june– key lime and ancho chili frozen yogurt  july – grilled molasses ribs 
august – herb lemonade
september – stilton soup with sherry and hazelnuts 
october - gratin of pumpkin with tomatoes and garlic
november - macintosh turkey sausages with fresh sage
december – green beans with bacon, caramelized onions and bacon

instead of dipping in with chips, as you would with a savory chili dip, why not use your favorite cookies, homemade chocolate chips rate in my book, to sandwich a dip of this unique yogurt?

makes about 1 quart

32 ounces vanilla yogurt, such as stonybrook farms

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons key lime juice, heated slightly

3 ancho chiles

chocolate chip cookies for serving

first step is to soak the dried anchos in the heated lime juice and sugar for about 1 hour.  then remove the seeds from the anchos and puree with the remaining liquid.  add this to the yogurt and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

coarse salt, pepper and (spicy or mild) smoked paprika

3 pounds pork ribs

sauce:

½ cup unsulphured molasses, such as grandmas’

½ cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup scallions, sliced thin

hot pepper sauce, optional

rub ribs with rub, set aside for a few minutes.

whisk sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan, bring to a boil; and cook till desired consistency and taste are reached! remove from heat, set aside or use immediately, basting when ribs are 2/3’s grilled.  

heat grill. remove pork from marinade; discard marinade. place reserved unused marinade grill over medium heat, turning, for 30-35 minutes, then begin basting with sauce every ten minutes or so.  

let stand for 10 minutes; carve ribs and serve warm.

august – herb lemonade

“lost arts” speaks through its pages about this “refreshing twist “ on everyone’s garden variety of lemonade.  what it is, basically, is a simple syrup made with your favorite herb.  you can concoct your own heavenly combinations, evocative of an angel’s elixir, such as pineapple sage with lemon balm and rose geranium. or maintain your dignity with a straight up single herb, the likes of say, rosemary or that southern staple, mint. here’s how:

herb simple syrup:

2 cups dreaded white sugar

2 cups water

2 cups tightly packed fresh herbs

bring the water and sugar to a boil, stir until the sugar is dissolved.  reduce the heat and add the fresh herbs.  simmer for about 5 minutes. cover and allow to cool. (this preserves lovely aromatic oils.)

lemonade:

2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup herb simple syrup

4 cups “good” water

several sprigs fresh herbs

simply mix your ingredients, add more ice, and a few sprigs of fresh herbs.  *one hint not in the book’s recipe is to make ice cubes out of a batch of the lemonade and use these to prevent your tall glass from being diluted.

1 large onion chopped fine

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 russet baking potatoes

2 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 cup water

1 cup half and half

6 ounces stilton cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 tablespoons medium dry sherry, or to taste

garnish: 3 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts, chopped

in a large saucepan cook celery, onion, and garlic with bay leaf and thyme in butter over moderate heat, stirring 5 minutes, or until vegetables are softened.  peel potatoes and slice thin.  add potatoes to vegetables with broth and water and simmer ,covered, 15 minutes, or until potatoes are very tender.  discard bay leaf and in a blender puree soup in batches. transfer puree to cleaned pan and stir in half and half. 

soup may be prepared up to this point 2 days ahead and cooled completely before chilling, covered. heat soup over low heat, whisking and add stilton, whisking until cheese is melted and soup is smooth.  whisk in sherry and salt and pepper to taste. (do not let soup boil.)

serve soup garnished with hazelnuts.

makes about 7 1/2 cups.

october -
pumpkin gratin with tomatoes and garlic

gratin of pumpkin with tomatoes and garlic

i had a kitty cat named pumpkin and he was the light of my office at c'est si bon! for nine long years. he has nothing to do with this soup, cept the name and the feeling. a stoked richness in spirit. so if you  haven't thought of pumpkin in a savory dish, let loose and try it. as i say, the bounty comes from nuances of color, texture, and the certain joy of well, here's to you, dear pumpkin.

2 -21/2 pound pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 " cubes

1/4 cup flour, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne

1/3 cup olive oil

7-8 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tablespoons each finely chopped fresh basil, parsley, and thyme

3 medium ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs mixed with 2 tablespoons softened butter

preheat the oven to 325.

toss the cubes of pumpkin in the seasoned flour until evenly coated. generously oil the bottom and sides of an ovenproof earthen ware casserole. fill it with the pumpkin and scatter the garlic and the herbs over it. season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.  place the chopped tomatoes over the pumpkin, followed by the buttered bread crumbs. bake for 2- 21/2 hours or until the top has formed a rich, dark crust.

november -
macintosh turkey sausages with fresh sage

½ pound crisp cooked lean bacon

½ pound peeled and sliced shallots

½ cup toasted almond slices

salt, black pepper and honey to taste

blanch and shock haricot vert. crisp cook bacon

saute shallots with almonds and combine together with the beans and bacon.

adjust taste as indicated above.