HUMMUS!

When I was sick this past month and I felt very nauseous, my neighborhood coffee place came to my rescue.

Outpost makes their own hummus and it's quite delicious. I ate a few orders of this to try to get myself on the mend and it helped tremendously!

Their hummus is spicy and flavorful and a little more dense than most traditional hummus you buy at the grocery store.

Of course, I decided to try and re-create it. This is definately a step in the right direction and is quite good, but might not be exactly like Outpost's hummus, for that, you should probably go to the real thing!


HUMMUS

*this makes enough for a week!

2 cans of Garbanzo/Chickpeas (15 oz)
Juice from 1 Lemon
4 to 6 cloves of Garlic, roughly chopped
A few swirls of good EVOO
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Palmful of Cumin
Palmful of Coriander
Half Palmful of Dried Oregano
Half Palmful of Ancho Chilli Powder
A few dashes of Tabasco's Habanero Hot Sauce

*Water: use this to thin down the hummus, adding just a little bit goes a long way

• Blend everything in the a food processor, you might have to do 2 batches. You have to help along the process by mixing the mixture around in between chops to make sure it is all even.

PERFECT LAMB APPETIZER

OK, like most recipes, it takes awhile to perfect. That being the lamb meatball I have been making for almost a year now! But, inspired by Ruth Reichl's recipes and their emphasis on simplicity, I created a lamb dish this weekend as a tapas-style appetizer for some girlfriends and it was perfect! So I had to write down the combination before I forgot it.

This is one of the easiest appetizers to make--it tastes and looks like it took forever, but really just takes a few minutes of prep and a few minutes of cooking, hardly any cutting involved either!

NOTE: This would also be amazing served on a bed of simple cous cous. I did not have any around, but I would like to serve it that way next time.

AROMATIC LAMB MEATBALLS w/ YOGURT & TOASTED PINE NUTS

1/2 lb of Ground Lamb
1 tblsp of Yogurt (good yogurt only, tart, like Erivan)
A few dashes of Worcestire Sauce
Half Palmful of Cumin
Half Palmful of Coriander
Quarter Palmful of Allspice (this is a Spice Blend)
Quarter Palmful of Dried Oregano
Eigth Palmful of Cayenne
Salt
Black Pepper

6 to 8 oz of Tart Plain Yogurt
1 Garlic clove, minced
Juice from 1/2 a Lemon
Salt

Handful of Toasted Pine Nuts

Optional: Cous Cous

• First do the prep: Mix all dried spices, tablespoon of yogurt and worcestire with ground lamb. Massage thoroughly so that all spices and liquids are absorbed by the meat, warming the meat in the process. Seperate into bite-size meat balls. NOTE: it is a good idea to bring any meat you are cooking, up to room temp from the fridge. Some believe that the shock from the cold fridge directly to a searing pan is too much a temp change for the meat. I tried bringing it up to room temp for this recipe and I swear that it changed the outcome. They were perfect. So leave the meat out up to 1 hour before cooking to allow it to warm slightly. I also did this with the yogurt, so that it was not too cold when I mixed everything together in the end.
• Make the yogurt: combine yogurt, garlic, lemon juice & salt. Stir. Set aside.
• Toast pine nuts: introduce nuts to a medium-high heated dry pan. Sautee, moving constantly, be careful not to burn. Once they have darkened slightly and are fragrant, remove from heat and set aside.
• When ready to serve: heat pan to medium/medium-high heat. Add meatballs, searing them on different sides every 30 seconds for a couple minutes. Then allow to cook for 3 to 5 more minutes, moving them every so often. Taste test to make sure they are done.
• Serve them in a shallow bowl topped with yogurt and then toasted pine nuts. You can also layer all of this on top of the cous cous--the cous cous will be delicious with the yogurt sauce.

SWEET GREEN BEAN ALMONDINE

I can't believe I hated Green Beans for so long. They're so unassuming, mild and generally non-offensive. And a recent guest to a dinner I prepared this weekend informed me, apparently filled with all 13 amino acids. Have to fact-check that one, but nonetheless, the green bean is now one of my favorites!

I attempted to recreate a dish I have had in many fancy steak-houses. It's a sweet, salty and littered with almonds.

It was very easy to make! A great side-dish or a dish in it's own right (I could eat all of this for dinner). I served it tapas-style for my dinner party this weekend. Enjoy!

SWEET GREEN BEAN ALMONDINE

2 to 3 handfuls of green beans, ends cut or snapped off
2 tblsp of Salted Butter
1/2 a clove of Garlic, minced
1 tblsp of Light Brown Sugar
dash of salt
handful of Sliced, Blanched Almonds

• To cook the Green Beans: you need to boil them gently first to make sure they are cooked through. Like a good pasta dish, you want the beans to retain their crunch so try in earnest not to over cook them, they are always better a little under-cooked than over-cooked! Bring a pot of water to boil, generously salted. Add Green Beans and boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
• While the beans are boiling, prepare a bowl filled with ice and cold water. Set aside.
• Remove beans from heat, drain in colander. Then with your tongs, dunk the beans in the ice-water--this is called BLANCHING--a cooking method used mainly for green vegetables in order to retain their bright green color. The philosphy is to "shock" the vegetable by taking it from boiling hot to ice cold in seconds. If left to cool-off by themselves, the greenness slowly fades. Especially good to do if you are not serving the dish right away.
• Dry off the beans with paper towel and set aside.
• Toast the almond slices by introducing them to a dry pan heated on medium-high heat. Add almonds and sautee them, moving them constantly for 1 minute or so, until they begin to brown, once they start to change color and are fragrant, remove and set aside.
• When you are ready to serve the dish, take a pan on medium heat. Melt butter and toss in garlic for a few seconds, then introduce green beans. Add a dash of salt. Sautee for a minute, then add the tablespoon of Brown Sugar and Almonds. Sautee for another minute or two, making sure they are heated to your liking, serve immediately.

Serves 3 to 4 as a side or appetizer.

YOU CAN DEVIL MY EGG (THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID)

Another BBQ favorite is the Deviled Egg. I have only had 2 Deviled Eggs in my life where I was surprised at how amazing they can be! One was at Lure, a restaurant in SoHo (the basement of our office building) where they top the favorite with Fish Eggs (sounds gross, but the little spheres of saltiness add nicely to the creamy yolks).

The other Deviled Egg was made by our friend, Laura, for her raging Memorial Day BBQ this past weekend. They were delicous! I asked her for the recipe and she gladly supplied it--so enjoy!

LAURA'S DEVILED EGGS

12-16 Hard Boiled Eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup Mayo
1/4 to 1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder (optional, but come on!)
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Paprika for Garnish

• Halve boiled eggs (once they have thoroughly cooled) and carefully remove yolks.
• To make 24 deviled eggs, use the whites of 12 eggs and the yolks from 14 to 16 eggs--using more yolks than whites will allow you to relaly load the shells up with the good stuff)
• Choose a mayonnaise/mustard ration within the 1:1--2:1 depending on how spicy you are feeling. Laura made them mustard heavy and they were delish!
• Whip together yolks, a total of 1 cup mayonnaise/mustard mix, salt and pepper, cayenne and garlic powder.
• When the yolk filling is light and fluffy transfer it to an icing bag with a wide tip and pipe filling into individual egg white shells.
• Sprinkle with paprika to garnish (cayenne can also be used as a spicy garnish).

Thanks Laura!

I LOVE THE TACO DIP (THAT'S WHAT HE SAID)

Be the sensation at any BBQ this summer!

'Tis the season for Grilled Meats and Deviled Eggs. And here's the dish that I love to bring to any BBQ and it is ALWAYS a hit, no matter the demographic!

It all started with my friend's Mom's Taco Dip. She used to make it all the time for us, and then my friend started to make it and I had to get the recipe! I have since taken this to at least a handful of BBQs and it's always gone at the end.

*NOTE: Mama Havill's original Taco Dip was a bit different, I couldn't remember it exactly and compromised and made the recipe below. But she originally called for a can of green chillis to be mixed in with the beans (instead I mixed in Taco Sauce), then a thin layer of Taco Sauce, and also to sprinkle chopped tomoatoes on top (I am very picky about tomatoes).

This Memorial Day I made TWO lasagna-pan sized dishes full and they were both gone!

What's fabulous about this dip is that
1) it is served cold or at room temp (if you've just made it)
2) it's totally adaptable to your tastes (exchange tomatoes for olives for example) and
3) it does not require cooking
4) all you have to do is assemble the ingredients---I
actually bought all the ingredients in a grocery store in Boston and assembled both pans at our host's apartment using nothing more than 1 mixing bowl and 1 spoon!

TOLEDO TACO-DIP
*This recipe makes 2 13x9 inch pan's worth of tasty taco dip

2 Disposable 13x9ish Aluminum Pans (no mess clean up for your hosts)
2 cans of Refried Beans (I used Fat-Free, but any kind you like)
1 large can of Taco Sauce (I used Medium, but would have rather used Hot)
2 bags of Mexican Shredded Cheese or Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 large container + 1 small container of Sour Cream
1 Head of Iceburg Lettuce, Shredded
1 Large Bottle of Pickled Jalapenos
1 Medium to Large Bottle/Can of Slice, Pitted Black Olives
2 bags of Chips of your Choice for Dipping

• Prepare the Refried Beans: Mix 1 can of beans to 1/2 bottle of Taco Sauce. You might want to microwave the beans/sauce together for about 1 minute just to make it softer to mix. Do this 2x as you have 2 pans to fill!
• Evenly spread out the bean mixture on the bottom of the pans.
• Layer an equal amount of Sour Cream into both pans, on top of the beans. The 2 mixtures might mix a little, but do your best to maintain the 2 levels.
• Shred the Iceberg Lettuce and evenly distribute on top of sour cream & refried beans.
• Then distribute sprinkle the black olives over the lettuce, as much as desired.
• Then distribute the cheese, evenly (1 packet to 1 pan) over everything.
• Last but not least, place the pickled Jalapeno slices all over the top.
• Serve with Chips. Place the 2nd one in the fridge--guarantee they will both be gone!

MAKING THE MOST OF IT

This situation happens all the time: experiment with a new recipe, it calls for fresh herbs, and you purchase a packet (they are expensive) and you end up only using a tablespoon of the stuff. Then you're left with tablespoon after tablespoon of excess and no where to put it! I mean, sprinkling herbs over salad or adding a pinch here and there will only get you so far. What can you do with an excess of herbs?

This was the precise culinary conundrum I found myself in after making a Tuscan Bean Soup (see post: SOUP FOR SPRING). I had plenty of fresh Sage & Rosemary sitting in my refrigerator. And recently, I have been monitoring my monthly expenses, so I was determined to maximize all of my purchases.

So...I made an Herb Butter! This way, I could save the herby spread in the fridge and enjoy it with many loaves of bread to come. Economic & Gourmet-sounding (and tasting)! Perfect! The uses of herb butters are endless I'm sure, you can do the obvious, like spread them on toast to add a fancy touch to any breakfast or sandwich, or you can use them to spread over fresh fish before you grill. I'm still thinking of other ways to use it! Anyone else have any suggestions?

The great thing about making butters, is that there are infinite possibilities! You can make butters with Shallots, or Garlic, or sweet butters like Strawberry Butter or Cinnamon & Brown Sugar. This is my first time making any kind of a spread, so the more I make, the more I can share! Here is the recipe for Rosemary/Sage Butter Spread. Also note that I mixed in EVOO to the Butter to A) make the sauting of herbs easier & B) to make the once cooled concoction easier to spread right out of the fridge!

ROSEMARY & SAGE BUTTER SPREAD

1 stick of butter
4 to 6 circles of EVOO in the pan
3 to 4 springs of Rosemary, Chopped
8 to 12 leaves of Sage, Chopped

• In your non-stick pan, heat 4 to 6 circle of EVOO on low heat.
• Add chopped herbs and lightly saute them for about 3 minutes
• Add stick of butter, cut the stick into a few pieces to help the melting process.
• After the butter melts, continue to saute lightly over low heat for about a minute or so, to incorporate.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO USE TOO MUCH HEAT! You don't want to burn the butter
• Use right away or place in a covered container and refrigerate for later use.

DINNER DATE IN A HURRY

When you're having someone over for dinner on a weeknight, you don't have all day to prepare complicated dishes. I think a great way to entertain in this situation is to fall back on the old-favorite: the Antipasto dish!

Antipasto is all about the choices you make and interesting presentation. There really is no cooking involved (or there doesn't HAVE to be any, but some are more ambitious than others).

HERE'S HOW I ARRANGE MY ANTIPASTO: purchase your favorite cheeses, maybe 2. I always serve baby Mozzarella. Then select some olives--a mix is always nice. Then you can select some sort of vegetables, a favorite is Roasted Peppers, but roasted or marinated Artichoke Hearts are always nice as well. You can always throw in some nuts--I like Walnuts. Set out some nice olive oil & balsalmic vinegar--use your good EVOO. Also essential is good bread, whatever you prefer, toast if it's not fresh. Meats round out the Antipasto nicely--I like to include just one (economical)--last time I chose Chorizo Sausage, and just warmed up the sausage on our Grill Pan while snacking on the rest of the spread. Other popular meats are usually cured meats like Salami, Proscuitto, Sopresatta. And of course, esential to a good antipasto, is the plating & presentation. Living in tiny apartments doesn't afford us the luxury of hainvg specific plates and tableware for the occasional Antipasto night--but just use what you have. You can use a cutting board to display the bread and use teacups to hold the pesto & dips. Speaking of dips these babies are a great way to liven up your spread use: olive tapenade, hummus, baba ganoush, etc. But my favorite is FRESH PESTO! This is how you make it--the hardest part is cleaning up the mess. Oh and invest in a Parmesan/Zester, very useful.

PESTO:

2 handfuls of thoroughly rinsed and thoroughly dried Basil Leaves
2/3 cup of Grated Parm
2/3 cup of Pine Nuts (don't have to be toasted)
1/3 to 2/3 cup of Good EVOO
Dashes of Salt & Pepper

2 cloves of garlic

Juice from Half a Lemon
Zest from Quarter of a Lemon

• mix together in food processor--serve! mmmmm.