This recipe was a tasty deviation from regular, old basil pesto and was a wonderful contrast to the cioppino. I particularly liked the tarragon, the fennel, the Kasseri cheese, and the almonds. What was disappointing was the lack of anchovy flavor! Then again, yours truly has never before bought whole fresh anchovies and gutted them by hand, so I had no idea what to expect; I’m more used to the stuff they sell you in a can, which is pungent indeed. Next time I’ll be a little more careful and pair the anchovies with ingredients that complement rather than override.

Continue reading »

One of the joys of cooking is the opportunity to work hands-on with new or unfamiliar ingredients.  This week  I wanted a mild side-dish to accompany the leg of lamb; I also knew I wanted Greek flavors, mushrooms, and a carbohydrate in risotto-style or something very similar.  Off I went to the farmer’s market, which coincidentally has a booth selling exotic foods imported from Greece.  There I sampled and bought a wonderful 6 oz hunk of Kasseri, a type of cheese which I had never tasted before.  From Whole Foods I also bought whole wheat orzo and (on a whim) truffle oil, the latter of which is also foreign to my pantry.  Thus began my grand experiment!

The dish came together like this:

Continue reading »