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…
Hatch White Chili – A One-Bowl Meal With Pizzazz
Cooking, Melissa's, Produce, Recipes, UncategorizedFresh 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…
In my opinion … there is no better way to feast on roasted sweet potatoes then this approach. The spuds are lightly oiled, dusted with coarse salt/fresh pepper and baked. Easy, right? Then partially split open lengthwise, creme fraiche and snipped fresh chives are added. A little salt. A little freshly ground pepper (white is best, but not essential). Voila!…
Green Bean Salad That Boasts Taste and Good-For-You Nutrients
Cookbooks, Cooking, Melissa's, Produce, Recipes, Uncategorized, VideosIt’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…
Fresh Corn Pilaf – a Luscious, Easy-to-Make Taste of Summer
Cooking, Melissa's, Produce, Recipes, Uncategorized, VideosThe 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…
Roasting richly-coated-with-olive oil asparagus in a toasty hot oven, brings out the sweetness in the beautiful spring vegetable. Whether the stalks are pencil thin or have cigar-size waistlines, this Ina Garten recipe is delicious and goes together quickly. Tender from Tough: As for removing the woody ends, my mother broke off the tough ends one by one, holding each spear…
Avocado and PIXIE TANGERINE (or Orange) Salad – Updated Classic Combo
Cooking, Melissa's, Produce, Recipes, Uncategorized, VideosAvocado’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…