New Beginnings

The new year is upon us, and it's time for some "lean cuisine". There was some serious overindulgence going on here, commencing with a Christmas dinner that began with a platter of assorted cheeses accompanied by a fig "salami" and pumpkin-spiced nuts. At table, the first course was a salad of mixed baby greens and fuyu persimmons, folowed by lobster and shrimp in madeira sauce. I served this over rice, accompanied by snow peas with water chestnuts. Dessert was a rich but refreshing frozen gran marnier torte in a chocolate crust, topped with glazed and spiced cranberries over which I shaved white chocolate. Gorgeous to look at and seductively delicious. The next night was laid back - we ate the seafood in its sauce over pasta, with a big green salad, crunchy with fennel.

And, there were the cookies - walnut dreams, the layered bars glazed with confectioners sugar; pecan balls, pumpkin cookies, mocha-walnut balls, almond biscotti - the list goes on.So, tomorrow brings simply prepared salmon, lots of fresh veggies and fruits and big salads. Happy New Year to all.

an october dinner

We were six for dinner last evening. The table was festive with flowers and candlelight, and the mood was convivial and sometimes hilarious. We started out with a black bean,walnut and basil pate on toasted slices of a slender ciabatta and a choice of red or white wine - or vodka. Then, at table, a salad of homegrown bibb lettucer,belgian endive, pear slices and goat cheese dressed with one of my favorite vinaigrettes, enriched with fig preserves. Our main course was roasted chicken thighs on a bed of slightly stale peasant bread slices painted with mustard and then drizzled generously with olive oil. Fresh lemon thyme from the garden, a couple of bay leaves and a head of garlic separated into cloves were strewn over the chicken. The scents wafting through the first floor were too wonderful. A pan of roasted cauliflower and broccoli and another of baby new potatoes baked with rosemary completed the main course. The appropriately autumnal dessert was a four-layer pumpkin cake with a cream cheese frosting embellished with a croquant of caramelized pecan,pumpkin seeds and candied ginger.Divine. We ate, we talked and laughed -great friend were the true icing on the cake.

An Indulgence of Apples

Fall sets my heart aflutter - a frisson of anticipation for the scents of the season, the brilliant foliage and, not least, the foods of autumn. No surprise then that I found the array of apples at the farmers market irresistibly seductive, arriving home with bags of Northern Spy, Macoun, Pink Lady, Pippin, Golden Delicious and more. The applesauce I produced was worth all the peeling. The pure flavor of the Macintosh fruit was perfection and the next morning I had a bowl of it topped with the sensational granola from Melissa Clark's new book. The unusual ingredient? Olive Oil - and salt. It's hard to pass the canister I keep on the island without reaching in for a handful.
Next, two apple pies utilizing a mixture of thefruitsand topped with a streusel. Then, for dinner with friends, a salad of belgian endive,raw kohlrabi,red pear and an apple, tossed with a lemony mustard vinaigrette. Yesterday I used all the Golden Delicious for two big coffee cakes, lightly spiced with cinnamon and with a pecan, cinnamon and brown sugar crumb mixture in the middle, between two layers of the dough - the cakes are gorgeous, reaching to the very top of the bundt pans.What do I have planned next? Chicken Normandy, browning the bird and baking it with sauteed onions and apples, adding at the end some creme fraiche and applejack. I love this served with egg noodles - autumnal comfort food.

wedding preparations

This past weekend the wedding of the daughter of one of my close friends took place on a beach in Brigantine, New Jersey. I had been asked to perform the ceremony - my first time; in addition the mother of the bride and I had done all the cooking for the large reception to take place the next day in their garden here in Pennsylvania. The weather gods looked on kindly, with bright sunshine and cooling breezes, and all went wonderfully well. We made little cheese puffs, brushed before baking with an egg wash, then sprinkled with sesame seeds, and served hot. Large shrimp served with a sherry and orange mayonnaise, a change from the ubiquitous cocktail sauce. Crisp vegetables were the accompaniment for a sun-dried tomato spread. We chose three cheeses - a Krema Kase, a manchego and a brie, and I made conserves to be served alongside each. After a festive cocktail hour, dinner was served - A choice of roast loin of pork served with two mustard sauces, or chicken with roasted vegetables and a balsamic sauce, served at room temperature. The chiken was roasted in large cubes, the roasted vegetables were red peppers, artichoke hearts and wild mushrooms, and the assortment also included thin-sliced raw fennel and roasted whole cloves of garlic. So flavorful and beautiful to behold. There was a generous use of herbs = frsh tarragon and shredded basil. A wild rice salad with dried cherries was a huge hit and there was a green bean salad topped with sauteed bread crumbs, garlicky, that had been mixed with parsley and hard-boiled eggs. Dessert offered a choice of three cakes = chocolate-root beer, lemon-lime chiffon and caramelized apple. All in all, a labor of love, well worth our investment of time and hard work - and it was fun!

sunday night supper

There were three of us for dinner last night, and I made it simple. I chopped, after seeding, a mix of heirloom tomatoes, perfectly ripe and juicy. I added a mix of chives, basil, parsley and mint, some finely chopped garlic, the zest of a couple of lemons and a good amount of lemon olive oil. Salt and pepper. I cooked ziti and added to the drained pasta some lovely, fresh mozzarella. After a few minutes I combined it with the tomato mixture and served the dish at room temperature with some crusty bread. To start, a salad of red crisphead lettuce dressed with a terrific faux Catalina dresssing, and tossed with grilled peach slices and chevre. Perfect summer eating.

weeknight dinner for family and friends

Six of us for dinner after a busy day, so I kept it simple. I'd previously made some conserves to be served with cheeses at a friend's wedding, so, with wine before our dinner I put out a platter of three cheeses, each accompanied by its own conserve. Manchego with quince, a buttery brie with a peach conserve and Krema Kase with a mixed dried fruit condiment. It was suggested that we forego dinner and just demolish the cheese platter. But, I'd prepared some orzo, tossed while hot with olive oil and lemon juice in equal amounts. Then I tossed in a couple of handfulls each of fresh dill and parsley, roughly chopped sweet red pepper and cucumber along with sliced scallions. I left this on the counter to come to room temperature while I roasted, at 400 degrees for seven minutes, some large shrimp. I tossed the shrimp with the orzo, added more lemon, and this, along with some Roma beans in a light and fresh tomato sauce and hot garlic bread completed dinner. A chilled Sauvignon Blanc was perfect, and refreshing. Apple cake with caramel glaze, and we were happily sated.

houseguests for the weekend

Two close friends arrived for the weekend, what a treat! Breakfast the next morning was a bowl of mixed berries, a plate of plump green figs, that most sensual of fruits and walnut scones - accompanied of course by tall cups of strong coffee. And lots of catching-up conversation. The temperature had reached 96 by lunchtime so a light selection of mezzes seemed appealing. Stuffed grape leaves topped with fat wedges of lemon, olives, cherry tomatoes harvested just minutes before lunch, cucumber sticks, feta cheese, hummus and pita crisps topped with zaatar. Perfect on a hot day. We chose a movie over dinner and stopped for a bite after.

For breakfast the next morning I put out a plate of ripe melon and some sliced mango served with lime wedges. Warm zucchini bread and toasted country bread with homemade preserves - and the newspaper. My daughter joined us for dinner and grilled the chicken for us. I'd marinated the breasts in lemon zest and juice, roasted garlic, olive oil and rosemary, which grows outside the kitchen door. With this I served a saute of squash, corn, tomatoes and peppers, seasoned with fresh thyme. A green salad to begin, and grilled bread lavished with herb butter. Decadent and so good. We were sated, so the blueberry pie remained uncut - until breakfast the next morning! It was a happy weekend!!!