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Healthy Recipes

Rogue Creamery and Magical Moments: Broiled Tomatoes with Smoked Blue Cheese

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Rogue Creamery Smoked Blue and Roelli Cheese Dunbarton Blue (Cheddar Blue mix)

Right before I headed out to Portland for the IFBC conference, I was roaming around the Flat Iron District and got drawn into Beechers Cheese Shop like a magnet to metal. It’s a cheese lover’s play pen. At every turn is a gorgeous case full of delights, crackers, jams, books and displays. Wonderland! And in the back is a take out section for way too awesome grilled cheese sandwiches. I’ve been in before and walked out in bliss with a perfectly crusty hot gooey grilled cheddar with fig jam. Had you been able to see the look on my face you would have thought me tranced- which I was.

I had just come from the Union Square Farmer’s Market, which is only steps away, with a cache of New Jersey beefsteak tomatoes and a few yellow ones too. Man do I love August’s bounty. I’ve been trying to slim down a tad, so standing amongst rows of delectable cheeses is extremely dangerous.

I decided to then just innocently do a little reconnaissance, you know, for FUTURE posts, and then just like that- I became overcome with lust. My little eye spied a gorgeous cheese from Oregon- the above pictured Rogue Creamery Smoked Blue. After a small tease of a taste, I had to have a chunk. While standing at the counter I overheard another cheese fool wax poetically about the Dunbarton Blue, which is not only beautiful like a watercolor, but remarkable in ways I promises to explain in an upcoming post.

Tomatoes and Cheese ready for the broiler

What was even MORE remarkable though, was just a few days later, during a speed tasting even at the IFBC conference- who came ambling over to our table, but one of the owners of Rogue Creamery with this EXACT same cheese! Such a sweet woman, who so sweetly and quietly promoted her cheese, that I had to jump up and start blathering away about it (my NYer comes out at the most interesting of moments). I think I startled her a little bit- but seriously- this is good stuff and and should NOT be underplayed in my opinion.

Presenting the Smoked Blue Cheese
I’m a bit of a sucker for coincidences- so I took this as a sign from the heavens that this cheese and I are meant to be. I know this is a silly statement- but in a way, it’s very true, and I am grateful.

I think what’s best about this story is that it’s just affirms for me that the good things in life are not that complicated. Once I stopped putting things off, or restraining myself for made up reasons- that the goodness began to generate it’s own natural flow.

One of my favorite quotes about success is: “Success is when opportunity meets preparedness”. I’ve always attributed this to the work place, but I am being reminded on a daily basis, in myriads of small ways, that successes are all around us.

I used to be very successful in business, and had all the attributes that come with that- but I didn’t have these quiet, soul fulfilling moments. What’s even more exciting is that they come one after the other! I don’t seek them out, I have no intentions when I walk out the door, or click on a new blog, or start a conversation while standing on a line somewhere- but the riches are spilling out all around me constantly.

After returning home with my tomatoes and cheese I set about making this simple afternoon treat. Great on it’s own or as a side dish, but I think it’s also great to serve with cocktails or a glass of wine.

I simply sliced my tomatoes nice and thickly, sprinkled them with some of the cheese and ran it under the broiler for a few minutes- just to warm and sweeten the tomatoes, and melt the cheese. A quick sprinkle of flaked salt and a grind of pepper went down before topping it all off with some paper thin sliced red onion.

Delving into serendipitous bounty.

I hope these little magical moments happen for you. I want this to happen for you. As the school year begins and we start hurtling toward the end of the calendar year- my wish is that we are able to enjoy these moments of joy and deliciousness.

Grilled Steak with Tomatillo Salsa

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Juicy sliced steak served with crispy tomatillo salsa, grilled corn and string beans.

The summer days are skittering towards Labor Day and it’s soon back to school in the Northeast. This time of year always puts a panicked rush in my step to get to the grill while the gettin’ is good. Of course, this is silly, since we dedicated New Englanders are sometimes known to grill in the snow- but you know what I mean.
It’s the long shadows of late summer sunsets, accompanied by the sound of birds and a far off hum of a lawnmower. It’s sitting on a stoop while shucking corn, it’s the smell of charcoal and smoke. Bare legs, sticky fingers, sprinklers, ice pops and bug bites on your ankles.
Of course, all of THAT is even pretty silly, since I write to you from my tiny NYC apartment with not a patch of lawn in sight- but I can conjure up a memory just as good as anyone, and the smell of corn silk is as powerful as Proust’s madeleines to me.
I do have great memories as a kid when the biggest challenge was getting sand out between my toes after the beach, or beating my brother to the last cherry Ice Pop. This summer has come as close as I’ve come in years to those care free days. I’ve spent more time traveling this summer than at home- a total of 10 weeks out of the past 14 have been without boundary, without schedule or demand- with full time enjoyment and exploration. I think that was what I loved best as a kid- exploring.
Some kids play sports and spend their summers in motion. I was more of a dreamer. I would write stories and make them into little books. I was the kid that would spend hours glueing shells that I had collected onto boxes and mirrors. My brother and I would dress up and act out plays we invented, and even as a kid- I cooked and baked.
I hope you try making this tomatillo salsa to go with your steak. It’s super quick to put together and it has a  tangy taste that sets off the fat in the meat perfectly. It’s really more of a relish than a real salsa- no real bite or kick, but rather an accent to the beef.
The summer days are fleeting- but still many delicious days ahead.
Grilled Steak with Tomatillo Salsa
serves 6
 
2# quality steak
1# tomatillos
.5c EVOO
.5c fresh basil, minced
.5c fresh cilantro, minced
.25c white onion, fine diced
juice of 1 plump lemon
Salt to taste
 
For the perfect steak- first season the meat with ground black pepper and allow to come to room temp for about 30 mins.
 
Next: heat your grill and get it HOT. Sear the meat for 1-3 mins on each side to get that heavenly umami flavor. Not sure about the sealing juices thing- there is debate on that- but to be sure- DO NOT press down on your meat as it cooks and DO NOT pierce it with a fork to turn it- use a spatula or tongs.
 
After the sear move the meat to a lower temperature area of the grill and close the lid. Allow it to slowly “bake” for another 5 minutes- longer for medium or well done.
 
Poke the meat for doneness. If it feels springy, it’s still on the rare side. If it yields some but still has some bounce, it’s medium range. If it is so tight it slaps you back when you poke it- you’ve reached well done.
 
Allow the meat to rest for a good 5 mins before slicing.
 
For the salsa, simply combine everything in a bowl and stir together. You can make this earlier in the day and allow it to marinate a bit. Just serve it at room temperature, not too cold or straight from the fridge.
 
 

 

Summer Entertaining- Proscuitto, Melon Salad and Pinked Onion

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August in Louisiana is never cool. This is my third summer traveling here in the height of the dog days. Last year the thermometer rose to 106˚, so I’m finding this years mere 97˚ a relief {uh…yeah, not so much}. I am sometimes asked how I manage this heat- and my answer is simple: Exactly how we manage the below freezing temps in NYC- you don’t hang out in it for long.
The amazing thing is folks here don’t really complain about the heat the way we complain about the cold up North. I suppose it’s the Southern grace and ease that is the reason for that. I mean, it’s not that people don’t mention it- they just don’t go on and on about it. Yep… it’s hot….
The hot days certainly do not slow down the socializing, and afternoon cocktails are high on the list of activities. Cool gin and tonics tinkle in glasses along with easy conversation and laughter. These days I am redesigning my kitchen for the imminent renovation. I am spending my days lugging tile samples, walking rows and rows of granite slabs and drooling over shiny appliances. At the end of the day- a cocktail sounds delightful.
The pretty salad I put together is a great snack to accompany any cocktail hour. Light and refreshing, slightly salty, and tangy, and a breeze to throw together. Just a little nosh to abate the afternoon hungries without spoiling ones appetite for dinner.
Soaking thinly sliced red onions in lemon juice for a bit turns them a gorgeous bright hot pink color, and mellows out the bite too. These three parts meld together beautifully- I hope you enjoy!!
Proscuitto, Melon Salad and Pinked Onions
serves 6
 
8 oz best quality proscuitto
half of a ripe honeydew melon cut into small chunks
.5c fresh mint, minced
2 limes, zested and juiced
1 med red onion thinly sliced
.5 c olive oil
 
Combine juice of limes in a small bowl and add onion slices. Allow to sit for approx 30 mins until they turn a bright gorgeous pink.
 
toss together melon, zest and lime juice after the marinating is done and drizzle olive oil on top. Add a splash of cracked pepper here, if that appeals to you.
 
Arrange the melon, proscuitto and onions on a serving platter. 
 
Keep cold until serving.