CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH A HINT OF COCONUT AND CURRY!

I know I promised homemade sausage for the next blog, but Sunday, while my Patriot's game-day pork ribs were cooking, I made a wonderful Cauliflower soup, which I think would be delicious hot or cold. Today for lunch, my husband and I had it cold, topped with garlic shrimp, avocado, and finished with Smoked Sea Salt and I'Itoi scallions, which are an Heirloom variety I got from my new goat-lady friend Anastasia.

CAULIFLOWER, COCONUT, CURRY SOUP

The word I'Itoi inTohono Odham means: The mischievous creator god who resides in a cave below the peak of Baboquivari Mountain in Tucson, aka I'Itoi Mountain. Legend has it that visitors to the cave are asked to bring a gift (onions?) to ensure their safe return from the depths. I am not sure of the connection to the onions so more research is needed, but I do know the bulbs taste mildly shallot-like and greens are both sweet and spicy! They are supposed to be prolific multipliers so I am excited to see how they do in my newly planted herb bed. Now, on to the soup!

Basic ingredients...

Ingredients:
1 medium sized head cauliflower, cored and sliced into rough chunks
2 Tbsp. bacon fat (or butter, olive oil, or whatever good fat you have on hand)
1 medium white potato, peeled and also cut into chunks (I used an Idaho, but think Yukon Gold would be even better)
1 medium onion, peeled and thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 bunch fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string
1 quart chicken stock
1/2 tsp. more dried thyme
2 tsp. mild curry powder
Salt/White pepper to taste
15 oz. can coconut cream
2 Tbsp. (or more) scallions or chives for garnish
Other garnish options below

Preparation:
Heat bacon fat (or oil) in a large soup pot. Add all veg and cook over high heat for about 10 minutes to coat the veg and just slightly brown, stirring occasionally. Add chicken stock, fresh and dried thyme, and generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover, and simmer veg until very tender; about 1 hour. Turn off heat and let sit for another hour on the stove in the covered pot. Remove sprig of thyme. Add 2 tsp. mild curry. Check and adjust for enough salt and add 1/4 tsp. white pepper or more to taste. Add 15 oz. can coconut cream. Blend all ingredients in batches until very smooth and creamy. The consistency is rich and velvety, like a Vichyssoise, but taste has much more depth of flavor. Coconut cream is much lighter than heavy cream, which the Vichyssoise calls for, so even though it is thick and rich, it is not too heavy. If your soup gets too thick thin it with a little water.

This soup is delicious hot or cold!

Garnish options:
I pan fried 3 shrimp per serving in very hot olive oil and lots of garlic and topped each serving with the shrimp surrounded by chopped avocado (1/4 avocado per serving) and finished with a smoked sea salt.

Shredded chicken would be great as a garnish or a bunch of very crispy onions piled high. Use your imagination and let me know what you come up with!

 

Hope you enjoy this recipe. Next time, sausage for sure!

www.cookwithcindy.com

ONE MORE COLD SOUP BEFORE FALL ARRIVES...!

I have been eating a lot of cold soups recently and want to share another before fall sets in later this week. My husband, Jerry and I actually just had this soup for lunch. We ate it warm because it smelled so delicious we couldn't wait for it to chill down. It was wonderful warm with a sour cream garnish. I will chill it overnight and let you know if we like it better cold or hot. Or better yet, after you make it, please let me know your preference!

CHILLED BEET AND GREEN APPLE BISQUE

This attractive soup only has a few ingredients and if you already have chicken stock on hand is very easy to put together.

Ingredients:
2 large beets, peeled and quartered
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and quartered
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups chicken stock
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. (or more to taste) salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper

Garnish: About 1/2 cup sour cream mixed with 1 Tbsp. of water. I did not have time to garnish with additional beets, but think adding some thinly sliced cooked beets would enhance the look and taste of this delicious bisque. Or possibly add some tiny beet greens, making a salad-effect on top.

Preparation:
In a food processor fitted with the shredding disk, shred the beets and apples. The reason for doing this is to get them a uniform size so they cook evenly. You can also use a box grater, but the food processor makes this very simple. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil, a little salt and add onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 3 minutes. Do this while you are chopping the beets and apples. Add the shredded beets and apples and cook another 5 minutes. Add stock, water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for another 30 minutes until beets are very soft. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly. Puree the soup in a blender until very smooth. If you can't resist, like us, eat right away. Otherwise, put into a container and chill in fridge for a few hours or overnight. Garnish and serve.

MY FIRST CHEESE MAKING EXPERIENCE...
I have wanted to make cheese for a long time. Recently I met a delightful woman who lives with 13 goats on a remote ranch in south eastern Arizona. Anastasia's passion for growing organic, sustainable food is infectious and she generously shared her enthusiasm by spending a couple hours talking with Jerry and me about her life on the ranch. She also is a fabulous cheese maker and shared some goats milk (milked fresh that morning!) along with some tips on making my first ever cheese.

Mine is the soft little log. Anastasia made the hard goat cheese I served here with plums,
cucumbers (from her garden), black olives and home-made mayonnaise.

It turns out I already had the book Anastasia recommended on learning cheese making, as I have been reading about this craft for years.

According to Anastasia, Ricki Carroll is THE authority on cheese making. Her company, New England Cheese Making Supply Company (http://www.cheesemaking.com/) is coincidentally based in Massachusetts, not far from where I used to live.

From source...

...to fridge! What a beautiful site!

I made a soft goat's cheese called Chevre, which is the French word for goat. I had a gallon of fresh goat's milk, but my husband drank so much of it I ended making a half batch. I will give you Ricki's recipe for the full gallon.

Ingredients:
1 gallon whole goat's milk
1 packet direct-set chevre starter

Because my milk was fresh from the goat both Anastasia and Ricki Carroll recommend pasteurizing. Here's how...directly from Ricki's book:

Pour the raw milk into a stainless steel or glass pot (do not use aluminum) and place the pot into another, larger pot containing hot water. Put the double boiler on the stove top. Heat the milk to 145 degrees, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. Hold the temperature at 145 degrees for exactly 30 minutes. The temperature and time are important. Too little heat or too short a holding time may not destroy all the pathogens. Too much heat or too long a holding time can destroy the milk protein and result in a curd that is too soft for cheese making.

Remove the pot of milk from the pot of hot water and put it into a sink filled with ice water that is at the same level as the milk. Stir constantly until the temp drops to 40 degrees. Rapid cooling is important to eliminate conditions that support the growth of unwanted bacteria.

Yikes! The last thing I wanted to do was poison someone with my first batch of cheese! I followed these instructions to the letter.

I covered the now pasteurized goat's milk with plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator until I was ready to start the cheese.

Preparation:
Heat the milk to 86 degrees. Add the starter, stirring to combine.
Cover and let set at a room temperature not below 72 degrees for 12 hours. Ricki suggests making the cheese at night so you can drain it when you get up in the morning.
Line a colander with butter muslin. I used cheesecloth...get it?! Seriously, either/or is fine. Cheesecloth is more coarse and generally used for firmer cheeses, but I did not have any butter muslin on hand and the cheesecloth worked fine. Tie the corners of the muslin into a knot and hang the bag over the sink to drain for 6-12 hours, or until the curds reach the desired consistency.

Per Ricki, a shorter draining time produces a cheese spread; a longer draining time produces a cream cheese-type consistency. A room temp of at least 72 degrees will encourage proper draining. I let my cheese hang for about 18 hours as I wanted to be able to roll it into a little log. It was creamy and tasted so fresh...much different from what you buy in the store. I am looking forward to perfecting my technique and making many other cheeses.


 

Here is Anastasia with one of her "kids".

Let me know if you want to get in touch with Anastasia. She has so much to offer and her life choices are truly inspiring to me!

Another interest of mine is making sausage and earlier this year I had that opportunity. Next time I will share the details of my first sausage making adventure!

Thanks again for tuning into my passion...cooking, 

learning new techniques...fulfilling my desire to live a more healthful, satisfying and sustainable life.

And most importantly, having FUN in the kitchen!

 

www.cookwithcindy.com

My husband, Jerry with Anastasia and a very inquisitive goat!

COLD CARROT, COCONUT, CURRIED SOUP!

This is one of the best cold soups I have ever tasted. It's easy to make and versatile in that you can add different toppings to change the flavors. I found the recipe in Gourmet Magazine, but have doctored it a bit.

COLD CARROT, COCONUT, CURRIED SOUP

Ingredients:
About 1 bunch scallions, chopped (reserve some green tops for garnish)
1 small onion (about 2/3 cup), chopped
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. finely grated peeled fresh gingerroot (more if you like it super spicy!)
2 Tbsp. unsalted Butter or Olive Oil (Butter gives a richer flavor, but the soup really does not need it. I have made with both and Olive Oil is just as good.)
1 Tbsp. curry (I use a mild curry, but again if you like it hot, mix half and half/mild and hot.)
Salt/White pepper to taste (Go gentle with the pepper as the gingerroot already gives it a bit of heat. I use white because the black pepper mars the 'look' of the soup.)
Carrots, about 4 cups peeled  and cut into chunks or use your mini-max to chop.
3 cups chicken broth
2 (5.4 oz.) cans unsweetened coconut cream
1 5.4 oz. can water
2 Tbsp. lime juice (from 1 key lime)
Additional water for thinning soup if necessary.
Garnishes: we'll discuss those later!

I like this brand of coconut cream and buy it online.

Preparation:
In a large heavy soup pot, cook carrots, chopped scallion, onion, garlic, and gingerroot in butter or olive oil. Add curry, salt and pepper. Cook over moderately low heat until the veg are softened. Add the broth. Simmer mixture covered about 20 minutes until carrots are very soft. Let it cool a bit and then put the mixture in a blender in batches with the coconut cream and blend until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 Tbsp. lime juice and water to get the consistency you want. It should be a little bit thick. Cool for several hours, but really best to cool overnight--the flavors meld together beautifully. When you're ready to serve, check seasonings again, add a little more water if necessary.

Garnishes: This soup is perfectly delicious with NO garnish, but it also lends itself to many different toppings. Try it with wild shrimp sautéed in butter, garlic, grated ginger and a little fresh lime juice. Finish with chopped basil and scallions.

Or top with avocado slices and chopped cod fish poached in coconut milk, scallions and basil. The cod almost tastes like lobster. Finish with scallions. The texture and flavor of the avocado add another element of rich, creaminess to this soup.

Or simply top with scallions.

I think it would also be great with a boneless, skinless chicken breast poached right in the soup and then removed to shred and placed back in the soup to chill.

HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

So creamy, it almost looks like whipped cream!

Recently I have been making my own mayonnaise. Like making your own catchup, BBQ sauce or any number of other condiments, the freshness and flavor is SO much better than store-bought, plus no artificial ingredients. This recipe, made in a blender or food processor, is easy, and the mayo keeps for a couple weeks.  I like to make it with avocado oil, not olive oil. The olive oil may give it a bitter taste and the olive flavor is overpowering. If you use olive oil, try mixing it 50/50 with a more neutral oil. I am sure any mild oil would be good. This simple method for making in a blender or food processor is nearly foolproof!

Ingredients:
2 egg yolks, room temp*
1 whole egg, also room temp
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more if needed**
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt, or more to taste
Big pinch white pepper
Up to 2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp. or more of water to achieve correct consistency and improve the emulsification process
* If you forgot to pull your eggs out of the fridge an hour early, run them under hot water until they are warmed up. This is important as a room temp egg will hold the sauce together better than a cold one.
**You can add any acid, like vinegar, but I like the flavor of fresh lemon.

Preparation:
Put the egg yolks and whole egg, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and white pepper in a blender. Process for a few seconds to combine ingredients. With the blender or food processor running continuously, pour in the oil very slowly in driblets at first. This is important to start the emulsion process. As the mayo starts to thicken you can add in a very slow, thin stream, but wait about 30 seconds between additions to make sure each time you add oil it gets incorporated. When the sauce thickens you can add the oil in a steady stream. Finally, add 1 tsp., or more, of water. You may be thinking oil and water don't mix, but the water actually improves the emulsification. Here's the science behind it: Adding a teaspoon of water increases the space between fat droplets, helping them stay separate— a necessity when forming an emulsion. Plus adding a small quantity of water makes a lighter mayo. Transfer the finished mayo to a bowl covered with plastic wrap, glass jar, or plastic container, and store in the refrigerator. The fresher the eggs, the longer it keeps. Do not store in an aluminum container as it will turn your mayo grayish.

The variations on a mayonnaise theme are endless: Garlic (aka aioli); chipotle; curry; tarragon; wasabi or horseradish mayo and on and on...Experiment!

Last time I told you about a ranch my husband and I recently visited just outside of Bisbee, AZ in McNeal. I am impressed that the 47 Ranch is totally off the grid using solar and wind power exclusively for their entire operation. They raise grass-fed, organic cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats (currently raised at a nearby ranch).

I love goat, but have never had a goat burger. I wanted the true taste of goat so just seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and put them in a hot frying pan to cook to a medium-rare perfection. This burger was succulent, rich, and had a mild goat flavor, reminiscent of venison! I grew up eating venison and to think a farm-raised goat could taste quite as good was a wonderful surprise. I cooked my burgers in a pan as I did not want to lose one bit of juice by grilling and topped them with sautéed mushroom and avocado. Next time, I will top them with a generous portion of goat cheese! Wonder if Bobby Flay makes goat burgers in his restaurant?

I served the goat burgers with grilled zucchini and coleslaw made with the above homemade mayo.

Here are some photos from the 47 Ranch. To learn more, go to this article which ran a while back in Edible Baja magazine: http://ediblebajaarizona.com/a-ranchs-observation
Or visit them every Thursday at the Farmer's Market in Sierra Vista or Saturday morning at the Market in Bisbee.

Pigs are such happy and inquisitive creatures!

Ranch-hand, Vanessa and our host for the afternoon.

Her assistant, Eloise, a college intern from France.

Me and Leroy, a rescued calf who will be raised at the ranch.

That's all for today. Next time, I will share stories from another local rancher who raises goats and makes her own cheese.

 

Happy cooking to you...until we meet again!

www.cookwithcindy.com

SWEETBREADS MEUNIERE

Sweetbreads right from the package!

Sweetbreads may not be everyone's 'thing', but I happen to love them and do not have them that often. In fact, this is the first time I have ever cooked them at home. Thanks to my friends, Duncan and Susan Blair of Rio Santa Cruz Ranch, ('Like' them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riosantacruzgrassfedbeef) I received a nice bunch of sweetbreads earlier this year from their harvest. Sweetbreads are offals, which are organ meats; the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal; does not have to be a cow. Sweetbreads have a delicate texture and a mild organ-meat flavor all of their own. I am very interested in learning more about cooking and eating every part of a critter so cooking these sweetbreads was a thrill for me.

Meuniere is a simple French sauce which always includes brown butter, parsley and lemon. I got this recipe for Sweetbreads from Gourmet Magazine, which they published in 1973. I tweaked it a bit, but stayed pretty true. Here it is:

Sweetbreads resting after their water-bath.

SWEETBREADS MEUNIERE

Ingredients:
2 lbs. sweetbreads
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, cut into tbsp. pieces
2 qts. water
1 medium onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
4 whole cloves
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 Tbsp. plus 3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. fresh chanterelles (I could not find chanterelles so used a combo of Crimini's, Portabello's, and White buttons
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots--about 2 medium
1/3 cup dry Sherry
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice or more to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:
SOAK SWEETBREADS: Rinse sweetbreads under cold running water, then soak in a large bowl of ice and cold water in the fridge, changing water once or twice if water becomes pink, at least for 2 hours, then drain on paper towels or a linen dish towel.
MAKE BROWN BUTTER: Melt 1 stick butter in a 1 qt. heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then cook, stirring occasionally, until butter turns golden with a nutlike fragrance and flecks on bottom of pan turn a rich caramel brown, 10-20 minutes. Butter will initially foam, then subside. A thicker foam will appear. Stir more frequently toward end of cooking. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring cup and set aside. You will have 5-6 Tbsp. of brown butter.
COOK SWEETBREADS AND MUSHROOMS:
Bring water (2 quarts) to a simmer in a 3-4 qt. saucepan with onion, bay leaf, cloves, 3 cloves garlic, and 1 tbsp. salt. Add sweetbreads and poach gently uncovered, at a bare simmer--about 10 minutes. Transfer sweetbreads with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking.

My simmer was so bare that the sweetbreads stopped the bubbling when I first
put them in the water. They quickly came back up to gentle boil.

Pour 1 cup poaching liquid through a sieve into a small bowl and reserve for sauce, discarding remaining poaching liquid.

Drain sweetbreads and pat dry. Using a paring knife, cut away any fat and pull away as much membrane  and connective tissues as possible. This is a lot like taking the silver skin off any meat. The more thoroughly you clean and remove tissue the more tender and silken the sweetbreads will be.

Separate or cut sweetbreads into roughly 2 inch pieces. Arrange sweetbreads on a tray lined with paper towels to keep dry, blotting tops with more paper towels.
Cut/slice mushrooms. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to lowest temp--175 to 200 degrees. Heat a 12 inch heavy skillet over high heat until a bead of water dropped onto cooking surface evaporates immediately--2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, season the sweetbreads on both sides with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

Sweetbreads just going into the pan with brown butter.

Add 2 Tbsp. brown butter to skillet, swirling to cover bottom (butter will smoke), then add seasoned sweetbreads without crowding. Reduce heat to moderately high, then cook, undisturbed until undersides are golden brown--2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer browned sweetbreads with tongs to a shallow baking pan, arranging them in 1 layer. Keep warm in oven.
Add the rest of the brown butter to the skillet and saute mushrooms, stirring occasionally until browned on edges--3 to 5 minutes. Add shallots and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper.

Saute for another minute or so. Add sherry, lemon juice, and reserved poaching liquid and boil, scraping up brown bits until mushrooms are tender and liquid is reduced by half--about 5 minutes. Remove sweetbreads from oven and add them and any liquid into the skillet. Add parsley and remaining 2 Tbsp. butter (not the brown butter), then remove from heat and gently stir until butter is incorporated into sauce. Serve sweetbreads immediately. I served on buttered toast points as a first course.

Here's a funny story...I made these sweetbreads for our neighbors. They came with 2 of their teenage kids and I was so impressed the kids not only tried the sweetbreads, but seemed to really like them. As I was doing the last stir on the sweetbreads one of the kids offered to video tape me. She was filming with my camera; I was talking in my Martha Stewart voice; and all of a sudden every smoke alarm in the house went off! I was so excited to be cooking sweetbreads that I forgot to turn the overhead fan on. The video is funny, but not very useful because early-on all you hear are the alarms!

If you are making an all French meal, you might want to follow the sweetbread course with this classic French salad.

SALADE LYONNAISE

Salad Lyonnaise ready to serve.

This salad gets its name because it originates in Lyon, France. It is a very simple salad with a few key ingredients: just the right salad dressing; perfectly poached egg; good quality lardons of bacon; and fresh greens. Traditionally you would serve over frisee, but I could not find frisse so served over mixed greens with herbs.
Ingredients:
5 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. extra virgin Olive Oil
8 oz. frisee, or other greens torn into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
4 eggs

Preparation:
Boil bacon and 1 cup water in a 12 inch skillet. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook until water is evaporated and bacon is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Transfer 3 Tbsp. bacon fat (do NOT skimp on the bacon fat) to a large bowl. Add lemon juice, mustard, shallot, salt, and pepper. While whisking, slowly drizzle in oil until vinaigrette is emulsified (slightly thickened and completely incorporated). Add reserved bacon and the frisee. Toss and divide between 4 plates.
Bring a large shallow saucepan or frying pan of water to slow boil. Add some salt. Crack eggs one at a time into a small bowl or cup and carefully slide into the water. You want the water to be bubbling, but not boiling. If too hot the eggs will disintegrate. If too cool they will run all over the pan. Cook until whites are set--about 2 minutes depending on size of egg. Using a slotted spoon, carefully life eggs out of the water and divide between plates; garnish with more black pepper and make a little slit in the yolk to open before serving.

Add here's the salad before the egg is broken.

I would love to hear from those of you who enjoy sweetbreads and also hear how you cook them. Hopefully for those who have not tried them, this might inspire you!

My husband, Jerry and I recently spent my (big!) birthday weekend in Bisbee, Arizona. We had a few days to kick back and enjoy this beautiful, old mining town. We also had the opportunity to visit a fabulous ranch in McNeal, just outside of Bisbee. The family owned and operated '47 Ranch' is totally off the grid. All their critters are lovingly raised on grass with no antibiotics or hormones. We met some pigs and sheep along with the owners, Dennis and Deb Moroney, and main ranch-hand Nessa. They also have 500 head of cattle and raise goats at another location. You will be hearing much more about this ranch and their products in future posts.

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

ENJOY THE LONG, HOT DAYS OF SUMMER!

KEEP COOKING AND GETTING CRAZY IN (AND OUT OF) THE KITCHEN!



This is the special birthday glass my brother Skip gave me years ago
to celebrate my birthday!

TUNE IN AGAIN SOON FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF...

 

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ZUCCHINI FRITTERS AND MORE!

Summertime means lots of fresh zucchini. I like to cut an unpeeled zucchini in half, brush lightly with Olive Oil, add salt, pepper, fresh chopped oregano. Grill on medium heat turning at an angle to make cross hatch grill pattern. When the zucchini's are just barely tender, turn flesh side up and top with Parmesan Cheese. Keep on the grill just long enough for the cheese to melt.

The other evening I had my friend Paula over for an al fresco dinner. She is a fabulous cook herself and we had a blast cooking together.

Paula mixed up the fritter batter and fried the zucchini.

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini's; top and bottoms cut, but leave peel on
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup each: chopped shallots (or other onion); dill, parsley, and crumbled feta
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:
Grate zucchini and place in a colander. Toss with 1/2 tsp. salt and let sit for 30 minutes to drain. Squeeze dry. Mix 2 eggs with all other ingredients. Stir in zucchini. Heat a pan and drop by heaping tablespoons frying until golden brown on each side; about 2-3 minutes per side. I think these would also be excellent with Italian herbs and parmesan cheese.

I served the fritters with pan seared Wild Sockeye Salmon marinated in basil oil.

BASIL OIL

Technically when you make an herb oil you blend whatever herb you are using with olive oil and then heat for about 1 minute. Strain through fine mesh strainer and strain again through cheesecloth. This gives you a clear flavored oil. I just blended 2 large handfuls of fresh basil with about a cup of olive oil and left the "fruit" in. I think that lends a greater depth of flavor and don't mind the little bits of basil.

Slather both sides of the salmon filets with about 1 Tbsp. of basil oil per side. Liberally add salt/pepper. Let sit on the counter for about 1/2 hour to marinate. Add 1 Tbsp. each of olive oil and butter to a frying pan. Get your pan smoking hot and lay the salmon in, skin side down.

Do not turn down the heat as you want the skin to get very crispy. It makes a bit of a mess, but is worth it. Depending on the thickness of your filet you may not even have to turn the salmon if you can see that it has become opaque and is cooked through. Add chopped fresh basil to the top.

We also had a lovely roasted beet salad with our meal.

ROASTED BEET SALAD

WITH FETA AND SWEET AND SALTY WALNUTS

To roast the beets: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash beets thoroughly and cut off tops and bottoms. You do not have to peel. If the beets are very large, cut in half. Line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle on olive oil. Rub all sides of the beets in the olive oil and then add salt. Roast until tender; about 45 minutes depending on size of beet. This can be done in the morning or even the day before, but bring beets to room temperature before proceeding. Once beets are cooled, with a sharp pairing knife remove the skin. It should come off easily. Heat a small frying pan and add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Mix in 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. sugar. Swirl the pan until the sugar just starts to melt. Remove from heat.

To assemble salad: Slice the beets. Add the toasted walnuts and feta cheese. Drizzle with a bit of Olive Oil and a nice Balsamic vinegar. You can put this salad together before your guests arrive and just leave on the kitchen counter.

A mushroom basil risotto accompanied our meal. See: http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/2012/03/risotto-time.html for recipe. This time I added a big teaspoon of the basil oil, lots of sautéed mushroom and garlic and more fresh chopped basil.

And here is Paula stirring the risotto.

You may be wondering if I cooked any part of this meal? We did the whole thing together which is always such a treat!



3 TIPS TO PERFECT RISOTTO:

1. Heat chicken stock until bubbly and keep it hot as you add the liquid to the rice.
2. Stir. Stir. Stir. This releases the starch from the rice making it creamy and forming its own sauce.
3. Add 1/2 cup hot chicken stock at a time and keep stirring until that stock has absorbed before adding more hot stock.

DINING AL FRESCO

I love to eat outdoors on warm summer evenings. I think it makes meals even more special!

We concluded our feast with a refreshing dessert drink.

WATERMELON COOLER

Ingredients:
6 ice cubes, blended
2 cups cubed watermelon, either seedless or seeds removed
3 oz. vodka
1 oz. whipped vodka
Mint, a few sprigs with additional for garnish

Blend all and garnish with the  mint.

I LOVE TO COOK WITH OTHERS!

THANK YOU PAULA! WHAT A FUN NIGHT!

 

NEXT TIME I AM GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU TECHNIQUE AND RECIPE FOR COOKING OFFALS...

IN THIS CASE SWEET BREAD.

 

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COOK WITH CINDY!

www.cookwithcindy.com