Recipes!

Tagine of Lamb Ras El Hanout

Lamb seasoned with Ras El Hanout cooked in a traditional tagine.

Roasting Butternut Squash

Preheat oven to 350 Ingredients: Butternut Squash any variety or size, this technique is pefect if you need chunks of squash for pasta, salad or side dish. If you need the flesh roasted for puree it is better to roast by cutting it into halves or quarters. This technique works best if you need beautiful […]

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Croquette

Several weeks ago, our dear friend and loyal customer Katherine shared a recipe for “Lion’s Mane Mushroom ‘Crab’ Cakes”. The original author compared the texture and flavor of the sauteed mushrooms with crab, apparently to tempt their reader to using this often-overlooked mushroom. Resembling a cauliflower, lion’s mane mushroom is a white fungus with a […]

Classic Irish Stew

Serves 2 with a little left over 3 hours cooking time total ½ pound of sliced bacon cut into chunks 1 pound lamb stew meat chunks ½ pound onion (I used spring onions plus all the green parts) 3 stalks of green garlic sliced 1 bottle of beer, stout is great but any will do. […]

Grandma Weaver’s Cracked Sugar Cookies

1 cup of unsalted butter (if you use salted butter omit the salt asked for later) 2 cups sugar (plus more for rolling dough before baking and dusting cookies after baking) 3 egg yolks 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/8 teaspoon salt Preheat Oven […]

Winter Salad Dressing

I have certainly not invented anything new here, I like this salad dressing because once I made too much Baugna Cauda and had a lot leftover I then used over the next few days to figure out how adaptable this (recipe) is. Very short and sweet the dressing is simple. 1/3 cup olive oil 4 […]

Brussels Sprouts, Cranberries and Black Garlic

The inspiration for this variation on the Ottolenghi Classic from his book “Simple” was the bright fresh cranberries that arrived this week. I normally advocate for substituting ingredients but this time I suggest sticking to the list I have outlined. The only other addition I might consider would be a sprinkling of toasted pumpkin seeds. […]

Butternut Squash and Kale Gratin

Like most of the recipes you find on our newsletter and food blog, the technique is highlighted rather than actual step-by-step instruction. This allows the preparer to better change out ingredients and be inspired rather than dictated. In this edition, I will show you a simple technique for making a gratin with butternut squash and […]

Mediterrasian Eggplant

A fusion of Asian and Mediterranean ingredients provides this seasonal side dish an explosion of flavor! This recipe starts with Asian Eggplant in a marinade, this marinade is used in the final baking after the dish is assembled. Using fresh, seasonal ingredients this dish is an amazing splash of flavor. Ingredients: 5 or 6 Asian Eggplant […]

Classic Caesar Salad-Five Stars

Garlic and Anchovies add the salty, pungent flavors critical to punch up romaine lettuce. Crunchy homemade croutons complete this “make again and again” salad that can be eaten as a side or main dish. Add some roasted chicken chunks for a satifying August supper. Romaine lettuce works best for a classic Caesar Salad. Start by […]

Chopped Salad

About the best Chopped Salad I ever had was at Cowboy Ciao that was once a culinary hot spot in Scottsdale, AZ. They added pecans, roasted pumpkin seeds and Israeli Couscous and tossed in a creamy green goddess styled dressing at the table. I will emphasize the ingredients are interchangable and open for substition several […]

Fruit Salad

As we continue our feature of salads and since peaches, nectarines and apriums arrived this week just in time for Memorial Day, we take this opportunity to tell you about a fruit salad that is very special. Developed for a big crowd event, I have adapted this recipe slightly since the first time I served […]

Innocent Cole Slaw

I almost dislike using the dietary terms vegan, paleo, or no-mayo to describe this recipe but out this is all of that and more. Substitutions are encouraged, to a degree. If you use a toasted sesame oil instead of a golden sesame oil you should only use about a tablespoon because of the stronger flavor. […]

Strawberry Spongecake

Strawberry season is at its peak on summer solstice. Strawberries are influenced by the amount of daylight hours to fully ripen and maximize sweetness. You can wrap them up and hold them for 24 hours or more until you’re ready to serve. Now is the prime time of the season to treat yourself and eat […]

Making Salad Dressing at Home

Best ingredients make better salad dressings but use what you like and find inspiration.

Green Garlic Soufflés – twice baked

First course or side dish, this souffle can be made ahead and finished just before service.

Blood Orange Bundt Cake

Eating seasonally often dictates that old ideas of “traditional” dishes are really a product of marketing. Apple pie at Fourth of July picnic as an example, apples just are not in season in July. A better choice for summer might be peaches or cherries but somehow these do not translate into “traditional”. Take Valentine’s Day, […]

Sweet Potato Gratin

This recipe is an adaptation of my friend Stephanie’s from Water Street Bistro. She gave me the technique a few years ago and this has become a regular in my winter side dish repertoire. Ham, fried chicken, even salmon patties are happy to have this hot dish accompany them and take center stage on the […]

Fried “Rice” Cauliflower

Whenever I have a big head of cauliflower hanging around, I like to “rice” it, a technique I learned by trial and error. What I found was that the shredded “riced” cauliflower can react a number of ways based on the technique. What I would like to impart in this recipe is how to prepare the cauliflower as a fried rice dish adding a lot of whatever you might have in the refrigerator or leftovers. I also like to make a little omelet and cut it into strips like in Chinese Fried Rice.

Demystifying Delicata (squash)

Delicata squash is a variety of winter squash with cream-colored cylindrical fruits striped in green or orange that are cooked. As its name suggests, it has characteristically a delicate rind. It is also known as peanut squash, Bohemian squash, or sweet potato squash Preheat oven to 425° Cut off the ends, slice into even rounds […]

Colcannon

It is said there are as many recipes for Colcannon as there are cooks in Ireland. Well, here is my version. My family migrated from Ireland in the early 1700’s and we my ancestors were not part of the mass migration between 1820 and 1840 and therefore were not part of the mass Irish culture […]

Caramelized Tokyo Turnips

When I was working in Napa as a fledgling green grocer, I had several Chez Panisse alumni chefs who were regular customers. They all taught me so much but my all time favorite technique was for the Tokyo Turnip. Tokyo Turnips are a mild, juicy variety of turnip. We eat the tender roots of this plant, as […]

Bleu Cheese Dressing

Mince a tablespoon of shallot, a teaspoon of chopped chives and add to a 1 cup glass measuring cup, pour enough apple cider vinegar to just cover the shallots and chives. Let the shallots “cook” in the vinegar for 10-20 minutes. (A great time to start your salad fixings). Add a few drops of olive […]