Roasted Cauliflower and Such

Hello, hello!

I think it is fair to say that today could be considered the first real day of autumn.  It's gray, chilly, and altogether lovely.  Speaking of lovely, did you guys see that Blood Moon/Lunar Eclipse/Shooting Stars/UFOs the other night?  Pretty wild stuff!  In honor of this truly fall day, I'm sending you a recipe for Roasted Cauliflower Pasta.  It's garlicky, lemony, walnutty, and super easy.  Make it tonight with a good salad.  Because, really, fall is for roasting vegetables.  Bring on the Brussels Sprouts, Potatoes, and Squash in all their charred glory!

Tomorrow night we are hosting an Art Reception/Happy Hour for David Holcomb.  You can check out his art beforehand at www.davidleeholcomb.com.  We'll be here from 5:30 until 8:00 with a rocking cheese plate, stuffed dates, and several other tasty treats along with wine to sip in David's honor.  I even decked out the store for fall.  (This is a big deal. I don't decorate.  I can cook and sew, but Martha Stewart will always have the one-up on me with her mad decorating skills.)   Be there or be square!

Fall Decor for the Store.

We have a big order coming in with some of our fall favorites.  Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil as well as Whole Fruit Eureka Lemon Olive Oil are on their way.  We're also putting out our Vermont Maple Balsamic and Pumpkin Pie Spice White Balsamic, for if you're really feeling festive.  As for the Extra Virgin Olive Oils, we have 4 (four!) new ones from the Southern Hemisphere, which had an impressive harvest.  There are two mild oils from Chile, an Arbequina and a Picual (Gold Medal winner at an L.A. competition).  A medium intensity Barnea from Australia, and a robust Frantoio from Chile.  I think you'll really like this season's haul.

Roasted Cauliflower Pasta
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Sept/Oct 2009

*Please note that you could skip the roasted garlic part and use our Garlic Infused Olive Oil, but I really, really love the complexity the roasted garlic adds to this dish.

**Also note that I have been making this recipe since 2009 and stopped measuring things around 2010, so the actual measurements given are approximations only. Proceed.

1 head garlic
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 c. (ish) olive oil, divided
salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
1 lb. Campanelle or Orecchiette Pasta
1 c. (ish) chopped Walnuts
1 lemon, juiced (or 2, if you really like lemon)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 425.  Slice off the papery end of the garlic bulb, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap it in foil, place it on a baking sheet and stick it in the oven.  While that's getting started, chop up your cauliflower.  Put the cauliflower in a large bowl and toss with a good bit (2 Tbsp.?) of olive oil, a healthy sprinkle of salt and pepper. a pinch of sugar, and a shake of red pepper flakes (optional).  

2.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

3.  Remove the hot baking sheet with garlic from the oven and (quickly) put the cauliflower onto the sheet.  Return to the oven, and bake, turning once, for 30 minutes or so.  You might want to check on your garlic after 20 minutes and make sure it's still soft and not burning. Oh, and add your chopped walnuts to the baking sheet when there's 5 minutes left for the cauliflower, so they get a bit toasty.

4.   Once your water is boiling, add in pasta and cook according to package directions.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining it.  I like the put the cooked pasta back in the same bowl that I tossed my cauliflower in, so as to use any left-over oil.

5.  Remove everything from the oven.  Put the cauliflower and walnuts in the same big bowl as the pasta.  Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the roasted cloves (I start with half of the cloves, to make sure it's not too overpoweringly garlicky) into a medium bowl with the remaining olive oil and juice from a lemon.  Whisk it all together with some salt and pepper, until smooth.  Pour it over the pasta, adding in the reserved pasta water if it seems too dry.  Add on the Parmesan and toss well.  Voila!

Cheers, friends!

Andrea

Long Weekends Were Made For Brunch

Hi!

Happy almost Labor Day.  I don't know about you, but the 4th of July feels very far away, and that was our last long weekend.  I'm so ready.  In honor of three whole days together, I have been developing some brunch recipes that, I must say, are the best yet. I bring you Blood Orange Scones, Butter-Garlic Shrimp and Grits and a boozy drink that I'll just call "Honey."  I think I put the most actual work into the beverage (juicing a grapefruit and a lime is hard work).  The other recipes are really, really simple.  I know I've probably said that before and you've cursed my name, but this time I'm serious.

Easiest Scones in the World

Let's start with the scones.  You literally dump some flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade.  Then, in a large measuring cup, you beat together the oil and an egg and throw that in as well, followed by milk. [You can get fancy here and add in about 1/3 c. crystallized ginger, as I did.  Or add chocolate chips.  Or add the zest of a lemon or an orange, or that grapefruit you just juiced.  Or add in some dried cherries or something.  But you don't have to. Simplicity is the key here!] Pulse it until it all (kind of) comes together, pat it around into a (sort of) circle, cut it into eighths and put it in the oven.  Walk away.  Come back 15 minutes later and you have perfectly lovely scones! Have some tea with those and enjoy your day, or go ahead and make some Shrimp and Grits while you're at it.

Hmm...Shrimp and Grits.  I feel like these are the Green Eggs and Ham of the South.  "I don't like grits," says someone.  "Have you ever tried them?"  "No, they just sound gross."  Well phooey! Give these a go. You'll love them.  These guys are buttery, cheesy (but not too cheesy), with just the right amount of lemon and garlic tossed together with the shrimp.  Now, I'll do you a favor here and tell you to buy the UNCOOKED shrimp, as it will taste worlds better.  Frozen shrimp is fine.  You don't have to impress anyone around here, but make sure it's the uncooked grey kind.  Also, I'll have you know that these Shrimp and Grits were so good all by themselves that I didn't even add Tabasco to them.  Did you hear that?  Not even Tabasco could improve upon these simple beauties. Scroll on down to find the recipes, but I'm going to hit you with some store news next.

Mark your calendars!  We are having another art reception on October 1 from around 5:30-8:00.  That's also First Thursday on the Square, which should coincide nicely.  You can check out David Holcomb's amazing art here while you grab a drink or two and some hors d'oeuvres, then mosey on to check out more art at the Fayetteville Underground.  Parking might be tricky, but I highly recommend you come out anyway.

If you haven't been in to the store in a while, you should come see what all we have new.  We have spice blends!  Ten of them!  Including a truly fantastic Adobo Spice that makes a killer rub and a Montreal Steak Seasoning that will make you weak kneed.  Also there is an Apple Pie Spice just in time for apple pie baking season. (I am lined up to make approximately 5 apple pies in the upcoming month. I'll fill you in on that next time.)

It has been a while, so I'm attaching an updated list of everything we are currently carrying in the store.  You'll notice that many of the usual suspects are still here, but we have swapped out the Lavender Balsamic for Dark Chocolate Balsamic and that the Black Mission Fig Balsamic is back.  Soon we'll rotate out the Cilantro & Roasted Onion Olive Oil for Wild Mushroom & Sage because I am ready for Fall and all its baking and roasting glory. The Extra Virgin Olive Oils are always changing with the season, so here are some new Southern Hemisphere Oils that will make you very happy.

And now, the recipes...

Blood Orange Scones

Adapted from Nigella Lawson

2 c. all-purpose flour 

3 tsp. baking powder (not a typo...3 tsp!)

1 pinch salt

1/3 c. Blood Orange Olive Oil

1 egg

1/3 c. milk

(1/3 c. crystallized ginger or chocolate chips or whatever, optional)

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2.  In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade (or just a big bowl, if you're doing this by hand), dump in the flour, baking powder and salt.  Give it a quick pulse or whisk.  In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the egg and olive oil until well blended.  Pour that on top of the flour mixture.  Next add in the milk.  Pulse it all together until it forms into a shaggy ball and then throw in your optional add ins and pulse it again once or twice. Or mix it together with a pastry cutter, if you're old fashioned.  

3.  Put the shaggy ball onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 8 inch-ish? circle (of whatever your desired thickness, but remember that it will rise).  Don't over work your dough.  It shouldn't be nice and smooth.  Scones and craggy and flaky and the more you work it, the less of both it will be.  Take a sharp knife and cut it like a pizza, into 8 triangles.  You can brush them with milk or butter, but I didn't and they were just fine.  Place them gently on your prepared baking sheet.

4.  Pop them in the oven for about 15 minutes, turning once, if you have a hot spot in your oven, as I do.  Take them out, let them cool (a little) and enjoy!  I like mine with strawberry jam. 

Butter-Garlic Shrimp and Grits

Adapted from Food Network

Grits:

3 c. water

3/4 c. instant or quick-cooking grits

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese (I suppose you could use cheddar instead) (or smoked gouda!)

1 Tbsp. Butter Infused Olive Oil

Shrimp:

2 Tbsp. Butter Infused Olive Oil

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 large cloves garlic, minced

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp. water

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Heaven

1.  Bring 3 cups of water to boil in a medium sauce pan.  Whisk in grits, salt and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened (about 5 minutes).  Stir in parmesan cheese and Butter Olive Oil.  Turn off heat, but cover to keep warm.

2.  Pour 2 Tbsp. Butter Olive Oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shrimp, garlic and cayenne to the pan and cook, tossing every now and then, until the shrimp are pink (5 minutes?).  Add 2 Tbsp. water, the lemon juice and parsley and give them another quick toss.  Season with salt and pepper  Turn off the heat. 

3.  Divide the grits into shallow bowls and top with shrimp and sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.

Honey Boozy Drink

Adapted, only slightly from Serious Eats

1.5 oz. gold tequila (vodka might be an acceptable alternative)

1 oz. fresh lime juice (2 limes)

2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice (1 grapefruit)

1 oz.  Serrano Honey Vinegar

1.  In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients (taste to make sure you got the ratios right).

2.  Fill shaker with ice and shake until well chilled (20 seconds).  Strain into a small glass and enjoy.

Happy Labor Day Weekend and Woo Pig Sooie and all that! 

Cheers,

Andrea