Pacific Rain

so simple it should be a crime.

slice sourdough bread. Spread with black olive tapenade. Top with arugula or spinach leaves. Add roasted red peppers cut into strips. Sprinkle crumbled chevre over the top and season with salt and pepper. Broil abrout 5 minutes, until crusts are crunchy and cheese is lightly browned.

Chop a tablespoon or two of fresh thyme. Finely mince a small shallot. Place shallot and thyme in a jar or glass with approx 2/3 c. of walnut oil (or substitute olive oil, but walnut oil MAKES this dressing) and 1/3 seasoned rice vinegar. Whisk with a fork until milky and emulsified (or if using a canning jar, put the top on tightly and shake shake shake!). In a large bowl place two to three large handfuls of arugula (or substitute spinach) and approximately 1/3 c. walnut pieces. Pit two ripe plums and cut into slim wedges. Add plums to bowl with 1-2 Tbl of dressing. Toss salad with dressing by hand. If everything is not very lightly coated, add a little more dressing, but be careful not to weigh down the salad.

We served our salad and open faced sandwiches with some selles sur cher and tomme de savoie and dried apricot bar (nothing more than dried apricots, really) and a glass of zinfandel. Excepting the cheeses and apricot bar, walnut oil and seasoned rice vinegar, these ingredients came from Trader Joe's. Simple, easy, fast. Just what we needed tonight.