Thai Beef Salad Soup

6/4/03 Chef Graham Heaton contributed this delicious recipe from Restaurant La Residence and Cafe La Rez.

Soup
5 med. cucumbers peeled and diced
1 med. white onion diced
1 tbs minced fresh garlic
1 tbs minced fresh ginger
10 Thai basil leaves, fresh
10 fresh cilantro leaves
1 c vegetable stock
1 10 oz can coconut milk
6 oz rice vinegar

Puree all ingredients together. Add salt to taste.

Creme Fraiche
2 Thai red chilis seeded
pinch fresh garlic minced
pinch fresh shallots minced
5 oz heavy cream
5 oz sour cream
Juice of 1 med. lime
Srivacha hot chili rooster sauce

Combine first 6 ingredients and season to taste with the hot sauce.

2 oz cubed filet mignon
Seared in a hot skillet

Fold soup into creme fraiche, reserving a dollop of creme fraiche for each serving of soup. Top soup with seared beef and dollop of creme fraiche and extra minced basil and cilantro leaves.
Serves 8-10

Moscow Mule

5/28/03 A refreshing summer drink dreamed up in 1940's Los Angelos by a Smirnoff vodka salesman and a bartender who concocted his own brand of ginger beer.

3 T. vodka
1 T. fresh lime juice
2/3 c. Reed's ginger beer (available at Weaver St. Market in Carrboro)

Pour over ice cubes.

Anne's Super Omega 3 Salad
with Salmon and Grapefruit

4/23/04 From Anne Everitt at Weaver Street Market, a delicious and healthy salad or main course.

½ of one package of pre-washed spinach
¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice
½ cup of grapefruit sections
½ pound of salmon, steamed and cooled
¼ cup walnut oil
2 tablespoons walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1 clove of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

First prepare the dressing: Mix together the grapefruit juice, garlic and mustard. Then whisk in the walnut oil, salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit for a few minutes to allow flavors to develop.

Joel's Chicken Stock

2/26/03 Joel Goldfarb, director of Chez Bay Gourmet Cooking School in Durham, shared this recipe with us from the school's Basic Cooking Course. Following are his tips for making great stock.

2 Whole Bay Leaves
10 Parsley Stems
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
12 Whole Black Peppercorns
4 Pounds Chicken Bones Or Parts
1 Large Onion
1 Large Carrot
1 Stalk Celery
4 Quarts Cold Water

In a 6 inch square piece of cheesecloth, place the bay leaves, parsley stems, thyme and peppercorns.
Gather the corners and twist together.
Using a 12 inch piece of twine, tie the sachet closed. The other end will be suspended from the handle of the stockpot.
An alternate method is to break a stalk of celery (without disjointing it at the break), place the leaves, stems and seasonings in the cavity of the stalk and fold over the other half of the celery on top of the seasonings. Then tie it up with twine.
Rinse bones or parts under cold running water.
Cut the onion into 4 equal pieces. Cut the carrot and celery in half.
Place all ingredients except water in 6 quart stock pot.
Tie the loose end of the sachet twine to the handle of the stock pot.
Fill the pot with ice cold water. There must be enough water to cover the bones.
Place on stove uncovered (or partially covered only) and almost bring to a boil. If you cover it and let it boil, you will have a mess to clean up!
Skim off any scum or other impurities periodically from the surface.
Reduce heat and simmer up to 1 while continuing to skim.
Remove from heat temporarily and carefully remove bones.
Bring pot back to a boil and let it reduce to two-thirds of the original volume.
Remove from heat. Remove vegetables and sachet.
Using a ladle, strainer and tall heat-resistant bowl, strain the stock. (Run through cheescloth or a disposable coffee filter to remove impurities.)
Allow to cool for thirty minutes. The fat will rise to the top making it easier to remove.
Allow stock to cool completely if you will be storing it in containers for future use.
In hot or summer climates, leave in main container which can be refrigerated.
Any remaining fat will congeal and be easily removed. While this is saturated fat, it is nutritionally equivalent to butter and may be used in recipes or frozen for future use.
Yield:10 cups

NOTES : Problems making stock?
-Common mistakes are generally caused by too many vegetables. Too many veggies do not allow a strong chicken flavor to permeate. The Onion, Carrot and Celery trio is the basis for a "mirepoix" (French) or a "soffrito" (Italian). These are generally minced up when used in traditional European
recipes to start a recipe. They are used whole or with minor chopping so as not to disintegrate into the liquid. If you chop up the ingredients they will make a delicious hot liquid but it won't take like chicken stock. In Carribean cooking, a bell pepper is often added to the stock to give it a slightly different "edge".
-Poor quality chicken or not enough bones. The bones will give the stock a gelatinous quality which is useful for both hot and cold recipes. Poor quality chickens are either produced poorly or are mistreated after packaging. An old hen makes a good stock but last week's chicken laying in the fridge does not.
-Clean your bones! Inside the larger pieces are hidden organs that need to be removed. You can do this with a finger (Wear a glove if you are squeamish) or a small utility knive under running cold water. Also, the water that you fill the pot up with should be run from the tap for at least 30 seconds. First run water has a higher sediment count. Water stored in pitchers in the fridge is best. Those bloody colored pieces will discolor and make a bitter stock. Most of it is not edible either. Be sure to remove any packaged up livers inside the cavity of a whole bird. And, if there is a neckbone - Use it!
-Chez Bay Gourmet tested the recipe using all bones versus white meat parts versus dark meat parts. The results are similar. All bones used to be a wonderful economic choice. They are not always easy to find now. If you need to buy parts, my recommendations are as follows: Buy a whole bird - least expensive! Butcher it into pieces. Remove major meat portions from breast for another purpose. Second recommendation is to buy a large package of fresh breasts with skin and bones and then remove the breast meat for
another purpose. The last choice is to purchase a large bag of wings which have a high bone to meat ratio. Don't ruin good breast meat by putting it in the stock pot! If you use all dark meat, you will get a stock which has a higher fat content. All fat can easily be removed after cooking and chilling.
-Should I use the skin? Of course. It will make more fat at the end but it is easy to remove. (Cookbooks do not all agree on this point)
-Overcooking the bones. The way to a strong stock is to remove the bones (not the vegetables) - and then reduce and reduce and reduce.
-Salt. Don't salt the stock. The stock will seem slightly bland but you will begin to appreciate it if given the chance. Also, the stock will be used in recipes where salt is added.
-To stir? To Boil? Most authorities agree not to stir a stock. Why would you want to? You can't blend the bulky ingredients! To boil? Not supposed to - yet it's hard to bring a pot of liquid to a simmer without first boiling it
and then reducing the temperature. If it boils momentarily - don't worry, just have the pot holders handy and remove from the heat quickly.
-Don't cover the stock completely before it gets to a simmer stage. It will most likely boil over even if on a low flame. And you'll hate cleaning up the greasy mess.
-Stock can be frozen. Some say for one to several months. I think you want to freeze it for just a few weeks. The flavor does diminish.

In a rush?
-There are some good quality commercial stocks on the market. I don't particularly like chicken boullion or the moist mixture that comes in containers. But if you are in a rush and have some of the vegetables mentioned in the recipe, go ahead and add them. I call this a starter stock!

What if your goal is to make chicken vegetable soup? Do you add all the other veggies at the beginning? No. They will overcook and turn to mush and will overpower the chicken flavor. Treat chicken stock as an ingredient in a recipe that needs advance preparation to end up with a delicious result.

OYSTERS STEAMED IN CHAMPAGNE

2/12/03 This is the first course of Fred's Valentine's dinner.
Sort through 1 pint oysters to remove any shell bits. Place oysters in shallow baking dish, cover with one-half cup onions sauteed in butter and 6 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled. Douse oysters with 1 cup of champagne or still white wine, and sprinkle with salt, coarse black pepper and Old Bay Seasoning. Bake at 500 degrees F. for about 10 minutes. Serve in individual ramekins lined with leaves of fresh spinach.

Mexican Chicken Soup

3/12/03 This recipe from Harriet Carter won the Winner’s Circle Soup Contest sponsored by the Durham Herald-Sun. We tasted it on the show last week and suggest adding a little Tobasco and cumin.

1 cup brown rice
4 low-sodium chicken bullion cubes or packets
4 cups water

Bring these three ingredients to a boil, turn heat to medium-low and cook 20 minutes.

3 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onions
3 cups water
1 can chicken broth (or another cup of water)
1 teaspoon salt

Add these ingredients and cook for 15 to 20 more minutes.

1/3 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups frozen or canned corn (drained)
Add cilantro and corn and cook 8 minutes, then keep soup on low heat while preparing bowls as follows:
8 corn tortillas
20 grape or cherry tomatoes, diced
2 avocados, sliced (optional)

Lightly toast 8 corn tortillas. Crumble one into each bowl. Ladle soup into each bowl and top with tomatoes and avocado.

Serves 8.

OYSTERS STEAMED IN CHAMPAGNE

2/03/03This is the first course for Fred's ideal Valentine dinner.
Sort through 1 pint oysters to remove any shell bits. Place oysters in shallow baking dish, cover with one-half cup onions sauteed in butter and 6 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled. Douse oysters with 1 cup of champagne or still white wine, and sprinkle with salt, coarse black pepper and Old Bay Seasoning. Bake at 500 degrees F. for about 10 minutes. Serve in individual ramekins lined with leaves of fresh spinach.

Broccoli Wreath with Blue Cheese Dip

Serving Size : 16
4 – 5 lb. Broccoli Florets -- Purchase prewashed fresh florets
1 lb. Sour Cream
1/2 cup Bleu Cheese
1 T. Garlic -- chopped fine
10 -12 Cranberries -- Or tiny cherry tomatoes

Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil.
Prepare a large bowl full of ice and cold water next to it.
While you wait for the water to boil, Take a large square piece of parchment paper and cut out a template to the size wreath you desire. (it should look like a huge doughnut). Place the template on a flat platter or large board covered with gift wrap paper.
When the water boils, put small batches of the florets into boiling water for about 45 seconds. They will lose their blueish drab color. Immediately remove with a slotted spoon and immerse in the ice water bath which will turn them a bright green. Remove from the water and drain in a colander. Repeat the process until at least 4 pounds of broccoli are done. They should not be cooked. The quick blanching merely brightens the color and removes the rawness while leaving a pleasant crunchy taste. Make sure the broccoli is very dry before starting the assembly. Sort the pieces into three groups: Nice pieces with all of their florets intact, broken/damaged pieces and tiny pieces.
Using the outer and inner edges of the paper template, arrange the nicest pieces along the edges fairly close together. When the first level inner and outer circles are complete, fill in between with broken pieces of broccoli (if there are any) until you have one flat level. Don’t worry about small spaces or wholes. Those will be filled in the end with tiny broccoli pieces.
Start the next layer in the same manner as the first one. The outer and inner circles will be indented slightly. Think of the wreath as a jigsaw puzzle, certain pieces will fit together more nicely than others. Continue creating layers until the wreath is completely shaped.
Fill in wholes with smaller pieces.
Garnish with a few fresh cranberries or tiny cherry tomatoes.
Blend the sour cream and blue cheese together in a food processor. Put dressing in an attractive glass bowl or large wine glass. Serve to your guests.
(Note: If you are going to transport this in a car, wad up paper towels and put in the center to absorb moisture. Then cover wreath with plastic wrap.

Mother-of-the-Groom Cocktail

8/7/02 When my oldest son Matt announced his engagement, I joined Weight Watchers to shed a few pounds before shopping for a slinky dress for the wedding. The WW program assigns points to food items, and I'm struggling to limit my eating to less than 24 points each day. Don't you believe anyone who says this is easy! Hoping to squeeze a daily cocktail into this regimen, I concocted this drink, only two points. With brandy it tastes like a Sidecar, with tequila, a Marguerita, and with rum, I could swear it's a Tom Collins.

8 oz. Fresca
1 1/2 oz. brandy, tequila or rum
juice from 1/2 lime

Pour over ice, stir and enjoy. When you finish it, pour yourself the rest of the Fresca, squeeze in some lime juice and pretend it's a second cocktail. Zero points!

Smoked Salmon, Bell Pepper, and Zucchini Salad

This salad was served as a first course at a lunch assembled by my beloved cooking group-Mary Hill, Alice Welsh, Ann Stewart, and Patricia Owens-who have been cooking, eating, and laughing together for over twenty years. Mary served this dish as an appetizer, but it would also make a great main course for a light summer meal.

3 large bell peppers, one of each color
2 small zucchini
6 oz. smoked salmon
1/3 c. creamy dill vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 bunches arugula or leaf lettuce
1 T. balsamic vinegar
3 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
diced avocado
fresh chives, chopped
Cut the peppers, zucchini and salmon into matchstick-sized slices. Toss with dill vinaigrette. Combine the lettuce with balsamic vinegar and oil. Toss lightly and divide among 4 plates. Top each portion with salmon mixture. Garnish with avocado and chives.

Creamy Dill Vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon lightly beaten egg yolk
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. sherry vinegar
1/2 c. olive oil
1/3 c. peanut oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 anchovy fillets, drained and finely minced
2-4 T. dill, minced
2 T. scallions, minced
2 T. sour cream
salt and pepper

Combine the egg yolk, the mustards, and vinegars in a stainless steel bowl. Add oils by droplets, whisking constantly until the vinaigrette is creamy.Add rest of ingredients except salt. Let sit for an hour before tasting. Add salt if needed. This dressing is good on almost any kind of salad.

Chicken Liver Mousse

1 pound chicken livers
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 T. brandy
1 or 1 1/2 stick unsalted butter

Place the livers, onion, 1 tsp. salt, thyme and bay leaves in a wide saucepan. Add 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook about 7 minutes, or until chicken livers are no longer pink. Turn off heat and let sit for another five minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the livers, onions and garlic into a food processor. Add brandy, 1 tsp. salt and pepper.. Pulse until smooth. Cut butter into about 6 pieces. Add each piece one at a time, pulsing after each until blended smoothly into the liver mixture. Chill. When ready to serve, bring to room temperature.

Brennan's Ambrosia

12/19/01
Growing up in south Mississippi, I often visited New Orleans by train with aunts and grandparents. The 6 o'clock Panama Limited pulled into New Orleans just in time for breakfast at Brennan's where the grownups decadently started their morning meal with this delicious cocktail.

1/3 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. cointreau
1 oz.brandy
champagne or sparkling wine

Shake and strain lemon juice, cointreau and brandy into chilled champagne glasses. Add champagne to fill glass.

Stilton Spread

This hors d'oeuvre is a part of our Thanksgiving celebration, though there's no reason (except calorically) not to serve it anytime with your favorite crackers and red wine.

5 oz. Stilton cheese (Gorgonzola or other good blue cheese may be substituted)
4 oz. cream cheese
2 1/2 oz. (5 T.) butter
1/4 c. toasted chopped walnuts
3 scallions, finely chopped
optional: 1 bunch watercress, finely chopped

Bring cheeses and butter to room temperature. Beat together cream cheese and butter, then beat in crumbled Stilton. Stir in the other ingredients. Serve with crackers or bread.

Fred's Halloween Drinks

BEWITCHED
1/2 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. B & B
1/2 oz. Cream
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir gently and strain into a large shot glass or cordial glass.

DEVILS POISON
1 oz. Jack Daniels
I oz. 151 Bacardi Rum
Filli a shaker with ice, pour the Jack Daniels and 151 Bacardi Rum into shaker and shake Strain into a shot glass.

VOODOO DAIQUIRI
2 oz. Bourbon
1 oz. Vodka
4 oz. Grape Juice
1 cup Crushed ice
Combine Bourbon, Vodka, grape juice and ice into a blender and blend at a medium speed until smooth (15 to 25 seconds). Pour into a chilled hi-ball or Collins glass.

BANSHEE
1 oz. White Cr6me de Cacao
I oz. Cr6rne de Banana
I oz. Cream
Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled vith ice, shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

BRAIN HEMORRHAGE
1 oz. Peach Schnapps
1 tsp. Bailey's Irish Cream
3 drops Grenadine
Pour the Peach Schnapps into a large shot glass, SlovAy add the Bailey's and top vath the grenadine.

Janis's Vegetable Beef Soup

On this first chilly week of the year, I yearned for my mother's vegetable soup, the ultimate comfort food. On a cold winter day it will warm your bones, and if you're sick, it's guaranteed to make you feel better. MN

3 lb. beef shank
6 cups water
2 cups tomato juice
1 small onion, chopped
1 T. salt
2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1/4 c. chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 cup potato, chopped
3 carrot sticks, peeled and chopped
1 cup butter beans
1 1/2 cups green beans, cut into 1 inch slices
beau monde seasoning, and black pepper to taste

Simmer the first eight ingredients for 2 1/2 hours in a covered soup pot. Strain the soup and put the liquid back in the pot. Add the vegetables. Take the meat off the bone, cut into bite-sized chunks, and add to the soup. Simmer for anther 1/2 hour. Correct seasonings, add more water if necessary, and reheat before serving.

Pusser's Painkiller

2 parts Pusser's rum (Meyers can be substituted)
4 parts pineapple juice
1 part orange juice
1 part Coco Lopez coconut cream
fresh nutmeg
Mix together liquids. Serve over ice or blended with crushed ice. Top with grated nutmeg.

Fred's Frozen Cocktails

Big Chill
· 1 1/2 oz Dark Rum
· 1 oz Pineapple Juice
· 1 oz Orange Juice
· 1 oz Cranberry Juice
· 1 oz Cream of Coconut
Blend ingredients with 1 scoop ice until smooth. Serve in 12-oz pilsner glass
and garnish with a pineapple wedge and a cherry.

Chi-Chi
· 1 1/2 oz Vodka
· 1 oz Cream of Coconut
· 4 oz Pineapple Juice
Blend with 1 cup of crushed ice at high speed. Pour into red-wine glass and
garnish with a slice of pineapple and a cherry.

Cranberry Cooler
· 1 1/2 oz Bourbon
· 1 1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
· 1/2 oz Lime Juice
· 1 tsp Powdered Sugar
Blend with 1 cup of crushed ice until smooth. Pour into parfait glass.

Frozen Daiquiri
· 1 1/2 oz Light Rum
· 1 tbsp Triple Sec
· 1 1/2 oz Lime Juice
· 1 tsp Sugar
Blend ingredients with 1 cup crushed ice for 5 seconds at low speed. Then
blend at high speed until firm.

Asparagus & Ham Roulades

Spread rectangular or round thin slices of smoked ham with softened cream cheese mixture. Place a cooked, fresh asparagus spear in the center and roll up. Secure with toothpick. Cream Cheese Mixture Suggestions: 2 parts cream cheese to one part unsalted butter, seasoning with garlic and green herbs or adding Roquefort cheese and chopped toasted pecans, English walnuts or almonds to cream cheese and butter mix. Or mix Dijon mustard and toasted sesame seeds or poppy seeds to cream cheese and butter mixture.FB

Vin's Marinated Olives

Julie Shogen, owner of Enoteca Vin, gave us these instructions for Vin's famous olives: " Our olives are good more for themselves than for what we put on them. They are made by Barnier in Provence and are (I think) the only unpasteurized olives in the US.
"We use about 6-8 varieties including Cassis de Beaux, Picholine, Lugues, oil-cured black, etc. We marinate them with fennel seed, coriander, dried red chili pepper, pink and black peppercorns, garlic cloves, fresh bay and thyme. Then we cover with olive oil and let them sit, refrigerated, for a few weeks before using."

Zucchini and Curry Soup

This soup is easy, inexpensive and low fat, but tastes exactly the opposite.

1 large onion, chopped coarsely
2 T. olive oil
2 tsp. curry powder
4 zucchinis, chopped coarsely
4 cups chicken broth

Saute the onion in olive oil until tender. Add curry powder and saute for two more minutes. Onions should be limp, but not browned. Add zucchini and broth. Simmer for 20 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste, and blend until smooth in a blender or food processor. Serve hot or cold with a dollop of yoghurt on top.

Rutabaga Soup with Sizzling Spice Oil

We adapted this recipe from Peter Berley's "The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen."

1 large onion, diced
4 T. butter
sea salt to taste
1 tsp. freshly ground caraway seeds
2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 large rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 1/2 T. flour
cold water
freshly ground black pepper
Sizzling Spice Oil

In a heavy large saucepan, saute the onion in the butter slowly until translucent and soft. Stir in the caraway, garlic, rutabaga and flour. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add enough cold water to cover the vegetables by one inch, cover the pan and

In addition to Rutabaga Soup, this oil is delicious on mashed potatoes and hummus.

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and slightly bruised
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. each freshly ground coriander and cumin

In a small skillet over high heat, combine all ingredients. Cook about two minutes, or until the garlic turns golden. Remove the garlic, pour into a bowl and serve.

Fred's Deviled Eggs with a Difference

Hard-boiled eggs (you decide how many)
Mayonnaise
Dijon-style mustard
Shredded coconut
Curry powder
Chopped onion
Chopped parsley

Al Carson, food editor of the Durham Herald, phoned the show to give us this recipe one day when we were discussing various ways to make clam chowder.
"Fry up some bacon in a Dutch oven. Take the bacon out and add chopped onions to the bacon fat. When the onions are soft, pour in some water, clams, chopped potatoes, and season
with salt and pepper. Simmer until potatoes are cooked. Some people like to add chopped celery with the onions, but I don't. This is sometimes called green chowder. The secret ingredient is soul."

Tarheel Tea

The Carolina Inn concocted this version of the classic julep to serve during March Madness (NCAA Basketball Tournament).

1 part mint simple syrup (recipe follows)
3 parts Makers Mark Bourbon

Pour syrup and bourbon over crushed ice in a Martini shaker. Shake well and serve in a Martini glass garnished with fresh mint.

Simple Syrup: Boil 1/2 c. sugar and 8-10 fresh mint leaves in 1 c. water for five minutes. Let cool. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice(or to taste). Mix with Makers Mark for Tarheel tea.

Blue Devil Martini

The Washington Duke Inn came up with this neon blue beverage in support of the Devils during the 2001 NCAA Tournament. It must be a lucky drink, because the devils won the championship!

4 parts vodka
1 part Rose's lime juice
1 part blue Curacao
dash cranberry juice

Shake in a cocktail shaker half full of ice. Pour into a chilled Martini glass and serve with a twist of lemon.

Black Bean Soup

1 pound dry black beans, soaked overnight
3 T. olive oil
1 large chopped onion
2 stalks chopped celery
1 chopped green pepper
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 large ham hock
2 quarts chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 c. dark rum or sherry

In a Dutch oven heat oil and add the onions, celery and green pepper. Saute about 10 minutes. Add garlic, cumin and thyme. Saute for 3 minutes more. Add hocks, beans, stock, salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Simmer, covered, about 1 1/2 hours. If soup gets too thick, add water.
Remove hock from soup, cool, and cut meat into small pieces before adding them back to the soup. Stir in the rum or sherry, adjust seasonings and reheat to serve garnished with sour cream and/or chopped green onions or cilantro.

Black Truffle Vinaigrette

9/10 This extraordinary dressing was served to us on a salad featuring fresh sauteed scallops made by guest Jason Cunningham, new chef of Durham's Fairview Restaurant. I'll try it on a green salad with grilled chicken for a simple, elegant lunch. Jason uses canned truffles, available at gourmet shops

6oz. Ruby Port Wine
1oz. Truffle Juice
1oz Rice Wine Vinegar
1oz Aged Sherry Vinegar
¼ tsp Dijon Mustard
1tsp Honey
1/4oz Black Winter Truffle Peelings, finely minced
3oz White Truffle Oil
1oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2oz Canola or Vegetable Oil
Kosher Salt to taste
White Pepper ground to taste

· In a small saucepan, reduce Port by 50% over medium heat.
· In a blender, combine Port, truffle juice, vinegars and honey, mix thoroughly.
· With the blender on medium speed, slowly drizzle in the different oils until all ingredients are emulsified. The mixture should thicken slightly.
· Pour contents of the blender into a mixing bowl and whisk in the minced truffles.
· Season to taste and add a pinch of sugar if the vinaigrette is too acidic.
· Refrigerate for up to a month in an airtight container. Makes about 1 cup.

Cosmopolitan

3/31/03 Fred just discovered this old classic -- his new favorite drink.

1 1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. cointreau
spalash Rose's lime juice
cranberry juice to taste

Shake over ice in a Martini shaker. Pour into a Martini glass and enjoy!

Onion Jam Sandwiches

1/22/03 This is delicious as an hors d'oeuvre or a sandwich to accompany soup. I sprinkled it with crumbled bacon and served it with curried butternut squash soup recently--I didn't want to eat anything else for days! The jam is good with meats as well. Try it on a hamburger, or a pastrami sandwich. Yum!

2 T. olive oil
2 large yellow or white onions, sliced thinly
2 T brown sugar
2 T. rice vinegar
salt and pepper
a soft blue cheese, e.g. Cambazola
slices of chewy bread, e.g. Italian paisano

In a heavy-bottomed saute pan, heat the oil. Add onion slices and saute on medium low heat for about 20 minutes, or until soft, but not brown. Add sugar and continue to cook about 25 minutes or until very soft and golden. Stir in the vinegar and salt and pepper. This can be made ahead and kept refrigerated for several days.
To assemble the sandwich: butter and toast the bread slices. Cover the slice with (room temperature)onion jam. Top with thin slices of blue cheese. Broil until cheese is melted.

Cold Shrimp with
Lemon Habanero Aioli

11/27/02 I fell in love with this hors d'oeuvre at a party at Better Living contributor Don Ball's house. Thanks, Don, for sending the recipe! MN

1 cup Hellmans Mayonnaise
1 Tbl tamari
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl finely minced habanero (or chipotle puree)
2 Tbl diced pimiento
2 Tbl chopped scallions
1 Tbl chopped cilantro

Large shrimp, cooked and peeled.

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate overnight. Serve as a dip with cold shrimp.

Roasted Eggplant Dip

1or 2 eggplants
a little olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
1-3 garlic cloves, minced
lemon juice
optional: yoghurt and/or tahini

Cut the eggplant into slices. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Wrap 3 cloves of garlic in foil and place on oiled baking pan with the eggplant. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until eggplant is very soft. Remove foil from garlic. If garlic has not softened, roast longer. It should be as soft as the eggplant.Remove the skin from the garlic and mash. In a bowl, combine eggplant and other ingredients, including the mashed roasted garlic. Mash together. Correct seasonings. Serve as is, or add a little yoghurt or tahini if you like. The yoghurt will lighten the texture. The tahini will give it aan exotic North African flavor, and add body.
Serve with toasted French bread slices, toasted pita, water bisquits, or raw vegetables.

Shrimp and Asparagus with Sesame Mayonnaise

Here's another old La Residence favorite. At home I served this mayonnaise mixed with oriental noodles, cooked shrimp or scallops, and sometimes broccoli instead of asparagus for a cold summer entree. The sauce is delicious with any cold veggie-use it as the dip on a platter of crudites.

1 whole
2 egg yolks
2 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup dark roasted sesame oil
2-2 ½ cups peanut oil
2-3 drops oriental "hot" oil
optional: grated orange rind
fresh shrimp, boiled, peeled and chilled
poached asparagus, chilled

Make the sauce as you would a classic mayonnaise: in a blender or food processor, mix the eggs, vinegar, soy sauce and mustard. Combine the oils. Turn on the blender and begin to pour the oils into the egg mixture very slowly until the sauce is thick and emulsified. Taste and adjust for seasonings. If sauce seems too salty, correct by adding add a few drops of lemon juice and a little honey.

This recipe makes about 3 cups sauce. Arrange asparagus and shrimp on a plate. Top with sesame mayonnaise.

Senegalese Soup with Coriander

This recipe and the story of its source are found in Jean Anderson's fascinating "American Century Cookbook."

1 quart chicken stock
1 skinless chicken breast, halved
2 medium onions, chopped
1 1/2 c. celery, diced
3 T. vegetable oil
2 T. curry powder
1 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 c. mango chutney
1/4 c. minced coriander (cilantro)
4 sprigs fresh coriander

Bring broth to boiling over moderate heat. Add chicken and poach just until cooked through.
Meanwhile, stir-fry onions and celery in a heavy skillet over moderate heat until limp. Blend in curry powder, turmeric and cayenne, and cook 2 minutes to mellow flavors. Lift chicken from broth and set aside. Pour broth into skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop chicken breast and add half to blender cup or food processor. Add skillet mixture and chutney and puree until smooth.
Chill pureed soup in ice bath or freezor, then stir in remaining chopped chicken and minced coriander. Ladle into bowls and garnish with coriander sprigs.

Shrimp Remoulade

There are dozens of different recipes for Remoulade Sauce. This one from Bill Neal's Southern Cooking tastes more like a traditional Ravigote Sauce. Add a little ketchup if you prefer your Remoulade rosier. Whatever you want to call it, it's mighty good whether you serve it with shrimp, crab, or other chilled fish of your choice.
1 lb. cooked, peeled shrimp
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. Dijon mustard
4 T. minced scallions
1 T. grated horseradish
4 chopped anchovy fillet
1 T. capers
Combine all ingredients except shrimp. Chill for at least 1/2 hour. Serve the sauce with cold shrimp on lettuce leaves or watercress.

Eggnog Colbert

This is the first known recipe for eggnog. It was concocted by Jean Baptiste Colbert, minister to Louis IV, using a brand new taste sensation, ice cream, which was invented for Louis' court. We don't have that recipe, but high quality store-bought vanilla will do just fine.

1 1/2 c. milk
2 egg yolks
1 c. vanilla ice cream
1/4 tsp. cinnamin
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
4 oz. rum

My family's yard in Mississippi was full of pecan trees. Shelling the nuts for homemade cookies, candy, and fruitcake was a late fall ritual. After all the seasonal sweets were baked, there were still plenty of pecans left over for roasting. My grandmother simply mixed the nuts with a little vebetable oil and salt, but I prefer this spicy version. These keep for weeks in a while in a jar or tin. MN

1 lb. pecan halves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. Tobasco sauce
1 T. Worchestershire sauce
4 T. butter, melted

Mix the seasonings with the melted butter in a bowl. Toss pecans with butter mixture. Spread nuts out on a flat cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 15-29 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve warm or room temperature.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

After carving a pumpkin, rinse the seeds and remove any remaining pulp. Pat the seeds dry. Mix the seeds with several tablespoons of melted butter and a dash of Worcestershire Sauce. Spread out the seeds on a cookie sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Bake in oven at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally, until the seeds are brown and crispy. Allow the seeds to cool on paper towels before serving.

Tortilla Chicken Soup

2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 T. jalapeno chiles, seeded and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. chili powder
11/2 tsp. cumin seed, ground
6 c. chicken stock
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
3 chicken breasts
2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T. lime juice
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
crumbled tortilla chips
grated cheddar cheese, optional

Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes with juice, peppers, stock, chili powder, and cumin. Bring to boil. Add chicken and simmer until chicken is poached. Remove chicken from hot stock and let cool. Meanwhile add corn to liquid and cook for five minutes. Separate chicken from skin and bone,
and cut into small pieces. Return to soup, correct seasonings and simmer a few minutes longer. Before serving, add lime juice, cilantro, and crumbled tortillas. Top with grated cheese if desired.

Charleston Crab Soup

Traditionally, crab soup in Charleston is made from female crabs and includes their roe, which give a unique texture to the soup. Away from the Low Country, however, "she-crabs" with roe are rarely available commercially. This recipe should probably be called "He-Crab Soup" unless you are lucky enough to live near a bay and catch your own mama crabs.

1/2 c. celery, finely chopped
2 1/2 c. milk
2 1/2 c. chicken stock
3/4 c. scallions, white part only, finely chopped
6 T. flour
1/4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne or to taste
1 c. heavy cream
1 lb. white lump crabmeat, picked
4 T. medium dry sherry

Note: eggplants vary in quality. If the consistency of the baba ghanoush is too runny, mix in a slice of white bread soaked in vinegar. Baba ghanoush also makes a good salad or vegetable, of course.

2 medium eggplants
1 small onion, peeled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons mince garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
Oregano, salt, and pepper to taste

1. Cook the eggplants 8 minutes in a microwave on high speed or in a conventional oven for 30 minutes at 550 F or until they literally cave in. Cool. Remove pulp from skin and discard skin.
2. Chop the onion in the food processor or by hand and add to the eggplant pulp.
3. Add the other ingredients and blend well.
4. Refrigerate and/or freeze.Serves 6 to 8 and makes 1 quart

Eggplant "Chopped Liver"

This recipe is from our guest, the "queen of the Mediterranean," Paula Wolfert. For more of Paula's recipe's link to her website, www.paulawolfert.com.
This dish, a stand-in for chopped liver, was developed in Israel during the forties when meat was scarce.

2 1-pound eggplants, peeled and sliced
Coarse salt
Flour for dusting the eggplant slices
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
3 hard-cooked eggs, shelled
Freshly ground pepper

1. Lightly salt the eggplants and leave to drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
2. Rinse, squeeze and dry the slices. Dust them with flour and fry in batches in hot oil until brown on both sides. Drain eggplant in a colander. When you need more oil, add the remaining eggplant to the skillet, cover and steam the slices until tender. Return the fried slices to the skillet and over medium heat, cook and gently crush all the eggplant with the back of a spatula until the oil is released and the contents begin to fry. When the eggplant is lightly browned but still retains some texture remove from the skillet and let cool.
3. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water to the oil left in the skillet and cook for 20 minutes. (Most of the water should have evaporated.) Uncover and let the mixture slowly turn golden, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. In a wooden bowl, or on a wooden work-surface, combine the eggplant with the onions and eggs, chopping until well blended. Season with salt and pepper and serve chilled.