Roast Tomato Tartine

I don't know about you, but I would rather eat several little meals than one or two big meals a day. This roast tomato tartine is one of my favorites- a couple of these with a glass of red wine is a perfect dinner for me. I use a cast iron skillet to roast the tomatoes with garlic, rosemary and olives. I like the olives to get a little crunchy and the tomatoes to char a bit. All the flavors come together and the olive oil left in the pot with the little bits of black pepper and salt is amazing to dip bread in. I have made this as an appetizer which in reality is what it is, but when cooking for myself this is my entree. The recipe as I have written it yields about 8 tartines, whatever I have leftover is always delicious the next day as well. If you want to make more, it doubles easily- just be sure to use a large enough pan so that everything touches the bottom of the skillet.

I use French Goat Feta which I purchase at Whole Foods, any mild goat cheese will work very well. The olives are seasoned pitted cerignolas or whatever green seasoned olives I have on hand, use your favorite olives, oil cured olives would be great too. For the bread, I use sourdough slices, but French bread would be great as well. I do not peel the garlic before roasting so it doesn't burn, I squeeze it out of it's shell once cooked and spread it on the bread. Oh, one last thing...you can skip the bread and toss with angel hair pasta- yum!



Roast Tomato Tartine

1 pint mixed cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup seasoned green olives
8 garlic gloves (not peeled)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 large sprigs fresh Rosemary (fresh Thyme can be substituted)
freshly ground black pepper
Coarse sea salt

4 oz. french Goat Feta
8 thin slices sourdough bread

1. preheat oven to 450 F.

2. In a cast iron skillet, toss tomatoes, olives, garlic and Rosemary with olive oil. Generously season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once half way through.

3. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees, place bread slices on top rack and bake for 2 minutes, flip bread over and bake 2 minutes more.

4. Spread goat cheese on toasted bread slices. Squeeze one garlic clove on top of goat cheese and top with roasted tomatoes and olives. Garnish with additional rosemary or Thyme.

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.

Lemon and Thyme Baked Ricotta with Marinated Olives

I think I have expressed my love for cheese and bread, but just in case there is any doubt this recipe should confirm my passion...specially for the cheese portion. One small confession before I go on- I don't eat a lot of meat, no particular reason, not a vegetarian- just can live without it I guess. As a result, my meals aren't really meals in a traditional sort of way, I am completely satisfied eating cheese, olives, and bread. Specially when cooking for only myself which happens more often than not these days, as Jack is perfectly happy eating mac and cheese with a stray vegetable here and there. I bought a container of organic whole-milk ricotta cheese to make ravioli, but for some reason I just haven't been in the mood to make work intensive food lately which led me to the baked ricotta. Last time I was in New York I had baked ricotta as part of an antipasto plate and I fell in love, but when I made it at home it just wasn't the same; that is, until today- it was actually better.

The first time I made the dish, I did not add enough eggs, nor did I whip them so it was a little flat and dense. As a result of that I understood I needed to make more of a souffle out of it. Second time's a charm- it was absolutely yummy, (and I say this from experience- I ate the whole thing and made quite a piglet of myself). I can already tell this is the first of many variations on this little dish- the possibilities are endless. Most any herb would complement the ricotta quite well, next time I might try sun-dried tomatoes with rosemary and possibly add non-pareil capers. As for the olives, I usually buy different varieties and mix them all together. Whole Foods has been a great source for olives since they have a wide variety in their olive bar. My current favorites are Sicilian spiced olives, which are most of what I used this time, they are just a little spicy and quite flavorful. The recipe makes 2 small 8 0z. ricotta cakes, if I was assembling an appetizer for more than four people, I would double the recipe. I don't really care for low-fat or fat-free versions of cheeses (I would rather just eat less if I was so concerned with fat content), but this is one case where low fat ricotta would work.



Baked Ricotta

1 cup whole milk ricotta
2 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
grated zest of one small lemon
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
freshly cracked black pepper and coarse sea salt

Marinated Olives

1 cup mixed olives (jalapeno stuffed, Spiced Sicilian, almond stuffed, green and black Cerignolas, and oil cured olives)
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F

Grease 2- 8oz. oven proof ramekins

1. Whip 2 egg whites to soft peaks and set aside.

2. Combine ricotta,parmesan cheese, lemon zest, 2 egg yolks, thyme, salt and pepper until blended. Add about one third of the whipped egg whites and fold gently. Add remaining whipped egg whites and fold until just incorporated.

3. Divide the mixture evenly between the buttered ramekins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on top and a little puffy. (they will deflate a bit as they cool). Baked ricotta is best eaten warm or at room temperature.

4. Combine all the marinated olive ingredients and serve alongside the cheese with sliced French baguette.

Afternoon Tea Sandwiches- Dilled Shrimp and Cucumber, De Puy Lentil and Chevre, Smoked Salmon with Quail Eggs

This is the second post of a series on afternoon tea sandwiches. It's taken me a little longer than I expected to post about them because I have been insanely busy, but alas here they are. These little dainties are part of an event I catered this week, a Sip and See for a precious little bebe. I had a wonderful client with who requested dainty food for 50 ladies for the afternoon affair. J., my client was wonderful to work for. I realized in the first five minutes of our first meeting, I had met my match when it came to control issues and an overwhelming desire to strive for perfection. This is not something that happens to me very often, most people tend to be a lot more laid back. The party was beautiful and J. was very happy and appreciative with the result which gave me immense satisfaction. Having a client like her made me step up to the plate and do my job better.

When making sandwiches I don't really measure out ingredients, I tend to just make things up as I go along. So instead of writing a recipe, I'll just make a list of what went into everything. The photos are not the best, since taking them was more of an after thought once all the food was plated, but they give a general idea. I vary the shapes and breads I use to make the food more interesting, improvise with whatever breads you like and have available.

Smoked Salmon Sandwiches

Smoked salmon
pumpernickel bread
cream cheese, softened
capers
thinly sliced red onion
boiled quail eggs, peeled and quartered
freshly cracked black pepper

Dilled Shrimp and Cucumber sandwiches

white bread cut into circles with a cookie cutter
thinly sliced English cucumber
the creme fraiche spread recipe can be found here
boiled shrimp, (20-25 count- size) sliced in half
fresh dill for garnish

De Puy Lentil and Chevre Sandwiches

French De Puy lentils boiled in chicken broth seasoned with a little cumin, salt and pepper and cooked until just tender, approximately 15-20 minutes
Softened Chevre
red bell pepper strips
white bread

Chicken Empanadas with Olives and Raisins

This is a really easy recipe for Spanish style empanadas which used wonton or gyoza wrappers for the dough. I have a really good recipe for empanada dough that uses beer given to me by my aunt, but it requires some resting time for the dough. (this is what I use when I am in a hurry). The recipe makes about one dozen large empanadas which I then cut in half and served with Arriba brand Chipotle salsa, (that is my favorite store bought salsa- I like spicy!).

I had inadvertently run out of pimento stuffed olives so I used Jalapeno stuffed olives instead. This made the filling a lot spicier- which I loved, but if you aren't a fan of spicy food you might not want to make the substitution. Pretty much every time I make the filling it changes a bit, reflecting what's in the pantry, something I left out this time which I always love is the cubed potato. (cube and boil about 1 cup of potato in salted water and add to filling).

The Wonton wrappers are square so I had to cut them into circles. I stacked about 5 together at a time, placed a small bowl for a guide over them and cut around the bowl with a paring knife. The Gyoza wrappers are usually round so you don't have to cut those and because they are smaller the recipe will yield about 24 empanaditas. While these don't really look like a traditional empanada, they have all the flavors of one without taking all day to prepare. The other thing I thought about doing with them is rolling them into a little egg roll- which would have been fun as well.

Quick Chicken Empanadas with olives and raisins

8 oz. chicken breast, diced into 1" cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped red or orange bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped pimento or jalapeno stuffed olives
3 tablespoons raisins
1/2 cup white wine
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wonton or Gyoza wrappers
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. In a large skillet over medium heat combine olive oil, chicken, onion and bell pepper. Saute a few minutes until onions start to become translucent. Add cumin, salt, pepper, and tomato paste, stir well to combine. Add garlic, cilantro, raisins, and olives and saute 3 minutes longer.



2. Add wine and scrape around edges of pan to de-glaze, (a lot of the good flavors are usually in the sticky stuff on the pan- adding liquid releases it and incorporates it back into the mixture).

Continue to cook stirring occasionally until all of the wine is absorbed. Check for seasoning, then remove from heat and set aside to cool.

3. When filling has cooled, place about 2 tablespoons of it on wonton wrappers which have been cut into circles. (read above). Brush edges of dough with the egg. Fold in half and crimp with a fork. At this point the empanadas can be refrigerated and fried later.



4. Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Fry empanadas a few at a time, turning them in pan until golden and lightly browned; place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb extra oil. Serve with your favorite salsa and chopped Cilantro.

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.

Mascarpone Stuffed Medjool Dates

The holidays are almost upon us, so for the next month I will try to post a few recipes which fall under the party-food category. Mascarpone stuffed dates are really delicious and have proven to be quite a favorite at holiday parties. I found these dates at a local market, the owner taught me about all the different varieties of dates, which was very enlightening. The ones I used here are sun ripened type which is why they have a smoother appearance and aren't as wrinkly (is that even a word?). I could not detect much of a difference in the taste, so if sun ripened dates are not available dried dates will work well.

Whenever I am catering a party I always try to have a balanced menu, and while a variety of foods is very important, I also balance the menu out by the stages in which food needs to be prepared. This is most important to me when I am having a party of my own and don't have a big kitchen staff to do most of the work. All it takes is a little strategic planning-dishes I can prepare ahead, some things which are quick to make and then some very special dishes which may require a little more time. Planning my menus in this manner keeps me from being frazzled the day of the party.

The dates fall into the very easy, very tasty and best of all- make-ahead category! They are great on their own, or as part of a cheese tray. I will hopefully get a chance between now and Christmas to write a post about cheese pairings and how to put together a great cheese tray- one that will definitely not involve cubed cheese!

Mascarpone Stuffed Dates

1 8oz container Mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 lb. Medjool Dates
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 lb. toasted pecan halves ( 350F on a cookie sheet- watch carefully, about 15 min.- this would not be the time to multi-task...they burn quickly!)

1. Make a cut the length of the date and remove pit. Place pitted dates on a plate and set aside.

2. In a small bowl combine cheese, honey and lemon zest with a spatula until mixed well.

3. Fit a small pastry bag with a 1/2 inch tip, fluted or plain. Place cheese filling in the bag. Carefully fill each date with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture for large dates and 1 teaspoon for smaller dates. Place a pecan on top of each filled date. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chickpea Salsa

While looking through my recipe files, I ran across a dip I used to make all the time, Chickpea Salsa. My favorite part about this dip, other than how tasty it is of course; is that most of the ingredients are not the quickly perishable type, so at any given moment I am likely to have them in my pantry. Yesterday afternoon presented the perfect opportunity when one of my friends dropped over for a glass of wine. I made the dip, which took very little time, then we ate it all (yes all of it!) with some warm pita bread while we drank a nice bottle of petit shiraz. I guess you can call it a very nice late afternoon snack! This is a great dip to make ahead, the flavors tend to come together once it sits for a while. Best served at room temperature, both with pita or a nice sliced baguette.

Chickpea Salsa

2 1/2 cup canned chickpeas (also known as Garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1/2 of a fresh jalapeno, finely chopped
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and roughly chopped (I used Kalamata olives)
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

1. GARLIC PASTE: Chop together 1/2 teaspoon salt, garlic clove, and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil to form a paste. Add chili pepper flakes or jalapeno and chop to combine. Transfer to a small bowl and add remaining olive oil. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, olives, and parsley. Add the garlic paste and mix well. Add cumin and lemon juice, stir to combine, then taste for salt and pepper. Best served at room temperature, this is a great dish to make ahead. Will keep, covered in the refrigerator for 2 days. (If you are preparing it ahead of time, add the parsley just before serving).

Gougeres

Here is a little confession...I love bread! That whole no carb diet thing is something I could never ever do. I don't even pretend to understand how or why people do it, it's just not in my nature. Surely there is something else that could be given up for the sake of staying trim. Liver would be a perfect example, no one would miss it.

For me my carb intake is usually very well fulfilled by a great loaf of French bread and a nice slab of cold butter laced with Sal de Mer. Then there is the whole bread and cheese combination-- which I could go on and on about as well, but for today I'll spare you. So, this is my bite size answer to a little bread and cheese...carbs in moderation!

Notes: You can use any combination of cheese you like, the traditional is Gruyere (Swiss), I also like to make them with goat cheese Gouda. Check your oven for temperature, if the oven is too hot they will not puff properly and all the butter will leak out,(this I unfortunately know from experience). Also, this is not a good recipe to double, I can't tell you why, but the time I tried it in an effort to save time when baking them for a catering, it did not work. They are easy to make, the only special equipment is a pastry bag and large piping tip. In the event you don't have a pastry bag, use a plastic baggie, snip off one corner and voila. They freeze well, although mine have only made it that far once. OK, one last thing, I use Silpat silicone baking liners or parchment paper, makes clean up easy and best of all- nothing ever sticks! I hope you enjoy the Gougeres as much as I.

Gougeres

1 cup all purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 lb. unsalted butter (8 tablespoons) cut in small pieces

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

4 eggs

3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F

1. In a medium pot over medium heat bring water, milk, butter salt and Cayenne pepper to a simmer.

2. Add flour all at once and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook until dough has pulled away from the sides of the pot. Cook for 2 minutes then cool for 5 minutes.

3. In a large mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed or by hand add the eggs in one at a time; waiting until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next. Add cheese and stir well.

4. Place dough in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 1 1/2" wide rosettes onto greased cookie sheet (or lined with parchment paper or Silpat silicone sheet). Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Gouegeres are best served warm. Makes about 2 dz.

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.