It’s been that way since she was 5, standing on a stool in her mother’s kitchen, armed with oregano and garlic salt.

“She watched Julia Child and the Galloping Gourmet and Jacques Pepin years before it was cool to be a foodie.”

The words are from the forward of the chef’s new cookbook, “Reflections & Recipes of Chef Judi.” Find it at many area bookstores.

No longer needing to stand on a chair, the statuesque grown-up, 6-foot tall Judi Gallagher, culinary director for ABC7 in Sarasota, is not only living her dream but sharing it with the rest of us.

In her on-camera moments, she shares recipes, cooking hints and talks about area restaurants and other culinary topics.

“I loved the ceremony of food,” she said.

She still does. She appreciates the presentation as much as the taste, realizing like most top chefs that those things go hand in hand.

“My mother thought I should be a dietitian,” she said.

At her high school’s college night she discovered Johnson and Wales University at Providence, Rhode Island. It was close to Boston and New York and also to her friends at Connecticut College and Brown. All that plus cooking classes — what could be better for someone with such a passion?

Dressed in starched chef whites and steel-toed shoes, the would-be chef attended classes by day, cooked meals in the dorm at night (even at a culinary school, college food left something to be desired she said) and then worked in a diner on Saturday nights to earn the money for her dormitory creations.

After graduation, she worked as an intern with several of her college instructors at the college-owned restaurant before heading out on her own. As women chefs were not yet in vogue, she got to clean the dirtiest pans and prepare salads and desserts while the men wore the tall chef hats and created the entrees.

Marriage and a move to Glouscester, Massachusetts, offered the first taste of culinary success. She and her husband opened the Main Street Café, which was an instant hit.

“We were known for our soups and our brunch,” she said.

They would serve brunch to 400 to 600 diners. The cafe offered nine varieties of homemade muffins plus peach and blueberry cobbler among other tasty treats.

Several of these recipes, including one for her cream of mushroom soup, are featured in the cookbook. With such ingredients as four kinds of mushrooms and truffle butter, it is a good thing today’s grocers stock such once hard-to-find items.

Presentation is as important as the finest ingredients to this chef. She appreciates the artful blending of colorful food with colorful dishes. Consider that sometimes the term “colorful” refers to the use of a canning jar to serve a tasty lemon custard pudding topped with a blueberry sauce. Use a plain wooden cutting board to serve a flatbread “pizza” featuring thinly sliced grilled rare steak, herb cream cheese with arugula salad and blistered tomatoes.

This chef does more than simply fill bellies, run a consulting business and be a great wife and mother. She also has spent hours out in the community helping individuals and businesses. In 2008, she was a “She Knows Where She’s Going” honoree of Girls Inc. Her award reads, in part:

“Judi spices up our television and radio airwaves as well as writes for several local publications. She does this all while generously seasoning the culinary world with her consulting business for high-end restaurant clientele like Beach Bistro, Fleming’s, Roy’s, Venture Hotels and others.”

Yet all was not sugar and cream

Despite her childhood passions and role models, a top education and the birth of her son, Eric, while her first restaurant was drawing crowds, rain clouds were gathering. Lightening struck from out of the blue when her first husband and the family bank accounts vanished at the same time.

Chef Judi had $5 in her wallet, her beloved son, Eric, and her wonderful mother. Her mother stocked her freezer, filled her oil tank, gave her three days to wallow in grief and the courage to do what she needed to do to look out for her son and herself.

With money borrowed from her mother, she baked oatmeal cookies — lots of oatmeal cookies. She took them to a local gourmet store. Her next venture, Just Desserts was born. Baking by day, bartending at night and sleeping occasionally, with the help of a live-in sitter, her business began to grow, including Legal Seafoods and DeLucas Markets as major customers.

Chef Judi turned her life around, repaid her mother, met Paul Gallagher who proved to be the husband and father she and her son, Eric, deserved. It was time to follow the sun to Sarasota where her career would blossom even as she dealt with the loss first of her sister and then the mother who had inspired her, saved her and even now, years after her passing, seems to watch over the little girl on the stool who truly does know where she is going.

After her mother’s passing she worked for Ophelia’s by the Bay, began to write for some local magazines and since then has written about restaurants and hotels all over Europe and elsewhere. She did a food segment at a local television station. Eventually she was seen by local weather guru John Scalzi at ABC7 in Sarasota and “overnight” became its culinary director.

“I love every single moment,” Chef Judi wrote in her cook book. “Any day that someone stops me and shares enjoyment of the cooking shows or patronizes a restaurant or event based on my recommendations, I am so happy.”

“Reflections & Recipes of Chef Judi” is as much a fine cook book as a bitter-sweet autobiography of a well-known and much admired chef.

However, there is one thing missing — the recipe for her oatmeal raisin cookies.

“Only Eric, my son, will get that recipe.”

“Reflections & Recipes of Chef Judi” by Judi Gallagher, 108 pages, ISBN: 978-1-5462-4211-6. $22.9.5 Available at Barnes and Noble in Sarasota, Bookstore1, Southern Steer Butchers, Geiers, Creekside Traders and Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

*This article first appeared in the Venice Gondolier Sun

I continue my journey with al fresco dining, this week focusing on water views.

Casey Key Fish House

It is well worth waiting your turn on the one-way bridge to get to Casey Key Fish House, an incredible gem. It feels like going to a private island. Sit on the colorful Adirondack chairs and sip a frozen libation while you wait (you can call ahead for parties of six or more, but you may still need to wait). The standard grouper sandwich is on the menu, of course, as well as good fish ‘n’ chips, but go uptown and try the tuna with soba noodles and wahoo with sliced avocados, both expertly prepared. For an appetizer, the new tempura lobster can be a meal for someone in itself, or you could share an order of mussels with garlic and white wine. And the bouillabaisse is one of my all-time favorite dishes.

The Table Creekside

Who says we don’t have gourmet dining on the water in Sarasota? The Table Creekside is the entire package. A global menu with new fall features that include incredible suckling pig, lovely ambiance on Phillippi Creek and an outdoor deck that sits within reach of sea grapes and jumping fish. When the weather eventually cools down, there are heaters to keep you warm so you can enjoy the sunset while you a sip a glass of Cabernet. My picks: braised Korean short ribs and lobster carbonara with house-made bacon. And yes, from time to time you may spot a few manatees slowly passing by.

Ophelia’s on the Bay

This is the time of year that Ophelia’s on the Bay shines best. Often voted one of the most romantic restaurants in town, Ophelia’s outside dining is pretty magical (albeit a little pricey). The menu has dishes that have been popular for the past few decades, like eggplant crepes, with entrée selections ranging from lobster to stone crab to filet to duck and more.

New Pass Grill  

There is something sublime about ordering a cheeseburger that comes in wrapped deli paper and sitting on a dock dodging pelicans as you scarf a side of French fries (I recommend having them the Connecticut way, with chopped onions and ketchup) and a perfect high-calorie double cheeseburger with a smear of mayo. Enjoy it while you look out at the turquoise water and watch boats glide by. And don’t worry about formality here–you can wear a bathing suit and a ball cap and be just fine strolling in from a day on the water. New Pass Grill is a burger utopia venue.

Next up: Do you have a favorite outdoor doggie dining destination? Please let us know your favorite places to bring your pups!

Full disclosure: I’m a restaurant and hospitality-industry consultant and some dining picks do come from my clients; however, all opinions are my own.

I’m a television cook, food writer, teacher and culinary traveler, But, I’m also a deft and enthusiastic shopper. At holiday time, I’m more than ready with a list of what to give to friends and family. When possible, I shop locally to support area merchants and growers and to celebrate and promote regional specialties that are available in farmers’ markets and retail stores.

My online shopping is limited but always includes Garrett’s Popcorn from Chicago. I order the Chicago mix which is CaramelCrisp and CheeseCorn. For people who know gourmet popcorn, Garrett’s is the ultimate and buying it for certain friends is a tradition with me. You can order some at:  Garrettspopcorn.com. College students and friends with small apartments will love jars of cookie mix from the Mason Jar Cookie Company. The jar comes ready with the dry ingredients and chips. Just add butter, oil and eggs and follow the recipe. The jar makes perfect storage later for tea bags or ground coffee. Find these jars at masonjarcookiecompany.com.

My friends who are professional chefs or just love to spend hours in the kitchen usually get spices that I order from the Sarasota Spice and Tea Exchange. One year I filled stockings early with truffle salt and hid them in my closet. Within days, my clothes smelled like truffle potpourri! The Spice Exchange will ship anywhere and can make special blends and special labels. www.spiceandtea.com/florida-sarasota-st-armands.

The  Kitchen Curry Master Set comes with an authentic spice box with individual spice pots for perfect storing and a cookbook to make dishes like Chicken Korma and lamb madras. www.kitchencurrymaster.com

For very special friends I make my nana’s recipe for sour cream coffee cake. I used to serve this indulgent cake in my restaurant in Gloucester, Massachusetts. This cake also went to Legal Seafood and to Delucca’s in Boston before I moved to Florida. I generally pair the cake with two French coffee mugs that I might buy online or at a Sur La Table. In fact, Sur la Table is a favorite for baskets filled with peelers, wine openers and even silicone matting for baking sheets. Fresh Market stocks plastic bottles of balsamic glazes and plenty of chocolate Santas for stocking stuffers.

My husband always gives themed gifts and has taught me to build on a specific idea. One year he gave me a vacation by myself at a beach cottage. One box had beach towels, the next suntan lotion and peanut M&M’s, the next a reservation for a rental car and the smallest package was the airline ticket and a map with my destination. I even make themed gifts for our little grandnephews with easy bake ovens and pot holders and chef hats.

To create a very, very big impression Le Creuset is an ideal choice. These pots are pricey but they last forever and truly inspire home chefs. The mini-cocot set with cookbook is perfect for those wanting to make individual soufflés, mini pot pies and individual flans.

Juicers for active ones who eat healthy are a nice choice but cleaning them can be a pain. I prefer gift cards to their favorite juice bar or chip in with other family members and go for the Vitamix. You can make a four-course dinner out of one machine and think of it as the Rolls Royce of smoothie making.

Wine lovers usually have their own cellars or brands that they love. If you aren’t sure what wine to buy them, an alternative gift is the rabbit wine chilling carafe.  The carafe comes with an ice chamber that you chill and place back in the carafe provided. Now your Sancere will be at proper temperature until the last drop. www.MetroKane.com. Big or small, farmers’ market or kitchen store, there are hundreds of gifts for those that love food. Find your theme and have fun.

F&M

I like to say that our grandparents were the original experts in the farm to table movement. To them it was the normal way to eat. If you lived in a neighborhood with a garden plots, you cultivated seasonal fruits and vegetables for your family. When the cook needed fresh tomatoes, she went out into the garden with a basket (or sent one of the kids) and fresh tomatoes made the trip from the “farm” to the family table. City dwellers relied on carts or small neighborhood markets where the proprietors bought produce directly from farmers. No middle-man suppliers. The fruits and vegetables were seasonal and fresh. A lot of small towns in Europe still operate this way.

As restaurants gained in popularity in the American way of life, some restaurants owned farm land in the country and supplied their city restaurant with fresh seasonal ingredients. Many restaurants still do. Places like California (thank you, Alice Waters), Portland, Oregon, and the Hamptons are known for their farm to table eateries. But one in the city of New York, in Greenwich Village specifically, carries on this tradition of growing the produce that it serves in the restaurant. It’s called Blue Hill and if you’re traveling to New York and you’re a genuine foodie, you must eat there.

Blue Hill, which opened in 2000, is hidden three steps below street level where the restaurant occupies a landmark speakeasy just off Washington Square Park. The award-winning Executive Chef and Co-Owner is Dan Barber and he has a brilliant support team including Chef de Cuisine Trevor Kunk, originally from Sarasota, Florida.

Blue Hill’s menu showcases local food and a wine list with producers who respect artisan techniques. Ingredients come from nearby farms, including Blue Hill Farm in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, 45 minute drive from New York City.

Guests at Blue Hill can choose from the regular menu or opt for the Farmer’s Feast, a five-course tasting menu inspired by what has just been picked. The cost is $148, not including wines. Put yourself in the hands of the creative chefs and experienced farmers and you will experience the freshest food imaginable. Think of your meal as a unique culinary adventure in incredible authentic flavors.

From the artisan cheeses, to the grains, Blue Hill reigns as “locavore” divineness. Although we counted 13 courses during the most relaxing three hours in the Village, we loved each and every bite without feeling overwhelmed by portion size. Fresh roasted beets with house-made yogurt and grains might be one of the opening courses, along with simply placed organic radishes, turnip and lettuces arranged upright on a board – known as vegetables on a fence – and ever so lightly brushed with simple vinaigrette. I never would have thought a house-made bologna with grain mustard would be part of our meal, but the simply delicious spiced bologna was actually a table favorite. As the evening progressed, we appreciated the locally-sourced honey and grass-fed pork belly, seared to a crisp and lightly brushed with a berry puree.

From the bar, we sampled the house made dry vermouth in special cocktail. You’ll want one too.

Blue Hill is famous and accepts reservations for up to six guests a month in advance. Attire is relaxed-elegant and the menu celebrates the diverse bounty of the Hudson Valley. The dining room seats 55 with additional seating in the patio for 16 guests. Here are two recipes from Blue Hill, one of American’s best restaurants. I’m so glad I went there!

Smoked Tomato Soup

Blue Hill, Dan Barber, executive chef and co-owner

Serves 4

1/4 cup apple, pecan or hickory wood chips (preferably 1/2 inch or smaller)

10 large plum tomatoes, halved and seeded, 8 coarsely chopped

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh or drained bottled horseradish

1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Small basil leaves, for garnish

Scatter the wood chips in a medium cast-iron skillet and cover the skillet tightly. Heat the chips over moderately high heat until smoking. Place the 4 tomato halves on a rack and set the rack in the skillet. Cover and smoke the tomatoes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until barely softened. Transfer the tomatoes to a plate and let cool slightly, then peel them.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and leek and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add the coriander seeds, garlic, bay leaves and horseradish and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock, cover and cook over moderate heat until the tomatoes are softened, about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Working in batches, puree the soup with the butter and smoked tomatoes until smooth. Strain the soup into a clean saucepan; season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with basil.

The Kip Cocktail

Blue Hill, created by Katie Bell

1 1/2 ounces applewood-smoked McKenzie Rye Whiskey

1 ounce sweet vermouth

1/2 bar spoon Crown Maple Syrup Dark Amber

1 drop Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters

Build in a rocks glass and add a large-format ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist.

F&M

Versatile and delicious, savoury tarts can be as simple or as complex as you choose. Imagine the crust as a blank canvas, an opportunity to throw all of your favorite ingredients into one mouth-watering dish. Savoury elements can include an egg and milk mixture, meat, fish, vegetables and cheese. Add fresh herbs for a more bold flavor and  healthy option, such as in a pesto and avocado tart or even a swiss chard tart.

Tarts can be enjoyed at any meal of the day, so there are no rules! If you are looking for a breakfast savoury tart, prepare mini tarts with egg, onion, bacon and sweet potato. For a lunch, add a tang to your tart by adding blue cheese and red onion, or finish your night with a butternut squash and dried sage tart for dinner.

Tart crusts are made of puff pastry or shortcrust. If you plan to make your own tart crust, use a pie pan with metal ridges. It is preferable to use a light colored pan to avoid over-browning the crust, and one with a removable bottom, for easy removal. However, if you are baking with a one-piece pan, use a non-stick. William Sonoma has a tartlet baking kit for $29.95, but, you can also use a mini muffin pan for bite-size tarts.

Traditional dough for a tart is made from butter and eggs. However, to add a savoury taste use olive oil instead. For an 8 serving recipe, use 1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and ¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil.  When pressing the dough into the pan, the amount of crust is up to you. If you like the extra crust, leave it! If you are planning on using a store bought tart crust, consider Trader Joes, Pillsbury or Pepperidge Farm.

Wild Mushroom Tart with Broccoli Rabe and Goat Cheese

Robin Miller Quick Fix Meals

Yield: 4 servings

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups sliced wild mushrooms

4 cups chopped broccoli rabe

? cup low-fat milk

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon dried sage

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup crumbled goat cheese

Press pie crust into bottom and sides of a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Set aside

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until they release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and cook, stirring until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the head and pour into the pie crust.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sage, salt and pepper. Pour into the tart pan. Sprinkle the goat cheese evenly over the top, then bake until the knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.

Swiss Chard Tart

Bistro Cooking  

Yield: 8 servings

1 pound swiss chard leaves (or substitute spinach)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 large eggs

1 cup freshly imported parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the pastry a press dough into a 10 ½ inch tart tin.

Wash and dry the green leafy portion of the chard, discarding the center white stem. Break up the leaves and coarsely chop them, in several batches, in a food processor.

Place the chard in a large shallow skillet and season with salt and pepper to taste. Over low heat, wilt the chard and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Combine the eggs and the cheese in a medium-size bowl; mix until thoroughly blended. stir in the chard and mix well. Pour the Vegetable mixture into the prepared pastry shell.

Bake until the crust is golden and the chard mixture is firm and browned, about 40 minutes.

Hazelnut, Pear and Blue Cheese Tart

Cooking Light

Yield: 8 servings

? cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted and divided

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

? teaspoon salt

1 large egg

½ (14.1 ounce) package refrigerated pie dough

Baking spray with flour

2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

2 large Bartlett or Anjou pears, peeled, cored and cut lengthwise into ½-inch-thick-slices

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons apple jelly

1 teaspoon water

Place oven rack in the lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 375°.

Place 2 tablespoons hazelnuts in a small bowl; set aside. Place remaining hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor; process until finely ground. Add butter, salt, and egg; process until a smooth paste forms.

Gently roll pie dough into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle, cutting dough and gently pinching seams as needed to create shape. Fit dough into a 14 x 4 1/2-inch removable-bottom metal tart pan lightly coated with baking spray. Gently press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Spread hazelnut mixture evenly over bottom of dough. Bake in lower third of oven at 375° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Sprinkle blue cheese evenly over top.

Gently toss pears with lemon juice. Arrange pear slices on top of cheese. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until pears are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Remove from oven. Place jelly and 1 teaspoon water in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until mixture boils. Brush top of tart with jelly mixture; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack before slicing.

Eggs are having a renaissance. Sure, they’re used in everything from cake batter to carbonara, and they always will be, but these days you’ll find egg-centric dishes on just about every restaurant menu and in the pages of every food magazine. It’s become almost common to see salads or sliders topped with a quail egg.

Take deviled eggs, for example. What used to be the home hostess’s cocktail party staple are now turning up on the menus of some of the most exclusive restaurants around. Some are topped with everything from diced beets to house-made bacon, and I’d be happy to eat any of these variations. Eggs are igniting chef creativity.

The same goes for eggs Benedict: the formula used to be Canadian bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise, but now chefs are swapping out all different kinds of protein for the ham—you’ll find crab cake, smoked salmon, steak and fresh veggie Benedicts on most breakfast and brunch menus these days. Today’s omelets can be filled with almost any ingredient you can think of—I’ve had Mediterranean omelets, meat-lover omelets, egg-white omelets, you name it. The more creative, the better (most of the time). Same goes for contemporary quiche recipes.

And don’t even get me started on fried eggs—they’re not just for breakfast anymore. These days, you can put them on top of almost anything, and I couldn’t be happier about it. From burgers to stir-fry dishes and back again, this is one trend I hope stays around.

You don’t have to stick to just chicken eggs for any of these dishes, either (although they’re certainly the most readily available). Duck, goose, and quail eggs often show up on menus and can be prepared in many of the same ways as their chicken counterparts. And how good does a caramel coffee crème brulee made with duck eggs sound? Or fresh egg fettuccine made with ostrich eggs? Or—yum—truffled quail eggs?

Below you’ll find a few of my favorite egg recipes, and I hope you’ll share your favorite ways to prepare eggs with me, as well. Happy eating!

Eggs Florentine with Orange Hollandaise

2 English muffins, split, toasted and buttered

4 thick slices ham or Canadian bacon, warmed

2 cups wilted fresh spinach

4 poached eggs

1/2 cup Hollandaise Sauce

Zest of orange

Orange Hollandaise Sauce

3 large egg yolks

1 1/2 tablespoons cold water

1/2 cup warm clarified butter

3 teaspoons fresh orange juice

Dash hot red pepper sauce (optional)

Salt and ground white pepper to taste

Place in the top of a double boiler or in a large stainless-steel bowl set up as a double boiler. Off the heat, whisk the egg mixture until it becomes light and frothy. Place the top of the double boiler or the bowl over, not in, barely simmering water and continue to whisk until the eggs are thickened, 2 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let the eggs get too hot. Remove the pan or bowl from over the water and whisk to slightly cool the mixture. Whisking constantly, very slowly add butter, then whisk in  orange juice, pepper sauce and salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water. Serve immediately or keep the sauce warm for up to 30 minutes by placing the bowl in water (not hot) water. Garnish with zest of orange.

Joe’s Eggs Judi Style

1/2 teaspoon  basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites
4 large eggs
3 ounces hot Italian sausage

3 ounces ground sirloin
2 cups chopped onion
6 cups chopped fresh spinach

1/c cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Dash hot sauce

4 (1 1/2-ounce) slices sourdough bread, toasted

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage and ground beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned; stir to crumble. Add onion; cook 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in chard; cover and cook 3 minutes or until chard wilts, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Stir in egg mixture; cook 3 minutes or until eggs are set, stirring frequently. Serve with toast. 4-5 servings (serving size: 1 cup egg mixture and 1 toast slice)

F&M

I’m not a big fan of chocolate in traditional forms of delivery such as fancy chocolate candy in a box or chocolate Easter bunnies. I’ll eat your flourless chocolate lava cake if you put in front of me (twist my arm, right?), but I much prefer chocolate in savory form. So, gather those leftover chocolate bars after Easter and let’s make something creative.

Before you look at me like I’m crazy, let me explain: chocolate is just as tempting in traditional Mexican mole sauce as it is in a fudge brownie. Savory chocolate is delicious with beef, especially if you use ground cocoa for a rub. It even plays nicely with carrots and other vegetables. As with anything, you just want to make sure you use best-quality ingredients — I choose Valrhona or Scharffen-Berger chocolate, but if you can’t find that, Ghirardelli is a good substitute and can be found in any grocery store — and pay attention to the recipes.

Here are two of my favorite savory chocolate recipes—let me know if you’ll be trying them out, or even better, share the ways you use chocolate in your savory dishes by leaving a comment.

Hazelnut Dark Chocolate Soup

1 ½ pounds lightly toasted hazelnuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 bulb fennel, cleaned and sliced thinly
1 white onion, peeled and sliced
1 cup heavy cream
2 oranges, juiced
32 ounces mushroom or vegetable stock, or water
1 bar dark chocolate (such as Ghirardelli 86% cacao)
1 cup orange oil (optional, recipe follows)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy stock pot, heat olive oil on medium heat, and add onions, fennel and chipotle. Cook until tender, then add hazelnuts, salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat to caramelize. Add orange juice, heavy cream, and stock and bring to high heat until bubbles form. Then lower heat to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Break up chocolate into the stock pot and stir to incorporate. Pour mixture into a blender, and blend until smooth (approximately 2-3 minutes). Garnish with orange oil and grated chocolate.

To make orange oil: Zest two oranges into 1 cup olive oil, and bring just to a simmer. Remove from heat, blend (in a blender), and let cool. The orange oil will keep for two weeks and can be used for salads or over chocolate ice cream.

Braised Short Ribs with Chocolate and Rosemary

1/4 cup diced pancetta (Italian bacon; about 1 1/2 ounces)

6 pounds bone-in short ribs

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups dry red wine

3 cups low-salt chicken broth

2 cups chopped drained canned diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 very large fresh thyme sprig

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons shaved or grated bittersweet chocolate

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Heat heavy large pot over medium heat. Add pancetta and sauté until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown ribs in drippings in pot over medium-high heat until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to plate. Add onions and next 4 ingredients to pot. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add wine. Boil uncovered until liquid is reduced by half, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and pancetta. Return ribs to pot, cover partially, and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and simmer until rib meat is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Transfer ribs to plate; discard bay leaf. Spoon fat from surface of sauce. Boil sauce until beginning to thicken, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add chocolate, cocoa powder, and rosemary; stir until chocolate melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return ribs to pot. Simmer to rewarm, about 5 minutes.

Chocolate Barbecue Sauce

Rib lovers beware – this barbecue sauce made with premium dark chocolate is not for the faint of heart! Dark, intense, flavorful, with a bite at the end, this sauce is destined to become a family favorite! It’s from allchocolate.com

1 tablespoon butter, soft

4 each garlic cloves, minced

½ each Spanish onion, small dice

2 each Roma tomatoes, stem removed, small dice

1 ½ ounces dark brown sugar

4 teaspoons ancho chili powder

4 ounces apple cider vinegar

8 ounces barbecue sauce

14 ounces vegetable stock

¼ teaspoon cumin, ground

¼ cinnamon, ground

1/8 teaspoon cloves, ground

2 ounces of 82% dark chocolate

2 tablespoons cilantro, fresh, chopped

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper, fresh ground

Melt butter in small sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, sauté 5 minutes until golden brown. Add tomatoes, stir, and sauté an additional 5 minutes. Add sugar and chili powder, mix well, and cook for 5 minutes. Add vinegar, reduce for 5 minutes, mixture should have a paste consistency. Add barbecue sauce, stock, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper. Mix well. Bring to a boil and reduce to a slow simmer for 30 minutes. Add chocolate and cilantro; allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Puree sauce, transfer to a clean container and cool. For best results, refrigerate for 12 hours before using.

F&M

February is the month of hearts, flowers and love starting with Valentine’s Day but really continuing all month long as we all consider the relatives and friends in our lives whom we love to cook for and to share meals with. This is the month to go all out and demonstrate your affection through the pleasures of the table.

For a super romantic meal, I turn to that pearl of the sea, the oyster. Oysters are known in love-lore as an aphrodisiac. And they’re delicious, too. As well as a bit mysterious. The 18th century writer Jonathan Swift famously said, “He was a bold man who first ate an oyster.” Actually, we’ve been eating them since prehistory, and no wonder, oysters are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin B12, zinc, iron, calcium and selenium. They’re also considered to have the most health benefits when they’re eaten on the half shell. But oysters can be prepared smoked, baked, fried, roasted, stewed, broiled, even canned or pickled. A current fad is the oyster shooter and I can tell you, it’s really good. You can’t eat just one.

Of course, oysters, like love, can be dangerous. Raw oysters can sometimes contain harmful bacteria, and you must make sure that your fresh oysters are alive and can tightly close their shells before you eat or cook them. But if you take the right precautions, you’re golden, and you’re in for a seriously delicious treat. Below are my three favorite ways to prepare oysters, but please share your own oyster stories, February recipes and love-meal memories on our Flavors & More Facebook page. Lovely eating and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Mignonette Sauce

Adapted from Ina Garten / The Barefoot Contessa

Serve with freshly shucked raw oysters.

2 shallots, minced

3/4 cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh green herbs, such as parsley, dill and/or chives

Place the shallots, vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook uncovered for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Add pepper and herbs and serve with raw oysters.

Oyster Soup with Frizzled Leeks

Adapted from Gourmet magazine, Dec. 2003

For frizzled leeks

2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only) trimmed

4 cups vegetable oil

For soup

1 1/2 cups (6 dozen) shucked small oysters, be sure to use small ones, like Kumamoto or Prince Edward Island, with 1 1/2 cups of their liquor (if necessary, add enough bottled clam juice to bring total to 1 1/2 cups)

2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped

2 medium potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 1/2 cups water

1 cup half-and-half

Pinch of cayenne

Fry leeks:

Cut leeks crosswise into 2-inch lengths, then cut lengthwise into enough very thin strips to measure 2 cups. Wash leeks strips in a bowl of cold water, agitating them, then lift out and pat dry.

Heat oil in a deep, four-quart heavy saucepan until it registers 360-degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry leeks in eight batches, stirring, until golden, about 10 seconds per batch. Transfer as fried with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Cool completely; leeks will crisp as they cool.

Make soup

Pick over oysters, discarding any bits of shell, and rinse well. Wash chopped leeks in a bowl of cold water, agitating them, then lift out and drain well. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Cook leeks, potatoes and salt in butter in a four-quart heavy saucepan, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until leeks are golden and potatoes are beginning to soften, about 15 minutes. Add water and simmer, covered, over moderate heat until potatoes are very tender, about 10 minutes. Puree soup in batches in a blender until very smooth, transferring to a bowl after blending.

Return soup to saucepan. Add oyster liquor and half-and-half and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally (do not boil). Add oysters and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, just until oysters become plump and edges curl, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Serve soup topped with fried leeks.

Fried Oysters

Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine, Dec. 2012

24 shucked medium to large oysters

3 large eggs

2 sleeves saltine crackers (8 oz.), pulsed to a coarse meal in a food processor

Corn or vegetable oil, for frying

Kosher salt

Lemon wedges, for serving

Drain oysters. Beat eggs in a medium bowl to blend. Add oysters and turn to coat completely. Pour half of saltine crumbs into a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Working in batches, lift oysters with a slotted spoon, allowing excess egg to drain back into bowl, and transfer to baking dish. Scatter remaining crumbs of oysters and toss to coat. Cover dish and chill for 2-3 hours.

Line a plate with paper towels. Pour oil into a medium-heavy skillet to a depth of 1/2 inch. Prop deep-fry thermometer in skillet so bulb is submerged. Heat oil over medium heat to 375 F. Working in batches, fry oysters, turning once, until coating is crisp and deep golden brown, about 1 minute per batch. Transfer to paper towels; season with salt. Serve with lemon wedges.

]]> https://chefjudigallagher.com/scrumptious/a-lovey-dovey-meal/feed/ 0 https://chefjudigallagher.com/scrumptious/holiday-peppermint-perfection/ https://chefjudigallagher.com/scrumptious/holiday-peppermint-perfection/#respond Sat, 15 Dec 2012 03:13:21 +0000 https://chefjudigallagher.com/scrumptious/?p=354 Read more