From “The French Slow Cooker” by Michele Scicolone comes this recipe for a stew — but one ideal for a special occasion. Says the author, serve the stew with buttered noodles and a green vegetable.

Pork with Mushrooms and Cream

8 ounces white button mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Scatter the mushrooms in a large slow cooker.

In a large skillet, melt the butter with the oil over medium-high heat. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and brown it in batches on all sides, about 20 minutes total. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker.

Add the shallots to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes or until softened. Add the broth, herbes de Provence, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the liquid to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 minute. Pour the liquid over the pork and mushrooms. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until the pork is tender.

With a slotted spoon, remove the meat and mushrooms from the slow cooker to a large bowl and cover to keep warm. Pour the liquid into a saucepan and skim off the fat. Bring the liquid to a boil and add the cream. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the pork and mushrooms. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

From “The French Slow Cooker” by Michele Scicolone

“Would you rather eat a plate of black beans or a fudgy brownie?”

That’s what Ziporah Janowski and Julie Harrington of the Shane Diet Plan ask in their new cookbook, “Meal Simple — The Camp Shane Cookbook: Quick, Easy, Delicious & Healthy Recipes” ($24.95). (Shane has a diet resort at the Westin la Cantera where recipes from the book are served as part of the meals.)

Camp Shane’s Brownies

And the answer their question by offering a brownie recipe that’s made with black beans.

Their reason: “You can get the nutritional benefits of black beans while eating a brownie. Sneaking healthy food into dessert is more enjoyable than eating them plain on a plate.”

Still, black beans in a brownie? I didn’t believe it. So I had to try it out. Sure enough, the recipe is quick and easy, and the nutritional analysis is certainly better than a brownie from a bakery. And, they’re wheat-free.

But what about delicious?

Yes, according to the 15 or so people who sampled the brownies both at work and in my Bible study group. I handed them out and told everyone these were “diet brownies.” Yet no one believed me, and not a single person could guess that black beans were in them. I couldn’t taste them, either, and I was the only one who knew they were there.

The only caveat I got from some people was that there were no nuts in them. And I could understand that. Those of us addicted to nuts in brownies love that contrast of texture as well as the additional flavor. Perhaps that’s why I tossed a little coconut into the mix before baking. Nuts and coconut will add fat, so if you have to have them, try limiting them to a good tablespoon of finely chopped nuts and use 1/4 teaspoon almond or walnut extract instead of the vanilla.

That success makes me want to try more from “Meal Simple” and not just the dessert recipes. The Tilapia with Mango Salsa, Roasted Brussells Sprouts, the breakfast treats, and popcorn with a mix of nuts and dried fruit are all on my future must-try list. Who knew dieting could taste so good?

Brownies

Cooking spray
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 eggs
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Camp Shane’s Brownies in the pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

In a food processor, purée black beans until smooth. Add eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, vanilla and sugar; blending until smooth. Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips and pulse a few times to mix. Transfer batter to pan and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top of batter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at center comes out clean.

Makes 20 brownies.

Approximate nutritional value per serving: 150 calories, 4.7 g fat, 22.7 g carbohydrates, 4.1 g dietary fiber, 6 g protein.

From “Meal Simple — The Camp Shane Cookbook: Quick, Easy, Delicious & Healthy Recipes” from Ziporah Janowski and Julie Harrington

Foie gras with mango and pear

For the longest time, foie gras was a sliver of culinary paradise reserved for high-end restaurant dining. That is, unless you placed an order directly from the likes of Hudson Valley Foie Gras or through Central Market. And then, the cut of liver was large and whole, and you had to cut it yourself before searing it in a pan.

Thanks to the folks at GauchoGourmet, 935 Isom Road, you can now buy this delicious cut into slabs and individually packaged, so you can get two or 10 servings, depending on your hunger or the size of your guest list.

A 2-ounce slab sells for about $$6.35, which is a great price compared with what you pay in restaurants. But the food warehouse recently had a one-day sale that made me want to stock up for the future.

First, I had to get one necessary piece of cooking equipment: a splatter screen.

Searing foie gras produces a lot of fat that will coat the area around your stove. So, be ready to clean up a good-sized area around your pan, even with a splatter guard.

Think you can’t cook foie gras as good as you get at a restaurant? Think again. A 2-ounce slab, cut about 3/4 inch thick will cook quickly, but it’s easy, if you pay attention for a good minute.

Before you start, make sure you know how you want to serve the meat and have everything else ready, because you want to serve your dish immediately after the foie gras is cooked. Remember, this is an ephemeral treat, exceedingly rich and satisfying, yet its magic works only for a short while. You don’t really want leftovers.

Slabs of foie gras

My inspiration was a foie gras club sandwich that chef Andrew Weissman used to serve at Le Rêve. I simplified it greatly, eliminating the buttery brioche and bacon as well as any sort of balsamic reduction. I retained the silky mango and topped both with slivers of pear, instead of the Granny Smith apple that Weissman used. Both the slab of mango and the pear slices were ready to go before I cooked the meat.

What else could you serve with it? Foie gras is great with a glass of Sauternes on the side, so why not a sauce made with a similar wine, such as a German Riesling, that mixes a touch of sweet with a bright acidity to cut through the unctuousness of the liver? Honey and lemon, a drizzle of thick, aged balsamic or sherry vinegar, or a Rossini sauce made with truffles would all go well with it. If you wanted to use a spoonful of jam, think fig, ginger or onion. Nuts and dried fruit, from cherries to figs, would also add to the flavors.

Luciano Ciorciari of GauchoGourmet says he likes his on a piece of toasted baguette with a touch of sweet-tart preserves, such as red currant or lignonberry.

If you wanted to use the foie gras atop a hot steak, just cook the beef first. While it is resting, sear the goose liver.

Handling the liver is easy: Just thaw the slab, score it on both sides (the depth of the criss-crossed cuts will depend on how thick your slab is), and sprinkle it with a little salt and finely ground pepper. Heat a non-stick pan or a regular sauté pan with the tiniest bit of grapeseed or avocado oil until the pan is extremely hot. Place the slabs in the pan and cover instantly. The fat will begin to melt off the slab and splatter. After no more than 30 seconds, flip the foie gras and cook for the same amount of time. Remove and prepare to serve.

That’s it. Then comes the fun part: eating it.

Chef Paco Isordia has a mission. He wants people to discover what real Mexican cuisine is.

Chef Paco Isordia

To that end, he’ll be preparing his Seafood a la Talla at Culinaria’s Best of Mexico, which is set for Friday evening at the Shops at La Cantera, 15900 La Cantera Parkway.

The chef works at Viceroy Zihuatanejo, a resort on the bay waters of Playa la Ropa. In the Pacific Coast enclave, he is known for teaching classes in using organic foods in light, fresh and healthful ways, one of which can be seen in the recipe below.

He recently answered a few questions about people’s perceptions of Mexican food, his favorite ingredients and more.

Q. What surprises Americans visiting your restaurant the most about what they think Mexican food should be like?

A. Many Americans expect Mexican food to be heavy, but so much of real Mexican cuisine is fresh, light and vibrant. It is a seafood-centric culture, and the property takes advantage of local sourcing when available to keep up with this aspect.

Q. You teach classes in cooking with organic food. Why is that important?

A. I believe it is important to understand your food and where it comes from. Using organic ingredients when cooking can give chefs and diners a better idea of how food actually tastes, making the overall experience more authentic.

Q. What are your favorite local ingredients to use in your cooking?

A. I like to use:

• Different types of local fresh seafood: snapper, dorado, tuna lobster, octopus, etc.
• Local products such as epazote, hoja santa, Jamaica, corn, mango, etc.

Q. Name one dish from your childhood that has influenced your cooking today and explain why.

A. I really like the tacos, and now that I have the privilege to know different products I like to combine different flavors. For example, taquitos with guacamole and escamoles (ant larvae), truffle oil, etc.

Q. What do you enjoy eating most when you’re not at work?

A. I love Mediterranean food and Mexican, but I also like to eat what is typical of any place you go.

Seafood a la Talla

1 pound peeled shrimp
1 pound baby scallops
2 pounds octopus
1 pound squid, cleaned
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons

Sauce:
4 cloves garlic, divided use
Salt, to taste
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon oregano
½ cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
8 guajillo chiles
2 white onions, diced
2 habaneros, chopped
3 jalapeños, chopped
1 pound ripe pineapple, cubed
1 tomato, diced

To assemble:
30 small flour tortillas
1 pound bayo beans or red beans, boiled and mashed
Baby radishes, sliced, for garnish
Micro cilantro or other microgreens, for garnish

Peel and clean the seafood. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice, and set aside.

Combine 2 cloves garlic and salt in mortar until a paste forms. In either a large mortar or food processor, add garlic paste and process together with cloves, coriander seeds, cumin and oregano. Add mayonnaise, mustard and soy sauce. Set mixture aside.

Roast the guajillo chilies, first removing seeds and boiling briefly to soften. Once roasted, blend with remaining 2 cloves garlic and onion, and mix with seasoning sauce. Add habaneros, jalapeños, pineapple and tomato to sauce.

Marinate seafood with this sauce for at least 90 minutes.

Heat your grill. Grill the seafood over direct heat until it acquires a roasted color and is done, about 5 minutes.

To assemble: Take a tortilla and spread bayo beans over it. Add grilled seafood and top with radishes and microgreens.

Makes 10-12 servings.

Adapted from Paco Isordia of Viceroy Zihuatanejo

For more information on Best of Mexico or other Culinaria events, click here.

Several years ago, Culinaria’s Grand Tasting was too grand. So many people showed up that lengthy lines were the order of the evening, and guests had to wait so long that they didn’t really get to sample all of the food and wine treasures of the evening. And they weren’t quiet about the frustrations they faced.

Sample some fine wines at Culinaria’s Grand Tasting.

So, the organizers of the event took a good look at the Grand Tasting and made some changes. Last year, the number of tickets was limited, so that there were be no more lines of more than a few minutes. A VIP section promised no lines at all within a secluded area.

The new approach worked so well that it’s the model for this Saturday’s Grand Tasting, set for the Grotto at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 200 E. Market St. The fun runs from 7 to 10 p.m.

Chefs from all over the city will be serving up samples of their latest and best creations, while wines from all over the world will be poured. And spirits will be featured as well.

Enjoy some finely crafted treats from the city’s top chefs.

Those who buy VIP tickets will be treated to a bubbles room with fine Champagnes and sparkling wines. Plus, one chef will be devoted to the limited access area, dubbed the Bubble Room for the evening, and he’ll provide small bites for made especially for these guests.

Tickets for the Grand Tasting are $100 apiece or $125 at the door, while tickets for the VIP area are priced at $150 and are sold only in advance.

For more information and to purchase tickets for the Grand Tasting or other events during Culinaria’s Festival Week, click here.

Learn more about Gewurztraminers, Rieslings and other white wines.

Seminar is such a dry word that it has you reaching for a glass of whatever’s handy in hopes of escaping the stuffiness of what’s around you.

Yet Culinaria is offering three seminars during its Festival Week that will have you reaching for your glasses in a refreshing new way.

All three are grouped under the heading Taste Test Education, which sounds like more fun than, say, Russian Theory or Introduction to Medieval Technology. All are set for Saturday at Arcade Midtown Kitchen, 303 Pearl Parkway, and will entertain you while taking you to new places in the wine world. The schedule includes:

“Gewurz – what?” at 1:30 p.m.

The sweet wines that are much easier to taste than to pronounce. Sweet wines do not always equal dessert wines. In this Taste Test, we’ll examine the Gewürztraminers, Rieslings and other tasty white wines that are gaining respect and a following all their own.

“Name That Price” at 3 p.m.

It’s a fun, interactive, educational way to taste wine – as if wine tasting isn’t already fun? Using the senses and knowledge of wine, the challenge is to see if attendees can taste the difference and pick the correct value of the presented wines. Quality wines can be found at many price points.

“Wine + Cocktails” at 4:30 p.m.

A glass (or two) of wine stands strong on its own, but, these days, a cocktail incorporating wine is a whole new game. This progressive and modern seminar will explore the various cocktails made even better with the addition of wine.

Each class is priced at $30 a person, but you can get a combo ticket to all three for $75. For tickets to any of Culinaria’s events, click here.

This is Culinaria’s Festival Week, and the fun begins Wednesday with a series of themed dinners at restaurants around town.

Wine dinners, a beer dinner, even a scotch dinner — they’re all happening on Wednesday and Thursday.

WEDNESDAY

Wine dinners, a beer dinner and a scotch dinner are all part of Culinaria’s Festival Week.

• Boiler House, 312 Pearl Parkway, (210) 354-4644  — Five-course dinner featuring wines from Flat Creek Estate. Highlights: Pickled big-eye tuna salad, rice cracker crusted diver scallop, and grilled hard spice lamb shoulder skewer. Call for price.
• Arcade Midtown Kitchen, 303 Pearl Parkway, (210) 369-9664 — Four-course dinner with Bonterra Wines includes Hamachi and Scallop Ceviche, Duck Barbacoa Soft Taco and Pecan Smoked Lamb Leg. Price: $55.
• Bliss, 926 S. Presa St., (210) 225-2547 — Six-course dinner with Ramian Wines includes chicken-fried oyster slider, Texas Rabbit, Duck/Duck/Foie and prime strip steak. Price: $100.
• Francesca’s at Sunset at the Westin La Cantera, 16641 La Cantera Parkway, (210) 558-2253 — Five-course dinner features Dina Mondavi of Folio and the Beckers of Becker Vineyards. Highlights include Scallop and Orange Blossom Ravioli, Black Cod Brandade and Rib-eye. Price: $95.
• Lüke Riverwalk, 125 E. Houston St., (210) 227-LUKE (5853) — Wine dinner with Duchman Wines features four courses, including Charred Bandera Quail with Poteet Strawberries and Roasted Cabrito with Eggplant Confit. Price: $75.

THURSDAY

• BIN 555, 555 W. Bitters Road, (210) 496-0555 — The Umai Mi Dinner features a number of Asian-inspired small and large plates, including Spicy Wings, Hot Sticky Ribs, Lemongrass Roasted Chicken, Spicy Cumin Lamb, Tiger’s Cry Flank Steak and Tamarind Glazed Smoked Brisket. Food paired with various wines. $85
• Boiler House, 312 Pearl Parkway, (210) 354-4644 — Six-course beer dinner features Brined Duck Pastrami, Braised Pork Belly and Sweetbread and Spinach Stuffed Quail. Beers include selections from Blue Moon and Leininkugel’s plus others. Call for price.
• Ruth’s Chris Downtown, 1170 E. Commerce St.,   — The Scotch dinner features four courses of food and four scotches, including Oban, Cragganmore, Lagavulin and Dalwinnie. Dishes include a crabtini, wild mushroom bisque and a petit filet. Price: $90.

Prices do not include tax or tip.

Cucumber Ginger Margarita

The thermometer is telling us that summer is fast approaching, so what better way to spend a warm Friday evening (or any evening, for that matter) than with a refreshing margarita?

Celebrity chef Roberto Santibañez isn’t content with a classic recipe. In his recentt cookbook, “Tacos, Tortas and Tamales: Flavors from the Griddles, Pots and Streetside Kitchens of Mexico” (John Wiley and Sons, $19.99), he offers a variation made with cucumber and fresh ginger added to the mix.

When I tried it, I made two slight variations: I omitted the powdered sugar, because I prefer my margaritas tart, tasting of lime and, in this instance, ginger. I also chose not to strain the drink, so I could get all that chewy fiber from the  ginger and the cucumber peel. I will admit it made the drink chewier than you might expect, but it still went down easy.

Cucumber Ginger Margarita (Margarita de pepino y jengibre)

1 1/4 cups silver tequila
1 cup Cointreau
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 3 juicy limes)
1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons finely chopped peeled ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Ice cubes

Blend the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, cucumber, sugar, ginger and salt until smooth, about 45 seconds. Season to taste with lime juice and sugar. Strain the mixture through a sieve, if desired, and into a pitcher and refrigerate until cold.

Stir well, pour into 6 ice-filled glasses and serve immediately.

Makes 6 drinks.

From “Tacos, Tortas and Tamales: Flavors from the Griddles, Pots and Streetside Kitchens of Mexico” by Roberto Santibañez with JJ Goode

Let’s face it, most of us could stand to lose an inch or two off our waist. We love our rich foods so much that we indulge in most anything that tickles our taste buds.

That’s where H-E-B’s latest cookbook, “My Texas Table: 100 Family Favorites Done Light” (H-E-B, $12.49), comes in handy. The cookbook features dozens of recipes, including French toast, Texas chili, a beefy Guisado and Ooey Gooey Red Velvet Butter Brownies, all remade by dietitians to have lower calories without featuring less flavor.

“Our goal with ‘My Texas Table’ is to inspire our customers to cook healthy at home by providing a guidebook tailored not just to our stores, but to their tastes. These are their recipes, their family favorites,” said Kate Rogers, vice president of communications and engagement at H-E-B. “As a culture, we have become too reliant on convenience food eaten outside the home. We need to get back to the basics of cooking and eating as a family, not just for our health but for our happiness.”

It’s a lofty goal, and one that the book addresses head on. The paperback volume begins with tips for cooking for healthfully, including oven baking and steaming instead of frying, before going to offer ideas on how to reduce sugar or increasing fiber in foods.

Asian Shrimp Stir-Fry

The recipes themselves are lighter versions of ideas submitted by both H-E-B employees and customers, each of whom is given credit, while a paragraph explains what was done to lighten it up or why it’s considered healthful. Consider this comment about the Pizza Margherita: “Pizza often gets relegated to the junk food category. Done right, however, it can be nutritious and tasty. Simply use whole wheat crust, low-fat cheese and lots of fresh basil to enjoy America’s favorite Italian pie guilt-free.”

But even the best intentions from the H-E-B dietitians, who compiled the book, can go somewhat awry, if you don’t pay close attention.

The recipe for the Asian Shrimp Stir-Fry suggests you should serve it over brown rice or buckwheat noodles. Yet the photo shows plenty of white pasta tossed with the shrimp, edamame and red peppers. Beware, that pasta is not included in the nutritional analysis and if you add it to the recipe, you could be adding 40 grams of carbohydrate to the dish, about double the daily allotment for many diabetics.

For the South Texas Oatmeal Cookies, margarine is used instead of butter, but there’s a continuing debate in the medical community over whether that’s a wise choice or not. The end result might mean fewer calories, but that’s not the only yardstick that a recipe’s healthfulness is measured by. Even Weight Watchers has changed its formula to include healthful fats from olive oil, nuts and avocado, among other items, and to restrict carb counts as much as watching calories.

Julie Meza’s Guisado

But that’s where you come into the picture. Recipes are only guidelines, after all. These will get you started, and the rest is up to you. When you’re making the Spicy Bean Burgers, you can wrap them in lettuce leaves instead of carb-heavy bread or leave out the pie crust on the Very Berry Pie with a Twist. Or you could cut the sugar in the Skinny Scones by using chopped nuts instead of dried cranberries, which are almost always coated in sugar.

Making such decisions will help you take greater control over your diet and will hopefully give you greater discipline about what you eat. “My Texas Table” is a good place to start.

“My Texas Table” is available at H-E-B stores. Customers can sign up for this year’s Ready, Set, Cook! challenge through May 26 to try a new healthful recipe each week and for a change to win prizes.

Julie Meza’s Guisado

Need a dinner recipe that goes to together and ends up on the table in less than a half hour?

That’s one great aspect of this Mexican American dish, featured in H-E-B’s “My Texas Table: 100 Family Favorites Done Light” (H-E-B, $12.49).

It comes from Julie Meza of Weslaco. Or, actually, it comes from her mother, “who threw some leftovers into a pot one day with delicious results,” the book says. “We tweaked Julie’s recipe a bit, substituting diced tomatoes and chiles for picante sauce and omitting smoked sausage to lighten the calorie load.”

If you want to avoid adding carbs to your meal, server this on lettuce leaves instead of tortillas.

Guisado

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound sirloin steak, cubed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 onion, diced
1 /2 green bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (15-ounce) can H-E-B Tomatoes with Green Chiles

Saute the beef with pepper, onion and garlic.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season steak cubes with chili powder, garlic powder salt and cumin.

Add steak to hot skillet and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Add onion, peppers and minced garlic, cooking until tender.

Pour tomatoes with chilies into pan and simmer 1 minute or until warmed throughout.

Approximate nutritional value per serving: 230 calories, 12 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 110 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugars, 21 g protein.

0.5 carbohydrate choice.

Makes 4 servings.

From Julie Meza, Weslaco/”My Texas Table: 100 Family Favorites Done Light”