Arugula Salad with Fig, Melon, and Gorgonzola

Inspiration for a new dish can come from many different sources. This salad had two influences. The first was an abundance of figs coming from the tree in my back yard – you can only make so much fig jam. The other flash of inspiration came from an article in an airplane magazine I was reading on my way to my daughter’s wedding in Utah. The result was a salad that my guests raved about and I had to make again the same week we enjoyed it so much. This unbelievable salad tantalizes all 5 senses – sweet melon and fig, sour balsamic, bitter arugula, salt, and savory gorgonzola. While you can substitute any ripe melon for the cantaloupe, I would not switch out any other ingredient in this salad.

Makes 4 serving

4 oz Fresh Figs

2 oz Arugula

1 C Cantaloupe

1 sprig Basil

2 oz Gorgonzola Cheese

¼ tsp Kosher Salt

1 TBS Aged Balsamic

1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Trim the stems off of the figs (~1C) then cut them in quarters. Using the small end of a melon baller, scoop out 1 cup of ripe cantaloupe (~1/4 of a melon). Roll up the leaves of the basil into a tight roll and cut diagonally to create thin strips (chiffonade).

Place the washed arugula in the bottom of a salad bowl; add the melon balls, the fig, and the basil chiffonade. Crumble or cut the gorgonzola on to the top of the salad then top with1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon each of aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.   For the best presentation, do not toss this salad until you are actually serving it.

To print this recipe, go to Arugula Salad with Fig, Melon, and Gorgonzola

Shrimp & Grits

This dish was inspired by a meal at a local restaurant. I’ve had shrimp & grits many times before and it’s a hit or miss type situation. It’s either so bland that it has no flavor or it’s really good. This recipe is an Italian makeover of this southern classic using creamy polenta, garlic, diced sautéed ham, and tangy balsamic barbecue sauce over a cheesy polenta. Now if you are not familiar with polenta, it’s made from ground yellow cornmeal while grits are made from ground white cornmeal. Their taste is very similar but their texture differs – polenta is more finely ground and smoother than grits. Polenta is sometimes hard to locate and grits can be substituted in a pinch.

Makes 4 main serving or 8 appetizer servings

Ingredients *

2 Cloves Garlic Confit (minced) *

1 TBS Olive Oil

½ lb Deli Ham (have deli give you two ¼” slices)

½ C Catsup

¼ C Balsamic Vinegar

½ C Fig Jam *

1 lb Peeled and Deveined Shrimp 31/40 Count

Polenta Ingredients

4 C Chicken Broth

1 TBS Olive Oil

½ C Grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese

1 C Instant Polenta *

Mince the garlic and dice the ham (1/4” cubes). Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat and sauté the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the diced ham and sauté for and additional 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the catsup, balsamic vinegar, fig jam and bring to a low boil. Lower the heat to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Note: this can be made up the day before and refrigerated until needed.

While the barbecue sauce is cooking, prepare the polenta. In a medium saucepan add the chicken broth, olive oil, and grated cheese and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the polenta, beating with a whisk until smooth. Return to the flame and continue to cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, whisking continuously. Remove from the heat and cover while you cook the shrimp.

Add the peeled and deveined shrimp to the simmering barbecue sauce and cook until the shrimp turns pink.

Divide the polenta into 4 wide soup plates. Top each dish with the shrimp and barbecue sauce. Serve immediately.

* Pronto Substitutes

Garlic Confit –Substitute 1 clove finely minced garlic.

Fig Jam – Substitute apricot jam for the fig

BBQ Sauce – If you don’t want to make your own barbecue sauce, sauté the garlic in the olive oil and substitute 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce for the catsup, balsamic vinegar, and jam.

Polenta – Substitute instant grits for the polenta in this recipe.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Shrimp & Grits.

BlueBarb Jam

Makes 6 pints BlueBarb jam

           

12 8oz. (½ Pt.) canning jars and lids

2 - 8 Qt Pots

4 C Rhubarb (finely cut)

4 C Crushed Blueberries (~3 Pints)

8 C Sugar

2 boxes Fruit Pectin

I have to admit that my family is spoiled. They only want to eat homemade jam, and I don’t blame them. A few years ago my next door neighbor was telling me that she could no longer find bluebarb jam. This sent me on a quest to make the perfect blueberry and rhubarb jam that was sweet but still had a tang. I remember growing up with my mother making rhubarb compote every summer and I wanted to add that flavor to this jam.  I hope you enjoy it.

Wash the blueberries and rhubarb and prepare the jars for canning.  This is an important step since food spoilage occurs easily if the canning is not done properly.  I suggest you go to your favorite source to find out what the best practices are for canning, such as www.homecanning.com. Follow the directions for high-acid foods exactly. 

Dice the rhubarb into ¼ inch pieces and set aside in a large bowl. Mash the blueberries until you have four cups worth.  Combine the rhubarb and the blueberries in an 8 qt pot, add the sugar and thoroughly mix.  Place over high heat; bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for EXACTLY 1 MINUTE and then remove it from the stove. Watch out — it will splatter.  Add the two boxes of pectin, stirring until it’s dissolved.  Place your immersion blender into the jam and process until no lumps are visible.  Keep the head of the immersion blender in the jam.  If it is spinning and you lift it above the surface of the jam you will splatter very hot jam everywhere. If you do not have an immersion blender you can put it in your food processor in batches.  Be very careful – it’s hot!

Using a sterile canning technique, fill the jars with the BlueBarb Jam leaving a ½ inch clearance between the top of the jam and the lid.  Cap the jars immediately with new lids.  The lid rings can be reused as long as they are clean and sterilized.  Let the jars cool for several hours until you will hear the lids pop.  This signifies that a jar is sealed properly.  After all of the jars have cooled completely, press the tops of the jars to make sure they are sealed.  If the top "pops" down then refrigerate this jar for immediate consumption. I suggest you go to your favorite source to find out what the best practices are for canning, such as www.homecanning.com. Follow the directions for high-acid foods exactly.

The BlueBarb jam will keep in your refrigerator for up to three weeks after opening.  If you don't plan on using it quickly I recommend that you use the small 4 oz. jars so that they are open the least amount of time.

I do not have the luxury of having a blueberry farm near me so I will usually wait until the blueberries in the grocery store go on sale before I make BlueBarb jam.  You can use frozen blueberries but the fresh are better.  Now if the rhubarb is not available at the same time as the blueberries I have frozen the blueberries until I'm ready to use them. 

Rhubarb is available in the produce section of you grocery store but I have always grown it in my garden.  It is a perennial and comes back year after year.  It looks great too with its red stalks.

* PRONTO SUBSTITUTE

Fresh vs. Frozen – If fresh blueberries or rhubarb are not available you can use frozen blueberries or rhubarb.

To print a copy of this recipe go to BlueBarb Jam.