CAUTION: Construction Zone Ahead.  As you can see, we’re crafting a new look for CeramicCanvas: larger photos (much larger), reader friendly graphics (estimated cook time, flavor profile, recipe rating system) and a lot less copy. Over the next few weeks the design will be tweaked more until it’s just right. Let me know what you think. And stay tuned. Now on to the recipe…

What’s not to love about Brussels Sprouts? They have an earthy, slightly cabbage like flavor – they’re in the same family. I roast them whole, chiffonade and sauté them in butter (lots of butter) and I’ve even tested out a gratin (that didn’t turn out so well). I’m always a bit surprised when people profess a dislike of Brussels sprouts. So much so that I’m determined to find a recipe that will win over even the most ardent sprout detractors. I think this recipe just may do the trick. The recipe compliments the earthiness of the Brussels sprouts with a balance of flavors: sweetness (honey), salt (sauce), spice (pepper flakes) and the distinct flavor of toasted sesame oil hanging out in the background. And I love the texture balance of the soft wilted leaves and the crispy crunch of those leaves that have been charred on the edges.

Note: Unfortunately, I was out of my favorite bottled soy sauce and I was too lazy to run to the market for more. So, I used a few of the less flavorful soy sauce packets that I happen to have on hand from my last Chinese delivery. Oh, the shame.

SOY SAUCE-HONEY GLAZED ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUT LEAVES

10-12 large Brussels sprouts

2 TBL extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 TSP Kosher salt

4 TSP soy sauce

¼ TSP red pepper flakes

1/8 TSP toasted sesame oil

1½ TSP honey

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Trim the Brussels sprouts of the stalk end in order to expose the base of the leaves. Discard the first outer and/or bruised leaves. After the first few leaves, you may need to cut more of the stem end off in order to peek off more leaves. Continue until you peeling off leaves until you get to the small-pales yellow.

Placed the leaves in a single layer of a baking dish. Pour 1 tablespoon of extra virgin oil on leaves. Stir, making sure that all of the leaves are coated. Roast leaves for 15-20 minutes, until they are cooked through and have started to crisp up on the ends.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, soy sauce, pepper flakes, sesame oil and honey until ingredients have mixed and emulsified. Salt to taste.

Pour half of the vinaigrette over the roasted Brussels sprout leaves. Per your taste, add more of the vinaigrette if needed.

Serves 2

Here’s another one of our favorite Brussels sprout recipe: Dijon & Brussels Sprout Slaw with Candied Almonds

Don Quixote has left the building – kicking and screaming but he has left.

As I sit here writing this entry, I am huddled up on the coach with a blanket across my lap and sipping on a warm mug of my favorite tea (Harvey Nichols’ Black Vanilla). It’s at this point I realize that it’s over. No matter how much I protest, it’s still over.

So despite my Don Quixote-esque pledge to never give up on summer in last week’s yummy Ode to Summer Frozen Strawberry Margarita Pie recipe, I’m now calling in the troops. I’m waving the white flag. For heaven’s sakes, last weekend I wore a corduroy blazer to dinner. And when you start wearing corduroy, like it or not, you’re subconsciously admitting to yourself that deep down you know summer is over.

Evidently, this process of Autumn acceptance is an annual rite of passage for me. I remember going through the exact same thing last year when I posted this recipe for Pumpkin Pie Granola Bars.

But here’s the good news. With autumn comes autumn produce. At the top of my list this year are beets.

Since having it a few weeks back at one of my favorite restaurants, I’ve been obsessed with finding the perfect beet salad. I can’t seem to get it out of my head. I’ve made Beet, Avocado & Roasted Chicken…I loved it. Then I conjured up a Beet, Avocado and Salmon Salad….that was a disaster. I’m not even sure what I was thinking…I mean, like Lady Gaga’s meat dress, some ideas just don’t need to be acted upon. Seriously, what was she thinking?

Back to the salad…last week, I stumbled onto a version that I really liked. As a matter of fact I liked it so much that I couldn’t wait to share the recipe with you.

As dishes go this recipe for Roasted Beet & Avocado Salad with Goat Cheese and Danelion Greens has a full range of flavors: sweet and earthy beets; creamy freshness of the avocados; peppery spice of the dandelion greens, hint of bite and salty brine from the goat cheese and the tangy flavor of the balsamic dressing kind of hangs out in the background, adding a little spike of flavor to each bite.

This is one of those “recipes” that’s less about following exact measurements and more about building a dish flavor by flavor until it suits your tastes. Love your salads sweet? Then pump up the amount of beets. Prefer to have a little bit of bite and peppery flavor? Dial up the amount of dandelion greens. Can’t live without avocados…. Well, you get the point. It’s a very forgiving and beautiful combination of ingredients.

One thing. Dandelion greens can be a little tough (and you would be too if everyone despised you so much that they constantly sprayed you in the face with chemical herbicides…Can you imagine? That would suck.) But if you let the salad sit for a bit, the acid in the vinegar should help to breakdown the greens.

And if you can’t find or just hate dandelion greens, no worries, I think the salad is still uber-delicious without them or better yet, toss in some spicy arugula).

Cheers!

Roasted Beet & Avocado Salad with Goat Cheese & Dandelion Greens

4 medium sized red beets

3 TBL balsamic vinegar

2 TBL extra virgin olive oil

1 TBL granulated sugar

1/8 TSP kosher salt

1/8 TSP freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dandelion greens, shredded

2 ripe avocados

Goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Trim beet roots of their stems and scrub under warm water to remove any soil. Wrap beets in aluminum foil and roast them in oven for 1 hour or until beets are cooked (when a knife easily pierces through the center of the largest beet).

When beets are done, unwrap and submerge them in ice water until they are completely cooled.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper until the mixture has emulsified.

Halve the avocado, remove pit, criss-cross cut the avocado’s flesh (see above photos) and scoop out flesh into a large bowl.

Once beets have cooled, peel and gently cut them lengthwise into ¼” discs. Cut the discs into ¼” batons. Add the beets and shredded dandelion green to the large bowl with the avocados.

Pour balsamic vinegar over beet-avocado mixture, and gently toss salad being careful not to break the beet batons. Let salad sit in refrigerator for up to an hour (allowing time for the vinegar to breakdown and tenderize the dandelion greens).

Put salad in a serving bowl.

Dot the salad with pats of goat cheese.

Serves 4.

It’s been some time since I’ve added anything to these pages but I’m back. After all, you didn’t think you’d be lucky enough to get through the entire summer without my virtual smiling face on your computer screens, did you?

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far. It’s been a busy one on this side of the internet with lots of things happening all at once. (On that note, thank you for the emails checking in during my absence. It was great to hear from everyone and I sincerely appreciate the sentiments and concern. Thank you.)

Not only has it been a busy summer but it’s been a very hot one too! So, I can’t wait to tell you about the salad in today’s post – it’s cool and refreshing, the perfect foil to steamy summer days – but first a little detour…

As I mentioned, there is a lot going on. Chief among them is that I am now a gypsy. A number of months ago, I moved out of my home and started the process of purchasing a new home. Sounds great? Well, hold off on any congratulations, cause there’s a wrinkle (why are there always wrinkles?).

Although I went into contract on the seemingly complete place in December of last year, it is still not ready to be occupied. Evidently, we’re waiting on final approval from the NYC Building Department. It’s been a long, grueling process. Frankly, the whole things makes me long for the days when a strategically placed envelope stuffed with cash could magically open the doors to passing a city inspection. Evidently, New York City government and inspectors are now corruption-free (just my luck).

So, now I’m a nomad – roaming from one short-term place to another, waiting for the day that I can move into my new home (and get back to keeping these pages regularly updated). So, if you are walking around NYC and you see a visibly lost man wandering around with suitcases, a white Kitchen Aide mixer and a cooler filled with homemade smoked meats, don’t be afraid stop and say hi.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot the Green Bean-Citrus Salad with Dill Pesto. This dish was kind of an accidental discovery. It was Sunday. It was a hot hot New York summer day. No one wanted to leave the comfort (and AC) of home. So, Robert (my talented, best BF in the world, BF) cobbled together this dish from remnants that were in the kitchen.

There was dill and parsley in the fridge and cashews in the pantry…the idea of a pesto was born. There were green beans from the previous night’s dinner. There was ricotta salata for creaminess and salt. There were oranges– which is all we needed to add a little brightness and acid to the dish.

And shock beyond shock, we absolutely loved it! It’s a great balance of flavors. And especially delish when served ice cold. Refreshing, light and bright.

NOTE: Since first making this dish, we’ve tested out a variation using diced roasted beets. It was even better. The beets added a layer of yummy sweetness that helped to round out the sharpness of the oranges. And it was pretty!

GREEN BEAN-CITRUS SALAD & DILL PESTO

1 TSP salt

½ pound fresh green beans, washed with stem ends removed

½ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

2 TBL fresh chives, roughly chopped

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup walnut halves

1 clove garlic

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 large oranges

½ cup (or more) ricotta salata, crumbled with your fingers

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, 7-8 minutes. Drain well; cool immediately in iced water to stop the cooking process. Once, beans are chilled drain well, pat dry with a paper towel and set aside in a large bowl.

In the bowl of a food processor, add dill, parsley, chives, cheese, walnut halves and garlic and process until all ingredients are finely chopped. With motor running, add oil and blend until incorporated. Set aside.

Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Carefully, remove individual orange segments with a knife. Cut each segment in half. Before discarding the orange membranes, squeeze them over the bowl of green beans to extract their juice.

In large bowl containing green beans, add half of the dill pesto, orange segments and ricotta salata. Toss to incorporate. To suit your taste, add more dill pesto and/or crumbled ricotta salata.

Chill salad to allow the flavors to meld together.

Serves 4 (as a side).

No doubt that many of you reading this entry will be very disappointed with the content. It’s all about cocottes. Evidently, the French word cocotte has two meanings. There’s the culinary definition – an individual serving sized dish of baked eggs and cream. And then there’s the other meaning referring to – well, you know – ladies of the evening.

So, if you’ve landed here via a Google search with hopes of photos and info on the red light district cocottes, sorry, this post is all about eggs. But if you’re here for the edible cocotte (I’ll restrain myself and not make an off-color joke here) then boy-oh-boy, do I have a dish for you.

The nuts and bolts of this dish are simple (and delicious): eggs, heavy cream, bacon, sautéed potatoes and butter. How can you go wrong, right? You can’t.

The other unique element of this dish is the presentation. It has the beauty of a sunny side up egg (bright, intense yellow yolk center) but with the ease of making a frittata – just mix and pop it in the oven. Again, how can you go wrong?

I was indirectly inspired to make this dish. Walking through a local home store, I found these cool tiny 6-ounce ramekins that were designed to look like a full sized Le Creuset enameled Dutch ovens. I saw them. I was intrigued. Resistance was futile. I bought them. (Did I mention that they were only $2.50 each?)

It wasn’t until I got home that I thought, “Sure they were cheap but what can I use them for?” Individual Mac & Cheeses? That could work. Or maybe soup dishes? Too awkward and forced.

At some point I thought of cocottes. I also remembered this Gourmet magazine recipe that I bookmarked a while back. At this point I should mention that the original Gourmet recipe has almost no resemblance to the recipe that I ended up making. It has been tweaked (ingredients & technique) almost beyond recognition. Not because I possess any advanced skills at culinary improvisation. I just didn’t want to go to the market and buy the ingredients. I used what I had on hand. As I have mentioned before on this site, I can be quite lazy.

More important than the presentation is the flavor. It’s delicious, filling and satisfying. The sautéed potatoes and leeks. The bacon. The lightly cook egg with the rich runny yolk. The cream.

I think this would make a great brunch dish. Or better yet, make them, serve them on a tray with the Sunday paper, orange marmalade buttered toast, a glass of OJ and/or coffee and it becomes the perfect breakfast-in-bed treat for your main squeeze.

NOTE: If you’re making this dish for a group. I would suggest that you cook the bacon and potatoes-leek mixture ahead of time (even the day before). And a bit before you’re ready to serve, assemble the ramekin components and pop them in the oven.

NOTE 2: The eggs in this recipe will not be fully cooked, which may be of concern if salmonella is a problem in your area.

NOTE 3: I recommend that you use a nonstick pan for sautéing the potatoes. I didn’t. A good deal of my potatoes burned and stuck to the pan. Using a nonstick pan also allows you to use less of the rendered bacon fat when cooking the potatoes. Which is good since it’s a bacon, heavy cream and yolk dish.

Cheers!

EGGS EN COCOTTE BAKED WITH CREAM & BACON

¾ cup slab bacon cut into lardons (1/4” wide batons)

2/3 cup potato, ½” diced cubes

1/3 cup leeks, diced

dash of dried thyme

2 large eggs

3 TBL heavy cream

1 TBL butter

Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Chives, diced (for garnish)

Equipment: 2 (6-ounce) ramekins

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

In a medium sized nonstick sauté pan, cook bacon lardons over moderate heat until it they are crisped and cooked through.

Let bacon drain on a paper towel.

Meanwhile pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat. To the sauté pan, add potatoes, leeks and thyme and cook until the potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Divide and layer the potato/leek mixture among the two ramekins. Add a layer of bacon lardons to each serving (reserving a few of the lardons to garnish the cooked dish). Spoon 1 tablespoon of heavy cream into each serving. Crack an egg into each ramekin and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 teaspoon (2 teaspoons, if you dare) of cream over each egg. Cut the tablespoon of butter into 4-6 small pieces and dot the top of each ramekin with butter.

Put ramekins in a shallow baking pan and bake, rotating pan halfway through baking, until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, 15 to 20 minutes, removing from oven as cooked.

Serves 2

“Suck it up you whimpering cry baby!” Sometimes, tough love is the only way to go.

Standing in the produce section of my friendly corporate chain mega-supermarket, I was contemplating buying a bag of oranges – mind you, despite the ‘Farm Fresh’ label on the bag, these babies were flown in from South America. That’s when it hit me. Summer was over and I needed to let go. That’s also when I gave myself the ‘tough love’ talking to. It was a very uncomfortable conversation… and I have to assume, an even more uncomfortable conversation for my fellow shoppers who were forced to witness it.

Back to my epiphany. So I decided not to buy the fresh picked South American oranges. I put down the oranges, slowly backed away, walked out of the supermarket and headed straight for my local farmer’s market. Once there I threw myself into the bounty of seasonal produce.

With that said, there will be no more complaining about the loss of summer in the pages of the Ceramic Canvas. We’re going to embrace Fall and all it has to offer – I’m so inspired that I shot a few seasonally inspired photos for this post. Plus, with its crisp days and robust rust and burgundy color leaves it’s actually a very beautiful season.

So bring on the root vegetables and hearty squashes that thrive and thumb their noses at Mother Nature’s cold spell.

First up, the ubiquitous pumpkin.

When I bought these little pumpkins (about 4lbs each) at the market I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them. I got home and quickly decided against my first idea – a soup. I was inspired to do something a little different. At some point granola bars entered my little brain.

I was inspired to make a granola that I was entirely inspired by the season. And what says autumn better then pumpkin pie. So that was the plan. Pumpkin Pie Granola Bars – a snack that used all of the spices and flavors of a classic pumpkin pie. Now, I just needed to figure out how to make this happen.

Pumpkin is water logged. So I would need to dice and dehydrate it. This would solve a few issues. First, since fresh pumpkin has a mild flavor, this process would intensify the flavor. And dehydration would get rid of the crunch of the fruit (or is it a vegetable) and make it dry and chewy, which is what you want in a granola.

For color and to keep the Thanksgiving dinner concept going, I threw in some dried cranberries. After all, cranberry sauce is the 3rd best part of Thanksgiving dinner (turkey and pumpkin pie being 1st and 2nd).

I really like these Pumpkin Pie Granola Bars – I’m actually snacking on one as I write. They’re chewy and the pumpkin pie flavor really delivers. The cranberries deliver the balance. Just as you settle into the pumpkin pie flavor you get a pop of bright and tart cranberry on your palette.

In closing, let me say that while I love this granola bar, it pales in comparison to my friend’s, Alejandro, Green Tea Granola (maybe he’ll let me share the recipe one day).

Cheers!

PUMPKIN PIE GRANOLA BARS

Tweaked beyond recognition from Back to Basics by Ina Garten

6 cups diced pumpkin, roughly ½” cubes (from a 4 lb pumpkin)

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup sliced almonds

½ cup wheat germ

3 TBL unsalted butter

2/3 cup honey

2 TBL brown sugar

1 TSP pure vanilla extract

¼ TSP kosher salt

1/8 TSP nutmeg

½ TSP grounded cinnamon

1/8 TSP allspice

1/8 TSP grounded cloves

¼ TSP ground ginger

½ cup cranberries

Line baking sheet with diced pumpkin. Cook pumpkin in a 150˚ oven until it has dehydrated and reduced to half its original size, about 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Butter or line an 8 x 12-inch baking pan with parchment paper. (Alternatively, you can use a 6 x 6-inch baking pan for thicker granola bars)

Toss the oatmeal and almonds together on a sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden brown. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300˚.

Place butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves and grounded ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Stir and let boil for one minute. Pour mixture in bowl with toasted oats. Add dehydrated pumpkin and cranberries and stir well.

Pour mixture into the prepared 8 x 12-inch pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into bars.

Makes about 6 to 9 bars.

“Ouch!” It felt like the wrath of God had just rained down on me.

Cooking can be a dangerous sport. There are the occasional little cuts and the accidental burns from searing hot sauce pans. But the most dangerous (and painful) of them all is carelessly working with fresh peppers.

And no matter how often I try to remember to wash my hands after working with jalapenos or scotch bonnets I still sometimes forget.

On those occasions I am usually painfully reminded of this lapse of judgment when I inevitably rub my eyes. It’s a special hell that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies (well, maybe some of them).

So before I go any further with this recipe, here’s a warning to the wise…the recipe calls for fresh jalapenos. Please don’t forget to wash your hands after you handle them.

That’s the note of caution. Now here’s the good news…the reward of this recipe is totally worth the risk.

As a former Southerner, I love fried foods – especially chicken. And I am always looking for different ways to enjoy this Southern pastime – a recipe that brings something different to the table. I think this recipe for Spiced Lime Fried Chicken just may fit the bill.

It’s not your average fried chicken fare. There are a few twists.

First, there’s no flour. So it’s missing the heavy and thick oil-soaked crust that plagues many traditional fried chicken recipes. Instead, this recipe uses egg whites, corn starch and sesame oil batter to form a beautiful golden “crust” on the chicken. It’s gluten free fried chicken, y’all!

And then there’s the flavor. It’s a nice layering of flavors. Key to this recipe’s uniqueness are the notes of citrus and heat/spice that really help to make this dish come to life on your tongue. None of these elements overpower the chicken. Actually, the hint of lime gives the chicken a nice, bright lift. And the five spice marinade and the toss with jalapenos really give the chicken a slight kick of heat in the end.

I love this recipe. I make it often. Even my mom and aunts, who are Southern/Soul Food aficionados, give this ‘new fangled’ version two thumbs up.

This is no one note snoozer. This fried chicken has a full symphony of flavors that will make you stop and taste the roses. And cut into strips, they are perfect for a cocktail party.

NOTE: You can easily adjust the heat of this dish. For more heat, toss the fried chicken and jalapenos for a longer period of time. You want to the lime and jalapenos almost directly after frying. The heat from the chicken really helps the lime and jalapenos to release their flavors.

Like this recipe? Check out our Brined Southern Fried Chicken recipe. It’s slightly spicy and endlessly flavorful.

SPICED LIME FRIED CHICKEN

Some like their food spicy and then some people like it SPICEY. For those who can’t get enough spice you can try to use unseeded jalapeno slices when tossing the chicken at the end – jut be careful to remove the jalapeno slices so that no one bites into a jalapeno seed. Also, the longer you toss the jalapeno with the chicken the spicier it gets. So adjust this per your taste.

2 egg whites

1½TSP toasted sesame oil

1½TSP Chinese Five-Spice

2TBL corn starch

1½TSP Kosher salt

¼TSP freshly ground pepper

1/2 TSP dried oregano

1/4 TSP red pepper flakes

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2lbs), cut into thin long strips

2 cups canola oil

1 lime, cut into eights

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and thinly sliced cross sections

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites, sesame oil, five-spice, corn starch, salt, grounded pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes until the egg whites have loosened.

Stir in the thinly sliced chicken breast into the bowl until the chicken is completely coated. Let chicken marinade in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

In a large saucepan or wok over medium high heat, heat canola oil until it shimmers (about 325˚).

Being careful not to over crown the pan, cook chicken strips until they are light-golden brown and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Let each batch drain on a rack or paper towel.

In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly toss chicken, lime and jalapeno slices in a bowl (keep in mind the longer you toss the jalapeno and chicken, the spicier it gets). Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Serves 4-5.

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart

It’s not right to take chances with your friends’ wellbeing…but sometimes you have no choice.

Yesterday a few of neighbors and I were lounging around in one of our backyards when we decided to have an impromptu cocktail party. Nothing major – some wine and a few simple dishes for the five of us. We would each bring a little snack for everyone to nibble on while we continued enjoying the lazy summer evening.

At first, I was excited. But when I got home I realized that my fridge was a bit light on ingredients. This was a problem since I was feeling especially lazy and unable to muster up the energy to make a trip to the market.

I knew what I had to do. It was time to play a round of Refrigerator Roulette. I would cross my fingers, hope for the best and make something out of whatever random ingredients were left in the fridge – which could be a dangerous game to play if you haven’t gone to the market in a while. And this was one of those days.

During a quick scan of the fridge and freezer I discovered some promising items: slab bacon (you can always find use for bacon), puff pastry and goat cheese. Along with some staples (i.e. butter, milk…), that was pretty much it. As a less accomplished cook, this required some thought on my end.

With the puff pastry leading the way in my head, I decided to make a quick tart.

I had also decided to call the bacon, goat cheese and onion into service. I was digging the flavor combo of the deep sweetness of the caramelized onions, the heartiness of the smoked bacon and the briny/creaminess of the goat cheese.

So, I hoped for the best and started cooking.

I was happy with the results. I loved the way this tart turned out – including the homemade, free form shape. And luckily, it was a hit with the group.

DISCLAIMER: This was an unplanned dish so there aren’t as many step-by-step photos as you would normally find in these pages. Sorry. And since I am far from being a recipe writer (I’m getting better), please feel free to pass on any suggestions that you have for improving the recipe (ingredients and/or instructions).

Oh yeah, one of the last times I played a round of Refrigerator Roulette I cooked this Cream of Leek & Parsnip Soup – which actually turned out really nice.

Bon Appetite!

CARAMELIZED ONION AND GOAT CHEESE TART

1/3 cup slab bacon, cut into strips

1 TBL butter

½ of Vidalia Onion, cut into strips

1 TBL sugar

¼ TSP thyme

2 TBL goat cheese

Dash of red pepper flakes

1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400˚

Sauté bacon in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until bacon is cooked through and crisped, about 7 minutes.

Set bacon aside and disregard rendered fat (being careful to leave behind any solids stuck to the saucepan). Returning saucepan to stovetop, add the butter, onion, sugar and thyme. Stir to evenly coat onions with the sugar and butter. Stirring occasionally, cover and sauté onions until cooked through and caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Working on a lightly floured surface, roll out a 10”x5” sheet of puff pastry (most sheets of store bought puff pastries are folded into thirds. Each third is roughly 10”x5”). Using a sharp knife, carefully draw a ½” border around the edges of the puff pastry – being careful not to cut all of the way through the puff pasty.

Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Remove puff pastry from refrigerator and spread caramelized onions within the pastry’s border. Dot the onion mixture with the bacon and goat cheese. Lightly brush the exposed edges of the puff pastry with the beaten egg.

Bake tart in the center of the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden.

Remove tart from the oven and sprinkle with a red pepper flake. Allow tart to cool. Garnish with fresh herbs. Serve.

Makes one 10”x”5 tart

These babies are addictive and delicious.

Last weekend we were invited over to a neighbor’s place for an outdoor party (shout out to Amy and Mitch). I was excited – these people are serious foodies and seriously good cooks! The only task that was asked of me, “Can you make those zucchini fries you cooked last year?” I didn’t need to be asked twice…deep fried food…I’m all over that (Have I mentioned that I grew up in Alabama?)

I came across the idea of frying thinly chiffonaded zucchini about this time two years ago. If you’re a home gardener you know that late summer is the time of year when your little patch of veggies becomes over loaded with zucchini. The damned things are like bunnies.

One day you go out and you have three cute little zucchinis growing on the vine and then you walk outside the next day and you see that an army of baseball bat-sized zucchini plants have invaded your garden over the night. You’re stunned and left waving your fist at the sky screaming, “Damn you, zucchini fairy!”

So, it was really out of need that I went on a hunt to find the perfect recipe to use up what had turned into my own little zucchini plantation.

I mean, there are just so many zucchini baskets you can make before your neighbors realize what you’re up to and beg you to stop.

I was happy as a clam when I found this recipe. It’s simple and a party favorite – ever time that I have made them the fries disappear in a blink of an eye. They have a delicious light flavor (well, as light as deep fried vegetables can be). Think tempura.

And the olive oil makes them a step above your average fried foods.

I promise you, no one will be able to have just one.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are three keys to this recipe. First, you have to use medium to small sized zucchinis – the seeds in large zucchinis are to mature and make cutting strips difficult. Second, you have to get the zucchini as dry as possible – you do that by letting the salt draw out as much of the liquid as it can and then you have to squeeze the zucchini strips like there’s no tomorrow in a dishcloth.

And lastly, get the oil hot (but not smoking) before using it – this will keep the zucchinis from soaking up too much oil while frying.

ZUCCHINI FRIES

This recipe can be easily multiplied – just keep the olive oil at one cup. Instead of increasing the olive oil just increase the number of batches you fry the zucchini (i.e. cook one zucchini in two batches and two zucchinis in four batches).

1 medium zucchini (about 7” long)

1 TSP kosher salt, plus more for final seasoning

¼ TSP freshly cracked pepper

3 ½ TBL all purpose flour

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Cut the zucchini into relatively thin strips, about 1/8” wide (see above photo step-by-step). Sprinkle kosher salt and pepper on the zucchini strips and toss to evenly coat. Place seasoned zucchini strips in a strainer and allow to sit until it releases a good amount of liquid, about 25 minutes.

Place zucchini in the middle of a dishcloth, roll into a tight ball and twist until you are able to wring out as much of the zucchini’s liquid as possible.

Placed zucchini in a medium bowl and sprinkle with flour – toss to evenly coat with flour. If there are large clumps of tangled zucchini strips, carefully untangle by pulling apart. Shake out excess flour and set zucchini aside.

In a heavy-bottom saucepan or wok, heat olive oil over med high heat until it’s relatively hot but not smoking. In batches (about 2) dropped zucchini in oil and cook until the zucchini is a rich yellow, about 45 seconds to 1 minute.

Place zucchini fries on paper towel to drain. Salt to taste.

Makes about 1 ½ cups of fries.

Wilted Tomato-Basil Salad with Grilled Chicken

I am not a big fan of overly written writing – writing that is packed with lofty or misplaced adjectives in an attempt at being artful. For instance, sentences like, “The heirloom tomato was so ripe that it tasted of the summer.”

Admittedly, I am not a meteorologist but I bet if you walked outside in the middle of July and stuck your tongue out into the air that you would taste absolutely nothing….because summer has no taste.

With all of that said, there are always exceptions to the rule. And this recipe for Wilted Tomato-Basil Salad with Grilled Chicken could be the exception – cause, it tastes just like summer, yall! What? I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s bright, flavorful and has the ease of a lazy summer day.

It’s not a complicated dish. There’s tomatoes, basil, garlic, onion and chicken. That’s it. The trick to the salad is in mixing the ingredients in the proper order. The garlic, onion and basil go in the bowl first, followed by a little salt, followed by the salted tomatoes. And then you just let the whole thing hangout on the countertop.

Here’s the theory behind my madness. The salt breaks down the onion and garlic – which in turn helps them release their juices. The salt on the tomatoes pulls out their moisture. As it drips on the onion and garlic, the acid of the tomato juice continues breaking down the garlic and onion. At the bottom of the bowl your left with this delicious mixture of garlicky tomato juice – just stir in some olive oil and you got yourself a beautiful vinaigrette.

At the heart of this dish are the fresh, ripe tomatoes – which makes it the perfect dish for closing out the first week of the Westchester Farmers’ Market Blog-a-Thon. If you are new to the blog, here’s the scoop on the ‘Blog-a-Thon.”

Some of Westchester County’s coolest food bloggers are banding together to launch this week-long effort. Throughout the week, participating bloggers will publish delish recipes that are made primarily with ingredients purchased at one of Westchester’s many farmers’ markets. (Westchester is a suburb of New York City).

In addition to recipes, each blog will spotlight a local market by providing photographs of the market and the available produce, as well as provide details on the market’s location and hours of operation. The objective is twofold – first, enjoy and share delicious recipes with fresh and healthy ingredients; and secondly, to support local sustainable farmers.

The following Westchester bloggers are participating in the week-long effort (click the links and check them out):

Chick in the Kitchen

Cooking in Westchester

Culinary Comments by Cinnamon Girl

Small Bites

Somebody’s Mom

Sweet Paprika

On Sunday, I checked out the Rye New York farmer’s market.

It’s a great market with a mix of farmers/vendors: produce, breads, meats and diary among other things. The tomatoes in today’s salad come from Newgate Farm. If you get a chance to go to the Rye market, check them out. They have an amazing variety of fresh fruits, veggies and herbs. The address and hours of operation for the market is listed below.

WILTED TOMATO-BASIL SALAD WITH GRILLED CHICKEN

1 garlic clove, thinly cut

¼ cup red onion, sliced paper thin

10 basil leaves

6 small yellow tomatoes, halved

8 grape tomatoes, halved

1 medium tomato cut into wedges

2 TBL extra virgin olive oil

1 split, chicken breast, pounded 1/2” thick

Place the garlic, sliced onion, half of the basil leaves in the bottom of a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle with a dash of salt. Without stirring the onion mixture, add the tomatoes to the bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, grilled flattened chicken breast on a hot and oil grill (or on stovetop with a grilled pan). Grill until chicken is cooked through – about 4 minutes per side. Once cooked, set chicken aside and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add extra virgin olive oil to the bowl of sliced tomatoes and stir. Salt and pepper to taste.

Slice breast into 1” strips.

Plate chicken strips and tomatoes on two plates and serve.

Serves 2

Honey-Lemon Goat Cheese Raviolis

I was excited about this dish before I even thought about it. Ok, I realize that that doesn’t make much sense…so I better explain.

I was walking through one of my favorite local farmers’ market (Larchmont, NY) when I came across the booth for Coach Farms – a local diary purveyor that produces amazing artisanal goat cheeses.

Actually, they don’t just make cheese. Coach Farms offers a range of fabulous and delicious goat milk products (such as milks and yogurts). While everything looked delicious, I really only had eyes for one thing…the cheese!

There are not many things that I love to eat more than a great cheese. So I was excited when I saw a full range of free cheese samples. Yeah! I tried them all. They were all amazing. I felt like a kid in a candy store. With every bite, I was struck by the rich and full flavors that filled my mouth. And while I really did like all of them, there was one that stuck out in my head…the Honey-Lemon Goat Cheese Spread. Yum!

It has this wonderful complex profile. The richness of the fresh and creamy goat cheese was front and center. But this is no one note cheese. There was the added layer of the sweet and almost floral accent of the honey.

I instantly knew that I wanted to use this cheese for a pasta stuffing. I also knew that I didn’t want to mask the cheese’s flavor with too many ingredients. There were just a few flavor compliments that I thought would work with the cheese and let it shine. I would add a bit of truffle oil to give the filling some earthiness, lardons (bacon) to add a touch of smokiness, and sense all of these elements be somewhat bold, I would add a little ricotta cheese for a bite of creaminess to pull the other elements together.

As for the pasta itself, I went with my easy “One-Two-Three Pasta recipe (as in ONE teaspoon of olive oil, TWO cups of flour and THREE large eggs). While this pasta doesn’t have the richness and silky texture of a seven-yolk pasta, it is easier and faster t make.

By the way, if you can’t make it to the Larchmont, NY farmers’ market, you can always browse through Coach Farms’ online store.

Discovering food purveyors like Coach Farms is one of the reasons that I am so excited to be taking part in the first ever “Westchester Farmers’ Market Blog-a-Thon.” Here’s the scoop.

Some of Westchester County’s coolest food bloggers are banding together to launch this week-long effort.

Throughout the week, participating bloggers will publish delish recipes that are made primarily with ingredients purchased at one of Westchester’s many farmers’ markets. (Westchester is a suburb of New York City).

In addition to recipes, each blog will spotlight a local market by providing photographs of the market and the available produce, as well as provide details on the market’s location and hours of operation. The objective is twofold – first, enjoy and share delicious recipes with fresh and healthy ingredients; and secondly, to support local sustainable farmers.

The following Westchester bloggers are participating in the week-long effort (click the links and check them out):

Chick in the Kitchen

Cooking in Westchester

Culinary Comments by Cinnamon Girl

Farmers Market Cooking

Small Bites

Somebody’s Mom

Sweet Paprika

HONEY LEMON GOAT CHEESE

7oz honey-lemon goat cheese

4 oz ricotta cheese

1 TSP truffle oil

½ TSP kosher salt

¼ cup of slab bacon, cut into batons (alternatively, use thick cut bacon)

In a medium bowl stir goat cheese, ricotta, truffle oil and salt until blended. Set aside.

In a medium pan, sauté bacon until brown and cooked through. Set aside.

ONE, TWO, THREE PASTA

3 large eggs

1 TSP extra virgin olive oil

½ TSP kosher salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, olive oil and salt.

Mound the flour on the countertop creating a well in the center large enough to hold the egg mixture. Pour egg mixture into the flour well.

Using your finger or fork, begin making a circular motion in the egg mixture to slowly start incorporating into the flour. If needed, occasionally push a little of the flour into the well. Continue until the egg mixture becomes incorporated with the flour. Once the dough begins to form, mound it together into a rough ball.

Knead the dough on a clean, lightly floured area of the countertop. The dough will be sticky at first, but will be come smoother as you continue kneading. Sprinkle with a bit of flour if the dough is too sticky to work with.

Knead the dough by pushing down and away from you with the palm of your hands and turning the dough onto itself. Knead dough for no less than 10 minutes. After kneading, the dough should have a smooth texture. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 1 hour.

Assembling the ravioli: Cut dough into 4 equal parts. Starting at the widest setting, run each piece through the pasta press attachment of KitchenAid mixer. Gradually, press the dough through smaller and smaller settings until you get about 1/8″ thick (setting “4″ on the KitchenAid pasta press). Work pressing only two pasta strips at a time.

(Alternatively, you can roll out the pieces of dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured counter top until you reach the desired thickness.)

On a lightly floured countertop lay out the first press strip. Mound about 1 ½ tablespoons of filling on the pasta strips. Continue, mounding the filling about 3” apart in a row down the pasta. Dipping your fingers into a small bowl of water, wet all around each mound of filling. Place second strip of pasta on top of the one containing the filling. Carefully press the top sheet of pasta around the mounds making sure to press out any air bubbles and creating a tight seal around each mound.

Using a lightly floured, 2” ravioli or cookie cutter, separate and remove each ravioli. Place the ravioli on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper that has been lightly covered with cornmeal. Repeat process for remaining 2 pasta pieces. If not immediately using, drape the raviolis with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. This should yield about 12 extremely plump raviolis.

To cook pasta, bring a large sauce of salted water to boil. Cook the raviolis for 4-5 minutes (about 2 or 3 minutes after they began to float while cooking.)