Cranberry Chutney

 This makes a great addition to your Holiday table. Whether as a condiment for a main course (we like to use it with roast  duck) or as an addition to a cheese platter, it brings a lot of flavor in  a small serving. That it's all made in just one pot makes it an easy dish to create. Enjoy!

• 1 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries
• 1/2 cup craisins (dried, sweetened cranberries)
• 1 lime
• 1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (keep ribs and seeds to your heat preference -- I leave half the pepper with ribs and seeds before chopping)
• 1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary, or 2 tsp crumbled dried rosemary
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 nonreactive pot (I use a small, oval, enamel-coated dutch oven)

Zest the rind of the lime into the pot (make sure not to get into the white pith below the green rind). Remove the white pith and coarsely chop the flesh of the lime and add the flesh to the pot. Add all other ingredients and stir to mix. Put on high heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a light simmer and cook for 1 hour. Remove from heat, let cool, then and store in refrigerator in a glass or plastic container -- end product will be 1 pint. Cranberry Chutney can be enjoyed right away, but it is better after having a day or two to come together. It can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks, but I doubt it will last that long!

Blueberry-Lemon Granita

  Granitas make a wonderful light dessert,especially refreshing during these warm summer evenings, and are easy to make. What could be better? With an abundance of fresh blueberries right now, you can't go wrong with this one!

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup whole, fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

  Mix water and sugar in a small pot or skillet and set over medium heat on stove top. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Let boil 1 minute to ensure the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is completely clear. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

  While liquid is cooling, add blueberries and lemon juice to a blender and blend together. Set a fine sieve over a bowl and pour the puree into the sieve. Stir and press down on the puree with the back of a spoon to force the liquid into the bowl. You should have about 1/2 cup of liquid.

  Mix the blueberry liquid into the cooled sugar-water. Pour the final mixture into a wide, shallow glass or other nonreactive bowl. Place bowl in the freezer. Check the bowl after 30 minutes. Once it starts to turn slushy, you want to scrape it all around with the tines of a fork. Repeat this process every 20-25 minutes until the mixture has a completely frozen, loose, grainy texture. This should make four small servings.

  Other options for granitas would be to use fresh strawberries or blackberries in place of the blueberries. You can also use a 1/2 cup of straight fruit juice in place of the berry/lemon juice mixture. Black Cherry juice and Pineapple juice both work well. I'm even thinking of trying it with Coconut milk and seeing how that works. I'll let you know!

Asian-style Country Ribs

  I never complain about barbecued country pork ribs, but this is a nice change to try every now-and-then. These ribs can be cooked from start to finish in the oven, or started in the oven and finished outside on the grill.

• 2-1/2 lb country pork ribs (5-8 pieces, depending on how thick they're cut)
• 1/3 cup Chinese Five Spice Powder
• Roasting pan with a grate
• Aluminum Foil
• 1 scallion sliced thinly for garnish

  Sauce:

• 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 cup low-sodium Soy Sauce
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1Tbs Asian Chili Paste

  Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Spread Five Spice Powder on a plate and roll ribs in spice to cover. Put some aluminum foil in the bottom of the roasting pan and put the grate over the foil (this will help with clean-up when done). Place ribs on grate in pan and cover pan with aluminum foil. Place in oven and cook 1-1/2 hours.

  While ribs are cooking, place Cider Vinegar, Soy Sauce, sugar, and Chili Paste in a small pan and bring to a boil on stove top. Reduce heat, whisk to blend, and let simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

After ribs have cooked 1-1/2 hours, remove from oven and remove foil. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Using a brush, baste ribs well with the sauce and return, uncovered, to oven. Let cook another 30-40 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times with more sauce and turning the ribs. Remove from oven, set on a platter, and garnish with sliced scallion.

  If you are finishing the ribs on an outside grill, preheat the grill (or get the charcoal going) 15 minutes before removing ribs from oven after the 1-1/2 hours of cooking at 180 degrees. Once grill is hot, turn off one half of the grill (or if using charcoal, set the coals on 1/2 of the grill bottom. Baste ribs and place on grate over the grill-half that does not have direct heat. Cook covered for 30-40 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times with more sauce and turning the ribs.

  Enjoy!

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers

  I got this recipe from my sister, who got it from her son, who had them at a friend's house, etc., etc. I haven't found it in any of my cookbooks, but if someone knows its origins, I will happily post it. It is a very simple recipe that packs a lot of punch -- I hope you try it!

• Jalapeno Peppers
• Hickory-smoked Bacon (1/2 strip per popper)
• Cream Cheese
• Toothpicks
• Aluminum Foil (if grilling outside)

  Slice root end off of jalapenos and slice them in half length-wise. Clean out seeds and ribs (leave a little bit of the ribs if you like more heat). Fill each jalapeno popper with cream cheese, level to top edges. Wrap each popper with a 1/2 strip of bacon and secure from side-to-side with a toothpick.

  If grilling outside, preheat the grill to medium-high (or use enough charcoal to create the same temperature). Place poppers open-side down on aluminum foil and place on grill. Let cook at least 5 minutes or until bacon begins to crisp. Turn poppers over and cook for an equal amount of time. Remove poppers to a plate, let rest for a minute or two and serve.
  If using a grill pan on the stove top, preheat the pan over medium-high heat, place poppers in pan open-side down and follow the same cooking instructions. Enjoy!

 

 

  

Great Summer Dinner

  Pan-grilled/Roasted Jerk Chicken Breast accompanied by a fresh Tomato and Herbed-Brie Cheese and Caramelized Onion Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette.

  Want the particulars? Send me a note and I'll pass along the recipes!

Cherry Salsa

  Back in May, I posted a Grapefruit Salsa recipe with a promise for more, so here's the next one. I am primarily a minimalist with my recipes -- looking to get maximum flavor from a minimal amount of ingredients (and work!). This recipe follows that theory -- I don't want too many other items to mask the flavor of the cherries -- just complement them.
  This recipe makes a scant three cups. I did not intend it to be a "bucket 'o' salsa" to be put out with chips, but as a side with a good meal. We intend to serve it with cumin-rubbed, pan grilled duck breast and a nice Pinot Noir. Or, perhaps as a starter with some nice creamy cheeses and crackers. However, if you like it on its own, bump up the recipe, dig in, and enjoy!

• 1 cup pitted, diced fresh cherries
• 1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
• 3/4 cup diced sweet onion
• 1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped. Seeds and ribs to your heat preference.
• 1 scallion finely sliced. Both greens and whites.
• 2 tbs black cherry juice 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

  Add all ingredients to a small bowl and gently mix to combine. Salsa can be used immediately, but it is better if let to sit for several hours or overnight.

Ginger Simple Syrup -- so very versatile!

I love to keep this simple syrup on hand in the summertime. There are so many uses for it, from beverages, to marinades, to desserts. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

• 1 cup peeled and sliced fresh ginger root. (sliced about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick)
• 2 cups water.
• 2 cups white sugar.

  Put all 3 ingredients in a nonreactive pan and bring to boil on stove top, gently stirring. Once at a boil, reduce heat and let simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour thru a strainer (save the sliced ginger) into a plastic or glass container -- you will have about 3 cups of simple syrup. Cover and store in the refrigerator up to one month.

  Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Place a lightly oiled piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Spread the sliced ginger on it in a single layer. Place in oven for six hours and when the time is up, you will have some very strong and very tasty candied ginger.

  So, what to do with the syrup? For beverages, add a tbsp or two to a glass of club soda with a slice of lime for homemade ginger ale. Add a little syrup to your homemade lemonade to give it a kick. If you want something stronger, it makes great ginger daiquiris and margaritas.

  Drizzle a little syrup over your fresh-cut fruit salad to add some zest. As a marinade or sauce, mix it with pineapple juice and soy sauce to make an easy and super teriyaki. When you get to dessert, what could be better than homemade ginger-coconut ice cream? Use your imagination and enjoy!

  Daiquiri: 1/3 cup rum. 1/3 cup either lemon or lime juice (if you're not using fresh juice, use a good bottled organic juice such as Santa Cruz). 2 tbsp ginger syrup. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake or swirl til cold, and pout into a glass.

  Teriyaki Sauce: 1/4 cup pineapple juice. 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce. 1/4 cup ginger syrup. 2 tsp chili paste, such as Sambal Oelek (the chili paste is optional, but I find a little spiciness balances the sweetness of the pineapple juice and simple syrup). Put all ingredients in a sauce pan and gently whisk while bringing to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool. Whether you're grilling or roasting chicken, pork, beef, fish, or vegetables use this as a marinade, then brush it on as a glaze.

  If you would like recipes for other items mentioned, drop me a note and I will send them to you. As always, I ask you to please check out what my advertisers are offering. Thanks!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Syrup

  I have a Jacques Pepin cookbook from 20 years back that included a recipe for "Strawberries in the Sun." Since I like to tinker with recipes and make them my own, I have morphed it into this -- a great dessert syrup for ice cream or whatever tickles your sweet-tooth. Personally, I'm going to put it on top of my Espresso Cheesecake recipe that was posted on March 22nd. Since we're getting to the end of fresh rhubarb season, you might be able to find it frozen, or substitute another tart fruit. Perhaps whole raspberries in place of the sliced rhubarb? Use your imagination!

• 1/2 lb fresh strawberries. Rinsed, hulled and sliced lengthwise into 1/2 inch-thick pieces (the final weight should be 1/2 lb).
• 1/2 lb rhubarb. Rinsed, trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch-thick pieces (again, the final weight after prepping should be 1/2 lb).
• 2 cups white sugar.
• 1 cup water.

  Preheat oven to 180⁰. Add water and sugar to a nonreactive skillet and bring to a boil on stove top while gently stirring to dissolve sugar (the skillet should be big enough that once the strawberries and rhubarb are added, they won't be more than two pieces deep). Once at a boil, reduce heat slightly and keep at a strong simmer for 5 minutes. Add the strawberries and rhubarb, increase heat and to return to a boil while gently stirring. Again. slightly reduce heat and keep at a strong simmer for 5 minutes. Put skillet into oven (if your skillet isn't oven proof, transfer to a roasting pan where the fruit won't be too crowded). Allow to cook at least 4 hours or longer, depending on how thick you want your syrup to be (I like to keep it simmering 6 to 8 hours). Remove from oven, allow to cool, and transfer to a glass or other nonreactive container and store in refrigerator for up to two weeks. This recipe will make 1 pint. Enjoy!
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Grapefruit Salsa

  This will be the first of several fun salsa recipes I have. It is quick and easy to make and once you've tried it, see what variations you can create.

• 2 plum tomatoes, medium diced
• 1/2 a grapefruit, peeled, sectioned, and medium diced
• 1/2 cup medium diced sweet onion (or scallions, or a mixture of the two)
• 1/2 a red bell pepper, medium diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced (I'll leave it up to you how much, if any, of the ribs and seeds you keep for heat. I usually clean out the seeds and leave some of the ribs.)
• 1/2 cup loosely packed, chopped cilantro
• 1tbsp light Agave syrup (you can substitute honey, but do yourself a favor and get some Agave syrup -- it's fantastic!)
• 1 tsp salt

 Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and lightly toss to blend. Cover and refrigerate for several hours before using. It's great with chips, or as a topping for hot nachos, or as a side with a main course. We used it the other night as a side for blackened tuna steaks -- a super combination!
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Stuffed Pork Loin

  In my first post back in January, I mentioned that recipes may include a specific list of instructions or be more casual. Well, this is one of the more casual ones. I wasn't planning ahead for this -- it was a spur-of-the-moment dish that came out well, so I thought I'd share.
  We love Plantains, usually as an appetizer. We were fortunate to find some nice ripe ones in a market the other day -- yellow skinned with back spots and purchased a couple. Trying to think of something new to do with them and having to cook dinner for four the other night, things just fell together.
  I butterflied open a 4 pound boneless pork loin roast (you can get your butcher to do this for you) and seasoned the inside with a 1/2 tsp of Chipotle powder. Next, I  peeled and sliced one Plantain into sticks roughly 3 inches long by 1/2 inch wide and fried them golden brown in a little oil. The Plantain sticks were then scattered over the pork loin. On top of that was scattered baby spinach leaves, and on top of that was scattered a shredded cheese mix (Monterey Jack, Cheddar, and Asiago, I believe).
  The loin was rolled up, tied up with butcher's twine, and the outside was seasoned with salt, pepper, and thyme. Placed in a roasting tin (no rack), the top dotted with butter, and cooked for just over 1 hour at about 400⁰.

  Took the roast of of the roasting tin and let it rest under some tented foil. I put the tin on the stovetop over high heat, let the pan juices reduce a bit. added a small amount of cornstarch/water slurry, bought it back to a boil to thicken, and we had a nice sauce for the stuffed roast. Along with the pork, we served Rainbow Chard sauteed with garlic, and cheese tortellini in a balsamic cream sauce. A nice Zinfandel complemented the meal (a real, red Zinfandel -- not that white zin stuff!). I hope you try and enjoy!

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Orange-Cranberry Breakfast Bread

  Back in early March, I posted a recipe for a Honey-Lemon breakfast bread. At the end of the post, I suggested that a variation using orange zest and juice and lightly sweetened cranberries might be a nice variation. Well, I finally got around to trying it and I have to say, I like it better than the lemon bread! That being said, here's the recipe. I hope you enjoy!

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened plus 1/2 tbsp butter, kept separate
• 1/2 cup honey (I like to use Grade A Clover honey)
• 2 eggs
• 1 orange (when possible, I like to use a Navel orange as they are usually larger, but a good-size Valencia will work, too)
• 1 cup whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 2 cups basic white flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

  Preheat oven to 350⁰. In a mixing bowl, cream together the stick of softened butter with the 1/2 cup of honey. Add the eggs one at at time, mixing well. Zest 1/2 of the orange rind and add that to the mix, along with all the juice from the orange (you should have about 1/2 cup of juice), mixing well. Put the cup of cranberries in a food processor along with the tbsp of sugar and run for 20 seconds. Add the processed cranberries to the mix and blend. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend these dry ingredients into the wet mix in 2 or 3 portions. Stir til all the dry ingredients are just incorporated - try not to overwork it.

  Use the extra 1/2 tbsp of butter to coat the inside of a bread tin (roughly 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/4).Add the bread dough into the tin and place in oven. Bake 45 minutes or til toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in tin on a rack for 30 minutes then remove from tin and let cool completely. As with lemon bread, it is better if you wrap the cooled bread and let sit overnight til the next morning, if you can!
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Grilled Leg of Lamb with Roasted Red Onion-Yogurt Sauce

  I love grilled leg of lamb and am always tinkering with ways to cook and serve it. This variation was a big hit and everyone at the dinner table suggested I add the recipe to my blog, so here it is!

Roasted Red Onion-Yogurt Sauce

• 1 large red onion, diced
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• t tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp each salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 sprigs fresh mint

  Preheat oven to 375⁰. Add red onion, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and olive oil to a baking/roasting pan and mix well. Pan should be large enough that onions are in a single layer, but not spread too thinly. Place in  oven and cook 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.Once at room temperature, add onion mixture and yogurt to a food processor and blend 10 to 20 seconds (there will still be visible pieces of onion. You don't want to blend it to a smooth puree). Remove to a a mixing bowl. Strip mint leaves from sprigs and finely chop the leaves. Add to the yogurt sauce and mix well. Cover and place in refrigerator. The sauce should be at least several hours before the lamb is cooked, or even one day ahead of time.

Grilled Leg of Lamb

• 1 boneless, butterflied Leg of Lamb, 4-5 lbs
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped off
• 3 fresh, peeled cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

  Place rosemary leaves, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a small food processor. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds. Place lamb in a nonreactive dish large enough to hold it comfortably. With a small paring knife, make several small slits in the lamb. Massage the rosemary blend into both sides of the lamb, making sure to work some into the slits. Cover the dish and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours.

 Remove both  the lamb and the yogurt sauce from the refrigerator prior to preparing your grill for cooking the lamb. Whether using charcoal or a gas grill, you want to reach a medium-high heat for grilling. Once your grill has reached optimum temperature, cook the lamb for 8 minutes per side. Keep an eye on it in case you have a flare-up from the olive oil in the marinade. Let the lamb rest for 5 to 10 minutes on a cutting board before slicing Most butterflied lamb legs will have thicker and thinner sections and I find that 8 minutes per side with a lamb in the 4 to 5 pound range typically will provide slices from rare to medium. Serve the lamb with a healthy portion of the yogurt sauce on the side. Along with our lamb and yogurt sauce were flageolet beans, a tomato salad with gorgonzola cheese, and a nice Nero D'Avola Sicilian red wine.Enjoy!
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Clams Oreganata

  My apologies for being absent these past several weeks, but now I'm back and I've got lots of recipes to share with you in the coming weeks!
  This time of year we are blessed here on Block Island with an abundance of freshly dug littleneck clams to enjoy. While it is difficult to improve on a fresh, raw littleneck on the halfshell, occasionally we do like to cook them, and occasionally we do not cook them with bacon - i.e. clams casino.
  The following recipe for making an Oreganata spread is easy, tasty, and if made in a large volume, can be kept in the refrigerator for several weeks. In addition to its use on clams, it also can be used as a final topping when grilling steak or fish - a very versatile spread indeed!

• 24 littleneck clams, scrubbed and opened on the halfshell
• 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter, softened or, you can use a butter-substitute. I like to use an olive-oil based spread because I like the flavor and it comes out of the refrigerator already soft enough to work.
• 1 tbsp dried oregano leaves, or 3 tbsp fresh oregano leaves coarsely chopped.
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1-2 finely chopped fresh garlic cloves (you want 1 heaping tsp of garlic)
•  1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
• fresh lemon wedges

  Preheat oven to 400⁰. In a mixing bowl, blend bread crumbs, butter, oregano, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and pepper. Spread approximately on teaspoon of the mix on each clam (as the size of the clams will vary slightly, so will the amount of spread to you use to cover each one). Place clams on a baking sheet, place in oven, and cook 10 to 15 minutes until the topping is golden brown (I don't recommend putting them under the broiler as the topping can burn before the clams are heated through). Serve with a lemon wedge and enjoy!
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Espresso cheesecake revisited

  I'm pretty much a minimalist in my approach to cooking. I start with the idea in mind to use as few ingredients and steps as necessary to get to my end result. Then, if a little fine-tuning is necessary, I'll take it from there. Unfortunately, I'm also of the mind that whatever I make, I can make better. So there's a constant battle going on in the crazy food world inside my head!

    

origninal recipe

  Back to the espresso cheesecake. I liked the flavor and ease of creation, but the end-result was too "thick" for my liking. So, it's bouncing around inside my head with all the other food thoughts for the past week and in one of those, "Well, duh!" epiphany moments, it came to me. One simple step to create a lighter cheesecake: separate the eggs, add the yolks in the mixing process as before, but beat the whites til they form peaks, then add them in in two steps at the end. So, here's the updated recipe:

• 4-5oz honey graham crackers (typically, one sleeve from a standard retail box)
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp instant espresso
• 1 tbsp hot water
• 15oz whole milk ricotta cheese
• 12oz cream cheese
• 1 14oz can sweetened, condensed milk
• 3 eggs, yolks and whites separated into two bowls
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 9" nonstick spring-form pan

  Preheat oven to 325. Place ricotta in a fine sieve over a bowl or in the sink to drain.
  Crush graham crackers and place in small bowl. Melt butter, mix into cracker crumbs. Pour into spring-form pan and press out evenly across bottom and slightly up the sides. Even though my spring-form claims to be nonstick, I spray a little olive oil around the inside edge of the pan to help ease the cheesecake out of it later.

revised cheesecake

  Mix espresso with hot water in a small cup and set aside.
  Place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl, and with a handheld mixer set on low, mix it for about 30 seconds (don't forget about mixing at a low speed so you don't paint the walls and ceilings with cheese). Add drained ricotta and blend together. Add sweetened condensed milk and blend together. Add 3 egg yolks and blend together. Add vanilla extract and espresso and blend again. Beat egg whites til they form stiff peaks. Add half the whites to the mixture and blend in with a spatula or spoon. Then, carefully fold in the remaining half of the whites.
  Pour mixture into spring-form pan. Place in oven and cook 50 minutes. After 50 minutes, remove from oven, place on rack, and let sit at room temperature for at least one hour or until cool enough to carefully handle. Do your best to gently remove it from spring-form pan and move to a serving plate, and let chill in refrigerator at least one more hour. I hope you enjoy!
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Chimichurri Sauce

I've seen several recipes for this wonderful sauce and this is my fairly simple version that is great with steak, chicken, seafood, even grilled vegetables. BIG caveat here -- my crazy gaucho friend Fabrizio from the Pampas of Argentina has informed me there is only one way to make Chimichurri (not the way I make it), and it is only used on one specific sausage dish (maybe the one thing I've never put it on). OK, he's not really a gaucho from the Pampas, he's from Buenos Aires and studying to be an engineer, but I still think he's crazy for not putting Chimichurri on everything!

• 4oz of sweet or Spanish onion roughly chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic cut in half
• 1 head of parsley rinsed and dried, large stem ends removed
• 1 head of cilantro rinsed and dried, large stem ends removed
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt

  Put onion and garlic in food processor. Pulse 3 or 4 times, scrape down the sides. Add the parsley and cilantro to the processor. Run for 10 seconds, stop, scrape down the sides, then run again for 10 seconds (we want to keep some body to this, not make a smooth puree).
  Scrape mixture into a bowl, add olive oil, lime juice, red pepper flakes, and salt. Mix well. Place into a container and refrigerate several hours or even an entire day to let the flavors blend (unlike the "blending" mentioned in the Turkey Burger post, this time we're really letting the flavors blend!). You will have a full cup-worth of sauce and it will lasts several weeks in your refrigerator, but I doubt it will take that long before you're making another batch.
  Usually, I serve Chimichurri on the side and let everyone spoon some onto their plate. It can also be spread over what ever you're grilling or roasting for the last couple minutes of cooking. One of my favorite uses for Chimichurri is with chicken wings (calm down, Fabrizio!). Take your wings hot off the grill, or out of the oven, or out of the oil, and immediately toss them in a bowl with a healthy portion of Chimichurri. Fantastic! I hope you enjoy!

Turkey Burgers

Start to get those warm Spring days early and immediately thoughts go to grilling. Let's ease into it with something not so heavy, but still tasty. Now, you could buy some ground turkey and simply make patties and throw them on the grill, but where's the fun in that? Here's a way to jazz them up  a bit, but still keep it simple. And, hey, with the spinach and tomatoes in the recipe, you don't have to try and force your kids to eat their salad -- it's already in their burgers!

• 20oz extra-lean ground breast of Turkey
• 6 fresh sage leaves finely chopped
• 1 plum tomato diced
• 1 cup julienned fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder

Place turkey in mixing bowl. Toss lightly to break up. Add all other ingredients. Blend well. Form four patties, place on platter, cover and refrigerate one hour to let them firm-up and let the flavors blend ("let the flavors blend" - that's code for having time to sit back and enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine!). Before placing the platter in the refrigerator, this is your chance to hold it up in front of you, slowly moving it from side-to-side, and ask you captive audience, "What's this?" And, then you tell them, "It's poultry in motion!" Ha!

Just before the hour is up, start your grill. Grill the patties seven minutes per side over medium-high heat. If grilling outside is not an option, grill inside in a grill pan using same temperature and time. Serve with or without buns and with whatever condiments you prefer. Enjoy!

Espresso Cheesecake

A simple recipe to make, about 20 minutes of prep time, and not too sweet with a subtle coffee background. I don't eat desserts often, so when I make them, I go all out. If you want to try skim-milk ricotta or low-fat cream cheese, let me know how it works (but I still won't make it that way!)

• 4-5oz honey graham crackers (typically, one sleeve from a standard retail box)
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp instant espresso
• 1 tbsp hot water
• 15oz whole milk ricotta cheese
• 12oz cream cheese
• 1 14oz can sweetened, condensed milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 9" nonstick spring-form pan

  Preheat oven to 325. Place ricotta in a fine sieve over a bowl or in the sink to drain (if you have a cat as I do, and that cat thinks she's your sous chef, cover the ricotta as it drains or you might hear that familiar "lap-lap" sound, and now you have 14oz of ricotta).
  Crush graham crackers and place in small bowl. Melt butter, mix into cracker crumbs. Pour into spring-form pan and press out evenly across bottom and slightly up the sides. Even though my spring-form claims to be nonstick, I spray a little olive oil around the inside edge of the pan to help ease the cheesecake out of it later.
  Mix espresso with hot water in a small cup and set aside.
  Place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl, and with a handheld mixer set on low, mix it for about 30 seconds (I strongly recommend mixing at a low speed or you could be cleaning cream cheese off your kitchen walls. Also, I happen to share my kitchen with someone who will remain anonymous. Why is it she always stores the body of the mixer and the paddles in two different locations?). Add drained ricotta and blend together. Add sweetened condensed milk and blend together (beginning to see a trend, here?). Add 3 eggs and blend together. Add vanilla extract and espresso and blend one more time.
  Pour mixture into spring-form pan. Place in oven and cook 50 minutes (if you have a classic, two-oven Aga stove as I have, place the pan on the rack on the bottom of the roasting oven, place the cold sheet on the top rungs, and leave the door slightly ajar while cooking. If you have a more conventional oven, I think you just set it to 325 degrees). After 50 minutes, remove from oven, place on rack, and let cool at room temperature for at least one hour. Do your best to gently remove it from spring-form pan and move to a serving plate, and let chill in refrigerator at least one more hour. I hope you enjoy!

Homey Lemon Bread

There are countless recipes for breakfast breads. After tinkering around with various flavors and styles, I came up with this one which I really like. Rich from the honey, a nice zip of lemon, poppy seeds for fun, and easy to make!

• 1 stick of unsalted, softened butter
• 1/2 cup of honey (I use Grade A Clover honey)
• 2 eggs
• zest of 1 lemon (I like a coarse zest, so you get nice bites of it throughout the bread, just be careful not to  get into the white pith)
• 1/2 cup of lemon juice (you'll probably need a little bit more than the juice you can get out of the lemon you just zested)
• 2 cups basic white flour
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds (optional, but recommended)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and honey together. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add lemon zest and lemon juice, mix well. Mix all dry ingredients together and then add to wet ingredients in 3 portions, mixing well each time. Pour/spoon batter into a buttered bread tin (I believe they're roughly 8.5 x 5 x 2.5 - I never remember the exact proportions). Place tin on a sheet and bake in preheated oven about 45 to 50 minutes, til top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool a few minutes, remove from tin and let further cool on a rack. If you can control the urge to dig in, wrap it in plastic or foil once fully cool and let it sit til the next day before enjoying.

Variations: try 3/4 of a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans instead of poppy seeds. I also would like to try using the zest of 1/2 an orange and 1/2 cup of orange juice in place of lemon. With that, I think I would take 3/4 cup whole cranberries (fresh or frozen) and pulse them in a food processor with a tbsp of sugar and use that in place of poppy seeds or nuts. I'll try it and let you know!
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Brie Bowl

We don't do this too often because it's very rich, but it is a favorite appetizer of ours when having friends over for dinner. I only know the basic recipe through word of mouth, so if any one can reference it from a cookbook, I will be happy to provide that information.

One one-pound loaf of good bakery bread such as sourdough or roasted garlic, either round or oval.
Two wedges, or about 3/4 of-a-pound of good brie cheese.
1/2 cup lightly-packed light brown sugar.

Preheat oven to 375.

Cut off top 1/3 of bread loaf, cut that into bite-size pieces and reserve. Pull out the majority of bread from inside of the loaf, trying to keep it in bite-size pieces and reserve.

Dice your brie cheese and fill the hollowed-out bread loaf with it. Cover the top of the cheese with the brown sugar. Place loaf on a baking sheet and place in oven. After about twenty minutes, check to see how the cheese is melting and make sure the loaf is not blackening on the outside - if it is, you can wrap some foil around it. Continue cooking until the sugar has melted into the cheese and the cheese is fully melted. Remove the loaf from the oven and place on a serving plate. Place reserved bread chunks on baking sheet, return sheet to oven for 5 minutes to lightly toast the pieces.

Scatter toasted bread around the brie bowl, serve using the toasted pieces to dip into the melted brie and brown sugar, and enjoy! (you can add a few extra cheese crackers to the serving plate if necessary)

Coming soon -- some bakery items, including a Lemon/honey bread and an easy espresso cheesecake!
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Using Brines

I love using brines, especially for poultry and pork. Thanksgiving turkey always gets put in a salt/brown sugar brine the night before. It's easy to adapt from there, too: add some black peppercorns, or pickling spices, soy sauce, fresh herbs, or one of my favorites if I'm grilling pork - dry Jamaican jerk seasoning. Most brine recipes I've seen call for one cup of kosher salt per gallon of water. Some use equal sugar, some half as much sugar as kosher salt. I usually use half as much sugar and probably tablespoons of other flavorings. I also like to hold back on the full amount of water, put everything together in a pot, bring to a simmer to get everything dissolved/blended, then take the pot off the heat and add ice cubes to cool it down to a usable temperature. Large items get brined over night, smaller ones for four hours or so. Always rinse off your brined item and let it dry before preceding with the cooking.

OK, now to my point. I read and article last year on a restaurant in Brooklyn that brines chicken in pickle juice before cooking. Sounded interesting, so I saved a jar of pickle juice after the pickles were finished, brined the chicken in it, and did my own adaptation of the recipe pan-searing and then roasting the chicken pieces. It was fantastic. And, it got me thinking - what other items did I have in my refrigerator that I could use the leftover liquid to brine with? I always have a variety of jarred olives and so I tried that -- great also. And pepperoncinis -- that juice as a brine gives nice kick. And as a side benefit, I am much more careful of reviewing ingredient lists when purchasing an item that I might want to save for a second life as a brine.

Right now, I have a pork tenderloin brining in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator with the juice from a jar of pimento-stuffed green olives and I can guarantee you - it's going to make a great dinner!

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Comfort Food for a Head Cold

Woke up with a head cold, but did my 8 to 5 work shift (for those of you who are connected with me through Facebook or Twitter, you know I still came through with great Chili and Chicken Gumbo!) and wanted some good comfort food for dinner when I got home. Problem was, I wanted lots of taste to battle the cold, but did not want to waste more fancy food to the same cold.

Solution: some boneless, skinless chicken breast (usually not one of my first choices), rubbed with a little olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Italian-seasoned Panko bread crumbs moistened with a little more olive oil and mixed with chopped, feta-cheese-stuffed olives were then pressed down on the chicken breast, it was put on a rack in a roasting tin, a little white wine was added to the roasting tin, and it was cooked in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Crunchy, savory, and lots of flavor. A mixed-green salad with sliced plum tomato and a honey-balsamic vinaigrette dressing on the side, and a great dinner was had. Lots of variations could be made to this one. How would you adapt it?

Fun Food Trivia

Below is a link to "The Straight Dope" - one of my favorite random-useless-information sites - and a little bit of fun food trivia. Hope you enjoy it!
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/683/how-come-they-call-it-ketchup-sometimes-and-catsup-other-times

Dinner Party / Key Lime Pie

Friends over for dinner last night. Stuffed mussels to start, then a super lamb stew with olive oil mashed potatoes and a couple bottles of Pinot Noir to complement, and then a spinach salad. Dessert was Key Lime pie with a twist: I added a cup of red raspberries to the bottom of the pie shell before pouring in the key lime mix and baking. They added a nice zing and it made a big hit.

1 cup lime juice (I like to use Santa Cruz organic lime juice -- best stuff around!)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
few drops of green food dye (optional)
1 cup red raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 9" honey graham cracker pie shell (I like to make my own)
350 degree oven with a sheet tray heating up in it

Mix first three ingredients in a bowl til blended, add dye if using and mix again. Disburse raspberries evenly in bottom of pie shell, gently pour over the pie mix (if you pour too quickly, the berries have a tendency to pop up to the top of the surface). Place pie in oven on preheated sheet (this helps to give a crisper crust), bake 35 to 45 minutes til surface looks like it is firming up. Remove from oven, let cool on a rack about 1/2 an hour, then chill in refrigerator for one hour. Decorate with whipped cream and enjoy!

A nice variation on this is to use lemon juice instead of lime, and blueberries in place of raspberries.

Super Bowl Menu / Wing Marinade

What's on your menu for the Super Bowl? Or, if you're reading this afterwards, what was your favorite Super Bowl dish? I'm doing chicken wings in a just-made-up marinade, Chinese-style ribs and BBQ ribs, and cole slaw. Here's the wing marinade -- I think it's going to be a good one!

Juice of one lime. Equal amount of olive oil. About 2 tblspns of honey. Maybe 1 tblspn soy sauce. And let's say 2 tspns each of garlic paste and chipotle powder. Shook it up, poured it over 2 lbs of wings, tossed them to mix, and now they're in the fridge for 3 or so hours, til they get roasted in a hot oven with occasional bastings of the marinade.

Enjoy the game and enjoy your eats!

What Are You Cooking (On)?

I've been cooking at home these past many years on a classic two-hotplate, two-oven Aga stove and I love it. Partly so because it is very similar to the commercial and restaurant cooking I do also. Just like in the restaurant, a majority of dishes on the Aga begin on the stove-top and finish in a hot oven; and as the Aga ovens vent from the inside, creating a constant air-flow,  they cook very similar to the commercial convection ovens I have used at my various places of work. Comfort level with your cooking equipment is a key component to happy cooking! So, tell me. What are you cooking on?

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Welcome / Fennel Cake Recipe

Greetings, and welcome to my first post. I hope to share ideas, techniques, and any random thoughts on cooking, cook books, recipes, wines and spirits, and anything else I or you may come up with regarding food and wine.

When I offer recipes, directions may be specific, or casual. I always encourage creativity and adaptation with my suggestions and would love to hear your riff on it.

Those that already know me will laugh at my first offering - a recipe for Italian Fennel Cake ( I am known for having a fennel obsession). The basis for this recipe came from a cook book I no longer have, though I'm sure there are numerous variations on it. I like my recipe because it is easy to remember:

1 cup white flour, 1 cup blanched almond slivers ground to a rough flour consistency, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of milk. Mix dry ingredients together, and milk and stir to blend (you don't need to work it to a super smooth consistency).

Pour into a buttered, floured pie tin/baking dish (I've used 9" spring, 8x8 foil pan, 9" pie tin, etc.). Bake at 375 in oven for about 45 minutes til top is golden brown and tooth pick comes out clean. Let cool and enjoy.

I've made a few of these recently at work. My coworkers like to have it with a little butter on it in the morning with their coffee. I also like it after dinner for dessert with ice cream, or perhaps slice some strawberries, marinate them in red wine with a little sugar, then remove the berries, reduce marinade to a syrup, add berries to cake, drizzle syrup, and perhaps a dollop of marscepone cheese. I've been thinking of trying the strawberries with Campari instead of red wine. Recently, I also substituted toasted pine nuts for half the almonds, though I didn't notice a great change in taste -- I'm thinking I might try with walnuts, too.

Let me know what you think, and Cheers!

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