Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Lump Crabmeat

Before I even write another word, I'll confess- I am currently addicted to tomatoes. I just cannot seem to get enough, and right now they are everywhere.  I buy them even when I don't really need them,  solely because they're pretty sometimes, it's become a good problem to have.  A few weeks ago I went to a produce sale at the LSU Ag-Center- 15 minutes later I was loading my car with about thirty pounds of the most beautiful heirlooms. Yes, thirty! I know that is a LOT of tomatoes, but I had the best time choosing them and later making Gazpacho, beautiful salads, and the most wonderful preserves.  I made a tomato marmalade with saffron, which if I say so myself was out of this world- I'll be using it at work in my catering business, Gourmet Girls.  

At home for dinner, we had Jumbo lump Crabmeat Gazpacho.  This is my favorite type of dinner in the summer.  Cooking seasonally by utilizing foods which are in their prime makes eating and preparing meals a joyful experience for me.  I think most of us eat with our eyes first,  what I came across labeled as Paleo on Pinterest and other venues was sometimes not too appetizing to me. While the food might have tasted good, it certainly was not inspiring me to run and cook it for dinner.  I need pretty in my life, with food in particular.  I hope through this blog I can inspire others to prepare meals in a healthy manner; cooking seasonally from farm to table, using locally grown and organic ingredients.

While I am not a fan of storing tomatoes in the refrigerator, I was surprised to find that the leftover Gazpacho was actually really good a day later.  I would not recommend making it more than several hours early, just make sure to add the crabmeat right before serving.  I made this a few weeks ago, and after looking at the photos again, I cannot wait to make it again.  I hope you like it as much as I did!

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Jumbo Lump Crabmeat

6 ripe heirloom tomatoes, diced (reserve all the seeds and juices)

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded and cut into 1/4" slices

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4" cubes

2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4" cubes

1 jalapeno pepper, cored, veined, seeded, and finely minced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste (I like spicy)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. fresh Jumbo Lump Crabmeat, lightly picked for shells.

1. In a large non-reactive bowl, combine the tomatoes and their juices, onion, cucumber, and peppers.  Add red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and tabasco.  

2. With a couple of forks squish the vegetables into a juicy soup, making sure to leave plenty of big pieces.  Add salt, cumin and black pepper tasting as you go.  Add cilantro then refrigerate the soup for at least an hour before serving.

3. Ladle the Gazpacho into soup bowls, add crabmeat and serve.

Makes 8 servings

Recipe: Lemon Chili Pasta with Arugula and Capers

Because summer is coming to an end I'm in the mood for heartier, spicier foods. For me crisp weather heralds comfort food, soups, curries, and all together heavier meals. However, the heat index is still in the hundreds here. So I've come up with another pasta dish which can be served hot or at room temperature or cold, my current favorite. These sort of meals will carry me over until I can break out my soup pot.

This lemon chili pasta is one of my favorites. It's zesty, a little peppery, and yet still light and easy. At the end of a work day in the kitchen I don't feel like preparing a complicated meal. Pasta seems to be a recurring theme around here, and it's likely that if the saying "you are what you eat" holds true, I will one day soon turn into a noodle. But, it's a quick vehicle for flavor. So bear with me until this pasta (and arugula) phase passes.

Use fresh red chilies if available. The farmers market did not have any this morning so I substituted chili flakes. Adjust the amount to your preference.

Lemon chili pasta with arugula and capers

1 pound fresh angel hair pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chili pepper flakes OR 3 long red chilies, seeded and diced

1/3 cup capers (if using salted capers, then wash and rinse them)

3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

4 cups fresh arugula

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot until al dente. Drain and return to sauce pan and keep warm.

2. Heat the oil in a large sautee pan over medium-high heat. Sautee the chilies and capers until crisp. Add the lemon zest and garlic and cook until golden.

3. Toss with the pasta, arugula, lemon juice and salt and pepper and serve.

Recipe: Fresh Fettucini with Basil

I am very enamored with my basil bush right now. It is August; temperatures are in the upper nineties and heat indexes are topping 100 degrees. Unlike me, basil thrives in this weather. There is just enough rain to keep it moist and because it's in a shady spot it hasn't gone to seed. This is the first time I have actually planted basil directly in the ground and not in a pot; I had no idea what a difference that would make.

With this plethora of basil I was craving something simple and herby. The dish is basically pasta with a rough chop pesto. Instead of emulsifying the basil with oil, cheese, garlic, and pine nuts I rough chop everything and toss it together. To bring out a more intense flavor I always toast pine nuts before adding them in. I also make this with pistachios and walnuts as a substitute.

Fresh Fettucini with Basil

1 pound fresh pasta noodles

3 cups (approximately) fresh basil, cut into chiffonade

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Boil the pasta and drain. Place pasta in a serving dish and add remaining ingredients. Toss until well combined. Serve hot or cold.

Recipe: Grilled Pizza with figs, freshwater mozzarella, goat cheese, balsamic onions and Arugula.

 I have come out of my gardening strike in the last week and I'm well on my way to getting my garden back in order.  I find it hard to believe I have neglected it for the past year like I have... weeding has consumed the last few days.   I have planted tomatoes, peppers and re-vamped the herbs, but my most pleasant discovery was finding  figs on my tree.  I have a beautiful little fig tree in the backyard, which apparently did not mind the neglect.  The tree has done just fine without me- bursting with figs.  The challenge now is to harvest before the birds do, since they seem to like them as much or more than I do!  The figs I used for the pizza are black mission, but any type or combination of fresh figs will work well.  Figs are highly perishable and are best eaten soon after picking. Using them in a grilled pizza works well because they don't get much overhead heat and remain plump and juicy.  

 I just recently bought a new kitchen toy, one that took numerous trips to the kitchen store and quite an agonizing search for the perfect grill.  Only after returning the black model to then buy the same exact grill in blue (yes, color makes all the difference) did I finally make the purchase. Accordingly, I have decided that in order to truly reap the benefits of this painstaking journey, I will enjoy all things grilled for at least the next month or so.  First on the agenda, a delectable grilled pizza! 

Grilled pizza has always been a favorite of mine. More recently, I stumbled upon a similar recipe in an issue of the Donna Hay magazine and it inspired me to craft my own. FYI - if you don't want to go through the trouble of making pizza dough, a pre-made pizza disk, frozen pizza dough (whole foods carries it),  or pita bread are good substitutes.

I used a combination of goat cheese and freshwater mozzarella to start.  There is a great cheese maker at my local Farmer's market whose goat cheese with dill caught my eye this latest time around and so far it's my favorite.  Mache' would be a great substitute for the arugula (rocket) if unavailable.  You can either caramelize your own onions as I did in balsamic vinegar, or use an onion jam.

The dough can be made ahead of time and left in the refrigerator until it's time for the second proofing.  The pizza can then be assembled as the coals heat up in the grill.  

Grilled Pizza with fresh figs, freshwater mozzarella, goat cheese, Balsamic onions and Arugula.

1 pint fresh figs, stemmed and halved

1/2 pound freshwater mozzarella

1/2 cup goat cheese with herbs

1 red onion thinly sliced

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, plus extra for drizzling

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

about 2 cups arugula

Pizza Dough:

2 packets active dried yeast

1 tablespoon honey

1-1/4 cup lukewarm water (110 degrees)

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

 

Place the yeast, honey and water in the bowl on an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.  Add 3 cups flour and salt and mix.  While mixing slowly add remaining flour (1 cup) until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.  Knead dough with mixer additional 10 minutes.  Remove dough from mixer and knead by hand on a lightly floured surface turning it 1/4 turns each time.  When finished the dough should be smooth and elastic.  Place in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel and allow to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in volume.  

Divide dough into 6 portions, roll each with a rolling piece or pat out by hand into 6-8" rounds.  Place on counter or baking sheet, cover with towel, and allow to rest for an additional 10 minutes.  (at this point you can refrigerate dough until ready to use- a few hours).  

Pre-heat grill to medium heat.   Brush with olive oil and chargrill for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.  Layer cheese, onions and figs on pizza place back on grill until cheese is just beginning to melt.  Remove from grill, add rocket leaves, drizzle with additional balsamic vinegar and oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

To caramelize onions: In a medium saucepan over med-high heat saute onion slices in olive oil until lightly browned, season with salt and pepper.  Add balsamic vinegar and de-glaze pan.  Set aside to cool until ready to use.

Recipe: Steamed Mussels with Herbs in a White Wine Broth

I have been craving mussels for the longest time.  I actually had them twice in the last several weeks but neither meal satisfied me.  The first time was at a very popular restaurant in New Orleans, they were not properly prepared with a rather bland broth- I had high expectations so very very disappointing.  The second time was  better, but still seriously lacking in flavor.  So a couple of weeks ago, having not much on my agenda I set out to make them for myself.  Which in the end isn't really so surprising- sometimes with my tendencies towards perfection I have to do things for myself in order to achieve my desired result. 

Since my recent change in occupational status,  I have been taking lessons on relaxing and being idle- two new teachers, both very amusing and quite entertaining.  This is all taking place about five minutes from home in a coffee shop- the one I used to go to before work every morning and on my way home from work in the afternoon. Rather ironic- now I go there for internet access since on day 20 after the hurricane I still did not have cable or internet! (thankfully I do now).  But that's only my excuse for being there half the day, not that anyone has asked.  It's hard for me to believe that I do this, (just sit around and chat) much less admit it publicly, but it's humorous nonetheless.  I will say though, that I have in two week's time changed my attitude and am actually embracing doing nothing much at all, (I have excellent teachers).  Relaxing is an art form for these two.  It's a good thing that neither knows much about my blog or most importantly how to get here.  (they would not think this was too idle!)  In reality though, I have worked for the last 24 years, for the last 15 at the restaurant so this last month has given me the opportunity to regroup and figure things out.  The interesting thing is, I already had it figured out.  Working with food isn't out of my system just yet, all I have to do now is wait until I can make it happen.  Slowly and surely.

Being in the midst of starting a new venture after not having had a job for the last 4 weeks has been a month of many many firsts.  Some good- some not so good, some professional some personal, but as my friend O says - I'm like a cat... always landing on my feet.  It's going to take much more than the hell storm I've been through to put me in a negative place. (If ever!) Life anew- I will forever be an optimist.  Which is why I knew that eventually I would get the mussels and they would taste exactly as I was craving them.  

So the mussels... 

I love the little black ones and have done a little research.  A friend asked me the other day which type I liked best and it occurred to me I really didn't know.  But of course there is an answer for that, being as particular as I am, I may not know the name, but I do know what I like.  Turns out they are called Blue mussels- not black.  They are found on the Northern Atlantic coast of North America and in Europe and I find I like them better than the California mussels, they are a little smaller and all around tastier.  Blue mussels are most commonly used in French and Italian cuisines.

I prepared them in a light wine broth, with chopped Italian parsley and fresh Thyme.  I reduced the broth after they steamed, added a little butter and extra herbs.  They were perfect- at least for me, I enjoyed them immensely.

Ok, one last thing- when I say white wine, I mean good white wine.  If you won't drink it, please don't cook with it.  The end product is only a sum of it's parts, and as I found out today mussels are rather inexpensive (under $5 lb.).  So splurge on good wine and just drink the rest, that should not be a difficult task. 

2 lb.'s of mussels will serve four people as a starter or two as an entree. 

Steamed Mussels in White Wine

2 lb.s Blue Mussels
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 garlic cloves
2 small shallots, minced
a few sprigs fresh Thyme
about 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian Parsley
4 or 5 large fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Smash the garlic with the side of a large knife and cut it into a paste. Over medium heat, heat olive oil in a large pot with a lid, (I used a paella pan ).  Saute shallots until almost translucent, then add garlic and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.  Add chicken broth, wine and fresh thyme sprigs and bring to a boil.

2. Add washed mussels, cover and steam for 6 minutes or until mussels have opened.  Remove mussels from pan and set aside.  Bring broth back to a boil and reduce for 3 to 5 minutes.  Add parsley, basil, tomatoes and butter and cook until butter melts. 

3. Return mussels to the pan, stir and serve with hot French bread.

Recipe: Seared Tuna Steak with Fresh Basil Pesto

Grilled tuna is one of my favorite staples- both for a dinner party and a quick weekday meal. I purchase sushi grade tuna frozen in individual vacumm sealed bags, I keep them in the freezer and defrost as I need them.

When tuna gets overcooked, it becomes very dry and flavorless, to make sure that doesn't happen I cook it either in a very hot sautee pan, and indor flat grill or grill it over very hot coals. I cook the tuna until the outside is seared and the inside is still raw, like sushi. The fresh pesto sauce is the perfect accompaniment.

Prepare the pesto first, you can find the recipe either below this post, or here. The tuna can be served warm or at room temperature.

2-3 pounds center cut tuna steaks
extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
coarse sea salt

1. heat a sautee pan or grill until very hot over medium-high heat, 2-3 minutes. Rub olive oil over tuna and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cook tuna for a ccouple of minutes on each side until seared, the middle should remain pink. Serve with pesto.

Tabouleh Stuffed Tomatoes

Tabouleh is one of my favorite salads, specially when tomatoes are ripe, fresh and ruby red. I like my tabouleh with a generous amount of flat leaf parsley and fresh mint. Now that the weather has warmed up, the herbs in my garden have just taken off, becoming so robust they provide a generous harvest. The Italian flat-leaf parsley specially, since it did not die down over the winter is bigger than I have ever seen it and I was able to cut off at two big bundles this morning. The bulgur is a great alternative to rice and feels a lot healthier to me when I eat it. Note that the salt quantity is for coarse sea salt, if you are using table salt use half the amount called for; Kosher salt would remain the same.



I prepare tabouleh with a little extra spice, I recently discovered Cavender's all purpose Greek seasoning. I buy the kind without MSG, be sure to read the label...there is just no need to add extra chemicals to a dish like this, but the seasoning blend is flavorful and unique. I went to the Farmer's market this weekend and found the most beautiful tomatoes which I stuffed with the tabouleh, they made a great little lunch along side some pieces of Greek feta with a little olive oil and Kalamata olives. The tabouleh is best after it marinates for a while, but I m not usually that organized to make things very far ahead or most of all patient enough to wait after preparing it. It's great as a side dish with grilled shrimp and chicken, or stuffed into a fresh piece of pita bread with a little Feta cheese.



Tabouleh Stuffed Tomatoes

1 cup bulgur (cracked wheat)
1-1/2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cavender's all purpose Greek seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground Cumin
1 medium cucumber
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1 garlic clove, minced
1 mounded tablespoon minced shallot

6 medium tomatoes for stuffing


1. In a large bowl, combine bulgur, lemon juice, about 1/2 tablespoon salt, olive oil and boiling water and stir to combine. Allow mixture to rest at room temperature for about an hour or until all liquid is absorbed.

2. Peel cucumber and slice in half (longways), then quarter. You should now have 4 triangle looking pieces with the seeds at the points. Slice seeds off then chop into 1/4" thick pieces. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, and all remaining ingredients to bowl with bulgur. Adjust seasoning to taste, sometimes I add a little extra lemon juice to make the flavors pop.

3. Slice tops off tomatoes and scoop out flesh, then lay on a towel to drain a few minutes. Fill with tabouleh and serve.

Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce

I have been craving this salad for some time now. I have seen various versions of it in cookbooks, but the peanut dressing recipes I have seen have not appealed to me. I finally got my peanut sauce down and could not wait to make the noodle salad. I like linguini for this recipe, but regular spaghetti or fettuccini noodles would work fine as well. In the summer, I would probably replace the baby corn with fresh corn, but canned baby corn works fine in the winter. I made a generous chiffonade of mint and cilantro and basil, I needed lots of green in my salad. To make a chiffonade, roll your herbs as if you were rolling a cigar then with a sharp knife slice the "cigar".

Toss a little sesame or vegetable oil (a teaspoon or less), into the noodles after they drain, it will keep them from clumping together. Shredded rotisserie chicken would be a great addition to add some protein. I also seasoned them at the table with Siracha sauce- I like spicy. When thinning the peanut sauce for the noodles, add the water a little at a time until it's the consistency of honey.

This past weekend I went to the farmers market and found the most beautiful purple carrots, I used them here. Almost any vegetable will work well in this salad, other good additions are celery, zuchinni, squash, broccoli and spinach. I like slicing the vegetables in different shapes to add texture.

Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy peanut Sauce

1 lb. linguini, cooked al dente in salted water
1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
2 carrots (I used orange and purple), julienned
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
1 cup canned baby corn
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup mixed herbs (basil, cilantro, and mint) chopped (read about chiffonade above)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 recipe peanut sauce found here
1/4 cup chopped salted peanuts for sprinkling on top

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk 2 cups peanut sauce with up to 3 tablespoons of water to thin it out a little bit. Add peanut sauce to noodles and vegetables and toss together until evenly coated. Garnish with chopped peanuts and herbs. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature.

Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Peppers

This is a great pasta dish, the Italian sausage gives the dish a lot of flavor. The rigatoni is robust and rustic, I finish cooking the pasta in the tomato sauce to impart more flavor to it. The dish is a little spicy, which I love, the heat can be adjusted to your taste by the amount of red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper added.

When sauteing, keep the vegetables moving by stirring and scraping the pot. Undercook the pasta by a couple of minutes and add it to the simmering sauce, it will finish cooking there and take on all the flavors of the dish. This is good dish for a weeknight meal, specially when short on time- it comes togther in 20-30 minutes.



Rigatoni with Italian Turkey Sausage and Peppers

1 lb. box Rigatoni Pasta
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
2 Italian sausage links, sliced
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup chopped fresh Basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (about 1 teaspoon pepper)
1/3 cup Marsala
1/4 cup sugar

1. Cook rigatoni in boiling water until almost al dente. ( if you start boiling the water at the time you start the sauce, the pasta will be ready at the same time the sauce is- drain the pasta and place it in the sauce to finish off).

2. In a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat, heat olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the onions and bell peppers and saute until onions start to brown around the edges. Add sausage, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, continue cooking and stirring until sausage is lightly browned.

3. Add crushed tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes longer, scraping the sides of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add remaining ingredients and continue to cook over low heat. When pasta is ready, drain and add to the sauce. Turn heat to simmer, and continue to cook for an additonal 5 minutes. Serve with fresh Basil and shaved Parmesan cheese.

Caribbean Black Bean and Rice Salad

I am not a very big meat eater, if you have browsed the list of recipes here you may have noticed meat is not one of my main ingredients. I am not a vegetarian, but I would rather eat vegetables, fruits, and grains more so than a big steak. I make this dish fairly regularly, specially on the nights I am cooking for myself. I love to eat this over some crisp greens while still warm or chilled as a salad, specially in the summer time.

The color and flavor the Saffron imparts on the rice is wonderful. The longer the beans and peppers marinate in the dressing, the more flavorful they will become. The dish comes together in under 30 minutes.

Caribbean Black Bean and Rice Salad

1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
2 cups water (to cook the rice)
2 pinches saffron threads, about 1/8 teaspoon

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 red or orange bell pepper, diced
1 small tomato, seeded and diced
1/4 -1/2 jalapeno pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado, sliced for garnish
additional cilantro leaves for garnish

Vinaigrette

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder blend
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

1. In a small sauce-pan over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Add saffron and rice, stir well place lid on pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until water has absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Or, alternatively cook in a rice maker according to directions.

2. Make the vinaigrette by combining vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk until emulsified, set aside. While rice is cooking chop and combine peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, and black beans. Add half of the vinaigrette and toss to combine, season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

3. When the rice is cooked, place in a medium bowl and toss with the other half of the vinaigrette while rice is still warm. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Combine rice and bean mixture and serve garnishing with avocado and additional cilantro.

Pappardelle with Baby Cauliflower, Pine Nuts, Bacon and Parmesan

This is what comfort food is all about for me. This dish was born out of my craving for these beautiful little baby cauliflower. I spotted them at the market about a week ago and because I was rushed they didn't make it into my cart. I had been thinking about them for a week (yes, I know... it's a sickness), so when I went back to do my shopping today the baby cauliflower quickly made it into my cart. The challenge now was to prepare a dish in which they would not get lost- or mushy. I used dry Pappardelle pasta, but any shape would work fine. I could have left the bacon out, but the thought of frying the pine nuts and cauliflower in the bacon fat was too good to pass up- gotta love that bacon! baby cauliflower are a bit milder and more tender than the mature variety, but those could be easily substituted instead.

I finished the dish off with a nice nutty Parmegiano-Regianno, I love good cheese. This is my favorite kind of food, simple, quick and satisfying, you can prepare this dish in under 30 minutes. For the bread crumbs, make your own by chopping some day old French bread, place on a cookie sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. After the bread toasts I crush it up with my hands, but you could also give it a quick run through the food processor. The recipe is cooked in parts, I keep the cookie sheet used to bake the bread out and put my cooked ingredients on it while they wait to go back in the pan. When everything is cooked I place the pasta in a large heavy pot, combine all ingredients, shave the parmesan with a vegetable peeler and top the dish with the reserved bread crumbs and cheese. I use a large pot instead of the skillet because I like to have plenty off room to toss the ingredients together.


Pappardelle with Baby Cauliflower, Pine Nuts and Bacon

1/2 lb. dry pappardelle pasta
8 baby cauliflower
1/4 cup pine nuts
4 strips of bacon, chopped
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over pasta
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon fresh Thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling on top
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste



1. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil. Drop the cauliflower in and cook for 2 minutes, pull them out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Bring the water back to a boil and drop the pasta in, cook until al dente, drain and set aside.

2. In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring occasionally for a few minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove from heat and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, over medium high heat fry bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and saute until they begin to caramelize. Reduce heat to medium, add pine nuts, cauliflower, thyme and garlic to skillet and cook until golden about 5-8 minutes. Place the cooked pasta in a large heavy pot, drizzle a little olive oil over the pasta, just enough to coat it and add half of the bread crumbs, chopped parsley, 1/2 cup grated cheese and bacon and saute over medium-low heat until everything is heated through. Check for seasoning and serve hot, topping with reserved bread crumbs and shaved parmesan cheese.

One last note, this is my favorite Le Creuset pot- I use it almost daily!

Garbanzo Bean Soup with Israeli Cous Cous

This a light vegetarian soup with lots of vegetables and a nice broth. The weather here has been quite unpredictable, but mostly rainy damp and cold. I was craving a flavorful vegetable soup so I made Garbanzo (chickpeas) bean soup and served it with Israeli cous cous. Israeli cous cous is larger than traditional cous cous and is sometimes also called Marmaon. This soup is an easy weekday meal, it comes together in about 45 min from start to finish.

If you are using dry Garbanzo beans, soak them overnight, drain and cook them for about 45 minutes covered with water. After cooking, drain and rinse the beans and proceed with the recipe as written. I have found the only brand of canned Garbanzo beans I like is Progreso, they can sometimes be found in the Latin American section of the grocery store. The others I have tried, including the organic variety tend to be undercooked and a bit crunchy. If you want to add some meat, shredded chicken or smoked sausage would make a nice combination, you could also substitute chicken broth for the vegetable broth.

When making any soup, it is important all of the dry seasonings go in the pot early in the cooking stage. This allows the onions and other vegetables to absorb the spices, if they are added at the end they will end up just floating around the pot and the soup will not be as flavorful.

This is also my entry in the vegetarian blogging event called No Croutons Required, held by Lisa's Kitchen, you may look at the round-up here.

Garbanzo Bean Soup with Israeli Cous Cous

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used Vidalia Onions)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cans Chickpeas (garbanzo Beans) well rinsed and drained or cooked dry garbanzos (see note)
1 14 oz. can Italian tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (depending on how spicy you like your soup)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
6 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cumin
sea salt to taste

Cous cous:

3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups Israeli cous cous
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint


1. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add onions, carrots, and dry spices and saute until onions are a bit caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add zucchini, tomatoes(with juice), lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs and continue to cook for about 5 minutes longer. Cut the tomatoes in half with a wooden spoon while the soup continues to cook. If you are adding meat, add it now.

2. Add vegetable broth and Garbanzo beans, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. While the soup is cooking, make cous cous. In a medium sauce pan with a lid, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat, add cous cous and lightly brown (about 5 minutes). Add 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until most of the stock has been absorbed. Fluff cous cous up with a fark and add chopped mint right before serving. Serve soup with a scoop of cous cous, garnish with additional herbs if desired.

Lemon Caper Shrimp Crostini

I find sometimes small simple meals tend to be the most satisfying. I find myself cooking for only Jack, my 6 year old and I more often than not. Jack unlike me, is unfortunately not a very adventurous eater (he's getting there though), so on these nights I am happy to have little dinners which are simple, but still yield great results. The shrimp crostini is one of them.

The great thing about Shrimp Crostini is it does not require much planning, I usually keep a French Baguette around and Shrimp are always in my freezer; frozen in 1 lb. bags ready to be pulled out and quickly defrost as needed. Basically I toast some bread, make a buerre blanc, add shrimp and maybe grill some asparagus- perfect for a simple weeknight meal.

The size of the shrimp you use doesn't really matter, I like 25/30's for this dish, but any size will work. Maybe I should explain that- Shrimp are graded by size, the numbers mean the number of shrimp per pound. The larger the number the smaller the shrimp; for example jumbo shrimp will be about 10/15 per pound while small shrimp will be 70/90 shrimp per pound. When buying shrimp at the market, be sure they look translucent, if they are head-on they (the heads) should be clear and well attached to the body (not beginning to separate from the body), they should smell like salt water- in other words not very shrimpy! (that rule applies to all seafood). Obviously the larger the shrimp, the pricier they become, there are some recipes where size matters, this is not one of them so buy what best fits your budget, or better yet- what looks best at the market. One last note about shrimp- unless you are purchasing shrimp at a dock, chances are they have been frozen- and that's ok. Fresh Shrimp of course are a treat, but shrimp do not lose much in taste or quality by having been frozen, so don't let that deter you from buying them.

Making the crostini: Slice a French Baguette into 1/2" thick rounds and lay on a baking sheet. Brush a little melted butter on bread and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. (If you really like garlic you can also add some to the butter). At the restaurant, I grill them since the grill is so easily accessible.



The shrimp crostini make for a great entree, starter or hors de ouvre at your next party. I have also tossed the sauce and shrimp with angel hair pasta for a litle bit heavier dinner. The sauce will make you want to lick your fingers!

Lemon Caper Shrimp

1/2 cup butter ( 1 stick)
1/4 cup capers
3 cloves crushed and finely chopped garlic
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
Coarse sal de mer to taste

1. In a large saute pan melt half the butter over medium heat, add shrimp, garlic, black pepper, paprika and Thyme; cook until the shrimp turn light pink. Add lemon juice, white wine and capers and bring to a boil. Add cream, remove from heat then slowly stir in butter until it melts. Add salt to taste.

2. Serve Shrimp over Crostini drizzling with a generous amount of sauce. The recipe will serve four as a starter or two as a main dish. I sometimes garnish with Caper berries like I did here.

Moroccan Carrot and Goat Cheese Sandwich with Green Olive Tapenade

I don't know about you, but I tend to hold on to my food magazines. This comes as a result of two things: 1. I am part pack-rat and 2. I sometimes don't have time to read them as they arrive so I save them for later. Well, I've been catching up, I found this recipe in the (I'm almost embarrassed to tell you how old) August 2002 issue of Gourmet. Which proves my case in holding on to the plethora of food magazines I own- you never know when I might find something I like in there. I think it would make a great tea sandwich, the tapenade I can eat with a spoon and the carrots are really so yummy, mostly because of the unexpected flavors.I changed the recipe a bit, (I can't help myself) but, it's definitely a keeper.

The carrots are delicious, the secret is to allow them to marinate at least 4 hours, although overnight is best. As with all recipes high quality ingredients will produce better results; use the best quality olives you can find, I like green Cerignolas. I have never found them already pitted, but it is well worth the effort of slicing them off the pit for this recipe, (or any other for that matter- they are delicious). If you don't have a mandolin, thinly slice the carrots by hand or use the slicer attachment to the food processor. When making the tapenade pulse in the food processor just until chunky, it should not be a paste. I have recently found a Goat Feta I love, the recipe called for soft goat cheese, but since I have the feta I used that instead- basically same flavor with a different texture. Both the carrots and the tapenade can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator, the carrots will keep for 3 days and the tapenade for one week.



Moroccan Carrots

2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 lb.'s carrots

1. Whisk together sugar, lemon juice, spices and olive oil in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves.

2. Slice carrots in half on the diagonal, then using a mandolin slice into 1/16" thick slices. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch carrots for about 45 seconds. Drain into a colander and immediately toss in dressing. Cool to room temperature, then cover a refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. (I tried them at 4 hours, then the next day- the difference was huge. Allow them to marinate as long as possible).

Green Olive Tapenade

1 1/4 cups sliced Cerignola olives
3 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 anchovy fillet
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

goat cheese
whole grain bread

1. In a food processor combine all ingredients and pulse a few times. Drizzle in olive oil while pulsing until the tapenade is finely chopped.

Assemble the sandwich putting goat cheese on bottom layer, add carrots, then tapenade and another layer of bread.

Sweet and Savory Chicken Tamales

It is a tradition in Latin America to eat tamales at Christmas, New Year's, and pretty much any special celebration. I did not have time to make tamales on Christmas eve, but today we did make tamales for New Year's Eve. Making tamales is a daunting task, but I find that if you split the work out throughout the day it makes the process a little more manageable.

This year I made both sweet and savory chicken tamales. The savory are filled with chicken, capers, green olives, potato, and peas. The sweet tamales have sugar added to the masa and are filled with chicken, potato and prunes. The chicken is actually a hen, as they are more flavorful. I took some photos throughout the process, they aren't the best, but I think they will help if you've never made tamales before. The recipe made about 3 dozen large tamales.

Notes: Maseca is the brand of the masa harina, this is the only brand I have used and it's available at most large supermarkets. The Banana leaves impart a delicious flavor to the tamales, they can be either fresh from your yard or store bought. Most Latin American or Vietnamese markets carry them, I used four large leaves for this batch. You can use any type of steamer to steam the tamales, I used a tamale steamer I have and a regular pot with a pasta colander inside, then wrapped the whole thing in foil (I couldn't find the lid). When you place the tamales in the steamer do not crowd them too much, I usually make one layer then put a few more tamales on top.







Tamales
8 cups Maseca, masa harina
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 yellow onion, quartered
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 dried chile mulato
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons salt
1 hen
1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 medium tomato
1/3 cup sugar
prunes
capers
green pimento stuffed olives
2 potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled
about 1/2 cup green peas, frozen
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leaves

1. In a large stock pot, sautee dried chile mulato in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Wash and quarter chicken and add to the pot and season generously with salt and pepper. Brown Hen over medium heat, turning occassionaly.

2. Add the tomato, bell peppers, onion, and jalapeno pepper to the hen. Completely cover with water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. With tongs remove the vegetables and hen and set aside to cool.

3. With a sieve, strain the stock into a bowl. Carefully remove the oil from the top of the stock and discard. Place the vegetables in a food processor, add cilantro and process until smooth, if needed add a little stock.

At this point you will have the hen already cooked, the vegetables into a puree and the stock for the masa. This would be a good place to stop if you want to do this in parts. Everything could be refrigerated and continued the following day.

4. Shred the hen with your hands and set aside.

5. In a large pot over medium heat combine 8 cups Maseca and about 13 cups chicken stock. (if you do not have enough chicken stock add water to make up the difference). Whisk the stock into the flour, the dough should be smooth and about the consistency of mashed potatoes. Add vegetable puree, 2 tablespoons cumin, baking powder and salt. Cook the dough, constantly stirring until it starts to pull away from the sides of the pot- about 15 minutes, then remove from heat.

6. Assemple all the filling ingredients, banana leaves (wash and dry them), and aluminum foil.

7. Cut a piece of foil about ten inches long, lay it in front of you on the counter. Lay a piece of banana leaf about half the size of the foil over it. Place about 1/2 cup dough over the leaf and make a little trench for the filling. Add some chicken, a piece of ptato, some capers, peas and 2 olives. Pull the banana leaves over the dough to enclose the filling in the dough. Wrap with the foil making a little rectangular package. (be sure to not wrap too tightly so the dough can puff a little when steaming. Repeat until 3/4 of the masa has been used, about 24 tamales.

8. Add 1/3 cup sugar to the remaining dough and mix well. Continue to assemble tamales, changing the filling to chicken, potato and a prune in each. Label the sweet tamales with an "S" etched into the foil.

9. Fill steamer 1/3 full with water. Layer tamales in steamer tray or colander and steam over med-low heat for 1 hour. Allow tamales to cool and serve.

Tamales can be kept in the refrigerator for 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Jack requested to have a photo of himself and I quote "posted up with all the food on the web site." So here it is...we wish you a Happy New Year!!! xx

Greek Chicken

There is this little food shop in town called A to Z international foods, I buy pita bread for the restaurant there, so I go there fairly often. They have the most wonderful assortment of middle eastern and Spanish food...down to the Abuelita chocolate bars I used to love when I was very young, (as opposed to now of course, when I just feel very young while eating them!).

Anyhow, they sell about 5 different types of feta and after sampling them all, I have decided I French Feta is my favorite. I've had French feta before, but I had never tasted it next to the others- it's mild and not as crumbly as the Greek, which means it will hold it's shape a little better when warm. In this dish, the feta is added while the chicken is still warm and the French Feta held it's shape well.

I served the chicken set over Israeli cous cous cooked in chicken stock and it made for a very nice combination. The last time I had prepared this recipe, the chicken turned out a little tough- which I was completely perplexed about- but I found out that if you marinate the chicken too long, (which I had done- almost 2 days in the fridge), the exact opposite of what you hope for (tender juicy chicken) happens- it gets tough. So, a few hours in the marinade is just enough.

Greek Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 1/2 cup dry white wine

zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (for marinade)

freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup diced onion

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes ( I use grape tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes when available)

2 teaspoons minced garlic

3/4 cup pitted Greek olives, sliced

1/4 cup basil leaves sliced (tip: roll the leaves like a cigar then slice the roll)

1/2 cup Feta cheese cut into 2 inch slices

1. Rinse the chicken breasts under cold water, pat dry with paper towels, and place in a shallow glass baking dish.

2. In a small bowl stir lemon juice, wine, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour marinade over chicken and rub it onto all sides. Cover and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

3. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until the butter melts. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, reserving the marinade to make the sauce, and place the breasts in the skillet. Cook the chicken breasts, turning only once for about 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer them to a plate, cover with foil and set aside.

4. Add the onion and tomatoes to the pan you cooked the chicken in, reduce heat to medium, and cook stirring frequently until the onions are translucent and the tomatoes soften a bit. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the reserved marinade, this will de-glace the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Return the chicken to the skillet with the sauce, add olives and basil and simmer for 6-8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a platter and spoon sauce on each breast. Add feta cheese, additional fresh basil and oregano and serve.

Crab Stuffed Mirlitons

When I was a little girl, my grandmother used to make Pipianes Fritos, which are sliced mirlitons filled with cheese, coated in an egg batter, and then pan fried. They were unbelievably good, but not having the same type of cheese or that particular variety of mirliton available here, makes them very difficult to replicate. (and with me, it's either perfect- or not at all!) So, when I learned how to make Louisiana style stuffed mirlitons-- I was hooked. They involve a bit of labor, but I promise, they are very well worth the effort. If you were on the lookout for another vegetable recipe for Thanksgiving, look no further- this is it!

NOTES: This is a great recipe to freeze. You can substitute a pound of shrimp for the crab meat and cook it with the stuffing. You can also substitute evaporated milk for the cream.

Crab Stuffed Mirlitons

4 mirlitons

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon fresh Thyme

1 tablespoon Tony's Creole seasoning

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 lb. fresh lump crab meat

1/3 cup fine bread crumbs for filling plus extra to coat tops

1. In a large stock pot bring water and whole mirlitons to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. When cool, slice in half and scoop out flesh with melon- baller. Set mirliton flesh aside.

2. In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and saute until lightly caramelized. Add garlic, reserved mirliton flesh, and herbs and spices and cook for 20 minutes.

3. Add cream to mirliton mixture and continue to cook for an additional 20 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Add crab meat and 1/3 cup bread crumbs and toss lightly.

4. Place mirliton shells on a greased baking sheet. Fill shells with stuffing, mounding tops, then lightly cover with bread crumbs.

5. Preheat oven to 350F and bake mirlitons until lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

Orecchiette with Shrimp, fresh-water Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Olives, and Basil

During the week for a variety of reasons, which you don't really want to know, (I would not want to bore you) I am sometimes short on time and 6 o'clock is here before I can blink twice and click my ruby red shoes home. This is a great dish to put together in a flash- the best part is...it wont taste like you put it together in a flash! One very important note though, it will only be as good as what you put in it; the wine, the cheese, the olives, the pasta, and most of all-- the tomatoes. I live in the south, so for me good fresh home-grown tomatoes are available almost year round...after all, I should get some perk for living in 100% humidity! In the event good tomatoes are scarce, a 14 oz. can of San Marzano tomatoes (whole, then roughly chopped) will work well.

Notes: I have never found Cerignola Olives which are already pitted, but because they are so large I just slice the meat off the pit with a paring knife. (Cerignolas are my favorite olive, but any good quality black or green olive will work). I try to always use fresh pasta for this dish, fresh Orecchiette it is available at Whole Foods. If Orecchiette is not available at your market, I would substitute with another shape of fresh pasta. Boil the pasta until al dente or a little before, this should take about three minutes over a rolling boil. Finish cooking the pasta in the the pan with the sauce, this will allow it to soak up all the flavors in the dish. There will not be much sauce left when the dish is finished, it should have almost all been soaked up by the Orecchiette. Adding the cheese in stages allows for some of the cheese to melt and some of it to remain whole.

Orecchiette with Shrimp, Fresh-water Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Olives and Basil

1 lb. fresh shrimp
1 1lb. package fresh Orecchiette pasta (the type I get is actually 500 grams, 17 oz.)
1 pint fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh basil, plus additional basil for garnish
1/4 cup black Cerignola olives, pitted
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup salted capers
1/4 cup white wine
1 pt. fresh-water mozzarella, roughly chopped
salt to taste

1. In a large stock pot bring water for pasta to a rolling boil. Add fresh pasta and cook for about 3 minutes or until barely al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large pan heat olive oil over medium heat, add shrimp, season with salt and pepper. Cook shrimp until opaque in color. With a slotted spoon, remove shrimp from pot and set aside.

3. In the same pot with the olive oil, add garlic, black pepper, red pepper flakes, capers, olives and tomatoes. Saute over medium heat until garlic is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup white wine and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

4. Add pasta, and basil and cook for 3 minutes longer. Turn off the heat, add half the mozzarella and shrimp. Cover the pot and allow the dish to sit for about 10-15 minutes, this will allow the pasta to soak up most of the sauce and the mozzarella will melt. Add reserved mozzarella, garnish with reserved basil, taste for salt and pepper and serve.

Crab Cakes

Since crab meat is my favorite food I thought it deserved the first post. I must also clarify...not just any crab meat will do, only fresh blue crab and then only jumbo lump- absolutely heavenly in the crab cake recipe which follows. This recipe serves as a great starter for dinner although for me, a crab cake on its own over some spring greens tossed in a vinaigrette is dinner.

A few notes, when picking the crab meat for shells, just barely squeeze it, if there's a shell gently take it out. Try not to separate the lumps too much, otherwise you will end up with what looks like claw meat...and we wouldn't want that! These are great served warm or at room temperature, topping them with simple Hollandaise sauce finishes them off delightfully. In the event you have leftovers save them for the next morning, warm in the oven, top with a poached egg and Hollandaise for a spin on Eggs Benedict which is almost too sinful to eat!

Crab Cake Recipe

1 lb. fresh jumbo lump crab meat, picked for shells

3/4 cup Hellmans or Duke's mayonnaise

1/4 cup diced red and yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley

1 cup Panko bread Crumbs (Japanese style bread crumbs)

1 teaspoon worcesterchire sauce

1 teaspoon Tony's Creole seasoning

1. In a medium bowl, combine crabmeat, bell pepper, parsley, mayonnaise, worcestershire sauce and Creole seasoning tossing gently.

2. Add bread crumbs and gently toss until just combined. Mold Crab cakes in large ramekin and set aside.

3. Spray cooking spray (Pam) on griddle or nonstick skillet. unmold crab cake directly into skillet and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side. Serve warm or at room temperature.