Lighten Up with Priscilla Martel

We are fortunate to have the remarkably creative culinary energy of Priscilla Martel in the Local Beet community.  Priscilla, a member and steady supporter of the Beet, also happens to be a chef with a long, interesting and diverse culinary career, including two award-winning cookbooks, ownership of two notable restaurants, inn management, a consulting company, recipe and product development, national food writing and much more.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Priscilla twice, once for the Gluten Intolerance Group of Shoreline East, and most recently for the Local Beet Co-op. At our first meeting, Priscilla and I discussed gluten-free baking with nuts, and she provided me with two decadent dessert recipes for the gluten-free community that anyone who loves to bake - gluten free or not - must try!

This time, I am excited to offer two interesting and unique salad recipes, with complexity in flavor and unusual ingredients. These walnut-based salads are perfect in winter, and either can complement a rich meal nicely or stand alone as a main course. Since so many of us are lightening up post-holidays (myself included), it's an ideal time to share them.  These recipes, along with the two gluten-free desserts, are all Chef Martel's own creations.  

The first salad, Baked Walnut-Coated Herb Cheese on Bitter Greens with Pears and Mustard Vinaigrette, involves both hot and cold ingredients, and baking home-made (easy to make) yogurt cheese. The second, an easy cabbage and walnut Salad, incorporates wintry cabbage and is simple to prepare. Both recipes follow below.

Baked Walnut-Coated Herb Cheese on Bitter Greens with Pears and Mustard Vinaigrette

This recipe puts a healthy spin on a bistro classic, baked goat cheese. Tangy yogurt-cheese, made by draining some of the liquid from yogurt, is flavored with fresh herbs, then baked. The warm cheese is served with bitter greens and sweet ripe pears. Not only does this salad compliment a rich meal, there is something festive about the combination of hot and cold on one plate. 

Yogurt cheese has been a staple in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries. If you have not made it you are in for a treat. All it takes is some cheesecloth, a colander and a little patience. After 18 to 24 hours, much of the liquid will drain out of the yogurt. What remains will have the consistency of soft cream cheese. Greek yogurt is ideal but you can also use a locally-made one. Once drained, the yogurt cheese will keep for several days in the refrigerator.

Serves 4

For the Yogurt Cheese:

1 pound low-fat yogurt
  or 1 pound low-fat farmer's cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced shallots
1-1/2 teaspoons finely minced chives
½ teaspoon finely minced fresh tarragon
Fresh black pepper to taste
Vegetable seasoning or sea salt to taste

For the Salad:

 ¼ cup walnut pieces, finely chopped
1 head of Belgian endive
1 Seckel, Bosc or Comice pear
1/2 small bulb of fresh fennel
1/2 small head of chicory, washed and shredded
Mustard Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1. Prepare the yogurt cheese. Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl. Cover the cheese with a clean towel and let it sit at least 18 hours in the refrigerator to drain. (Discard any liquid that collects in the bowl or use it in place of buttermilk in pancake or muffin batter.) Or, begin the recipe from here using low-fat farmer's cheese.

2. Combine the cheese, parsley, shallots, chives and tarragon. Season to taste. Blend well. Form the cheese into 4 individual balls.

3. Roll each cheese ball in the chopped walnuts. Set them aside in refrigerator until ready to serve.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

5. Cut the endive in half and separate the leaves. Cut the pears into eighths and core, but do not peel. Finely slice the fennel bulb.

6. For each salad, arrange the torn chicory leaves on the plate. Position the endive leaves, pear slices and fennel around the plate in a spiral pattern.

7. Place the herb cheese balls on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cheese until it warms through and the walnuts brown, about 10 minutes.

8. Place one cheese ball on center of prepared salad. Drizzle each serving with a few tablespoons of Mustard Vinaigrette.

Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing

Yield: about 1/2 cup

1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil or a combination of the two

Combine the mustard, salt and pepper, garlic and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk to combine or simply mix with a fork. Add the oil while whisking vigorously until the mixture emulsifies. Use immediately. If you serve it later, whisk again to recombine the ingredients.

Cabbage and Walnut Salad

1 pound finely shredded green cabbage, about 1/4 head

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 cup Sherry or red wine vinegar
1/3 cup walnut oil or peanut oil
1-1/2 tsp. chopped white onion or shallots
1 Tablespoon hot water
salt and a generous amount of fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 pound of lean bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
1/4 cup large walnut pieces
2 sprigs of fresh parsley chopped
1 teaspoon of fresh chopped chives or 1 scallion trimmed and diced

1. To prepare the cabbage; toss it with the Kosher salt and place in a colander to drain for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, dry the cabbage in paper towels to remove excess moisture.
2. For the dressing, combine the vinegar, onions or shallots, salt and pepper in a blender.  Blend.  Add the oil and blend to emulsify the dressing.  With the machine running, add the hot water.  This will help keep the dressing from separating.
3. Toss the cabbage with the dressing. Add the optional cooked bacon. Top with the walnut pieces, fresh chopped parsley, and scallions or chives.

About the Chef

Priscilla's distinguished career has led her down many diverse paths, affording the chef a well-rounded perspective on many facets of the culinary realm. Her accomplishments reach beyond what is noted herein, but below are some highlights.

The chef began her career as owner and operator of two restaurants, the award-winning Restaurant du Village (located a few doors down from the Local Beet Co-Op), and the Restaurant au Musée, in Hartford. She subsequently worked as Executive Chef at the sizable Norwich Inn & Spa, where she oversaw kitchens and staff and developed healthful, spa-like menus.

Priscilla then established a consulting company, All About Food. Through this, she has consulted broadly in the areas of food styling, recipe development and retail product development for clients like the Almond Board of California, Dannon, Idaho Potato Commission, Shady Brook Farms, Stew Leonard’s, Tropicana and more. In the 1990’s, a consulting position with the American Almond Products Company led to her 4-year position as President. To date, Priscilla continues to work with the 80-year old company in her capacity as Culinary Director, wherein she works to develop and promote nut-based recipes.

Priscilla is a member of several culinary associations, including the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and a graduate of Phillips Academy and Brown University. The chef’s articles have appeared in many newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Connecticut Magazine, Food & Wine, France Amérique and New York Magazine. She served as guest chef at the Fifth Annual James Beard Awards and has worked with her husband, Charles van Over, on the writing and development of his award-winning book, The Best Bread Ever, co-written with Jacques Pepin. She has also co-authored the award-winning textbooks On Cooking and On Baking.