Inspiration is Everywhere!

When I started this blog, my goal was never to bore you with mundane facts about my life or recount my seemingly uneventful day. I read enough blogs to know that that type of information is, well....ridiculously boring. Sure, it's nice to step out of your own day every once in a while and into a stranger's day (thru their blog), but do you really care about what they purchased at the grocery store or what movie they rented?

The above is not necessarily a rant, but rather my excuse for the one month departure from the blog. Did you miss me??? I just haven't had anything fantastic, useful, or inspirational to share. But I do today!

Inspiration is everywhere for me. Depending on what role I'm playing -- mother, wife, cook, wanna-be-interior designer; ordinary ideas can be extremely inspiring. Even better -- other people's ordinary ideas!! Afterall, imitation is the best form of flattery, right?

Have you eaten at Lecosho in Downtown Seattle? You should. It's good. Not great....but good. As a cook, my senses really take the lead when it comes to inspiration. Taste, obviously. Smell, check. Sight (presentation), definitely. My husband and I ordered the pork rilette, which was average, at best. The real star of that dish, however, was the fennel mustard to accompany the rilette. Did I unabashedly eat the mustard with my spoon? Yes! Mustard can taste slightly sharp. Not this mustard. The only word that comes to mind when describing this mustard was "soft"...almost "delicate." The sweet, sauteed fennel softened the sharpness of the mustard to perfection. The smell...well, you'll have to visit Lecosho or follow the recipe below to find out.

So, with pretty good success, I found a Thomas Keller recipe and made it myself.

Believe me, it tastes better than this picture makes it look

Fennel Mustard (12oz jar)
adapted from Thomas Keller

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large, chopped fennel (fronds reserved)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon dried mustard powdered (I ground mine from seeds)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt, to taste

In a saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and chopped fennel, and cook over low heat until softened. In a bowl, combine the mustard seeds with the vinegar. Add contents to the fennel and cook for an additional 10 minutes or so, being careful not to brown the fennel. Transfer 3/4 of the fennel to a processor and add water, mustard powder and reserved tablespoon of olive oil and puree. Scrape into a bowl and add Dijon and the remaining 1/4 of fennel, left in the saute pan. Salt to taste. Sprinkle with fronds if serving immediately, otherwise, keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

While I highly recommend the spoon-and-eat method, need some other suggestions of what to serve this with? Slathered on a rack of lamb. Used as a dip for turkey sausages. Accompanied by pork tenderloin and roasted apples.