Since harvesting our bumper crop of winter squashes I didn’t really feel like I should be buying other vegetables. Then I found the perfect solution….. We could have other vegetables as a first course. We always have a first course on the weekends – no particular reason, just long-standing habit. Having a green (or any color other than orange) vegetable for a first course works for two reasons: we get … Continue reading →
This is my answer to the much more decadent Fettuccini Alfredo and a variation on Spaghetti Carbonara. Leeks are best in this, as they are mild, but you could substitute 2 onions, just sauté them until very tender and starting to brown. The trick to this is to time the pasta so that it’s ready to drain when the leeks are done. I try to have the leeks done a … Continue reading →
I’ve made a lot of quiche over the years. Some with a rice crust and, more recently, many with a shredded potato crust. I’ve never made a quiche with a pastry crust and I’ve never made the most traditional of all quiche: Quiche Lorraine. The other day mon mari asked me why. I had no answer… I shrugged (a Gallic shrug, of course). As always, I compromised (politicians take note: … Continue reading →
Mon mari loves sage. I may have mentioned that in the past…. In recent weeks we’ve had Fried Gnocchi with Sage and Pecorino and Pasta with Sage and Parmesan. (The pasta recipe also has a story about the tavern I used to buy popsicles at when I was 5…. small town life and all that.) Those were both side dishes. I decided to do one more as a first course but … Continue reading →
This is a simple salad, slightly reminiscent of old-fashioned German Potato Salad. Normally, when I make potato salad, or any kind of ‘picnic’ salad, I make lots so we have leftovers for a few days. You could certainly do that with this recipe – double or triple or whatever, but I was just looking for an easy side dish. It was excellent warm and most likely equally good cold….. I … Continue reading →
Spring is here. That means it’s almost time to switch to outdoor cooking. Mon mari bought a new gas grill the other day so it’s starting to look serious. That means I have to empty the freezer of ‘winter’ foods – like artichoke bottoms and peas. I keep artichoke bottoms on hand to toss into tagines or risottos and peas are great for adding to a stir-fry. I won’t be … Continue reading →
I know that the food police are threatening to ban bacon from our tables. Regardless of the fact that humans have been consuming smoked meat since before the dawn of recorded history it has now been declared bad. Perhaps there is something about the mass-produced, laden with chemicals, faux-smoked stuff that is bad for us (duh!) but let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater here. It’s possible that the … Continue reading →
