North Bay Woman

S P R I N G 2 0 1 7 | NORTH BAY WOMAN 53 Pistachio mint salsa verde ½ cup fresh mint leaves ½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves 1 clove garlic, minced 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup shelled roasted and salted pistachios, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Place the mint, parsley, mint and garlic on the work surface and finely chop. Place in a bowl and add the olive oil, pistachios, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir together. Season with salt and pepper. Tangerine granita with candied kumquats 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons finely grated tangerine peel 2 cups freshly squeezed tangerine juice, strained 1 recipe candied kumquats Mix the water and sugar in a saucepan and heat over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the tangerine zest and tangerine juice. Pour the mixture into a shallow 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish. Freeze until the ice crystals begin to form, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Whisk with a fork to move the crystals and continue to freeze. Repeat every half hour until the mixture is the consistency of frozen slush, 2 hours. To serve, spoon the granita into serving dishes and garnish with candied kumquats. Serves 8 Candied kumquats 24 kumquats 1 cup water 1 cup sugar Halve the kumquats from top to bottom, removing the seeds as you go. In a small heavy saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the kumquats and simmer until the kumquats are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and with a slotted spoon, transfer the kumquats onto a parchment- lined baking sheet. Boil the syrup on high heat for 3 to 5 minutes until it is reduced to ¾ cup. Place the kumquats and syrup in a bowl and let cool. n > WEIR from page 36 Above: Tangerine granita with candied kumquats. – Photo by of Thomas J. Story, courtesy of Sunset Joanne's Joys These are some of Joanne Weir's favorite things: n Winery: "I love so many, but I can name Cliff Lede in Napa and Paul Hobbs in Sebastopol." n Wine to serve at a dinner party: "Right now I love to start with a crisp white, such as an Alberino from Spain. I also love Gruner Veltliner or Aneri from Italy." n Tequila: "I really do love Siete Leguas Reposado. It's delicious for sipping, with wonderful caramelized pear, vanilla and butterscotch qualities." n Kitchen utensil: "A chef's knife, typically 8-inch." n Herb: "I love fresh savory. I grow it. I also like fresh mint. It depends on what day it is and what I want to use it for." n Snack: "My guilty pleasure is potato chips. My grandfather used to make homemade ones. He started this obsession." n Quick meal: "Butter lettuce salad with lemon juice, EVOO and a touch of garlic, with some boneless chicken breasts sautéed with the skin on." n Food growing up: "My mother's spaghetti and meatballs." n Fast food: "I don't eat it." n Treat at the movies: "No. I don't eat at the movies. If I do, it would be something like Justin's Peanut Butter Cups." n Food hack: "I use the back > Photos and recipes courtesy "Kitchen Gypsy: Recipes and Stories from a Lifelong Romance with Food" (Oxmoor House/Sunset, 2015), photographer Thomas J. Story

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