Kentucky Derby Snaks

The Kentucky Derby is today and I have been planning some special snacks for the big event. ‘The Local Palate’ had some great ideas for a derby party so I have tried three of them and found them to be tasty and easy to do. Kentucky is known for its ham so what a better pick up than ham biscuits? With the ham biscuits is a salad with butterbeans and radishes. A little different but good. For more pick up foods we have pickled shrimp on deviled eggs and pimento cheese gougères. This is a take on the French cheese puffs knows as gougères, but done with pimento cheese. It is not too late to make some of these so get ready for the fastest two minutes in sports.

 

From ‘The Local Palate’ May 2018.

Pickled Shrimp Deviled Eggs

Serves 6

 

For the shrimp:

1 ½ pounds extra-small shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 small head fennel, cored and thinly sliced

10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

5 whole bird’s eye chilies

1 teaspoon whole allspice berries

3 bay leaves

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup rice wine vinegar

½ cup olive oil

For the deviled eggs:

1 dozen large eggs

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

Make the shrimp: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add shrimp, cook for 60 seconds, and drain. In a large, nonreactive container, layer shrimp and aromatics. Pour liquid ingredients over top while shrimp are still warm. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours to allow shrimp to pickle.

Make the eggs: Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat and carefully lower eggs into boiling water. Set a timer for 8 minutes, and while eggs are cooking, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. After 8 minutes, drain and shock eggs in ice bath, then peel them. Halve eggs and place yolks in the bowl of a food processor with mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice. Run food processor until mixture is completely smooth, about 2 minutes, and then adjust seasoning.

To assemble: Spoon filling into a zip-top bag, snip end from bag, and pipe filling into egg halves. Drain pickled shrimp and vegetables, chop pickled vegetables finely, and top each egg half with a pinch of chopped vegetables and a pickled shrimp.

 

Pimento Cheese Gougères

Makes 25

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 ½ cups flour

4 large eggs

6 ounces finely shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 (12-ouce) Jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1 large egg yolk, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium pot over medium heat, combine butter, salt, and 1 cup water. When butter is melted, remove pot from heat, add flour, and whisk well to combine. Return to heat and cook mixture, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon, until dough pulls together and forms a mass, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until dough is no longer tacky, about 2 minutes more. Remove pot from heat and let dough cook slightly. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating completely before adding the next. Stir in about 5 ounces of cheese and chopped peppers.

Spoon dough into a zip-top bag, snip end from bag, and pipe 1-inch rounds onto a sheet pan. Brush with beaten egg yolk and top with remaining cheese. Bake until risen and browned, about 25 minutes.

 

Butterbean and Radish Salad

Serves 6

For the dressing:

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

For the salad:

12 ounces shelled butterbeans (fresh or frozen)

1 bunch radishes, very thinly sliced

½ cup chopped dill fronds

½ cup tarragon leaves

½ cup torn mint leaves

Make the dressing: Combine ingredients in a lidded jar and shake vigorously.

Make the salad: Prepare an ice bath. Blanch butterbeans in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, then shock in ice bath. Drain and cool butterbeans. In a medium bowl, toss butterbeans, radishes, and herbs with dressing.

 

 

 

 

 

Recipis from the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi coast is one of the most traveled locales on the planet. The entire area (a scenic peninsula south of Naples that juts into the Tyrrhenian Sea) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What people do not know is it is home to some of the best food in the world. Since the Middle Ages people have been making use of this land which has delicious apples, pears, and other fruits and vegetables that we associate with cool weather seasons. These are farmed at elevation and terraced gardens on the steep hillsides. The region is famous for its perfumed lemons, and the lemons come in over a dozen shapes, sizes, and species. They are also features in their paintings, sculptures, backyards, front yards and hotel gardens.

The food of the Amalfi Coast is representative of the ideals of Italian food and what gives it such wide appeal: It is seasonal, simple, and micro-regional. I was in Sorrento many, many years ago and this article brought back old memories. I do not remember what I ate (was not into food so much then) but remember the blue of the water and the small villages set in the hillside. Would love to go back, but tried these two recipes from the area and they were so delicious. The taste of lemon in the pasta was fabulous and the shrimp (cooked with head and shell on) had the taste of the sea. So if you can’t go at least try the recipes!

 

From ‘Food and Wine Magazine’ May 2018.

Creamy Lemon Pasta

Serves 4

4 qt. water

2 Tbsp. plus ¾ tsp. kosher salt

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. honey

3 medium shallots, minced (about ½ cup)

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb. dried fettuccine

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about ¾ cup)

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, for garnish

1/3 cup lemons, for garnish

Bring 4 quarts water to a rapid boil in a large pot, and season with 2 tablespoons kosher salt.

Meanwhile, heat oil and lemon zest in a large skillet over medium. Add remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, honey, and shallots, and cook until shallots are softened and oil is hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk in cream. Let simmer 2 minutes.

Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking liquid: drain. Add lemon juice to noodles; toss well to combine. The pasta will absorb the juice.

Stir cheese and ¼ cup reserved liquid into skillet with cream sauce. Add pasta, and toss to coat well. Add remaining ¼ cup reserved cooking liquid if necessary. Divide among 4 bowls, and garnish with pepper and lemons.

 

Shrimp with Potatoes and Tomatoes

Serves 4

1 lb. head-on jumbo shrimp

6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 medium shallots, minced (about 1/3 cup)

1 ½ tsp. seeded minced serrano chili (about 1 medium)

2 tsp. dried oregano

13 oz. baby Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered (about 2 cups)

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced (about1 tsp.)

½ cup white wine

3 cups ripe cherry tomatoes (about 1 lb.)

1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. ground white pepper

½ cup town fresh basil

Using a knife, make 1 ¼-inch deep cut along the back of each shrimp shell from head to tail. Leave shell and head intact. Using a small moistened paper towel and a paring knife, remove and discard the vein. Pat shrimp dry and set aside.

Heat ¼ cup oil in a very large skillet over medium-high until simmering and very hot. Add shrimp and sear until shells are scorched, about 1 minute. Transfer shrimp to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add shallots, chili, and oregano, and sauté until shallots are sizzling, about 30 seconds. Add potatoes and garlic, cover, and cook, shaking pan often, until edges of potatoes begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Uncover, add wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nearly evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add tomatoes, cover, and cook until tomatoes start to split and release their juices and potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook, turning occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through and tomatoes are soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper; stir in basil.

Divide among 4 shallow bowls, drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and serve.

 

Mother's Day 2018

I must confess that I am eating at Highlands Bar and Grill tonight for my mother’s day meal. What a treat!! Highlands Bar and Grill just won the James Beard Award for the best restaurant in America and I am so happy for Mr. Stitt. He deserves this and this is a big award for all of Alabama. We are on our way to Wilmington, NC to get the beach house ready for summer rental and I know we have a hard week ahead so we will eat well one night.

I have been looking for menus for mother’s day and found a lot of brunch ideas and foods small children can cook for their mother. I decided to do a spring vegetable frittata and creamy strawberry crepes for my choice of a meal and one easy for anyone to do. I have long done frittatas for breakfast but this one is not done with leftovers, but fresh vegetables. It was outstanding and I did it one night and we had it for three meals. It reheats well. The crepes are fabulous also and since crepes are really easy to do this should be a winner for mother. And oh! the creamy filling!

So Happy Mother’s Day and remember it is easier to eat at home than get a reservation on Sunday!!!

 

From ‘Allrecipes’ April 2018.

Spring Vegetable Frittata for Mother

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large leek (white part only) chopped

1 teaspoon salt, divided, or as needed

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

1 ½ cups (1/2-inch) sliced zucchini

1 ½ cups (1/2-inch) pieces asparagus

1 cup baby spinach

1 ½ cups sliced cooked potatoes

12 large eggs

1 pinch cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese, divided

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat oil in a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook leek with a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, until leeks soften and start to turn translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add jalapeño and zucchini, season with a pinch of salt. Cook until zucchini start to get tender and pale green, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until bright green, about 1 minute. Add spinach and another pinch of salt, cooking until wilted, 1 minute. Stir in cooked potatoes and heat through, about 5 minutes.

Crack 12 large eggs into a bowl. Add cayenne, salt, and pepper. Whisk for at least 30 seconds. Pour eggs over vegetables in skillet over medium heat. Add 3 ounces of crumbled feta cheese; stir lightly until evenly distributed. Top with remaining cheese. Remove from heat.

Bake in preheated oven until eggs are set, 12 to 15 minutes. When nearly set, turn on broiler. Broil frittata until top browns, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool slightly; serve warm.

 

Creamy Strawberry Crepes

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup water

3 tablespoons butter, melted

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 ¼ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

4 cups sliced strawberries

Place the eggs, milk, water, melted butter, flour, and salt in a blender; blend until smooth.

Blend the cream cheese, confectioners, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped cream.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 2 tablespoons for each crepe. Tip and rotate the pan to spread batter as thinly as possible. Flip over when the batter is set and the edges are beginning to brown. Cook until the other side begins to brown, Stack finished crepes on a plate, cover with a damp towel and set aside.

To serve, fill each crepe with ¼ cup sliced strawberries and 1/3 cup of the cream cheese filling, roll up and top with a small dollop of the cream cheese filling and more sliced strawberries.

 

 

 

 

Smothered Crawfish

Recently in New Orleans a friend invited us for a dinner of ‘smothered crawfish.’ I had not heard the term before. He explained it was essentially crawfish étouffée using a recipe from his French grandmere for her ‘ti garçon’. He used the trinity and some garlic which he added to a butter based light roux. No tomatoes.

Reading recently about Trump’s State Dinner for Emmanuel Macron I noted they served jambalaya with the lamb. The Louisianans invited noted it was all the consistency of rice. It apparently had all the ingredients but all chopped fine. “It was good,” said one, “but it was not jambalaya.” That led to the discussion as to whether tomatoes should be included. Every Maman has a different take on the classics.

This led to research on toufée and smothered and what to include. The March/April issue of ‘Louisiana Kitchen & Culture’ had just the article I was looking for---‘On a Quest for the Origins of Έtouffée.’ They noted that étouffée translates as smothered. “To Louisianans, Cajuns in particular, it brings to mind a delicious pot full of something, usually crawfish, that’s been smothered under a bed of aromatics and is ready to be piled over fluffy, hot white rice.” But, start with a roux? include tomatoes?

In Mémère’s, Country Creole Cookbook, I found a basic ‘smothered’ recipe taken from Louisiana’s German coast. Although my friend has a German surname as well as French ancestors he is not actually from the German coast but a little upriver.

From, Mémère’s Country Creole Cookbook, Recipes and Memories from Louisiana’s German Coast, by Nancy Tregre Wilson.

Crawfish Étouffée

Serves 4

1 pound crawfish tails

¼ cup butter

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup celery

½ cup bell pepper

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

2 cups seafood or chicken broth or stock, divided

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Hot cooked rice for serving

If using frozen crawfish, thaw and soak in cold water 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

Add 1 ½ cups broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add crawfish and simmer 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and remaining ½ cup broth. Stir into gravy. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve over hot rice.

We started our evening in the French Quarter courtyard with cocktails, what else? I have found a new favorite which has been around for ages but I only learned of it last year. The Vieux Carré was invented by bartender Walter Bergeron at Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar in 1938. It first appeared in print in Stanley Clisby Arthur’s Famous New Orleans Drinks & How to Mix ‘Em. Mix ¾ oz. cognac, ¾ oz. rye whiskey, ¾ oz. sweet vermouth and ½ tsp Bénedéctine with a dash of Angostura Bitters and a dash of Peychaud Bitters over ice, shake, and pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with a twist of orange peel or a cherry.

For appetizers our friend grilled boudin which we ate with mustard. My son brought out a sparkling rosé. Sparkling is my favorite wine. Then came the smothered crawfish over rice with a salad. Dessert, as if we needed it, was a strawberry pie with whipped cream. It was a wonderful evening in the French Quarter, a balmy evening with wonderful food and family and friends.

Blueberries

My husband is producing so many blueberries we cannot eat them fast enough. This may be our best year so far. So it is a good thing they are good for you. We are eating them three times a day. Dessert at every meal.

They are available in the markets now, but it is nice to have them at home. Plant several varieties and have them ripening early and late so as to prolong the season. And be sure to get varieties suitable for the South. Plant Southern highbush or Rabbiteye (which are taller and wider than highbush and easier to establish). They take a couple years to get started producing well. They should be mulched with tree leaves so as to help keep the soil acidic. They are not bothered much by pests but today I had to pick several caterpillars off which were defoliating the plants. Every year is different.

Blueberries are low in calories and high in nutrients. They have only 80 calories per cup so you can eat a lot of them. They are the king of antioxidant foods. They may lower blood pressure. They can reduce DNA damage and protect against ageing and cancer. Blueberries can also protect cholesterol in the blood from becoming damaged.

Blueberries are soft and wonderful to eat with or without cream. Cereal topped with blueberries, or pancakes with blueberries are a treat for breakfast. Blueberry muffins right out of the oven are irresistible and a blueberry pie or cobbler is out of this world.

So give this blueberry pie a try. It is delicious!

From the City Magazine of Charleston, June 2018.

Blueberry Cheese Pie

Serves 8

For the blueberry topping:

¾ lb. fresh blueberries (about 2 cups)

½ cup sugar (or more to taste)

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes, until the berries burst and a sauce forms that is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Transfer to a heatproof container, cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate.

For the pie crust:

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs

½ cup finely chopped pecans

¼ tsp. cinnamon

5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, pecans, cinnamon, and melted butter in a medium bowl and stir to incorporate. Transfer the mixture to an eight-inch pie pan and press it out evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Bake the crust for five minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature.

For the cheese filling:

16 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup heavy cream

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

½ cup sugar (or more to taste)

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla extract, sugar, and lemon juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixture, and mix until they are incorporated and the mixture is creamy and smooth.

Pour the filling unto the pie pan and smooth the top flat. Spoon the chilled blueberry mixture on top. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up before serving. The pie will keep for two days in the refrigerator.

Charleston and Spoleto 2018

 

This year we decided to return to Charleston for four days of Spoleto. It is always a treat to return to the Holy City and enjoy some gardens, plays, and music. The open gardens were very similar behind and beside the Charleston single houses. My take away, garden wise, were the window boxes. They were everywhere. We heard that there are several companies servicing these, watering, trimming, changing out plants. We heard the Westminster Choir again, but the play/musical/ballet, The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, a story of the painter Marc Chagal and his wife Bella was the hit for us this year. The choir of St. Phillip’s on Sunday morning was excellent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is also the food! Charleston is known for a food destination these days so we did try some new restaurants and some old favorites.

We did return to our old favorite, Graze, in Mt. Pleasant, SC for lunch (which I have mentioned before) and we were not disappointed with the food. We knew not to order so much food. Instead of the pulled pork and collards “mac and cheese” we ordered only one lobster “mac and cheese.” It was delish and I have a recipe for this dish below.

Our son now lives in Charleston so he and his wife had made reservations at McCrady’s which is an old favorite and one of Sean Brock’s restaurants. I was a little disappointed in the food, service, and just the whole scene. The music was loud and one could not talk. My pork tenderloin was fatty and tough. They also had mac and cheese but not as good as Graze. I will hold off on this restaurant for awhile.

 

 

Now, Sean Brock also has Minero, a Mexican restaurant on E. Bay Street and we had wonderful shrimp and cauliflower tacos and a huge burrito that we shared. This is a great restaurant for lunch. Also we had lunch on Sunday at Husk, another Sean Brock restaurant and it was delightful even if the service was a little slow. My shrimp salad with radishes, fennel, and cucumbers was just fresh and light and perfect. Everyone enjoyed their meal so I would definitely return to this restaurant. We have included it on every visit to Charleston since it opened.

We tried a new French restaurant called Chez Nous, in an old house on Payne Street. They only have two appetizes and two mains to choose from. So a limited menu which changes every day. People follow it every day to see what is on the menu. I had mussels and a duck in pastry. It was fine but not worth the trip over with Uber!!

Our last evening we drove out to Edmund’s Oast, which is a local restaurant with an interesting menu. They also had mac and cheese with peas and curry. This was delicious. Mac and cheese seemed to be the go to thing in Charleston. My husband had a wonderful chicken dish in a coconut curry sauce, but I choose a shrimp, crab, and curry salad which was mostly carrots but still good. This was not our first time and I would return again.

So that is what eating out is all about! You win and lose but all in all it is a learning experience. These recipes are my takeaway from Charleston. It is a wonderful city and one you should visit.

 

Shrimp Salad with Cucumbers, Fennel, and Radishes

Serves 8

2 lbs. small shrimp, shell on

Kosher salt

2 fennel bulbs, sliced ¼ “thick

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Coarsely ground black pepper

½ cup small dill sprigs

Cook Shrimp in a large pot of salted boiling water until pink and cooked thoroughly about 3 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Peel and devein shrimp and place in a large bowl. Add fennel, fennel fronds, cucumber, radishes, onion, and lemon juice and toss with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and toss. Add dill and lemon zest and toss again. Top with more pepper before serving.

Salad can be made 4 hours head. Cover and chill.

 

Lobster Mac and Cheese

Serves 6-8

Kosher salt

Vegetable oil

1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni

1 quart milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

½ cup all-purpose flour

12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated 4 cups

8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, gated (2 cups)

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon nutmeg

 1 ½ pounds cooked lobster meat

1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to directions on the package, 6-7 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil. In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and lobster and stir well. Place the mixture in 6 to 8 individual gratin dishes.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the panko crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

 

 

Summer Jefferson Symposium 2018

In 2011 we attended our first Jefferson symposium at the University of Virginia. We decided to return this year and see what was new at Monticello and what was new on Jefferson.

Only appropriate that we talk about Jefferson at this time of the year---the 4^th of July, the Declaration of Independence. And if you didn’t know Jefferson died on July 4^th, on the 50^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. His friend, John Adams, also died that day. Monticello has many visitors every year. The Foundation that owns and interprets it, continues to investigate, and interpret the plantation, the only President’s home that is a World Heritage Site. Visitors have been coming to the mountain top even before Jefferson died to see where this founding father lived, thought, and worked. More is being done now to interpret the contributions that the women made and the role that the enslaved had on the mountain. As one of our speakers noted, it is important to recognize these contributions; let us not forget that it is Jefferson, the President, the ambassador to Paris, the author of the Declaration of Independence, the author of the religious freedom in the Virginia Constitution, the founder of the University of Virginia, the President who was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase, the sponsor of the Lewis and Clark exploration, who is at the center of this place.

It was a delightful weekend. Many of the participants chose to stay in one of the coveted rooms on the Lawn. (The Lawn is the center of the university; the rest is the grounds, not the campus.)  We stayed in a dorm room but only the bed was hard. We at least had air and a bathroom which the Lawn rooms do not. We were trying to pretend we were college students again.

This symposium focused on Jefferson and his retirement years which included one of the three things he thought important enough to carve on his tombstone---the founding of the University of Virginia. As well as looking at Monticello with a special tour and guide, the lectures covered the building of the University and the role that the enslaved played in the building and the running of the University.

One morning was spent at the Jefferson Library, located on an estate near Monticello. There they are working on editing the papers of Jefferson. A surprise was finding that this was a retreat for President Franklin Roosevelt. It belonged to one of his generals and was close to Washington. It was where he was to give his D-Day speech until the date was changed.

Our foods were mostly good. Our dinner at the Rotunda in the Dome Room was the best, with a great salad and a tender steak. Our lunches were Greek one day and sandwiches on the other days. But you have to be flexible to feed 45 people. We had a barbecue dinner on the rooftop of the Graduate Hotel which had a great appetizer of pimento cheese fritters.

 

Our last night at Montalto (the high mountain that Jefferson owned but did not build on) had a fabulous view but food was just so-so. We had salmon with an asparagus pea risotto which was not that tasty. I am sure if we could have dined in Charlottesville in some of the finer restaurants our food would have been better but that is for another time.

Here are some of my take away for the food for the Jefferson weekend.

Great appetizer from the Rotunda: Cut a piece of pita bread in squares, add some hummus on top and then place some really small slices of zucchini (yellow or green) on top with small bites of red onion and red pepper. Delicious.

 

At The Graduate Hotel our appetizer was pimento cheese fritters. I asked how it was done and the chef said you must freeze your pimento cheese first. Then roll in bread crumbs and fry for 2 minutes. Also delicious. Add some Tabasco, too.

I bought a new cookbook called “Dishing up Virginia”. Of course there was a section on Monticello and the food produced there. According to the folks at Monticello, salads of the time included a mix of “garden stuff,” such as lettuce, spinach, herbs, and sprouts. Dressings were often made with a base of sesame seed oil, extracted by pressing the seeds at the estate. Benne (the Bantu word for sesame, which is still used In the South) probably came to this country with African slaves in the seventeenth century.

Mixed Garden Salad with Monticello Dressing from Dishing Up Virginia by Patrick Evans-Hylton

4-6 servings

Monticello Dressing:

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon sugar

Salad:

1 head butter or Bibb lettuce

1 head Belgian endive

1 bunch watercress

2 cups red oak or red leaf lettuce

2 cups baby spinach

4 scallions, chopped, white and light green parts only

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, sesame oil, Dijon, salt, white pepper and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

Tear the butter lettuce and endive into bite-size pieces. Toss with the watercress, red oak lettuce, baby spinach, and scallions. Divide among serving plates and drizzle with dressing. (Reserve any remaining dressing for another use.) Serve immediately.

Have a great 4^th!