Grilled Lamb Patties with Red Peppers, Nicoise Olives and Creme Fraiche

Okay. Here’s the deal.

There are times that certain flavors are what I want to eat. There are times that I know I want these flavors but don’t have a clue what those flavors are going to end up in. Sometimes the flavors and ingredients are the same, but the whole recipe is totally different.

A month or so ago, I did an incredible recipe for Merguez, a lamb sausage. The sausages were fried/sautéed on top of the stove and served on top of couscous with fresh spinach. They were amazing, if I do say so myself.

I wanted to do something again with the flavors of the Merguez, but in a different presentation. I wanted to add Nicoise olives, and red bell peppers and I wanted to grill the ground lamb that had been highly seasoned and this time had bread crumbs, lots of fresh cilantro, garlic and sweet red onion added and have more of it to eat than just a small sausage.

So, I did.

To top off the grilled lamb patties, I did an adapted version of a fabulous recipe of Perla Meyers that uses sautéed red bell peppers, garlic, and crème fraiche with the addition of the Nicoise olives, fresh cilantro and toasted pine nuts.

It worked.

Grilled Lamb Patties

3 garlic cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon paprika (sweet)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 lb ground lamb
1 cup fresh soft bread crumbs
¼ small red onion, grated

Combine and form into small oval patties.

Grill for 4-5 minutes per side.

Makes 8 patties.

Plate the patties, then put the pepper sauce over. Garnish with the Nicoise olives and the fresh cilantro.

Serves 3-4.

Red Bell Peppers with Garlic, Black Olives and Crème Fraiche

with inspiration from Perla Meyers

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
A couple of swirls of extra virgin olive oil
2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
2 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into julienne
1/3 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp crème fraiche
1/3 cup pitted Nicoise olives
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a large cast iron skillet on top of the stove. Add a couple of swirls of extra virgin olive oil. When hot but not smoking, add garlic and moderate the heat so garlic doesn’t burn. When you can really smell the garlic, add the red bell pepper and cook them until they start to soften.

Add the chicken stock and stir over moderately high heat until almost all the liquid is gone. Then add the crème fraiche.

Turn the heat down just a little and stir til the peppers absorb the crème fraiche. Add the pine nuts. This would be just as wonderful with rack of lamb or chops grilled to perfection!

Serves 3 -4.

Grilled Lamb Patties with Red Peppers, Nicoise Olives and Creme Fraiche

Ragout of Pork with Drunken Prunes and Onions

Every now and then you come across a recipe that makes you hold your fork over the plate, while you’re eating a bite, and you use the fork to point at the food while making those nummy noises…mmmmh…oh my…mmph mmph ahhh. Those noises. This Ragout of Pork with Drunken Prunes and Onions straight from the Spur of the Moment Cookbook is one of those recipes. Don’t get all worked up over prunes. What a delight they are when they are paired with pork. That’s a classic combination.

In this recipe from one of my faves, Perla Meyers, prunes have been marinating overnight in dry vermouth. Then pork is seasoned with fresh ginger, nutmeg and braised in a flavorful beef stock, creating a sauce that is sweet and spicy and peppery all at once. The prunes go in for about fifteen minutes, then the secret ingredients are added at the last minute to blow your mind when you take the first bite. And you take your fork and you point at your food and you start with the noises. Enjoy !

Ragout of Pork with Drunken Prunes and Onions
Adapted from Spur of the Moment Cookbook by Perla Meyers

The day before:
1-½ cup large prunes, pitted
¾ cup dry white wine, (I used vermouth)
Put prunes in bowl and pour wine over. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight. It does not have to be refrigerated.

A couple of hours before you want to serve:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 good swirl peanut oil
3-½- 4 lbs boneless pork shoulder (Boston Butt), cut into 1-½ inch pieces (trim as much fat off as you can
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ pound pearl onions, peeled
Large grating of fresh nutmeg
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp all purpose flour
2 cups beef stock
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar

Preheat the oven to 375. Melt the butter together with the oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté the pork in batches until nicely browned on all sides. Remove from the skillet, season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

Add the onions to the skillet and sauté until nicely browned. Return the pork to the skillet and add the nutmeg, ginger, and flour, and cook for a couple of minutes or until the onions are nicely glazed. Transfer to Dutch oven.

Drain the prunes, save the wine and add the wine to the skillet. Bring to boil, scraping the bottom of the pan until reduced to about 3 tablespoons and add the beef stock. Bring to boil and pour over pork. Cover and braise in the oven for about and hour and 30 minutes.

Add the prunes and cook again for 20 minutes. Remove the pork mixture and degrease the sauce as you wish. Put the pork mixture back in the pot and set over medium heat.
Combine the vinegar and sugar in small bowl. Add the vinegar mix and bring to boil.
Let thicken and serve with egg noodles.

The trick to this recipe is to use a larger than you need dutch oven. It cooks faster and thickens the sauce beautifully.

Serves 4-6

Ragout of Pork with Drunken Prunes and Onions

Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Red Pepper and Saffron Couscous

I have a new friend in the kitchen. One I didn’t know I would love. It’s my new Le Creuset grill pan. My precious brother-in-law, Rusty, who knows me pretty well, gave it to me when he was here for Christmas. It was a thank you present for coming down and watching Groom help him move. This little gizmo comes in very handy when the big grill outside is out of gas or we’re out of charcoal. Grilled shrimp was on the menu for dinner with a wonderful saffron couscous with carrots, red bell pepper and spinach . However, the lightning, thunder and pouring, driving rain made me reconsider the fun of outdoor cooking. So I fired up the stove, heated up the my new best friend and had a grand time. Thanks, Russ!

Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Red Pepper and Saffron Couscous
Adapted from a recipe by Perla Meyers

1 pound tail on shrimp, peeled
Couple of swirls of extra virgin olive oil
Coarsely ground black pepper
Mix together in bowl and set aside.
2-½ cups chicken broth
1 tsp saffron threads
2 tbsp butter
Couple of swirls extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup diced red bell peppers
2 large carrots, diced
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1 cup couscous
¼ tsp turmeric
3 fat garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1-½ cup packed fresh spinach leaves
About a ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley and fresh cilantro
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Combine the broth and the saffron in a saucepan and simmer, covered for
about 30 minutes, or until it’s reduced to 2 cups.
Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and swirl extra virgin olive oil and the butter in the pan and when hot add the red bell peppers, carrots and shallots.
Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until soft. Takes about 10 minutes. Add garlic and turmeric and cook for about 5 minutes. Add couscous, saffron chicken broth and bring to a boil, stir, cover and remove from heat and let sit while you grill the shrimp.
Heat the grill pan over medium high heat and throw the shrimp on the pan. Turn the shrimp until they turn a pretty pink. Remove to plate.
Add spinach to the couscous and stir until wilted. Plate with the couscous first, then top with shrimp and sprinkle a bit of the cilantro and chopped Italian parsley on top. Enjoy!
Serves 3 generously.

Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Red Pepper and Saffron Couscous

The Egg and I

When I was seventeen, I got a job at a French cafe in Nashville. It was run by a wonderful cook and her family and if this seventeen year old could have had any more fun, it would have killed me. I learned a lot that summer. I was in charge of the cold area of the kitchen. The salads. The desserts. And jumping in to help when orders were flying in and out the door. I was also the one who made the omelets. I can’t remember how many eggs we went through a day, but believe me there were a lot. You could have your choice of anything to put in them. Chicken livers were a hot item. Gruyere cheese. Sautéed potatoes and onions. Roasted red peppers. Tomatoes and fresh basil. I got so good at the omelet thing my parents gave a brunch that summer and guess what they served. My omelets. Talk about bringing the job home with you.

Nowadays, the Spanish tortilla is my egg dish of choice. . I like the look of them, I like them in sandwiches, I like them with salads…Arugula, the green of choice at our house, makes a bright foil for the flavors of this recipe.

Catalan Potato and Onion Tortilla.. adapted from a recipe by Perla Meyers


Extra virgin olive oil
2-3 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
4-5 eggs
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Heat four to five swirls of extra virgin olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over low heat. Cast iron works best. Add the potatoes and onions, season with the salt and pepper and cook covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender.



Put the mixture in a strainer placed over a bowl and set aside for 15 minutes. Reserve the potatoes and the strained oil separately.
Beat the eggs in bowl till light and season with salt, pepper and a bit pf cayenne. Whisk till blended. Fold the potato mixture into the eggs and mix well.

Heat the reserved oil in 9-½ inch nonstick skillet over medium to low heat. Pour the mixture into the skillet and cook about 7 minutes or till the bottom is lightly browned and eggs begin to set. Take a plate that covers the top of the skillet and invert eggs onto the plate. Add some olive oil to the skillet. When hot slide eggs back into the skillet. Cook five more minutes or till completely set. Chop a little fresh Italian parsley and sprinkle on the top.
Cut into quarters and serve. Serves 4.

You can serve it at room temperature if you like. It’s great stuffed into a warmed pita with Arugula and chopped tomatoes that have been tossed with a light vinaigrette.

The Egg and I

Oven Braised Salmon with Lemon Creme Fraiche

Okay, this was one of those days that just did not turn out as planned.
And because of that, dinner turned out to be something absolutely spectacular. And easy and fast. I could spend a whole lot of time telling you why but instead I’ll just post this recipe and suggest you try it. As soon as possible. And watch what could have been a day not worth remembering turn into something you’ll think about again and again.

Oven Braised Salmon Fillets in Lemon Crème Fraiche
Adapted from Perla Meyers Spur of the Moment Cookbook

1 lemon, juiced
1 cup crème fraiche
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp finely minced shallots
¼ cup dry vermouth
4 wild sockeye salmon fillets, skinless about 5 oz each

Preheat oven to 350’.
Mix the crème fraiche and lemon juice in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Melt 1 tbsp butter and olive oil in flameproof baking dish over low heat. Add the shallots and vermouth and reduce to glaze. Remove from heat.
Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place in single layer in the baking dish. Pour the crème fraiche mixture over the salmon, cover with buttered foil and bake for 12-15 minutes or until done.
Put fish on plate and tent with foil. Put baking dish over medium high heat and add a bit of vermouth and the other tbsp of butter and swish around til sauce thickens a bit. Season to taste and be sure to leave a bit to put on the salmon. Serve on top of steamed asparagus with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serves 2 if small fillets 4 if large. The way today went, the recipe served 2.

Oven Braised Salmon with Lemon Creme Fraiche

Pan Sauteed Wild Striped Bass with Fennel Tomato Fondue

We’re busy. All of us. Time is of the essence. So is good food. So taking time to put something divine on the table every night, to some people, may not be important. But there are people whose lives revolve around what we are going to have for the next meal.
I’m one of them. I have old stand-by meals that I’ll do in a pinch if I have to. Usually, I’ll look in the freezer, see what’s shakin’ in there and pick out what I want to do.
Then I go to the cookbooks. And stand in front waiting for inspiration. If that doesn’t work, I’ll go to the internet and surf around the food blogs and websites. The muse strikes and the games begin.
Whole Foods opened in my neighborhood last week. Jazz bands in a grocery store. Unbelievable. Anyway…a trip produced some fresh wild striped bass, something I had never cooked before. Several recipes later..thank you Perla Meyers and Jennifer Hess, I had come up with something. And it was really quite good and very easy. I’m in a major fennel phase. I love it roasted with olive oil and garlic in the oven. I love it in tuna salad with olive oil and capers and roasted red peppers and green olives. If it’s available, I may use half fennel and half celery when celery is called for in a recipe. So give this recipe a whirl and see what you think. It may change the way you eat fish. By the way, don't try to open a bottle of wine and toast bread at the same time. It's a gift to be able to do both!

Pan Sauteed Wild Striped Bass with Fennel and Tomato Fondue

1-1.5 pound wild striped bass fillet, skin on
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 large sweet yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2-4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
3 big fat garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
4-6 large flat anchovies, drained and minced
1.5 tsp fennel seed, slightly crushed
1-16 ounce can organic diced tomatoes, don’t drain
Big pinch Turkish oregano
Big pinch thyme leaves
Heat 2 tbs olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add fennel and onion and saute til soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, fennel seeds and anchovies and cook til anchovies dissolve. Add tomatoes and their juice and allow to cook down a bit. If too thick, add a bit more tomato juice. Reduce heat to low and let simmer while you do the bass. Season to taste.
Heat a cast iron skillet with two more tbs or so olive oil over medium high heat. Don’t allow to smoke. Mix a bit of flour, black pepper and coarse salt and dredge the fillet on both sides. Shake off as much flour as you can. Put in pan, skin side down and cook til golden brown and flip. Cook til done about five to seven minutes total unless it is very thick. You will be the best judge as to when it’s cooked.
Plate: Use pasta bowls to serve. Put a good sized scoop of the fennel tomato fondue in bottom, and a serving of the bass on top. Pull leaves from fresh Italian parsley and sprinkle on top. Serve with Italian bread, sliced on an angle and toasted.
Serves 3.

Pan Sauteed Wild Striped Bass with Fennel Tomato Fondue