A banana bread of pandemic proportions!

May 21, 2020 Jessica Gordon Ryan

There’s banana bread and then there’s BANANA BREAD.
Because banana bread is trending we just had to jump in.
This is the best yet. I promise you.
Once you make this recipe you won’t be able to go back!
You’re welcome ;)

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, room temperature
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream (Plain or Greek yogurt works too)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups cake flour (all purpose works too)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts (optional - we didn’t use them for this recipe)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter. (I used Pam)
Mash together the sour cream, eggs and vanilla - can be done by hand or in a bowl with an electric mixer.
Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fixed with a whisk attachment.
Add the butter and mix on medium-low speed until blended, about 30 seconds.
Add the banana mixture in 3 batches, scraping the sides of the bowl and mixing on medium speed between each addition. (I did not add it in 3 batches) Fold in the nuts.
Pour into the loaf pan.
Bake until lightly browned and bread bounces back to the touch, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool completely.

For muffins line 18 muffin tins with muffin/cupcake wrappers and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Lemon, Honey, Turmeric & Ginger Tea

April 29, 2020 Jessica Gordon Ryan

Whether you’re looking to detox, want a coffee substitute or looking for something to keep you from constantly reaching for the fridge, honey, lemon ginger tea is my answer to everything. It’s healthy, soothing and right now it’s a guiltless source of comfort. It’s terrific hot or chilled over ice. Don’t like turmeric? Leave it out. Want it minty? Add some fresh mint leaves. Lavender is a nice refreshing twist. Want it stronger? Add more ginger? Too strong? Add more water. This recipe is a general guideline but go ahead and make it to suit your preferences.

The turmeric is optional and you can substitute the honey for sugar, splenda or stevia. I love this tea both hot and cold served with ice.

Lemon, Honey, Turmeric & Ginger Tea Ingredients:

Per serving

1 inch of peeled grated ginger
1 tbs honey
1/2 lemon
16 ounces of water

I like to make this in batches and keep a couple of bottles on hand to enjoy hot or cold.

Large batch recipe:

8 cups of water
2 lemons juiced (add zest if desired)
4 tbsp honey
8 inches of ginger, peeled and grated

Lemon, Honey, Turmeric & Ginger Tea Directions:

If you have a micro planer or a zester I recommend you use them. The zested ginger yields a stronger flavor. If you have neither, you can slice the ginger thinly. I estimate about an inch per cup. If this is too strong you can always add more water once the tea has been made.

In a large pot or saucepan, add your water, ginger, and lemon. use one cup of water per serving).
Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, for anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes. The stronger you want your tea the longer you’ll want to steep it. My suggestion is to go strong and then dilute if necessary.

Pour the tea through a fine sieve to catch the ginger and lemon pulp.
Add a dash or two of turmeric - It will turn your beverage into a fun bright yellow color. Add a wedge of lemon and add more honey or sweetener if desired.

Try these options:
Add some fresh mint leaves and muddle for a nice minty flavor or add some fresh lavender. I love the way the lavender adds an unexpected complementary flavor. And the leaves look fo pretty.

This Healthy Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip may help keep the Quarantine pounds away

April 14, 2020 Jessica Gordon Ryan

What’s a better snack than peanut butter and apples? It’s a staple around here when we’re craving something sweet but want something healthy. Sometimes I add a spoonful of peanut butter and drizzle some honey into yogurt… which got me to thinking… I could create a healthy yogurt-based fruit “dip” for my apples. This won't replace your chocolate fix, but your sweet tooth and your waistline will be happy!

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip and green apples

This was some serious WOW!

And so easy…

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 heaping tablespoonful of peanut butter, smooth or chunky
2-3 tablespoons of yogurt - I use Chobani vanilla Greek yogurt 0% fat|
Drizzle of honey, to taste
Pinch of cinnamon, optional

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the peanut butter, honey, yogurt and cinnamon.
I like to place the yogurt mixture into the fridge to chill before serving.
Recipe can be doubled or tripled to serve more.

This Healthy Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip may help keep the Quarantine pounds away

24 Hour Slow Cooker Chicken Bone Broth

November 20, 2019 Jessica Gordon Ryan

I buy a rotisserie chicken every week. Yes, every single week! It’s the most versatile item I get from the grocery store. I can make a variety of salads, toss it into pasta, use it for tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, homemade pizzas, you name it! I also use it to make chicken stock, or Bone Broth.

When I’m done with the meat from the bird, instead of tossing the bones into the garbage, I toss them into the freezer and when I’m ready I turn them into the most delicious chicken stock or bone broth.

Is it stock or is it bone broth? What’s the difference?

What’s the difference between chicken stock and bone broth? I explain it in this brief video.

Let’s clear things up a bit first. There’s broth which tends to be light and clear. Stock is heartier than broth. Now we have “bone broth” which is essentially stock with a trendier name. The traditional definition for stock, which is more viscous due to Bone broth and stock are defined by their thickness which comes from the gelatin which is naturally occuring in bones and seeps into the liquid when cooked over a long period of time, and filled with nutrients. Broth is lighter in texture, taste and color and is made with actual meat sans bones, versus meat-stripped bones used for stock. (I actually use bones with some meat left on them.)

The confusion comes from the rising popularity of Bone Broth. So whether you call it Bone Broth or Stock, it’s essentially the same thing. But it is not regular chicken broth - let’s just get that cleared up.

Broth takes just a couple of hours to cook, whereas stock or Bone Broth is cooked over a longer period of time. I prefer to let it cook as long as possible to guarantee a more robust flavor. A bone broth can't really be overcooked because the point is to break down all of the cartilage so that the collagen-rich gelatin seeps in. That collagen is another food by product that’s all the rage these days and purported to be great for your skin, hair, and nails, and healthy gut.

To make a good Bone Broth (or Stock) you could head on over to your butcher, or you could reach for your frozen rotisserie remains. (I’ll often add two to the crockpot for an even richer flavor.)

Below, instructions for your Slow Cooker Bone Broth

Directions:
1. Place the bones and vegetables (onions, carrots, celery, garlic for options) along with a couple of bay leaves, salt and pepper into the crock pot, and make sure everything is fully covered with water. Add the lid, turn the dial to the 10 hour setting. When the 10 hours are up - usually at some point in the middle of the night for me - the slow cooker will keep everything on a warm setting. When I am up, or when I remember, I reset the dial for another 10 hours.

2. When all is said and done I turn off and unplug the crockpot and let the liquid cool enough to pour into two large bowls using a sieve to separate the bones and meat.

3. I then set the bowls aside and let the liquid cool some more to allow the fat to rise to the top to be skimmed off.

4. I then sift through the bones and veggies to pull off any existing chicken meat. I can usually get a fair bit which then gets used in soup or such.

When the liquid has cooled and the fat has been skimmed off the stock gets transferred into glass jars or plastic containers, which go into the fridge and the freezer.

I will be using this stock for my Thanksgiving dinner - for the gravy as well as the stuffing.

Entertaining at Home: Inspirations from Celebrated Hosts

November 18, 2019 Jessica Gordon Ryan

Entertaining at Home is both a gentle guide and beautiful book filled with stories and anecdotes shared amongst friends. Entertaining at Home is as much for the consummate entertainer as it is for the novice looking for some tried and true strategies. Part recipe collection, part entertaining guide, this gorgeous collection of entertaining ideas will inspire both the novice as well as the veteran hostess. From the heart of Texas to coastal New England - and everywhere in between, a wealth of mouth-watering images, recipes and how tos ( flower arranging, playlist curating, cocktail curation, table setting) will have you ready and wanting to entertain no matter the season!

You will immediately lose yourself in the pages as you feast your eyes on all the wonderful recipes, table settings and glimpses into all the spectacular homes. Enjoy this book with a glass of wine or hot cup of tea, in front of a cozy fire or out on a warm, breezy porch - You’ll want to have a pad of paper and pen in hand as you begin to jot down your own ideas and create your own guest list.

I first met Ronda about 8 years ago. Then living in Scotland, she was in New York elbow-deep working on her first book, Designers at Home, a gorgeous book that brought us into the homes of the world’s most sought after designer. In September her second book, Entertaining at Home, was released. I received my gorgeous copy in the mail and instantly began devouring it. This stunning book brings us into the homes of designers, chefs and tastemakers, who share with us their tips and strategies to creating memorable occasions and parties.

I had hoped to see Ronda in Newport, at the home of Bettie Pardee, this past summer but life got in the way. Child obligations prevented me from attending her book signing in New York, but I was thrilled to finally be able to catch her in New Preston, Connecticut this past weekend where she and designer and contributor Amy Beth Cupp were signing copies in the town’s charming shop, Privet House.

ENTERTAINING AT HOME contains a variety of delectable and easy-to-master recipes, such as bacon-wrapped pretzels, seafood chowder, spicy gazpacho, and refreshing sangrias. In addition to Ronda’s own Soup on Sunday fête:

•Jay Draper and Mark Thompson, owners of Shoppe in Birmingham, host brunch in their greenhouse.

•Debbie Propst, president of One King’s Lane, perfects the lazy breakfast.

•Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, lifestyle maven, pulls together a most befitting Mother’s Day brunch.

•Sarah Eilers, designer and gardener makes breakfast in the garden a memorable meal. •Grace Kaynor, interior designer and bridge aficionado offers a chic alternative to game night with an intimate game brunch.

•Lynn Wyatt, social icon and international philanthropist, does lunch on her ranch, Texas style!

•Katie Scott, New Orleans-native and Houston-based interior designer, whips up a Creole feast emblematic of Southern hospitality.

•Cris Briger, of Briger Design,lays out a smorgasbord of Nordic treats that warm winter appetites.

•Ware Porter embraces the All-American meatloaf favored by Bill Blass, served among the many layers of his colorful and whimsical camelback home in New Orleans.

•Tricia Foley, the lifestyle doyenne with a penchant for all things blanc, hosts a natural lunch on Long Island.

•Amy Beth Cupp makes a bountiful barn lunch in Connecticut a true reflection of her artistic roots.

•Mac Hoak and Fred Perkins, owners of Mecox Gardens,create a stylish spread of salad buffets to encourage wandering around the garden.

•Suzanne Kasler, a lover of all things Parisian,creates an ooh-la-la lunch at her Regency-style home in Atlanta.

•Denise and Scott McGaha do BBQ right in their Dallas backyard, as only an interior designer and grill master know how.

•Bettie Bearden Pardee,the epitome of old-school elegance, serves a second-to-none New England chowder in her orangerie at her Newport, RIhome.

•Julia Reed is famous for her cocktail parties, one of the most coveted invitations in all New Orleans.

•Bill Ingram, architect, loves nothing more than a pre-theatre cocktail party that is a satisfying as it is detail-oriented.

•Shelly Rosenberg acknowledges that all great parties wind up in the kitchen, so she starts (and ends) her party there.

•Caroline Harper Knapp, the maven behind the House of Harper blog, keeps cocktail parties simple and chic with charcuterie boards.

•Pam Kelley offers invaluable advice for moving a supper indoors when the weather turns at the last minute.

•Heather Chadduck Hillegas embraces the warmth of her backyard firepit to make for cozy gatherings that extend well into the night.

•Ruth Davis, co-founder of FOUND, turns her library into a dining room to celebrate the end of summer and fall’s gentle arrival with a hearty harvest supper.

•Cathy Kincaid makes Saturday afternoons an occasion, colorful and bright, but with an unmistakable ease.

•Bethany McCann hosts a seaside fête with a twist, shying away from a typical nautical theme, she embraces the florals in her china cabinet to serve her seafood supper.

•Courtnay Tartt Elias does a purple party like no one else!

•Carla McDonald, founder of The Salonniere, recreates a dinner from the legendary Stork Club: vintage décor, cocktails, and music set the stage.

•Michael Harold and Quinn Peeper do a gumbo dinner in their New Orleans shotgun double-camelback style home while keeping things “interesting.”

•Danielle Rollins hosts a July 4 th celebration at her Atlanta home that is red-white-and-blue and full of American classics such as deviled eggs, fried chicken, and cherry pie.

•Lisa Hilderbrand, antiques dealer, hosts Thanksgiving at her Connecticut home where the décorisfestive and dramatic, and a menu that transfers from the table to the couch with ease for football viewing.

•Christy Fordhostsan annual mother-daughter holiday tea party at her home in Charlottesville, where each and every delectable delight celebrates the season.

•Susan and SkylarDabbarkeep Christmas dinner light and airy with snow-kissed touches and large does of nostalgia, finished with desserts in front of a roaring fire.

•Jan Roden kicks the new year off on the right foot with a New Year’s buffet full of make-ahead treats and an open-door policy that comes with sweet treats to-go, as they are usually the last indulgence before resolutions kick in.

ENTERTAINING AT HOME Inspirations from Celebrated Hosts By Ronda Carman Foreword by India Hicks Photography by Michael Hunter and Matthew Mead Hardcover / 7¾”x 10¼”/ 256 pages 325 color photographs$45.00 US / ISBN: 978-0-8478-6601-4 Rizzoli New York / September 2019

Chilled Golden Gazpacho

July 22, 2019 Jessica Gordon Ryan

Now that the hot, hazy, and lazy summer days are upon us the last thing we want is a hot and heavy meal. I’ve always been a fan of cold soups, especially gazpacho. While I love the traditional gazpacho, I sometimes find it a bit too acidic. I first had a yellow gazpacho when I was in my 20s and it’s remained a favorite ever since. It can be hard to replicate because you need really ripe yellow tomatoes which are fairly hard to come by, especially in Connecticut where tomato season is so short. So I tend to make a lot of it. The best part of this recipe, other than the fact that it’s so easy, is that it’s so easy to make.

This soup is also low calorie, low carb, low in fat and vegan so it works with all sorts of dietary restrictions.

Ingredients

2 cucumbers, peeled, cubed
2 Yellow peppers, seeded and cut into chunks
1 small Vidalia onion, quartered
1 large or 2 medium yellow tomato cut into chunk
1/8 cup white or cider vinegar
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 large lemon
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place your vegetables, vinegar, olive oil and lemon into your food processor or heavy duty blender and pureé until you get your desired consistency. With this soup, I prefer it to be smooth and creamy. When blended to your preference season with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer into a large container and let chill in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight. The longer it sits the better.

Serve with fish, chicken or seafood if desired, or serve with bread and cheese.
You can garnish it with fresh herbs such as basil, mint or cilantro. You can add a dollop of lowfat sour cream, guacamole or some avocado slivers.

Want to serve this at a dinner party and impress your guests? Top it off with a dab of creme fraiche and some caviar. Or perhaps some lump crab or fresh lobster meat?

Lemon, Dill and Old Bay Crab Spread (for all your Summer Entertaining)

May 30, 2019 Jessica Gordon Ryan

If you don’t have a go-to summer recipe to serve your guests or bring to an afternoon pool party or evening barbeque, look no further. This Lemon, Dill and Old Bay Crab Dip is going to be the “it” recipe this summer! And the best thing about this recipe is that it is so easy to make.

I’m a firm believer in adapting recipes to fit your tastes and lifestyles. So feel free to add or enhance however you see fit… although I think it’s quite perfect as it is.

Ingredients:

16 ounces crab meat, lump or claw.
Fresh is always better but Chicken of the Sea makes a good canned version.
16 ounces light cream cheese (room temperature)
Zest of 1 lemon, juice from 1 1/2
6 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 bunch of finely chopped dill, about 2 tablespoons
2 Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
2 + Teaspoons of Old Bay (this is to taste)

Directions:

Place the crab meat in a medium sized bowl and add the cream cheese, lemon zest and lemon and start to mix it all together so that the ingredients are evenly blended. Add the scallions, dill, Dijon and Old Bay and work them into the mixture.

When all the ingredients have been well incorporated transfer them from the mixing bowl to the one you plan on serving from. Prior to serving, if you’d like, add some dill or lemon zest to the top.

These can be served with crackers, toasted baguette rounds, or anything you prefer.

Add a dollop to a chilled soup such as watercress, gazpacho or vichyssoise.

Use leftovers within 3 days of serving.

A few easy ways to use up those hard boiled Easter Eggs

April 22, 2019 Jessica Gordon Ryan

For those of you who celebrate, I hope you all had a very Happy Easter. I hope you found all the hidden eggs and that you allowed yourself a piece of chocolate or two. I do love a good hard boiled egg, but if you’re like me, you can only eat so many. Below, I have rounded up a few delicious and healthy recipes to inspire you to not waste those leftovers.

Deviled eggs seem the obvious first choice. The basic recipe is simple.
Per dozen:

1/3 - 1/4 cup of mayonnaise (you can use regular, light, or olive oil varieties)
1 tablespoon+ of Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika plus more for sprinkling
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Peel and slice the eggs in half lengthwise. and remove the yolks.
Place yolks in a medium sized bowl.
Add the mustard, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and paprika
Using a small whisk beat until smooth
Clean the egg whites if needed and arrange on a large plate or serving platter
Fit a piping bag with a tip wide enough to allow the egg mixture to pass through easily, any shape that you desire. If you don’t have a pastry bag, a plastic ziplock type will work perfectly.
Place the bag into a glass and fold the opening of the bag down around the glass and scoop in the egg mixture. Scoop in the egg filling.
Pipe the filling in to the eggs and sprinkle with paprika, herbs or other topping.
It is preferable to fill the eggs just prior to serving.

For more deviled egg ideas hop on over to BuzzFeed.

Egg Salad

Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma

8 large eggs

1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise, plus more for the bread (I prefer less mayo)
2 small stalks celery, finely chopped
2 small green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped
1 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 slices good-quality white bread
4 leaves butter lettuce

hard-boil the eggs, place them in a large saucepan and fully immerse them in water so that they are fully covered. Bring just to a boil over high heat then turn the heat to low for 15 minutes.
Drain the eggs, then transfer to a bowl of ice water and let cool completely. (I suggest placing in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together the 1/4 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise, the celery, green onions, parsley and mustard. Peel the eggs and chop finely. Add to the mayonnaise mixture and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper.

Optional:
Spread 4 of the bread slices with equal amounts of the egg salad, then top each with a lettuce leaf. Spread mayonnaise on the remaining 4 bread slices, and place, mayonnaise side down, on each sandwich. Cut in half and serve. Makes 4 sandwiches.
Variation: Add chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon, chervil or chives, to the egg salad. For easy appetizers, and in lieu of bread, spoon the egg salad into Belgian endive leaves, or for a lunchtime salad, mound it onto a bed of lettuce. (I happen to love Old Bay seasoning sprinkled liberally over mine.)

And then there’s Eli Zabar’s recipe from the New York Times….

Hard boiled egg avocado toast. Image via Camille Styles

Avocado Toast with Sliced Egg

I was rather late to the whole Avocado Toast thing. I thought it was going to be a flash-in-the-pan trend and clearly it’s proven to have staying power. The beautiful thing about the Avocado Toast phenomena is that it’s so easy to do to at home and you can add so many different toppings. I prefer my avocado mashed over sliced - When I do this I add fresh lemon or lime juice, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and a dash of hot sauce. I prefer toast to bread - lightly toasted, not too crunchy. Hard boiled eggs are the perfect add-on! Make it more decadent with a slice of smoked salmon or top it off with some caviar for good measure! You can pretty much add anything you want to top off your avocado egg toasts!

Egg and Potato Salad

This veggie-loaded Egg and Potato salad isn’t your grandmother’s mayo-laden egg and potato salad and because of that it makes the list as a healthy option . Packed with all sorts of veggies and a lemon Dijon vinaigrette, this is hearty enough to stand alone as a meal, of makes the perfect pre-meal starter. Head on over to Spotebi for the recipe.

Gribiche

The French use hard boiled eggs in their dressings all the time. The the cooked egg yolks serve as an emulsifier. This style of dressing is called Gribiche. Recipe, below, adapted from Bon Appetit.

3 egg yolks, hard boiled, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped drained capers
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard (Dijon can be substituted)
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped herbs (such as tarragon and parsley)

Whisk cornichons, oil, vinegar, capers, and mustard in a small bowl to emulsify; season with salt and pepper. Gently mix eggs and herbs into dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Dressing can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
Gribiche is great on all sorts of salads, cooked asparagus, artichokes, potato salads, etc…

Hard boiled egg and asparagus salad. Image via Skinny Taste

Asparagus Egg and Bacon Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Recipe and Image via Skinny Taste

Asparagus, Egg and Bacon Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette is the perfect easy Spring salad made with just a few simple ingredients – asparagus, hard boiled egg and bacon tossed with a Dijon vinaigrette.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large hard boiled egg, peeled and sliced
1 2/3 cups chopped asparagus
2 slices cooked and crumbled center cut bacon (check labels for Whole30)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (check label for Whole30)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
pinch salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the asparagus and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until tender yet firm. Drain and run under cold water to stop it from cooking further. Set aside.
In a small bowl mix the Dijon, oil, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Arrange the asparagus on a plate, top with egg and bacon and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Salade Niçoise

I adore a good Salade Niçoise. In fact, I adore even a not so great one! Although there are variations, as seen in the image above, the traditional versions consist of:
Bibb or butter lettuce
Green beans
Boiled potatoes
Hard Boiled eggs
Tinned tuna fish (preferably a high quality packed in olive oil)
Tomatoes
Niçoise olives

But you will see many variations such as the one above. You’ll see them served with a piece of salmon, seared tuna, feta, navy beans, radishes, carrots and cucumbers for example. Now I am not going argue about the right and wrong ingredients and the right or wrong way to make it. If you have the ingredients listed above you’re in good shape.
1 small head of crisp lettuce, your choice, rinsed, dried, and chopped

3 Tbsp fresh tarragon leaves
3 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 cup white beans, either navy or cannellini, drained and rinsed
1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
handful baby carrots, raw
1 cup baby purple potatoes, cooked and halved
1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
about 6 baby radishes
handful green beans, preferably French, lightly steamed
2-3 hard cooked eggs, halved
1/3 cup Bird Beak peppers
1/3 cup black olives, your choice, I used oil cured
1-2 cans Genova Albacore Tuna in olive oil
2 Tbsp capers
Dressing
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 large lemon
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

(Or you could use the Gribiche dressing mentioned above)

Directions

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more lemon juice if you like.
Put the lettuce in a wide shallow salad bowl or platter and arrange the tarragon leaves over the lettuce.
Toss the beans with a little of the dressing, and some of the fresh dill. Pile the beans into a heap on the edge of the salad, leaving the center free for the tuna.
Arrange the cucumber slices and carrots in little piles next to the beans.
Toss the potatoes with a little of the dressing and dill, and add them to the salad. Arrange the tomatoes, radishes, green beans, eggs, peppers, and olives in a similar manner all around the edge of the platter.
Put the tuna in the center of the salad and top with the capers. Scatter the fresh dill over all.

Spinach Salad, Image by Brown Eyed Baker

Warm Spinach Salad

And a Warm Spinach Salad is never a bad idea! The Image and the recipe hail from Brown Eyed Baker. Head on over to her blog for the recipe.

Shishito Peppers :: From the Farmer's Market to your Table

August 19, 2017 Jessica Gordon Ryan

I had my first blistered shishito pepper about five years ago. I was in the UK and they were presented to me alongside numerous other tapas. I had never had one before and passed for fear they might be too hot. I like heat and I seem to be adding jalapeños to lots of things these days, but in miniscule amounts. I mean, I would never dare to simply bite into one whole. I was assured that for the most part these were mild peppers, though every so often a rare spicy one emerges from the bunch, which seems to make eating these little green treats even more fun.

These little Japanese peppers, part of the Capsaicin family, are mild with a slight peppery flavor, not unlike a traditional green pepper although its long, slender shape isn't dissimilar to the jalapeño. They traditionally grow in the summer months and you'll find them in abundance at your local farmer's market.

Craving something salty and wanting to be relatively healthy (trying to keep away from the potato chips) I decided that I would try my hand at blistering them. I found a recipe from the New York Times and saw that all I needed in addition to the peppers was olive oil and salt. Since I didn't have three pounds I just decided to wing it on my own. After all, blistering a few peppers wasn't exactly brain science. I had purchased a quart but since I had given about half of them to a friend I wasn't sure just how many I had, my guess was roughly a pint.

Over a large cast iron skillet (my latest favorite cooking tool) I added about a tablespoon of olive oil and brought the temperature up. As the oil started to smoke slightly I added the peppers to the pan and turned the heat down slightly. They all fit in perfectly. I let them blister for about 10 minutes or so, turning them a couple of times so that all the sides would get a nice deep, char. When they were done I placed them onto a plate and sprinkled them generously with salt. I used a Sea Salt but think I would have prefered a Himalayan or a Maldon. Even a lemon salt for a zesty kick.

I popped on into my mouth and took a bite. It was divine - mild and peppery with a nice smokiness from the char. I took another bite, pulled off the stem, placed it on my plate and went in for another. I repeated these steps until there was not one pepper left!

Ingredients:
1 pint - 1 quart of shishito peppers
1-2 Tbs of good olive oil
Coarse salt, as needed
A large (12 inch) skillet

Directions:
Heat the oil in the pan until it gets hot - it might start to smoke.
Add the peppers into the pan, aligning them so that they all fit. (If they don't remove half)
Keep them in the pan for about 10 minutes or so until they start to char and blister, turning a couple of times.
Remove from pan when ready.
Arrange on a plate.
Add salt, coarse salt is best.
Eat!

Farmer's Market Panzanella with Lemon Anchovy Dressing

August 18, 2017 Jessica Gordon Ryan

Looking for recipes that would allow me to take full advantage of all the wonderful tomatoes found at the farmer's market this time of year brought me back to the mid 1990s and my favorite restaurant in Italy.

My grandmother had just renovated a villa in the hills of Umbria in a wonderful medieval town of Citta della Pieve in Perugia. The old Villa Rosetta is steeped in history, purported to have been named after King Emanuel 2nd's lover, Rosa. And although he was married it is said that Rosa was his one true love. She gave him 2 children, Vittoria and Emanuel. I had heard rumors of an underground tunnel leading from Villa Rosetta to the King's home in Rome. So naturally, I tried looking for it and had no luck. This Umbrian home that was named after the King's true love would, centuries later, become a German command post in the Second World War. How fitting then, that a former American Navy Pilot who also happened to be a German and a Jew would end up living at the home with his wife (who also happened to have German and Jewish ancestry).

This husband and wife were my grandparents. My grandmother bought this home as a present to herself for her 70th Birthday. After teaching herself Italian she began the massive renovations to make the home liveable. (Because this was to be a summer home, she spared herself the expense of modernizing it with heat!) Her renovations included restoring all of the home's frescoed ceilings, installing a swimming pool, tennis court and the most magnificent gardens that yielded the most divine bounty.

We typically took lunch at home, on the terrace, poolside if the weather allowed. Lunches were always the same, and we dined on salad daily with items meticulously grown and handpicked from her own gardens. The only thing that would vary was the bread picked up at the local bakery. For dinner we went out almost every night. When we stayed in town, there were two restaurants she favored and everyone knew and greeted Signor and Signora Bachmann by name. But it was Trattoria Bruno Coppetta (Bruno's) that completely stole our hearts, captivated our tastebuds and is permanently etched in my own memory. Although I haven't been in 20 years I can remember with the utmost clarity the many wonderful dishes I ate... We were fed handsomely and one dish was better than the next. It was at Bruno's where I would enjoy many of my "firsts" which would hold the standard to which today's dishes are measured. To know really good food one must have experienced it from the source. New York Times Restaurant and Food Critic Patricia Brooks shared that thought with me over lunch one day a few weeks ago in New Canaan. And so Bruno's still holds the gold standard.

It was at Bruno's that I would have my first Panzanella -- a Tuscan bread salad that is out of this world. A good panzanella will be abundant with freshly picked, perfectly ripened tomatoes. For my own, I used just a small amount of bread for taste and texture. (I am trying desperately to watch my carbs.) It is suggested and encouraged to use a day old crusty bread that will absorb the juices and not get soggy. You really need a hearty bread for this dish; the type I refer to as Crunch and Chew. One that has a solid crust and a dense dough. A fresh bread that's mostly airy dough and less crust will feel heavy and soggy and that's not what we are after here. The salad is best when made ahead of time allowing the tomatoes to marinate in the dressing, with the bread tossed in just prior to serving.

Now there are, of course, varied ways to make this salad, but the key ingredients are always tomatoes and bread. You could add onion, and cucumber if you wish but I didn't. I kept it to the tomatoes and the bread, but I used assorted heirloom tomatoes and peppers to create a depth of color and punctuated the flavors by tossing in a few capers and a couple of olives that I had chopped into small pieces. I created a very simple dressing by adding 1 anchovy to a little bit of olive oil. Don't be afraid of the anchovy! Its saltiness lends itself perfectly to the tomatoes and crusty bread. If you choose not to add it simply add more coarse salt be it sea salt, Himalayan salt or Maldon.

Panzanella

Serves *2 - 4

*2 cups of freshly picked tomatoes, either red, heirloom or a mix
1 bell pepper
1 scant tsp capers
1 tbs capers
6-8 olives thinly sliced
2 - 3 slices of bread with the crustiest pieces possible!
1 1/2 tsp. Olive oil
1 anchovy
1-2 tsp red wine vinegar
1-2 tsp lemon juice (from lemon)
* Depending on what, if anything, you're serving with this.

Directions:

Into a large bowl I added bite sized pieces of heirloom tomatoes - green, yellow and red for their varied colors, a sweet multi-colored pepper, a few capers, sliced olives and let them bask in their own juices. A quick twist of the salt and pepper grinders... I let them sit while I prepared the dressing.

Next I added about a teaspoon (give or take) of olive oil to a ramekin and started working the anchovy into the oil using a small whisk. The anchovy will break down and start to dissolve in the oil. As it started to do so I added a couple squeezes of lemon and some freshly ground pepper.

I then added some bread and cut the ends off of a really crusty and chewy loaf of bread into bite-sized pieces and mixed them in with the tomato and pepper mixture.

Add the dressing and toss well just prior to serving to ensure that there's just enough to coat everything without rendering the bread completely soggy and mushy. Once the dressing has been added, serve immediately!

Although it looks like I may have used a lot of bread, it's really not a lot. Don't worry about the bread abosrbing too much flavor (or not enough) there'll be plenty of natural juices from the tomatoes and the dressing to dredge the bread through.

Buon Appetito!

Note to Local Friends: Tomatoes were purchase at The Westport Farmer's Market as was the bread which is from Wave Hill.