Vegetarian

Sage-Candied Walnuts

I have never cared much for nuts. I know there are women who count small handfuls of almonds as a satisfying afternoon snack. Alas, I am not one of them. The addition of walnuts and macadamias have long been reason enough to snub my nose at salads and muffins alike. But I am starting to change. I blame it on a shop near my apartment, The Nut Box. I only stopped by in the first place because the store looked so.. well, organized. Blonde wood compartments house rows upon rows of neatly packaged and clearly labeled nuts, and I am the kind of person who stops into The Container Store for fun.

I was throwing a party over the weekend, so I thought, “what’s the harm in picking up a few things?” (Answer: there is never harm in picking up a few things, especially when “things” are obscure food items. Bonus points if you have no clear idea when or how to use them.) Read more »

Pear and Cranberry Cake

This is a family recipe, no denying it. It was my Aunt Martha’s creation, but quickly became a holiday staple in my house as well. I distinctly remember eating this cake as part of our Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, and then again the next morning for breakfast; a huge treat for my sisters and I. Now I make it too (although the pears are a recent addition), because it is mixed and in the oven in under fifteen minutes, and because it makes my kitchen smell divine. The flecks of mild, sweet pear and bites of sour cranberry are little gems, lending this moist, citrus-spiked cake a distinctive holiday look and taste. Read more »

Sautéed Kale, Roasted Sweet Potato and Poached Egg Holiday Toast

I entered this recipe in a “your best holiday greens recipe” contest on Food52.com, and had the following to say:

When considering holiday recipes, I try to embrace versatility. After all, holiday dining is not confined to one meal period. Equally important is the time in between the ceremonial, family luncheon—breakfast and lunch the next day, the four o’clock snack. Since the holidays almost always involve feeding more mouths than usual, I think it is essential to assess mileage as well as flavor. This toast is colorful and hearty in its own right, but it also serves the handy function of putting leftovers to good use, particularly if you make the sautéed kale and roasted sweet potatoes as side dishes for a big holiday meal. This way, you get three dishes for the price of one!

Since it is currently the end of August though, I will say a few more words to convince you that you need not wait until December to try this recipe. To me, this is kind of the ultimate autumn, brunch/late night comfort food. (Poached eggs and cheese…. need I say more?) It’s a bit more filling than what I typically crave in the summer, and I the colors also recall fall. The use of ginger and nutmeg help to place this dish firmly in the winter-is-coming category too, I think. Read more »

Black Bean, Avocado and Pineapple Salsa

What is one to do when a fragrant pineapple and a tender avocado present themselves? Salsa seemed like a good option to me. I am a fan of this recipe for various reasons—first, I think it tastes pretty great. It is also breezy to pull together, helpful in the summer when there are far more pleasant occupations than loitering in a hot kitchen. It is also full of protein, fiber and antioxidants. So far, I have served it with halibut, swordfish and tuna, but I suspect chicken and pork would also marry happily. It tastes better after the ingredients have spent some time together, so feel free to bring it along to a BBQ, a picnic or camping. Read more »

Blood Orange and Ginger Summer Punch

This summer has been hot. Really, really hot. To conquer the heat, punch happens to be tremendously thirst quenching—especially when imbibed outside in the shade, preferably with a group of friends. And while I currently live in a one-bedroom city apartment instead of say, a charming cottage with a sprawling, verdant veranda….no matter. I built a cocktail around two of my new favorite beverages—Italian blood orange juice and Fresh Ginger’s Original Ginger Ale. The orange juice hails from Sicily, where at the base of Mt. Etna volcanic soil aids the growth of the fruit. It is sourer than regular orange juice, and vibrantly colored. The ginger ale is made with real ginger, so it has a satisfying, almost spicy bite. These two ingredients are paired with lime and, for the adult version, liquor. For mine, I used ginger vodka, but you could use another kind vodka or rum, if you prefer. Read more »

Fusilli with Sweet Corn, Pesto and Summer Vegetables

Apparently, French people think corn is for chickens. I, however, must disagree. I grew up between rural Massachusetts and New Jersey, where from early July to mid-September corn is sold at roadside farmer’s stands…. for human consumption. This recipe was my attempt to introduce a reluctant Frenchman to the joys of summer sweet corn, and also strives to showcase other summer produce. The pesto ties it all together, and fusilli is great for catching every last drop. Feel free to vary the amount of pesto and fresh herbs you use, depending on your taste. This dish works perfectly for a picnic or potluck, as it tastes delightful hot or cold. Read more »

Arugula, Sugar Snap Pea and Poached Egg Salad

This recipe sprung to life one fine, June afternoon as I strolled through the Union Square Market wondering, “what’s for dinner?” Sugar snap peas lay in heaps at many a farm stand, so those went into my bag. In went some baby arugula for a lemony contrast. I completed my produce pillage with yellow and green zucchinis, selected for color. At home I added goat cheese, at once milky and zesty, and some breadcrumbs I amped with garlic for texture. In France, entrée salads are often topped with a poached egg; when negotiated open with a fork, the yolk provides a creamy sauce all its own. I garnished my salad with just a crack of pepper, french vinaigrette and a dusting of lemon zest—voila! Read more »

French Vinaigrette

The first time I visited my boyfriend’s family home, nestled in a fishing village on the west coast of France, summer was fully underway. Lettuces, tomatoes and radishes grown in the communal garden next door routinely made their way onto the table. It was the first time I was asked to wash lettuce that came not from a bag at the supermarket, but instead directly from the ground. It was also the first time I experienced dressing made from scratch. “Surely,” I thought, “making a batch of dressing every single time you want a salad is simply too laborious to sustain.” Not so. You can whip up a vinaigrette in a matter of minutes, and this basic recipe is almost endlessly adaptable. Particularly now, as I am more and more conscious of trying to eat foods whose ingredients I can pronounce, it seems silly to buy commercial dressing when it can be made so easily at home. Read more »