grilled calamari and nectarine salad

i'm pretty sure it's not cool to admit,

but i love my reality tv. and even less cool

to admit: i'm a fan of the food network.

are there food celebrities who i cannot stand?

yes.

are there recipes that make me

stand up and yell at the tv, accusing the

chefs of misleading the not-so-knife-savvy

that they can chop two onions and 3 cloves

of garlic in the time that it takes a tablespoon

of olive oil to warm itself?

yes.

are there times

that larry has to listen to 5 minutes of my

amazement that a chef will cut an avocado

and then tell us to use it as a garnish when

the stew will not be ready to be served for thirty minutes?

yes!

but, i'm still a fan of the food network.

i love that they've been a huge part of the

cooking movement, inspiring people to

get back to the kitchen, or more likely,

getting them into the kitchen for the first time.

i believe in a network that makes food fun

and cooking less of a chore and is trying,

very slowly, but surely to offer up a bit

of diversity, in the dishes and the chefs

they are offering.

and, i loved when they bit the bullet

and offered up their form of reality tv,

several years ago, with the

next food network star. i have watched

every season, and often - as is very unusual

with most reality television - my early

pick has won. (fingers crossed that the

streak continues - susie and jeff,

i'm pulling for you two.)

last year was no exception.

i loved aarti from the beginning,

as much for her fun personality

as my recent interest in indian food.

and, she herself was a food

blogger. the day after she won,

my mom texted me and said,

already scheduled the dvr to record

aarti's first show!

while i'll admit that it's rare,

these days that i'm watching tv on saturday

mornings, i'm thrilled when i am home and

am able to turn on the tv in time to catch

an episode. i always learn something or

get an idea for my own food.

and last weekend, when i caught less

than 5 minutes of her show before having

to run out to meet my family for breakfast,

that was all it took to decide what i was

making for dinner the following night.

she was pulling nectarine wedges off

a grill pan and adding them

to a bed of lemony greens, along with

garlicky squid. it was the kind of salad

i would have ordered without a second thought

on any day in a restaurant.

but, knowing that it had been nearly 100

degrees for days and that the last thing

either of us really wanted to do was

serious sunday night-cooking, this salad

seemed inevitable. in the best possible way.

while we have a grill that we use regularly,

we really wouldn't have wanted to head outside. i was so glad that

the recipe actually said to use a grill pan. sometimes,

i need a little pat on the back, a little that's-ok. and right

there, telling me that i could use a grill pan, that i didn't have

to go through the trouble of threading the teeny squid

onto soaked skewers and cook the nectarines in a basket,

that made the recipe extra appealing.

and here's the funny thing: when i cook a dish

for the first time, i obsess about it until

it's on the plate in front of me. i think about

what it will taste like, what it will look like,

if i should change the chives to scallions or

use almonds instead of pine nuts. i think about

it as i'm cooking it and still, i find myself making

changes even when i should be finished

and am one second away from

tossing it into a bowl.

but, with this recipe, there was none of that.

ok, maybe it's more fair to say there was very little

of that. i guess the truths are this:

the salad looked good.

i guess, as it turns out, i trust aarti

(i've yet to see her cut an avocado too early).

none of the ingredients were so tempting to mess with.

so, i bought the squid.

(coolest thing: the store divided the squid between

two trays: bodies and tentacles so i was able to ask

for a 50/50 ratio). i picked up two nectarines.

i grabbed arugula, a lemon and a few very juicy limes.

and that was it. the rest i had at home.

i prepared the ingredients, staying pretty close to

recipe with just a few tiny alterations. first -

and it pains me to say this - i had a lot of trouble

reading the recipe. several times, the recipe writer

in me wanted to stop, rewrite the recipe and then

make it. so, ultimately, i think i made everything

the way that it was intended, but i can't be sure.

also, there was this: the recipe called for

a couple pinches of a couple different spices and

when it comes to seasoning, i always believe

in going (carefully) bolder. and, because

we were eating this as our meal,

i added an extra nectarine.

but, i don't want you to think that i have any

complaints: we loved this salad. it was garlicky

and citrus-laced and, even with the extra spice,

still delicately kissed with garam masala.

but, all of the flavors managed to share the spotlight

without competing. the nectarines were really

amazing on the grill and the calamari, cooked

exactly as instructed, were tender and lightly

charred and easily the centerpiece of the dish.

it was the kind of summer salad, that as i was

eating it, i was thinking about the next time

i could make it. and it's the kind of dish, that

as i was writing this, larry came up and said,

that was really good. i hope we can make it again.

it's the reason that i refuse to apologize for

my love of the food network and my love of reality

tv. without either, i never would have found

aarti party. or, this salad. or, these recipes:

spicy baked onions rings

spaghetti with turkey meatballs

whole grain pasta with spinach and goat cheese

mediterranean squid stew with pearl onions, artichokes and olives

rosemary focaccia

grilled calamari and nectarine salad

adapted from aarti party

as i said, i made a few changes to this recipe, but nothing major: i upped the number of nectarines from 1 to 2 and i used a good amount of garam masala compared to what was called for, in the marinade. a couple changes that i may make next time: i was not sure how necessary the lemon juice was (it's tossed with arugula), because i thought that the lime-garlic marinade was substantial enough to carry the dish. i'm including it below, so that you can make the decision. i also, loved (loved, loved) the tentacles and i may be 100% tentacles the next time around.

ok, when i just went to write up this recipe, it turns out that i may have left out the cumin. honestly, i don't remember putting it in, but i know that i read everything several times before i started cooking, so maybe i did? (i'm sure this is instilling a lot of trust.) i'm not putting it the ingredient list because i really don't think i used it, but if you want to add it in, use 1/2 teaspoon.

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 juicy limes, halved

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for grilling

2 generous pinches tumeric

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

2-3 pinches red chile flakes

kosher salt and ground black pepper

2 large firm, but ripe, nectarines, pitted and cut into 6ths

1 pound baby squid, cleaned (tubes and tentacles) and patted dry

4 really large handfuls arugula, washed and dried

1/2 lemon, juiced

on cutting board, very finely chop garlic; sprinkle generously with kosher salt. let sit 5 minutes; using the back of your knife, mash the garlic to form a paste. place garlic in the bowl; juice the lime into the bowl. add the cumin (if using), tumeric, garam masala and red pepper flakes; whisk in the olive oil. season with salt and pepper.

transfer 3 tablespoons garlic marinade to small mixing bowl; add squid, tossing to coat. set aside.

heat grill pan over high heat. drizzle nectarines lightly with olive oil.

place nectarines on grill; cook 1 minute on each side, or until grill marks appear. (for me, by the time i put all of the nectarines down, it was time to turn the first ones.) transfer nectarines to plate.

make sure that the grill pan is still very, very hot. remove the squid from the marinade, letting the excess marinade drip off (discard any marinade remaining in that bowl). place squid on the grill, one piece at a time. cook 6 minutes, turning once. (if you are worried that the squid is overcooking as i was, here's 2 tricks, one from aarti, one from me. from aarti: if the squid sticks, it's not ready. give it 30 more seconds. from me: take one off the grill pan and taste it.)

remove the squid from the marinade. using a sharp knife, cut bodies into rings. toss hot tentacles and rings with the remaining garlic marinade.

toss the arugula with the lemon juice. divide among plates; top with grilled nectarines, grilled squid and the marinade mixture, if desired.

that kind of day

we have been extremely busy lately.

between running from good friend's

to good friend's to family members'

birthdays.

between trips to germany

and impossible ridiculous

work schedules (like, um, once

not leaving until after

4 in the morning).

between late nights spent

not at home and a ton of home

time spent in the kitchen baking

for said birthdays,

we've been busy.

busy is good.

but one of my favorite things

of the whole entire week

comes on saturday and sunday,

when i can enjoy a cup of coffee

in bed, watching the

food network

tlc

or reruns of 90210

until i am ready to face the day.

we did that this morning.

and it had been way too long.

like - the middle of june long.

after a trip to the farmer's

market, we decided not to mess

around, not to waste time

deciding what to do - following

a maybe somewhat indecisive

saturday that started with me

working, ended with us at a

great wine bar, but certainly

hosted a cranky, tired,

not wanting to go anywhere

me, in between -

and we settled on a picnic.

now.

i love to cook all of my own

stuff:

graham crackers and

marshmallows,

ravioli and pizza,

plus most other things

you throw my way.

but sometimes it is so

nice to make the decision

to just not cook. to go

to a market and read their

offerings and say,

i'll have number 8 -

clearly larry's sandwich -

and can we please have

a pint of those mini

stuffed peppers on the side?

it's a treat to take the small

wedge of cheese that you

splurged on at the farmer's

market and decide to turn

it into nothing and just enjoy

it piece by piece on the blanket

that used to be on your bed

when you were little.

and it's such a relief to just

grab a carton of lemonade,

(because doesn't that seem like

what you should drink on a picnic?)

instead of setting to work

squeezing your own lemons.

so that's what we did.

for two hours - maybe less,

because i was

reminded that i grow

rather bored in the sun,

even in the most beautiful of

weather and even with good

books around. plus,

my arms were hot.

but all of that,

made me feel refreshed

and ready to come home and

make dinner, something

i seem to have little interest

in lately.

i've been wanting

to remake a rice noodle salad

that i made months ago for jenn's

birthday (back when the camera

was out of commission), and

today i decided was the perfect

hot summer day.

after the park,

we went grocery shopping

and then i went to the fourth

store in a week,

in search of daikon for the

pickled carrots and daikon.

because, yes, i love rice noodle

salads now, but i think the

reason i was initially enamored

with the dish was because

of the

pickled carrots and daikon.

i'm a sucker for anything pickled,

but i think in this case,

when the cooking method has the

ability to excite me about an

ingredient that i'm typically

meh about (carrots), it's a winner.

i use a tinkered-with recipe from

the little saigon cookbook,

my vietnamese standby.

you can slice the root vegetables

into 1/4-inch sticks, but i

love cutting them using this

julienne peeler

that has never let me down.

it turns them into spaghetti-thin slivers

and when i combine

them later

with the rice noodles,

i can spin them around

on my fork in a tangle.

it's a good idea to make these

at least a couple hours ahead

to let the flavor really permeate

the vegetables. as soon as they

are marinating,

i make the universal

vietnamese mixture that can

serve as a

dressing or

dipping sauce,

nuoc cham,

because it tastes better

when the

fish sauce

lime juice

garlic

ginger

and other flavorings have

melded together.

thin rice noodles are like

angel hair, except i think,

more forgiving with their

flexibility. literally. plus, i usually prepare

them a while in advance, because

as long as they're played with

every now and again, they

keep very well in a strainer in

your sink.

and as for the cabbage - i don't

think it is a must. the greens

succeed in making the dish seem

more like a main meal, an entree salad,

not just noodles tossed with veggies

for an appetizer, but it's nice

without them, too.

to make a good rice noodle

salad, there are

a bunch of steps, for sure,

but most

can be done ahead

so that when it's time

to eat, all you have to do

is cook whatever you've

chosen to put on top

(i like, tofu, shrimp and squid)

and create.

shrimp are easy, just

peel, season and sear.

but i'm partial to the addition

of squid. i like that when

halved and scored,

they create a shape

unbeknownst to their

cousins,

the breaded and fried rings.

and i love that they're tender

and fresh, without

competing with the noodles

or pickled veggies.

if the veggies are pickled

(a day or a week ahead),

the dressing/dipping sauce

is whisked together

and the noodles have been

cooked (again a couple

hours ahead), the cabbage

chopped, washed and dried,

all you have to do is assemble.

and yes, i realize i just said this

above, but when i reread, i realized

how true it was and how important

this may turn out to be - once you

see the recipes below.

this makes it perfect for

a dinner party,

or just a really nice

on a day when you're tired

from staying out in the sun,

you haven't finished

that book you've been

reading for weeks and

really, you're still

not in the mood for

heavy duty, heat up

the kitchen cooking.

but, most importantly,

you're too busy trying to pretend

that you're still hanging out

on a blanket in the middle

of a lazy sunday to actually

make dinner.

that's what kind of meal this is.

vietnamese rice noodle salad

adapted from the little saigon cookbook

i've never really felt very good about my rice noodle making skills until i learned how ann le cooks them. instead of pouring hot water over them and letting the threads soak, she submerges them into boiling hot water for two minutes. they are perfect every time. as for the shallots and garlic - i usually do not agree with anything that involves a ton of oil, but these sweet, slightly crunchy rings justify the quick fry. the tangy, clean salad wouldn't be the same without them. oh, and speaking of crunch, i like to top this salad with chopped cashews, or as is customary, chopped peanuts. here, however, i completely forgot about them until a few hours later. i know this may seem like a lot of steps - but it's really not (i did it all after 5pm) and a lot can be done the day before.

pickled carrots and daikon

le pickles her vegetables with a chopped thai bird chile, which i only did the first time i made these. although i like spicy, it was almost too much for everyone. maybe i would try a jalapeno? i've also increased the proportions of all other ingredients and changed a few things around, like adding the garlic to the brine mixture. just so you know, whenever i pickle, i worry that i don't have enough liquid, but somehow, it always works out. use leftovers on sandwiches, as a garnish, with dumplings or just eat them strand by strand.

1 1/2 cups seasoned rice vinegar

3/4 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons sugar

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

3 medium carrots, peeled

3/4 - 1 pound daikon, peeled

in a saucepan, bring the first 5 ingredients to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer 5 minutes. remove from heat and let cool at least 20 minutes.

meanwhile, use mandoline peeler, mandoline or sharp knife to cut the carrots and daikon into small pieces. place carrots and daikon in bowl or jar, mixing with your hand to combine. pour vinegar mixture over vegetables, stirring until wilted and submerged. let sit at room temperature several hours or until cool; cover and chill.

they can keep in the fridge for 3 weeks.

nuoc cham

for this all-purpose dipping sauce, i've combined my favorite aspects from two of le's recipes (one for nuoc cham and the other for nuoc cham gung, or with ginger). this sauce may seem unfamiliar as you're putting it together, but i have a feeling that once you see the finished result, you'll recognize the mixture.

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons, peeled and finely chopped ginger

1/4 cup fish sauce

2/3 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

couple drops sriracha, or your favorite hot sauce

in small bowl, whisk together all ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. let stand at room temperature for several hours. serve, or cover and chill.

fried shallots and garlic

it rarely happens, but by the time i got to this part of the dish, i ran out of garlic. so, i only used shallots. it's up to you whether you would rather use one or the other, or a combination of the two. i use the smallest skillet i have (i think it's 6-inches), coat the bottom of it with oil and go from there.

olive oil

2 small shallots, peeled thinly sliced

and/or

3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

coat bottom of the smallest skillet you have with olive oil. warm over medium heat until hot and shimmering. add one piece to test - it should bubble. add remaining shallots or garlic in batches, trying not to overcrowd the pan. when rounds become golden brown and fragrant, remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined-plate to drain. (i find it's a good idea to take them out of the oil just before they're the color you would like them to be - this way, when they darken more, they won't burn.)

rice noodle salad with broiled squid

1/2 pound tubes of cleaned squid

1 package thin rice noodles

1 head napa cabbage (about 2 pounds)

12 large basil leaves

3 scallions, thinly sliced

nuoc cham

pickled carrots and daikon

fried garlic and shallots

1/4 cup chooped cashews or peanuts

using paper towels, dry squid completely. following the seam, use a sharp knife to open the squid into a flat triangular shape; dry inside of squid completely. using sharp knife, score a crosshatch pattern into the squid, making sure not to cut all the way through. (this can be done a couple hours a head of time - place in single layer on baking sheet and store in the fridge).

in large saucepot, bring water to a rolling boil; turn off the pot and add the noodles. let sit 2 minutes, swishing occasionally, or until tender. drain and immediately rinse with cold water, using your fingers to separate.

when ready to eat:

peel outer layers from cabbage; slice cabbage. wash to release grit; dry completely. tear 10 basil leaves and add to cabbage with 2/3 sliced scallions. add 3 tablespoons nuoc cham, tossing to coat and adding more dressing if necessary.

divide cabbage among plates; top with rice noodles, pickled vegetables and fried shallots and garlic. tear remaining basil leaves and add to plate. (you could also add sliced cucumber, bean sprouts and other herbs at this point.)

season the squid with kosher salt. i broiled them: heat broiler. place scored side-up on greased baking sheet; brush with olive oil. broil 2 minutes, flip. brush with olive oil, sprinkle with remaining scallion and kosher salt. broil 1 minute more, or until tender, making sure not to overcook. you could also grill the squid (1 minute on each side) or saute it quickly. place squid on top of salad.

top with chopped cashews or peanuts.

serve with remaining dipping sauce on the side.