Roasted broccoli rabe tostada with avocado, fried egg and chimichurri

Roasted broccoli rabe tostada with avocado, fried egg and chimichurri | Cannelle et VanilleRoasted broccoli rabe tostada with avocado, fried egg and chimichurri | Cannelle et Vanille

Everything is shifting from winter’s dark jewel colors to bright greens at our farmer’s market. Flowering greens, tangled shoots and tender roots give way to the new season and a lighter palate. I recently re-discovered broccoli rabe as I worked with Andy Boy on some recipe development. Nutritionally packed, we all know that, but also how the bitterness is balanced when roasted got me hooked. Even in spring I love roasting – a technique that brings so much depth to vegetables.

Roasted broccoli rabe tostada with avocado, fried egg and chimichurri | Cannelle et Vanille

I have been cooking and serving this recipe of roasted broccoli rabe a lot. Serve it on tostadas with avocado, fried egg and chimichurri – a brilliant balance of bitter, sweet, fat and acid. You should give it a try. I am also thinking of making this white bean, broccoli rabe and finocchiona salad and maybe braising it for a bowl with quinoa, beets, toasted spicy almonds and tahini dressing. Just thinking out loud.

Roasted broccoli rabe, avocado and egg tostada with chimichurri

Serves 4

For the chimichurri
This recipe makes more than you will need. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s great for meat, fish and eggs.
1 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Reserve.

Tostadas
12 ounces broccoli rabe, rinsed and dried
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for eggs
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
4 large eggs
4 flour tortillas
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
Cilantro, to garnish

Preheat oven to 400F. Place the broccoli rabe on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and bake for 10 minutes until the leaves start to turn dark and the broccoli rabe softens.
For the fried eggs, heat a non-stick 10-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Crack one egg and immediately season the top with a pinch of salt. Crack a second egg next to it and season with salt. Let the eggs cook until the bottoms and edges are crispy while basting the tops with a bit of the hot oil every once in a while, about 3 minutes. Cook the remaining two eggs with more olive oil if needed.
Heat the flour tortillas on that same non-stick sauté pan where you cooked the eggs. Let them get slightly golden on both sides. Divide them on four plates. Top with sliced avocado, roasted broccoli rabe, fried egg, chimichurri and fresh cilantro.

Note: This post has been sponsored by Andy Boy.






Portugal food and storytelling photography workshop | June 4-8, 2015

Portugal food and lifestyle photography workshop with Aran Goyoaga | June 4-8, 2015Uva do Monte, Portugal

Another workshop announcement!

I am teaching a 3-day food and storytelling photography workshop in Melides, Portugal June 4-8. We will be staying at Uva do Monte, an old working farm converted into a beautiful estate. A blueberry farm, beautiful deserted beach, renovated old-charm rooms, Portuguese cuisine… the perfect setting for time learning about how I approach editorial food and lifestyle photo shoots.

In this workshop you will learn how I work on a photo shoot from start to finish: establishing an art direction, story and mood boards, styling, prop sourcing, lighting, equipment, composition, camera basics and exposure, post-processing and editing content to create a story.

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Shoot + Style Workshop | Brooklyn April 25 & 26

Aran Goyoaga Food Photography Workshop | Brooklytn, April 25-26

First of all, my apologies for being absent for so long. Work has kept me away from the blog for a good reason. I am working on photographing bestseller Andie Mitchell’s upcoming cookbook, which has been a wonderful collaborative project. I will share more about it soon. There are other things brewing as well, but today I wanted to tell you that I returning to Sunday Suppers studio to teach a food styling and photography workshop.

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Lentils with mushrooms, kale and eggs from Ashley Rodriguez’s “Date Night In”

Lentils with mushrooms, kale and eggs | Cannelle et VanilleAshley Rodriguez's "Date Night In" book | Cannelle et Vanille

I am so excited to share with you that my friend Ashley Rodriguez of award-winning blog Not Without Salt has published her first book Date Night In. I have been cooking from it since the day it arrived and I cannot rave enough about it. The chicken and pumpkin seed posole has become part of my regular repertoire now and I am in love with these braised French lentils with kale and mushrooms.

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