Under the Almond Tree » aurugula

Pear and walnut salad with gorgonzola

Anna Huerta — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 11:29:28 +0000

I got these really sweet pears from Giovanni, a farmer from Rekhale. When he’s not working his land, on Saturdays you can find him selling his fruit and vegetables at the Farmer’s Market In Pantelleria. With these lovely Pantescan pears I made a yummy salad. The sweetness of the pears blend so very well with the toasted walnuts and the saltiness of the gorgonzola.

Pear and walnut salad with gorgonzola cheese
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 garlic clove
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T honey
24 walnuts
4 sweet pears
1 T olive oil for the pan
7 oz (200 grams) of gorgonzola
4 oz (110 gram) arugula or any other lettuce of your choice.

Method
Press and chop the garlic very finely
Mix with the other dressing ingredients
Dry toast walnuts in a dry pan
Slice the pears, add a splash of olive oil in the frying pan and fry them briefly to soften a little bit and sprinkle some sea salt on top.
Crumble the gorgonzola cheese in pieces.
Organize the plates with tossed salad and sprinkle some dressing over, add the gorgonzola pieces, toasted walnuts, pears and serve.

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The rain brought back the arugula

Anna Huerta — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:27:56 +0000

This arugula in was planted just before the summer and came in beautifully by the beginning of June. But in August we were ready to give up on it. Although we had been watering and pampering the leaves continuously, it looked burnt, brown, dried and hopelessly dead. I was convinced that this was the end for this little salad. Then suddenly 3 weeks ago it started to rain in Pantelleria. Four days of rain and there is now new fresh strong arugula spreading. It’s the beginning of November, we now have more arugula than we can eat, and it looks and tastes better than ever. Usually I would just eat the arugula as a salad, mixed with tomatoes and some buffalo mozzarella seasoned with olive oil, basil and sea salt or just with other mixed greens and olive oil, but since we now have so much of it I decided to make a pesto. With this arugula I didn’t have to add any pepper because of its strong, naturally spiciness, but this you have to try for your own taste what suites you. This pesto is great as a bread spread or to make a pasta like this spaghetti below. Arugula pesto
Ingredients
5 oz (150 grams) arugula
2 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon peel
1 tablespoon of sea salt ( I used Maldon sea salt)
1 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup (40 gram) of pine nuts
1/2 tablespoon caster sugar
5 oz (150 grams) of parmesan cheese
Optional (if it’s needed, a little black pepper)
Method
Rinse the arugula and mix with all the other ingredients using a hand mixer or a food processor.
Taste to see if you want to add more sea salt.
The flavor of arugula differs a lot so if you thinks it’s a little pale in taste, just add some fresh grounded black pepper.

Spaghetti with arugula pesto
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup (2.4 dl) of arugula pesto
14 oz (400 grams) of spaghetti
Method
Boil pasta water with salt. Cook the spaghetti according to the time on the package.
In a large bowl on the side, put 1 cup or more of the arugula pesto.
When there is 1 minute left on the cooking time for the spaghetti, take 1/4 cup of the boiling pasta water and add with the pesto, stir the water in the pesto, this will heat up the temperature in the pesto sauce a little bit.
When the pasta is ready, mix it with the pesto and serve with some extra parmesan cheese.
Ceramic bowl and dinner plate from NEW KAM MAN

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Pomegranates in the garden

Anna Huerta — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 10:35:05 +0000

Just outside the house that I use as my office space here in Pantelleria, there is a beautiful pomegranate tree, and at the moment it is full of lovely fruits that need to be picked before the birds eat them all. When I’m in NY or in Stockholm I buy pomegranates for their beauty and their powerful antioxidant qualities. Here, I just reach out and pick them by hand. The feeling is simply luxurious. Here is a simple and fast recipe for a pomegranate and quinoa salad with feta cheese and nuts.

Pomegranate quinoa salad
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 cups (4.8 dl) of quinoa
1 table spoon liquid ( or 1/2 cube) vegetable stock
7 oz ( 200 gram) feta cheese
1 cup ( 2.4 dl) of pomegranate seeds
4 oz (120 gram) of arugula
20 fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup (1.2 dl) mixed nuts
1 small red onion
salt, pepper and olive oil

Method
Rinse and boil the quinoa according to the instruction on the package, adding a spoonful of vegetable stock.
Set aside and allow to cool, sprinkle some olive oil and stir.
Chop the red onion into small pieces and chop the nuts into larger chunks.
Mix all ingredients and serve.

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