We are always fascinated by Mother Nature’s unique offerings and often sample and experiment with her seasonal crop. Walking through a farmers market is like walking through an art gallery, passing by an array of shapes, colors and textures. We recently stumbled upon a basket of whimsical, emerald green spirals. Fiddleheads, the name coined for their resemblance to the arm of a fiddle, are plucked when they first emerge from the soil. When prepared, the rustic yet beautiful fronds add a sophisticated visual appeal to any dish.
Intrigued by the shape and curious about the taste, we whipped up a springtime pasta dish featuring the compact spiral. The flavor is similar to asparagus or green beans with a consistency incomparable to any other vegetable. We opt to blanch and sautee the mild, nutty fiddleheads with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and lemon and toss them with creamy, tart goat cheese and big spools of bucatini pasta. While the creamy bucatini intertwine perfectly with the fiddleheads, there is no denying that the foraged finds steal the show.
Creamy Sauteed Fiddleheads over Bucatini
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Are you prepared for Memorial Day? Probably not if you just said “spiral what?” I like my dogs slightly burnt, or as known in the culinary world—caramelized. I like a crispy snap when I bite into the dog. Hot dogs should never be boiled, put on rollers, or microwaved. The only way they should be cooked is on the grill and..spiral cut. You may even be able to call these gourmet at your next barbecue; all of your man friends will really take note of it. But what they WILL take note of is that every single bite of these wieners is caramelized crispy, and snappy.
Not enough for you? What if I told you that spiral cutting your frank optimizes condiment opportunity? Yes – opportunity. Sure, mustard is standard, ketchup is great, both are even better. I know you see those chopped onions, chilli, relish, maybe even baked beans—but where is the space? Well, now you have the opportunity to double your condiments—without suffering from soggy bun syndrome. continue reading…
This new drink from Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologist takes one of our favorite cocktails, the mojito, and amps it up with one of our favorite cocktail add-ons: ginger. Why didn’t we think of that before?
Memorial Day Mojito
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Shellback Spiced rum
1 oz Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
12-14 Fresh Mint Leaves
1 oz Ginger Syrup
4 slices of Mandarin or Clementine
2 oz Chilled Soda Water
Directions:
In a highball glass, lightly muddle lime juice, ginger syrup, sliced mandarin and mint leaves.
Add crushed ice and rum.
Stir until outside of glass begins to frost.
Top with chilled soda water.
Garnish with mint sprig.
Everyone’s favorite once-every-seventeen-years-emergence is getting set to terrorize the East Coast once again this spring, which means the foodie world is talking…what else–eating cicadas!
But just remember — we were grilling these bad boys up on ES way back in 2009!
- Cicada Recipes: Bugs Are Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Food [Nat Geo]
- Cicada update: Latest coverage map and a cicada taste test [Washington Post]
- Chef Puts Cicadas on Menu (Yes, That’s a Bug in Your Soup) [Yahoo! Shine]
With leisurely weekend brunches in mind we put together a breakfast hash recipe that features a favorite Greek pork and lamb sausage with a twist of orange and fennel, Loukaniko. We remember our yiayia showcasing this tangy, smokey sausage in many of her luncheon dishes. She would fry it up alongside a platter of feta, Kalamata olives and Greek bread for a mezze platter or add it to a pasta for a one-dish meal. If we were lucky, she often would slip us a piece from the sizzling skillet before the meal, and making sure we didn’t ruin our appetites.
We showcase the Loukaniko in a complex hash for weekend brunch company. For a burst of flavor and sweetness to balance the saltiness of the feta and Loukaniko, we add roasted sweet potatoes and roasted red peppers. We lay a perfectly fried egg on top that seeps into the plated medley.
Greek Hash with Loukaniko, Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Red Peppers and Feta Cheese
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Between Cinco de Mayo two weeks ago and an especially booze-soaked girls’ getaway last weekend, my body is pissed. I’ve been stuffing myself with melted cheese, guacamole, and tequila for two straight weeks now and I’m not feeling my finest, on the inside or outside.
SO! What does this mean? Back to basics. Making a conscious effort to cook at home, using healthy ingredients. I’m trying to cut back on the meat and carbs for the next couple weeks, so it’s up to me to make eating tons of fresh vegetables interesting. The other night I cooked Asian lettuce wraps for boyfriend Rob (an ultra-carnivore) and our roommate Dayna (a vegetarian) and… the impossible was achieved! Everyone loved this dinner. Probably because it’s flavorful and meaty, yet meat-free and light.
The secret is my new fave vegetable protein, made by Gardein. Normally I don’t like packaged frozen foods, but I’ll make an exception for quick, healthy options like Amy’s, Kashi and certain Trader Joe’s entrees… and now I can add Gardein to the list. Luckily, their meatless meats are made from all-natural vegetable proteins (soy, wheat, and pea proteins plus vegetables and complex grains) so I don’t feel guilty about splurging on a little frozen shortcut. Apparently nobody else in my house minds either!
Meatless Spicy Lettuce Wraps
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Nothing compliments the heat of summer like a glass of chilled white wine. Not only are the white wines of Bordeaux ideal for any seasonal summertime dish, they can also accompany the tranquil, warm weather that’s quickly approaching.
Now it’s easier than ever to pair your favorite summertime event with the perfect Bordeaux, thanks to the helpful Bordeaux Wine Selection tool. Select color & tasting notes, and your particular occasion for a perfect match.
Once you’ve selected the best bottle for your occasion, the ideal way to enjoy a glass of white Bordeaux is serving it chilled; between a temperature of 9°C to 12°C (48°F to 53°F). Also, take note of the year of your white Bordeaux wine, the younger the wine, the colder the bottle.
With your chilled white Bordeaux wine in glass, all that’s left to do is sit back, relax, and soak up summer.
Search Bordeaux’s white wine selection at http://www.bordeaux.com/us/wines/selection/taste/6-2-8
