Traditionally, rillettes are made from a confit that has been pounded in a mortar to a smooth paste.  Confit is one of the oldest methods of preserving meats, fish and poultry.  First the meat is cured with salt and then slow cooked in fat or oil.  Finally it is packed in a crock and sealed from the air with a layer of fat.  If you are uncomfortable using this quantity of duck fat, olive oil may be substituted though the results won’t be exactly the same.

Ingredients:
3 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
¼ t red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 cup toasted walnuts
2 T pomegranate molasses (or to taste)
½ t ground cumin
2 T olive oil
Pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
Lemon juice

Procedure:
Place the peppers, red pepper flakes, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and cumin in a food processer and run until you have a smooth paste. With the motor running drizzle in the olive oil, sugar and salt, then add lemon juice to taste.

Chef’s Notes:
This sauce is similar to the classic Spanish Romesco sauce. Romesco is generally made with roasted tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers, and garlic and then thickened with ground almonds or hazelnuts. Since tomatoes came on the European scene rather late, I would bet that they share the same Moorish roots.
My preference with this easy to make sauce is add a bit more molasses and red pepper flakes than are called for. In a pinch, roasted red bells in a tin or jar can be used but will not have the same intense smoky flavor of the fresh roasted. This sauce can be used in much the same way as the Romesco (with salmon, seafood, grilled meats and vegetables or even on a sandwich) and it is different enough to be noticed. Enjoy!

Ajo Blanco (Chilled Almond Soup)

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
• 6 ounces (1 small to medium loaf) of day-old good quality French or Italian bread
crust removed and pulled apart and shredded by hand into small (no larger than
one inch) pieces
• 1 c whole blanched almonds
• 4 crushed garlic cloves
• 1/2 c of Spanish (preferably) extra-virgin olive oil + 2 Tbsp
• 1/3 c sherry vinegar
• 1 1/2c good quality chicken stock
• 1 c seedless green grapes
• 1 cup of French or Italian bread crust removed and cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions
1. Soak 6 oz. of bread in cold water for 5 minutes, and squeeze to remove excess
moisture.
2. Blanch the almonds by dropping them into boiling water for 30 seconds or until
the skins feel loose. Remove the skins by pinching the almonds.
3. Put almonds and garlic in a food processor and process until well ground.
4. With the motor running, add the 1/2 c of olive oil in a smooth slow steady stream.
5. Slowly add the sherry vinegar and the stock.
6. Add the bread a bit at a time and continue to process until the mix has reached the
desired consistency.
7. Blend for 1 minute.
8. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. The soup thickens a bit while refrigerated.
Add more stock or water to get the right consistency.
9. Meanwhile make the croutons: heat the other 2 Tbsp of oil in a large pan and toss
the 1 cup of bread over medium heat until evenly golden brown.
10. Place the croutons on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
11. Serve the soup cold, garnished with the croutons, grapes and (perhaps) a small
splash of aged sherry vinegar.
Based on a recipe I found in The Foods of Spain by Vicky Harris et al.

¾ cup (12 oz. or 1 ½sticks) unsalted butter
8 oz. 70% cocoa (or higher) chocolate
3 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
3 T flour
Pinch of salt

Method:
In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water melt the butter and the chocolate. After they have
melted, gently mix the butter and chocolate until well combined.

Meanwhile in a medium mixing bowl blend together the eggs, yolks, sugar, flour and the pinch of salt. Add
the butter and chocolate mixture to the bowl.

Spray the cupcake tin (see note below) with cooking oil and fill each cup about half full with the egg and
chocolate mixture. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. The edges should be cooked but the center of each
cupcake should be smooth and shiny. Let the cupcakes cool for about 10 minutes then using a small knife,
cut around the each. Place a greased cookie sheet over the cupcake tin and invert. With any luck, the
cupcakes will fall out onto the cookie sheet. If not, they can be coaxed out with the small knife.

Chef’s notes:
The cupcake tin I use for this recipe has cups that measure about 2 ¾ inches in diameter at the top and a
depth of about 1 1/8 inches deep. The volume of each cup is about 2 2/3 fl. oz.

To finish the dish, I like to put each cupcake in the middle of a small plate and garnish with chocolate syrup
(or ganache), fresh raspberries and some cocoa powder. Enjoy!

Yield: About 4 qt

2 pounds of elk meat such as round steak or “stew meat”
1 pound lentils
1 large bay leaf
12 oz. of smoked bacon
1 medium onion
2 medium carrots, minced
4 small celery ribs, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 qt. beef stock
2 large red bell peppers
2 T rubbed sage
2T Sherry vinegar
1T New Mexico chili powder
1 cup dry red wine
2t crushed black pepper and Kosher salt

Method:
Pick through the lentils removing any small stones or other contaminants.
Put the lentils in a large soup pot add 1 ½ qt of water, 1 ½ qt of beef stock, sage and the bay leaf then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer until the lentils are soft.
In a large pan sauté the bacon until well browned then remove the bacon from the pan leaving behind the fat.
In the reserved fat sauté the vegetables until soft (about five minutes over medium heat) then add the veggies to the lentils and stock
Add enough additional stock to cover.
Cut the elk into ½ inch cubes, season well with salt and pepper and sauté until brown then add to the soup pot. Deglaze the sauté pan with the red wine, boil for a minute or two and add to the pot.
Flame roast the red peppers, peel, deseed, cut into ¼ in dice, and then add to the pot.
Thin the soup to the desired consistency with additional beef stock.
Season with the vinegar, black pepper and the New Mexico chili powder.
Add salt to taste.

Chef’s notes:
The better bacon you use, the better the end product will be. Nueskes’ apple wood smoked bacon is a great choice. Beef or pork can be substituted for the elk and though the soup will not be the same, it will still be quite good.
I like to add a small amount (1t) of ground chipotle chili powder. In this soup I’m looking for a smoky and just a little bit a spice. The chipotle is a dried and smoked jalapeno but is quite fiery so use caution with this. Sherry vinegar adds interest and nuance to the soup. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
15 medium mushrooms about 2 inches in diameter
½ C fresh Oregon Dungeness Crab
2 T olive oil plus extra for drizzling
2 scallions, including 2 inches of the green top, minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
2 ½ T chopped parsley, flat leaf preferred
3T grated Italian Parmesan cheese
¼ c good quality mayonnaise
salt and pepper
Tabasco
1T dry white wine
bread crumbs

Procedure:
1. Remove the stems from the mushrooms discarding the very bottom, and then mince the stems along with three of the mushrooms.
2. In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the minced mushroom, scallion, garlic and parsley. Sauté gently until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the crab, Parmesan cheese, Tabasco, mayonnaise, and the salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture seems too damp add a few bread crumbs.
4. Fill each mushroom cap with the stuffing using your hand to form a nice even mound.
5. Place the filled mushrooms on a baking sheet, the drizzle with a little olive oil and a little white wine.
6. Bake until the mushrooms are soft and golden brown. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Chef’s Notes: This is the recipe for The Jackalope Grill’s stuffed mushroom appetizer.

Finely chop 8 oz. of dates. Make sure the dates are pitted so the chopping will be easy. Bring 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of Kahlua to a slight boil then add to the dates and let sit to cool.

In a mixing bowl add one stick of room temperature butter and 1 cup packed brown sugar. Beat until creamy. Add 4 room temperature eggs one at a time to mixture. Incorporate 1-3/4 cups self-rising flour, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1 Tbs. instant coffee crystals into mixture — do not over mix.

Put chopped dates put into food processor and puree the heck out of them. While you are doing this make sure not to stick your fingers into the processor — it could be very painful, and you may have to start again once you have returned from the hospital. Add date to flour mixture and mix until smooth.

Pour into a 9-inch round or square baking dish and bake at 350° for approximately 45 minutes. The cake should be golden brown and spongy. Let sit to cool off.

After preparing the cake and enjoying a short nap, now you’re ready to prepare the toffee sauce.

In a sauce pan mix:
¾ cup butter
1 ½ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ tsp. vanilla

Heat until nice and warm — the sauce should start to thicken. Add some scotch to the mixture. The amount will depend on how much fun you wish to have. Do not use your finest 15-year barrel-aged scotch — this will ruin the sauce with the taste of peat. In other words, pour the good stuff into a glass with 3 cubes of ice, and dump the cheap stuff into the sauce.

Enjoy with friends!

-Kathy

2 cups Creamy Italian Dressing
1 lb. Tortellini pesto pasta, pre-cooked al dente
6 oz. hard sausage, chopped into ½” cubes
6 oz. smoked Gouda cheese, cut into ½” cubes
8 oz. whole baby corn, canned, drained
8 oz. Artichoke hearts, marinated drained
½ cup whole pitted Kalamata olives
To taste:  Salt and Pepper

Procedure:
1. In a large bowl, combine sausage, Gouda, baby corn, artichoke hearts and olives; mix gently.
2. Add the al dente tortellini to the other ingredients, pour 1 cup of the dressing over the ingredients and mix gently.
3. Let stand one hour to blend flavors. Enjoy!

Chef’s Notes: My recipe for Creamy Italian Dressing has previously been published.  I particularly like the dry pasta available at Trader Joes. It comes in a one-pound package and although it says to cook for 12-14 min., I had good luck cooking it only about 9-10 minutes. Try substituting other hard cheeses for the Gouda—interesting choices would include smoked cheddar, asiago, farmhouse English cheddar, and imported Provolone.  Other pitted olives such as Picholine or Nyons could be substituted.  Try adding marinated mushrooms. Finally, let your imagination be your guide.