You couldn’t pay me a gazillion bucks to eat this! Well, that would have been my response to coleslaw as a kid. First, I hated Brussels sprouts (what kid doesn’t). Secondly, I had a visceral dislike of coleslaw. The cabbage. The gloppy-thick mayo dressing. No thanks.

But recipes like this make me thankful that I’ve let go of many of my childhood food prejudices. This salad has instantly become one of my favorite, “make to impress,” dishes. It’s light, refreshing and full of flavor. Unlike the mayo-soup that you find in many coleslaw recipes, the flavors of each component really shine through: the slightly peppery Brussels sprouts, the extra peppery radicchio, the spicy Dijon, the honey’s sweetness, the brightness of the lemon juice and the toasted flavor and textural crunch of the candied almonds. It’s an amazing balance.

Served ice-cold, it’s a refreshing side paired with a hearty meat dish. I served it with a Roasted-Brined Chicken and Root Veggies. Know someone who professes a dislike for coleslaw? Spring this dish on them – like me, they’ll be converted.

DIJON-BRUSSELS SPROUT SLAW WITH CANDIED ALMONDS

Slaw adapted from Williams-Sonoma and Candied Almonds adapted from Simply Recipes

(MAKE THE ALMONDS FIRST. THEY NEED TO COOL BEFORE USING. This will also make a little more of the almonds than you’ll need for the slaw. No problem. They’re addictive and you’ll want to eat them on their own.)

½ cup almonds, coarsely chopped

1 egg white

1 TBL water

¼ TSP vanilla extract

8 oz almonds – about 2 cups

½ cup sugar

1 TSP cinnamon

¾ TSP salt

¼ TSP ground cloves

¼ TSP ground nutmeg

2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and fibrous stems removed

1 small head radicchio, quartered and cored

3 TBL apple cider vinegar

1.5 TBL fresh lemon juice

3 TBL whole-grain mustard

4.5 TBL honey

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat an oven to 300°F.

Put sugar, cinnamon, salt, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg in a small bowl. Thoroughly mix. Put egg, water, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Beat until slightly foamy, add almonds and coat well. Lift almonds out of bowl with a slotted spoon and put them into the sugar and spice bowl. Stir almonds until they are well coated.

Bake 20-30 minutes on a lightly greased baking pan. Halfway into the baking, stir up the almonds with a fork to break them apart and prevent burning. When done, set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile, cut the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise. Cut the halves into julienne strips. Do the same for the radicchio. Alternatively, you can shred each with a food processor (grater attachment). Transfer to a large bowl and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and maple syrup. Slowly whisk in the ¼ cup olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.

Add half of the dressing to the Brussels sprout-radicchio mixture and toss well to combine, adding more dressing as needed. Let stand for 15 minutes to slightly wilt the Brussels sprouts. Top with the cooled almonds and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

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

It happens every year like clockwork. I call it my Three Stages of Autumnal Culinary Acceptance.

You saw Stage One last week: The Denial. I stubbornly refuse to even entertain the notion that summer is over. So, in the middle of October I start making a variety of frozen, pool party worthy treats. I present Exhibits #1-3: This Fall’s Blackberry-Red Wine Ice Cream; Fall 2010’s Frozen Strawberry Margarita Pie; Fall 2009’s Mango & Raspberry Sorbets. See? I have problem. And then comes Stage Two: The Acceptance. I go all in – throwing myself into as many new seasonal recipes that I can get my hands on. During this phase, I usually find at least one or two stand out recipes that earn a permanent place in my cooking repertoire (fancy word, right). Which brings me to this recipe for Roasted Curried-Cauliflower. Amazing.

I stumbled across this recipe online. I’d never cooked a curried vegetable dish before but I was drawn to its use of spices: the coriander, cumin and, of course, the curry. I felt it would be a comforting dish. Attached to the recipe were 100 reader reviews that were overwhelmingly glowing: “This was the best way I’ve ever had cauliflower, I couldn’t stop eating it.” and “Fabulous! We all loved it and I am telling all my friends about it.” These were reviews for a cauliflower dish. Cauliflower! When have you ever heard anyone talk about cauliflower with such passion and excitement? I had to try this dish.

Plus, the recipe called for Hungarian Paprika – which I just happen to have. This was meant to be. (No Hungarian Paprika? No biggie. Use the standard-everyday variety.)

I made a few slight changes (largely based off of the online reviews). I adjusted the vinegar down and changed the amount of cumin and coriander to reflect that I was using ground spices and not the seeds called for in the original recipe. I added toasted black and yellow mustard seeds.

Since I was cooking a whole head of cauliflower, I invited a few friends over to help test it out – a good friend of mine cooked a fabulous cinnamon-braised brisket.

The Roasted Curried-Cauliflower did not disappoint. The subtle earthiness of the cauliflower, smoky quality of the spices and fresh heat of the cilantro, played well with the occasional touch of sweetness from the caramelized onions. Next time I’ll use less vinegar (this is reflected in the below recipe). While you want a bit of acidity and brightness to cut through the deep spices, we all agreed that the original proportions slightly overpowered the dish.

For a complete dish, you could toss in some strips of grilled chicken breast.

Oh, I almost forgot…my Third Stage of Autumnal Culinary Acceptance…Indulgence.  This usually happens on Thanksgiving.

Enjoy!

ROASTED CURRIED-CAULIFLOWER

Adapted from Epicurious.com

1 head of cauliflower cut into florets (2lb cauliflower, roughly)

1 large onion, peeled, cut into eights

¼ TSP yellow mustard seeds, whole

¼ TSP black mustard seeds, whole

½ TSP ground coriander

½ TSP ground cumin

1/3 cup olive oil

3 TBL red wine vinegar

2 TSP curry powder

1 ½ TSP Hungarian hot paprika

2 TSP Kosher salt

chopped fresh cilantro, as garnish

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Place cauliflower florets in large roasting pan. Pull apart onion eights into separate layers; add to cauliflower. Stirring occasionally, add black and yellow mustard seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until the yellow seeds darken slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add cumin and coriander to skillet and stir constantly (ground spices will burn quickly) for 1 minute. Crush coarsely in mortar with pestle.

Place toasted spices in medium bowl. Whisk in oil, vinegar, curry powder, paprika, and salt. Pour dressing over vegetables; toss to coat. Spread vegetables in single layer.

Roast vegetables until tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 450°F oven 10 minutes, if desired.)

Mound vegetables in large bowl. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4

Health effects. Smelth effects. I loved MSG. OK, well, that’s an exaggeration. I don’t actually LOVE MSG.

Growing up in the South, MSG (better known by a consumer product brand, Accent) was practically a kitchen staple. You used it in everything: soups, marinades, sprinkled on ‘garden fresh’ tomatoes (yeah, I know how ridiculous fresh anything with MSG sounds), fried chicken, stewed veggies…the list goes on. It wasn’t until well into adulthood that I realized that MSG came attached with some serious health problems – headaches, digestion issues and shortness of breathe to name a few.

As my appreciation for food and cooking has grown and matured over the years, I have tried my best to be more responsible about what I put on the table and in my body. Although, I’ve been known to still use a dash of Accent while making my mother’s ‘best in the South’ fried chicken recipe.

Besides ditching MSG, I’ve made other efforts towards improving my diet. It’s been 3 months since I’ve walked through the doors of a McDonald’s and said, “I’ll have a Number 6 with no ketchup or mustard, one slice of cheese and hold the tomato. With Sweet Tea and Medium Fries.” For those of you who are not McDonald’s connoisseurs, a #6 is a Double Bacon Angus Beef Burger. It’s the same in any McDonald’s in the United States. I’m not proud that I know this.

It is through this renewed embrace of better eating that makes me so excited about many of the recipes in the cookbook, Super Natural Every Day. Written by Heidi Swanson author of the fabulous website 101Cookbooks.com, this book reads like a food romance novel (read the full review at our sister-site TatteredCookbook.com). Her love of food, flavors, exotic ingredients is down right infectious.

One of the many recipes to land at the top of my ‘must cook’ list is the Wild Rice Casserole. The photograph of the dish looked so comforting and so filling that it stopped me dead in my tracks. Made with a blend of wild black rice and red rice, this dish promised to be as filling as any of the heavy meat-laden casserole varieties that many of us are accustomed to.

With excitement I got down to cooking.

As suspected, the black rice gave the dish heft. and served as a perfect compliment to the creamy and slightly tangy baked custard of sour cream, Dijon mustard and cottage cheese.

And making the casserole with two varieties of rices gave it more balance.

Since, I was only cooking dinner for a date and myself, I halved the recipe and baked it off as individual servings. I paired it with a shaved Brussels Sprout & Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad – the cool light and sweet flavor of the salad was a perfect counter to the filling casserole.

Cheers!

WILD RICE CASSEROLE

From Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

2 large eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

½ cup sour cream

1 TSP Dijon-style mustard

Kosher salt

1 TBL extra-virgin olive oil

8 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 cups cooked wild rice and/or brown rice

1/3 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese

1 TSP chopped fresh tarragon or thyme

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the top third of the oven. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of butter or olive oil (ideally 9×13” or individual baking dishes).

In a large bowl, whish together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, mustard and a scant ½ teaspoon salt.

In a large skillet over high heat, combine the olive oil with a couple pinches of salt. Stir in the mushrooms. After the initial stirring, leave the mushrooms alone until they release their water and the water evaporates, about 5 minutes.  Continue to cook and stir every couple of minutes until the mushrooms are browned. Ad the onion and cook until the onions are translucent, another 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute, and remove from the heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.

Add the rice mixture to the cottage cheese mixture, stir until well combined, and turn into the prepared backing dish. Sprinkle with two-thirds of the grated cheese and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the casserole takes on a lot of color. If you are in a rush, you can finish it under a broiler for a couple of minutes, but watch carefully so the top of your casserole doesn’t burn’ it can happen quickly. The finished casserole should be hot throughout and golden along the edges. Serve sprinkled with the chopped tarragon and the remaining grated cheese.

Serves 6

You gotta try this recipe!

I try not to play favorites with the recipes on this site but sometimes I come across a recipe that’s so unique, so delicious that I have no choice. This is one of those times.

It couldn’t have come across this recipe at a better time considering it’s been a while since I have posted anything new. For the past few weeks, I’ve been focused on unpacking boxes, fighting with cable company phone reps, installing wallpaper (this alone was responsible for three or four nervous breakdowns) and building bookshelves (this was nervous breakdown number six).

One day I have to give you a photographic tour of my new digs. It’s a New York City apartment, so by photographic “tour,” I mean standing in the doorway and snapping one shot that shows the entire place. Ugh.

With all of that said, I honestly couldn’t think of a better recipe to “re-launch” with.

A few days back I came across this recipe for Spicy Red Pepper Jelly. The recipe looked unique, interesting and best of all, easy. I couldn’t pass it up.

Let me tell you, this ain’t the one note, singularly-sweet jelly that your mom slathered on PB&J sandwiches. This more mature version pacts an amazing concert of flavors: the tangy, sweetness of the red pepper; the earthy, hearty and almost smoky flavor of the fresh thyme; all finished off with a subtle push of heat from the pepper flakes. Delish!

Besides the flavor, what really sets this jelly off is its versatility. It’s a perfect condiment to put on buttered toast – the creaminess of the butter and tangy sweetness and heat of the jelly (in this post I paired it with miniature cornbread muffins).

It would also be AMAZING served as a slightly warm dipping sauce for grilled lamb chops – the tanginess, sweetness and heat would hold up well with the bold flavors of a perfectly grilled rosemary-garlic grilled lamb chop.

This jelly is seriously a must try.

Before I go, although things are great now (finally settling into my new place has done wonders), it’s been a year filled with ups and downs.  I want to say thank you to all of you who have been so generous in my absence with your emails, well wishes and CeramicCanvas.com inspired posts on your own sites (example 1, example 2). They are all very much appreciated.

It feels good to be back.

Cheers!

WORD TO THE WISE: After you add the fruit pectin, only cook the mixture for a 1 or 2 minutes as the recipe instructs. I made the mistake of boiling the pectin for about 3 or 4 minutes. And while it still tastes amazing, when the jelly cools it becomes to set, hard and unspreadable. Which can be fixed by gently reheating the jelly to make it more pliable.

SPICY RED PEPPER JELLY

Originally Printed in Gourmet Magazine, December 2006

1 1/2 lb red bell peppers (about 3), cut into 1-inch pieces (6 cups)

2 TSP dried hot red-pepper flakes

3 TBL Sure-Jell less- or no-sugar-needed pectin (from a 1 3/4-oz box)

3 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup white-wine vinegar

1 TBL unsalted butter

1 TSP fresh thyme, chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt

Pulse bell peppers with red-pepper flakes in a food processor until finely chopped. (Mixture will measure about 2 1/2 cups.)

Whisk together pectin and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl.

Stir together pepper mixture, vinegar, butter, salt, and remaining 3 cups sugar in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot. Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat, then continue to boil vigorously, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add pectin mixture and chopped thyme. Return jelly to a vigorous boil, stirring constantly, and boil, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes (mixture will thicken slightly). Remove from heat.

NOTE: For instructions on jarring the jelly, click here.

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.

Ginger 5-Spice Ketchup, Double Fried Sweet Potato French 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.