Cook Like a Monger: Savory Scones

by Anna Glassman-Kaufman

We’re back with another baked good this week. These savory scones are the perfect last minute addition to any summer brunch. They come together in about 45 minutes and are a great way to use up any cheese or greens you have in the fridge.

A couple of notes:

Cheese - I love to use something soft and creamy with a little bit of funk, like anything from Alemar Cheese (local!), but any flavorful cheddar or gruyere works well in these as well! Most importantly, you just want a cheese with lots of interesting flavor that will come through in every bite. You don’t want the cheese to get lost behind the herbs. If you go with something softer, be careful to mix the cheese in last and JUST until combined, to keep the chunks of cheese intact. If you go with an aged cheese of any kind, shred the cheese or cut into ¼ inch cubes.  Today, I’m using Bleu Mont Cheddar which is earthy, nutty, and pairs well with the chives in the scone.

Flour - I love to use at least 20% whole wheat flour in anything I bake. Flour is not just an ingredient to hold the rest together, it can add its own depth of flavor and texture, and I want to celebrate it. So we’re using 50% whole wheat flour in these scones. The other half is All-Purpose, and if that’s all you have on hand, certainly feel free to go 100% AP. You just may want to cut back the buttermilk by a tablespoon or two if skipping the whole wheat, as the whole wheat flour tends to absorb a bit more liquid than sifted flour.

Yield: 8-10 scones

Ingredients:

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

½ Tsp Baking Soda

½ Tsp Baking Powder

½ Tsp Salt

2 Tbsp Sugar

6 Tbsp Salted Butter, COLD and cubed into ½ inch pieces

½ Cup + 2 Tbsp Buttermilk

1 Egg

3 Tbsp Green Onion or Chive, minced

6 oz cheese, cubed or shredded

2 Tbsp Milk

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Add the chunks of cold butter and use your fingers or a dough cutter to cut the butter into the dough, until you have a course meal with some pea sized chunks of butter.

3. Add in your egg, buttermilk herbs and cheese chunks and mix with your hands until the dough just holds together.

4. Wrap in plastic and rest for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. Drop the dough into 8 equal sized scones. They do not have to be rounded, the uneven edges will give you a crispy exterior when baked.

6. Brush each scone with a little bit of milk and sprinkle with flaky salt.

7. Bake in 400 degree oven for 15-18 minutes until the exterior is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

8. Enjoy while still warm with little bit of extra salted butter!

Cook Like a Monger: Whipped Feta with Chili Crisp & Fried Zucchini

by Anna Glassman-Kaufman

We all know chili crisp is having a moment, and we’ve written about it on this blog before, so I won’t write too much here, but know that the Kari Kari Chili Crisp is the thing you’ve been missing in your kitchen. It makes any mediocre dinner an excellent one, adding not only a bit of heat but also garlicky umami goodness. There’s really no going wrong with this stuff.

Now we bring in the feta. Feta is a sheep’s milk cheese originating in Greece. The curd is salted and dry aged for a brief period before aging in brine, a very salty water solution. It’s highly acidic, so it doesn’t melt as well as other cheeses and is most often served cold or room temperature. But when blended with a bit of brine, feta turns into a silky smooth dip that is the perfect base for any toppings that inspire you, and that’s what we’re doing today.

Alright one final component: the zucchini. I don’t know about you, but my zucchini plants go absolutely crazy sometime around mid-summer and produce more than I could ever imagine eating. So I’m always looking for new ways to use them up because let’s be real, it’s not always the most exciting and flavorful veggie, especially after you accidentally let it grow a day too long and it’s the size of your arm. But if you watched Stanley Tucci’s “Searching for Italy”, you will surely remember the Spaghetti all Nerano he ate in the Calabria episode. The zucchini were sliced thinly and twice fried to bring out all of the sweetness and flavor they have to offer, and that’s what we’re emulating in this recipe. I don’t quite go so far as to deep fry them, but I’ve found that slicing zucchini thinly and shallow frying in olive oil can achieve a texture reminiscent of the one I imagine in this epic pasta dish, and certainly makes them taste delicious.

8 oz Essex Sheep’s Milk Feta

2 tbsp Feta Brine

Zest of One Lemon

1 Medium Zucchini, thinly sliced, lengthwise

1 tbsp Kosher Salt

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp Kari Kari Chili Crisp

1 tbsp Basil Leaves, julienned

Thinly Sliced and Toasted Bread to dip - I’m using Baker’s Field Table Bread of course

Lay zucchini slices down on a baking pan and salt the surfaces with the 1 tbsp kosher salt. This helps pull excess moisture out of the zucchini. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend feta, lemon zest, and brine in a food processor about 3-5 minutes until silky smooth. If it still feels a bit too stiff, add another tablespoon of brine to smooth it out. Spoon the whipped feta onto your serving dish and smooth out surface, creating a shallow well in the center. Refrigerate until ready to assemble and serve.

Use a towel to pat the zucchini dry.

Heat up a sauté pan over medium heat and add ¼ cup olive oil. Wait another minute until the oil is sufficiently hot and begin adding zucchini slices. You will likely need to fry them in several batches. Fry for a couple minutes on each side, until lightly browned and crisp, but not burnt. Then transfer to a clean plate, lightly salt and pepper, and move on to the next round.

When you’ve finished frying and your zucchini has fully cooled, top the plated whipped feta with the zucchini and spoon a tablespoon of Kari Kari Chili Crisp over the top. Lastly, garnish with the julienned basil.

Serve with toasted bread and enjoy!

P.S. for the iconic Spaghetti alla Nerano recipe, look here!

Cook Like a Cheesemonger: Panzanella Pasta Salad

By Austin Coe Butler

This hybrid between a creamy pasta salad and a panzanella, a bread and tomato salad with a tangy vinaigrette, is the perfect dish to bring to your next cookout, picnic, potluck, or block party. It’s bright, creamy, tangy, refreshing, and, best of all, will guarantee you leave with a nice empty bowl that’s easy to clean. It’s best made in advance, great at room temperature, easy to scale up, and simple to modify for the occasion. 

I want to thank the customer that shared with me the inspiration for this recipe. (You know who you are!) Last weekend we featured our custom washed Grillin’ Cheese from Blakesville Creamery that is washed in Dampfwerk’s Barrel Aged Gin. It’s a Croatian inspired cheese that is essentially a puck of chèvre wrapped in grape leaves that have been soaked in a spirit. This cheese is a favorite of this customer’s daughters, and it’s always a joy when I see them picking it up. While we were talking at the cheese counter he mentioned that he had substituted the Blakesville Grillin’ Cheese for halloumi in a New York Times recipe by Yossey Arefi for orecchiette salad with halloumi croutons. In addition, he had removed the cilantro, red onions, and arugula, and added in bread croutons. The judgment of his daughters? This version was even better! And it was even better the next day! This is how great recipes are born.

1 pt cherry tomatoes, quartered

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar like La Guinelle Vinaigre de Banyuls

Kosher salt

Black pepper 

8 ounces orecchiette or other small pasta

1 Blakesville X Dampfwerk Grillin’ Cheese

1 bag France 44 garlic crostini

3 Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber deseeded

2 cups arugula (optional)

½ cup chopped cilantro or parsley

½ cup chopped mint

¼ finely chopped red onion (optional)

1. Add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and leave them to marinate while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

3. Grill or pan fry the cheese. Grilling the cheese is a great option because it imparts smoke to the cheese, otherwise, pan frying it works great, too. You’re looking to heat the cheese through and soften it. I did this directly over my gas burner on low heat, flipping it from time to time, for about 5 minutes, just to get some char. Once soft, remove it from the grape leaves, add it to a large bowl, and mash it into a paste.

4.  Cook the pasta. It’s especially important with pasta salad to cook the pasta al dente, usually about 2 minutes short of the manufacturer's recommended cook time. Often the pasta in pasta salads has been obliterated—it’s soft, mushy, slimy, and disintegrates. Al dente pasta is also “thirsty” and will soak up the vinaigrette. Once cooked, strain the pasta and add it to the large bowl along with the tomato vinaigrette. Stir to combine the pasta, tomatoes, and cheese.

5. Add all the remaining ingredients to the large bowl and stir to combine. The mixture will seem a little stiff, so feel free to add more olive oil and vinegar, but give it time to rest while the pasta and crostini absorb the liquid and soften. What’s great about the addition of the crostini is that since they are toasted, they don’t turn to mush the way fresh or even stale bread does when it soaks up liquid. Instead, it retains its shape and a bit of spring, providing a nice chew and even a bit of crunch the next day. 

6. While this pasta salad will be ready to go as soon as you make it, I suggest letting it sit overnight. If you would like to add the arugula, add that on the day of serving so it doesn’t wilt along with a few more freshly chopped herbs and a scattering of crushed crostini for crunch.

Cook Like a Monger: Risotto

by Anna Glassman-Kaufman

We’re going back to the basics this week with a classic risotto recipe. Don’t let risotto intimidate you. It may be a bit of a labor intensive process, but it never disappoints. Master this basic recipe and get ready to customize with seasonal produce and herbs, new stocks/broths, and unique cheeses.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:  

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

¼ cup shallot, minced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced  

1 cups carnaroli (or arborio) rice  

3 cups chicken stock  

½ cup white wine, we recommend chardonnay  

½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated, plus extra for garnish 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter  

Salt and pepper to taste 

Method 

1. Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. 

2. Meanwhile, in a large heavy bottomed pot, sauté shallot and garlic in olive oil on low/medium heat until soft, but not browned. Season with salt and pepper.  

3. Add rice and stir with a wooden spoon, until the rice is evenly coated with olive oil. Continue to stir for one minute until the rice has a nutty aroma.  

4. Add the white wine and stir constantly until it is all absorbed into the rice.  

5. Add about ½ cup of simmering stock and stir until nearly all of the liquid is absorbed. Then, add another ½ cup of stock and stir. Continue this process until all the stock is added (15-20 min) and risotto is al dente, creamy, and a little bit soupy.  

6. Turn off heat and stir in grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and butter.  

7. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.  

Cook Like a Monger: Berry Ricotta Cake

by Anna Glassman-Kaufman

When I was 18, I took a weekend trip to Portland, Maine, where I was introduced to a bakery called Standard Baking Company. To me, the bakery was perfect. They sold breads and pastries in a simple storefront, somehow perfectly toeing the line between delicate and rustic. That visit, and many more during my four years living in Boston, sent me down a path, dedicating my career to world of food & beverage, which started in baking. And on that first visit, I picked up a copy of their cookbook which contained the recipe that inspired the one I’ve shared with you below: the Berry Ricotta Cake.

A few years later, I found myself volunteering on a goat farm in Italy, with more ricotta than we knew what to do with. Ricotta is a byproduct of cheesemaking; made from whey, so with every batch of cheese we made, we made a batch of ricotta too. I started making this cake for my farm hosts - filling it with strawberries from their garden, sour plums from the tree outside their house, anything I could get my hands on. We’d carry it up the mountains and after a hard day’s work shepherding & milking goats, it always hit the spot. It’s a dependable recipe, and truly versatile.

This berry ricotta cake is the perfect example of a simple recipe that lets the quality ingredients shine. Ricotta has a magical quality in cake, giving the cake a moist and almost custardy texture. Adding ricotta to your batter ensures that your cake won’t dry out, whether kept in the fridge or on the counter. And it lets the cake stand alone, with no need for frosting. This is truly a snacking cake, made to pair with coffee or tea.

This recipe is written for a standard loaf pan, but feel free to adapt it to your needs. I’ve made this as a loaf, a bundt (as in this picture), a round cake, cupcakes. As long as the batter only fills about ⅔ of the pan you’re using, you’re good to go. You can add whatever citrus, berries, or other fruit you have on hand. And I promise you, once you’ve baked a cake with ricotta, you won’t go back.

Ingredients:

• 10 tbsp salted butter, softened  

• 1 ¼ cup sugar  

• 10 oz Calabro Whole Milk Ricotta  

• 3 medium eggs  

• 1 tbsp lemon zest  

• 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract  

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour  

• 2 tsp baking powder 

• ½ tsp salt  

• 1 ½ cups fresh berries (whole if small or cut into about ½ inch pieces if large) 

 Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 

2. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, or grease and flour all sides.  

3. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl well.  

4. Add ricotta and mix on low speed to combine.  

5. Add one egg at a time, beating well and scraping between each addition. Then add lemon zest and vanilla extract.  

6. Sift the dry ingredients together, and add in one addition, beating on a low speed until just combined.  

7. Fold in berries by hand.  

8. Pour into your loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the bake. The cake will be a rich brown color and a toothpick should come out clean from the center.  

9. Let your cake cool completely, then turn out and slice to serve.  

Thai Beef Salad

by Austin Coe Butler

This recipe is inspired by a Thai dish called Yum Nua, which quickly became a favorite in our house. As it relies on produce that can be grown well even in greenhouses like cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, this Thai beef salad is always satisfying whether it’s been grilled over charcoal on a summer’s day or pan seared on a winter’s night. 

The dressing makes this recipe sing. It’s similar to a Vietnamese nuoc cham, a tangy, salty sauce of lime juice, sugar, and fish sauce, but it has the addition of cilantro stems, garlic, and chilis for an herbaceous heat. Unlike parsley or oregano, cilantro stems have almost as much flavor in them as the leaves, and when cut finely or crushed, they’re delightful to eat and not stringy at all. Don’t be afraid of the fish sauce! While this may seem like an unfamiliar ingredient, think of it as a southeast Asian worcestershire sauce. It has a deeply satisfying salty and umami quality that compliments and accentuates meat, vegetables, and, a personal favorite of mine, mushrooms. You can find the Red Boat brand fish sauce in many coops and high-end grocery stores, or a variety of brands at your nearest Asian grocery store. I prefer the Squid brand (it doesn’t contain squid, it’s just called that!)

For the beef, you can use whatever cut you like, but I prefer using longer, thinner cuts like skirt, bavette, flank, or flat iron, all of which we readily carry in the meat case. These cuts benefit from a quick sear and cutting against the grain. If you don’t eat beef, you could substitute pork chops or chicken thighs to great success.

For the salad: 

1 lb. beef cut of your choice, but preferably longer, thinner cuts like skirt, bavette, flank, or flat iron. 

1 small red onion, sliced thinly

1 English cucumber, deseeded and sliced thinly on a bias

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved

Mixed greens

¼ c. cilantro leaves

¼ c. mint leaves

Crushed peanuts to garnish

For the dressing:

1 tbsp cilantro stems

1 to 2 cloves garlic

3 tbsp fish sauce

3 tbsp lime juice

2 Thai bird’s eye chilis

1 tbsp neutral oil

2 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

Directions

1. At least 30 minutes before you plan to cook the steak, pull it from the refrigerator to temper it and season generously with salt.

2. Prepare the dressing. Add the cilantro stems, garlic, Thai chilis, sugar, and just a pinch of salt to a mortar and pestle and work them into a paste. You can also use a food processor. Next, add the fish sauce, lime juice, and oil and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. It should be balanced between the tart acidity of the limes, the salty umami of the fish sauce, and the herbaceous heat of the aromatics.

3. Prepare the base of your salad. Halve the cucumber and remove the seeds with a spoon, then cut half moons at an angle. If you want to take the edge off the raw red onion, you can place it in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes. I like to lightly salt the tomatoes to draw some of the juices out and add them to the salad dressing, contributing some of their sweetness. Combine all the vegetables including the mixed greens, cilantro leaves, and mint in a large bowl.

4. Over high heat, grill or pan sear the beef to your desired doneness. For medium rare, that’s about 4 minutes each side. Allow the beef to rest for ten minutes.

5. Once rested, cut the beef into strips against the grain. This may involve first cutting the beef along the grain into shorter sections and then cutting against the grain. I like to cut the beef at a 45º for wide strips.

6. Dress the salad to your liking, reserving a few spoonfuls of the dressing. You can either add the beef directly to the salad when you toss it, or you can serve it on top of the tossed salad.

7. Garnish with more cilantro and mint leaves, the crushed peanuts, and a final, generous spoonful or two of the reserve dressing over the beef. This salad is great warm, room temperature, or cold, so serve it however you’d like!

Cook Like a Monger: The Bánh Mì Burger

by Matt Gruber

Alright, let's talk bánh mì: a Vietnamese staple which dates back to the 1950's; a phenomenal sandwich on a short baguette, typically with some combination of pork, cilantro, cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon. You will see the French influence in certain variations as well, sometimes with a pâté or some form of mayonnaise.

It wasn't until after the Vietnam War that we began to see this sandwich more often in the US. Fast forward in time a bit and we start to see some new innovations in food happen. People start getting creative and combining food staples from around the world: one region’s cooking techniques with another’s cut of meat. Some of my favorite dishes are the culinary lovechild of two regions: gyro tacos, kimchi avocado toast, deep fried bok choy chaat. In 1988 the term "fusion cooking" was used in a speech given by Norman Van Aken (who has been called the Walt Whitman of American cuisine), coining the phrase we use today for such cuisine.

Here, I'm channeling one of the fusion godfathers, Wolfgang Puck, and transforming the bánh mì into a new summer staple... the bánh mì burger.

Ingredients:

1# Ground Pork (will make ~3 burgers)

Rose Street Bakery’s Japanese milk buns

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2-3 carrots, grated

1-2 baby cucumbers, sliced into coins

1 tsp ginger, minced

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tablespoon black garlic molasses

1/4 cup soy or ponzu sauce

1/2 red onion, sliced into moons

1 lime

1/4 cup white vinegar

 For the adventurous crowd, 1 jar of pork liver mousse

Directions:

In a bowl, combine juice of half lime, 1 tsp sugar, sliced onions, salt and pepper, 1/4 cup vinegar- set aside to quick pickle.

In a second bowl, mix your pork, garlic powder, ponzu/soy sauce, cilantro, black garlic molasses, then form into patties.

Preheat your cast iron or favorite heavy bottom pan on medium heat, place burgers in pan once preheated and cook for 4 1/2 - 5 minutes per side. Once cooked, pull off and let rest for 2-3 minutes, assemble burger with pickled veggies on top, garnish with cilantro if desired (and the pork liver mousse) and enjoy!

Cook like a Monger: Duck Confit Fried Rice

by Austin Coe Butler

Making fried rice is less about following a recipe and more about being in a state of mind. That is to say, it’s a great technique to have in your repertoire. In its ingredients and complexity, it can be dialed up or down from late night snack to date night main depending on the occasion or what’s in your fridge. You can use practically anything—carrots, frozen peas, corn, cabbage, rotisserie chicken, old steak, frozen shrimp—but to make it a meal I like to include two vegetables and a protein. For this recipe, I thought of a fabulous basil duck stir fry I had recently at Kahluna, and I had some pineapple laying around in the fridge. I added our house-made duck confit as an elegant yet easy and ready-cooked protein. 

Less is more when making fried rice. Too many ingredients, or too great a volume, and your fried rice will steam as opposed to pan fry and get that wok hei flavor, that inimitable subtle smoky, char that permeates a good restaurant-quality stir fry. In restaurants, chefs are using gas burners that resemble jet engines more than they do a kitchen stove, so the trick is to manage heat and volume. For that reason, I recommend cooking this dish in two batches. If you have an induction stove top or are using a flat bottomed skillet, you can still make an exceptional stir fry by following a few tricks.

First, make sure all your mise en place is done before you start. From start to finish, fried rice should take less than five minutes to cook. Cut small, uniform pieces of the ingredients so they cook quickly and evenly. Second, and most importantly, use day old rice. Using day old rice is the biggest upgrade to your fried rice home cooks can make. Day old rice is drier and separates into individual grains more readily than fresh rice. Fried rice made with fresh rice gets clumpy and soggy.

If you don’t have day old rice hiding in your fridge from your last delivery order, simply make some before you get started on the prep work. Be sure to rinse the rice before you cook it in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear, which removes extra starch that can make rice gummy. Cook it according to the instructions on the bag or your rice cooker if you have one. Once it’s done, spread the rice out onto a baking sheet to allow it to cool and dry. Just an hour or even only 30 minutes of drying rice like this will get you nice individual grains of rice that won’t clump together. Bonus points if you cook the rice in chicken stock with garlic and ginger for extra flavor.

For the basil in this recipe, I encourage you to use Genovese basil, the basil ubiquitous at supermarkets or coops, rather than seeking out Thai basil for this recipe. Often, the “basil” used in Thai stir fries is holy basil, which has a peppery quality far more similar to Genovese basil than the anise flavor in Thai basil. 

Ingredients:

1 package (about 1/2 lb.) France 44 duck confit, shredded

3 tablespoons France 44 Duck Fat or a neutral oil

2 cups day old or cold white rice

2 Locally Laid Eggs

1 medium shallot or 1/4 red onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

4 Thai chilis (optional), sliced

1/4 cup pineapple, diced

1/2 cup basil, small leaves left whole, large leaves torn

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce for color (optional)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1/2 tsp of sugar

1/8 teaspoon of white pepper (optional) 

A fairy dusting of monosodium glutamate (optional)

After you’ve prepared all your ingredients, place a pan or wok over high heat until screaming hot, about two or three minutes. Open your windows or turn on your kitchen hood. Add one tablespoon of the duck fat or cooking oil and swirl it around the sides of the pan. This is a technique known as longyau (熱油), and it helps make the wok non-stick. Add the eggs along with a pinch of salt and allow them to set for a few seconds, then scramble into fine curds. Remove from the pan and set aside when they are just barely cooked and still moist.

Wipe out the pan, add the rest of the duck fat and longyau again. Add your garlic and shallot and stir for about 30 seconds being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the bell pepper and Thai chilis and stir fry for 30 more seconds. If you wanted to add or use other vegetables, add them in terms of hardiness, stir frying as you go for about 30 seconds each. Say you wanted to add carrots, corn, and frozen peas, add them in that order.

Add the rice to the pan before pouring the sauce around the sides of the pan. Toss to combine. I liked to flatten and press the rice along the bowl of the wok and leave it until I hear it crackle. This pan searing results in nice caramelization and crispy bits in the final dish. If you notice liquid in the bottom of the pan or wok, keep stirring the dish until it has all cooked off. Moisture is the enemy of a good fried rice.

Lastly, add the pineapple, basil, and shredded duck confit to heat through while preserving the color and delicate perfume of the basil, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

For plating, consider packing a small bowl with the rice and turning it upside down on a plate to create a dome. Garnish it with crushed peanuts and finely sliced spring onions or whatever else you’d like.

Cook Like a Monger: Pickled Royal Corona Beans

by Anna Glassman-Kaufman

Beans are having a moment this spring. Rancho Gordo beans are truly something special, somewhat of a staff obsession - and their Royal Corona Beans are a personal fav. These beans have a thick skin and a creamy body. They’re giant and have an incredibly satisfying bite. My favorite preparation lately has been to pickle the beans, with a simple brine and whatever other vegetables I find in my fridge. If you don’t have the Royal Corona Beans, any other white or red bean will work well!

If you haven’t cooked dried beans before, don’t be intimidated! It’s TRULY easy, and makes a world of difference in flavor and texture when compared to canned beans.

1 cup dried beans

1 medium leek

1 medium carrot

A few sprigs fresh thyme, oregano, or rosemary

1 ¼ cups white vinegar

1 ¼ cups water

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

To cook the beans, rinse them well in a sieve to clean. Then, cover the beans with about three inches of water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook covered for about two hours, until beans are cooked through but hold together. Strain out the remaining water and rinse under clean cold water. Set aside.

Use a vegetable peeler to peel the carrot and slice into thin ribbons (a mandolin works here too). Slice the leek in half lengthwise, then wash well and slice in thin half-moons, starting about ½ inch from the roots, and up until the leek is bright green and becomes difficult to cut. Place the carrot and leek into glass or metal bowl and add your sprigs of fresh herbs and your beans.

In a small pot, bring the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a boil until the sugar and salt completely dissolve. Pour this brine over your beans, vegetables and herbs. Once cooled, place in the fridge for at least four hours before enjoying.

Enjoy on toast, as a part of your cheese/charcuterie board, or my favorite way, with a spoon right out of the bowl.

Cook Like a Cheesemonger: Cheeseboard Dinner

by Maura Rice

One of the things you hear most as a cheesemonger is something along the lines of: “OHMAHGERD, you’re so lucky, you must eat cheese all the time!” And while it’s true that we do sample our wares behind the counter from time to time (it is our professional obligation, after all), most cheesemongers I know… don’t actually eat that much cheese at home. I know! I know! Stay with me here.

They say that most chefs don’t spend more than five minutes cooking for themselves at home. It seems to me that the same goes for cheesemongers. If I do eat cheese at home, it’s 100% going to be a utensil-free, hand-to-mouth situation. Lately however, I’ve been thinking—I’ve made countless cheeseboards for family and friends over the years (it is, without a doubt, the coolest part about being a cheesemonger), but I’ve never extended the same luxury to myself.

If it were 2015, this post would undoubtedly be titled #treatyoself. Thankfully it’s not, and as mature adults we can appreciate the importance of self care, which in this case looks like making yourself a kick**s cheeseboard for dinner.

“Recipe” (feeds 1-???)

3 cheeses (The traditional school of thought says that you need a cow, a sheep, and a goat cheese—personally, I say choose what you like. In this case that was: Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Camembert dell’Alta Langa, and Blakesville Sunny Ridge. 2-4 oz per person is a good rule.)

Something sweet (Fresh fruit, dried fruit, chocolate, honey, jams—all good options)

Something sour (Pickles are great on cheese and charcuterie boards alike. The acid cuts through the rich, fatty flavors of meat and cheese. It’s like a breath of fresh air for your palate.)

Something salty (Salami, prosciutto, nuts, you get it)

Garnish (Garnishing is my favorite part of building a cheeseboard. It brings an often beige plate to life, providing important contrast, and generally making you look like you know what you’re doing. Any greenery goes a long way—try to fill in gaps in your composition. Blueberries and dried fruit are also great for this purpose.)

Composition:

Creating a cheese or charcuterie board is all about balance and contrast. As a general rule, I try to repeat colors or elements more than once, but no more than three times (see: blueberries, cornichons, strawberries, etc). This creates a balanced effect without looking like a garnish explosion happened on the board. Use large pieces like your cheese wedges to anchor the smaller elements. Try to have some extreme dark (jam, dried figs, blueberries) and light (cheese!) shades going on.

Importantly: when it comes to entertaining, show your guests how to consume the board. Cut large hunks into wedges or slices, stick a knife in large hunks of cheese, pour jam right on the board—diners are often timid about these things, so give them an excuse to dive in and get messy.

Lastly, know that there is no wrong answer when it comes to building a cheeseboard. Let your intuition and creativity guide you. I’ve seen cheez-its, kimchi, and jalapeños used on cheeseboards to great effect. Who’s to say that Spam, Oreos, and dragonfruit wouldn’t be fabulous in the right context? (And if you do make a board with these elements, PLEASE tag us.) Happy building–and more importantly, happy eating!