Tag: Western

Roasted Pepper and Artichoke Antipasto

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Summer is finally here and I am all about it, y’all. Gimme all the greens, gimme all the corn, gimme all the tomatoes, gimme all the peppers. This simple vegetable antipasto is like summer on a platter. Best of all, you can make it ahead of time and let the flavors marinate. Now go outside and get some sun.

Roasted pepper and artichoke antipasto

Ingredients:

4 red bell peppers
3 yellow or orange bell peppers
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
a few drops of hot pepper sauce (optional)
4 canned artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 garlic clove, sliced
salt and pepper
1 handful basil leaves, plus more to garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Lightly oil a foil-lined baking sheet and place the whole peppers on the foil. Bake for about 45 minutes, until beginning to char. Remove from the oven, place in a heatproof bowl and cover lightly with plastic wrap for 5 minutes.

2. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Remove the core and seeds from the peppers and peel away the skins. Slice each pepper into thick strips.

3. Whisk the vinegar, oil, and hot pepper sauce, then season with salt and pepper.

4. Toss the peppers with the sliced artichokes, tomatoes, basil, and garlic. Pour the dressing over and sprinkle a few more basil leaves on top.

Rose Sangria with Berry Ice

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Rose season is upon us, friends. Rose all day, rose-yay, etcetera, etcetera. I’ve got to be honest, though. I like summer’s official beverage as much as the next person, but I don’t like all rose. A lot of it is too sweet for my taste, too white wine-y, too, well, too rose-all-day-ish, if you know what I mean.

But not this rose. This rose is (a) in sangria form, which is always a good thing, (b) includes rum and Campari, and (c) has too-pretty-to-eat-except-they’re-melting ice cubes that impart a subtly berry flavor to the whole thing.

So yeah. Rose season is upon us. Bring it on, I say.

Rose sangria

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup blackberries
Two (750-ml) bottles rosé
1 cup light rum
3/4 cup simple syrup
1/2 cup Campari
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1. Layer the berries in two ice cube trays. Gradually add just enough distilled water to cover. Freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight, until solid.

2. In a pitcher, stir the wine with the rum, simple syrup, Campari and lemon juice. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

3. Serve sangria in individual glasses with two or three berry ice cubes each.

Crepes with Dark Chocolate Sauce

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I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but crepes are one of my weak spots. (And doughnuts, especially the ones that rhyme with Drispy Dreme.)

But back to crepes. They’re easier to make that it appears, as long as your batter is sufficiently thin. If you find yourself producing pancake-like creations on your first couple of tries, add a bit of water to thin the batter and proceed.

These make an indulgent breakfast and are endlessly adaptable. (Nutella! Bananas! Whipped cream!)

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Ingredients:

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons butter, room temperature, plus 3 tablespoons butter, melted
4 eggs, room temperature
2 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups flour

1. Make the dark chocolate sauce: Heat cream in a small saucepan until steaming (do not bring to a boil) and turn off heat. Immediately add chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let sit until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons butter and whisk until butter incorporated and mixture is smooth. Set aside and keep warm.

2. Blend eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla in a blender until frothy. Add flour and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and blend just to combine. Cover batter and chill 1 hour.

3. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high, then brush with butter. Ladle 1/4 cup batter into skillet and swirl to evenly coat bottom. Cook crepe until bubbles form on surface and edges are golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Slide a spatula underneath crepe to loosen and carefully flip. Cook on the other side until a few brown spots appear, about 1 minute, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining butter and batter.

4. Serve crepes with dark chocolate sauce.

Manhattans

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I know what you’re thinking. Manhattans? Too easy. But I beg to differ. I’ve had many a sad Manhattan: too bitter, too sweet, too weak. It’s easy to go wrong. I’m taking it back to basics. Artisanal vermouths are all the rage right now, but you know what? I actually prefer Martini brand vermouth in my Manhattans. It’s smooth and it’s balanced. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

Manhattans

Ingredients:

1 cup bourbon, preferably Bulleit
2/3 cup red vermouth, preferably Martini Rosso
4 dashes Angostura bitters
4 thin slices orange
4 maraschino cherries

1. Combine bourbon, vermouth, and bitters in a mixing glass.

2. Divide cocktail among 4 ice-filled rocks glasses. Garnish each drink with an orange slice and cherry.

Caesar Salad with Parmesan Toasts

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Kale Caesar salad, spinach Caesar salad, Brussels sprouts Caesar salad. You get the picture: Caesar salad is overdone. But despite its infinite variations, I always return to the first Caesar salad I learned to make, well over a decade ago. It’s heavy on the garlic, the anchovies, and the Meyer lemons.

The best part? Little Parmesan cheese toasts to sop up all of the leftover dressing. And if you want to be fancypants, don’t chop up your lettuce. Instead, serve the leaves whole and delicately piled on top of each other. Who’s eating fancy salad? YOU’RE eating fancy salad!

Caesar salad with Parmesan toasts

Ingredients:

1 sourdough baguette
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese plus 1/3 cup thinly shaved Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup lemon juice
9 canned anchovy fillets, drained
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound romaine lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried

1. To make Parmesan toasts, cut baguette into diagonal slices 1/4 inch thick. Lightly brush one side of each slice with olive oil, using 2 tablespoons total. Arrange in a single layer in a baking sheet.

2. Bake bread in an oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Sprinkle slices evenly with 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan and paprika. Bake until cheese is melted and bread is golden, 10 minutes longer.

3. In a food processor, whirl 7 tablespoons olive oil, 1/3 cup shredded parmesan, lemon juice, anchovies, garlic, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth.

4. Place lettuce in a large bowl and Parmesan toasts in another. Drizzle 2/3 of the dressing over lettuce and remaining 1/3 over toasts. Mix toasts to coat with dressing; gently lift and mix lettuce to coat.

5. Arrange Parmesan toasts alongside lettuce and add Parmesan shavings, layering if desired.