Revolutionary…Palace Malice…Normandy Invasion…Vyjack…Lines of Battle…Overanalyze…I’d love to know the stories behind the naming of these horses– some of the contenders that will compete at this Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

Kentucky Derby celebrations are fun for everybody—sports lovers or not. First, this day is an excuse to eat a very good sandwich and wear a terrific hat. Second, you can watch the coverage all day if you want. Or, if you are a sports minimalist, just start with mint juleps and Benedictine dip at cocktail time before the race. At about 6:15 turn up the TV and get ready to watch the exciting two-minute (or so) Derby and toast the winner. Watch a bit of post-race coverage and the presentation of the 18 carat gold trophy and then sit down and enjoy the aforementioned Kentucky Hot Brown This complex and very satisfying open-face sandwich was created in the 1920s by Chef Fred Schmidt of the Brown Hotel in Louisville as a late-night snack for guests at the hotel’s famed nightly dinner dance.  The transition to Derby Day favorite is a happy evolution for this creation.  My version is a bit non-traditional since I have added scallions and parsley to the Mornay sauce, but I like the zip and color that they add to the dish.   I serve these with Spinach Salad with Lime Soy Vinaigrette and for dessert—what else but Winner’s Circle Pie!

Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwiches

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 recipe of Herbed Mornay Sauce (below)
1 pound sliced roasted turkey breast
4 slices of bread, lightly toasted
8 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp
8 tomato slices
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Extra sliced green onions and parsley for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat the broiler. On a baking sheet, place the four slices of lightly toasted bread. Top each piece of bread with 4 ounces of turkey and two tomato slices. Top with a generous spoonful of the Herbed Mornay Sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Place the baking sheet under the broiler and cook until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and browned. Place one sandwich on each plate and top with two slices of bacon and a sprinkle of green onions and parsley.

Herbed Mornay Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

3 tablespoons butter
½ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups cream
4 ounces shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
4 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the green onions and parsley and cook, stirring, until the green onion has softened. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.

Raise the heat slightly, add the cream and cook until the cream begins to simmer and the sauce has slightly thickened. Lower the heat back to medium, add the cheese and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roasted cauliflower is a side dish for all seasons. In the winter, it comforts, in the spring it satisfies. It serves as well with a barbecue in the summer as it does as a basis of a hearty, creamy fall soup. Plainly roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper, cauliflower makes a frequent turn in my dinner rotation, so it’s nice to dress it up now and then to keep the family from taking this beauty for granted.

Roasted cumin, handfuls of herbs, spoonfuls of Parmesan or crumbles of goat cheese are some of the adornments I’ve tried—all good. Here’s my latest, capers and breadcrumbs with a little lemon zest and anchovy—a traditional Mediterranean combination that doesn’t disappoint. If you’re serving this for a crowd, it doubles easily. You can also roast the cauliflower and make the breadcrumb mixture earlier in the day and reheat and combine just before serving.

Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Breadcrumbs

6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 large head of cauliflower
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 anchovies, drained and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¾ cup fresh or Panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon Champagne or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the cauliflower into 1-½ inch slices and then break the slices into bite-size florets. This will make lots of flat sides on the cauliflower pieces and help them to caramelize nicely. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Spread the cauliflower in one layer on one or two baking sheets. Roast for 20 minutes, toss to turn and continue to roast for 25 more minutes or until crispy and browned at the edges.

While the cauliflower is roasting, heat the remaining three tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan. Add the anchovies and saute until they almost melt away into the oil. Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the capers and lemon zest and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and stir the mixture to coat the breadcrumbs and thoroughly combine the mixture.

In a serving bowl, combine the cauliflower, breadcrumb mixture and parsley. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, toss to combine and serve.

My favorite everyday breakfast is a cup of blueberries, a dollop of Greek yogurt, a drizzle of local honey and a small scoop of granola. I never grow tired of this combination of creamy, crunchy, sweet and tart ingredients. This breakfast is also a powerhouse for morning energy and nutrition. The choice of granola is the creative part of the dish, also the variable one. There are so many varieties of granola available in our stores these days—everything from high-end gourmet varieties that will set you back $20 or more for a bag or a box, to big-box containers for just a few dollars, to homemade-the reason for today’s post.

I wanted a mixture that I knew had no preservatives/chemicals/etc. and I wanted to include coconut oil, which is so very healthful. Here is the result that has also become a run-through-the-kitchen-and-grab-a-handful-snack for the family. This is low-stress cooking at its best.

Homemade Granola

Ingredients

½ cup butter
¼ cup coconut oil**
¾ cup local honey
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
½ cup coarsely chopped almonds
½ cup coarsely chopped cashews
½ cup sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup dried berries (cranberries, cherries, blueberries, whatever you like the best)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a small saucepan, gently heat and stir the butter, coconut oil and honey until melted and combined.

In a large bowl, toss together the rolled oats, walnuts, almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds. Add ½ of the hot honey mixture and toss to combine well. Spread the mixture out on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the kosher salt and the coconut flakes and toss gently with a spatula. Drizzle the remaining honey mixture over and toss again. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Add the dried berries, stir again and bake for another 5 minutes or until the mix is a nice golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool. Store in an airtight container.

**If you don’t have coconut oil, just use a full cup of butter—it will be delicious if slightly less healthful.

In Florida, our February is punctuated by the arrival of beautiful strawberries in our markets. They are locally grown, luscious and economical. I’m always on the lookout for great ways to serve them. Ina Garten has a wonderful recipe in her book Back to Basics for Fruit Salad with Limoncello. She tosses fruit with sugar and Limoncello liqueur, lets it stand for a bit and then tops it with a lemon yogurt topping. That’s a great idea for brunch or dessert, but I wanted something without the liqueur for everyday breakfasts. My version cuts back on the sugar a bit and trades the Limoncello for lemon juice. Made either way, it is a fresh and delicious way with fruit.

If you would like more information about Ina Gartens book, click here: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Greek Yogurt (I use Fage)
¼ cup lemon curd
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups of fresh fruit, cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces

Preparation:

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon curd, honey and vanilla extract. Put the fresh fruit in a serving bowl, sprinkle with the lemon juice and sugar and toss gently. Let rest on the counter for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve the fruit with the yogurt topping.

Back to Basics was released in 2008 and has become one of my favorites of Ina Garten’s books even though it doesn’t really have many “new” recipes in it. Most of the recipes are, in fact, things that good home cooks make in rotation, but what Ina Garten does so well is really study what we’re cooking and give us tips and ideas to heighten the flavors and make our same-old, same-old into something really special.

As an example, I make a flank steak that is very similar to her Mustard-Marinated Flank Steak. The ingredients: white wine, olive, oil, mustard, shallot, garlic, pepper are the same. Her trick that makes it better is to score the top of the steak before marinating—making both an attractive diamond pattern in the meat and allowing the marinade to penetrate a bit more deeply. Smart—and a great tip to use with other meats and marinades too.

I’m working my way through the whole book, but her takes on Roasted Shrimp Cocktail, Italian Wedding Soup, Mustard-Roasted Fish, French Apple Tart and Brownie Pudding are all now family favorites.

If you would like more information about the book click here: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients.

Oscar night is always fun and we’re looking forward to watching this year since the crop of movies has been so good. Of the nominees, so far we’ve been to see Argo, Lincoln, Django Unchained, Les Miserables and Zero Dark Thirty—five out of nine is pretty good for our family—although we had hoped to make it to Life of Pi and Silver Linings Playbook before the awards show. Alas, busy-ness and conflicting schedules intervened. But we know enough to enjoy the show and will be tuned in and watching from the red carpet on. In keeping with our tradition, dinner will be something simple to make and eat so as not to require too much of the cooking and cleaning staff who will be watching.

To curb the appetite and add a festive tone to the night, I will fuss a bit and make this appetizer for us to enjoy before dinner. I love hearts of palm in salads and have wondered if they would make for a good dip in the way of canned artichokes. So I made this dip for the first time during the holidays and it got great reviews. You could easily substitute canned artichokes if you’d rather, but this way is very, very good. This bubbly mixture is filling and satisfying and is the perfect thing when you don’t have a big meal planned for dinner. (Truth be told, it might end up being dinner….)

Hot Heart of Palm Dip

Makes about 2 cups

2 cans Hearts of Palm, drained and finely chopped
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup grated Parmesan Reggianno cheese
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to top

Preparation:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the hearts of palm, cream cheese, mayonnaise and lemon juice and pulse until combined (it should not be a puree, but have small chunks that are easy enough to spread). Transfer to a mixing bowl.

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and then sauté the shallots and garlic until they are soft and lightly browned. Add the mixture to the heart of palm mixture, add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof serving dish. Sprinkle the top lightly with cayenne pepper.

Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and serve with toasted French bread rounds or crackers.

Super Bowl is next weekend and I’m thinking about good recipes for this traditional stay-at-home party day. I like to have most things made in advance for game-watching, but quesadillas are a good option for cooking something quick and easy to add to your offerings at half-time.

With my Texan roots, I’ve been eating quesadillas since I can remember. My mother would make them for breakfast filled with ham and cheese or eggs and cheese, and for a light lunch or dinner they are a great way to use leftover vegetables—chop them up, add a bit of good cheese and you’re done. I love caramelized anything, but especially onions. The sweet in the onion and the spicy in the cheese makes this a nice combination. If you want to dial it up even more, top them with a spoonful of your favorite salsa or sour cream.

Caramelized Sweet Onion & Pepper Jack Quesadillas

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large sweet onion
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 flour tortillas
2 cups grated Monterey Pepper Jack cheese (about 8 ounces)
½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Preparation:

Peel, halve, and thinly slice the onion. In a medium skillet, heat about 2 teaspoons of olive oil, add the onions and cooks, stirring occasionally, until they are nicely browned and caramelized. Set aside.

Wipe out the skillet. Add another teaspoon of olive oil, heat for a few seconds and add a tortilla. As the tortilla begins to cook, sprinkle the top with ½ cup of the shredded cheese, ¼ of the caramelized onion, and a generous sprinkle of cilantro. Top with another tortilla. As soon as the cheese begins to melt, lift the bottom to be sure it is beginning to lightly brown and then turn the quesadilla over to lightly brown the other side and finish warming the cheese. Remove to a cutting board and blot any excess oil with a paper towel (although if you’ve used your oil gently, there won’t be an excess oil).

Cut the quesadilla into quarters and serve immediately.

Today’s post is in response to a request from my son. We had lunch recently at a wonderful gastro pub here in Orlando, The Ravenous Pig. After enjoying his sandwich, he asked me if I could please learn to make this—he especially loved the sauce and thought it would be good on all kinds of things (he’s right). So, here is my version of his memorable lunch dish. The sauce is fabulous and would be good on potato salad, or served on top of any roasted or grilled fish or vegetable—a great all-purpose sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 fish filets from a firm fish (I used tilapia, mahi or grouper would be nice too)
¼ cup corn meal
2 tablespoons flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup olive oil (for sautéing the fish)
4 soft sandwich rolls
4 leaves butter lettuce
4 slices tomato
Sauce Gribiche (below)

Preparation:

On a plate, combine the corn meal and the flour. Sprinkle the fish filets with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour mixture to lightly coat the fish. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the fish and cook for about 2 minutes per side until the fish is nicely browned and crisp on the outside. Serve on sandwich rolls topped with butter lettuce, tomato slices and plenty of Sauce Gribiche.

Sauce Gribiche

A note about Gribiche: this is a French sauce and I am not making it the French way. Traditionally, you would not emulsify this; just stir it together in the fashion of a vinaigrette. That would be lovely on vegetables or meat, but as a sauce for sandwiches, I wanted something that held together—so this here is my take on Gribiche, not the classic.

Makes about 1 ½ cups

Ingredients:

2 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 hard-boiled eggs (peeled, finely chop the whites and reserved, yolks reserved)
¾ cups extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped herbs (parsley, chervil, dill, chives—or just parsley if that’s what you’ve got on hand)
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
6 cornichons, finely diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Put the shallot, vinegar, mustard and egg yolks in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. With the machine running, slowly add the oil and process until emulsified. Pour the sauce into a bowl and stir in the parsley, capers cornichons and egg whites. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

After the holiday cooking marathon, I always like to simplify things for a week or two. I want to make things that are easy, uncomplicated, tasty and not too heavy. These small lamb chops are comforting on a cold winter’s night, but they aren’t so much meat that they feel heavy. The hummus is a nice garlicky accompaniment, and there will be plenty left over to serve for the next day or two with pita chips.

Garlic & Rosemary Lamb Chops with Hummus

For the Lamb Chops

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
8 small lamb chops

Preparation:

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Spread over both sides of the lamb chops and marinate at room temperature for an hour or two.

Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the lamb chops and cook for 2 to 4 minutes per side depending on your preference for doneness. Serve over hummus with steamed green beans on the side.

For the Hummus:

Ingredients:

2 15-½ ounce cans garbanzo beans
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
¼ cup peeled and coarsely chopped yellow onion
2 small garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
½ cup tahini
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Preparation:

Drain one can of the garbanzo beans. Place the contents of both cans of beans (and the juice from one) to the bowl of a food processor. Add all of the remaining ingredients and process until very smooth. Taste for seasoning and correct.

I received my first copy of this classic as a wedding shower gift when I was just learning to cook. My second and third copies were inherited from my mother and mother-in-law, but their conditions weren’t so good—with well-worn dog-eared pages, stains and cracked and stringy bindings proving just how valuable they had been to their original owners. I am now into my fourth copy of this 75-year old collection of recipes and guide to American culinary history. It’s a quick one to pull down from the shelf for a quick technique or ingredient question—I make pancakes, piecrust and biscuits from this book and have for years. If you are just adding this to your kitchen library, buy the 75th anniversary edition—it has been updated with new sections written with modern kitchens and tastes in mind. A must-have book for every home cook’s bookshelf.

If you would like more information about the book click here: Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition – 2006.