Feta

Color Crush

December 6, 2018 By Allison

I love a beautiful cheese board. I love savory and toothsome charcuterie. This holiday season, though, I’m making a departure from my savory standbys. This year, I want bright, crisp vegetables to take the place of the denser, fattier meats and cheeses that I usually serve.

As much as possible, I’m keeping fresh, chopped vegetables on hand—endives, bell peppers, celery, and cucumbers. And I’m experimenting with creamy and delectable vegetable dips that get their heft from tahini, nuts, or dairy. I am not depriving my guests or myself! My colorful combos make for a sturdy snack or a pleasing appetizer. They can also stand in for salad at dinnertime.

So what’s my strategy? I pull out the food processor and whip up a few dips. Since I keep my food processor in a storage closet, I make good use of it and prepare a few dips at once that will keep for several days in the refrigerator. I aim for different colors and textures in my vegetable and dip boards. Endives are a favorite dipper, due to their shape and their mild bitterness. Sliced bell peppers are always in the rotation. Everyone reaches for the whole wheat pita triangles. I favor under-appreciated celery.

I’ve found so many recipes for vegetable-based dips—all perfect in their own way—that I have yet to develop my own recipes. Below, you will find the links to three of my favorites, all of which will keep in the refrigerator for at least 4 days. Just make sure to give them a good stir and to freshen them with a little salt, pepper, or olive oil, if needed.

Roasted Butternut Squash Dip, Bon Appétit

Greek Goddess Dip, New York Times

Muhammara, New York Times (there are so many recipes for this Syrian spread on the internet!)

Mix and Match Summer Supper

August 3, 2018 By Allison

The delight in this spontaneous dinner is in its mix and match nature: a 15-minute meal built on little floral plates, purchased in flea markets and antique shops; an assembly of vegetables, herbs and cheese that I had on hand. No fiddling, no stirring, no oven! It was the happiest, most delicious meal I ate all week.

The key to an easy dinner is to keep a few basics on hand: fresh herbs and seasonal produce are essential. A block of feta also comes in handy.

Here’s a strategy to have dinner ready in 15 minutes:

Fresh Herbs
Snip a few herbs. I used sage, sweet basil, and purple basil. Chives, mint, and thyme would also be lovely.

Feta Bites
Cut feta into ½ inch cubes. Anticipate about four cubes per person. Wrap each cube in a strip of prosciutto or Serrano ham. Garnish with small sage leaves and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Finish with a few grinds of fresh, black pepper. Set aside.

Tomato Salad
Slice one fresh, medium-sized tomato for each person—a bread knife works well here. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Garnish with basil leaves. Set aside

While you let these two dishes rest, set the table.

Green Salad
Wash and dry lettuce leaves. I had spring mix on hand, but romaine, red leaf, or green leaf would all work just as well. Arrange on the plate and top with sliced vegetables. I opted for radishes and sweet peppers. I added a few sunflower seeds for crunch. I drizzled a little vinaigrette just before serving. If you don’t have any vinaigrette ready, you can use extra virgin olive oil and a little fleur de sel.

This is the easiest of dinners, but it’s feasible only if you have a stocked kitchen kitchen: vegetables, herbs, and cheese. Bon appétit!

Inspirations

Maximizing summer herbs

Extended apéritif

Happy Office Lunches all Week

Recreating Melbourne

September 16, 2017 By Allison

Oh, how I’d love to slip away to Melbourne for a weekend! Alas! Quick visits to Australia are out of reach for most of us in the Northern Hemisphere. But all is not lost. My memories and pictures bring me back to the mosaic floors of Melbourne’s elegant covered passages and its iconic street art. And in my Kentucky kitchen, I revisit a stunning meal shared with my good friends Stephanie and Jeremy.

Each and every dish at Rumi Restaurant was exquisite—creamy labne, cheese-filled pastry “cigars”, meatballs in tomato and saffron sauce. But one dish stood out, and I’ve been recreating it for months. Each time it evokes early Australian autumn, merriment, and friendship. This salad is made with a Middle Eastern grain called freekeh. Chewy and slightly nutty, freekeh is a substantial grain. Serve it as a vegetarian main or in verrines as a savory-sweet starter. The juicy grapes beautifully juxtapose the tart feta. The pomegranate molasses lends a slight, deep sweetness. The parsley adds a vegetative touch that unifies the salad.

Freekeh, Grape, and Feta salad comes together fairly easily and has the power to awaken memories. Bon appétit!

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