It is officially Christmas time in the Hopkins’ home. Connor drove home from Flagstaff on Wednesday afternoon, Marissa flew in from San Francisco yesterday afternoon, and Dave’s mom, Pat, flew in from Illinois last night. The gang’s all here, time to celebrate! Nothing like a nice hot bowl of soup to get the party started, well that and a glass of wine…

When you taste this creamy, thick, and rich soup you will swear that is it loaded with cream and fat… but no, the only fat comes from 2 tablespoons olive oil and that is divided by 12 servings, so nearly fat-free!

And the color, oh it is lovely – thanks to the last second addition of a bunch of spinach leaves. Check out this photo of the soup with and without the addition of spinach, just to show you the lovely transformation the spinach makes to the end result.

Healthy? Oh this soup is plenty healthy… cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, and spinach – on my! Plus it uses the usually discarded broccoli stalks. I almost never discard broccoli stalks, they are flavor-packed and delicious! For instance, when I stir-fry, I use a vegetable peeler on the tough outer part of the stalk and then slice them up and throw them in the wok. No need to peel the stalks for the soup, they will get plenty tender during the simmering stage.

Creamy Broccoli–Cauliflower Soup Sans the Cream

1 large head cauliflower
1 large bunch broccoli, with stems
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 large bunch fresh spinach, washed well and stems cut off
1 teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for garnish

Trim the stalk and stems from the cauliflower and discard.  Then either slice remaining head into chunks or separate into florets, set aside.

Trim the stalk and stems from the broccoli and then slice the stalk and stems into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.  Separate the rest of the broccoli into florets and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the sliced broccoli stems, diced onion, and cubed potatoes; toss to coat with oil. Season with salt and pepper; cover the pot and sweat the vegetables for 20 minutes, stirring every 6 minutes or so, to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the pot.

Add the garlic, sliced cauliflower, broccoli florets, and 8 cups of stock to the pot, stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook until all vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat; add spinach leaves and push down into hot liquid, just to wilt.

In batches, puree the mixture in a blender and return to the pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Taste and then season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.

Ladle into soup bowls and garnish each with a light sprinkle of smoked paprika.

Serves 12

It’s been raining for the last few days, so the weather is perfect for a steaming bowl of soup. But you already know how much I love soup, so really it doesn’t need to be raining to be the perfect day for me!

As I was working on the computer yesterday, I took a break to check in on  Facebook, and right there on my wall, I saw this post from Chelsea’s Kitchen (yes, the same same Chelsea’s Kitchen that serves THIS amazing Brussels Sprout Salad).

“Chelsea’s Kitchen is the perfect place on a rainy day to get some good ‘ole comfort food. Try our potato fennel soup with crispy shallots and parsley!  It’s amazing!”

Mind you, I had no intention of driving the 9 miles, in the rain, to eat a bowl of soup and to lunch all by myself.  But… I did have a fennel bulb, potatoes, and shallots in my own kitchen.  Although I don’t know if this soup is anything like the one served at CK… I can assure you, it too is amazing!

Potato and Fennel Soup with Crispy Shallots

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and diced, fronds reserved
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 pound potatoes, peeled, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel, onions, and potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Cover pot and sweat for 5 minutes. Remove lid and add broth, bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring milk, fennel seeds, and tarragon bring to a simmer in heavy small saucepan. Reduce heat to a low simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 20 minutes so that flavors blend.

As soup continues to simmer; heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat.  When hot, add half of the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain, repeat with remaining shallots.  (Cool and save the shallot-oil, use it the next time you sauté vegetables – yum.)

Puree soup in two batches in a blender until smooth. Return soup to same pot. Place a fine mesh strainer over the pot and add the milk mixture Stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

Serves 8

… is kinda like red and green, which makes this very pretty appetizer or brunch pizza perfect for Christmas.

Naan can be found on the bread aisle at most grocery stores, at Trader Joe’s, or at Costco. And smoked mozzarella with other specialty cheeses. But if you can’t find the mozzarella, substitute smoked Gouda.

Smoked Salmon Pizza

4 Naan bread rounds
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 lemon, zested and divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh minced dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
8 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon capers; rinsed, drained, and spread on a paper towel to dry
1/4 cup small dill sprigs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the Naan on a baking sheet and brush the rounds with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle each with salt and place in the oven for 10 minutes, until the bread is just slightly crisp.

In a mixing bowl combine the remaining olive oil,  cream cheese, garlic, half the lemon zest, lemon juice, minced dill, and the black pepper; mix well.

Spoon one-quarter of the cream cheese mixture evenly over each of the Naan rounds.  Sprinkle the smoked mozzarella over each round. Arrange salmon and red onion on top.

Return to oven and bake 5 minutes or until edges of the crust are crisp and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest, then top with capers and dill sprigs.

Slice each round into 4 wedges.

Makes 16 slices

Can you tell that I’m running out of ideas for post titles? Well, I am.  It’s hard to be creative with these things, day after day. :-)  I may soon resort to Pork 5, Chicken 27, and Salad 34. Whatever, this is a pork recipe…

I used up the remaining rhubarb-strawberry compote. If you didn’t make the compote, you can still make this recipe, just substitute jam or preserves. I also had small portions of three different onions in my fridge; red onion, sweet onion, and a large shallot, so I combined those to make up the 1 1/2 cups needed for the sauce. Any type of onion will do. The recipe works equally well with pork loin or pork tenderloin, whichever you prefer or find on sale.

Sage Rubbed Pork with Sweet Onion-Rhubarb Compote

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, ground in spice mill
2 1/2 pounds pork loin or pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat and silver skin
1  1/2 cups diced onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup rhubarb-strawberry compote or 1 cup berry jam or preserves

Fresh sage sprigs, for garnish

Mix 3 tablespoons olive oil, ground black pepper, salt, dried sage, and ground fennel in small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over pork and let stand 15 minutes.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Add onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and 2 tablespoons water; continue cooking, stirring often, until the onion is soft, 5 to 7 minutes more, adding a tablespoon water at a time if necessary to prevent burning. Stir in rhubarb compote and mix well.

Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150 degrees, turning pork occasionally, about 8 minutes longer for tenderloins and 12 to 15 minutes for pork loin.

Transfer pork to cutting board; let rest 5 minutes. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices; arrange on platter. Serve with onion-rhubarb compote and garnish with sage sprigs.

Serves 6

Dave adores smoked salmon. This is a dish I make for him every now and again and I’m always on the lookout for new ideas. I recently  found an intriguing salad, featuring smoked salmon, in an old Gourmet magazine that I’m going to give a try. I will let you know how it turned out in a day or two… until then, I give you this classic – which we enjoyed with our Roasted Silkie Chicken a few nights ago.

Smoked Salmon-Stuffed Potatoes

8 small Yukon gold or red skinned potatoes
Olive oil
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 green onions, white and green parts minced separately, divided
4 ounces smoked salmon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place two potatoes on a small sheet of foil, rub each with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, wrap tightly, repeat with remaining potatoes, making a total of 4 small packets.  Bake in preheated oven until tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from foil; set aside to cool until able to handle, about 15 minutes. Leave the oven on.

Hold potatoes lengthwise, slice off  the top quarter of each potato.  Use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of each potato and place into a medium microwave-safe bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick potato shell.

Add butter to potato in bowl; mash well with a fork.  Stir in sour cream and the minced white portions of the green onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place potato shells on a small baking sheet and return to oven while you finish preparing the filling.

Cut 8 small strips of salmon for the garnish, dice the remaining salmon and set aside, separately.

Microwave the filling for a minute or two until heated through.  Stir diced smoked salmon into filling; taste and season again with pepper, if needed. Remove potatoes from oven and mound filling into shells.  Place on a serving tray.

Sprinkle with minced green portions of green onions. Arrange a salmon strip atop each potato and serve immediately.

Makes 8

Steak and blue cheese are a classic combination. I discovered a 4-pack of rib-eye steaks in the back of the freezer and although there are only the two of us, I grilled up all four steaks. I used the extra two to make this pasta dish a couple days later. Any leftover beef will do, just be sure to slice and cut it up directly from the refrigerator.  When the beef is cold, it is easiest to find and cut out the fat that is marbled throughout.

I purchased a wonderful 6-pack of organic pasta imported from Italy at Costco. In it, there are two packages of casarecce, two packages of penne, and two gemelli. I chose the gemelli for this dish because the other two styles are meant to hold lots of sauce. This dish has minimal sauce, so the gemelli works best  out of the three. If you want to use penne or maybe fusilli, I’d advise throwing in a can of undrained chopped tomatoes to make the pasta saucier.

A funny thing I noticed was that the pasta packages are 17.6-ounces in weight, instead of the usual 16-pounces. Since I generally run on about 2% brain capacity on any give day, I was thinking, “What’s up with that?”  It took me quite a while to notice that the other weight on the packages is 500 grams.  Finally, another 3% brain powder kicked in and I figured out that this was true Italian pasta, so of course it would be measured in grams and the ounce weight was just placed on there for us metric-challenged Americans. Grazie Garofalo Pasta, I need all the help I can get when it comes to math!  Oh… and it’s really good pasta too, so pick up a 6-pack the next time you’re in Costco.

Beef, Blue Cheese, and Sweet Pepper Pasta

1 pound cold leftover cooked beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 roasted red bell peppers, cut into strips
2 yellow or orange bell peppers; cored, seeded, and cut into strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup beef broth
6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled and divided
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8-ounces (1/2 package) gemelli or penne pasta
1/3 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped

Cut beef, against the grain of the meat, into thin strips lengthwise, cutting out and discarding all visible fat. Cut each slice into bite-size pieces.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add the onions and peppers to the skillet and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently and seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.

Salt boiling water in pot and drop in pasta and cook according to package directions.

Add the stock to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and stir in the crushed red pepper, and 1/2 of the blue cheese.  Return pepper mixture to skillet, along with the beef.

Remove from the heat. Stir in olives and the remaining blue cheese.

Drain pasta, add it to meat mixture, and toss to combine. Taste and season.

Serves 6

This in another recipe I’m recreating from that restaurant we love in San Francisco, Gitane Restaurant and Bar. It is one their Catalan Flatbreads.

Merguez is a fresh sausage made with lamb, beef, pork, or a mixture of two or all three. It is heavily spiced with harissa, garlic, peppercorns, cumin, fennel, and more. You can buy it online from several sources or make the homemade version, provided here.

For some insane reason, I forgot to sprinkle my finished flatbread with the fresh cilantro. It could have had something to do with all the martinis I was making (and enjoying) all night! Don’t follow my lead, it is the cilantro that truly makes this flatbread exceptional. Oh, and no worries, I promise that the martini recipes using my infused vodkas will be posted on Sunday.

Lamb Merguez Flatbread

Lamb Merguez
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons coriander seed
1 teaspoon cumin seed
8-ounces smoked bacon
1 pound ground lamb
1 small head garlic, cloves peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons harissa, or more to taste
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
Flatbread
1  1/4 cups warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups flour
1  1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Toppings
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers; cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces Fontina cheese, grated
1 bunch fresh cilantro; well washed, dried, and roughly chopped

Lamb Merguez: Place the fennel, cinnamon, peppercorns, coriander, and cumin seed in an electric spice grinder. Pulse until spices are ground together. Set aside.

Place the raw bacon strips in a the bowl of food processor and process, using the pulse button, until nearly smooth. Add the lamb, the spice mixture, garlic, harissa, and vinegar. Combine all ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Flatbread:  In the bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, stir together water, yeast, and sugar until well mixed. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add flour to the yeast mixture and mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add oil and mix on low speed until combined. Switch from paddle to dough hook and knead on medium speed until dough is elastic and pulls away from sides, about 6 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape dough into ball and transfer to bowl. Turn over  to coat lightly with oil, then cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

While dough is rising, position rack near bottom of oven and place a pizza stone on the rack. Preheat oven to 450 degrees for 1 hour. Prepare the toppings.

Lamb and Toppings:  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon or two of the lamb. Stir until cooked through. Remove from pan and taste, add more harissa, if needed.  Once the lamb is to your liking, heat the skillet again and cook up all of the lamb, breaking up with a metal spatula until completely cooked through.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Do not wash out the skillet.

Heat the same skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and when hot, saute the peppers and onion for 2 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic. Continue to saute until the peppers are just crisp-tender, about 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to cool.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll out each piece into a long thin rectangle with a rolling pin on a floured surface until each is about 1/8-inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap so pieces do not dry out. Transfer one flatbread at a time to a pizza peel or the bottom of a large baking sheet, dusted with flour.

Transfer 1 flatbread at a time to preheated pizza stone and bake in batches until slightly puffed but still pale, about 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. (Flatbread crusts may be pre-baked in this manner up to 2 hours ahead.)

Assemble and Bake: Preheat oven to 450 degrees with pizza stone in place for 1 hour.

Brush each flatbread with olive oil. Scatter with cheese, lamb merguez, and pepper-onion mixture.

Transfer 1 or more flatbreads to preheated pizza stone and bake in batches until toppings are warmed through and cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer flatbreads to a large cutting board and top with cilantro Using a very sharp knife, cut into rectangular slices and serve immediately.

Makes about 20 to 24 slices

bouquets garnis

A cassoulet, which originated in the south of France, is a hearty cold-weather meal filled with meats and baked in a thick stew of beans and vegetables.  So why am I making a cassoulet when it is 109 degrees outside?  Answer – because I’m crazy, that’s why! Actually along with the craziness there is a practical reason.  I had just less then a pound of leftover lamb cut from a shank that I used for THIS RECIPE.  And I know, without a doubt, that if I tucked it into the freezer and waited till fall to make the cassoulet, it would be lost forever in the depths of my freezer and eventually thrown away.

Cassoulets generally take between 6  – 8 hours to prepare… plus the overnight soaking of the beans.  I’ve pared this down to about 3 hours and with only 1 hour of bean soaking time.  For that reason I am calling this a quick cassoulet, although 3 + 1 hours isn’t exactly quick, I know!  Bookmark this for winter and you’ll enjoy having the kitchen all warm and aromatic for that length of time, I promise. This recipe can be easily doubled or even tripled to serve a crowd.

Quick Cassoulet

5 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry navy beans, presoaked * see note below
3 slices thick bacon
5 ounces sausage links of your choice (I used a chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s)
1 small onion, unpeeled, cut in half
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 bouquets garnis ** see note below
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound boneless pork loin, cut into large cubes
1/2 pound  boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into large cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup peeled and diced carrots
1/3 cup cubed sweet potatoes or parsnips
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 cups beef broth
1/3 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
1 cup bread crumbs from a good crusty loaf
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan and add the beans and bacon. Return the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are nearly tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile; season the lamb with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in another large saucepan or skillet. Sear the lamb in the oil on all sides, turning as necessary, until deep brown. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.

To the pot of beans; add the sausage, onion, garlic, and bouquet garni. Return the mixture to a simmer and cook until the bacon is fork tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the onion, garlic, and bouquet garni. Remove and reserve the sausage and bacon and slice the sausage into 1/4-inch slices and chop the bacon, set aside.

Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste continue to simmer until the beans are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.  Lift out the beans with a slotted spoon and reserve.  Continue to simmer until the liquid reduces by half (to about 1 cup) and is beginning to thicken, about 20 minutes. Reserve the sauce.

To the pan the lamb was cooked in; add the leeks, carrots, and potatoes to the pot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until the flour is cooked, about 3 minutes.

Add the wine and 1 cup of beef broth to vegetable/flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Stir in the tomatoes and the second bouquet garni. Return the seared lamb to the pot, along with any juices they may have collected on the plate. Add more beef broth if necessary to keep the meat completely moistened. Bring to a slow simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 5 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover the casserole and braise the lamb in the oven, skimming the surface as necessary, until the meat is fork tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove casserole from oven and add the reserved sausage and bacon to the casserole. Cover the meat with the reserved beans. 

Pour the sauce from the beans over the cassoulet. Toss together the bread crumbs and parsley and sprinkle in an even layer over the top.

Turn the oven down to 300 degrees and bake, uncovered, periodically basting the crust with the juices that bubble up at the sides of the casserole, until a good crust has formed, about 30 to 45 minutes. 

Let the cassoulet rest for 15 minutes before serving.  Serve in heated bowls with warm crusty bread. (Discard the bouquet garni when you stumble upon it)

Serves 4

* Note:  Rinse beans in cold water. Put them in a large pot and cover with about 3-inches of cold water. Bring almost to a boil; cover, and remove from heat. Let sit 1 hour. Drain. The beans will be “soaked” and ready to cook.

** Note: (pictured at top of page)  For bouquet garni: Take two sprigs of each – parsley, rosemary, thyme, and oregano; bunch together and wrap a fresh bay leaf around. Use kitchen string to tie together into a little bundle. (if using a dry bay leaf, tuck it in the center of the fresh herbs instead of wrapping around, it will not wrap and would just break apart)

Don’t you just love that song?  “It’s Raining Men! Hallelujah! – It’s Raining Men! Amen! I’m gonna go out to run and let myself get Absolutely soaking wet!…”  Good song! But unfortunately, it wasn’t raining men over here at my house, it was raining figs.  My tree produces at least twice a year and it’s impossible for me to use them all, so the local birds feast well at the Hopkins’ house.

Three disclaimers for this post: #1 – I didn’t use pork tenderloin. In its place – a pork rib roast I had in my freezer.  But I’ve written the recipe for tenderloin, so you use that, it’s quicker and easier than dealing with a rib roast.  #2 – I only made half of the onion and fig mixture, since there are only two of us.  #3 – Something is set wrong on my camera, so all the indoor pictures turned out with a nasty yellow hue. I tried to correct the problem in Photoshop, but the color isn’t quite right, sorry about that. You’ll just have to imagine better color.

The good news is that the birds and I ate well and enjoyed our figs.  If you live nearby, give me a shout, and you can have all the kadota figs you want… before the birds eat them all.

Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Onions, Rosemary, and Figs

2 pork tenderloins, about a pound each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
24 mission and/or kadota figs, quartered
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Generously salt and pepper the pork and leave at room temperature for about 12 minutes, while the oven preheats.

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place the pork in the pan and sear on all sides, until nicely browned. Remove the tenderloins to an oven-proof pan, and place in the preheat oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the tenderloins reaches 140 degrees. Then remove from oven, tent with foil and set aside to rest.

While the tenderloins are roasting, melt the butter in the same sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are nicely browned and caramelized.

Add the rosemary and figs. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir to combine. Sauté 2 minutes, stirring often.

Remove from the heat. Mix in the thyme leaves and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slice the pork tenderloins into 1/4-inch thick slices and serve alongside the onions and figs.

Serves 4 to 6

Here is the recipe I made yesterday on the Valley Dish, especially for Memorial Day weekend. (And here is the LINK if you would like to watch it online.)  PLEASE don’t be scared off by the long laundry list of ingredients. There are six different condiments/toppings for your sliders, and each one is very easy to make, you can do as many or as few as you like.  Seriously, when I say easy, I’m talking about slicing a couple tomatoes, drizzling with olive oil and sprinkling with salt and chives, that’s easy! Or laying slices of bacon on foil, sprinkling with rosemary and pepper and tossing in the oven, super easy! And I guarantee your family and friends will be impressed, Enjoy!

High-Style Slider Bar

Seasoned Heirloom Tomatoes
3 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Minced fresh chives
Rosemary-Pepper Bacon
1/2 pound thick sliced bacon, pieces cut into quarters
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
Cracked black pepper
Caramelized Shallots
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sautéed Mixed Mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups mix of thinly sliced crimini, white, and shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chili-Ketchup
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons chili sauce (such as chili garlic sauce or Sriracha)
Chipotle Mayo
1 cup prepared mayonnaise
2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon extra adobo sauce
Pinches of salt and freshly ground pepper
Turkey Sliders
3 pounds ground turkey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
5 chipotle peppers

24 slider buns split (I prefer Kings Hawaiian dinner rolls)
6 slices Swiss cheese, quartered

Seasoned Heirloom Tomatoes: Drizzle sliced tomatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and chives, set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Rosemary-Pepper Bacon: Lay bacon in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with halve of the rosemary and cracked black pepper and cook in a 400 degree oven for 12 minutes.  Turn bacon slices over and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary and more cracked black pepper.  Return to oven and cook until the bacon is crisp, about 12 minutes more.

Caramelized Shallots: Heat oil in a heavy skillet; add shallots and sauté over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, then add the garlic, oregano, and vinegar.  Continue to cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until shallots caramelize.

Sautéed Mixed Mushrooms:  Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet.  Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and the liquids evaporate, about 10 minutes.

Chili-Ketchup: Stir both ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Oh no, I’m almost out of Sriracha sauce!)

Chipotle Mayo: Place mayonnaise chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, plus a couple pinches of salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate. (There is no need to wash out the processor bowl.)

Sliders: Place ground turkey with cumin, Worcestershire sauce, and chipotle peppers in the same food processor bowl.  Process until well combined.  Divide the turkey into 24 equal portions and, using your hands, shape into 24 small burgers.  Season sliders with salt freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high.  Once the grill pan or grill is hot, place the sliders on the pan/grill and cook until turkey cooked through and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

During the final minute of cooking, place a quarter slice of Swiss cheese on each slider. Toast the buns cut side down on the grill pan for about 1 minute, just to warn and mark them.

Set all slider bar components out in bowls and on trays for guests to build their own sliders.

Serves 8 (3 sliders each)

This is my last chance to get up an Easter recipe. These potatoes will accompany our Pomegranate Molasses Lamb Chops.  I’m naming them double smoked because of the delicious smoked Gouda and the ever popular smoked paprika.  During cooking classes last week at Les Gourmettes, our guest chef, Joanne Weir, needed to borrow a bottle of my smoked paprika and was shocked by how much I use… the bottle was nearly empty. I do love the stuff!

Double Smoked Potatoes Au Gratin

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup half and half

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 2 quart casserole dish with 2 tablespoons of the butter.

Wash  the potatoes and cut into thin slices.

Combine the cheeses in a large bowl. Remove 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture and combine with the bread crumbs in a small bowl.

Layer half the potatoes and half the onions in the prepared dish. Top with half the cheese. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the smoked paprika.

Repeat with remaining potatoes, onion, cheese, and paprika.

Combine the cream with the half and half and pour evenly over the top.

Sprinkle the bread crumb/cheese mixture evenly over the top and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender and the crumb topping is golden brown.

serves 8-10

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for yours truly. First off, my sister and niece, Sloane and Raina, along with Marissa and I, are going to get up at the crack of dawn and drive to Tempe to participate in Pat’s Run. Pat’s Run honors American Hero, Pat Tillman and benefits The Pat Tillman Foundation which raises funds benefiting Tillman Military Scholars. If you don’t already know Pat Tillman’s story, you really need to learn about him!

After the run, (in all honesty we are walking, but walking fast!) Marissa and I will race home, pack up, and get ourselves to Berridge Nurseries on Camelback and 46th Streets for the Art in the Garden event that I will be cooking at, beginning at noon.  This is the recipe I’ll be making, I realize it may look a bit intimidating with 25+ ingredients, but the majority of those are vegetables, herbs, and olive oil, so give it a whirl. I hope you’ll stop by the event and say “hello”.

Mediterranean Grilled Chopped Vegetables and Herbed Chèvre Crostini

Grilled Vegetables
1/2 cup olive oil, plus additional for oiling the grill rack or grill pan
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
10 fresh large basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 zucchini, cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch slices lengthwise
2 yellow squash, cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch slices lengthwise
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 2-inch strips
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 2-inch strips
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes; drained, patted dry, and diced
2 ripe tomatoes; cored, seeded, and diced
Herbed Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Juice and finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons minced mixed fresh basil, parsley, and thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons canola oil
Herbed Chèvre
1/4 cup finely minced mixed fresh herbs; thyme, rosemary, parsley, and dill
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
8 to 11-ounce log of chèvre (soft mild goat cheese)
Crostini
1 baguette
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt, to taste

Grilled Vegetables: Brush the grill grates or grill pan lightly with the olive oil. Heat to high.

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, basil, garlic, and a few pinches of salt and pepper in a large bowl until well blended. Toss the zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and bell peppers, in the olive oil mixture.

Place the vegetables on a hot grill or grill pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until crisp-tender.

Chop vegetables and place in a serving bowl. Mix in sun-dried and fresh tomatoes and season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Herbed Balsamic Vinaigrette: Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, herbs, and pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix.

Slowly add the olive oil and the canola oil and whisk until all the oil is incorporated.  Set aside.

Herbed Chèvre: Mix the herbs and pepper together on a plate. Roll the chèvre log in the mixture, pressing lightly so the seasonings adhere. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 to 2 hours.  Remove the log from the refrigerator and unwrap. Cut into thin slices with dental floss.

Crostini: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the bread on a slight angle into 1/4-inch-thick slices and place on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Mix together the olive oil, butter, parsley, dill, and pepper in a small bowl.  Brush one side of each piece of bread and sprinkle lightly with the salt. Toast in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Drizzle the vegetables with the vinaigrette and either place the bowl out for guests to help themselves, or make each individual crostini by placing a slice of chèvre on each toast and topping with the vegetables.

If leaving the vegetables in the bowl for your guests to assemble their on their own; Place the bowl in the center of a large platter and then place a slice of chèvre on each toast and ring the platter with the crostini. Garnish entire platter with parsley and basil sprigs, and season with salt and pepper.  Place small forks with the vegetables and allow guests to top their own crostini with the vegetables as desired.

Makes about 30 crostini

(Any remaining chopped vegetables are wonderful added to freshly cooked pasta.)

This would be another wonderful Meatless Monday meal, just leave out the chicken.  I added it because my dad was coming for dinner and it isn’t dinner if meat is not included for him… he is old school to the max! The chicken does benefit and stay lovely moist and juicy roasting under the vegetables this way. We’ll be using half of the ratatouille for these roulades and save the remaining half for tomorrow’s ratatouille lasagna.

I couldn’t find any really good looking tomatoes in the grocery store, so I substituted canned diced tomatoes, always the way to go when there are no good tomatoes around.

Roasted Ratatouille Roulade

8 large red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, roasted and peeled
Pam
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4-5 Chinese or Japanese eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large yellow crookneck squash, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large zucchini squash, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Herbes de Provence
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
8 medium tomatoes, diced; or 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup fresh minced basil
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup prepared or homemade pesto sauce
Sautéed spinach or warm marinara sauce (optional)

Carefully slice off the top and bottom of one of the roasted and peeled bell peppers. Gently remove the core. Slice the bell cylinder you have created down just one side and open up the pepper into one long rectangular piece.  Clean out any of the seeds clinging to the pepper.  Repeat with remaining 7 peppers.  Chop the pepper ends and both the rectangles and the chopped pieces aside.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a large baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with Pam.

Place one chicken breast half between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat-pounder or the bottom of a heavy pot or skillet until even thickness throughout. Repeat with second breast and place both pieces of chicken on the baking sheet.

Surround the chicken with the eggplant, yellow squash, and zucchini slices.  Spray with Pam, then season generously with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence. Place the remaining vegetable slices, including the onion slices and the reserved chopped bell pepper pieces in a second layer, this time, covering the chicken.  Spray this layer with Pam and season again.

Roast in preheated until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are just tender, about 12 minutes. Using tongs, remove the chicken and place on a cutting board until cool enough to handle.  Toss the vegetables and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.  Dice the chicken and place in a large bowl and set aside.

Remove vegetables from oven and add the garlic, tomatoes, and mushrooms, return to oven for a final 15 minutes.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees and remove baking sheet from oven. Transfer half of the ratatouille to a large cutting board.  Allow the remaining half to cool before placing in a container and refrigerating (it will be used for the ratatouille lasagna tomorrow). Dice the ratatouille on the cutting board and add to the bowl with the chicken, stir in the basil and toss until well combined.

Spoon a layer of chicken ratatouille onto each roasted red pepper rectangle and roll up. Place in an 8×8-inch Pyrex dish or into two Pyrex loaf pans.

Sprinkle half of the Parmesan down the center of the roulades. Drizzle the pesto over the cheese, then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the pesto. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Serve as is or atop sautéed spinach or heated marinara sauce, if desired.

Serves 8