If my friends have ever been to my house, I’ve likely fed them farro. It’s my go-to for sharing ,and it fits into almost any special dietary need. Plus, it’s delicious.

I may or may not have exhausted the palettes of all my friends with this play on risotto that uses farro instead. This pushed me to find a new way to prepare farro that’s a bit more exciting. And that exciting dash lies in a bottle of Peychaud’s. Adding bitters to my dressings, marinades, and vinaigrettes has opened my eyes to all sorts of new, fun ways to gussy up some old recipes. For this one, I cooked farro like rice rather than risotto, tossed in some pan-roasted zucchini, onion, and eggplant from the farmers market, added some flare with Laziz Toum and artichoke hearts, and then left the whole mess of deliciousness to chill for a few hours.

Once chilled, I added Peychaud’s to my favorite—and incredibly simple—dijon and sherry vinaigrette and drizzled it over the salad. I am so pleased with the results that I made this twice last week for dinner. Sweet and aromatic Peychaud’s adds a floral, almost-feminine component to the dish that matches its lightness and delicate flavors. It can be served hot or cold and loves a fried egg on top for added protein. Go on, you know you want some.

Peychaud’s Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
  
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl. Drizzle over salads, greens, or roasted veggies.

Farro Salad
Serves 6

• 1 1/2 cups farro
• 1 eggplant, cut into quarters and sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon Laziz Toum
• Salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, sprinkle a generous amount of salt over sliced eggplants. Toss to coat and let sit at least 20 minutes. Squeeze slices to release any excess moisture and lay out on a paper towel.

Cover farro in 4 cups of water in a small saucepan. Add a few pinches of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer 20 minutes.

In a skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil and onions. Cook until onions are browned entirely. Add zucchini and Laziz Toum. Stir occasionally and cook until zucchini is tender. Remove to a bowl. Add eggplant to the skillet and cook until browned. Add eggplant, cooked farro, and any additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or chill at least one hour. Serve with Peychaud’s vinaigrette.

Shop the market for bitters 

The Tuesday Farmer’s Market at Pioneer Park is a much anticipated event for many. It signals the beginning of a bountiful harvest and the last weeks of summer. Tuesdays are a smaller, quieter, and food-focused version of the Downtown SLC Farmers Market on Saturdays. I can stroll listlessly through the handful of stalls in the early evening rather than navigating a path, elbows first, through a sea of fellow food lovers in the early hours of Saturday. There’s more time to chat with farmers about different varieties of fruits and vegetables, more time to make a wise choice, and much less traffic or other elbows.

My first Tuesday purchases were huge, heavy heirloom tomatoes, a small basket of cherry tomatoes, a perfectly ripe watermelon, bread, and greens. Greens, bread, and heirloom tomatoes were bought for specific purposes. The cherry tomatoes and watermelon were for halloumi, but I wasn’t quite sure how they’d all come together, or if one would be chosen over the other. Bon Appetit’s recipe inspired me to create an easy, fresh way to incorporate both components with what Evan has dubbed “the cheese that grills.”

As previously mentioned this month, Halloumi has the uncanny ability to grill or brown, without ever melting. It always feels strange to lay pieces of cheese down on a fiery hot cast iron pan and see it sizzle and brown rather than melt into a cheesy, goopy mess. The salty, sheep’s milk cheese mingles perfectly with fresh, sweet watermelon and warm, charred tomatoes. A sprinkling of chopped mint and basil elevate the aroma and fresh factor, while a decent dousing of Viola EVOO is the perfect finish, because duhhhhh, Viola. Note: I finish everything with Viola, because it makes everything infinitely more delicious…and because I can.

This a lovely, plated salad for two to four people, but also a lovely addition to a large barbecue. Lay components in clean lines for a fancy-schmancy buffet-worthy dish. Either way, these ingredients are all in season, and you deserve a delicious salad in your life. Go on, enjoy.

Watermelon and Halloumi Salad 
Serves 2-4

• 1/2 pound rindless watermelon slices, cut into triangles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for cooking
• 8 slices  Halloumi Cheese
• 12-16 cherry tomatoes
• Chiffonade of 6 basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• Viola olive oil, or another condiment grade olive oil for drizzling
• Kosher salt

Heat a small cast iron pan over medium heat. Lay watermelon slices on a plate in a whimsical pattern (or in a uniform one if you like that). Season with kosher salt. Add oil and tomatoes to the cast iron; roll tomatoes around the pan every two minutes or so until sides begin to brown and skins burst. Remove to a small bowl to cool slightly. While tomatoes are cooling, lay 4 slices of Halloumi Cheese on the cast iron pan, letting brown for about one minute before flipping. Remove halloumi, and lay over watermelon slices. Scatter cherry tomatoes across the plate, sprinkle with basil and mint. Add more salt if desired, and finish with a good drizzle of condiment oil. Serve immediately.

Last week, we wrapped up our annual Classic Cookbook Cooking Class Series last week as part of our ongoing cooking classes here. I love this series because it gives me a chance to revisit some of my favorite cookbooks from some of the world’s most influential chefs.

This year, we featured Marcella Hazan (because she’s my soulmate), James Beard, Alice Waters, and Thomas Keller. Keller is the only American chef to receive Michelin stars at two unique restaurants, Per Se and The French Laundry. Keller’s exquisite style of cooking is often intimidating and taking the plunge is often a scary endeavor. I don’t blame any of you who may feel this way, my feelings were the same. If I could make one suggestion to everyone embaraking on their first Keller cooking journey, it would be to prepare a mise en place.

mise en place
/miz en plas/
noun
1.(in a restaurant kitchen) the preparation of equipment and food before service begins

Preparing your ingredients and having all necessary kitchen equipment on hand ahead of time makes the experience much less stressful and more enjoyable. Aside from Keller’s fantastic recipes, he’s taught me the very useful habit of preparation. For this, I will be forever grateful, and much less stressed while cooking.

Another restaurant under the Keller umbrella is Ad Hoc, featuing a set menu served family style in a more casual, but equally delicious, environment. Ad Hoc’s broccolini salad is the perfect introduction to Keller’s way of cooking, plus it uses my very favorite summertime cheese, burrata. I love doubling or tripling this recipe and serving at barbeques and summer holiday parties. It has a lovely presentation and the flavors are a perfect compliment to grilled proteins. Go ahead, give this Keller recipe a try and see where you go from there. Enjoy!

Broccolini and Burrata Salad
Serves 4-6

• 1 pound broccolini, thick ends removed and remaining stems peeled slightly
• 3 large cremini mushrooms, stemmed and cleaned
• 1/2 cup Cerignola olives
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
• Burrata cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously before adding broccolini. While water is coming to a boil, prepare a large bowl of ice water. When water boils, add the broccolini and blanch until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Submerge broccolini in bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Cut the mushroom caps into paper-thin slices. I used a sharp paring knife, but the book suggests that a Japanese mandoline also works well. Place in a small bowl.

Cut all four sides of each olive away from the pit in flat slices. Lay the slices flat-side-down and cut into thin slices.

Lay the broccolini in a single layer on a plate and drizzle with about 2 Tbsp. vinaigrette (whisk together 1 part sherry vinegar, 3 parts olive oil, salt, and pepper). Toss with your hands to coat. Sprinkle with additional salt or pepper if desired. Add 1 Tbsp. vinaigrette to the bowl with the mushrooms, and toss to coat, adding a bit more if needed. Move broccolini to serving platter and top with marinated mushrooms, then sliced olives.

Place the burrata in a small serving bowl. Using kitchen shears, cut a small X in the top of the burrata to expose the creamy center. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Add the bowl of burrata to the serving platter. Serve salad with tongs and a spoon for the burrata. Each person can top their own serving with the burrata.

I’ve done it. Consider those rainy day blues cured—forever and ever. The treatment? Mozzarella di Bufala. Evan recently wrote about Mozzarella di Bufala, and I agree with every single thing he said. It’s a gem of a cheese that’s steeped in history and is a perfect reminder of warm, summer days. Our recently released sale this week on this life changing cheese has me in a much better mood than the current weather situation would normally have me in. This is the time of the year when I begin to look forward to tomato season, mostly so I can consume them in mass quantities with mozzarella and basil. Since there aren’t any mid-August tomatoes laying around, here are 10 ways to enjoy Mozzarella di Bufala with May’s very own seasonal ingredients:

1. Lasagna

Thinly slice your Mozzarella di Bufala and layer between pasta sheets and ricotta for an even more delicious cheese layer in this famous dish. Follow your favorite recipe or substitute it for Burrata in our Asparagus and Burrata Lasagna from last year. Mozzarella will melt deliciously into any baked pasta dish, but this one is my personal favorite.

2. Pizza

This is the most perfect use of Mozzarella di Bufala. Take our frozen pizza dough, a can of crushed tomatoes, and some basil home with your mozzarella, and you have the makings for the most traditional pizza ever. This pizza is why Napoletanos created Mozzarella di Bufala in the first place …. I’m sure of it.

3. Bruschetta

Fancy toast is all the rage right now. Say what you will, but I think bruschetta is the O.G. fancy toast. Select any number of toppings to combine with your Mozzarella. My favorites are locally fire-roasted tomatoes and artichokes, kale pesto, olive tapenade, or thin slices of prosciutto.  Serve cold or toss these under the broiler to begin the melting process of your precious Mozz.

4. Prosciutto Wraps

This is the easiest way to get our cheese from plate to mouth other than eating it by itself. Wrap thin slices of prosciutto around slices of mozzarella and basil leaves. Drizzle with oil and enjoy immediately. If you’d like to make this more of a meal than a snack, add other veggies or lay wraps atop dressed greens. Speaking of salads …

5. Spinach, Pea, & Herb Salad

Dress Spinach, snap peas, basil, and mint with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Toss chunks of mozzarella over the top and you’re now looking at my favorite springtime salad.

6. Eggs

Pick your means of cooking eggs, and I’ll give you a place for the mozzarella. Omelette? Toss it in with your veggies. Frittata? Sprinkle chunks in before baking. Fried? Between bread and egg, of course! Eggs love Mozzarella di Bufala almost as much as our cheese mongers do.

7. Arancini

Tonight, make risotto. Lots of risotto. Tomorrow, make arancini. These little fried balls of rice and other delectable ingredients are heavenly, but they’re even better when rice is packed around pieces of mozzarella before frying. Just think about cutting into a warm fried ball of rice that gives way to melty Mozzarella in its center. You’d better wipe away that drool before it lands in your lap.

8. Salt, Oil, Pepper

This was my Nonna’s favorite appetizer, and I’m sure it had everything to do with how quickly it quieted the entire room. Sprinkle an entire ball of mozzarella with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, then drizzle your very best condiment grade olive oil over it. Serve with crackers or warm bread and enjoy the peace and quiet while you finish making dinner.

9. Roasted vegetables

Roasting brings out all the natural sugars from veggies like beets or carrots. Find your favorite recipe for these or roast simply with salt and oil and serve over slices of mozzarella. In this case, the simplicity is as beautiful as the flavors.

10. Strawberry and Balsamic

It almost sounds like dessert, doesn’t it? Lay slices of mozzarella out in a circle on a salad-sized plate and top with sliced strawberries, hazelnuts, and chopped basil. Finish this dish by sprinkling the entire plate with sea salt, and then a drizzle of your thickest or favorite balsamic.