Rapini’s bold, no-snooze flavor profile boasts a pleasing bitterness that can be tamed with creamy pasta, or grains augmented with caramelized onions and garlic. With stalks more slender than found on broccoli, rapini is topped with spiky, jagged-edged leaves and bundles of compact buds. This recipe uses a tasty brown rice blend. There are several brands in the marketplace, such…
Cookbooks
There’s no way to calculate the impact Julia Child had on generations of American cooks. For me, she provided a turning point in my culinary education. I cooked my way through her first book in my early 20’s, splattering the pages willy-nilly with sauce drips, softened butter or melted chocolate. “Mastering the Art of French Cooking ( Volume One)” was…
Ah, the somewhat neutral taste of cauliflower – it’s a canvas for delicious add-ons. I love the attitude that toasted cumin and coriander bring to the party, along with paprika, cayenne and lime zest. Pan-Fried and finished with flavor pizzaz. Pan-Fried Cauliflower with Spices, Lime, and PistachiosYield: 6 servings 1 medium-large cauliflower, about 2 pounds1 teaspoon cumin seeds1 teaspoon coriander…
Candy Box Chocolate Cake I’ve been writing about cooking, food trends and chefs for over three decades. Before that, I taught cooking classes, rounding up groups of culinary students to watch and listen as I prepared myriad concoctions. I conducted culinary tours to Europe and Asian long before culinary travel became “a thing,” and have written three cookbooks. Along the…
Fuyu persimmons are the tomato shaped variety that are a beautiful orange hue. Because they are not astringent, they can be eaten when apple-like firm, or when slightly softened. They are generally available late September through December. I love to add them to a ginger-enriched spinach salad. First, I create some ginger juice to create an irresistible edge to the…
Crunchy, tasty pizzazz = Tossed and toasted with agave syrup and oil. This recipe makes more of the crunchy quinoa topping than is used in the dish. The mixture can be thoroughly cooled and stored airtight up to 1 week at room temperature. Use it atop rice, baked apples or sliced stone fruit. Breakfast Bowls with Toasted Quinoa, Kiwi and…
After our interview, I tried cookbook author Mark Bittman’s recipe for Turkish Breakfast, a cinch-to-make hummus paired with sliced tomatoes, cucumber, olives and whole-wheat toast. I added a slab of watermelon and served it for a luscious eat-every-bite dinner. Better yet, I tried it for breakfast. Delicious. Much – so much – more flavor-packed than my lonely egg. Turkish BreakfastYield:…
Green beans cooked to perfection, somewhere between hard and soft, are delicious tossed with a sauce made with Asian-style ingredients. Oyster-flavored sauce, that bottled oh-so-tangy condiment, adds umami to the mix. Mirin, rice vinegar and sugar balance out the flavors with sweetness. Toasted sesame seeds add a gentle crunch and welcome nuttiness. In Chinese restaurants, a version of this dish often…