Meatballs with Mushrooms

Sundays are dubbed "Italian night" in my kitchen, and I've been pushing myself to expand my cooking expertise beyond seafood. Last night, I created a flavorful, light-as-air meatball that stands alone so beautifully, pasta is not even required. The woodsy baby bella mushrooms add another note of dark, rich hues without adding extra carbs. Next time, I'll add slivers of fresh garlic to the tomato sauce before plating on my Paper & Clay piece. Enjoy your Monday (with meatballs, perhaps)!

Makes 2 servings

1/2 pound ground lean beef 1 egg 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs 1/8 cup grated parmesan 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 tablespoon butter 8 baby bella mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup tomato sauce

1. In a small bowl, place meat, egg, bread crumbs, parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine ingredients. Create six 2-inch diameter meatballs.

2. In a small cast-iron skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs, one by one, and sear for 2-3 minutes until bottoms are gold brown. Flip and repeat. Turn down heat to medium and continue to sear until cooked-through, approximately 10 minutes. Keep warm on low heat.

3. Meanwhile, heat butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add mushrooms and caramelize for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Once mushrooms are cooked, divide onto two dinner plates. Return saucepan to stove and add tomato sauce, heating on medium heat until hot. Add three meatballs to each plate. Top with tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Serve immediately.

La V (Austin)

I'm feeling extra nostalgic on this throwback Thursday, commonly dubbed as "TBT." As I cloak myself in a Parisian trench to avoid the Southern spring rain, I am whisked back to two summers ago, when I experienced a dreamy six weeks abroad without managing to gain one word of French vocabulary nor one pound of weight. Miracles, I tell you. Upon visiting Austin last month, the sought-after dinner spot on my and Jake's itinerary is a new bustling Eastside French restaurant, laV restaurant and wine bar. It opened right before I moved to Memphis, and I never found a moment to sit and enjoy the French fare and wines. Yet throughout this past year, I've watched laV's fame grow, with national publications rewarding its incomparable wine program, and Eater Austin repeating its must-try menu month after month.

While I wish I could call myself a wine connoisseur, I am not. Luckily for laV guests, you're paired with a sweet sommelier, who will pair you with a sweet bottle of French wine. We gave her our price range and preferred palate; and boom: pure bliss in a bottle. Jake and washed down multiple baguettes (almost every menu item manages to include its housemade loaves) with the vin de bourgogne.

Jake and I were more impressed by the small plate selection than the entrées on our February menu (which changes monthly). So, naturally, we ordered four small plates, and one entrée.

The classic, buttery, garlicky, basil escargot was a no-brainer. The crispy yet creamy composition was irresistible. laV has this French rustic recipe perfected, so please order it. I don't remember a better version since sitting on a Provence patio two years ago.

My favorite dish was the surf and turf. Rather than an expected filet and lobster, we enjoyed sweet scallops with crispy fried sweetbreads (a pork that Hog & Hominy in Memphis similarly masters). The contrast was divine, and the bright green pea salad was simply beautiful.

The short rib whole wheat garganelli provided a fantastic 1:1 ratio of tender beef and buttery housemade noodles, sprinkled with pine nuts. Mussels were light and fragrant of garlic and curried spices, though the crusty bread brought light to heavy very quickly as we soaked up the remaining broth...Rustic and refined, as the restaurant identifies.

I was impressed by the eastern halibut's complexity without the need for a major carb component. The fishwas placed atop a mix of saffron crispy chick peas, clams, onions and peppers. The fish and peas were both buttery to the taste. The colorful ingredients were delightful to the eye.

I'm dying to go back -- if not to France, to the next best place: laV!

Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp

I'm a subscriber to Bon Appetît, and the March cover immediately caught my eye. First of all: It's about pasta (though I'm trying to strictly be a spiralizer user these days). Second: It's about new rules of pasta. Shrimp stock? Squid ink? Sounds intimidating yet intriguing. I cooked up the recipe for me and Alex last Saturday night with a chilled bottle of white wine, and we were both very pleased. Adapted from the cover issue, my recipe subs creamy, rich ricotta for nduja, the spreadable pork salami. One day I'll try it...But for now, seafood for the win. Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings

1 pound large shell-on shrimp 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 6 garlic cloves, divided, 2 smashes, 4 thinly sliced 1 bay leaf 1 cup whole peeled tomatoes, puréed Kosher salt 12 ounces squid ink linguine 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving 1/2 cup fresh ricotta Freshly ground black pepper

1. Peel shrimp, saving shells. Chop shrimp and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high and cook smash garlic for 1 minute. Add reserved shrimp shells and cook, stirring until bright pink, about 2 minutes. Add bay leaf and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, the reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh colander into a large boil. Discard solids. Set shrimp stock aside.

2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sliced garlic ad cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat (to avoid splattering) and add tomatoes and 1 cup shrimp stock. Return to heat and cook, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Store in reserved shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes, until bright pink.

3. Cook pasta in large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

4. Add pasta and pasta cooking liquid to the sauce and cook, tossing often, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve pasta topped with 1 tablespoon ricotta and additional parsley.

adapted from bon appetît

Honey Lavender Berry Compote

The produce color palette is brightening its hues each time I arrive at the grocery store -- alas, spring is finally here! A simple combination that stands alone or enhances a scoop of ice cream or slice of pound cake, this compote will sing spring on your dining room table. The pure, natural honey (I highly recommend and use Nature Nate's) brings out the natural flavors of strawberries, blueberries, or whatever fruit graces your kitchen countertop. I added a few dashes of lavender extract (from a recent Hatchery delivery) for an extra floral undertone. Spring has sprung, thanks to this sweet new honey treat!

Share your own Nature Nate's honey creations on social media with @naturenates and #honeymakesitbetter!

Makes 2 cups compote

1 cup strawberries, quartered 1 cup blueberries 1 teaspoon Nature Nate's pure honey Few dashes lavender extract Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Allow compote to marinate in refrigerator until chilled, at least one hour. Serve individually, or sprinkle over a dessert.

This post is in partnership with Nature Nate's. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

Pressed Mozzarella Sandwich

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I luckily have "green" in my last name, but I believe you'll avoid getting pinched upon serving this green goodness of a sandwich! Feel free to improvise. I think you'll love the tanginess of dijon, the crunch of arugula and radish, and the creaminess of fresh mozzarella and avocado. Well balanced and well deserved.

Makes 1 sandwich

1 teaspoon olive oil 2 slices ciabatta bread 3 slices maple honey turkey 4 slices fresh mozzarella 1/4 avocado, sliced 1 teaspoon basil pesto 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 1 handful arugula 1 radish, thinly sliced

1. Turn broiler on high. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet on stovetop over medium heat.

2. Spread pesto on one ciabatta slice, and top with mozzarella slices and avocado. Spread mustard on other slices, and add turkey, arugula, and radish. Fold two sandwich halves together.

3. Carefully place sandwich in heated skillet and press sandwich with another heavy skillet (I used a baby cast iron skillet). Flip after 3 minutes.

4. Place skillet directly into broiler for 2 minutes, until mozzarella begins to bubble. Slice sandwich in half and serve warm.

Porcellino's Craft Butcher (Memphis)

This post was originally featured on StyleBlueprint! If I could choose one Memphis restaurant to consistently spend sixteen hours of my day (7 a.m. to 11 p.m., the approximate closing hour), I’d hands-down pick Porcellino’s.

Admittedly, I was skeptical of the hours of operation etched onto the doors of James Beard Award nominees Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman’s latest dining home run of Brookhaven Circle. Coffee “program,,” full-service bar, bakery, butcher counter, and complete breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. The concept, while seemingly impossible, is brilliant and well played from sunrise to sunset. The passion can be tasted, sipped, and seen in every single detail.

I’m a huge fan of the space, a polished, subway-tiled Brooklyn-esque butcher shop with dark and dainty wood tables and chairs. The black and white branding ties together the entire vision of the chefs, bakers, baristas, and bartenders.

Though I’d gladly be compensated to spend an entire day at the window-lined bar seating to muse upon the kitchen and customers (any takers?), I have successfully witnessed three prime-time occasions inside of the brick establishment: Saturday brunch, Friday night dinner, and an afternoon pit-stop. The recent Swine & Wine fundraiser for Cozy Corner Barbecue was a memorable hit, too.

Brunch was bustling with diners of all ages; some in line for an exclusive nitro-brewed coffee; others for a fried egg on in-house baked crusty bread with house-cured bacon or sausage. You can grab a loaf or croissant on the way out, too.

On a Tuesday late afternoon, I ran by to scope out the product and take-away offerings. I left with some finely shaved prosciutto, hand rolled fresh gemelli pasta, and the “Lil Ray” spice blend of salts, sugars, and zests. I was tempted to pick up a soft-cotton branded t-shirt, though I might cave in soon. The array of cookbooks, specialty foods, and butcher cuts was truly remarkable!

A dimly lit late dinner with ambient music completely elevated the surrounding space. The limited number of tables welcomes intimacy and comfort. Portions are shareable yet small enough to give you the opportunity to try multiple menu items (my kind of place!). The golden dim-sum-inspired bar cart, which graces tableside throughout the meal, covets perfectly plated daily specials. Whimsical and adventurous, the cart brings a treasure and leaves a memory. Oh, and the Relevant Roasters coffee custard dessert (served in a mason jar) is a must-get.