Tags
almonds, beef broth, bell peppers, Bread, chuck steak, fresh herbs, Garlic, honey, olive oil, olives, Onions, plum tomatoes, sherry vinegar, Spices, white wine
This sauce is incredibly complex and absolutely delicious, with flavors leaning well into Spain and wandering just a bit into Portugal. Sherry vinegar, smoked paprika, cinnamon, olives, orange and almonds are significant players in both countries, tracing their roots back to the Moorish habitation of the peninsula for some 700 years. Make certain you have good bread to mop. You don’t want to miss a drop! Continue reading
When I made this there was a hurricane brewing out there in the Atlantic. And it hit North Carolina. It hit hard near the coast. Sadly, there are far too many people who suffered terrible loss at the hands of Mother Nature and will continue to deal with the devastation left in the wake of Flo. We were very fortunate that Flo changed her mind and lost some steam by the time she arrived inland. But, life goes on and you have to keep up your strength to brave the elements and repair the damage done. 
This is the way you might find chicken prepared in a Portuguese kitchen. I found it surprising how much oregano is used in their cooking. I knew that cilantro and bay leaves were used frequently, but why not? It makes for some tasty dishes. 
I love tomato sandwiches. When the tomatoes are bursting with flavor, falling off their vines and are in great abundance, The Goddess is in heaven. But a Goddess doesn’t live by tomato sandwiches alone. No. No, she doesn’t. This is relatively quick and easy, particularly if you purchase one of those rolled up pie crusts…and they are quite tasty and work great for this recipe. 
This is a layered affair. If you aren’t familiar with Lebanese 7-Spice or Baharat, you might want to wander into a Middle Eastern market and pick some up. This blend uses the “sweet” spices, like allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, etc. But, it’s wonderful in savory dishes. It lends itself particularly well to lamb and as it turns out, eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes. 
The Goddess loves creamed spinach, but for some reason, she doesn’t make it too frequently. It’s particularly nice with steak, don’t you think? Well, she was serving steak with Bleu Cheese Butter and Mocha-Merlot Sauce with Shallots. So, creamed spinach seemed like a good idea…but then… 
This is what I refer to as “a back pocket” recipe. It’s good to have this to fall back on and use frequently. This vinaigrette is wonderful drizzled over a salad that includes goat cheese and yellow/orange fruit. The color contrast between the goat cheese, the fruit and the vinaigrette is striking. And truly delicious. 
I was eating a dill pickle the other day, and thinking about potato salad. Who knows why? But, that was what I was doing. And the more this thought wandered aimlessly around my head, the more ideas came to me…this salad it the result of that wander. 
Eggs, garden tomatoes, arugula and cloaked in a light mayonnaise sauce…what could be better to start off a meal? Or for lunch, with good bread? I was reminded of this bistro favorite, in an article in The New Yorker, and I’m so very glad it nudged my memory. This is a delicious way to kick off a summer meal, when the tomatoes are prime and the temperature peaks. 
Peas are taken for granted. They are served on the side of something else and well, they’re green and most people like them. You know, we really need to take another look at peas. This soup is superb for a hot summer night. It beautiful. It’s refreshing and more importantly, it is delicious. 