Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

I eat differently when I am alone.  But no, I do not make do with a bowl of cereal or a frozen microwaved meal for dinner.  I am known to live on grilled hamburgers and my new passion, Hebrew National Hot Dogs, but I also like to make a big batch of something and serve it in different ways for several days.

A cookbook that I have come to rely on for well tested and unusual recipes is The Fresh Market & Friends Cookbook.  This black-eyed pea salad is a case in point.  It is something different. It can be served as is and is deliciously refreshing.  It was not at all spicy though.  I seeded my jalapeno pepper so that may be the reason.  If you want more spice, add the whole minced pepper.   I also liked the fact that it used dried black-eyed peas which actually cook up in no more than 20 minutes; much better than the salty canned variety.  Right after I made the salad I served it with the predictable grilled hamburger.  But then I got creative.

I always have flour tortillas in the refrigerator and I had picked up a rotisserie chicken on my way home from the Memorial Day weekend which I had barely put a dent in.  So I fried the tortillas in a little oil, topped them with the black-eyed pea salad, cubes of chicken and a little sour cream.  It was delicious.  Now what should I do next?  How about adding them to salad greens with a can of good quality olive oil packed tuna or, if I get lazy and desperate, it would make a good relish on my hot dog.  What would you do?

SPICY BLACK-EYED PEA SALAD WITH TOMATOES, CUCUMBERS AND CILANTRO

1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil then add black-eyed peas and a pinch of salt; cover and bring back to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer partially coverd for 15 to 20 minutes.  Drain, rinse and allow to cool.

In a serving bowl, combine cooled black-eyed peas, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper; toss to combine.  Serve immediately or place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow flavor to develop.

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Here is a perfect salad to go with any grilled meat you might be having for the Memorial Day weekend.  We will be spending the weekend celebrating our Granddaughter’s 5th birthday.

I have made many salads combining fruits, nuts and crumbled cheese but this has to be one of the best.  The main fruit in this salad is chopped apples, but because I have a strawberry pot with ripening strawberries, I added them as well.

What makes this salad so very special is the balsamic vinaigrette.  It has a chopped shallot, garlic, mustard and honey component that compliments the heady balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  It was so good I even marinated my pork chops in it.

Have a safe and special Memorial Day weekend.  God bless our troops past and present.

BOURBON PECAN AND APPLE SALAD WITH BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Bourbon Pecans:
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoons bourbon
1 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine brown sugar, melted butter and bourbon in a bowl.  Add pecans and stir to combine.  Place mixture on small baking sheet or cake pan and bake in oven for 20 minutes or so turning occasionally until nuts begin to brown.  Cool in pan.  The sugar and butter will caramelize.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium mixing bowl, combine shallots, vinegar and Dijon mustard, let stand for 20 minutes.  Whisk in honey and garlic, then slowly drizzle in olive oil while rapidly whisking.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside until ready to use.

Salad:

1 head of red leaf lettuce
1 apple chopped
1 cup celery
Bourbon pecans
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese

In a large bowl, toss lettuce, apples, celery, pecans and Feta cheese together.  Drizzle with Balsamic Vinaigrette just before serving.

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Do you remember the days when extended families lived in the same town and family get togethers included aunts and uncles and myriads of cousins?  I do.  I grew up that way and so did my husband.  He grew up in a small farm community called Keeler.  His Grandparents lived in a big stone house and their 4 children and their families lived within shouting distance in houses scattered amongst the orchards and dirt roads that bisected  the community.  The whole family was involved in both farming the cherry orchards and a road construction business.

Needless to say, family get togethers had to serve up to 20 people.  And as it was in my family, each aunt had a specialty.  I was going through my recipes the other day and found this recipe that David’s cousin Kathie gave me for her Mom’s sweet veggie salad.  Since my family is visiting I thought it was appropriate to make it.  Sometimes I miss the way things were when we were young and families were not scattered in far away places.

My Brother is visiting from Michigan.  Here we are with his Son Paul and his Grandson Seth. 

This old fashioned version of Three Bean Salad makes a great addition to any family meal.

AUNT NANCY’S SWEET VEGGIE SALAD

Double for 20-30 people

Dressing;  Heat to dissolve sugar, then cool
1/2 cup Canola or olive oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup wine vinegar (apple is ok)
Salt and pepper

Drain and put in bowl
2 cans cut green beans
1 can shoepeg corn
1 can garbonzo beans
1 can sliced carrots
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can kidney beans, rinsed

Dice and add
3 ribs celery
1 small onion
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper

Pour cooked dressing over veggies, toss and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.

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As a side dish or a condiment to compliment other dishes, this sweet potato salsa cannot be beat.  While researching recipes for my pool party, I was drawn to this dish because it was suggested as a topping for the chipotle maple barbecued brisket.  To my way of thinking, it can stand on it’s own.  As a matter of fact, I am going to serve it in place of potato salad.  It is just as good at room temperature as it is warm from the oven.

The sweet potato chunks are baked in the oven with oil, balsamic vinegar, chili powder and ground cumin.  There is something about the balsamic vinegar and spices that inspire me to dig into this dish and keep eating.  You can adjust the heat in the dish by cutting back on the jalapeno peppers.  Because I will be serving a crowd, I will go easy on the peppers and I think I will substitute parsley for the cilantro.  Not everyone loves it and for those who don’t, it is usually a true aversion.

Sara Foster has hit another homerun with this salsa.  For those of you who are not familiar with her, I wrote about her here.  There is nothing in her cookbooks that I would not be pleased to put on my table. 

Next up, BLT wraps with sun-dried tomatoes.  This recipe testing is playing havoc with my weight loss program.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO SALSA (Sara Foster Fresh Every Day)

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tomato, cored and chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced (I used 1 pepper)
2 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I used parsley)
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet with sides.  Drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar, sprinkle with the chili powder and cumin, and toss to coat.  Spread the sweet potatoes in one even layer and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally for even browning, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender.  Set aside to cool.

Scrape the sweet potatoes into a large bowl.  Add the tomato, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, scallions, parsley, lime zest and juice, salt, and pepper, and toss to mix.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.

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What are you cooking, he said?  “Just dinner”,  I said.  “It sure smells good”, he said.  “OK, but don’t get your hopes up, it’s  just a pantry meal”.  This was said by me with perfect assurance. And that was my premise when I planned this meal tonight.  It was so simple to open two cans of tuna and a can of cannellini beans.  The recipe from Sarah Foster looked very staightforward.  But after studying the recipe further, it was much more than those simple pantry items.

There was the 35 minutes required to roast plum tomatoes and red onions with fresh rosemary, olive oil and salt and pepper until they were caramelized and soft.

There was the hour to roast a whole head of garlic with oil and rosemary until it was soft and oozing it’s sweet goodness.

There were the sun-dried tomatoes reconsituted in olive oil, lemons and vinegar and flavored with rosemary and parsley.

The aroma from the oven was heady, but still I cautioned restraint.  This, afterall was nothing special;  just a Tuesday night supper.

I was wrong.  It was wonderful.

TUSCAN TUNA AND WHITE BEAN SALAD WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 teapoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 15 1/2-ounce canenllini beans, rinsed and drained
2 6-ounce cans solid white tuna packed in water, drained
10 roasted garlic cloves ( See recipe below)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 Balsamic-Roasted Tomatoes (See recipe below)

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, parsley, and rosemary together in a small bowl.  Add the sun-dried tomatoes and let them marinate in the vinaigrette for 10 to 15 minutes to soften.  Place the beans, tuna, and garlic in a medium bowl.  Add the vinaigrette and sun-dried tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to mix.  Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.  Serve at room temperature, with the Balsamic-Roasted Tomatoes on top.

ROASTING GARLIC

1 head of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the top off the head of garlic with a serrated knife so that you can see the tips of the individual cloves.  Place the garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with the oil, and rub into all sides of the garlic to coat.  Wrap the head of garlic tightly in foil and place in the oven to roast for 50 to 60 minutes, until it is soft to the squeeze.

Unwrap the garlic and allow it to cool.  When the garlic is cool enough to touch, squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of their skins.  Use the oil that you roasted the garlic in to season whatever your’re using with the garlic.  The cloves will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.

BALSAMIC-ROASTED TOMATOES

6 plum tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, tghinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the tomatoes and onion slices on a baking sheet with sides.  Drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar, sprinkle with the rosemary, salt and pepper, and toss to coat.  Spread the tomatoes and onion in a single layer with the tomatoes cut side down and roast for 30 to 35 minuts, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft and shriveled and the vinegar has caramelized on the bottom of the pan.

I added a small amount of lettuce to this salad and served the dish with baked pita wedges.

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