In a step outside the tradition of “rectangular,” I like to bake syrup-soaked cakes in a Bundt pan, basically a fluted tube pan, because the shape of the pan, with the tube in the center, allows for even cooking all the way through to the middle. In this version, I use raw sugar to prepare … Continue reading Walnut Bundt Cake Soaked in Coffee Syrup
Around the world, meatballs are a cook’s home way with sausage making, not much fuss to put together and no casing required. In particular, lamb meatballs spiked with one kind of nut or another–walnuts, pine nuts, or almonds–are masterful fare found in various renditions throughout the Mediterranean. With their delicate yet hearty taste, small balls … Continue reading Grilled Lamb and Almond Meatballs with Olive, Tomato, and Parsley Vinaigrette
Continuing the almond theme, I became entranced by a flourless nut cake called tishpishti. The name alone gives pause–two Turkish words that mean quick (tish, originally tez) and done (pishti), and indeed it describes how quick and easy it is to make the cake. A classic of Sephardic cooking in Spain and Turkey and a specialty for Jewish Passover celebrations … Continue reading Quick Flourless Almond Cake
Lugs and lugs of freshly harvested Price almonds at Chris Hays’ farmers’ market stand a few Saturdays ago set me off and running on the topic of almonds. So many ways to use them, from simple to complex, savory or sweet, as a background note or featured in a dish. Coming up will be recipes for … Continue reading Fresh Almonds
The Cantonese have a technique for cooking a whole chicken by briefly simmering then steeping it awhile to finish the cooking. In Chinese, it’s called “white cut chicken,” a visually apt description. It’s a favorite method for cooking a whole chicken whose meat is to be used in soups and mainly-vegetable compositions. Here, the skin … Continue reading Steeped Chicken
Crepinettes are sausage patties wrapped in caul fat. Their name is derived from the French word for caul, crepine, hence crepinettes, or little caul packets. They’re an old-fashioned, easy and fun way to craft homemade sausages for a casual get together, especially good in summer when it’s likely to be grilling weather. The only trick to making … Continue reading Crepinettes
Piquant and sweet spiced cherries, also called pickled cherries, are a specialty of southwest France where they make a perfect accompaniment to the renowned cassoulets and charcuterie delights of that region. The combination deftly translates to my own region, northern California, currently a hot bed of innovative salumi, charcuterie, and other bold dishes, and also a major cherry-growing region. … Continue reading Spiced Cherries
According to internationally acclaimed food writer, Elizabeth David, this salad was originally a specialty of the fancy Hotel Couronne in Rouen, in the north of France. From there, it sashayed around to other resort kitchens, each offering its own rendition of basically, potato salad. One extravagant variation included some truffle to be chopped in with … Continue reading Charcuterie-Style Potato Salad
Following the theme in my previous post of the chicken and the egg together in a pot, here’s a similar savory, warm, and beguiling herald to Spring. Called avgolemeno, meaning literally egg and lemon, it’s a classic of Greek cooking that can be either a sauce or a soup. I first came across avgolemeno in … Continue reading Avgolemeno Sauce
Piping warm homemade chicken broth afloat with egg curds is a quintessential spring soup–simple, pure, uncomplicated, refreshing, soothing. The nutritious chicken broth is the main point. Together with the egg and gussied up with shredded young spring greens, here dandelion, it’s a paen to new beginnings, a celebration of health, an elegant opening for a … Continue reading Stracciatella: Italian Egg Drop Soup for Easter and Spring Colds
The Wise Kitchen 