Tomato Tart (Τάρτα ντομάτας)

Tomato Tart captures the essence of vine-ripened tomatoes and is a lovely way to highlight their tangy sweet flavor. Mustard goes surprisingly well with garden tomatoes and fresh herbs, and a buttery crisp crust is the perfect platform to show them off. Everyone in the family agrees on these points.

There is vigorous debate, however, on how long to cook the tomatoes for the ideal tart. I like them best when they’re just warmed through, leaving the tomatoes hot, juicy, and full of fresh tomato flavor. My husband prefers them oven-roasted to concentrate their glorious summer sweetness.

Since we both like both versions, I usually make whatever I have time for. With lots of time, I make the oven-roasted tomato version; with less time, the slice and bake version. No matter the version, since tomatoes are front and center, use the best quality tomatoes you can find. During the summer tomato harvest, when juicy red tomatoes are easy to find, my thoughts always turn to Tomato Tart.

Flavor-rich Greek tomatoes inspired Tomato Tart. I first started making it in 1987 when we lived in Greece and were blessed with a garden glut of the best tomatoes I'd ever tasted. When we returned to Alaska, and were stuck with insipid supermarket tomatoes, this dish was out of reach. In recent years, however, tomatoes bursting with summer flavor have been showing up at Alaska farmers' markets. When they're available, Tomato Tart is on the menu.

In addition to the fresh/oven-roasted tomato variations, I’ve made Tomato Tart with regular Dijon mustard and whole-grain Dijon mustard. I’ve made it with the herbs called for in this recipe, as well as with fresh sage, fresh thyme, dried thyme, and various combinations of all or some of the herbs. I’ve made it with every kind of cheese imaginable. The constants are tomatoes, mustard, cheese, and herbs; the specifics depend solely on what’s in the refrigerator.

There’s a reason I’ve been making Tomato Tart for over 20 years. It’s delicious.

Tomato Tart with Buttery Crisp Crust (Fresh Tomato Version)
Serves 4 – 6 (One 10” tart)
Like pizza, Tomato Tart is delicious served cold. Mix the dough for the crust first; while it’s resting in the refrigerator, prepare remaining ingredients. Although it isn’t absolutely necessary to peel the tomatoes, for the fresh tomato version the finished dish has better texture if peeled tomatoes are used. To peel them, cut a shallow “X” on the bottom of the tomato. Drop the tomatoes in boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove the tomatoes and drop them in cold water. Drain and slip off the peels.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
9 Tbsp. butter
1 egg yolk
2 - 3 Tbsp. ice water

Herb-Mustard Paste:
2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. minced fresh basil
1 tsp. crushed dried oregano
2 cloves chopped fresh garlic
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Filling:
Herb-Mustard Paste
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated graviera, asiago, Edam, or another good melting cheese
6-8 medium fresh ripe tomatoes (or 3 large), sliced 3/4” thick
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed dried oregano
Drizzle olive oil

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Make Crust: Whir flour and salt together in food processor. Cut butter into chunks, add to food processor, and pulse until butter is mostly combined with flour, but a few pea-sized pieces remain. (You can also cut butter into flour with two knives or a pastry blender.) Add egg yolk and 2 Tbsp. ice water and pulse to combine. If dough is too dry to hold together when pinched, add remaining 1 Tbsp. ice water and pulse. Dump dough out onto a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap and form into a solid disk. Wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Make Herb-Mustard Paste: Pound all ingredients for Paste together in mortar and pestle or combine well in a blender. (Start with 1 Tbsp. olive oil; add more as needed for smooth paste.)

Bake Crust: Roll out dough into 13 - 14” diameter circle. Center in 10” tart pan, pressing dough towards center and into edges. Trim overhanging dough so that it is size of the tart pan’s sides; fold over the overhanging dough to form a double-thickness side crust. Prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Cut a piece of aluminum foil double the size of the tart pan, fold foil in half, and press it firmly into the dough (the foil prevents the dough from bubbling up while baking). Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven.

Assemble Tart: Turn oven down to 400°F. Spread Herb-Mustard Paste over hot, prebaked crust. Evenly distribute grated cheese over mustard paste and top with sliced fresh tomatoes. Where necessary, cut tomato slices into pieces to fill in any gaps in tomato coverage. Lightly drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed dried oregano. Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and tomatoes are just warmed through. Serve immediately.

Oven-Roasted Tomato Variation: Preheat oven to 400°F. Increase quantity of tomatoes by 4 medium or 2 large. Don’t peel tomatoes. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil. Put tomato slices on baking sheets in single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake until tomatoes have dried slightly and the oil is browning on the foil around the tomatoes, but are still soft in the middle, about 45-60 minutes, depending on the tomatoes’ size. Remove from oven and cool on racks. Continue with recipe, as above.

Gathering Wild Mushrooms in Alaska, Drying Wild Mushrooms, and 5 Recipes for Wild Mushrooms

Perfect 1 pound 10 ounce Boletus edulis

Steve arrived home from work last Friday, a briefcase in one hand and a massive Boletus edulis in the other. A smile of pure joy lit his face. “It’s time to go mushrooming.”

He handed me the mushroom, a king bolete, also known as porcino in Italy and cep in France. I weighed it: 1 pound 10 ounces. When I cut into it, the flesh was firm and pure white, untouched by worm, fly, slug, squirrel, or rot. I’d never seen anything like it. Normally, porcini this big have been heavily predated upon and are chock full of worms.

“Where’d you get this?” “Right in front of the house.” “Whataya mean, right in front of the house?” “Let me show you.” Steve brought me to a spot twenty feet from our front door.

“It’s definitely time to go mushrooming,” I said, thoughts of dinner already a distant memory. “Let’s get changed.”


Leccinum subglabripes

It’s been raining for weeks, so on went rain coats, rain pants, and waterproof hiking boots. Going mushrooming involves tromping through woods, pushing through understory, going up and down hillsides, seeking out terrain where desirable mushrooms thrive. Staying dry is key to maintaining proper enthusiasm.

Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska has moved as of March 2011. To read this post please go to


http://www.laurieconstantino.com/gathering-wild-mushrooms-in-alaska-drying-wild-mushrooms-and-5-recipes-for-wild-mushrooms/


Please click on over and visit my new site. Thank you!


Rules for Gathering and Handling Wild Mushrooms
The first and most important rule for mushroom foragers is: “When in doubt, throw it out.” Do not gather mushrooms that you can’t absolutely, positively identify. Leave all unknown or questioned mushrooms alone, even if it means walking past many mushrooms of every color and shape before finding one you recognize.

1. The best way to learn about mushrooms is to have someone show you the edible species; spending time studying field guides also helps. The perfect field guide for Alaska doesn’t exist.

The books I like best are...

Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska has moved as of March 2011. To read this post please go to


http://www.laurieconstantino.com/gathering-wild-mushrooms-in-alaska-drying-wild-mushrooms-and-5-recipes-for-wild-mushrooms/


Please click on over and visit my new site. Thank you!

Wild Mushroom Pasta Sauce

Fresh Porcini Salad with Shaved Fennel and Parmesan Cheese



Pasta with Wild Mushroom and Clam Sauce

Wild Mushroom Ragu (Pasta Sauce)

Port Duxelles

Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska has moved as of March 2011. To read this post please go to


http://www.laurieconstantino.com/gathering-wild-mushrooms-in-alaska-drying-wild-mushrooms-and-5-recipes-for-wild-mushrooms/


Please click on over and visit my new site. Thank you!

Easy Recipe for Roast Rack of Lamb with Red Wine Sauce (Αρνίσια Παϊδάκια με Σάλτσα Κόκκινου Κρασιού)

Roast Rack of Lamb with Red Wine Sauce is quick and easy to make, but it’s rich with flavor and perfect for days when you don’t want to fuss with dinner.

The lamb is washed, trimmed, put in a simple marinade for 30 minutes, browned on the stove, and oven-roasted. The marinade is boiled and turned into red wine sauce. That’s pretty much it. The sauce’s intense flavor is balanced by the lamb, which cooks to perfection in 15-20 minutes.

Oven-roasted potatoes go really well with Roast Rack of Lamb. They’re also easy to make: cut the potatoes in 2” chunks, brown one cut-side of each chunk in a little olive oil using an oven proof skillet, turn each chunk browned-side up, and put the pan of potatoes in the oven with the lamb for about 15 minutes to finish cooking.

Roast Rack of Lamb with Red Wine Sauce (Αρνίσια Παϊδάκια με Σάλτσα Κόκκινου Κρασιού)
Serves 3 - 4
I use cabernet sauvignon, or a cabernet-merlot mix, for the marinade. No matter the variety, use wine you’re willing to drink, otherwise the sauce won’t turn out well (don’t use anything labeled “cooking wine”). Be sure not to marinate the meat for longer than an hour. After that, dry red wine’s acidity (3.4 to 3.7 ph) begins to “cook” the meat and break down its texture, neither of which are desirable for tender lamb chops. The ribs in a Frenched rack of lamb are completely exposed; the blade and chine bones are removed. In Anchorage, Costco sells good quality, pre-Frenched racks of lamb.

1 8-rib rack of lamb, Frenched
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups dry red wine
2 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp. butter cut in 4 pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Wash the rack of lamb and remove the silver skin and as much fat as possible. Season the lamb on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a gallon-size ziplock bag or bowl large enough to hold the lamb, mix the red wine, rosemary, garlic, and shallots. Put the lamb in the bag, meat side immersed, and let marinate for 30 – 60 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Remove the lamb from the marinade and dry well with paper towels (don’t remove any seasoning that’s sticking to the meat).

Put the marinade in a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. Continue to boil until the marinade is reduced by half. Strain the reduced marinade and discard the solids. Return the liquid to the saucepan, add the chicken stock, and bring to a rapid boil. Continue to boil until the sauce is reduced to 1/2 – 3/4 cup; watch carefully at the end because the sauce can go from perfect to burnt very quickly. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, one piece at a time. Taste and add salt or freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

After you first put the marinade on to boil, heat the olive oil in an oven-proof skillet. Brown the lamb, meat side down. When the meat side is nicely browned, turn the rack over and put it in the preheated oven. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes, depending on how done you like your lamb and the size of the rack. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Cut the lamb into chops and plate. Drizzle with red wine sauce and serve immediately.
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This is my entry for Original Recipes, an event hosted and created by Culinarty.

Recipes for Tuscan-style Grilled Steak with Roquefort-Rosemary Butter & Oven-Roasted Potatoes

It’s been snowing off and on for the last few days. In self-defense, we’ve kept a roaring fire going, a not-insignificant accomplishment since we’ve been burning green wood.

By Saturday afternoon, we had an impressive bank of coals in the fireplace, just right for grilling thick Tuscan-style steak. We headed out to the store to buy the best steaks we could find.

We rarely eat big chunks of meat, so in honor of the decadent occasion, we decided to throw dietary caution to the wind. I mixed up a compound butter seasoned with Roquefort, rosemary, and garlic to top the steak.

For fireplace grilling, we use a simple folding grate and set it up directly over very hot coals. If the fire is flaming, all the better; just be sure to turn the meat often so it doesn’t burn (long tongs are perfect for this task).

The final result was amazing. Seared brown on the outside and rare on the inside, the steak was everything we could’ve hoped. The rich flavor of Roquefort-Rosemary Butter was a lovely finishing touch for our perfectly grilled steaks.

To accompany the steaks, I made simple Oven-Roasted Potatoes. These are the potatoes I turn to when I need to cook potatoes at the last minute and want something fast and reliably delicious. The potatoes are great for mopping up the melted Roquefort-Rosemary Butter and meat juices left on the plate when you've had your fill of steak (don't feel obligated to eat the whole steak; it makes terrific left-overs).

Tuscan-style Grilled Steak with Roquefort-Rosemary Butter
Serves 2
The key to this dish is cooking the meat over a very hot fire, and regularly turning the meat. Instead of Roquefort butter, Tuscan-Style Grilled Steaks are also excellent with a little fresh lemon juice squeezed over them at the table. Tomato salad, made with juicy fresh tomatoes, is a nice balance for steak and potatoes.

Steak:
2 rib-eye, porterhouse, T-bone, New York, or other high-quality cut of steak, at least 1” thick
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Roquefort-Rosemary Butter:
3 Tbsp. Roquefort
3 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. minced rosemary
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Liberally season both sides of the steaks with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Using a fork, mash the Roquefort and butter together. Add rosemary, garlic, and lemon juice and continue mashing until the mixture is smooth. Divide the mixture into sixths and shape into small balls.

Let the grate heat up over the fire for five minutes, or until it is very hot. Put the steaks on the grate and cook, turning regularly, until the steaks are done to your liking. For rare steaks, cook them 3 – 5 minutes on each side.

Plate the steaks, top with the Roquefort-Rosemary Butter (or lemon wedges), and serve.

Oven Roasted Potatoes
When I’m using potatoes with unblemished skin, I don’t bother peeling them. If you want to make more potatoes than will fit as a single layer in the frying pan, brown them in batches on the stove, and then put the browned potatoes in a larger pan for oven-roasting.

Yukon Gold or red potatoes
Olive oil
Salt

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Peel the potatoes and cut into 2” chunks. In an oven-proof frying pan (cast iron works best), pour in enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Brown the potato chunks in the olive oil. Put the pan and potatoes in the oven, and roast until the potatoes are cooked through (easily pierced by a skewer), about 10 – 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

PESD with Recipe for Pasta with Spicy Cauliflower Sauce

Between the US presidential contest and Alaska’s senatorial election, I’ve developed a severe case of PESD (Pre-Election Stress Disorder).

Even when I’m not compulsively checking my favorite political websites, the upcoming election dominates my thoughts. Since I can’t seem to write coherently about food, I’m officially giving up until after November 4.

Though writing is beyond me, I’m still cooking dinner every night. One of my favorite recent meals was Pasta with Spicy Cauliflower Sauce, a dish I created to honor the gorgeous, creamy-white cauliflower that arrived in last week’s CSA box.

Pasta with Spicy Cauliflower Sauce is delicious and gives cauliflower the attention its wonderful flavor deserves. (One day, when I’m fully recovered from PESD, I’ll explain why steaming or boiling cauliflower is almost always a mistake.)

And for my American readers, please vote!

Pasta with Spicy Cauliflower Sauce
Serves 4
The anchovies in the breadcrumbs are optional, but their salty flavor nicely complements cauliflower. The amount of rosemary needed will depend on how strongly flavored your rosemary tastes.

Cauliflower Sauce:
1 cauliflower
2 cups diced yellow onions, 1/2” dice
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 – 3 tsp. minced rosemary
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Spiced Breadcrumbs:
3 cloves fresh garlic
1/4 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
6 anchovy fillets (optional)
1 cup fresh bread crumbs or Panko
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Pasta:
2 cloves fresh garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 pound gemelli, fusilli, or other dried pasta

Finish:
1/4 cup dried currants
1/2 cup chicken stock, plus more as needed
1/2 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup finely grated fresh parmesan cheese

Make the Cauliflower Sauce: Wash the cauliflower, cut out the stem and discard it, and break the cauliflower into florets. Roughly chop the florets.

Sauté the onions, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in olive oil until the onions soften and start to turn golden. Stir in the chopped cauliflower, rosemary, and Aleppo pepper, and cook over medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and starts to caramelize.

Make the Spiced Breadcrumbs: While the cauliflower is cooking, puree together the garlic, Aleppo pepper, and anchovies (if using). Toss the puree with the breadcrumbs until they are thoroughly combined. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt (if using anchovies, which are salty, it may not be necessary to add salt). Sauté the seasoned bread crumbs over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the crumbs are crispy. Pour the crumbs onto a plate to cool.

Make the Pasta: Puree the garlic and salt together; this is easiest to do with a mortar and pestle. Whisk the olive oil into the garlic and salt. Boil the pasta in boiling salted water until it is al dente; be careful not to overcook. Drain the pasta and immediately mix in the garlic oil.

Finish the Dish: Stir the pasta and garlic oil into the cooked cauliflower. Stir in the currants, and 1/2 cup chicken stock. Let cook over medium heat for 1 minute or until the pasta is heated through. If the pasta is too dry, add a little more chicken stock. Stir in the fontina and half the parmesan cheese.

Divide the Pasta with Spicy Cauliflower Sauce between four plates or pasta bowls, sprinkle with spiced breadcrumbs and the remaining parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.
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This is my entry for the third anniversary edition of Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted this week by its creator Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen.

Gardens and Kittens with Recipe for Eggplant Kebab on Rosemary Skewers (Κεμπάμπ με Μελιτζάνες και Δενδρολίβανο)

Completing an eggplant trifecta, yesterday we had Eggplant Kebab on Rosemary Skewers. (Eggplant Clafoutis and Spaghetti with Eggplant and Tomato Sauce make up the other legs of the trifecta.)

Eggplant Kebab came about through sheer serendipity. I was washing eggplant, idly thinking about how to prepare it, when I noticed the vase of rosemary branches on the windowsill over the sink.

Rosemary Bushes and Garden with Blue Jasmine (top left)

Two years ago at Easter we planted two tiny rosemary plants that are now large bushes. The bushes are growing all akimbo, having outgrown the small amount of soil in which they’re planted. The windowsill vase of rosemary contained the trimmings from a branch broken off by the kittens.

Three years ago we began feeding a mother cat with kittens. She’s been back every year since then, each time with a new brood. Over the years, the cat feeding has progressed from once in a while to twice a day, from leftovers in the back yard to cat food on the veranda.

Kittens in the Garden

Effie and Nikos, cousins who live nearby, use our yard when we’re not here for their kitchen garden, which they generously turn over to us when we're in the village. In our absence, they’re at our house most every day to weed, water, or harvest. They say the mother cat and kittens disappeared when we did last year and, endearingly, showed up again only the day before we returned.

The kittens are endlessly entertaining. We’re happy to give them a vacation from scrounging food in dumpsters or catching it when they can. Only a curmudgeon would care that gamboling kittens may damage a few plants.

Rosemary makes splendid souvlaki skewers. When I saw the rosemary while my hands were full of eggplant, a picture of Eggplant Kebab on Rosemary Skewers jumped immediately to mind. I had to have them.

I alternated eggplant on the rosemary skewers with onions and green peppers, and would have used cherry tomatoes if I’d had any. Grilled over a medium hot fire, and brushed with garlic and oil while still hot, Eggplant Kebabs are flavorful and very tasty. Rosemary lightly scents the eggplant, while the fresh garlic oil complements the grill's smoky essence.

In the future, if the kittens aren’t around to break off some rosemary, I’ll just have to do it myself. I’m definitely making Eggplant Kebab again.

Eggplant Kebab on Rosemary Skewers (Κεμπάμπ με Μελιτζάνες και Δενδρολίβανο)
Serves 2
Cherry tomatoes would make an attractive addition to Eggplant Kebab. If the rosemary is starting to form new shoots along its length, break these off to make it easier to push the vegetables up the skewers.

Kebab:
4 rosemary branches, 12 inches long
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), cut in 1 1/2” chunks
1 – 2 red onions, cut in 1 1/2” chunks
1 – 2 green peppers, cut in 1 1/2” chunks
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Garlic and Oil:
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup olive oil

Cut the ends off the rosemary branches at an angle to make sharp points. Alternate chunks of eggplant, onions, and peppers on the skewers, starting and ending with a chunk of eggplant. Brush the vegetables with olive oil and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Puree the garlic and salt together (a mortar and pestle is the best tool for this job, but it can also be done in a blender). Mix in the olive oil.

Grill the eggplant skewers over a medium hot fire. As soon as they’re done, brush them with the garlic and oil. Serve immediately with a fresh tomato and onion salad, a slice of feta, a handful of olives, and crusty bread.

Kittens with Sea Urchins

Recipes for Sausage and Lentils with Spiced Figs & Crostini with Gorgonzola and Spiced Figs

It’s nearly August and the peas are just coming into bloom. Usually, we’d've been eating them for weeks, but this year the weather has been unseasonably cold and rainy. The local newspaper is referring to it as “the so-called summer of ‘08.”

Blame it on La Niña. When the ocean off Peru is 2 to 4 degrees lower than normal, as it has been this year, the “La Niña” weather pattern brings cool weather to Alaska.

Most food sold here comes from “outside,” the Alaska word for the world beyond our state. Walking through supermarket produce sections, full to the gunnels with summer fruits and vegetables, it’s clear that outsiders are enjoying summer weather.

Last week Costco had pallet-loads of fresh fruit from California, including the first figs of the season to arrive in Alaska. I’m a sucker for figs, and these were in perfect condition.

We ate them plain, stuffed with cheese, and wrapped in prosciutto. But with the final six figs, in honor of our “so-called summer,” I wanted to make something warming.

Time to pull out one of the recipes on my “must try someday” list: Sausages and Lentils with Spiced Figs from Diana Henry’s book Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons.

The combination of sausages, lentils, and spiced figs was wonderful. Even my husband, who typically doesn’t like fruit and meat together, thought the figs added terrific flavor to the dish. It was one of those meals where I actively enjoyed every bite.

The recipe made more figs than we could eat in one meal. The leftovers were a fortuitous kitchen bonus that I used to make Crostini with Gorgonzola and Spiced Figs.

The piquant flavor of blue cheese blended seamlessly with the spiced figs. It was so good I want always to keep a jar of spiced figs in the refrigerator for quick and easy last-minute appetizers. Each bite was a flavor revelation.

Sausages and Lentils with Spiced Figs
Serves 4
Adapted from Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons: Enchanting Dishes from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa by Diana Henry (Mitchell Beazley 2002)
Spiced figs enhance the flavors of earthy lentils and succulent sausage. Be sure to serve the figs in a bowl on the side, so diners can eat as many or as few as they like. Although I modified Diana’s sausage and lentil recipe for our palates (the below recipe is as modified), I followed her directions for the spiced figs. They were delicious, though next time I’ll simplify the recipe by using equal quantities of red and balsamic vinegars; sherry vinegar’s flavor is lost in the mix. Not all figs need to be peeled; I peel only when the fig skins are beat-up or unusually thick.

Spiced Figs:
12 – 15 fresh figs
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Sausages and Lentils:
3 pieces thick-cut bacon
4 bratwurst or other fresh pork sausages
2 cups diced onions (1/2” dice)
1/2 cup diced carrots (1/4” dice)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup small lentils, such as Puy or beluga
1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 cup white wine
3 - 4 cups chicken stock

Make the Spiced Figs: Peel the figs, if necessary, and cut them in half. Mix the vinegars, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the figs, cut side down and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, turn the figs over, and let them cool in the saucepan.

Make the Sausages and Lentils: Cut the bacon into thin, cross-cut strips. In a large pot, cook the bacon until it’s crispy. Remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels. Brown the sausages on all sides (there’s no need to cook them through) and remove to a plate.

In the same pan, sauté the onions and carrots, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in the bacon fat, being sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the onions soften and start to turn golden, stir in the lentils, garlic, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, 3 cups chicken stock, bacon, sausages, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 – 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. If the lentils dry out as they cook, add the remaining stock. When the lentils are done, taste and add salt or freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

Serve immediately with the spiced figs in a bowl on the side.

Crostini with Gorgonzola and Spiced Figs
If you keep spiced figs as a refrigerator staple, this appetizer can be quickly put together for 2 or 20.

Thinly sliced artisan-style bread
Gorgonzola or other blue cheese
Spiced figs (see above recipe)

Lightly toast the bread and cut into 2" pieces. Spread it with gorgonzola. Top with a piece of spiced fig.
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This is my entry for My Legume Love Affair: Second Helping, an event created and hosted by Susan from The Well-Seasoned Cook. The deadline for legume entries is August 24.

Sisterhood is Powerful with Recipe for Wine and Garlic Braised Short Ribs (Μοσχάρι Κρασάτο με Σκόρδο)

Seattle was wonderful; it was sunny and warm (at least by this Alaskan’s definition). Birds were singing, flowers were blooming, and green was the dominant color outdoors.

Alaska, in contrast, remains white and brown. It’s a lot browner now than when I left. The snow berms lining the roads have begun to melt, exposing winter’s accumulation of dirt and debris.

Every day I was in Seattle, my sister and I took Josie and Rudy, her black labs, to the dog park. Every breed of dog, from Mexican hairless to mutt, was there. Running and smelling and licking and chasing and swimming and fetching, the dogs were in their element. Just entering the park is enough to lighten one’s mood. The dogs’ unrestrained enthusiasm is infectious.

Of course, we also went ingredient shopping. My mother had sent a newspaper story about Big John’s Pacific Food Importers, a Seattle wholesale/retail company that specializes in Mediterranean foods. Although Big John’s is a little tricky to find, it was worth the trip.

Big John’s has an exciting selection of ingredients at reasonable prices. For example, I bought a kilo of Italian salted capers for under $16 (in Alaska, a 3 ounce jar of salted capers costs nearly $10). Because I didn’t have much baggage space, I passed on buying olives, olive oils, or any of Big John’s 125 cheeses, opting instead for dried fava beans (koukia), harissa, shelled pistachios, herbs, and spices. I’ll definitely go back to Big John’s next time I’m in Seattle.

The best part of the trip was cooking with my sister. I’ve already written about our Kale and Myzithra Crostini. Another evening we made Wine and Garlic Braised Short Ribs and thoroughly enjoyed its meltingly tender texture and rich sauce.

Wine and Garlic Braised Short Ribs (Μοσχάρι Κρασάτο με Σκόρδο)
Serves 4
The wine is essential to the braising liquid's rich flavor, so be sure to use a bottle you'd be willing to drink. Better yet, buy two bottles of the same wine: one for the recipe and one for the table. I usually leave the cooked vegetables in the braising liquid when I serve this, and sometimes add 3 Tbsp. tomato paste along with the beef stock. For a more refined presentation, strain out the vegetables, pressing as much liquid out as is possible, and whisk in 2 Tbsp. cold butter after reducing the liquid and just before serving. Serve with hilopites (egg noodles), mashed potatoes, or polenta.

2 1/2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (or other stew meat), cut into 2” – 3” chunks
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cups diced onion, 1/2” dice (1 large)
3/4 cup diced carrots, 1/2” dice (1 large)
3/4 cup diced celery, 1/2” dice (2 stalks)
2 large heads garlic, broken into cloves and peeled (2/3 cup)
750 ml. hearty red wine (1 bottle)
1 Tbsp. minced rosemary or 1 Tbsp. dried thyme, crushed
4 cups beef stock
1/4 cup minced parsley

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Season the short ribs with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and brown the short ribs well on all sides. Don’t stint on browning the ribs, as doing so adds important flavor to the braise. Remove the ribs to a plate. Discard all but 2 Tbsp. of fat.

In the same pan, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, until the onions soften and start to turn golden. As the vegetables cook, use their moisture to help scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the wine, bring to a medium boil, and cook until the wine is reduced by half. Add the rosemary and beef stock and bring to a boil. Add the browned ribs and all of their juices to the pot. Cover and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the beef is very tender. (The recipe can be made ahead to this point.)

Remove the ribs to a plate. If you are making this ahead, refrigerate the braising liquid and ribs separately. Remove and discard as much fat as possible from the braising liquid. Bring the braising liquid to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer until the sauce is nearly the thickness you desire. Add the ribs and cook until they are heated through.

Sprinkle with the minced parsley and serve immediately.

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This is my entry for St. Paddy's Day Pub Crawl 2008 hosted by Sugar Plum Sweets.

Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash and Onion Gratin (Κολοκύθα και Κρεμμύδια στο Φούρνο)

It's been snowing off and on for three days. Today the wind started up. I went outside to retrieve the garbage can lid and came back chilled to the bone.

For dinner, I wanted something solid and warming, so decided to roast butternut squash and turn it into a gratin. To balance the squash's sweetness, I added caramelized onions and nutty graviera cheese.

The result was exactly what I wanted. By the time dinner was over, I was warm and cozy and once again enjoying our snowy vistas.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Onion Gratin (Κολοκύθα και Κρεμμύδια στο Φούρνο)
Serves 4 - 6 as a main course or 8 - 12 as a side dish
The gratin may be baked in either a 9” square pan or a 9” x 13” pan, depending on whether you want a thicker gratin (use the square pan) or more area of cheese crust (use the rectangular pan). I cut up and roast the squash in olive oil before layering it with onions. I do this because caramelizing the squash significantly improves the gratin’s flavor. If you want to avoid olive oil, cut the squash in half, roast halves on parchment paper - cut-side down - at 375°F until tender, scoop out the flesh, and cut into 3/4” dice.

2 1/2 pound butternut squash (2 pounds cleaned; 6 cups cut in 3/4” dice)
4 cups diced onions (1/2” dice) (1 1/2 pounds)
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
4 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
4 tsp. minced fresh thyme
1 - 2 cups (4 ounces) grated graviera, comte, or gruyere cheese (1 cup for 9” pan, 2 cups for 9” x 13” pan)
1 cup half and half

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Roasting the Squash: Remove the skin of the squash with a knife or vegetable peeler, cut in half and remove the seeds, and cut into 3/4” dice. Put the squash on a rimmed baking sheet and toss it with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 2 tbsp. olive oil. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until the squash is browned on at least one side. Remove from the oven. (The recipe may be made ahead to this point.) Turn the oven heat down to 375°F.

Cooking the Onions: While the squash is cooking, sauté the onion, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil until it starts to brown. Add the garlic and Aleppo pepper and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat, and stir in the rosemary and thyme. (The recipe may be made ahead to this point.)

Layering the Gratin: In an oiled baking pan, spread out half the onions. Top with a layer of roasted squash, then a layer of the remaining onions, then a layer of the cheese. Pour the half and half evenly over the cheese. Bake at 375°F for 30 – 40 minutes or until the cheese has formed a nice brown crust. Serve immediately.

Recipes: White Bean “Hummus” & Piadine (Italian Flatbread)

Bean spreads are a staple throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. Because bean spreads are delicious when made with canned beans, they are a quick and easy appetizer.

Hummus, a combination of chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil, is one of the Middle East’s most common bean spreads. I recently made a delicious variation on hummus using white cannellini beans. I found the recipe because I am participating in Taste and Create.

Taste and Create is an event created by For the Love of Food in which food writers are paired with a randomly assigned partner, and asked to cook and review one recipe from their partner’s blog. Taste and Create gives writers the opportunity to have their recipes tested by a peer.

This month I was paired with Holly, who blogs at Phemomenon. Holly was inspired to create White Bean “Hummus” after tasting a similar dish at a restaurant. Holly bakes her bean spread with a bread crumb and parmesan crust, and says it is delicious. She advises it can also be served at room temperature without the crust and with a little olive oil drizzled on top, and that is the version I made.

The flavors in Holly’s White Bean “Hummus” are nicely balanced. It is garlicky, but not overwhelmingly so, and has just enough rosemary to fully round out the other ingredients.

Holly serves her bean spread with Piadine, a traditional soft and chewy Italian flatbread from Emilia Romagna that cooks quickly in a grill pan. Serve the Piadine with Holly’s flavorful “Hummus," along with fresh carrots, peppers, and other vegetables.

My friend Maria of Organically Cooked lives in Hania, Crete. She asked if Piadine could be used as Greek pita bread to serve with souvlaki or kebab. The answer is an emphatic yes. The texture of Piadine is much like Greek pita bread, and the slightly smoky flavor it gets from the grill is a perfect match for souvlaki.

I’ll happily make both recipes again.

White Bean “Hummus”
Adapted from Phemomenon
The flavor of hummus is brighter if canned beans are drained and rinsed before using. To impart more bean flavor, follow Holly’s lead and substitute some of the bean canning liquid for the water in the recipe. I made up for not baking the hummus with a cheese crust by adding more olive oil than is called for in Holly’s original recipe. For vegan or Lenten hummus, leave out the optional parmesan cheese.

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. tahini
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
3 Tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
1/2 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the ingredients have formed a soft creamy paste, adding water or olive oil as necessary to achieve the consistency you desire. Taste and correct the seasoning for garlic, lemon juice, and salt. To serve, spread on a plate, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with black olives.

Piadine (Italian Flatbread)
Makes 6 flatbreads
Adapted from NapaStyle via Phemomenon
Cut the Piadine into triangles or wedges to serve it with White Bean “Hummus.” Piadine also makes a wonderful wrap for a salumi sandwich or Caesar salad.

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/4 tsp. dry yeast (1 packet)
3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. salt

Mix 1/2 cup water, yeast, and 1/2 cup flour and let sit for 15 minutes, or until the mixture starts to bubble. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or by hand with a wooden spoon), mix in the remaining water, 3 cups flour, olive oil and salt. When the dough starts clumping together, switch to the dough hook (or to kneading by hand). Knead, adding flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and silky, about 5 minutes.

Flour a board or counter, dump out the dough, and knead for 1 minute. Put the dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Let dough rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

Punch down the dough and divide it into six balls. (The dough may be made ahead to this point and refrigerated or frozen. To use, remove from the refrigerator or freezer and bring to room temperature.)

Roll out the balls one at a time into an 8- to 9-inch round. (While one flatbread is cooking, roll out the next.)

Heat a cast iron grill or frying pan until it is smoking hot. Reduce the heat to medium, and put a rolled-out dough round in the hot pan. When the surface of the dough starts to bubble and it is starting to brown on the other side, turn it over and cook the second side. When it is done, brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a little course salt. Place on a rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds. Serve.
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This is my entry for Bread Baking Day #7: Flatbreads hosted by Chili und Ciabatta.

Recipe: Chicken in Rosemary Bread (Κοτόπιτα)

Twenty-five years ago, we lived in Bethel, Alaska. I was there five years. At the time, Bethel had about 4500 full-year residents, most of whom were Yup’ik Eskimos.

Located on the banks of the meandering Kuskokwim River, Bethel is 60 miles east of Alaska’s Bering Sea coast. Cold Siberian winds blowing across the treeless tundra made Bethel a chilly winter home.

During Bethel’s frosty winters, I made Chicken Bread (as this recipe is known in our family) quite frequently. Fragrant rosemary bread, stuffed with chicken and herbs, is an ideal meal to fight off winter chills. It is one of my husband’s favorite meals.

We hadn’t had Chicken Bread in years when I recently prepared it as a Christmas treat. In the past, I made it as a single glorious loaf. When company was over, I’d deliver what appeared to be a large round rosemary bread to the table. The flavorful filling was revealed only when I cut the bread into wedges for serving.

My husband often suggested I make individual loaves of Chicken Bread. Since this was for a Christmas treat, I took his suggestion and was glad I did. Single serving Chicken Breads are less messy and make better leftovers.

With single servings, every diner gets to cut open their own bread, exposing the filling and its heady aromas of herbs and chicken.

Chicken in Rosemary Bread (Κοτόπιτα)
Serves 6 - 8
If the filling isn’t cool when you stuff the breads, it may break through the dough when you try and seal it. Conscientious bakers should make the filling first and then the dough, so the filling has time to fully cool. If you are impatient (like me), and must stuff the dough when the filling is warm, bake the breads in individual gratin dishes instead of directly on the baking sheet. The gratin dishes support the dough and prevent break-throughs.
Note: Rosemary Bread is excellent served on its own, without the filling. For directions on making loaves of Rosemary Bread, go here.

Bread:
2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. honey
2 1/4 tsp. dry yeast (1 packet)
2 Tbsp. minced rosemary
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups semolina flour
2 – 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs (4 chicken thighs)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup diced carrots, 1/4” dice
1 cup diced celery, 1/4” dice
2 1/2 cups diced leeks or 2 cups diced onion, 1/4” dice
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup white wine
1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1/2” pieces
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup minced thyme

Make the bread dough:
In a large bowl, mix the warm water and honey. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins to foam. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or by hand with a wooden spoon), mix in the rosemary, salt, olive oil, and semolina flour. Let sit for 10 minutes (this is necessary to properly hydrate the semolina).

Start mixing in the all-purpose flour. When the dough starts clumping together, switch to the dough hook (or to kneading by hand), and keep adding all-purpose flour until you have a moist, but not quite sticky, dough. Flour a board or counter, dump out the dough, and knead in flour as needed to make a smooth, soft dough. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch down the dough.

Make the filling:
Wash the boned, skinned chicken thighs and dry them well. Cut into 1” pieces.

Sauté the carrots, celery, and leeks (or onions), lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in olive oil for 3 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Stir in the prosciutto and garlic, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and most of the wine has evaporated. Stir in the thyme. Let cool completely.

Shape the chicken bread:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

For individual loaves, divide the dough into six pieces. Roll out each portion into a 9 – 10” circle. Place one-sixth of the filling in the center of each circle and draw up the sides, sealing the edges together. The sealed edges form a seam that runs lengthwise on top of the chicken bread from one edge to the other. Place the chicken bread on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet (or in individual gratin dishes). Repeat until all the chicken breads are made.

For one large loaf, roll the dough into a large circle, put the filling in the middle, and gently pull up the sides over the filling. Pleat the edges of dough together to form a topknot in the center of the loaf.

Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325°F and bake for 10 – 15 minutes for individual chicken breads and 15 – 20 minutes for one large chicken bread. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Leftovers: Because the breads contain chicken, leftovers must be stored in the refrigerator. However, bread tends to harden up in the refrigerator, so leftover chicken bread is best eaten warmed up to soften the bread. The easiest way to do this is to put individual chicken breads on a paper-towel covered plate. Microwave on medium for 90 – 120 seconds, or until the bread is the temperature you desire.
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This is my entry for Bread Baking Day #5, hosted this month by Rolling in Dough.

Recipe: Rosemary Bread (Ψωμί με Δενδρολίβανο)

Tissy gave us a wonderful loaf of homemade bread for Christmas. It made me remember how tasty homemade bread can be, and how infrequently I’ve been baking of late.

I’ve gone through periods where I baked all our bread. Since local stores started carrying high-quality, artisan-style bread, I’ve been baking less and less. We finished Tissy’s bread yesterday, so today I decided to follow her example and bake my own.

My sister’s holiday present was a cookbook from Le Pain Quotidien, a Belgian bakery and restaurant that has stores in 12 countries around the world. The bread from Le Pain Quotidien is reported to be extremely good, so I wanted to make it.

I turned to the recipe for Le Pain Quotidien’s signature loaf, sourdough wheat bread, and read the recipe. It called for sourdough starter which, unfortunately, takes 11 days to make. This was not the loaf I would be baking today.

I used to make rosemary bread quite often, but haven’t done so in years. It goes together quickly, is always full of flavor, and would be an ideal accompaniment to the squash soup I was planning for lunch. Rosemary bread it would be.

As I described in an earlier post, we brought our herbs – including rosemary – in from the garden this year. When I cut off two branches to use in the bread, the smell was intoxicating; the aroma of freshly picked rosemary is much richer than that of herbs in plastic boxes from the supermarket produce section.

When I cut into the bread after it came out of the oven, I could tell by the smell that it would be delicious. It was.

Rosemary Bread (Ψωμί με Δενδρολίβανο)
Makes one large loaf
I prefer using a baking stone when I make bread as it helps my home oven maintain an even temperature and gives bread a crisper crust. I also have an old baking sheet with edges that I use when I make bread. I preheat the baking sheet and baking stone for at least 30 minutes at 500°F. I turn the heat down to 450°F when I put the bread in to bake. Just before I close the oven, I dump a cup of water into the baking sheet and quickly shut the door. (Do not throw water directly on the oven floor or it will warp. Trust me, I know this from experience.) The water creates steam which prevents the bread from quickly forming a hard surface, thus allowing the bread to rise to its fullest extent. The water cooks off quickly, and leaves a hot, dry oven which, together with the baking stone, helps ensure a crispy crust.

2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. honey
2 1/4 tsp. dry yeast (1 packet)
2 Tbsp. minced rosemary
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups semolina flour
2 – 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse salt

In a large bowl, mix the warm water and honey. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins to foam. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or by hand with a wooden spoon), mix in the rosemary, salt, olive oil, and semolina flour. Let sit for 10 minutes (this is necessary to properly hydrate the semolina).

Start mixing in the all-purpose flour. When the dough starts clumping together, switch to the dough hook (or to kneading by hand), and keep adding all-purpose flour until you have a moist, but not quite sticky, dough. Flour a board or counter, dump out the dough, and knead in the remaining flour as needed to make a smooth, soft dough.

Let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch down the dough, shape into a large round loaf, place on a parchment-paper-lined rimless baking sheet, and let rise until the loaf has almost doubled in size. (You can also rise the bread directly on a wooden peel sprinkled with semolina flour or corn meal.)

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Cut an asterisk in the center of the loaf with a razor blade or extremely sharp knife. Brush lightly with water and sprinkle with coarse salt. (If you have a baking stone, slide the bread - and parchment paper if using - from the baking sheet or wooden peel onto the stone.) Bake for 15 minutes. Without removing the bread from the oven, turn the heat down to 325°F and bake for an additional 20 - 25 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Cool, cut, and serve.

Note: My recipe Chicken in Rosemary Bread uses this bread, and stuffs it with a chicken, prosciutto, and herb filling. Chicken in Rosemary Bread makes a showy company meal, or lovely, portable, hold-in-your-hand chicken sandwiches.

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This is my entry for this month’s Grow Your Own hosted by Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes. Andrea's round-up of recipes is here.

Thanksgiving Variations (with Recipes for Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Frozen Meyer Lemon Yogurt)

Thanksgiving dinners are studies in brown and white: brown turkey, brown dressing, white potatoes, brown gravy, white rolls, brown fried onions on green beans, white marshmallows on sweet potatoes. Even the pies are brown: dark brown pecan pie, beige apple pie, burnt sienna pumpkin pie, all topped with dollops of white whipped cream. Cranberry sauce can be the only vivid color on the table.

This year we decided to opt out of brown and white, and instead made a rainbow of colorful food, the brighter, the better. Orange sweet potatoes roasted in the oven with rosemary and garlic, blood red prime rib roasted at 200°F to retain its color, green beans sautéed with shallots, green lettuces and red radicchio dressed with aged balsamic vinegar and best quality olive oil. For dessert we had yellow Meyer lemon frozen yogurt topped with fresh deep fresh blueberries.

No one missed our traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

The best part about the meal is how easy it was to make. The dishes were straightforward and simple. Without complex sauces, or the need to brine a bird too big for its own good, we spent our Thanksgiving enjoying each other. Instead of stressing over getting the turkey in early enough, or whether it would dry out, or prepping ingredients for convoluted recipes, we sat by the fire counting our blessings and reminiscing about our families.

I churned the frozen yogurt during the 3 1/2 hours it took the roast to reach 130°F. When it was done, the prime rib rested for 20 minutes while I finished the meal. Since all the ingredients were trimmed and washed ahead of time, this was plenty of time to make salad, green beans with shallots, and roasted sweet potatoes.

The Meyer lemon frozen yogurt was a particular treat. Seven years ago, my husband’s brother and his wife planted a Meyer lemon tree in their South Carolina yard. This year, the tree had a profusion of lemons.

My mother-in-law packed four of the surprisingly large, tree-ripened lemons and shipped them to Alaska. Meyer lemons I’ve seen in the past have been smaller than regular lemons; these were so large I doubted their pedigree. The largest of the lemons weighed one half pound.

We cut one of the Meyer lemons to squeeze over fresh halibut. It was heavy with juice, and had the characteristic sweet-scented flavor of mandarin and lemon that complimented, but did not overpower, the halibut. With the remaining three lemons, I wanted to make something special. When I read Lucy's recipe for frozen lemon yogurt on Nourish Me, I found an ideal use for the Meyer lemons -- and my Thanksgiving dessert.

Frozen Lemon Yogurt showcases the complex flavors of Meyer lemon, and contrasts nicely with fresh ripe blueberries. It is light, slightly tart, and a terrific end to a filling meal.


Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes
I prefer using small garnet “yams” for this dish.

1 small garnet yam per person
1 tsp. minced rosemary per garnet yam
1 tsp. minced garlic per garnet yam
Salt
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Slice the sweet potatoes 1/8” thick. Toss with rosemary, garlic, salt, and sufficient olive oil to coat the potato slices. Spread out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 10 – 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the edges are starting to turn dark brown.

Frozen Meyer Lemon Yogurt with Fresh Blueberries
Adapted from a recipe by Lucy at Nourish Me. This makes 1 quart of ice cream. If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix it by hand. If you do mix by hand, make sure to grate the lemon peel as finely as possible and to fully dissolve the sugar before pouring the mixture into the ice cream maker.

1 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. finely grated Meyer lemon peel
1 1/2 cups plain whole milk yogurt
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup Meyer lemon juice
1 cup fresh blueberries

Process the sugar and Meyer lemon peel in a food processor until the peel is very fine. Add the remaining ingredients, except the blueberries, and process until the mixture is smooth. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Scoop into bowls and top with fresh blueberries.

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This is my entry for Antioxidant Rich-Foods/5 a Day Tuesday hosted by Sweetnicks.

Recipe: Fig, Lemon, Olive, and Rosemary Cookies

When I have insomnia, a not infrequent occurrence, I lie in bed cataloging the contents of my refrigerator. I plan and replan how I can use the available food. As a result, I am the queen of leftovers; my midnight musings often result in new creations, with the leftovers being just one among many flavorful ingredients.

Last week, my CSA box from Full Circle Farm contained lovely, organic, black Mission figs from California. I ate some fresh, and used others in an excellent grilled cheddar cheese sandwich. When insomnia next struck, my mind turned to the figs left in the refrigerator.

Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska has moved as of March 2011. To read this post please go to


http://www.laurieconstantino.com/kitchen-creativity-how-to-use-fresh-figs/


Please click on over and visit my new site. Thank you!

Recipe: Lemony Chickpea and Rosemary Soup

To fight the cold, we ate soups and stews accompanied by homemade bread, and appreciated the extra heat from the bubbling pot and baking oven. I frequently cooked with chickpeas and, during that winter, started making Lemony Chickpea and Rosemary Soup. Since then, it has remained one of my favorite recipes and I make it regularly.

Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska has moved as of March 2011. To read this post please go to


http://www.laurieconstantino.com/chickpea-soup-cures-cold-weather-blues/


Please click on over and visit my new site. Thank you!