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).

If it wasn’t for that fact that I will have my own personal chauffer and someone to dress me up, I’d be late to my own funeral.

Whether it’s meeting friends for a movie or a movie, I am almost always running a tad bit behind scheduled plans. This “Tardy for the Party” mentality (if you get that joke, you, like me, watch way too much reality TV) extends to all reaches of my life. For instance, take asparagus season.

Asparagus season has been in full swing for quite some time now and somehow I am just now getting around to making a dish with what is my favorite veggie. I am not sure what took me so long to get around to it but let me tell you, this recipe for Ribbon Asparagus Tart is a great place to begin.

The other day I was watching the Martha Stewart Show (I actually watch that show more than I care to admit.) and I was knocked off of my seat and spurred into asparagus action. They were promoting the recently released book, Dinner at Home by Martha Stewart, by demonstrating a recipe for an asparagus tart.

It was a simple recipe pretty much only using puff pastry, asparagus and cheese. It was super simple. But what made the tart stand out to me was the presentation. The asparagus was made using a vegetable peeler to form a layer of asparagus ribbons. It gave the effect of a nest of interlocking green ribbons.

I was intrigued but guarded by the recipe. Last year I had attempted to use asparagus shavings for a salad. It was not very photogenic. To be honest it looked like a big mess.

With last year’s disaster still haunting me, I tried putting Martha’s asparagus tart on the back burner. But as much as I tried it just would not go away. I started thinking of how I would adapt it for my taste. I could pump up the creamy factor by adding a layer of ricotta cheese as the base. Then I thought torn pieces of prosciutto could add a bit of smokiness.

Then I thought about adding a bit of truffle oil (I mean everything tastes better with a little truffle oil, right?). And instead of shaving the entire asparagus, I would shave the stalks into ribbons but leave the tips whole for a visual pop.

As you can see, I couldn’t get this tart off of my mind. So I dove in and gave it a try. And I am so glad that I did. If you love asparagus, I think this tart will be an instant hit.

It’s a nice balance of flavor. The asparagus is not overcooked so they retain their true flavor. And the ricotta, truffle oil, prosciutto give the tart dimension and layers of flavor without over power the true star of this dish…the asparagus.

I hope you enjoy.

Cheers!

RIBBON ASPARAGUS TART

Adapted from Dinner at Home by Martha Stewart

12 medium asparagus spears

1 sheet (14 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1 large egg, well beaten

2 TSP truffle oil (I use truffle flavored extra-virgin olive oil)

1 cup ricotta cheese, room temperature and light whipped with a fork

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 slices of prosciutto

1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut off and discard tough ends off of the bottom of asparagus. Cut off asparagus tips and reserve. Shave the remaining asparagus stalks into thin strips using a vegetable peeler.

In a medium saucepan, bring about 2 cups of water to a boil. Blanch asparagus tips in boiling water for two to three minutes. Remove asparagus tips and immediately submerge them in ice cold water to stop the cooking process.

Meanwhile, roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface, just until creases are smooth. Trim dough to a 10-inch square. Lightly score a 1/2-inch border around dough (be careful not to cut through the dough). Brush off excess flour and transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet (or a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking oil spray). Freeze 15 minutes.

Brush border of dough with the beaten egg. Bake until puffed and starting to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, toss asparagus shavings and drained tips with the oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove tart shell from oven and press down on the center with a spatula.

Spread an even layer of ricotta cheese on the tart shell. Than arrange asparagus on top.

Bake until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese and prosciutto evenly on top. Bake until cheese is melted, about 4 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack 5 minutes before slicing into squares.

I was having serious doubts about this one…it just seemed too good to be true.

While watching television a while back, I came across a recipe for Homemade Goat’s Cheese. I was instantly torn between two states of mind. First, I was excited. Was it possible that I could actually make my own goat’s cheese at home? I sat shocked as I watched the recipe being demonstrated, “Wow! That’s so cool.”

Then came the cynicism. “Hmmm…but it looks too good to be true. I bet it tastes crappy.” I mean, if it was so good how come I had never heard of it before. Despite my doubts, I was motivated. It seemed so easy, so simple that I figured the recipe would be worth the effort even if it flopped.

I was so excited that almost I immediately put on my coat and headed out of the door to the grocery store. I only had to pick up two ingredients: goat’s milk and lemons. All was fine until I started looking for the goat’s milk.

There was none in sight.

How could this be? The chef on television proclaimed that goat’s milk “is now readily available in most supermarkets.” I asked a stockperson who was working around the diary section if he knew where I could find the goat’s milk. He was puzzled and confused.

Ultimately, I went to three stores before I finally came across a local specialty food store that carried goat’s milk. Ugh!

Was it worth it? Yes! Making the cheese was fun. And more importantly, it was actually very delish. The goat’s milk gives the cheese a rich, deep and earth flavor. The lemon juice adds a nice counter – a bright acidity that hangs around in the background.

Definitely a dish that would be a hit at a party or with your kids.

NOTE: I originally made this cheese using goat’s milk. Since then I’ve tried the recipe using regular old whole cow’s milk from the grocery store. I think that I may like the cow’s milk cheese even better – it’s more subtle then goat’s milk and blends well with the lemon juice.

HOMEMADE GOAT CHEESE

Adapted from Over the Rainbeau: Living the Dream of Sustainable Farming

1 quart goats’ or regular cow’s milk

juice of 2 lemons

coarse salt (1/4 TSP or to taste)

2 TSP dill, finely chopped

Freshly ground pepper (1/8 TSP or to taste)

Gently heat milk in a heavy medium sized saucepan until it reaches 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let stand until set, about 15-30 minutes. If milk does not set, add a little more lemon juice.

Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth. Ladle set milk into colander. Tie the four corners of cheesecloth together; hang on the handle of a wooden spoon set over a deep bowl and let drain until it is the consistency of slightly dry cottage cheese, 1 to 2 hours (depending on the consistency that you are looking for. Shorter drain time means gives you a creamier texture, longer draining gives the cheese a crumbly texture). Transfer to a bowl and fold in salt, pepper and herbs. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 1 week.

Makes 8 to 10 ounces.

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.

You’re gonna think I’m a fraud.

I mean, I claim to be a foodie but how can that be? Despite writing a food blog and owning a quantity of cookbooks that questions my sanity (about 150), there is a little secret that I’ve been holding onto for quite some time…I hate ketchup and I hate mustard. What kind of ‘foodie’ hates ketchup, right?

I’m not sure how it started but I’ve never really liked the stuff. As a matter of fact, if I am in an enclosed space it is hard for me to tolerate the smell. I’m fully aware that there’s something a little off about me.

Well, last week I set off on a mission to end this. I figured that if I found a recipe for a good homemade ketchup that rocked my world I would see the errors of my ways. Guess what? I think I just may have found the recipe.

I came across a ketchup recipe in an old issue of Metropolitan Home magazine that really caught my eye (actually the article featured three ketchup variations). All of the recipes looked amazing but it was the Ginger Five-Spice Ketchup that caught my eye. Being seduced by the photograph and what looked like a simple recipe, I realized that it was now or never. So I bit the bullet and cooked up a batch.

It was a very easy recipe. And when I was done I dipped a Double Fried Sweet Potato French Fry into the ketchup and with some hesitation slowly tasted it…..I loved it!

The ketchup has a sweet and tangy flavor with a delicious spicy kick at the end. It’s a beautiful and unusual flavor profile that I think is exponentially better than a grocery store brand.

Now, I realize that making homemade ketchup is not a practical thing to do every time you cook a hotdog or burger. But if you have a special burger or maybe you’re having a nice outdoor party, this is the perfect condiment. With its bold flavor and bright orange color it’s almost a conversation piece.

This time I paired the ketchup with Double Fried Sweet Potato French Fries…what can I say, I was in a very orange state of mind.

These Double Fried Sweet Potato French Fries are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I love them. Their slightly sweet flavor works on two fronts. First, the mild sweetness cuts through the fat of the frying oil. Secondly, the sweetness is a perfect counter-compliment to the spiciness of the Ginger Five-Spice Ketchup.

NOTE: I almost forgot – a lot of you know this but the best way to peel a tomato is to cut a shallow cross hatch across its bottom and blanch it in boiling water (dip the tomato in boiling water for about 45 seconds). Remove tomato and let it cool a bit and the skin should easily peel off of the fruit (see above photographs).

GINGER 5-SPICE KETCHUP

From Metropolitan Home

2 tbsp. canola oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

1 tsp. minced garlic

1½ tsp. dry mustard

¾ tsp. salt

2 lbs. ripe tomatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and coarsely chopped

1 tbsp. tomato paste

2 tsp. freshly grated gingerroot

¾ tsp. five-spice powder

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. light brown sugar

¼ cup rice vinegar

In a medium nonreactive saucepan, heat canola oil and add onion, garlic, dry mustard and salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, until softened.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste and spices. Cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring often to prevent scorching. Gently break down tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon while cooking.

Add light brown sugar and rice vinegar and continue to cook, stirring for another 10 minutes, until mixture has a thick sauce consistency.

Purée using an immersion blender or cool briefly before puréeing in a standard blender. Pour into a jar and cool completely before covering and refrigerating. Ketchup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for about a month.

Makes 1 pint.

DOUBLE FRIED SWEET POTATO FRIES

Adapted from FoodTV.com

Canola or other vegetable oil, for frying

2 pounds sweet potatoes

Salt, to taste

Pour oil in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to reach halfway up the sides of the pan. Heat to 325 degrees F, use a deep fry thermometer to determine this. While the oil is heating, peel the potatoes and push through a French fry cutter to form uniform sticks. As you go, place the cut potatoes in a bowl of ice water to release some of the starch and to keep them from browning.

Dry the potato strips thoroughly, this will keep the oil from splattering. Fry the potatoes in batches so the pan isn’t crowded and the oil temperature does not plummet. Cook for 3 minutes until they are soft but not browned.

Remove the potatoes with a long-handled metal strainer and drain on brown paper bags.

Bring oil temperature up to 375 degrees F. Return the par-fried potatoes to the oil in batches and cook a second time for 4 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on fresh brown paper bags then place in a serving bowl lined with paper towels. Salt and serve immediately.

Y’all, I barely made it out alive.

This weekend we saw the food documentary, Food Inc. It is an amazing movie that does an excellent job telling the story of the food we eat, where it comes from and what it is doing to our health and the earth. I loved the movie. But there was one little wrinkle.

Before the movie started, I walked into the theater carrying a large Pepsi and giant-sized popcorn with extra butter. Oppps. Not the proper venue for such guilty pleasures. My fellow movie going, good food advocates were not happy with me.

Reminiscent of the days when anti-fur protesters tossed red paint on people wearing fur coats, I half expected someone to march over to the concession stand, come back to my seat and dump a bucket of chemically engineered popcorn butter on my head, screaming “You’re killing yourself and the earth!”

 So, I have two recommendations. First, go see the movie…it’s eye opening. Secondly, if you must have popcorn, put it in a bag marked “Organic Trail Mix.” They’ll never know the difference.

Let’s talk mayo.

I like mayo. What’s not to like. At its best, mayonnaise can be a fabulous and versatile condiment and at its worse (the bland engineered supermarket version), it can be totally forgettable.

It can be smooth, rich with a touch of acidity – the ideal match for a hearty burger, the final creamy touch for a fresh potato salad or the perfect topper to a mile-high BLT.

So, when I spotted this recipe for Black Olive Mayonnaise in ’wichcraft by Tom Colicchio, I was instantly down with the cause.

In technical terms…it’s yummy.

The black olives are obviously the ingredient that makes this mayo stand apart from your standard variety. The olives add a robust, briny flavor that would be perfect for today’s bold burger/sandwich combinations (think braised beef & blue cheese burger or a roasted pork, avocado sandwich on ciabatta…I just made myself hungry, again).

There are three main parts to any mayonnaise: egg, acid and oil. An egg is an egg. So, I’ll just touch on the other two components.

Instead of using lemon juice as the acid, this recipe calls for the more subtle white wine vinegar. This recipe is a ‘no lemon juice’ party. The olives are the star and they don’t want to share the stage with no stinking loud-mouth party crashing lemon juice.

Then there’s the choice of oils. Since olive oil has such a bold flavor that could easily overwhelm a mayo, it should be paired with a more neutral oil. This recipe calls for grapeseed oil – which adds a subtle flavor. You could also use walnut oil.

This time, I paired the mayo with a simple serving of blanched and chilled asparagus. The briny, creamy olive mayonnaise was a perfect match for the asparagus.

I hope you enjoy it.

BLACK OLIVE MAYONNAISE

Via the ’wichcraftby Tom Colicchio

NOTE: As in most mayonnaise, this recipe uses raw eggs, which should not be served to pregnant women, young children, the elderly or anyone whose health is compromised. Pasteurized eggs may be substituted.

1 large egg yolk

½ TSP Dijon mustard

½ TSP chopped garlic

2 TBL pitted and chopped Niçoise olives

1 TBL white wine vinegar

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup grapeseed oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Place the egg yolk, mustard, garlic, olives and vinegar in a food processor or blender. Start the blender and add 1 tablespoon of water.

With the blender running evenly at medium speed, slowly add the olive oil in a thin, even stream. Then add the grapeseed oil, season with pepper and blend until you have a smooth mayonnaise.

Use immediately or store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 or 3 days.

Makes about 1 cup

It’s springtime!!!! I popped out of bed this morning like a Jack-in-the-Box (if you are under 30 years old just Google it. Hint. It’s a primitive toy that doesn’t need to be plugged into an outlet. Crazy, right?). Now, when I think springtime I think daffodils, newly invigorated grass with a sharp acid green hue…and I also think fava beans and fiddlehead ferns (more about the fiddlehead ferns in a week of two). If you’ve never had fava beans you’re really missing out. While called a bean, favas are actually part of the pea family and they have a bright and creamy flavor.

This unique flavor is not easy to get to. Like most peas, fava beans grow in a pod. But unlike most peas, this is only half the battle (ugh!). Once you’ve crack the pod you’ll realize that each fava is actually encased in its own individual membrane (double ugh!). But hold firm, keep your resolve. Trust me, it’s worth it…

Because they are so labor intensive, restaurants tend to use fava beans as accents – scattering 4 or 5 five of these little jewels – to pretty up an entree. But since I am a glutton for punishment, I like to go all the way, baby. My favorite way to prepare fava beans happens to be the most direct and honest appreciation of their unique flavor - sauté a mound of them and toss them with caramelized onions. The ‘calm’ buttery flavor of the favas are a great match for the punch of the sweet onions.

Okay, enough setup, let’s get down to business. The recipe. Actually, before we get to that, let me give you a tip on how to ease the favas out of their blankets. After you remove the beans from the pod, the best way to extract them from the membrane is to blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes. Immediately dunk the beans in ice water until they are cool enough to handle. Here comes the tedious part. One by one, you now will need to pinch the beans out of the membrane – they should just pop out. Now, just repeat this 100 more times and you’re ready for dinner. What fun, right?

SAUTEED FAVA BEANS WITH CARMELIZED ONIONS

1 lb Fava Beans (in their pods)

1 tbl Butter

1/2 Onion (sliced)

1/4 tsp Dried Thyme

2 tsp Granulated Sugar

Salt and Pepper

Remove beans from pod but leave them in their individual membranes. Blanch the beans in boiling water for three minutes. Immediately put beans ice bath until cool enough to handle. Pinching at one end, squeeze the each bean out of its membrane – should yield about 1.5 cups of shelled fava beans.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add sliced onions, thyme and sugar and stir once to mix ingredients. Allow to sit until onions have browned on on bottom and sides (about 5 minutes).  Lower burner, stir and continue cooking until the onions are cooked through. Toss in fava beans and heat until they are warmed (about 1 minute).

Serves 4 (as a generous side)