Memorial Day is coming and marks the official start of summer party season. Millions of people will be firing up the grill for the long weekend and beyond,  and here in the South, they’ll be making endless pitchers and jugs of ice cold sweet tea to keep things cool.  So I decided to combine the [...]]]> Memorial Day is coming and marks the official start of summer party season. Millions of people will be firing up the grill for the long weekend and beyond,  and here in the South, they’ll be making endless pitchers and jugs of ice cold sweet tea to keep things cool.  So I decided to combine the two for the perfect summer meal.

I’ve always found that brining is a great tool when cooking pork on the grill.  It keeps a meat that can quickly dry out juicy and tender.  I have seen many recipes for brining various meats in tea, and they’ve made me curious.  But I wanted to take that sweet tea flavor one step further, giving the pig the full Southern treatment.  There’s a subtle flavor infused through the meat, but it is the sweet and tangy glaze that takes it up that extra notch.

So fire up the grill and brew up a pitcher (or maybe some bourbon-laced Sweet Tea Juleps) and celebrate summer Southern style.

Grilled Sweet Tea Glazed Pork Chops

For the Chops:

4 cups water

½ cup sugar

½ cup kosher salt

4 black tea bags

4 sprigs fresh mint

4 boneless center cut pork chops

For the Glaze:

1 ½ cups water

3 garlic cloves

2 black tea bags

4 – sprigs fresh mint

¾ cup light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

Stir 2 cups of water, the sugar and salt together in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt.  Remove from the heat and add the tea bags and mint.  Leave to cool, then remove the tea and mint and stir in the remaining 3 cups of water.  Place the pork chops in a flat container or a ziptop bag placed on plate.  Pour the cooled brine over the chops and refrigerate for 8 hours, but up to 12 is fine.

For the glaze:

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan with a lid. Peel the garlic cloves and crush with the flat side of a knife. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tea bags, garlic cloves and mint.  Cover the pan and leave to steep for 30 minutes.

Fish out the tea bags, garlic and mint, then add the brown sugar and vinegar and return to medium high heat.  Cook the glaze, stirring frequently, until reduced by a little more than half and thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes.  Keep the glaze warm over low heat.

Heat the grill to high heat, then place the pork chops on the grates.  Cook for about 5  minutes on one side, then flip to the other side.  Don’t flip the chops until they easily lift off the grates.  Lower the heat, over the grill and finish cooking the chops until cooked through, about 10 minutes, to an internal temperature of 145°.  In the last few minutes of cooking, brush on a thick coat of glaze, then finish cooking.  When the chops are done, brush with another coat of glaze, then remove to a platter. Tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

Serve the chops immediately, with more glaze spooned over the top.

Serves 4

To cook in the oven, heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet to high and sear the chops on each side, brush with a little glaze, then transfer to a preheated 400° oven.  Cook until 145° internal temperature. Remove from the oven, and brush with a little more glaze. Tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

It’s always nice to whip up a simple, homemade dressing for a salad, and this one is really special.  A little sweet from the berries with the nice summery hit of mint.  And it’s a great way to use up some berries lingering in the fridge.  I love it on a salad of fresh [...]]]>

It’s always nice to whip up a simple, homemade dressing for a salad, and this one is really special.  A little sweet from the berries with the nice summery hit of mint.  And it’s a great way to use up some berries lingering in the fridge.  I love it on a salad of fresh butter lettuce tossed with slice strawberries, salty feta or goat cheese and crunchy pecans.  It also goes well with spinach, and is a nice dressing for a fruit salad too.

Strawberry Mint Vinaigrette

8 ounces hulled strawberries

1 small shallot, peeled and quartered

6 – 7 fresh mint leaves

¼ cup honey

¼ cup white wine or champagne vinegar

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup vegetable oil

Place everything but the oil in the carafe of a blender and blend until completely smooth.  With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until you have a nice, emulsified dressing.  Store the vinaigrette in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to three days in the fridge.  Shake well before using

Makes about 2 cups

The strawberries are here, but with the exceedingly strange weather we’ve been having this year, I am a little worried it is going to be an abbreviated season.  So I have been making the most of what I have.  I keep a big colander of berries in the fridge and snack on them throughout [...]]]>

The strawberries are here, but with the exceedingly strange weather we’ve been having this year, I am a little worried it is going to be an abbreviated season.  So I have been making the most of what I have.  I keep a big colander of berries in the fridge and snack on them throughout the day, I’ve put up jars of jam and I have been baking up a storm.  I love this too-brief interlude when I have strawberries every day, before I say goodbye to fresh ones until next season.

I love strawberries and chocolate and have been working on a way to combine the two in a fun and simple brownie.  So I added some berries to my basic brownie recipe and covered it in a sweet, creamy strawberry frosting.  And darned if doesn’t taste like the fancy chocolate covered berries famous around here.  I added a little drizzle of melted chocolate to pretty them up.  Dip some berries in the extra melted chocolate for a nice decorative touch.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies

½ cup (1 stick) butter

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup finely diced strawberries

For the Frosting:

½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

3 cups confectioners sugar

¼ cup mashed strawberries

For the Drizzle:

3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line an 8 by 8 inch pan with non-stick foil or parchment paper.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat or in a large bowl in the microwave.  Don’t let the butter boil or foam, just melt it.  Leave to cool slightly.

Stir the sugar and vanilla into the butter, then add the eggs and stir until well combined.  Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and stir until completely combined.  Fold in the strawberries, distributing them evenly.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan.

For the frosting:

Beat the butter until creamy in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer.  Slowly beat in the sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl.  Add the mashed berries alternately with the sugar until the frosting is creamy, smooth and spreadable.  Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly over the top of the brownies.  Chill the frosted brownies until the frosting is firm.

For the Drizzle:

Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a small microwave bowl.  Microwave at high power for one minute, then stir until smooth.  If needed, zap in 15 minute intervals, stirring after each burst, until melted and smooth.  Use a fork to drizzle the chocolate over the chilled frosting.

Makes 16 brownies

*Dice the berries into small pieces and place in a measuring jug.  Mash with a fork until juicy and the pieces are small.  Beating in the mixer will bash them up a bit more.

Leaf through the pages of any old Southern community cookbook, and you are likely to come across a version of this cake.  And it might not draw your eye, being so plain and simple.  I am sure I flipped past many times before I actually stopped to read one.  But once I get intrigued, [...]]]>

Leaf through the pages of any old Southern community cookbook, and you are likely to come across a version of this cake.  And it might not draw your eye, being so plain and simple.  I am sure I flipped past many times before I actually stopped to read one.  But once I get intrigued, I search these recipes out and combine, refine and test them until I have an updated version with more accurate instructions.  And I am glad I didn’t let this one languish, because it is now a go to summer cake.  It is immensely simple to make – no heavy equipment needed.  And its simplicity makes it the perfect vehicle for all manner of summer toppings.  Any sliced fresh fruit or berry, maybe sugared to produce a little syrup.  Add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream and you’ve got a fresh, homemade beauty of a dessert.

I planned this post to highlight the cake, and how useful it is.  But I wanted to try something a little more interesting than just fruit so I stumbled around in the kitchen until I came up with the sauce.  I know it is tooting my own horn, but it is a stunner.  Rich, sticky caramel sauce with this amazing background note of strawberry and the added bonus of chunks of fresh berries.  It is magnificent with the cake, but try it over ice cream, or, as I admit to doing, simply with a spoon.

Hot Milk Cake and Strawberry Caramel Sauce

I use a plain tube pan, often called a coffee cake pan, but a fluted or fancy one works just fine.  You could also make it in a 9 by 13 inch pan.

Hot Milk Cake

1 cup whole milk

½ cup (1 stick) butter

4 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease a 10-cup tube pan thoroughly.

Combine the milk and butter in a medium saucepan and heat over medium just until the butter is melted and the milk is hot.  While the milk is heating, beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl, then stir in the remaining ingredients.  Pour in the hot milk and stir until completely combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden and firm and tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 – 25 minutes.  Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.  The cake will keep, well wrapped, for several days.

Serves 10

Strawberry Caramel Sauce

1 cup of diced strawberries

1 ½ cups granulated sugar, plus 2 Tablespoons

¾ cup heavy cream

Place the diced strawberries in a bowl and toss with 2 Tablespoons sugar.  Leave to sit for several hours until the strawberries have released quite a bit of juice.

Pour the juice off the berries into a measuring jug and add enough water to make 1/3 cup of liquid. Stir the liquid and 1 ½ cups sugar together in a medium sized saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved.  Up the heat to high and boil the mixture until it turns a lovely caramel brown, the color of sweet tea, about 5 – 7 minutes, stirring frequently.  Watch it like a hawk because it goes from caramel to burnt quickly at the end.  Stand back a bit and pour in the cream.  It will roil and bubble furiously and seize up a little.  Just stir it until it all smooths out and combines, then turn the burner off and stir until it settles down. Let it cool for about 3 minutes, then stir in the diced strawberries. Cool to room temperature.

The sauce will keep covered in the fridge for up to three days.  Delicious warm or cold.

Makes about 1 ½ cups

One of the great joys of my life in food is meeting other food writers in amazing places. This winter, I had the great pleasure of spending an amazing week at a writing workshop in Tepotzlan, Mexico at Cocinar Mexicano.  Iconic food writer Betty Fussell lead a spectacular group of women through [...]]]>

One of the great joys of my life in food is meeting other food writers in amazing places. This winter, I had the great pleasure of spending an amazing week at a writing workshop in Tepotzlan, Mexico at Cocinar Mexicano.  Iconic food writer Betty Fussell lead a spectacular group of women through the birth of some great writing projects.  Tepotzlan is nestled in the mountains of central Mexico and the stunning scenery lends a magical air.  And it is the loudest place I have ever visited.  I was there for the festival of the Three Kings, which went on for days, but there were several other festivals that week as well.  Locals assured us that with the different barrio festivals, saints’ days and general holidays, there is pretty much a festival every week of the year. The sounds of bands playing in processions, cars honking in celebration, dogs barking with excitement, church bells pealing and intermittent bursts of fireworks makes the town a cacophonous but joyous place. The experience inspired me and opened my mind and really got my creative juices flowing.

Adding to the wall-to-wall inspiration was some of the best food I’ve had the pleasure to eat.  The central market is bursting with chilies of every type, fresh and dried, and more varieties of corn than I can begin to list.  Stallholders make and sell fresh tortillas made to order from that corn, filled with all manner of delicious things.  I ate squash blossoms every day, sampled several delicious mole sauces, experienced huitlachoce, a rich, mushroomy corn fungus, in all manner of dishes and even crunched on some fried crickets. I learned to make tamales and tortillas myself, and reveled in devouring the results.

But I knew pozole was the dish I would try to re-create at home.  I had a number of versions of this classic Mexican hominy soup, at the cooking school, the lovely hotel and in the market.  Some were red with chiles, others were so rustic, the bones were still in the bowl.  I had it with pork, chicken and a combination of the two. The prettiest and freshest version was served by the wonderful cooks at Cocinar Mexicano,  a simple, rich, flavorful broth with tender meat and hominy , served with a beautiful array of toppings. And this dish is all about the toppings.  Bright and colorful with different textures, they elevate this soup.  This is interactive eating at its best.  I had never had radishes as a soup garnish, but I am a convert and I promise the slight peppery crunch adds a wonderful touch.

Posole (Mexican Chicken and Hominy Soup)

When I make stock and want to include the meat in the finished dish, I use chicken pieces instead of a whole bird because you end up with more meat.  You’ll have some leftover, which is never a bad thing.

3 bone-in, skin on chicken breasts

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

3 ounces salt pork

1 large white onion, cut in half

3 celery sticks, cut in half

2 carrots, cut in half

1 jalapeno pepper

1 red pepper, like Fresno

1 head garlic, cloves separated

7 – 8 stems cilantro

2 limes, cut in half

1 (30-ounce) can white hominy

Toppings:

Finely diced radishes

Diced avocado

Finely diced red onion (I soak the diced onions in water about 30 minutes to take away the bite)

Chopped cilantro

Crumbled queso fresco cheese

Lime wedges

Crispy fried tortilla strips or crushed chips

Chili powder

Place the chicken pieces, pork and vegetables, cilantro and lime in a large (at least 7-quart) Dutch oven or stock pot.  Add 12 cups of water.  Bring almost to a boil over high heat, turn down to low, cover the pot and simmer for 4 – 6 hours, until you have a nice, rich stock.

Line a large colander with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl.  Remove the chicken pieces to another bowl or plate, then carefully strain the stock through the colander. Let the stock cool, then skim the fat from the top.  I always refrigerate the stock, then simply remove the solidified fat from the top of the liquid.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones, removing any fat or gristle as you go.  Shred the chicken into thick strands.

You can make the stock up to two days ahead.  Place the chicken meat in a ziptop bag, cover the stock and keep in the fridge.

When ready to serve, transfer the stock to a large pot and bring to a simmer.  Rinse the hominy thoroughly and drain.  Add to the simmering stock, cover and cook for 30 minutes until the hominy is tender.  Add about 4 cups of shredded chicken and simmer until heated through.

Spoon the soup into large bowls, making sure there is plenty of hominy and chicken in each bowl.

Serve with the beautiful array of toppings for everyone to add as they please.

Serves 6

Fennel is a new addition to my local farmers market.  That’s the great thing about the rise of these local markets.  Customers ask, farmers grow.  Last year, it was a few experimental bulbs, this year it’s big bins of them.  When I saw them last year, I was quick to pick up as many [...]]]>

Fennel is a new addition to my local farmers market.  That’s the great thing about the rise of these local markets.  Customers ask, farmers grow.  Last year, it was a few experimental bulbs, this year it’s big bins of them.  When I saw them last year, I was quick to pick up as many as I could and start experimenting.  I love adding fennel to the vegetables that start a soup or casserole or sauce – a bit in with the carrots, celery and onion.  It adds an interesting undernote.  But I had never really ventured into featuring fennel as a main ingredient until I found it tender and fresh and fragrant on the farmstand.

I have had a roasted fennel gratin at a restaurant that was basically wedges of fennel tossed in olive oil with a shower of breadcrumbs.  Not interesting enough for me.  The recipes I looked at were mostly similar and the ones with cream sauce seemed to have a lot of cream sauce – the fennel would be swimming.  So I fiddled around for what I was imagining.  When I have the freshest fennel, I want to highlight its unique flavor, so I ignored recipes that had additions of mustard, onion, garlic and shallot.  I want the bracing flavor of fennel to really shine.  A touch of the acid tang of white wine complements the fennel and a slight dusting with salty Parmesan rounds it out. Cooking mellows the fennel, rendering it sweeter but still with that special flavor.

This dish is lovely.  I’ve eaten it on its own with a chunk of bread, but it pairs so well with a grilled steak or a delicate piece of fish.  The smell of sliced fresh fennel is spectacular.

Creamy Fennel Gratin

I prefer the Parmesan and breadcrumbs to be very fine, like a light dust on top of the gratin.  I grate day-old bread on a fine grater.

6 cups thinly sliced fennel (see note)

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon flour

½ cup white wine

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons chopped fennel frond (the feathery leaves)

¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup fresh, finely grated bread crumbs

salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Butter an 8 by 8 inch baking dish

Cut the thick stalks and fronds form the fennel bulbs and remove the tough end and any tough, blemished outer leaves.  Slice the fennel bulb thinly using a mandolin or the food processor, about 1/8 inch thick.

Melt the butter in a saucepan large enough to hold the sliced fennel.  Whisk in the flour until you have a smooth, pale paste.  Pour in the wine and heavy cream (measure them together in the same jug) and whisk until the sauce begins to thicken.  Stir in one Tablespoon of the chopped fennel frond and cook until the sauce is thick and coats the back of the spoon. Stir in the sliced fennel and a few generous pinches of salt and stir to coat.  Scrape the fennel into the prepared baking dish and spread it out into an even layer.

Mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan and remaining chopped fennel fron together.  Sprinkle evenly over the top of the gratin.  Bake the gratin for 30 – 40 minutes until a knife slides easily into a piece of the fennel.  Serve hot.

Serves 4 – 6 

Note: I created this recipe to make the most of fresh, young tender fennel.  I use about 6 bulbs that are pale green and about 4 inches across.  If you use the mature, white fennel common at grocery stores, you will probably need about 3 bulbs.  The young fennel can be sliced right through, but the larger white bulbs need to be halved and the triangular hard core cut out.  The large bulbs may need a longer cooking time as well.

Country Captain is an old Low Country dish that dates from the days when Charleston and Savannah were important stops on the spice route, and the British influence of trade with India held sway.  Early dishes from the Southern repertoire include lots of interesting spices, and the older the recipe, the more exotic it [...]]]>

Country Captain is an old Low Country dish that dates from the days when Charleston and Savannah were important stops on the spice route, and the British influence of trade with India held sway.  Early dishes from the Southern repertoire include lots of interesting spices, and the older the recipe, the more exotic it may seem.  Recipes for Country Captain appear in all sorts of Southern community cook books, the same concept with slight variations from cook to cook.  It is served at fine restaurants and fine homes, was a favorite of FDR and General Patton and because of that, made its way into the Army’s meals-ready-to-eat program.  It has the best qualities of a Southern recipe: ancient tradition, a storied history, the special touches of generations of cooks – all with a contemporary feel in any decade.

Almost every recipe for Country Captain I have read or eaten uses bone-in, skin on chicken pieces, or just a quartered chicken.  But I find that awkward to eat, and you really don’t get enough of the deep, spiced sauce for my liking.  So I altered my recipe to be more like a chicken stew, with hearty chunks of boneless thighs and breast.  I’ve upped the spice factor too and added a little sweet sophistication with a dash of Madeira (a very popular tipple at the time this dish was born).  Country Captain is generally served with rice, once a staple grown in the Low Country, but I say why go plain when you can boost the flavor with some coconut.

Country Captain with Coconut Rice

For the Country Captain:

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

½ Tablespoon garam masala

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

6 strips of bacon

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

3 stalks celery, finely diced

1 green bell pepper finely diced

2 galric cloves, minced

¼ cup Madeira

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

½ cup golden raisins

3 stalks thyme

½ cup slivered almonds

For the Coconut Rice:

1 ½ cups long grain white rice

1 (13 – 14- ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk

2 cups water

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Mix the curry powder, salt, garam masala, ginger and cinnamon together in a small bowl.  Trim the chicken of extra fat and cut into chunks, about 2 inches.  Place the chicken on a plate and sprinkle ½ the spice mixture over the top.  Leave to sit for about 15 – 30 minutes, while you get on chopping the other ingredients.

Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until just crispy.  Remove to paper towels to drain using a slotted spoon.  Carefully pour the bacon grease into a heat proof bowl of measuring jug.  Return 2 Tablespoons of fat to the pan, then add the chicken pieces in one layer.  You’ll need to do this in batches, don’t crowd the pot.  Cook the chicken pieces until lightly brown and sealed, flip over and do the same to the other side.  Remove to a plate and finish all the chicken.  If you need to, add a bit more bacon grease as you go.  When all the chicken is seared, add 2 more Tablespoons grease to the pot.  If you run out of grease, use vegetable oil.  Stir in the onion, celery and green pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and translucent.  Add the garlic and cook a further minute, then sprinkle over the remaining spice blend, stir and cook until you get a beautiful waft of fragrance from the pot.  Pour in the Madeira and stir, scraping up the lovely brown bits from the bottom of the pot, until the liquid is evaporated.

Pour in the tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a nice bubble.  Add the raisins, half of the cook bacon and the thyme stalks.  Return the chicken to the sauce, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked through.  Give it a stir occasionally to make sure nothing on the bottom burns.  Remove the lid and cook for another 30 minutes until the sauce thickens a little, stirring frequently.

The Country Captain can be made up to a day ahead at this point, cooled, covered and refrigerated.  Reheat gently, adding a bit more chicken broth if needed.

Remove the thyme stems from the stew and serve in a big bowl over coconut rice. Sprinkle with the remaining bacon pieces and the slivered almonds.

For the Rice:

Stir the rice, coconut milk, water sugar and salt together in a medium saucepan with a tightfitting lid.  Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid is almost evaporated and little steam vents form on the surface of the rice.  Remove the pan from the heat, cover it with a tea towel then the pot lid.  Leave for about 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

Serves 4

The first spring weekend of farmers market season is exciting.  I am ready for all that fresh produce with a new treat arriving each week and little surprises on every visit.  I know that I am closer to juicy strawberries, my first tomato in months, bright, sweet corn and so many things.  I know [...]]]>

The first spring weekend of farmers market season is exciting.  I am ready for all that fresh produce with a new treat arriving each week and little surprises on every visit.  I know that I am closer to juicy strawberries, my first tomato in months, bright, sweet corn and so many things.  I know it is all about to start.  But in reality, that first Saturday is a little sparse.  The greens lingering from winter, a few spring flowers, but not the spectacular array soon to come.  S on the first market day this year, I came away mostly with baked goods and a restock on pastured meat.  Not a huge haul, but still a fun trip.

As I unpacked my oilcloth market bag at home, I took stock of my purchases and realized I had leeks, bacon, eggs and goat cheese.  Flamiche!  In the fridge I had some local milk and cream, and with a quickly made piecrust, I was ready for a very elegant, locally sourced spring lunch.

This quiche-like tart is a traditional Belgian dish, with the old-world flavors of smoky bacon, salty goat cheese and jammy leeks.  When I buy leeks fresh from the farmer, there are sometimes a few very thin pencil leeks in the bunch.  I like to press them into the top of the filling before baking, because it is such a lovely presentation.  You can slice right through them or pull them off before serving.  I like the look of my square tart pan, but round is beautiful too.

Flamiche

Belgian Leek, Goat Cheese and Bacon Tart

If you buy your leeks from a farmers market and they are thinner than grocery store varieties, you will need more.

1 pie crust for a 9-inch pie

2 large leeks or 3 medium (4 cups sliced), white and pale green parts only

¼ cup butter

½ cup water

8 strips of bacon

5 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled

½ cup whole milk

½ cup heavy cream

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Fit the prepared crust into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Slice the white and pale green part of the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice each half into thin half circles.  Place the leeks in a large bowl of cold water and swirl around with your hands, shuffling to separate the layers of leek. Leave for a few minutes to let any dirt settle to the bottom of a bowl.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat.  Scoop the leeks out of the water and shake to drain somewhat (do not pour the leeks and water into a strainer, the dirt will just fall back on the leeks) then add to the melted butter.  Stir to coat and then stir in the ½ cup water.  Cook for a few minutes, until the leeks begin to reduce in bulk, then cover, lower the heat to low and cook for 20- 25 minutes until the leeks are soft and semi-translucent. Stir occasionally during cooking and add a drop or two more water as needed.  Do not let the leeks brown. When the leeks are soft and pale, uncover and cook a few minutes more until any liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool. (The leeks can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered, until ready to use).

While the leeks are cooling, cook the bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread the cooled leeks evenly over the bottom of the prepared tart crust, smoothing the top.  Crumble the goat cheese and sprinkle over the top of the leeks.  Chop the bacon into small pieces and sprinkle in the tart.  In a small bowl or 4 cup measuring jug, whisk together the milk, cream, whole egg, yolk and pepper.  Pour this custard over the filling in the tart.  Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until the center is set and the top is golden brown.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6

Many years ago, I picked up a recipe card in the checkout line at a grocery store in London.  It had a complicated fish recipe, but what attracted me was the artichoke tartar sauce.  That card sat in my recipe file for years, until I rediscovered it and decided to give [...]]]>  

Many years ago, I picked up a recipe card in the checkout line at a grocery store in London.  It had a complicated fish recipe, but what attracted me was the artichoke tartar sauce.  That card sat in my recipe file for years, until I rediscovered it and decided to give it a go.  The recipe was a complete dud.  Weird ingredients, lengthy procedures and it just didn’t come together.  It left me with a bowl of gloopy, oddly colored mess.  So I threw the card away (and the sauce).  But the idea stuck.  A tangy, creamy sauce with a nice bite from artichoke hearts that would be a great accompaniment to seafood.  So I persevered and came up with this version.  I first took it to a friend’s house for a fish fry – they fried the fish caught that morning.  It was a big hit, so I wanted to share the recipe.

But it has taken me another few years to figure out how to do it.  I don’t particularly enjoy frying fish myself, so no duplicating the tartar sauce’s triumphant debut.  Then it hit me – crab cakes.  Like a semi-deconstructed crab and artichoke dip.  I fiddled with a classic crab cake recipe, paring it down to basic flavors so the tartar sauce wouldn’t be overwhelmed.  And pressing the mixture into little muffin tins makes them easier to cook and perfect bites for a party – they tins can be filled and refrigerated just until ready to bake.  A little dollop of tartar sauce makes them pretty, and the mini-sized, crispy sides make them easy to eat.

Crab Cake Bites with Artichoke Tartar Sauce

For the Crab Cakes:

2 eggs

1 pound lump crabmeat (see note)

2 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley

½ cu panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

½ teaspoon mustard powder

For the Tartar Sauce:

4 medium sized whole artichokes hearts (see note)

2 egg yolks

2 garlic cloves

2 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley leaves

2 Tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

¼ cup safflower, grapeseed or canola oil

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Pick over the crabmeat to make sure there are no pieces of shell, then add the crab to the eggs.  Add the melted butter, mayonnaise and parsley and fold together gently.  You want everything well combined but try not to break up the crabmeat.

Mix the breadcrumbs, baking powder, Old Bay and mustard powder together in a small bowl.  Add to the crab mixture and gently fold through.  Again, you want everything combined, but don’t break up the crabmeat. Refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour, but several is fine.  This binds the mixture together and makes it easier to fill the tins.

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Spray 24 mini-muffin cups well with non-stick cooking spray.  Fill each cup with crab cake mixture, pressing it in to fill it well.  Press a rounded teaspoon down in the middle of each cake to make a little well in the center (this will keep them from mounding up and create a nice flat surface for the tartar sauce).  You can cover the tins with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for several hours at this point.

Bake the crab cakes for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown, then cool in the pan for 5 minutes.  Use a knife to loosen the cakes and remove them from the pan.  Spoon a little tartar sauce on top of each cake and serve immediately, though these taste lovely at room temperature.

For the Tartar Sauce

Drain and rinse the artichoke hearts well and pat dry.  Drop them in a food processor (I use the mini) and add the capers, egg yolks, parsley and garlic cloves.  Pulse three to four times to break everything up into a rough paste; scrape down the sides of the bowl.  With the motor running, drizzle the oil into the bowl in a thin, steady stream.  Process until the sauce is thick and creamy.  Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.  Scrape the tartar sauce into a container and keep covered in the fridge until ready to use.  It will keep overnight.

Makes 24 crab cakes

Note:

I prefer pasteurized lump crab meat that I find in containers at the seafood counter at better grocery stores.

I generally used canned artichoke hearts in brine, rather than the marinated, quartered ones in jars because the marinated ones have some flavor additions.  If you can only find those, rinse them really well.  If you can only find quartered, use 12 quarters.

I don’t know who makes these decisions, but there is an endless list of “National Days” celebrating foods, dishes and ingredients.  I recently saw that it was National Pecan Month, so I thought I better pull out a preparation for the iconic Southern nut.  These are a salty, crunchy snack for the bar, or [...]]]>

I don’t know who makes these decisions, but there is an endless list of “National Days” celebrating foods, dishes and ingredients.  I recently saw that it was National Pecan Month, so I thought I better pull out a preparation for the iconic Southern nut.  These are a salty, crunchy snack for the bar, or on top of a salad, and once again prove that everything is better with bacon.

Bacon Fried Pecans

Let the bacon grease cool, then reheat it for frying.  The nuts burn quickly and reheating allows more control over the temperature.

1 pound bacon

8 ounces pecan halves

salt

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy.  Drain the bacon on paper towels, then transfer the bacon grease to a medium sized skillet and let cool.

Use a sturdy knife to chop 6 strips of bacon.  Save the rest of the bacon for another use.

Have a plate lined with paper towels ready by the stove. Reheat the bacon grease over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles, but do not let it smoke.  Drop a handful of pecans into the hot fat and stir around.  Remove with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate after about 15 seconds.  Just let the pecans turn a shade darker, watch carefully and do not let them burn.  Immediately sprinkle the hot pecans with salt.  Continue with the remaining pecans.  If the fat starts to smoke, remove from the heat for a few seconds to cool down.

When the pecans are cool, toss them with the chopped bacon and serve in a big bowl.

Makes 8 ounces