One of the more popular hands-on classes that I’ve taught both here in Savannah as well as other places around the country, has involved the cuisine of northern Italy.   Just like the United States, regional cuisines of other countries vary with the climate and geography.   In the U.S. the concept of “Italian Food” is born from the eating styles of southern Italy due to the large wave of immigration in the late 1800’s that came out of southern Italy, specifically the area around Naples.

Northern Italy is a cooler climate due to its position near the base of the Alps which provides the grasslands needed for grazing cattle.  Northern Italian cuisine features much more meat, often in the form of veal.

Italian for “Hollow Bone”, Osso Buco is a traditional northern Italian preparation of braised veal shanks.  A cross-cut section of the veal shank is first browned to develop flavor, and then simmered in a mixture of browned vegetables (carrots, onions, celery), herbs, and liquid (wine and beef or veal stock).

The resulting thick unctuous sauce is served alongside the shank which is traditionally garnished with a mixture called “Gremolata”, a simple combination of freshly chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest.

The color of the gremolata not only perks up the appearance of the dish but also provides additional notes of flavor to the dish.  The rich sauce can easily become monotone but when the flavor notes of the citric lemon zest, pungent garlic, and bright herbal flavor of parsley mix with the bass notes of the sauce, you have a symphony of flavor!

For a complete overview of the technique of braising and what you need to know to be successful, see my post on “Braising Basics”.

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Traditionally this time of year the gardens are either winding down from summer crops or bearing their bounty with fall vegetables like pumpkins, winter squash and other fall produce.  Soon northern areas will be getting their first frosts and tomatoes that haven’t had time to ripen will be lost…or not.

Thanks to the popular movie by the same name, most people have at least heard of fried green tomatoes, even if they haven’t had the opportunity to eat them.   Frying however is just one use for green tomatoes.  As much people enjoy eating a delicious vine-ripened tomato you’re probably wondering why would anyone want to come between a green tomato and it’s potential of sweet juicy summer goodness?  What most people don’t realize is that tomatoes make good eating whether they are ripe or not, but as with anything, it all depends on how you prepare them!

There are various reasons people have traditionally cooked with green tomatoes, usually depending on the time of year.  The flavor of a green tomato is tart and acidic with the textural crunch of an underipe melon.  Green tomatoes can really be used in anything that you might use apples for.  In the early summer as tomatoes begin to set their fruit it might be necessary to thin the fruit on particularly prolific plants.  Thinning out by removing smaller tomatoes will allow the remaining ones to become plump and “Rubenesque”.   These small early tomatoes would be perfect for pickling whole or in quarters.   Later in the summer tomatoes would often be fried as a side item, either for variety or because that’s what was at hand, or sometimes used in a salad or canned in a relish for enjoyment during the winter months.  As the days began to get shorter and cooler,  green tomatoes could be picked and put in the cellar to prevent their loss to the first frost.  These fall tomatoes might often be cooked up into relishes, pickles, preserves and marmalades, or used for pie.   I recall my own mother taking her end of season tomatoes and cooking them into green tomato mincemeat.  Sadly, as a child I didn’t quite have the same appreciation for mincemeat pies that I do today!

A recent trip to Asheville and a stop at the state farmer’s market there led me to bring home a case of green tomatoes for playing and experimentation.  Until my recent experiments I knew of green tomato pie but had never made nor eaten one.  Most descriptions that I’ve heard describe green tomato pie as being similar in flavor to apple pie so those are the flavors that I’ve used here, influenced by several recipes that I researched and my own particular taste preferences.  I’ve added the golden raisins as a textural contrast to the tomatoes, a touch of sweetness, and as a nod to mom’s green tomato mincemeat of the past.

Here in the southern states it’s usually quite common to find green tomatoes in the grocery store.  If you’re in other areas of the country and don’t have the benefit of a garden, you might very likely be finding them turning up in your local farmer’s market this time of year.  If nothing else, you can always order them from your grocery store produce manager any time of the year.

I hope you’ll give it a try and share your thoughts!

Green Tomato Pie

Yield: 1 9-inch pie

Pie crust for 2-crust pie
½ cup golden raisins
¼ cup water
4 cups sliced green tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Line the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan with pie crust, allowing the edges to drape over the side.

Place golden raisins and water in a microwave safe dish and heat on high for 1 minute. Remove and set aside to cool. When the raisins are plumped, drain off any remaining water.

Wash and core tomatoes, cut into quarters. Place each tomato quarter on it’s side and slice into thin slices (about ¼” thick). Place sliced tomatoes into a large mixing bowl and add the plumped raisins and the minced ginger.

In a small bowl, combine together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well to make sure any lumps are broken up. Pour flour mixture over the tomatoes and add the lemon juice. Stir well to coat tomatoes with sugar and juice. Pour filling into the pie pan that’s been lined with crust.

Roll out top crust and drape over the filling. Trim edges so that only about ½-inch of crust hangs over the side and crimp top and bottom crusts together. Brush top of pie lightly with a little water and sprinkle lightly and evenly with granulated sugar.  Cut 3-4 slits in the crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake at 375F for 1 hour. If top of crust or edges are getting dark too early, cover lightly with foil.  Cool for one hour before cutting and serving so that the juices have a chance to thicken.

This is a recipe that I recently created to feature as my tasting at the 10th Annual “Delicious Destinations” gala to benefit the St. Vincent’s Health Foundation of Jacksonville, FL.

Even if you’re not a tomato lover I would encourage you to give fried green tomatoes a shot.  The flavor is nothing like a ripe tomato.  Green tomatoes used for frying are simply hard, immature tomatoes.  Often used as a side item when ripe tomatoes weren’t on hand, or during the fall when immature tomatoes would be running the risk of falling prey to the first frosts of autumn/winter.

In some areas, such as the Pennsylvania-Dutch region of Lancaster Co., PA I have heard of people frying red ripe tomatoes.  I have not had ripe tomatoes fried nor have I tried making them.  I think the appeal of Fried Green Tomatoes lies in the contrast of flavors.  The tart, acidic taste of the tomato blends nicely with the crisp rich flavor of the breaded coating.

Traditionally fried green tomatoes are often sliced and dredged in a cornmeal coating.  I’ve never really been a fan of cornmeal coated fried green tomatoes, usually because of the texture and lack of flavor.  While I often like to use flavored crackers that are ground into a fine meal in the food processor for my coating, in this instance I’ve used Japanese-style Panko breadcrumbs since I was planning to serve this for 300-400 guests.  The Panko crumbs add a nice crispy texture and for the volume I was serving made the preparation much less tedious.

Don’t let the length of this recipe scare you away from trying it yourself.  None of the components are hard or very time-consuming.  The ChowChow can be made a week in advance or could even be made and canned according to standard canning protocol so that you always have it on hand!  The crab salad will be better if prepared a day in advance to allow the flavors to meld and the tomatoes can be breaded and frozen placed out flat on a sheet pan.  Once frozen, they can be put into a zip-loc bag and stored in the freezer.  When you’re ready to fry, simply place them a few at a time into pre-heated 350 degree oil and fry until they are a medium-dark iced tea color.

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Earlier this summer I had the pleasure of meeting Pat Branning, the food editor of the Beaufort Tribune. when she came to participate in one of my classes.  She’s just recently published a beautiful hardcover book that highlights many of the Low Country inspired recipes that she’s collected and created over the years.  In addition to Low Country inspired recipes, the book also features artwork from noted Low Country artists such as Ray Ellis, among many others.

This coming Tuesday August 30th, 2011 I will be joining Pat for a special event at Saltus River Grill in historic downtown Beaufort, SC.  Saltus Executive Chef Brian Waters and his crew have created a menu from “Shrimp, Collards & Grits” and Pat Branning will be on hand to do a book-signing.  I will be doing a demonstration presentation on that much beloved southern dessert:  ‘Naner puddin’  (Banana Pudding).

If you’re in the Low Country region we’d love to have you join us for a great evening of food, wine and conversation at Saltus River Grill!  If you’re unable to join us, you can still order a copy of Pat’s book at: www.mycarolinacooking.com where Pat shares her favorite Low Country recipes, memories, and stories.

Shrimp, Collards & Grits
Wine Dinner

Tuesday August 30th, 6pm
Saltus River Grill
Beaufort, SC

Reservations Required:
Email:  saltus@hargray.com
(843) 379-3474

$65 per person + tax & gratuity

Menu:

Oyster Bisque, Savannah style

Rustic Quail with Local Chanterelle Mushrooms & Gruyere Grits

Land’s End London Broil
Big Mama’s Collards
Dixie Hoe Cakes

Banana Pudding with Benne Cookies

It was another hot and steamy day here in Savannah and based on this summer’s weather patterns, it probably was where you are too.  For supper tonight I enjoyed a big bowl  of refreshingly cold and flavorful “Gazpacho al Andaluz” leftover from yesterday’s “Fresh from the Market” cooking class.

 (ok, truth be told…in true bachelor style there was no actual bowl involved, I ate direct from the plastic storage container….you may  call it “lazy” but I prefer to think of it as being “green”.  How’s that for political correctness?)

“Gazpacho” is actually an Arabic word meaning “soaked bread” and is cold soup from the region of Andalusia, Spain.  Most likely introduced to the region while it was under Arab rule,  the common thread running through traditional style gazpacho preparations is the use of soaked day(s) old bread as a thickening agent. The old bread would be soaked in cold water and then mixed with pureed vegetables or other ingredients to thicken and add body.  Most commonly today we think of it as a red soup prepared from pureed fresh tomatoes and other vegetables but one of the older variations is made from ground almonds, garlic, olive oil, and white grapes and is called “Gazpacho Ajo Blanco con Uvas” or “Gazpacho of White Garlic & Grapes”.  Today it’s easy to make these soups with the benefit of a food processor and electricity. Can you imagine what it must have been like to only have a mortar and pestle with which to make a puree?

Unfortunately when you visit a restaurant in the United States that offers Gazpacho it is often a lackluster cold watery tomato soup that can be uncharacteristically spicy in flavor.  Real Spanish-style gazpacho isn’t spicy at all.  It should have the bright fresh flavor of the tomatoes and cucumbers that make up the flavor base that is then brightened and focused with the addition of sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar as well as rich flavorful body from olive oil that helps to emulsify the mixture.  The traditional garnishes of diced cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, boiled eggs, and tiny croutons all provide additional flavor, texture and body to the soup and help underscore why it is often referred to as a liquid salad.

Enjoy the ripe tomatoes of summer and keep cool with this traditional style Spanish soup that makes for delicious and filling refreshment on a hot summer day.

Gazpacho al Andaluz

A Spanish chef I once worked with told me his mother’s secret to serving ice-cold gazpacho when there isn’t time to chill it thoroughly:  Make it thicker by using less water to soak the bread and then add in a handful of ice cubes to chill the soup and thin it to her desired consistency as they melted.  If it’s at the right consistency and the ice hasn’t fully melted, simply use a slotted spoon to remove the cubes.

Yield: 8 hearty servings

4 large garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed
8 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
8 large fully ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 cups dry French or Italian bread pieces, soaked in 1 ½ to 2 cups of water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup Spanish sherry vinegar, or red wine vinegar
1 cup virgin olive oil

Garnishes:
2 cups French or Italian bread croutons (small size)
1 cup red onions, ¼” dice
1 cup cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced ¼”
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced ¼”
1 cup green bell peppers, diced ¼”
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

Working in batches, grind the garlic cloves, cucumbers, tomatoes and soaked bread in a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Mix the batches together in a large mixing bowl. When processing the last batch, add the salt, pepper and vinegar. While the processor is running, slowly add the olive oil to the last batch and allow it to be fully incorporated into the mixture. Add the last batch to the others and mix well; adjust seasoning if desired. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours; preferably overnight.

Just before serving, whisk the gazpacho lightly and serve in a large chilled tureen or individual soup plates. Each person can then top their gazpacho with their choice of chopped garnishes.

Here are a couple of ideas for using the recipe for Romesco Sauce which I recently posted.  These are just a few of many uses.  After seeing my post, Jeff Parker a chef friend and fellow blogger, said he was thinking of using it as a pizza sauce…olives, cheese, anchovies…good stuff  just waiting to happen!

Suggestion #1:  Use as a dip.  I had some nice fingerling potatoes from the farmers market that were needing to be used.  I cooked them in salted boiling water until tender and then split them in half, tossed them with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and grilled them just until crispy and lightly marked on the outside.  Arrange them on a small plate with Romesco Sauce as a dip and you’ve got an easy and different hors d’ouevres.  Let your guests use the grilled potatoes as “dippers” as they mingle, or spoon the sauce on their plate to dip into as they enjoy a different style of “chips & dip”.

Suggestion #2:  Use as a Salad Dressing:  While grilling the afforementioned fingerling potatoes, I also split some yellow squash in half and drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper and grilled alongside the potatoes.  When the squash and potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into bite size pieces and toss with enough Romesco Sauce to coat and pour onto a platter.  Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and chopped or torn parsley leaves for garnish.   Any grilled vegetables would taste great in this salad…let your imagination and tastebuds run wild!

Heavily influenced by the Moorish rule of the Iberian Peninsula from 711ad to 1492AD, the cuisine of Spain incorporates many influences from both the Arab world as well as the new world.  Moors (a collective term for both the Arabs and Berbers that invaded and ruled the Iberian peninsula) are credited with introducing many of characteristic ingredients to this region including: citrus, dates, eggplant, zucchini, rice, almonds, sugar, and the use of exotic spices such as saffron, cinnamon, and cumin.  The discovery of the new world by Christopher Columbus and other explorers contributed a great many new ingredients such as peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and chocolate.

Romesco sauce bears some similarities to Gazpacho in that it blends Moorish influence with New World ingredients.  Romesco however is from the region of Catalonia in the northeast and Gazpacho originated in the region of Andalusia, at the very southern end of the peninsula.   The modern food processor makes easy and quick work of what would have traditionally been a bit more cumbersome to prepare.  Romesco is a blending of ground nuts (often hazelnuts and/or almonds), toasted bread, pureed tomatoes and/or peppers, vinegar, spices and garlic.  Romesco could also be considered a cousin to Syrian Muhumarra, a very similar style sauce which traditionally uses pine nuts.

If “variety is the spice of life” then Romesco is one of the condiments and sauces everyone should learn to make.  Romesco can be used for anything from a dipping sauce for bread and vegetables to a pasta sauce, sandwich spread, and salad dressing.  Use it on its own or mix it with mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt and other ingredients and let your mind and tastebuds go wild!

Many variations abound, some relying more on roasted peppers as the base and other using tomatoes and tomato paste combined with dried chilies but all are very similar.  Adjust the nuts and combination of ingredients to suit your taste.  This is a recipe I recently concocted:

Spanish-Style Romesco Sauce

Roast peppers on the grill or in the broiler until charred.   Cut the tomato in half at the equator.  Rub both sides of the tomato and the bread with a little of the olive oil.  Place tomatoes cut side down on the grill along with the bread.  Grill until toasted and slightly charred on both sides.

Remove core and peel roasted peppers.  Place all ingredients except olive oil into the workbowl of a food processor.  Grind until mixture comes together into a paste.  Scrape sides of bowl and while processor is running, drizzle in remaining olive oil to form an emulsion.  Taste and adjust seasoning with additional garlic, vinegar, salt or pepper as desired.  Use as desired or refrigerate for future use.  The sauce should be fine for 1-2 weeks refrigerated.  Freeze for longer storage and return to processor to re-emulsify if necessary after thawing.

In the grand Southern tradition of using what is fresh from the garden and mixing it with some form of fat…I present to you:  Tomato Pie.  Okay, to be truly “southern” you’ll have to work on the pronunciation of “pie” (draw it waaaaaaaay out) but we won’t get hung up on that.   If you aren’t familiar with Southern cooking, tomato pie might sound like some sort of strange dessert.  Sure, technically tomatoes are fruits, and they are sometimes used in desserts, but this is more like a quiche, except without the eggs. 

Earlier this summer Jason, a regular guest of mine, emailed me about a tomato pie recipe he was making, and the troubles he had with his crust.  He emailed me the recipe for troubleshooting.   Thanks to the cream cheese dough we had made in one of his recent classes, he solved the problem on his own by simply swapping out the traditional pie crust for the cream cheese dough.  If you want a lower fat version, swap out the cream cheese dough for a standard pie crust.  If you don’t feel confident in making pastry dough you have a few choices:  1) Do as Jason did and join me for my “Tantalizing Tarts” class, 2) Use a purchased pie crust from the refrigerator or freezer section of your store, OR 3) as another guest said that she used to do….buy the ingredients and ask  a friend who’s confident to make a bunch of the dough for you and stash them in your own freezer!

Well, I finally got around to testing the recipe and used the cream cheese dough as he recommended.  My taste testers all approved!

I think I might make try one change to the recipe (mainly out of curiosity) and that would be to first saute and caramelize the onions before placing them in the crust.  The original recipe uses them in raw form which helps them provide some textural contrast to the rest of the pie through the slight crunch that they still retain. 

The saltine cracker crumbs are used to absorb excess moisture from the tomatoes.  Note that it is important after slicing the tomatoes, to season them and lay out on paper towels to “degorge” or draw out excessive moisture before putting them in the crust.

Tomato Pie

Serve this warm with a bowl of crab stew for a perfect Southern summer lunch or light supper. 

Yield: 8 servings (1 9-inch pie)

1/2 batch of Cream Cheese Pastry
10 Roma (plum-style) tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, cut into julienne (thin strips)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (white or yellow)
1/2 cup saltine cracker crumbs

Prepare and refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Slice tomatoes cross-wise in 1/4-inch thick slices and poke out the seeds.  Place tomato slices on paper towels in a single layer.  Season with salt and black pepper.

Combine mayonnaise, mozzarella, cheddar, oregano, a light sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Mix to blend evenly.  Consistency should be thick but spreadable (adjust with mozzarella or mayonnaise as necessary).

Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/8-inch.  Line pie plate with dough and trim and crimp the edges as desired.  Scatter saltine cracker crumbs evenly across the bottom of the crust.   Scatter sliced onions over the top of the cracker crumbs.  Layer the sliced tomatoes over the top of the onions and season by sprinkling with the finely chopped fresh basil.  Spread the cheese mixture over the top of the tomato slices.  Bake for 25-30 minute or until top is golden and crust is done.

Let sit and cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

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I love cooking for a number of reasons.  First, you never know it all…there’s always something to learn (which I’m sure can be said of every field).  However with cooking it’s simple enough to learn from taking cues from the world around you.  Second, I love the fact that unlike architecture, rocket science, and any other number of technical fields, I can immediately test an idea when it pops into my head.  Architects wait years to see a concept come to fruition.  I can hatch an idea, pick up some ingredients and in anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours I’ll know whether it worked, has merit but needs to be refined, or should simply be put in the “sounded better than it turned out” pile!

I’m often asked how someone can learn what flavors to put with what items.  When it comes to ethnic cuisines, one of the best ways is to simply read cookbooks and recipes and soon you’ll be taking notice of commonly used flavors, cooking techniques and food combinations.  Particularly if you aren’t concerned about preparing “traditional” dishes but simply want to the enjoy flavors representative of a specific area you can easily pull the elements together with this simple knowledge and awareness of foundational ethnic flavors.

This past weekend I visited a fellow “foodie” friend in Atlanta.  He’s planning to have an Asian dinner party this coming weekend featuring steamed pork belly buns from the Momofoku Cookbook (Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang Author: David Chang) and was trying to decide what type of side items to serve.  My suggestion:  Asian Slaw.  Now this may not exactly be a traditional Chinese accompaniment for these buns but if we were talking about barbecued pork in the south coleslaw would most assuredly be an appropriate side dish.  Why not take traditional flavors and marry them with a side dish from another cuisine?  We immediately started brainstorming ingredients and flavors.  I love the synergy of talking food with others!  Just as in any brainstorming session, a simple idea can really grow and blossom when multiple thoughts come together.

Most of the drive home I couldn’t help but think about how the dish might come together….

Napa Cabbage was a natural for the base, not that coleslaw has to be cabbage-based but it makes sense.  Color would come from shredded carrots and julienned red peppers.  The flavors of the dressing would certainly have to include many of the staple Asian flavor profiles:  ginger, garlic, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, chilies, mint, basil, cilantro, and let’s not forget sesame!

While shopping for ingredients I also considered daikon radish for texture, flavor, and color but alas the trusty neighborhood Kroger wasn’t stocking daikon!  Snow peas were there however and seemed like a good choice for some crisp sweet texture.

This was my first pass at the recipe and I liked it.  As with most of my recipes, I’ll probably continue to make tweaks and adjustments here and there.  For a quick brainstorm to plate recipe test I was quite happy with the results!  If you’re not as adventurous as my friend who is cooking pork belly and making his own steamed buns, this would taste equally as good with Grilled Chicken or Beef Sate served with an Indonesian or Thai Peanut Sauce.

Mike…this one’s for you. 

Asian Slaw

You can vary this salad by changing and adding other ingredients such as sliced water chestnuts, shredded daikon radish, and even pickled ginger could even be good cut into julienne strips and added for a refreshing note.  Bruised and finely chopped lemongrass could also be added to the salad dressing.  For more of a Thai/Vietnamese flavor profile, replace the sesame seeds with roasted chopped peanuts and add more on top for garnish.  The most intense garlic and ginger flavors can be achieved by mincing these items by rubbing them across a rasp-style zester (such as Microplane brand).  Serve with grilled fish for a refreshing and light summer meal!

1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Juice of 1 large lime (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon sriracha sauce (may substitute Tabasco)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 medium head Napa cabbage
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 red bell pepper, cut into julienne strips about 1 1/2 inches long
1/4 lb. snow peas, cut into thin strips on the bias
1 bunch green onions (about 6-8)
8-10 large basil leaves
8-10 large mint leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Toast the sesame seeds by placing them in a small pan on the stovetop over medium heat.  Toss around the pan until they turn light golden and become fragrant.  Remove pan from heat and transfer sesame seeds to a dish to prevent further cooking.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the lime juice, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, sriracha sauce, garlic, and ginger.  Whisk together to blend.   Combine the sesame seed oil and vegetable oil together in a small dish and while whisking vigorously in a zig-zag motion, slowly drizzle the oil in a steady stream until it’s all added and the dressing is emulsified.  (Alternatively, all dressing ingredients can be put in a deep liquid measuring cup and emulsified using an immersion blender. )  Set dressing aside.

Slice the napa cabbage in half lengthwise and place cut-side down on a cutting board.  Cut each half in half again.  Turn wedge shaped pieces of cabbage over and slice out the core at the base of the wedge.  Slice cabbage wedges cross-wise into very thin strips.  Place cabbage in the bowl on top of the dressing.  Add the shredded carrot, julienned pepper, and sliced peas to the cabbage.

Trim the root from green onions.  Remove any tough or beaten up green portions from the onions.  Cut the dark green from the onions but do not discard.  Slice both the white and the dark green portions on a long bias.  Add the white and light green portion to the salad bowl and reserve the dark green tops for garnish.

Stack up the basil and mint leaves with the largest on the bottom and smaller leaves on top.  Roll leaves up into a tight cylindrical shape from long-side to long-side.  Slice cross-wise using small forward motions to create very fine threads(chiffonnade).  Add the basil, mint and cilantro to the salad bowl along with half of the reserved toasted sesame seeds.

Toss salad to coat with dressing and mix the vegetables together.  Taste and adjust seasoning according to your taste.  If it’s too tart, add a little sugar.  If it needs additional salt, add kosher salt or more soy sauce.  The salad is best if prepared 1-2 hours in advance so that flavors can marry and the vegetables can absorb dressing.  It can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance but remove from refrigerator at least an hour before serving to allow it to warm up (cold temperatures dull flavor).  Garnish top of salad with green onion tops and reserved toasted sesame seeds.

Note:  This was originally posted on May 3, 2010.  Due to the website going down with technical issues the April/May posts were deleted from the database.  In the interest of maintaining the original content of the site I’m now re-posting.

Left to right:  Sean Rossi, Kate Blair, Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen, Jonathan Preston, Darin Sehnert, Aaron Sanchez, Chris Cosentino, Danette McGeeney

Finally!  After much anticipation the Savannah episode of “Chefs vs. City” finally aired last night.  Taped back in February, it pitted Aaron Sanchez and Chris Cosentino, the host chefs of the show, against local Food Network personalities Jamie & Bobby Deen.

Crew Set-up for Taping Chefs vs. City - Savannah

Competing in a total of five food-related competitions around the historic city of Savannah, the final battle was set in 700 Kitchen Cooking School and featured each team of chefs having to take on my role of instruction but without the benefit of being able to handle any of the food or the equipment themselves.  I provided them with a finished dish for visual reference but the novice cooks that they were instructing had no such benefit.  They were totally reliant on the instruction of the competing chef teams for their knowledge of the dish and preparation tasks.  I served as the judge watching to make sure they prepared the dishes as instructed and completed the task as close to correctly as possible.

I was also responsible for supplying the novice cooks as well as determining what southern-oriented dessert they’d be preparing for the wrap-up of the episode.  My choice?  What is more southern than Banana Pudding?  But, rather than just banana pudding I challenged them to making my Banana Pudding Crepes with Warm Bailey’s Toffee Sauce.

With a production crew of about 12-15 people (cameras, producers, sound, etc.) and nine of us in front of the cameras it made for a busy and crowded taping but everything went off without a hitch (well, except for when Jonathan whipped his cream into butter…and when Kate used salt instead of sugar for her whipped cream)…ok, maybe not without a hitch in the recipes but the taping itself was great.  Wow…and to think I get paid to do this stuff!

Pre-Taping Brief before Shooting Begins

If you missed the episode last night, it will air again tomorrow night on Tuesday May 4th at 9pm EST/8c (6pmPST) and midnight EST/11c (9pm PST).

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