July 12, 2012
I intend to post a few recipes using peas in the next few weeks so I thought I’d talk a little about peas first. Indulge me. Fresh green peas begin to appear in the market in late spring and remain until mid summer. If you have only eaten frozen peas up to now I hope I can persuade you to venture to your local farmers market, pick up fresh peas in their pods, return home... View Article
June 28, 2012
The long weekend is here. Time for a leisurely brunch or dinner on the patio, weather permitting. Here is a recipe for quick spinach pancakes to make when you have fresh spinach on hand. These are good for brunch, lunch or dinner. For brunch try topping them with a poached egg and quick hollandaise. For lunch or dinner serve them with a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream and serve with a green salad.... View Article
June 27, 2012
Here is a simple to make salad that creates its own dressing and is delicious on its own or alongside other foods. It’s a typical salad in Israel and each family has its special way of cutting the vegetables and adding this or that to personalize the outcome. Many take pride in cutting the vegetables into very small cubes that blend together into a lovely fine salad that you could almost eat with a spoon.... View Article
June 19, 2012
Peas are considered “common” because they are so easily available frozen but really, fresh peas in the spring is a special treat that shouldn’t be overlooked. If you go to the market, pick up fresh peas in their pods and shell them yourself. You will be rewarded with a special spring culinary experience. I anticipate their arrival at the market and shell them happily all through spring and summer until the last of the peas... View Article
June 9, 2012
Have you ever used harissa in your cooking? It’s a Northern African (Tunisia, Morocco) spicy condiment or spice blend that migrated to neighbouring middle east countries and has become an integral part of middle east cuisine. There are various ways of making it and the basic ingredients are chili peppers, garlic, coriander, cumin, carraway, sometimes cinnamon and maybe even fennel and lemon. You would need to add olive oil to make it into a paste.... View Article
June 5, 2012
Acorn squash along with other squashes are fall and winter vegetables and I cook with them often as soon as summer is over. I do however like to use squash as a “container” and stuff it with various grains and vegetables and I can do that any time of the year. Being the starch lover that I am, I can never have too much starch (read The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall). Acorn squash... View Article
May 31, 2012
I have a few different ways of making corn cakes, some lighter, like this recipe, some more substantial that I will post later. Serve them for breakfast, lunch or dinner with creme fraiche, beans or on their own. In spite of the salty feta, they are also good with maple syrup. Makes about 8-10 pancakes. Ingredients: 2 cup white corn kernels 1 cup buttermilk 2 eggs 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled 1 tablespoon corn oil... View Article
May 30, 2012
Asparagus is a lovely spring treat and when it is in season I try to use it often. Read more about asparagus in my article under What’s in Season here. Grilling asparagus brings out beautiful flavor elements that are simply not present when boiling or steaming. The natural sugars caramelize as the asparagus roast and a lovely sweetness emerges that compliments the macadamia pesto nicely. I prefer to roast fat spears as they have a... View Article
May 29, 2012
Now we are talking, leave it to the Italians to make a salad with bread in it. So authentic you’d think you are in Tuscany. Known as panzanella this salad was created in Italy traditionally to use up day old bread (real cooks never waste any food). I believe that they don’t even grill the bread as it is crisp already from being a day or so old. I tend to grill or sauté the... View Article
May 29, 2012
One of the thing that made its way back from Seattle with me is a lovely loaf of Yukon Gold Potato bread from the Three Girls Bakery at Pike Place Market (post about that trip coming up). The bread was delicious with just unsalted butter but I wanted to grill it so I made this tomato-basil panini with fresh ricotta in a grill pan on top of the stove and served it with a little... View Article
May 27, 2012
I don’t know about you but I am always in the mood for a good potato salad. It is easy to make and hardly requires a recipe but most people get into the routine of making it one way and leave it at that. Why? Potatoes are relatively neutral and can be combined with so many different ingredients and dressings. It’s fun (isn’t it?) to try new ways of making the familiar and much loved... View Article
May 25, 2012
With fresh peas starting to show up at the market I’d like to start using them as much as I can. Fresh peas that you shell yourself are a wonderful spring and summer treat. When I seat with a bowl of peas in the pods, shelling them for a dish I am about to make, sampling a few irresistible ones every now and then, I feel connected to past generations of women sitting on the... View Article
