This is an example of a vegan meal that is not only packed with vegetable nutrients, but also brimming with umami and lip-smacking flavor. The variations on this rice bowl are endless. Toss brown rice in a soy lime vinaigrette and top with your pick of crunchy vegetables, spicy greens, pickles or fresh herbs. Pea…
Tapas & Antipasto
An Addictive Snack: Carrot & Haricot Vert Dill Pickles
Refrigerator pickles are a quick way to satisfy your pickle craving, without the commitment of can-sterilization and a long turnaround time. They can be made in less than fifteen minutes, and only need 24 hours to absorb the tangy brine, though they will get better over a few days. Pickling lends itself to improvisation: use…
A Sublime Combination: Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs Stuffed with Lavender Goat Cheese
Leonardo da Vinci famously said that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” That certainly applies to this dish. Here are three simple ingredients that compliment each other in the most delightful ways. What could be more elegant than a fig stuffed with fresh goat cheese and wrapped in prosciutto? Figs are in season late summer and…
Grilled Summer Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes and Basil Vinaigrette
Last week I was stuck in hellish rush hour traffic, my stomach growling, daydreaming about all the vegetables I got at the farmers market the night before. Heirloom tomatoes, baby eggplant, white corn, and basil. In my mind, I visualized the way I would combine these ingredients. Grill the corn and eggplant, slice the tomatoes,…
Golden, Crispy, and Soaked in Olive Oil: A Recipe for Classic Rosemary Focaccia
I spent a semester of college in Florence and my bus stop was directly in front of a focacceria called Pugi. The focaccia at Pugi is transcendent. It’s golden brown and crispy on the outside, with a spongy soft center soaked with fruity olive oil. The variations are endless; thin slices of ham and cheese,…
A Lip-Smacking Spring Salad: Radicchio with Fava Beans, Parmesan and Lemon Vinaigrette
It’s fava bean season again, and they are worth the effort it takes to get them out of their protective shells. To prep fava beans, remove them from their cottony pods, blanche them in boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, place in an ice water bath, drain, and remove their waxy outer shell….