Dinner in 20 minutes: BLT salad

This neo-traditional sandwich is eaten like a hot dog.

Assembly for each sandwich: 3 Grape tomatoes cut in half and mayo together on bottom over two whole leaves of romaine for heft. Then add a bacon strip (I roast apple wood bacon on a rack in the toaster oven that catches the fat; do this as first step before washing lettuce, cutting tomatoes, etc.) and add cubes of a half piece of toast on top. More lettuce than bread, so I can eat two of these and feel full but not stuffed. Healthier and ratio-wise, it's more of a BBLLLLT and still super delicious! It is also a fun brunch food!!

Food for thought: Classic foods and winterizing

WINTERIZE ME!
Well, Jack Frost is definitely nipping on our noses! It's winter, and for me that means not only eating heartier foods but avoiding lifeless fruits and veggies ant the market. Relying more on dried fruits, seeds or nuts, in-season foods and even canned and frozen foods will help avoid a winter rut.

Here's a list of in-season/readily available foods at their peak for the DC metro area:
Apples
Arugula
Bananas
Belgian Endive
Butternut Squash
Brussels Sprouts
Carrots
Chestnuts
Coconut
Collard Greens
Cranberries
Dates
Grapefruit
Kale
Kiwifruit
Kumquats
Leeks
Onions
Oranges
Parsley
Parsnips
Passion Fruit
Pear
Persimmon
Pomegranate
Pomelo
Potatoes
Radicchio
Red Currants
Rosemary
Sweet Potatoes
Tangerines
Thyme
Turnips
Winter Squash like pumpkin, butternut, acorn

Note: Some fruits like citrus, coconut, pineapple, bananas and dates are not local but are consistently available can serve as a trade wind for salads, desserts and main dishes.

Do Mediterranean tapas seem out of place with snow on the ground? Ring in the new year with entrées à la Russe: Try Zasuki, Russian and Georgian starters Zasuki ideas from The Splendid Table.

A LOVELY WINTER BRUNCH OR LUNCH
Fried chick peas seem to be the new "thing", so save some money and do these at home!

* 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
* 6 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 15 1/2-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), well drained
* Optional: Cumin, smoked paprika, sea salt, cayenne pepper, sumac (or lemon pepper), toasted sesame seeds

Melt butter with olive oil in another large pot over high heat. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add garbanzo beans and sauté until garbanzo beans begin to color and pop, about 8 minutes. Toss with spices.

Here is a recipe using fried chick peas.


Savory Cheesecake with Onions Confit

It dawned on me recently that I love the taste and texture of a good homemade cheesecake but not the sweetness. This cheesecake is terrific on a brunch menu, and everything can be done ahead. Next time, thinking of adding roasted red pepper & tomatoes coulis for a "trompe-la-langue" effect.

Chèvre Cheesecake

* 1 cup cracker crumbs or crushed pretzels (my favorite)
* 1/4 cup butter, melted
* 3 pkg. (250 g each) cream cheese, softened
* 1 lb. (just under 500 g) soft fresh goat cheese
* 1 cup sour cream
* 4 eggs

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 min.
Beat cream cheese and goat cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
Bake 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Onion Confit (also known as caramelized onions) Try this with filet mignon!


* 1 pound sweet or red onions (about 3 medium)
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Halve onions and cut each half lengthwise into 6 wedges or slice using slicer blade attachment in food processor. In a 2-quart heavy saucepan heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté onions, stirring, until edges are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and simmer, covered, until onions are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly thickened and syrupy, about 10 minutes more.

Here's a variation with cranberries and dried apricot to try with turkey, duck (add some orange zest) or a toasted brie sandwich. Recommend reducing the vinegar to 1/4 cup.

Raw tomatoes' glory days are gone until next summer. In its place, here is great Autumn/Winter salad. Check out the web page for additional menu ideas.

Arugula Salad with Pomegranate and Toasted Pecans
* 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
* 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/8 freshly ground pepper
* 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 2 medium bunches arugula, rinsed well and thick stems removed
* 1/3 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
* 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, from 1 medium pomegranate

In medium nonreactive bowl, whisk together vinegars, salt, and pepper. Gradually drizzle in olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Toss arugula with just enough vinaigrette to coat. Sprinkle with pecans and pomegranate seeds and serve.


This crêpe recipe is perfect. I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet both times I've made these. I left out the cognac and added a little extra milk. Make sure you have no lumps; a key factor is having all ingredients at room temperature so the butter doesn't clump. And do sift the dry ingredients! Raw sugar (with large crystals) will not work in this recipe. Heavenly with Nutella!


Basic Crepes with Cognac House & Garden | December 1959

by James A. Beard
Yield: About 12 small or 8 large sweet crêpes
ingredients
7/8 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind (or a little grated vanilla bean)
2 tablespoons cognac
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 cups milk
preparation

For this basic crêpe recipe, sift flour, sugar, and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until no lumps remain (you may use an electric mixer at slow speed). Mix in lemon rind or vanilla, cognac, and melted butter. Slowly add milk and mix until batter is consistency of thin cream. Let it stand an hour or two before making crêpes.

Heat a crêpe pan (either 6-inch or 10-inch, according to desired size of crêpes) and rub it with butter. (It should sizzle on touching pan) For each crêpe, pour a little batter into the pan, tilting about to let it run, covering the bottom in a fairly thin layer. When lightly browned on the bottom, turn carefully with spatula. Pat turned crêpe flat with fingers and brown other side. As each crêpe is cooked, remove it to a hot platter and keep warm. Re-butter pan as needed.


Photo by: Romulo Yanes

Food for thought: Brunch at Work

It happens: sometimes you need to make food with only a microwave and things you can lug on the Metro.



For some reason, brunch is a great meal to put on at work. With only a microwave,fridge, maybe a toaster, some simple implements and a lot of imagination, you can hook it up at work!

Smoked salmon plate
Smoked salmon (Scottish or Irish is best) is available in most markets. For an elegant first course, arrange two or three slices (depending on size) of good smoked salmon on individual plates. Sprinkle some chopped red onion or scallions, a few capers, and, if you like, some diced cucumber on top. Finish with a few dashes of extra-virgin olive oil, and serve with a lemon wedge, a few sprigs of dill of fennel, and buttered black bread. From Jacques Pépin's "Fast Food My Way" show

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Ricotta and Chives--in the microwave! Just cook for 8-10 minutes, depending on how many eggs (I'd recommend 10-1 dozen for 20+ people). Scrape and gently mix every 2 minutes. I love making fresh ricotta--using fresh lemon juice is a must! But cream cheese is also delicious. I added some Pecorino at the end of cooking to give some depth to the flavor. Would also be good with asparagus tips.

Semifreddo fruit salad and Smoothies
I rarely bring fresh fruit to events anymore. One can buy huge bags of frozen fruit at many stores and can make sorbet, smoothies ad baked desserts with leftovers. Simply combine fruit in a large bowl and let thaw for a few hours. Add melted jam, fruit juice concentrate, liqueur or flavored sugar if desired. For fruit smoothies, use an immersion blender in a pitcher with some fruit juice, yogurt or soy milk. Make enough for three or four people at a time. Also great for mango lassi.


Chocolate Fondue
With the addition of pound cake, madeleines and fruit, one can make a welcoming self-serve station. This makes a lot (24 ounces if you are using a bag of chocolate chips), but it keeps for a long time. In a glass bowl, add chocolate chips or evenly chopped solid chocolate. Microwave at 50% power for 3 -4 minutes for a 12-oz bag of chocolate chips. When chocolate is uniformly glossy, it's done. Stir it for five seconds, then slowly add an equal amount of heavy cream and/or half-and-half. Add any of the following for enhanced flavor: 2 tsp. Grand Marnier or Amaretto; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 2 shakes cinnamon or nutmeg; a dash of sea salt; 2 tablespoons honey. Be prepared to make this again!

Photo by Lisa Hubbard