One Big Table

I just bought this cookbook and I am so excited! I swear it was written just for me. Molly O'Neill, former food writer for the New York Times started ten years gathering material for what would become this cookbook: One Big Table -600 recipes from the nation's best home cooks, farmers, fishermen, pit-masters, and chefs. It truely is a loving portrait of American cooking today. There are photos on almost every page -photos from the past, and photos of foods and cooks of the present. The following recipe, very similar to the blue cheese dressing posted on Arctic Garden Studio by Nicole (click here) is the first thing I plan to make from this cookbook, but it definitely won't be the last.

Rogue Creamery's Best Blue Cheese Dressing Ever
Whisk together in medium bowl until combined:
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. red wine vinegar
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced
2 oz. (about 1/2 c.) Oregon blue cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste
Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

Blue-Blue Scalloped Potatoes

The leeks from the garden are amazing right now. Just as everything else is starting to die off and look pathetic, they are still quite lovely -and delicious.



The potatoes we harvested several months ago are stored in the basement. All Blue is one of several of the varieties we grew. They are a very easy to grow, hardy and disease resistant potato, good for storing, and moist and flavorful. I think they are just simply gorgeous.



The cured hams and bacon from the pig we raised last summer are in the freezer; there is nothing quite like eating farm raised pork, ham and bacon.

I love blue cheese, and the best blue cheese EVER, Smokey Blue from the Rogue Creamery in Oregon, is available both at the Fred Meyer in Snohomish and the Sno-Isle Co-op in Everett.

Our All Blue potatoes are beautiful. Peru at one time grew over 4000 varieties of potatoes and it is really unfortunate that less than half a dozen varieties of potato are commonly used. Think of it: there is an entire universe of potatoes out there that most of us haven't experienced.

This casserole is not just a clever name thing, but a really tasty one-dish recipe, old-fashioned yet not, and with flavors I love that really compliment each other: salty ham, tangy blue cheese, earthy potatoes and flavorful leeks. Of course, the ham can be left out, if you prefer or don't have any, and this will still be really, really good.

Blue-Blue Scalloped Potatoes

Serves 4

6-8 All Blue Potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

Cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Cook until just barely done (5-10 minutes). Drain.

Meanwhile, liberally butter a 7 x 11 Pyrex dish. Prepare:

1 1/2 c. ham, chopped (optional)

1 1/2 c. leeks, sliced

3.5 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

1 c. milk, heated but not boiling

Layer in dish: half the leeks, half the potatoes, 2 T. flour, all the ham, all the blue cheese (or put half on last), the remaining potatoes, salt (remember the ham and blue cheese both are salty) and pepper, and the remaining leeks. Pour milk over all carefully. Bake 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Beet Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Oven roasted beets, wonderful on their own or honey glazed, are also the basis for one of my favorite salads. It is bewildering to me that not everyone shares my enthusiasm for this combination. My daughter loves all the key ingredients -beets, blue cheese and walnuts -but hates the salad. Go figure. Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese is amazing and their Smokey Blue is my preference to use here when I can find it. It is so worth seeking out and paying the price.



I love the way this salad looks and love even more how it tastes. Surprisingly, no one else in my family likes it, so I happily make it just for myself to eat. My aunt gave me several bags of walnuts they'd gathered, cracked and froze last winter, and they are wonderful in this salad. If this recipe sounds good to you and you make it, let me know if you love it as much as I do -or not.

Beet, Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad

5-6 oven roasted beets, cooled, peeled and cubed

Combine for dressing and toss with beets:

2 T. olive or walnut oil

1 T. red wine or balsamic vinegar

1/4 t. salt

Add:

1/4 lb. crumbled Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese

1/4 c. walnuts, chopped

Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream (or not, if preferred) and ground pepper to taste.