How about a BLT Polenta recipe for National BLT Sandwich Month, April)? It’s a combination of comfort food and food fun (photo #1). Sundried polenta is garnished with pancetta (Italian bacon), spinach (for the lettuce), and sundried tomatoes.

Plus, a poached egg and pearl onions are added to make this a brunch, lunch, or dinner dish.

Pancetta is Italian back bacon (photo #2), as contrasted with America’s side bacon.

You can use whatever bacon you wish. Check out the different types of bacon.

In addition to the recipe, we learned a new word:

The plastic tube of polenta (or other food) is known in the industry as a chub.

By the way, while April is National BLT Sandwich Month, July 22nd is National BLT Day.
 
 
> BLT sandwich history.

> What is polenta?
 
 
RECIPE: BLT POLENTA

You will have extra polenta. You can make a second portion, or serve it as a side at another meal.

Ingredients For 1 Serving

 
Preparation

1. CUT the polenta into cubes and cream them over medium heat with the chicken stock or heavy cream.

2. RENDER the pancetta in a sauté pan; then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. Sauté the pearl onions in the rendered fat from the pancetta. Add the spinach and sundried tomatoes.

3. BRING a pot of water to a simmer, swirl with a spoon, and slip a whole egg into the simmering water. Cook for 2 minutes for a soft inside.

4. PLATE the polenta and top with the spinach, onions, and sundried tomatoes. Place the poached egg on top and garnish with the crispy pancetta strips.
 
 
MORE UNUSUAL BLT RECIPES

Cocktails

 
Not A Sandwich

[1] Polenta with a BLT garnish (photo © Melissa’s Produce).

[2] Pancetta, Italian ham made from the back instead of the sides (photo © Fra Mani).

[3] Tubes or “chubs” of organic polenta, in original, Italian herb and sundried tomato. Available from Melissa’s Produce (photo © Melissa’s Produce).

[4] BLT wedge salad. Here’s the recipe (photo © Applegate Organics).

[1] Make your own caramel corn (photos #1, #2, #3 and #6 © The Popcorn Board).

[2] You can buy the popcorn if you wish, but be sure to make your own caramel.

[3] The result: dee-licious!

[4] Use caramel corn as a garnish on pies, cakes and cupcakes. This one uses a pecan pie from Edwards Desserts that you garnish yourself. Here’s the recipe (photo © Edwards Desserts).

[5] You can get as fancy as you like, as with this caramel corn garnish on elegant chocolate ganache (photo © Heliot Steak House | London).

[6] Caramel corn ice cream sandwich. Here’s the recipe.

April 6th is National Caramel Corn Day. To make your own caramel, and pour it over your own warm popcorn, is so much more delicious than buying caramel corn.

Try it!

> There are more popcorn recipes below.

> There’s also the history of caramel corn.

> The history of popcorn.

> The history of caramel.

> Why popcorn pops.
 
 
RECIPE: CARAMEL CORN
 
Ingredients For 2.5 Quarts

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the popcorn in a large bowl. Remove any unpopped kernels.

2. SPRAY a large baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.

3. ADD to a large, deep pot the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt. Stir over medium heat until well blended. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 5 minutes. DO NOT STIR!

4. REMOVE the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda (the mixture will foam*). Quickly stir popcorn into hot mixture until completely coated.

5. SPREAD onto the prepared baking sheet and allow to cool. Break into smaller pieces. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF CARAMEL CORN

While Colonials enjoyed kettle corn (CHECK!), with both salt and sugar used to season the popcorn, caramel popcorn may be the creation of brothers Frederick and Louis Rueckheim, who immigrated to Chicago from Germany.

In 1870, they opened a popcorn store and began to experiment with specialty flavors and toppings. One recipe, a mix of popcorn, peanuts and molasses, became a hit.

The story is that a customer, upon sampling the flavor in the store, exclaimed “That’s a crackerjack!”

The term meant, and still means, “exceptionally good.” The name stuck.

An early version of Cracker Jack was introduced at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893.

Louis Rueckheim created a process that kept the molasses-covered popcorn kernels from sticking together [source].

In 1896, the brothers registered the trademark Cracker Jack®, and began to mass produce the product.

The popularity of Cracker Jack led others to experiment with popcorn and syrups, which led to the creation of caramel corn [source]

Today, commercial caramel popcorn is made by mixing a sugar solution or sometimes molasses (the Cracker Jack ingredient), and heating it until the mixture caramelizes. It then is blended with the popcorn.

The recipe above is quite literal: homemade caramel—the real deal—is poured over the popcorn.
 
 
MORE POPCORN RECIPES

 
 
FOR WINE LOVERS

 
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*The baking soda is added to create tiny carbon dioxide air bubbles, which creates the foaming. Once the caramel has cooled on the popcorn, the air bubbles inside the caramel create a softer texture.

April is National Grilled Cheese Month.

We’ve seen many different ways to make a grilled cheese sandwich, including bread-free, low-carb versions that substitute sliced portabello mushrooms or ham—a bread-free ham and cheese sandwich, grilled on a panini press.

Today we present another option: a grilled cheese sandwich where halloumi cheese (photo #2) is substituted for the bread.

Halloumi, a semisoft cheese that originated in Cyprus, keeps its shape when fried.

Thus, use sliced halloumi cheese instead of bread, and fill it with what you’d normally put in a grilled cheese sandwich, and grill it.

It’s a reverse grilled cheese sandwich!

Here’s more about halloumi cheese.

You can also use yanni cheese, which is similar to halloumi; and India’s paneer cheese.
 
 
HOW TO EAT A HALLOUMI SANDWICH

The outer sides of the bread on a conventional grilled cheese sandwich are greasy with butter, since the sandwich has been fried in a pan or on a griddle.

Many of us still pick them up with our fingers, though—with a napkin on the side.

While you certainly can do the same with a halloumi-base sandwich, you may wish to eat this grilled cheese with a knife and fork.
 
 
SOME FILLINGS FOR HALLOUMI GRILLED CHEESE

 
Are you ready for your sandwich?
 
 
> HOW TO MAKE A GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
 
 
> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHEESE
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF CHEESE

[1] Make a grilled cheese sandwich with halloumi, yanni or paneer instead of bread (photo © Urban Village Restaurant | Lone Tree, Colorado | Flavor & The Menu).

[2] Grilled halloumi cheese. It is eaten with a fork (photo © Ina Peters | iStock Photo).

[3] Figs, fresh or dried, are delicious with halloumi and just about any cheese (photo of black mission figs © Good Eggs).

[1] Use leftover lamb to make lamb flatbread or pizza (photos #1 and #2 © True Aussie Beef & Lamb).

[2] No pizza pan? No problem: Make flatbreads.

[3] Shredded mozzarella cheese (photo © Kiboka | Panther Media)

[4] See below for why you should use pizza sauce instead of pasta sauce (photo © Sonoma Gourmet).

[5] Flat leaf parsley, a.k.a. Italian parsley, as opposed to curly, a.k.a. French, parsley (photo © Good Eggs).

There are many things to make with leftover lamb, from panini and grilled cheese (try lamb and Brie) to Tex-Mex (burritos, quesadillas, tostadas) to stir-fries and Middle Eastern dishes (including pita sandwiches with tzatziki or minted yogurt).

This year, inspired by True Aussie Beef & Lamb, we’re making a lamb pizza.

Note that the more rare the cooked lamb is, the better, since it will cook more in the oven atop the pizza.

We’re serving ours with an arugula salad.

NOTE: If you don’t have a pizza pan and prefer to make flatbread in a regular pan (as shown in photos #1 and #2), see the instructions below.
 
 
RECIPE: LAMB PIZZA

Ingredients For A 10-Inch Pie

For The Pie

 
For The Lamb Topping

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Sprinkle the pizza pan with cornmeal to prevent the crust from sticking.

2. COMBINE in a large bowl the the lamb, oil, parmesan, salt, mustard, parsley, thyme, garlic, fennel and red pepper flakes.

3. ROLL out the crust (as required) and top with the pizza sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella on each pizza. Spread the lamb loin mixture atop the mozzarella.

4. BAKE for 15 minutes. When the cheese is bubbling and just starting to turn golden, remove the pie and place on a cutting board. Allow to cool for 3 or 4 minutes before slicing, then serve immediately.

For Flatbreads

Use four 8- to 10-inch pitas or naan flatbreads.

Line a large baking pan(s) with parchment and divide the ingredients among the flatbreads. You will need more slices of lamb.
 

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PIZZA SAUCE & PASTA SAUCE (SPAGHETTI SAUCE)

You can substitute one for the other, but there’s a reason that “pizza sauce” is sold.

1. Thinner Vs. Thicker Consistency. Pasta sauce is thinner. Pizza sauce usually has a thicker consistency. This helps to keep the sauce from running off the dough.

2. Precooked Vs. Uncooked. The tomatoes in pasta sauce are precooked (simmered). Pizza sauce isn’t cooked. Thus, after baking in the oven, the pizza sauce should have a brighter tomato flavor than a cooked-again pasta sauce.

3. Seasoned Vs. Unseasoned. Pasta sauce is flavored with herbs (basil, garlic, oregano, e.g.), spice (e.g. chili flakes) and/or cheese. Pizza sauce is not flavored, since herbs and other toppings will be added on top of the mozzarella.
 
 
GRATED VS. SHREDDED CHEESE

Both can be created with a single box grater; or with individual grating tools like Microplane.

Grated cheese (or other grated food) is rubbed against a sharp, abrasive surface, the openings sized to create tiny fragments (to the point of being powdery). The cheese needs to be dry and hard, so as not to get get stuck in the tiny holes. Parmesan is an example.

Shredded cheese is produced with larger openings that are shaped to produce strips of cheese. The original meaning of “shred” meant “to cut in long strips.” Soft and semisoft cheeses work best here, such as cheddar and mozzarella, because a dry cheese will crack and crumble. However, hard foods with moisture, such as carrots, can be shredded easily.
 
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*You can use more or less lamb. An analogy: There are typically 10 slices of pepperoni spaced out on a 10-inch pie.

†Flat leaf parsley is also known as Italian parsley. Curly parsley is also called French parsley.

April 4th is International Carrot Day.

Most people we know eat carrots relatively often, but hows about carrot salad?

Many of us grew up with carrot salad with raisins, celery and mayonnaise.

It was delicious, but it’s fallen out of fashion.

Here’s a way to revive the concept, with fun variations.

The idea here is a DIY carrot salad, where everyone at the table or buffet can customize a version.

You create the basic carrot-raisin salad, and provide toppings or mix-ins for customization.
 
 
RECIPE: CLASSIC CARROT SALAD

Option #1: For a gourmet touch, buy different colors of carrots (photo #4). You can often buy them bundled: orange, purple, red and yellow.

Option #2: Instead of grating the carrots, use a spiralizer or peeler to make ribbons (photo #2). If you do so, cut the other vegetables in proportion (i.e., larger pieces).

Option #3: Some people add pineapple, but for this “mix in” approach, it adds too much sweetness.

Option #4: Instead of a mayonnaise-sour cream dressing, consider a Dijon vinaigrette or Moroccan dressing (recipe below).
 
Ingredients For 8 Side Servings

For The Carrot Salad

 
For The Dressing

 
For The DIY Mix-Ins

 
Variation: Moroccan Dressing

 
For A Lunch Or Dinner Salad

Provide a base of greens and a topping of grilled or roasted protein:

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl.

2. BLEND in the carrots and raisins. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving (you can do this a day in advance).

3. PREPARE the mix-ins (don’t cut the apple until just before serving).

4. PLACE the mix-ins on a tray or lazy Susan, and set them on the table along with individual servings of the grated carrots.
 

CARROT SALAD HISTORY & WORLDWIDE VARIATIONS

Carrot raisin salad is a traditional dish in the Southern United States.

Grated carrots are mixed with raisins and a dressing made from mayonnaise, granulated sugar, salt and pepper.

We can’t find a date for the first published recipe, but a recipe that appears in the WPA School Lunch Cookbook shows that the recipe was well established by 1936, the book’s publication date.

At least from then, and going forward, carrot raisin salad has been on many school lunch menus, its sweetness appealing to children.

Other countries have long had their own versions of carrot salad.

Except for Morocco and Tunisia, all are made with grated carrots:

 
[Source]

[1] A carrot-raisin salad (photo © Anaumenko | Panther Media).

[2] Start with grated carrots, add raisins and optional pineapple, then dress. Refrigerate for a day so the flavors can meld (photo © 5PH| Panther Media).

[3] Instead of a mayonnaise-sour cream or yogurt dressing, you can marinate the grated carrots in a vinaigrette (Moroccan vinaigrette recipe below (photo © Zolelena | Panther Media).

[4] Beautiful heirloom carrots. The Homegrown Collective has subscriptions that include specialty produce like these multicolored carrots (photo © Homegrown Collective).

[5] Burgundy heirloom carrots sliced into ribbons (photo © Art de Fête).

[6] Another idea: Julienne the carrots (photo © The Foster’s Market Cookbook).

________________

*Both raisins and sultanas are made from seedless grapes; red and green, respectively. In the U.S., sultanas are also referred to as golden raisins. Grapes darken as they dry, which is why raisins are darker in color than the grapes. Although once made from a different variety of grape, today in the U.S. sultanas are made from the Thompson grape.

Most raisins produced in the United States are made from seven different types of grapes: Thompson Seedless (which are also the most popular green grapes for fresh consumption), Flame Seedless, Muscat, Sultana, and Black Corinth. It takes about 4 1/2 pounds of fresh grapes to make 1 pound of raisins.

Golden Seedless raisins or sultanas are made from the Thompson Seedless grape, but are oven-dried to avoid the darkening effect of sunlight. They are also treated with sulfur dioxide to preserve their light color.

†Some recipes add a tablespoon of sugar, but this makes the carrot salad as sweet as dessert. Taste after a teaspoon is added and adjust according to your palate.

‡Sumac is a tart, acidic spice. In other recipes, you can substitute lemon zest, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice or vinegar. But since this dressing is made with lemon juice, simply skip the sumac.