Basque-style rabbit in white wine & tomato sauce with green olives
Rabbit has had a place on the kitchen table in Italy, France, and Spain for more than a millennium, thanks in large part to Pope Gregory I condoning the consumption of rabbit during lent, proclaiming that rabbit meat was not meat. Rabbit meat is both nutritious and versatile. Many liken it to chicken breast, though it does have a more dynamic taste. Higher in protein than meat (and more easily digestible than other proteins), rabbit is also high in B-vitamins, particularly B12, has virtually a third of calories of beef, and half the calories of pork. Avoid overcooking, as it will dry...
Read MoreSalade Niçoise
Classic Salade Niçoise is a type of potato salad ~ hearty enough to stand alone as a meal ~ thanks to the addition of tuna (yes, canned tuna is traditional!), green beans, and hard-boiled eggs. To be “Niçoise” means to be from the city of Nice, France. My sister-in-law, though born and raised in Marseille, considers herself Niçoise as she has spent most of her adult life in the sunny Mediterranean coastal city. We make this local specialty often during our time together at her place in summer. Recipe adapted from Les Recettes Faciles by Françoise Bernard, and influenced by The...
Read MoreKale Caesar salad with homemade croutons
Caesar Cardini (Italian-born Mexican) is credited with creating this legendary salad. Cardini was living in San Diego but also working in Tijuana where he avoided the restrictions of prohibition. Cardini made do with what he had, successfully adding the dramatic flair of the table-side tossing “by the chef”. Four years later Cardini moved his restaurant to the newly constructed namesake Hotel Caesar which, after major renovation in 1990, continues to operate to this day and prepare table-side “ensalada Caesar per tradition” claiming to serve the “original Caesar salad”. Today, many versions...
Read MoreSweet almond pastry crust (naturally gluten-free pâte sucré)
I developed this crust as a gluten-free substitute for pâte sucré in dessert tart recipes. It is delicious with a satisfying texture. The whole egg acts as a binder so that the pastry is not too crumbly. Recipe by Karen Gros. Makes one single crust for a 10- or 11-inch tart pan 1½ cups blanched almond meal (Source: Nuts.com) ½ cup + 2 tablespoons powdered arrowroot 1 tablespoon organic coconut flour ¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons unbleached cane sugar 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter 1 egg yolk 1 whole egg Egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water Process the dry ingredients...
Read MoreSweet potato pecan tart
Do you love pecan pie, but not the gooey corn syrup that makes up the conventional filling? I used to eat the pecans off my mom’s pecan pies (to her fury!), but even with the monumental sweet tooth that I had as a child, that filling was just too rich and too sweet. Our sweet potato pecan tart offers just the right balance of sweet and substance, topped with golden buttery pecans. Gluten-intolerant? No problem. The tart is made with a buttery almond crust. Funny enough, it was at Killer Shrimp in Los Angeles 20 years ago where I first ate what was called, “sweet potato...
Read MoreLemon-infused quinoa tabouli with fresh parsley & mint
Quinoa must be thoroughly washed and rubbed to remove the saponins, which would otherwise impart an astringent after-taste. Roasting the quinoa prior to simmering it deepens the flavor, which is otherwise quite neutral. The slight sweetness of the orange juice further enhances the taste. I first ate tabouli at Jamil’s, a Lebanese restaurant in Tulsa, where I grew up. I still remember the thick chunks of barbecued bologna and cabbage rolls that always accompanied the tangy parsley-packed tabbouleh. Recipe by Karen Gros. Serves 6-8 Quinoa ingredients 1 cup white quinoa ¾ cup water ½ cup...
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