recipe #14: ricotta basil pea dip.

i was recently asked “if you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” and i decided i’d be a bright, tender, sweet little pea. one of my favorite foods since childhood–really!–i am always shocked when people crinkle their noses at their mention. so, as usual, i wanted to make a dip that would trick people into liking them. (and yes, it’s natural to feel bad for my future children because of moves like this.)

recipe #14: ricotta basil pea dip.

soundtrack: iron and wine’s the shepherd’s dog

ingredients: 1 16 oz. bag of frozen peas (use fresh if you’re lucky enough to find some!), 12 oz. of ricotta, 1/2 lemon, 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, 2 TBS olive oil, course sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

the plan: thaw frozen peas (i just set mine out for a couple hours in a dish then run under warm water), then toss with olive oil in a small skillet over low heat for a few minutes. add to a food processor with the ricotta, lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon and the fresh basil, and blend until roughly mixed together (i prefer a more rustic, uneven mix but keep going until it’s good for you). add salt and pepper to taste. 

i cut up some thin slices of SCRATCHbread’s sourdough bread and toasted with a heavy amount of olive oil for the dippers. 

AND THEN I TRIPPED AND DROPPED IT ON THE STUPID GROUND AND TRIED VERY HARD NOT TO CRY PEA-SHAPED TEARS. 

luckily, about half of it survived unscathed and ready for ingestion. i thought i could have used less ricotta, but friends liked it the way it was (perhaps pea naysayers?) so maybe add to taste depending on the crowd’s pea fandom. enjoy! and DON’T TRIP.

recipe #13: roasted carrot dip

so! clearly my ambitious plan to post several times a week was a big flopping FAIL. i have been traveling almost non-stop the last couple of months, but along the way i had the meal that inspired this overdue recipe. some wise foodie friends insisted i try zingerman’s deli in ann arbor, michigan (yes, enemy territory for this buckeye!). although i loooved the ozwad’s mile high sandwich, which is zingerman’s award-winning corned beef & yellow mustard on double-baked, hand-sliced Jewish rye bread that i topped off with pimento cheese, i cannot stop thinking about the “carrot top” spread i ordered as a side.

my recipe turned out pretty close to zingerman’s, but not as bright and pretty because i wanted the olives to be more fully blended into the dip. tweak as you like!

recipe #13: roasted carrot dip

soundtrack: sufjan stevens’ seven swans reimagined (i bet this michigan man loves zingerman’s too, plus all proceeds go to komen for the cure)

ingredients: 1/2 pound carrots, 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, 2 TBS each harissa sauce, lemon juice and paprika, 1 TBS orange juice, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 3 TBS olive oil, salt and pepper.

the plan: cut the carrots diagonally in 1 1/2 inch slices, then toss in a bowl wth 2 TBS olive oil, and salt and pepper. roast at 400 degrees until very tender (about 30 minutes). then, in a food processor, combine the carrots with 1/4 cup heavy cream and 2 TBS each harissa sauce, lemon juice and paprika. i added the olives into the blend too, but if you prefer chunks just chop them into small pieces and add at the end. add salt and pepper to taste, then get yer dip on! i also foresee this being my new favorite sandwich spread.

recipe #10: salad lyonnaise.

first a) not all of my recipes are going to rub in the fact i just went to france and b) this one is basically a way of me saying how much i love poached eggs on salads and why oh why haven’t i thought of it before my unforgettable meal in lyon.

the traditional lyonnaise salad is the simple combination of frisee salad, thick-cut bacon (like, enough to discount any nutritional value that may exist in the salad whatsoever), a poached egg and croutons with dijon dressing. i even made a version with ham, baby spinach leaves, and carrots and olives because why not but the poached egg on top still made it a homerun. delicious salad ftw!

recipe #10: salad lyonnaise

soundtrack: buke and gass’s tiny desk concert for NPR, who delivered one of the best shows i saw in 2010. (key learning: gass ryhmes with mace.)

ingredients:

2 cups frisee salad

2 strips thick-cut bacon

1 slice buttered bread for croutons

1 poached egg

1 tablespoon each dijon mustard, white vinegar and olive oil

the plan: first, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it reaches your desired crispiness. remove and let cool to room temperature, then chop into thick pieces. next, cube the buttered slice of bread and toast in the skillet until golden brown and let cool. finally, it’s poaching time. there are really fun tools like this guy you can use. or, just break an egg into a small bowl then dump into simmering water (not boiling) and cook for about 2-3 minutes, then remove with a slotted metal spoon.

mix the dijon, vinegar and olive oil together in a medium bowl (you can adjust measurements to your own taste). then toss frisee, bacon and croutons in the bowl with dressing, plate and plop the egg on top. i also add handsome amounts of cracked black pepper and salt before breaking into the yolk and devouring the salad in all its golden glory. enjoy!