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

Wait…there’s no need to adjust your screen settings. Yes, this ketchup is actually black.

I’ve only cooked one ketchup from scratch before (a delish Ginger 5-Spice Ketchup) but I had my doubts when I first came across this recipe. There were questions: A ketchup with no tomatoes? Mushroom ketchup? Would it taste anything like “real” ketchup? How could you even call it ketchup…I mean, why not call it a Mushroom Tapenade? And the questions kept coming until there was little doubt of what I needed to do. Make it.

As with most of my recipe research, this one began online.  Here’s what learned. While the concept of using mushrooms in ketchup is decidedly English, the origins of the word dates back to the 1600’s in China – where it referred to a spicy pickled fish sauce called ke-tsiap. After making it’s way to England in the 1700’s the ketchup began it’s western evolution through the use of a variety of fruits and nuts (such as apples, peaches, walnut and of course mushrooms). It wasn’t until the sauce made its way over the pond to America that it became popular by using tomatoes.

I came across quite a number of Mushroom Ketchup recipes online. But I narrowed it down to two: a recipe video by famed Michelin starred-chef Heston Blumenthal; and the tried and true Mark Bittman.

While the Blumenthal recipe came with international star appeal, the final sauce, which only used the liquid of salted mushrooms, lacked body and looked really runny. Unfortunately, I wanted something that had a similar texture to the ketchup that I’m more familiar with. So, I decided to go with Mark Bittman. The recipe called for cooking and processing the actually mushrooms into the final sauce – which would achieve the texture that I was looking for. Plus, the recipe was relatively simple and straightforward. Exactly what you’d expect from Bittman.

I made two substitutions to Bittman’s recipe. I wanted the ketchup to have a more complex flavor profile so instead of white wine vinegar and sherry, I went with red wine vinegar and Marsala wine, respectively.

It’s a nice condiment. It has an earthy, tangy and deep flavor. As you can see from the photos, I spread the ketchup on a simple Grilled Chicken Baguette Sandwich. Which gave the sandwich a pop of brightness. And because the ketchup is mushroom-based, it could hold up in a variety of dishes (from fish to steak). Or, as Bittman suggests, add a dollop of it to soups or other sauces to help boost their flavor.

I want to point out a few things. First, the uncooked sauce is rather thick. It will have the firmness of cold, thick cooked oatmeal. That’s OK. As you cook the sauce it will loosen.

Second, many Mushroom Ketchup recipes call for some type of sweetener – usually brown sugar. This recipe did not. In my opinion, it needed it – without, it tastes more mile A1 Steak Sauce than what you’d expect from a ketchup. I stirred in granulated sugar at the end (about ¾ cup). If you choose to, add the sugar in ¼ cup increments until you achieve the taste that you’re looking for.

Enjoy!

MUSHROOM KETCHUP

Adapted from How to Make Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

1½ pounds white mushrooms, halved

1 tablespoon salt

1 ounce dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup roughly chopped shallot or onion

1 clove garlic, peeled

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup Marsala wine

½ – ¾ cups granulated sugar

Put the fresh mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Transfer to a large bowl; sprinkle with the salt and mix until the salt is distributed evenly. Cover with a cloth and let sit at room temperature for about 24 hours, stirring 3 or 4 times (the mushrooms will turn dark).

An hour before you’re ready to make the sauce, put the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with about 2 cups boiling water. Use a plate if necessary to keep them submerged and soak until soft, about an hour.

Transfer the fresh mushrooms to a food processor. Use a slotted spoon to move the dried mushrooms to the processor. Then ladle or pour in ½ cup of their soaking liquid, trying not to disturb the grit settled at the bottom of the bowl. Add the vinegar, shallot, garlic, and lots of pepper; purée until smooth.

Put the mushroom mixture in a pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat so it bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture appears homogenous and thick, an hour or so. (To test the consistency, dab a small spoonful onto a plate and let sit for a few minutes; if liquid is released, it needs to cook longer.)

Cool until safe to handle, then put the ketchup in a blender and purée until smooth, almost velvety in texture. Add the Marsala if you’re using it and adjust the seasoning.

If using, stir in granulated sugar in ¼ cup increments, to taste.

Let cool to room temperature, then serve or store, refrigerated, in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1 quart

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

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).

Ok guys, you gotta be honest with me. Does this bright orange make my backside look big?

Notice anything different? The Ceramic Canvas is trying on a new outfit, a new look, a complete redesign of the website. Although it keeps the old sharp orange color scheme (what can I say, me likes bright shiny colors), the new site is more user friendly with a stronger emphasis on the food and photos.

I’ll be honest – reprogramming the site was often painful. I mean, I’m no html, css.layout data pro. At one point I thought I had lost all of my old content. I responded the only way I knew how – I curled up on the floor in the fetal position. And nothing good can come from a grown man on the floor in the fetal position. Well, except that I realized that I really need to dust my floors more often.

But here we are – a new look. I hope you like it. What do you think? What better way to kick off this new bright and shiny web design then with a bright and shiny dish.

I love pomegranates. In particular, I like that as I bite into the pomegranate seeds they release this tart burst of juice that wakes up my taste buds. It reminds me of summers growing up in Alabama (by the way, I’ve always thought of pomegranates as summertime fruits but evidently, they’re not. Who knew?).

So, I was raring to go when I came across this recipe for Pomegranate & Walnut Salad thumbing through one of my favorite cookbooks, Turquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey by Greg & Lucy Malouf. It’s a beautiful book filled with amazing recipes and photographs of food and the Turkish land/cityscape that make you long to hop on a plane and eat your way through this amazing country.

I bought the book after my good friend (and soon to be neighbor) Rasha gave me a copy of its companion book, Saha: A Chef’s Journey through Lebanon and Syria, for my birthday. I highly recommend both books.

Back to the salad. While the tartness of the pomegranate is the undisputed star of the show, what makes this salad standout is the way the other flavors and textures, lingering around in the background, round out the dish: the crunch and slightness of the pistachios, the smokiness of the toasted walnuts, the sharp brininess of the green olives, the occasional heat from the Serrano chile.

While on their own none of these ingredients are shirking violets, the flavors really play well together.

I’ve made this salad a few times – tweaking it along the way. I’ve always envisioned this salad being fresh and bright. So, I have significantly increased the amount of pomegranate to amp up the flavor. I’ve also decreased the amount of nuts and green olives – they tend to overwhelm the other elements of the dish.

Lastly, the original recipe calls for pomegranate molasses. That’s way too complicated and specialized for me (translation, I’m too lazy to go out and find it). I’ve modified the recipe by using honey and fresh pomegranate juice instead.

The great thing about composed salads is the ease in which you can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste. So, give it a try and increase and/or decrease the ingredients as the mood strikes you.

Cheers!

POMEGRANATE & WEALNUT SALAD

Adapted from Turquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey by Greg & Lucy Malouf

½ cup walnuts

¼ cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped

¼ cup unsalted shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

1 cup pomegranate seeds, finely chopped

2 small shallots, peeled and finely diced

1 red Serrano chile, seeded and finely diced

2 TBL shredded flat-leaf parsley

1 TBL extra virgin olive oil

1 TBL walnut oil

2 TBL of pomegranate juice

1 TSP of honey (feel free to add more to suit your taste)

Juice of ½ lemon

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Scatter the walnuts onto a cookie sheet pan and roast for 5-10 minutes, until deep golden brown. Pour the nuts into a dish towel and rub well to remove as much skin as possible. Chop the walnuts coarsely and toss in a fine-mesh strainer to remove any remaining skin or dust.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently.

Leave to stand for 5 minutes or so before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Serves 4

Wait!!! Don’t hit the “X” button on your screen.

You might be thinking, “A soup made out of nuts? No thanks. I’ll pass.”

But it’s actually a very delicious dish. Let me explain.

I was flipping through a back issue of the magazine, Metropolitan Home, when I came across a recipe for chestnut soup. Hmmmmmm. I was intrigued. I’d never heard of a soup made out of nuts before (keep in mind that I’m originally from Alabama, so, anything not deep fried is pretty exotic to me).

What would it taste like? Being a pureed nut soup, would the final product be grainy or smooth? I went through this deliberation process, but honestly because I love trying new dishes, I had pretty much already made up my mind to give this soup a try.

In addition to being unique, the recipe is also seasonal. With the exception of this delish Cranberry-Lemon Chocolate Tart from last week, I have been trying my best to cook with seasonal (and regional when possible) produce. And what can be more seasonal than roasted chestnuts in January?

I’ve only made a few tweaks to the original recipe.

First, the original recipe called for frozen chestnuts. To me the beauty of cooking is in using all my senses. I wanted to feel the soft but hard shells. I wanted to perfume the house with the smell of the sweet chestnuts roasting away in the oven. I wanted to hear the cracking and feel the anticipation as I work to release the chestnuts from their shells. So there would be no frozen chestnuts in this soup. I wanted the whole experience…I would roast them.

The second change was in how the fat and diary was incorporated into the recipe. The original recipe used only heavy cream which is added in the soup towards the beginning of the cooking process. I am not a big fan of boiling cream in creamed soup. I prefer to cook the vegetables with stock and milk (I use low-fat) and finish the soup off with a bit of heavy cream. It’s a technique from James Peterson’s book ‘Vegetables’ – which to me is the bible of vegetable cooking. The book’s cover proclaims it as “the most authoritative guide to buying, preparing and cooking” vegetable. I agree. It is.

In the end, I really enjoyed the soup and its complex flavor profile. The sweet ‘meatiness’ of the chestnuts paired with the tang of the cream fraiche is a great marriage. It’s also a great ‘soup & sandwich’ soup. It lends itself to being matched with a nice hearty, earthy sandwich.

No sandwich? It works well with a nice glass of dry white wine. Which is what I did.

Note: For a vegetarian version replace chicken stock with veggie stock.

Cheers!

ROASTED CHESTNUT SOUP WITH CRÈME FRAICHE

2 cups fresh chestnuts

½ cup yellow onion, diced

½ TBL dried thyme

1 TSP Kosher salt

2 TBL extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups milk (I prefer low-fat)

4 cups chicken stock (low sodium, reduced fat, if using canned) or veggie stock

1 cup heavy cream

Crème fraiche, for garnish

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425⁰F.

Placing the chestnuts flat side down on a dish towel (to prevent slipping), carefully score each with an “X” mark across the shell with a sharp serrated knife. Place chestnut in a baking pan with the “X” side pointing upwards. Roast chestnuts for 20-25 minutes. Remove chestnuts from oven. When they are just cool enough to handle peel them of their shell and inner skin. Note: Peel the chestnuts before they become cold.

Over medium heat, sauté the onions and thyme with a pinch of salt in the olive oil in a heavy bottom sauté pan until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add ½ cup water and simmer gently until the onions are soft and sweet and the water has almost evaporated. Add the milk and chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer.

Add chestnuts and simmer until chestnuts are falling apart, about 25 minutes.

Remove soup from heat and stir in the heavy cream.

Using a hand held blender, puree soup until it is well blended and smooth. If the soup is too thick for your taste, feel free to add more milk to thin it out (or more heavy cream, if you dare). Salt to taste.

Note: For an extra smooth finish pass soup through a fine strainer after pureeing it).

Serve soup hot with a dollop of crème fraiche and lots of freshly ground black pepper over the top.

Serves 8 to 10

“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.