of horses and young men

Deborah
Two very special guests came to my house last evening, their combined age under five. These two adorable toddler boys entertained us with their joyous curiosity and impeccable table manners.

The evening was partially devoted to watching the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race, where the superstar mare Zenyatta was to run her final race (against all male horses) as a retiring six year old after 19 starts undefeated. You go girl! (For an eloquent description of the race and its ramifications check out my husband's blog post)

The race was exhilarating and the finish an unbealiveable loss by a nose for our horsey princess. Oh well, back to visiting with friends and family and let's eat dinner already.

Having fed plenty of kids over the years, I was not stressed about making any special concessions to young palates other than a big batch of fresh applesauce to appease the picky and cranky (I'm talking about the adults now.) Fortunately there were big smiles all around!

In addition to wine, cheese and a bouquet of flowers, my house gifts included this magnificent cauliflower. What color!

Our theme for the evening, other than horses, was a continuation of my month-long fasination with France. We had some French wine (Les Amies Chanteuses, Cotes Du Rhone) and some French cheese  (Epoisses Berthaut) and I made a big batch of stuffed vegetables, a dish I first learned to make when I lived in the South of France many years ago. Our two young eaters set the example for the rest of us cleaning their plates so they could have ice cream with chocolate sauce for dessert.

 Zucchini is a classic vegetable for stuffing. It is easy to carve out the boat shape with a spoon.

 Fennel bulbs and onions cut into slabs with a well cut out of the center make a great vehicle for the stuffing.

recipe
Stuffed Vegetables
4 zucchinis- cut in half length wise
4 medium small onions ends trimmed and cut in half
1 large fennel bulb cut into 2 inch slabs
3 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic finely minced
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 cup grated parmasean cheese
1 egg beaten
3 Tbs. fresh herbs, chopped
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400 degrees
Scoop out the center of the zucchinis and set the removed flesh aside. Arrange zucchini shells in a baking dish. With a sharp knife carve out a small well or depression into the onion halves and the fennel slabs, reserving the removed flesh and arranging the vegetables in the baking dish with the zucchini. Drizzle a Tbs. of the olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in the oven for 20 minutes, until vegetables start to become tender.

Chop up the reserved vegetable flesh with the minced garlic till it is more or less a small dice. Add the brown rice and the egg and grated cheese and stir well to combine. Remove vegetables from oven and carefully spoon about 1 large tablespoon of filling into each vegetable shell (divide all the filling up between the vegetables, the zucchinis will hold more.) Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over everything and drizzle with the rest of the olive oil. Continue to bake vegetables for another 35-40 minutes till the onions and fennel are tender when piereced with a knife.
Serve immediately or at room temperature as part of a buffet.
serves 6-8

Amanda
First, I am so impressed that the kids ate stuffed vegetables! Makes me wonder where I have gone wrong?! Possibly my son would try it - but definitely not my 5 year old daughter. That's wonderful that the boys are so "adventurous".

Deb - do the onions and fennel get stuffed as well, or do they get placed inside of the zucchini? The recipe sounds great! I like the idea of pairing a red with this dish. Especially to go with the parmesan flavors. I'm thinking of Sangiovese, the Italian grape variety most known for its contribution to Chianti, Morellino di Scansano, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, and super-Tuscan wines, to name a few.

A young, fresh Sangiovese will typically have fruity flavors reminscent of strawberries; but when aged in oak barrels will take on  spicy, oaky characteristics. Sangiovese can produce light wines, so often other varietals will be employed to give the wine more body and structure. In other instances, extensive oak treatment will be used to achieve the same results.

For Deb's dish, a Rosso di Montalcino would work well. Hailing from Tuscany, this "baby Brunello" is made from 100% Sangiovese, and is typically lighter and fresher than a Brunello. And a lot more affordable.  It is grown in the same delineated area as Brunello di Montalcino, but the wine does not have to be aged as long as Brunello. A good Rosso can be found in the $15-$20 price range.

fritters for all

Deborah

This is the weekend I am cooking for the big vegan cocktail party (now grown to 175 guests!) in the Hamptons. The goal of the menu I created was to keep the non-vegans not only happy, but in fact, satisfied. That led me to coming up with a fritter recipe. Who can resist something fried? My client mentioned artichokes and it seemed like a no brainer.

Feeling slightly insecure about how to keep fritters without eggs as a binder from falling apart, I did a little research. Indian cusine was a good source for an eggless fritter and I found a recipe that I could reinterpret with my own ingredients. The key it seems, is in having all your ingredients very dry. This means really squeezing the grated vegetables to get rid of excess water. 

Here is the batter squeezed as dry as possible. Just add enough flour and soy milk to act as a glue.

The technique worked like a charm and I am super happy with my test batch. Light, crispy and with a mild artichoke flavor the fritters held together beautifully! This recipe is a bit laborious but it is a great method to go back to when the occasion calls. It is perfect for vegans, those with egg alergies or when you want to make fritters and are all out of eggs.

These fritters are topped off with an egg-free lemon aioli. I am experimenting with different decorative designs here!

Vegan Artichoke Heart Fritters 

1 large potato

1 small onion

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup cooked artichoke hearts (use canned or frozen)

1 Tbs. chopped Thyme

2 Tbs. whole wheat flour

2 Tbs. soy milk

1/2 cup olive oil or canola oil

-grate potato and onion and squeeze dry

-defrost peas and squeeze dry

-mash together potatoes and peas in a large bowl

-chop up artichokes and squeeze dry, add to bowl

-mix vegetables together and add the chopped thyme

-gradualy add the flour and soy milk, making sure the mixture stays sticky and not too loose

-heat oil in a pan

-form small patties by the tablespoon and drop into the hot oil

-fry the fritters slowly, about 4 minutes on one side, so they don’t break, turn and fry 2 more minutes till golden

-remove from pan, sprinkle with salt and serve with eggless aoili

makes about 25 fritters

 Eggless Lemon Aioli

1 cup eggless mayonaise

1 lemon, juice and zest

2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

Wisk all ingredients together and serve with the fritters

Amanda
Sounds like you definitely have your work cut out for you with this cocktail party! But the challenge seems fun and interesting (probably because I'm not the one creating it...). I hope you will let us know how the party goes! And also what else you have on the menu...

Artichokes are one of those tricky vegetables to pair with wine. This doesn't mean that there are no options. Here they are fried -and I would consider this important characteristic when deciding what wine to pair with it. Plus, this is a cocktail party, so you want all-around versatile, food-friendly wines. And, with the large number of attendees, look towards inexpensive, everyday wines.

Immediately, these fritters make me think of light, crisp whites with good acidity. Fried foods tend to pair very well with wines with these qualities. Choose a California sparkler, Prosecco, Gruner Veltliner, Albarino, or Sauvignon Blanc and you won't be disappointed. All of these options will also be wonderful with the Eggless Lemon Aioli as well. Artichokes tend to impart a "sweetness" to white wines, so make sure you choose something very dry. (all of the aforementioned wines are dry...)

Caposaldo Prosecco is one of my current fave's in sparkling wines. I have it on hand all summer long and it is my "go to" bottle to bring to friends' homes. It never disappoints! Everyone loves it, and with it's inherent festivity (it is "bubbly" after all...) Prosecco makes a perfect addition to a cocktail gathering. ($11.99)

Albarino's high acidity makes it a perfect match for fried foods, and it's lean, clean, dry characteristics will work well with the artichokes.

Every party must include reds as well. For a vegan party in particular, I would go with something simple, light and fruity. I'm guessing most of the food will be on the lighter side, and a big, complex wine would only serve to overpower the hors d'oeuvres. Choose an inexpensive Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais Villages. Both of these can be served with a slight chill which is perfect for these hot summer days. Chilled Beaujolais Village in particular makes a great aperitif! And, it's extremely affordable. We just received the 2009 and it is on sale for only $8.99.

so close and not so far

Deborah
It is fun to be in the right place at the right time. My friend Katie, from the A Party in my Pantry cooking blog, and I went exploring the scene at Rockaway Beach in Queens last week, just a stone's throw from my house (who knew?)

The fabulous boardwalk at Rockaway beach. Love that bleached wood!

Katie had been tipped off by her surfing buddies to check out Rockaway Taco on Beach 96th Street. This very authentic, humble hipster joint had, unbeknownst to us, just been featured in the current issue of Edible Queens and fresh copies of the magazine were everywhere. There was a decided buzz in the air and an obvious pride of place, but we were busy licking our fingers over the super delicious and fresh tasting tacos they serve for an incredibly reasonable three bucks a pop (four bucks if you get the guacamole. Get it).

Rockaway Taco

Their food was great, the vibe could not be more chill, the location (on the edge between development and total collapse) was beachside perfect. I kept repeating "we will be back" like an inane mantra.

Around the corner was the charming coffee bar/woodshed/organic produce market: Jack's Coffee. Everything seemed weathered and well loved. Could not get enough of it all and well, we will be back!

The beautifully displayed produce sits right next to Jacks Coffee and some of it comes from Blooming Hill Farm, which was featured in one of our blog posts  last summer.

Inspired by the menu of Rockaway Taco,  I made a batch of scrambled eggs with tortillas, tomato and cheese. So yummy- it is a perfectly light yet filling and scrumptious meal for anytime of the day.

Scrambled Eggs with Tortillas, Cheese and Tomato

1 Tbs. butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 eggs-broken into bowl and beaten with a fork

1 corn tortilla-torn into small pieces

1/4 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup grated chedder cheese

Melt butter in small pan, add onions and cook 5 min. till softened, add tortillas and cook two min., add eggs, cheese and tomatoes and cook another 3 min. till done.

serves one

Amanda

I certainly do miss NYC when I read about all the great places you visit! Nothing much exists like those places in this neck of suburbia! This recipe might just be my dinner for tonight. I bet my kids would even like this (minus the tomatoes, of course). However, my son has been really good about trying different things. This weekend he tried fresh basil (and liked it), garlic hummus (did not like it) and he revisited mango (surprisingly didn't care for it). But he is definitely on the right track as far as broadening his horizons! And the bribes only cost me a pack of silly bandz and a 3D bookmark! Not bad.

Right away, the recipe makes me think of Tempranillo. I would enjoy a delicious, light, fruity style with Deb's Scrambled Eggs, Cheese and Tortillas. Something easy-sipping, and affordable. I would probably throw a little hot sauce on the eggs, so I would definitely want to avoid a wine that was too tannic. A wine with plenty of soft fruit would quell the heat. Also, stick with a young, fresh Tempranillo. One we just started offering at Wine and Spirit World is Castello de Monjardin, which is a steal at $7.99. Campos de Enanzo also produces a simple Tempranillo which also sells for $7.99 and would be a great match with it's simple, easy-going style. Either one would be terrific. Of course, if you can't source either, you can always ask your local retailer for suggestions.

home town brew

Deborah
The solstice is almost upon us and these long days mean staying outdoors as much as possible to soak up the beautiful weather. New York City is busting out with great summer concerts for the next several months and there is truly something for everyone. This weekend will find me in Prospect Park to hear Bitches Brew Revisited, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Miles Davis classic by a fantastic line-up of jazz musicians. My friends and I have a favorite spot under the trees where we picnic and enjoy the music with the crowd. It is total fun and the perfect way to spend a summer solstice evening in NY.

Picnic fare can be almost anything for me. I tend to bring vegetable salads, while another friend will bring fruit and cheese. Our pot luck picnics are one of the great joys of the summer. The incredible use of outdoor space in NY is one of the many reasons why it is my favorite city on earth!

These tiny blossoms- the yellow is from mustard greens and the pink is from a radish, make a pretty and tasty garnish for summer salads.

Green Bean Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

2 quarts salted water
4 cups of trimmed green beans
1/4 thinly sliced onion
1 Tbs. sherry vinegar
1/2 teas. salt
1 teas. black pepper
2 Tbs. whole grain mustard
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. chopped fresh herbs like dill, tarragon, basil, parsley (optional)


Bring water to a boil and cook the green beans until bright green and tender, about 10 minutes. Drain beans and rinse quickly under cold water and set aside to allow them to dry. Put sliced onions in a cup with enough cold water to cover them and let the onions soak for 5 minutes, then drain.
Make the vinaigrette:
in a small bowl put the vinegar, salt, pepper and mustard and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you go to create an emulsion. The vinaigrette will be thick.
In a large bowl combine the green beans and the drained onions and toss with the vinaigrette. Chill in the fridge for an hour before serving. Just before serving toss into the salad any fresh herbs you may be using.
serves 4

still grilling

Deborah

The pleasures of the season are coming hard and fast. To spend as much time outdoors as possible I am grilling in my back yard at least two or three times a week. This weekend I came up with a dish which will be my go-to recipe for the summer: a grilled vegetable salad with mango. The addition of grilled mango to the vegetables added a perfect sweet-tart-fruity and refreshing zing. I am going to experiment with grilled peaches and pineapple as variations on this theme.

Grilled fruit on its own is delicious and paired with grilled vegetables, SUBLIME!

Vegetables and fruit are cut into flat wedges to go on the grill.

Threading cherry tomatoes on to a skewer will keep them from rolling around the grill when cooking. I want to try this with grapes. I wonder how they would taste grilled?

Sometimes I cut peppers up before grilling, sometimes I just throw them on whole.

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Mango

Fruit and Vegetables for the grill:

1/4 cup Olive oil or vegetable oil 

2 Bell peppers- left whole

1 sweet onion- sliced into wedges with the root still attached

3 carrots- cut into diagonal wedges

1 zucchini- cut into diagonal wedges

1 pint cherry tomatoes- threaded onto wooden skewers

1 mango, peeled and sliced into flat wedges

Lightly brush all everything with some olive oil. Cook each of the vegetables and fruit over a hot coal fire for about 8 minutes on each side. For the whole bell peppers, allow them to blacken on all sides, then remove from the grill and let them cool under a dish towel to capture the steam. When the peppers are cool to the touch, peel off the blackened skin and cut the flesh into two inch wide strips, discarding the stem, inner membranes and seeds. Place all cooked vegetables and fruit in a large bowl and toss together.

Vinaigrette:

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon dried mustard

3 Tbs. red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbs. chopped fresh herbs (a single herb or any combination of: parsley, basil, chives, tarragon, dill, mint)

Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you go to make an emulsion. Add the fresh herbs and taste to adjust seasonings. Pour vinaigrette over the grilled vegetables and fruit. Cover and refrigerate. Serve cold or at room temp.

Serves four.

Amanda
This recipe has "summertime" written all over it. Therefore, an equally "summery" wine would be an ideal match! Commonly known as a light dessert wine, Moscato d'Asti would be perfect here. I can't think of a better choice for Deb's Grilled Vegetable and Mango salad. Even if a wine has a particular "label" associated with it, like "dessert wine", don't be afraid to experiment with it by trying it with different foods.

Moscato d'Asti hails from Piedmont, Italy. Slightly "frizzante" with a low alcohol content (typically about 5%), this sparkler has lush, rich, fresh fruit flavors of peach, apricot and honey. Made from white Moscato grapes, the wine gives off a wonderfully fragrant bouquet. Simply delicious! The sweetness and refreshing characteristics of the mango bring out the best in Deb's dish, and will really make a nice connection with the Moscato. My mouth waters just thinking about it!

One of the most talented makers of Moscato d'Asti is Stephano Perrone, whose formidable reputation rests on the production of his two Moscatos: Sourgal and Clarte. Both are exquisite - summertime in a glass! The Clarte has even been rated Italy's finest Moscato! Moscatos typically range from $15-$20. Another fine producer is La Spinetta. If you have not yet had the extreme pleasure of sipping Moscato on a hot summer's day, and would like to try one, both of these producers are worth seeking out.

welcome honored guests!

Deborah

My absolute favorite catering job of the year is always the Rainforest Alliance's private dinner welcoming the guests who will be honored at their annual Gala held the next evening. The gala honors the companies of the year who are being recognized as Leaders in Sustainability. The pre-gala dinner allows the honorees, who come from all over the world, to relax and get to know one another before the big formal event the next night AND it allows me the chance to showcase some of our local produce. I really look forward to this event every year and continue, myself, to be honored as the chosen chef of these evenings!

This year's dinner began with a chilled pea soup that gets pureed at the last minute with a handful of fresh mint. I garnished the soup with dollops of sour cream and sprigs of pea shoots. This recipe takes advantage of the freshest ingredients at the farmers market and is quick and easy to prepare. It was a perfect light and tasty starter course for our buffet supper of grilled entrees.

Chive blossoms and mint leaves also make a pretty garnish.

One of the honorees at the dinner, the Williamette Valley Vineyards out of Oregon, was being recognized for their sustainable corks(!) I have heard a lot of talk in wine circles about the demise of the cork as we know it. They cause too much wine spoilage (cork taint) and traditional cork harvesting methods can be environmentally damaging. This company is the first vineyard to use certified sustainable cork and have added that to their solid list of sustainable business practises. Congratulations to all the honorees this year!

Chilled Pea Soup with Mint

1 tbs. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

salt & white pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 head of romaine lettuce, roughly chopped

1 potato peeled and quartered

2 cups of fresh peas (frozen is fine)

1 quart stock or water

1/2 teaspoon cayanne pepper

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup heavy cream

Garnish-

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup fresh pea shoots or small whole mint leaves

Heat olive oil in a soup pot and add the onion and salt and pepper. Sweat the onion slowly at medium heat until in begins to soften and turns translucent. Add the chopped garlic and cook another two minutes. Add the romaine, the potato and the stock or water and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then add the peas and the cayenne pepper. Cook for another five minutes. Remove from heat and allow soup to cool before blending. Puree soup in batches in a blender, adding in the mint leaves to each batch as you puree. Put soup in a serving bowl and stir in the heavy cream. Taste soup and adjust seasonings. Chill for at least one hour before serving. Ladle chilled soup in to bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and the pea shoots or mint leaves.

serves four

Amanda
Sounds like a great event! I would love to hear about what else you served! One word about the sustainable corks - a lot of wineries all over the world are now switching to screwcaps, high-end wineries included. I have customers who come into the shop but refuse to buy anything with a screwcap. Please - do not let this be a factor when purchasing wine! A screwcap is no longer a measure of quality!! Some of the greatest, highest rated wines now offer this easy-open method. I, for one, love screwcaps. If I don't finish off a bottle  in one night, I can put the closure back on, and it will remain fresher than if re-corked. No air can get in with a screwcap. Whites will stay fresh longer in the fridge. And, there will be no "cork taint". Many peoples' palates cannot discern a "corked" bottle from one that is fine. Trust me - a lot of wine is "corked". Statistically, 10% of all bottles are corked - that's 1 out of every 10. So, if you were to buy a case (12 bottles), chances are one of them is corked. Many a bottle that I open are "off". Screwcaps greatly reduce the chances of getting a bottle that is "off".


Deb's soup looks, and sounds delicious. I love the simple elegance of this dish. Easy to prepare, yet very impressive. This soup instantly makes me think of sunshine, warm-weather, and brightly colored flowers. I want a wine that evokes the same images. The first wine I think of is Austria's Gruner Veltliner. Typically this varietal will offer lovely aromatics, and peppery, herbal flavors combined with fresh fruit and lively acidity. The mint in the soup will complement the herbal characteristics in the wine, and the acidity of the wine will serve to contrast the soup's creaminess, making a scrumptious combination of textures and flavors.  Generally Gruner is light and crisp, but certainly richer styles are available. I love this versatile, warm-weather white!

Gruner Veltliner can be found in a wide range of prices, for as little as $8 and as high as $40. When experimenting with this varietal, there is no reason to spend a lot of money. I recommend staying in the $10-$15 range. Look for wines made by Forstreiter or Fritsch. One of my favorite Gruners is the Fritsch Steinberg Gruner Veltliner, available for $14.99.