I’ve been on a tart-making jag.  Simple, fresh and easy, this most challenging part is the crust - and even that is a cinch when using a Basic Sweet Crust.  The fruit, of course is your choice - I like berries.  The filling was a bit of an experiment - one that worked out well and was very easy - a blend of one-third each Mascarpone, Ricotta and Greek yogurt, sweetened to-taste, with powdered sugar.  When I brought this tart into work, it was devoured in 10 minutes, by a band of rabid wolves AKA my co-workers.

This beautiful Roasted Vegetable and Cous-cous Salad was served at a Memorial Day/Going-Away party I attended this weekend.  The varying textures and salty-spicy-roasted flavors were incredible.  While the dish is a bit labor-intesive, the final result is sooooo worth it.  As we head into warmer weather months, fresh, cool, clean vegetable-centric dishes seem apropos.

I’m not sure how Chef David Slater managed to transport me to Coney Island in a matter of seconds last Saturday, but his fried clam strips were like a gourmet blast from the past!  Dipped in a light and crunchy batter, the clam strips (from somewhere in Maine, Louisiana he kept joking…) and fresh zucchini blossoms were out of control!  Served alongside of them was a little finger bowl of preserved lemon aioli.  The dish was the perfect blend of salt, sweet and sour.  And while the rest of the food I ate that evening (I think we had about 8 courses…) was great, this dish was so simple and delicious, I know I’ll be craving it for weeks to come.

One of my favorite things about eating in New Orleans is all the local pride found on each plate.  At brunch on Sunday, I ordered a crab salad that was beautifully garnished with paper thin slices of fried sweet potatoes, Lousiana citrus segments and spring pea shoots.  Several of the ingredients in the dish were sourced from area, down to the Blue Plate mayonnaise used to dress the salad.

As you probably guessed by the bag of Zapp’s potato chips in the photo, I was in New Orleans this weekend!  This was one of my many meals on my visit down south–an assortment of cold cut sandwiches from my favorite Magazine Street deli.  Of the five, my favorite was the sandwich piled high with warm slices of pastrami, swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing on rye.  How I managed to have dinner just hours later?!  I’m still not sure…

Sam

Hot Pastrami, Swiss, Cole Slaw on Rye with Russian Dressing

These are what New Orleanians call “Turtles” - a crumbly light pecan cookie with a blob of fudgy chocolate swirled on top and a sprinkle of some chopped pecans.  Local, beloved and now dearly departed bakery, McKenzie’s, was well-known for these cookies; and the recipe lives on, lovingly re-created in a few select “Tastee Donuts” locations around town.  Interested in making these cookies?  Here’s a recipe

From The Martha Stewart Living Radio Blog:

 

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Picture 2 from 13: We had to cast our votes on this piece of paper. The purple square was for a contestant who called out sick at the last minute. I think he was intimidated by the competition!

Recently, I was a judge at a Chili Cook-off with my fellow Martha Stewart Colleagues! The competition was fierce especially since one contestant was a former cook and another guy has worked under Emeril Lagasse for several years! Throughout the week I heard the contestants talking about the judging and bragging ’bout their stellar recipes. I was curious to see who was going to win this cook-off!

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This is a gorgeous, textural and taste riot-of-a-dish from Emeril’s Chef de Cuisine, David Slater.  He calls it “Abita Root Beer Braised ‘Fresh Bacon’ Salad with Citrus Slaw, Marinated Yucca, Heirloom Radish, Shaved Jalapeno, Goat Cheese and Pork Cracklings.”  I call it “Love on a plate.”

This collection of profiles, put together by the NY Times, is really entertaining and definitely worth spending a couple of minutes listening to.  My favorites, of course, were the stories related to food and drink–The Mozzarella Maker, The Singing Waitress, and The Blind Taster.

My pal Lizzy brought me this box of amazing chocolates from Portland chocolatier, Sara Hart of Alma Chocolate.  These artisan beauties were brilliant - each and every one of them - with the Thai Peanut Butter Cup in the middle being my rock bomb favorite.  Inside is a peanut-buttery center, rich with coconut, ginger, chile and lime (I’m sure I’ve missed something, but that’s what stood out) flavors.  Sara’s chocolates are all intriguing and Lizzy’s coming down to New Orleans soon -I sense a big box of many Thai Peanut Butter Cups in my future…