chopped kale salad with chickpeas, toasted almonds, sesame seeds + a honey ginger dressing — whats cooking good looking Boy, do I need a salad every day for the next few weeks. As you may have noticed, I've been away for the past couple of weeks. Shortly after the New Year, Michael and I took off and traveled half way around the world to Thailand for a friend's wedding. Thailand has been top on my list of places to go for as long as I can remember, and now I can happily cross that off the list. The moment I put my feet in the sand and was handed a freshly cracked open Thai coconut with ice cold coconut water inside, the two days of travel it took to get there melted away. Whenever I travel, especially very very long distances, there is not much choice but to eat pick at whatever is being served in-flight, so as soon as I get home I crave big bowls of homemade goodness. I landed back in NY yesterday, so I am in a bit of a jet lagged haze.
A Simple Tomato Soup Recipe Every couple of months a small group of us choose a cookbook author (or cookbook) to focus on. It's a casual affair, and people leave notes and insights related to the recipes they try. We've cooked from Moro East and The Many Little Meals of Rose Bakery, as well as The Zuni Cafe Cookbook. We've cooked along with Yotam Ottolenghi, Deborah Madison, and for the next two months, Melissa Clark. I know many of you have Melissa's books - just know you're more than welcome to join in. I tend to make a big pot of this soup. HS: A number of you are concerned about the BPA liners in a canned tomatoes. In a large pot over medium heat melt the butter. Stir in the curry powder, coriander, cumin, and chile flakes, and cook just until the spices are fragrant and toasty - stirring constantly at this point. This soup is great served simply with a dollop of cream from the top of a can of coconut milk (a little goes a long way) and a toasted wedge of good bread. Prep time: 5 min - Cook time: 25 min
the everyday superfood salad Superfoods! These things are being pimped out everywhere I go lately. I’ve been frequenting a certain home furnishings discount chain, just to see what I can pick up for our new place and you know something? They have a superfoods section in their little food aisle with the fancy oils, vinegars, salts and preserves. We went on a short little getaway to the Finger Lakes-ish area of New York State this past weekend. There are so many new things coming up for us and all of the usual big ideas. So there’s been some purchase-less trips to Ikea (not counting the cinnamon bun that I wolfed down and got all over my face while we examined cabinet options in the showroom–Mark just looked at me and laughed), some antique store hops (fuelling my enamelware love) and a visit to my new favourite place: a clearance/auction house out in the sticks. In the meantime, there’s the everyday surprises. So yeah, lots of things on the unfold. Arrange the massaged kale and broccoli on your serving plate.
Cilantro Salad Recipe I went to a lunch in Oakland a few weeks back. It was one of those special lunches that passes all too quickly - a warm April afternoon, a stretch of tables pushed together under a booming canopy of white flowers, good company, Lillet blanc, and some of my favorite cooks arriving with something to share, family-style. It was a celebration of Deborah Madison's new book, and after all these years, I was finally able to thank her for inspiring body of work in person. All in all, a pretty great afternoon. I would have been more than happy to stay right where I was, long after the plates were cleared, as I imagine dinner under the blossoming trees would be magic. The Xinjiang salad was made by Carolyn Phillips from a Chinese cookbook specializing in the Northwest (you can see the write-up on her site here). The key here is absolutely using the brightest, best cilantro you can get your hands on. HS: You're going to make far more shallot oil (and shallots) than you need here. Serves 6.
grilled peach salad & mint pesto This one has moved to the top of my list for favorite summertime dishes. Sweet grilled peaches, spicy arugula, creamy fresh mozzarella, crunchy pine nuts, and herb-y pesto… It’s simple enough to put together for a light weeknight meal, but fancy enough to serve as a starter at your next dinner party. grilled peach salad & mint pesto Ingredients forthesalad: 2 firm, yet ripe peaches 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 2 cups baby arugula fresh mozzarella, sliced a few dollops of pesto sprinkle of toasted pine nuts salt & pepper mint & basil pesto: 1 packed cup of a mix of mint & basil 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (you could also use walnuts instead) 1/2 garlic clove, roughly chopped juice and zest from 1/2 a lemon 1/4 cup olive oil (or more) a few pinches of red pepper flakes salt & pepper Instructions Slice the peaches into 6 segments per peach. Notes A few notes about grilling peaches: They will pick up the flavors of what you previously grilled on your grill.
Vegan Recipes Vegan Recipes The recipes listed here are vegan, or easily made vegan (with a minor tweak or two). I only list them here if I've actually mentioned how to make the recipe vegan in the recipe or in the head notes of the recipe. Olive Oil Braised Spring Vegetables- April 7, 2014 Back in the late 90's Vogue Entertaining + Travel was the Australia-based magazine I splurged for any time I came across it on the news stand. Giant Lemon Fennel Beans- March 18, 2014 Baby fennel, big white beans, sliced lemon, a honey-kissed in-pan white wine sauce, all finished with a shower of chopped dill. Sake Mushrooms- February 6, 2014 Going through a stack of papers in my kitchen I found a note to myself, a recipe to try. Guacamole- January 30, 2014 To make great guacamole you have to go off-recipe. Immunity Soup- January 16, 2014 A soup built on a monster white pepper broth. Detoxifying Mint Tea- December 29, 2013 A homemade blend of detoxifying mint tea - green tasting from mint and coriander, and fennel-sweet.
Better Than Trader Joe’s Kale and Edamame Bistro Salad Print This Post This is the tale of the teenager who became besotted with Trader Joe’s prepared, packaged Kale and Edamame Bistro Salad, and the mom who was going broke buying them for her, at $4 a pop. It’s a simple story, involving a woman fully aware that of all the addictions in the world, a love of kale salad was, shall we admit, the best possible one to have. In fact, rather than calling it an addiction, the mom might better term it a good eating habit, and leave it at that. But the wallet doesn’t lie, and $12 a week in packaged kale salads was just not, uh, cutting it (pause for a polite laugh). Not to mention the plastics involved in the individual packaging, and the special trip to TJ’s, etc. So the mom, a kale lover herself and handy with a knife, set out to not only duplicate the TJ’s salad, but while she was at it, better it. Voila, my darling teenager. Ingredients Dressing Salad Instructions Quick notes Nuts: The TJ’s salad has slivered almonds in it, as well.
Ginger Jeweled Salad Recipe This is the time of year to add a bit of flash and color to your food. The skies are low-hanging and weepy. The days are short, getting shorter. In protest, each December, I arm myself with all manner of dried fruits, juicy citrus, and rosy pomegranates. They work beautifully in salads, including this jewel-inspired ensemble I made the other night. I've likely said this before, but I can't emphasize it enough - the key to amazing salad is seeking out the very best lettuce you can find. - More Wild Rice Recipes - - More Lettuce Recipes - - More Salad Recipes - Feel free to substitute other dried fruit if it is more convenient. In a mason jar or medium bowl make the ginger vinaigrette by whisking together the ginger juice, vinegar, jalapeno, and a couple big pinches of salt. Hold off dressing the salad until just before you are ready to serve it. Serves about 6. Print Recipe
roast kumara, chickpea and feta salad with spiced lemon dressing There was a knock at the door early yesterday morning. I was in the middle of getting dressed so took a little while to get to the front door, all the while hoping it wasn't one of those annoying door-to-door sales people that have a knack for ridiculous timing. I opened the door to see my friend Nat getting back into her car 'sorry can't stop, enjoy' she yelled (or something along those lines) as she took off on her way to school, I'm guessing. All I could do was yell thanks and wave frantically through the fly-screen. What a lovely way to start the day (and so much better than if it had been one of those pesky sales people!).There on the doorstep she'd left a little bag of freshly picked vegetables from her mothers garden. I immediately knew I wanted to make some form of salad from all those hand-picked goodies, especially the flat leaf parsley which I love to eat just like a salad green. I couldn't leave today without mentioning the Olympics could I? spiced lemon dressing