CityMama™

Beautiful, bountiful fruit salad

I love fig season!

Tropical Slushies

Today's afternoon snack courtesy of Bunny who chopped everything (I got the mango started) and pushed the button on the blender.

TROPICAL SLUSHIES

1 cup 1% milk
1 banana, sliced
1 mango, peeled, seeded and diced
6 strawberries, hulled and halved
1 squeeze of honey (about a tablespoon), optional
8-10 ice cubes

Place everything in a blender and whir until ice is crushed and the drink is thick and slushy. Makes approximately 3 servings.

[photo: Stefania Pomponi Butler]

Easy sides: Sauteed green beans with persimmon and hazelnuts

Sauteed green beans are one of my favorite things to make for Thanksgiving dinner, but this side dish has an unusual twist: persimmons. I love the color contrast between the bright green beans and the deep orange persimmon.

SAUTEED GREEN BEANS WITH PERSIMMONS AND HAZELNUTS

Prepare and ice water bath (lots of very cold water with ice) in a large bowl while the beans are cooking.

Inspired by a Gourmet magazine recipe from November 1994. (I still have it.)

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of green beans (blue lake or "haricots verts" variety), washed, trimmed, and cut into 2-inch diagonal pieces
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 Fuyu persimmons, ends trimmed, halved, and sliced  thinly
• olive oil (or browned butter if you want a richer dish)
• salt and pepper
• a handful of toasted hazelnuts (or walnuts), slightly smashed, reserve some for garnish

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for about 3 minutes, until very al dente. Immediately drain and plunge beans into an ice water bath to stop cooking. When cool, drain beans and pat dry.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, saute shallots in olive oil over medium heat until they turn golden and transluscent. Add the persimmons and continue cooking until persimmons are softened but not falling apart. Taste for salt. Add green beans, stiring lightly, and cook until beans are warmed through, about 5-7 minutes. Add most of the hazelnuts and toss.  Cook about a minute more. Adjust seasonings.  Transfer to serving dish, top with a sprinkling of hazelnuts. Serve at once. Serves 8.

[photo credit for beautiful photo of persimmon: In Praise of Sardines]

Blueberry Peach Crisp

Hot out of the oven.

Sweet and juicy. Perfect with ice cream!

BLUEBERRY PEACH CRISP

Okay, this one requires a little measuring, it's true.  But, once you get the hang of making fruit crisps, you won't need to measure anymore, promise!  (I dont!)

• 1 quart blueberries
• 2 white peaches, diced
• 1/2 a lemon
• sugar to taste

Crumb topping:

• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsps unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (all purpose) flour
• 1/4 cup oats (regular or quick-cooking)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• dash nutmeg
• dash salt

For crumb topping: Combine ingredients in a medium bowl and work into a crumb-y (crumbly?) mixture. Flour should be absorbed by the butter, and mixture should look "gravel-y."  Do not overwork or the mixture will become oily.
.
.
.
Preheat oven to 375º. In a large bowl (or in baking dish) combine berries and peaches with lemon juice and sugar to taste.  Place in bottom of a rectangular baking dish. (I use one that is slightly smaller than 13" x 9".)

Top evenly with crumb topping mixture.  Bake for 40 minutes until topping is crisp.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or with a dollop of whipped cream, creme fraiche, or plain Greek yogurt.

[recipe and photo credit: Stefania Pomponi Butler]

Best kept Farmer's Market secret

Here's the best kept secret in all of San Francisco:

Forget the fancy Ferry Building farmer's market or the pain-in-the-ass-parking (depsite its awesomeness) Alemany farmer's market, and get yourself to the Serramonte Farmer's Market in Daly City. It's located behind Target just across the parking lot from the bus stop.

Why I love it:

• Plenty of free parking and it's just steps away from the market.
• It's right behind Target so I can get my fresh fruit, veggies, flowers, bread, etc. and my diapers all in one go.
• It's cheaper than the Ferry Bldg. (Today I saw heirloom tomatoes for between $2-$2.50/pound.)
• It's open both Thursdays and Saturdays for your shopping pleasure. (Thursdays is a little more heavily attended by vendors: the rotisserie chicken guy is there and so are people selling "breads and spreads" as I like to call it.)

This is what I got today for the peach-blueberry crisp I'll be making tomorrow:

[juicy blueberries]

[cling, firestone, and white peaches on my windowsill]

photos: Stefania Pomponi Butler