Spring Radish Crudite with Fine Herb Aioli and Beurre de Citron

By Greg Lloyd, Executive Chef, Le Diplomate
Serves 4

The Crudite
3 Icicle radishes, cleaned and halved, tops trimmed to 1 inch
5 or 6 Easter Egg radishes, cleaned and halved, tops trimmed to 1 inch
4 French Breakfast radishes, cleaned, tops trimmed to 1 inch

The Pickle
1 cup water
½ cup distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted

The Butter
½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon Tabasco

The Aioli Fines Herbs
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup parsley
½ cup chervil
½ cup chives
¼ cup tarragon, picked and blanched
1 clove roasted garlic (optional)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons kosher salt (2 teaspoons for blanching, 2 teaspoons for aioli)

Clean and prep the radishes, hold them in cold water until pickled. Next, make the pickling liquid by combining all ingredients and bringing to boil. Drain the radishes and pour pickling liquid over radishes. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Place the cubed butter in a food processor; mix until smooth, then add the remaining ingredients. Set aside.

To make the aioli: In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to boil, and also prepare an ice water bath. Blanch all of the herbs together for 30 seconds (the salt will preserve the bright green color), drain the herbs and then transfer the herbs to the ice water bath to shock the blanched herbs, setting the color and stopping the cooking process.

In a food processor or blender, add the herbs and blend until fine. (You may need to add a few small ice cubes to get the mixture going. This will also keep the mixture cool while processing.) Add mayonnaise and lemon juice until smooth and green. Adjust the seasoning and plate.

Muhamara

By Maydan DC

Photo by Jennifer Chase

Serves 6.

• 1 pound red bell peppers
• 4 tablespoons chili paste
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic 
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil plus 1 teaspoon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and put the whole bell peppers in the oven tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil and roast until slightly blackened. Let the peppers cool, then rub the outer peels off or use a paring knife. Core, seed and quarter the roasted peppers.

Add the roast peppers and all the other ingredients to a food processor and pulse until the desired consistency has been reached, which should be smooth, but with a little texture. Season with salt. To plate, spoon the Muhamara onto a platter or large shallow bowl and drizzle with olive oil and garnish with pomegranate seeds. Serve with fresh bread or pita. 

Autumn Greens Salad with Roasted Grapes and Roquefort

By Jennifer Farley 

Good salads are all about creating a balance of flavors, textures, colors and a bit of fat to enhance the lighter ingredients. My favorite salads take advantage of all four tastes: sweet, bitter, sour and salty. I love using fruits, candied nuts or balsamic vinegar for sweetness. Arugula or radishes are a great source of bitterness. Lemon juice or vinegar are examples of ways to add that sour note. Use a good salty cheese such as Roquefort or feta (or a crunchy, coarse salt). Toss everything with a properly balanced vinaigrette. For texture, add some nuts or crunchy vegetables. Fat comes in many wonderful forms such as cheese, a good-quality olive oil, or avocados. This recipe creates a perfect balance. Roasting grapes enhances their sweetness and brings the juices front and center. Baby kale softens the bitterness of the arugula, but feel free to substitute your favorite green (baby spinach would work well). 

Prep Time: 10 minutes   

Cook Time: 15 minutes   

Total Time: 25 minutes   

Yield: 4 servings 

For the vinaigrette:  

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar 
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
• 1 teaspoon honey 
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt 
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the salad: 

• 8 ounces (approximately 1½  cups) red seedless grapes, rinsed and dried 
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 cups baby arugula 
• 2 cups baby kale 
• ½ cup toasted slivered almonds 
• ½ cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 

To prepare the vinaigrette, place the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously to emulsify. Set aside.  

In a medium-sized bowl, toss the grapes with the olive oil and then spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt, and roast for approximately 15 minutes, or until tender and juicy. Allow to cool. 

Place the arugula and kale in a large bowl. Shake the vinaigrette to re-emulsify in case separation has occurred, then drizzle approximately ⅓–½ over the greens. Use tongs to combine and add more vinaigrette if desired. Divide the greens onto 4 plates and top with the slivered almonds, Roquefort cheese and roasted grapes. 

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The Gourmet Kitchen will be released by Simon & Schuster on October 25, 2016. The book is a compilation of over 100 recipes covering breakfast through dessert, showcasing Jennifer Farley’s favorites. Some have been in her family for generations, like her grandmother’s crab cakes. Farley finds inspiration everywhere, from culinary school to her travels around the world. Most of the recipes evolved through experimenting with the techniques she learned while training at L’Academie de Cuisine. The recipes are geared toward casual dinner parties, a leisurely weekend meal or a romantic dinner for two. They are everyday gourmet recipes for the home cook.