Creamy, Crunchy, Sour and Sweet: Lemon Brulée Tartlettes

We've had the kind of fabulous, energizing, spring-is-finally-here weekend that comes with balmy breezes, lounge chairs under umbrellas on the deck and conversations with friends around a bonfire under the stars.  The dog has transformed from a moping mop of white to a bounding cotton ball on crack now that the snow no longer confines her "walks" to a narrowly shoveled tunnel along the backside of the house.  There's a cat in every open window and dinner has that lovely charred flavor that's been missing through all of those months that were decidedly not grill-friendly.

This blissful weather calls for casual gatherings, with food that hints of summer without blatantly pretending to be something that it's not.  Now is not the time for tomato tarts or sweet corn - pushing those too early will only result in utter disappointment.  But vaguely sunny preparations of outdoor friendly food like burgers and bacon-ranch potato salad hit the perfect note.  What to have for dessert?  It's no longer time for über rich cakes and custards, but we're not quite ready for ice cream.  The perfect compromise?  These lemon-brulée tartlettes.  Light shortbread crust filled with puckery lemon filling and finished with the snap of a sugar crust.  Everyone gets their own little beauty (no food anxiety for my dear L), tapping away with little spoons like breaking up the ice of the winter and diving into pure lemon sunshine.

Lemon Brulée Tartlettes

Makes 6.

Inspired by a lemon tart from Elise of Simply Recipes

Crust
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
zest of one lemon
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 jumbo beaten egg
1/4 tsp almond exract
1/4 tsp lemon extract
1 Tbsp lemon juice

beans for use as pie wieghts

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, sugar and zest until well combined.  Add in butter pieces and use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut and smoosh the butter and flour together until it resembles a sandy, flaky mixture of different size crumbs.  Don't overdo it - more uniform tends to mean less flakey.  Add the remainder of the ingredient and mix around with a spoon or preferably your hands until the dough is uniformly moist and starts to stick together.  Form the dough into a ball and squash it into a disc.  Wrap in plastic and store in the fridge for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit for about 5 minutes on the countertop.  Grease 6 tartlette pans with removable bottoms (these are now quite easy to find - I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond) but I've even seen them at Target on occasion.  On a well floured surface, roll out the dough into 6 rounds about an inch larger than the bottoms of the tartlette pans, about 1/3 inch thick.  Transfer the rounds to the pans, pressing the dough into the crevices and pressing down on the rim to cut off the excess.  Line the inside of each tart shell with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans.  These will keep the crust from shrinking while baking (just don't try to cook them up for dinner afterwards).  Transfer all tart shells to a large baking sheet and bake for about 27 minutes.  At this point the tart shells will be very pale in color but should be semi-cooked.  Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before removing beans, then finish cooling on a wire rack.

Lemon Curd
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 Tbsp shy of 1/4 cup thick Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp heavy cream
juice of 3 lemons (once strained of seeds and pulp should be approximately 3/4 cup
2 jumbo eggs
3 jumbo egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
zest of 3 lemons

In a double boiler, melt butter, yogurt and cream, whisking occasionally to combine.  Transfer to another bowl and whisk in lemon juice.
Heat the eggs with the sugar and zest until just warmed.  Then whisk in the butter mixture and heat until it slightly thickens.  Strain into a heat-proof measuring cup with a spout, then pour into the prepared tartlette shells (which should still be on a baking sheet).  I like to fill them most of the way, then get them on the oven rack to fill them all the way to the top without spilling).  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until the centers are just slightly jiggly and the crusts are lightly golden.  Cool and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving

Sugar Crust
approximately 12 Tbsp sugar

Sprinkle approximately 2 Tbsp sugar evenly over each tart.  With a butane kitchen torch, use quick short back and forth strokes of the flame to liquify and caramelize the sugar.  (Alternatively you can do this under a broiler instead, just expect to serve warm lemon tartlettes instead as it really heats up the entire dessert).  Let sit for one minute before serving, so that the sugar cools and hardens.  Then tap, tap, tap your way to sunny happiness!

CSA Week One: Maryland's First Harvest

As you may have noticed, I've been suffering with a bout of uninspired cooking, which coupled with busy days has resulted in fewer and fewer posts. To remedy this situation, I've signed up for a CSA to force me to step outside my fall-back meals and try some new things. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and is a program where consumers buy "shares" of a farm's harvest before the season begins (I paid for mine in full in April), providing funds that help the farmers to plant and maintain their fields, and then pick up their shares as the produce reaches its peak. If you'd like more information on CSAs, or to find local farmers markets, click here.

My CSA comes from One Straw Farm, an organic farm less than 3 miles from my house. Once a week, I make a pickup. Since this was my first one, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was greeted with massive quantities of the freshest produce, sure to improve my vitamin intake!


Keep in mind this is one full share for just one week! This week's share included 1 bunch each of collard greens, curly kale, red chard, yellow chard, arugula, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, and romaine lettuce. Also included was a bunch of wacky looking garlic scapes (new to me), a small head of cabbage and 2 pints of super sweet Maryland strawberries.

So what to do with all of this bounty? The lettuce of course has been devoted to salads, one of which was a lovely vietnamese concoction topped with noodles and shrimp, inspired by Nim Chow. The chard was blanched and became a star player in a creamy mushroom, sausage and orzo gratin - recipe to come.


I have big plans for the collards and kale, braised with ham hocks to go alongside barbecued chicken and cheddar scallion biscuits. The cabbage will probably end up in cabbage & noodles - a favorite around here.


The strawberries begged to be vibrant strawberry ice cream - this time I modified my previous recipe and used port instead of creme de menthe. It's the best strawberry ice cream you can imagine. (Recipe below)


The biggest conundrum was what to do with those funky, curly garlic scapes. Some of them ended up chopped fine in an omelet. The rest made their way into a pesto with peppery arugula and pistachios. It's great for pasta, as pizza sauce or for a sandwich spread. See the recipe below.

Strawberry Ice Cream with Port


2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup port
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
14 oz. freshly picked strawberries, washed and hulled (please, please seek out local ones - don't buy from across the country!)

Whisk eggs and sugar together in a heat proof bowl until well combined. Heat cream, port, milk and vanilla bean with seeds over medium heat in a heavy saucepan until mixture reaches a simmer. Remove pod of vanilla bean and reserve for another application. Slowly, whisking constantly, add warm mixture to the egg mixture in a thin stream, tempering the eggs. Return to the pan and bring mixture up to 175 degrees F while whisking. The mixture should thicken significantly- you've made a creme anglaise. Let cool to room temperature.

Combine strawberries and creme anglaise in a blender. Blend until well combined and chill overnight. Freeze according to the manufacturer's directions in an ice cream maker.



Garlic Scape and Arugula Pesto


1 bunch garlic scapes (about 6 large)
1 small bunch of arugula, washed and dried
1/2 cup roasted & shelled pistachios
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmeggiano reggiano
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano
1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Buzz garlic scapes and arugula in a food processor until well chopped. Add remaining ingredients and buzz in remaining ingredients until well combined. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to 6 months before using.

Tribute to the Bunny

How in the world did easter get tied up with an Easter bunny who laid eggs? What sort of person thought up this mammal-turned avian and decided it would be a great mascot to leave candy for children and thus commemorate Jesus rising again from the grave?


These questions haunt me every year. This year I decided to do some research. Apparently, the bunny predates christianity as a symbol of fertility and birth in the Spring. Not entirely surprisingly, the same people who gave us the Christmas tree, those zany Germans also were the first to associate a bunny with Easter in the 1500s, and creating the first edible Easter bunnies in pastry in the 1800s.


The eggs came along because they were also a symbol of fertility. The Pennsylvania Dutch seem to be responsible for the notion that the Easter Bunny would lay colored eggs for the children, if they were good little doobies. They brought the tradition to America in the 1700s, and their children would make a nest out of a hat or bonnet for the Easter bunny to fill. Legends suggest that the notion that a hare would lay eggs was in fact a misconception due to the fact that birds called lapwings nested on the ground on what looked like the top of a hare burrow.


So in the end, this is another example of Christian holidays bearing symbols from Pagan times, probably to make people more comfortable converts, since their traditions got carried on. In any case, I think the Bunny deserves a little attention. So here's a great carrot cake for your little bunnies. The crystallized ginger adds a hint of heat to the moist cake, flecked with shreds of carrot, toasted pecans, dried cranberries and apricots. The maple cream cheese frosting lends just the right amount of creamy sweetness.

Golden Carrot Cake


2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tsp ground cardamom

4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 stick butter, melted (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup pineapple orange juice
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp pecan extract (optional)
zest of one orange

3 Tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped

3 cups finely packed shredded carrots
1 cup toasted and cooled pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Sift together all dry ingredients and set aside.

Beat eggs with sugar until well combined. Add the remainder of the wet ingredients and mix well. Add crystallized ginger and dried fruit and stir. Then sift in dry ingredients and mix until just blended - there will be lumps.

Add in carrots and pecans and stir. Turn out evenly into the two prepared pans. Bake on the middle rack until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Cool in their pans for 15 minutes, then turn out on a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting


16 oz (1 pound) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup Grade B dark amber maple syrup
2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and blend until well combined and no longer lumpy. Chill 15 minutes to allow frosting to set a bit. Reserve a little bit for the carrot piping.

Assembly:


Level the two cake layers using a serrated knife and devour the scraps. If desired, split into four layers and spread marmalade between the 2 halves of each cake. Put one layer on a cake stand, then a layer of frosting, follow with another layer of cake and more frosting. Pipe carrots on top of each piece - I used a shell tip for the carrots and a leaf tip for the tops.

In Search of the Egg

When I was a child Easter was a magical holiday. My father was the master of the Easter Egg Hunt. Now, I'm not talking close your eyes and i'll hide some eggs, then you scuttle around trying to find them before your bratty little brother. I'm talking personalized clues for both of us, made weeks in advance, hidden in candy filled eggs. We had to decipher the clue in order to find the next one, and hours later eventually find the treasure trove in a basket somewhere we never would have looked. The hunt began in an Easter egg suspended by ribbon just above our pillows, so when we woke up it we couldn't miss it.

To this day my dad insists that it was just a ploy to buy him a couple more hours of sleep. And although God knows a man who commuted 2 hours each way every weekday and traveled several times a month needed all the sleep he can get, I know it was a lousy excuse. He loved how happy it made us, how we felt like pirates searching for lost treasure and seeing our beaming faces all day long, straight through church service and on through dinner, even with the dreaded brussel sprouts. I think Easter was the one holiday my father actually enjoyed. His parents divorced over the winter holidays and so his memories are not so pleasant. But on Easter he would arise to our cheers and looting of our baskets and make a plate of deviled eggs and leisurely read the paper before we got dressed up and prepared for the day's festivities.

Now that we've all grown up and gone, I hope he still lingers in the window seat with his morning coffee and his thoughts drift back to days gone by, as mine have this morning. I hope it brings a smile to his face. Here's to you dad, and here's what I would cook for Easter.

BRUNCH


Bacon Cheddar Scallion Quiche
Quiche is the perfect brunch dish. Here's why: 1 - you can make it with almost anything, any leftover meats and veggies you can scrounge up. 2 - It reheats beautifully (not to mention it's also good cold), making it the perfect make ahead dish. This was always a favorite of my dad's, although on easter, it would have been deviled eggs, probably with the hard boiled ones we dyed the day before. The ricotta may sound out of place, but it lends a delightful creaminess to the quiche, especially when left in small chunks. If this one doesn't suit your mood, try Cajun quiche instead.



1 store bought refrigerated pie crust
8 oz shredded sharp 2% cheddar cheese
5 slices bacon, crisp cooked
1/4 cup ham chunks (optional)
5 small scallions, white and green parts sliced thin
1/2 cup fat free ricotta
8 eggs
1/4 cup 1% milk
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 F, with a rack on the lowest shelf. Roll out pie dough and press into a greased 10 inch tart pan. Spread half the cheddar over the bottom of the crust. Sprinkle on bits of the bacon, ham and scallion. Dollop the ricotta in about a tablespoon at a time. Top with remaining cheddar. Beat the eggs with the milk until well combined, then pour over the fillings. Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper.

Bake on the bottom rack until crust and top is slightly golden and filling is set, about 45 minutes.

DINNER


Root Beer Baked Glazed Ham over Carrots
I can't believe that a glazed ham has not yet graced these pages, since it's one of my standybys, especially for large gatherings. However, upon making it I can see why, it's not very photogenic. It is darn tasty though. Buy a ham that actually looks like it came off of a pig, with the bone in, and not one of those pressed monstrosities. I prefer the shank end, and try to make sure it doesn't have water added if you can. Do not bother with spiral sliced - they dry out easily and it's really not that hard to slice a ham.

1 small bag baby carrots
10-15 pound half ham, bone in
cloves
1 1/2 cups root beer
1 1/2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
1 Tbsp vinegar from a jar of hot pickled peppers (or white vinegar)
1 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp bitter orange marmelade (British if possible)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 F.

In a 13 x 9 glass baking dish, line the bottom with a layer of carrots. Trim the ham of any hard rind and place flat side down on top of carrots. Use a clean utility knife open to the second click (you can use a regular knife, but be really careful about the depth of the cut) to cut a diamond pattern into the ham. It should cut through the fat without cutting much of the meat. Stud the corners of the diamonds with cloves. Pour 1 cup of root beer into the dish and bake on the bottom rack for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting every 15 minutes.


Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce liquids to a thick syrupy consistency over medium heat. Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf before using.

After the first round of baking, remove the ham from the oven, insert an oven safe thermometer - I like the probe kind that has a digital reader outside of the oven - and brush on the glaze (you won't use it all right away). Return to the oven and bake, brushing with glaze every 15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before slicing. Serve any leftover glaze on the side for guests to brush on individual slices if they choose.

Serve with the carrots (which take on a fabulous flavor from the pan juices) and corn bake.

A Fresh Spin on Carbonara

One of my best go-to meals is pasta carbonara. I've found that even picky visitors love it (who doesn't like bacon and eggs?) and I almost always have the ingredients on hand. This is just one of countless variations I play with. This version comes from a while back. It's really a spring twist on carbonara, but I never got around to posting it. So please forgive my slightly out-of-season (but still delicious) dinner!

Spaghetti Carbonara Primavera



5 oz. bacon, pancetta or guanciale, chopped
1 large portobello mushroom cap, chopped fine
1 cup leeks, washed and sliced thin
1 1/2 cups grilled asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 cup frozen sweet peas
1/2 cup white wine

5 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp heavy cream
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano
1/2 cup grated parmiggiano reggiano
1 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water

1 lb. whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked as directed and drained

In a nonstick pan, saute bacon until it starts to render its fat. Add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add leeks and saute until soft. Add in asparagus and peas and warm through. Deglaze the pan with wine. Set aside until pasta is done.

Meanwhile, beat together eggs, cream, cheeses, pepper and parsley. While whisking, add hot pasta water.

Add drained pasta back into the pot it was cooked in. Transfer vegetables to the pot. Pour egg mixture over and toss quickly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Serve topped with grated parmesan and chopped parsley.

Life's a Crisp

Here's a sound clip from my brain in the last two weeks:

"Mmmm...local strawberries... must make the most of them while they last..." This thought has so far resulted in strawberry ice cream, strawberry bread, strawberry jam, strawberry parfaits, strawberry salad, strawberry key lime sherbet and of course sliced strawberries with lemon juice and sugar. You'd thinbk I'd had enough strawberries.

NEVER!

Of course I found more at the delightful Amish market. I also grabbed some of the last local rhubarb of the season. I've never actually made anything with rhubarb before, but I had in my mind visions of a fragrant and bubbling strawberry rhubarb crisp. This surpassed my expectations. Ooooh, it is so yummy! The streusel topping really adds the crunch and flavor that is usually lacking in strawberry rhubarb pie. Additionally, reducing the cooking time makes the rhubarb less slimy and more like the texture of an actual veggie, while it's flavor is pure sweet tart.

This recipe makes a lot, since I know I will not use the rhubarb for anything else. This would work just fine if you halved the recipe though.



Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

one recipe of your favorite pie crust (you will need both the "top" and "bottom" crusts) - feel free to cheat and use store bought

Filling:


5 cups fresh local strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced
5 cups slightly rosey local rhubarb, cleaned and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp chinese 5 spice powder
1 tsp freshly ground green cardamom

Streusel Topping



2/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup hazelnut meal
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
10 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt

Roll pie dough out to the shape of your pan (I used a large oval - about the same volume as a 13" x 9" dish). Grease the dish and shape the dough into it. Set aside in the fridge until needed.

Combine all filling ingredients and mix well. Let berries macerate in mixture for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 and mix together all streusel ingredients until well combined.

To assemble: pour berry mixture into crust Top with streusel. Fold down edges of the crust over the filling for a rustic look.

Bake for 20 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Try not to burn you're mouth because you can't wait for it to cool!

Cream of the (First) Crop - Springtime Risotto

I really intended to make this with asparagus. And then I somehow was out when I finally got around to making it. It does take advantage of the season's fresh peas, but I will include the asparagus in the recipe as well because it would really enhance the spring-y nature of the dish.

Risotto Primavera



1 Tbsp butter
2 cups finely sliced leeks, whites and light green parts only
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups vegatable broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. italian seasoning
1 cup fresh peas, shelled

1 Tbsp butter
2 cups risotto rice
2/3 cup dry vermouth

1 cup diced ham

1 cup chopped roasted or grilled asparagus

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp. champagne vinegar
1/3 cup grated parmiggiano reggiano


Melt butter in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan over medium heat. Saute leeks until slightly softened. Add broth, cream, peas and seasonings and heat to just below a simmer, holding it there.

Melt remaining butter in a large saucepan or stockpot (at least 3 quarts). Add rice and toast over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant. Stand back, remove from heat and add vermouth (be careful, it boils away very quickly. Adjust heat to medium. Add one 1/2 cup stock mixture and let cook, stirring constantly, until liquid has been absorbed (when you drag your wooden spoon along the bottom of the pot, the path is not filled in by the rice mixture). Repeat until all the liquid has been used. If you notice your rice is not cooking fast enough, but you are quickly running out of stock, lower the heat. If it seems to be almost cooked, but you have plenty of liquid left, you are cooking at too low a heat. Before the last addition, add the ham. The rice should be al dente when done, just a slight chew in the middle, creamy and rich on the outside. Stir in parmesan, butterl and vinegar to finish off. (The vinegar may seem odd, but it supplies some much needed contrast to this rich and otherwise heavy dish) Top with chopped herbs if desired. Serve immediately.

Risotto in Two Acts

Risotto is really all about a method. One you've mastered it, you can play around with the ingredients. My favorite risotto is one I make at least twice a month, a version of this one from a restaurant issue of Gourmet magazine. I came across some vibrant radicchio the other day and decided to try a sausage and radicchio risotto. I was hoping for a nice pinkish color by using red wine, but unfortunately it came out brown, just like every other risotto I've ever made. Perhaps not the most photogenic dish, but one of my favorites.

Grilled Sausage and Radicchio Risotto



1 lb. continuous link freshly made italian sausage
1 head radicchio
olive oil

1 Tbsp butter
2 cups finely sliced leeks, whites and light green parts only
5 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp. italian seasoning

1 Tbsp butter
2 cups risotto rice
2/3 cup dry red wine
1 Tbsp. white truffle oil
1 Tbsp. chianti vinegar or other high quality red wine vinegar
1/2 cup grated parmiggiano reggiano
chopped parsley

Halve the radicchio, leaving all the leaves attached to the core so it stays together and brush it and the sausage with olive oil. Grill over high flames. Slice raddichio and cube sausage.

Melt butter in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan over medium heat. Saute leeks until slightly softened. Add beef broth and seasoning and heat to just below a simmer, holding it there.

Melt remaining butter in a large saucepan or stockpot (at least 3 quarts). Add rice and toast over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant. Stand back, remove from heat and add wine (be careful, it boils away very quickly. Adjust heat to medium. Add one 1/2 cup stock mixture and let cook, stirring constantly, until liquid has been absorbed (when you drag your wooden spoon along the bottom of the pot, the path is not filled in by the rice mixture) Repeat until all the liquid has been used. If you notice your rice is not cooking fast enough, but you are quickly running out of stock, lower the heat. If it seems to be almost cooked, but you have plenty of liquid left, you are cooking at too low a heat. The rice should be al dente when done, just a slight chew in the middle, creamy and rich on the outside. Stir in parmesan, truffle oil and vinegar to finish off. (The vinegar may seem odd, but it supplies some much needed contrast to this rich and otherwise heavy dish) Top with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Arancini



Italians don't believe in reheating risotto. It has a tendency to get gluey and lose the al dente grains with a creamy texture. Instead, whip up some arancini. These little risotto balls have a melted mozzarella surprise inside. They're traditionally deep fried, but I panfried them this time.

3 oz. cubed mozzarella
2 1/2 cups leftover risotto
2/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Olive oil

Form a ball of risotto in your palm. Push a chunk of mozzarella into the middle and make sure it's well covered. Dredge in breadcrumbs. Repeat with remainder of risotto. Heat 1/2 inch of olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Shallow fry the risotto balls until golden brown.

Blanc on Blanc

White, moist fleshed fish and tender little white beans. Italians have known this secret for centuries. It's a perfect light lunch or dinner.

Grilled Marlin with White Bean Salad

1 can Goya small white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked orzo pasta
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1/4 cup diced onion
2 Tbsp. basil chiffonade
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp ground pepper
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon, divided

2 Florida marlin steaks, 1 inch thick
olive oil
salt and pepper
ground ginger



Toss salad ingredients together (including half the lemon juice) and let sit while preparing fish.

Brush fish with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and ginger. Grill over a hot preheated grill, about 2 minutes on each side. With good quality, fresh marlin, there is no need to cook all the way through, and the flavor is more delicate if cooked to medium rare (like tuna).

Spoon a serving of beans onto plate. Top with fish and squeeze a lemon wedge over the top. Enjoy outside in balmy weather.

Soup Among the Cherry Blossoms

Everything here is in bloom, fragrant with nectar and painting the yard with splotches of pigment that Monet would be proud of. With all this beauty and new life, I'm craving fresh, light and aromatic food. This soup cuts the chill of spring evenings while resounding the crisp and beautiful notes of springtime. For best results, enjoy in the garden at dusk.

Spring Mussel Chowder



12 oz. cleaned thinly sliced leeks (pale parts only)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
12 oz. beer (preferably lager)
24 oz. water
3 lbs. of new zealand mussels, thawed, meat removed from shells and chopped, reserving shells
1 tbsp. dried thyme
2/3 cup orzo
1 cup fat free half and half
1/4 cup Pernod liquor
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 barely ripe avocado, diced
18 grape tomatoes, halved


Saute leeks in butter in a stockpot over medium heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. Deglaze the pot with beer and water and bring to a boil. Add shells and boil 5 minutes. Remove shells and discard. Keeping the liquid boiling, add thyme and orzo. Cook until orzo is about one minute from al dente, then add chopped mussels. After one minute, turn off the heat and add half and half, Pernod, salt and pepper and dill. Place one quarter of the tomatoes and avocado in the bottom of a bowl. Pour soup over the mixture.

Dinner on the Deck

Wegman's had just gotten some fresh alaskan halibut by air overnight. They filleted it for me right off the massive silvery fish. What a thing of beauty! It made a simple dinner, prepared and served in the mild spring air.

Grilled Asparagus
Toss spears with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill until charred and tender. Sprinkle with good balsamic and lemon zest.

Grilled Halibut
Brush with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme. Grill until just cooked through.

Serve with:
Angel hair with clam sauce
Grilled Eggplant
Lemon

Yum!