Appetizers

Photo by Mathew LaBombard

This is such an easy and delicious way to enjoy beets. Of course, you can buy pickled beets at the store, but they’re so easy to make with ingredients that you probably already have on hand that there’s no sense in spending money for the jarred version. I love to serve these with toasted bread, grainy mustard, garden carrots and cured olives. On a cool, crisp day, there’s nothing better than enjoying these by a fire with a nice glass of wine (and maybe do it while wearing sweatpants!).

2 cups beets, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
1 onion, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped, plus more leaves for garnish
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups water
½ cup distilled white vinegar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons agave nectar (if … Read the rest

Stuffed fruits are very common in Mediterranean cooking. Serve them as a snack or an aperitif, as a first dish or as a side dish. Use firm fruits to avoid their falling apart while cooking. Because apple and pears when cut fresh tend to get darker due to oxidation, blanch them immediately with lemon or white wine when handling. Here is a recipe for a baked pear, using the advantage of the fabulous taste of Berkshire Blue cheese.

Yield: 4 servings

4 pears, peeled (optional), cut in half and core removed*
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup white wine

For the stuffing:

½ cup Berkshire Blue cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons cream cheese**
1/3 cup nuts, diced***
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs****

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Set pears in a baking dish with their open sides up. Pour wine on and around the pears. Sprinkle nutmeg on the pears. Cover the baking … Read the rest