27 June 2006

barley and corn salad

2/3 c pearl barley
8-12 oz green beans -- trimmed
8-12 oz smallish asparagus
1 c fresh corn kernels, barely cooked
4 oz baby arugula, washed and dried
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c white wine vinegar
3 T minced shallots
2 T minced fresh thyme (do not substitute dried)
2 t dijon mustard
3 1/2 oz soft fresh goat cheese -- crumbled

Cook barley in medium saucepan of boiling lightly salted water until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain; cool. Transfer to large bowl.

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Transfer beans to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain well. Repeat with asparagus. Pat vegetables dry with paper towels. Cut beans and asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Transfer to bowl with barley. Mix in corn kernels. If necessary, coarsely chop the arugula; add to bowl with barley mixture.

Whisk olive oil, vinegar, shallots, thyme and Dijon mustard in small bowl to blend. Pour enough dressing over barley mixture to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with goat cheese.

You can make this the day before, which will only help the flavors meld. The arugula will wilt somewhat, but it's still good.

26 June 2006

AB's crab fritters

1 c lump crab meat (may be called jumbo, imperial, or colassal)
1 c regular crab meat (may be called regular, special, or backfin)
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 t fresh pepper
juice of half a lemon
1 1/2 c panko

2-3 qt canola oil

heat your oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat until it reaches 375 degrees. meanwhile, combine the other ingredients in a bowl. put the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. scoop with a 1 oz (no. 24) ice cream scoop and roll in the breadcrumbs until covered. fry, a few at a time, 5-7 minutes in the 375 degree oil.

11 June 2006

AB cheese soup

32 oz chicken broth
2 T butter
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 T all-purpose flour
bay leaf
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c cream
10 oz fontina cheese, shredded
1 T marsala wine
1 T Worcestershire sauce
a few dashes hot sauce to taste
white pepper to taste

Heat up 32 oz chicken broth in an electric kettle or a saucepan.

Melt butter in a heavy soup pot; add onions, carrots, and celery, along with a generous pinch of salt. Stir for 5-10 minutes until veggies are soft. Use a sifter to add all purpose flour evenly on top of vegetables; stir in, cook until flour disappears. Add broth slowly, stirring constantly. Add a bay leaf and minced garlic.

Cover, lower heat to simmer, and cook for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf, and add cream. Mix with an immersion blender to make everything nice and creamy.

Add shredded cheese, a handful at a time, stirring each handful in completely before adding more. Finish with marsala wine, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and white pepper.

Serve immediately. Use a double-boiler to reheat any leftovers.