Hi Humans, Bear here. In another life, long ago, I'd just be awakening from my long winter slumber, ecstatic about what the warm weather would bring me and my family and friends. Truth is, I was never a huge fan of hibernating - who has the time? But it's an essential part of bear culture and year after year I'd succumb to the devastating peer pressure put upon me to sleep for 4 months straight.
Reminiscing about this time of year always takes my mind to the summer months ahead and the salmon run that awaits my bear family back home. But I also think of the past, specifically the great "Salmon Stall of '94" when the rivers ran dry and my Uncle Wilbur tragically ate my favorite cousin, Rico. It was a sad time that haunts me to this day, and I'll do anything I can to ensure history doesn't repeat itself. So when I look at the Cow by Bear summer dinner schedule and see only a handful of seats available, you'll understand why it makes me nervous that we could have an Uncle Wilbur episode in our future. It's for that reason I've decided to open up several Wednesday night dinners, beginning May 31 and running through Labor Day. You can find our up to date availabilities by clicking here. I hope to see you there and, please, no eating each other you wild animals!
Now, on to a few recipes:
This is a salad I first made many years ago when I was supposed to be hibernating but couldn't sleep. I call it the No Hibernation and it's currently on the menu at our dinners. It's quite a unique mishmash of flavors that when assembled together creates a flavor profile that I can't get enough of.
No Hibernation Salad
Cantaloupe sorbet
Balsamic raspberry dressing
Watercress, rinsed and cleaned
Mint, washed and leaves picked
Tarragon, washed and leaves picked
Hierloom cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
Burrata cheese
Kumquats, washed and sliced thin
Prosciutto
For the cantaloupe sorbet:
2 cantaloupes
3/4 c simple syrup
Remove seeds and flesh from 1 1/2 cantaloupes. Puree in a blender until smooth. Reserve remaining cantaloupe for later use. Add 3/4c of simple syrup and mix into cantaloupe puree. Freeze the sorbet before using.
For the balsamic raspberry dressing:
2 c fresh raspberries
2 T white sugar
1 1/3 c balsamic vinegar
2 T honey
1 t salt
1/2 c olive oil
Toss the raspberries the white sugar to start releasing juices. Let sit for 10 minutes. In the bowl of a food processor, add the raspberries and their juices, the vinegar, honey, salt and oil. Pulse food processor about 5 times until dressing comes together. The result should be a loose emulsion. Shake the dressing before serving.
For the salad:
Mix a handful of watercress with a small handful of mint and tarragon leaves in a bowl, season with olive oil and salt. Place the greens on a salad plate or in a bowl.
Place a few halved tomatoes around the greens, followed by a golf ball-sized chunk of burrata (or more if no one's looking!) hidden among the greens.
Place a small scoop of the sorbet in the middle of the greens, next to the cheese, followed by a few kumquat slices, and then a flew torn pieces of prosciutto.
Finally, add a few dashes of the raspberry dressing around the greens, tomatoes and cheese. Sprinkle with a little finishing salt and enjoy!
THE BEAR NECESSITY
Need a morning or late evening pick me up? This drink is for you.
The Bear Necessity
1 oz. Dark Rum (No surprise, I prefer Haitian Barbancourt 5 Star)
1 1/4 oz. Frangelico
1/2 oz. Baileys
Coffee (I recommend anything from James Coffee )
Vanilla Infused Whipped Cream
Shaved Almonds
For the Whipped Cream:
1 c heavy whipping cream
2 T Sugar
1 T vanilla