Tracy Lee : Food, Style and General Musings

Bread Salad with Tomatoes and Lemon Cucumbers Great summer recipe from Williams-Sonoma.  It is great as a side or a light meal.  Ingredients: 3 lemon cucumbers or 1 English cucumber: Peeled, halved and diced 1/2 lb stale coarse textured white bread (French or Italian)  1/2 cup water 5 ripe tomatoes.  Seeded and diced. 1 red (Spanish) onion 4-5 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn into small pieces Spread cucumbers on paper towel and sprinkle with coarse salt.  Let stand 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, spread bread in shallow dish and sprinkle with water and let stand 2 minutes.  Carefully squeeze the bread until dry and tear into rough 1 inch pieces and place on paper towels for 10 minutes. In a bowl, combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and bread; toss gently.  In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar and olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add the bread mi

Ingredients: 12 hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthwise 1/3 cup mayonnaise 2 tblsp. prepared horseradish 2 tsp. champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar) 2 tsp. Dijon mustard Chopped chives and paprika for garnish (optional) Kosher salt to taste Preparation: Mash egg yolks with mayonnaise, horseradish, vinegar, and mustard in a medium bowl until smooth.  Season with salt and spoon back into egg whites.  Sprinkle with paprika and chives if desired.

Anyone who knows me well, knows I don't eat eggs.  It's not a moral objection,  I never acquired a taste for them.  Snails, yes.  Eggs, NO!  However,  I realize not everyone shares my idiosyncratic aversion to chicken embryos,  so  here is an easy Southwestern Deviled egg recipe.  Bon Appetit! Ingredients:   Six large eggs, hard boiled and peeled 1/3 cup mayonnaise 3 tablespoons cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons salsa (I like Jardin's) 1 1/2 tablespoon sour cream 1 tablespoon chopped green onion 1 tablespoon cilantro for garnish (optional,  you can use some of the chopped green onion as garnish instead) 1 teaspoon cumin Salt and pepper to taste Preparation: Halve eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks and add to a small bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork and stir in the mayonnaise, cheddar, salsa, sour cream, green onion and cumin. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and blend well. Fill the egg whites evenly with yolk mixture and garnish with cilantro or green onions, if