When my neighbors Kim and Jim told me that they loved the Killer Bread post and made it three days in a row...I had to re-visit it and try to make a more "natural" version ( no mayo with preservatives). I had the mayo recipe and added garlic to make an aioli.
The proportions are changed a bit, but just as good as the first version.
For the aioli:
1 room temperature egg
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
In a mini food processor process the egg, garlic, salt, lemon juice and mustard. Slowly drizzle in the oils while processing utilizing those teeny holes on the cover. Process until thick and then chill for a while.
For the "killer":
3/4 cup Asiago cheese
1/2 cup of the aioli
2 Tbl butter
2 stalks of green garlic or green onion, sliced.
Mix all ingredients together and spread on a split baguette or rolls or slices of bread. Bake at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes. Run under the broiler for a minute or two to brown.
Make this super easy layered dip in minutes using prepared guacamole and some blue crab meat. Measurements are approximate in this one.
14 to 16 ounces prepared guacamole
8 ounces blue crab meat (I used backfin)
A few Tbl sour cream
About a 1/2 cup mayo (you may need to add a little more)
Ground cumin
Cayenne pepper
Salt
Sliced black olives
Sliced green onion
A little finely diced tomato
Mix the guacamole with the sour cream, a shake or two of the cumin, salt and cayenne.
In a separate bowl, mix the crab meat, mayo and a few shakes of cayenne.
Spread the guacamole evenly over the bottom of a small pie plate.
Cover completely with the crab mixture.
Sprinkle with olives, tomato, green onion and another shake or two of cayenne.
Chill and serve with tortilla chips for dipping.
Here's a great idea when having another couple over for dinner. You can make all the components early in the day and then enjoy the evening. The recipe calls for green garlic but feel free to substitute a garlic clove or two. Use your imagination for the vegetables - you don't have to use fava beans, for example - substitute limas or cukes or whatever looks fresh. And if you don't like salmon, substitute poached chicken.
For the green garlic, lemon anchovy vinaigrette:
1/4 cup white and light green parts of sliced green garlic (or 2 cloves garlic)
8 flat anchovy filets
4 Tbl lemon juice
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Place all ingredients in a mini food processor and process until smooth.
For the platter:
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless salmon
1 Tbl of the vinaigrette for roasting the salmon
2 pounds whole fava beans shelled blanched for about 2 minutes and the shelled again
1/2 pound sugar snap peas, blanched for 1 minute
Top 3 inches of one pound green asparagus, blanched for 2 minutes
Top 3 inches of one pound white asparagus, blanched for 2 minutes
12 baby redskins, boiled until fork tender
12 to 15 Kalamata olives
8 to 12 grape tomatoes
Baby romaine lettuce for lining the platter
2 or 3 hard boiled eggs (optional but oh so good)
Brush a little oil on the bottom of a medium roasting pan. Lay the salmon on and drizzle and spread 1 Tbl of the vinaigrette over. Roast the salmon for 10 to 15 minutes in a pre-heated 450F oven. Cool and chill.
Cool and chill the potatoes and vegetables after blanching and boiling.
When ready to serve, line a large platter with the baby romaine and arrange the ingredients decoratively over. Drizzle with the vinaigrette or pass separately.
This may not be every one's cup of tea but I love marinated octopus as part of a Greek appetizer (mezze) platter. I was able to find a 2 pound package of these baby octopi at my local Italian market. These were really small - about 15 to the pound and already cleaned, so no muss. They pair well with feta and kalamatas ( and a shot of Ouzo or glass of Roditis! ).
For the marinade:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbl dried oregano
1 Tbl salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Combine all ingredients and set aside.
For the octopus:
2 pounds baby octopus (about 30 ), thawed if frozen
Juice of one or two lemons, depending on your taste for citrus
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
Combine the marinade and octopus and marinate for 2 to 3 hours in the fridge.
Grill the octopus on high heat on a gas grill in a grill pan for 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Let cool in a bowl and then drain in a colander ( they exude a little juice after cooking)
Cut them up into bite size pieces and the dress them with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano. Chill for at least and hour before serving.
When we moved to this house 31 years ago, the backyard was a flatland save for two sticks that called themselves trees, a three foot lilac bush and a small 4 x 10 empty garden plot. My Dad, an avid gardener, came over armed with cuttings from his herb garden - thyme, sage, chives, garlic chives, oregano and lovage. he told me that the lovage would give me years of wonderful celery flavor for soups and stews and would grow like a bush every year. Well, 31 years later, the two sticks are over 50 feet tall, the lilac is huge and the lovage comes back every year.
1 Tbl olive oil
3/4 pound green asparagus, trimmed
3/4 pound white asparagus, trimmed
3 Tbl butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced new potatoes
6 cups chicken broth
3 Tbl chopped lovage ( or celery leaves if you can't get lovage)
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1 Tbl dried dill weed
salt and white pepper to taste
sour cream for garnish (optional)
Rub the asparagus with the olive oil and roast in a 400F oven for 20 minutes. Let cool a bit and then cut into 2 inch pieces.
Sweat the shallots in the 3 Tbl butter until soft.
Stir in the potatoes and lovage and add the broth.
Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh and dried dill and the asparagus.
Process in a food processor or blender in batches, until smooth.
Reheat and season to taste with the salt and white pepper. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream if desired.
NOTE: This soup is also good served cold.
Well...maybe a pan, but pea shoots, garden peas and sugar snaps all meet with pasta and parmesan.
8 ounces linguini
Enough chicken broth to cook the linguini
4 Tbl olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
3 large cloves garlic, minced
6 cups young pea shoots, cut in 2 to 3 inch pieces
1/2 pound sugar snap peas
1 1/2 cups shelled garden peas
10 torn fresh mint leaves
1/2 to 1 cup grated parmesan
Parmesan shavings for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the linguini in the broth, reserving 2 cups of the broth.
In a large saute pan, saute the garlic and crushed red pepper gently in the olive oil until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add the sugar snaps and then the pea shoots and peas and saute until the pea shoots just begin to wilt.
Add the pasta and about one cup of the reserved broth and toss.
Stir in the mint and parmesan and more broth if needed.
Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the parmesan shavings.
