This past weekend I was in Highlands, North Carolina, a charming mountain community that is home to a number of high-end restaurants. I was there in an unusual capacity—dispatched, you might say, to be one of three judges for their first-ever Iron Chef style culinary competition.

Who would be “King of the Mountain?” Four area chefs faced off, armed with kitchen staples, a box of Secret Ingredients, their sharpened French knives and wits, trying to execute as many daring dishes possible within a 40 minute time period. Yikes, 40 minutes!

And then, we judges got to sample, and score, on the basis of Taste, Presentation, and Creativity….in what seemed seconds.

Indeed, these chefs came up with some exceptional delectables. For one heat, the secret ingredient was sushi-grade Red Grouper. Witness: a gorgeous Grouper Carpaccio, translucent fillet dressed with peppery olive oil, basil and fennel. Grouper and crawfish in a spicy African Peanut Stew, presented in the hollow of a halved coconut. Grilled baby eggplant, mango, and grouper salad in a gingery-caramel-tamari-based dressing that was ultimate Umami.

Inspiring!

It wasn’t until the morning after the competition, while driving the winding way down the mountain, that I started to wonder, what would I have made in 40 minutes…

I didn’t arrive at any great answers. And when I arrived home, I made this Polenta Torta.

Now, even though it is not King of the Mountain caliber, it would score very high points for taste. Mushroom ragu can be as rich and complex as a meat bolognese, and in much less time.

Presentation and creativity score well in the acceptable range.

And, it can be made and assembled in that 40 minute time period…if you’ve got your sharp knife and wits about you.

Polenta Torta layered with Spinach and Mushroom Ragu

For the Polenta:

4 cups Water
1 cup Polenta
1 t. Sea Salt
1 t. good Olive Oil

Bring water a boil and stir in polenta and salt. Stir continuously until polenta incorporates into the liquid. Simmer, stirring occasionally.

Polenta is very forgiving. If it gets too thick, thin with more water. If it’s too thin, just simmer along and it will thicken up. When it is a good, almost pourable consistency, remove from heat and stir in the olive oil.

Mushroom Ragu:
1 T. Olive Oil
1 T. Butter
1 medium Onion, small dice
½ Yellow or Red Bell Pepper, small dice
2 cloves minced Garlic
12 oz. coarsely chopped assorted Mushrooms: portabellos, shiitakes, oyster, cremini…you don’t have to get all of these, 2 or 3 varieties are nice
4-6 sprigs fresh Thyme
Salt
Black Pepper
¼ cup Red Wine
1 cup diced Tomatoes and juice
½ cup low fat Milk

In a skillet under medium heat, melt butter and olive together. Saute onions and peppers until softened; stir in garlic, mushrooms, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms brown. Add red wine, tomatoes and juice. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits in the skillet. Simmer and stir. Mushrooms will release their liquid and sauce will acquire a pretty reddish-brown hue. Stir in milk; taste for seasonings and adjust.

Spinach Sauté
½ lb. fresh Spinach
2 cloves minced Garlic
Olive Oil
shredded Pecorino Romano

Simple: Heat the oil, toss in the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the spinach leaves. Toss around in the pot until the leaves are coated and collapse. (another minute or two) Remove from heat and dust with a little romano cheese.

Assembly

In a 9×13 casserole dish coated with olive oil, spread a layer of polenta. Follow that with a layer of spinach, then a layer of mushroom ragu. Sprinkle some shredded pecorino romano at this point, if you like.

Repeat the process—all layers again.

At this point, if you are making things ahead of time, you can refrigerate the casserole. It will be ready to bake when you are.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 30 minutes–until browned and bubbly.

For my Vegan Friends:
Polenta Torta lends itself to numerous variations.
Simply delete the butter and romano; no milk in the mushroom sauce.
It won’t be quite as Lush—but still very good.
Layers of swiss chard and marinara sauce would be Delish.
And, Pesto layers? Absolutely.

Goodness, it’s been unusually Meaty around here of late at Good Food Matters, what with braised pork shoulder, the cauldron of Italian Meatballs, and now this vast platter of beef.

I do promise to bring balance to the blog with postings that feature vegetables, fruits, grains, and the likes. But, in the interest of good experiments, i.e. The Illustrious Vessel, we’ll press forward today with Doufeu, part deux.

For a number of years—-back in The Day—-we catered the large Seder for Congregation Micah. It was a great service offered to their community who were either unable to observe this Passover meal and ritual at home, or simply desired to celebrate it with a group (150-200!) of fellow members.

I am not Jewish, but had many Jewish catering clients, and so I had a basic understanding of what was needed for the service, what was acceptable—from a dietary standpoint—and what had to be avoided. The director of Congregation Micah provided us with all the guidelines, and a copy of the Haggadah, the special text.

Restrictions include: no dairy, no leavened grain, no legumes, corn, or rice.

It was a challenging and rich experience, to design a balanced menu, to properly (and tastefully!) prepare the meal, and serve all the components in their rightful order to so many people.

We learned some fabulous recipes—I make a mean Matzo Ball Soup, just thinking about it now gets my mouth watering!—

It was a great history lesson too, learning how the Seder plate holds symbols in the form of foods to bring mindfulness to the Exodus, the struggle from slavery to freedom.

We always prepared beef brisket, using a recipe given by a client long ago, that slow cooks the meat with onions, chili sauce, red wine, and ginger ale. The results were always remarkable: the beef rich and tender, covered in a sauce thickened with caramelized onions, deepened with wine, spiked with sweet-sour notes from the chili sauce and soda.

With the first day of Passover coming up on March 30th, I thought it would be the perfect time to try out my brisket recipe, with modifications, in the Doufeu.

I am happy to report that the results were Superb.

Searing the rub of salt, black pepper, and paprika onto the meat goes far in creating a lovely bronzed brisket—-critical to the braise.

I reduced the amount of liquids in my recipe for the doufeu to achieve the desired flavor profile. Plenty of onion is still needed though!

Brisket of Beef
2-3 T. Olive Oil
6 lb. Brisket, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Paprika
3-4 Onions, sliced
2-3 Garlic cloves, minced

½ cup red wine
½ cup ginger ale
½ cup chili sauce

Heat Doufeu on low. Add olive oil. Rub trimmed brisket with salt, black pepper and paprika.
Brown the brisket on both sides and remove.
Add about ½ of the sliced onion and sauté for a few minutes. Lay the brisket on top of the bed of onions. Pour over red wine and ginger ale. Spread the chili sauce over the top of the brisket, sprinkle with minced garlic and remaining sliced onions. Cover with lid, fill with ice, and turn heat down to lowest setting.

After 3 hours, remove lid, flip over the brisket. Cover and cook for about 2 more hours.
Meat will feel very tender when pierced with a fork. When done, remove brisket.
Slice brisket thinly, across the grain, and lay out on a serving platter. Cover with hot oniony gravy and serve.

This platter of sliced brisket was much-loved at our last community pot luck!

I do enjoy a cooking challenge. So, when our local Le Creuset store manager Joseph asked if I would like to test my recipes in their signature Doufeu, I said SURE!—even before I knew what in the world a Doufeu is.

I did some hasty internet research.

In French, Doufeu translates loosely to Gentle Fire. This rather handsome cooking vessel (LOVE this color: cerise, or cherry red!) was introduced in 1935, and is now being brought back as Le Creuset honors its 75th anniversary (while celebrating 85 years of making their revered enameled cast ironware.)

This deep oval “French Oven” has a couple of distinguishing characteristics that enable it to slow braise with minimal liquid, yielding tender meats layered with rich flavors. It’s all in the design of the lid.

The outer indentation holds a mound of ice. The lid’s underside has a series of little knobby spikes. As the Doufeu cooks, steam rises within, meets up with the chilled top. Condensation occurs, and drips liquid–via the little nodules–back down onto the roast.

Effectively, it self-braises. Nice science lesson!

For my first test, I chose a Pork Shoulder, which benefits from long, slow cooking. In Tennessee, this cut most often makes its appearance on the smoker, hickory-charred and pulled for barbecue. But, braised in cider with pears and thyme, it melts into succulence, the meat bathed in savory-sweet juices: wonderful winter fare served over brown rice.

TIPS: Preparation is simple. After trimming excess fat, liberally season the shoulder with salt, black pepper, and thyme. Heat the Doufeu doucement, gently. The initial searing of the meat is critical. Take time to achieve good browning on all sides before adding the pears and vegetables—you’ll be rewarded with a full-flavored broth.

Browned pork roast, sliced pears, onions, carrots, and leeks only require 1 cup of cider as braising liquid. Secure the lid, fill with ice, and let the Doufeu do its job…..for the next 6 hours!

Six hours, you say? Mais, oui.…I took the Gentle Fire notion very literally….perhaps too seriously. I had my gas burner on its lowest setting. The beauty of LeCreuset is that its very material allows heat to build—and hold. The ice was completely melted after the first hour.

After 3 hours, I decided to peek inside. Wow! The shoulder and accouterments were steeped in this marvelous stock. I flipped the shoulder over, reset the lid, and let it continue….

It filled my home with wonderful aromas.

After almost six hours of Low-and-Slow, the pears and veggies had all but disappeared into the broth. The shoulder was so tender; I easily pulled its singular bone out clean. I removed the roast from the pot, skimmed the stock and thickened it slightly with a Slurry ( cornstarch mixed with water.)

This is not meat to slice. You pull it. You chop it up. Then, return it to that amazing gravy. Surprising: with minimal cider and fruit, it was infused with peary sweetness.

I served this lush roast , alongside brown rice, asparagus, and a salad to my Book Club. The six pound shoulder had remarkable yield–Ten of us enjoyed dinner, and there were leftovers to serve another eight!

Everyone remarked on its soft richness, and the distinct layers of flavors–fruit, vegetal, earth, meat…

Cider Braised Pork Shoulder with Pears and Thyme
approx. 6 lb. Pork Shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and Black Pepper
few sprigs of fresh Thyme
Olive Oil
1-2 Leeks, cleaned and chopped
3 Carrots, diced
1 Onion, sliced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Anjou Pears, sliced
1 cup Apple Cider

Season pork with salt, pepper, thyme. Heat the Doufeu on medium, add olive oil, and brown the shoulder on all sides. Lower the heat, add sliced pears, onions, carrots, leeks, garlic, more thyme. Pour in the cider.

Cover, and fill the lid with ice. Simmer along for 3 hours. Flip the roast.
You can “redo” the lid with new ice, if you want—or just leave it filled with water. Simmer at least another 2 hours. (The bone will pull out easily.)

Serve over rice, egg noodles, or roasted potatoes.

Our next Doufeu Test will be with Beef Brisket….

That’s Kara, intent on carefully stirring this big batch of Italian meatballs in hearty red sauce, the centerpiece of a meal made by her and fellow Brentwood Academy students attending our cooking seminar at Second Harvest.
For Winterim, she and eight others chose to come to our Culinary Arts Center to learn some kitchen skills and tasty recipes.

We are fortunate at our food bank to have a teaching kitchen. Each week, volunteers get hands-on experience in a commercial setting, preparing our Friday First Harvest Cafe buffet lunch.

Mark and I also feel strongly about teaching youth to cook—informing the palate and developing skills in the kitchen are as critical as reading, math and science (all of which come into play with understanding recipes, measurements, temperatures….)

We have designed a series of classes specific to teens. Periodically during the school year, we host these three-day seminars. On the first day, the kids make a big lunch for themselves. The next day, they cook a full course dinner to bring home to their families. The final day, they assist with our First Harvest Cafe: cooking and serving for the hundred-plus guests who attend.

In the summer, we offer COOKS RULE, week-long cooking camps that expand on some of the skills and recipes touched on in the smaller seminars. We have sophisticated menus exploring cuisines from around world and incorporating fresh local products from our farmers.

For this class, our students learned some Italian-American basics:
meatballs, tomato sauce, pasta, salad and red wine herb vinaigrette
The morning was spent preparing our lunch.

I developed these recipes to be straightforward and simple, without sacrificing flavor, and have found them to be well received by just about anyone interested in learning to cook. I’ve taught them to teens and to formerly homeless. Mindful of what people have access to, the meatball and sauce recipes indicate options for fresh or dried herbs.

We always emphasize that recipes are starting points, guideposts: free to adapt as you choose. It’s all about creativity. Cooking is foremost an art. Happily, there are myriad variations of meatballs and sauce out in the world, and there’s always another tasty take on a known dish.

Our students work in teams. We strive to have a good balance of lecture and demonstration with mainly hands-on work. And, really, that’s why they are there. Everyone wants to get her hands in the action. Mixing and rolling meatballs is a perfect means…..

Plus, it is a WHOLE lot of fun. We strive to have joy in our kitchen.
But, truly, that’s something we don’t have to work hard to achieve!

The meatballs are oven roasted. It’s an easy way to cook them, and drain off any excess grease before they are plunged into the pot of red sauce to simmer. (Of course, big batches of meatballs can made, roasted, and frozen—ready to use at a later point in time.)

While the sauce simmers, the students clean, spin, and toss greens with a vinaigrette they whipped up themselves. We prepare the pasta (linguine in this case) and set up our buffet…dine on our reward, a delicious lunch. Good work!

Italian Meatballs
1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
¼ lb. Sweet Italian Sausage, casing removed
2 -3 slices of French or Italian bread, torn into small pieces
2 teaspoons minced Garlic
1 small Onion, chopped very finely
2 Tablespoons dried Italian herbs (or finely chopped 2 T. fresh basil, 1 T. fresh oregano, 2 t. fresh thyme, 1 t. flat leaf parsley)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Black Pepper
6 Tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten

Break up the ground beef and sausage into a large mixing bowl.
Add the bread pieces, garlic, onions, herbs, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese and the beaten egg.
Vigorously mix all the ingredients together by hand-almost like kneading bread dough-until all the herbs and bread pieces are well mixed throughout the meat.
The mixture will get a little fluffy and shiny when it is mixed well.
Shape into balls-about the size of a golf ball, (or smaller, if desired). Place the meatballs on a baking sheetpan.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until done.
Drain any excess grease and place the cooked meatballs into your thick Italian Tomato Sauce.

Hearty Italian Tomato Sauce
3 Tablespoons Olive oil
2 small Onions, finely chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 large (28 oz.)Can Tomatoes in juice-coarsely chopped, save the juice!
1 small can (6 oz) Tomato paste
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Black pepper
1 Tablespoon Basil
2 teaspoons Oregano

In a large saucepan (3-4 quart size) heat olive oil.
Add the chopped onions first and sauté until soft and translucent-about 7 minutes.
Then add the garlic and cook for another minute or so, stirring constantly.
Add the coarsely chopped tomatoes and their juice, the tomato paste, all the herbs and spices and stir well until it begins to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.
Add cooked meatballs and continue simmering. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Wheeeee! This crazy, verging on Mardi Gras, merry-go-round of chocolate decadence, this Amazonian cupcake, was my creation for my mom’s 80th birthday–just celebrated Sunday. Its ingredients were inspired by her abiding love of chocolate in its myriad forms, and its wack-a-doodle look was inspired really, by her joyous take on life.

My mom has always had boundless energy and interests: watercolor artist, art and music teacher, girl scout leader, bowler, bridge player, NYTimes crossword puzzler. She turned her wedding dress into curtains, turned our garage into a craft cranny workshop, turned every picture in the house upside down to see if my dad would notice.

The little string of phrases underneath her senior picture (from the 1948 annual “The Crusader” Mary Louis Academy–an all girls Catholic high school in Jamaica, Long Island, New York) , particularly the last one, always makes me smile:

“pretty as a picture…plays a solid saxophone….laughing brown eyes…

…Fascinating, and a little different.”

Yes, ma’am. To honor this fascinating-and-a-little-different person, I made two cakes into one. The base was a triple-layered sour cream chocolate cake: dark, dense yet moist. The domed top was a chocolate-mousse filled zucotta–incredibly rich yet light: a spectacular (and simple) dessert alone.

From the Italian zucotto for “Skullcap”, a zucotta is a ladyfinger lined, mousse-filled bowl. When chilled and inverted, it makes a cool dome shape that can be further embellished with a smooth coating of ganache.

When placed atop an already over-the-top dessert it became a wild monument to chocolate: a monument whose assembly nearly ended in disaster . The dome almost toppled mid-flight before its precarious three-tier landing. And then, the construction reminded me of a thatched beehive hut we visited in Ethiopia. Yes, this creation was shaping up to be a contender for Cake Wrecks.

Be assured, there is much that can be remedied with more frosting, a long cake spatula, and a pastry bag filled with cocoa whipped cream. And the notion that, when something is meant to be ostentatious, More is Better.

The recipes that follow will make 1 large zucotta–which will serve 12-15, and 1 10″ layer cake to split or 2 9″ layers. Either Zucotta or Sour Cream Chocolate Cake is Lovely-Lovely by itself—you don’t have to go All Fascinating and Little Different if don’t want to!

Chocolate Zucotta

one 4 qt. glass bowl
2 pkgs. plain Ladyfingers

9 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped
12 T. unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces
4 T. Espresso, or strong Coffee
2 T. Vanilla
3 T. Crème de Cacao
6 Eggs, separated
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup Heavy Cream, lightly sweetened and whipped

Line the bowl with plastic wrap, with ends coming over the sides.
Then, line the interior of the bowl with ladyfingers. Brush with creme de cacao and set aside.

In a heavy 1 qt. saucepan under low heat, melt the chocolate and coffee together.

Whisk in the vanilla and creme de cacao. Then, stir in the butter, one chunk at a time, until it becomes smooth and shiny. Remove from heat.

Using an electric mixer and balloon whisk, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until the yolks become really pale yellow and thickened, almost triple in volume. This will take several (at least 5) minutes. The yolks will cling to the whisk.

Your chocolate mixture should be warm—but not hot.
Beat it into the thickened egg yolks, and pour into another large mixing bowl.
Clean and dry your mixer bowl and whisk. Beat the egg whites until stiff and glossy. Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture.

Fold in whipped cream. Pour mixture into lined bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

When well-chilled and set, unmold onto a platter or plate. Skim-coat with chocolate frosting and/or Cover with chocolate ganache. Decorate with fresh strawberries, whipped cream.

Chocolate Ganache
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 t. Vanilla

Heat cream gently–to a simmer. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until melted and glossy. Remove from heat. While warm, but not hot, pour over the zucotta. Chill and serve.

I used a 4 qt. glass bowl, with a diameter similar to the cake. Short on time, I used packaged ladyfingers, although I have recipe posted here for them, if you’d like to make them yourself.

This filling is similar to my basic wonderful chocolate mousse, although this recipe has whipped cream folded into the batch.

After this sets up—-overnight is best—-it unmolds quite easily.

Here, I “skim-coated” the zucotta with some sour cream chocolate frosting, left over from the cake. It’s now ready for the dark chocolate ganache.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
2 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate
1/2 cup chopped Bittersweet Chocolate
1/2 cup Cocoa
2 sticks Unsalted Butter
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Coffee
1 cup Sour Cream
1 T. Vanilla
3 Eggs
2 t. Baking Soda
1/2 t. Salt
2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

In a microwaveable bowl, place the first 5 ingredients and heat for about one minute–until chocolate and butter is melted. Remove, stir, and heat again for another 1/2 minute, so that sugar is dissolved.

Stir in coffee, vanilla, and sour cream. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Sift flour, soda, and salt together. Beat into wet mixture.

Pour batter into greased 10″ cake or springform pan or 2 9″ cake pans.
Bake in 350 degree oven 35-40 for the 10″/25-30 minutes for the 9″.

Cool. Split 10″ cake to frost.

Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting
1 1/2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup strong Coffee
2 sticks softened unsalted Butter
1 t. Vanilla
1 cup Sour Cream
3 cups Confectioners Sugar

Melt chocolate chips and coffee together–stir until smooth.
Beat softened butter with vanilla. Beat in sour cream, cooled (but not hard) chocolate. Beat in confectioners sugar, one cup at a time.
Taste for sweetness and adjust.

Crazy-Messy, and Oh-So-Good. Voted best cake ever—and best party ever—by the River Rest residents….

It has been at least eight years since we’ve had REAL snow in Nashville, the kind that starts in the morning as flurries and builds throughout the day, big fat clusters tumbling down, blanketing the trees, the front yards, the roads, diffusing light, muffling sound…. ultimately bringing the city to a standstill.

Wow. It got really quiet.

And, while I was home, cozy (and succumbing to a headcold), I decided to enjoy the snowy shut-down by making simple comforts: bread and soup.

I had enough of the necessary ingredients: and handful of vegetables for the soup pot, some flour and an unexpired package of dry yeast for bread. These are, after all, basic foods.

With broccoli as the star, mirepoix the reliable supporting players, and potatoes comprising the creamy base, it doesn’t take long to make this hearty soup. It also isn’t essential that you add any dairy to achieve richness, although a modest cupful of lowfat milk added at the end is rather nice. A few shavings of sharp white cheddar, too.

But this is a much lighter version of Broccoli-Cheddar that is often served out in the world, all floury and cheesy and fat-laden.
The potatoes add the creaminess, body to the soup. As they cook along, they all but disappear.

like under a blanket of snow.

Chunks of potatoes will break down, adding flavor and body to the soup.

The soup is beginning to thicken, a good time to add the broccoli florets.

Creamy Broccoli Soup
3 T. Olive Oil
4 medium Russet Potatoes, peeled and diced
1 head Broccoli, stems and florets separated, stems chopped
2 medium Onions, chopped
3 Carrots, chopped
3 Celery, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3 1/2 qts. vegetable stock, or water
Salt-n-Peppa to taste
1 cup lowfat Milk
1/2 cup shredded Vermont Cheddar

Warm olive oil in a stockpot on medium heat. Sauté the diced potatoes for 5 minutes. Add broccoli stems and the mirepoix (carrots-onions-celery) and stir into the mix, sauteing another 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and season with salt and black pepper.

The vegetables will begin to soften, and stick to the bottom and sides of the pot. Keep stirring, then add the vegetable stock (or water)

The soup will get a glazy thickness to it. Add the broccoli florets to cook into the batch last. Once they are softened, taste for salt and pepper. Stir in a cup of milk and some shredded Vermont Cheddar for added dairy richness and tang.

And now, for the bread part…….

The thing about bread is Time.

That’s all. And it’s not time where You are actually doing anything—it’s the yeast that’s doing all the work. After you mix up the dough, you just have to check in on periodically, give it a punch, knead it and leave it be. And, put it in the oven to bake.

So, I amend that—it’s really about Patience. It’s worth it. I would like to bake bread more than I do—I am not mindful enough to put it into the plan of a day. And while the recipe for this Rosemary Cracked Wheat Bread is not exceptional, I share it to encourage you.(and myself!) It’s not hard. It’s fun. And, delicious. Just simply to get in the kitchen and bake!

Serve the crusty loaf warm, with a slap of butter on it.
Or, get out your fave olive oil, dress it up with a few strips of sundried tomatoes, polka dots of balsamic….carve a little parmegiano-reggiano….

Rosemary-Cracked Wheat Bread

1 cup warm Water
1 package Active Dry Yeast
1 T. sugar
2 t. Sea Salt
2 T. Olive Oil
1 cup Cracked Wheat Flour
1 1/2 -2 cups Unbleached White Flour
2 T. chopped fresh Rosemary

Stir yeast and sugar into warm water. Yeast will begin to activate–bubble. Add salt and olive oil. Add cracked wheat flour and at least 1 cup of the unbleached white flour and make a soft dough. (add more white flour if necessary.) Knead until elastic. Form into a ball and place into a bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour. Punch down again, reform into a ball.

Score with a knife, sort of criss-cross fashion.
Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and chopped rosemary.
Let rise for another 45 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Crust with be nicely golden and the bread will “thunk.”

Yes, but no ordinary chicken, no ordinary pot.

Seasoned with a pesto made of coarse grain mustard, garlic, sage, and rosemary, this free-range bird from Au Naturel Farms furthered the range of its Smiths Grove, Kentucky home with the tastes of Provence. With a savory paste both tucked under the skin and spread over the entire exterior, the trussed chicken got cooked to bronzy succulence in a Dutch oven.

And, yes, it was my trusty fig-colored LeCreuset, doing double duty on the stove top and in the oven. I credit the pot and the pesto for making this chicken glisten in a sauce that required no roux to thicken.

That grainy dijon mustard acts as a vehicle for holding the herbs and garlic in place, and adds a nice piquancy without being overtly, well, mustardy. I do believe, too, that it has thickening powers.

I hasten to add that I did toss in some cooked cranberry beans, which continued to cook, break down, and contribute a little more body to the sauce.

The process began on the stove top, where I browned the bird, and sautéed the sturdy mirepoix. A little water, a few glugs of red wine, and into the oven it went to finish off, for the most part, unattended.

After it emerges from the oven in all its glazed and stewy glory, you can carve the chicken at the table, and serve the vegetables and sauce on the side.

As my contribution to this month’s Third-Thursday Community Pot Luck, I decided to carve all the meat, and place it back to bathe in the sauce and vegetables. It was easy to serve to our group that way. ( cut the chicken into smaller bites, extend the liquid more, and you’ve got a rich soup.)

Some people spooned it over the potatoes dauphinoise, others decided the seven-jewel-grain-casserole was a perfect base, and still more chose to just let a serving swim on the plate with all the other wonderful dabs of dishes brought to the dinner. (Word: our third-thursday pot luck is AMAZING. forty local food lovers, forty unique dishes brought to the table!)

Provencale Chicken in a Pot
1 Whole Roasting Chicken
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Onions, chopped
3 stalks Celery, chopped
3-4 Carrots, cut into nice chunks
2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
2 cups Red Wine
2 cups cooked White or Cranberry Beans
1 batch of Coarse Grain Mustard Pesto (see recipe below)

Dutch oven

Spread a nice dollop of the pesto underneath the skin of the chicken breast, and liberally coat the remainder all over the outside of the chicken.

Truss the chicken with kitchen twine.

Heat the Dutch oven on medium, add the Olive Oil and brown the chicken on all sides, starting with breast side down. This process should take about 15 minutes. Add vegetables and sauté them, about 5-7 minutes. Pour in red wine. Then pour in enough water to raise the level of liquid about 2 inches—about 2 cups.
Stir in the beans and place uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven.
Roast for an hour, periodically basting the bird.

Serve either as a whole roasted chicken, with its savory brown vegetable sauce on the side, or carve up all meat from the roast, return to the saucepot and serve over crusty bread or potatoes.

for the Coarse Grain Mustard Pesto:
2 Tablespoons Coarse Grain Mustard
3 cloves Garlic
2 Tablespoons Fresh Sage leaves
1 sprig fresh Rosemary
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and Black Pepper

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor fitted with the swivel blade. Pulse until the garlic and herbs are well chopped throughout the mixture.

Even though eggplant makes its seasonal appearance in the summer, there’s something inherently hearty about its nature that compels me to cook with it in winter. The kinds of dishes where it plays the starring role—-think eggplant parmesan, moussaka, even stewy ratatouille—-are really suited for cold weather times.

So are these roulades. Filled with creamy spinach-flecked ricotta and baked with a lush slather of red sauce, they make a fancy-pants casserole that you’d be pleased to serve on a chilly wet night.

At first blush, you’d think they might be testy to make, but they really are not. The trick is to slice the ‘plant long and thin. (even easier, if you have a mandoline at your disposal, which I do not!)

After the slices are gently roasted and cooled, they become quite flexible, rather cooperative. In the time it would take to boil some tubes of manicotti, your eggplant slices would be roasted and ready to roll.

The slices are also very forgiving. Uniformity doesn’t count, thank goodness for that. So, don’t fret about odd oblong pieces, or breaks in the slice. It doesn’t matter! Just place a nice spoonful of ricotta at one end and roll it up.

Once in place, I like to spoon the red sauce over and across the roulade centers, leaving the ends exposed, for contrast. Keep your remaining sauce warm–on stand by on the stove, for an extra embellishment when you serve. Or, add it to a side dish of pasta. I cooked up some pipette, and tossed it with a little red sauce and cream.

This is one of my departures from eating seasonally, I know. It’s not always easy to be a good locavore…especially in January! Nevertheless, the roulades really satisfy this time of year, and provide a good meatless alternative anytime.

Eggplant Roulades
1 large Eggplant
Olive Oil
Salt
1 lb. part-skim Ricotta (these days it comes in a 15 oz. container-which works just fine)
½ cup grated Parmesan
¼ t.Granulated Garlic
¼ t. Salt
¼ t. Black Pepper
1 Egg
a handful (about 2 oz.) fresh Spinach leaves
½ cup shredded Mozzarella

1 cup your favorite Marinara Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dry eggplant and slice lengthwise into ¼” thick slabs—from one large eggplant, you may get 12 long slices.
Brush each slice on both sides with olive oil and lay onto a baking sheet pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt and place in the oven to roast for about 5 minutes. Slices will look somewhat translucent. Remove and allow to cool. They will be very flexible.

In a food processor fitted with a swivel blade, place ricotta, parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, and egg. Process until smooth. Toss in spinach leaves and pulse until the spinach is coarsely chopped throughout the mixture, however not pureed. Scrape into a bowl and fold in shredded mozzarella.

Place a generous spoonful at the end of each cooled eggplant slice and roll up. Place into casserole dish. After all slices have been rolled and set in place, spoon your marinara sauce over the center of each roulade. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Makes 12 roulades, serving 4-6.

While the great Arctic mass of frigid air made its way down South, we stayed huddled in the house, in a semi-zombie-hibernation mode. We were not at our best: wearing many layers and lumbering about our humble (and drafty) abode both clumsily and with reluctance. Hunkered over our bowls of oatmeal and potato soup like refugees from the Western Front.

We Nashvillians just don’t do 8 degrees very well.

One evening, though, I made up this cheery cold plate. This combination struck just the right notes—earthy to neutral to floral—-firm to creamy to juicy—vegetable, fruits, greens. Plus, a little dollop of goat cheese.

And color! Pretty winter pastels to brighten the dull gray of January, the dreariest of refugee mindsets. The golden beets lead the way, marvelous ringed discs capturing the light. Add in slices of avocado and ruby grapefruit and the color trio reminds me of sherbet, or some long-ago popsicle blend from the Good Humor man.

This composed salad plate is simple to make, as long as you have the right ingredients on hand: a grapefruit, an avocado, some leafy salad greens, a little goat cheese, and those beets—the only thing you’ll have to cook.

Brush the beets with a little olive oil, loosely wrap in foil and roast in a hot oven for 25-30 minutes. Once, cool enough to handle, the skin should slip off without much trouble.

The Chili-Grapefruit Vinaigrette has just the right fire to wake up the palate. Toast some crusty wheat bread, spread a little chevre, and know that this season moves as quickly as any.

Chili-Grapefruit Vinaigrette
1 Tablespoon Grapefruit Zest
3 Tablespoons Grapefruit Juice
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
pinch of salt and sugar to taste
pinch of cayenne
1/2 cup Olive Oil or Walnut Oil

In a small mixing bowl, add zest, juice, chili powder, vinegar, salt and sugar. Cayenne, too, if you like. Whisk together. Continue whisking as you add the oil; it should readily emulsify.

Spoon a little vinaigrette over leafy greens and toss until the greens are lightly coated. Mound onto plates. Add sliced beet, sliced avocado and grapefruit, goat cheese and drizzle these with the dressing too. Enjoy!

If you’re like me, you are feeling this sense of RELIEF that a new year has begun. And, it’s not just for the usual psychological “new beginnings” or resolutions reason. It’s because of the lead up to this moment. The frenzy of food making and eating, from Thanksgiving through the entire month of December, IS, despite all its glut and glory, OVER.

Whew.

I’m ready for a little stark reality—but it doesn’t have to be bland, does it? Look at this beautiful container of Olive Oil, a gift from our friends in Italy. They befriended Elio, the Tuscan grower and maker of this Bio-Dynamic Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It’s so fruity green and delicious. I love the label’s painting by one of his children, showing the olive harvest under the Shooting Star (Il Meteorite)

So, I’ve cooked up a quick pasta dish, with less pasta, more vegetables. It’s full of health and flavor: Whole Wheat Linguine from DeCecco. Leeks, garlic, a dice of sweet red bell. A few shreds of pecorino cheese.
And Broccolini.

I had originally been looking for Broccoli Rabe–broccoli’s wild cousin, but I ended up with the baby sister instead. It was a good choice.
The quest for bitter ended up sweet.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Broccolini, Pecorino, & Fruity Olive Oil

Your Favorite Fruity Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bunch Broccolini–separate skinny flower ends from stems,
cut stems at an angle into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup chopped Leek
1/4 cup diced Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, minced
Sea Salt
Red Pepper Flakes pinch or two
1/4 box Whole Wheat Linguine (4 oz)
Pecorino Romano Cheese–not much, just for shredding

In a deep skillet, warm 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil. Stir in leeks, garlic, and red peppers. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and red pepper flakes, and increase to medium heat. Saute for 5 minutes, then add the broccolini stems. Saute for another 5 minutes and add the broccolini flowers. Add a little more olive oil. Cook for 3 more minutes and remove from heat.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the whole wheat linguine according to package directions (about 10 minutes) Drain, reserving a little starchy pasta water.

Toss linguine with cooked vegetables, tossing well, until the veggies are distributed throughout. Taste for salt and heat. If it needs a little loosening, spoon in some of the reserved pasta water. Sprinkle with shredded pecorino and serve.

Serves 2 generously, or 4 sides

Happy Eating in 2010!