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Shaved Carrot and Ginger Salad

February 29, 2012 by

A few weeks ago, The Chef and I participated in the Missouri Organic Association’s (MOA) “Seed to Plate Mystery Basket” cooking competition at the annual MOA conference. Humble brag … we won.

Since then, I’ve been asked for the recipes for the dishes we made, and while I just don’t have the time to write recipes for the completed dishes right now, there are a few components that can easily be whipped up into fabulous dishes of their own.

First up is the shaved carrot, orange, and ginger salad I made to go with our pan-fried tilapia dish. Consisting of just five ingredients (not including salt and pepper), this “salad” is quick, easy, refreshing, and a beautiful accompaniment to any plate.

While this salad can be served immediately after making it, I like the tart taste that results from letting the carrots “marinate” in the apple cider vinegar for a bit. So, if you like the pungent taste of pickled vegetables as much as I do, then I suggest making this salad an hour or so before serving, but either way … it’s going to taste great!

Shaved Carrot Salad

Shaved Carrot and Ginger Salad

Ingredients:

  • 6 medium carrots, peeled
  • 1 medium orange
  • 2 teaspoons freshly-grated ginger
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the peeled carrots into long ribbons. Place the shaved carrots in a bowl of water filled with ice cubes for 15 minutes (this will give you extra crisp carrots). Remove carrots from ice bath and pat dry.

2. Zest the orange, setting zest aside for later use, then juice the orange into a medium-sized bowl.

3. To the orange juice, add the ginger, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and orange zest. Whisk to combine.

4. Add shaved carrots to dressing, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes approximately 4 servings.

 
 

P.S. Come join The Salad Social at TidyMom sponsored by The International Olive Council’s Add Some Life.

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Pig Dip

February 27, 2012 by

It’s that time again … Secret Recipe Club time!

Faithful readers of Rhubarb and Honey know that I’ve been participating in The Secret Recipe Club for awhile now. The idea of The Secret Recipe Club is similar to other blog exchanges in that each participating blogger is assigned another participating blog to make a recipe from, but the twist with The Secret Recipe Club is that you can’t tell anyone whose blog you have—shhhh, it’s a secret!—until you finally post about the blog you were assigned and the recipe you chose.

Secret Recipe Club
 

After taking a month of to recover from the holidays, the Secret Recipe Club is back, and this month I was assigned the fabulous food blog, So Tasty, So Yummy. So Tasty, So Yummy is written by Katie, who resides in Houston, though according to her blog, she’s currently traveling in Singapore and Bali … and yes, I’m jealous!

Katie has a zillion great recipes on her blog, and I thought it may be difficult to chose just one … but as soon as saw her recipe for “pig dip,” I knew I had found the one. You may recall that The Chef and I regularly compete in BBQ competitions with our family’s BBQ team, Serious Que, so anytime I get the chance to experiment with BBQ recipes, I can’t pass it up.

In reading through Katie’s post, she mentioned that she got the recipe for pig dip from Maryanna at Taste & See so I popped over to Maryanna’s blog to check out her post, and it was there I learned that this recipe originally came from BBQ legend Big Bob Gibson and was published in Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary Barbecue Joint by Chris Lilly, another BBQ legend.

Competitive BBQ is just that—competitive—but it’s also filled with folks who just plain love BBQ and will do almost anything to help one another out so I have to give credit where credit is due … and if you want even more great BBQ recipes, I suggest getting your hands on a copy of this cookbook!

Okay, on with the pig dip show. I know what you’re thinking … what the heck is pig dip? Well, I won’t keep you in suspense any longer … it’s BBQ sauce, specifically Western Carolina-style BBQ sauce, which means it’s made with vinegar and either tomato paste, tomato sauce, or ketchup. The United States has a variety of regionally-based BBQ sauce styles, and while I won’t overwhelm you with them all right now, I think perhaps that’s a great topic for another post.

I adapted Bob Gibson’s “Western Carolina Pig Dip” recipe a bit; most notably, I omitted the hot sauce it called for and added in BBQ rub. Our BBQ team, Serious Que, has its own signature rub, and while I can’t give out that recipe, I can tell you that there are many great BBQ rubs out there. Some are smoky, some are spicy, some are sweet … just find one you like and go with that.

This recipe is quick, easy, and delicious … so easy and delicious that I hope you’ll consider making it instead of buying a mass-produced, commercial BBQ sauce. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did!

Pig Dip

Pig Dip

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons barbeque rub
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized nonreactive bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk to combine.

NOTES: While this sauce can be served immediately, I suggest making it the day before to give the flavors time to meld. If making it ahead of time, store in the refridgerator until ready to use.

 
 

To learn more about The Secret Recipe Club or to join in (you do have to have a blog with a decent number of recipes for others to choose from), click here to read about it and sign up!



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Prosciutto and Parmesan Wrapped Grissini

February 24, 2012 by

Don’t fear, faithful readers. I’m not introducing you to some stange gremlin or goblin … “grissini” is simply the Italian word for long, thin, dry breadsticks … and when combined with just two other simple ingredients, they make a warm, salty, crispy appetizer that’s sure to please almost every palate.

In addition to making a quick and easy appetizer, prosciutto and parmesan wrapped grissini (or simply prosciutto wrapped breadsticks) also make a great accompaniment to antipasto platters, entree or side salads, and almost any soup … and if one were to whip these up as a midnight snack (who me? no, never), I think that would be a perfect choice as well!

Prosciutto and Parmesan Wrapped Grissini

Prosciutto and Parmesan Wrapped Grissini

Ingredients:

  • 20 long, thin, crispy breadsticks
  • 7 thin prosciutto slices
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two medium baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. To prepare ingredients, first cut each slice of prosciutto into three long, thin strips, then spread Parmesan cheese on plate.

3. Wrap one strip of prosciutto diagonally around each breadstick. Holding breadstick and prosciutto at both ends, roll breadstick in cheese to coat lightly.

4. Place wrapped and coated breadsticks on baking sheets; bake for 10 to 15 minutes until breadsticks are golden and prosciutto is crispy.

5. Serve immediately.

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Eggs Jeanette

February 18, 2012 by

I’ve been meaning to make this recipe for years … almost 3 years in fact.

I first learned of “eggs Jeanette” from my friend and fellow food blogger, Iron Stef. Stef’s recipe for this interesting and unusual egg dish caught my eye when she made it back in 2008, and I’ve revisted her recipe many times, always saying to myself, “I need to make these soon.” Well, soon is finally here!

As Stef mentions in her blog post, “eggs Jeanette” is the creation of beloved chef, Jacques Pépin, or more appropriately, Chef Pépin’s mother.

As he writes in his memoir, The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen, “When we were kids, eggs were a staple on our table. Meat or poultry showed up there once a week at the most, and more often than not, our “meat” dinners consisted of a delicious ragout of potatoes or cabbage containing bits of salt pork or leftover roast. Eggs were always a welcome main dish, especially in a gratin with béchamel sauce and cheese, and we loved them in omelets with herbs and potatoes that Maman would serve hot or cold with a garlicky salad.

Our favorite egg recipe, however, was my mother’s creation of stuffed eggs, which I baptized “eggs Jeanette.” To this day, I have never seen a recipe similar to hers, and we still enjoy it often at our house. Serve with crusty bread as a first course or as a main course for lunch.”

Essentially pan-fried deviled eggs drizzled with tangy dressing, “eggs Jeanette” are warm, comforting, and utterly delicious. I can’t believe it took me almost three years to make them … but I guarantee it won’t be nearly that long before I make them again.

I adapted Chef Pépin’s recipe to fit what I had in my pantry, and I hope my version does his—and his mother’s—justice.

Eggs Jeanette

Eggs Jeanette

Adapted from The Essential Pépin by Jacques Pépin

Ingredients:

Eggs:

  • 6 large hard boiled eggs, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons leftover egg stuffing (from above)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons milk
  • Salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. Gently cut each hard boiled egg in half, then carefully remove yolks, placing yolks in a bowl and setting the whites aside.

2. To the yolks, add the garlic, onion, parsley, milk, salt, and pepper. Mash with a fork to combine. Carefully spoon the yolk mixture back into the hollows of the egg whites, reserving 2 tablespoons of the filling to use in the dressing.

3. Heat the olive oil and butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the eggs, stuffing side down, in the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the eggs are browned on the stuffed side. Remove from skillet and place on a platter, stuffed side up.

4. In a small bowl, combine reserved egg stuffing, mustard, and sour cream. Whisk to combine, adding milk as necessary to acheive a smooth, creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Spoon the dressing over the warm eggs and serve. Serves 4.

NOTES: Not sure how to hard boil eggs? Here’s my method.

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And The Mystery Ingredient Is …

February 12, 2012 by

Ever wonder what it would be like to be a contestant on cooking competition shows a la Chopped or Iron Chef? Yeah, me too … and a few weeks ago, I learned exactly what that experience was like.

The Missouri Organic Association (MOA) recently held its annual conference here in St. Louis, and The Chef and I were asked to compete as one of three chef/food blogger teams in MOA’s “Seed to Plate Mystery Basket” cooking competition … and since The Chef and I are both fairly competitive by nature, we jumped at the chance.

Our competitors were friends and fellow chefs/food bloggers, chef David Kirkland of Cafe Osage at Bowood Farms and food blogger Denise Phelabaum Evans of Eat, Laugh, Love, and chef Pat Long of Café Mosaic and food blogger Alanna Kellogg of both A Veggie Venture and Kitchen Parade. (You may notice I said friends, and it’s true … the St. Louis food community is a tight-knit group so almost all of us knew each other going in to the competition. Nothing like a little good-natured competition among friends for bragging rights, eh?)

The competition was comprised of two 1-hour rounds; the top two finishers of the first round moved ahead to compete in a second round to determine an overall winner. Curious to know who won each round? Well, keep reading!

In addition to the ingredients in the mystery baskets, all of the teams had access to a “pantry” that included a variety of organic produce, vinegars, oils, flour, sugar, salt, etc, plus access to a refrigerator filled with bacon, butter, milk, and the like. As for cooking utensils, each team had three hot plates at their stations, plus access to two community ovens. Ready, set … go!

In the first round, our mystery basket ingredients were naturally-grown tilapia from Mystic Foods in Trenton, Missouri; sunchokes from emcee, Executive Chef at Monarch Restaurant, and friend Josh Galliano’s garden; and black walnuts from Missouri Northern Pecan Growers, LLC.

After consulting with one another about our plan of attack, The Chef and I set about whipping up our dish. We roasted the black walnuts in the oven and then ground them to use as a coating for the tilapia, which was then pan-fried to perfection.

Remember when I said The Chef and I are both fairly competitive by nature? Well, we may or may not have brought a pressure cooker (and other cooking utensils we can’t live without), which may or may not have been used to whip up a delicious sunchoke and potato puree. Okay, that’s exactly what we did … and then we finished our dish with a fabulous bacon caramel The Chef created and a shaved carrot, orange, and ginger salad that I made from the ingredients in the pantry. Whew … what an hour!

So, how did our dish fare? Well, I’m proud to say that we won round one! I was so excited, even though it meant we had to do it all over again with another basket of mystery ingredients.

Advancing to round two with us were David and Denise, and for this round, our mystery basket was comprised of pork tenderloin from Circle B Ranch in Seymour, Missouri, plus black garlic, regular garlic, onions, and chives. Not familiar with black garlic? It’s a type of fermented garlic typically used in Asian cuisine. The shockingly black cloves are soft, and the taste is slightly sweet and “syrupy.”

After another quick consultation, The Chef seared off the pork tenderloin, placed it in the oven to cook for a bit, then finished it with applewood smoke using another one of those cooking utensils we can’t live without, The Smoking Gun (I told you we were competitive).

While the pork smoked, The Chef and I made some mayonnaise, which he then turned into a white barbeque sauce (similar to Big Bob Gibson’s recipe). He then added some pureed black garlic to half of the white barbeque sauce to create two separate sauces for our dish. As for the rest of the ingredients in our mystery basket, we made a play on “potato salad,” adding cooked fingerling potatoes to a mixture of sautéed bacon, onion, garlic, and celery, and our final component was a quick cherry tomato and chive salad I made.

So, how did our second dish fare? I am again proud to say we won round two, taking the title of MOA’s “Seed to Plate Mystery Basket” champions. I knew that our dishes looked and tasted great, but I was surprised to hear our names called as the winners. … I had never done anything like this and had no idea what to expect!

I’d like to take a quick moment to thank the organizers of the event, Rene Sackett, the market master of the Ellisville Farmers Market, and Chef Galliano. I’d also like to thank the judges, Stefani Pollack of Cupcake Project, Ligaya Figueras of Sauce Magazine, Ben Poremba of Salume Beddu, and Nick Dunavant of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.

It was a fabulous afternoon and The Chef and I truly had a blast … and I hope we’re invited back next year to defend our title!

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