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Burrata with English Peas, Snap Peas and Pea Shoots

There is a brief moment every summer when the english peas, snap peas and peas shoots are available at the Green City Market in Chicago. This is a simple recipe celebrating these ingredients at their best.

Burrata with English Peas, Snap Peas and Pea Shoots

Serves 4

  • 2  8 ounce balls of burrata, drained
  • 1 cup shelled english peas, from approximately 1 pound of pea pods
  • 2 cups snap peas, trimmed
  • 1 cup pea shoots
  • olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook peas in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water until bright green, about 1 minute. Using a mesh sieve, transfer to a colander set in a bowl of ice water. When the peas have cooled, lift the colander from the bowl and allow the peas to drain. Cook the snap peas in the same way as the peas. Set aside.

Tear open the balls of burrata and place on a large serving platter. Top with the english peas, snap peas and pea shoots. Drizzle olive oil over the salad and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.

 

English Peas | Burrata

English Peas | Burrata

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A Foraging Adventure

On Sunday, I went on a foraging adventure with Chef Iliana Regan of Elizabeth Restaurant and her friendly crew. The day began with coffee and a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, and warm artisanal bread and donuts at the restaurant. After a brief description of our itinerary, I enthusiastically boarded a school bus along with 36 other foragers for the hour and a half long journey to the woods.

School Bus

School Bus

Upon arrival at our destination, we ventured into the woods in search of mushrooms. Our mushroom expert asked us to collect a selection of all the mushrooms we encountered and to bring them back for identification. The foragers were most excited to search for Hen of the Woods mushrooms which are common in the Midwest in the early fall. Hen of the Woods are frequently found at the base of large oak trees. Within the first five minutes, a beautiful Hen of the Woods was discovered by one of the foragers.

White Oak Leaves | White Oak Bark

White Oak Leaves | White Oak Bark

Hen of the Woods

Hen of the Woods

A vast array of mushrooms including Hen of the Woods, Chicken of the Woods, and Puffballs were gathered throughout the late morning and early afternoon. Others found young clusters of Ringless Honey mushrooms on oak trees and stumps in the woods.

Ringless Honey Mushrooms

Ringless Honey Mushrooms

Although I did not find any Hen of the Woods on my foraging adventure, I discovered a few spongy white mushrooms growing in moss. Upon returning to our gathering area for lunch, the mushrooms were identified by our expert as Shrimp of the Woods. Shrimp of the Woods are a delicious, mild flavored wild mushroom.

Shrimp of the Woods

Shrimp of the Woods

All of the foragers enjoyed the day wandering in the woods. At the end of the afternoon, the picnic tables were covered with a vast selection of foraged mushrooms as well as a deer antler and a small animal skull. Our mushroom expert identified each of the mushrooms; she taught us the names of the foraged mushrooms and whether or not they are edible.

At 4 o’clock, we boarded the bus with our bounty and headed back to the city.

A Selection of Foraged Mushrooms

A Selection of Foraged Mushrooms

Mushrooms Growing in a Fallen Oak Tree

Mushrooms Growing in a Fallen Oak Tree

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Seared Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Dates

When I was a child, I hated brussels sprouts. Thankfully, I have grown to enjoy crunchy shaved brussels sprouts in salad as well as crispy seared or roasted brussels sprouts as a side dish. This recipe has the perfect combination of seared brussels sprouts, salty bacon, sweet dates, and sour vinegar; the flavors are reminiscent of traditional Italian sweet and sour agrodolce sauces. I prefer the slightly less sweet version of this recipe made with fewer dates and a touch more vinegar. The proportions of dates and vinegar can be altered to your individual taste.

Seared Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Dates

(adapted slightly from Gjelina: Cooking from Venice, California by Travis Lett)

Serves 2-4

  • 3 ounces // 85 grams bacon
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 12 ounces // 340 grams brussels sprouts
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-4 tablespoons // 45-85 grams dates, pitted and roughly chopped
  • 1 cup // 180-240 millileters pork or chicken stock
  • 3-4 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and olive oil. Cook the bacon for 10 minutes until it has browned and rendered most of its fat. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate leaving the olive oil and bacon fat behind.

Increase the heat from medium-high to high. Add the brussels sprouts to the frying pan with the cut sides down and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes until well seared. When the brussels sprouts have a deep sear and are starting to darken in spots, turn them over and season with salt and pepper. Return the bacon to the pan with the brussels sprouts and add the dates stirring well to combine. Slowly begin to add ¾ cup of stock to the pan. Add the additional ¼ cup of stock, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the pan seems dry. Use the back of a spoon to crush the dates into the stock. When the dates begin to melt and incorporate into the sauce, add the vinegar to taste. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Transfer the brussels sprouts to a platter and serve immediately.

 

Brussel Sprouts

Brussel Sprouts

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Dates

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Dates

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Meringues

Recently, a friend asked me to write a food column for her new online magazine Classic Chicago. The column, entitled “The Ingredient”, features locally sourced ingredients; each article shares information on where to purchase the ingredient in Chicago, why I chose the ingredient, and a recipe. My first article, “Local Farm Eggs”, appeared in Classic Chicago on February 28.

While experimenting with recipes for the first article, I created several recipes to share on Alice + Waldo. This recipe for Meringues is a simplified version of my recipe for Meringues with Pastry Cream and Winter Citrus featured in Classic Chicago. My daughter has an affinity for meringues – I hope she will like this recipe.

Although plain meringues are delicious, the addition of pistachios or the classic combination of anise seeds and almonds* makes them irresistible. As a girl, I loved the mint chocolate chip meringues that my mother made for the holidays.

* Meringues, flavored with anise seeds and almonds, are inspired by the recipe for Aniseed-Almond Meringues in Bon Appétit and Cornmeal Biscotti in The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers.

Meringues

(adapted from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi)

Makes 6 large or 18 small meringues

  • 1 ⅓ cups // 300 grams caster or superfine sugar*
  • 5 1/4 ounces // 150 grams large egg whites, from approximately 5 large eggs
  • optional:
  • anise seed, toasted
  • almonds, sliced and skin-on
  • pistachios, finely chopped

* If you are unable to find superfine sugar, you can make your own by processing granulated sugar in a food processor until very fine.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Pour the sugar in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 8 minutes, until the sugar is hot.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. After the sugar has been in the oven for 6 minutes, turn the mixer on high and beat the egg whites for 1-2 minutes until foamy.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 200°F. With the mixer on high, slowly add the hot sugar to the egg whites. Continue to whisk for 10 minutes until the meringue is cool and stiff peaks form.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and secure it with a small amount of meringue in each corner. Use one large spoon to scoop the meringue from the bowl and an additional large spoon to ease it on to a parchment lined baking sheet. At this point, the meringues can be rolled in pistachios, topped with anise seed and almonds, or left plain.

Place the meringues in the oven for 2 hours, until firm and dry. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. The meringues will keep for several days stored in a container at room temperature.

 

Slagel Family Farm Eggs | Caster Sugar

Slagel Family Farm Eggs | Caster Sugar

Anise Seed and Almond Meringues

Anise Seed and Almond Meringues

Pistachio Meringues

Pistachio Meringues

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Garlic Shrimp with Pimentón Aioli

On several occasions in the past few weeks, I have purchased flavorful wild brown shrimp at Eataly.  The wild brown shrimp, harvested from the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas coast, have a firm texture that is perfect for this traditional Spanish recipe for Garlic Shrimp, also called Gambas al Ajillo.  It is essential to purchase the best quality shrimp available from a reliable market.

Garlic Shrimp are delicious with Pimentón Aioli. Pimentón Aioli is a garlic infused homemade mayonnaise flavored with Pimentón de la Vera Dulce, a traditional sweet smoked paprika from Spain. Peppers are harvested, dried on racks over a slow burning fire, and stone ground to create this slightly sweet paprika with smoky flavor and very little heat. I favor organic pasture-raised local farm eggs and Spanish extra-virgin olive oil for the aioli.

Garlic Shrimp with Pimentón Aioli

Serves 2-3

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 pound 12-15 count wild shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • pimentón aioli

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until lightly browned and golden. Add the shrimp and the chili flakes to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the shrimp and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Sprinkle parsley and salt over the shrimp and stir to combine. Serve in a large bowl with pimentón aioli on the side.

Pimentón Aioli

(inspired by Gjelina: Cooking from Venice, California by Travis Lett and Michael Graydon)

Makes 1 ¼ cup

  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3/4 cup grapeseed oil
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons pimentón de la vera dulce

Add the garlic and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to finely chop the garlic. Add the egg and egg yolk to the food processor with the garlic and salt and process until thoroughly combined, scraping the sides of the bowl. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle the grapeseed oil a few drops at first until the mixture begins to emulsify. Continue to add the grapeseed oil and then the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until the mixture thickens. After all of the oil has been added and the aioli is thick and emulsified, pulse in the lemon juice and the pimentón. The aioli will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

 

Pimentón de la Vera Dulce | Aioli Ingredients - Eggs, Garlic, Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Lemon, and Salt - Eggs, Garlic, Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Lemon, and Salt

Pimentón de la Vera Dulce | Aioli Ingredients – Eggs, Garlic, Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Lemon, and Salt

Pimentón Aioli | Garlic Shrimp

Pimentón Aioli | Garlic Shrimp

Garlic Shrimp in a Handmade Bowl by Elephant Ceramics

Garlic Shrimp in a Handmade Bowl by Elephant Ceramics

 

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Buckwheat Blini with Smoked Salmon, Gravlax, or Caviar

I love to celebrate New Year’s Eve with champagne and buckwheat blini with smoked salmon, gravlax, or caviar. This recipe for buckwheat blini requires a little more time to make due to the yeast in the batter; the yeasted batter creates blini that have a lighter texture and complex flavor. Traditionally, buckwheat blini are served with smoked salmon or caviar. I served the blini with a locally made Ocean Trout Gravlax from Snaggletooth and an American Sturgeon Caviar, both purchased at Eataly in Chicago. It is exciting to taste a variety of domestic and international smoked salmon, gravlax, caviar, and roe to pick your own favorites.

Buckwheat Blini

(adapted from Martha Stewart’s Hors D’oeuvres Handbook by Martha Stewart with Susan Spungen)

Makes 4 dozen

  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (½ of a ¼ ounce package)
  • ¾ cup warm water (105° to 110°F)
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup buckwheat flour
  • 1 extra large egg, separated
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus additional butter for cooking
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ¾ warm milk (105° to 110°F)
  • smoked salmon, gravlax, or caviar
  • sour cream or crème fraîche
  • capers

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and warm water and stir until the yeast is dissolved. Set the bowl aside in a warm place for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the yeast to proof until frothy.

Place the all-purpose flour in a large bowl. Slowly add the yeast to the flour and whisk until combined. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set the bowl aside in a warm place for 1 hour to rise.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolk, butter, salt, sugar, and milk together. Slowly whisk in the buckwheat flour. Add the buckwheat mixture to the large bowl with the yeast and flour mixture, using a spatula to combine thoroughly. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set the bowl aside in a warm place for 1 hour to rise again. The mixture should bubble and increase by approximately one half in size.

With a whisk, beat the egg white until stiff but not dry in a small bowl. Gently fold the egg white into the batter with a spatula taking care not to over mix.

Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Brush the pan with butter and add 1 tablespoon of batter per blini into the pan. Add as many blini to the frying pan as possible without crowding. Cook each blini for 45-60 seconds on the first side until the bottom is brown and the surface is covered in bubbles. Flip the blini and cook for an additional 30-45 seconds until the second side is brown. Continue to cook blini in the same manner until all of the remaining batter is used. Allow the blini to cool before placing on a platter. Once cool, place the blini on a platter and serve immediately with smoked salmon, gravlax, or caviar and accompaniments such as sour cream, crème fraîche, and capers. The blini can be made ahead and kept covered at room temperature for up to 3 hours.

*The batter can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight. Allow the batter to return to room temperature before cooking.

 

Buckwheat Blini with Snaggletooth Ocean Trout Gravlax

Buckwheat Blini with Snaggletooth Ocean Trout Gravlax

American Sturgeon Caviar | Buckwheat Blini and Caviar

American Sturgeon Caviar | Buckwheat Blini and Caviar

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Radicchio

Roasted Radicchio and Cherry Tomatoes with Mozzarella and Radicchio Salad with Tapenade are two of my favorite ways to serve radicchio. Radicchio, a variety of chicory, has a bitter taste which becomes less extreme with grilling or roasting. Like other bitter leaves, radicchio is especially delicious when its bitterness is balanced by other tastes that are salty, sour, or sweet. Roasting radicchio in the first recipe and pairing it with the natural sweetness of cherry tomatoes and the salty, creaminess of mozzarella tempers the bitter taste. In the salad, the radicchio is enhanced by the slightly sweet vinaigrette made with balsamic and sherry vinegars and fruity olive oil, the Parmesan, and the olive tapenade. Although bitter is arguably the least popular of the basic tastes, it is a taste that should not be missed.

Roasted Radicchio and Cherry Tomatoes with Mozzarella

Serves 2-4

  • 1 head of radicchio, outer leaves removed and cut into eight wedges lengthwise leaving the core intact
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 ½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sherry vinegar
  • 1-2 shallots, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4-6 ounce ball of fresh mozzarella
  • roasted tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Toss the radicchio wedges with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place the radicchio on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven, turning once, for 10-15 minutes until slightly wilted and charred. Transfer to a platter.

Combine the balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, shallots, and salt in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the vinegar and shallot mixture and add pepper to taste. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the roasted radicchio.

Tear the mozzarella and add to the platter with the roasted radicchio. Scatter the roasted tomatoes over the roasted radicchio and mozzarella.

Roasted Tomatoes

  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Place cherry tomatoes cut side up on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 1 ½ to 2 hours, turning the baking sheet every 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are shriveled, half-dried, and slightly charred on the edges.

 

Radicchio

Radicchio

Roasted Radicchio

Roasted Radicchio

Cherry Tomatoes | Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes | Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Radicchio Salad with Tapenade

(adapted from Toro Bravo: Stories. Recipes. No Bull. by John Gorham and Liz Crain)

Serves 2-4

  • 1 head of radicchio, outer leaves removed and cut into 8 wedges lengthwise removing the core
  • 1 ½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sherry vinegar
  • 1-2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup of Parmesan, freshly grated
  • baguette, sliced on the diagonal into ¼ inch thick slices (1-2 slices per serving)
  • tapenade

Thinly slice the radicchio wedges into ¼ inch slices. Fill a salad spinner with water and add ice to chill. Remove the ice from the water and add the sliced radicchio. Allow the radicchio to soak in the water for 15 minutes to remove some of the bitterness. Drain the water and spin the radicchio until dry.  Place the radicchio in a large salad bowl.

Combine the balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, shallots, and salt in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Whisk 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the vinegar and shallot mixture and add pepper to taste. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the radicchio and toss. Add the Parmesan to the salad and toss again.

Brush the baguette slices with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil the slices until slightly browned and toasted. Top each of the baguette slices with 1-2 tablespoons of tapenade.

Serve the salad with the baguette slices topped with tapenade.

Tapenade

  • 6 ounces Manzanilla olives stuffed with anchovies
  • 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ teaspoons tarragon, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place olives, red onion, parsley, and tarragon in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to finely chop. Place the olive mixture in a small bowl, add the olive oil, and stir to combine.

 

Radicchio Salad | Tapenade

Radicchio Salad | Tapenade

Radicchio Salad with Soft Boiled Egg and Tapenade Toast

Radicchio Salad with Soft Boiled Egg and Tapenade Toast

 

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Seared Cauliflower with Salsa Verde and Olives

I am a fan of Toro Bravo, a Spanish-style tapas restaurant, in Portland, Oregon. This recipe for Seared Cauliflower with Salsa Verde and Olives adapted from Toro Bravo: Stories. Recipes. No Bull. is a another great reason for me to love cauliflower. I prepared this recipe with white and green cauliflower from the farmers market. Although green cauliflower is similar in flavor to white cauliflower, I love the color contrast it adds to the recipe.

Seared Cauliflower with Salsa Verde and Olives

(adapted from Toro Bravo: Stories. Recipes. No Bull. by John Gorham and Liz Crain)

Serves 4-6

  • 2 small heads of cauliflower, separated into florets
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup pitted olives, halved
  • ⅓ cup salsa verde

Bring 12 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 3-5 tablespoons of kosher salt to the pot and add the cauliflower florets. Allow the water to return to a boil and cook the cauliflower for 1 minute. Strain the cauliflower and place on a sheet pan to cool and dry.

Melt the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. Allow the cauliflower to cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. When the cauliflower has seared and browned on the first side, stir the cauliflower and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the olives. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until seared on all sides. Transfer the cauliflower and the olives to a platter and top with salsa verde.

Salsa Verde

  • 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons mint
  • 2 tablespoons tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons fennel fronds
  • 1 tablespoons chives
  • 1-2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons salt cured capers, rinsed and finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rinse, dry, and stem the flat leaf parsley, mint, tarragon, and fennel fronds. Finely chop the herbs with a sharp knife taking care not to bruise them and place in a small bowl. Rinse, dry, and finely chop the chives and add to the bowl with the herbs. Add the onion, capers, red chili flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil to the bowl and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

 

Green Cauliflower | Seared Cauliflower with Salsa Verde and Olives

Green Cauliflower | Seared Cauliflower with Salsa Verde and Olives

The next morning, I finely chopped the extra seared cauliflower with salsa verde and olives from the night before and served it on toast with soft boiled eggs for breakfast.

Soft Boiled Eggs and Seared Cauliflower with Salsa Verde and Olives on Sourdough Toast

Soft Boiled Eggs and Seared Cauliflower with Salsa Verde and Olives on Sourdough Toast

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Pimento Cheese

In March, my husband and I spent two days in Charleston, South Carolina. We explored the streets of the Charleston Historic District where we admired the architecture, chatted with the friendly locals, and indulged in traditional Southern food and drink. The second night of our visit we dined at Sean Brock’s restaurant Husk. On the advice of a local shop owner, we arrived at the restaurant early in order to enjoy a bourbon from the extensive collection at Husk’s bar. While drinking our hand crafted bourbon cocktail, we tasted the delicious pimento cheese on the bar menu. Every southern cook has their favorite recipe for pimento cheese; my new favorite pimento cheese recipe is adapted from the cookbook Heritage by Sean Brock.

Pimento Cheese

(adapted from Heritage by Sean Brock)

Makes 3-3½ cups

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon hot sauce
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper, freshly ground
  • ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ cup bread and butter pickles*, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup bread and butter pickle brine
  • 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 12 ounces of whole pimentos. drained and finely chopped

Place the cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Add the hot sauce, salt, sugar, cayenne pepper, white pepper, smoked paprika and stir to mix. Add the chopped pickles, pickle brine, and grated cheese and stir once more. Gently mix in the chopped pimentos. The pimento cheese will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Serve the pimento cheese with salami and a selection of crackers. A sandwich of pimento cheese, salami, cornichon, and celery on artisan bread is also delicious.

*I used Emeril’s Homemade Sweet and Spicy Pickles that I canned last summer when pickling cucumbers were abundant in the market. You can use your favorite bread and butter pickles.

 

Pimento Cheese, Salami, Cornichon, and Celery Sandwich | Pimento Cheese with Crackers and Salami

Pimento Cheese, Salami, Cornichon, and Celery Sandwich | Pimento Cheese with Crackers and Salami

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Roasted Carrots with Sumac Yogurt Sauce and Pistachios

On a recent trip to Charlottesville, Virginia, I enjoyed a delicious dinner with family at Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria. The restaurant features an authentic wood-fire brick oven imported from Naples where Neapolitan pizzas are prepared with the finest ingredients. In addition to pizzas, local and seasonal vegetables are wood-fire roasted to perfection in the oven. The night I dined at Lampo Neapolitan Pizza, there was a roasted carrot special on the menu. This recipe for Roasted Carrots with Sumac Yogurt Sauce and Pistachios was inspired by these flavorful carrots.

Roasted Carrots with Sumac Yogurt Sauce and Pistachios

(inspired by the wood-fire roasted carrots at Lampo Neapolitan Pizza)

Serves 2-4

  • 2 bunches baby rainbow carrots, scrubbed, peeled and trimmed
  • 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup pistachios
  • 1 cup sumac yogurt sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 425℉.

Toss the carrots with the olive oil. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes. While the carrots are roasting, place the pistachios in a small oven proof pan. During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, place the pistachios in the oven and toast until fragrant. Remove the carrots and pistachios from the oven. Roughly chop the pistachios and set aside.

Spread the sumac yogurt sauce on the bottom of a platter. Place the roasted carrots on top of the sauce and sprinkle with the toasted pistachios and chives.

Sumac Yogurt Sauce

(adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi)

  • 7-8 ounces non-fat Greek yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sumac
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Place yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, sumac, salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine.

 

Baby Rainbow Carrots | Roasted Baby Rainbow Carrots

Baby Rainbow Carrots | Roasted Baby Rainbow Carrots

Roasted Carrots with Sumac Yogurt Sauce and Pistachios

Roasted Carrots with Sumac Yogurt Sauce and Pistachios