Chicken and Chickpea Tagine with Apricots and Harissa Sauce 

This recipe is an adaptation of a Bobby Flay recipe

Olive oil 8 chicken thighs (I used 4 drumsticks and 4 chicken thighs) Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ras al-hanut (a mix of Moroccan spices that you should be able to find at specialty/gourmet markets)
Large pinch saffron, soaked in 1/4 cup warm water
1 cinnamon stick
15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup dried apricots, sliced into half moons
1 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
Harissa (paste of chilies, garlic, and spices – available at specialty/gourmet markets)
Creme fraiche
Couscous

Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

1) Make the harissa sauce that will serve as a condiment by mixing together 1/2 cup creme fraiche with 1 tablespoon harissa.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.

2) In a Le Creuset dutch oven or tagine heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pot skin side down cooking for about 2 minutes on each side just to brown them and then remove to a plate and set aside.  You might need to work in batches here – best not to crowd the pot.

3) If necessary remove or add some of the oil from the pot – you want about 2 tablespoons.  Add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.  Add the ras al-hanut and cook for 30 seconds.  (The aromas will be released by the heat – so amazing!)  Add the saffron and liquid, cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chickpeas, and apricots.  Bring to a simmer.  Add the cup of water, honey, and add salt to taste.

4) Nestle the chicken into the mixture and place the lid on the pot and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes without removing the lid.

5) Make the couscous according to the directions on the box.  

To serve add a heap of couscous to the plate topping with the chicken and dollop with the harissa sauce (the harissa sauce is spicy so add according to your taste).  Garnish with the parsley and cilantro.

The perfect accompaniment to this lightly spicy dish is Mara's cool cucumber salad with pita.

Enjoy! 

We started the day by visiting the farmer's market and picked up crunchy macoun and macintosh apples, sweet potatoes, zucchinis, and basil.  We then found the most amazing gourds to decorate the table and a little festive pumpkin to sit on the window sill.

Our shopping expedition took us to the butcher, several grocery stores, and then on a quest to find the little buns for our mini sliders.  We stopped by The Little Owl to find out where they got the perfect little buns and it turned out they made them themselves.  So we continued on our way to find a bakery that might have something we could use (passing Harold from last season's Top Chef along the way!).  We stopped in at the sister restaurant to The Little Owl called Market Table and met Mike who was the chef there and to our extreme delight he offered us some of the dough that he'd already prepared for the buns.  We were so excited to be able to feature the 'real deal' along with our sliders.  

The spread we made included the sliders, roasted vegetables, cheese plate with a fig cake, olives stuffed with almonds, and to finish – apples dunked in caramel sauce with a light sprinkling of sea salt.  

Here is the recipe for the mini sliders as featured in the September issue of Bon Appetit:  

Meatball Sliders 

Makes 18 little meatballs

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (Japanese style breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup water
8 Tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspooon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
1 14.5-oz can whole peeled tomatoes

Arugula leaves (optional)

18 small soft rolls, split horizontally (toasted lightly if desired)

1) Make the meatballs by mixing all of the meats, panko breadcrumbs, water, 6 tablespoons of cheese, egg, egg yolk, 1/4 cup parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl.  Mix together with your hands just until combined and form into 18 2 inch meatballs.

2) Heat vegetable oil over med-high heat in a large skillet.  Working in batches fry the meatballs until brown all over.  Transfer to a plate.  Meanwhile pour off the excess oil from the pan and reduce heat to medium.  Add the olive oil and then the onion, garlic, basil, and fennel seeds.  Saute the onion until the onion begins to brown – approx. 5 minutes.  Add all the tomatoes with juices and bring to a boil scaping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Reduce heat to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. 

3) Puree the sauce in a food processor until almost smooth and return to the skillet.  Add the meatballs and cover the lid lightly and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through – about 30 minutes.  

(Because I only had a really small food processor to work with I instead opted for already crushed tomatoes rather than the whole ones and then skipped the step of pureeing.)

4) Take a bun, slice it open horizontally and layer a few leaves of arugula on the bottom, top each with a meatball, drizzle meatballs with some sauce and sprinkle with remaining parsely and cheese.  Cover with the top of the bun. (You can use a toothpick here to hold them together if necessary).

Enjoy! 

My busy schedule has precluded me from cooking lately but my recent trip back to LA gave me a chance to play around in my own kitchen with my own toys again.   The inspiration came from the May issue of Gourmet magazine (a generous gift from my friend Dan that keeps on giving!).  I’ve often ordered bouillabaisse at restaurants but never tried making it before.  Reading through the recipe I noticed a few opportunities to try some new techniques that I’d learned in my cooking class.

This recipe, while it requires setting aside a little time, makes a delicious meal that is perfect for entertaining.  In retrospect there’s also a lot of room for experimenting with different combinations of seafood.  The recipe called for one whole lobster but I could only get frozen lobster tails and they ended up saving me a lot of time too!

This recipe is adapted from the May 2007 issue of Gourmet magazine

For croutons:

1/2 baguette cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 garlic clove

For bouillabaisse:

1 (1 to 1 1/4 lb.) lobster
2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup finely chopped fennel fronds (I also chopped and added the fennel to the stew as well – optional)
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
9 cups fish stock (I didn’t have fish stock so I used vegetable stock and it was great!)
3 lbs. white fish fillets (such as monkfish, cod, red snapper, turbot, striped bass) cut into 2 inch pieces – I used 3 fillets of red snapper
1/2 lb.  small clams, scrubbed (I used little neck clams)
1/2 lb. Mussels, scrubbed and beards removed – the beard is just that part on some mussels that looks like a little bit of seaweed or something and it’s what the shells use to stick to rocks (I used 1 lb. mussels)
1/2 lb. Shrimp (recipe calls for shells on but I used frozen shrimp that had shells removed but still had tails on)

For the croutons:

To make the croutons, put the slices of baguette on a baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil bake at 250 F for about 30 minutes or until golden.  Rub each side with fresh garlic (to do this slice a clove of garlic cross-wise and rub the cut part along the hot crusty bread – it adds such amazing flavor.)

To make the soup:

1) Put the lobster tail into a sized pot that will adequately hold the tail you have.  Place the uncooked lobster into the boiling water and then cook covered for 3-7 minutes depending on the size of the tail.  Transfer lobster to a colander and allow to cool.  (Because I used lobster tails it made the process of extracting the meat a less intensive process).  Extract the lobster meat and set aside.
2) Cook the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in oil over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onion is softened, 5-7 minutes.
3) Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.  Stir the potatoes into the tomatoes with the fennel fronds (and fennel if you choose to add), bay leaf, saffron, sea salt, and pepper.  Add the stock and bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer, covered until potatoes are tender – about 10 minutes.
4) Add the thicker pieces of fish first (have a longer cooking time) – cover and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the mussels, shrimp, lobster, and any other fish – cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
5) Stir a few tablespoons of the broth into the rouille (recipe below).
6) Arrange a crouton in each soup bowl and ladle in the bouillabaisse being sure that each bowl gets an assortment of the bountiful fish.
7) Top each bowl with a spoonful of rouille (it’s spicy so be aware!).

For the rouille:

This is a bread mixture that will be added to the stew to thicken it and add a little spicy heat.

3 Tablespoons broth from the bouillabaisse
3/4 cups bread crumbs (I recommend panko which are Japanese-style breadcrumbs)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons olive oil

1) Pour the broth from the bouillabaisse over bread crumbs in a bowl.
2) Mash up garlic and sea salt and cayenne in a mortar and pestle*.
3) Add moist bread crumbs w/ garlic paste – add oil in a slow stream, mashing and stirring until well combined.

*If you don’t have a mortar and pestle you can just use a large knife to mince and mash.  Mashing garlic is achieved using the side of the blade on the finely minced garlic.  

Enjoy!

If there is one dessert that I make when I need or want something from my boyfriend it's probably a chocolate molten cake.  There is something about the decadent nature of this dessert that causes the recipient to feel beholden to anyone who takes the time and effort to prepare it.  The best kept secret about this dessert is the fact that despite being an impressive and seemingly complicated thing to make, it is fact a breeze to whip up.  But please don't tell anyone else about this.  For if you want someone to feel indebted to you, make them a molten! 

This recipe comes from Nigella Lawson's, How to be a Domestic Goddess . 

Molten Chocolate Cakes 

• 1/2 Stick unsalted butter at room temperature 
• 1/2 Cup sugar 
• 12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
• 4 Large eggs
• 1/3 Cup flour 
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1 pinch of salt
• 6 ramekins (ceramic molds) approx. 6-ounces in size, lined with parchment paper 

1)  Prepare the ramekins that you'll bake the moltens in:  butter them and line the bottom with parchment.  This step will insure that the moltens will ease out of the ramekin molds after baking.

2)  To start melt the chocolate because it needs a chance to cool before you add it to the rest of the ingredients.  To melt the chocolate start by boiling a pot that has about 3-4 inches of water in it – you want there to be enough water so that it won't evaporate quickly but you also want to be able to rest a glass or metal bowl over the pot without the bottom of the bowl coming in direct contact with the water.  The idea is to melt the chocolate with indirect heat, i.e. the steam from the water.  Once the water comes to a boil turn down the heat to medium and place a glass or metal bowl over it and add the chocolate to the bowl.  If using bars of chocolate break them into small pieces so that they will melt faster.  Once the chocolate melts take off the heat and and allow to cool.  I find Ghirardelli's bittersweet chocolate works well in this recipe and their bars come in 4 oz. size so you need exactly 3 of them.

3)  Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl while the chocolate cools.   The butter must be at room temperature so that it's softened and easier to work with.  This just means using a spoon to stir them together until totally incorporated.  Then add one egg at a time and beat into the mixture.  Once you've added all 4 eggs add a pinch of salt (I use sea salt) and the vanilla extract.  The next step is adding the flour.  And finally, mix in the melted chocolate.

4)  Fill the ramekins with the batter evenly.  You can either cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to bake them or you can bake them immediately.  If you cook them immediately bake for 10-12 minutes at 400F.  If refrigerating them bake for 12-14 minutes at 400F.   I recommend serving with your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Note:  To more easily remove the moltens from their ramekins after they've baked, gently slide a knife around them to loosen and flip onto a plate.

Enjoy! 

I decided to make a mushroom risotto – I thought it would be the perfect dish to showcase this delicious import.   I turned to one of my reliable cookbooks to guide me on this quest: Jamie Oliver's first book, The Naked Chef.  He had a recipe for mushroom risotto that I loosely followed – adding a few of my own little changes here and there.  What resulted was a melt-in-your-mouth fragrant risotto that was the perfect host to the medley of mushrooms. 

Since I made a lot of this risotto I was excited to experiment with the leftovers.  Stay tuned…

Mushroom Risotto with Vermouth and Thyme

• Arborio rice – I used about 2 cups (recipe called for 14 oz)
• 1 quart of vegetable stock (use your favorite kind)
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced (one clove to cook with the mushrooms, 2 cloves with the rice)
• 1 onion, finely chopped (I used a red onion because that's what I had)
• 3 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 Cup of dry white vermouth (I used Martini's 'Bianco' because that's what I had in my cupboard – you can use white wine too)
• A few tablespoons of butter cut into small cubes
• Parmesan cheese to grate over the risotto
• 9 oz of fresh mushrooms – I used two packages of mixed wild mushrooms from Trader Joe's – place in a bowl of warm water to let them reconstitute
• One handful of fresh thyme (remove the leaves from the stems and chop)
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Freshly cracked black pepper

1) To start heat the stock in a pot – use the element on the stove directly behind the one that you'll be using to make the risotto because as you cook the rice you'll be adding ladle fulls of stock into it and this will minimize spillage and make it easier on you.

2)  After the mushrooms have had a chance to soak in the water take them out (save the water – you can add it to the stock as it has lots of great mushroom flavor) and add them to a heated pan with a tablespoon of olive oil.  Cook for about a minute then add the garlic and a pinch of salt.  Cook for a few minutes – add a few squeezes of lemon juice and the thyme.  Taste the mushrooms to make sure they are nicely seasoned.  Chop 2/3 of the cooked mushrooms and set aside – the other 1/3 will be added at the end to give more texture to the risotto.

3)  In a separate pan heat the olive oil and add the finely chopped onion – you want to cook the onion slowly here (medium to lower heat) be careful not to brown the onions rather "sweat" them until they become translucent.  After about 3 minutes of cooking add the minced garlic (2 cloves) and cook for about 2 minutes.  Once the onions are soft and translucent add the rice – this is the point at which you have to start constantly stirring.  No walking away from the stove!  Constantly stir the rice (again you don't want to add any color to the rice) – you might need to turn down the heat a little.  After a few minutes it will start to look shiny and translucent.  It may make crackling noises.  Add the vermouth or white wine – continue to stir.  Once the liquid is almost completely absorbed into the rice add a ladle full of the broth.  The heat on the pan should be medium at this point – you want the liquid to simmer.  Add the chopped mushrooms.  Now continue to add one ladle full at a time while stirring constantly – as soon as the rice has absorbed most of the liquid add more stock.  Continue to do this for about 15 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt here and there but do so sparingly – you can always add more later after you've given it a taste – add the pepper to taste too.  After the 15 minutes of stirring and ladling, taste the rice – you are trying to achieve soft rice that still has a slight bite to it – think al dente.  Once you get to that point add the butter and let in melt into the risotto along with the rest of the mushrooms and some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!
 

I love summer rolls.  The cold chewy texture of rice paper wrapped around a little package of refreshing flavors is so fun to eat and pleasing to the palate.  There are endless combinations and the fun is in creating rolls that match your tastes.  I was inspired to make these vegetable rolls after I enjoyed my friend Meghan's version.  They make such an impressive presentation when using vibrantly colored vegetables.  I used the vegetables that I had in my refrigerator and I also took the liberty of adding some tempeh that I sauteed in olive oil.  The process for making these is very straight forward – once all of the ingredients are prepped it's just a matter of assembly.  One tip that Meghan shared with me is wrapping each roll twice with the rice paper.  This makes for a chewier roll that stays wrapped more readily.  The dipping sauce that I used was my all-purpose peanut sauce but you can use whatever dipping sauce that you like.  Feel free to experiment with your favorite fillers too!

Veggie Roll-ups

• Rice paper wraps
• Tempeh
• Purple cabbage
• Rice vermicelli noodles
• Carrots
• Cucumber
• Cilantro

1)  Begin by cutting the tempeh into small cubes.  Heat a sautee pan over medium heat and add a tablespoon or two of olive oil.  When the pan is hot (I sometimes just flick a little water on the pan and when I hear a sizzle I know it's hot) add the tempeh and stir regularly to lightly brown all the sides.  Once the cubes of tempeh are lightly golden set aside on a plate to cool to room temperature. 

2)  For the vermicelli rice noodles just follow the instructions on the box – typically you just soak them in hot/warm water until they transform into delicate limp strands.  Set aside.

3)  Meanwhile – prepare all of the vegetables that you'd like to include in your summer roll.  I used:  purple cabbage (added great color), carrots, and cucumber.  For the cabbage just remove the outer most leaves and cut the head in half – then when its rested firmly on a flat surface cut thin slices to produce the shredded cabbage effect – use a quarter of a head of cabbage (chop some more if needed).  For the carrots and cucumber I just cut them into long thin strips.  I washed the cilantro and left a bunch of it along with the prepped veggies.  Once everything has been prepped it's time to assemble the rolls.

4) Prepare a shallow baking dish with warm/hot water for dipping the dry rice paper sheets. The rice paper, as you'll discover, comes packaged in dry and brittle sheets and you'll need to dip it into very warm water for a few seconds to allow it to soften and become malleable. You'll do this dipping step only when you're ready to assemble the rolls and you'll want to do each one individually. Take a piece of rice paper, dip it in the warm water until it's softened enough to work with, place it on a clean flat surface, place a few leaves of cilantro along the bottom, add some cabbage on top then the carrots, cucumber, and tempeh – all in a narrow row along the bottom part of the rice paper.  Finally add the vermicelli rice noodles. Now for the rolling part, you basically want to wrap it as you would a burrito. There is more than one way to do this but to help guide you I found a great site that explains this very well. This part can be a little tricky but after a roll or two you'll get the hang of it. As you get used to rolling you'll also find out the best way to layer ingredients so that they look nice through the translucent rice paper (which is why I recommended starting with the cilantro but you may find a preferable arrangement once you try a few rolls).  Now that you have your little roll – take another sheet of rice paper – soften it in the warm water and then re-roll your original roll so that it's double-wrapped.  This extra step really helps the rolls stay together and also adds more of that great chewy texture I find so enjoyable in summer rolls.  When all of your rolls are done I either leave them in the fridge or on the counter well wrapped for about 20 minutes before serving – this gives them time to slightly firm up and they'll hold together better when you cut them.  

For the peanut dipping sauce:

• 4-6 Tablespoon water (this is to thin out the sauce, I use 6 for a very runny sauce but if you prefer it a little thicker use less)
• 1/4 Cup Peanut butter (My favorite kind of peanut butter is the all natural kind so that's what I used here – there's no sugar added. If you use the kind of peanut butter that already has sugar added then go light on the brown sugar that I add later or maybe omit that ingredient all together – you'll have to go by taste…)
• 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoon Tamari soy sauce, low sodium (use whatever kind of soy sauce that you have on hand)
• 2 Tablespoon Rice vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon freshly grated or finely chopped ginger (I got a microplane for Christmas and I LOVE to use it for grating ginger – you'll find that the ginger blends into the sauce very easily when grated)
• 1 Teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 Clove garlic finely chopped

Instructions:

1) Mix all the ingredients together except for the water – I recommend adding the water slowly at the end so that you can control for how viscous you'd like your sauce to be – (because this sauce is so flavorful you can add quite a bit without compromising taste).  As you'll see, the peanut butter "melts" when you start stirring it with the soy sauce and other ingredients.  Stir very well until everything is combined.

Enjoy! 

Filet of Beef with Herb Butter

Beef tenderloin filets (about 1 1/2" thick) – I try to get grass fed if available

1 Teaspoon Fresh rosemary sprigs

1 Teaspoon Fresh thyme or basil

1/2 Stick of unsalted butter – allow to come to room temperature (this will be enough for 4+ people)

1 1/2 Teaspoon yellow mustard

Pinch of salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Olive oil

Knorr Aromat – a salty seasoning that also has the flavors of bouillon – sometimes available at regular grocery stores among the other Knorr products but you can also find this at most European gourmet specialty stores.

1)  To prepare the steaks remove them from the refrigerator for a about 5-10 minutes before I'm going to cook them.  This allows them to lose their chill and will make for more tender and juicy steaks.  Pat them dry with a paper towel and drizzle with a touch of olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place on a hot grill pan and once placed on the pan do not touch or move the meat.  This will create the lovely grill marks.  Allow them to cook for about 5 minutes on the first side and 4 on the second side – this is for about medium to medium rare.  If you're wondering how to tell when meat is done here is a method from the site by Adam at Men in Aprons that may help.

2)  While the meat is cooking you can prepare the herb butter.  Start with about a half stick of butter in a small bowl – it helps if the butter is at room temperature.  Chop the rosemary, basil, and thyme (you can use any herb combo that you like although the herbs do need to be fresh – I highly recommend the rosemary too – it works so well with the meat) and add it to the bowl – about 1-2 tablespoons.  Then add a pinch of salt and a few sprinkles of Knorr Aromat – if you do not have any Aromat then just use salt.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of yellow mustard.  Mix this all together so that it's evenly incorporated.  Taste to make sure that the flavors are right – you may need to add more Knorr or salt depending on your tastes.  Place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper on your counter and place the herb butter mixture on it – then roll it so that it forms a log.  Place the herb butter in the refrigerator to allow it time to set and firm up again.  When ready to serve just remove it from the parchment paper and place on a small serving dish.

3) Once the meat has cooked on both sides remove from the pan, cover with foil, and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes – this allows the juices to redistribute so you get a juicy delicious piece of steak.  Covering with foil will keep the meat warm.

* The herb butter tastes delicious when eaten along with each forkful or you can add a little pat of the herb butter atop the meat and allow it to melt over it – both are great ways to enjoy it! 

Enjoy!

Jamie Oliver

The flavors of this dish are fantastic: the salty, nutty, slightly spicy bean mash, the sweet roasted tomatoes with oregano, the crispy salty proscuitto, succulent scallops with zingy lemon dressing, and the cool peppery arugula leaves.  In addition to the fantastic flavor experience, this dish offers a range of textures that make each bite unique and satisfying. 

This is a restaurant caliber meal that is really not very difficult to pull together.  The only thing that requires attention is coordinating the several steps that need to be prepared simultaneously and then pulling them all together to be plated up.

Seared Scallops and Crispy Proscuitto with Roasted Tomatoes and Smashed White Beans from Jamie Oliver's The Naked Chef Takes Off

• 4 Large ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a pinch of dried oregano
• olive oil
• 8 slices of proscuitto
• 1 small clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1-2 small dried red chillies, crumble to taste (I use red pepper flakes because that's what I usually have on hand – just a pinch works well to add heat)
• 4-6 anchovy fillets, chopped (this is a crucial ingredient – even if you're not an anchovy fan you must include them because it adds the most incredible nutty, salty flavor)
• 1 14 oz. can of cannellini beans, drained
• extra virgin olive oil
• 12-16 scallops (take off the muscle – also make sure they are dry to allow for caramelization when they are seared) 
• 1 olive oil and lemon dressing – (this recipe is located in another section of the cookbook – I'll add it below)
• 1 small handful of arugula

1) Preheat oven to 475F.  Season the tomatoes (salt/pepper) and sprinkle with oregano – drizzle with some olive oil and roast in the oven skin side down for about 10-15 minutes.  Place the proscuitto slices beside the tomatoes and roast for another 10 minutes so that the tomatoes are juicy and the proscuitto crispy.

 2) In a pan fry the garlic in olive oil with chillies and anchovies for a minute or so then add the drained beans and cook all together for a few minutes before adding a wineglass full of water.  Bring this to a boil and then using a wide spoon to mash it into a coarse puree.  Finish the flavor off with some peppery extra virgin olive oil – taste it and add salt/pepper if necessary.

3) Season the scallops (salt/pepper) and then sear them in a frying pan with a touch of olive oil for 2 minutes without touching them.  Check to see if they've developed a golden, caramelized crust – if so then turn over and allow the other side to cook.  Be careful not to overcook.  Remove the scallops to a bowl and drizzle with the lemon dressing (recipe below).

4)  To plate this dish begin with the bean mash, then scatter the tomatoes, proscuitto, and scallops. Finish by adding the arugula.

Lemon dressing

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt/pepper to taste

Here is a vinaigrette recipe that is of a slightly more creamy variety – it's inspired by one that my Mom would often make.  While I typically try to avoid using ingredients that might be difficult for someone to find I have to make an exception here.  The special ingredient that I use in this dressing that really makes this dressing is called Aromat by Knorr.  It's an ingredient that is ubiquitous in the cupboards of Swiss kitchens and I've actually seen it here in some supermarkets.  If your supermarket doesn't carry this though a specialty food store or European style market should definitely carry it.  Aromat looks like fine yellow salt and is salty in flavor with a bouillon type essence as well.  You can use this to season hard boiled eggs, dressings, poultry, fish, there's no limit!

Also, I decided to add some home-made croutons to this salad.  I remember croutons being quite popular in salads when I was younger but now I only see them in Caesar salads.  I think it's time for them to make a come-back!  

Bibb lettuce with Croutons and Vinaigrette 

Bibb lettuce (also called Boston or Butterhead lettuce) – you can use whatever lettuce you like here.  Prepare by washing and removing the excess water using either a salad spinner or allow the rinsed salad to sit in a colander.

For the croutons:  

• Bread – cut into 3/4 inch cubes – make as much as you'd like – extras can be stored in zip-lock bags for later in the week
• Olive oil Salt/pepper

1) Cut the bread of your choice into about 3/4 inch cubes or so – you can remove the crust although I love to leave it on for a more rustic-style crouton.  Place them on a baking sheet – drizzle with olive oil (only use enough to lightly coat the croutons) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss with your hands so that everything is easily coated.  Place in a 350F oven for about 12 minutes – check half way through and give them a little toss.  You're looking for them to be a golden color – allow them to cool before adding to the salad or the heat of the croutons will wilt the lettuce. 

For the dressing (enough for a salad for 2): 

• 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise
• A pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper (you can add more after you give the dressing a taste)
• Fresh herbs (whatever you have available: basil and thyme are my favorites here)
• 1/4 of one shallot, minced – although you can also use a clove of garlic or some minced onion if you don't have shallots around (shallots are in the onion family but have a milder flavor)
• A few sprinkles of Aromat by Knorr – adjust to your taste

1) In a bowl add the mustard, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, shallots, Aromat, and freshly chopped herbs.  Using a fork or a whisk mix these ingredients together as you add the olive oil.  You'll see the dressing come together – using a leaf of lettuce dunk into the dressing to taste it and adjust seasonings if necessary (salt, pepper, or Aromat etc.)