Couscous’ neutral flavor lends itself to a wide variety of flavorings. Once cooked (hydrated with hot water), those petite spheres of semolina are traditionally topped with a stew. At my house, couscous is most often served as a side dish or a vegetarian entrée. This Moroccan-themed couscous is augmented with roasted vegetables. It can be served hot or for a…
Cathy Thomas Cooks
Produce
When Molly Gilbert’s cookbook “Sheet Pan Suppers” (Workman, $15.95) was published in 2015, I fell in love with her one-dish meals, concoctions created on a single rimmed baking sheet. Of course, slow cookers can be one-pot culinary heroes, but I appreciate that sheet pan cookery creates dishes that aren’t slow-cooker soupy. This sheet pan dish got rave reviews from kids…
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…
Roasting broccoli brings out its sweeter side. For this salad-y dish , I like to roast it just until it is lightly browned. Combine them with buttery Marcona almonds, sweet dates and a little cheddar cheese, and you have a very delicious salad or side dish. Other cruciferous vegetables can be substituted for the broccoli, such as cauliflower florets or…
Avocado’s rich, nutty taste and creamy texture pairs beautifully with the sweet-sour perkiness of oranges. The fruit duo is especially appealing in a simple salad along with tender lettuce, fresh lemon juice and crunchy almonds. Most often avocados are found firm-to-the-touch in the marketplace; they only ripen off the tree. If they are hard when you buy them, they will…
Pasta + Baby Spinach + Ricotta + Half & Half + Butter = Quick-to-Prepare Fun In the ten years I served on the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Award Committee, I flew to NYC four times a year to attend the meetings (we had no idea that ZOOM would become a thing – after all it was the 90’s and early…
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…
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…