If you're like me, zucchini have taken over your life. Maybe you don't have a community garden plot with four enormous zucchini plants, blossoms so big you thought they were squash and baseball bat-sized green summer squash hiding under thick green branches and enormous lily … [Read more...] about What Do I Do With That Zucchini?
Sides
Summery Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad
Do you ever crave sweet potatoes? I'm not talking, "Oh, I think I'd like a sweet potato, perhaps." I'm talking a physical need for a sweet and soft, creamy and warm sweet potato, steamed and drizzled with lemon, baked with chile pepper flakes and paprika or roasted with … [Read more...] about Summery Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad
Thai Cucumber Salad from Nong’s Thai Kitchen
Who would have thought that dousing raw cucumber slices in spicy syrup would be a good a idea? Thai people, apparently. This simple salad is a good way to simultaneously feel healthy and pander to your sweet tooth. The recipe is from Nong's Thai Kitchen: 84 Classic Recipes that … [Read more...] about Thai Cucumber Salad from Nong’s Thai Kitchen
Flashback Friday: Strawberry-Rhubarb Pudding Cake and Maple-Pecan and Arugula Salad
Last year, I wrote a recipe for a gooey strawberry-rhubarb pudding cake. And two years ago it was a maple pecan salad with raw sheep's milk cheese and arugula that's still killer. ...I'd like to have both of those in front of me right now... … [Read more...] about Flashback Friday: Strawberry-Rhubarb Pudding Cake and Maple-Pecan and Arugula Salad
Clef des Champs: Mushroom Tarts, a Summer Day Trip From Montreal and What You Didn’t Know About Medicinal Plants
You might have heard of Clef des champs. They're my go-to local company for tinctures — bottles of distilled organic herbal combinations that do anything from easing digestion to improving your immune system to helping you relax. But I didn't know that they had a terraced … [Read more...] about Clef des Champs: Mushroom Tarts, a Summer Day Trip From Montreal and What You Didn’t Know About Medicinal Plants
Stir-Fried Asian Greens with Chilies and Soy
There are a lot of complicated recipes in Chinese cuisine — this is not one of them. This is dirt simple. It's also healthy. And crunchy. And salty. And spicy. It's the perfect side dish in five minutes. For goodness sake, stop thinking so hard. Stir-Fried Asian … [Read more...] about Stir-Fried Asian Greens with Chilies and Soy
Spring Salad and Shaking Off the Winter
Just look at this salad. Doesn't it look like it tastes like sunshine? All bright and sunny and fresh. Those bright red half moons are heirloom radishes. The sprouts are peas, sunflower and radish. There's spinach that tastes like candy. There's organic navel oranges, segmented … [Read more...] about Spring Salad and Shaking Off the Winter
Bean Sprouts with Fried Fish and Chili from “Heavenly Fragrance”
I'm more than a little addicted to this salty, spicy, crunchy side dish. It's simultaneously the perfect bar food and lunch. You hallow-fry fried anchovies or some other small dried fish and then toss them with sautéed garlic, beansprouts, chili and fish sauce. Then serve with … [Read more...] about Bean Sprouts with Fried Fish and Chili from “Heavenly Fragrance”
French Rack of Lamb with Honey-Parsley Marinade, Potato Purée and Pickled Beets
I was a rack of lamb virgin. Embarrassing, right? 28-years-old and I'd never seared an expensive piece of meat with the ribs sticking out like boney fingers. I bet that's not what you think when you order it in a restaurant — bony fingers — but I do. Which is mostly why I didn't … [Read more...] about French Rack of Lamb with Honey-Parsley Marinade, Potato Purée and Pickled Beets
Balsamic Figs with Sheep’s Milk Cheese
The trick to this gorgeous appetizer is to find good figs. The rest is simple. But it's March! you say. Do you think a lot of figs grow in Montreal at any time of the year? My friend gets one per season, and the work she puts into burying that plant at the end of the growing … [Read more...] about Balsamic Figs with Sheep’s Milk Cheese