Red Devon '13

We have just returned from our annual Devon meeting which was held this year in western North Carolina. The farm visit was to the Lenoir Creek Farm of the Tranthams, operating since 1807 and raising Devon since 1849 when the cattle were brought to North Carolina by Capt. Thomas Lenoir from Maryland.  The Tranthams have been on this farm and raising Devon for 25 years and they have an amazing herd. Devon have been in America since the 1620’s and the breed used to be prevalent before the feed lots that began after WWII.  They are still a recovering breed according to the Rare Breeds Conservancy.

This year is a banner year as the two Devon organizations in the United States combined forces as Red Devon USA and plan to aggressively promote the breed as ‘Gourmet Beef on Grass.’  Angus has done a good job of branding. Devons are at the forefront of eating healthy with grass-fed, grass-finished beef. If they are fattened on grass and killed without stress, the meat is also tasty and tender. Grass-fed beef has less total fat, increased beta-carotene, vitamin E, B vitamins, thiamin and riboflavin, minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, total omega-3’s with a healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.  The meat is higher in CLA, a potential cancer fighter, and higher in vaccenic acid which can be transformed into CLA.

Grass-fed beef is becoming more available in the grocery store and in the future you are going to see grass-fed Devon available as well.

We ate the Trantham’s Devon all weekend as hamburgers, roast beef, meat loaf and beef stew. The chef at the convention center who cooked the Devon beef said it was some of the finest beef he had cooked. So different from all the other commercial beef he had been using. It does have to be cooked somewhat different since there is less fat.

We did have good beef stew at the meeting, but I did not get the recipe so came home and found one of my own. I will say that for dessert one nice lady had prepared 18 different pound cakes. Now, that was a sight and one could hardly decide which one to try. Several people tried quite a few. Since they had had such good beef a little sugar would not hurt!

This recipe is taken from The River Cottage Meat Book, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. This book has all you need to know about meat.

A Provencal Daube (Stew)

This stew is the kind of simple stew that exemplifies slow cooking at its best. In a couple of hours you can have produced something that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Serves 6

3 pounds boned beef shank or other good stewing beef (I got grass-fed beef shanks from Whole Foods)

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounce piece of salt pork, pancetta, or bacon

3 ½ ounces pork or bacon and cut into ¾ inch squares

2 cups white wine

About 2 cups water or light beef stock

1 onion

4 cloves

4 garlic cloves, bashed with the side of a knife

2 bay leaves

A couple of sprigs of thyme

2 or 3 strips of finely pared orange zest

2 carrots, cut into big chunks

3 celery stalks, cut into 2 inch lengths

1 pound tomatoes, skinned, deseeded, and chopped (here I used canned)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the beef into larger-than-you-would-think, not-too-boringly-square pieces, trimming of some, but not all, of the fat as you go.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Fry the bacon and the pork or bacon rind until lightly browned (but not crisp). Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large casserole. In the same oil, brown the beef, in 2 or 3 batches, and then transfer to the casserole.

Deglaze the frying pan with a little of the wine, then add the rest of the wine, heat until it boils, and pour it over the meat. Heat up the water or stock in the same way and pour that over too—enough to cover the meat by a good ¾ inch.

Cut the onion in half and stick each half with 2 cloves, then add to the casserole along with the garlic, herbs, orange zest, carrots, celery, and tomatoes. Season, going easy on the salt for the time being (remember that the bacon will give up salt to the pot). Bring to a very gentle simmer and maintain it, either on the stove top over a very low heat or in the oven at 250°F, for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is completely tender. At this point the stew can be cooled and kept in the fridge for a day or two. It will get better as it sits.

To serve the stew, make sure it is thoroughly hot. Remove the onion, unless any of your guests fancies half an onion (I leave it in). Ladle your stew into deep plates or wide bowls, with plenty of juice (which in this stew is meant to be thin and copious, rather than thick and reduced). You could serve it with potatoes-boiled, baked, or mashed. Or it could be served with macaroni or some other noodly pasta, precooked and stirred into the daube a couple of minutes before you ladle it out.

Natchitoches Meat Pies

Natchitoches (pronounced NACK-uh-tish) in northwestern Louisiana is famous for two things: “Steel Magnolias,” which was filmed there in 1988, and spicy meat pies that predate the Civil War. We were in Natchitoches in July and stopped by to take some meat pies home. They are good!

The most famous pies are found at Lasyone’s which is located on Second Street. These meat pies were originally out-the-backdoor or street food sold by the few who knew how to make them. In the tradition of street food in Louisiana, the pies were sold with their own street cry: “Lotta, hotta meat pies!” They are not easy to make and local recipes seem to be vague and faulty: too much flour in the filling, too much lard in the pastry. The best way to make them is to bake them, not only less caloric but they will not fall apart in the oil when you try to fry them.

I found that there is a meat pie festival every year in Natchitoches the third weekend of September. This historic town is along the banks of the Red River and was founded in the early 1700s in French Louisiana. The settlement was established in part to develop trade with the colony of New Spain at Tejas (east Texas). Though nominally French, Natchitoches was not easily connected to the rest of Louisiana, and the foodways of the Spanish had great influence in the region. The now-famous Natchitoches meat pie is one of the results of that cultural exchange. Early pies would have been stuffed with bison, deer, and other available game. Now that crawfish is available you will find many pies stuffed with them especially in the spring.

Give them a try or you can buy them frozen at some grocery stores. Serve them hot with spicy mustard and you will have a real taste of Louisiana.

From A Love Affair with Southern Cooking by Jean Anderson

Natchitoches Meat Pies

Makes 23 appetizers

Pastry

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup firmly packed lard or vegetable shortening

3 tablespoons cold milk beaten with 1 large egg

Filling

¼ pound ground beef chuck

¼ pound ground pork

2 medium scallions, trimmed and coarsely chopped (include some green tops)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1/8 to ¼ teaspoon ground hot red pepper (cayenne)

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

¼ cup water

For the pastry: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add the lard and using a pastry blender, cut in until the texture of coarse meal. Quickly fork in the milk-egg mixture and as soon as the pastry holds together, shape into a ball. Place on a large sheet of plastic food wrap, flatten, then wrap and refrigerate until ready to proceed.

For the filling: Cook the beef, pork, scallions, salt, black and red pepper, and allspice in a medium-size heavy skillet over moderate heat, breaking up the clumps of meat, for about 5 minutes or until no traces of pink remain. Sprinkle in the flour, then, stirring all the while, add the water. Cook, stirring now and then, for about 5 minutes or until lightly thickened and no raw floury taste remains. Cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and roll as thin as pie crust on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Cut into rounds with a 2 ¾ -to 3-inch biscuit cutter, then drop 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons of the filling onto the lower half of each round, leaving a margin of at least ¼ inch. Reroll the scraps and cut additional circles. Moisten the edges of the pastry circles all around, fold in half to enclose the filling, and crimp the edges firmly with the tines of a fork to seal. Also prick the top of each round with the form to allow steam to escape.

Arrange the rounds about 2 inches apart on an ungreased large baking sheet, slide onto the middle oven shelf, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are brown.

Serve hot with cocktails.

 

Eggplant 2013

I seem to do an article on eggplant about this time every year (It’s in season in the garden and in the markets), but I am always looking for different ways to use it. People who extol eggplant claim there’s a thousand ways to cook them. It is amenable to many cooking techniques, which is good news since it should never be eaten raw.

I was at Cochon in New Orleans a few weeks ago, and there was a charred eggplant on the menu with a tomato sauce which looked intriguing.  My son ordered it and of course I had a taste and it was excellent. Seeing some small globe eggplants in the farmer’s market the following weekend I decided this was the time to grill some small eggplant and make a tomato sauce.

One must remember that an eggplant is really an oversized berry. Like tomatoes, potatoes, and tobacco, it is in the nightshade family. It has been grown in the South since the eighteenth century, but most colonists used eggplant only as a garden ornament, because they believed that nightshades caused madness. Some of the earliest specimens were small, oval, and white, just like a hen’s egg, so the name was fitting and came to be used for all varieties.

Charred Eggplant with Tomato Sauce (My version)

Note: Charred eggplant on a grill gives it a smoky flavor and makes the pulp very silky. You can roast the eggplant in the oven on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven, but it will not have the same smoky allure.

6 small globe eggplants

Preheat a grill to high temperature. Prick the eggplant several times with a fork to let the steam escape as it cooks. Grill the eggplant, turning with tongs as needed, until the skin blackens and the inside collapses and softens, about 15 minutes. Set aside and make the tomato sauce.

Tomato Sauce:

2 tbsp. olive oil

One 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

½ small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Pinch of sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup basil (stir in at the end of cooking)

In a 4 quart saucepan put the olive oil and heat then add the rest of the ingredients (except basil) and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the basil near the end. Put all in a food processor and process until smooth. You can refrigerate for several days or freeze. This is very good on pasta and anywhere a good tomato sauce is needed.

Place 2 grilled eggplant on a plate and surround with some of the tomato sauce. Yummy!

I also found a recipe for eggplant pie in the cookbook, A Love Affair with Southern Cooking, by Jean Anderson. I had never heard of this, but it is a pie that many southern children grew up eating. Perhaps some of you know of this pie. I will give it a try.

Eggplant Pie

Serves 6-8

4 large eggplant (about 4 ½ pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium-large yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon celery salt

½ teaspoon onion salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 slices firm-textured whole-wheat bread, toasted and torn into small pieces

2 large eggs well beaten with

¼ cup evaporated milk and

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

4 cups coarsely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)

Spread the eggplant chunks one layer deep on four large rimmed baking sheets. Sprinkle each pan of eggplant with 1 ½ teaspoons of the salt, toss well, spread again, and let stand for 30 minutes (this is to rid the eggplant of most of its liquid).

Take the eggplant up by handfuls, squeeze out as much liquid as possible, drop into a colander, and rinse very well under cool running water; you’ll have to do this in small batches. Squeeze dry again, then spread on several thicknesses of paper toweling. When all of the eggplant has been spread on paper toweling, cover with more paper toweling and press down hard to extract as much remaining moisture as possible.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13x9x2-inch heatproof baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Melt the butter in a broad-bottomed Dutch oven over moderately high heat, add the onion, and sauté, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly browned. Add the eggplant and sauté stirring often, for about 10 minutes or until touched with brown.

Mix in the celery salt, onion salt, and pepper, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is soft. If there is excess liquid in the pot, raise the heat to high and boil uncovered for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.

Set off the heat and mix in the toast, egg mixture, and half of the cheese. Scoop into the prepared pan, spreading to the edge, and scatter the remaining cheese evenly on top.

Bake uncovered on the middle oven shelf for about 30 minutes or until bubbling and brown. Let the eggplant pie stand 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Serve as an accompaniment to baked ham or roast lamb, beef, turkey, or chicken.

 

 

Castles and Queens

We visited two great castles in Scotland, both of them in Caithness on the very northern most part of Scotland.  We had our woolens but the wind one day off the North Sea meant we needed even more to keep warm.

We drove up from the airport in Glasgow to Wick where we spent two nights in Ackergill castle.  The castle and its setting were fabulous with its outlook over the North Sea.  But the service was lacking as was the food.  We went into town the second night and had Indian take-out!

The treat was the Castle of Mey, the only home the Queen Mother Elizabeth ever owned. She bought the abandoned castle in the 1950’s after the King died.  She was to spend the next 50 years visiting there every August. Prince Charles, her favorite grandchild, still makes the yearly August pilgrimage.  We had to plan our visit after he had left as the castle is closed to the public when he is in residence.

The guided tour gave much insight into the life of the Queen Mother.  She was a Scottish girl who refused the proposal of the Duke of York several times before accepting.  Then comes the surprise: The Duke’s brother becomes king but abdicates to marry, and Elizabeth’s husband becomes King George VI.

She was not known as an intellectual but her sense of duty to family and country was significant and she became and stayed one of the most beloved royals. She loved to have people about, and the Castle of Mey was filled with guests every autumn.  The Queen Mother had fruit in her room for breakfast every morning.  Lunch was usually a picnic which meant that the cook and staff served the meal alfresco.  She had a gin and Dubonnet at lunch.  Tea time was at four.  Dinner was not until nine.  The menu was written out each evening in French (she was fluent). She always had champagne for dinner.  Before dinner cocktails included a martini for her, stirred (not shaken; this was before Bond).

The Queen Mother loved fish and omelettes, but I cannot relate to her dislike of smoked salmon, oysters, coconuts and capers. She wouldn’t let staff she liked retire.  The chef only retired in his late 70’s when the Queen Mother died.  She didn’t change much at the castle, threadbare though it might have been.  The Queen gave her mother a new carpet in the Drawing Room but it had to be the same pattern as the old one.  They still use the refrigerator and stove from the 1950’s.  (Those old appliances hold up better than new ones.)

Our room at Ackergill was up several flights of steep spiral stone steps which I found a chore.  The Queen Mother’s bedroom was up a flight of the same type which she climbed even on her last visit to the Castle of Mey at age 101.  The entrance to the main floor also had a double staircase.  The Queen had some handrails installed one Sunday morning while her mother was at church.  When the Queen Mother returned, she took one look at the new handrail and went up the other side.

The castle has an extensive walled garden and it is still a working farm where Angus cattle, the Queen’s favorite and North Country Cheviot sheep are raised.  There is a tea room where we had a nice soup with cheese scones for lunch and, of course, a shop where I bought a throw in the Castle of Mey plaid and a new cookbook A Taste of Mey, Recipes and Memories, Inspired by the Castle of Mey, Caithness, Home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

I have chosen to do one of her favorite dishes, Oeufs Drumkilbo, found in the cookbook. It is “really like a posh prawn cocktail and egg mayonnaise all wrapped into one.”  It was created by Mrs. Cruikshank, the 17^th Lord Elphinstone’s first cook at Drumkilbo where they lived in the early 1950’s.  The recipe in the book is from Julian Williams, formerly Head Chef to Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, which was adapted from a recipe given to him by Michael Sealey RVM (Gold), Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Head Chef for forty years (the one who got to retire only when she died!).

 

Oeufs Drumkilbo, a legendary favourite (British spelling)

Serves 6-8

¾ pint mayonnaise

4 diced hard boiled eggs

8 oz. cooked shrimp

8 oz. diced lobster (I could not get lobster so used more shrimp)

3 diced ripe tomatoes (blanched, skinned and de-seeded)

1 dessert spoon anchovy essence (I used a tube of anchovy paste)

6 drops Tabasco sauce

1 dessert spoon tomato purée

2 oz. gelatin

¼ pint warm fish stock

Dissolve the gelatin in the warm fish stock and allow to cool. Place the mayonnaise in a bowl and add half the cooled gelatin. Add all the other ingredients to the mayonnaise mixture and stir carefully to combine. Place the mixture in a china or glass bowl and chill until set.

Glaze with the remaining gelatin and decorate at will (I used parsley) and allow to set. Serve with fingers of brown bread, mustard and cress.

 

 

It is a very nice cool luncheon dish or it could be a first course for a nice dinner.

 

 

Scotland 2013

We have just returned from a wonderful trip to Scotland. As some of you probably know we like to go there. It is beautiful country, more sheep than people, the weather is cool, and it is easy to get around even on the left side of the road. My husband does all the driving and says he enjoys shifting gears and driving on the left side of the road (on those single tracts there is no left or right). To each his own, I suppose. It gets rather tight in some areas. I love those warning signs, “Oncoming traffic in the middle of the road!”

We spent some time looking at castles (will report on that next week) and doing some shopping. They just have the best store called House or Bruar, which has wonderful cashmeres and woolens. I did my cold weather clothes shopping in one afternoon.

We had some rainy days and evenings and enjoyed watching BBC Scotland. I found a cooking show which I had never seen before and it was a take on the show ‘Two Fat Ladies’, which was on PBS stations in the states several years ago. One of the ladies died, so the show ended. This show was called ‘The Hairy Bikers’; now how funny is that? They are not very good looking, fat too; and yes, they were pretty hairy (long beards and long hair). Si King and Dave Myers are the hairy pair. I watched their show and actually bought two of their cookbooks. So I guess their looks did not turn me off!

I cooked from one of the cookbooks as soon as I returned. The name of the cookbook was The Hairy Bikers’ Family Cookbook. These are family recipes which are comforting and basic Scottish cooking. I found most of them interesting, but I had to convert all the measurements which took some time since they did not do it for you. I chose to cook the recipe they had done on the show I saw which looked really yummy and was a recipe from their youth. It is really delicious and everyone in your family should like this recipe. The recipe calls for mince which is our ground beef.

From The Hairy Bikers’ Family Cookbook, published in Great Britain in 2010.

Mince and Dumplings

Serves 6

2 Tbsp. sunflower oil (found this oil at Whole Foods)

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery sticks, stringed and finely sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 lb. lean minced beef, I used grass-fed

 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes

2 tbsp. tomato purée

2 cups beef stock (can use beef cubes)

1 cup red wine

Pinch of sugar

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Dumplings

1 cup self-rising flour

¼ cup butter (I use only Kerry Gold as it is from grass-fed cows and Whole Foods has significantly lowered the price!)

½ tsp. sea salt

2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole dish. Cook the onion, garlic, celery and carrots for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and lightly color. Add the beef and cook with the vegetables for another 5 minutes until the mince is no longer pink. Stir regularly to break up the meat.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, beef stock, red wine, sugar and bay leaf. Season with a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make the dumplings, put the flour in a bowl and stir in the butter, salt and parsley. I put all this in the food processor and added enough cold water until a soft ball was formed. Only about 1/3 cup of water is needed. Take the soft, spongy dough and make 12 small balls.

Stir the mince well and remove it from the heat. Drop the dumplings carefully on top of the mince. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and return to medium heat. Cook for 18-20 minutes or until the dumplings are well risen and light.

It you want them brown on top, finish them for a few minutes in the oven under the broiler.

This is one of those comforting dishes which will be great on a cold winter day.  It was still good this week even with our summer heat still going strong.

The Hairy Bikers’ other cookbook is on light Indian food. But we will save that for another day!

We have just returned from a wonderful trip to Scotland. As some of you probably know we like to go there. It is beautiful country, more sheep than people, the weather is cool, and it is easy to get around even on the left side of the road. My husband does all the driving and says he enjoys shifting gears and driving on the left side of the road (on those single tracts there is no left or right). To each his own, I suppose. It gets rather tight in some areas. I love those warning signs, “Oncoming traffic in the middle of the road!”

We spent some time looking at castles (will report on that next week) and doing some shopping. They just have the best store called House or Bruar, which has wonderful cashmeres and woolens. I did my cold weather clothes shopping in one afternoon.

We had some rainy days and evenings and enjoyed watching BBC Scotland. I found a cooking show which I had never seen before and it was a take on the show ‘Two Fat Ladies’, which was on PBS stations in the states several years ago. One of the ladies died, so the show ended. This show was called ‘The Hairy Bikers’; now how funny is that? They are not very good looking, fat too; and yes, they were pretty hairy (long beards and long hair). Si King and Dave Myers are the hairy pair. I watched their show and actually bought two of their cookbooks. So I guess their looks did not turn me off!

I cooked from one of the cookbooks as soon as I returned. The name of the cookbook was The Hairy Bikers’ Family Cookbook. These are family recipes which are comforting and basic Scottish cooking. I found most of them interesting, but I had to convert all the measurements which took some time since they did not do it for you. I chose to cook the recipe they had done on the show I saw which looked really yummy and was a recipe from their youth. It is really delicious and everyone in your family should like this recipe. The recipe calls for mince which is our ground beef.

From The Hairy Bikers’ Family Cookbook, published in Great Britain in 2010.

Mince and Dumplings

Serves 6

2 Tbsp. sunflower oil (found this oil at Whole Foods)

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery sticks, stringed and finely sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 lb. lean minced beef, I used grass-fed

 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes

2 tbsp. tomato purée

2 cups beef stock (can use beef cubes)

1 cup red wine

Pinch of sugar

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Dumplings

1 cup self-rising flour

¼ cup butter (I use only Kerry Gold as it is from grass-fed cows and Whole Foods has significantly lowered the price!)

½ tsp. sea salt

2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole dish. Cook the onion, garlic, celery and carrots for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and lightly color. Add the beef and cook with the vegetables for another 5 minutes until the mince is no longer pink. Stir regularly to break up the meat.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, beef stock, red wine, sugar and bay leaf. Season with a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make the dumplings, put the flour in a bowl and stir in the butter, salt and parsley. I put all this in the food processor and added enough cold water until a soft ball was formed. Only about 1/3 cup of water is needed. Take the soft, spongy dough and make 12 small balls.

Stir the mince well and remove it from the heat. Drop the dumplings carefully on top of the mince. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and return to medium heat. Cook for 18-20 minutes or until the dumplings are well risen and light.

It you want them brown on top, finish them for a few minutes in the oven under the broiler.

This is one of those comforting dishes which will be great on a cold winter day.  It was still good this week even with our summer heat still going strong.

The Hairy Bikers’ other cookbook is on light Indian food. But we will save that for another day!

We have just returned from a wonderful trip to Scotland. As some of you probably know we like to go there. It is beautiful country, more sheep than people, the weather is cool, and it is easy to get around even on the left side of the road. My husband does all the driving and says he enjoys shifting gears and driving on the left side of the road (on those single tracts there is no left or right). To each his own, I suppose. It gets rather tight in some areas. I love those warning signs, “Oncoming traffic in the middle of the road!”

We spent some time looking at castles (will report on that next week) and doing some shopping. They just have the best store called House or Bruar, which has wonderful cashmeres and woolens. I did my cold weather clothes shopping in one afternoon.

We had some rainy days and evenings and enjoyed watching BBC Scotland. I found a cooking show which I had never seen before and it was a take on the show ‘Two Fat Ladies’, which was on PBS stations in the states several years ago. One of the ladies died, so the show ended. This show was called ‘The Hairy Bikers’; now how funny is that? They are not very good looking, fat too; and yes, they were pretty hairy (long beards and long hair). Si King and Dave Myers are the hairy pair. I watched their show and actually bought two of their cookbooks. So I guess their looks did not turn me off!

I cooked from one of the cookbooks as soon as I returned. The name of the cookbook was The Hairy Bikers’ Family Cookbook. These are family recipes which are comforting and basic Scottish cooking. I found most of them interesting, but I had to convert all the measurements which took some time since they did not do it for you. I chose to cook the recipe they had done on the show I saw which looked really yummy and was a recipe from their youth. It is really delicious and everyone in your family should like this recipe. The recipe calls for mince which is our ground beef.

From The Hairy Bikers’ Family Cookbook, published in Great Britain in 2010.

Mince and Dumplings

Serves 6

2 Tbsp. sunflower oil (found this oil at Whole Foods)

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery sticks, stringed and finely sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 lb. lean minced beef, I used grass-fed

 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes

2 tbsp. tomato purée

2 cups beef stock (can use beef cubes)

1 cup red wine

Pinch of sugar

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Dumplings

1 cup self-rising flour

¼ cup butter (I use only Kerry Gold as it is from grass-fed cows and Whole Foods has significantly lowered the price!)

½ tsp. sea salt

2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole dish. Cook the onion, garlic, celery and carrots for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and lightly color. Add the beef and cook with the vegetables for another 5 minutes until the mince is no longer pink. Stir regularly to break up the meat.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, beef stock, red wine, sugar and bay leaf. Season with a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make the dumplings, put the flour in a bowl and stir in the butter, salt and parsley. I put all this in the food processor and added enough cold water until a soft ball was formed. Only about 1/3 cup of water is needed. Take the soft, spongy dough and make 12 small balls.

Stir the mince well and remove it from the heat. Drop the dumplings carefully on top of the mince. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and return to medium heat. Cook for 18-20 minutes or until the dumplings are well risen and light.

It you want them brown on top, finish them for a few minutes in the oven under the broiler.

This is one of those comforting dishes which will be great on a cold winter day.  It was still good this week even with our summer heat still going strong.

The Hairy Bikers’ other cookbook is on light Indian food. But we will save that for another day!

Shrimp and Grits

I cannot get enough of good sweet shrimp. Every visit to the seafood store I always buy one pound for using that day and one for freezing. But I am picky about what kind of shrimp I buy. Never from China!

More and more consumers are demanding seafood that is natural, traceable, and sustainable. Since I am close to Louisiana I try to buy their wild caught, local shrimp. They are caught fresh and not frozen with any preservatives. I can buy a pound of medium shrimp for about $5.99 a pound at Tony’s Seafood in Baton Rouge, and I consider that a bargain. I miss Joe Patti’s in Pensacola.

I went to a one-hour lecture on Southern Culture and Food at the Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington, North Carolina last week and it did not tell me a lot of new things. But the speaker did remind me that the late Bill Neal was the chef who started using shrimp and grits together in 1982. Mr. Neal was a food writer and he published several cookbooks before he died. He influenced many young chefs across the South and his dish of shrimp and grits is still on the menu of his famous restaurant, Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I have not eaten there but there was a Crook’s Corner in Wilmington, North Carolina in the 80’s and I remember eating shrimp and grits there. Neal, according to Craig Claiborne, reinvented a low country breakfast dish to an entrée which is now served all over the South.

It seems that every restaurant has their own version of shrimp and grits these days. Well, I even have my own after years of working on this dish. I had one version of this dish at Stanton Hall in Natchez, Mississippi, some while ago, and I did come home and duplicate it. The treatment of this shrimp dish was the use of a fried grits cake with a tomato sauce on top. Here is my take on this recipe.

Shrimp and Grits from Stanton Hall (Chef Bingo Starr) (my version)

2 servings

Make a pan of stone ground grits and cut out two squares and fry them in olive oil until crisp. About 4 minutes per side.

Sauté 8 shrimp in 1 tablespoon of butter and add 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning while they are sautéing.  About 3 minutes.

Make a sauce of  1 cup of diced tomatoes, sautéed in 2 tablespoons olive oil with I green pepper chopped and ½ of a chopped onion. Cook for 8 minutes.

Make a small sauce of 2 tablespoons Worchester sauce and 3 tablespoons butter and stir until well blended about 2 minutes.

To serve: Put one half of the Worchester sauce swirled around the bottom of the plate. Place 1 fried grit square on top of this. Place 4 shrimps on top of the grit cake. Lastly, put the tomato sauce on top of the shrimp. Another take on ‘shrimp and grits’ but quite good, I thought.

I found the original Shrimp and Grits recipe from Crook’s Corner. I use it somewhat but sometimes add different spices such as tarragon or whatever might be in the garden. But this recipe is a good guide for your next dinner of shrimp and grits.

Crook’s Corner Shrimp and Grits from Bill Neal’s cookbook, Southern Cooking

2 cups water

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

¾ cup half-and-half

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup regular grits

¾ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon hot sauce

¼ teaspoon white pepper

3 bacon slices

1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup chopped green onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon hot sauce

Lemon wedges

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add cheddar cheese and the next 4 ingredients. Keep warm.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt; dredge with flour.

Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions, and sauté 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly brown. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.

Serve shrimp mixture over hot cheese grits. Top with crumbled bacon; serve with lemon wedges.

4 servings.

 

I cannot get enough of good sweet shrimp. Every visit to the seafood store I always buy one pound for using that day and one for freezing. But I am picky about what kind of shrimp I buy. Never from China!

More and more consumers are demanding seafood that is natural, traceable, and sustainable. Since I am close to Louisiana I try to buy their wild caught, local shrimp. They are caught fresh and not frozen with any preservatives. I can buy a pound of medium shrimp for about $5.99 a pound at Tony’s Seafood in Baton Rouge, and I consider that a bargain. I miss Joe Patti’s in Pensacola.

I went to a one-hour lecture on Southern Culture and Food at the Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington, North Carolina last week and it did not tell me a lot of new things. But the speaker did remind me that the late Bill Neal was the chef who started using shrimp and grits together in 1982. Mr. Neal was a food writer and he published several cookbooks before he died. He influenced many young chefs across the South and his dish of shrimp and grits is still on the menu of his famous restaurant, Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I have not eaten there but there was a Crook’s Corner in Wilmington, North Carolina in the 80’s and I remember eating shrimp and grits there. Neal, according to Craig Claiborne, reinvented a low country breakfast dish to an entrée which is now served all over the South.

It seems that every restaurant has their own version of shrimp and grits these days. Well, I even have my own after years of working on this dish. I had one version of this dish at Stanton Hall in Natchez, Mississippi, some while ago, and I did come home and duplicate it. The treatment of this shrimp dish was the use of a fried grits cake with a tomato sauce on top. Here is my take on this recipe.

Shrimp and Grits from Stanton Hall (Chef Bingo Starr) (my version)

2 servings

Make a pan of stone ground grits and cut out two squares and fry them in olive oil until crisp. About 4 minutes per side.

Sauté 8 shrimp in 1 tablespoon of butter and add 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning while they are sautéing.  About 3 minutes.

Make a sauce of  1 cup of diced tomatoes, sautéed in 2 tablespoons olive oil with I green pepper chopped and ½ of a chopped onion. Cook for 8 minutes.

Make a small sauce of 2 tablespoons Worchester sauce and 3 tablespoons butter and stir until well blended about 2 minutes.

To serve: Put one half of the Worchester sauce swirled around the bottom of the plate. Place 1 fried grit square on top of this. Place 4 shrimps on top of the grit cake. Lastly, put the tomato sauce on top of the shrimp. Another take on ‘shrimp and grits’ but quite good, I thought.

I found the original Shrimp and Grits recipe from Crook’s Corner. I use it somewhat but sometimes add different spices such as tarragon or whatever might be in the garden. But this recipe is a good guide for your next dinner of shrimp and grits.

Crook’s Corner Shrimp and Grits from Bill Neal’s cookbook, Southern Cooking

2 cups water

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

¾ cup half-and-half

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup regular grits

¾ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon hot sauce

¼ teaspoon white pepper

3 bacon slices

1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup chopped green onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon hot sauce

Lemon wedges

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add cheddar cheese and the next 4 ingredients. Keep warm.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt; dredge with flour.

Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions, and sauté 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly brown. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.

Serve shrimp mixture over hot cheese grits. Top with crumbled bacon; serve with lemon wedges.

4 servings.

 

I cannot get enough of good sweet shrimp. Every visit to the seafood store I always buy one pound for using that day and one for freezing. But I am picky about what kind of shrimp I buy. Never from China!

More and more consumers are demanding seafood that is natural, traceable, and sustainable. Since I am close to Louisiana I try to buy their wild caught, local shrimp. They are caught fresh and not frozen with any preservatives. I can buy a pound of medium shrimp for about $5.99 a pound at Tony’s Seafood in Baton Rouge, and I consider that a bargain. I miss Joe Patti’s in Pensacola.

I went to a one-hour lecture on Southern Culture and Food at the Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington, North Carolina last week and it did not tell me a lot of new things. But the speaker did remind me that the late Bill Neal was the chef who started using shrimp and grits together in 1982. Mr. Neal was a food writer and he published several cookbooks before he died. He influenced many young chefs across the South and his dish of shrimp and grits is still on the menu of his famous restaurant, Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I have not eaten there but there was a Crook’s Corner in Wilmington, North Carolina in the 80’s and I remember eating shrimp and grits there. Neal, according to Craig Claiborne, reinvented a low country breakfast dish to an entrée which is now served all over the South.

It seems that every restaurant has their own version of shrimp and grits these days. Well, I even have my own after years of working on this dish. I had one version of this dish at Stanton Hall in Natchez, Mississippi, some while ago, and I did come home and duplicate it. The treatment of this shrimp dish was the use of a fried grits cake with a tomato sauce on top. Here is my take on this recipe.

Shrimp and Grits from Stanton Hall (Chef Bingo Starr) (my version)

2 servings

Make a pan of stone ground grits and cut out two squares and fry them in olive oil until crisp. About 4 minutes per side.

Sauté 8 shrimp in 1 tablespoon of butter and add 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning while they are sautéing.  About 3 minutes.

Make a sauce of  1 cup of diced tomatoes, sautéed in 2 tablespoons olive oil with I green pepper chopped and ½ of a chopped onion. Cook for 8 minutes.

Make a small sauce of 2 tablespoons Worchester sauce and 3 tablespoons butter and stir until well blended about 2 minutes.

To serve: Put one half of the Worchester sauce swirled around the bottom of the plate. Place 1 fried grit square on top of this. Place 4 shrimps on top of the grit cake. Lastly, put the tomato sauce on top of the shrimp. Another take on ‘shrimp and grits’ but quite good, I thought.

I found the original Shrimp and Grits recipe from Crook’s Corner. I use it somewhat but sometimes add different spices such as tarragon or whatever might be in the garden. But this recipe is a good guide for your next dinner of shrimp and grits.

Crook’s Corner Shrimp and Grits from Bill Neal’s cookbook, Southern Cooking

2 cups water

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

¾ cup half-and-half

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup regular grits

¾ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon hot sauce

¼ teaspoon white pepper

3 bacon slices

1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup chopped green onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon hot sauce

Lemon wedges

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add cheddar cheese and the next 4 ingredients. Keep warm.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt; dredge with flour.

Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions, and sauté 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly brown. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.

Serve shrimp mixture over hot cheese grits. Top with crumbled bacon; serve with lemon wedges.

4 servings.

 

Farmer's Market

It is always a treat to visit the farmer’s market in the summer. We were at one last Saturday and we could not resist taking pictures because of the wonderful colors of the peppers, tomatoes, and greens. What is terrific are the changes you see in the produce from month to month. We just never seem to have enough time to visit the farmer’s market every Saturday.

You then come home and wonder what to do with all this bounty. I wanted to use all that I could of my produce so I found two recipes that fit the bill. They are both, good end of the summer salads and will use a lot of the produce you can find at the farmer’s market this time of year. With Labor Day this weekend some of the farmer’s markets will be closing for the summer. Try and get out and find one to enjoy one last time!

Taken from the August 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Summer Vegetable “Ceviche”

8 servings

1 cup fresh baby lima beans (from about 1½ pounds in the pod) or other shelling beans

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

Sea salt

1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)

2 nectarines, cut into thin wedges

1 Hass avocado, cut into1/2-inch cubes

1 large orange bell pepper, finely julienned

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup coarse chopped cilantro

In a small saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the lima beans until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cool water.

In a large bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice with the olive oil, scallion, jalapeño and shallot; season the dressing with salt. Gently fold in the lima beans, corn, nectarines, avocado, orange pepper, and tomatoes. Refrigerate the “ceviche” for at least 2 hours. Fold in the cilantro just before serving and serve the “ceviche” chilled.

This salad can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours.

 

The next recipe adds some chicken to the salad. The farmer’s market is a good source of farm eggs, grass-feed beef and pastured pork and occasionally some chickens that have been raised free range.

Taken from the September 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Southern Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing

Serves 4-6

Dressing:

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

2 large Vidalia onions (1½ pounds), peeled and quartered through the core

1¼ cups vegetable oil, plus more for brushing

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

10 lightly packed cups mixed lettuces (6 ounces)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup cooked fresh corn kernels

1 cup radish sprouts or just sliced radishes

4 ounces blue cheese, crumble (1 cup)

½ cup crumbled cooked bacon

1 Hass avocado, peeled and diced

1 medium tomato, diced

½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced lengthwise

Make the dressing: Preheat the oven to 425°. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the onions with oil and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, until the onions and garlic are lightly charred and soft. Let cool.

Peel the garlic and transfer the cloves to a blender. Add the onions, cider vinegar and lemon juice and puree until smooth. With the blender on gradually add the 1¼ cups of vegetable oil until incorporated. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

 

 

It is always a treat to visit the farmer’s market in the summer. We were at one last Saturday and we could not resist taking pictures because of the wonderful colors of the peppers, tomatoes, and greens. What is terrific are the changes you see in the produce from month to month. We just never seem to have enough time to visit the farmer’s market every Saturday.

You then come home and wonder what to do with all this bounty. I wanted to use all that I could of my produce so I found two recipes that fit the bill. They are both, good end of the summer salads and will use a lot of the produce you can find at the farmer’s market this time of year. With Labor Day this weekend some of the farmer’s markets will be closing for the summer. Try and get out and find one to enjoy one last time!

Taken from the August 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Summer Vegetable “Ceviche”

8 servings

1 cup fresh baby lima beans (from about 1½ pounds in the pod) or other shelling beans

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

Sea salt

1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)

2 nectarines, cut into thin wedges

1 Hass avocado, cut into1/2-inch cubes

1 large orange bell pepper, finely julienned

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup coarse chopped cilantro

In a small saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the lima beans until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cool water.

In a large bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice with the olive oil, scallion, jalapeño and shallot; season the dressing with salt. Gently fold in the lima beans, corn, nectarines, avocado, orange pepper, and tomatoes. Refrigerate the “ceviche” for at least 2 hours. Fold in the cilantro just before serving and serve the “ceviche” chilled.

This salad can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours.

 

The next recipe adds some chicken to the salad. The farmer’s market is a good source of farm eggs, grass-feed beef and pastured pork and occasionally some chickens that have been raised free range.

Taken from the September 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Southern Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing

Serves 4-6

Dressing:

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

2 large Vidalia onions (1½ pounds), peeled and quartered through the core

1¼ cups vegetable oil, plus more for brushing

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

10 lightly packed cups mixed lettuces (6 ounces)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup cooked fresh corn kernels

1 cup radish sprouts or just sliced radishes

4 ounces blue cheese, crumble (1 cup)

½ cup crumbled cooked bacon

1 Hass avocado, peeled and diced

1 medium tomato, diced

½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced lengthwise

Make the dressing: Preheat the oven to 425°. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the onions with oil and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, until the onions and garlic are lightly charred and soft. Let cool.

Peel the garlic and transfer the cloves to a blender. Add the onions, cider vinegar and lemon juice and puree until smooth. With the blender on gradually add the 1¼ cups of vegetable oil until incorporated. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

 

 

It is always a treat to visit the farmer’s market in the summer. We were at one last Saturday and we could not resist taking pictures because of the wonderful colors of the peppers, tomatoes, and greens. What is terrific are the changes you see in the produce from month to month. We just never seem to have enough time to visit the farmer’s market every Saturday.

You then come home and wonder what to do with all this bounty. I wanted to use all that I could of my produce so I found two recipes that fit the bill. They are both, good end of the summer salads and will use a lot of the produce you can find at the farmer’s market this time of year. With Labor Day this weekend some of the farmer’s markets will be closing for the summer. Try and get out and find one to enjoy one last time!

Taken from the August 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Summer Vegetable “Ceviche”

8 servings

1 cup fresh baby lima beans (from about 1½ pounds in the pod) or other shelling beans

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

Sea salt

1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)

2 nectarines, cut into thin wedges

1 Hass avocado, cut into1/2-inch cubes

1 large orange bell pepper, finely julienned

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup coarse chopped cilantro

In a small saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the lima beans until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cool water.

In a large bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice with the olive oil, scallion, jalapeño and shallot; season the dressing with salt. Gently fold in the lima beans, corn, nectarines, avocado, orange pepper, and tomatoes. Refrigerate the “ceviche” for at least 2 hours. Fold in the cilantro just before serving and serve the “ceviche” chilled.

This salad can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours.

 

The next recipe adds some chicken to the salad. The farmer’s market is a good source of farm eggs, grass-feed beef and pastured pork and occasionally some chickens that have been raised free range.

Taken from the September 2013 ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Southern Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing

Serves 4-6

Dressing:

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

2 large Vidalia onions (1½ pounds), peeled and quartered through the core

1¼ cups vegetable oil, plus more for brushing

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

10 lightly packed cups mixed lettuces (6 ounces)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup cooked fresh corn kernels

1 cup radish sprouts or just sliced radishes

4 ounces blue cheese, crumble (1 cup)

½ cup crumbled cooked bacon

1 Hass avocado, peeled and diced

1 medium tomato, diced

½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced lengthwise

Make the dressing: Preheat the oven to 425°. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the onions with oil and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, until the onions and garlic are lightly charred and soft. Let cool.

Peel the garlic and transfer the cloves to a blender. Add the onions, cider vinegar and lemon juice and puree until smooth. With the blender on gradually add the 1¼ cups of vegetable oil until incorporated. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.