Show Us Your Apron!
July 13, 2007 | Filed Under Lucullian Delights blog, Show Us Your Apron | 12 Comments
Ilva of Lucillian Delights is hosting an event called Show Us Your Apron. This is my contribution.
Very satisfied with my first apron designed and made by fellow blogger Mischief Mari, I returned to her store (Mischief Mari Superstuff) for a second apron. Oh, I love my newest apron!
Like my first apron, this one is reversible. It’s also fun. I like to have fun in the kitchen. No time to be serious. 
For me, the aprons are part of my kitchen and cooking tools . I get excited when I get something new to use in the kitchen (You should have seen me when I first got my zester).
When I saw the fish design, the apron called out to me. I love that when I turn it around, I find fun-looking flowers — a whole other apron. I won’t get tired of this apron soon.
You, too, can take part in the event. Go here for the guidelines. Come on, show us your apron!
Paz (taking a moment to do her happy dance in her new apron)
Hot Meatball Salad
June 22, 2007 | Filed Under Lucullian Delights blog, Salad | 17 Comments
The weather’s been hot, but not too hot to make these easy and delicious meatballs to go with salad, a recipe from Ilva. By the way, Ilva, I did wash my apron and am wearing it again.
The recipe calls for rucola or argula salad but I couldn’t find it in the store. Instead, I used baby greens, which worked just as well for me. Ilva uses a simple dressing of olive oil but I decided to add some balsamic vinegar. I was in the mood for that. This is another salad I’ll continue to make this summer. Thanks, Ilva!
Paz
Hot Meatball Salad
500g/17.6oz minced meat
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 egg
2 tsp or more of sambal oelek
Rucola or Argula salad
Cucumber, diced
Small cherry tomatoes
Salt
Olive Oil, extra virgin
- Mix the minced meat with the chopped onion, the egg, sambal oelek and some salt. Mix very well and then make small meatballs the size of a hazelnut and fry them in some butter and olive oil until brown and nice.
- Put rucola, tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl and toss them together before drizzling a litttle extra virgin olive oil over. Add the meatballs, mix quickly and serve!
Cauliflower, Walnuts and Parsley Salad
May 24, 2007 | Filed Under Lucullian Delights blog, Salad, Vegetables | 16 Comments
A few things I love: Simple recipes, Ilva’s recipes; Cauliflower, Walnuts and Parsley.
Are there some foods that you sometimes crave? When I first saw this recipe on Ilva’s blog, my body immediately craved cauliflower, walnuts, and parsley. After my first taste, I couldn’t get enough. So far, I’ve made this recipe three times — in one week — once for dinner and twice for lunch.
Ilva prepared her special salad with uncooked cauliflower. However, I wasn’t sure I’d like the uncooked version, so I steamed my cauliflower. The last time I made the salad, I didn’t have time to cook the cauliflower and ended up eating it uncooked. Well, well! Turns out that I liked it. I really liked the uncooked version, too.
Oh! I almost forgot the highlight of preparing the salad was making the herb salt. I was so excited about my herb salt. Yeah, I know. It takes so little to excite me. My herb salt smelled and tasted divine, it had me doing my happy dance. For the herbs, I used rosemary and thyme. Loved it! Just the thought of my herb salt brings the feelings of a happy dance stiring through my body. Thanks, Ilva!
By the way, Rosa of Rosa’s Yummy Yum Yums is hosting a Sunday Brunch Meme and Event, where participants are asked to blog about the typical meal they have for Sunday Brunch (or your holiday or free day.). The deadline is June 30. If you’re interested in participating, look here for the guidelines.
Paz
Cauliflower, Walnut and Parsley Salad or Insalata di Cavolfiore con Noci e Prezzemolo
A small cauliflower
Walnuts, chopped
Parsle, chopped
Lemon juice
Salt, preferably herb salt
Extra virgin olive oil
- Clean the cauliflower carefully and divide it into quarters.
- Slice the cauliflower finely on a mandolin, slice the’flowery’ part and save the woodier part of the trunk for a soup or something else.
- Put the cauliflower in a bowl, quickly whisk salt, chopped parsley, lemon juice and oil together before adding it to the cauliflower.
- Top with a generous sprinkling of chopped walnuts and serve.
Herb Salt
Fresh herbs, whatever you like, you can make it with different ones or just one.
Coarse salt
- Take a bunch of fresh herbs and remove the woody parts if there are any. Put them in a blender together with a fistful of coarse salt.
- Turn the blender on and let it run until it has become like fine salt. Add more herbs if you want.
- Put it in a jar and use it. Often.
Cauliflower and Chickpeas with Mustard Seeds
July 5, 2006 | Filed Under Cauliflower, Lucullian Delights blog, Vegetables | Leave a Comment
Click on photo for larger image
The mustard seeds give it a sort of sharp, tangy, yet pleasant taste. I really liked the combination of the flavors from the cauliflower, chickpeas and mustard seeds. They complimented each other. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the taste, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Instead of cauliflower, Ilva used a Romanescu cabbage. I’ve never see or tasted it before and I’d like to try it in the near future. The cabbage looks spectacular. Go check out Ilva’s photo. You won’t want to miss it! Thanks, Ilva!
Paz
Ilva’s recipe:
1 head of cauliflower, I used Romanescu cabbage because it is not only beautiful, it is really nice tasting as well but this works well with normal cauliflower as well
Hot Cauliflower with Tomatoes – Weekend Herb Blogging #38 (Parsley)
June 22, 2006 | Filed Under Lucullian Delights blog, Weekend Herb Blogging | Leave a Comment
Click on photo for larger image
I enjoyed this Hot Cauliflower with Tomatoes (Cavolfiore Piccante) recipe from Ilva’s Lucullian Delights. By now, you know that I like simple recipes and this one falls under that category. Easy. And good!
Did you know that parsley provides nutritional supplements such as calcium, iron, carotenes, ascorbic acid and vitamin A? Also, tea made from parsley seeds (or “fruits”) has been used as an old fashioned remedy for colic, indigestion and intestinal gas.
I used more chili pepper than the recipe called for because I like hot and spicy foods, but of course, you can make it as hot or mild as you want. I’m sure that if you elect not to use chili pepper at all, that will be fine, too. It’s good to have that option.
*One can blog about herbs, plants, vegetables, or flowers for Weekend Herb Blogging (WHB). To see the list of other interesting WHB posts, visit guest host Virginie’s blog, Absolutely Green, Sunday evening.
