Tonight we had a little artisan salt tasting. Fresh steamed corn on the cob is thoroughly buttered, of course. It serves as the perfect platform for the tasting. We tried three flavors by Fusion. Fusion does naturally flavored sea salts in a beautiful way. Of the three, Spanish Rosemary, Black Truffle and Wild Porcini, it's difficult to choose a favorite. They are all delicious. But for me, Spanish Rosemary is a nose ahead when layered with the fresh corn. Michael's favorite was the Black Truffle. All three are oh so yummy!
Personal Pizza With Low-Carb Crust
I'm at it again! Working that low-carb pizza crust recipe. I finally got this thing just where I want it. The crust is thin, tasty and a little bit crisp. You would never know it was made mostly of cauliflower!
How To Make It
The trick is to place your cauliflower florets in a pot with chicken stock and cook the heck out of it. You're basically cooking the flavor out of the cauliflower. I boil it for about 45 minutes. Let the cauliflower cool then wrap in a kitchen towel and wring it out as much as possible to remove the moisture. Your cauliflower should be a doughy texture now. In a bowl, mix the cauliflower with one egg and 3/4 of a cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
Half the mixture to make two small personal pizzas. This is important because the dough does not cook through as well in the center, so it is not advisable to make larger pizzas with this recipe. Set your oven to 350 (f). Using your fingers, spread the dough into two rectangles on a silpat (get these at Sur la Table). Bake 10-15 minutes per side.
Finally, add your favorite sauce and toppings and bake at 425 (f) to desired done-ness. Enjoy!
Zucchini Carpaccio Take Two
As mentioned in an earlier post, Chef Emma from Sur la Table introduced me to Zucchini Carpaccio, which I found to be surprisingly refreshing and delicious! It's the perfect side for these summer evenings. Zucchini Carpaccio Take Two is a slightly refined recipe from the previously posted version. I added a small amount of minced garlic and fresh basil, giving it just what was needed for a perfectly balanced set of flavors. Also, the cheese is shaved versus grated — a minor change but an improvement nonetheless, in my opinion.
HOW TO MAKE IT
2 large zucchini
a good sized handful of arugula
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic, mushed into a paste
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon diced blanched almond slivers
2 tablespoons freshly shaved Romano cheese
Thinly slice the zucchini using a mandoline or spiralizer. Set it in a strainer and sprinkle salt generously over. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes. The salt will extract much of the liquid. Thoroughly rinse the zucchini and pat dry with a towel.
In a small blow, stir together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together reserving half of the cheese and a little of the almonds to sprinkle on top. And there you go!
Causwells' Mussels with Chili Sausage
Causwells on Chestnut Street in San Francisco's Marina District, a.k.a. Our 'Hood, is quickly becoming one of our favorite local restaurants. Everything we've tried on the menu is fantastic! Shown here are the PEI mussels with chili sausage in a saffron broth with cherry tomato. Oh yeah, Baby! Highly recommended. I'll be getting this again for sure.
Easy Easter Brownies
These Easter brownies couldn't be easier. Grab your favorite brownie mix and ready made frosting from your grocery store, along with a decorative topper (I used Easter color jelly beans). These easy treats were a big hit after Easter dinner!
How to Make It:
Follow the instructions on your brownie mix and poor into a mini cupcake pan with liners. Pipe on some ready made frosting (add a little pastel coloring if you like). And top with a pretty little jelly bean.