Recipes

Osso Buco with Gremolata 1 comment

October 14, 2015, posted by Michelle – This is so easy to make and absolutely delicious. Do not skip the gremolata, the bright citrus punch it gives is the very thing that takes this dish over the top. This is usually served with risotto or polenta.

Osso Buco with Gremolata

Ingredients:

3 whole veal shanks

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 14oz. can crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 chicken bouillon

1 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

olive oil

Directions: Salt the veal shanks on both sides. Add a little olive oil to a large pot and brown the veal shanks on all sides. Remove and set aside. In the same pot, add a little more olive oil and sauté the onions and carrots for a few minutes. Next, stir in the chicken bouillon, flour and wine and let the liquid reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, half of the minced garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Finally, add the veal shanks back into the pot. Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 hours.

Directions for Gremolata: Mix together the parsley, lemon zest and the other half of the minced garlic. Sprinkle over the osso buco just before serving.

Salmon with Basil Mustard Cream Sauce

October 8, 2015, posted by Michelle – Le Monsieur went to Dijon, located in the Burgundy region of France, on a one day business trip this week and I had planned on going with him but something came up at the last minute and I was not able to go. I have been through this beautiful region in east-central France but stopped only in the towns of Meursault and Beaune; Beaune is well worth a visit as it is the capital of Burgundy wines. The Burgundian towns of Dijon and Beaune lie within Côte d’Or county which is famous for two things: wine (pinot noir, chardonnay) and mustard. “Dijon mustard”,I discovered, can be made anywhere and means only that certain ingredients are used, so it doesn’t necessarily mean it comes from the town of Dijon or even from Burgundy. Le Monsieur took pity on me, having been stranded, as it were, in Lyon all day and appeared back at La Maison with almost every kind of mustard from the Fallot mustard company located in Beaune. Fallot is the only independent, family run mustard mill left in Burgundy. They traditionally used mustard seeds grown in the region, then had to start importing seeds from Canada and the U.S. but have recently begun cultivating mustard seeds in Burgundy once again. And of course, they use white wine from the region. Since I am now the proud owner of 10 different flavors of mustard (Burgundy, saffron, truffle, blackcurrant, pinot noir, walnut, piment d’espelette, basil, tarragon and provençal) I thought I should pop one open and start trying out some new recipes. I found this recipe on the Fallot website, but I tweaked it a bit and was happy with the result. You can buy Fallot mustards online at French Selections, Le Village and Saveur du Jour.

Salmon with Basil Mustard Cream Sauce

4 salmon fillets

4 shallots, minced

1 tbsp Fallot Basil Mustard (Moutarde Basilic)

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tbsp dry white wine

Salt & Pepper

Mix the mustard and cream together. Salt and pepper the salmon and sauté the fillets in a sauté pan for about 6 minutes. Set aside. Add the shallots and white wine to the pan. As soon as the wine cooks down, add the mustard/cream mixture and stir for a couple of minutes on low heat. Serve immediately with a side of rice.

Crab Cakes

September 9, 2015, posted by Gina – Last week I made crab cakes for the very first time. I love crab cakes and for some reason thought that they were just too much trouble to make myself. One of my cookbook club members was going to be out of town for our luncheon and one of our big rules is if you can’t attend you find another member to make your dish. She was charged with making a hot appetizer and asked if I would prepare her dish.

I began my search for something delicious. When I choose a recipe, I like one that is a challenge. Maybe not one that is that hard, but one that I have never made before. I truly believe it makes you a better cook and broadens your cooking horizons. I saw a recipe for crab cakes and thought how delicious they would be. That little voice in my head told me they were too much trouble. I continued my search but could not get the crab cakes out of my mind. Something took over and I decided to face my fears and choose the crab cakes.

Really, these are very easy to put together. The recipe came from Barefoot Contessa. I recommend making the crab cakes and keeping them in the refrigerator the day before. Close to serving time, you can fry them up and have them ready. I also made the fabulous remoulade sauce the day before.

Here is the recipe:

Ina Garten’s Crab Cakes and Remoulade Sauce

Ina says you can keep these warm in a 250° oven which I highly recommend if you are having guests over. I had three skillets on my stove preparing these babies. While they’re warming in the oven, you can clean your kitchen and skillets and look like a pro when your guests arrive. Every single lady in my cookbook club loved these crab cakes and the remoulade sauce. This is a must try.

Plum Tart – Late Summer Fruit Bounty

September 7, 2015, posted by Gina – I attended my much anticipated Cookbook Club* luncheon last week. I was charged with preparing a non-chocolate dessert and I will admit that I am not a big fruit fan. There, I said it. When I think of dessert the first thing that comes to my mind is chocolate so this task was a challenge for me. We are currently cooking out of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks and so I began the search and found there was a large selection of non-chocolate desserts. I ended up choosing to make a plum tart since plums are in season and that’s reason enough.

The recipe, which you can find here: Ina Garten’s Plum Tart Recipe, calls for Italian prune plums but I couldn’t find them so I used regular ol’ plums. Once the plums were in place, I topped it with the flour, butter, sugar, walnut topping and then baked it. The smell was heavenly. Truly, if you want your house to smell fabulous, make this tart.

Besides pitting the plums this was a very easy recipe to follow. In fact, my cookbook club has loved cooking out of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks because the recipes are so user friendly. A friend told me that Ina (a.k.a Barefoot Contessa) watches several different people make her recipes so she can see how each interprets the directions and from that she writes the final version. I love that and perhaps this is one of the reasons she has so many cookbooks and a cooking show of her own.

Of all the recipes I have tried from these cookbooks I don’t think there is one that I have not liked. I guess you could say I am an Ina fan. Go ahead and try this tart. I actually really liked it even though it is not chocolate!

*To see all the recipes we’ve posted from our Cookbook Club lunches and to read a bit about the club, visit the Cookbook Club category in the sidebar under “Our Recipe Collection”.

If you make this tart let us know what you think about it! Clicking on the title of this post will open a comment form that will appear at the end of the post.

French Green Lentil Salad

August 31, 2015, posted by Michelle – One of the several ubiquitous dishes here in Lyon is lentil salad. This salad calls for the tiny green lentils de Puy (pronounce “pwee”) and is most often served with saucisson de Lyon (cured, dry sausage with pistachio) and can be served warm or cold. Another version leaves the meat out altogether and still other versions add a poached egg. But in every version the Lentils de Puy are the constant, the MUST.

This tiny green lentil comes from Puy-en-Velay, a city in the Auvergne region of France. So, what’s so special about them? First, they are teeny tiny, about half the size of a regular lentil. Second, the volcanic soil of the region gives the lentils a very particular nutty taste and the texture is firm and not at all mushy. And third, Lentils de Puy are AOC designated, meaning the French government grants the label only to specific producers in a specific region who use traditional production methods. Oh la la.
A friend of mine just visited Puy last weekend and brought back a tin of Sabarot brand lentils for me. You can purchase the very same lentils HERE if you care to try this recipe. I love this salad and it’s very easy to make.

French Green Lentil Salad

8 oz. lentils de Puy

1 carrot, diced in small cubes

1 small white onion, chopped

2 small shallots, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Mix together the following for the dressing:

1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

Cook the lentils according to the package directions. If they happen to be in French and you do not parlez le français, then do this: Add the lentils to a pot of cold water. The water should cover the lentils by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and let cook 20 – 25 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain and set the cooked lentils aside in a serving bowl. Boil the diced carrots for 5 minutes and set aside. In a saute pan, saute the onions in a little olive oil, adding the garlic after about 3 minutes. Add the cooked carrots and saute another minute or two. Add the mixture to the lentils, stirring well. Add the dressing, shallots, salt and pepper to taste. I like to serve mine cold though you can serve them warm or at room temperature as well. This easily serves 6 as a side dish. Bon appétit!

Ta Da Tabbouleh

August 8, 2015, posted by Gina – Many may say that preparing tabbouleh, a very delicious salad, is easy because you don’t really have to cook anything. At the core of that statement I would have to agree, though there sure is a lot of chopping involved in making this culinary treat but it’s worth it. I prepared this salad for our Saturday Supper and I am the only person who ate it. Son 2 ran off with his friends and Mr. Sparkling wanted a stick to your ribs kind of meal. Oh well, more for ME!!

TABBOULEH
2 cups bulgur wheat (I found this in the organic section of my grocery store)
2 cups boiling water
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
3 teaspoons salt
1 bunch fresh parley
1 bunch fresh mint
2 bunches scallions
2 medium tomatoes
1 hothouse cucumber. (A hothouse cucumber is different from a regular cucumber as it is long and slender, has fewer seeds and the skin is softer making it easier to eat).

Place the bulgur wheat in a temperature proof bowl. Bring water to a boil and pour over bulgur wheat. Stir in lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Cover and let stand at room temperature for one hour.

Meanwhile, chop parsley, mint, scallions, tomatoes and cucumbers.

Once bulgur wheat has soaked for one hour, make sure no extra water is in it. If you see that it is, drain all excess water out. Toss remaining ingredients in, cover and refrigerate for several hours.

I love tabbouleh but had not made it myself for years. This is a great recipe, but if I made it again, I would delete the cucumbers.

This was great for our 102 degree day served alongside some shrimp.

Enjoy!

To print this recipe or leave comments please click on the title of this post (Ta Da Tabbouleh) and all options will appear at the end of the post.

Dining Among the Sunflowers

August 7, 2015, posted by Gina – Last weekend my husband and I had the most wonderful six course dinner with wine pairings. This special dinner was on a large private property in a lovely barn behind the host’s home. The dinner was excellent and afterwards we picked sunflowers and zinnias. The hosts sent us home with fresh tomatoes, note cards made from photos of their sunflowers and a small painting which was a Walter Anderson print hand painted by the host.

“Sunflower”, Walter Anderson

Here’s what we ate:

Appetizer – Crostini topped with ricotta cheese, prosciutto, grilled peaches and honey

Salad – Caprese salad with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden we were sitting next to.

Soup – Watermelon gazpacho

Grilled Japanese eggplant served alongside chicken thighs that had an amazing seasoning and were grilled.

Ceviche with shrimp, scallops, white fish, avocado……so delicious

Main Course – Beef tenderloin with lady peas and baby okra grown in the garden

Dessert – Pound cake ice cream and blueberry ice cream

Among the wines were:

Barton & Guestier Côtes De Provence 2014, France

Martin Codax Albarino 2013 from Rias Baixas, Spain

Domus Vitae Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2008, Tuscany, Italy

Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec, NV, Champagne, France

BBQ Chicken

August 3, 2015, posted by Gina – For years I have made BBQ in the crockpot because it is so easy and so good. A few years ago a friend made BBQ for my family after I had surgery and everyone really loved it. I asked for the recipe and discovered that it was chicken breasts and BBQ sauce. We were all surprised as we all thought it was pork. I have made it many, many times since then.

This past week I had a meltdown trying to think of what to prepare for dinner. With it being so hot, grilling is not an option and so many comfort type foods just don’t seem appealing. I decided to make the crockpot BBQ chicken. Once in the grocery store I spied some lowly, chicken thighs. I suppose I should not say that because chicken thighs have gained popularity over the past few years. Once home, I cleaned the thighs and topped them with a sprinkle of paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper and then placed them in the crock pot. A whole bottle of spicy, sweet BBQ sauce with a little liquid smoke mixed in went on top. I cooked the chicken for about 5 hours on high, chopped it and served them on Hawaiian rolls. My family loved this and we have eaten it all weekend. If you need an easy, yummy meal give this a try.

Do you have any summer time recipes you’d like to share? Click on the title of this post to expand the comment form which will appear beneath the post. Leave us your recipe or give us your feedback if you try this one.

Orzo Summer Salad

June 23, 2015, posted by Gina -The dog days of summer have made it to my neck of the woods. For me, it is so hard to think of a menu for dinner when it is so hot outside. And by hot I mean 90 something degrees with 90% humidity. A rich roast makes me think of fall and winter. Soup in my mind is out of the question. My family has eaten its fair share of chicken lately. What’s a girl to do?

I postponed my shopping until the very last minute which put me at the grocery store at 5:00. When I walked in there were only two carts out of about a million remaining in the cart bin. Why was I there? I had seen a recipe for an orzo salad that looked refreshing and light. Of course, I make changes to most recipes and this one was no different. The original recipe calls for cilantro but I despise cilantro and when I say despise I mean I really hate it. To me it is one of those things that has just been done too much. I realize some of you may love cilantro and if you do, feel free to throw a lot of it in this recipe. I served this salad with a peppercorn pork tenderloin and it was the perfect compliment. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

ORZO SUMMER SALAD

SALAD:
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed and drained
12 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
3 green onions, sliced
1 – 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

DRESSING:
¼ cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley or fresh parsley or cilantro
Whisk all dressing ingredients and pour over salad ingredients. Mix well. Enjoy!

Do you have any go-to recipes for summer? Do you think you’d like to try this recipe? We’d like to hear from you, so click on the title of this post to expand the comment form and leave us your comments.

Lunch on the Lago

Il Lago Grande surrounded by the Alps, Avigliana, Italy

June 9, 2015, posted by Michelle – On our drive back through the Piedmont region of Northern Italy we stopped for lunch before we crossed the border back into France. There’s a town called Avigliana where we’ve stopped before to eat at a cozy restaurant on one of the two lakes there. They mainly serve traditional dishes of the region. I started with proscuitto and mozzarella which was delicious but I couldn’t finish it. Too bad Le Monsieur doesn’t like cheese or we could have shared this.

Le Monsieur ordered mussels in a rich garlic-butter sauce and there was plenty of crusty bread to soak up all the delicious juices.

We should have stopped there it was so filling but it’s just wrong to be in Italy and not eat fresh pasta. I ordered the agnolotti which are like ravioli but smaller and can be square or crescent shaped. They were stuffed with beef flavored with nutmeg and swimming in a beef based sauce. Delicious.

Le Monsieur had the taglietelle with porcini mushrooms and ate every bit. No way we could eat another bite so we skipped desserts.

Here are a couple of recipes for the pasta dishes:

Agnolotti Recipe & History

Taglietelle with Porcini

What a great time we had and hopefully we’ll be visiting Italy again soon. Do you make your own pasta? Are there special restaurants you’ve come across during your travels? Leave us your comments by clicking on the title of this post to expand the comment form.