Summer@No41

I lived in Chicago for two years. Which means I lived through two winters, which was one too many. (For the record, I would not have lived through the Winter of 2013-2014.) It was because of those two years that I understand what a "season" actually is, because no, we do not have them in California. California is a perpetually confused (though beautiful) state. When I experienced my first spring, I cried. I was the slightly deranged SoCal girl who was sure the world would never be reclaimed from Jadis. And then there it was. The first green leaf. Spring Green. Crayola nailed that color...bright and untarnished, roots reaching out of packed soil to meet the sun...sorry, momentary poetic sidebar. I was in wonder. And though I experienced it as an extreme, I am quite certain most citizenry of the upper swath of North America share this moment with each other every year.

There are all sorts and lengths of the more proverbial  "seasons of life", though they seem to follow nature's seasons often enough. The poetry is famously captured in Ecclesiastes 3, which everyone knows either from Sunday School, the Byrds, or Footloose. There is a time to let things be, a time to hunker down and get a job done, and a time to lift your head up and realize you are missing from your life. And so I have been for four months. Anyone else? It is time for a return to the table @No41. Game nights. Full stomachs. Unexpected conversation topics.

I hope to see many of you @No41 in the coming weeks and months. Feel free to invite yourself over, even at a moment's notice. (Which will keep me honest about my cleaning habits which is a perk.) And I hope you will likewise think about what door you can open, what table you can meet at, what summer holds for you.

To start us off, this is my new go-to salad, compliments of Smitten Kitchen. Healthy with a surprisingly flavorful freshness that seems to hit a diversity of palates just right. It's already made two appearances this past month and it's due for several more.

Kale and Quinoa Salad
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)
8 ounces Black Kale, also known as Cavolo Nero, or Lacinato, Dinosaur, or Tuscan Kale
1/2 cup slivered almonds, very well toasted and cooled
1/3 cup dried cranberries or craisins
2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
2 ounces feta cheese, finely crumbled
Few gratings of fresh lemon zest

Dressing
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons smooth Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon coarse Dijon mustard
Just shy of 1 teaspoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Rinse quinoa well in a small colander. This is essential to remove bitterness. Place quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer with a couple pinches of salt. Simmer at a very low temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. Drain any un-absorbed liquid from cooked quinoa. Spread quinoa on a plate to cool quickly.

Wash your kale and dry it well. Then, with a knife, remove the rib from each stalk, leaving long strips of kale leaves. Stack the leaves in small batches, roll them tightly the long way, and cut the roll crosswise into thin ribbons. Add the kale ribbons to a large salad bowl. Add remaining salad ingredients to kale and toss to mix.

Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small dish, and pour the dressing over the salad. I tend to whip up the dressing beforehand so the ingredients can get acquainted but just before is fine too.