(This is all things I found wonderful about Troncones. Part 2 will be details about what happened after our visit. Stay tuned!)

As we drove into Troncones, I was struck by the overall crumminess of the little village. Tiny dusty shops lined the potholed one-lane roads. Skinny dogs darted through shadows. Flies. And dimly lit grocery stores the size of a one-car garage. It seemed like there was nothing in Troncones that I’d ever want or need.

Yet, the village is on the verge of transformation. Well-architected homes are under construction on the beach . If you can see through the scrubby trees and over rough walls, you’ll find several nice hotels. Nothing is apparent at first glance. It’s one of those places where you can still experience a fairly primitive lifestyle, then go to bed on clean sheets in an air conditioned room. When I was in my twenties, I was OK sleeping in a hammock on a Mexican beach and huddling in a public concrete block restroom in my wet sleeping bag in the middle of the night when the rain came. No more. Nope. I sort of want it both ways. I want the innocent primitive place, but I don’t want too many mosquitos. Until developers take over and ruin it, that is what you can have now in Troncones.

We settled into a routine of foraging for food, cooking, and swimming at a beach called Troncones Cove, which is just steps away from the house. Most of the shore is comprised of sharp dark rocks that are covered by sea urchins just below the water level. These beaches are PRISTINE! No trash. Nothing gross washed up from halfway around the world. (And no beach maintenance either.) I thought I’d never see another natural beach so nice.

We often swam in the mornings, then enjoyed a world class chicken caldo at Los Raqueros, a small inn on the ocean with the kind of beachfront dining you dream about. No reservations needed. Just wander up from the beach in your wet bathing suit and take a seat at a table in the sand.

In Troncones, I found ladies selling fresh snapper and shrimp in the mornings. We bought 3 kilos of shrimp (way to much!), some butter, chilis, lemons, garlic, white wine, rice, etc. and headed home. To ask six people to stop lounging by the pool and come help peel, devein and clean 3 kilos of shrimp is a true test of friendship. But they did. And that night we seared the shrimp fairly dry on a hot plancha, then heavily doused them in a garlic, chili, lemon butter sauce and served them with saffron rice made with broth from the shrimp shells and lots of fresh herbs. We had so much left over that we made a taco bar the next day for lunch with fresh tortillas, Mexican cheese, and all the fixings.

Our favorite restaurant, Indigo, is a small rustic Argentinean steak house by night with a small panaderia off to the side. Breakfast and lunch are also a rustic treat of traditional Mexican fare served open air by beautiful gentle people who are not in a hurry for anything.

And then, like it landed there from outer space, we found a gleaming modern glass air conditioned cafe and coffee shop, Cuatro, that is so spiffy it could be in Austin. I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time before more things like this crop up and crowd out the small family run restaurants. Still, it is a beautiful change of pace, and they do make excellent coffees and lunches.

During the next few days, we made our way into busy Zihuatanejo to buy delicate lettuce from the farmer’s market and fish from a fabulous fish market, Pescados y Mariscos Peke. And we discovered the best grocery store in Troncones, Fruteria Yahve, which turned out to have everything on my list! You just have to ask. Cilantro? A woman rummaged behind the milk in an old fridge and brought out some wet newspaper with whole cilantro plants tangled up inside. Roots and all. That sort of thing.

We found a sweet family operation to rent snorkels. And we discovered a tiny tortilla factory, Tortillerias Don Celso, run by lovely people just beaming with pride in their products. (Not to be found on the internet or Google maps. Just ask.)

This coastal area is on the path of the migrating whales in late winter. (We were there in late February.) We saw several pods of whales from our house. They must have been feasting on a dinner just along the shore.

Truly hard core surfers are drawn to this area. The Pacific ocean is no joke. An utterly ruthless bully. Not for sissies like me. But we swam out in surfer territory for some of the best snorkeling I’ve ever found straight off a beach. We swam with a huge sea turtle and were enticed out further along the rocks where clouds of fish enveloped us in waves of color. It was glorious. The rough water almost gave me a panic attack, but I enjoyed it more than I was afraid.

Slowly, over the next few days, I shed my squeaky clean spoiled American lens and discovered that just about anything I needed was in Troncones. I fell in love with the simplicity, the slow pace and the kind people. How can you sit outside a tiny shop on a wooden stool all day selling mangos and be filled with joy? Loving life. Erupting in conversation and laughter. They do it there. It’s a rare life skill that many of us lack. I’d go back in a minute.

Your friend,

Yvonne

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I love combining these rather common and uninteresting ingredients to create a 5-star meal that’s visually gorgeous, has a crunchy yet softly comforting texture, and is super healthy. The silk purse of dishes. This is a meatless meal in a bowl. Enjoy it outdoors with a glass of dry minerally white wine or late at night straight out of the fridge.

This recipe is more of a guide. If you don’t have all the ingredients, it’s OK. Just go with what you have. I think the specialness is created with the combination of Castelvetrano olives (be sure to buy these pitted), whole toasted almonds and feta cheese. It’s nice to serve these in a shallow bowl with a piece of crusty bread and olive oil.

Tip: I found a video in which Eric Ripart shows how he cuts up a zucchini. It’s brilliant, and I recommend it because it eliminates some of the spongy middle of the squash. He cuts the squash lengthwise into halves. Then cuts each half lengthwise to get four long sections. Finally, he slices out the white seedy center sections of each piece. This leaves the firm flesh.

Another tip: This is nice with both zucchini and asparagus. But if you just have one or the other, that’s OK. Just go with one veggie and up the quantity.

One more tip: I sometimes crumble a tin of sardines into this salad to give it a real mediterranean vibe with even more protein. If you do this, consider upping the lemon zest and juice.

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I know the idea of making a salad sometimes seems boring. You’re not sure what to do, but also don’t want to go to too much trouble. I hope this will make it easier. My generalized rule of thumb for an interesting salad beyond a pile of dressed lettuce is that it should contain:

Greens of some sort. This is seasonal. Winter, include endive and arrugula, summer use the more delicate seasonal lettuces.

Nuts or seeds. This is seasonal too. In fall/winter, use toasted walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts. In Spring/Summer, use seeds such as toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Toasted almonds and pistachios are wonderful year round.

Cheese. For winter, a blue cheese or crumbled aged white cheddar are nice. For summer, I love burrata or feta. Goat cheese and parmesan are good choices year round. You can also add grilled halloumi.

Fruit or vegetable. Avacados are always delicious, especially with grapefruit, fennel and pistachios. In general, for winter, you can use thinly sliced apples or pears (which are lovely with blue cheese and toasted walnuts), citrus slices or pomegranate seeds. Dried fruit such as apricots and dates are nice. Winter vegetables that are wonderful in salads include thinly sliced fennel, thinly sliced raw kolrabi, roasted butternut squash, and roasted or raw carrots.

For summer fruit, try peaches (or any ripe stone fruit) or berries. And for veggies, crisp poached asparagus cut into pieces, thinly sliced radish, and of course tomatoes. Thinly sliced zucchini is wonderful too, as are fresh corn kernels and green peas.

Optional: meat. The addition of a protein turns your salad into a meal. You can fry slices of proscuito in a about a tablespoon of olive oil until it is cooked, then let it cool. It will become thin, salty and crispy. This is a wonderful garnish. Thin slices of smoked salmon are beautiful with many salads. Or try a flavorful dusting of shaved botarga, a delicacy of salted, cured fish roe, typically from grey mullet or tuna, known as the "prosciutto of the sea". This will keep in your fridge for a while and adds a wonderful umami. (If you use a botarga or salmon, you’ll probably want to eliminate the fruit component.)

Dressing. A basic salad dressing is all you’ll usually need. A finely chopped shallot marinated in a teaspoon of sherry vinegar with a good squeeze of lemon juice. Then mixed with 1/2 cup olive oil, a teaspoon of whole grain mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, salt and pepper. Bam. That’s it.

THE SECRET: If you’re using nuts in your salad, incorporate specialty oils such as hazelnut oil, walnut oil, or almond oil into the dressing. Just a couple of tablespoons makes an enormous difference. Keep these oils in the fridge because they go rancid sitting out. They will keep a long time in the fridge.

If you are using citrus in your salad, instead of the sherry vinegar, use blood orange vinegar. If you’re using pears in your salad, use pear vinegar. And if you’re using berries, use raspberry vinegar. These vinegars are very special, and will keep in the fridge for a long time.

Another nice touch is a crunchy sea salt as garnish. This adds a bit of sparkle and texture to the final masterpiece.

Here’s how it all comes together:

When a friend told me that her doctor said she had tested low on iron and this was the explanation for her low energy, I realized that I’d never thought much about iron. Then I researched it a bit, and created this recipe that is FULL of iron AND protein. I was surprised that it really does make me feel great. And bonus, it can sit in the fridge for days. I’ve pulled it out for a last minute meal in a bowl and delivered it to friends who feel under the weather.

This healthy hearty soup is a light lemony meal in a bowl. Top it with greek yogurt and an extra slice of lemon to squeeze on top. (Apparently, our bodies cannot assimilate iron unless it is accompanied by something like lemon. Who knew?)

The texture is enhanced by partially blending this soup. Stick an immersion blender straight in the pot and blend until the texture is slightly creamy but still has lots of toothy texture. Or, if you don’t have an immersion blender, put half of the soup in a countertop blender. But don’t overdo it. You do not want a smooth puree.

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This is one of the most delicious and interesting desserts I have ever tasted. I was first treated to this by a friend who travels extensively in Middle Eastern and Asian countries. It will delight everyone! And it’s very difficult to tell what is in this once it’s all put together. The nice thing about this is that it requires no real cooking. The only work is in getting all the ingredients together. You can buy orange flower water in most good grocery stores or liquor stores. (It contains no alcohol.) It is almost like a perfume. If you can’t find it, the dessert is still wonderful, but not as exotic.

We have friends whose list of things they don’t eat makes entertaining a challenge. No red meat. No dark chicken meat….the list goes on and on so that it’s fairly difficult to create a pleasing menu. I prepared this chicken piccata for them, however, and they were all smiles. This chicken will almost always please even a picky child, and at the same time you’ll receive approval from your more sophisticated eaters.

I like to get all the prep work done ahead and have every ingredient measured and ready to throw together in quick succession. Slice the breasts in half and pound them earlier in the day, then store them in the fridge separated by sheets of parchment paper. Pounding to consistent thickness ensures they will cook fast and evenly. I normally bread the breasts just before guests arrive. Thats the messy part. I put the breadcrumbs, egg and flour containers in the sink. When I’m finished, I wash it all down the sink so the mess is contained.

When guests arrive, you can heat the pan, cook the chicken, and construct the sauce in about 20 minutes. If you are serving your chicken with rice, you can make that an hour ahead, too. If you wish to cook more than two breasts at once, it’s helpful to use a two-burner stovetop griddle. This gives you more real estate to cook three or four at once.

You can serve the chicken with rice, pasta tossed in the sauce (make extra if you go this direction) or mashed potatoes. It is lovely with a small green salad of watercress and spring onion, too.

This recipe will provide two pieces of chicken per person. (Each breast cut in half yields two pieces.) This is quite a large serving. Most people are happy with one piece of chicken, or half a breast. However, this chicken is excellent the next day as a sandwich or sliced and put over a salad, so it’s not bad to have leftovers.

In winter, we want something luscious and warm. In summer we want something light and fresh. Somehow, this is both. I came up with this combination when I had very little in the fridge, yet wanted to create a little dinner, pronto. I write my notes down as I go in a notebook, just so I’ll remember.

You can create this in the time it takes to cook your pasta. Let me know what you think!

I’ve tried cooking racks of lamb and rib chops, as they are known when cut into individual pieces, in every way imaginable. This simple method wins over all others. The lamb is rich. So plan to serve two or three chops per person. It’s important to prepare this lamb dish medium rare. If it is too done (solid brown throughout and dense to the touch), it loses its juiciness and becomes tough and no fun to eat. Too rare (still raw in center), and it’s hard to cut, and a lot of work to chew. If you want your lamb to be just right, this is a great approach.

I like the lamb from New Zealand that Costco sells. The quality is excellent, and it’s about half the price of what you’d find at a good grocery store. These lamb shanks do not have excessive fat, as some do. If you find your lamb has more than ⅛” thick layer of fat, then trim a bit off.

A grill pan is perfect for this preparation. They leave sear marks on the meat and allow the fat to fall below the surface of the meat. However, a plain large plain cast iron pan also works just fine. If you’re looking for a good grill pan, you can spend a lot. But this version is super affordable and reversible, meaning it’s flat on one side (great for pancakes!) and has ridges on the other side for dishes such as this.

The hazelnut pesto will be slightly crunchy from the toasted nuts, tangy with lemon, and smooth enough to slather over each bite. After you toast the nuts, there is no cooking involved. Just whiz it all together in a food processor!

Serve your lamb and pesto with a tidy round of Mushroom Bread Pudding and a few spears of roasted asparagus.

Table manners note: it’s perfectly acceptable to hold your lamb by the bone with your fingers and gingerly nibble away. That’s half the fun.

Quintonil: This is listed as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world. It’s a special occasion. The food is amazing. And expensive. We really don’t think it was worth the trouble. They are processing tourists through the restaurant and it doesn’t feel as authentic as the other restaurants I listed above.

Read more

If you’re planning to go, I recommend you buy the book, This is Mexico City, by Abby Clawson Low. It’s full of interesting places with photos and descriptions. We took it with us, and we were glad we did.

Transportation

Arrange to have a driver pick you up at the airport. It’s fine to use Ubers around the city, but for your arrival, having a car service pick you up is worth the small cost.

Where to stay

We stayed at this AirBnB in Roma. It was beautiful for two people. It is on the ground floor of an old home in Roma. The apartment opens up onto a walled garden. This place is quiet. Quiet is hard to find in Mexico City.

We tried Casa Golina. It’s an old home in a great part of town that’s been turned into a boutique hotel. It’s very charming, but I’m super sensitive to noise, and found it a bit loud.

The next time I go, I plan to stay in this charming place in Roma, Ignacia Guest House. Or this place which looks nice. I also want to try this place outside the city. And this hotel called Downtown Mexico City looks interesting. If you want to stay in Polanca, Casa Polanca is a nice choice.

One of the greatest treats you’ll experience in the city is the food!

Where to eat in Roma and Condessa

Madre cafe is gorgeous. You’ll sit outdoors in a garden patio under trees and enjoy a fresh, authentic brunch or lunch.

Delirio: There are two locations. There’s a small café for breakfast and lunch called Abarrotes Delirio that’s on a quiet side street. And a larger restaurant a few blocks away in a grand building where you can sit on the sidewalk or eat inside. Their pastries are beautiful and their breakfast is very nice.

Niddo is another wonderful breakfast and lunch spot. There are two locations; one in Juarez and one in Polanca. The food is creative. The pastries are a work of art. It’s small and quaint.

Café NIN: This very cool spot is on a delightful street called Havre in Juarez. It’s in a very old building that’s a blend of indoors and outdoors. There are lots of small wonderful little places near NIN on this street that are so intriguing. (We never saw any tourists at this gorgeous place.)

Lardo is our favorite restaurant in Mexico City. You should have a reservation here. You can eat at the bar which is super fun. They have a fresh fig pizza and always offer many creative dishes.

Eno: Eno is Chef Enrique Olvera’s group of three affordable cafes (Olvera also did Pujol). It’s a casual breakfast, lunch or dinner spot.

Maximo Bistro dowsn’t have a website. This is exquisite food in a small restaurant in Roma. Sit inside. Sometimes it gets quite loud in the outdoor seating because of the mariachis. They serve a gorgeous eggplant butter with bread once you’re seated. I asked for the recipe.

Maximo Bistro Eggplant Butter

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants

• 1 garlic clove

• 3 oz. goat cheese

• 2 ½ oz.olive oil

• salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Char the eggplant: Place the whole eggplant directly over a high-heat gas burner. Rotate it frequently until the peel is completely blackened and scorched on all sides and the flesh has collapsed.

Prepare the flesh: Once cooled, remove the stem end and scrape the soft, smoky flesh into a blender or food processor.

Blend with ingredients: Blend the eggplant with the garlic. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is fully emulsified into a smooth, creamy purée. Once the emulsion has formed, add the goat cheese. Then season the dip with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Serve: Serve the smoky eggplant dip with crusty bread or grilled toast as you would butter.

Havre 77: this is a less-known restaurant that is owned and run by the same people who own Maximo Bistro. I prefer it because it’s not as busy. It’s in an old grand home. It’s a very romantic place to sit and sip drinks. They also have a room with a raw seafood bar.

La Docena: If you like seafood, this is your spot. This bohemian seafood restaurant in Roma has things you’ve never seen before. They have the regular oysters and things you’d expect, but also giant clams from the pacific ocean that they chop into a ceviche right before your eyes and serve on the shell. We had a 5” section of a palm tree that was split down the middle and then grilled to present a “heart of palm.” I recommend you sit at the bar where you’ll be able to see what they are concocting, than ask for one yourself. You can drink a fresh coconut, too. With or without rum.

Azul: This restaurant has three locations. We love the one in Condessa. It’s a traditional, more formal Mexican meal. You’ll find large tables of businesspeople arriving around 2:30 in the afternoon. They have a lovely outdoor patio.

Huset: This Roma restaurant has a beautiful outdoor patio with filtered light through a canopy of vines. They also have a stunning bar. We enjoyed an avocado pizza and many other distinctive dishes.

Rosetta: This is in a beautiful old funky house in Roma. The food is very creative. The best way to experience this menu is to order as many things as you can and share.

Contramar: This is a hip, fun restaurant focused on seafood where all the business people go to be seen. Honestly, I think it’s a bit too much of an institution with lots of tourists, though it’s listed in all the guides. I put it here to say, “Meh, maybe skip this one.”

Primos: This is a beautiful French-style bistro serving some French and some Mexican food. It’s near the park in Condessa and is a gorgeous place to sit outside for any meal.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. fennel (about 2 large bulbs), stalks removed, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2” wedges

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

In a bowl, toss together fennel, cream, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a 3-qt. baking dish (or individual serving baking dishes); dot with butter. Cover dish with foil; bake for 60 minutes.

Uncover baking dish, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until fennel is tender, about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, preferably brioche or challah

• 1 1/2 lb. mixed fresh wild mushrooms such as chanterelle, cremini, and oyster, trimmed

• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallot

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 cups half-and-half

• 4 large eggs

• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

Preheat over to 350° with rack in middle.

Bake bread cubes in 1 layer on a large shallow baking pan until golden-brown, about 10 minutes.

Cut mushrooms lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces.

Cook shallots in butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften.

Add mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until mushroom liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add parsley and garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk together half-and-half, eggs, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Stir in mushrooms and bread cubes until coated and let stand 10 minutes for bread to absorb the egg mixture.

Butter 8 ramekins. Cut a parchment paper round to fit in the bottom of each. Spoon the mixture into ramekins and bake on a baking sheet until firm to the touch, about 30 to 35 minutes. Un-mold puddings and discard parchment.

Ingredients

• 2 bunches of beet greens trimmed with kitchen scissors to remove the tough stems

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted lightly to a golden color in a small skillet

Instructions

Wash the beet leaves at least twice in a sink full of cold water. Using kitchen scissors, cut off the thick stems.

Place the greens in a vegetable steamer in a saucepan with and inch or so of simmering water. Steam until just tender. Drain well by putting the greens into a colander and pressing as much of the water out as possible.

Further dry the steamed greens by pressing them between two clean towels. Next, take the pressed greens and place them on a sheet of saran wrap. Shape them onto a long roll about 3/4 inch in diameter, pressing firmly and using the saran wrap to hold them together. You can chill the resulting “log” of beet greens until later if you wish.

Brown the butter, then mix in the sesame oil, lemon juice and salt. Reserve for later.

At serving time, cut through the saran wrap with a very sharp knife so that you have 1 inch tall cylinders.

Unwrap the cylinders and discard the plastic. Paint the top of each cylinder with light coat of melted butter, then dip the tops of each cylinder into a bowl of the toasted sesame seeds. This will cover the top of the cylinder with seeds. Place the cylinders on the surface you want to serve them on. Lightly drizzle each cylinder with the butter mixture.

Ingredients

• 4 whole eggs

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 4 tablespoons water

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup sheep’s camembert cheese with the rind cut off, softened in the microwave, and cut into small pieces

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter small ceramic ramekins on the bottoms and sides.

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until just mixed.

In a small saucepan, heat the butter, sugar, water, and cream just to simmering point (don’t allow to boil). Stir in the cheese until smooth. Let cool slightly.

Pour the heated cream mixture slowly into the egg mixture, whisking as you go. If you pour it too quickly, the eggs may curdle. Strain the egg/cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.

Evenly divide the egg/cream mixture between the ramekins.

Place the ramekins in a casserole pan. Pour simmering water around the ramekins until it reaches halfway up the sides.

Place the pan in the oven. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes depending on the size of your ramekins. You do not want the flan to be browned at all, just slightly firm but still wobbly.

Take the pan out of the oven and allow to cool in the water bath. Serve the flan slightly warm or chilled.

Ingredients

• 8 small fresh red beets, scrubbed with tops trimmed off

• 8 small fresh golden beets, scrubbed with tops trimmed off

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme sprinkled overall)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/4 cup of whole hazelnuts, toasted in a 425 degree oven with skins roughly rubbed off

• 4 cups of mache, arrugula or spinach

• 1/4 cup of champagne or white wine vinegar

• 6 tablespoons walnut or hazelnut oil

• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1/2 cup goat cheese

• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese or creme fraise

• salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an ovenproof dish, toss the beets with the olive oil, thyme, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the red and orange beets separately to preserve their color. Cover each dish with foil and roast until the beets are tender: 45 minutes to an hour. Remove and cool. Slip their skins off. If you are using small beets, cut them into halves. If using larger beets, cut them into 1/2 inch pieces.

Place the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven at 350 degrees until they smell fragrant (about 10 minutes). Remove and place on a tea towel. Bundle the nuts up and move them around in the towel so that they rub against each other and shed some of their loose skins. (This is messy. I do it outdoors,) Chop the cooled nuts into coarse chunks.

Whisk together the vinegar, walnut oil, sugar, and lemon juice.

Mix the goat cheese and the ricotta cheese (or creme fraise) until smooth.

Dress the greens in half the dressing. Place them on salad plates.

Heat the beets in the oven or a microwave until they are gently warmed (NOT blazing hot) and set an assortment of red and yellow beets on the top of each plate of greens. Sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts.

Add 4 or 5 small dollops of the fluffy cheese mixture to each plate of beets. The cheese will soften further from the warmth of the beets. Drizzle the beets and cheese with a spoonful of the remaining dressing.

Ingredients

• 4 cups arugula, cleaned with stems removed

• 4 small red beets (or one large beet)

• 1/2 cup crumbled Maytag blue cheese

• 3 strips of bacon, fried and crumbled into 1/4” pieces

• 1 Asian pear, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/8” slices

• 16 fresh toasted walnut halves (4 per serving)

Dressing

• 1/4 cup very good olive oil

• 2 tablespoons walnut or hazelnut oil

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon pear vinegar

• 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot

• salt and pepper

Instructions

Whisk all dressing ingredients together and let them sit for about 30 minutes so that the shallot has a chance to marinate.

Toss the arugula in just enough dressing to be lightly coated. Arrange the arugula equally in the center of 4 plates.

Place a couple of beet pieces on each plate nestled in the arugula. Sprinkle each salad with blue cheese, bacon, and walnuts.

Arrange 4 slices of Asian pear around the outside of each salad.

Drizzle a few more drops of dressing around the outside of the plate, salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 1 cup green lentils, rinsed

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup very finely chopped celery

• 1/2 cup very finely chopped carrot

• 1/4 cup very finely chopped shallot

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

• 4 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

• 4 tablespoons minced fresh mint

• 4 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

• 4 tablespoons minced fresh basil

• salt and pepper

• A few dashes of Tabasco sauce to taste

Instructions

Bring lentils and 3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low, add the white wine vinegar, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 35 minutes. Drain lentils and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add the carrot and celery and stir over the heat for just a minute to barely soften them. They should still be crunchy.

Remove pan from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Mix with the cooled lentils. Add salt, pepper, and Tabasco to taste.

Serve on a bed of fresh greens.

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

• 1 onion, peeled and chopped

• 1 dried whole chipotle chile

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 zucchinis cut into 1/2-inch slices

• 4 cups hot chicken broth

• 1 cup of white wine

• 1 cup frozen peas

• 6-8 ounces trimmed watercress or baby spinach

• juice of 1/2 lemon, or tadd more o taste

• 10 basil leaves, torn into small pieces

• salt and pepper

• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (optional)

• Basil Oil for garnish

Instructions

In a large pan, combine garlic, onion, chile, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place over medium heat, and sauté until onion is soft on edges, about 5 minutes.

Add wine and cook for one minute.

Add zucchini and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until zucchini is almost soft. Taste soup for spiciness and remove the chile when you have the amount of flavor desired.

Add peas, simmer for 1 minute. Then remove from heat and add the fresh watercress or spinach.

Allow soup to cool slightly. Working in several batches, transfer soup to a blender (do not fill container more than halfway), and, holding onto lid tightly with a dishtowel to keep the soup from escaping, puree until very smooth. Begin at a low speed and gradually increase to high.

Season soup with lemon juice and salt. If soup is too thick, add a small amount of hot water. Stir in basil leaves and ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with a swirl of Basil Oil.

Ingredients

• 1 12 oz. bottle of beer (not light)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined, or you can use cooked lobster meat

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 large white onion, finely chopped

• 3 stalks celery, finely chopped

• 2 carrots, finely chopped

• 1 yellow bell pepper seeded and diced

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 1 1/2 cups fish stock (see below)

• 4 1/2 cups fresh corn (6 to 8 ears)

• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup half-and-half

• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

• Salt and pepper

Cilantro Puree

• 1 small can green chiles

• 1 cup fresh cilantro, packed

• 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Heat beer, 2 cups of water, the bay leaf, and red pepper flakes in a 2-quart pan until boiling. Add the shrimp and let it cook for 2 minutes. Remove shrimp and cook liquid down by half. (If using cooked lobster meat, omit this step.)

Melt butter in large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 15 minutes. Stir in the oregano, cumin, thyme, and flour. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cup of dry white wine and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add reduced beer liquid and the fish stock. Add the corn. Add a cup of water. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Cut each shrimp into 4 pieces and add half the shrimp to the soup. (If using lobster meat, follow the same instructions.) Remove soup from heat and stir in cream, half-and-half, and lime juice.

Puree the soup in small batches in a food processor or blender. Season it to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining shrimp or lobster and keep warm over low heat.

Make the cilantro puree by blending all three ingredients (chiles cilantro, and oil) until very smooth.

To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls and swirl a couple of tablespoons of puree on top of each one.

Fish stock ingredients

• 1 large white onion, roughly chopped

• 1 chopped fennel bulb

• 2 large carrots roughly sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled

• 10 sprigs of fresh Italian parsley

• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

• 3 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

• 4 cups dry white wine

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 4 pounds of clean rinsed fish heads or carcasses from a white fish such as snapper or halibut (shrimp shells are excellent to add to this if you have them)

• 2 1/2 quarts cold water

Fish Stock Instructions

Put all of these ingredients into a large soup pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain. You can make this ahead of time and freeze it.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 2 large leeks, white parts only, sliced

• 2 big bunches of flat-leaf parsley, stalks and leaves separated, stalks chopped

• 1 large potato, peeled and chopped

• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock

• salt and pepper

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Melt the butter in a stainless steel or enameled saucepan and sauté the leeks and all the parsley stalks gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Do not let the leeks brown. Add the potato, chicken stock, and salt and pepper, and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Coarsely chop the leaves of one bunch of parsley and add to the soup. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, blanch the leaves of the other bunch of parsley in fiercely boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and refresh immediately under cold running water, then gently squeeze dry in a tea towel.

Blend the soup with the blanched parsley to make a vivid green puree. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean pan, add the cream, reheat, and adjust the seasoning.