Recent meals have gone so well that I’ve been motivated to continue some of the themes.  Three elements stood out:

• grilled or pan-fried bread
• peppers
• sautéed greens

so I had several variations for lunches this week.  The first included a bit of the leftover tuna and associated pickled peppers and beets, plus bruschetta with heirloom Moro bean pureée, roasted peppers, and savory capers from Santorini.

The next used the last two slices of the Field Blend #2 bread I baked earlier in the month.  They were first toasted with olive oil in a pan, then covered with bean pureée, and finally topped with the roasted peppers/tomato mixture and sautéed beet greens.

Naturally, wine was necessary to complete the picture.  I finished the rest of Aaron’s 2016 Chimera (Syrah/Mourvedre blend), and then I decided to introduce a new player — a bottle of 2015 Pacheca Vale de Abbrao from the Douro Valley in Portugal, purchased on our trip there last Spring.  The verdicts: very good, and even better!

Next, it was time to bake bread again.  I hadn’t done two batches of bread in the same month for several years, but the need was there, and I had the time and motivation.  Sticking to the same Field Blend #2 formulation, I was able to deliver two more fine loaves.  I predict you’ll see more bruschetta soon.

The most recent lunch was today’s.  It played on another recent theme, i.e. Bok Choy and Asian cooking.  I made two small dishes: (1) Asparagus Shandong-Style and (2) Baby Bok Choy Stir-Fry with Onion, Orange Pepper, Daikon Radish, and Sesame Seeds.

It was a nice warm afternoon, so we went for a walk after lunch.  Therefore, no wine at that meal.  The exercise was most welcome.