For a meatless Monday meal, I often turn coarsely chopped greens (such as spinach, collard, chard or kale) into a delectable dish. How? I cook greens in just enough broth to make them tender-crisp, then toss in some cooked farro. The semi-pearled farro makes the concoction nutty and delectably chewy. It adds a subtle sweetness, turning a boring dish into…
It is hard to imagine, but I’m pretty sure that there must be a few diners who eat at Fable and Spirit restaurant in Newport Beach that don’t include the Irish Guinness Brown Bread in their order. Too bad. To my palate, it is a must-have winner. I suspect that the Michelin inspectors enjoyed a slice or two before recently…
Gnarled meringue goblins are sweet and crisp, with an initial crunch of a thick potato chip … But after a second or two in the mouth, that brittle texture melts, dissolving into diaphanous delight. The shapes are amusing. Piped from a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/2-inch tip (or squeezed from the cut corner of a heavy plastic zipper-style…
These delicious brownies are designed to be delicious as well as fun to prepare. Peanut butter cups are set into the rich chocolate batter and serve, after baking, as rounded vampire faces. Whimsical Vampire Peanut Butter Cup Brownies Yield: 24 to 30Nonstick cooking spray and aluminum foil2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into several pieces if cold (or use…
This ever-so-slightly ghoulish sweet is designed to prepare with the kids. The pumpkin cake goes together very quickly, requiring only 3 ingredients. While it cools, make the cream cheese frosting, a topping that is so delicious you could spread it on an old boot, and it would probably be kinda’ delicious! Put on aprons and turn on some daunting classical…
Quirky Halloween ghosts tickle me, especially if they are piped out with Seven-Minute Frosting and adorned with googly eyes. But when it comes to Halloween history, in early days, folks weren’t focusing on goblins made with marshmallow-like frosting. No, those ghosts where taken more seriously and were the focus of a Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival in which revelers lit…
A couple of years ago, a chef friend and I dined at Salt and Love, a busy Italian-style bistro in Manhattan Beach, CA. We thought the meal was delicious and both of us were eager to try to reproduce the scrumptious starter that we had shared. It was the Sugar Snap Pea and Burrata Salad, so fresh and tempting it…
BROCCOLINI – Tender-Crisp Yum Broccolini (sometimes labeled “baby broccoli”) is a cross between gai lan (Chinese Broccoli) and common broccoli. The stalks are as skinny as asparagus, the leaves and tender buds alluringly tender. Spicy Sauteed Broccolini (or Gai Lan) with Garlic Yield; 6 servings 1 1/2 to 2 pounds broccolini (sometimes called baby broccoli), ends trimmed 1 tablespoon extra-virgin…