Redcurrants are used mostly for jelly here, but in Europe the tiny tart berries are enjoyed fresh. Rinse them and, if they’re still attached to their stalk, strip them off, using a fork as a comb. For a nice treat, powder them with plenty confectioner’s sugar, and let them sit in the bowl, stirring occasionally, until sugar and berry juices […]
Read moreThis week we focus unabashedly on scapes, the curlicued shooting-stalks of hardneck garlic plants. Their season is fleeting—fire up your food processors and grills! We like simply anointing garlic scapes with olive oil and sea-salt and singeing them on a hot grill or grill pan –just until they’re crisp, tender if you want to keep some of their garlicky flavor, […]
Read moreLettuces are at their peak. Delicious in salads, of course, but mysteriously good, too, kissed quickly by heat. Halve and grill them on the barbecue, on a stove-top grill pan, or even on a hot well-seasoned cast-iron pan. It only takes minutes – what you’re aiming for is a range of color and flavors, from outer char to still crisp […]
Read moreTuscan kale has many names – lacinato, cavolo nero, dinosaur kale (because of its leathery-looking leaves.) Despite its tough looks, it makes the best kale salad. What’s more, with the help of a little olive oil, this flavorful kale wilts down surprisingly fast in the pan. It also loves other robust flavors like garlic and anchovy, kicked up with chilli […]
Read moreHere’s a winter squash tip from Weston Lant at Lucky Field Organics. For a quick meal of butternut squash, halve and clean squash and place it cut-side down on glass plate in the microwave oven. Cook, testing every now and then, until squash is perfectly tender. Mash scooped-out flesh and season to taste. You might not even need any butter, […]
Read morePan-roasted potatoes, carrots and parsnips with rosemary 1 lb potatoes 1 lb carrots 1 lb parsnips 3-5 Tablespoons olive oil 3 Tablespoons fresh rosemary Cut potatoes, carrots and parsnips into large bite-sized pieces and pour into a plastic bag with the olive oil and rosemary. Mush around until everything is coated with oil. Spread onto 2 baking pans so the […]
Read moreFresh cod with Ginger-scallion sauce One pound of fresh fish Half bunch of scallions, cut into 1/4’ slices at the white end and going up to 2’ for the green 2-3 inch chunk of ginger root, grated 3 Tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter One quarter lemon Broil the fish about 5-8 minutes each side, or until flaky and just-cooked. […]
Read moreSummer is waning. The autumnal equinox falls on September 22. Make salad while the sun shines. Here is an easy-going chopped vegetable and bread salad called fattoush. If you can find powdered sumac, a tart, deep-red, Middle-Eastern spice, dust it over the finished salad. Similarly if you can forage some purslane, put that in, too. Both add a refreshing, authentic […]
Read moreIn late summer thoughts turn to ratatouille, the classic French dish made with eggplant, tomato and zucchini. Tian, another Provencal classic, uses the same vegetable trinity. Why isn’t it better known? Is it the challenging name: Tian? (Say tee-on to get a very approximate idea.) Look for vegetables similar in diameter: a slim Italian (not Asian) eggplant, a medium zucchini […]
Read moreIn keeping with our tomato theme, here’s a recipe for tomatoes with watermelon and a sweet-salty dressing. Use tomatoes of all shapes and colors, not too large, and employ a sharp knife to slice them thinly, crosswise if tomatoes are round, and lengthwise if they’re elongated. If mint is running amok and flowering in your yard, nip it in the […]
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