Guacamole

Having lived in Texas for almost 18 years now, we have had many different versions of guacamole and I really like most of them.  Some people mash it very smooth and some use too much salt for my taste.  All treatments include lime or lemon juice and usually a fair amount of cilantro (which people either love or hate).  I have found Ina Garten's recipe to be a crowd pleaser since it uses lemon juice instead of lime which I think mellows out the flavor and has no cilantro.  The recipe makes 3 cups which we can't eat in one sitting and I don't like to keep the leftovers, so I always cut it in half and it comes out perfect.


Guacamole
Makes 3 cups

4 ripe Hass avocados
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
8 dashes hot sauce (recommended Tabasco)
1/2 cup red onion, small dice
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, seeded and small-diced

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl.  Immediately add the lemon juice, hot sauce, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and toss well.  Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced (I use my pastry blender to mash them).  Add the tomatoes.  Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.


Recipe from Barefoot Contessa

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Caesar Salad

I love the creaminess and saltiness of a good Caesar salad dressing.  The richness and creaminess come from the egg, especially the yolk and the saltiness from anchovies.  Years ago I used to mash my anchovies with a little salt and oil and add it to a beaten egg along with garlic and lemon juice.  I whisked oil in to make a beautiful emulsion and then left the dressing on the kitchen counter for a couple of hours to let the flavors meld.  Its a wonder to me now that we ate it quite frequently and never got sick.  I would never take that chance with a raw egg these days.

I have been using this Ellie Krieger recipe for a few years now and it has all the elements of what I love in the dressing but it starts with a pasteurized egg product making it perfectly safe.  There are no kitchen appliances needed; just a bowl and a whisk.  It also comes together very quickly.

Caesar Salad
Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup pasteurized egg product (such as Egg Beaters)
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
8 cups coarsely torn romaine lettuce
2 cups Croutons

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg product, garlic, anchovy paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.  Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking the whole time.  Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the dressing with the lettuce until well coated.  Add the croutons and toss to combine.  Divide the salad onto 4 plates shave some Parmesan slices over top.


Slightly adapted from Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger


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Butternut Squash Crostini

This was a wonderful start to our Sunday night dinner - a toasted slice of a baguette topped with a thin slice of pancetta and topped with perfectly sauteed butternut squash.  When just about done, the squash got some sliced garlic and crushed red pepper added to round it out.  The final addition to the squash was an equal amount of sherry vinegar and honey.  This crostini was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy from the butternut squash mixture, the crunch from the crostini and the saltiness from the pancetta.  The garnish of fried sage leaves was the perfect ending.

Butternut Squash Crostini
Makes 4 servings

4 thin slices pancetta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 sage leaves
2 cups diced, peeled butternut squash
Kosher salt and freshly ground black peper
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
8 baguette slices, toasted

Cook the pancetta in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning once, until crisp, about 5 minutes.  Drain on paper towel, then break each piece in half.

Add the olive oil to the skillet.  Add the sage and fry until crisp, about 20 seconds.  Remove the sage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Discard all but 1 tablespoon oil from the skillet.

Increase the heat under the skillet to high.  Add the suash and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally until golden and tender, about 7 minutes.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 more minute, then stir in the vinegar and honey.  Top the baguette slices with a piece of the fried pancetta, top with the squash mixture and finally place a fried sage leaf as a garnish.

Recipe from Food Network Magazine, Jan/Feb 2013 

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Roasted Beet Salad

I happen to love roasted beets and when combined with a salad with a flavorful honey mustard vinaigrette and topped with goat cheese...what could be better?  The addition of candied walnuts is the perfect crunchy bite to put it over the edge.  We have had this salad a few times in the past month and I devour every bite.  It is the perfect winter salad.

Roasted Beet Salad
Makes 4-6 servings

For the beets:
1 bunch medium beets (about 3)
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Salad:
10 ounces mixed greens (I like a blend of arugula and mixed baby greens)
3 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup candied walnuts, coarsely chopped

For the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

For the beets:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Wipe or scrub beets clean, then trim stems down to one-inch (leave "tails" on).  Place beets on a large piece of foil; drizzle with olive oil, the wrap foil around them to form a neat packet.  Roast directly on rack in middle of oven until tender, about 1 hour.  Test for doneness by piercing the largest beet with a knife.  If it enters easily, it's done.  Unwrap beets and let sit until cool enough to handle.  Use your hands (I like to use rubber gloves) or a paring knife to peel skin, then cut into wedges.  I usually do this right on the aluminum foil but you can also use a stain-proof cutting board or plate.  While the beets are roasting, make vinaigrette.  Add half of dressing to warm beets and set aside.

For the vinaigrette:
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, shallots, , salt and pepper.  Whisking constantly, slowly add the oil in a steady stream.  (Alternatively, add all your ingredients to a jar, cover with lid, and shake vigorously to blend.)  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

For the salad:
Place the greens in a large bowl, drizzle with some of the vinaigrette and toss to combine.  Add as much of the remaining vinaigrette as desired and toss again.  Divide greens onto plates, then sprinkle with beets, walnuts and goat cheese  (The reason you don't just mix it all together in a salad bowl is that the beets would cause the whole salad to turn pink.)  Serve immediately.

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Homemade Boursin Cheese

I love those little packages of Boursin cheese and so I knew I had to try this recipe when I came across it.  It is very simply made with cream cheese (I used light), butter, herbs and some grated garlic.  I had no idea how much I would enjoy the homemade version.  I love the fact that I can control the amount of processed ingredients we consume on a routine basis.

Homemade Boursin Cheese
Makes about 1 1/2 cups cheese

1 (8-ounce) package reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (4-ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 medium clove of garlic, finely grated on a microplane
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8-1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt to taste

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter.  (You can do this by hand or with a handheld mixer).  Add the garlic and herbs and mix until thoroughly combined.  Season  to taste with kosher salt.  Transfer to a small crock or airtight container.  Refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight to allow the flavors to develop.  Serve at room temperature with baguette slices, crackers, crudite, or use in your favorite recipe.  Enjoy!

Adapted from The Galley Gourmet.net

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Roasted Peppers

I love all bell peppers, but especially the red, yellow, or orange ones.  Don't get me wrong, a green pepper is wonderful in its own right, but if you are going to roast a pepper, it has to be a color other than green, since they are just a little too strong in flavor.

I served a platter of roasted peppers as an appetizer and I can't begin to tell you how scrumptious it was in its simplicity.  Perfect peppers, perfectly roasted, and simply dressed with a little salt and pepper, fresh herbs, very thinly sliced garlic and olive oil.  You can't believe how good this was.

Roasted Peppers
Makes 4 servings

5 large bell peppers, preferably not green
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley, basil, rosemary or thyme leaves, or a combination, plus extra for serving
1-2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced (optional)
Approximately 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or aluminum foil.

Wash and dry the peppers, put them on the baking sheet, and roast them, turning them every 15 minutes, until some of the skin on every side of the peppers is blistered, 45 to 60 minutes.  The peppers may collapse and some may seep some juice - that's fine.  Transfe the peppers to a bowl (be careful since the juice is very hot), cover the bowl with foil, and let the peppers rest until they are cool enough to handle.

In the meantime, pull out a Pyrex loaf pan, or if you plan to serve the peppers soon, a large platter, perferably one with a slightly raised rim.

Working with 1 pepper at a time and working over the bowl, remove the stem, let the liquid drain from the pepper, and separate the peel from the flesh.  You can suually do this with your fingers, but if a little peel sticks stubbornly, scrape it away with a paring knife.  Cut the pepper open along its natural separations - depending on the pepper, this will mean cutting it in half or thirds - and scrape away the seeds and ribs on the inside.  Place the pepper pieces cut side down in the loaf pan (or on the platter).

If you have time, cover and chill before serving, garnished with fresh herbs.

From Around my French Table


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