If I had name one item which most commonly starts a dish made in my kitchen, it would be the onion. From the genus Allium, onions can be divided into two broad groups; spring/summer fresh onions and fall/winter storage onions. The former are bountiful at the farmers markets right now. Typically more delicate, milder and sweeter than storage onions, spring onions can be readily used raw in salads, or roasted/grilled to intensify their sweetness.

Recently, I have been oven-roasting spring onions to eat plain, in pasta dishes and on pizza. After a trip to the newly opened Alexandria West End Farmers Market and the Dupont Farmers Market on Sunday, I had some terrific ingredients on hand to make this pizza. I even made things simple by stopping by The Italian Store in Arlington to pick up frozen dough. Whether your ingredients are from the farmers market, or your grocery store, this pizza is easy to make and great for entertaining with friends. It would be a fun family meal to put together with the kids too.

To make pizza at home in your oven, it is very helpful to have a pizza stone. This will allow the pizza crust to cook on a surface that will not change temperature quickly when the oven is opened.

Italian Sausage, Roasted Spring Onion and Fresh Mozzarella Pizza

makes 2-10 inch pies

Ingredients

• pizza dough-thawed*
• 1 ball fresh  mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 3/4-1 lb. sweet or hot Italian bulk (uncased) sausage, cooked and drained of excess fat
• 6-8 spring onions, cleaned with green tips cut to fit roasting pan
• tomato or pizza sauce for pie topping
• olive oil
• kosher salt and pepper
• corn meal

Directions

Preheat oven and pizza stone (on lower 1/3 of oven) at 475 degrees for 45 min to 1 hour.

Place onions on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over onions and season with salt and pepper. Toss onions with hands to evenly coat. Place sheet in oven for 8-10 minutes just prior to assembling pizza. You may need to cover the more delicate green ends with more foil to prevent them from burning after a few minutes.

Remove onions from oven and roughly chop. Discard roots, but use both the white and green parts.

Cut pizza dough in half and form 2-10 inch pies. Place first pie on a pizza peel which has a thin layer of corn meal on it. This will allow the pizza to easily slide off of the peel and onto the pizza stone when placed in the oven. Evenly spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the pie. Place one half of the sausage, onions and mozzarella evenly over the pizza.

Place the pie in the oven and bake for approximately 8 minutes, or until you see the amount of brownness/blister on the crust that you like.

Remove pie from oven and repeat pizza assembly and baking with the second pie.

*Call your favorite pizza place or market to see if they sell pizza dough. It's a great time saver.

Mother's Day is just around the corner, and if you have managed to score a table at your favorite restaurant for brunch-good for you! If not, you can make a delicious brunch at home, or treat mom to breakfast in bed.

For this frittata, I suggest you pick up a bunch of beautiful purple-tipped asparagus from your local farmers market. It's peak season. While you're there, avail yourself of farm fresh eggs, too!

Enjoy, and Happy Mother's Day.

Asparagus, Ham and Smoked Gouda Frittata

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped asparagus
• ½ onion, diced
• 2 cups diced ham steak
• 1 ½ cups smoked Gouda, shredded
• 6 large eggs
• 2 Tablespoons milk, half and half or cream
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add asparagus and ham to skillet. Add a small pinch of salt (be careful-the ham is salty) and a couple grinds of pepper. Sauté for an additional 4-5 minutes, until the asparagus begins to soften*.

Turn on broiler and set a rack 6-8 inches below the heat source.

Beat eggs with cream, and add a pinch of salt and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and ham. Sprinkle Gouda over top. Using a rubber spatula, pull the egg mixture away from the sides to ensure that the frittata will release from the skillet after cooking.  Cook until the frittata begins to set but is still uncooked in the middle-about 3-5 minutes.  Place skillet under broiler to cook through and brown on top for 5-6 minutes. Keep the oven door cracked to check on the frittata often.  To plate, place a large dish over the skillet. Carefully hold the dish against the skillet while turning the skillet over.  Cut frittata and carefully transfer each piece onto a serving plate, using a spatula.

*At this point, I removed the skillet from the heat and sprayed the sides with Pam non-stick spray.

Warm Spinach Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 package pre-washed baby spinach
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
• 4 strips bacon
• 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook bacon in pan until crisp on each side. Remove bacon to drain on paper towels. Reserve 3 Tablespoons of bacon grease in pan, and turn heat down to the lowest setting. Add vinegar and scrape up brown bits on bottom of pan. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste. You can decide the balance of this sweet and sour dressing.  Pour warm dressing over spinach and onions. Toss to coat evenly. Crumble bacon and toss over top of salad.

Rosemary Potatoes

Ingredients

• 3 Russet potatoes, washed and chopped into 2 inch pieces
• 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary (rub between hands to release the essential oils), or 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary/powdered rosemary
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Place potatoes on foil. Pour olive oil over potatoes. Sprinkle rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss with hands to coat evenly.  Place potatoes on middle rack of oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Turn once during cooking.

This time of year is very exciting if you are a fan of our area farmers markets. The bounties of spring begin to arrive at the market stalls, and usher in the best of produce and fruit from Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Over the course of this past weekend, I attended two markets- the Del Ray farmers market in Alexandria (grand opening of the 2008 season), and the Dupont farmers market in Washington D.C. Each market had the traditional harbingers of spring; asparagus, morels, ramps, and rhubarb.

Aubergine-tipped asparagus looked fat, fresh and delicious, selling at $3 for a small bundle. Green, red and crimson rhubarb fetched $2.50 a bunch. Morels from Spring Valley Farm in West Virginia were $16 for a small basket, and ramps cost $6 for a generous bundle.

Sounds a bit expensive? Yes-but this is why you should go and buy some for yourself. There is nothing like waiting for a crop to come into season and knowing it came from within 125 miles of where you live. While I do buy, for example, asparagus and tomatoes in winter (from Costco, gasp!), nothing beats the taste and nutrition of fresh, locally grown produce which goes from farm to fork, or grange to gullet as I like to say. A small box of morels, $16. Supporting the livelihood of our farmers and their workers, priceless. My motto is eat and buy local when you can.

My purchases at the Dupont market on Sunday included morels and ramps from Spring Valley Farm and Orchard. Morel mushrooms are egg shaped and  consist of honeycombs and ridges. They are distinctively earthy in flavor, and a little bit goes a long way. Morels are prized by cooks, and are especially appreciated in French cuisine. Morels grow most prolifically in forests after a fire, and are associated with trees such as Ash, Sycamore, Elms and old Apple trees.

Ramps, or wild leeks, grow in spring from the Carolinas to Canada. They are cherished in West Virginia and many annual festivals are held to herald their arrival. Part of the onion family, ramps have a small white bulb attached to a leafy green end. Often times, an aubergine-tipped sheath covers the white of the ramp, similar to green onions, or scallions.

Although the ramp is thought to be strong in onion and garlic flavors, I found my ramps to be quite sweet and mild. They can be used in the same manner as onion and garlic, in preparations as simple as scrambled eggs, or tossed with pasta and freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese.

Here is a recipe for Ramp Crepes. If you have a crepe pan, or 6-9 inch non-stick skillet, you can make crepes. Crepes can be filled with most anything you desire. I would suggest smoked salmon and red onions, plain ricotta, shrimp scampi, ham and Gruyere, or sauteed mushrooms.

Crepes can be made up to 3 days ahead of time (refrigerated and covered with plastic wrap) and heated in a 200-degree oven, covered in aluminum foil. Crepes can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Ramp Crepes

Makes about a dozen crepes

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup All-Purpose flour, preferably bleached
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter, plus 2-3 tablespoons for coating the pan
• 8 ramps, ends trimmed and rough chopped

Directions

In a blender, add eggs, milk, water, flour, melted butter and salt. Blend for 10 seconds, or until smooth. Add ramps and pulse 5-6 times.

In a crepe pan or non-stick skillet, add a pat of butter over medium high heat and spread to coat fully. Ladle in enough crepe batter to coat the bottom of the pan. Swirl pan to evenly distribute the crepe batter. Cook on one side until just golden. Use a spatula to keep the edges from sticking, making sure that the crepe will release for turning.

Gently flip the crepe over using by a long thin wooden stick or wooden tongs, or flip over in the air to be caught by the pan. Cook on the second side for about 30 seconds, or until the crepe releases easily from the pan.

Remove crepe to a platter and stack as you cook the crepes.

Serve immediately, or store as described above.

I have a confession. I am not a good baker. Pastry frightens me and can't ice a cake to save my life. I make brownies from a box for God's sake. So, when I approached making a Pâte Brisée (tart pastry) for this recipe, I did so with trepidation. After a terrific end result, I can say with confidence that if I can do it, so can you. It was easy and just about foolproof. The crust was flaky and light, and the edges browned just enough to add flavor.

The inspiration for this recipe came from my Sunday visit to the Dupont Market, where I bought a feta sampler from Keswick Creamery. The sampler had individually wrapped chunks of Keswick's Feta de Provence, Italian Herb, and Basil and Tomato Feta for $5, which is a terrific deal. Mike has written about Keswick's feta in detail, and I have always been a fan of their feta, cheddar, quark, and yogurt.

I also had a bunch of cherry tomatoes on hand (which I use along with Campari tomatoes to get me through winter) that needed to be used. The tomatoes are the perfect size for a tart, and their flavor intensifies as they dry and caramelize in the oven.

Feta and Tomato Tart paired with a salad would make a wonderful dish for brunch, or anytime!

Feta and Tomato Tart

serves 6

Ingredients

Pâte Brisée

• 1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter, cut into small cubes
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons ice-cold water

Topping

• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6-8 ounces herbed feta of your choice*
• 14-16 cherry tomatoes (more if you wish, or depending on the size of your tomatoes)
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling over the top after baking.

Directions

Cut the butter into cubes and place in freezer for 10 minutes.

In a food processor, place the flour and salt. Pulse 5 times. Add butter in thirds and pulse until it crumbs into pea size balls. With the processor running, slowly pour water through the top. The dough should come together and not crumble.

Take dough out of processor and form it into a flat disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight. The dough can be frozen for up to one month; defrost in refrigerator overnight.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Lightly butter a 9 inch springform pan.

Lightly flour a board and rolling pin. Place dough disk onto board and roll out to about a 10 inch diameter. Roll from center-out and make 1/4 turns to form a circle. Don't worry if the dough edges crack or become uneven. You can easily patch the dough once it is in the pan.

Place rolling pin at one end of the dough and roll the dough around the pin. Transfer dough to pan and pat down evenly. Tamp down the edges to make a bit of a crust at the edges. Patch holes in dough as needed.

Crack black pepper over dough to taste. Place crumbled feta, then tomatoes over the dough. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the tart.

Place tart in oven and turn heat down to 425 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes. Allow tart to cool for 5 minutes, and release the pan. Transfer/ slide tart gently onto a cutting board and drizzle more olive oil if you like.

Cut into 6 pie pieces and serve warm, or at room temperature.

*If you wish to use plain feta, fresh herbs can be added later during the last 10 minutes of baking.

Gougères have become familiar to me, and perhaps other non-francophiles in the D.C. area, since Michel Richard opened Central. Initially a 'gift from the kitchen', Richard's gougères have been receiving delighted reviews from those who eat them.

Essentially a cheese puff, or miniature soufflé, a gougère is a savory choux pastry with cheese. Gruyère cheese is traditionally used, but other cheeses can be substituted. For instance, Richard's recipe calls for Parmesan cheese and not Gruyère.

For my gougères, I used a recipe from Gale Gand. Her recipe calls for Fol Epi, a young French-style Swiss cheese. I happened to have enough Pecorino Romano on hand to shred, so I improvised a bit and incorporated what needed to be used up in my refrigerator.

The taste using the Pecorino Romano was spot on, with a deep savoriness from the cheese, and a bit of heat from the cayenne.  My only problem was that the puffs seem to deflate rather quickly after coming out of the oven. Perhaps I need to put a bit more shoulder into stirring my choux pastry next time!

This recipe makes about 3 dozen gougères.

Ingredients

1 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 eggs
1 cup grated Fol Epi (young French-style Swiss cheese), Gruyere, or other Swiss cheese (I used grated Pecorino Romano)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the milk and butter in a medium-large saucepan over medium-high heat. When the mixture simmers and the butter is melted, add the flour all at once and stir. Add the salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to dry the mixture out. Turn off heat and stir a bit more to cool slightly.

Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well to incorporate each egg before adding the next. Stir in the cheese, mustards and cayenne and mix until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag with a large plain tip. You can improvise like I did, by using a large plastic baggie with a hole cut at one tip.

Pipe the mixture onto to a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet in rows of kisses, about 1- inch in diameter.

Smooth out any bumps with a fingertip dipped in flour.

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and continue baking until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes more.

French Onion Soup is one of my favorite soups. While eating it is wonderful in the winter, I enjoy French Onion Soup year round. When the mood strikes, I buy a bag of onions, break out my cheap mandoline, don my goggles (seriously) and get slicing. Once the drudgery of slicing what seems like a bushel of onions is done, the rest is smooth and tearless sailing and I can just enjoy the smells as they fill my kitchen.

What I really like about this recipe is the cocktail of spirits it includes. I think alcohol adds a special and distinctive essence to food, and the changes in flavors once alcohol is imparted are fascinating. With a cheesy cap and crouton tucked inside, this soup is stick-to-your-ribs satisfying.

Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

Adapted from Williams Sonoma The Best Of Taste

serves 6

Ingredients

Soup

• 2 T. butter
• 1 T. olive oil
• 2 1/2 lb. onions, peeled and sliced thin
• 3/4 c. dry white vermouth
• 3/4 c. dry white wine
• 3 c. chicken broth
• 3 c. beef broth
• bunch fresh thyme, tied with cooking string
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 c. dry sherry
• 2 c. gruyere cheese, shredded

Croutons

• 6 slices baguette, slice 1 inch thick
• olive oil for brushing
• salt and pepper
• 6 T. grated Pecorino Romano Cheese (optional, or you could use Parmesan cheese if you have it on hand)

Directions

Peel onions and slice thinly. In a heavy bottomed pot, add olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and turn the heat down to low. Stir to coat all onions. Add a pinch of salt and allow to caramelize slowly over a period of approximately 2 hours. Stir every 10 minutes or so.

When onions are deep golden brown, transfer to another bowl. Increase heat to high and deglaze pan with vermouth and white wine. Scrape up any brown bits on bottom of pan and allow liquid to reduce by half. Return onions to pot and add chicken and beef broth. Add bay leaves and thyme. Partially cover pot and allow soup to simmer for 20 minutes. Add sherry and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and bundle of thyme. You’ll notice that many of the thyme leaves are now in the soup. Salt and pepper to taste.

For the croutons, turn on broiler and slice baguette. Place croutons on baking sheet. Oil each side with olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper. Place croutons under broiler and brown on each side.

Leave broiler on and place one crouton into individual oven proof serving crocks. Add 1 tablespoon of grated pecorino on top of each crouton. Ladle onion soup over croutons to 1/4 below the rim. Add shredded gruyer to the top of each crock. Put crocks back on baking sheet and place under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cibola Farms, located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is one of my favorite meat producers at the farmers markets. Started in 1999, Cibola (pronounced cee-BOL-a) raises buffalo, pigs, goats and chickens using sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices on 300 acres of land. They offer a wide array of products including sausages and jerky. Recently, I bought a pack of Cibola's cranberry pork and buffalo sausage and decided to use it as a stuffing for pork. The taste is amazing with savory spices, sweet cranberry, and the slight gaminess of buffalo. Give it a try!

Maple Glazed Stuffed Pork Loin with a Pomegranite Balsamic and Maple Reduction Sauce

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 2 pork loins, about 2 1/2 pounds total

for the stuffing

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced finely
• 2 cups cubed (1/2 inch) day old bread
• 1 lb. savory sausage*
• 1 cup chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste

for the sauce

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter                         
• 1 large shallot, diced finely
• 1/2 cup pomegranite balsamic vinegar**
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger
• lemon peel
• for the glaze
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions:

for the stuffing
Heat pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add onions and saute until transluscent- about 5 minutes. Add sausage and brown. Chop sausage into small pieces using spatula while browning.

Add bread and stir to incorporate. Add chicken broth slowly, allowing bread to absorb the broth. Continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Set stuffing aside and allow to cool.

for the reduction sauce
In a pan, melt butter over medium heat and add shallots. Saute shallot until translucent; about 3-4 minutes.

Add balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, chicken stock, ginger and lemon peel. simmer uncovered until the sauce has reduced by half. Set aside.

for the pork
Slice each pork loin in the middle, but not all the way through. Fold top flap over and lay loins out flat. Pound each pork loin until they are even thickness throughout. Cover one side of each pork loin with sausage stuffing (you may have some leftover --- don't over stuff). Fold top flap over stuffing and tie each pork loin with kitchen string.

Generously salt and pepper each pork loin.

In a regular (not non-stick) skillet, place olive oil and heat over high heat until the oil shimmers. Place the pork loins in skillet and brown on all sides.

Place pork loins in a roasting pan, and put into oven on the middle rack. Roast pork for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then turn the heat down to 325 degrees and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees (if you are uncomfortable with medium doneness for pork, continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. See chart). While pork is roasting at 325 degrees, baste it with maple syrup about 3 times.

Allow pork to rest at least 10 minutes before cutting kitchen string and slicing pork into serving pieces.

While pork is resting, reheat the reduction sauce and liberally drizzle over the pork and plate for serving.

*I used cranberry buffalo and pork sausage from Cibola Farms. Be creative!

**If you can't find pomegranite balsamic vinegar, use regular balsamic vinegar. Be creative!

Living in Alexandria, I feel like I have been preparing for St. Patrick's Day for a while now. On the first Saturday of March, Alexandria celebrates St. Patrick's Day with a terrific parade consisting of bagpipes, beautifully costumed dancers with curly coifs, floats, our armed services, police and fire brigades, dignitaries, local celebrities, school bands, the Ballyshaners, and more. It's a fun time and everyone is Irish for a day; four-legged friends included.

So inspired by the Emerald Isle, I made Spotted Dog, or Irish Soda Bread with Raisins, right after the parade. Now, for DCFoodies, I wanted to find a recipe which incorporated a great drink of Ireland; Guinness® beer. Guinness® and Chocolate Cheesecake is a rich and decadent cheesecake in which the chocolate notes of Guinness® Extra Stout compliment morsels of semi-sweet chocolate and creamy cheese.

For this recipe, I highly recommend you use a 9 inch springform pan. This will keep the cheesecake intact. If you get a few cracks in your cake, don't worry! Enjoy.

Guinness® and Chocolate Cheesecake

(adapted from Allrecipes.com)

serves 12

Ingredients

for the crust

• 1 cup crushed chocolate graham crackers
• 2 Tablespoons white sugar
• 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

for the filling

• 3 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 cup sour cream
• a pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup Irish stout beer (ie: Guinness®)
• 2 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ounce semi sweet chocolate for clover garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 inch spring form pan with butter.

for the crust

Place chocolate graham crackers in a food processor with sharp blade and process until the crackers have a sand-like texture. To the process, add the sugar, cocoa powder and butter. Process until the butter is incorporated and the crust comes together into pea size balls.

Press the crust evenly into the bottom of the spring form pan.

for the filling

Place the cream cheese into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and combine. Add the eggs one at a time. Continue beating until smooth

Place the chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave, 30 seconds at a time, and stir until chocolate melts (time varies depending upon your microwave). Beat the chocolate mixture into the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Add the sour cream, salt, beer and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour the filling over the crust.

Place cheesecake on a baking sheet and then put into the oven on the middle or upper rack. Underneath the cheesecake, place a pan of water. This will keep the cheesecake moist.

Bake for 45 minutes. Turn off oven and allow cheesecake to continue baking for an additional 45 minutes to an hour, with the oven door closed. Refrigerate cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving. This will allow the cheesecake to set completely.

To make the clover garnish, melt 1 ounce of chocolate in the microwave. Stir until smooth. Using a spoon, drop 3 circles of chocolate in a clover pattern, onto wax or parchment paper. Starting where the two bottom clover leafs connect, make a stem. Allow to cool completely and place in the middle of cheesecake.

Now that we have a bit more of winter left, a warm bowl of potato leek soup is still comforting and hearty. And, it's fairly easy to make. With a handful of inexpensive ingredients and store bought broth, potato leek soup can come together in under an hour. Served along with DC Foodies frise salad, only a rustic artisan bread would be needed to make this a meal for your family, or for entertaining company. Potato leek soup can also be served cold as Vichyssoise.

What I like about this soup is that the method of making it is more important than exact measurements. A bit less broth will yield a thicker soup, as would throwing in another potato. You can really make it rich and creamy by finishing it with heavy cream if you want. You want it chunky, not smooth? Why not!  It's all to your taste.

Potato Leek Soup

serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 leeks, white part only, washed thoroughly and sliced 1 inch wide
• 2 shallots, peeled and rough chopped
• 2 large russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs.), peeled and cubed 1 inch thick
• 1 bay leaf
• 12 peppercorns
• 6-8 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1 cup half and half
• 3-4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped for garnish
• 1-2 green onions, green part only sliced thin for garnish (or use fresh chives)
• cheesecloth
• kitchen string

Directions

While assembling your mis en place, make a bouquet garni with the bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns. In a piece of cheesecloth, place the aforementioned  3 ingredients and tie together with kitchen string. If you do not have cheesecloth, use 2 large leek leaves to hold the contents. Fold the ends of the leek leaves over towards the middle and tie like a package. If you do not have cheesecloth or kitchen string, just omit the peppercorns and add more fresh cracked pepper at the end of cooking. The bay leaf and fresh thyme can be fished out with tongs after cooking and before blending.

In a heavy bottom pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and leeks. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes. To pot, add potatoes, chicken stock and bouqet garni.

Partially cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes are completely tender.

Remove bouquet garni and carefully transfer soup to a blender and blend in batches until completely smooth. Be careful with the hot liquid. You can also use an immersion blender.

Return soup to pot and add the half and half. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve with bacon and green onion or chives to garnish.

From Brasserie Beck to Balthazar, a bistro wouldn't be the same without the quintessential frisée salad on the menu. Often accented with salty bacon (lardons) and a poached egg ready to ooze its deep yellow yolk, frisée salad makes for a delightful light meal or salad course. Frisée salad with sherry vinaigrette, poached egg and bacon is easy to make at home if you understand the methods of making a vinaigrette, and poaching eggs.

First, a vinaigrette is usually a tart dressing, and is a great counterpoint to salty bacon. In general, the method of making a vinaigrette calls for 3 parts oil to 1 part acid, or sherry vinegar in this case. You can use your choice of oils and the acid can come from other sources such as red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar or even lemon juice. Once the acid is placed in a bowl, you can flavor your vinaigrette with other ingredients, herbs and spices. To this, oil is slowly poured in while the mixture is vigorously whisked to form an emulsion.

The second method you will use to make this salad is poaching an egg. There are various schools of  thought when it comes to poaching eggs. For me, the most consistently successful method involves adding plain white vinegar or lemon juice to simmering water, and dropping a pre-cracked egg in slowly. Cracking each egg before hand ensures two things: that the egg is good and that the yolk is intact. The acid helps to bring the egg yolk and white together. Once the egg white has been gathered (it very often forms a "tail", but don't let that deter you-it can be cut off for appearances) the egg cooks in the simmering water for 2-3 minutes, depending on how well you want the yolk done. I find that once I get the egg set in the water, 2 minutes on a timer is perfect.

Frisée Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette, Bacon and Poached Egg

serves 4

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice
1 large or 2 small heads frisée
4 eggs, cracked and placed in individual ramekins
8 slices bacon, fried and cut into strips
1 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Place a pot of water (at least 3 inches deep) on high heat and bring to a strong simmer. Decrease heat and hold water at a slow simmer until you are ready to poach eggs.

Wash and thoroughly dry frisée and place in a mixing bowl. Pour vinegar in separate bowl, add mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly add olive oil while whisking to incorporate. Taste for salt and adjust. Toss frisée with vinaigrette to lightly coat and portion frisée onto 4 plates. Divide bacon among the salads.

Gently drop each egg into the simmering water along the edge of the pan. Gather the whites around the yolk with a slotted spoon and be sure to give each egg enough room to cook. Poach eggs for 2 minutes,and remove them with the slotted spoon in the order you placed them in the water. Drain eggs on a paper towel and place one egg atop each salad. Serve immediately*.

* Poached eggs can be prepared ahead of time and reheated before serving. Simply place eggs into ice water when done cooking (you may want to under cook them a bit), drain, and store covered in the refrigerator. To reheat, bring a pot of water to a simmer and allow eggs to heat up in the water for 1 minute.

I love Thai food but what's funny is that I hardly ever make it at home...Me, the recipe guru. I think it's because I have this wonderful Thai place nearby and whenever I have a hankering, I just order-in or go to pick it up. Occasionally, I make my rendition of of a peanut curry, usually with chicken and green beans. Here, I take the peanut flavor and coconut milk creaminess and apply it to a carrot soup. This soup is easy to make, packs big flavor, and gets a bit of heat from a jalapeno pepper. Enjoy!

Thai Carrot Soup

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons butter

1 leek, white part only, chopped (be sure to wash thoroughly- you can substitute 1 small onion)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons ginger, chopped or grated

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped 1/2 thick

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and rough chopped

4 cups chicken stock (can substitute vegetable stock)

3 heaping Tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 cup lite coconut milk

cilantro

roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions

In a heavy bottom pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks, garlic and ginger. Cook until softened but not browned, approximately 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a pinch of salt to help leeks render their moisture.

Add coriander and cumin. Stir to incorporate. Add carrots, jalapeno and chicken stock. Simmer covered for 25 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Add peanut butter. Transfer soup to blender and blend at high speed until soup is smooth (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Pour soup back into pot and add coconut milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with cilantro and peanuts.

The thought of tucking into a plate full of comfort food is quite appealing at any time of year, especially during winter. Apparently we here in the DC area have an appetite for hearty simple dishes as evidenced by the immense popularity of such restaurants as Brasserie Beck and Central as well as the perrenial Bistro D'oc, Montsouris and Montmartre on the Hill.
I would like to bring some bistro favorites to your table and from time to time, will share a bistro meal from my home to yours. For me, the goal is to make bistro food accessible both in terms of easy preparation and affordablity. This meal for four can come together in about an hour and involves no work ahead of time. Spatchcocking, or butterflying the chicken expidites cooking at high roasting temperatures. The tomatoes roast quickly and cooking overlaps with the chicken at the same oven temperature. The fries take only minutes to get crisp and slightly browned using a twiced-fried method.

I hope you enjoy the tastes of this meal, from the juicy chicken with a  sweet yet sharp sauce to the  nutty salted topping to the rich tomatoes which have been concentrated by oven roasting.

Roasted Chicken With a Pomegranate Balsamic Sauce and Pistacho Butter Topping, Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (I used a 4.25 lb. organic bird from Balducci's), spatchcocked (here's a how-to video)

2 T. vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

2 T. butter

2 shallots, diced

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/3 cup pomegranate balsamic vinegar(you could use regular balsamic vinegar or go for another flavored balsamic-I found the pomegrantate balsamic at Whole Foods at a reasonable price)

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup dried cranberries (dried cherries would work too)

1/3 cup chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped

2 T. butter

1 pomegranate, seeded

Campari, cherry or grape tomatoes-about 6-8 per person depending on size

4 green onions- white and green parts chopped 1/2 inch.

2 T. olive oil

1/2 t. dried marjoram

1/2 t. dried oregano

Salt and pepper

2-3 large yams, peeled and cut to your preferred thickness

Vegetable oil for frying

1 T. cumin

Kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

For pomegranate balsamic sauce
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan. Add shallots and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, several grinds of pepper, cinnamon, chicken broth and cranberries. Simmer over medium heat until cranberries are plump, about 5-7 minutes. Add salt to taste. Set aside until chicken is done.

For chicken
Generously salt and pepper chicken on both sides. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in an oven safe pan/roasting pan. Place chicken skin side down and sear for 2 minutes, making sure that oil coats the bottom surface of the chicken for even browning. Transfer the chicken to oven and roast for 15 minutes. Turn chicken breast side up and continue to roast for an additional 15-20 minutes or until juices from thigh run clear when pricked (internal thigh temperature is recommended to be at 165 degrees).

Set chicken on a platter (allow to rest for 10 minutes) and discard all but 2 tablespoons of pan drippings. Pour balsamic sauce into pan and heat on high for 2-3 minutes allowing sauce to reduce and thicken. Cut chicken into serving portions and spoon sauce over chicken. Top with melted butter with pistachios. Sprinkle pomegrante seeds to taste.

For pistachio butter topping
While chicken is resting, place 2 tablespoons butter into a small saucepan. Melt over medium heat. Add pistachios and cook for 2 minutes.

For oven roasted tomatoes
Place tomatoes in oven safe dish and add 2 tablespoons olive oil,marjoram, oregano salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Place tomatoes in oven 5 minutes before chicken is done. Roast for 10 minutes, stirring occastionally. Add green onions and continue roasting 5 minutes. The tomatoes will be done just as the chicken is finished resting.

For sweet potato fries
As the chicken is resting and tomatoes are finishing in the oven, bring about 3 inches of a light oil (vegetable,peanut) to 325 degrees in a heavy bottom pan. Fry sweet potatoes for 4-5 minutes to cook through. The potatoes should be limp but not take on any color yet. Remove fries from oil and drain on paper. Increase oil temperature to 375 degrees. Place the fries back in the oil for an additional 1-2 minutes until they brown a bit on the outside. Drain fries on paper. Immediately dust with a pinch of cumin and kosher salt.

New Year's Day brings the possibility of better things to come. Resolutions are made and bad habits are given serious consideration, especially if  you find yourself pondering them over a glass of Alka-Seltzer. To ensure starting the year off the right way, people all over the world turn to traditional good luck foods on New Year's Day. Foods representing wealth, luck and success are a common theme ranging from donuts called Olliebolen in Holland-thought to represent coming full circle, to green coin shaped lentils in Italy- thought to attract wealth.

In Japan, long soba noodles are eaten unbroken to represent long life. Sticky rice called mochi is pressed into rice cakes called omochi which are offered to the gods then cut into pieces and eaten by family member for wealth and good luck. Omochi are also served in a soup, called Ozoni.

The Greeks make cake called Vasilopita. Each cake has a coin inside and the person who gets the coin is said to be blessed with good luck for the coming year.

As I mentioned earlier, in Italy lentils represent money and are eaten with hopes of wealth for the New Year. Cotechino con Lenticchie is a traditional good luck dish of sausage served over lentils. The fatty richness of the cotechino sausage symbolizes abundance.

In Spain, twelve grapes are eaten at midnight. With each stroke of the Plaza del Sol clock, a grape is eaten to celebrate lucky years past and to hope for good luck in the year to come.

Here in America, we enjoy many food traditions often associated with the South. Greens, representing money, are commonly used in dishes with the hope of wealth for the coming year. Collard greens, mustard greens, kale and any type of cabbage can be used. Greens are often combined with pork (symbolizing prosperity) in dishes such as ham and cabbage and pork and sauerkraut. Hopping John, probably the dish most associated with the South and New Year's contains the beloved black eyed pea, also thought to represent coins and wealth as they expand when cooked.

Here is a recipe for Savoy Cabbage Gratin with Saint-Marcellin. This dish is from Molly Stevens' "All About Braising". I highly recommend both the recipe and the book. The cabbage gets tender and steeped with flavor from chicken stock and the rich creamy Saint-Marcellin. Saint-Marcellin is a soft cow's milk cheese with a mushroomy aroma. It's so soft in fact, the tiny wheels (about 3 ounce portions) come in a little crock. Saint-Marcellin comes from Dauphin in southern France. It's a salty cheese, so go easy on the salt when wilting your greens. Adding the cheese towards the end will bring the salt up to taste.

For New Year's, I've stuck with tradition and served this gratin with marinated pan-seared pork chops and coin sized potato pancakes.

Savoy Cabbage Gratin with Saint-Marcellin- serves 6

Braising time: 1hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 head Savoy cabbage (about 1 1/2 - 2 pounds), cored , halved and cut into 1/2" ribbons

1 bunch scallions, greens and whites cut into 1/2" pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 3/4 cups chicken broth, homemade or store bought

1 ripe Saint Marcellin cheese (about 3 ounces)

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and scallion with a pinch of salt and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Saute, stirring often, until the cabbage wilts and begins to brown a little, about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, bring to a steady simmer and scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes.

Scrape the cabbage, scallions and broth into a gratin dish (I used a 9x12 dish). Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place on middle rack of oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes until most of the liquid is evaporated.

Cut or tear the Saint-Marcellin into small pieces and scatter into gratin. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve hot or warm as a first course, a side dish or on it's own as a light supper.

It's time for Holiday baking and one of my favorite things to make is biscotti. Biscotti, or twice-baked cookies originated in Tuscany during Columbus's time. Almonds were initially used as they were abundant in Italy, and the biscuit was used to dunk in wines and provide food for long journeys due to its long storage ability.

Today, biscotti come in many flavors including chocolate and traditional anise. Various dried fruits, nuts and seeds can be added and the cookie can be dipped in melted chocolate for richness.I like to have biscotti available for a light end to a heavy meal. Their crisp texture makes them excellent for dunking in coffee and chai tea, or served with a dessert wine.

Because of their twice baked process, the biscotti become dried which allows them to be stored for long periods of time, from 1-6 months in an air-tight container which is out of sunlight. If the biscotti lose their crispness, simply reheat them in a low, 250 degree oven for 5 minutes. If they become too crisp and dry, microwave them for 30 seconds on low setting.

Chocolate Cherry Walnut Biscotti- makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

6 tbsp. or 3/4 stick butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup walnuts, chopped

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1/2 cup dried cherries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a bowl, or onto a flexible cutting board, add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Into a mixing bowl or standing mixer (using paddle attachment) cream together the softened butter and sugar until a light yellow color. Slowly add eggs, one at a time. Allow to mix on low (2) for 4 minutes. Add dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt) slowly while mixer is on low. Alternate with nuts, chocolate and cherries until all ingredients are in mixing bowl. Combine until batter comes together and ingredients are evenly dispersed.

Transfer batter to a lightly floured board. Lightly flour hands and bring batter together into a circular mound. Cut batter in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch log and flatten until approximately 3 inches wide. Transfer to Silpat or parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat with the other half of the batter.

Score each log diagonally into approximately 10-12 individual biscotti. Place in center rack of oven and bake for 35 minutes. Take out of oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Cut each biscotti through and place each cookie cut side down on baking sheet. Return to 350 degree oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely. To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar, or gift them in a decorative tin or Holiday Chinese take-out box (pictured above from Michael's Craft Store).

Sunday's cold and rain called for a make-your-house-smell-incredible braise. I had a package of short ribs which I had purchased from a nearby Bestway Supermarket. They're cheap and great for braising. Over time, they become incredibly tender and fall of the bone. With an ale and just a few other staple ingredients, I made this dish.

This recipe is adapted from Dave Lieberman's "Braised Hoisin Beer Short Ribs With Creamy Mashed Yukons And Snow Peas". Here, I serve the short ribs over Keswick Creamery Cheddar polenta.

Braised Hoisin Beer Short Ribs

Ingredients

3 lbs. beef short ribs

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

6 large cloves fresh garlic, smashed

1 inch piece of fresh ginger*, grated

12 ounces good ale, such as Bass

3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

1 cup Hoisin sauce

Polenta, prepared according to package directions

1 cup shredded cheddar

Directions

Salt and pepper ribs on all sides. In a heavy bottom pan, add vegetable oil and heat until you see a wisp of smoke. Add short ribs (in batches if necessary) and brown on all sides. Remove ribs to plate. Pour off all but one tablespoon of rendered fat.

Return pan to stove and place over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 3 minutes. Add ribs to pan. Add beer and vinegar to pan and cover. Simmer for 2- 2 1/2 hours until tender.

Add hoisin sauce to pan and transfer pan to a preheated 300 degree oven. Cover and allow to cook for an additional 30 minutes. Remove ribs from pan and strain fat from braising liquid ( I poured the liquid into a fat separator). Serve over prepared polenta which has been mixed with 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Serve with braising liquid on the side, or poured over polenta and ribs.

*ginger stores well in the freezer. I buy a hand sized knob and store it in the freezer in a zip-loc baggie. To use, you simply break a piece off and grate it. To slice, allow it to defrost a bit. You can peel it frozen too, but truth be told, I skip this step from time to time, especially if I'm grating it.

My motto is “I want to inspire you with food for thought and food for your table”. I get much of my inspiration from local producers, markets and restaurants. I tend to stroll through farmers markets and let what looks good and what’s in season inspire me. Last week, Cedar Farm scrapple caught my eye and brought great memories of my childhood; eating a big Sunday breakfast before we all headed off to church. Other times it’s reading what other people are making on sites like Don Rockwell and Chowhound.

On Saturday I went to the Del Ray farmers Market in Alexandria, knowing that shortly they will the shutting down for the winter. It’s a market that has grown on me as I’ve gotten to know some of the vendors. There’s the wonderful gentleman who’s farm is in Riva, VA and Tom the cheese guy from whom I’ve enjoyed wonderful herbed chevres. Other faces are more familiar such as Toigo Orchards.

Well, just like last year, most of the vendors cleared out early leaving only the hearty to proffer their goods during the last Saturdays of the season. With only a pear, a half gallon of apple cider and a log of chevre; where was inspiration to come from today?

All I needed to do was turn around and walk about 100 feet to the doors of Cheesetique. I wanted to get a small piece of gorgonzola since I’ve heard so much about how the cheese pairs well with pears. As I walked into Cheesetique, with the mélange of cheese smells wafting up my nose, I knew I was in good hands.

“I just bought a nice pear from Toigo Orchards and was thinking of pairing it up with a gorgonzola, perhaps a gorgonzola dolce”, I said. “Hmmm”, I don’t thing we have dolce. Are you sure you want gorgonzola?  We have lots of blue cheeses which would work very well”, a helpful woman said.

“Sure anything moldy will do”, I replied.  She laughed and had a look of “this one will try anything…..just my kind of customer”. And I was. I sampled 2 cheeses before I put into my mouth this blue cheese called ba ba blue. From the Carr Valley of Wisconsin, it is sheep’s milk blue which is piquant, salty and subtle with blue veins. It pops in the mouth, bringing an immense bang for the buck. I loved it. I bought it. I paired both the pear and ba ba blue cheese in a risotto which will knock your socks off. I served this with a roasted chicken and asparagus.  Enjoy!