Sautéed Greens (Couve à Mineira)

The simplest ingredients can be transformed into the most delectable of dishes in the hands of the Brazilian cook, as this recipe from the state of Minas Gerais demonstrates.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
• 1 pound collard greens, kale, or green or red Swiss chard
• 1 tablespoon bacon fat or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

On your mark, get set . . .
• Wash the greens in a sink full of cold water until no grit or sand remains. Remove any dark or discolored spots or shriveled edges.

• Take one leaf at a time and lay it on a cutting board.

• Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut the leaves away from the tough stem that runs up the center. Discard the stem.
• Lay the leaves aside, stacked on top of each other, and continue until all the stems have been removed.
• Tightly roll all the leaves together into a long cigar shape.
• Take your time doing this. If the pile is too big, divide it in half.
• After the leaves have been rolled into a tight cigar shape, slice them crosswise into very thin strips, the thinner the better. Be patient, this is a slow process so don’t rush it.
• Once all the leaves have been cut into thin ribbons, gently toss them a few times to loosen them, and then set them aside for the moment.
• If your hand gets tired, it is all right to let the leaves unroll and take a rest. Just reroll them when you are ready to continue.

Cook!

• Heat the bacon fat or oil in a 10-inch frying pan over mediumhigh heat for 30 to 40 seconds.
• Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the greens and sprinkle them with the salt.
• Sauté quickly until the greens have absorbed some of the oil and have turned a bright green.
• Continue to sauté for about 1 to 2 minutes and then remove the greens to a bowl. Serve hot.

This Vegetables recipe was published in 'The Cooking Of Brazil (Seconds Edition) by "Matthew Locricchio" - p49 to p50'

California Country Roads Fondue Goes Gourmet

Producers of some of our favorite artisan cheeses, Cowgirl Creamery and Bellwether Farms are country neighbors just a half hour’s drive apart on winding Northern California back roads. In this fondue, the full-flavored, washed-rind Red Hawk from Cowgirl Creamery is nicely balanced by Bellwether Farms’s buttery, smooth Carmody. A splash of sweet wine complements both cheeses.

Ingredients:
• 1 (12-ounce) round Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk, rind discarded, cubed
• 8 ounces Bellwether Farms Carmody, grated
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup Napa or Sonoma sauvignon blanc
• 2 tablespoons muscat or other sweet dessert wine

Preparation:
Toss the cheeses with the flour in a bowl and set aside. In a fondue pot, bring the sauvignon blanc to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to low and add the cheese mixture, ½ cup at a time, stirring until melted after each addition. Add the muscat and stir until smooth. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 cups

SERVE WITH: toasted walnut or other rustic bread cubes • pear chunks • apple chunks • fresh figs, quartered • fig bars • Graham crackers

BEVERAGE SUGGESTIONS: pinot noir • blanc de noirs (sparkling wine) • fino sherry

CHEESE NOTES: Red Hawk is a triple-crème cheese washed with a brine solution that promotes the growth of beautiful red-orange bacteria on the rind. It’s made with organic milk from Marin County’s Straus Family Creamery, located right up the road from the Cowgirl Creamery dairy in Point Reyes Station. If you are not able to find Red Hawk, substitute Italian Taleggio or Robiola, or the French Époisses. Made with rich milk from Jersey cows, Bellwether’s Carmody is an Italian-style cheese with a golden rind and a buttery texture that is balanced by a slightly tangy flavor—perfect for a grilled cheese sandwich.

This recipe was published in 'Fondue by Lenny Rice and Brigid Callinan'.

Champagne Velvet Fondue Goes Gourmet

A fun little four-pack of Rubicon Estates Sofia Blanc de Blancs inspired Lenny to create this velvety fondue indulgence. The base is Taleggio, one of her favorite Italian cheeses. Taleggio is available at varying stages of ripeness, and we recommend a younger, firmer one for this recipe. It will be easiest to remove the rind and cut up the Taleggio while it is very cold.

Ingredients:
• 20 ounces Taleggio, rind discarded and cubed
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup blanc de blancs (sparkling wine)

Preparation:
Toss the cheese with the flour in a bowl and set aside. In a fondue pot, bring the wine to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to low and add the cheese mixture, ½ cup at a time, stirring until melted after each addition. Serve immediately.

Makes 3 cups

SERVE WITH: toasted baguette cubes • grapes • apple chunks • pear chunks • fresh figs, quartered • spears of Belgian endive • roasted onion quarters • chopped toasted walnuts

BEVERAGE SUGGESTIONS: off-dry gewürztraminer or riesling • prosecco • blanc de blancs (sparkling wine)

CHEESE NOTES: From Italy’s Lombardy region, Taleggio is a rich, semi-soft cheese with a thin rind of orange mold. Though it has a pungent aroma, its flavor is sweet and mild, with a hint of yeastiness. It gets runnier and more flavorful as it ages. Excellent with fruit, Taleggio is also traditionally served with bitter salad greens like radicchio.

This recipe was published in 'Fondue by Lenny Rice and Brigid Callinan'.

The Luck of the Dutch Savory Classics

Lucky you if you’ve had the chance to visit Ireland’s beautiful County Cork, where dairy cows graze on rolling green hills in the shadow of Blarney Castle. From Northwest Cork comes Coolea, an Irish version of Holland’s Gouda. We pair Coolea here with another Dutch classic, Heineken beer. Bringing nations together, that’s what fondue is all about!

Ingredients:
• 1 pound Coolea, Gouda, or Edam cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beer (Heineken or other pale lager)

Preparation:
Toss the cheese with the flour in a bowl and set aside. In a fondue pot, bring the beer to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the cheese mixture, ½ cup at a time, stirring until melted after each addition. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 cups

SERVE WITH: Irish brown soda bread cubes • toasted wheat or walnut bread cubes • apple chunks • boiled red or Yukon gold potatoes • roasted or boiled onions • cooked Irish sausages or bacon, cut into bite-size pieces

BEVERAGE SUGGESTIONS: brown ale • Amontillado sherry • blanc de noirs (sparkling wine)

CHEESE NOTES: The Willems family swapped a hectic life in the Amsterdam restaurant business for a farm in the remote countryside of Northwestern County Cork, Ireland. Today they produce Coolea, a Dutch Gouda-style cheese named after the tiny Irish village they now call home. Though it is very much like traditional Dutch Gouda, Coolea has a creamier texture and a nuttier, more caramel-like flavor. It makes a fantastic fondue.

This recipe was published in 'Fondue by Lenny Rice and Brigid Callinan'.

Ye Olde English Pub Special Savory Classics

There is no better place on earth to drink beer than a dark, cozy British pub. Some tasty pub grub washed down with a sturdy ale is the ideal antidote to the damp English winter. This fondue is a salute to the crowning achievements of English cuisine: beer and cheese.

Ingredients:
• 1 pound red Cheshire or sharp Cheddar, grated
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup English or Scottish ale
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation:
Toss the cheese with the flour in a bowl and set aside. In a fondue pot, add the ale and salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the cheese mixture, ½ cup at a time, stirring until melted after each addition. Serve immediately.

Makes 2½ cups

SERVE WITH: Irish soda bread cubes • toasted whole grain and rustic bread cubes • assorted crackers • apple chunks • pear chunks • cooked British bangers (sausages), cut into bite-size chunks • boiled red or Yukon gold potatoes

BEVERAGE SUGGESTIONS: ale or stout • sauvignon blanc • tawny port

CHEESE NOTES: Cheshire is a Cheddar-style English cheese whose sharp, savory flavor comes from the abundant salt deposits in the areas where the cattle graze. The addition of annatto, a natural coloring for cheese derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, gives red Cheshire its rich hue. This cheese makes a beautiful, deep reddish-orange fondue.

This recipe was published in 'Fondue by Lenny Rice and Brigid Callinan'.