Individual Dark Chocolate-Hazelnut Tortes
Ingredients 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, skin removed 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate 8 oz. butter (1 cup) 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 5 eggs 2 T Frangelico (optional) Confectioner’s sugar (optional)...
View ArticleDeep Rich Chocolate Sauces by Robert Lambert
Robert Lambert makes unbelievably delicious chocolate sauces. I first discovered these sauces at the Marin farmers market in San Rafael, California, on a Sunday morning. I am very particular about...
View ArticleSpread of Roasted Red Peppers, Walnuts and Pomegranates
Ingredients For the pomegranate syrup: 1/4 cup pomegranate juice 1/4 cup sugar For the spread: 2 cups roasted red peppers, chopped 2 cups lightly toasted walnuts, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 T...
View ArticleTCHO Chocolate – in San Francisco!
TCHO Chocolate is a new chocolate producer in San Francisco. Today I stopped by their factory store and found that their version 1.0 chocolate had just been released. It is now available to the...
View ArticleDirt Candy in New York City
Dirt Candy is a tiny restaurant in Manhattan’s East Village that features vegetarian cuisine (dirt candy = vegetables – right?). But you don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy it. Believe me, I would...
View ArticleBob’s Belgian Beef Stew
Ingredients 3 lbs boneless lean stew beef, trimmed of fat 2 T olive oil 1 large bottle dark Belgian-style beer, such as Chimay or Hennipen (about 22 ounces) 1 quart (32 oz) chicken stock 12 pearl...
View ArticleBottega Restaurant
We recently had lunch at the newly-opened Bottega Restaurant in Napa Valley. It was a Friday afternoon, and Michael Chiarello, executive chef/owner, was there greeting guests, sitting down with folks,...
View ArticleWine and Chocolate? Try Brix Chocolate
A friend of mine recently told me about Brix Chocolate, a line of chocolate that has been specially formulated to complement wines. I was skeptical because I have never particularly liked wine and...
View ArticleChiarello Family 2006 Bambino Cabernet Sauvignon
We recently went to Bottega in Napa Valley (Michael Chiarello’s restaurant in Yountville). The polenta with balsamic-wild game sauce, the rabbit sugo, the gnocchi and the burrata were all...
View ArticleSweet Corn Soup with Basil Oil and Creme Fraiche
Ingredients ½ cup sweet onions (I prefer the sweetness of Vidalia onions for this recipe, if you can find them.) 1 T olive oil 2 cups fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob and the cobs scraped 1 ½ cup...
View ArticleSpiced Pumpkin Soup with Creme Fraiche
Ingredients 1 T. olive oil, plus more for roasting the pumpkin 1 small-medium pumpkin (sugar pie variety, if possible), to yield 3 cups mashed pumpkin 1/2 large red onion, chopped 4 cups chicken stock...
View ArticleRoasted Pumpkin Soup with Chioptle Creme Fraiche
Ingredients 1 T olive oil 1 small-medium pumpkin (sugar pie variety, if possible), to yield 3 cups mashed pumpkin 1 tablespoon butter 2 slices bacon, diced 1 large yellow onion, chopped 6 cups chicken...
View ArticleProvencal Tomato Soup
Ingredients 6-8 lbs. ripe tomatoes ½ cup olive oil Sea salt Pepper 2 teaspoons sugar 1 head garlic 1 ½ cup crème fraiche You will also need: Large roasting pan Food processor Tasting spoons Large soup...
View ArticleTurkey, Brown Rice and Swiss Chard Soup
Ingredients 1/2 cup diced onions 2 T olive oil 1 cup brown rice 6 cups turkey stock 1/4 cup dried Porcini mushrooms 1/2 cup hot water 1 bunch fresh Swiss chard, washed, de-stemmed and chopped 1 1/2 cup...
View ArticleTurkey Stock
I love having Thanksgiving leftovers. I never throw away the turkey carcass – it makes great stock for my Turkey Soup with Brown Rice and Swiss Chard and my Risotto with Turkey, Mushrooms and Roasted...
View ArticleChilled Heirloom Tomato Soup
This soup gets its freshness from a hint of lemon verbena. Be sure to choose the sweetest tomatoes you can find. I like to serve this soup over a piece of poached salmon. Ingredients 1/2 cup olive...
View ArticleCurried Butternut Squash Soup with Jalapeno Pepper and Pumpkin Seeds
This soup is a great way to warm up a chilly Autumn day. It is also a good starter for a Thanksgiving holiday meal. Ingredients 2 shallots, peeled and chopped 4 T olive oil 4 cups butternut squash,...
View ArticleNew Year’s Day Good Luck Soup
I grew up in Southeast Georgia, and our tradition for good luck for the New Year was eating Hoppin’ John. To us, Hoppin’ John was a big pot of dried black-eyed peas cooked with hog jowl or ham shank....
View ArticleCoconut Lentil Soup
I adore the taste of coconut in savory dishes. This recipe uses coconut oil to add that rich coconutty goodness. You can use any kind of lentils. I typically use either green petite French lentils or...
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