Three Cheese Apple Onion Panini

Alright, so this might not be the fanciest or most complicated meal I've ever made, but its delicious nevertheless. What is truly better than melted cheeses, toasted bread, and fresh vegetables? In my mind, not a whole lot!

So for this dinner, I made a gourmet cheese and vegetable panini... or, if you will, an upscale grilled cheese. This all started when I visited a fromagerie, sampling a variety of cheeses. They were of course delicious (well, most of them) and I came home laden with a few new varieties. They were originally meant as a snack item, but after the farmer's market opened outside my building for the season, I realized that they would also be wonderfully utilized in a simple panini that highlighted the cheeses while adding some complementing flavors! So you'll find below a three-cheese panini with fresh apples and spring onions. The apples are sweet and pair perfectly with the raisin challah (also from the farmer's market) I used for the bread, and then the spring onions cut the sweetness perfectly without overshadowing the other flavors. Delicious!

Difficulty: easy
Time: 15 min
Cost: $12.66

Turbot Souvlaki and Artichokes with a Duo of Dipping Sauces

I know I'm a biased audience and I tend to rave about many foods, but this meal seriously ranks near the top. I LOVED these souvlakis, as did my chief taste-tester (aka Matt.) The fish was perfect for the summer. I always love Turbot and here it did not disappoint, coming out light and flavorful with its natural buttery-texture providing that amazing melt-in-your-mouth experience. The fresh tzatziki was refreshing, as it always is, and the the crunch of the onion, crispness of the lettuce, and juiciness of the tomato rounded it all out. i went back for seconds and thirds, and didn't even feel guilty about it since this came out as a quite healthy dish! (Note: the dish was super healthy until I added the pita, even though i searched for a healthy pita. If you are really ambitious and make your own this would truly lighten up the meal even more!)

To go with the souvlaki, I couldn't resist turning to another spring favorite of mine: artichokes. I LOVE artichokes. Since I was a kid, I've loved pulling off the leaves and experiencing the fun of eating them. As an adult, that childhood joy has carried over, with a greater appreciation for the actual flavors as well. Here I made a duo of dipping sauces - one a honey mustard style and one a Thai peanut style. Both were good and I enjoyed the contrast, but if you're looking for less work, go with the Thai one. It's unfortunately a little more unhealthy with the peanut butter (although better in sodium than the honey mustard dip), but it's flavorful enough that you only need a smidgin. And it's really that good.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 50 min
Cost: $24.82

Mango Salsa Mahimahi with Arugula-Shallot-Ricotta Basil Ravioli in a Chunky Tomato Sauce

The ravioli board and the pasta maker have come out to play once again. This time, I experimented for the first time with a flavored dough. Rather than simply making whole wheat pasta as I did previously, I blended up some basil and incorporated it into the dough. It turned out quite green - lending a pretty splash of color to the table for this spring meal, and imparted a subtle hint of basil with each bite. It actually imparted less taste than I expected, and I think I'd experiment next time to get more of a basil flavor, but it still changed the meal some and was a worthwhile experiment.

To go with my freshly homemade ravioli, I also grilled up some mahimahi and garnished it with a refreshing mango salsa. Yum! Mango is one of the quintessential fruits for me, imparting delicious flavor, a juicy crunch, and an exciting burst with each bite. What more could you ask for from a fruit? It also paired excellently with the mahimahi, making every bite a treat.

Difficulty: medium-hard
Time: 2 hrs 15 min
Cost: $18.45

Israeli Avocado Salad, Blackened Brisket, Leek Croquettes, Almond-Coconut Torte with Chocolate-Orange Liqueur

Better late than never, right? I think it has taken me just as long to get around to writing this post as it took to make the original meal! But now, at last, I present you with the post detailing, step by step, the entire massive meal I created for my 2011 seder, the 4th I have hosted. The essentials were still here, like brisket and kugel, but some featured twists and other recipes were new. I mean, what's the fun in cooking the same thing year after year?

Due to the unique nature of this post, things are set up a little differently. I didn't both with a cost since I was cooking for 12 and therefore spent a small fortune. I also do not give a total time for the whole meal. Instead, each recipe still gets a time estimate (and nutrition!) and I note how many servings I made compared to how many a normal person might want to make. As always, if you have any questions just stick them in the comments and I'll get back to you right away.

Finally, here is the full menu I made for my seder. Items in italics I had made previously and are posted elsewhere on this blog while those without are detailed below!

Date Charoset, Matzah Ball Soup, Israeli Avocado Salad, Sweet Citrus Tilapia, Blackened Brisket, Leek Croquettes, Potato Kugel, Apple Noodle Kugel, and an Almond-Coconut Torte with Chocolate-Orange Liqueur.

Shrimp Summer Salad with a Potato-Leek-Garlic Soup

Summer! Farmer's markets are back, and I for one am super excited about this new development. With a local market literally outside of my front door, how can I not be?? I get fresh, local, organic produce every week - and more. Not only does my market feature fruits and vegetables but i can also buy cheese, meats (if I wanted to eat them) and eggs there. If you live anywhere close to your own farmer's market I suggest you start getting out there on a regular basis. It's good for the environment, often cheaper than going to a store, and delicious. There is nothing to beat the taste of freshly picked fruits and vegetables, or homemade cheeses.

To celebrate the summer, I prepared a delicious salad as my entree for this meal. I whipped up some delicious shrimp, seasoned with the always versatile paprika, and then tossed the protein with fresh greens, avocado, tomatoes, and corn. A light, healthy dressing finished it of for a delicious meal that would be perfect on a roof deck or back patio with a crisp white wine.

Then, as a bonus, I served it with homemade soup. Due to mounds of leftover kugel, I've been using potatoes in interesting ways since my seder. Here, I re-purpose the grated potatoes of the kugel to prepare a potato-garlic-leek soup that is delicious and even rather simple to make.

Difficulty: medium-easy
Time: 1 hr 20 min
Cost: $25.36

Asparagus with Raisins and Pine Nuts

I have to admit, asparagus is new to my list of veggies. While I'll dine on pretty much anything that's not meat, asparagus was one of the few vegetables I disliked for most of my life. So whether my tastes have changed or I've simply finally moved beyond the horror I felt as a young child when I confused the words asparagus and esophagus (yes, my parents are doctors, esophagus was in my vocabulary at a very young age) asparagus is now enjoyable to me. Since it is an excellent source of iron, vitamin C, and protein, this newly found like is even better.

Asparagus is in season in the spring, right now, so buy it up and make it in a variety of ways. It's good simply grilled with a touch of olive oil and some always-delicious freshly-ground black pepper, but in this recipe I sauteed it with some onions and raisins. The flavors melded together very well and I loved the slight sweet flavor that the raisins provided without making the dish overly sweet. I served the asparagus with some cous cous and fresh swordfish grilled with white wine and garlic.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 15 minutes
Cost: $27.30 (for entire meal)

Freshly Smoked Trout

My indoor, stove-top smoker got another work-out tonight as I smoked fish in it for the very first time. It was delicious, but definitely unique. Not only did the smoker impart a smoky taste to the fish, but it also subtly changed the texture. It wasn't oily the way lox is, but was clearly different than the texture you'd get from baking, grilling, or sauteing the fish. The uniqueness provides an interesting flavor (literally and figuratively) to the meal.

To go with the freshly smoked fish, I also made my newly favorite recipe, Butternut Squash Ravioli. The trout was easy and the ravioli far more involved, balancing out the difficulty of the meal and providing many contrasting but complementary flavors.

Difficulty: easy (trout)
Time: 30 min
Cost: $18.24 (as always, for the whole meal, including ravioli)