Deceptively creamy despite the lack of dairy or butterfat, this deliciously mild-flavored soup can be served hot or cold. Recipe below.
THE WEATHER IS BEING VERY NEUROTIC. It’s June, but today it feels like… April maybe? We’ve had some days of near-90s, but that never sticks. The temperature keeps slinking back down. Continue reading “This soup runs hot and cold: Roasted Cauliflower and Potato Soup”
Can’t find fresh fish? Frozen will do. Here, chunky pieces of cod are quickly braised in a sauce of tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes, saffron and paprika in the traditional Merluza à la Gallega. Recipe below.
Years back, I lived in a port town in Nova Scotia, where great, fresh seafood was a fact of life. In the morning, the boats came in around 10 or 10:30, and I would put on my sneakers and walk down to the dock and buy a fish off the boats, and that night that fish would be dinner. This came to mind the other day when we were at Trader Joe’s. Continue reading “Frozen fish becomes a warm Spanish meal: Merluza à la Gallega”
Bacon, plentiful aromatics and a bit of cumin create a hearty split pea soup you’ll make again and again. Recipe below.
Dear Valerie,
SO HERE’S THE THING. IT’S COLD. IT’S REALLY COLD. I’ve been sitting in my kitchen holding a big steaming mug of coffee and wearing a turtleneck and a down vest and a hoodie, with the hood up, and wool socks and lined pants, and I’m thinking about putting on more clothing, but I’ve been reluctant because I’d like to continue being able to bend my arms and legs. All of this has made me think of what I want for dinner, which reminded me of that recipe you sent me, for one of the best things ever—split pea soup. Continue reading “Cold finally overcomes procrastination: Valerie’s Split Pea Soup”
Mixed fresh berries and olive oil keep this cake deliciously light—for weekend guests or a treat for yourself. Recipe below.
Our Thanksgiving desserts, as ever, ranged from the delicious reliables (pumpkin pie!) to the wild and crazy throwbacks (tiny chocolate bottles filled with liqueur!) to the outrageous (chocolate tres leches cake!). But when the guests had gone, and the last loads of bedsheets and dishes were stacked and put away, and the idiot cats had emerged from their hiding places blinking into the light, I found myself wanting something easy, something simple and sweet—and something I could knock together in a few minutes, without having to go to the store or particularly think. Continue reading “Simple to make, not too sinful: Mixed Berries Olive Oil Cake”
Ground duck, brown ale and an international mix of umami-rich ingredients put a delicious spin on traditional Bolognese sauce. Recipe (and some substitute ingredients) below.
THIS RECIPE SHARES CERTAIN BASIC ELEMENTS WITH LAST WEEK’S: shallots, onion, carrot, pasta, bay leaf. In fact, as I was assembling it, at one point my hand strayed over to my fallback, tarragon, and I had to tell myself to make another choice. Continue reading “In anticipation of true autumn: Duck Ragu with Brown Ale and Pasta”
Miso paste, sesame oil and soy sauce turn slender Japanese eggplant into an umami-rich side. Recipe below.
Our tiny garden is going gangbusters. We have one shishito pepper plant, and it is giving us enough peppers for a very ample side for four at least once a week. We have three Sun Gold tomato plants, and they are giving us a couple of generous handfuls of tomatoes every day. The basil, the beets, the beans—all crazy. Continue reading “From our small, abundant garden: Japanese Eggplant with Miso Sherry Sauce”
Our take on a traditional dim sum favorite, eggplant stuffed with a shrimp/pork mixture, sautéed and steamed. Recipe below.
For quite a few years, one of our most beloved dim sum dishes was the eggplant stuffed with shrimp prepared at Hong Minh on Cermak in Chicago’s Chinatown. It was light and luscious and suave, and we were crazy about it. Continue reading “A favorite Chinese restaurant remembered: Dim Sum Eggplant Stuffed with Shrimp”
Made with ground turkey, feta and dried herbs, these pan-cooked burgers are so flavorful, they don’t need condiments. Recipe below.
I CAME UP WITH THIS RECIPE A FEW WEEKS AGO in the middle of a complicated family project that had me working very long hours with not much time to do things like eat. It was exhausting. Then one day I was in the grocery store and saw some ground turkey, of all things, and thought animal protein, and then it had somehow leaped into my cart and the must eat animal protein trance was falling over me and then I was home, rummaging around in the fridge, hunting for saute pans in a frenzy, and next thing I knew, I was putting these burgers on plates, and thinking how handsome they looked and, in the moments before they vanished, how good they smelled. The whole thing was amazing. Continue reading “Hold the ketchup, hold everything: Turkey Feta Burgers are just plain good”
Pimento cheese, a versatile, easy-to-make appetizer/spread/sandwich filling/burger topping/etcetera, is rightly enjoying a moment. One taste and you’ll see why. Recipe below.
People talk about pimento cheese like it’s always been around—as if it’s been a fixture of Southern life since time immemorial. Not so. The “caviar of the South” actually originated in New York state around 1910. Continue reading “Appreciating an icon: Pimento Cheese”
Bacon jam—homemade or store-bought—is the salty-sweet-tangy heart of this bar-inspired pasta dish. Recipe below.
Last week was busy and exhausting, with a lot of long work hours and late nights. And then on Saturday, to celebrate, we helped someone move. So when Sunday rolled around, we decided to have a lazy zero-brainer day. The weather was too wet and chilly to walk along the lake, but we didn’t want to be cooped up in the house either. Continue reading “Yes, you need bacon jam: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon Jam and Udon Noodles”