August Welcome; Fresh Figs, “Cook In Your Nook” 

Summer Suppers…And Celebration for Croatian Friends

Every August, I am in search of fresh figs off the tree. This week we made fig/peach chutney, a glazed pork loin with apple and fig garnish. Also created, was a appetizer of balsamic vinegar doused figs stuffed with gorgonzola cheese and a lovely fresh basil fig salad finished with my “Ancient Pomegranate Dressing”

Stuffed Fig



This week we are booking "Cook In Your Nook" Suppers where we offer two options: I can travel to your home and either make a meal for you or give you a lesson while we cook together. The Cocktails and Nippers are fun for participation. Here is a sampling of some of our offerings:

Kebob Grill - Lamb/Pork or Beef Shish-Kebobs over multi grain rice with lemon/yogurt dressing, fresh veggie and garden green salad w/blue cheese dressing, toasted baguettes and Lime Chess Pie

 

"Ancient Mediterranean Feast; Foods from the Time of Jesus" - Delicious garlicky humus with toasted pita, citrus/rosemary grilled chicken with veggies over bulgur wheat, salad of “bitter herbs” and garden lettuces with grapes/almonds/sunflower kernels and pomegranate dressing, sliced melons, grapes, seasonal fruits and savory sweets of that time

 

Ancient Mediterranean Fruit Platter



 

"French Connection" - Jacque Pepin’s Instant Gravlax, Coq au Vin, assorted fresh salad with French vinaigrette, garlicky baguette, and delicious apple tartan

 

      Jacque Pepin's Salmon Gravlax

                                                                        

Endless Summer - A peach champagne cocktail, also known at the Bellini, served with three nippers: fresh figs stuffed with bleu cheese, asparagus with prosciutto and hollandaise and zucchini fries with buttermilk ranch dressing

South of the Border - Your choice of the NC Tequila Moonrise, Rosa Mexicano’s Pomegranate Margarita, or the Grapefruit Margarita served with your choice of two nippers: avocado-corn relish, chicken and cheese quesadillas, jicama and cilantro dip, black bean phyllo cups, or shrimp ceviche

 

I have written before of my close friends, Zora and Zivko who immigrated only 12 years ago from a war torn Croatia. Their zest for life and gratitude of being here is often expressed in open door hospitality. I am happily part of the “Z-family” and continue to share the experience of their friendship with others. One such occasion was last week where we toured their chicken coop, now complete with wild turkeys and one lone duck and their rather amazing garden. Then, we sat  down to a feast of Croatian food and red wine.

Tastefully yours,

Zacki and Staff

Cooking for Friends - A Spanish Fiesta

Recently, my good friend Dr. Anne Staples (http://www.hsinternational.org) and I invited a few close friends to celebrate the fruits of "our labor;" a Spanish themed dinner. As both of us have traveled extensively, we enjoy moving out of the Southern box and exploring foods from other cultures...At first we were a bit ambitious and were going to consider smoking a goat. Then Anne, decided that maybe she did not want to dig up her beautiful backyard...and I had difficulty finding someone who raised goats for meat. Finally found a farm 60 miles away. The goat owner said she just had little ones at this time, not quite ready for.... Imagining a baby goat on the spit brought us to our senses. So Paella it was with lots of shell fish and yes, chicken and smoked sausage from a hog. We started with some Spanish Tapas of Artichoke/Wheatberry/goat cheese, then little shrimp cakes in chick pea flour. Sangria and other light white wines sequenced thirst as we waited for Anne's Paella. This takes about an hour to cook once you have all the ingredients assembled which she had prepped earlier. Each component is sauteed or grilled separately. The result was just delicious. I made a mixed green salad with avocados, hearts of palm, oranges, rosemary croutons tossed with a citrus dressing. A almond/mint flan completed our feast and labor of love and hospitality!

Zacki and Will's Birthday Celebration

Tina Staley, a "sister" of 31 years threw a combined B-day celebration for Nashville Country Hall of Famer, Will McFarlane and myself. Tina and I go way back to meeting in NYC, LA, Chicago, Aspen and now, Durham, NC. Our bash was at her charming Sunflower Cottage in old Trinity Park. Tina is the director of Pathfinders at Duke Oncology (www.cancer.duke.edu/pathfinders) as a liaison between patients and doctors.

 

We served our "Jesus Supper" from foods of the first century: unleavened bread, baba ghannouj (roasted eggplant), lamb, chicken kabobs with a minty honey and raisin sauce on top of Kashi grains of oats, barley and wheat. Part of our “Ancient Mediterranean Meal” was a mixed salad of bitter greens with a pomegranate molasses dressing. Old grape was the main beverage. Sliced melons, grapes, and mango were on the kosher menu until Will and Janet's grand kids marched in with two decadent chocolate birthday cakes and broke "the kosher law."

Will, despite laryngitis, pulled out his guitar and gospel singer, Jennifer's Evan’s lent her angel gospel voice. Everyone joined in the song fest. It was a most enjoyable evening with a close circle of family and friends.

Easter Weekend

Our Easter weekend began on Good Friday with a cooking class at the King's Park International Church just around the corner from me. It is so big, that I describe it as "the Dean Dome with a steeple." For the Youth Foundation, we had 64 people for another successful "An Ancient Mediterranean Meal: Foods from the Time of Jesus." Everyone seemed to enjoy the healthy, low- cal menu and recipes we shared.

On Sunday, I joined my dear Croatian friends, Zoro and Zivko for an outdoor celebration at their home with tasty European fare provided by their friends: carrot and beet salads, dark yellow deviled eggs from the Z family's 5 chickens, suckling pig, smoked sausages and lots of food with much garlic and scallion. Zora's delicious homemade bread is always a treat and labor of hospitality.

Zora's Fabulous Bread - a daily staple; The path to Bob's gardens; Amalie, our Easter girl tries the doggie door

Then, onto Hillsborough to sister Karen's for an early supper. Husband Bob had transformed their backyard into 10 mini gardens where Mali and Kikko (my pups) enjoyed running around with Chip, Karen and Bob's rescued lab. A new screened in porch gave us some relief to a very warm day. After an Easter egg hunt for our young guests, we drank presco, snacked on truffled cheese, an Easter ham, fresh beets with goat's cheese, fresh asparagus, and Karen's famous yeast rolls. We ended our feast with angel food cake with lemon curd, fresh fruit and port. It was just about a perfect day.

Christmas in LA …and a Taste of Algiers

Sister Karen, husband Bob Ireland and I ventured to Playa Del Rey to celebrate Christmas with Nephew Jonathan, wife Lu Lu and baby Owen. Our joy, of course was having a new baby in our small family, who occupied most of our attention and amazement. Owen got the most pressies and has a wardrobe to last him a year…and from Auntie Z, lots of Carolina blue from bib to toes.

From left to right: Owen in Christmas Lights; Nephew JP, his son Owen and wife Lu Lu at Playa Del Rey; Lu's Couscoussiere & Steaming Stew

Lu’s father, Claude Mesrour is Algierian and passed onto his daughter the love of this healthy Mediterranean cuisine. She has a beautiful copper couscoussiere and the night before Christmas Eve began the arduous task of preparing the couscous. I am including a recipe from Claude and adapted it so that you do not need a couscoussiere nor hours of prepping.

A Couscous Feast

2 T. Olive Oil
I large Onion, diced
1 T. minced Garlic
6 pieces of dark and white meat Chicken
*2 cups Chicken Stock
1- 9 oz. can Tomato Paste
3 - 28 oz. cans of diced Tomatoes
1 t. Cumin Powder
1 T. Salt
1 T. fresh Black Pepper
5 Bay Leaves
½ lbs. fresh Green Beans, cut into 1inch pieces
½ lbs. diced Carrots
½ lbs. diced Celery
½ lbs. diced Cabbage
1 can Garbanzo Beans, drained
Mild Peppers in Vinegar
Box of Couscous
Water or Chicken Stock
4 oz. Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat Olive Oil in skillet and sautéed Onions, Garlic. Add and sautéed Chicken pieces. Remove from heat.

In large stock pot, heat the Chicken Stock, Tomato Paste, diced Tomatoes, Cumin, Salt, Black Pepper. Bring to boil. Add Onions, Garlic, Chicken, Green Beans, Carrots, Celery, Bay Leaves. Simmer covered about 30 minutes. Add Cabbage and Garbanzo Beans and simmer about 30 minutes more.

Prepare Couscous as on Package.

*Chicken Stock: Take the carcass of a chicken. Place in stock pot with enough water to cover. Add a couple of chopped celery stalks, a cut up carrot, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to taste…and anything leftover for flavor, such as parsley, scallions and other savory herbs and spices. Homemade stock can be put into baggies and frozen. This is so easy to make and much better choice than canned stock and a money saver…and no MSG.

In large Soup plates, ladle first hot Couscous, then add the remaining ingredients. Offer pickled Peppers.

This is a meal unto itself, as good the next day for leftovers…and with very few calories.

Bon Appetit,

Zacki

Three Girlfriends

Once upon a time in the 70’s, there were three, almost inseparable, girlfriends: Zacki, Melody and Ginny (pictured left). Ginny (affectionately known as Ginger) was one of the first women on Wall Street. Melody went from being an art teacher in Connecticut to Wall Street and living with Zacki in the city. They found common ground in meeting at Jim McMullen’s Restaurant, where Jim (a Ford model like Zacki) never let "the blonds" buy a glass of wine.Later, another investment mogul, Bill Fleckenstein, known today for his book, Greenspan's Bubbles: The Age of Ignorance at the Federal Reserve came in from Seattle and whisked Melody away to a life of horses, tennis, an investment in a vineyard and 26 years of marriage that produced Jacqueline, Ginger’s Goddaughter and Nicole, Zacki’s Goddaughter.
Fast forward to the present: Last weekend, with Hurricane Danny being a nuisance, everyone is gathered in Remsemburg, Long Island, NY at Ginger’s fabulous country home for Mel’s 60th birthday and a reunion.
Below: Ginny's country home and table setting of hydrangeas from garden; Family Circle magazine photo shoot taken at Ginny’s house and styled by Zacki Murphy

For Starters, Zacki made:
Roasted Shrimp with Fig Chutney and Shrimp Cocktail with Zapper Sauce
Fresh Cantaloupe with Prosciutto
Toasted Baguettes with Goat Cheese and topped with Zacki’s Tomato/Ginger Jam
Local Cheeses and Grapes
Smoked Salmon with Honey Mustard/Dill/Lemon/on Whole Wheat
Ginny's Mom's Cheddar Cheese Wafers with Rosemary

Below: Brie & local, toasted baguettes/goat cheese/tomato and ginger jam, roasted shrimp with fig chutney

For the Main Course:
Ginny, with grill maser Bill, made Chilean Sea Bass that had been marinated in a Sesame/Teriyaki Sauce

Ribeye Steaks that were manna from Heaven

Roasted Corn/Tomato side (now on my menu this week)

Tomato/Mozzarella/Basil Salad

The Grand Finale:
To finish this meal off with a bang were the most beautiful Peach Pies I have EVER seen. A local farm stand prepares a baked Crust with Whipped Cream/Custard and tops with dozens of slices of fresh local peaches with a glaze. They were a mile high!

We had more wine, Champagne and then “roasted” Mel with a skit of our beginning of lasting friendship and mostly staged, where else, but McMullen’s Restaurant. It was a wonderful gathering of old friends, Godchildren, memories and new remembrances.

Above: Melody and Paul Perkins aka "Preppy," Bill Fleckenstein and my beautiful Goddaughter, Nicole