Food Processor

This is the perfect soup if you don’t have much time. The whole thing’s made in the microwave, and it’s delicious.

The Boursin cheese sold in the grocery store is kind of on the pricey side, so just make your own and enjoy the savings.

This recipe is a new twist on one in The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook. Dip into the Dijon sauce with care—it’s a little on the hot side. We like to put a small dollop of roasted red pepper vinaigrette on each tomato slice.

This is great over salad greens and excellent with fish; you can also use it as a light veggie dip. I recommend roasting fresh red bell peppers, but if time doesn’t allow, substitute a 14-ounce jar of roasted red peppers, drained, adding 1 teaspoon of sugar to ensure sweetness.

To me, the secret to good slaw is the way you cut your cabbage. I have found that I prefer half of the cabbage coarsely chopped in a food processor and half hand-sliced very thin. Use outside dark green leaves, too, for color.

I’ve heard this was our governor and later president Jimmy Carter’s favorite cheese dish. His First Lady, Rosalynn Carter, has been credited for making this a famous Southern favorite.

When garlic cloves are poached in water, the enzymes responsible for their harsh bite are neutralized, leaving them soft and mildly flavored. As a purée, they melt into a hot soup, lending it a lovely undertone of garlic and a velvet texture. Add this purée to any soup you like; I suggest the Cauliflower (page 66), the Parsnip (page 72), and the Frantoiana (page 62) in particular. And if you, or someone you cook for, find sautéed garlic too strong, use this poached purée to flavor sauces, dressings, roasts, and braises too.