and whites
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (plain)
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/2 cup  orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

You will also need:
Iron skillet or 10″ baking pan
Paring knife
Cutting board
Mixing bowl
Electric mixer
Large spoon

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cut 1/2 stick of butter into chunks and put them into an iron skillet. Melt over medium heat on top of the stove. When the butter has melted, add ¾ cup of brown sugar and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Slice the kumquats crosswise into 1/4″ thick slices. Remove any seeds and discard them.  Place the kumquat slices on top of the butter and brown sugar mixture in a decorative pattern.

Using an electric mixer, beat a stick of butter at medium speed until it is smooth. Add a cup of brown sugar and mix for about 1 minute. Add the whole egg and 2 egg yolks and beat at medium speed for about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add ½ of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar. Mix until just combined. Add half of the orange juice. Mix to combine. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and juice. Mix to just combine the ingredients. Stir in the vanilla. The mixture will still be lumpy.

Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold them into the batter.

Pour the batter on top of the kumquat slices in the skillet.

Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes until cake is set.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the side of the skillet to loosen the cake. Invert onto a serving platter.

Let cool and serve with a dollop of freshly-whipped cream or creme fraiche.

Serves 8.