Tasia Malakasis is owner and president of Belle Chevre, an award-winning cheese producer located in Elkmont, Alabama, and author of the cookbook Tasia’s Table. Heralded by Southern Living, it marks the culmination of the meals she enjoyed with her Southern grandmother, her Greek family, and hundreds of Sunday Suppers spent around a big table with great food and even better friends.

Tasia’s passion for food was borne from the kitchens of her southern grandmother, whose love was shown, felt and tasted from the riches of a big pot of chicken ‘n dumplins.  She learned early that food was love. Later in life, when as a teenager Tasia visited her father in Greece during the summers, she learned that there the bounty of the table was just as rich and deeply entrenched in how families and friends shared love. Being rooted deeply in the Southern and the Greek cultures formed a magical link to food and the allure of the table that Tasia could not shake.

 The “goat cheese guru,” as Organic Gardening calls Tasia, provides the strategic vision, leadership, and creativity required to ensure that the 20-year-old company Belle Chevre continues to evolve as one of the country’s most acclaimed artisan creameries.

Goat Cheese Ravioli with Three Peppers
Hoppin John with Sugar Cane Drizzle
Frisee Salad with Lardons and Baked Chevre de Provence
Rosemary & Lemon Roasted Chicken

Get Tasia’s Book, Tasia’s Table: Cooking With the Artisan Cheesemaker at Belle Chevre

Learn more about Tasia at www.tasiastable.com

Rosemary & Lemon Roasted Chicken

From Chef Tasia Malakasis

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon of Southern Skillet White Muscadine Vinegar
• 1 (7-pound) whole chicken, giblets removed, rinsed and patted dry
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1½ teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
• 1½ lemons, quartered

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, rosemary, oregano, garlic, vinegar and lemon zest.
Place chicken in a roasting pan. Rub oil and herb mixture under skin and over chicken. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon in cavity of chicken. Tie legs together with kitchen twine, tucking wings under.
Roast for 20 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce temperature to 375. Cook until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 180 degrees, about an hour. Squeeze remaining half of fresh lemon over entire chicken.

Recipe and photos reprinted with permission from Tasia’s Table, Cooking with the Artisan Cheesemaker at Belle Chevre (NewSouth Books, 2012).

Serves 4

Goat Cheese Rounds

• 4 discs marinated goat cheese from 2 jars of Belle Chevre de Provence (goat cheese in oil with herbs)
• 2 cups breadcrumbs, toasted

Salad
6 ounces slab bacon, rind discarded if necessary; cut bacon into 1/8 inch thick slices, then cut into 1-inch wide pieces to form lardons

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Southern Skillet Sugarcane Vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds greens – either dandelion greens, spinach, or endive, with stems and center ribs discarded and leaves cut into 2-inch pieces — about 8-10 cups

Spread breadcrumbs on flat surface. Roll goat cheese rounds in breadcrumbs, then bake on oven rack in middle position at 375 degrees until warmed.

Prepare salad while goat cheese rounds bake. Cook bacon in a heavy 12-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 12 minutes. If necessary pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Add oil and shallots to skillet and stir until softened, about 2 minutes. Add sugar cane vinegar, quickly stirring and scraping up browned bits; then stir in sugar and salt. Immediately pour hot dressing and bacon over greens in a large bowl and toss well.

Divide salad among plates and put a warm goat cheese round alongside each salad. Serve immediately.

Recipe and photos reprinted with permission from Tasia’s Table, Cooking with the Artisan Cheesemaker at Belle Chevre (NewSouth Books, 2012).

Goat Cheese Ravioli with Three Peppers

From Chef Tasia Malakasis

Serves 4

Bell Peppers

• 2 small red bell peppers
• 2 small yellow bell peppers
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 2 teaspoons Southern Skillet Red Muscadine Vinegar

Ravioli

• Cornmeal for sprinkling
• 8 ounces Belle Chevre Montrachet
• 1/3 cup Parmesan, grated, plus additional for sprinkling
• 1/4 cup mascarpone
• 2 tablespoons assorted fresh herbs (such as basil, chives, mint, and tarragon), chopped
• 18 wonton wrappers
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup Nicoise olives, pitted, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

Char peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Place in paper bag; seal and let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Peel and seed peppers; chop.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and tomatoes and cook until onion begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cook until vegetables are very soft and onion is brown, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Add chopped peppers and vinegar.

Cook’s note: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

For ravioli, lightly sprinkle rimmed baking sheet with cornmeal. Mix goat cheese, Parmesan, and mascarpone with assorted fresh herbs in medium bowl. Arrange 6 wonton wrappers on work surface. Place 1 tablespoon cheese filling in center of each wrapper; using fingertip, dampen edges of wrappers with water. Fold all 4 corners up to meet in center, forming pyramid shape; seal all 4 edges tightly. Pinch top to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

Cook’s note: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.

Cook butter in large skillet over medium heat until beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Cook ravioli in a pot of gently boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer ravioli to skillet with browned butter. Toss over medium heat.

Meanwhile … rewarm bell pepper mixture; divide among 6 plates. Using slotted spoon, top peppers on each plate with 3 ravioli. Drizzle with any remaining browned butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan, toasted pine nuts, olives and chives.

Recipe and photos reprinted with permission from Tasia’s Table, Cooking with the Artisan Cheesemaker at Belle Chevre (NewSouth Books, 2012).

Hoppin John with Sugar Cane Drizzle

From Chef Tasia Malakasis

Serves 8

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large ham hock
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 1 pound black eyed peas, soaked overnight and rinsed
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
• 3 cups white rice, steamed
• Southern Skillet Sugar Cane Vinegar

Heat oil in a large soup pot, add the ham hock and sear on all sides for 4 minutes. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, cook for 4 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, stock, bay leaves, thyme and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the peas are tender but not falling apart; stir occasionally. If the liquid evaporates, add more water or stock.

Serve over rice, and season to taste with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, green onion, and a generous drizzle of Southern Skillet Sugar Cane Vinegar.

Recipe and photos reprinted with permission from Tasia’s Table, Cooking with the Artisan Cheesemaker at Belle Chevre (NewSouth Books, 2012).

A DC transplant to Denver, Chef Jamey Fader has been named the mile-high city’s chef of the year, and his award-winning coastal Mexican restaurant, LOLA, is equally familiar to Denver locals and visiting celebrities. Jamey is as authentically American as they come, committed to creating memorable meals from a combination of familiar flavors and global tastes. Looking for a cool new BBQ recipe to spice up your fall favorites? Read on and watch the magic happen with our Satsuma Vinegar.

White BBQ Sauce

Cilantro and Basil Chimichurri

Learn more about LOLA and the environmental practices at Big Red F restaurants.

12 oz white grapes
¼ cup Muscadine vinegar
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Medium Garlic clove, crushed
¼ agave nectar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. chopped shallots

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and spin until smooth. Perfect for fish, pork, or chicken.

½ cup Spanish olive oil
4 Tbs. Southern Skillet Satsuma Vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup minced shallot
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Stir olive oil and satsuma vinegar together with garlic, shallot, parsley, basil, thyme, cilantro and oregano; season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to stand for 2 hours at room temperature before serving; store remaining chimichurri in refrigerator for future use.

Bellingrath Road Farm Fresh Market established in 1938 by the Bahlman Family is still owned and operated by second generation family members. Drop on in and pick fresh berries, green beans and watermelons. Known for their divine tomatoes, this farm represents Southern hospitality and hardworking pride. Don’t stand too still they may put a hoe in your hand! Come on down and pick a bushel of homegrown.

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