This recipe is great when barbecuing for a crowd. All the prep can be done in advance leaving you time to mix and mingle at the grill!
Ingredients:
Method: Toss the beef cubes and the artichokes in a mixing bowl with the barbecue sauce to lightly coat them. Arrange the beef and artichokes alternately on four skewers, starting and ending with pieces of beef. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill skewers over a medium hot charcoal fire, turning occasionally. Baste with a little more barbecue sauce and serve immediately.
The ideal choice to accompany Southern Fried Chicken or bring as a side to a summer BBQ.
Ingredients
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed
1/2 tablespoon course-grain mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 cup mild-flavored olive oil
2 pounds medium boiling potatoes
1/2 pound sliced bacon, cooked and drained
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped
Method
To make the dressing whisk together the egg yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper in a medium-size bowl. Whisking continuously, very slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue adding the oil slowly until the dressing begins to thicken. At this point you can add the oil by teaspoons, whisking after each addition. Continue until all the oil has been incorporated. Refrigerate until needed.
Place the potatoes in a saucepan with enough cold salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes when they are done and set aside until cool enough to handle. Do not refrigerate.
Peel the potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Toss the potatoes with the dressing until evenly mixed. Chop the cooked bacon coarsely and add to the potatoes along with the green and red onions, parsley, celery, and hard-cooked eggs. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
This salad offers a wonderful combination of tastes, with the pungent flavors of the endive and watercress providing a perfect contrast for the pears & blue cheese toast.
serves 6
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon ground dry mustard
1 teaspoon minced shallots
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Koser salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
18 slices French bread, cut 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup of walnuts
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
3 heads Belgian endive
1 bunch of watercress, cut into 3-inch stems
3 French butter pears (or other ripe pears)
Instructions:
Prepare the vinaigrette by combining in a small bowl the lemon juice, zest, dry mustard, and shallots. Whisk the olive oil and season to taste with the salt and pepper.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and lightly brush on the bread slices. Toast in a 350 degree oven until lightly browned. At the same time lightly roast the walnuts in a baking pan for 5 to 8 minutes. Set walnuts and toast aside to cool slightly.
Mash together the blue cheese and the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter until blended, seasoning with salt and black pepper.
When ready to serve, separate the endive leaves and place in a bowl with the watercress. Core and slice the pears into 1/4-inch slices. Spread the blue cheese butter on the toasts. Toss the pears, endive, and watercress together with the vinaigrette. Arrange on chilled salad plates, top with walnuts, and place three toasts on the side of each plate.
An excellent coating for soft-shell crab, fish, or onions.
Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients:
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup light beer
¼ cup fresh chives
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the egg, beer, chives, salt, and pepper. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until the batter becomes smooth.
I adore celery root; this underrated vegetable has tremendous versatility since its flavor is so mellow. Here, the addition of pear makes this purée an unexpected, light, and sweet substitute for regular mashed potatoes. Feel free to add any herb- such as parsley, basil, or sage- or toasted pine nuts for extra flavor and texture.
Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
1 pound celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Bartlett pears, stemmed, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup apple cider
Instructions:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place all of the ingredients in a baking dish with a tight-fitting lid. Bake until celery root is tender and a fork can easily be inserted with no resistance, about 1 hour. Transfer the contents into a blender; purée until smooth. If desired, pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Once you’ve tried homemade pasta, you’ll never be able to go back to the dried commercial version. Experiment by adding different flavors to the dough like lemon zest, black pepper, or basil.
Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions:
Pour the flour in a mound onto a smooth work surface; make a well in the middle of the flour; add the egg and oil. Using a fork, begin stirring to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well. Mix together until a stiff dough has formed. Not all the flour will be used.
Knead the dough dough until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour before rolling.
Starting with the widest setting, roll the dough between the rollers of a pasta machine. Fold the rolled dough in thirds and pass through the machine two more times at that setting. Then, change the machine to a smaller setting each time you pass the dough through until you get the desired thickness.
For fettuccini or other noodles, let the dough dry for 2 minutes before cutting into strands. For ravioli, keep the pasta sheets covered with a damp towel and use as soon as possible. Fresh pasta cooks in half the time as dried pasta so start checking for doneness within the first 3 minutes of cooking.
Honey and lavender are an excellent flavor combination. These sweet and aromatic nuts are great served as a snack or on a cheese platter.
Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients:
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup whole almonds
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lavender
Instructions:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bring the sugar, ¼ cup of water, salt, pepper, honey, butter, and cayenne to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the almonds and lavender and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the almonds are completely coated and the sugar has begun to caramelize (about 3 minutes).
Transfer the glazed almonds to the baking sheet and bake in the oven until fragrant and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the nuts cool completely, in the pan, before serving. Once they have cooled, you can place them in a tightly sealed container until needed. Nuts will keep for two weeks at room temperature.
Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken breast, diced in 1 inch pieces
1 bunch green onions, white and hint of green parts
1 medium Spanish onion, ¼ inch dice
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¾ cup ketchup
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 sliced organic tomatoes
4 potato or soft rolls
½ cup Ham Hock Broth
Dill pickles
Sweet Bread & Butter Pickles
Instructions:
In a large stainless steel sautée pan, heat 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and add the diced chicken. Cook on high heat until almost done and a bit crispy. Remove from skillet and clean out excess fat with paper towel.
Add the Spanish onions, place over medium heat and sweat for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cover, and sweat for another minute. Finally, add the ketchup, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, ham hock broth, balsamic, cayenne and let cook.
These take a little preplanning, as you need to make a sourdough starter, so begin the process at least two days ahead of time.
Makes 2 dozen thin, 4-inch cakes.
Ingredients:
Sourdough Starter:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 ½ cups tepid water
Pancakes:
2 cups starter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions:
To prepare the starter:
Combine all the starter ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 24 to 48 hours. The starter should be very light and smell both yeasty and slightly sour.
To prepare the pancakes:
The night before, measure out 2 cups of starter and combine in a large mixing bowl with the flour and water. Mix together, cover the bowl, and let stand overnight in a warm place. The next morning, add the remaining ingredients. Allow the batter to rest for several minutes after mixing. If the batter is too thin, add more flour. If the batter is too thick, add more water. The batter should be just pourable.
Cook the griddlecakes and serve with jam or maple syrup.
Base:
4 fresh lemons, cored
2 oranges, cored
1 cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup simple syrup or more to taste if desired
Finish:
Ice to fill pitcher, approximately 4 cups
1 cup 7-up
To core lemons and oranges use a sharp paring knife and trim off ends then cut inside of the skin, discarding the skin, using the flesh of the fruit only. Add base to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a china cap to remove any seeds and pulp. Chill and reserve for use.
For service add base to a blender and fill with ice and 1 cup 7-up. Blend and serve in chilled glass. Garnish with lemon twist.
Optional: Tequilla or Rum can be used for afternoon cocktail. Drizzle in a berry or fruit puree or mango.