braised cipollini onions and orange cherry tomatoes

I can't believe I haven't posted in over a week. How ironic that two days after I posted my last entry pertaining to a cold remedy, I contracted a nasty sinus infection! Thanks to the honey-garlic cure that I solemnly swear by, nasal irrigation and lots of sleep, I knocked it out within three days. Although, I still have some minor and perhaps new, cold symptoms. The weather has definitely been all over the place. One day it's chilly and the next day it's 87°, this weekend it was warm, then cool and windy and today it's a little muggy and very wet. Nevertheless, I've been really busy and worn out from working and being sick, and I haven't been cooking very much. I'm sorry for the delay.

On a lighter note, the past two weekends I've been scouring the farmer's markets in lower Manhattan with inexhaustible delight. I've been swooning over farm fresh veggies, free range meats, artisanal cheeses and homemade refreshing granitas. I picked some citrusy, lightly fizzy chardonnay from a finger lakes vineyard, a couple of aromatic herb plants and some impressive, albeit expensive, hardneck garlic.

Two weekends ago, after checking out the market at Essex and Hester Street, I discovered my new favorite candy and specialty store called The Sweet Life, deep in the lower east side. I was in awe the moment I walked in the door. I'm not a huge fan of sweets like I used to be. I have some chocolate or a cupcake here and there. I sure love to bake though, and I do taste my creations. This tiny little shop had everyyything! I scooped up some in-house made lavender sea salt milk chocolate bark and browsed over the maple syrups, honey, teas, and baking chocolate. The prices were good, the selection was excellent. They sell Valrhona chocolate in bulk by the pound ($16.99, that's good) in various shades. Fruits, nuts, and nostalgic candies lined the shelves. I met eye to eye with the owner over the towering cash register and requested their specialty. She promptly directed me over to their selection of marshmallow pops dipped in chocolate, milk or dark with a multitude of toppings to choose from. I thought to myself, "marshmallow pops? sounds a bit humdrum". I'm not a huge fan of marshmallows on their own but I took one home to give it a try. Ted and I tried the sea salt caramel milk chocolate. It was exquisite! Super soft homemade marshmallows dipped in gooey caramel then in milk chocolate and topped off with a sprinkling of course sea salt. I'd like an entire box for my birthday.

The tomatoes this summer have been juicy and bursting with flavor. I've been making a lot of tomato sauce with cherry tomatoes, for pasta and sometimes fish. Sometimes I'll add roasted garlic cloves and kalamatas for added flavor and texture. I'll pan roast heirloom or plum tomato slices to top eggs or sauteed greens. Last night I decided to braise golden-orange cherry tomatoes alongside cipollini onions to serve with couscous and broiled skirt steak. I love, love, love braised onions, or any vegetable for that matter. The vegetables are caramelized, sweet and so tender they melt right in your mouth. This dish turned out great, so I'd like to share it with you.



You'll need:

cipollini onions
golden orange cherry tomatoes washed and destemmed (red cherry tomatoes are fine too)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and smashed
broth
olive oil
salt
cooked couscous for serving (I cooked mine in broth for added flavor)

Cipollini onions are a pain to peel. Blanch them to make it easier.
First, cut the ends off the onions.
Take a small pot and fill it with enough water to cover the onions, but don't put the onions in yet. With the top on, bring the water to a boil. Get a bowl of ice water ready. Again, enough ice water to cover the onions.
Boil the onions for one minute and then transfer them to the ice water with a slotted spoon or after straining them with a colander. Peel the thin colored skins off the onions while in the ice water, they should slide off pretty easily. Drain onions on a towel.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a wide skillet on medium high heat. Add the clove of garlic and let it cook until it becomes golden. Remove the clove. I like to eat it!

Add in the onions and cook for a few minutes on each side or until you get a nice golden brown sear. Add in tomatoes and then sprinkle with sea salt. Pour in about a half cup of broth, wait until it boils and then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook at a simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

Pour onions, tomatoes and all of the juice over the couscous and dig in!

oh honey!

It's that time of year again...The transition from warm to cool weather brings sniffles and sore throats. It's time to work harder at protecting ourselves against colds and the flu that are so darn easy to contract! Especially in NYC. Studies show that colds stick around three to seven days longer in people living in New York City. The best thing to do is to prevent them from even happening. I haven't had a full blown cold or the flu in over one and a half years because of eating honey and garlic at the onset. Honey is a wonder food! Honey in its raw form helps soothe sore throats, burns, bruises and minor cuts. It's a natural anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. It helps alleviate seasonal allergies, eases digestion, and is an excellent food to turn to when you need a burst of energy during an afternoon slump. It's packed with energy boosting B vitamins. I often use honey in salad dressings, in my tea, on toast and right off the spoon. I intend to start making mead very soon too. Mead is a very tasty wine made from honey.

I'd like to share the recipe I swear by for fighting colds and the flu. It's best to take this at the onset of symptoms. It will definitely help alleviate seasonal allergy outbreaks too. You may only have to take this once a day before symptoms go away or you may have to take several doses. It's good to be persistent until all symptoms are gone. More than four times a day isn't necessary. Once a day every day and you'll be in excellent health!

You'll need:

Raw honey (raw is recommended, though the honey bear works too)

1 very fresh head of garlic (if the stem of the head is very tight and the cloves are sticky, you've got some very fresh garlic)

Mince or press finely one clove of garlic and let sit for a few minutes to be exposed to the air- this helps release its antibacterial properties.

Add garlic into a small bowl and mix with a small amount of honey (about 1 to 2 teaspoons).

Scoop out garlic and honey mixture (this is one dose) onto a spoon and swallow whole like you're swallowing a pill. Sip some tea afterwards if you'd like.

If you let raw garlic sit on your tongue it will burn your mouth a bit, it's quite an unpleasant taste/feeling.

warning: do not chew honey-garlic mixture and do not eat this on an empty stomach

To make a batch that will last you the day simply press or mince 3-4 cloves of garlic and mix with a tablespoon or more of honey. Store in a baggie or small tupperware container if you're on the go.