Olive Tapenade Focaccia

I have a handy-dandy focaccia recipe that comes together very quickly, is easily customizable, and never fails to impress. I've shared variations on it before, such as this Strawberry Focaccia (the ultimate version), this savory focaccia with prosciutto, asparagus, and shallots, and this Peach Focaccia. In honor of today's Twelve Loaves them, I decided to share a savory version featuring olives.

If your fridge look anything like mine, you probably have a couple of half-full jars of olives claiming residency on the shelves. Turning them into a batch of savory, salty olive tapenade is one of my favorite ways to put that prime fridge real estate back on the market. I almost always have some capers and a half a lemon hanging out, too. Garlic and olive oil are always in my kitchen. All it takes to make some of this addictive relish is a few pulses in the food processor.

A quick batch of tapenade tumbled atop this bubbly dough worked out beautifully. This loaf of focaccia would make a wonderful addition to any lunch or dinner table; it would also be tasty alongside a cheese tray or some charcuterie. But I just went ahead and called it lunch all by itself. You know, because I could.

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #15 Sheila Lukins & Julee Rosso - Salad Niçoise

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

the "Gourmet" prompt...

15. Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso- It’s hard to overstate the influence of The Silver Palate—the 1982 cookbook named after the gourmet emporium this pair opened in 1977 on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Before, there was no ratatouille; after, there was chicken Marbella.

I think I may have to shield my head from flying objects when I say...I had never heard of Sheila Lukins or Julee Rosso before I found their names on the list.  {ducking head}  I do think that I'd heard of The Silver Palate Cookbook before, though...but never actually held it in my hands or looked through it before a couple of weeks ago when I checked it out from the library.  So, I did what I normally do and started paging through, leaving little strips of paper poking out here and there.  Okay, so...another cookbook to for ever-growing, never-ending "want" list.  It is packed with cooking tips, kitchen info, menus, quotes, and lots and lots of good-looking food.

Sheila Lukins first received a degree in Art Education from NYU and eventually attending Le Cordon Bleu in France and studied with Michelin-starred chefs in Bordeaux.  She then started The Other Woman Catering Company, which was how she met Julee Rosso (she was living with a client of Sheila's and had eaten her food many times).  Together they opened a 156 square foot take-away food shop and kitchen on the Upper West side which was modeled on a French traiteur, called The Silver Palate.  Shortly after, they wrote The Silver Palate Cookbook which has already been released in its 25th Anniversary Edition.  After feuding and "breaking up", the shop eventually closed around '93.  Lukins worked as a food editor and columnist for Parade Magazine (a position formerly held by Julia Child) for 23 years.  She succumbed to brain cancer at the age of 66.

Julee Rosso on the other hand, is a bit more elusive.  But what I was able to discover, I really liked.  She graduated from Michigan State University (GO STATE!).  Yeah, I'm easy.  Along with her husband, she has owned The Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, Michigan since 1991...and she teaches cooking classes.  Her biography states that "she continues to be passionate about good food and health everyday".

Salad Niçoise
slightly adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook
To make a Pan Bagnat (the official beach sandwich of Nice), prepare salad in advance and layer it into a hollowed-out baguette.  The longer the salad rests on the bread, the more the two become one.
makes 6-8 portions

8 new potatoes (~1 lb.), scrubbed
2 lbs. green beans, cooked
10 very ripe plum tomatoes, washed and quartered
1 small purple onion, thinly sliced
½ c. niçoise olives
¼ c. chopped Italian parsley
pinch of salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¾ c. "Silver Palate" Vinaigrette *recipe follows
6 hard-cooked eggs, shelled & quartered lengthwise
12 oz. canned oil-packed tuna, well drained
2 oz. anchovy fillets (optional)

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender but not mushy, ~10 minutes.  When cool enough to handle, quarter the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl.

Add the green beans, tomatoes, onion, olives, parsley, a pinch of salt, and pepper.  Pour ½ cup of the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss gently but well.  Transfer the mixture to a large serving platter.  Arrange salad informally, or as follows: Place the egg quarters around the edge of the platter.  Flake the tuna over the salad and arrange the anchovy fillets, if you use them, over the tuna.  Drizzle with additional vinaigrette and serve at room temperature.

*"Silver Palate" Vinaigrette
yield: 1 c.

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
¼ c. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
minced fresh parsley and/or sipped fresh chives, to taste
½ c. olive oil

I just throw everything into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake-shake-shake!

Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins (11/18/42 - 8/30/09)

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Heather- girlichef, Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette- Jeanette's Healthy Living, Katie- Making Michael Pollan Proud, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Amy- Beloved Green, Barbara- Moveable Feasts, Linda- There and Back Again, Kathleen- Gonna Want Seconds, Martha- Lines from Linderhof

I am also sharing this post with:

Sautéed Feta w/ Piquant Relishes + Athenos Yiayia GIVEAWAY!

I love Christmas music.  Yes, I know it's only September...just bear with me.  There's just something about it that makes me sing along.  I don't want to hear it all year long, but once the calendar changes from November to December, it's fair game.  I even have one whole mp3 player full of only Christmas tunes.  Tons and tons of holiday music.  And to be honest, I suppose I should actually qualify it as "holiday" or "seasonal" music, but lots of it doesn't actually have anything to do with Christmas, but rather with snow, cold weather, jingling bells, snowmen, reindeer, wassailing, ice skating, and winter wonderlands.  But for most people understand when I say Christmas music that all of this is included.  If you clicked down through the playlist, you'd find everything from jazz to country to big band to rock 'n roll to church choirs.  Now, I will admit that I'm not a church-going kind of gal.  With one exception.  I love to go to Christmas Eve services.  Why?  Well, if you hadn't guessed by now, it's so I can sing Christmas hymns. 

While I think I've conveyed how much I enjoy the music of the winter season (at least I hope I have), there's something haunting, beautiful, joyful, and solemn at the same time about the Christmas hymns.  Ever since I was a little girl, they have been able to bring tears to my eyes.  Whether on the risers at a concert or on the uncomfortable wooden pews, I always find myself choking back tears.  I sing along and a huge lump works its way up my throat, causing totally uncomfortable pain and tears stream down my face.  It's almost embarrassing.  Even if I try not to, it happens.  I wind up with my lips moving, yet no sound can make its way past the lump.

What's my point?  Okay, okay.

Picture, if you will...a younger Heather...about 14 or 15 years ago.  As my family does most years, we met at my grandparents house for Christmas Eve.  Platters stacked high with smoked, sliced ham.  Never-ending baskets of Hawaiian rolls.  Rings of chilled pink shrimp encircling cocktail sauce with a strong kick of horseradish.  Pumpernickel bread bowls overflowing with spinach dip.  And countless cookies, bars, candies and goodies.  Some years we head over to grandma and grandpa's church for the service before we eat.  This was one of those years.  Remember me and my Christmas-hymn affliction?  Well, this year, all of that seemed to vanish.  I sang through the lump and it vanished.  I felt particularly pleased with myself and my ability to sing the hymns "right".  So I sang.  Oh boy, did I sing!  And I have a pretty decent voice and I can carry a tune.  I had nine or ten years of choir to back me up.  So I belted out Christmas spirit and was ready to go back and eat some good food and laugh, catch-up, and play games...maybe open some presents.  That is, until we were filing out of the aisle and my uncle turns to me and says...

"That was a bit much, don't you think?"

Uncle or Yiayia??

Looks like Yiayia, the quintessential Greek grandmother, doesn't approve either. {sigh}  But really, Yiayia doesn't approve of much in today's fast and modern society. So, while Yiayia (and my Uncle) may not approve of my getting caught in the moment and letting my emotions...and my voice...sing, I know she'd approve of me using Athenos Feta Cheese.  Since Athenos products are made the traditional Greek way- simply and with respect for the ingredients, they are pretty much the only aspect of modern culture that Yiayia will embrace.

I love the salty tang of feta whether crumbled over a salad, tucked into a gyro, or cooked into my favorite Greek breakfast skillet.  But my absolute favorite way is something I learned a few years ago (from Tyler Florence) sautéeing it!  Coating the feta in a thin dusting of flour before you put it on the heat allows it to form a thin crust that just holds in the cheese that gets soft and melty from the quick sauté.  It's very delicate; I like to use a fish spatula when flipping to help keep that thin crust from sliding off.  Served with some glorious piquant (stinky, but super delicious and addicting) relishes, I find everything from my tastebuds to my toes tingling with pure bliss.  The first relish I tried was based on the same T.F. recipe, but I've changed it a bit over the years.  I also decided that it needed a second relish to add another layer of color and flavor, so I came up with one that included sundried tomatoes and kalamata olives.  The saltiness of the capers and olives play wonderfully against the richness of the anchovies, the heat of the garlic, the earthiness of the nuts, and the sweetness from the raisins which are all rounded out by the freshness of the herbs. 

Sautéed Feta w/ Piquant Relishes
serves 4-6

Sautéed Feta
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) Athenos Feta Cheese
all purpose flour
olive oil
1 lemon, optional

Cut the feta into either slices or triangles that are ~1/2" thick (cut into thirds, so that you have 3 "slabs", then cut each of those down the center diagonally to get 6 trianges or in half lengthwise to get 6 slices).  Pour some flour onto a plate.

Dredge each piece of feta in flour, shaking to remove excess and set aside for a moment. Place a large cast-iron (or nonstick) skillet over medium-high heat.  Pour on a thin layer of olive oil, and once it is screaming hot, add a few feta pieces to the pan (being careful not to overcrowd) and brown for ~1 minute per side.  If using, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the slices once they are browned and transfer to a serving plate.  Spoon a bit of each of the sauces over the cheese to serve.

Parsley, Raisin, Caper, and Pine Nut Relish 

2 Tbs. golden raisins, coarsely chopped
1 Tbs. capers, drained and coarsely chopped
1½ anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 Tbs. pine nuts, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c.  fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Combine everything, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sundried Tomato, Walnut, Olive, and Oregano Relish

~8 sundried tomatoes, dry pack, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. kalamata olives (I used Lindsay Greek Kalamatas), coarsely chopped
1 Tbs. purple raisins, coarsely chopped
1½ anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 Tbs. walnuts, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs. fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Combine everything, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

GIVEAWAY

One person, picked by random draw from qualifying entries will win:

 -A copy of my favorite recipe using Athenos Feta
 -Serving platter and serving utensils
 -5 FREE coupons for Athenos Feta
 -Plus, since my uncle disapproves of my spirited singing, I am giving away a $50 Amazon gift certificate, courtesy of Athenos, so that you can go buy headphones and cd's (or whatever else you choose) to cover up my loud singing, should I happen to get carried away in the moment...

For your chance to win, please share your own humorous story about someone who has shown disapproval of some aspect of your life, and took you off guard but also made you laugh in the comments section.

All submissions due by 11:59 pm (Eastern) on Tuesday September 20, 2011.  Good Luck!

Update 9/21/11: And the winner is.... Deb from Kahakai Kitchen who said:   
My story is actually about my friends mom who is in her 80's and always perfectly dressed with her hair, make up and jewelry just so. She's a funny little lady (and would be the Filipino version of Yiayia) but hyper critical and always tells my friend to go put on some make up, even when she is wearing it and looks great. Anyway... we were at a work event, dressed and made up to the nines (or so I thought), which is rare for me. My friend brought her mom who took one look at me and said ... "Oh Deb, you look so dressed up and so pretty tonight... but maybe you should go put on some make up.." You have to laugh. ;-)
Yes, you do...congrats, Deb!

Surely I'd hear something like this if I served this meal to Yiayia

Can't get enough Yiayia?  You can find more of her disapprovals on YiaTube or Twitter.  Plus, learn more about Athenos products by visiting their Facebook page.

*disclaimer: I have partnered with Athenos for a sponsored post and giveaway. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments toward Athenos products. Kraft Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me.  This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Heather Schmitt-González of girlichef.

I am sharing this post with:

Spicy Kalamata Sourdough Loaf

Even though my kitchen winds up being like 1000° when I bake something lately,  I just can't help myself sometimes.  The name alone was enough to convince me that I needed to try this loaf of bread.  I wish that I had a smaller brotform (or that I had used a bowl instead) so that I would've ended up with a rounder, taller loaf...but really that's just aesthetics...because this loaf does not lack at all for flavor.  It's the kind of loaf you want to wrap up and tuck into a picnic basket with a bottle of wine, some thinly sliced ham, a few hunks of cheese, and a bottle of chilled white wine.  Now if you'll excuse me, my blanket is getting heavy...I'm heading off to sit under a shady tree.  Just me and my picnic basket.

SPICY KALAMATA SOURDOUGH
adapted ever-so-slightly from the Bewitching Kitchen
makes 1 loaf

200g (200 ml) water at room temperature
142g sourdough starter (at 100% hydration)
¼ tsp. instant yeast
280g bread flour + more as needed
85g dark rye flour
9 g salt
¾ c. (~80 g) kalamata olives, halved
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbs. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
2 Tbs. fresh oregano leaves, chopped

Dissolve the starter and the instant yeast in the water in a large bowl. Add the flour, mix to incorporate (or use a mixer w/ dough attachment on low speed), then cover with a plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle the salt on top, and gently knead it in for a few minutes.

Once the salt is incorporated, add the olives, red pepper, rosemary, and oregano and knead by hand (or with the mixer at low speed).

Let the dough rise for 3 hours, kneading quickly three different times...once every 45 minutes or so.

Shape the dough into a round, place in a banetton/brotform or a bowl lined with well-floured linen with the seam up. I imagine you could free-form it, too if need be.  Let rise until almost doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 450° F during last 20 minutes or so of rise time.  Place a baking stone on middle shelf.

Slide into oven and spray with a mist of water, then close the oven door. Bake for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 425° F for another 20 minutes or until done.

Remove to a rack to cool.

This may not seem like a lot of spice...but it packs a lot of heat!  It's salty and sour and spicy all at once.  And extremely addicting.  I like as-is or toasted or as the bread on a sandwich.  I probably at half of the loaf toasted and spread with a layer of cream cheese with a big dollop of Tomato Jam...which I got from the super cool Meredith from Anchovies and Butter (along with a jar each of Peach Jelly, Apple Cranberry Jelly, and New Mexico Pepper Jelly...awesome!  Thanks Meredith☺).

I am sharing this post with:
BBD #42: Bread for a Picnic
*Yeastspotting!

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (with or without Tuna)

So, it's been a long time since I've had a Pasta Puttanesca.  Whore's Pasta.  Working Girl's Pasta.  Slut's Spaghetti.  You've all heard the origins, right?  It's quick and easy and spicy and...worth it.  So, it's fun to eat...fun to say...fun to talk about.  I sat down to chip away at a few of the shows built up on my DVR the other day, and I just happened to watch the episode of Extra Virgin when Gabriele and Debi were planning their respective Bachelor and Bachelorette parties before their vow renewal ceremony is Tuscany. Ahhh, dreamy.  I just love those two.  Well, Gabriele made Spaghetti alla Puttanesca for his party (Debi made Tiramisu).  Of course it started my tastebuds a-tingling.  Then I sat down to flip through some Jamie books and figure out what I could make for "Something Fishy" over at IHCC this week.  Honestly, my cupboards were pretty bare...but I did have everything I needed to make one dish.  Spaghetti alla Puttanesca.  Un Signo.  Jamie suggested using a puttanesca that added tuna.  While fresh tuna wasn't one of the items in my bare cupboard...canned tuna was.  I liked it with canned tuna, but I know I would have adored it with a freshly grilled tuna steak.  Next time.

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
(with or without tuna)
inspired by Gabriele Corcos (Extra Virgin)  & Jamie Oliver (Jamie's Dinners)
serves ~4

~12 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
olive oil
4 anchovies
2 garlic cloves, sliced paper thin
small handful Kalamata olives, smooshed w/ your thumb a bit
small handful capers, rinsed
crushed red chile flakes, to taste
~ 1# tomatoes, concasse (peel, seed, & small diced) or 1 (14.5 oz) can petite-diced tomatoes, drained
fresh parsley, chopped
freshly ground black pepper
parmesan, optional

optional:
Tuna (1 streak per person), fresh grilled/cooked to your liking (best option), but you can use good canned tuna, drained 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.  In the meantime, Heat a couple glugs of olive oil in a large, slope-sided nonstick skillet.  Add anchovies and let them cook a minute or so until they start to melt into the oil.  Add garlic, olives and capers and sauté for another minute or so and then throw in the red chile flakes and let cook another 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes, turn down the heat a bit and let everything simmer together for ~10 minutes.  When you drain the pasta, set aside about a cup or so of the cooking water, then add the pasta right into the skillet and toss everything around.  Pour in some...or all...of the reserved water and let everything cook together for another 5 minutes or so.  Throw in the parsley and season with freshly ground black pepper.  You shouldn't need salt because the anchovies, capers, and olives probably added enough...but taste and decide for yourself.  Toss everything together and divide amongst plates.  Shave some fresh Parmesan over each dish.  Drizzle with a little more olive oil.

If you are using tuna, season with a bit of salt and pepper, rub with a bit of olive oil, then grill (or sauté, whatever you wish) the tuna steaks to your liking.  Set a whole steak atop or aside each portion...or pull them apart a bit and scatter the pieces over the pasta.  You can use canned.  I tried that- not quite the same, but still decent.  I'd go big or go home on this one.

Our theme at IHCC this week is Something's Fishy.

I am also sharing this post with:
*Kirstin at From Kirstin's Kitchen to Yours who is hosting PPN this week.