The first verse is about Avocado Lime Cream. It’s early March and, odd as it may seem, both avocados and limes are in season. So are shellfish. Here’s a sneak preview of a way they’re put together in my next cookbook, Bold (co-authored with Susanna Hoffman, Workman, November, 2013). We developed the recipe as avocados and … Continue reading The Loveliness of Limes, in Three Verses with Recipes
The gobi dish pictured in this recipe is another culinary pentimento (see my 7/23/12 post on food remembrances). Let me explain: Gobi is the Hindi word for cauliflower. I learned that from my friend Rajive Aurora, who was originally from New Delhi. Our families used to share in pot luck buffet tables for various and sundry … Continue reading Gobi: An Indian Way with Cauliflower
Stuffed summer vegetables, a staple of pan-Mediterranean cuisines, are an integral part of my food life, and one version or another appears in almost all of my cookbooks. The ones I grew up on, made by my mother to my Armenian father’s specifications, had the stuffing as lamb and rice. Bell peppers and zucchinis were featured … Continue reading Romancing Summer IV: Stuffed Peppers with Zucchini Yogurt Salad
My romance with pizza was sparked in a small trattoria in Parmigiano, Italy, where I had my first Italian version. It was with ham, artichoke hearts, and melted cheese. A revelation: there was no tomato. I don’t remember the cheese, but it was gooey and stringy, so certainly more than just Parmesan. Memory has faded, … Continue reading Romancing Summer I: Grilled Pizza with Pickled Onions, Arugula, and Squash Blossoms
One day recently at my farmers’ market, an Asian vendor, a German woman, and I found ourselves together in a three-way conversation about celery tops. The German woman had previously asked the vendor to please don’t cut off the tops of your celery; “they’re good for soups and seasoning,” she said. The vendor had accommodated … Continue reading Fuji Apple, Celery, and Cabbage Slaw
A box of wild rhubarb from my long time friend and sometimes co-author, Susanna Hoffman, prompted a cooking rendezvous with the tart, succulent vegetable cum fruit. On her Colorado Rocky Mountain property, she has six large patches of the odd chenopodium, whose far flung relatives include amaranth, spinach, epazote, and quinoa. Each May and June, like … Continue reading Rhubarb Compote with Rosewater and Balsamic Vinegar
I’m an avid pickler, must have some on hand at all times. After years of “putting by” in sealed jars, I have turned away from that chore and now prefer fresh pickles. There’s no need for processing the jars to store on the pantry shelf nor
for lengthy resting in the frig while they cure. They are ready to serve within the next day or two. To that end, I have developed the following “magic brine” Continue reading “Fresh Pickles, No Waiting”
