Cheese balls, two ways.

Tags

bleu cheese, cheese ball, cheeseball, chives, dates, herbed cream cheese, holiday entertaining, holiday party, za'atar

Well… it has been awhile! I hope you are all well, happy and healthy and enjoying the holiday season. I am dusting off the blog and remembering how to format just in time to share two recipes for cheese balls for your holiday entertaining needs. True, I missed Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and the first two weekends of December, so your holiday celebration may have come and gone… in which case you can make these for yourself as a snack. Because who doesn’t love a good cheese ball? and I have you covered with both sweet-ish and savory options. The sweet-savory cheese ball combines the flavors of mild bleu cheese and sweet dates with just a hint of garlic and Dijon mustard; the savory-savory has fresh chives and za’atar seasoning, similar to my favorite Cheese Spread with Za’atar and Scallions. If you’re not familiar with za’atar, it’s a seasoning mix with thyme, oregano, marjoram and sesame seeds, so adding chives brings you right into the realm of a classic herb dip/herbed cream cheese. Make one, make both: they’re easy, crowd-pleasing, fun in a kind of crafty way (you get to sculpt cheese with your hands!), and delicious. Happy holidays!

Bleu Cheese and Date Cheese Ball (pictured on the right)

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 oz. mild bleu cheese (Maytag, Rogue Oregon blue, Gorgonzola dolce, or similar)
• 1 T. honey
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp. crushed fresh garlic*
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 T. finely minced dates
• 1/4 c. chopped toasted almonds to coat

Use a stand or hand mixer to whip the cream cheese. Add the crumbled bleu cheese, honey, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and black pepper and mix until combined. It’s okay to have some texture; the bleu cheese does not have to be whipped smooth. Stir in the dates by hand.

Tear off a large piece of plastic wrap (or parchment or wax paper), about 12″ wide by 18″ long. Dollop the cheese mixture in the middle and use the plastic wrap to form the cheese into a ball. Twist the loose ends shut and refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready to serve, carefully untwist the ends and unwrap the cheese. Sprinkle the almonds onto a plate or cutting board and roll the cheese ball until coated in almonds. Let sit at room temperature for about an hour for the best flavor. Serve with crackers, bread or cut vegetables.

*To crush garlic without a special tool, drag the side of a large knife over minced garlic on a cutting board. Repeat until you have a paste.

Za’atar and Chives Cheese Ball (pictured on the left)

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 c. finely shredded Monterey Jack, or mild white cheddar
• 2 tsp. za’atar seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 c. minced fresh chives
• 3 T. white or black (or a combination) sesame seeds to coat

Use a stand or hand mixer to whip the cream cheese. Add the Monterey Jack, za’atar and salt and mix until combined. The za’atar flavor will be mild, but will intensify overnight as it melds with the cheese. Stir in the chives.

Tear off a large piece of plastic wrap (or parchment or wax paper), about 12″ wide by 18″ long. Dollop the cheese mixture in the middle and use the plastic wrap to form the cheese into a ball. Twist the loose ends shut and refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready to serve, carefully untwist the ends and unwrap the cheese. Sprinkle the sesame seeds onto a plate or cutting board and roll the cheese ball until coated. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hr for best results. Serve with crackers, bread or cut vegetables.

~~~~~~~~~

Your cheese balls can be stored in the refrigerator up to 48 hours before rolling in the toppings, and leftovers will keep for 5-7 days in a tightly sealed container.

Bleu cheese & bacon potato salad.

Tags

bacon, bleu cheese, Cobb salad, potato salad

My husband likes to joke that I am a Potato Salad Purist. If I had my way, potato salad would be potatoes, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and a splash of vinegar. I like to think of it as the Mashed Potato Theory in practice: if potatoes are paired with something creamy, something salty and something peppery, they don’t need any other help. (I am aware the vinegar is not addressed but willing to overlook it if you are.) A quick glance at Pinterest or a flip through any summer issue of a cooking magazine shows you that most others would not, apparently, fall into the purist category; I’ve seen potato salad recipes with everything from the hard-boiled eggs, celery and onions of my youth to yogurt and cucumbers, anchovies, salad turnips, pickled beets, pulled pork… In other words, the sky’s the limit for your ingredient list. I like to think I moved closer to this group of Potato Salad Adventurers when I put together the recipe I’m sharing today; it was a daring leap for me and one I’ll never regret.

Bleu cheese and bacon are not unusual ingredients in a potato dish, and they make for an absolutely mouth-watering, fairly decadent, rich and flavorful potato salad. My inspiration was a Cobb salad, and though you can see that I didn’t put all the traditional ingredients into my potato salad, I think you could continue my vision a few steps farther and get there. Cherry tomatoes would work, as would cucumber (I would take out any seeds first), and though I don’t care for eggs in my potato salad, they’d certainly get along well with the other ingredients. I serve this bleu cheese & bacon potato salad alongside grilled chicken or pork, generally, so I might not add chicken if doing that– but what a stellar dinner salad you could make if you did! Back to what I did put in my potato salad– the combination of salty, crispy bacon and tangy, crumbly, creamy bleu cheese (I used Salemville again) is just shy of perfection in a potato dish, and though this won’t replace my plain ol’ purist-style potato salad– it’s too rich to have often– it will become a special addition to the dinner table a few times each year. Every purist should become an adventurer now and then!

Bleu Cheese & Bacon Potato Salad

• 1 lb. red potatoes, boiled and cooled completely, preferably chilled
• 1 T. apple cider vinegar
• 2 slices of good-quality bacon*
• 2 T. mayonnaise
• 2 T. sour cream
• 3 T. buttermilk
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• several cracks of freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 oz. crumbled bleu cheese
• pinch of kosher salt (optional)
• snipped chives or scallions to garnish

Start by boiling your potatoes in lightly salted water (for 25-35 mins., depending on the size), which can be done 1-2 days in advance, and should be done at least 4 hours before you want to make and serve this salad. I look for firm, relatively unblemished potatoes of a uniform size, so they cook at the same rate. I keep the potatoes whole and leave the skins on; I would recommend cooking them whole and peeling after they are cooked if you want them peeled, which isn’t necessary for most thin-skinned reds. I also recommend refrigerating the cooked potatoes until they’re needed, since cold potatoes are easier to cut and less likely to crumble.

When you’re ready to make the salad, start by cooking the bacon in a skillet or in the oven, whichever method you prefer, until crispy. Remove from the pan and allow some of the excess grease to drain on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. When it’s cool enough to handle, chop the bacon roughly into small pieces. Cut your cooked potatoes into 1/2″ cubes and put into a large bowl; sprinkle with cider vinegar and toss to distribute. Add half to three-quarters of the (ideally still warm) bacon to the potatoes and combine gently.

In a smaller bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and cayenne, if using. Add the bleu cheese and stir until combined, trying not to completely blend in the cheese; a few larger chunks are nice. Pour over the potatoes and gently mix until all potatoes are coated in sauce. Taste and add salt, if necessary, and maybe a little more pepper. Serve immediately, or cover the dish and refrigerate for up to a day. Garnish with the remaining bacon and fresh chives or green onions before serving.

*I genuinely felt like this was enough bacon, with a lot of other rich elements in play, but you could certainly add more. Just remember to add salt sparingly until you taste the salad with bacon, as some versions or brands are saltier than others. Alternately, leave it out, or serve alongside as a garnish, in consideration of your vegetarian guests.

Summer lentil salad.

Tags

bleu cheese, jose andres, lentil salad, lentils, Made in Spain, side salad, summer salad

In the summer, it’s handy to have a stock of salad recipes to make for barbecues, potlucks or quick meals. If the forecast shows a hot week ahead, I make up a salad or two to have for lunches or dinners so I don’t have to heat up the house with cooking. This lentil salad is one of my all-time favorites. It’s a good accompaniment to chicken, burgers, lamb kebabs, fish, really anything you may be grilling on a summer day, and it’s great on its own, too. I’ve adapted the recipe from Jose Andres, specifically from his wonderful book, Made in Spain. A few years ago, I visited my best friend in Virginia and we had a wonderful, memorable lunch at Zaytinya, one of Andres’ restaurants in Washington, DC. We sat on a patio near a big grill with a spit-roasting goat and ate the best shrimp I have ever tasted in my life, plus hummus, flatbread, vegetable-heavy pasta and more, with pomegranate cocktails in hand and smiles on our faces. I have been enchanted with Andres’ books and recipes ever since that day. This is the recipe of his I go back to more than any other.

The beauty of this salad, in comparison to one made with potatoes or pasta, is that you get the benefits of protein- and fiber-rich lentils in roughly the same cook time. It’s gluten-free, if you’ll be making it for a large group with different dietary restrictions, and mayonnaise-free, which is great for an outdoor meal on a warm day. It can easily become vegan– just leave the cheese out altogether– and it makes a lovely meal in a bowl with the addition of grilled chicken or fish. The vegetable components are flexible: if I have cucumber, in it goes, and the same is true with fresh green beans, cherry tomatoes, green pepper, scallions and peas. Any vegetable you enjoy fresh or lightly blanched will probably work well here. The ingredient quantities can be easily doubled, which you may want to do if you’re feeding a crowd.

Cost-effective, quick to make, crowd-pleasing fresh, hearty, delicious– these are all descriptions I like to hear when I’m looking for a recipe to try, and they all apply to this summer lentil salad.

Summer Lentil Salad (adapted from Made in Spain)

• 1 c. dried French lentils (the little, dark green ones)
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 4-6 cloves garlic, whole*
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 c. water
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 T. olive oil
• 2 T. sherry vinegar (I like this one)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 T. minced chives
• 2 oz. crumbled blue cheese or feta, optional (I like the Amish blue from Salemville)

Rinse and drain your dry lentils, checking them for any debris. (You don’t need to soak them at all.) Transfer to a large pot and add the onion (left in one piece, since you’ll need to fish it out later), garlic cloves, bay leaf, 2 T. olive oil, 1 tsp. salt and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 mins. Test a few lentils for doneness by cooling and tasting them; when you like how tender they are, they are done. Drain the lentils, *reserving the cooking liquid*, and put them in a large bowl. Add a few tablespoons of cooking liquid to the lentils so they stay moist; discard the onion, garlic and bay leaf.

Return the reserved cooking liquid to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and alllow the liquid to reduce, watching it very carefully so it doesn’t burn and you don’t lose too much, until you have about 1/2 c. left. Remove from the heat and cool at room temperature for about 30 mins. (This is when I chop my vegetables.) When cool, add 3 T. olive oil, sherry vinegar and 1 tsp. salt to the cooking liquid and whisk to combine.

Add your chopped bell pepper and minced shallot (as well as any other vegetables you plan to include, up to about 2 c. extra) to the bowl of lentils and drizzle with the dressing. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until needed; if refrigerated, bring the salad to room temperature before serving for the best flavor. Serve garnished with chives and blue or feta cheese, if you like. This lentil salad will keep in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

*I put my whole, peeled garlic cloves on a cutting board and smash them lightly with the side of a knife. This breaks them open, which seems to help flavor the lentils, but leaves the cloves intact enough to remove easily when you need to do so.

Butternut squash soup with bacon & bleu cheese.

Tags

bacon, bleu cheese, blue cheese, butternut squash, squash soup

August and September are busy months for me. I had no idea. I wanted to write and tell you about all the wonderful dishes and jams I have been making with free fruit, farmers’ market bounty and my parents’ incredible gift of 10 dozen jars, but I haven’t had time! This past weekend I spent the better part of both days hunched over boiling fruit — I think I have had my fill of canning for a while. (Remind me that I said that, often, please.) The rewards are many: our cupboards are overflowing and the flavor combinations I discovered are keepers (and I am quite pleased with myself, if I do say so), but I would like to go back to a schedule that allows time to read and cook better (well, more intricate) dinners than sliced tomatoes with salt and corn on the cob. Not to mention that I would like more time to write! I miss posting recipes.

September marked the first anniversary of cook.can.read (hooray!) and was highlighted by a thrilling, fun, rare visit from my parents. We explored and ate and took day trips and hung out; I baked with my Mom and picked blackberries with my Dad. After they left, I kicked into jamming gear, with an office full of peaches, pears, apples, plums and tomatoes to use, fast. When I looked up from my busyness, I realized that it is October, maybe my favorite month of the year. October means warm days and crisp nights, and nights when we eat crisp. I can wear sweaters and flip flops. October means plentiful and affordable squash and pumpkins in every shape, color and flavor you can imagine, which I incorporate into dinner whenever possible. I was very excited Sunday afternoon to make my first squash soup of the year, and it was a doozy. I decided to jump into squash season with both feet, and so I made a butternut squash soup with bacon, garnished with crumbled bleu cheese.

Sweet, salty bacon and pungent bleu cheese highlight the slightly sweet, creamy, smooth texture of butternut squash so well. You could use a different squash and have equally delicious results– a red kuri gives such a nice texture and nutty flavor– but I think butternut is just right. You can certainly make this a vegetarian dish by replacing chicken stock with vegetable and removing the bacon; just use a splash of canola or grapeseed oil to brown your onions. You may want to add a pinch of smoked paprika to mimic the lovely smoky flavor bacon provides, and that would be a welcome flavor in the non-vegetarian version, too. The best part is that a short ingredient list and relatively little effort produce a meal to be savored; it smells good, looks pretty and tastes amazing. Serve this comforting soup with homemade biscuits or hearty bread, with a pickle or two on the side. Growing up, we always had pickles on the table when we had chowder or stew, and this dinner was somehow even better with one of my just-jarred horseradish half-sours on the side. Happy fall, everyone! Thanks for making the first year of this blog so much fun for me. I appreciate every single one of you times a million. If I could, I would make you a bowl of this soup right now.

Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon & Bleu Cheese (serves 4)

• 3-4 slices of thick-cut bacon
• 1/2 c. diced onion
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 medium to large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 4 c. chicken stock
• 1/2 c. whole milk*
• crumbled bleu cheese to garnish

In a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, cook the bacon to your preferred doneness– I like the fat to be rendered but not for the bacon to be too dark. When it’s where you want, remove the bacon slices to a cooling rack set on a plate or cutting board to catch the drips. Pour off any excess fat until you’re left with about 2 T. drippings in the pan, as well as all the good brown bits left from the bacon. Add the onion to the pot and stir, cooking quickly until the onion begins to soften and become opaque. Add the thyme and stir; if your ingredients are sticking, splash a few tablespoons of stock in and use a wooden spoon to scrape those good brown bits off the bottom That’s the flavor, mmm, and the base of your soup should smell delightful right now.

Add the cubed squash to the pot and allow it to cook for a few mins. with the onions and thyme. Don’t worry too much about the size of the squash pieces, since the soup will be blended, but they should be 2-3″ cubes for the most efficient cooking. (Also, don’t be too concerned with how many cups of squash you have– this recipe easily adapts to anywhere from about 4-6 c. It’s very forgiving.) After 3-4 mins., add the broth to the pan and allow the soup to come to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 35-40 mins., until the squash is soft enough to be mashed with the back of your wooden spoon. Now you have choices: for a rustic soup, use your spoon or a potato masher to crush the squash. For a smooth consistency, remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to puree, or *carefully* transfer soup to a blender or food processor to blend. Carefully. Carefully. Return the soup to the heat, chop your reserved bacon and add it to the pot, mix and taste for seasoning, adding salt & pepper as you please. Pour the milk in and stir to combine; add more milk if you prefer a thinner consistency. Slowly heat over low heat until the soup is warmed through; don’t let it come to a boil. Ladle into bowls and crumble a tablespoon or so of bleu cheese over the top to garnish; serve warm. Pat yourself on the back for a soup well done.

*You can use cream if you like but I really find whole milk sufficient here, since the squash itself is so creamy.

Two great lunch salads.

Tags

apples, bleu cheese, Manchego, salad greens

A month or so ago I sent out a desperate cry for help with my lunches. I was stuck in a rut, eating the same thing day after day, which is quite boring. One suggestion I received was to put serving-size portions of stews, soups and casseroles in the freezer and take them out a few days ahead to thaw in the fridge; I have done that a few times with great success. Today I enjoyed a spicy bowl of chicken stew with red lentils, as good today as it was in January. I had some chili last week which was just as satisfying. But… the truth is that I am so trained to cook for two that I don’t often have extra, so these from-the-freezer lunches are few, maybe once a week. And so my search for lunch ideas continues.

At the farmers’ market on Sunday, I was excited to see a real variety of greens available, more than the kale and chard I’ve seen through the winter. Rabes of all kinds– broccoli, cauliflower, kale– rapini, and finally!, salad greens. Hooray! We got a giant bag of mixed salad greens and some sprouts to go with them, and this week I have been trying different salad combinations for lunch, with great results. Tuesday I had greens with sliced Pink Lady apple (you could use any apple), shaved Manchego cheese and a punchy lemon-dijon dressing. (True confession: it is based on the dressing Ina Garten uses for her avocado-grapefruit salad, and you feel free to make one of those with some of it. Yum.) It was crunchy and sweet from the apple and greens, sour and spicy from the dressing, creamy from the cheese, a wonderful mix of flavors and textures. Yesterday I tried the greens with dates, cashews (the only nuts in my house, but they worked), crumbled bleu cheese and a vinaigrette made with balsamic vinegar and pomegranate molasses. The dressing was sour in a delightful way, the perfect foil for the sweetness of the dates and the creaminess of the cheese and cashews.

I give an A+ to both salads and can’t wait to get more greens this weekend so I can make them again, or keep playing with flavors. The key to a great salad is a mix of flavor elements, if you will: something crunchy, something creamy, and various tastes that are salty, sweet, sour or bitter. Fresh fruits and vegetables of all kinds are wonderful: the standards like cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes and mushrooms, of course, but don’t forget about mandarins, mango, jicama and kohlrabi. Don’t be afraid of ransacking the cupboard for dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, cherries, etc.) and different nuts or seeds (sunflower seeds are my favorite), and mix up your vinegars for variety. One of these days I will share my over-the-top love of vinegar with you all, and you might think differently of me, but I won’t even mind, because a broad selection of vinegars is a good chef’s secret weapon. But more on that later. For now, happy lunching! Enjoy your salads.

Lemon-Dijon Dressing

• 2 tsp. dijon mustard
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. honey
• pinch of kosher salt
• a few grinds of black pepper
• approximately 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

Mix the first five ingredients in a bowl with a whisk, or shake in a dressing jar. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly, or do a few tablespoons at a time and shake between each addition, until the dressing reaches your desired consistency. Makes enough dressing for 4-6 salads; keeps in the fridge for about a week.

Balsamic Vinaigrette with Pomegranate Molasses

• 1 tsp. pomegranate molasses
• 1 1/2 T. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. honey
• pinch of salt
• a few grinds of black pepper
• 3 T. olive oil

Mix the first five ingredients in a bowl with a whisk, or shake in a dressing jar. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly, or do a few tablespoons at a time and shake between each addition, until the dressing reaches your desired consistency. Makes enough dressing for 4 salads; keeps in the fridge for about a week.

Macaroni & cheese for grown-ups.

Tags

bleu cheese, Brussels sprouts, caramelized onions, chiocciole

I debated and debated what to call this post, what might grab your attention. I settled on “Macaroni & Cheese for Grown-Ups” because that was what I sought to create when I was planning out this dish. And that is sort of what I made. Sort of. What I wanted was the creamy, gooey goodness of a well-made macaroni & cheese, with that sound you get when you stir slowly through all the cheesy sauce. What I didn’t want was pounds of cheese, slabs of butter, cups of milk.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with traditional mac ‘n cheese, and you will never get me to say a bad word about a cheesy casserole, in general, but it’s got to be tempered a bit, sometimes, or else you can’t have it more than once a month or so.  (Yes, I am treading lightly. This is an American cultural icon we’re discussing, and who am I to say negative things about that?) Ask my husband about some of my famous macaroni & cheese creations, which he endures eats with a grimace smile most of the time. My goal with those is always to get the essence of a good macaroni casserole without all of the, well, what I said above. I add diced tomatoes (which I love the taste of and will not stop doing, honey) in place of some of the cheese or broccoli, or peas, or use skim milk, etc. But for this dish, my goal was less about lightening up a heavy meal and more about replacing cheddar and butter with more sophisticated flavors: I wanted to incorporate some of my prized caramelized onions, and I wanted bleu cheese. I used cream. And I will do it again.

Here’s what I ended up with: chiocciole with Brussels sprouts, caramelized onions & bleu cheese. Chiocciole are like very large elbow macaroni; they vaguely remind me of the shape of a snail shell and they are perfect for trapping a bit of sauce, maybe a strand or two of onion, in each bite. The Brussels sprouts were a late addition, but the bitterness was a great foil for the sweetness of the onions, and they work with bleu cheese. Oh, do they work. The cheese I used is a creamy bleu from Trader Joe’s called St. Agur, similar to a gorgonzola (or Oregonzola if you’re from this neck of the woods and have had the chance to try that–yum), though you can use your favorite, because it’s bleu cheese, and if you love it you just want to eat it, stop debating, eat it. Where was I? Anyway, putting all these bold ingredients together terrified my husband, but his concerns were quickly hushed by the whole eating-every-bite thing; it was a nice treat for two adults who love a good mac n’ cheese, whether you could label it that or not. It never matters as much when it tastes good, does it?

Chiocciole with Brussels Sprouts, Caramelized Onions & Bleu Cheese

• 8 oz. chiocciole (or similar), cooked according to the package directions
• 10-12 Brussels sprouts, trimmed
• 2/3 c. caramelized onions
• 1/3 c. cream
• 2 oz. bleu cheese, crumbled or cut into small pieces (about 1/4 c.)
• freshly ground pepper

In a saucepan filled with boiling salted water, cook the Brussels sprouts for 7-8 mins.; drain them and cut into halves or quarters, depending on the size and your preference. They should be mostly cooked but still firm; if you consider them very underdone, make sure to add in a few extra mins. of cooking time for them in the next step.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the caramelized onions, stirring to break them up a little and reheat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for 4-5 mins., to heat through. (This is where you can add extra cooking time, if necessary.) Add the cream and most of the bleu cheese, reserving a small amount for garnish; cook, stirring, just until everything is warmed through, then add the drained pasta and black pepper to the pan and toss to coat with sauce. Serve garnished with the remaining bleu cheese. Serves four.

Celebrating chanterelles.

Tags

bleu cheese, chanterelles, chives, dinner, fettucine, mushrooms, pasta, shallots

We went grocery shopping last Saturday, which is not special, but the autumn harvest bounty in the produce section was special.  Squash and apples for miles, cabbage bigger than my head, aromatic pears and shiny pumpkins piled in every corner.  But everything paled in comparison to the dirt-specked grandeur of the chanterelles.  They are HERE!  Or perhaps I should say they are in season, which means that they are giant, robust, unblemished and plentiful.  Sure, you can get them other times of the year, but then they are sad and expensive.  I don’t touch them out of season.  But let’s not worry about that now.  Saturday, I saw two displays with chanterelles stacked high and proud, and the sight made me happy– and hungry.  I love them.

What’s so special about chanterelles, you say?  They are just mushrooms, right?  Well, technically yes, but no.  The flavor and texture elevate chanterelles into a category that button and crimini mushrooms wish they could be in.  They are delicate without losing the bite you expect from a fresh mushroom.  They cook beautifully and pair with many different flavors, particularly autumnal ones: sage, apple or pear, Parmesan cheese, spinach, bacon, chestnuts.  I am not a sommelier, so I won’t try to describe the flavor, but it is distinct, and pleasant.  I learned that chanterelles are a rich source of vitamins C and D as well as potassium, and who doesn’t need more vitamin D this time of year?  Good for you and tasty– it’s hard to go wrong.

I won’t lie: they are still more expensive than “regular” mushrooms, but not oppressively so.  I bought about 1/2 lb. and made a glorious meal for us, and you could certainly buy just a few and mix them with crimini or button mushrooms to stretch them a bit.  Chanterelles are wonderful in soup or savory tarts, really in any recipe in which you would use mushrooms.  I like them with pasta, prepared very simply; I saute them for just a couple of minutes, more to warm them up than cook them through.  A little bit of cheese and some seasoning and you are ready to go.

Celebrate chanterelles while you can, as they will be gone before you know it!  But don’t think about that just yet.

Fettucine with Chanterelles & Bleu Cheese (makes 3 servings)

• 1/2 lb. chanterelles, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/4 c. cream*
• salt & pepper
• about 6 T. bleu cheese, crumbled (I used an Amish bleu)
• chives, to garnish
• 1/3 lb. fettucine

Boil water and prepare fettucine according to package directions.  (The sauce doesn’t take long; you’ll want to start it about the same time you put the pasta into the boiling water.)

In a skillet, heat oil on medium heat.  Add shallot and saute until opaque and starting to brown, 2-3 mins.  Add chanterelles and saute for 2-3 mins.  They will start to soften and lose some liquid (a good thing) but don’t necessarily brown.  Lower heat to medium-low and add cream; keep skillet on the heat until everything is warmed through, but don’t let them cream boil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat.  Add drained fettucine to the skillet and toss well, until the pasta is coated with sauce.  After plating, crumble about 2 T. bleu cheese onto each serving and sprinkle with chives to garnish.

*If you prefer not to use cream, an equal amount of stock can be substituted.  You may need to use flour, cornstarch or arrowroot to thicken your sauce.  I have never tried making this with wine but imagine a dry white wine would also work nicely.