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…
Cookbooks
It’s been a few years since my third book was published, but the topic seems even more relevant today. The “50 Best Plants on the Planet” focuses on the world’s most nutrient dense fruits and vegetables. One of my favorite recipes from the book is the green bean and tomato salad mounded atop watercress or mixed baby greens. Watercress serves…
Pandemic nights often bring dreams filled with Parisian streets scenes. I long to be back in the spot that has offered me so many joyful journeys. Gratefully, I can taste the place. This Apple Lady’s Apple Cake is one of my longtime favorites. It’s a recipe from an apple vendor at an open-air market located in the shadow of the…
This salad recipe is adapted from “Ancient Grains for Modern Families” by Maria Speck (Ten Speed, $29.99). Speck used marinated dried figs in the salad, which are delicious. But I changed my mind about the figs when I had a luscious quinoa salad at Marche Moderne restaurant (Newport Coast). It was adorned with candied kumquats. Reset. I love the sweet-tart…
Make or buy a pumpkin pie if you must, but these layered creamy-crispy squares will most-likely be the pumpkin stars. Make Ahead: Can be prepared 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Happy Holidays to all the cooks and all their helpers. Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble SquaresYield: 20-24 squaresCrust and Streusel:1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour3/4 cup golden brown sugar1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup…
Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice: My niece Holly Sue is a chef. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, many years ago she left a restaurant career to raise her family, but later started a highly successful at-home personal chef business when her boys were approaching middle school age. Her clients pick up made-from-scratch family dinners twice…
I love red-fleshed fruits and vegetables! Red Times Three Salad showcases three of my favorites: blood oranges, red beets and pomegranate seeds. Blood orange’s sweet-sour flavor profile has a subtle note of raspberry. It pairs beautifully with the earthy edge of beets. I use Melissa’s ready-to-eat peeled and steamed baby beets – they are so convenient and beat the heck…
The soft flesh of a ripe mango is an alluring blend of pineapple and tree-ripened peach, but it’s sweeter and more exotic. The scent is enticing too, a blend of pine forest and tropical jungle. No wonder it is the most widely consumed fruit in the world. Roast pork and fresh mango are a luscious combination. In this dish, pork…