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| Admittedly this guacamole is not for everyone. It was created, in part, as a counter to all those TV chefs and cooks who routinely discount and turn their wrinkled noses up at bitter, one of the legitimate flavors. Hey, without bitter there would be no Guinness Stout, 60% cacao chocolate or mustard greens; so for those of you who like bitter, this could be the 'guac' for you Ingredients
2 whole limes
2 serrano chilies
2 teaspoons house salt*
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 medium bunch cilantro, leaves and stems shaved and minced
4 scallions, green tops only, thinly sliced on the bias
4 Hass avocados Method
Quarter 1 lime and cut each quarter in half. Drop the lime pieces in the bowl of a food processor. Cut the stems off the chilies, sliced in half the long way and cut into thirds. Add them to the food processor with the limes. Add the salt and prepped garlic. Pulse the ingredients 6 times and then let the machine run for 30 seconds. Let the resulting sofrito sit in the food processor while you prep the avocados. If you don't have a food processor, grind the sofrito together in a mortar with a pestle Cut each avocado in half, remove the pit and scoop the flesh into a non-reactive bowl. Mash the flesh of the avocados with a potato masher, two forks, or a pastry blender until smooth with some chunks. Stir in the minced cilantro and sliced scallions. Scrape the sofrito from the food processor into the avocado mixture and fold it in. Taste for salt and lime and, if desired, add more salt and more lime juice from the 2nd lime
Scrape and mound the guacamole into a serving dish or place plastic wrap directly on the surface and around the bowl and refrigerate up to 2 days. Before service, remove the guacamole from the refrigerator for 30 minutes before uncovering and serving with blue corn chips and your favorite salsa House salt
This is my updated fool-proof and totally delicious version of my house salt that you can use wherever you would use salt when you are cooking. It truly is the 'secret ingredient' to my rice, my chicken, my eggs, and my ... well, everything. You'll be amazed by how it transforms every day dishes Components
1 3 ounce tub Dell Alpe Italian Seasoning for Spaghetti Sauce
1 16 ounce box Morton Kosher or Diamond Crystal Salt
Method
Pour the contents of the Dell Alpe Italian Seasoning tub into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 4 times then let the machine run for 15 seconds. Pour the salt into a one gallon zip-top baggie and add the pulverized seasoning. Seal the bag and shake until the salt and the seasonings are fully incorporated. Pour into a salt pig or box or large jar with a tight-fitting lid and use in place of salt in cooking
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| You can usually find me in the kitchen on Saturday morning participating in at least one of my kitchen rituals, this week it is freezing tomato paste. How many times have you bought a can of tomato paste for the 1 tablespoon your recipe calls for, only to have the rest of the can leftover and sitting, poorly covered, in the refrigerator? And how many times have you lamented buying a small tube of the stuff that broke the bank? There is a solution and it is as close as your freezer. 
Buy an 18 ounce (or similarly sized) can of your favorite tomato paste
Use a tablespoon measure to portion out the contents of the can
Drop the measured tomato paste onto a wax paper-lined plate
When you've portioned out the tomato paste, pop the plate in the freezer
When the orbs have frozen solid, move them to a zip top freezer bag 
Fold the bag over to remove all of the air and seal the bag
Pop the bagged tablespoon measures of tomato paste in the freezer
The frozen orbs of tomato paste will last indefinitely in a zero degrees Fahrenheit freezer and up to a year in a frost-free freezer. The next time you need a tablespoon or two of tomato paste, remove from the bag and drop directly into your recipe. No need to thaw them first By spending a little bit of time freezing tomato paste in a convenient measured size you'll be sure to always have it on hand and didn't break the bank | | |
| The key to developing the deep flavors of traditional French onion soup while making it vegetarian is to cook the onions almost past amber, even allowing them to char a bit around the edges. The other key flavor-booster is to use porcini mushroom stock, something I tend to have on hand after the winter holidays. You can use any mushroom stock, but the porcini will bring the most flavor. If you only have vegetable stock, put 6 ounces of sliced or quartered mushrooms in a 4 inch square of cheesecloth, bundle and tie off with kitchen string. Add the mushroom bundle in with the onions after you add the stock Ingredients
For the soup:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound Vidalia onions, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen string
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons house salt
Black peppercorns in a pepper mill
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup white wine (Sauvignon or Chenin blanc)
2 cups mushroom
1 cup water
For the cheese toast:
2 1 ½ inch thick slices favorite artisan bread
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese, sharp as you like, divided
Method
Set oven rack to center position. Heat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
Heat a 3-quart Dutch oven over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the butter and cook until the foam from the butter has subsided. Add the onions and stir to coat with the oil and butter. Sprinkle in the salt and cook, stirring frequently until the onions begin to soften. Add the thyme bundle, bay leaf and several grinds of freshly cracked black pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the onions are sticky and deep amber in color, 30 to 35 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the water, loosening the sticky onions and scraping up the fond in the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock, lower the heat to medium and cover the Dutch oven. Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile place the bread on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle each with 1 teaspoon oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Bake the bread until it is evenly toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Heat the broiler. For final preparation remove the mushrooms (if using), thyme bundle, and bay leaf and discard. Ladle the soup into 2 ovenproof crocks. Top each with a slice of toast and top each toast with an even layer of cheese Place the crocks on the same baking sheet used to toast the bread and place on middle rack. Broil until the cheese is completely melted and light golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes Let the French onion soup rest for 5 minutes before serving | | |
| Crab cakes take the place of Canadian bacon in this version of the popular brunch dish
The formed crab cakes need to chill 1 hour before frying.
The poached eggs can be made in advance (see Method)
Quantities are easily doubled or tripled 
Ingredients
For the crab cakes
1 lb Maryland lump crabmeat
1 eggs
1 generous tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup crushed saltines
Vegetable oil For the hollandaise
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon house salt
Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup hot melted butter
For the poached eggs
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Pinch of house salt
For the muffins and final assembly
2 English muffins, split
4 tablespoons butter
Paprika
Fresh parsley or celery leaves
Method
For the crab cakes
Discard any cartilage or shell from crabmeat. Mix together eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley in a mixing bowl. Add crab, taking care not to break up crabmeat. Add cracker meal, and then shape mixture into 4 cakes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Pour vegetable oil into a large skillet to a depth of 1⁄4" and heat over medium-high heat. Fry the cakes until golden brown, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside.
For the hollandaise sauce
Add the yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade and blitz together 10 to 15 seconds. Keep the motor running and add the hot melted butter drop by drop. As the mixture thickens add butter in a slow steady stream. When about half the butter is in you can pour a little faster. Continue blending until thick and satiny. Pour the hollandaise into a small serving container.
For the poached eggs
Fill a large skillet with 3 inches of water and bring to the boil over high heat. Add the vinegar and the salt and stir to combine. Break the eggs onto 4 small plates and move them to near the skillet of simmering water. Lower the lip of each plate half an inch BELOW the surface of the water and let the eggs flow out. Cover the pan with a lid and turn off the heat and set a timer for 3 minutes. Remove the poached eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and let them drain a bit before moving to a plate lined with paper towels. Poached eggs can be made in advance: poach the eggs as directed. When they are finished, remove them to a large bowl of cold water. Refrigerate, uncovered, until you need them (up to 3 days). Simmer the eggs in boiling water for 30 seconds to warm them through
For the muffins and final assembly
Toast the split English muffins until lightly golden brown. Butter each half with 1 tablespoon butter. Arrange two buttered English muffins on two plates Top each English muffin half with a crab cake and each crab cake with a poached egg. Pour hollandaise sauce over each egg. Sprinkle the hollandaise with paprika and garnish the plate with fresh parsley. Makes 2 servings | | |
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Table for 4
Individual place setting
The menu
Stilton-stuffed dates
Amuse bouche: Pomegranate with clove
Smoked tomato bisque simmering on the stove
Smoked tomato bisque platted shown with accompanying
Vidalia onion & Gruyere monkey bread 
The first of 4 wines
Diner's plate, from upper left: roasted maple-mustard green
beans, scalloped potatoes Florentine, Jay's roasted turkey,
Country bread pudding with fennel and pear
Cranberry-apple relish
The cheese course: Fontina fondue with brown bread and
Ambrosia apple
Melodie's raisin pie
Thank you to my beautiful and gracious guests for their
contributions and a special shout-out to Melodie for playing
photographer this year
In deep appreciation | | |
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