Just after Labor Day, the cool curtain of autumn has once again gently descended upon the Midwest. It smells like fall; the sun’s heat still beads the sweat on runner’s foreheads but the air is crisp and laced with the urge to apple pick. Dialogue

Fall also makes me want to write as darker afternoons take me inside earlier. All summer I endeavored to play outside as much as possible- leaving little time for blogging. But it seems that I owe one more roof top post. Save the best for last? Definitely the indulgent and celebratory feast of the series.

Six Cheese Tasting at Fromagination

Nothing makes people happier (in Wisconsin at least) than a truly excellent meat and cheese board. We nailed it in mid July over looking Milwaukee’s Lake Michigan. The first thing of course is the cheese.  I like three or five cheeses on the board, depending on the size of your party. Let’s go with three here, because the final rooftop gathering was an intimate affair. I wish I had a usable picture…but the food was devoured!

I start with a hard cheese, an sarveccio for example and it gets me every time. It is best with fresh baked baguette- look for the “take and bake” variety at any halfway decent grocery store. Then, I move to something creamy, maybe the Fromager d’Affinois from France if I want a creamy ka-powie to my arteries and a little bite of heaven for my tongue. It is a cows milk cheese that undergoes ultrafiltration which removes the excess water from the milk and concentrates the flavor. This I like to eat with a sturdy , like a cracker from La Panzanella. They are envelope sized and thin, breakable to any size and have the best cracker flavor I’ve had to date. They will set you back a few bones, but it is worth it.  Lastly, I want something vegetal like a slightly aged goats milk gouda. It’s meat is so perfectly white and its flavor delicate and complex. I like it with a few dried cherries to complement. 

Alongside the cheeses, my favorite summer accompaniment has to be a fresh garden radish. Serve with a little salted butter and that baguette you’ve just baked and you’re a tried and true gourmand.  The sharp freshness of the radish with cut through the fat in the cheese leaving your mouth happily refreshed and ready to try the next variety.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, why not have small artisan salami? I love to patronize local haunts like Fromagination in Madison, Vinic Wine in Evanston, or Broaders in Minneapolis, but when I want something tasty, reliable and in the price range, I hit Trader Joes. With red and white wine soaked versions, I can save my money for the cheese!

Finally, because it is Wisconsin (I know this makes four cheeses)  a perfect cheddar- Hooks aged 7 years is one of my favorites. Looking to fall, serve this with a slice of tart apple (particularly satisfying if you go out and pick it yourself . Oh and I can’t help myself, speaking of tree produced fruits, at your early October dinner party, swap dessert out for firm ripe pears, a good stilton or maybe the Dunbarton Blue (see the picture!) from Roelli Cheese in Shullsburg WI and some local Wisconsin honey.  Choose a variety that isn’t too sharp- opt for wildflower or clover- to accent and enhance the cheese and fruit, not overwhelm it. (Blues are also lovely with dried figs).

My goodness, I love cheese and Autumn! I can’t wait for apple hunting, hayrides and my second annual pumpkin carving party. 

Out Saturday night menu began with the copious amount of mint discovered in a Wyatt’s backyard. If you’re 25, pretty much the first thing that comes to mind when we think of mint is a mojito, followed by the beach, surfing and consequently beautiful beach bods.  Well there really aren’t beaches to speak of in Madison but it is berry season! The exquisite and sparkly blackberry drinks are the essesnce of summer, and the center piece of this meal, served with a delicious side of fajitas of course. 

Made in a large pitcher, this cocktail was a crowd pleaser, individualized for each drinker with 3 plump berries and a sprig of mint. This recipe makes enough for 6 if most people drink two. Said another way, this makes enough for 12, but what fun is that?

Blackberry Mojitos for a Crowd

Recipe

1/3 cup packed mint, plus 6-12 springs for garnish

1 ½ cups blackberries plus more for garnish

500 mL of light rum (you pick your own portions, depending on how boozy you want this)

2 bottles of club soda

Juice of two limes

½ cup simple syrup

Crushed Ice

Muddle mint in the bottom of a heavy glass with a muddler or a wooden spoon. Muddling releases the essential oils trapped in the flesh of the mint leaves; you want to bruise them, not cut them. However, you want to mash the heck of out of the blackberries and ¼ cup of the rum in another glass. You’re goal is to extract as much juice as you can. Strain blackberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on solids to get every last bit of flavor.

Combine blackberry juice, rum, club soda, lime juice and muddled mint in jar. In each glass, add about 1/3 cup of crushed ice and pour in mojito! Garnish with three blackberries and a sprig of mint.

Gosh, it is morning as I’m writing this, but I secretly want this refreshing beverage right. When you’re on a plane you’re allowed a cocktail at normally unacceptable times, right?

Teasing, of course! The mojito was absolutely designed for a hot afternoon, which makes quite a bit of sense- it is pretty hot in cuba! The original mojito was muddled with yerbabuena springs, a special kind of mint and first made for Sir Francis Drake in the 19^th Century. Now it is made for me, in my kitchen and great bars all around the world. Culinary globalization has its upsides.

PS: Yerbabuena  means “good herb” and can mean all sorts of slightly different plant, depending which small town you’ve been exploring.

Night One Menu:

Grilled Lemon Cumin Chicken

Salt and Pepper Corn

Arugula Salad with Sunchokes, Roasted Yellow Beets in a Basil Vinaigrette

Beer, Wine and G&T’s

Nothing better than watching the sunset and your male friends puzzle over coals that refuse to light! (Three heads and a little estrogen in the situation get us straight.)   No, I am  teasing, everyone and everything turned out perfectly.

Matt and Alex achieved the illusive: a perfect caramel-y skin on the chicken without drying the meat in the slightest. Atop the cumin/cayenne/thyme marinade, a fresh squeeze of lemon cut through the spicy heat like a blast from an edible watergun.

Personally the salad was my favorite.  Sunchokes are a crunchy sweet discovery that will become a staple on my table.  More than anything though  Madison in the summer with friends greatly missed is what makes life good. Oh, and a really good gin, that makes life really, extra good. Here is the first in a series of recipes for roof top fun.

Grilled Chicken with Cumin, Thyme and Lemon

Serves 4

4 bone-in-skin-on-yum- Chicken Breasts

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 teaspoons chili pepper (cayenne is fine)

1 teaspoon salt to taste

2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme if you have it. (sounds weird I know but it is good)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoons pepper

2 cloves minced garlic

1/3 cups olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice  plus an extra lemon for later

Mix all dry ingredients and fresh thyme in a small bowl. Make sure it smells delicious. Grab a large gallon bag and add spice mix, chopped garlic, olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Moosh it around to mix and add chicken breasts. Allow to marinate for at least an hour. The longer the better, but who really can marinate chicken for 3 hours and not get hungry?

Prepare the coals in a chimney starter (judge the coals on the size of your grill, 60-70). When they get started, pour them onto one side of the grate and allow them to turn grayish white. Place chicken, skin side up partially over the coals. Allow to cool, flipping half way through for 30 minutes. If the marinade starts to burn, move to the non coal side.

When the chicken ready, squeeze the juice of one lemon over the top. Let the breasts sit for 5 minutes before cutting through the skin.

While the beauty hard yet eludes me, with my new network of people in Madison with actual homes that sport burgeoning backyards I’ve found a radish source. The first delivery occurred last week and I was so excited I bypassed the washing stage in favor of a quick dust off on my shirt and ended up with a mouthful of earth - which was the best earth I have ever tasted. The radish belongs to the Raphanus genus, meaning “quick appearing” and it is true, all of a sudden radish season is upon us with the speed and bounty of an edible lottery. The radishes from Andrea’s garden are large and full of flavor, like any radish they pack a spicy punch, but these are almost creamy in a clean, refreshing way. Delicious. A gardener’s triumph.

I started cooking right way, with the first bag, I ate many plain, some with butter and salt a la the French, a few slices on a avocado sandwich, rustic potato salad and finally a giant salad.

Perhaps you have a friend with radishes too, or maybe your own, or I bet you can find a great farmers market near you. Eat some radishes. These poor gems are too often relegated to the sad side of the crudités plate at lunch.

Summer salad with Radishes, Snap Peas, and Feta in a Lemon Dill Dressing

Serves 2-4 (depends on the lettuce head)

This salad is easy peasy, but you’ll impress the pants off your taste buds. The feta and dill unify divergent (but complementary) smooth butter lettuce, sassy radish and sweet green pea creating a lovely bowl of happiness.

1 head of butter lettuce, torn and washed thoroughly with one handful of arugula

1 radish bunch or 5 large radishes

1 large handful of fresh snap peas

¼ pound fresh feta (some of the best is packaged in water, it’s not gross, I promise)

1 tbsp finely chopped dill

1 tbsp lemon juice

1-2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (if you want a richer, sweeter flavor use regular or aged balsamic)

3 tbsp high quality olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the dressing, combine lemon juice and vinegar in a mason jar with a lid and add a pinch of salt. (Salt will dissolve better in an acid alone than an acid-oil combination to create a more balanced dressing.  Shake mixture then add the olive oil, dill and a few grinds of pepper and shake to emulsify.

Find a big beautiful salad bowl next (I like blue for the color combo here) and toss in the greens. Clean and de-top the radishes and slice the long way across. Next, thinly slice each piece into half moon crescent and chop the pea pods in ½ inch pieces. This gives the diner something to sink her teeth into.  Add the veggies to the salad and crumble the feta over top. Shake the dressing jar one last time and dress the salad to your liking.

Nom Nom! Happy eating!

The meal was really lovely, but more than the bright and bracing flavor of the oysters, or the balance between sweet crab and garden fresh tomato, I was struck by how the meal made me think. Sipping my glass of cheap white wine, I realized that the taste was so good because I don’t drink wine much any more. And I’m not cooking the way I love to, spending hours in the kitchen just because it makes me happy. I miss inventing and making strange concoctions that sometimes work and sometimes don’t (beet terrine with herb gelatin? awful).  I am scared that in this new job, which affords me so many opportunities (restaurant exploration and work-wise)  that I might be losing a little bit of myself.

Now, this was pretty heady stuff for a glass of mediocre pinot gris (my studying oenophile self is angry that I liked it so much), but one never knows when your subconscious will decide to strike. So it’s time to get back to the kitchen, back to the bottle and back to what I love.

So here is my goal, two posts a week and cooking not just to eat, but to play, to learn and to dine.

All this said, the salmon with king crab salad and pear vinaigrette were really fantastic and deserve their time in the spot light. Enough pontificating Ellie.

Crab is a beautiful thing. Last week, I ate more crab than over the past 2 years. And I liked it. Next week i’m going to make Hearts of Palm Salad with Red Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab. Miss Erica Everage, you are responsible for my love of palm, looking forward to Dining in LA with you soon!

I had my first 3 Way this weekend…and yes, it was good for me.   

I have been traveling to Cincinnati Ohio for nearly 8 month now seems time to do a little experimenting: I finally decided to have a 3 way. Heck, I’m an open minded person, why not.

 Skyline Chili is to Cincinnati as Starbucks is to New York:  from any vantage point in the city, you can see two Skyline Chili “restaurants”. Ok that is a bit of an exaggeration, but only a little. The blue and red logos are everywhere: pasted across billboards, sponsoring little league teams or welcoming you into one of the 100+ culinary establishments.

So it isn’t really chili; it least as most of the country (me) think of it.  The recipe has to be the worst kept secret in food franchise history: no fewer than five people this weekend told me the two “secret ingredients”—“Chocolate and cinnamon” they would half whisper as if bequeathing me the keys to ultimate life enjoyment.  The odd ingredients and smoother texture place Skyline chili somewhere between diner style chili and Mexican mole– a truly unique taste.

 This little stunner in the picture above is the signature dish– The Three Way. (Some might say the cheese coney- chile+cheese+hotdog is the true classic, but I respectfully disagree based on my unofficial poll of locals.)

 There is a strict protocol when you have your first three way— and at no time does it involve girls or boobs. In fact despite the innuendo in its name, skyline might be the unsexiest food of all time. (Cincinnatians, you might disagree I guess….) Anyway, here are the rules.  

To eat:

1.       Remove a pinch of the cheese with your fingers before even lifting your fork.

2.       Don’t even think of swirling the pasta: cut and swoop.

3.       Add an oyster cracker for a needed texture change.

4.       Enjoy, really probably will like it more than you expect!

5.       Don’t get on a plane or any small enclosed area with lots of other people for at least 5 hours afterward.

 If you’re really into Skyline, or if you are in a situation where you need to impress a Cincinnati native (and gently coax them to alternate culinary habits) try making your own Cincinnati Style Chili. Bon Appétit, I love you.

From lunch at Lucia’s and wine before 3, to Sebastian Joe’s twice in one day, opulence was the word of the weekend. I rediscovered Spoonriver on a long bike ride down around the lakes and along the river. Brenda, of the beloved Cafe Brenda works wonders with the simplest ingredients sourced from around Minnesota.

We started with the Spoon Dips: Preserved Lemon Hummus and Roasted Red Pepper - Walnut Paté, accompanied by a cadre of Vegetables, Olives, and toasted Foccacia.

Here is a riff on the delicious red pepper bowl of love in the photo

Six red bell peppers
1 cup bread crumbs from a baguette or similar bread
1 cup toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup olive oil

Stem, seed and quarter bell peppers.  Place on a cookie sheet under the broiler skin side within 3 or so inches of the element. Roast, with the oven door closed for about five minutes. Turn the ban 180 degrees then roast for 5 more. Peppers should be blackened and beginning to soften. If too hot to handle (as I frequently feel) place in a class bowl and cover with plastic wrap until skin easily  falls away from the flesh.

When cooled, purée roasted red peppers, bread crumbs, walnuts, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the sesame oil in a food processor until almost smooth. With the motor still humming away, add in the oil in one slow stream until the whole mixture is smooth.

Garnish with black sesame seeds and enjoy with market fresh veggies. The radishes were my personal favorite.

And then there was my real lunch…..I couldn’t help but feel healthy after eating this plate of perfectly cooked chicken gently swathed in a peanut sauce, cozied up next to some soba noodles. I mean really, look how great this look!

And if chicken and vegetables aren’t your thing, you can always nom on a Sunshine Farm Hamburger with house-made ketchup! (Grass fed and sustainable of course!)

This is undoubtedly my favorite time of the year to be eating. (ok, the lush tomatoes and sweet corn of late summer provide stiff competition). I have an east-facing apartment so on that glorious first-market day 6:15 am rolled around and I was up and at ‘em. With the promise of a pasty and a market dinner later that night, and I cajoled my handsome man to meet me on the capital square.

This week my loot included fresh arugula, Spanish Black Round radishes, fresh salsa and two massive bunches of ramps and young goat feta (In all, we sampled a dozen different cheeses, salsas, and infused oils; we sipped strong black coffee, indulged in chocolate filled croissants, a raspberry oatmeal muffin and I seriously considered bison beef jerky, goodness I love snacks!)

The ramps were far and away the most exiting purchase. For the virgin ramp consumer, a ramp is a wild leek, its’ flavor bridges the gap between an onion and young garlic. Their tender leaves don’t need any cooking before they are incorporated into most dishes, including this pesto recipe. The vibrant green of this sauce coats the pasta in a restaurant worthy elegance.

Seared Salmon with Linguini and Wild Ramp Pesto

1 bunch wild ramps, bulbs and stems thinly sliced (about ½ cup), green leaves reserved and chopped

¼ basil, chopped

1/3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, + 1 tbsp for sautéing

Half a lemon

Salt, pepper

½ pound linguini (you can get it fresh at the Dane Co Market!)

2 pieces of salmon, about 6-8 oz per piece (this recipe provides abundant pesto for two people, I used it the next day on a pizza

Set a large pot of water to boil, cover and go about your business.

In a large pan, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and sauté the ramp bulbs and stems until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer cooked ramps, green tops, pine nuts, cheese and basil to a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until finely chopped and nearing a pasty composure, now slowly with the blade a-spinning, add 1/4 cup olive oil. The oil will emulsify as it integrates into the sauce. The result should be smooth, but toothy.

(Hopefully your pasta water is ready, add linguini)

Heat extra olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on the salmon and cook, skin side up first about 4-5 minutes per side.

Drain pasta and save a little of the water. Return to the pot and add all but 1/4 cup of the pesto. If sauce is too think add pasta water one tablespoon at a time. Divide pasta between two shallow bowls, top with salmon and smear remaining pesto across fish.

Eat!

That is, when you’re dealing with Pink Himalayan Sea Salt.  The block is identical to rose quarts– fault lines of salty whiteness zig zag through the 14″ by 10″ block, birthmarks of time and geo-pressure.   This big pink block is perfect for cooking at both hot and cold temperatures.

Because the crystal lattice of this particular “stone” has a very high specific heat, it holds its heat or cold for a long time. For those who only had chemistry in high school (me) specific heat is a measure of how much energy, measured in Joules it takes to raise one gram of a substance one degree Celsius. The higher the specific heat, the longer the substance will maintain its temp.

Ok, so what does that mean? It means that even after removing the block, dining and cleaning up, it was still too hot to clean by hand.

I took it for a test drive for the first time last night. Craving fish and friends, Alex and Mallory joined me for baked whitefish and IPA’s at my apartment.

After cooking on the salt for about 10 or 12 minutes, the fish was flaky and infused from the bottom up with an oceanic essence. Didn’t salt the fish and it didn’t need it, a dash of lemon, a grind of pepper and a little parsley finished it off. The result was quite good, but I am looking forward to trying again.

Image by Savory.tv

The fish clung strongly to the salt and the last bites scrapped away from the block left me craving water, next time I would remove the fish from the stone after about 5-7 minutes resting out of the oven. I would also try a more meaty fish, I’m thinking tuna, the opaque, sushi like center might lend itself well to the flavor. Speaking of sushi, I’m getting a little bamboo mat, gathering some friends and making maki. Sea salt deserves ocean going friends—ahi, yellowtail, yum yum yummmm. Sounds perfect for a summer afternoon with a bottle of sake.

Image by Tiffany

(Salt has played a major role in international commerce, English verbiage and of course flavoring french fries. Read more about it’s historical prowess)

If Kings Speech was the compelling emotional film that cleaned up, Sardine stole “best in show” for overall meal experience. Interestingly enough, Madison culinary judges (you guys) couldn’t find an Academy-like consensus for individual dishes. However, let’s relive our best dishes a little. Our favorites included the Sautéed Calamari at Graze, Arugula Salad and polenta at Harvest, and for the meat eaters, Steak and Ribs from Quively’s. In the dessert category, the anything chocolaty seemed to be the winner, and it worked quite well as an aphrodisiac: 60% of our diners enjoyed a different kind of dessert after leaving the restaurant.

While I didn’t create any golden statues for the RW winners, I think the Oscar night meal on Sunday deserves a lifetime achievement accolade. Meatballs, those timeless spheres of love got a makeover with healthy-chic ingredients like young arugula and San Marzano tomatoes. There are many ways to cook meatballs, but simmering them in the tomato sauce creates a velvety texture and adds depth to the sauce itself.

Ingredients

One package whole wheat spaghetti
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
1 8 of 16 oz can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ red onion
4 cloves garlic, minced and divided.
1 pound lean ground turkey
½ cup chopped Italian parsley
½ cup breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese plus more for sprinkling
1 egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 package

First, get that pasta water boiling.

For the Meat: Combine turkey, parsley, two cloves garlic, breadcrumbs, parm, egg and mustard in a large bowl. Grind some pepper over the top and a dash of kosher salt. Now get your hands dirty. Aim for forming meatballs about an inch and a half in diameter or about 3 tablespoons meat mixture. Be gentle, if you compact the meat too much, they will be come dense after cooking. Set aside for now.

For the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan (aka, pot) and sauté onion and two cloves garlic until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sauce and bring to a simmer. (If you happen to have any red wine open, add a dash along for a deeper, rounder flavor.) When sauce begins to thicken after about five, add the meatballs and simmer until cooked through, about 12 minutes. Add arugula, stirring to wilt.

For the Pasta: Meanwhile, when the water reaches a rolling boil add pasta cooking until aldente (timing will vary, but roughly 8- 12 minutes. Drain and add directly to the sauce. Top with remaining parmigiano cheese, parsley and a grind of fresh pepper.

Serve, enjoy and criticize the worst dresses on the red carpet.