Author: Ed Hart

Categories
Eat

Sausage Plate with Potatoes and Cheese

I've made this sausage plate many times after getting the idea from the December 2021 issue of Food & Wine. I'm compiling it here because I keep forgetting where I saw it (in the Bottle Service article) so that I can quickly refresh my memory of what they included on the plate.
I like to use chicken sausages from Trader Joes, where there are a variety of flavor profiles to choose from, but any sausage you like will do. This is the kind of recipe where you basically compile a bunch of ingredients together to make a plate, so there's minimal actual cooking involved, other than grilling or pan frying the sausage and roasting or boiling the potatoes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package sausages
  • 1 lb baby yellow potatoes
  • 8 oz brie or other soft cheese for melting
  • assorted cured meats
  • salad greens
  • cornichons or pickles
  • baguette

Instructions
 

  • Slice round of brie or camembert in half, and then slice lengthwise so that you can place the rounds, rind-down and cut side up, on an oven-safe skillet for melting.
  • Roast of boil potatoes until ready to serve.
  • Grill or pan fry sausages until cooked, per instructions, usually about 12-15 minutes. I like to pan fry for 5-7 minutes and then poach in white wine, covered., until cooked through.
  • Arrange cooked sausage, potatoes, charcuterie, and salad on a rustic plate.
  • Arrange rack in top of oven and preheat broiler to high. Roast the cheese until pourable, usually 3-5 minutes. Pour melted cheese over the each plate.
  • Serve with a baguette or crusty bread.
Categories
Eat

Pickled Red Onions

Pickled Red Onions

Super easy pickled red onion (or whatever else you want to pickle!) recipe. You can experiment with different types of vinegars, as well as adding other spices such as peppercorns, red pepper flakes, rosemary sprigs, garlic, or others. You can also substitute maple syrup for the sugar.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Resting time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Equipment

  • Mason jar

Ingredients
  

  • 1 red onion
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar (I like to use turbinado)
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup hot water
  • peppercorns
  • red pepper flakes
  • garlic clove, smashed

Instructions
 

  • Heat water in a saucepan.
  • Using a mandolin, slice red onions as thin as possible. If you don't have a mandolin, slice them with a knife.
  • Put all the sliced onions in a jar.
  • In a bowl or Pyrex measuring cup, combine water, vinegar, sugar, and salt, and stir until solids are dissolved. Pour the pickling mixture into the jar and make sure the onions are completely submerged.
  • Optionally add spices such as cracked or uncracked peppercorns, red pepper flakes, a smashed clove of garlic, thyme, oregano, or whatever you like.
  • Pickled onions will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Categories
Eat

Honey Ricotta Mouse

Honey Ricotta Mouse

Fresh spring dessert using homemade ricotta. Garnish with whatever berries you have on hand!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Rest in fridge 1 hour
Course Dessert

Equipment

  • Food processor

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb homemade fresh ricotta
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions
 

  • Using a food processor, process ricotta cheese, honey, vanilla, and salt, until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
  • Whip heavy cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add in ricotta mixture and gently fold mixture until evenly incorporated.
  • Divide mixture into 4 cool-looking glasses or serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
  • Garnish with fresh berries, additional honey, almond slices, and mint leaves, or be creative with your own ideas.
Categories
Eat

Ricotta Cheese

Fresh Ricotta

I got this fresh homemade ricotta recipe from Food & Wine magazine's March 2022 issue. The cheese is super simple to make, tastes amazing, and is perfect for lasagna, or a dessert like the Honey-Ricotta Mousse.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Course Side Dish

Equipment

  • 1 stock pot
  • cheese cloth
  • 1 colander
  • 1 large bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 1 gal whole milk
  • 1 qt buttermilk
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions
 

  • Combine milk, buttermilk, and salt in a large stock pot. Cook over medium heat until an instant read thermometer reads 180°, approximately 30-40 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let sit, uncovered, at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. The curds will separate from the whey and float on top.
  • Line a colander with cheese cloth that's large enough to wrap around the ricotta. Place the colander over the bowl. Using a wire mesh strainer, scoop out the curds into the colander. Be gentle as the curds will begin to break up as you scoop. Keep the curd pieces as large as you can.
  • Let ricotta drain for about 30 minutes to an hour, the longer the drier the texture. Bring corners of the cheesecloth together and lift up the ricotta, gently twisting the cheese ball, draining the whey, until the whey becomes opaque and milky.
  • Use immediately or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Categories
Drink Eat

Old Fashioned

Old Fashioned

Print Recipe
Course Cocktails

Equipment

  • rocks glass

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz rye
  • 3 dashes angostura bitters
  • 1 tsp water
  • ½ tsp simple syrup
  • orange peel

Instructions
 

  • Combine rye, bitters, water, and simple syrup in a rocks glass. Stir; do not shake. Add ice cube. Garnish with orange peel.
Categories
Drink Eat

Mint Julep

Mint Julep

Print Recipe
Course Cocktails

Equipment

  • rocks glass
  • cocktail muddler

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 sprigs mint leaves only
  • ½ oz simple syrup
  • 2½ oz bourbon

Instructions
 

  • Muddle leaves with simple syrup in rocks glass; add bourbon; fill with crushed ice. Stir & serve.
Categories
Eat

Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze

Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Salmon cut into filets
  • ¼ cup asian sweet chili sauce
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp ginger grated

Instructions
 

  • Make the marinade by combining ¼ cup asian sweet chili sauce and soy sauce. Use a microplane to grate ginger and add to marinade.
  • Line a rimmed baking tray with aluminum foil. Wash and place salmon filets skin side down on the tray. Spoon sauce over the filets and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat broiler to high.
  • Broil salmon for 6-10 minutes until caramelized and browned on top and salmon is opaque in the middle.
  • Garnish with green onions or flat leaf parsley.
Categories
Eat

Beet and Cabbage Salad with Steak

Cabbage and Beet Salad with steak

Unique and flavorful recipe from Food & Wine.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course

Ingredients
  

  • 6 beets trimmed
  • 3 tbsp canola oil divided
  • 4 cups red cabbage shredded
  • ¼ cup champagne vinegar
  • 2 tbsp horseradish
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 3½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1-2 lb steak use hangar, skirt, flank, or other flavorful cut
  • ½ cup Dale's sauce
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 oz bleu cheese, crumbled use Bleu d'Auvergne for it's milder taste
  • flat leaf parsley chopped, for garnish
  • flaky sea salt for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425°. Trim beets by cutting off the leaves and stringy roots. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread in an even layer. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
  • Bake beets 45 to 55 minutes. Uncover, and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Peel beets, and cut into quarters. Place beets in a large bowl; gently toss with cabbage, vinegar, horseradish, sugar, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
  • While beets are roasting, marinate steak in Dale's sauce for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat grill while beets are roasting. Grill steaks over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until temp reaches 135°-140°. Remove from grill and let steaks rest for 10 minutes. Slice for serving.
  • While steaks rest, whisk together Greek yogurt, bleu cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl until almost smooth. Spread yogurt and cheese mixture on 4 plates; divide cabbage mixture and steaks among plates. Sprinkle with parsley and sea salt.
Categories
Eat

Oven Baked Rib Recipe

Fall-off-the-Bone Ribs

My go to rib recipe for summer cookouts. Baking in the oven and then finishing on the grill gives me better control over the heat and cooking.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Course Main Course

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs Pork ribs

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 275°
  • Remove the rib membrane. See links to a couple "how to videos" here. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Generously season both sides of ribs with my Dry Rib Rub. Or for another option, here's a Kansas City rub. Cover tightly with foil.
  • Bake ribs at 275° for 3 hours, until they are tender.
  • Once done, remove from the oven and grill for a few minutes to dry and crisp the outside.
Keyword cookout, ribs, summer

Categories
Eat

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

This version of butternut squash soup is more on the savory side of the butternut soup spectrum. I make it with my Vita-Mix for super easy cleanup.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Soup

Equipment

  • 1 Vita-Mix or similar blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Butternut squash sliced; seeds removed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup shallots chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp Maple syrup
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp butter

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Slice butternut squash in half and remove seeds. Rub olive oil all over the inside of the squash and season with salt and pepper.
  • Roast the squash, flesh side down, for 45-50 minutes. The skin will brown and shrivel. Remove from heat and let cool until you can handle the halves.
  • In a pan, heat olive oil, and sauté shallots until tender, then add garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until soft and fragrant. Transfer to the Vita-Mix.
  • Using a spoon, scoop out the butternut squash flesh into the Vita-Mix. Add nutmeg, maple syrup, salt, black pepper, and vegetable broth. Secure lid and blend on high for 4-5 minutes until soup is creamy and hot. Add butter. Add more broth if needed. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately. Garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche.
Keyword butternut squash, soup