First Friday 2010

Since I'm working on a culinary textbook for Prentice Hall, I decided to use the Meadowlark work team as guinea pigs for recipe testing this summer. I made them two soufflés--asparagus cheese and broccoli cheese. Yikes, it's been several years since I made a savory soufflé and I do need to make a few more to get it down--one came out a little soupy. I think I had the oven temp too high and it browned before cooking through, common problem. I'm working on the France, Italy and Spain chapters. So the Meadowlarks and crew will likely get some interesting food this month.

Eli (see photo of him holding a Meadowlark asparagus) sliced radishes, sweet raw turnips and tossed them with leftover cooked asparagus and broccoli. We dressed them with some of my preserved lemons and their lemony-salty brine plus olive oil. It was very simple but powerful. I steamed the turnip and radish greens and just dressed them with oil and soy sauce. Not a rip roaring meal for the first. I need to get a head of steam up.

Going to Manhattan this Friday so that should inspire me! I'll miss cooking, but will return for the following Friday June 25 2010.

Here's a recipe for preserved lemons. I only use organic lemons, and instead of slitting each whole lemon and packing with salt, I cut them in half, juiced them and rubbed them with salt. More economical and you only use the rind anyway. Wonderfully bitter, lemony and salty.

Krcek-Allen Preserved Lemons
Makes 1 quart

7 to 8 medium lemons
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt (no other)

Cut lemons in half around their equators. Juice them, and set juice aside.

Pour 1 teaspoon salt on bottom of 1 quart glass canning jar. Rub juiced lemon halves with remaining salt and pack them into the jar.

Pour fresh lemon juice over lemons so they are immersed. Seal with plastic or canning jar lid and set jar on plate (it will overflow slightly). Leave lemons at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. Refrigerate up to 6 months.

Pull out inside skin from lemon before using. Slice lemon halves into thin jullienne or mince. Great on salad or on top of stewed or grilled meat--or in vegetable dishes. Especially good paired with toasted pecans.