running with tweezers

say cheese

This recipe is a loooooong time comin'. While I can live on Caprese salad year round, I blame Kalyn over at Kalyn's Kitchen for making me obsess about marinating my own mozzarella. Most of the store bought/gourmet store stuff is too pungent or taste chemically. On my recent trip to Asheville, I got another healthy dose of cheese love while visiting Spinning Spider Creamery. What an amazing place. I became a cheese head yet again and made this when I got home. It's nothing cave aged or fancy, don't get me wrong. However, it comes together quickly & makes a great impression in an antipasti or as a quick touch to a simple salad. I used the larger ovolini mozzarella balls but you can use the smaller bocconcini sizes, as well. 

Marinated Mozzarella - makes 2 egg shaped ovolini mozzarella balls 

• 1 package fresh mozzarella in water - I used an 8 oz package of ovolini, which was two oval shaped balls
• 5 sprigs oregano - leaves removed and chopped 
• 2 large sprigs basil - leaves removed and chopped
• 5 sprigs thyme - leaves removed and chopped 
• 4 sprigs rosemary - leaves removed and chopped 
• 1/2 tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil 

- Mix all herbs, red pepper flakes and lemon zest in a seal-able, refrigerator safe container. Whisk in lemon juice and olive oil. 

- Add mozzarella to the container and make sure cheese is coated. Store in fridge from 

30 minutes to 

overnight.

crunch time

It's crunch time...and that has multiple meanings. There is a lot going on personally and professionally that is going to require my attention. Work gets busy again this month. I have a couple projects that need some serious focus. It's also crunch time in that I need to get back into shape. The highs and lows of life (more highs than lows these days)  in the past 6 months have me feeling a bit...gluttonous. All this living high on the hog and happier than a pig in slop has me toting around a couple more pounds than I'd like. After a superb birthday week spent with amazing people both old and new (more on this later!)- and more than my fair share of pork belly and foie gras - I'm making a conscious decision to lighten up a bit.

I got inspired by this orange cauliflower at the market as a way to have a crunchy salad without the usual greens. You can easily substitute red onions for the green onion and throw in any fresh produce you have around the house. While this salad is great on its own, it is also a great base to add meats or cheese to make it a heartier meal. After this photo was taken, I threw in some chopped salami and crumbled blue cheese. 

Crunchy Cauliflower Salad - serves 6 to 8 as a side dish 

• 1 head cauliflower - broken into florets
• 2 cans garbanzo beans - rinsed and drained 
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved or quartered depending on their size 
• 3 green onions - green and white parts cut down to the root 
• 2 tbsp. chopped basil 
• 2 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley 
• zest and juice of 1 medium lemon 
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 
• 4 tbsp. red wine or white wine vinegar 
• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard 
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 

- In small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, olive oil, vinegar and mustard. 

- In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and blanch quickly, 2-3 minutes. Rinse with cold water or drop in ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and allow to cool off in colander.

- While cauliflower is cooling, add chopped onions, tomatoes, and garbanzo beans to a mixing bowl. Add in cauliflower once cool and add the vinaigrette. Toss together and sprinkle with parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Allow to marinate together for at least 15 minutes before serving.  

tropic thunder

It's hot. Already....and it's only June. As a fan of entree salads and veggies for dinner, it's the perfect way to beat the heat and eat fresh and easily. If there is an opportunity to add cheese to it - particularly goat cheese - I'm even happier.

 I came up with this recipe for a recipe contest...and then my computer died, so I never got to submit it. Let me assure you that it is easy, flavorful and visually just lovely. I love the contrast of the juicy, tropical fruit and the crisp, spicy goat cheese. A little sweetness in the dressing ties it all together.

 Feel free to wing it with the fruit and garnish you add - pineapple and papaya would be great here, as would a little cilantro garnish. Be sure to serve this immediately after frying the goat cheese so you get the spicy, oozy cheese on the salad! 

Tropical Watercress Salad with Spicy Goat Cheese - serves 4 as a starter salad or small entree salad

For the dressing:

• 2 tsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. mango chutney 
• 4 tbsp. lime juice 
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil  
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 

For the salad:

• 1 bunch watercress, rinsed, dried and tough stems removed
• 1 jar hearts of palm, cut into segments 
• 1 medium avocado, cubed 
• 1 medium ripe mango, cubed 
• 1 small red onion, cut into julienne strips 
• 3 green onions, chopped down to the white parts 
• 4 oz. soft goat cheese - cut into 4 rounds 
• 1 egg 
• 1 tbsp. canola/veggie/olive oil 
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper 
• 1/2 tsp. paprika 
• 1/2 tsp. cumin 

- Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside. If you want it less chunky, feel free to whiz it in a food processor. 

- Set out a small pan or plate. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. In another bowl, mix panko bread crumbs and the 4 spices. Dip the goat cheese rounds into the crumbs, then the egg wash and back to the crumbs again. Make sure they are coated on all sides. Set on pan and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up. 

- While the goat cheese is resting, plate your watercress, red onion, mango, avocado and hearts of palm. You can dress it now but I think its better to drizzle the dressing over the plated salad. 

- In a medium non-stick, pan,heat your tablespoon of oil over medium heat. You want to see the oil shimmering before you add the goat cheese. Remove from the chill and quickly sear the cheese on each side. You want to create a crust but do not burn the panko and the spices. 2 minutes or so on each side should do it. 

- While still warm, plate your goat cheese on the watercress salads and drizzle with mango chutney vinaigrette. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped green onion. Serve immediately. 
  
  

south by southeast

The blog hit yet another snag. My silence hasn't meant any personal traumas or anything, don't worry. Simply put, my computer bit the big one. Kaput. So after a few days of deliberation, I've joined the cult of Apple and I'm thrilled about it. It's taken me a few days to get my sea legs and figure this thing out...but I seem to be getting the hang of it. 

It's officially summer here in Atlanta - I've asked on numerous occasions if I worked through our one week of spring. That means lots of outdoor social events and potlucks. This is an Asian-influenced slaw that was really well received. I'm a slaw fan..and more specifically, I'm a fan of less mayonnaise based versions. This is tossed with a spicy, thin peanut vinaigrette that gives great flavor without being too gloppy. Add whatever mix of fresh, crisp veggies you want in your version. I edited out the carrots and threw in more pepper and herbs. Toasted peanuts would be awesome in this, too. Serve this with some seared tuna or marinated chicken. Word to the wise: take it to heart when it says to serve IMMEDIATELY once you dress it!

Asian Inspired Slaw with Peanut Vinaigrette - serves 8 to 10 as a side dish - I don't know where the original recipe came from so if someone knows, let me know and I'll credit it!

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter     
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha chile sauce
• 2 pounds napa cabbage, thinly sliced (12 cups)
• 3/4 pounds red cabbage, thinly sliced (3 cups)
• 3 medium carrots, julienned
• 2 red peppers, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 15 mint leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

- In a medium bowl, whisk the peanut butter with the lime juice, fish sauce, water, sugar, garlic and Sriracha.

- In a large bowl, toss the napa and red cabbages with the carrots, peppers, cilantro and mint. Toss the salad with the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Serve right away.

keeping my cool

In the midst of all of the great work I've been able to do lately, there have been some great opportunities to travel. One such trip was a weekend getaway to Athens,Georgia for a foodie adventure. At one stop during the weekend, we hit an incredible restaurant called The National. This place was remarkable - great talent, beautiful space and mind-blowing food.

As a true testament to The National's power, I consumed two things that I absolutely cannot stand. The first being carrot juice in a dazzling Carrot Ginger Bloody Mary. The second was a delicate but boldly flavored Cucumber Gazpacho topped with a piquillo pepper and shrimp relish. I'm very persnickety about what I eat containing cucumbers but I would have licked the bowl if I could have gotten my face deep enough into it. Needless to say, I came back home and replicated it almost immediately.

My version has a bit more tang (from the citrus juice and the vinegar) and a tiny bit more heat via the cayenne. This is one of those recipes that is super easy to put together, put it in a covered container, and forget about worrying over it. In a couple of hours in the fridge, the flavors are bright. You can put any twists on it that you want - some herbs whizzed in the soup itself, spiked with a bit of tequila or vodka, and garnished any way you see fit. I love the piquillo pepper with the cucumber and added some radish sprouts for a bit of texture. 

Cucumber Gazpacho with Piquillo Pepper and Radish Sprouts - makes one quart of soup 

• 4 medium cucumbers - completely peeled, deserted and roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic - minced 
• juice of one medium lemon 
• juice of one medium lime 
• 1/3 cup very fruity extra virgin olive oil  
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1 tbsp. salt 
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper 
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper  
• 1 roasted piquillo pepper - sliced into julienned strips or diced (optional) 
• small bunch radish sprouts, sunflower sprouts or micro greens (optional) 

- Place cucumbers, lemon and lime juice, and garlic into a blender and puree until smooth. Add extra virgin olive oil and water and blend until desired consistency. Add salt and spices to taste and blend one more time. Refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight to allow flavors to mingle. When serving, top with julienned piquillo pepper and chopped sprouts 

chop chop

As I've mentioned in a previous post, things have been more than a little hectic. Thankfully, I am one of those people that is still able to throw something together to eat in a somewhat healthy way. I'm a fan of using what's around, throwing it all together, zesting some lemon and drizzling some olive oil on it and making it an impromptu meal. Everyone has their specialty...and mine is salads (and soup - I'm allowed to have two, right?). I love the crunch of raw ingredients in salads and adore bowls of herby, crunchy chopped veggies. 

That having been said, I've never cooked with straight up raw asparagus. Something has been ingrained in my brain that says I have to at least flash them first. Not any more. This recipe from Anne Burrell is now in my repertoire of quick and flavorful salads. It takes minutes to throw together and goes with a variety of meals - or makes one on its own. I've twisted the recipe a bit with things like a splash of balsamic or some lemon zest. Use good quality extra virgin olive oil and great Pecorino. When there are so few ingredients in a dish like this one, quality counts more than ever!

Asparagus, Pecorino and Red Onion Salad - recipe by Anne Burrell originally found here 

• 1 bunch pencil asparagus, tough bottom stems removed
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 cup coarsely grated aged pecorino
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt

Cut the asparagus, including the tips into very thin slices, crosswise and place in a medium bowl. Add the red onion and pecorino and toss to combine. Dress with the vinegar, olive oil and salt and toss again. This salad should be fairly heavily dressed. The vinegar will sort of "cook" or tenderize the as

Mix Shake Stir

From the looks of this photo, you'd think that I've been sitting on a porch being International Woman of Leisure drinking cocktails in a rocking chair. Quite the contrary. Work has been blissfully busy. The creative juices are flowing on some really great projects...and my personal life is beaming in beautiful rays of awesomeness that are filling in the spaces in-between. 

Through all of the chaos and hustle & bustle, I got an email from the publishers of Danny Meyer's new book, Mix Shake Stir. As a fan of mixology - how great is it to start a meal with a mindblowing cocktail? - I jumped at the chance to review the book. 

Let me tell you - it's swoonworthy. The photography is gorgeous. The writing is engaging. It explains the powers of using a recipe for a drink as you would a dish and the benefits of precision in your cocktails. There is even a section of great bar snacks. Recipes are diverse and there is something for everyone. I opened a page and saw a recipe for something I had lying around the house - a pint of kumquats I snagged from a shoot. The Kumquat Mojito is tart, sweet, refreshing and light. Try it - you won't be disappointed.

I will be giving away 3 copies of Mix Shake Stir via Twitter in a fun way. Be friends with runwithtweezers and send your favorite drink recipe in 140 characters or less (make sure you send me a DM to let me know!). The best 3 Twit-recipes will win a copy of the book. Winners will be chosen on Monday, May 18th!

Kumquat Mojitos - makes one drink - recipe originally found in MixShakeStir by Danny Meyer

• 2 1/2 kumquats, halved
• 8 fresh mint leaves 
• ice 
• 2 oz. white rum, preferably Myers's 
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice 
• 1 oz. Simple Syrup   

- Muddle the kumquats and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and the rum, lime juice and simple syrup and shake vigorously. Pour the contents - including the fruit and mint - into a Collins glass and serve.  

a delicious day

As you know, I rarely write about my restaurant experiences. Let me assure you, there are many. The last post I put on this blog was about my wonderful meal with the amazing Richard Blais, who is now the brains behind the burger concept Flip.

This past weekend, I experienced one of the best meals of my life, courtesy of Sean Brock, executive chef at McCrady's in Charleston, South Carolina. Everything from the cocktails to the dessert were the perfect balance between trends and technique - toeing the line with touches of molecular gastronomy while staying true to classic preparations and Southern traditions. From a margarita with mango infused tequila and yuzu Dippin' Dots to the liquid nitrogen frozen raspberries - done tableside in the old school WOW factor tradition - this food was exciting, engaging, and most importantly delicious.The pairings with each course were so thoughtful and adventurous and spot on.

Afterwards, we had the pleasure of chatting with Chef Brock and he was a delight - down to earth, joyous about his job and the restaurant he cooks in. No wonder he's won so many accolades, from both fans and critics alike.

I have posted a photo set on Flickr for everyone to see. You can view the menu and the tasting menu that we had - with some additions - on McCrady's website. It shows the progression of our meal and the photos turned out quite well - thanks to the beauty spotlight that just happened to be hanging over my seat. Thank you to McCradys and Chef Brock and my spectacular dinner companion for such a memorable experience.

potent pesto

I'm happy to report that I finally have something in common with Giada from The Food Network. Sadly, it's not the perfect chompers or the even more perfect, umm, cleavage. It's our love of pesto. I have seen her cook with it quite a bit - making her own every time, of course. This time, however, she really took it in a different direction.

She claims that she rarely cooks with jalepenos. That makes sense considering the cuisine she specializes in. Me, however - I like adding a little heat in my recipes. While I tend to find peppers like Serrano a little more complex, the jalepeno works just fine, too. It really gives this arugula pesto a nice, slow heat and a slight burn at the end. I tweaked my recipe a bit and added a smidge of lemon juice and a handful of fresh arugula at the end - I just love fresh, bitter greens in pasta. Keep the seeds in the jalepeno for even more fire.

Spicy Arugula Pesto - recipe originally found here

•   1 cup chopped walnuts
•   2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
•   1 (2-inch long) red or green jalapeno pepper, stemmed and coarsely chopped* see Cook's Note
•   2 cups grated (4 ounces) Asiago cheese
•   2 teaspoons kosher salt
•   1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•   3 ounces baby spinach
•   3 ounces arugula
•   1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•   1 pound fusilli pasta
•   3 ounces Asiago cheese, shaved

For the pesto: In a food processor, combine the walnuts, garlic, jalapeno, cheese, salt and pepper. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add the spinach and arugula and process until blended. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Place the cooked pasta and pesto in a large serving bowl. Toss well and thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Asiago cheese shavings and serve.

*Cook's Note: For a milder pesto, remove the seeds from the jalapeno pepper.

the marinating life

It's been a week or so of some deep, serious contemplation and hard decisions. Things that I've been through in the past year finally coming together and coming to a close. You have those days where you can't think about anything so silly as food...yet you can't even fathom going to eat somewhere? It's been that way for me. I needed to make something but I couldn't be bothered to really cook. A bag full of fresh mushrooms from Tennessee and a handful of ingredients got this together in less than 5 minutes.

This recipe (originally a Tyler Florence) recipe.is for times just like that - it's a no-brainer. Easy, flavorful and delicious. It's also extremely versatile. I like the fact that the mushrooms are quickly cooked and can be served immediately at room temperature rather than having to wait for them to percolate in the fridge.

These marinated mushrooms can be eaten on some bibb lettuce, spooned over toasted bread with a smear of goat cheese, or tossed in pasta (hot or cold).

Marinated Mushrooms - makes about 3 cups - recipe originally found here

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

- Add 1/4 cup olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook them for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Pour over the remaining olive oil and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool. Serve at room temperature.