Recently in Vegetarian

Mac & Cheese with Braised Leeks, Asiago and Parmesan Breadcrumbs

serves 8

For the leeks

For the béchamel

For the bread crumbs

For the pasta

Step 1: To braise the leeks – Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and leeks. Toss well and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until leeks have wilted and just begin to take on a golden color, tossing from time to time. Add the garlic, chili pepper flakes, salt, black pepper and wine. Quickly toss, reduce heat to medium-low and cover pan. Braise leeks for 25 minutes until very tender and all the juices have evaporated (if there is still some liquid in the pan after braising the leeks for 25 minutes, sauté at high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until all juices have evaporated). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Step 2: To make the béchamel – Place the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. As soon as the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and the flour becomes golden, but not brown. Quickly whisk in the warm milk and cream. While constantly whisking, bring back to a boil. As soon as it reaches boiling point, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until the béchamel has slightly thickened, still whisking constantly. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper and grated cheese. Whisk until the cheese has melted and remove from heat.

Step 3: Place the breadcrumbs and parmesan in a small bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and mix well. Set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 375°F.

Step 4: Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the salt and the pasta. Cook the pasta about 2 minutes less than the package instructions so that it’s not cooked all the way through (see picture below). Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Add the leeks and béchamel to the pasta and stir until well blended. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly on the sides and golden. Remove from oven and heat the broiler on high. Place the mac & cheese under the broiler for a few seconds to brown the breadcrumbs. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Cook’s note: The mac & cheese is best eaten as soon as it’s made. Reheating will make it stodgy. The braised leeks can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. The béchamel can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Gently reheat it over medium-low heat and thin with a little milk before using in the recipe. Boil the pasta, assemble and bake the mac & cheese just before serving.

For step by step photos and directions, please visit Viviane's website 

Cheese Fondue with Chipotle and Tequila

Recipe and photo reprinted with permission by Viviane Banquet Farre

Thoughts From Viviane: 

When my good friend Doug Stone asked me to create a few recipes with tequila for his new website ForTequilaLovers, I was thrilled. Not only do I adore tequila on its own or in cocktails, I also love cooking with it - its unusual flavor pairs beautifully with so many foods!

Here I've created a new-world version of the classic Swiss fondue. The tequila adds a wonderful dimension to this truly scrumptious fondue and the chipotle lends a hint of smokiness to it. It's so addictive that when I first tested the recipe, Marc (my best taster and hubby!) ate the whole thing so fast I thought he'd inhaled it!

I recommend either a Reposado Tequila or Mezcal for this recipe, because their deep, powerful flavor stands up nicely to the cheese and actually cuts through the richness of the fondue.

Bread cubes are the traditional dipping bits for fondues, but don't stop there - try serving this fondue with chunks of grilled meats, blanched-but-still-a-bit-crunchy broccoli or cauliflower florets, cherry tomatoes, fingerling potatoes boiled until just tender… or whatever you love with cheese!

For a head-spinning selection of tequilas, visit Doug's website. (And no, he hasn't paid me to say this and hasn't given me freebies either - this is just my own honest-to-goodness opinion!)

Say cheese and take a bite!

makes approximately 2 cups (4 servings)

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup Reposado Tequila or Mezcal
1 cup dry white wine
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese - coarsely grated
12 oz aged Fontina cheese - coarsely grated
2 to 3 teaspoons chipotle in spicy adobo sauce, to taste - puréed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 sourdough or whole wheat baguette - cut in 1/2" cubes

Step 1:  Place the cornstarch and the Tequila in a small bowl. Set aside.

Step 2:  Place the wine in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. As soon as the wine starts to simmer, gradually add the grated cheese and whisk constantly until completely melted and smooth. Reduce heat to medium and add the cornstarch/Tequila mixture, chipotle and salt (careful not to dribble on the stove now, alcohol is very flammable!). Continue to whisk for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Step 3: : Place the cheese mixture in a fondue bowl with a flame under it to keep it warm. Serve with long fondue forks and the bread cubes or other morsels of your choice.

Cranberry Chutney with Figs

makes 2 cups

For the figs
4 oz dried California or Turkish figs (about 1/2 cup) – cut in 1/4” pieces
2 tablespoons Cointreau
2 tablespoons orange juice

For the chutney
1 1/4 cup apple or grape juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup organic sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (use microplane grater)
1/2 teaspoon orange zest (use microplane grater)
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon red, chili pepper flakes
pinch sea salt
12 oz fresh cranberries

Step 1: Place the figs, Cointreau and orange juice in a small bowl. Mix well and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Add the apple juice, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon sticks, ginger, orange zest, cardamom, red pepper flakes, and salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-high and add the cranberries. Stir well and fast simmer for 6 to 7 minutes until the cranberries start to pop. With a wooden spoon, crush the cranberries on the side of the pot until mixture is chunky. Turn off the heat, add the fig mixture and stir. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature and serve.

Cook’s note: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Maple–Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts

Recipe and photo reprinted with permission by Viviane Banquet Farre

serves 8

1 tablespoon sea salt for the blanching water
2 lbs Brussels Sprouts – ends trimmed and cut in half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
6 oz roasted chestnuts in jars – broken in 1/2” pieces (use your fingers)
3 large shallots – skinned, quartered and finely sliced
3/4 to 1 teaspoon sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Step 1: Fill a large bowl with cold water and several ice cubes.

Step 2: Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and blanch the Brussels sprouts for 4 minutes until tender. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water bath until cool. Drain on paper towels. Once dry, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Cook’s note: The Brussels sprouts can be blanched up to 1 day ahead. Place in a Tupperware and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 3: Heat a large heavy-bottom skillet over high heat. Add the butter, olive oil and maple syrup. As soon as the butter is melted, add the Brussels sprouts and chestnuts and toss. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until golden-brown, tossing only occasionally. Add the shallots, toss again and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until shallots have softened. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, remove from heat and serve immediately.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic and Sage

serves 8

• 2 medium butternut squash (about 4 lbs) – peeled (use vegetable hand peeler), seeded scooped out and cut in 1/2” x 3” slices
• 2 small bunches fresh sage – leaves removed from stems
• 16 large garlic cloves – unpeeled and left whole
• 1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 475ºF.

Step 1: Place the butternut squash slices in a non-stick jellyroll pan large enough to hold the ingredients in a single layer (alternatively use 2 pans). Add the sage, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss well. Arrange slices in a singe layer and bake for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Remove from oven, carefully flip each slice so as not to break them. Return to oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden-brown. Remove garlic cloves and save for another use. Serve the roasted squash with the sage leaves.

Cook’s note: The squash can be sliced up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated in Ziplock bags. Bake up to 6 hours ahead and re-heat at 475ºF for 5 to 6 minutes until hot

Butternut Squash–Apple Cake with Ginger Streusel

Recipe and photo reprinted with permission by Viviane Banquet Farre

www.foodandstyle.wordpress.com

This is really a remarkable recipe.  .  . exceptional ingredients and inventive concept.  If you haven't used turbinado sugar in place of regular brown sugar - please try it.  Most "brown" sugar is really just a form of processed white sugar... Turbinado has a much deeper flavor and is much healthier to use than traditional brown....And yes, it is more expensive than brown which is usually the case when you opt for the best ingredients.

But... rather than hearing my thoughts on this . . . I think it's appropriate to share Viviane's in her own words.  I am so happy to have discovered her website and blog and hope you visit her site often!

In her own words:

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved baking cakes. In fact, my very first cooking memory was of baking my very own birthday cake — for my sixth birthday! (Of course my grandmother helped a bit…) Nowadays, I do not bake as often as I would like. The busy-ness of my life and my orientation towards lighter foods have sometimes interfered with this deep and fundamental pleasure of baking.

With this recipe I decided to reconnect with the pure satisfaction of baking a beautiful old-fashioned cake — but with a modern twist. So I created a butternut squash and apple teacake with a surprising but delicious candied-ginger and pine-nut streusel.

Made without butter or too much sugar, this cake is light and moist without being rich. I always use organic, free-range eggs because I find them more delicious and also healthier than their conventional counterparts. In summertime, I buy my eggs at the Piermont Farmers’ Market, always marveling at the bright golden hue of their yokes. In the winter months, I rely on our local health-food stores for a good organic brand.

Likewise, I use organic turbinado sugar for most of my desserts. This unrefined, pure cane sugar has a subtle molasses flavor and some nutritional benefits, as it retains all the natural minerals (phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron) and vitamins present in sugarcane juice. Finally, the Australian crystallized (or candied) ginger used in the streusel is truly mouthwatering. Harvested when its roots are young and tender, the ginger is fiber-free and mild in flavor, adding a tangy and modern twist to this scrumptious cake.

Not only was I delighted with my new teacake, I was able to indulge in it without guilt. Nice to know one doesn’t necessarily have to choose between the poetry of baking and the prose of nutrition. Doesn’t that make the pleasure of baking infinitely more satisfying…?

Butternut Squash–Apple Cake with Ginger Streusel

makes 1 cake (8 servings)

For the streusel
2 oz Australian crystallized ginger cubes (about 1/3 cup)
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1/2 cup pine nuts

For the cake
1 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
2/3 cup turbinado sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup sunflower oil
3 large organic eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (use microplane grater)
1 cup butternut squash purée (see cook’s note)
1 medium McIntosh apple – peeled, cored and cut in 1/4” pieces
1 cup organic Hunza golden raisins

1–9” non-stick round cake pan – buttered

Preheat oven to 350°F
Step 1: In the bowl of a food processor, place the ginger, sugar and pine nuts. Pulse several times until all ingredients are finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Step 2: In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir well and set aside.

Step 3: In a medium bowl whisk the oil, eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest and butternut-squash purée until well blended.

Step 4: Stir the apple pieces and raisins into the flour mixture until well blended. Add the squash mixture to the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, mix until just moistened.
Spoon batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle with the streusel topping. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before unmolding. Serve at room temperature.

Cook’s note: To make fresh butternut-squash purée, cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place cut side down in a large baking dish with spring water (1/4” up the sides of the squash). Bake at 400ºF for 45 to 60 minutes until very tender. Let cool, scoop out the flesh and purée in a food processor. The purée can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Vegetarians and artichoke lovers will love every bite of this delicious and creamy creation by Viviane Banquet Farre of www.foodandstyle.com.  Once again, she manages to combine many of my favorite ingredients in this recipe. 

Just thinking about this recipe immediately transported me to some of my favorite childhood food memories.  Artichoke soup at Duarte's in Pescadero . . .  dipping artichoke leaves in butter . . . grilled baby artichokes on the beach.... mmmm. Growing up in California, I was lucky to have access to fresh artichokes straight from the fields.  I think I could eat them every day.  I'm thrilled to add this risotto to my artichoke recipe arsenal. 

Enjoy this video of Viviane as she walks you through this recipe, step-by-step.  And please, visit her website often to see what she's making next . . .

Artichoke Risotto with Lemon-Herb Pesto - The Recipe:

serves 4

For the Pesto
1 small bunch fresh basil (about 2oz) – leaves removed from stems
6 springs fresh Italian parsley – stems removed
1 large garlic clove – skinned and left whole
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (use microplane grater)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the Risotto
1 lemon – juiced
3 large artichokes
3 1/2 cups spring water
3 cups vegetable broth in cartons or homemade vegetable stock
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion – skinned, quartered and finely sliced
2 large garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup Carnaroli, Vialone or Arborio rice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cold, unsalted butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Reggiano Parmesan

extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
chive tips as garnish

Step 1: For the pesto – place the basil leaves, Italian parsley, garlic, lemon zest, olive oil and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process at high speed until it forms a paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, once or twice. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 2: For the artichokes – fill a medium bowl with cold water and add the lemon juice. Trim the artichokes by bending back the outer leaves until they snap off close to the base. Repeat until all the green leaves are gone, leaving the tender yellow-green inner leaves attached to the heart. Cut 2″ of the tops so that only the yellow part of the leaves are left. Cut the stalk at the base of the artichoke. Using a vegetable hand-peeler, peel any green part around the heart. Keep dipping the artichokes in the lemon-water bath as you work to prevent them from browning. Quarter the artichokes, remove the chokes and then cut in 1/4″ slices. Place in the lemon-water bath. Peel the stalks with the vegetable hand-peeler to remove all green parts. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut in 1/4″ slices and place the in the lemon-water bath. Set aside until ready to use.

Step 3: For the broth – place the spring water and vegetable broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat and keep on the stove near the risotto pan.

Step 4: For the risotto – heat a wide heavy-bottomed sauté pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and red onion, stir well and sauté for 3 minutes until wilted. Drain the artichoke slices, shake any excess water and add them to the pan. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the artichokes are golden, stirring only occasionally. Add the garlic and white wine and continue sautéing until the wine has reduced to a syrupy sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice, salt and pepper and sauté for 1 minute until the rice becomes translucent at the edges, stirring constantly.
Cook’s note: If you are making this recipe ahead of time, take the pan off the heat at this time until ready to continue the risotto. When you are ready to proceed, reheat the risotto at medium heat and proceed as below.

Step 5: Reduce heat to medium to medium-high. Add a scoop of the broth to the rice using a ladle and simmer, stirring constantly until all the liquid has been absorbed. You may have to adjust the heat from time to time so that the risotto is always at a good simmer, but doesn’t stick to the pot. Add another ladle of broth and continue stirring, repeating the process until the rice is creamy but still al dente. This will take about 20 minutes.
Cook’s note: You can use 5 to 6 cups of liquid depending on the rice you use, and whether you like a drier risotto. The more liquid you use, the wetter your risotto will be.

Step 6: Add the butter and parmesan and stir continuously to make the consistency of the risotto softer and creamier. As soon as the butter is melted, turn off the heat and stir in the pesto.

Step 7: Spoon the risotto into pasta bowls. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Garnish with chive tips and serve immediately.

Simply Wonderful Guacamole

I've been making guacamole for years.  And over the years, I've probably made it 500 different ways.  Cumin. No cumin.  Lots of garlic. No garlic.  Tomatoes. No tomatoes. And let's face it, no matter what you do  . . . it's usually pretty good and is inhaled by your family and friends within minutes.  However, whenever I order guacamole at a restaurant, I am continually disappointed.  I have high expectations of good restaurants that they should produce a better quality guacamole.  But instead, they tend to overcomplicate it, whip it or use too much seasoning that hides the flavor of the avocado.

One thing I have determined is the best guacamole is one that allows the avocado to retain some of it's original density and chunky texture instead of being mashed until it's pulverized into a dip.  I've also become a purist who believes really good and flavorful guacamole doesn't need a bunch of seasonings or to be overcomplicated. Like a lot of good food . . it should be simple, with just a few ingredients and each ingredient should shine and be tasted instead of masked.  And . . . don't plan on having any leftovers! Don't worry about it turning brown or adding lemon juice or lime juice or leaving the avocado pit in the bowl... or what it's like the next day. Guacamole should be made and served immediately. And trust me, when it's good, you won't have any left over.

If you intend to make guacamole or any kind of Mexican food on a regular basis, then one of the tools you should really have is a traditional Molcajete or mortar and pestle. Many people confuse a Molcajete with the marble mortar and pestles which are more common in American culinary stores.

Originally designed by the Aztecs, a real molcajete is round and sits on three legs, and is made from black basalt, a volcanic rock and can be seasoned and enhance food flavor much like a wok or a cast iron skillet (another tool that is good to have in your kitchen)  Look for the ones that are very dark in color and have the raw texture of volcanic rock versus a smooth marble.  And the real ones are very heavy!  This tool is really essential to good Mexican cooking or any cooking really.  You can grind spices or make salsas and chile pastes.  And it should be used as a serving dish for salsas and guacamole.

You can find these on line and at Williams-Sonoma. You can certainly make guacamole without it and I know you're thinking "Oh Laura, enough already. . . can't I just use a fork and bowl?"  Yes, you can . . . and a wooden bowl is best. . . but it just isn't as good or authentic.  You will taste the difference and it's more fun to use a molcajete.   When guests arrive, whip out the molcajete and make it in front of them.  They'll be curious and intrigued. So, I'll step down off of my soapbox now . . . but if your intention is to make terrific and memorable guacamole more than a few times in your life... just go buy one!  They usually cost between $25.00 and $50.00.

When you first buy a molcajete, it needs to be properly seasoned.  This process takes time and patience, but it's well worth the effort.  There are many opinions on how to season it, but I'll tell you what I did.  When you first buy the molcajete, the interior surface will be rough and gritty.  The goal is to smooth the interior surface and remove any residual "grit" or lava rock "dust" and also season it for flavor.  When I first received mine (a gift from my husband), I took some slightly damp white rice and using the pestle, I ground the rice until it was totally milled.  The color of the rice will turn a little grey from the stone.  You want to keep doing this with the rice until the color of the rice remains white.  I'll warn you, this takes some elbow grease and may take many days.  I did it once a day for about a week.  After all it only takes a few minutes investment per day.  The interior of mine isn't quite smooth yet, but it's getting there.  It takes a lot of use to really get it smooth.  Some websites say to mash garlic in the molcajete and leave it overnight.  I didn't do this (perhaps I should have), but I believe just using it a lot for your spices, salsas and guac will season it overtime.

Now to the guacamole.  Look for good quality Haas avocados, preferably organic. Make sure they are ripe but still firm. You don't want the avocado meat to be mushy. Also look for vine ripened tomatoes (again, organic is always best) that will dice well and retain their firmness.  I've used romas, vine tomatoes and even Heirlooms.  Buy whatever looks best and in season.  If you want to add some pretty color, buy a yellow and red heirloom and dice.

The flavor of this recipe comes from making a paste in the molcajete that will be used to add back to the avocado.  It's my belief that this step is the ultimate trick to great guacamole. Instead of blending and mashing all ingredients together, use the molcajete to create a flavor packed paste that will allow the avocado to remain firm and chunky but have great flavor.

The recipe follows, but don't get too caught up on the quantity of ingredients.  Like all good cooking, just adjust it to your taste and I'm sure you'll be very happy with the outcome.

Guacamole Recipe:

Ingredients for the pepper paste:

• 2 TBSP finely chopped white onion
• 3 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 TBSP chopped jalapeno pepper
• 1 TBSP chopped serrano pepper (*optional)
• 1 TBSP chopped garlic
• 1 tsp chopped chipotle pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt

Remaining guacamole ingredients:

• 4 ripe Haas avocados (but should still be firm to the touch)
• 5 TBSP carefully diced tomato (*optional)
• 5 TBSP chopped cilantro (more or less per your taste)
• 2 TBSP chopped white onion
• Sea salt

To make the pepper paste, place onion, cilantro, jalapeno, serrano and chipotle pepper and grind them in the molcajete until all ingredients are finely ground into a paste.  If you didn't buy the molcajete (tisk.. tisk...) then you can use a big bowl and fork - but don't use a food processor because you don't want to puree the ingredients.

Take each avocado and cut in half, lengthwise.  Twist the halves to separate and delicately remove the pit using a knife.  You want to keep as much of the meat in tact as possible.  Then cut avocado into cube size pieces.  Make 4 slices then slice again in the opposite direction to create the cubes before removing from the skins.  Use a spoon to scoop out the cut avocado cubes into the molcajete containing the pepper paste.

Using a spoon, very gently fold the paste into the avocado.  Don't mash the avocado in.  Again, you want to maintain the large cubed chunks as much as possible.  Some will get a little mashed, but that's ok as long as it's still mostly cubed. Then gently add chopped tomato, onion and cilantro.  Serve immediately!

Meyer Lemon Relish

Recipe Adapted from Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook

During the summer, the markets are full of beautiful Meyer lemons.  They are so sweet and fragrant and can be used in many dishes.  This relish is so good with seafood.  The other night I served it with salmon and an heirloom tomato salad.  Wonderful.  But, considering it's a recipe by Alice Waters . . . I expect nothing less than wonderful.

Next time I make it, I will slice the shallots and lemon even finer . . . 

Ingredients:

• 1 large shallot, diced fine
• 1 TBSP white wine vinegar
• Sea salt
• 1 large Meyer lemon
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 TBSP chopped parsley
• 1 TBSP chopped chervil or chives
• Pepper

Method:

Place diced shallot in a bowl and add the vinegar and a pinch of salt.  Let it sit for 10-15 minutes.  

Cut the lemon into 8 wedges.  Remove the seeds and core gently and but each wedge in half (lengthwise)  Slice the wedges crosswise into thin slivers.  This will make about a 1/2 cup.  

Combine the lemon slivers, shallot and another pinch of salt.  Stir in the olive oil, parsley, chives and some fresh ground pepper.  Taste and season.

Baked Baby Artichokes in Sauvignon Blanc

Adapted from The French Market Cookbook by Joanne Harris and Fran Wade

I've mentioned my Northern California roots in many of these recipes.  The farm fresh vegetables found at the local produce stands and farmer's markets are second to none.  Now that I live in Colorado, access to fresh baby artichokes at the beginning of summer is something I miss.  I could have them 100 different ways during the summer and never tire of the sweet tender flavor.  When you can find them, try this recipe for an elegant and seasonally fresh side dish.  I started with a recipe from the wonderful book, The French Market and made a few minor variations.

Ingredients:

• 12 whole small / baby artichokes
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
• 10 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup dry white Sauvignon or Fume Blanc (Groth or Ferrari Carrano works well)
• 1 3/4 stick unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Cut off the stalk from the base of each artichoke and pull off outer leaves.  Cut top off about 1/3 of the way down.  Scrape out the inner choke.

Stand each artichoke upright in a casserole dish.  Add equal amounts of the parsley, thyme, garlic and oil to the center of each choke and lightly season with sea salt and pepper.  Pour in the white wine and cover tightly with aluminum foil to make a seal.  Bake about 35 minutes or until tender.

Remove artichokes into 6 shallow bowls.  Place casserole dish with remaining fluid over burner on a high heat to bring to boil.  Add the butter and cook until the liquid reduces by half.  Spoon into the center of each artichoke and serve.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

During the peak of summer when heirloom tomatoes are at their best, why get complicated?  Heirlooms, olive oil and garden fresh herbs are all you need for a delicious summer salad.  The taste is incredible and the wide variety of colors from green to yellow and purple with add life to your dinner table.

Ingredients:

• 4 large heirloom tomatoes of varying colors, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup thyme leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly cracked black peppercorns
• sliced pecorino romano cheese (optional)

Core tomatoes using paring knife and slice thinly.  Remove basil and thyme leaves from herb stems and chop.  Place tomatoes in a bowl and add olive oil and sprinkle with herbs.  Add sea salt and pepper.  Serve with sliced romano cheese.

Shaved Summer Squash with Squash Blossoms

from A Platter of Figs by David Tanis.

I can't say enough about this book.  Every recipe is so fresh and simple, allowing the seasonal ingredients to shine without over seasoning or complicated sauces masking their flavors.  When I was looking for a fresh way to enjoy summer squash this recipe did the trick.  It only takes a few ingredients and minutes of your time to assemble this beautiful summery and colorful dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds small yellow zucchini
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 12 squash blossoms
• 1/2 pound ricotta salata or mild feta

Rinsce zucchini and wipe dry.  Cut off both ends of each zucchini.  Using a mandoline or sharp thin-bladed knife, cut the squash lengthwise into very thin slices.  Put the squash into a large bowl and cover with a damp towel and until you're ready to serve.

Just before serving season the squash lightly with salt and pepper and toss gently.  Drizzle with olive oil just to coat.  Add the juice of half the lemon.  Toss again, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Mound the dressed squash on a platter.  Tear the squash blossoms (petals only) into strips and scatter them over the salad.  With a sharp vegetable peeler, shave the cheese over the platter.  Serve immediately.

Summer Squash, Yukon Gold Potato & Heirloom Tomato Gratin

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 pounds yellow summer squash and zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 teaspoon  sea salt
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (use Thyme or Oregano as a variation)
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups fresh sourdough bread crumbs (see below)
• 1/2 pound yukon gold potatoes, sliced very thin (almost transparent)
• 1-1.5 pounds large Heirloom tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick (varying colors of tomatoes)
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese, grated  (try goat cheese or feta as a nice variation)
• 1.4 cup freshly grated parmesan-reggiano

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place a rack in the middle. Rub a 2 qt. gratin pan (or equivalent baking dish but preferably oval) with a bit of olive oil then take one garlic clove - smash it and rub over inside of pan,  and set aside.

In a  skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until transparent and slightly golden - about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat  if they're browning too quickly. Add the garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. Spread the onions and garlic evenly in the bottom of the oiled gratin dish. Let cool.

To make the sauce: puree the basil, parsley, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil in a food processor or using a hand blender. Set aside.

Put the tomato slices on a shallow plate to drain for a few minutes and then discard the collected juices.

Make the breadcrumbs take approximately 1/2 loaf of bakery day old sourdough bread (you need enough to make 2 cups) and cut it into 2 inch strips.  Bake for 10 minutes in oven at 400 degrees until golden.  Grind in food processor until blended but not too fine.  Set aside.  Then melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until the butter is  fragrant, and has turned golden. Wait a few, then stir the breadcrumbs into the browned butter.

Transfer the squash to a large mixing bowl. Add the potatoes and two-thirds of the oregano sauce. Toss until everything is well coated. Add the cheese and half of the bread crumbs and toss again. Taste the zucchini and add more seasoning if needed.

(Note:  Quantities are approximate on layering.  The size and slicing of layered vegetables may vary so just use your judgement as you layer - it's possible you'll be left with extra veggies)

Starting at one end of the baking dish, lay a row of slightly overlapping tomato slices across the width of the dish and sprinkle with a little of the cheese. Next, lay a row of zucchini, overlapping the tomatoes by two-thirds, and sprinkle with cheese. Then add layer of potato.  Repeat with a row of squash, and then repeat rows, sprinkling each with cheese, until the gratin is full., top with the remaining crumbs and sprinkle with parmesan, and bake until well-browned all over and the juices have have reduced and have been bubbling, 60 to 70 min. If the breadcrumbs start to get a little dark, take a fork and scrape them lightly to rotate less cooked bits.  Remove from oven, and drizzle lightly with the remaining basil sauce.  Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes prior to serving.

Assaggiare Mendocino's Eggplant Salad

Recipe and photo submitted by Julia Kendrick Conway

www.assaggiare.com.

Once again, a fellow foodie read my mind.  I was saying how much I loved eggplant to a friend and suddenly... a reference to this eggplant salad pops up on Facebook!  It looked so wonderful, I just had to get the recipe!

The wine country of California offers a bounty of wonderful people who are passionate about food and wine.  Julia Kendrick Conway of Assaggiare Mendocino is no exception.  Her love of food and the art of cooking guided her to the Mendocino area where she started her own business.  Assaggiare provides unique catering services and cooking classes.

Nothing makes Julia happier than sharing her craft with others.  She believes in using nothing but the highest quality local ingredients from neighboring farmer's markets.

If you are visiting the Mendocino area, please consider Julia for catering needs or attend a class in her teaching kitchen.  For more information please visit www.assaggiare.com. Thank you Julia!

Ingredients:

• 3 small sweet peppers, Gypsy or Lipstick are recommended
• 1/2 pint home canned tomato conserva
• sea salt
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp dried aleppo pepper bits
• 1/4 tsp ground dried chipotle or spanish smoked pimenton (less spicy)
• 1/4 cup robust olive oil
• 4 fresh Italian or Asian eggplant, cut into 1'' cubes with skin on
• 1/4 tsp LaMar's Mendocino Seasoning Sand*

Cut peppers in to quarters, removing ribs and seeds, char, skin side down on the grill until skin blisters. Cool, peel and chop coarsely. Heat tomato in a saucepan (or substitute 1 whole tomato, peeled and seeded plus 3 tablespoons doppio tomato paste and thin with water) and add garlic, aleppo pepper and chipotle. Simmer about five minutes to develop and meld the flavors, taste and season with sea salt as needed or balance the sweetness of the tomato.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a deep saucepan with a heavy bottom. Add eggplant, and stir to coat with oil. Cook until tender, 15 minutes +/-, stirring to prevent sticking. Add pepper pieces to tomato mixture and set aside. When eggplant is cooked through and translucent, add the tomato mixture and reduce temperature to low, simmering for 5 minutes. Season with LaMar's Mendocino Seasoning Sand and serve warm or at room temperature with pan-toasted flatbread or flour tortillas.

The LaMar's is a fabulous new product from our farmers' market in Mendocino that is made from their locally harvested sea salt, garlic, onion, black pepper and brown sugar. Ask for it at your local retailers or order online here

Fried Squash Blossoms

by Oui Cook Chef Rocco Hanson

www.OuiCook.com

Rocco and Aimee Hanson own a wonderful and inventive culinary company called Oui Cook in Mendocino, California. Describing them as caterers or even as chefs just does not do them justice.  What they really do is create an ambiance for your event or private dinner that includes wonderfully prepared food.  I have first hand experience with Oui Cook.  Over the last few years, my family has insisted on Rocco and Aimee for any of our private parties.

This year, they prepared all of the food for our July 4th party.  Coming from a long line of culinary control freaks, I appreciate Rocco's creative flexibility if we have ideas for the menu.  We asked him to make some of our favorites as well as his specialties.  One of the most popular items that day was Rocco's fried squash blossoms.  He has been making these for years and they are consumed faster than anything.

When squash blossoms are available, please try this recipe.  We opted to add bacon to this filling recipe and served with a tomato coulis.  There are many other variations you can make.

Ingredients:

• Zucchini squash blossoms

Blossom Filling:

• 2 cups Ricotta
• 1 cup high quality Parmesan
• 1 egg
• salt / pepper
• 1 cup sweet white corn kernels

Batter:

• 1.5 cup flour
• 3/4 cup sparking mineral water

Tomato Coulis.

In a blender . . .

• 10  tomatoes peeled and seeded
• 2T  red wine vineagar
• 2T sugar
• 1T black pepper
• 1C good tomato juice ( for color )
• 3/4C good olive oil (slowly added )
• 1/2C Chives
• 1/2C Basil

Method:

Remove pistol from blossom

Cut stem to the desired length.

Cook corn in salted water and remove kernels from the cob

Mix Ricotta, egg, Parmesan cheese, and corn.  Using a piping bag, pipe the filling into each squash blossom (This step may be done a day in advance)

In a separate bowl, mix flour and mineral water and rest for ½ hour. You need to adjust consistency to how thick or thin you want the batter. I keep it really thin so that the focus is on the squash blossom.  Dip each blossom into the batter.  The batter will hold, just do not bunch blossoms up together.... Coat well, let some fall off.  Don't make it too wet!

Heat olive oil – not to smoking point – and cook until golden. You may shallow fry or deep fry.You may also roast it in an oven with no batter or oil.  Place on platter and spoon tomato coulis over blossom.

www.OuiCook.com • Rocco Hanson • Fan Us: Facebook.com/Oui-Cook

photos by John Birchard - www.birchardphoto.com

Mache Greens with Garlic Lemon Vinaigrette, Goat Cheese and Roasted Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes

From NPR.org:  Mache, also called lamb's lettuce, has been cultivated in France since the 17th century. But in California's Salinas Valley, the tiny, dark green plant with the sweet, nutty flavor is making its American commercial debut

I love these greens.  They are nutty and sweet and don't have any bitterness to them.  You can find them in Whole Foods and other good quality markets.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch or container of Mache greens
• Leaves from 1 large bunch of fresh mint
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 container heirloom cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley
• Locally made goat cheese (Haystack in Colorado)
• Kalmata olives
• Freshly made vinaigrette  (see recipe below)

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 TBSP fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method:

Make vinaigrette by whisking together oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, thyme and lemon juice in a bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 425.  Place heirloom tomatoes in roasting pan.  Toss with parsley, salt and pepper.  Drizzle with olive oil and lightly shake tomatoes in pan to coat with olive oil.  Roast for about 20 minutes in oven.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Toss mache, mint leaves and scallions in a bowl.  Add about 4 tablespoons (approximate) of vinaigrette and toss well to coat mache.  Dress on a plate with crumbles of goat cheese, scallions, pitted kalmata olives and roasted tomatoes.

Duarte's Famous Artichoke Soup

"It mighta' choked Arti but it ain't gonna choke me" -Buckwheat

When I was a child, my parents decided to venture into the business of growing and selling Christmas trees.  They opened the San Gregorio Christmas Tree Farm in the early 1970's.  For many years, hundreds of people would come from the San Francisco Bay Area to visit our farm.  It was a nice way to grow up... watching kids and their parents wander through nearly 60 acres of Monterey Pine and Douglas Fir seeking the perfect tree to cut down and take home with them.  San Gregorio is a very small hamlet just south of Half Moon Bay.  The coastline is dotted with small communities that seem to be stuck in a time warp.  Many of the hard working cattle ranching families have lived in this area for generations and helped to shape the history rich coast.

Just down the highway from San Gregorio is the town of Pescadero.  In addition to its beautiful scenery, Pescadero is known for a small restaurant called Duarte's Tavern.  The Duartes were Portuguese immigrants and in 1894 they settled in Pescadero and paid $12.00 in gold for what is now Duarte's Tavern.  The family has been running it using the same recipes and fresh coastal ingredients ever since.

www.duartestavern.com

When I was a child, I had the pleasure of going to Duarte's many times for their very famous artichoke soup, crab Cioppino followed by olallieberry pie.   Emma Duarte or "Grandma" as everyone called her, would always make me feel so special when she fussed over me during our regular visits.  She was such an institution to this wonderfully interesting part of California, I feel very priviledged that I was able to know her.

Photo of Emma Duarte's Olallieberry Pie

When I started looking for their soup recipes, I found numerous versions on the internet.  So, I called Duarte's with what I felt were the closest recipes and they walked me through the process.  Since they have been making this for generations, the recipe isn't a scientific formula but requires an instinct and "a little of this and a little of that"  In fact, Emma never wrote down any of her recipes but rather passed them down to each generation through lots of practice in the kitchen.  I can't promise this is exact.. but it will be good and very close.

Tips:

Using only fresh artichokes (never canned) clean them well and remove all fuzz. Trim the green off around the bottom. As soon as you finish cleaning each one, drop it in water with lemon in it.  When you have enough, cook them in hot olive oil al dente. Add a little salt and pepper when you begin cooking. Drain.

It's very important to sautee the artichokes in olive oil to preserve it's color and flavor.  Don't completely cook, just until they are Al Dente.  Over cooking can make the artichokes gray and mushy in your soup.

Place the artichokes in a blender or food processor with Organic (or homemade stock) chicken broth.  Add garlic and saute' in olive oil for just a minute or two.  Thicken with cream  and corn starch (mix those two first than add to thicken).  Add a some butter...at least 1/4 stick.  .

Don't let the soup get too light or white in color.  Try to keep it green.  The result is a bright beautiful light jade green soup with darker green flecks in it.

Approximate proportions and steps:

1. About one cup of chunks of fresh artichoke hearts (maybe four large/jumbo sized bottoms)
2. Lemon in water (used in preparation to keep them from turning brown)
3. Three tablespoons good quality, fresh extra virgin olive oil
4. Cook al dente, maybe ten to fifteen minutes, add a smashed garlic for the last two minutes
5. Save out one quarter to one half of an artichoke bottom to use as garnish
6. Add one cup chicken broth to artichokes and garlic
7. Blend
8. Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one cup of milk or half and half; add more cornstarch if you like thicker soup or cream if you like richer soup
9. Put the contents of the blender and the milk/cornstarch mixture in a large saucepan
10. Stir over low heat, constantly scraping the bottom, until it boils
11. Boil one minute, remove from heat
12. Swirl in one or more tablespoons of butter
13. Adjust salt, do not add more chicken broth as it will cover the lovely vegetable flavor
14. Grind some pepper over it, garnish with reserved diced fried artichoke

Island Style Gazpacho

Living in the Boulder Colorado area I am very spoiled by wonderful grocery and specialty food stores.  This includes a fabulous Whole Foods that is so popular it is about to be expanded to nearly double its current size.  This interesting twist on Gazpacho came was inspired by the Whole Foods deli and it is wonderful on a warm day.  Try them with grilled prawns or baby lobster tails.

Ingredients

2 cups high quality tomato juice

1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple juice

1 champagne mango, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 1/4 cups fresh chopped pineapple

1 small hot house cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1/3 cup finely chopped red onion

1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro

3 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon lime zest

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Method

Combine the tomato juice, pineapple juice, mango and pineapple in a blender and pulse 5 to 8 times, or until just combined; the mixture should be slightly chunky. Transfer pineapple mixture to a large non-metallic bowl. Stir in cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, cilantro, lime juice, zest, salt and hot sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Ladle gazpacho into tall high ball or martini glasses and serve.

Bowl of Sunshine Soup - Ginger, Butternut Orange

This fresh and wonderful recipe was provided by Chef David Wells...

also known as "Grandma Dave."

www.grandmadave.com

I continue to be amazed by my good friend David Well's refreshing, nutritional and delicious creations.  This morning I was struggling with what to post as I've been neglecting this website for the last couple weeks.  He read my mind and sent me this wonderful recipe.  I love the name and look forward to including this in my portfolio of family favorites.  Please excuse the stock image... a real photo will be added as soon as I make a batch!

Some Nutritional Benefits:

High in powerful antioxidants: Vitamins A (beta carotene), C. Low calorie source. A great potassium and folate source. High in fiber. Excellent for improving circulation, and relieving nausea and indigestion. Bright visual color is appealing and stimulating.

Yield: 10 (12 oz.) servings

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cooking time: approx. 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 TB.  olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup ginger, peeled and sliced
• 2-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 cup rice vinegar or sake
• 1 lg. butternut squash, peeled seeded and rough cut
• 3 quarts H20
• 3 TB. orange zest (orange part of skin only)
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 bunch scallions, thinly sliced on bias (angle)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat soup pot on medium heat w/olive oil until smoking.

Sautee onions, garlic, and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent.

Add rice wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Add butternut squash and 2 quarts of H20.

Simmer slowly for 2 hours.

Ladle contents into a blender and puree.

CAUTION: Always be very careful, pureeing hot food in as contents may erupt. You may want to remove the top and cover with a plate.  Always leave some space for heat to escape.

If needed, you can adjust consistency w/remaining quart of H20.

Return pureed mixture to rinsed pot, heat and simmer.

Add cilantro, orange zest, and scallions.

Season w/salt and pepper and serve.

MENDOCINO SLAW

This isn't a typical cole slaw recipe slathered in mayonnaise.  It's not just delicious... but it's a colorful and beautiful addition to your table.  The quantities are approximate and really vary depending upon the size of each item of produce.  Have fun with this recipe and experiment with the dressing.  This is one of those "a little bit of this and a little dab of that" recipes... Be sure to pair this with the Ahi Tuna Wonton Crisps.

Ingredients:

Recipes and photos reprinted with permission:

Sue Doeden’s All About Food Blog

http://www.areavoices.com/sdoeden/

In her own words, from All About Food Blog:

There are two things in my world that tell me spring is officially here. One, the call of the loons wake me from my morning slumber as they float on the river just outside my window. That just happened Wednesday morning. Two, the small juicy yellow-skinned mangoes are ready to purchase by the case at my favorite little Asian market in Fargo. Done. Spring is here.

This year the mangoes are from Mexico and are called Adolfo (Ataulfo). I've seen some that look similar that are called Champagne mangoes. All I know for sure is that these small mangoes are the sweetest and juiciest I've ever tasted.

If the mangoes you bring home from the store look like the ones pictured above, let them sit out at room temperatue until the skins get all wrinkled with a few little brown spots. Then you will know the mangoes are sweet and ready to eat.

I decided to prepare a savory mango soup for a Caribbean-themed dinner I was planning to attend. To add some coconut flavor to the finished soup, I tried to recreate a coconut custard I recently tasted.

While I was working in Minneapolis last week, I had the opportunity to have dinner at Heidi's, a cozy little restaurant near 50th and Penn. The food was fantastic. I was especially smitten by my entree. Sauteed halibut on a Haupia cake was that evening's special. The haupia cake was made of coconut custard that had been cut into a plank, coated with Panko and fried.

I wanted some of that coconut custard to top my hot mango soup.

I cooked up some custard using coconut milk, coconut cream and a little curry paste for some kick, thickening the mixture with cornstarch.

The mango soup is very easy to make, but the real key is to use the ripest, sweetest and juiciest mangoes you can get your hands on. I've had an opened container of tamarind paste/concentrate in my refrigerator for ages and am always trying to think of ways to use it up. It's very tart, so 1 teaspoon in this soup is just right. It balances so nicely with the sweet mangoes.

Top each bowl of hot soup with a small scoop of Coconut Cream Custard. Garnish with a curl of lime. Serve. And then, just listen to all those satisfied ooohs and aaaahs and sighs.

It's a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy.

At the Caribbean dinner it will be served just before Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Salsa and Curried Citrus Rice, all prepared by our host. I'll be sure to give you a report on the whole meal.

I plan to make the soup again while my favorite mangoes are still available and serve it with some spiced and grilled shrimp.

Coconut Cream Custard

• 1 1/2 cups water, divided
• 8 ounces cornstarch
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk (not the Lite style)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 of a 16-ounce can of Coco Casa Coconut Cream
• 1 teaspoon curry paste

Using a fork, mix cornstarch with 1 cup of water, stirring to dissolve cornstarch. Set aside.

In a medium saucepot, mix coconut milk, sugar and remining 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat. Pour cornstarch mixture into the hot liquid, stirring constantly with a fork or wire whisk. When mixture is quite smooth, return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in cream of coconut and curry paste. Set aside while preparing cooling dish.

Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper or waxed paper. Pour coconut custard into lined dish. Press a piece of waxed paper over the top of the custard so it is completely sealed. Chill in refrigerator until firm.

Custard can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator until time to serve the soup.

Smooth and Savory Mango Soup with a Coconut Cream Dollop

• 5 medium-sized white onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 6 very ripe Adolfo (Ataulfo) mangoes, peeled, seed removed, chopped
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• Lime zest for garnish, if desired

In a soup pot, melt butter. Saute chopped onions in butter until tender but not brown. Add chopped mangoes and minced serrano. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Add chicken broth. Bring soup to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in tamarind paste, salt and pepper.

Puree soup in blender in several small batches. I always cover the lid of the blender with my kitchen towel before I turn it on, just in case that hot soup spurts out of the top.

To serve, ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Place a small scoop of Coconut Cream Custard on each serving. Garnish with a curl of lime zest, if desired.

Quinoa with Roasted Peppers and Carmelized Onions

Submitted by: Greg Boynton

Haute Touch Catering

303-725-2654

www.hautetouch.com

In his own words:

Here is the recipe for the quinoa dish I (Haute Touch Catering)did for a Food Network wedding 2 years ago. Take the time to do this right and you will be rewarded with a deep earthy quinoa which will stand apart from any you have had before.

Start by caramelizing one large yellow onion.

Cut into 1/2" squares, add salt and pepper to taste and lightly coat with olive oil. Sweat them in a pan for 45 minutes covered making sure not to color. Sweating is very slowl cooking while keeping covered with a tight fitting lid. The water in the onion turns to steam and the sugar turns into a sweet onion syrup. Stir occasionally to prevent coloring.

After onions are cooked, add in 1c. quinoa and 1 3/4 c. water, s&p to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes depending on how you like it cooked. Add more water if you don't like it aldente.

Adjust seasoning to taste. Season prior to boiling so that the flavor cooks into the quinoa giving a deeper flavor.

Once cooked, add in roasted peppers, caramelized onions, blanched asparagus and 1/2 cup each chopped Italian parsley and whole Thai basil leaves.

Finish with a tapanade of tomato, your favorite chopped olives, shaved fresh fennel, shaved Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil

Keep in mind that the olives are salty, so don't season to heavily.

This is a great summer dish which goes well on a buffet.

Burdock Root Salad with Scallions & Cilantro

Submitted by:

David Wells, Chef / Nutracoach

www.grandmadave.com

Ingredients:

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar

one thick Burdock root julienned (usually 4-5" long and 1" diameter

Peel skin off and julienne right into the vinegar to stop oxidation)

1/2 bunch Scallions thinly sliced on a bias

1 Tablespoons toatsed light and dark sesame seeds

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro chopped

Quinoa Pilaf

Submitted by:

David Wells, Chef / Nutracoach

www.nutracoach.com

Here is a basic quinoa pilaff that i like to make as a base item and then add different variations depending on the crowd and venue.

I usually add at least 8 cups of chopped fresh and raw herbs and veggies to this base, veggies would depend on what i plan to serve with it etc. Adding a lot of fresh and raw veggies tomatoess, cucumbers, peppers,celery, carrot~whatever you like, even grilled and chopped one to accompany a grilled protein etc.

Quinoa Pilaf

Makes approx 4- 5 servings

Prep time: 30 minutes

cooking time: 15-20 min.

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 small carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 sticks celery, peeled and diced
• 1 Tbs. garlic, finely chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup quinoa thoroughly rinsed.
• 2 cups H20 or seasoned vegetable stock
• Fresh herbs: basil, chives, oregano, parsley (optional)

In 4-quart sauce pot, saute garlic, onion for two minutes (med heat)

Add carrots and celery stirring for approx 5 minutes

Add quinoa, sauteeing slightly approx 3 minutes

Season with salt and pepper

Add water or stock and bring to a boil, immediately lower to a simmer

Give a final stir, and cover with tight fitting lid

Cook on low for 15 minutes.

Turn off and let stand for 10 minutes before serving

Quinoa Tabouli

Submitted by:

David Wells, Chef  - Grandma Dave

www.grandmadave.com

Some Nutritional Benefits

Excellent source of: iron, magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and other minerals. Good source of vitamin B complex and fiber. Quinoa is one of the two only grains that are complete protein.

Yield: 12 (1 cup) servings

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T garlic, finely chopped
• 1 sm. onion, diced
• 2 T Wholearth Spice blend of choice
• 2 cups quinoa, rinsed under cool water for 30 seconds
• 3 ½ cups vegetable broth or water
• 2 small cucumber, diced
• 4 small tomato, diced
• 2 bu. parsley, chopped
• 1 bu. mint, chopped
• 2 lemons, juiced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat olive oil to smoking point.

Sauté onions and garlic until translucent.

Add rinsed quinoa and sauté until lightly coated with oil.

Add spice blend of choice.

Add vegetable broth or water and season with salt and pepper.

Bring quinoa up to boil, cover with tight fitting lid, turn down to simmer.

Cook for 15 minutes; remove from heat, let stand to cool for 30 minutes.

Add all other ingredients and let stand in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Plate and serve.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Submitted by:

David Wells, Chef Grandma Dave

www.grandmadave.com

Some Nutritional Benefits:

Wide variety of fresh vegetables are a substantial source of digestive enzymes and contain all essential vitamins, particularly vitamins A, B, and C, and also rich in minerals. Full of cleansing and tonifying properties essential for healthy nerve and digestive function. High in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and glutamic acid, which may boost immune function.

• Spring roll wrappers (rice) 8, medium
• Carrots 2, medium
• Snow peas 12
• Bell pepper red and yellow 1 of each
• Scallions 1 bunch
• Diakon radish 4” chunk
• Cucumber ½ each (English)
• Cabbage ¼ head
• Leek (blanched) 1
• Shiitake mushrooms 8 each (poached or sauteed)
• Cilantro (chopped) ½ bunch
• Mint (chopped) ½ bunch
• Basil (chopped) ½ bunch
• Furiake shake ¼ jar(can be purchased at Asian market)
• Sesame seeds

Note: The amount and proportion of ingredients will vary according to personal preference and desired quantity.

Julienne all vegetables, chop all herbs.

Blanch leeks and sautee or poach mushrooms.

Moisten rice paper rolls in between paper towels or with spray bottle let sit for five minutes.

Uniformly place vegetables into the center of each roll.

Top with herbs, scallions, shake and sesame seeds.

Gently roll the rice paper, if needed, seal the ends with a small amount of water.

Cut in half, on a bias, and cover with damp paper towel until ready to eat.

Peanut Dipping Sauce Yields: 1 1/2 cups

• 1 Tb. sesame oil (light)
• 1 cup organic peanut butter
• 2 Tb. ginger root- chopped
• 1 Tb. garlic- chopped
• 1 Tb. lemon grass- chopped
• 2 Tb. scallions- chopped
• 1 Tb. sesame seeds- toasted
• ½ bu. cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tb. rice vinegar
• 2 Tb. agave nectar
• Water to adjust consistency

Sautee ginger, garlic, lemon grass, and scallions in sesame oil.

Put all other ingredients into food processor and pulse.

Add water to adjust consistency.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Reprinted with Permission: By Caron Golden (www.sandiegofoodstuff.com)

(In her own words from her blog www.sandiegofoodstuff.com)

I've been making this soup for years, just grabbing items in the refrigerator as they inspired me. It was only when I made a batch for a friend who had just had a baby and then she requested the recipe that I finally wrote something up. It's still subject to what I may have on hand but that's the beauty of soup, isn't it. Usually, I use a combination of fresh shitake and crimini mushrooms as well as Swiss chard or kale. Today, I had several shitakes but I also decided to use a package each of the brown and white beech mushrooms and the maitake.

The beech mushrooms, known in Japan as Buna shimeji (brown) and Bunapi™ (white), are stunningly beautiful. They have little fragrance and pose elegantly from the large base they cluster on.

The brown beech are widely considered the most "gourmet" of the oyster-style mushrooms. Both beech varieties (in the wild they grow on wood, often beech trees -- hence the name) are a little sweet, a little nutty and perfect for soups, sauces and stir frying.

Maitaki mushrooms are much more "fungus-y." They look like something right out of a deep dark chilly forest.

And, in fact, in nature they're found on dead or dying deciduous trees in northern temperate forests. These mushrooms have the robust, earthy smell and flavor you'd expect from a fleshy brown fungus. Stir-fry them, saute them, bake them or use them for tempura. I'll play around with them some more later, but they seemed like a good addition to the soup today.

Now, many people like to use the dried shitakes found in Asian markets. I always have a bag on hand, but I love using them fresh. These were so plump and large, they called out to me at Mitsuwa. Here are the last of the bunch, along with pearl barley and a head of garlic also being used in today's soup.

Now to the soup.  I like to add beef, in the form of boneless short ribs, to it, which means I also use beef stock as the base. But the beef is, of course, optional. You could add chicken or turkey or just keep it vegetarian, adding a soup stock most appropriate to what you're doing. There's no real need to add the greens, but I like to. Certainly other root vegetables would work here as well. My basics are carrots and onions but parsnips and/or turnips would add a nice sweetness to the soup. And, note, with these mushrooms, I sliced the shitakes but the others I simply separated from one another.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 3/4 cup of pearl barley
• 3 cups or so of Swiss chard or kale
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 quart of beef stock (if using meat, otherwise you can use chicken or vegetable stock)
• A couple of splashes of good dry sherry or cognac
• Optional: one pound of boneless beef short ribs, cut into cubes

Okay, get out a large stock pot. If you're using the beef, heat the pot, add enough oil to cover the bottom, let that heat for a minute till it shimmers and then add the beef. Let the pieces brown on all sides and then remove them and drain the fat from the pot.

Add a splash more olive oil and then add the onions and garlic. Sauté on low heat until the onions turn translucent and then just a little golden.

Then start adding everything else: the mushrooms, carrots and Swiss chard first, then the beef, then the pearl barley. Then add the stock. If one quart isn't enough to cover the contents, I add water, then a couple of splashes of sherry or cognac. Finally, add some salt and pepper to taste.

Stir it to mix it well. Then bring it to a boil and skim the fat. Turn down the heat to simmer and cover the pot. I let it cook a couple of hours and then adjust the salt and pepper.

It freezes really well, too.

That's it. Adjust the amounts if it doesn't look right to you. Add other ingredients you might like.

Serves 6

Mushroom Croustades

This recipe is great when you're throwing a party.  They are always such a bit hit... and any leftover duxelle (fancy name for mushroom filling) may be used as a delicious topping for potatoes, eggs or on top of a filet mignon.

The "cups" which are often referred to as "croustades" in other recipes and are little bread cases made with round slices of soft white bread that are pressed into tiny muffin tins and slowly roasted so they hold their cup-like shape.  Filled with a creamy, herb-flavored mixture based on the classic mushroom "duxelles", they are an elegant cocktail horse d'oeuvre that requires very little labor.  However, your friends and family will think you are quite the "gourmet!"  This recipe is easily doubled for larger parties.

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients

Cups:

• 24 slices fresh, thinly-sliced white bread (Believe it or not, Wonder works the best - bad bread works better than good bread - however, Whole Foods white bread in the bakery does work if you're a snob and don't want anyone to see Wonder in your shopping cart)
• 2 tablespoons very soft butter

Mushroom Filling:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 1.5 pound button or crimini mushrooms (finely chopped)
• 2 level tablespoons of flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley (you may want to add more)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (may want more)
• Butter

For 24 cups, you need a 3-inch plain or fluted cookie cutter and 24 tine muffin tins, each about 2 inches wide at the top.  You can buy them, usually combined in panels of twelve in most hardware stores or possibly Williams-Sonoma.

With a pastry brush, coat the inside of the tins heavily with the 2 tablespoons of soft butter.  Cut a 3-inch round from each slice of bread.  Carefully fit these into the muffin tins, pushing the center of the bread into the well and gently molding it around the botton of the tin with the tip of your finger (if you have a small wooden pestle or small round bottle slightly smaller than the bottom of the muffin tin, use this to force the bread in, but don't be rough or the bread will tear.  Each bread round, however you mold it, should form a perfect little cup.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the cups for about 10 minutes, or until the brown lightly on the rims and on the outsides.  Remove them from the tins and let them cool.

The mushroom filling is made as follows:

Chop the shallots and mushrooms very, very fine.  In a heavy 10-inch frying pan, slowly melt the 4 tablespoons of butter and, before the foam subsides, add the shallots.  Stir them almost constantly, over moderate heat, for about 4 minutes without letting them brown; then stir in the mushrooms.  Mix them well into the butter and see that they are thoroughly coated before leaving them on their own.  In a few minutes they will begin to give off a good deal of moisture.  Stir them now from time to time, and continue to cook until all the moisture has evaporated - 10 to 15 minutes.  Then remove the pan from the heat.

To finish the filling, sprinkle 2 level tablespoons of flour over the mushrooms and stir thoroughly together until not a trace of flour is visible.  Immediately pour over this 1 cup of heavy cream and, stirring the whole time, bring the mixture to a boil.  It will thicken heavily, turn down the heat to the barest simmer, and cook a minute or two longer to remove any taste of raw flour.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the seasonings and herbs; salt, cayenne, parsley, chives and lemon juice.  Taste, transfer the filling to a bowl.  Cover with saran and cool in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble them.

Fill the cups, mound the filling slightly. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese, dot with a speck of butter and arrange on a cookie sheet. Heat about 10 minutes in a preheated 350° oven (do this about 10 minutes before you intend to serve them); Watch them carefully as they burn easily.

Mashed Potatoes With Lavender and Honey

The beauty of mashed potatoes is you can add almost any flavor to them to create a different spin on the classic recipe.  Lavender is one of my favorite scents and I believe I got this idea from an aromatherapy book about 10 years ago.  I haven't made these in a long time.  I was reminded how good they are by a blogger on Twitter who mentioned having something similar in France.

Lavender can be strong, so you should experiment with the quantity so they aren't more potent than you'd like.  Other variations could include Olive Oil, Herbs de Provence and baked or roasted apples or pears.  Just play around and have fun with trying something new while making this classic side dish.

Ingredients:

• 10 lbs of mealy potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russets)

• Culinary lavender (Provence variety works well)

• 1 stick butter (or more if needed)

• 1/2 cup - heavy cream, heated lightly over low heat (or more if needed)

• Honey (couple of teaspoons)

Cut potatoes into quarters and be sure to leave the skin on. Boil potatoes in salted water (sea salt is best) for approximately 20 minutes or until soft.  Don't boil too long or they will get watery.  Drain in a colander and then return them to the pan and lightly shake the potatoes over low heat until they are dry.  Crush the lavender in your fingers - it's better than using a spice mill.  

In a mixing bowl combine boiled potatoes, butter and lavender. Whip using a hand mixer or KitchenAid (no blenders!) After potatoes are well blended, begin adding heated heavy cream one tablespoon at time to get desired consistency.  Add small amount of honey to taste. Continue whipping with mixer.  I like them firm but whipped.  Add more cream during whipping to get desired consistency.  It's best if you serve them pipping hot as soon as they are done.  The longer they sit, the less they lose that initial freshly made flavor.

Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar & Pecans

This dish is another Thanksgiving tradition in our house.  It's simple and can be flavored many ways. Sometimes I will use a splash of Grand Marnier or Bailey's... other times I'll use a bit of orange zest... just depends upon what I'm serving and what is on the counter next to me when I'm cooking!

Ingredients

5-6 lbs of red-skinned sweet potatoes (sometimes called yams)

1 cup golden brown sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream

5 tablespoon butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon of real vanilla extract

3/4 to 1 cup chopped pecans

optional:  splash of either Bailey's, Grand Marnier or Brandy - but NOT all three!!!

Preheat your oven to 325.  Pierce all the potatoes with a fork.  Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until they are very tender when poked with a fork.  Remove from the oven and let them cool down.

Take a round baking dish (approx 2-3 qt) and butter it.  Cut the potatoes in have and spoon the inside away from the skins into a large bowl (I use my KitchenAid mixer)  Add 3/4 cup of the brown sugar, the whipping cream, butter, all spices and vanilla.  Using an an electric mixer set on medium -beat until smooth. Be careful not to turn the mixer on too high a speed or the potatoes will splatter.  You want the potatoes to be smooth.  I usually whip them until all the lumps are gone.  You may also taste as you prepare this to tweak the flavor you are trying to achieve.

Spoon the whipped mixture into the baking dish.    Smooth the top with a spatula.  Add the pecans and the remaining brown sugar to completely cover the top of the sweet potatoes.  Add more pecans or sugar if needed.

Bake in the oven at 325 until heated through (usually about 30 minutes.  Serve hot.  It tastes like dessert!!

Figs with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Makes 20 appetizers

To quote my mother... "Figs are under-rated."  They are usually in season in the early fall and there are varieties to choose from.  This recipe is fast, easy and your guests will find them elegant and delicious.

Ingredients:

1/4 lb of your favorite good quality blue cheese or stilton (or experiment with St. Andre at room temp)

10 fresh figs

20 walnut halves

Salt and pepper, to taste

3 tbsp honey

Assembly:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Lightly toast walnut halves on a cookie sheet until fragrant (5 minutes).

Cut each fig into half, cutting a small slice off the bottom of each so fig, so it will lie flat, cut side up.

Top each fig half with a piece of blue cheese and a walnut half. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake at 375°F for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Immediately drizzle each fig piece with a little honey and serve warm.

Serve figs warm on a crostini or topped on your favorite green salad.

Goat cheese may also be used instead of Stilton.

Roasted Winter Squash Soup

Reprinted with Permission: By Caron Golden (www.sandiegofoodstuff.com)

(In her own words from her blog www.sandiegofoodstuff)

I've been making winter squash soup for years and years but usually I peel the squash, cut it up, get rid of the seeds and cook it in stock before pureeing it. That's perfectly fine, but I wanted to find out if roasting the vegetables would bring out a more intense, earthy flavor.

So, instead of peeling the squash, I simply cut them into pieces, saving the seeds for toasting later, and also cut up a sweet potato and several carrots. I love roasted garlic, so I used the peeled cloves of half a head. All this went on a large baking sheet, tossed with olive oil, dried thyme and kosher salt. Ordinarily I would also include pepper but I'm giving some of this to my mom, who can't eat pepper. I then poured homemade chicken stock and Manzanilla sherry over the vegetables. The vegetables went into a pre-heated 400-degree oven and roasted for about 45 minutes, until they were brown, soft and caramelized.

Once the vegetables cool a bit, you can easily pull the skin off the squash. While they were cooling, I pulled out my favorite blue Le Creuset dutch oven and added some olive oil. Once that had heated up, I added chopped leeks, minced garlic and grated ginger, sauteeing until they were just starting to turn golden. With the squash peeled, I added the roasted vegetables to the pot, incorporating them into the leek mixture. Then I added a quart of chicken stock and brought the soup to a slow boil. I turned down the heat and covered the pot, letting the soup simmer for about 15 minutes.

At that point, it's time to pull out the immersion blender and puree the soup. I like to leave it just a little chunky. Taste and adjust the seasonings, perhaps even add some water or more sherry if it's too thick.

And, remember those squash seeds? Don't let them go to waste. Rinse them thoroughly in a colander, removing as much of the stringy pulp as you can. Let them dry, then toss them in a bowl with just enough olive oil to coat them and perhaps some garlic salt (you could use any spice or herb, actually).  Spread them on a baking sheet and toast them for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees, periodically stirring them around. You want them nice and golden brown.

These are great for snacking, but, of course, I'm serving them on top of my soup, along with some sour cream (no time to run out for creme fraiche) and fresh thyme leaves from my garden. Thanks to my friend Angela, who is stopping by for dinner, I'll have a warm sourdough baguette from Bread & Cie to dunk with, along with butter from Spring Hill Jersey Cheese.

HERE IS THE RECIPE:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 1:

1 kabocha squash (about 3 lbs.)

1 acorn squash (about 1.5 lbs.)

1 medium-size sweet potato

5 carrots

½ head of garlic, peel cloves but leave whole

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup sherry (I used Manzanilla sherry)

¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper (optional)

Cut squashes in half and spoon out seeds. Save seeds for later. Cut squash halves into quarters. Put on large roasting pan or large heavy sheet pan. Wash and cut carrots into 1-inch pieces. Add to squash pieces. Wash and cut sweet potato into large chunks and add to pan. Toss in garlic cloves. Drizzle olive oil on vegetables. Sprinkle thyme, salt and pepper on vegetables. Toss mixture with hands to coat vegetables. Add stock and sherry. Roast for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and caramelizing, stirring about halfway through. When vegetables are out of the oven, let them cool, then pull off skin from squash pieces and discard.

Step 2:

2 leeks, trimmed of green, cleaned, and chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

½-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

¼ cup olive oil

1 quart chicken stock

Roasted vegetables from Step 1 above

1 tbl. fresh whole thyme leaves

Crème fraiche or sour cream

*Roasted squash seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse seeds thoroughly in colander, removing stringy pulp. Let dry. Toss seeds in a bowl with just enough olive oil to coat along with a dash of garlic salt. Spread seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown. Great snacking but if you can hold out, sprinkle on the soup.

Submitted by: Erika Cunha (www.thesweetlifedenver.com)

Ingredients:

1 lg. Head of Cauliflower

1/4 t. salt

2 c. milk

4T. butter

1/2 c. cream

1/3 c. flour

Salt & White Pepper

Pinch of two of nutmeg

3/4 c. grated Gruyere

Trimming and Cooking Cauliflower: Turn CF upside down and cut around central stem. Remove all leaves- careful not to seperate florets. Place core side down in a heavy pot with a tight lid, add 1 in. of water. Cover and bring to a rapid boil. Cook for 8 mins. until tender. Let cool in buttered gratin dish, slice off florets and arrange rounde side up dice up stem and scatter over florets. Reserve H20 for sauce.

For sauce: Pour milk, 1/2 c. cooking liquid and cream into pan, heat slowly (DON'T BOIL). Melt butter in another saucepan, whisk in flour and make a loose paste. Cook roux for 2 min. (until light beige) Remove from heat- stir in remaining cooking liquid. Return to boil and add spices. Simmer 2-3 mins. Sprinkle salt, 1/8 t. pepper and 1/4 c. cheese on florets. Ladle on sauce and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 400 for 25 mins.

Cilantro Pesto Quesadillas w/Mango Corn Salsa

2 Cups loosely packed cilantro

1 Cup loosely packed parsley

3/4 Cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup lime juice

1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded

1 garlic clove

3/4 cup olive oil

Salt & pepper

Large flour tortillas

These quantities make about 2 cups, each quesadilla uses about 1/8 cup

Spread 1/8 cup pesto on tortilla, sprinkle with 2 oz. cheese, top with second tortilla and grill both sides

Mango - Corn Salsa

2 parts Mango, diced

2 parts Avocado, diced

2 parts unsalted corn kernals

1/4 part roasted, marinated red peppers chopped into strips 1" x 1/8"

1/2 part chopped fresh cilantro

Fresh lime juice to taste

Zesty Chipotle Potato Salad

I love using chipotle chiles in just about anything.  The adobo sauce in the can has fantastic flavor and can be used to spice up any traditional meal.  This potato salad will get noticed from the plain-jane varieties at the next BBQ!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons chipotle / adobo puree
• 1 large ripe tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 4 scallions, chopped, (complete both white and green parts)
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped/minced
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper
• 16-20 New or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 -5 lbs) well-cooked, drained and cubed 1/2 inch thick

Combine all the ingredients (except the potatoes) in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper (to taste)  Place warm potatoes in a large bowl and pour the mixture over the potatoes.  Mix well.  Season again with salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet, tangy and spicy dressing that is delicious with tomatoes, avocados or Mexican style salads in addition to traditional green salads.  The amounts are approximate... adjust accordingly to your taste:

Ingredients:

• 1 Clove garlic
• 2 scallions
• 1 ripe mango, peeled and cut-up
• 1 habanero chile, seeded
• 2-4 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey (or more to taste)
• 3-6 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
• 1/4 cup cilantro, fresh
• 1-2 tablespoons mint leaf, fresh

Put all (except salt) into a food processor (adding a bit more oil, juice or water to get the right consistency.  Play with ingredients to perfect to your taste.  This also makes a nice glaze for grilling chicken if you keep the consistency thick.

This sounds so good - It was worth the post. My friend Caron Golden - a food, grocery and restaurant critic in San Diego shared this with me.

She also has a fabulous blog worth checking out called www.sandiegofoodstuff.com!

From Kitty Morse's Cooking at the Casbah.

Sea salt, lemons, sterilized qt.jars.

Slice off tips of lemons.

Cut vertically 3/4 down, turn over & cut 3/4 down 90 degrees from cut on other side.

Stuff each cut w/salt.

Place in jar and keep doing w/lemons, squishing down until there's no more room and juice covers lemons.

Then screw on top.

Leave on counter for at least 4 weeks, adding more lemons as the ones in jar collapse.