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…
Melissa’s
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…
Fresh Hatch chilies are available a few short weeks each year, in August and September. These delicious chilies are from the Mesilla Valley in New Mexico, they have thick walls with flavorful flesh – use them fresh or roasted – then peeled, seeded, and if you like, frozen. One of my favorite ways to use them, is to spike a…
A straightforward home-cooked Asian-themed noodle dish is so darn enjoyable. Recipe is only a blueprint. Feel free to sub different cooked meat (cooked turkey or pork is delicious), or opt to include a veg such as finely diced carrots or small pieces of fresh asparagus. Stir-fried noodles, with their semi-firm bite and springy personality, team deliciously with shredded cabbage. I…
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…
The versatility of pilaf makes it a welcome dish in a cook’s repertoire. Because it can be supplemented with a wide variety of vegetables, it’s a delicious way to use up produce that you have on hand. Diced carrots and celery; slivers of fresh fennel and diced zucchini; diced bell peppers and green onions; thinly sliced green beans and green…
Mixed organic cherry tomatoes are the focal point of this delicious pasta, showcasing an assortment of flavorful bite-sized wonders in an herbaceous, colorful pasta sauce. The mix provides a welcome balance of flavors. Red tomatoes have more sugar than acid. Orange and yellow tomatoes are less acidic and milder. Black and purples have umami and earthiness. Warning: Don’t substitute grape…