The latest in our Sunday Sabbath series, recently we kicked back with some serious Mezcal (and beer and tequila and horse tranquilizers) and spent 4 hours cooking what amounted to a tiny lunch and a cute dessert.
Using some leftover, garlic-spiked harrissa paste we pulsed a bright red sauce to dapper up some wintery, but color-free, baby artichokes and Brussels sprouts. As an experiment we did the Lima beans two ways (one with red things, one with yellow things) to see if we could dye the beans to desired colors. It didn’t make much of a difference visually, so we just elaborated here on the yellow version: a tawny port, golden beet and saffron brothy mixtcha’.
Finally, to match our tequila vs. mescal taste test, we threw together a port cherry melon plate that slew minds and blew men. Errr… Just watch the video above and recreate, but keep your Sunday wide open.
Roasty Harrissa
(Makes about 1 cup)
1 large tomato
1/4 cup fresh harrissa paste
4-6 roasted red pepper strips
Salt and fresh black pepper to taste
1. Simply flash blanche a tomato: bring a small pot of water to boil, toss in tomato for about 30 seconds and remove. Peel off skin under cool water.
2. Take your garlicky harissa <a href="1/4 cup fresh harrissa paste“>(directions here) and toss it in a food processor or blender. With the tomato and add some roasted pepper strips (directions here). Pulse for a minute and add extra olive oil if it seems dry. Season as desired.
Winter Limas and Braised Buds
(Serves 4)
1 red onion, chopped
1 head garlic, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. tawny port
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups Christmas Limas
1 Tbs. saffron
1 golden beet, peeled
1 Tbs. sea salt
6 baby artichokes
6 brussels sprouts
1/8 cup sherry vinegar
1/8 cup cooking vinegar
2 Tbs. whole grain mustard
1. In a large pot, sauté half the onion and garlic in oil for about 8 minutes and then add the port, stock and limas. Give it about another 8 minutes before adding the saffron and the beet (give it a chop). Season as needed and let it simmer till beans are soft, about 30-40 minutes.
2. As for the braised artichokes and Brussels, just start a hot pan with a little more oil and follow the video and the above ingredient allocations. After searing the little buddies, toss the rest of the onion and garlic into the pan with some mustard. Saute for a couple seconds to get a tasty sauce.
3. Smear the harissa on the bottom of the plate, and pile beans first and then braised veggies.
Port Cherry Melons
(Serves 4)
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup Spanish port
1 Tbs. all spice
1 small cantaloupe
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 fresh basil
1. In a large bowl, let your cherries sit in the port and all spice for at least 1 hour.
2. Once sweet and juicy, prepare the rest of the plate. Slice your melon in half, then in quarters. Then cut along the rind to separate the fruit in a long slice. Make vertical cuts so that you’re left with little rectangles.
3. Place on plate with wider end on the bottom. Top each piece with a single cherry.
4. Cut the basil into cuesty little squares by chiffonading the basil leaves and then turning the organized leaves 90 degrees and cutting again. Add to the agave nectar. Dollop on the plate for a dipping sauve and garnish.
Beverage: Mezcal
Soundtrack: Randy Newman’s Sail Away
