Flavors in Love

I am starting the New Year with two very special Flirting With Flavors Cooking Classes focused on keeping a healthy lifestyle. Many of the ingredients we cook with can also help us get healthy and stay healthy. Fresh-Pressed olive oil is one of the tricks I keep up my sleeve..it is an anti-aging superfood and can do wonders for your body inside and out. Dr. Oz mentioned on his show last week that a traditional Mediterranean diet calls for ingesting 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil daily, and it’s important that the olive oil be fresh-pressed. That’s why I’m so excited to offer this exclusive FREE gift for my friends only!!!!

The Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club is offering a free bottle of the brightest, most insanely flavorful olive oil on the planet!! Click HERE to redeem your free bottle!!

As you will taste for yourself, fresh-pressed oil is vastly more flavorful than any other olive oil you’ve ever tasted. Yet it’s impossible to find in your supermarket or gourmet store!!

Here’s why…and how you can receive your $39 bottle free if you RSVP by Saturday, January 14…

The freshness, flavor, and health benefits of this just-pressed oil will astonish you … it will utterly blow away any olive oil you can find in the U.S. And that’s for one simple reason: This is fresh-pressed supreme extra virgin olive oil-raced here by jet straight from the olive harvest and it’s independently certified to be 100% pure extra virgin!

By contrast, other imported olive oils available here in America are not independently certified to be 100% pure. And they are not raced here at the peak of harvest-fresh flavor but travel instead by slow cargo ship. This means they are already six to nine months old by the time you can buy them in your local supermarket or gourmet store, and they’re already dull, flat, or even rancid!

That’s why I’ve sent this special invitation to you and a few other health-minded foodies. I invite you to accept, free of charge, one of my precious 240 bottles (a $39 value) to experience for yourself the miracle of flavor that such rare, fresh-pressed oil will bring to your seasonal salads, pastas, grilled meats, fish, and many other dishes. I’ll even pay for shipping. But I must ask you to RSVP now. Once these 240 free bottles are gone, I will have no more to give away! Moreover, this very limited offer expires on Saturday, January 14.

I hope that you take advantage of this special gift, and consider registering for my Healthy Recipes for the New Year cooking classes…. Let’s start this year with the best healthy flavors!!

Flavorfully Yours,

Pamela

I hope you’re enjoying your summer. Farmers Markets around the country are teeming with delectable fruits and vegetables.

Heirloom Tomatoes at the Union Square Farmers Market

This is the time to cook, and often we don’t feel like making anything complicated. I love to make salads in the summer for lunch or dinner. This is one of my favorites. It has Greek accents and lots of flirty flavors.

Check out this video by Blend for Plum TV. Make sure to watch every weekend on Channel 18 in the Hamptons.

Also, there are still spaces open for my August 23rd and August 28th Cooking Classes in the Hamptons!! Click HERE to register!

FLIRTY GREEK SALAD:

Serves 4

1 cucumber, peeled and roughly cut

3 tomatoes roughly chopped, seeds scooped out and discarded

Half of a red onion, roughly chopped

1 cup of pitted Kalamata olives, halved

1/2 cup of fresh mint, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Combine in a large bowl the cucumber, tomato, red onion, olives, and mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the vinegar and oil. Toss well. Then add the feta and gently toss again.

Ceslie Armstrong from the You, Better show asked to come to my kitchen last week during her Fashion Week reporting. She requested that I cook a healthy and stylish dish for her audience, so I created this recipe. This is truly healthy cooking at its finest…. teeming with great Asian flavors, gluten-free, and quick enough for a busy weeknight. It’s healthy, Better!

SEARED LOIN OF TUNA WITH WATERCRESS SALAD AND SHIRATAKI NOODLES:

SEARED LOIN OF TUNA:

Serves 4

2 tablespoons soy sauce, reduced salt

3 tablespoons grated ginger (on microplane)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated (on microplane)

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 pound sashimi quality fresh tuna loin, cut into 3 x 1 inch pieces.

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

3 scallions, finely chopped

In small bowl,  stir together the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, and lime juice.  Place tuna in a shallow container and marinate with the ginger/garlic/soy mixture.  Add a generous grinding of pepper to the tuna, and marinate  for 1 to 2 hours.

In a heavy skillet over medium heat, warm the other tablespoon of  oil until hot.  Add the tuna to the skillet and sear, turning occasionally, until well-browned  on all sides and pink in the center, 4-5 minutes.

Transfer to a cutting board, slice thin and serve with the watercress salad and noodles.

Drizzle with the wasabi vinaigrette and garnish with sesame seeds and scallion.

WASABI VINAIGRETTE:

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon wasabi paste

Generous grinding of black pepper

1/2 cup canola oil

In a small food processor (or by hand in a bowl with a whisk), combine the vinegar, mustard, soy sauce, wasabi, and pepper. Process or whisk until smooth. Slowly add the oil, while mixing. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

WATERCRESS SALAD:

2 bunches watercress, cleaned well and tough stems removed

1/4 cup shredded daikon radish

1/4 cup shredded carrot

1/4 cup shredded purple cabbage

Arrange the watercress on the plate and top with daikon, carrot, and cabbage. Drizzle with a little of the vinaigrette.

SHIRATAKI NOODLES:

1 package Shirataki noodles

2 scallions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Cook noodles according to package instruction. Drain and rinse. Drain again and dry as much as possible. Serve alongside tuna and salad. Toss with vinaigrette and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.

Airport at St. Barts

I have been to St. Barts over 25 times and I never tire of this magical little island. I fantasize about my trip weeks before I go.  I have to admit that getting to St. Barts is an adventure that’s not always pleasant. That small plane from St. Maarten is only a 10 minute ride but often harrowing. Sometimes the winds are high and I am holding my breath until we fly over the mountain and land at the tiny airport and hear the first “Bonjour” at customs. Then we rent a car at Gumbs, say hello to Odile our lovely rental agent, and  make our way to the Hotel Isle de France.

I have traveled to many other Caribbean islands, but everything that St. Barts has to offer resonates with me….its turquoise waters, pristine beaches, chic restaurants, charming hotels, open and kind-hearted residents, unique shops, and perfect weather..it’s truly paradise.  And in the evening when the sun is setting after a relaxing day, the sound of the tree frogs is mesmerizing.  I know they are singing to me.

My guy Michael and I began traveling to St. Barts in 1999. We rented a villa that first year, then we discovered the Hotel Isle de France, and we have stayed there ever since. In fact, we bought one of their time shares. I adore this hotel… right on Flamand Beach. Everything about it is simplicity… but in that very stylish French manner…like the yummiest bed sheets, towels, and robes, and beautiful music playing when you walk in the door. Everyone there is like family now

I love my daiquiri!

La Flamand Beach

We go back to many of the same restaurants over and over, and there are always a few new ones;

Salad at the Isle de France

If you find yourself on the beach at the Isle de France,  have a dacquiri and lunch at La Casa de l’Isle. The menu is a lovely mix of salads and grilled foods with an Asian twist. Something for everyone. And of course, we have to have a bottle of Domaine Ott. The food is fresh and the view can’t get much better. The people watching is always good!!! It’s relaxed and perfect. The store in the hotel is fabulous.  Caroline runs it and she has a fashion show every year. The hotel invites everyone to watch the show and have free cocktails. Fun!

Maya’s is one of the Island’s most popular restaurants. Randy is always the welcoming host and his wife Maya is the chef. The food is simple French with a bit of Island flair. I always run into people I know. We had a local fish and a lovely Bresse chicken and vegetables the night we were there.

Bresse Chicken at Maya's

And then there’s the shopping. Of course there’s Hermes and Dior which are lovely, but also St. Barts has the most unique small stores like Poupette St-Barth and Laurent Effel. Gustavia is the capital of St. Barts and I love shopping there for the perfect new beach cover-up or sandals, or that great little dress. When we go into Gustavia, we eat lunch at The Creperie right in town and the food is sensational. Typical French, good fresh salads and of course a myriad of crepes, savory and sweet. I loved my banana, nutella and chocolate crepe…Mmmmm. Tres Bonne.

Nutella, Chocolate, and Banana Crepe

We had dinner at the fairly new L’Isola Italian Restaurant. Their food is top notch. Pasta was cooked perfectly. The restaurant was full and had a great buzz.

Wild Mushroom Salad at l'Isola

The best lunch on the Island was at the Eden Rock Hotel. My salad and veggies were outstanding. The view…with the planes flying in…was perfection!

Veggie Salad at Eden Rock

We often spend Thanksgiving in St Barts and I have had many a delicious Thanksgiving meal at Maya’s.  This year, my dear friend Henry Lambert and his girlfriend Heather invited us to their sensational home overlooking the port of Gustavia. He cooked a traditional feast complete with a tender turkey, cranberry sauce, the best gravy, sausage stuffing, sweet potato pie, and excellent conversation.

Henry carving the turkey

Thanksgiving feast at Henry's

Dinner at Le Ti St Barts is a must for fun and buzz. Carole, the owner, used to own La Plage with her husband Thierry. They are now divorced and he runs La Plage, she Le Ti. They have a fashion show every night. The models are gorgeous and everyone dances on the tables! It’s exactly the kind of scene you would expect on a French Caribbean Island. I could dance until dawn and have many times.

Grilled Lobster Lunch at La Plage

Fun at Le Ti

When I was a busy working mom with a small child at home, I remember how challenging it was some nights to get a delicious, healthful meal on the table. Homemade pizza and Caesar salad was, and still is, a meal that satisfied everyone in the family. I take the easy way out and don’t even make my own pizza dough….because really, who has time for that during the week? Follow my simple steps and create a fabulous Homemade Pizza Night for your family!

I preheated my outdoor grill then went inside to prepare my dough. If you don’t have a grill available you can make this pizza on a pizza stone in a 500 degree oven. I purchased the dough from my local pizzeria, but of course if you wanted to you could certainly make your own. I rolled it out on a lightly floured cutting board (spread some flour on your rolling pin as well so it doesn’t stick to the dough). Then I brushed some olive oil onto both sides of the dough with a pastry brush. I used my pizza stone to slide the dough onto the grill.

After grilling for 1-2  minutes per side, remove the dough and put on your toppings. Be as creative as possible! This time I did a classic Margherita Pizza (tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil) which is perfect for kids, and a more adventurous combination for the adults; caramelized onions, basil pesto, goat cheese, olives, and figs. Wow…that one was terrific! I put the Margherita pizza back on the grill for a couple of minutes before serving to let the cheese get hot and bubbly. Mmmmm….

Flavors Caesar Salad Recipe (from my cookbook, Pamela Morgan’s Flavors):

Serves 4-6 people

1 cup mayonnaise

4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large heads romaine lettuce

1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

24 Big Chile Croutons (recipe follows)

In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, anchovies, lemon juice, garlic, hot sauce and black pepper. Process until smooth. Adjust the seasoning. The dressing can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Let the dressing come to room temperature before using.

Separate the heads of romaine, discarding any tough or browned outer leaves. Cut off the tough stems from the remaining leaves. Halve the leaves lengthwise, then cut them crosswise into 1-1/2 inch pieces. There should be about 20 cups of lettuce pieces.

In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the dressing. Add the cheese and the croutons and toss again. Divide the salad and croutons among chilled plates and serve immediately.

Big Chile Croutons:

These big croutons are crunchy and very spicy. They soak up the dressing in a particularly delicious way.

Makes 24

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon Italian red chile paste

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

24 1-inch cubes of day-old, crust-on, peasant-style bread, preferably semolina.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the olive oil, chile paste, and garlic. Add the bread cubes and toss well to moisten evenly. If necessary, let the cubes stand, stirring occasionally, until all the oil is absorbed.

Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a jelly roll pan. Bake, turning occasionally, until the croutons are lightly but evenly browned on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes.

Use warm, or wrap airtight and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Being able to relax and cook your food outdoors over an open flame is such a treat. Its one of the best things about summer!

Corn and tomatoes are at their peak right now and we are picking tomatoes from our garden every weekend. I chose this menu to highlight both of those ingredients.

I became aware of Lava Lake lamb when I saw a woman in Citarella doing a demo of these lamb chops. I love it when a meal is delicious, eco-conscious, and easy to prepare, so these really caught my attention. I bought these Lava Lake lamb chops because I believe that eating grass-fed, all-natural meat is so much better for you. These lambs have never been given hormones or antibiotics and have never been placed in feed lots.

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS:

8 Grass-fed Lava Lake lamb chops

3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients above and marinate the lamb chops for at least 30 minutes. Grill them for about three minutes per side, to a perfect medium rare.

They were so juicy and flavorful….lots of mmms and ahhhhs at my table.

Along with the lamb, I served grilled sweet corn with a chipotle aioli and a tomato salad with watercress, basil, fresh mozzarella, and a balsamic vinaigrette. At this time of year I eat as much corn as possible..its just so sweet. And the adobo sauce from the chipotles is smoky and spicy…it marries perfectly with the crunchy sweetness of the corn.

When I’m out in the Hamptons, I buy my corn from my favorite vegetable stand, Pike Farms.

SWEET CORN WITH CHIPOTLE AIOLI:

8 ears of corn

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chiles

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 minced garlic cloves

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon Mexican spice mix

Peel the husk down on the corn and remove the silk underneath, but leave the husks attached. Soak the corn in water for 10 minutes.

Combine in a bowl the mayonnaise, adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic cloves, smoked paprika, and Mexican spice mix.

Grill the corn about 7 minutes, then roll over onto the other side and grill 7 minutes more.

Remove the husk and slather with the chipotle aioli….then listen to the sounds of lip smacking enjoyment…Serve with plenty of napkins!!

Cooking with family and friends in the summer is high on my list of favorite activities, along with long walks on the beach and relaxing pool-side.

At our house, everyone gets an assignment…from cutting and chopping to setting the table and picking flowers. And of course, as an added bonus, I give out entertaining and cooking tips and tricks to anyone who wants them.

Some of my most memorable times are listening to music as I cook with friends, and drinking wine or summer mojitos with fresh mint from the garden. This is the time when guests who are staying at our house get to know each other, share jokes, and recipes….there is just nothing that connects people like getting them in the kitchen together.

When all the food is ready and everyone sits down to a beautiful, delicious meal, there is this special feeling that I have…I did this. I created this magic. I get instant gratification from the ooohs and ahhhs…and my guests feel wonderful too because they all participated.

There is no substitute for cooking at home. It’s a free therapy session….for the stomach and the soul.

This weekend, we created three fantastic meals…Two lunches and a dinner on the last night where we used all the left-overs and made an outstanding frittata.

Sally, my son Zach’s fabulous girlfriend, came up with the first lunch theme…Mexican! Grilled chicken and shrimp with Mexican spices and guacamole, warm tortillas, and a bean, corn, and tomato salad….lots of cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, and ripe avocados….and summer margaritas too!!

We marinated the shrimp and the chicken in smoked paprika, lime juice, garlic, and a barbeque rub from Steve Raichlen.

We combined black beans with summer corn fresh off the cob, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, and lime juice…a perfect accompaniment to tortillas and guacamole.

The following day’s lunch had a Mediterranean theme…I made my fava bean spread from my cookbook with grilled bread, and my friend Sharon helped me out by shelling the beans.

Then we made a gorgeous summer salad with cucumbers, avocado, tomatoes, green beans, olives, and feta, and served it with a tangy vinaigrette. We grilled shrimp and scallops, marinated in garlic, lemon, olive oil, and oregano, and kept it nice and light.

Dessert was a perfectly refreshing watermelon with lime juice and fresh mint.

Perfect summer days.

I’m always so delighted when people entertain in their homes, and I especially love theme parties. A Moroccan-themed dinner party I attended last week for my friend Nurit’s birthday was a testament to true sisterhood. Two of Nurit’s dear friends created a dinner in her honor and you could see and taste the love!

Our two lovely hostesses...Chantal and Marla

The tables were decorated beautifully and the food was fantastic…lamb and couscous, bisteeya, a fun and flavorful mezze plate, and chocolate mousse with strawberries for dessert.

Moroccan Mezze Plate...smoky eggplant dip, sweet and sour carrot salad, roasted beet salad, and green salad with feta

All lined up and ready for dinner...

Chicken Bisteeya- A Classic Moroccan Dish

There were so many different tastes and flavors, plus a beautiful table decorated with stunning china in shades of red and gold, jewelry as napkin rings, and flowers which came straight from the Westchester garden of one of our hostesses.

Such a gorgeous table!

My place setting

One of our Hostesses, Chantal, with flowers from her garden

I was inspired to make this soup after my French friend, Zilia, made it for me on a recent Saturday afternoon in the Hamptons.  She is such a natural cook, and she has been making this wonderful soup since she learned how to make it from her own mother.  I think the tendency to make wholesome food from scratch is one of the reasons French women don’t have to worry about their weight!                                                                     

The only thing you will need to make this soup besides fresh, seasonal vegetables, is an Immersion Blender. It is an invaluable tool that every Chef has in their kitchen! This great tool can turn any ingredient into a puree with simply a flip of the switch.

This soup can be made with whatever seasonal veggies you happen to have on hand. You can use a vegetable stock to make the soup completely vegetarian, or you can use a chicken stock which may give you a richer flavor.

As your hearty soup simmers, you will have plenty of time to prepare the crunchy candied walnuts for your salad, and the toasted pine nuts for your soup. Nuts are SO important to incorporate into your diet…they offer the same nutritional benefits as a piece of fish, and we all know how heart smart fish is! Eating a handful of walnuts everyday will help lower your cholesterol, your risk of heart disease, and the level of inflammation in your body. Pine nuts are a rich source of amino acids and a handful supplies you with 31 grams of healthy protein, the highest among all nuts and seeds!

PUREE VEGETABLE SOUP

Serves 4 people

2 tablespoons olive oil

Half an onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, chopped

4 small zucchini, chopped

6 cremini mushrooms, halved

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 turnip, peeled and chopped

8 leeks, chopped

10 leaves of fresh basil, roughly torn

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 quart of chicken or vegetable stock

Garnish: Basil Oil and Toasted Pine Nuts

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 handfuls of fresh basil

Sea salt

1 handful of pine nuts

Heat a large stock pot over a medium flame and add the olive oil. Then one at a time add the vegetables (in the order listed above). Give each vegetable about 10 seconds before you add the next one. Stir often. After you add the basil, season the vegetables with salt and pepper and stir again. Sauté about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add the chicken or vegetable stock and let it come up to a strong simmer. Turn the heat down a little bit and cook for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender.

Turn the heat as low as possible and puree with the immersion blender. Taste and season with more salt or pepper as needed.

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts just until they begin to brown, shaking the pan every few seconds so that they brown evenly.

In a food processor, combine the basil and salt, and with the processor running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream. Scrape down the sides to be sure that all of the basil is incorporated.

Divide your soup into serving bowls and top with a dollop of the basil oil. Scatter a few pine nuts on top.

FENNEL SALAD WITH CANDIED WALNUTS

1 cup of walnuts

¼ cup of maple syrup

A few thin slices of red onion

2 radishes, thinly sliced

1 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced

1 head of red leaf lettuce, roughly torn

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ lemon, juiced

In a small skillet combine the walnuts and maple syrup. Cook over medium-low heat until the syrup starts to bubble, and then continue cooking another minute. Pour candied walnuts into a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the red onion, radishes, fennel, and lettuce. Season with the black pepper to taste. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon over the salad. Toss well.

Plate the salad on individual plates and top with the candied walnuts.

If you do not already have an Immersion Blender, click on the image below to purchase one!

Cuisinart Immersion Blender

The Holidays were filled with so much wonderful food and I indulged every night… a little too much.  So now I’m ready to start a new exercise routine after all that wining and dining and I’m making sure to cook up some lighter foods.  One of my favorite salads is pears, pistachios and Roquefort…a perfect combination!

Pears are so in season now… juicy and ripe and they combine perfectly with cheese, but especially with Roquefort…the strong smelly kind. The saltiness of the cheese and smooth sweetness of the pear send a riot of flavors throughout my mouth and then when you add the crunchiness of the pistachios and the bitterness of the frisee and chicory lettuces combined with a marvelous sherry vinaigrette…it’s all heavenly.  And so so easy. Serve this winter salad as a first course. Your guests will love it.

FRISEE, ROQUEFORT AND PEAR SALAD WITH PISTACHIOS
(Serves 4-6)

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces frisee

6 ounces red-leaf lettuce

6 ounces chicory

Freshly-ground black pepper

½ cup (about 4 ½ ounces) shelled pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped

¼ pound Roquefort cheese, preferably imported, crumbled

1 large ripe but firm pear, such as Bartlett, cored, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard and salt. Gradually whisk in the oil; the dressing will thicken.

In a large bowl, toss together the frisee, red-leaf lettuce, chicory and the dressing. Season generously with pepper.

Divide the salad among serving plates. Scatter the nuts, cheese, and pear chunks over the salads and serve immediately.