brussels & brown butter

I'm obsessed with brussels sprouts.

Hmm..maybe even more than avocados?

Nah. That's pushing it.

But, I really really like brussels and I could eat 'em like candy.

Not the old fashioned notion of over-boiled sprouts with that gosh-awful olive green color.

But simply roasted, crisp and caramelized. Roasted brussels are ah-may-zing.

Over the years, I've mixed & matched brussels with a few different textural and flavor combos:

...sautéed with pecan butter & orange rind...

...roasted with balsamic syrup & pomegranate...

...broiled with parmesan & chile flakes...

For thanksgiving last year, I paired these delicious green jewels with roasted rutabaga (such a funky root), and an earthy hazelnut brown butter. The flavor combination is rich, silky and elegant-- a perfect autumn snack or holiday table side dish to share.

Roasted Brussels & Rutabaga

with Hazelnut Brown Butter

yields 4 side dish servings

1 pound brussels sprouts, washed, ends trimmed & halved

1 large rutabaga, peeled and diced in 1/2 inch cubes

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

fresh-cracked pepper, as needed

1/2 cup hazelnuts

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

zest of 1 lemon

kosher salt to taste

Begin by peeling the outside skin of the rutabaga by running your knife down all sides of the root to remove thick skin. Slice bulb into 1/2 inch thick disks then dice into cubes. Toss diced rutabaga with halved brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt and freshly-cracked pepper.

Roast at 400 degrees approximately 45 minutes, tossing once, until caramelized.

Meanwhile, make hazelnut brown butter.

Chop hazelnuts roughly and toast in a pan on medium high heat for approximately 3 minutes until nuts begin to get fragrant. Add butter and a sprinkle of salt to hot pan with nuts (butter will sizzle and bubble), until butter turns a light brown shade. Take off heat immediately so butter will not burn.

Pour hot hazelnut brown butter over roasted vegetables and toss together with a large spoon.

No garnish necessary-- this rustic dish speaks for itself!

chard lasagna & lemon ricotta

Bitter, leafy greens are one of those produce options that I don't jump for joy to eat or cook with.

Until now...

Gorgeous swiss chard is currently in season and was an impeccable starring role in this simple lasagna recipe delicately layered with fresh herbs, lemony ricotta and creamy fresh mozzarella.

Your mouth will be watering while you're waiting for this baked treat to cool...

Swiss Chard Lasagna with Fresh Mozzarella

yields approximately 4 servings

Not only is this lasagna simple to make, but the recipe list is quite simple as well. No side salad is even necessary with this veggie-packed Italian delight.

1 bunch swiss chard, washed and dried

1 can diced tomatoes with basil & oregano

1 eight ounce ball of fresh mozzarella

1 cup ricotta

1 t herbs de provence, plus additional to sprinkle

1 T lemon zest

6 "n0-boil" lasagna sheets

1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes plus additional to sprinkle

salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Start by trimming woodsy red stems at the bottom of each swiss chard leaf. Usually, I would trim the bitter stem within the membrane but the bitterness lends a lovely flavor complement in this particular dish.

Stack a few leaves at a time, roll them like a cigar horizontally, then slice into uniform ribbons.

Heat a large saute pan to medium-high heat. Add a swirl of olive oil, sliced swiss chard, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper (as shown).

Saute and wilt for a few minutes then add can of diced tomatoes (as shown). Simmer approximately 10 minutes to slightly reduce liquid. Re-adjust seasonings if needed.

While swiss chard mixture is simmering, mix herbs de provence, lemon zest, salt and pepper with ricotta. Slice fresh mozzarella (as shown).

Take swiss chard mixture off the heat and have all ingredients ready to layer lasagna.

Begin with a small amount of swiss chard mixture on the bottom of pan followed by 2 lasagna sheets, 1/3 of ricotta mixture, half of fresh mozzarella slices, 1/2 swiss chard mixture, 2 more lasagna sheets, next 1/3 of ricotta mixture, remaining swiss chard mixture, remaining lasagna sheets, remaining ricotta mixture and last slices of fresh mozzarella.

Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and herbs de provence (as shown).

Bake at 375 degrees approximately 30 minutes then raise temperature to 425 degrees and bake an additional 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling (as shown).

Let cool 15 minutes before cutting into portions and serving (pour a glass of wine while you're waiting anxiously).

Oh, those gorgeous layers!

Enjoy your bubbling creation.

creamy grits & sweet apple balsamic

A few posts ago, I blogged about the glory of one-pot meals.

Today, we're talking about the excellence of one-bowl meals.

Balsamic-Glazed Spring Vegetables atop

Yellow Corn Grits with Fresh Basil and a Poached Egg

This vegetarian recipe fuses three main components:

rustic, creamy grits

in-season vegetables with rich balsamic

and a perfectly poached egg (over easy, of course)

The integration of these three things seem so simple but make magic together.

Magic, I say!

I've often embarrassed myself talking incessantly in public about my love for the perfectly runny yolk (I won't get into it now), but this bowl is a sexy combination of silky, runny yolk, al dente vegetables glistening with sweet vinegar, creamy grits full of texture and pungent fresh basil.

The trick to this recipe is very simple:

use the best ingredients you can find.

I used organic, yellow corn grits, local asparagus, organic, cage free eggs, sweet apple balsamic from Italy, fresh-cracked peppercorns, aged Parmesan Reggiano and sea salt.

Who needs meat anyway?

yields 2 servings

1/2 bundle asparagus, ends trimmed

2 c water

1/2 c yellow corn grits

1/4 t salt

2 T unsalted butter

splash of vinegar

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 zucchini, diced small

1 T fresh garlic (about 2 cloves), minced

2 T fresh basil, sliced chiffonade, plus additional to garnish

1 T fine balsamic

2 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

shavings of parmesan to garnish

Begin by blanching asparagus. Submerge asparagus into boiling water approximately 2 minutes until bright green then submerge into ice water (as shown). Slice in 1 inch pieces on the diagonal and set aside.

Make yellow corn grits. Combine water, grits and salt into a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, stirring constantly, and simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside off the heat.

Meanwhile, begin simmering water in a large saucepan with a splash of vinegar to later poach eggs. Then, heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, zucchini, asparagus, basil, fresh garlic, salt and pepper. Saute approximately 5 minutes to soften (as shown). Off the heat, stir in balsamic to combine then set aside.

Finally, with a slotted spoon, create a circular vortex motion in simmering water. Crack eggs into two small bowls (as shown) then gently slide into heavily simmering water. Poach approximately 3 minutes for an over easy egg. Remove eggs, one at a time, with a slotted spoon.

To plate, spoon grits in two bowls. Top with vegetables and poached egg. Finish with salt, pepper, fresh basil and parmesan shavings.

Now for the best part.

Break that beautiful yolk.

Stir.

Enjoy.

much ado about dumplings

In case you haven't heard...

I'm obsessed with dumplings.

Potstickers, gnocchi, ravioli, spring rolls, spaetzle.

Chopsticks, hand-held, dipping sauces or pan sauces.

You name it. I'll eat them

For my birthday, my parents gave me the perfect reference full of my favorite lovely packaged delights:

The Dumpling: A Seasonal Guide by Wai Hon Chu

The glory of this book is the variety, inventiveness and seasonality that makes you think far beyond the norm pork potsticker.

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Dumplings are listed by monthly seasonality-- my favorite aspect of the book. Although I strive to write my own recipes and invent creative flavor combinations-- this is definitely a great source of inspiration!

Speaking of dumplings...some of my favorite dumpling recipes from Linguine and Dirty Martinis have included:

Pan-Fried Edamame Mint Potstickers

light & bright

Currant Brie Turnover with Garam Masala

creamy & chewy

Delicata Squash Ravioli with Fresh Oregano, Crispy Pancetta & Ricotta Salata

salty & savory (shown)

Steamed Chicken & Radish Potstickers with Soy Muddled Blackberries

spicy & tart

Recently, while brainstorming

Summer cocktail combinations

I concocted a refreshing, tart sangria-- almost too gorgeous to drink!

Almost...

30 minute Sangria with Fresh Berries & Soaked Hibiscus Flowers

I served this sangria with a rustic flair-- complete with berry seeds, a floating hibiscus and all!

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For an elegant twist, strain and combine with ice in a martini shaker to serve in a martini glass or highballs.

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Cocktail ratio:

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2 parts chilled dry red wine

1 part muddled berries

blueberries, raspberries and blackberries will do!

1/2 part wild hibiscus flowers soaked in syrup

a sprinkle of sugar

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Combine ingredients and chill for 30 minutes. Serve cold.

I recently had a sunny & bright lazy lunch on the patio at Tillman's Roadhouse: an eatery supporting local fish, meat, poultry and produce with housemade touches and whimsical reinventions of childhood favorites.

I sipped on an icy cool brew and thoroughly savored an artisan sirloin burger from Burgundy Pastures with local goats gouda, razor-thin purple onions and housemade pickles with lemon rind. On the side were perfectly seasoned kennebec fries with parmesan and housemade chipotle ketchup. Made-from-scratch garlic ranch was also a pleasant afterthought.

For dessert, we were surprised with a frozen smorgasbord, playfully deemed the "Ice Cream Truck" complete with a homemade raspberry lemon popsicle, lucky charms push pop, German chocolate cone and made-from-scratch ice cream sandwich. Delightful!

For a later joyful occasion, I decorated my apartment with banners, cards, bakery sweets and gifts for my boyfriend's birthday!

We celebrated on a gorgeous Sunday evening with a BBQ complete with his favorite made-from-scratch comfort foods.

I left grilling to the guys while I savored a margarita and quickly prepared this 5 minute side dish-- a perfect addition to grilled meats!

Goat Cheese Cream Corn with Fresh Thyme and Crushed Peppercorns

6 ears fresh corn (about 2 cups)

1/2 c red onion, chopped

2 T fresh thyme

1 c heavy cream

1/2 c crumbled goat cheese

1 T honey

1/2 t cayenne

salt and crushed peppercorns to taste

Saute onions with 1 tablespoon olive oil until translucent. Add corn and thyme. Saute for a few minutes to soften and infuse fat.

Add cream, honey and cayenne and let reduce several minutes. Fold in goat cheese and add salt and peppercorns to taste. Serve hot.

Before the party, I spent my morning baking this festive cake to fulfill his favorite dessert: yellow cake with chocolate frosting. I filled the layers with a tangy made-from-scratch curd and added espresso to the chocolate frosting for depth.

Birthday
Butter Cake
with Fresh Blackberry Curd Filling
& Dark Chocolate Frosting

Equipment:

2 round springform cake pans

(I used 6 and 7 inch pans)

offset spatula

stand mixer

Butter Cake:

(Adapted from The Cake Bible All-Occasion Downy Yellow Butter Cake)

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6 large egg yolks

1 c whole milk

2 and 1/4 t vanilla

3 c cake flour

1 and 1/2 c sugar

1 T plus 1 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

12 T unsalted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour springform pans. Set aside.

Combine dry ingredients in stand mixture and mix for 30 seconds to evenly distribute. On a medium setting, beat butter and milk into dry mixture for approximately 1.5 minutes. Scrape down sides. Slowly add eggs and vanilla in three portions, beating 20 seconds after each addition.

Scrape batter into pans and smooth tops-- mixture should be about halfway full. Bake approximately 35 minutes for small cake and 50 minutes for large cake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Set cakes on a cooling rack until cooled completely. While cakes are cooling, make the fresh blackberry curd.

Fresh Blackberry Curd:

Yields 2 cups.

8 egg yolks

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c fresh blackberry juice (I used a juicer to remove seeds)

2 T orange zest

12 T unsalted butter, softened

pinch of salt

Combine egg yolks, blackberry juice, orange zest and sugar in a saucepan. Over medium high heat, cook mixture, whisking constantly, approximately 8-10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and slowly add butter and salt, tablespoon by tablespoon, until melted and combined. Strain.

Chill curd with plastic wrap directly on top to prevent a skin from forming. Make frosting.

Dark Chocolate Frosting:

Yields 4 cups.

24 ounces good semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1 cup boiling water

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 t espresso powder

1/4 c confectioner's sugar

4 and 1/2 sticks butter

pinch salt

Beat butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, combine cocoa powder and espresso powder with boiling water to form a paste. Add melted chocolate and cocoa paste to whipped butter. Beat 1-2 minutes until combined thouroughly.

To Assemble Cake:

Level off cooled cakes with a serrated knife.

Slice each cake horizontally into two equal layers with a serrated knife.

On serving platter or cake stand, assemble parchment paper beneath large cake bottom layer before icing.

Using an offset spatula to distribute filling and frosting, begin layering:

bottom layer of large cake

then blackberry curd,

top layer of large cake,

chocolate frosting to glue the next cake,

bottom layer of small cake,

blackberry curd then

top layer of small cake.

Using offset spatula, add "crumb coat" of frosting to the cake. Chill for 30 minutes.

Ice the cake. Dip spatula into ice water to keep frosting cool and smooth clumps with ease.

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Remove parchment paper to display clean edges beneath cake.
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Using a piping bag, pipe decorative borders around each layer

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Decorate with candles or edible flowers as desired!
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Corn Cakes and Fresh Dates

What a treat these past weeks have been! Along with acquiring new foodie goodies for my apartment (pasta machine, mini food processor, bistro table, stemless champagne glasses and an adorable rainbow whisk!), it was time for the infamous Restaurant Week. I was only able to dine at Grace and Eddie V's but it was a fabulous time regardless!

Some friends and I started off the week with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at Eddie V's followed by dinner from the Restaurant Week Menu.

Cocktails started in the notoriously dark and hip V Lounge with The Westsiders singing Frank Sinatra, a Dirty Belvedere in my hand and spicy fried calamari with wok veggies and cashews in my chopsticks. Although I think the appetizer presentation was a bit overkill, it still hit the spot!

After our "happy two hour" sesh, we were seated in the dining room and hungrily awaited dinner. To begin, we chose the hot rock with raw, thin-sliced filet to quickly sear and savor with a soy sauce and wild mushroom accompaniments. The mushrooms were lightly dressed, the filet tender and the sauce was addicting!

To begin our next course, I chose the heirloom mozzarella salad and my fellow diners opted for the butter lettuce salad with a fried egg, pancetta and lemon thyme vinaigrette. To my dismay, the salads were pretty awful. The cheese on my salad was definitely not fresh mozzarella and was topped with greasy fried onions- I pushed it aside. On the bibb salad, the anticipated fried egg was replaced with a fried, cold, overcooked hard-boiled egg....not a fan.

Fortunately, our second course, seared scallop with homemade gnocchi and sun-dried tomatoes was quite lovely. The scallop was seared to perfection, the gnocchi was airy and the sundried tomatoes provided a tart, salty contrast.

For our entrees, we each ordered a different offering: mango-stuffed Ahi for Ms. Annie, grilled chicken with jus for my lovey and New England Cod with corn and bacon for me. Although the Ahi was cooked well, it was hardly stuffed with mango (more like injected with a 1/8 inch cube.) The chicken was a bit overcooked but the sauce was delicious. My cod was cooked to perfection and paired nicely with the sweet corn and salty bacon.

For dessert, I anticipated key lime panna cotta from the on-line menu but received so-so vanilla creme brulee covered with powdered sugar instead. Ouch.

Later that weekend, my parents, a friend and I dined at Grace. Warmly greeted at the door, we were seated in the jam-packed green marbled dining room and welcomed by our fabulous server, Michael. As we scoured the menu, I ordered a trio of St. Caroline cocktails with St. Germaine, Prosecco, soda and fresh thyme.

For my first course, I chose the roasted eggplant soup with creme fraiche and rosemary. I know it's completely taboo to add salt at a fine dining locale but I had to do it. After the hint of salt, I was able to enjoy the wonderful flavors...the bowl was cleaned.

The second course was a seared scallop and Berkshire pork "surf and turf" with black eyed peas and tarragon....this course was cleaned as well.

My entree was a beef filet with stone ground grits and a squash medley with marjoram and roasted cherry tomatoes. The filet was a perfect medium with a sweet caramelization. Although my dad wasn't a huge fan of the fragrant "marjoramed" veggies, I was quite happy with the freshness of the squash and the sweetness of the roasted cherry tomatoes.

For dessert, our table shared chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and peaches with a cobbler-style biscuit. Both were understated and luscious.

Even though I was keen to try Restaurant Week menus around town, I was able to put some personal recipes together too.

This sandwich started with beautiful, sticky dates and went from there. I'm not trying to toot my own horn- wait, is that the phrase?!- but this sandwich was one of the best I've had....the salty bread with the woodsy rosemary, sugary dates, savory mushrooms, charred radicchio and creamy, tangy goat cheese.......agh! It was THAT good!

Dijon Chicken Breast on Open-Faced Rosemary Toast with Braised Dates, Cremini Mushrooms and Grilled Radicchio with Goat Cheese
serves 2

For dates:

1 c water

1/2 c brown sugar

salt to taste

1/2 cup dates, sliced in half with pits removed

Mix water and brown sugar in a saucepan. Simmer dates in sugar water until plumped (about 10 minutes.) Set aside and salt to taste.

For chicken:

1 large breast dijon-marinated boneless skinless chicken breast (I bought mine at CM)

salt to taste

1 T butter

Sear chicken in a saute pan with olive oil until brown color has developed. Finish in a 350 degree oven with a pat of butter until cooked through and juicy. Set aside to rest then slice in two portions for sandwich.

Sauteed mushrooms:

1 c creminis, sliced

1 T fresh rosemary, minced

2 T butter

salt to taste

Saute mushrooms in olive oil with rosemary and butter until browned but texture remains. Set aside and reserve leftover pan sauce to spoon over sandwich.

Grilled radicchio:

1/2 head radicchio

olive oil to grill

Grill radicchio on grill pan to develop grill marks. Set aside.

Additional ingredients:

2 slices rosemary bread, toasted

crumbled goat cheese as desired

To assemble sandwich, line toast slices with radicchio, dates, chicken, mushrooms then goat cheese. Spoon over reserved pan sauce.

Later that weekend, my folks came into town and I prepared:

Arugula Salad with Pistachios, Yellow Tomatoes, Avocado and Grapeseed Oil Vinaigrette

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Oil and Nectarine Salsa

Corn Cakes with Scallions and Fresh Herbs

Blackberry Pie with Vanilla Sugar

serves 4

For chicken:

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 c olive oil

2 T red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

2 T honey

Marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts with other ingredients for 30 minutes. Grill chicken on grill pan to achieve grill marks, then finish chicken in 350 degee oven with a pat of butter until cooked through and juicy. Set aside to rest and slice before serving.

Nectarine salsa:

2 nectarines, diced

1/4 c minced red onion

1/4 c sliced yellow cherry tomatoes

zest and juice of one lime

1 t honey

2 T minced Italian parsley

1 clove shaved garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and let macerate until ready to serve.

Rosemary oil:

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed

salt to taste

3/4 c extra virgin olive oil

Combine ingredients in food processor until blended well. Serve drizzled over chicken with nectarine salsa.

Corn Cakes with Scallions:

This recipe is an Epicurious recipe that I altered by using fresh corn and adding fresh herbs.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil

1/4 c minced herbs (I used sage and marjoram)

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Whisk together eggs, milk and vinegar and combine with dry mixture. Fold in corn, herbs and scallions to develop batter.

In a deep skillet, heat vegetable oil (1 inch deep) until flour sizzles in the pan. Add batter 1/4 cup at a time until browned on one side. Flip cakes until browned on opposite side then finish in a 350 degree oven on a baking sheet until cooked through (about seven minutes.) Serve warm and garnish with scallions if desired.

Arugula Salad with Pistachios, Yellow Tomatoes, Avocado and Grapeseed Oil Vinaigrette

3 c fresh spinach

1/3 c roasted pistachios

1/3 c sliced yellow cherry tomatoes

1/2 avocado, sliced and salted

For vinaigrette:

1 T honey

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 t dried lavender

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 c grapeseed oil

Combine first four ingredients then slowly whisk in grapeseed oil until an emulsion has developed. Toss with spinach, pistachios and cherry tomatoes. Top salad with avocado.

This meal was summery, light, yet comforting with the fried-deliciousness of the corn cakes. My Dad scarfed about four corn cakes...

Saturday morning, I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed headed to Cowtown Farmers Market. After half an hour and a sore arm from my heavy bag, I left with fresh dates, baby okra, baby eggplant, gorgeous emerald basil and tarragon, goat cheese, breakfast bread and pesto bread from Artisan Baking Company.

With my pesto bread, I cut the bread into chunks and roasted them into croutons to dry the bread. I then combined the bread with a simple custard base (eggs and whole milk), sauteed baby okra, zucchini (salted to release moisture then dried), fresh basil, goat cheese, salt and pepper. I popped the mixture in my Le Crueset casserole and a delicious side dish was ready 30 minutes later. Paired with browned chicken sausage and caramelized onions, it was a hearty spread!