Florida Agenda

By JEAN DOHERTY

This one is easy, healthy and delicious. You can serve it hot or cold, with a hot coulis (pronounced “coolee,” it’s a fruit or vegetable purée, used as a sauce) of tomato, or with a greens salad.

Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 or 4 black olives, sliced
• ½ green bell pepper, diced
• ½ eggplant, cubed
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• Salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 ¼ cups of self-rising flour
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 1 ½ cups of shredded Swiss or sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Heat two tablespoons of EVOO olive oil in a heavy pan over a medium heat, and cook the shallot, garlic, green bell pepper, eggplant, tomato, and zucchini, stirring until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Season the vegetables with a sprinkling of salt and black pepper as they cook. (I usually add a pinch of Herbs de Provence, but, as always, you are the chef.) Whisk the flour with the eggs and milk in a mixing bowl until they are smoothly combined, and then whisk in the 1/3 cup of olive oil. Gently fold the vegetables and the olives into this flour mixture, and stir in the cheese.

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the loaf in the preheated oven until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, which should be about 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing, and then finish cooling on a wire rack. Slice when cooled, and serve with a greens salad. Bon appétit!

Although born in Dublin, Ireland, chef Jean Doherty spent most of her life in Lyon, France, the gastronomical capital of the world. Together with Vero, her partner of 25 years, Jean has owned and run multiple restaurants including Fort Lauderdale’s Le Patio.

By JEAN DOHERTY

Quiche is a savory, open-faced pastry crust dish, with a delicious filling of custard and cheese, meat, or vegetables. Try THIS variation of an old favorite on for size: It has NO pastry, filo, or crust!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of butter, divided

• 12 green onions or scallions, chopped

• ½ teaspoon of salt, divided

• ½ teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper, divided

• 4 eggs

• 4 ounces of goat cheese, sliced

• ½ cup of half and half

• ½ cup of sour cream

• ½ cup of milk

• Dash of hot pepper sauce (if desired)

• Dash of Worcestershire Sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round baking dish with one tablespoon of butter, and set aside. Melt the remaining butter in a pan over a medium heat, and cook the onions, until they are nice and brown, for about two minutes. Whisk the eggs.

Stir in the goat cheese, breaking up any lumps. Season with the salt and pepper. When it is fairly smooth, whisk in the remaining ingredients. Pour this mixture into the ovenproof dish, and then sprinkle with the green onions. Bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes. Garnish, if desired, with additional green onions or parsley.

Serve with a green salad. You are the chef!

By JEAN DOHERTY

“Graa-tan!” This is probably the most famous dish from the Rhone Alp region, and it’s one of the first recipes I learned to make during my stay in Lyon. Gratin is a well known culinary technique in which any ingredient is browned, usually by using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, butter, or egg. This “browned crust” is obtained by baking or cooking under an overhead grill or broiler to form a golden brown top. It is traditionally served from the oven to the table in its baking dish.

Ingredients:

•2 lbs of potatoes (russet are grand)

•1 or 2 cloves of garlic, mashed

•2 oz of butter

•2 cups of whole milk

•5 oz of French or Swiss Gruyère cheese

•1 pint of heavy cream

•Herbs de Provence (if preferred)

•Salt

•Pepper

Preheat oven to 360ºF. Slice the potatoes into thin slices—don’t rinse them, we want the starch.

Put the potatoes in a pan, and cover with milk. Add salt. Bring to a boil, starting at moderate heat for about five minutes, and then lower the heat for about 10 minutes.

Stir from time to time, taking care not to break the slices. Rub an ovenproof dish with garlic, and grease it well with butter. Transfer half of the potatoes to the gratin dish.

Add half the cheese, heavy cream, and pepper to the layer. Put the second half of the potatoes and cover with the cheese and cream that’s left.

You can sprinkle with Herbs de Provence before popping in the oven—as I always say, you are the chef!

Cook for about one hour at 360ºF. The Gratin Dauphinois is ready when the top is golden brown.

By JEAN DOHERTY

Are you looking to impress—and even undress—your better half? Want to make this Sunday Brunch romantic and delicious? Try this simple and easy recipe that is sure to please you both, in more ways than one.

• ¾ cup bacon, cut into lardons

• 1 potato, chopped into ½-inch cubes

• 1/3 cup of spring onion or leek, diced

• A pinch of fresh thyme

• 2 large eggs • 3 tablespoons of heavy cream

• 1 tablespoon of butter • Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

• Chives, diced (for garnish)—or you can use some of the green from the spring onion

• 2 (6-ounce) cocottes or ramekins Preheat your oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle.

In a medium sized, nonstick sauté pan, cook the lardons over a moderate heat until it they are nice and crispy. Let them drain on a paper towel. Meanwhile, pour off and discard all but one tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat.

To the sauté pan, add the spuds, onions or leeks, and thyme, and cook until the potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Divide and layer the mixture between the two cocottes.

Add a layer of lardons to each dish (reserving a few of the lardons to garnish the cooked dish). Spoon one tablespoon of heavy cream into each serving.

Crack an egg into each cocotte and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon one teaspoon (or two teaspoons, if you dare) of cream over each egg. Cut the tablespoon of butter into small pieces, and dot the top of each cocotte with butter.

Put the cocottes in a baking tin and bake, rotating halfway through, until the whites are just set, but the yolks are still runny—just about 15 to 20 minutes.

Garnish with chopped chives and a few lardons, and serve with toast and a Bloody Mary, or go for a Mimosa—you are the chef!

By JEAN DOHERTY

ThIt is sometimes claimed that the ancient Romans, as well as medieval cooks, stuffed animals with other animals. An anonymous Andalusian cookbook from the 13th century includes a recipe for a ram stuffed with small birds; and a similar recipe for a camel stuffed with sheep stuffed with bustards stuffed with carp stuffed with eggs … !

British celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has championed the ten-bird roast, calling it “one of the most spectacular and delicious roasts you can lay before your loved ones at Yuletide”.

A large turkey is stuffed with a goose, duck, mallard, guinea fowl, chicken, pheasant, partridge, pigeon and woodcock. The roast feeds around 30 people and, in addition to the ten birds, it also includes stuffing made from two pounds of sausage meat and half a pound of streaky bacon, sage, port and red wine!

Today I’m keeping it simple … we’ll just use a pound of meat and some tomatoes

 •6 big ripe beef tomatoes (or 3 and 3 green bell peppers )

•1/2 pound Italian pork sausage meat

•1/2 pound lean ground beef

•3 garlic cloves, minced

•1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

•1/4 cup thinly sliced basil

•Salt and freshly ground pepper

•5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 325°. Cut across the tomatoes horizontally, leaving the top half slighter smaller than the bottom to create a lid. Set a strainer over a medium bowl.

Scoop the tomato seeds into the strainer; press on the seeds to extract the juice. Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the center of the tomatoes and coarsely chop them.

Add the chopped centers to the juice in the bowl. Add the sausage, beef, garlic, parsley, basil, salt, pepper and 2-1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil and knead to combine.

Set the tomatoes in a large baking dish and season with salt. Spoon the filling into the tomatoes, cover with the lids and drizzle with the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft.

You are the chef!

By JEAN DOHERTY

This time of the year in South Florida is Mango time. I have them in abundance in my back yard and will have them well into June. So it’s chutney makin’ time. There is no limit to the number of chutneys you can make, as one can be made from virtually any vegetable or fruit; and herbs and spices; or a combination of them all. The only limit is your imagination. Chutneys come in two major groups, sweet and hot; both forms usually contain various spices, including chili, and they only differ by their flavor. Easy recipe!

• 2½ cups of diced mangos (this will

• determine the amount of finished

chutney)

• about a 1 inch piece of peeled fresh

ginger

• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, minced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup of cider or rice vinegar

• ½ cup of firmly packed light brown sugar

• ½ cup raisins or currants

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

Put all ingredients in a medium sized thick-assed saucepan.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until thick, about 25 minutes, stirring often to keep it from sticking.

Let it cool, and store in an airtight container.

 See? Easy…you are the chef!

By JEAN DOHERTY

A bisque is a smooth, creamy, highlyseasoned soup of French origin. It’s rich and decadent. It’s classically based on a strained broth or “coulis” of crustaceans. It can be made from lobster, crab, shrimp or crayfish. In authentic bisque, the shells are ground to a fine paste and added to thicken the soup.
• 1 3 ¼ lbs. lobster heads
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 1 stick celery, chopped
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large tomato
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper, plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp brandy
• A pint of dry white wine
• 2 pints of fish stock
• A pint of veal stock
• A pint of heavy cream
• 8 tsp Armagnac brandy
• Sea salt
Mash the lobster heads with your rolling pin until they are well broken up. Have a blast. Let ‘em have it!!! Heat the olive oil in a thick-assed saucepan and cook the onion, carrot and celery over a low heat. When the vegetables are lightly browned, add the parsley, thyme and bay leaf and the lobster heads, stirring so that they don’t stick or burn. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, cayenne pepper and the brandy. Stir well, then add the wine.

Bring to the boil and cook for at least 3 minutes. Add the fish stock and veal stock and bring back to the boil. Season lightly with sea salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming off any scum that appears on the surface. Drain through a colander set over a clean saucepan pressing the lobster bones well to extract all the juices and flavor.

To serve, bring the soup back to the boil and allow it to reduce. Add up to a pint of heavy cream, according to your taste, and boil for 5 minutes. Pour 2 teaspoons of Armagnac per person into four warmed soup bowls and pour the soup over it. If you have any lobster claw meat available add that too.

Sprinkle with cayenne pepper and serve immediately.

You are the chef!

By JEAN DOHERTY

Hummus is one of the most popular Middle Eastern dips. I tasted it for the first time on a visit to Lebanon and fell in love.

It’s usually served with fresh or toasted pita bread, but you can use Baguette, chips or crackers if you like.

Hummus is essentially mashed chickpeas and is great for a snack or as an appetizer.

Tahini is an important part of the hummus recipe and can’t be substituted, however, it can be omitted and I don’t use it in my recipe.

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas drained
• ¼ cup of liquid from the can of
chickpeas
• 3-6 tablespoons lemon juice
(depending on your taste)
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• A good splash of Tabasco
• 4 tablespoons of good olive oil
Drain the chickpeas and set aside the liquid from the can.

Combine all the ingredients in your blender or food processor.

Add the 1/4 cup of liquid from the chickpea can.

Blend for 3-5 minutes until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Taste, rectify the seasoning if necessary, adding more of this or that… you are the chef!

By JEAN DOHERTY

Irish woman shoutin’…If your “soda bread” has raisins, it’s not “soda bread! It’s called “Railway Cake”! (a currant at every station!)

If it contains eggs, baking powder, sugar or shortening, it’s called “cake”, not “bread.” All are tasty, but not traditional Irish Soda Bread! In Ireland, the flour is made from soft wheat; so when making it here in the states, soda bread is best made with a cake or pastry flour (which are made from soft wheat).

It lowers the level of gluten. I recommend the minimum amount of mixing of the ingredients before baking; the dough should not be kneaded.

4 cups of cake or pastry flour

1 Teaspoon baking soda

1 Teaspoon salt 14 oz of buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425 F. degrees and lightly flour a round cake pan. In a large bowl sieve and combine all the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough. It’s sloppy, that’s normal. Flop it into a round shaped cake pan and cut a cross on the top of the dough. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes. The bottom of the bread should sound hollow when tapped so you’ll know it’s done. Cover the bread with a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist.

I’m not goin’ to say “you are a chef” cause you don’t do it your way for this one.

By JEAN DOHERTY

Tapenade is the easy peasy recipe you can whip up in 2 minutes. It is very versatile and can be used a number of ways rather than just as a spread or a dip. Spread a thin layer of it on a chicken between the skin and the breast, maybe with some fresh herbs before roasting; put dabs on hard-boiled eggs and top with pine nuts; or spread it on a sandwich instead of mustard or mayo.

You can fold some into an omelet with some creamy-smooth goat cheese, or toss it in pasta as an instant sauce with chunks of fresh cooked or good-quality canned tuna. Make an entree of it; maybe even adding cubes of feta at the end. Green and black olives are natural aphrodisiacs. Use them to spice up your palate and your plate for a taste of succulent seduction with your mate.

Besides increasing your libido, olives are jam packed with health benefits and being healthy is crucial to having a good sex life… Olives help prevent heart disease, prevent colon cancer, and one of the best reasons for me to eat olives is that they prevent frequency of hot flashes going through menopause. LOL.

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 1 Jar or tin of whole, pitted Black

olives

• 1 (2 ounce) can anchovy fillets,

rinsed

• 1 tablespoon capers

• 1 pinch chopped fresh thyme

• 1 pinch chopped fresh rosemary

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

Combine the garlic, olives, anchovies, capers, thyme, rosemary and lemon juice in your electric blender. Slowly drip the olive oil into the blender while you are blending the ingredients together. Blend until a paste is formed. Don’t add salt!!! Spread on Pita bread, crackers, toasts…or use as a dip.

Enjoy. You are a chef!