Parmesan-Asiago Cheese Spread

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I’ve gotta tell you right up front, this is a recipe I adapted from Michael Chiarello’s NapaStyle web site. It's called Salsa di Parmigiano and I found it a few years ago. It’s very delicious, very calorie-laden but low-carb (providing you put it on veggies or low-carb pasta), and I make it several times a year. I’ve had great success varying the cheeses with just about any combination of dry, aged cheese I happen to have on hand.

You can buy jars of this from NapaStyle.com, but it’s so easy to make that I do it myself with freshly bought ingredients. And, with all the respect that Mr. Chiarello is due, I add a bit of sugar and a pinch of salt to the recipe which, in my estimation, rounds it out nicely.

So, here’s the list of ingredients with a few of my own added. Dump it all into a food processor and pulse until it’s of a chunky-spreadable consistency. Serve with large, garlic toasted baguette slices, artisan crackers, coarsely sliced red bell peppers so you can scoop it up, or your favorite Triscuits (hey, my kids like Triscuits!).

1 heaping cupful (about 8 oz.) each of Parmesan cheese and Asiago cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks (I've used Pecorino Romano, dry Jack and Cypress Grove's Midnight Moon after it has dried out a bit)
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, such as Tellicherry
2 tablespoons, or more, chopped green onions, using equal amounts of white part and dark green parts
2 -3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, laid flat on top of each other, rolled up lengthwise like a cigar and sliced crosswise into thin strips
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Less than 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of good kosher salt or sea salt
1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil

C'est une Soupe Rustique!

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Winter is really having issues about letting go where we live. One day it’s a mix of sun and clouds, the next it’s raining the entire day. Yesterday began nicely warm in the morning but by afternoon had turned cold and dark with heavy, ominous looking clouds.

A hearty, warming soup was on my mind for dinner, something that used both end of winter (one can hope, can't one?) and beginning of spring veggies. In the market, I found end-of-season butternut squash that was surprisingly heavy – a good sign. Fresh basil, beautiful fresh ginger, organic garlic, fresh shitake mushrooms and organic vegetable broth all went into my basket. Yum!

This soup takes about 1 hour to prepare, from start to dinner. I loved the rustic look and the chunky texture that I got from chopping the veggies and aromatics rather coarsely, but if you prefer, it can also be pureed to a silky smoothness. The spices can be varied too. This would make a heavenly curried soup. The addition of roasted celery root intrigues me...

One more note: I have a new camera, a Canon PowerShot SD 450 that I am still learning to use. Please bear with me as I ramp up.

Butternut Squash & Shitake Mushroom, Ginger Soup

2 medium butternut squashes, heavy for their size, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks

1 medium sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
10 (or so) shitake mushrooms, bottom part of stems removed, sliced
2 tablespoons each, good olive oil and butter
Several tablespoons sweet vermouth or sherry or Port to deglaze (optional, but adds nice flavor)

32 oz. (4 cups) organic vegetable broth (store bought or home made)
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large leaves fresh basil, coarsely torn

1-2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, depending on the saltiness of the broth

Place squash chunks on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and roast in a 375-degree oven for about 40 minutes, covered with foil the first 20 minutes, foil removed the last 20 minutes. You want the squash softly cooked through and slightly caramelized.

Meanwhile, using 1 tablespoon each of the butter and olive oil, in a stock pot or large saucepan, sauté the onion over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté 1 minute more. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they are soft. Add the vegetable stock, baked squash, torn basil leaves, grated nutmeg, freshly ground pepper and stir to blend over medium low heat.

Still over the heat and using a potato masher, gently mash the squash until the chunks break up and smooth out slightly. You don’t want to mash the mushrooms, so do this carefully. When the soup is the consistency you want, if you would like, stir in the other tablespoon of butter and olive oil to add richness. Add salt and more grindings of pepper to taste. Leave the torn basil leaves in the soup.

I just happened to have a leg of duck confit in my fridge, so I served this soup by shredding the duck meat evenly into 2 soup bowls and then topping with the hot soup. Leftover chicken could also be used. Grate a dusting of nutmeg over each serving and artfully place a small basil leaf as a garnish. Serve with a crusty artisan bread.

Because of the fresh organic basil, garlic and ginger in this soup, I've decided to submit my post to Herb blogging Weekend #27over at Kaylyn's Kitchen . Hope it qualifies!

Two Kinds of Scones, Two Kinds of Curd

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Once in a while I have to break out of the low-carb eating thing and make something with white flour, white sugar, and lots of butter. So, wanting to bring my scone recipe up to date and try a few new ingredients, I ended up making two kinds: a blueberry-ginger and an orange-cranberry.

Not stopping there, using the Meyer lemons that my friend Bill gave me, I had to make some curd for the scones because how can you have scones without lemon curd? Following my own rather industrious lead, I then decided that an orange curd, if it worked, would be a very beautiful way to use up the blood oranges in my fridge. Bingo! on all counts. Put on a pot of tea and enjoy!

Ginger-Blueberry Scones
(or “scaahns”, as my Scottish Aunt Margaret used to say)

2 ½ cups unbleached flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger

8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Combine the dry ingredients, stirring with a whisk until blended, then place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
Sprinkle the pieces of butter over the flour mixture. Pulse 2 or 3 times, at about 10 seconds per pulse, or until the butter is in pieces about the size of peas and incorporated into the flour. Alternatively, you can cut the butter in with two knives or use your fingers to press the dough into the flour, but this may make for a tougher scone.
You want the butter to stay as cold as possible, so minimal handling is best.

Pour the flour/butter mixture into a mixing bowl and gently stir in:
½ cup organic dried blueberries
¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger
Zest of 1 lemon

Using a fork and your fingers, quickly stir in:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, more or less (depending on the flour you’re using, the time of day you’re doing this, the temperature both inside and outside the house, your emotional state of mind, your significant other’s emotional state of mind, and the current planetary alignment), until the dough is still a bit crumbly-sticky but holds together when pinched.

Dump the dough on a floured pastry cloth and gently knead a few times to bring it together.
Flour the top and with a rolling pin or your hands, roll or pat to a 12” diameter about ½-inch thick.
Cut into wedges or use a cutter or glass to make rounds.
Place on an un-greased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Remove from oven and place scones on racks to cool.
Serve with Meyer lemon curd and your favorite tea.

Orange-Cranberry Scones
Using the same method as above, here is the list of ingredients:

2 ½ cups unbleached flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp cardamom
½ cup dried organic cranberries
Zest of 1 blood orange

8 tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

Make these scones using the method above and serve with Blood Orange Curd.

Meyer Lemon Curd
5 large eggs
¾ cup superfine sugar
1 cup Meyer lemon juice
Zest from 2 Meyer lemons
6 tablespoons cold butter cut into slices

Beat the eggs then stir in the sugar. Whisk until fully blended. Pour in the lemon juice and zest and whisk until blended.
In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, stir mixture constantly until it thickens. Drop in the butter, a few slices at a time, and whisk until melted and fully blended. The curd will start to glisten as you do this and thicken even more. When all the butter is fully incorporated, remove the top pan from the heat and set aside to cool. Pour into glass jars and top with a lid. You can serve this right away. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Blood Orange Curd
4 extra large eggs
Juice of 3 blood oranges (I got about 2/3 cup)
Juice of 2 Meyer lemons (about 1/3 cup)
¾ cup superfine sugar
6 tablespoons cold butter

I wanted to make this curd using only blood oranges, but they were not tart enough so I added Meyer lemon juice. For this recipe, I would combine the two juices first and taste for tartness. Adjust the sugar content accordingly.
Follow the steps above for lemon curd.

NOW it's Spring!

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For me it's not spring in our neck of the woods until the swallows return to nest in the eaves of our house and the rafters of our barn. Every year on March 19th I start watching the sky. Allowing for weather, they will appear between the 19th and 23rd. When the 23rd went by and I still hadn't seen them, I began to worry. About how the weather might have affected them, about it not truly being spring until these beautiful little birds come "home", and if they didn't, would spring just not happen this year?

Then this morning, which dawned clear and sunny for a change, while crossing the short distance from the house to my office, I looked up and there they were. Swooping and diving, their long forked tails and swept-back wings cutting a graceful image against the blue sky; happily catching bugs on the fly, singing their lilting song - finally, Spring has truly sprung!

And since it's very, very hard to capture flying swallows on camera, Clay snapped this photo of the native red currant that blooms at the edge of our yard. Happy Spring!

Spicey Mint Lamb Chops & Leeks

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Ah, Spring on the North Coast: gray, cloudy - much like it's been here all winter. Bah! The sun showed its lovely, if watery, face this afternoon for just a bit before hiding behind more clouds. Grrr! I'm ready for sun. I'm ready for heat. I'm ready for dry ground on which to walk.

Given my general state of grumpiness over the weather, my lamb offering today looks much like I feel - a bit gray, brown and wet! Sorry for the photo. We tried to perk it up but no amount of dithering with camera settings made much of a difference.

You'll just have to take my word for it that these little chops are very tasty. They can be oven broiled, pan seared or outdoor grilled, depending on your fancy and, of course, the weather.

8 lamb loin chops, trimmed of fat
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup chopped, fresh mint
4-6 cloved garlic, peeled and smashed with the side of a knife
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more or less, depending your taste

Place the garlic and salt in a mortar and grind to a smooth paste. Add the mint and spices and grind until fully incorporated. Slowly pour in the olive oil, grinding with the pestle, until the oil is incorporated and a smooth, spreadable paste is formed.
Spread the mixture over both sides of each lamb chop and let stand at room tempurature for 20 minutes to 1/2 hour.
Broil until each side is browned and crusty and the inside is medium-rare, about 4 minutes per side. Or, in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, sear until well browned on each side, no more than 4 minutes per side.
Let chops sit off heat for a few minutes before serving, but don't allow to get cold.

For the leeks, trim the tip of the stem ends and cut the tops off just where the light green part begins to turn dark green. Slice each leek lengthwise about 1/3 of the way through and, under cool running water, clean all the dirt from the layers close to the stem end and as far up as needed.
Slice the leeks all the way through lengthwise and then chop crosswise on an extreme angle into 1/4-inch slices. Place in a large roasting pan that has been drizzled with about a teaspoon of olive oil and spread out on bottom of pan. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and drizzle with a bit more olive oil. Cover with foil and roast in a 375 oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove foil, shake the pan to loosen the leeks and roast for 8-10 minutes more or until soft and slightly browned but not burned.

I had some cremini mushrooms that needed cooking so I sauteed them in olive oil, sprinkled with just a bit of Kosher salt and about 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme. (My fresh thyme is almost non-existent this time of year.) Saute until the mushrooms have given off their liquid. Add a tablespoon of whatever Port you happen to have around and leave on heat, stirring, until the liquid has mostly been absorbed. This was very nice with the chops and leeks.

So there you have my first-day-of-Spring offering. I hope your day was sunny and full of warmth. Just don't tell me about it - I get very grouchy!

Oven Roasted Prawns & Asparagus

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When it's too cold to grill outside, pan roasting comes awfully close.

These babies were soaked in a citrusy - soy marinade for two hours and then roasted in a hot oven

2-4 lbs. medium-sized prawns, 31-50 per pound (depending on how many you're feeding. For this occasion, there were 12), shells and tails intact. With a very sharp knife, slit the rounded back of each prawn and remove the sand track. Combine the following (adjust to your personal taste):
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar or a mix of your own citrus juices such as orange, blood orange, lemon, & lime plus some Champagne vinegar to taste.
1/3 cup lite soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup orange pineapple juice concentrate
2 tablespoons water
Place prepared prawns in a glass bowl or dish and pour the marinade over, turning the prawns until they are fully coated. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Reserving marinade, with a slotted spoon remove the prawns to a large roasting pan and roast in a 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until all the prawns are bright orange, shaking pan often. Remove the prawns from the pan and tent with foil to keep warm.
Strain both the marinade and the juice from the roasting pan into a sauce pan. Stir 1/4 cup orange pineapple juice concentrate and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. Taste for seasonings and pass as a dipping sauce with the prawns.

First California asparagus of the season!
For the asparagus, trim tough ends and, using a vegetable peeler, peel the skins if tough. Place the asparagus in single layers on parchment paper in a large jelly roll pan. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Roast in a 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

I Blog Therefore I Am(?)

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Egged-on by my kids several years ago to write a family cookbook and after many false starts, one day while researching the Web I discovered the world of blogging, signed up for my own blog then and there and, as the saying goes, never looked back. With my blog I can put onto virtual paper what has evidently been locked inside of me for most of my life: the desire to express to others what I love best.

So when I read Pete Wells' article, In the Belly of the Blog, in the March issue of Food & Wine Magazine, I took some exception to his claims of what makes a food blog good. Among his points are: 1- "a good blog needs to communicate passion"; 2- "...there ought to be consequences... something should be at stake"; 3- "...the blog should be timely..."; and 4- "... a blog needs a sense of purpose." Wells goes on to say that a blogger "needs to make sure no one else already has it [the purpose] covered". And while Mr. Wells' article is not a negative statement per se about food bloggers, and while he certainly has some valid points about writing in general, and while his writing this article certainly has brought the world of food blogging more into the limelight, it did reap several responses from the food blog community.

Dave at The Fumbling Foodie says on his blog, "Wells scoffs at bloggers talking about 'cheese sandwiches', but the blogosphere is a microcosm of the rest of the world. If bloggers are talking about cheese sandwiches then clearly people are interested in cheese sandwiches. If Wells thinks that cheese sandwiches are not worthy of discussion in his exalted publication, then it's his loss."
Kit Pollard at Mango & Ginger wrote, “Wells is obviously not a blogger himself… he doesn’t understand the nature of the food blogosphere. She goes on to say, " ...I feel as though I’m a part of something larger than myself. Critics might say that the food blogging world is insular and self-congratulatory. I say it’s like a big welcoming club.”

As for me, writing about what I cook and publishing it on my blog is not self-absorption; it's not self-admiration nor is it self-agrandisement. I don't think I'm such a great cook that people everywhere need to read about it. No, what I love best about writing and blogging is that I get to share my love of cooking, my recipes and, most importantly, my love of feeding people not only with my family and friends, but with an ever-growing global community of cooks and foodies who share this passion to get their words, and their love of food, out into the world. Indeed, in this world of political madness, uncertainty, curtailment of human rights, death from war, hatred, hunger, disease and catastrophic natural disasters, to be able to feed people, gather them 'round my table, both literally and however metaphorically blogging about it may be, is my way to give sustenance, comfort and love. And that feeds me.

There are now thousands of food bloggers on the Internet from almost every country on the planet, from all walks of life. Their commonality, in my view, is the desire to speak and share their passion. In doing so they have created a cross-cultural virtual community that has no peer. Sharing thoughts, social commentary, the occasional rant and, yes, food and recipes through blogging generates greater understanding and links our global community in a way that is thrilling to comtemplate. A case in point is Pim's (of Chez Pim) Menu for Hope, inciting food bloggers all over the world to contribute to UNICEF for the Tsunami Relief Effort. Over $20,000 was raised in less than one month, all from food bloggers.

I've always loved feeding people and I love creating recipes and playing with the recipes of others. That I write about what I do is a personal choice that doesn't need to follow rules to be valid. That some folks like what I write is icing on the cake - wonderful surely, but not what floats my boat.