Thanksgiving in Kauai

God what an awesome vacation! I traded in two of our twelve timeshare weeks for a couple of condos in Princeville, Kauai, on the north shore over Thanksgiving. Jay and I decided to create a Hawaiian Thanksgiving meal. It was fully grindable, bra…

Kalua Turkey

I’ll never make Kalua Pork again, nor ever cook my Thanksgiving turkey by roasting. This came out so tender and juicy and wonderful with all of the flavors of Kalua Pork and none of the grease.

• 1 Turkey
• Liquid Smoke (unless you can dig an imu pit)
• Hawaiian Sea Salt (we used Alaea Red Salt)
• Ti Leaves
• Taro Leaves
• Aluminum foil

Preheat oven to 500f degrees.

Remove neck & giblets from turkey. Place in sauce pan with 4c water, 2 stalks of celery, a handful of fresh parsley, 1/2 an onion, salt, and pepper. Simmer for several hours.

Completely defrost and rinse the turkey, then pat dry. Rub with Liquid Smoke (about ¼ to ½ bottle) on the inside cavity, under the skin, and outside skin (wear gloves if you don’t want to smell of liquid smoke for the next week). Rub again with the salt, inside cavity, under skin, outside skin.

Line a roasting pan with oversized sheets of aluminum foil, at least 2 sheets thick. Put two layers of Ti Leaves on the foil, then two layers of the Taro Leaves on the Ti Leaves (if you’re in Kauai and you try to buy the taro and ti leaves at the Safeway in Kapa’a, the locals will laugh at you. Instead, just stop by the side of the road and pick a bunch).

Set the bird on the layers of leaves, then repeat the process in reverse to cover the bird. Wrap it completely with Taro Leaves, then Ti Leaves, then seal with foil.

Place roasting pan with bird in oven, and reduce heat to 280f degrees. Roast for 40 minutes per pound (about 8 to 10 hours for a 14lb bird).

Hours and hours later, the bird will be glorious, tender, and falling off the bone. Fabulous juices will fill the bottom of your roasting pan. Drain the juice and reserve for gravy. Carefully unwrap the foil, and remove & discard the Ti Leaves. Pick the Taro Leaves off and reserve. Discard turkey skin. Pull the meat off of the carcass and serve.

Kalua Turkey Gravy

• 2c reserved liquid from Turkey
• 2c liquid from giblet stock
• 1 to 2 Tbsp corn starch, to desired thickness

Bring the liquid ingredients to a slow simmer. Dissolve cornstarch in water, and slowly add to liquid, stirring constantly. Thicken to desired consistency.

Taro Leaves

Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the reserved Taro Leaves and serve.

Pupus

While the Turkey is cooking, you’ll need to whip up some pupus to keep folks occupied

Crab Dip

• 1lb crab, shredded (I used 1/2lb imitation, 1/2lb snow crab)
• 16oz shredded cheese (I used ‘Mexican Blend’)
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp white pepper
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/2c finely chopped green onion
• 8oz cream cheese
• 2c mayonnaise

Squeeze the water out of the crab (otherwise, your dip will end up watery). Mix together everything but the cream cheese and mayo. Stir in the cream cheese until it’s well blended. Add in mayo to taste—if you want to dip with tortilla chips, you’ll want it a bit thinner. If you want to spread on crackers, add less mayo for a thicker mixture.

If you’re really ambitious, spoon the dip into wonton sheets and fry for really ‘ono’ crab wontons.

Lumpia

Originally I thought we’d buy this ready-made, but Jay only bought the wraps. Here’s how we filled them.

Filling

• 1lb ground pork
• 1c chopped green onion
• 1 pkg bean thread noodles (long rice), soaked and chopped
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 grated carrot
• 1 sweet potato, diced and cooked
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce

Combine the filling ingredients, mashing the sweet potato into the mixture. Place 2 Tbsp of the mixture on the quarter corner of a wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the mixture, and then turn in one corner. Roll another quarter turn, and then fold in the opposite corner. Continue rolling, sealing the end with water or egg white. Fry the lumpia until golden. Serve with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce.

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

• 1 jar ‘Homemade Chili Sauce’
• 1/4c brown sugar
• Juice from one lemon
• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• Corn Starch

Combine first four ingredients in saucepan. Simmer to combine. Dissolve 1 Tbsp corn starch in 1/4c water. Add to sauce, stirring constantly, to thicken. Remove from heat and chill before serving.

Hawaiian Salt Potatoes

This is really just your basic salted roasted potatoes, but I have to include the recipe from Aloha World Ono Recipes, because it’s just so fun:

Ingredients:

• 4 beeg kine Baking potatoes
• 5 Tbps Olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp Hawaiian salt
• 3/4 tsp Black peppah 1 tsp Mashed gahlic
• 1 tsp Minced ginjah oa minced parsely oa minced rosemary oa minced onion

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat da oven to 400 degrees. Scrub da spuds den try cut dem in half lentwise, den cut each half in thirds lentwise. Going have 6 wedges. One, two, chree, fouah, five, seex. K?Den, try get one cookie sheet dat get sides. Den. kâwili (mix) in one cup oa small kine bowl da ress of da ingredients. Den, pour all dis ovah da potatoes; make shuah u 'au'au yoah hands, den kâwili da oil mixchah all ovah da potatoes. Make shuah alla sides stay coated. Now, try spread da potatoes in one singo layah all ovah da cookie sheet. Bake um foah 30-35 minutes, but try turn um ovah wen pau 20 minutes. Nemmine if stick litto bit. Den bake da ress of da time. Da idea stay foah gettum crisp ona outsai an tendah ona insai. Den, sprinko wit moah Hawaiian salt an grine NOW! No wait, cuz dey stay da most ono wen dey stay hot. All dis going serve about 3-4 peeps, cuz us locals like foah grine, yeah!

Curried Pea Salad

• 3/4c mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• Garlic
• Hawiian salt
• 16 oz.frozen green peas
• 8 oz lump crab meat
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2c chopped sweet onion
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 3oz fried chow mein noodles

Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder and garlic salt in a bowl and mix well. Place the frozen peas in a colander and hold under running cold water for several minutes to thaw; drain. Squeeze water from the crab meat. Combine the peas, crab meat, and celery in a bowl and toss to mix. Add the dressing and mix well. Add cashews and noodles just before serving.

Macaroni Salad

You can’t have a meal in Hawaii without the macaroni salad. There are a million variations.

• 1 med. pkg. macaroni, cooked al dente
• 1/2 lb. crab, chopped (imitation works well)
• 1/2 box frozen peas, thawed
• 2 sm. stalks celery. chopped
• 4 large hard boiled eggs, grated
• 1/4c sweet pickle relish
• salt/pepper to taste
• 1/2 chopped sweet onion, or 2 chopped green onion
• 3/4 of a quart of Mayonnaise

Combine ingredients with cooled macaroni, and then add the mayo. The macaroni will absorb the mayo, so you may want to make your salad a day ahead to let the flavors combine. You might also want to add more mayo just before serving.

Garlic Asparagus

• 1 can Chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp Olive oil
• 12 Garlic clove pealed and cut in halves lengthwise
• 1 1/2 lbs Asparagus, trimmed
• Hawaiian salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• Grated skin of 1 lemon

In large skillet, bring broth, oil and garlic to boil. Add asparagus and return to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook just until asparagus is tender but still crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to warm serving plate. Raise heat and cook liquid and garlic in pan until syrupy and reduce to about 1/2 cup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over asparagus and sprinkle with lemon skin.

Haupia Cake

I never remember desert, but this was Hawaii!

Cake:

• 1 pkg White cake mix (for a 9X13" pan)
• 1 C Coconut milk
• 2/3 C Water
• 2 Egg whites

Frosting:

• 1 Tbsp Unflavored gelatin
• 2 C Heavy cream
• 6 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Lemon extract
• Shredded coconut to taste

Prepare cake mix according to package directions using 2/3 cup of the coconut milk, the water, and the egg whites. Cool cake, remove from pan and split carefully into 3 layers. Reserve top layer; spread haupia filling on the remaining layers. Chill layers until filling is set.

While layers are chilling: soften gelatin in remaining 1/3 cup coconut milk; dissolve over hot water. Cool. Whip cream; fold in gelatin mixture, sugar and extract. Stack chilled cake layers; frost with whipped cream mixture. Sprinkle cake with coconut.

Haupia filling:

• 2 C Coconut milk
• 1/2 C Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 3 Tbsp Cornstarch
• 1/2 C Water
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Cooking Instructions:

In a sauce pan heat coconut milk (do not boil). Mix sugar, salt, and cornstarch with water; stir into hot coconut milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (cook over low heat to avoid curdling). Stir in vanilla and cool.

NOTE: It is best to chill the haupia until it is somewhat thick, but still spreadable; otherwise it kind of goops up when you try to spread it on the layers. Chill the frosting, too, before you spread it.

Kalua Turkey Loco Moco

Loco Moco is the Hawaiian Breakfast of Champions. We used our Thanksgiving leftovers for a Kalua Turkey Loco Moco that would have been the envy of Sam Choy himself.

• 1c white rice, cooked
• Leftover Kalua Turkey
• Leftover Kalua Turkey Gravy
• Spam
• Portuguese Sausage
• Eggs, fried ‘runny’

Place 1/2c cooked rice in center of plate. Top with shredded Kalua Turkey. Add a slice of fried spam, and 2 slices of fried Portuguese Sausage. Top with fried egg, and cover with gravy.

Our Big Fat Greek Dinner

We were meant to work on Jay’s kitchen, but on the way back from Home Depot we were distracted by the Farmer’s Market. He still managed to get the frame done for one of the cabinets, but we also managed to make a pretty good Greek feast.

I didn’t make a lot of the Moussaka, because I wasn’t sure everyone would like it. I shouldn’t have worried—my dad liked it so much that he stole the last quarter of it, packed it up, and took it home!

Menu

• Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms


• Moussaka


• Tsatziki


• Orzo Salad


• Honey Minted Carrots


• Green Beans with Tomato Sauce (Fasolaki)
  


• Roast Beast

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms Recipe

• 18 zucchini, acorn squash or pumpkin blossoms, stamen removed

Cheese Filling:

• 3 ounces goat (feta) cheese


• 3 ounces cream cheese


• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes


• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano


• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil


• 1 clove garlic, minced


• Salt and pepper to taste

Beer Batter:

• 1c flour


• 1c beer


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper


• 1/4 teaspoon cumin


• 1 egg, beaten

• Vegetable oil for frying


• Salt and pepper to taste


• Grated Mizithra or Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for garnish

Gently swish the squash blossoms in cold water to clean. Carefully twirl to remove most of the water, then drain thoroughly on paper towels. Set aside.

Mix together goat cheese, cream cheese, red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Gently fill each blossom with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese filling. Refrigerate while making batter.

In a heavy skillet, heat 2 inches of oil to 375 F over medium heat.

Mix together flour, salt, pepper, and cumin. Beat egg and add the beer. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients while stirring. Add more beer as necessary to desired consistency. Refrigerate for an hour.

Carefully dip a stuffed blossom into the batter, covering the entire flower, and ease into the hot oil. Brown on one side, then turn to brown the other. Cook only a few at a time so they are not crowded. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining stuffed squash blossoms.

Sprinkle stuffed squash blossoms with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with a sprinkling of grated Mizithra or Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Moussaka

Meat

• 1 lg aubergine/eggplant


• 1 large onion, finely sliced


• 1lb ground beef or lamb


• 1 glass white wine (not retsina, but aretsinoto)


• 16oz can of small diced tomatoes


• teaspoon ground cinnamon


• teaspoon ground allspice


• salt and white pepper


• 1 teaspoon oregano


• 1c grated mizithra, parmesan, or kefalotiri cheese


• some chopped parsley

• 2 large russet potatoes, cut into 1/8” slices


• Vegetable oil

Béchamel Sauce

• 2-3 Tablespoons butter


• 1/3c. flour


• 1 pint warm milk


• Salt, white pepper, and cumin


• 2c. grated Mizithra or Parmesan cheese


• 2 egg yolks

Topping

• 1c. grated Mizithra, Parmesan, or kefalotiri cheese

Moussaka should be baked in the oven. Use a baking dish, either square or oblong, approximately 9”x9” or 11”x13”. You’ll need to cover the dish during the first part of the baking, for which you can either use a fitted lid or aluminum foil. If using foil, place toothpicks in the moussaka to prevent the foil from sticking to the cheese.

Aubergines
You may, if you wish, line the pan with the skin of the aubergine. Doing so is mostly aesthetic, but it does help to hold the moussaka together. In this case, you’ll need to carefully slice off the stem and leaves, without breaking the skin. Slice the aubergine in half lengthwise. Cover the bottom of a wide, flat-bottom pan with olive oil. When oil is hot, lay the aubergines in cut-side down and sear. Add 1c water to the pan, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes, until the flesh of the aubergine is tender. Remove from heat and let cool. When they can be handled, carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving the skin intact. Lay the skin inside of your baking dish, and set aside.

If you do not opt to use the skin, simply peel and dice the aubergine and add below.

Meat
Sautee the sliced onion in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until translucent. Add the meat and sauté together, stirring, until all the lumps are broken down and the meat starts to change color. Pour in the wine, add tomatoes, the spices, the salt and pepper and the oregano. Stir in the aubergine. If you did not pre-cook the aubergine, you’ll need to simmer until it becomes tender. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring from time to time in case it sticks. Remove from heat and mix in 1c of the grated cheese and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.

Potatoes
Fry the potatoes in hot oil until slightly browned. You may deep fry, or pan fry in 2” oil, enough to cover the potato slices. Remove from oil and drain on paper.

Béchamel Sauce
Melt the butter and, away from the heat, gradually add the flour and stir to amalgamate. Return to the heat and gradually add the milk and seasoning, stirring continuously. Simmer for 9-10 minutes, stirring, until it has thickened considerably. Remove from heat, let it stand briefly, then add the cheese and the egg yolks. Stir to combine. Do not let the sauce boil after this. It should by now be a thick béchamel, to enable it to sit on top of the meat mixture and form a kind of crust.
Assembly
To assemble, put half the meat in the bottom of the pan. Top with 1/3 of the béchamel. Cover with slices of potatoes. Repeat for the next layer. Cover the top layer of potatoes with the remaining béchamel, then top with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs.
Cover and bake in a pre-heated oven, at 350f degrees for 1 hour. In the last 15 minutes, uncover and bake until a golden crust is formed. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving, in order to be able to cut it more easily. To serve, cut into square or oblong-shaped pieces. It should be quite dry by then and the pieces should ideally stay intact.

Tsatziki
1 large English cucumber, grated and drained
A handful of fresh dill, chopped fine
A few cloves of garlic, crushed
2c plain yogurt
Olive oil

Grate the cucumber, then place in a strainer and press out the water. Combine with yogurt and garlic (you may use more or less garlic, to taste). Stir, then drizzle EVOO over the top.

Orzo Salad
1c orzo pasta, cooked, drained, and cooled
1/2c pepperoncini peppers, drained and sliced
1 sliced red bell pepper
1/2c kalamata olives, pitted
1/4c grated carrot
1/4c to 1/2c sliced onion
6 to 8 ounce crumbled feta
2 ounces Greek vinaigrette salad dressing

The vegetables should be sliced into thin strips. Mix together the above. You may add more or less dressing as you prefer.

Honey Minted Carrots
Baby carrots
1/4c white vinegar (rice or wine)
1/4c white wine
1/3c honey
1/4c chopped fresh mint
2 to 3 cloves crushed garlic

Place carrots in baking dish. Simmer together remaining ingredients, then pour over carrots. Cover and bake at 350f degrees for 45 minutes. Remove cover during last 15 minutes to allow liquid to evaporate and caramelize.

Green Beans with Tomato Sauce (Fasolaki)
Thin green beans
Onion, cut into thin strips
Potatoes
Tomato sauce
White wine
2 to 3 cloves crushed garlic
Olive oil
Cumin, cinnamon, white pepper, and salt

Sauté the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and sauté over low heat until garlic is tender but not browned. Deglaze with a 1/4c white wine.
Top and tail the beans, and cut the potatoes into strips. Add to pan and cover all of the vegetables with tomato sauce. Lightly season with spices, and stir to mix.
Simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Roast Beast
This was Jay’s secret recipe, which is why I’m posting it on the internet.

1 Roast beast
1 large (32 oz) can Tomato Soup
Garlic
1 whole fresh lemon
Seasonings: lots of oregano, crushed garlic, salt & pepper

Chop and blend the seasonings with a splash of EVOO to form a mushy paste, then massage into the roast. Place in deep roasting pan. Mix tomato soup with equal parts water. Add more crushed garlic. Slice the lemon in half, and squeeze the juice into the liquid mixture. Add in the empty rinds and pour around roast. Cover, and cook for a really long time, until roast is fall-y apart-y. When it’s all done, break the whole thing up into its sauce and serve it like that.

Danish Food

Here is a collection of recipes for Det Store Kolde Bord

Remoulade

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup sweet pickles -- chopped
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion
• 1 hard-boiled egg -- chopped
• 1 dash garlic
• Capers -- optional

Mix all ingredients. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

NOTES : This seemingly simple relish is used on many foods in Denmark. An interesting variation add chopped, cooked cauliflower. Excellent with seafood, sandwiches, meats, or as a garnish.

Sweet-Sour Cabbage - Mormors Hvidkål

Serves 6

• 1 small onion -- sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups red cabbage -- shredded
• 2 tart apples -- cored peeled diced
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 2 whole cloves

Brown onion lightly in the butter. Add remaining ingredients in order given.

Cook until cabbage is almost tender.

Curry Dressing

• ¼ cup whipping cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1½ teaspoons curry powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Whip cream until soft peaks form. Add remaining ingredients.

Frikadeller I Løgsauce

Serves 8

• 2 onion -- minced
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg -- grated
• 2 pound ground pork
• 2 pound ground beef, lean
• 6 slices dry bread crumbs
• milk
• 2 egg -- beaten
• Flour
• 6 tablespoons butter

• 3 cups onions -- minced
• 1 cup butter
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups milk

Brown onion in butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix beef, pork and bread crumbs which have been soaked in milk. Combine with onions. Add the egg; mix well, and form into small balls. Roll them in a small amount of flour.

Brown the meat balls in the butter. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Serve with either of the following sauces:

ONION SAUCE (Løgsauce)

Cook minced onions in butter until transparent. Blend in the flour and salt. Slowly add the milk and stir continually until thickened. Pour over the meat balls.

Serve with buttered noodles sprinkled with toasted crumbs.

Cucumber Salad

Serves 8

• 1 16" cucumber
• 1 white onion
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 dash pepper

Cut cucumber and onion paper thin. Separately combine remaining ingredients. Combine with cucumbers and onions. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours. Drain before serving

Potato Salad - Kartoffelsalat

Serves 10

• 8 slices bacon
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 teaspoons chopped onion
• 2/3 cup vinegar
• 2/3 cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 pinch white pepper
• 4 pounds potatoes -- boiled & chilled
• ½ cup parsley -- minced

Fry the bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, drain and crumble.

Add the flour and onion to the fat in the pan. Stir in the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and spices. Cook until medium thick. Cool.

Peel and dice potatoes. Sprinkle parsley and crumbled bacon over potatoes. Pour cooled dressing over all and mix gently to avoid mashing the potatoes.

Labor Day BBQ

I had vegans and vegetarians at this BBQ, so had to be a bit creative. Rather than make special dishes to accommodate the meat-o-phobes, I prefer to make as many dishes as possible enjoyable by everyone. All of the dishes below are vegetarian, and all but the Spinach & Artichoke dip are vegan.

To accommodate the meat-eaters, I grilled up some really yummy steaks. But you can figure out those without a recipe.

Most Glorious Spinach & Artichoke Dip

• 2 Tbsp butter
  
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
  
• ½ bulb fresh fennel, diced
  
• ½ sweet yellow onion, diced
  
• A few cloves of fresh garlic, crushed
  
• ¼ c drained & chopped sundried tomatoes marinated in olive oil
  
• ½ c white wine
  
• A few large handfuls of coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
  
• 2c marinated artichoke hearts, drained
• 6oz cream cheese
  
• 1c sour cream
  
• ½ c shredded Parmesan cheese
  
• ½ c shredded Asiago cheese
  
• ½ Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves
  
• ½ Tbsp kosher or sea salt
  
• ¼ Tbsp fresh ground black pepper

Sauté onion and fennel in butter and olive oil until onion begins to soften. Add wine and simmer until fennel is tender, about 5 minutes. Once the liquid has almost evaporated, add crushed garlic and sundried tomatoes, and stir. Top with spinach and toss until spinach wilts. Remove from heat.

In large microwave-safe bowl, combine cheeses.

In food processor, lightly pulse the artichoke hearts with the tarragon, salt, and pepper. Add in the sautéed vegetables, and pulse again lightly to mix.

Add the vegetable mixture to the cheese, and stir. Put in microwave and heat on half power for about 3 minutes. Mix, then reheat on full power for about 2 minutes (You may also put in a baking dish and heat in conventional oven for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring halfway through).

Serve with sliced French baguette or tortilla chips.

Bruschetta

• 1c small diced tomatoes
• ½ sweet yellow onion, diced
• Bunch of fresh basil, chopped
  
• 1 tsp Kosher or sea salt
  
• ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
  
• Extra virgin olive oil
  
• Balsamic vinegar
  
• 1 long French baguette

I know. You’re thinking, it’s the height of summer, and you’re using CANNED tomatoes? But the thing is, canning preserves the sweetness of summer, and the small diced canned tomatoes have no skin and no seeds. It really makes this preparation easy. But if you like, go ahead and skin and deseed 3 or 4 fresh ripe tomatoes. Dice and drain before using.

Combine tomatoes, basil, onion, salt and pepper in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cut baguette into thin slices and place on cooking rack. Spray with olive oil, and toast until lightly browned and crispy.

When ready to serve, arrange toasts on tray, and top with one spoonful of tomato mixture.

Bean Salad

This isn’t your traditional marinated 5 or 7 bean salad. It’s wonderfully fresh and raw, and shouldn’t be marinated to the point where the basil wilts and the beans become pickled.

A handful of fresh basil, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4c finely chopped sundried tomatoes
2 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp dry mustard
½ tsp kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ c each malt and rice wine vinegar
¼ c olive oil (or oil from the sundried tomatoes)

1c each: garbanzo beans, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans
2 ears fresh corn, removed from cob
1c frozen sweet peas (or fresh peas, lightly blanched)
1c frozen cut green beans (or fresh green beans, cut and lightly blanched)

Combine first set of 10 ingredients in a blender and pulse briefly to mix.

Combine beans, peas, and corn. Add dressing, and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, but not more than 12 hrs. I prefer to use a gallon size ziplock for refrigeration, as the flavors tend to blend better.

Grilled Marinated Polenta, topped with mushrooms and eggplant relish

A handful of fresh basil, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4c finely chopped sundried tomatoes
2 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ c each malt and rice wine vinegar
¼ c olive oil (or oil from the sundried tomatoes)

1 tube of fresh polenta, cut into ½” slices

4 or 5 marinated cipolini onions
1c marinated button mushrooms
1 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 small eggplant / aubergine, diced
½ tsp kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Aluminum baking trays, with holes poked through the bottom

Combine the first set of 8 ingredients (yes, it’s the same dressing as for the beans, minus the paprika and mustard. If you like, you can just double the dressing for the beans, and use half of it here) in a blender and pulse to make a paste. Add additional vinegar to thin if necessary. Reserve 2 Tbsp for relish.

Arrange slices of polenta on a baking tray (not the ones with holes), and pour a spoonful of the marinade over each slice. Turn over each slice, and add another spoonful of the marinade. Pour any extra marinade into the tray. Cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Combine onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplant, salt & pepper in food processor. You can also add the leftover ends of the polenta, if you like. Pulse this lightly two or three times to chop, but not puree. Turn out into bowl. Add reserved marinade and mix.

To grill, poke holes into the bottom of an aluminum baking tray. Oil lightly, and arrange the slices of polenta. Top each slice with a spoonful of the mushroom and eggplant relish. Place on grill. Close cover, and grill over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the polenta is crispy on the bottom and the vegetables on top are warmed through and soft.

Palta Reina de Chile (Chilean Royal Pastina-Stuffed Avocado)

The meal was otherwise somewhat uninteresting—I wanted something to go with a Margarita-marinated grilled tri-tip (see earlier posting about getting my food drunk) and grilled corn on the cob, and I wanted to stay away from traditional carbs. I had some really nice fresh avocados from the farmer’s market, and some crab, so…

Avocado rules in this dish when pastina, otherwise known as saffron rice, is combined with crab and delectably fills half of an avocado. Served on a bed of mixed greens, this dish is fit for royalty.

• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• pinch saffron
• 1 tsp grated lemon peel
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp vegetable or canola oil
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1 small Roma tomato, seeded and chopped finely
• 3 Tbsp finely chopped yellow bell pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 tsp each sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 pound cooked crab or lobster meat, finely chopped
• 4 ripe Hass avocados
• 4 cups mixed baby greens with radicchio
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

In small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring chicken broth and saffron to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

In small bowl combine lemon peel and juice, oil, onion, tomato, bell pepper, cilantro, salt, black pepper and crab or lobster meat. Toss with rice. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Just before serving cut avocados in half and remove pit from each. Fill each avocado with rice mixture. Whisk olive oil and lemon juice and lightly toss salad greens. Arrange 1/2 cup dressed greens on each plate and top with stuffed avocado.

Serves 8.

Giles' Salad, with French Dressing

Giles likes to make these special placed ingredient salads in summer. This salad isn’t tossed; it’s carefully laid out so you can pick and choose the ingredients in your bite. It almost always has bits of seafood, but we’ve made it with thinly sliced steak as well.

Salad:
Use any or all of the ingredients below. Use your imagination

Fresh mesclun (mixed salad leaves with baby spinach, arugula, endive, escarole, rocket, whatever)
Red onion, thinly sliced
Avocado, sliced
Mushrooms, thinly sliced
Bell pepper, sliced into strips
Carrots, preferably grated
Cherry tomatoes
Boiled egg
Cucumber, sliced thin

Smoked salmon (Giles likes big chunks, I prefer to flake it or use thin cuts)
Shrimp (we found some awesome marinated big shrimp at Whole Foods that was perfect!)

First pile the greens on the plate. Then put piles of other ingredients around the plate.

French Dressing
This was even better than it looks

½ cup ketchup
½ cup white sugar
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 large shallot, quartered
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Throw it all in the blender, and blend until smooth. Add a bit of water if it comes out too thick, until you get the consistency you like.