Roasted Red Pepper Dip

This is almost as easy as it gets. And if you use jarred roasted red peppers, you could almost make it blindfolded. My friend and fellow stew, Dee, gave the recipe to me along with her Tapanade recipe. This red pepper dip is a little sweet, a little hot and sour and a lot good! It's bright red color is like a smile, and served with crunchy veggies it is a healthy snack. Dee's recipe calls for more sugar than I added, but I like the balance of less sugar. As I was reaching for the red pepper flakes in the cupboard, I first saw chili pepper olive oil, and so added a dash of that instead. I made this for a get together and wished I'd made more. It's just as delicious as it is easy.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers (without the skin)
1/8 teaspoon distilled cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Put all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool and serve.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Dee's Tapanade by Canal Saint-Martin

It seemed like dumb luck, serendipitous dumb luck. My friends, Dee, Mary Jo and I were having dinner at Astier in Paris, and decided to spend the afternoon in the area. Getting off at the Republique metro stop, we walked around and then decided to stop along the Canal Saint-Martin for a few minutes. All seemed quiet on this late fall afternoon, as people walked across the footbridge and on the cobblestone walkway. It was peaceful, until we heard a huge rush of water. Looking up, I realized the canal locks were operating to allow the passage of a few barges. The canal was ordered to be built by Napoleon I in 1802, to supply fresh water to Paris and the construction was funded by a new tax on wine. We watched the locks fill up with the barges patiently waiting to continue their voyage down the canal. As the sun filtered through the trees, Dee pulled out a container of homemade tapanade from her bag. I had a ficelle au fromage in my bag and Mary Jo had something to drink and glasses. Parfait...a picnic was made! If I'm ever stuck on a deserted island, I want to be there with a flight attendant. They always have food and water in their bags, just waiting for the right moment to appear. I suppose it comes from years of travel and always having to be prepared for the unexpected or the opportune. I don't think we could have planned it any better if we had tried.

Dee's Tapanade

1/2 pound mixed black olives, pitted (Kalamata olives work well)
2 anchovy fillets
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1-2 tablespoon capers
1 small handful basil leaves, rinsed
1 small handful fresh parsley, rinsed
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process to combine, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl, until the mixture becomes a coarse paste. Transfer to a bowl and serve at room temperature.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Crab Cakes With Piment D'espelette Alioi

Gingerbread, sugar cookies, truffles, scones slathered in butter and jam...oh my! I want seafood now. And the only cake I want is a crab cake :-) I think they'll be a perfect way to ring in 2010. I actually can't believe we are entering a new decade in what still seems like a new century. 2010 sounds too much like a year that you would enter in a time machine and not with the clink of Champagne glasses. Alas, the future is now and there is no time like the present to celebrate the day. These crab cakes are great as appetizers, a light meal or for brunch. I prefer mine to be made with top quality crab, with as little filler as possible so that the true star shines through. I was able to get some really fresh crab meat from Whole Foods, but fresh crab meat is available in large food stores in most areas. My favorite recipe comes from Tyler Florence who I have a huge foodie crush on. He just knows how to take a dish and give it his own flavor. His version is simply made and goes perfectly with a Champagne toast. I made an Piment D'espelette Alioi that I created with some experimentation. I used the piment d'espelette that I bought at a Paris food market this fall. To make the sauce quickly, I used prepared olive oil mayonnaise (for ease and also to not use raw egg yolks), piment d'espelette*, garlic, Dijon mustard and lemon juice. This comes together in a snap and any leftover is good on just about anything! For an Asian sauce, I also want to try some chili sauces that Ju, at The Little Teochew and Zurin, from Cherry on a Cake have brought to us. Take a peek at their posts, I'm sure you'll be delighted.

However you ring in the New Year, whether it is quietly at home or at a large party celebration, I wish you the very best for a safe, happy and healthy 2010. Happy New Year! Ching-Ching!!
Crab Cakes
(Adapted from "Tyler's Ultimate", by Tyler Florence)

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely minced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (made from 3 or 4 slices of white bread with the crusts removed)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 large egg white
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus whole leaves for garnish
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Over medium heat, lightly cover the bottom of a frying pan with olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the onion gets somewhat caramelized. Put that into a bowl and fold in the crab meat, bread crumbs,mayonnaise,egg white, lime juice, and cilantro, mixing until just well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 6 fat crab cakes. Put them on a plate and put them into the refrigerator to chill.

In a large sautè pan, just cover the bottom with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the crab cakes and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until they are nice and crisp. Loosely cover if they need more time to cook in the center.
Piment D'espelette Alioi

1 cup good quality olive oil mayonnaise
1 teaspoon, or more to taste, piment d'espelette**
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
olive oil
*piment d'espelette is a mild chili pepper from the French Basque area of France. It has a mildly hot and slightly sweet round flavor.
**Ground cayenne pepper may be substituted, just use about half of the amount.

Into the mayonnaise, mix the pepper, lemon juice, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard. Stir to mix well. Drizzle in a small amount of olive oil to reach the consistency you prefer. Refrigerate until serving.

Makes one cup.

Piment D'espelette Aioli recipe click here.
Crab Cake recipe click here.

Parisian Pied-à-Terre and Amour

It started with an invitation, scripted and embellished with a gold fleur-de-lis. "We'd love you (and the crew) to join us on the 23rd for drinks, 6ish. We're at........"

My friend and fellow "stew" Nancy, is staying at a pied-à-terre with her husband, in Paris, and invited us for an appèritif. Of course, we accepted. The weather was sunny and temperate and seemed to be special ordered for an afternoon of walking and shopping before going to our friend's apartment.

Along the way, we picked out a bouquet to bring. At first we were drawn to the huge sunflowers....then the colorful dahlias....and then calla lilies that had such rich fall colors. In the end we decided on a bouquet in bold shades of orange with seasonal berries.

Next we wanted to get a bottle of wine, and stopped at a favorite wine shop.

There are always so many hand picked choices here! With arms full of flowers and wine, we quickened our pace and arrived at Nancy and Michael's pied-à-terre just a few minutes late. Good thing we didn't get the sunflowers, since she had a big vase full of them on the kitchen counter.

The orange bouquet had a nice view by the open window,

that looked out over a courtyard.

Another rooftop view had been painted by the owner, who is an artist, and hung on the wall.

Nancy had prepared some appetizers

and we knew there were more coming, by the toasted nut aroma from the oven. An oozy, warm baked Brie cheese topped with sweetened sliced almonds appeared before us.

Nancy showed us some of her latest reads....

(we may never be French, but it will always hold a special place in our hearts!) We all chatted and caught up with their stay in Paris.
Even the cat was happy!

I was shown a new way to tie my scarf before we bid au revoir.

Leaving for dinner, our walk in this area near Notrè Dame, was guided by angels painted on the sidewalk...

and of course, amour.

After all, this is Paris....!


Nancy described her Baked Brie appetizer and I tried it at home. I liked a touch of honey drizzled over it while it was fresh from the oven. The side and bottom rind acts as a container for the soft baked cheese and almonds. This couldn't be any easier or more delicious!

Baked Brie with Sweetened Almonds and Honey


4 ounce round of Brie cheese*
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 tablespoon honey

*You may use a larger piece of Brie, just multiply the other ingredients accordingly.


Slice the rind off of the top of the Brie. Place in a round ovenproof container that just fits the cheese, and bring to room temperature. In a small bowl, sprinkle the powdered sugar over the almonds. Add a few drops of water while stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Place this mixture on top of the cheese and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is soft and runny, and the almonds are lightly toasted. Put on a serving dish and drizzle with honey.
Serve immediately with crackers and fresh fruit.


Baked Brie with Sweetened Almonds and Honey recipe (pdf)