Spring has been slow to arrive this year, but we are undeniably here. This week, ice out at Joe’s Pond, the definitive sign we are well into Vermont spring, happened at 6:21 a.m. on Thursday. The lottery ($1 a ticket) draws contestants from all over the world, and serves as a good fundraiser for the…
Category: Sauces
Pasta on a rainy night? Perfect! And we’ll add some autumn ‘Squash Sauce’ to keep it interesting.
Nutty whole wheat pasta. A creamy sauce made of sweet delicata squash. Some savories, and greens from the garden. A comforting dish for a rainy night. It finally rained. Not the longest rain ever, and certainly nothing to cause the flood-damaged to worry, but a sweet summer rain that sounded like music of the angels…
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Just a little bump in the road, but good food makes it better.
Life certainly hands us many lemons along the way. Luckily, it’s one of my favorite flavors, sourness and all. My little glitch this week was a mishap in my kitchen that dislocated my shoulder. Don’t ask me how it happened, it is outrageously silly, and I get absolutely no sympathy when I tell the story….
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How to tame a silly garden serpent!
They are everywhere this time of year in the north. Garlic scapes. They look like little serpents curling out of their baskets, but although they are strange to behold, the good news, is they are delicious and useful in many a dish with a subtle garlic flavor and lovey texture. The garlic tries hard to…
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Don’t run away, it’s only rhubarb! With a little sweet, you’ll might even like it.
May in Vermont has been as fickle this year as it always is, despite our annual dreams of the perfect month. There’s much to look forward to – warm temperatures, but not too hot and no mugginess, trees leafing out and grass greening, spring bulbs and blossoming fruit trees, the return of the song birds…
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If your parsnips are still in the ground, methinks it’s time to dig them up!
Although we think of parsnips as mostly an autumn crop and enjoy them all winter, when I was growing up, most gardeners left the bulk of these biennials in the ground until spring so they would sweeten during their winter’s rest. First or last, it doesn’t matter Technically, spring-dug parsnips are not the first crop…
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It’s time for a snack, how about some Homemade Pita Bread and Muhammara Sauce, but no nuts please!
Nuts are delicious and nutritious, but sometimes we need to make modifications. We dined out recently with two of our beautiful nieces at a local restaurant, and for a shared appetizer we ordered the meze (mezze) plate. It was beautiful and bountiful, loaded with treats – tasty stuffed grape leaves, marinated feta, mixed olives, cucumber…
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Now let’s Roast some Jumbo Shrimp and serve it up with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce
Juicy, tender, and full of flavor. And we have a vegetarian alternative as well. Don’t you love a recipe that can be assembled well before a dinner, then finished off in minutes. Shrimp often comes to mind as both a crowd pleaser and a cook pleaser as well because we’ll have plenty of time to…
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Swiss Chard Wrapped Cod with Late Summer Vegetables
The garden and farmstands often tell me what to make for dinner. Sometimes, it is about using whatever is coming in fast and furious, but right now, even though prolific, I’m giving the cherry tomatoes a break. Swiss chard is abundant right now in my garden, and in all the tables at the farmers market….
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A week in the life of a dozen ear of corn!
Fresh corn on the cob is a ritual of summer and into fall in New England. From the first ear to the last, we are hooked whether eating it slathered in butter right off the cob, simmered in a chowder, creamed in a casserole, corn pudding, or soufflé, fried as a fritter, stuffed in a…
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Another bean burger? Let’s start with A for Adzuki!
Nope, it doesn’t taste like a hamburger, but it does taste delicious! Over the years, I’ve made dozens of different veggie burgers, and most were disappointing in texture, or fell apart in a crumbly mess on my plate. I’ve used black beans, white beans, beans of every size and shape. Rice, lentils, bread, carrots, even…
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Let’s fill some summer vegetables with Mushrooms and Radicchio!
There’s lots going on in the garden right now, and farmstands are filled with just about anything we could want from peas and squash to corn and tomatoes. Many an evening meal around here consists of nothing but vegetables in just about every preparation. Little vegetable boats Since my kids were little, we’ve loved to…
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Rhubarb, Cherry, and Red Wine Sauce
When the rhubarb gets big enough to harvest, that is always a time to celebrate spring in New England. And we’ve got a great way to celebrate! Not many people are neutral on the topic of rhubarb; either you love it, or don’t want it in any form. I am in the group of the…
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A May Day Feast of Local Delights!
Let’s start with some lovely wild ramps, and dress the platter with everything early spring. Spring is fickle in New England. Last week, we had some rain, fog, some sleet, a bit of snow, temperatures that hit 70, and evenings with the fireplace burning. But the rains have greened things up, the leaves are just…
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Apple Rum Butter
Apple butter. A wonderful slow-cooked spread with a depth of apple flavor like nothing else. No, there’s no butter in apple butter, but the process of boiling down applesauce until the sugars in the fruit caramelize creates a smooth and creamy texture perfect for spreading on a hearty whole-grain piece of toast, or perhaps a…
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Juniper Scented Haddock with Green Olive Sauce
If you like a dry martini made with gin, you’re going to love this one! I’m not sure why juniper berries aren’t more popular here in the United States. Such a deliciously floral and citrusy spice, it has a unique flavor that blends well with so many things. If you like gin, you’re experiencing the…
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Sole with Mandarinquat and Fresh Mint Sauce
Mandarinquat? What in the world is that? At the co-op last week, in the beautifully vibrant seasonal citrus section, there was a bin of “Mandarinquats.” I had never seen or even heard of these beauties before, bigger than a kumquat, smaller than a Mandarin, and a bright orange. They exuded such a beautiful aroma, I…
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Feast or Fish Bait?
It’s true, smelts look a lot more like bait than a main course. But they make up for it in flavor. Right now, they are in season in New England, so you’ll find them not only in the fish markets but in the fish counters of supermarkets as well. A New England classic, these fish…
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Cookbook Confidential: A glimpse at Jewish Cookery and culture around the world
Cookbook Confidential: Roden, Claudia, (1996) “The Book of Jewish Food: An Odyssey from Samarkand to New York,” New York, Knopf My friend Bernadette from New Classic Recipe (https://newclassicrecipe.com) came up with the wonderful idea to have an on-line cookbook club with some of her blog buddies. What a fun, and great way to choose a recipe…
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Grilled Butternut Squash with Smoked Poblano Chili Sauce
Great finds this week at the farm stand including beautiful butternut squash and fat poblano peppers. The heart of autumn treasures, with a few summer peppers tossed in for good measure. Our seasons always have a few stragglers from the previous. Made for each other Poblano peppers have lovely flavor and medium heat. Grilled, roasted,…
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Baked Sole with Grapes and an Herb Stuffing
You never know what twists and turns a recipe will take. Rarely do I make a recipe exactly same as the last. Even my favorite dishes morph until I sometimes don’t recognize them from the original. Many of the meals we have started out in some way from a recipe of my mother, aunt, grandmother,…
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Roasted Ratatouille with Red Lentil Pasta
All of a sudden, you have too much of everything! This time of year, when the peppers, squash, eggplant, and tomatoes are staging their grand finale, and we feel like we have more than we can deal with, the urge to mix them all together is strong. Thoughts often turn to ratatouille. A humble peasant…
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Everyone Wins: Grilled Summer Vegetables with Two Sauces!
It’s a feast in itself, and everyone gets to choose their favorite veggies and sauce. Happy Days! So, there was a break in the weather. It has rained here in Vermont for over three weeks, and everyone has seen the terrible consequences of that with flooding throughout our beautiful little state. There are still road…
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Baked Tofu with Ginger & Orange over Scented Jasmine Rice
Ginger and orange are lovely flavor companions. They are also quite a pretty color! Tofu usually appears on our table once a week, in some form. I might marinate it, fry it, add it to smoothies or sauces, accent miso soup, or even dress it up for dessert. I have a couple of favorite week-night…
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Maine Crab Fritters with Potato Chip Crust and Horseradish Sauce
Had you at the potato chip crust, right? These could be a lovely little starter, or a fun addition to a party buffet. Not quite as fussy as a crab cake, easier to cook, but still filled with crab flavor. A cup of good crab is better than gallons of preservatives I’ve used the meat…
