Chef Suz's Cookbook Club

Via Carota

Via Carota is a restaurant located in Greenwich Village, NY where James Beard Award winners chefs Jody Williams and Rita Sodi have mastered the wonderful world of Italian cuisine. These chefs make a point to concentrate on using vegetables and season cooking for their menus.  In their cookbook Via Carota, by Jody WIlliams, Rita Sodi with Anna Kovel, named after their beloved restaurant, holds true to using vegetables and seasonal cooking for the at home cook. I absolutely love this cookbook. I have read it from cover to cover. What makes it special are the inspirational pictures, seasonal recipes and the vinaigrette and condiment section. If you master this section alone, you will have an arsenal of quick, easy and impressive recipes to share with your family and friends. Williams and Sodi break down the book into four seasons-Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter using vegetables and proteins that range from artichokes, favas and greens to , legumes, carrots, fruits and nuts, pasta and more. The recipe that inspired me was the Robiolina vinaigrette. Robiola is a soft Italian cheese that is made out of cows, goats and sheeps milk. If you can not find the cheese you can do what I do and use another soft cheese like Boursin cheese or a Brie. It is equally delicious. 

Recipe with a Chef Suz Twist!

Boursin Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup olive oil

1-2 tps. Honey, agave or other sweetener of choice

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. shallot, minced

1 tsp. garlic, minced

1  5 oz. Boursin cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl or mason jar with a lid, add shallots and garlic to the vinegar and allow it to sit for up to 15 minutes. The vinegar will neutralize the garlic to reduce the bit of fresh garlic. 
2. Add the honey, Dijon and oil to the mason jar and shake vigorously. If using a small bowl, whisk to combine all the ingredients with the vinegar. Drizzle the oil into the vinegar mixture until well combined.
3. In a small food processor, place the Boursin cheese and ½ the amount of the vinaigrette. Process until well combined. Add more vinaigrette to make the dressing into the consistency of ranch dressing. 

4. Store in a container with a lid for up to 10 days. 

    

You can go to Amazon to purchase this cookbook at https://amzn.to/3YutFnK

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