Roasted Salmon, Vegetables, and bacon-wrapped jalapenos with cheese

Roasted golden beets, kolrabi, carrots, and leeks plated with

bacon-wrapped jalapenos and roasted salmon with sliced almonds

Bacon-wrapped jalapenos:

jalepenos, stemmed, seeds removed, sliced in half lengthwise

pork sausage

bacon

cream cheese

Put small, quarter-size round of sausage in jalapeno half, top with cream cheese, wrap with half-slice of bacon.

Place on roasting pan.

Roast at 425 degrees for 20-35 minutes, depending on how crisp you want the bacon.

Vegetables:

Scrub and slice beets and leeks, using care to assure there is no dirt in the center of the leeks.

Scrub the exterior of the carrots and leave small ones whole.  I remove the top of the beets.

Toss in olive oil and spread on roasting pan.

Roast at 350 for 35-40 minutes, check for tenderness. 

Roast Salmon filet (skin on) with sliced almonds

Choose a filet of salmon, preferably wild-caught, that is firm, deep pink in color and smells like the sea.

Place on roasting pan, skin down.  

Use a dry rub, or simply salt and pepper.  Drizzle a small amount of olive or grapeseed oil down the center of the filet.  Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Roast at 350 for approximately 12-14 minutes, depending on size.  Salmon should be just barely cooked through for best flavor.  Avoid the temptation to over-cook!

Remove from oven and serve immediately.  

Easy fig appetizer or dessert

It is fig-season in South Texas and this is a banner year.  The conditions have been perfect for large, juicy figs.  Lucky me:  I have friends with fig trees!

As I have an embarrassment of figs at the moment, I threw these little morsels together for an easy dessert to serve my family last night.  Everyone agreed that they were wonderful!

Ingredients:
fresh, ripe figs
soft goat cheese (chevre)
lemon curd (or substitute a fruit preserve of your choice)

Look at these beauties!  Aren't they gorgeous?

Small dollops of goat cheese is stuffed into the center of the fig,

and a very small (think 1/4 to 1/2 tsp) amount of lemon curd is layered over the cheese.

All of this takes approximately 15 seconds to construct.  They would make great, colorful little "bites" for a party.  For me, they were a perfect ending to a nice meal.  The figs are sweet and very little is needed to make them into a tasty dessert.

Another lovely way to serve figs is to quarter them and serve them on arugula salad accompanied by freshly roasted red beets and herbs.  Enjoy them while they are in season!

Parmesan Crisps

Parmesan Crisps from the from the French Laundry Cookbook

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

using Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, place the cheese in circles similar to pancake; 325 degree oven - bake for 8-10 minutes, till they brown on the edges - watch carefully, so they don't burn. The recipe called for a clean egg carton, but since I didn't have one, I used these reusable tin mini muffin containers.  When the cheese comes out of the oven, carefully remove from parchment and place into the cup, making sure that you indent them into each cup.

6 oz Goat Cheese, 4-6 T heavy cream, 1 T minced Italian parsley, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  For the Goat Cheese mousse - combine all ingredients in a food processor until creamy.   Put mixture into a pastry bag to pipe into the cups.  I used a baggie to make a pastry bag.  You can top with with a little chopped green onion, caviar or even capers.

 

Bleu Cheese Bliss

A friend who lives on on Bainbridge Island, WA brought this amazing bowl of Bleu Cheese heaven to dinner when we were on our trip.

1 - 9oz crumbled bleu cheese
1/2 cup olive oil - best quality
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced parsley
S&P

Mix up the olive oil, vinegar, onion and parsley.  Add the bleu cheese.  Stir gently to combine.  I like it best after it has been refrigerated an hour or so. 

You can spoon it onto a slice of good sourdough bread or even over your steak!