Local Lemons

Spicy Cauliflower and Why I Love Pine Nuts

 

You may be surprised to know that there is more to the pine nut than just pesto. Pine nuts are the edible little seeds from pine trees that add texture and flavor to just about any Mediterranean dish. Use them in place of Italian cheese for a smooth buttery taste and an overall healthier recipe, or crush them up to thicken a sauce in place of flour.

Pine nuts turn sour, so buy them fresh, use them quick and store them in the fridge. I buy mine at Monterey Market, where they are far cheaper than anywhere else in the East Bay – about $11.50 per pound compared to $14 at Berkeley Bowl. You may notice that the Chinese variety are more affordable than others, but really, it is not worth it. Do a simple google search for "bitter taste and pine nuts" and I think you'll agree.

Capers, olives, chili peppers, basil and other sharp notes balance the understated character of pine nuts, and highlight why they are worth three times as much as other nuts. Toasting them brings the nuttiness forward while softening the sweetness, and adds more of a crunch to the otherwise soft consistency. To toast, simply heat up a cast iron pan and shake around on low heat for about 7-10 minutes until golden.

For this recipe I picked up a head of cauliflower at the Temescal market, chopped it small, and sauteed it with olive oil, freshly crushed chili peppers, garlic, salt-packed capers and fresh parsely. I added mashed and whole pine nuts to subdue the bite, and tossed it all with whole wheat spaghetti.

If you are a spice fiend like me, crush the chili peppers yourself. Much better than the bland powdered stuff you find topped with a red cap.

What are your favorite non-pesto, pine nut recipes?
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California Paella

This may upset a few people. Before I even say it, I'm going to apologize up front because I do not mean any disrespect. The thing is, I've traveled through Spain, I've been to Valencia, and I was not impressed with the paella. That sounds crazy, doesn't it? Logically, it would mean that I just don't like paella. But that's far from the case.

My issue with the paella from Valencia was the ratio of rice to, well, everything else. There was way too much rice, and not enough meat and seafood to make it worth the 25 euro price tag. When I finished eating it, I felt slow and sluggish, much like a carb-filled meal tends to do, and not ideal when you're sightseeing around a beautiful country.

I wanted my paella to be different. I kept the technique of traditional Spanish paella, but used ingredients that are closer to home. My first thought was to only use local ingredients, but I fell short after visiting The Spanish Table in Berkeley, where I bought paella rice from Spain. This was an all seafood paella. I purchased the fish at Ver Brugge in Rockridge, and it must have been my lucky day because they had homemade seafood sausage available, a perfect substitute to chorizo. I also used fresh squid, scallops and local halibut, combined with tomatoes, peas, chickpeas, capers, olives and mint. The mint was the biggest surprise, lending its refreshing aroma to the entirety of the dish.

I didn't use broth in this recipe, and that was semi-intentional. I wanted to use either vegetable or seafood broth, but when I didn't have time to make it myself, I opted for water instead. I thought it a much better solution than ruining the meal with processed stock from a box - after all, you don't drink wine from a box, do you?