Open-Faced Brie Sandwich

Serves Two

4 slices bread, either sourdough or a French baguette

2 leaves Boston salad

1 medium tomato

1 thin slice of onion

2 oz Brie

4 leaves fresh basil

2 tsp olive oil

Black pepper to taste

Cut four slices of bread on the bias and toast lightly (45 degree angle).

Break the Boston leaves in half and place half on top of each slice of bread.

Slice the tomato into four slices and place a slice on top of the lettuce.

Cut the Brie into four slices and place each on top of the tomatoes.

Break up the onion slice and evenly place on top of the Brie.

Evenly drizzle the oil over the top of each sandwich.

Garnish each with a basil leaf. Season with pepper.

Arrange on plates and serve.

Mussels Mariniere

Serves 4

Mussels Mariniere is a classic bistro dish of mussels served in a white wine sauce.

1 cup diced onion

6 diced scallions, with some of the green remaining

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 cup fruity dry white wine

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper, or red pepper if you prefer more heat

4 pounds small to medium size mussels, cleaned and free of beards

Combine all ingredients including the mussels in a large stainless pot. Cover and bring to a boil.

From the time the mixture begins to boil, cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the mussels open, constantly shaking the pot.

Serve the mussels in soup bowls, evenly spooning the liquid and vegetables over each bowl.

An optional version to this recipe is to include one cup of sliced fresh fennel with the vegetable mixture. You may also add 2 tbsp of olive oil over the mussels before serving.

Serve with a good crusty bread.

Mussels with a Saffron Tomato Sauce

Serves 4-6

This recipe evokes the style and tastes of southern France.

3 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

2/3 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup green bell pepper

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 1/2 cups seeded diced tomato

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or red pepper if you prefer more heat

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 tsp saffron threads

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

5 pounds fresh mussels, cleaned and free of beards

Heat butter and oil in a large stainless steel pot.

Add onion, green pepper and garlic and saute for one minute.

Add mussels, tomato, pepper and wine.

Cover and bring to a boil.

Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until they open, shaking the pot frequently to distribute the ingredients.

With a slotted spoon lift the mussels from the pot into a large serving bowl.

Discard any unopened mussels.

The greater the surface area of your bowl, the better, as you want as many of the mussels to be coated with the finished sauce.

Add the saffron to the pot with the remaining sauce, bring to a boil and simmer two minutes.

Pour the sauce over the mussels, garnish with parsley and serve.

This recipe goes well with a nice crusty bread for dipping into the sauce.

To have a recipe free of saturated fat, add more olive oil instead of the butter or use a healthy blend of a butter substitute.

Sloe Gin or Sloe Vodka

Sloe Gins or Sloe Vodkas are great drinks for hurricane parties.

“Sloes” are small plum-like fruits of the blackthorn, actually a wild plum.

Sloes are bitter so they are not suitable for eating. The bitter flavor is lost when making Sloe liqueurs.

Traditionally when preparing Sloe liqueur the Sloes were pierced with a thorn from the bush. You can use a fork to speed up the process.

In addition to Ireland and England, Sloes are frequently found around the finger lake region of N.Y. and the north-eastern region of the U.S.

Sloe Gin/Vodka Recipe #1

2 lbs Sloe’s

1 qt Gin or Vodka

20 oz sugar

3 cloves

1 small cinnamon stick

Wash and dry the fruit and remove any stems.

Pierce each Sloe with a fork and place in a large glass container.

Add gin or vodka and cover.

Twice a week stir gently (for 4-8 weeks.)

Drain the liquid and transfer to a glass bottle. (I used a decanter from Home Goods.)

Now add the sugar to the drained Sloes, shake and cover.

Shake the container with the Sloes twice each day until all the sugar is desolved.

This may take up to two weeks.

When the sugar is dissolved, drain the liquid and mix the syrup with the first unsweetened liquid.

After three months, drain the liquid through a cheese cloth. (Add some more sugar if necessary.)

The strained liqueur should sit and mellow a couple of months before using. This may be hard to do and you can now see how the name Sloe may have come about.

Recipe #2

Using the measurements above, wash and dry the fruit and remove all the stems.

Pierce each Sloe with a fork and place in a glass container.

Add the Gin or Vodka and sugar and set in a cool dark place.

Turn daily for three weeks, then once a week until three months have passed.

Pour the liqueur off and let sit one week, then decant.

Let sit another week then decant carefully again.

If this recipe is too long of a production, you can purchase very good Sloe liqueurs. One brand is AVERELL from upstate N.Y.

Sloe liqueur makes great Sloe Gin or Vodka Fizzes.

Note: The leftover fruit can be pitted and dipped into melted chocolate, then placed on parchment paper until the chocolate firms. You can also place the pitted fruit into chocolate cups with a little rum or liqueur.

You may also use the fruit to infuse vinegar, make into jam, or use as a basis for chutney.