8 large garlic cloves, minced

2 medium onions,  chopped

4 chopped celery stalks

2 Turkish bay leaf or 1/2 California bay leaf

2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

3 teaspoons salt

1teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

4 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 cups dry red wine

2 (28- to 32-ounces) can whole plum tomatoes, drained, reserving juice, and chopped

6 cups fish stock       

20 hard-shelled clams

2 pounds black drum fillets, cut into cubes

2 pounds large shrimp (16 to 20), shelled and deveined

20 sea scallops

1 pound mussels scrubbed

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 cups parmesan cheese grated

4 loaves sourdough

Cook garlic, onions, bay leaf, oregano, and red pepper flakes with salt and pepper in oil in an 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil until reduced by about half, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice, clam juice, and broth and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While stew is simmering, Add clams to stew and simmer, covered, until clams just open, 5 to 10 minutes, checking every minute after 5 minutes and transferring opened clams to a bowl with tongs or a slotted spoon. (Discard any unopened clams after 10 minutes.) Lightly season fish fillets, shrimp, mussels and scallops with salt and add to stew, then simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf, then return clams to pot and gently stir in parsley and basil.

Serve cioppino immediately in large soup bowls with a thick slice of sourdough and parmesan cheese

                   3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

                   2 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar

                   1 shallot, minced

                   1 tablespoon honey

                   1 teaspoon dijon mustard

                   1/4 teaspoon salt

                   1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

                   30 stalks green asparagus, ends trimmed

                   15 thin slices serrano ham (or prosciutto), each cut in half

                   2 cups mixed greens

                   1/2 pound each seedless green and red grapes, halved

                   1/2 cup sliced roasted almonds

Whisk first 6 ingrediants together in a bowl. Set aside. Cook asparagus in simmering water until soft but still crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain. Wrap a strip of ham around each asparagus stalk. Toss frisée, greens and grapes with dressing in a bowl, then transfer to a platter; top with asparagus. Garnish with almonds.

Curried Shrimp Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

12 fresh jalapeno peppers

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon curry

½ pound cooked shrimp chopped

Cut peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds & membranes. Cook peppers in boiling water 7 minutes

Drain well.

Combine remaining ingrediants and heap into pepper halves Place on baking sheet and bake in 400F oven for 5 minutes until cheese melts.

30 Pitted dates

30 whole fresh mint leaves

11/2  3-ounce piece Manchego cheese,* cut into twenty small strips

15 thin slices of pancetta cut in half

Cut dates in half. Place 1 mint leaf across opening of 1 date, covering cavity. Using 1 cheese strip, push mint leaf and cheese into date cavity. Using fingers, pinch date opening closed. Repeat with remaining dates, mint leaves, and cheese strips. Wrap  pancetta slices securely around each date, enclosing date completely. Place pancetta-wrapped dates on baking sheet, spacing slightly apart. 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake dates uncovered until pancetta is crisp and bottoms of dates caramelize, about 30 minutes. Using tongs, transfer dates to platter and serve warm.

Pear Ginger Compote

Makes 1 cup

3 tablespoons Moscato d’Asti wine

         1 tablespoon sugar

         1(2/3 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into fine julienne strips (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)

         2 Bartlett pear, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

         1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

         Fine sea salt

In a heavy medium saucepan, bring wine, sugar and ginger to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Mix in pear, apple, lemon juice and pinch salt. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until fruit is just tender, about 8 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer until liquid is mostly evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes more. Using a wooden spoon, gently mash. Transfer compote to a bowl to cool completely. (Compote keeps, covered and chilled, 1 month.) 

1 baguette sliced in 1 inch pieces

8 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1cup brown sugar

6 oz. cream cheese

1 cup compote

Put sliced bread in a large bowl.  In another bowl, beat eggs with cream, vanilla, and sugar pour over bread. Arrange ½ of baguette slices in the bottom of an 8x8 glass dish. Spread cream cheese over slices and then spread compote over cream cheese. Top with remaining slices and pour egg batter over bread. Refrigerate for 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes or until crisp on top.