Tomatillo Sauce

This is a basic green sauce for use on just about any sort of Mexican food with a rather tart flavor. Add more jalapenos if you like it hotter and some sugar if you want it less tart. This sauce will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week, and will keep in the freezer for a longer period of time. If preserving more, add 1/2 teaspoon of ascorbic acid and offset the tartness with a little added sugar.

2 cups chopped husked tomatillo1
1 jalapenos, seeded and white ribs removed 1/2 chopped yellow onion
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon chicken demi-glace
Salt
Pepper

Husked tomatillos and wash well, rub off any sticky bits, chopped coarsely. Chop half an onion, seeded and remove white ribs from jalapeno, then chopped coarsely.

In a frying pan, cook tomatillos, jalapeños, and onion in oil over medium heat, for about 5 minutes. When onions begin to clear, add garlic. Cook while stirring another minute. Remove from heat and cool ten minutes. Place cooked ingredients in a food processor. Keep frying pan as is, it will be used again. Add cilantro and puree until smooth. Pour puree back into pan; add chicken demi-glace and cook, stirring constantly over high heat until sauce thickens. Correct seasonings.

Note:

Select fresh green tomatillos that are firm with tight-fitting, papery green skins.

Seckel Pear Salad with Mache Lettuce

An 18th-century Pennsylvania farmer (for whom it was named) is credited with introducing the Seckel pear. It's a small, seckled rosy fruit with a sweet, spicy flavor. The Seckel's firm flesh makes it excellent for both cooking and canning. It's available late August through December. It is often called the sugar pear.

2 Seckel Pears per person, sliced just before serving 
Dried cranberries
Finely chopped chives
Mache Lamb's Lettuce1

Camembert or Brie cheese slices

Few toasted nut slices (slivered almonds are good) Top with raspberry vinaigrette

Camembert when properly aged, is a bit salty. If using another cheese it may be necessary to adjust the salt content of the vinaigrette accordingly. My policy is to under salt but have it on the table. 

Italian Agretti Salad

Agretti - roscana, barba di fratte, also known as monk's beard 

This is very popular in Italy mainly in mainly in Rome and Umbria and has become the latest in vegetable in fancy Italian restaurants. When mature (50 or so days) the plants are a 12 wide, 24 tall bush that looks like a huge chive. Braise washed and chopped agretti in some olive oil with garlic and serve as a side dish with fish, shellfish or chopped and tossed in a salad. The plant has a mild slightly bitter flavoured not unlike endive! The same dressing used for Pun- tarelle Chicory Salad would work for Agretti.