I made this meal for friends last week and enjoyed it for lunch for a couple of days afterwards. Many curries have a complex mixture of spices behind them, but not this one; instead it has a nice clean flavor and lovely delicate fragrance from the lemongrass. Still the curry is warming and soothing and [...]
Posted in Mains on Sep 4th, 2011
I have made these lovely little stuffed squash a couple of times over the summer to rave reviews. This is a great way to take advantage of any shape of summer squash you may find at the market or have growing in your garden. I loved stuffing the round, 8-ball and avocado squash as the [...]
Posted in Mains on Apr 22nd, 2011
Tagine is a spicy North African stew that is traditionally cooked in a tall, conical ceramic dish. Here I have substituted a wide skillet, but any good pot will do. What’s important is adding a nice blend of aromatic spices and balancing the heat to your taste. You can make it with any combination of [...]
I’ve been thinking about making a barley risotto for most of winter and since it’s Valentine’s Day soon, I thought it was a good time to make it with beets. This dish is something healthy and beautiful to make for someone in your life you love.
Posted in Mains on Feb 2nd, 2011
Gomoku is often called a five vegetable Japanese rice stew; but, I feel the word stew is misleading as it isn’t really stew-like. I thought maybe I could call my version a pilaf but that word doesn’t explain what it is well either. Pilaf doesn’t conjure up the deeply warming and nourishing properties that this [...]
Posted in Mains on Nov 12th, 2010
This is one of those dishes that turned out perfectly without any tinkering or finishing touches; a meal you can’t stop eating because it takes at a whole bowl’s worth to decipher how the myriad flavors and textures play off one other so well.
Posted in Mains on Sep 26th, 2010
It is the perfect time of year to make Ratatouille, most of the market tomatoes need to be cooked, there are abundant red peppers, eggplants of all shapes and sizes and buttery zucchini everywhere, plus all the fresh herbs you need to simmer this beautiful mix of veggies into a fragrant, rich and succulent dish.
Posted in Mains on Jun 29th, 2010
I have been very busy this past week putting together a 3 minute video for a competition to win a cooking show on the Oprah Winfrey Network. It came together quickly thanks to all the dedicated help I got from my generous friends and family. You can view it here and if you like it, [...]
I had soaked quinoa my usual way; throwing some in a pot and covering the unwashed grain with water as I ran out the door one morning. I had no plans for what it would become; all I knew was that later I would want something nutritious and quick to eat. As things turned out, [...]
The garlicky verdant scent of ramps filled my kitchen as I began cooking this spring braise, bringing back memories of the exciting first weeks of spring and crisp mornings at the farmers market.