Roasted Radish & Garlic Butter Toasts

April 27, 2024 No comments

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This colorful recipe was inspired by the classic French appetizer of raw radishes dipped in butter and then coarse salt.  The peppery bite of the raw radishes along with the creamy butter and coarse salt is truly a remarkable combination of tastes.  I decided to use the same foundation of ingredients, but put a unique twist on the idea.  Here, I have toasted whole wheat bread with a salted butter-garlic spread, then topped the toasts with roasted radish slices and peppery micro greens. A lovely first course or light lunch when paired with a bowl of warm soup.

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Baby Spinach Salad with Blood Oranges, Pine Nuts, & Roquefort Cheese

April 26, 2024 No comments

High in natural antioxidants, blood oranges are truly a produce gem this time of year. Beautifully colored, these lovely citrus fruits are a healthy snack, lovely when juiced into a cocktail, and make a stunning addition to a simple salad like this one.

Simply arrange baby spinach or baby kale greens on each plate, and top with toasted pine nuts (pistachios would also work nicely), slices or segments of blood oranges, rich blue cheese of your choosing, and a drizzle of a simple yet refreshing lemon vinaigrette.  Elegant, simple, yet very impressive.

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‘Orange-Balsamic Lamb Chops’

April 25, 2024 No comments
Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light magazine

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light magazine

Grilling lamb chops is a quick and impressive dinner idea.  This recipe from Cooking Light magazine is certainly one that I will be making not only for us again, but for clients as well. A simple marinade made with orange zest, olive oil and fresh orange juice is placed on the lamb chops before they are grilled over high heat until perfectly tender and pink in the middle.  A quick reduction of balsamic vinegar later, the cooked chops are then served with the balsamic glaze; the sweetness of the orange zest and juice pairs beautifully with the tangy richness of the syrupy balsamic.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/orange-balsamic-lamb-chops)

‘Iceberg Wedges with Tahini Dressing’

April 24, 2024 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart’s Newlywed Kitchen Cookbook

One of my favorite salads, especially at a steakhouse, is a classic iceberg wedge.  Crispy wedges of iceberg lettuce topped with blue cheese dressing, bacon, diced tomatoes and chopped red onion. The perfect combination of creamy, crunchy and salty—absolutely delicious!

This modern version of an iceberg wedge swaps in a rich and almost nutty tahini dressing for the blue cheese dressing which is simply marvelous.  The original recipe calls for topping the dressed wedges of lettuce with microgreens or herbs, and some chopped pistachios to further the Middle Eastern-influences. But I settled on some chopped parsley and some sliced, sweet peppers for even more crunch, and an added natural sweetness.

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Veal Chops with Wild Mushrooms & Herbs

April 23, 2024 No comments

When I see veal chops at our local market, it’s a done deal.  Similar in appearance to a thick-cut, bone-in pork chop, veal chops are much more tender however, and have a delicate meaty taste.  Veal chops are best grilled or seared and take no time at all.  For this recipe I decided to sear the chops and then finish them off in a wine-soaked pan in the oven, and to serve them with a wild mushrooms, garlic and fresh herb sauce that is out-of-this world.  Fabulous over a serving of risotto Milanese or even flavorful cooked beans like I did, this Northern Italian meal is just screaming out for a glass of rich Chianti.

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White Wine-Braised Leeks with Gruyère

April 22, 2024 No comments

You are probably familiar with leeks as a mild member of the onion family (most commonly used in soups) that resemble large green onions in appearance.  Sweet when cooked, I actually adore braising leeks with a little butter and white wine as a stand-alone side dish.  Revered in French cuisine, leeks are often times used as a main ingredient classic dishes like leeks vinaigrette, vichyssoise, savory tarts and bread puddings, or even leeks mimosa.

For this side dish I sliced the leeks before sautéing them in a touch of butter along with freshly chopped sage; next I deglaze the pan with white wine and cook the leeks until fragrant and tender.  Crispy cubes of pancetta are then added into the mix and the whole thing topped off with grated Gruyère cheese.  Gruyère gives a wonderfully nutty flavor to the dish and since the leeks are still warm from the pan, the cheese slowly melts over everything.

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‘Orange Blossom Cake’

April 21, 2024 Comments: 2

Recipe Courtesy of Mimi Thorisson’s French Country Cooking cookbook

I’ve been cooking a lot lately from Mimi Thorisson’s cookbook, French Country Cooking–and for good reason.  The rustic French recipes (and gorgeous photos of her country home) are simply hard to resist. When I think what sort of cookbook to pull from the shelf when I’m craving a simple yet elegant dinner idea, lately it has been this book. This specific dessert was the first of many that I can’t wait to make, but this one quickly moved to the top of my ‘to-bake’ list.

 A simple butter cake made moist by the addition of tangy crème fraiche (I used a Madagascar vanilla-scented variety) that is flavored with one of Mimi’s favorite flavorings (and one of mine): orange flower water.  Used a lot in Persian cooking, this fragrant water adds a subtle citrusy-yet floral aroma to whatever it is added into.  Not only does the cake have the flower water in the batter, but the buttercream icing does as well.  I decided to garnish this lovely cake with dried rose petals, just to add even more of that floral-scent to the overall cake.

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Lemon & Za’atar Roasted Root Vegetables with Kale

April 20, 2024 No comments

A mixture of roasted root vegetables is a blank slate for a variety of flavorings: fresh herbs, dried spice mixes, citrus zest and juices, vinegars, cheeses…you name it.  Here, I have roasted a mixture of radishes, sweet potatoes, carrots, golden beets, turnips, potatoes and parsnips from our CSA with the fragrant Middle Eastern spice mix called za’atar.

Za’atar is lemony on its own, thanks to the addition of ground sumac, so I decided to enhance that bright flavor profile and roast the veggies with some complimentary lemon zest.  During the last 5 or so minutes or cooking, I tossed some chopped Lacinato kale right on top of the veggies on the pan and let the kale wilt a bit in the hot oven.  To serve, I drizzled everything with lemon juice, and served it all with some salty feta cheese.

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Savory Mushroom & Ricotta Bread Pudding

April 19, 2024 No comments

A wonderfully tasty way to use up the rest of a loaf of any kind of bread is a homemade bread pudding. You can add in sweet flavorings like berries, vanilla extract and even chocolate chips for a unique dessert idea, or you can make a savory version of a bread pudding using your favorite vegetables, herbs and cheese.

This savory version of a bread pudding uses leftover rustic Italian ciabatta bread, sauteed leeks, garlic and mushrooms, along with creamy ricotta cheese mixed into the custard base.  The custard base, no matter if you go the sweet or savory route, is the same in all variations–eggs, milk, salt and if you like, a creamy dollop of ricotta cheese makes for a moist texture throughout.

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Dandelion Greens with Sliced Red Pear, Almonds & Blue Cheese

April 18, 2024 No comments

I’m so happy that dandelion greens are become easier to find in grocery stores. With their slightly bitter taste and tender texture, these healthy greens are wonderful served raw in a salad like this one, but also sauteed or even stirred into a warm pot of soup.  Bursting with nutrients as well, this variety of greens should be at the top of your produce list each and every time you are out shopping!

For this tasty salad I topped the chopped, washed dandelion greens with crunchy sliced almonds, sweet red pear pieces, and creamy Gorgonzola cheese. A nice Roquefort or any variety of blue cheese works just fine, especially when paired with a simple homemade Dijon mustard vinaigrette.

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