The Root of our Family Tree

Celeriac, otherwise known as Knob Celery, has been

the root of our family tree longer than I've been around.

OFD  is when we all enjoy it in a salad made very much

like German Potato Salad.  In fact it's virtually identical,

except that the knobs are used in place of boiled potatoes.

And the keeper of the tradition (Mom) includes chicory 

leaves for garnish and texture.  They're tangy and add a

slight crunch.  They happen to be my favorite part.

It's a grotesque looking vegetable, with roots and knobs

protruding in all directions, and I imagine most folks are 

just plain scared to tackle the thing.  The stalks resemble 

celery, but are more tough and bitter than their cousins.

The prize is definitely the bulbous root.  The whole root

is boiled in salted water in its jacket 'til tender, cooled, 

and then peeled and cubed.  Next step is to toss the cubes

in a simple vinaigrette with thinly sliced onions and chicory

and left to sit, marinating.  Close to service is when

mayonnaise is folded in, although not too much, just enough

to coat all involved, and then salt and pepper to taste.

It's a cold side dish to an otherwise warm array of 

accompaniments (except for cranberries which I don't 

dislike but have never found a use for on THXG).

You'll find yourself raiding the fridge early Thanksgiving

Friday morning, in your underwear, eating it from the 

tupperware with a fork, alternating bites with tugs of 

cold milk straight from the jug. 

B.A.T.

Oh man....Bacon, Arugula and Tomato sandwich.

Dude, you keeping those?

Calm down Doug, they're basil seeds.  I thought I might strip them

from the stalks on my basil plant outside the back door and see

if they sprout next April.  They still smell pungent and who knows?

Yeah yeah, I know.  Some things never change, thank goodness.

Simple and Good

Grilled boneless pork chops, roasted Yukon Gold potatoes,

Brussels sprouts with butter, and cured olives and oven-dried

tomatoes.  Almost every forkful has all the elements of  the

spread laid out before me.  It's no wonder I'm always the last

to get up from the table.

Dinner under the Dome

Whole roasted chicken, potatoes, and onions cooked with indirect

heat under the Weber grill dome.  Slow is the way to go.  

170 degrees in the thighs and 160 for the breast and taters

and onions tender and ready.  About an hour and a half.  Magic.

Once all of that stuff is off the grill, throw the zucchini

halves directly over the coals and watch for about 5

minutes, with a turn halfway through.  No mess in the

kitchen and minimum 3 days worth of dinners.  Probably

$10.00 of  product, but the flavor is priceless.

Yes, Pleese!

Can you spot Sponge Bob?

Stacks

Sliced baguette fried in olive oil, with Grana Padano

(a cousin of Parmigiano Reggiano), whole basil, and

of course field-grown Jersey plum tomatoes.  Sprinkled

with grey sea salt (sel gris) and cracked black pepper.

Obviously you don't have to eat it like this. It's just that,

well you know, I like to play with my food now and then.

  

Thinking of Charley in Ireland, I dug up this photo

of the sea stack at Downpatrick Head, County Mayo.

It was one of the most spectacular sights we came

upon during our visit.  I'm thinking my stack was a 

bit more tender to the bite.