Gulf Coast: Louisiana Sunburst Salad

The salad is dressed with an unusual and wonderful cinnamon and Tabasco vinaigrette.

Salad:

24 ounces mesclun mix (mixed baby lettuces, like mâche, frisée, radicchio, baby spinach, etc.)
2 ounces dried cranberries
2 ounces almonds, sliced and toasted
2 ounces crumbed Stilton cheese (or blue cheese) - we used blue, Stilton is for the really intense cheese-eaters out there
2 ounces ruby port wine

Vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ounce vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ounces raspberry vinegar
1 ounce water
5 dashes of Tabasco

Soak dried cranberries in port - leave overnight.

Combine cinnamon, vegetable oil, raspberry vinegar, water, and Tabasco in small bowl. Whisk until emulsified. Toast almond slices with a tiny drop of canola oil. Lightly dress the greens and garnish with the almonds, cranberries, and blue cheese.

The recipe for this bright, delicious salad was adapted from a salad served by Chef Robert Bruce at the Palace Café on Canal Street in New Orleans -- a beautiful restaurant located in the old Werlein's for Music building.

Farmer's Market: Peach & Blackberry Crisp from Terri

Recipe
2 pounds firm, ripe peaches—halved, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 cups fresh blackberries
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup quick-cooking oats
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cubed

Preheat the oven to 375°.
In a large bowl, gently toss the peaches and blackberries with the granulated sugar and lemon juice. Transfer the fruit to an 8-by-11-inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, toss the oats with the flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamonm and nutmeg.
Using your fingertips, mix in the butter until the topping is crumbly.
Sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.
Let the crisp cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

The crisp can be refrigerated overnight.
Bring to room temperature or reheat in the oven before serving.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine