A few recipes from our food & wine pairing classes.
Chilled Rosemary Soup with Hazelnut Oil
A very pretty soup that balances the sweetness of carrot with the piney quality of rosemary. The pistachio oil adds a beautiful layer of nutty complexity.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 leeks, chopped
- 1 lb. carrots, chopped
- 5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 quarts vegetable stock
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp pistachio oil (or walnut oil)
In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the bay leaf, onion, and leeks and cover for five minutes, or until softened. Add the carrots, bay leaf, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer until the carrots are just softened, about 3/4 hour.
Remove the stockpot from the heat. Add the rosemary and let cool, about two hours. Discard the rosemary and add the yogurt. With an immersion blender, purée until smooth. Check the seasonings, adding salt and black pepper to taste. Chill. It can be made up to four days before serving. Add a tiny drizzle of pistachio oil as garnish before serving.
Truffle Honey Glaze with Fennel Pollen
A great glaze for salmon, chicken breast, or oyster mushrooms.
- 3/4 cup honey
- 3/4 cup hot water
- ¼ cup of truffle oil
- ¼ cup fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- pinch of fennel pollen
Mix the honey, truffle oil, fresh thyme leaves, pepper, and salt, whisk in the water until the mixture is thin enough to spread with a brush. Add the fennel pollen and bottle. If refrigerated, it can be kept for up to a month.
Classic Caesar Salad Dressing
A great Caesar salad gets its swagger from a great dressing. Squeamish about raw egg yolks and anchovies? Sorry. Yolks give richness to the emulsion, while anchovies provide a briny blast (and that whole umami thing).
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup good quality olive oil
- 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
Crush the anchovy and garlic clove together into a paste. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl. Whisk in 2 large egg yolks and mustard. Adding drop by drop to start, gradually whisk in the lemon juice, followed by the olive oil. Slow and steady is critical. Otherwise, the emulsion will break. The final result should be thick and glossy. Whisk in the cheese, plus salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerated, this dressing will stay fresh for up to three days.
To serve, it’s best tossed with romaine lettuce and served with croutons and shaved (not grated) Parmesan cheese.