Red Lentil Soup

As we get nearer to Thanksgiving, I am thinking of comforting food, and trying to lean into the immigrant history of America--once the holiday is upon us I will be thinking of native food that helped sustain my relatives in those early days in New England four hundred years ago. This is a keeper. Very easy, start to finish, and I gifted a quart to one of my kids when he was picking up his dog, and my DIL had finished it before it was even cooled down--that good! Ingredients 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large onion, chopped fine Salt and pepper ¾ teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch cayenne--or I used sliced jalapenos 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 garlic clove, minced 4 cups chicken broth 2 cups water 10 ½ ounces (1 ½ cups) red lentils, picked over and rinsed 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning 1 ½ teaspoons dried mint, crumbled 1 teaspoon paprika ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and some salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, and lentils and bring to simmer. Simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and about half are broken down. Whisk soup vigorously until it is coarsely pureed. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste. Thin with water as needed.

It's Morel Season!

In truth, the season peaked a couple weeks ago, but I am still dreaming of mushrooms and the dishes that are made that highlight them. It has been a bumper year for morels in the corner of Iowa that I live in, and we enjoyed a dinner recently with mushrooms that were foraged from a friend's property. He got about 3 pounds of them, and we made a pasta sauce with these components: Mushrooms!! 1 Onion diced (substitute chives if you want to highlight seasonal ingredients) 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced (we also have green garlic right now, and that could certainly be used Saute in olive oil and butter until the onions soften, then add the mushrooms and cook until the stems are soft. Add a cup of cream and cook down until the suace thickens a bit. Season to taste. You can squeeze in some lemon, or splash in some white wine to add some brightness. Cook 1-2 pounds of pasta, and save some of the pasta water. We used linguine, and I do like a long thin pasta for this sauce. Serve with parmesan--we grated some we had brought back from Modena, but that was just icing on the cake, any good parmesan will do. It will probably cost an arm and a leg soon because of senseless tariffs, but that is what we must suffer for electing someone who lost all his family money and is now set on losing everyone elses. We are combating that by using what we have, and foraging for some of our food--which is not a bad strategy in general.

Roasted Cabbage with Miso Sauce

This is a great year round vegetable side dish. 6 tbsp butter divided 2 tbsp miso paste 1 Napa Cabbage cut into eighths 0.5 cup Panko breadcrumbs 0.5 tsp garlic powder 2 tbsp chopped parsley optional Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Cut the cabbage into quarters. 2. Mix 2 tbsp of the softened butter with the miso paste and brush on the cabbage quarters all over, including the base. Place the cabbage wedges on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until charred on the outside and still slightly crispy. 3. While the cabbage is roasting make the breadcrumbs. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a pan, then add the breadcrumbs and the garlic powder, toast while stirring continuously to avoid burning until golden, then remove from the pan immediately. 4. Sprinkle the cabbage with the breadcrumbs before serving. You can also add chopped parsley if using.

Potato Pancakes

It has been forever since I last made potato pancakes, definitely since before I had cancer which means at least nine years ago, but I would bet it has been longer. I really only eat them once a year, or at least just in this time of year, and if someone else makes them, then I don't and that has happened pretty routinely, it turns out. I am writing this down because it avoids the thing I like least about making them, which is when the potatoes get grey before they are cooked. 3 lbs. potatoes, grated (I use the food processor) 1-2 onions, grated 3-4 eggs 2-4 Tbs. of flour, potato starch, or bread crumbs salt and pepper to taste Grate the onions and potatoes together, and submerge in water until ready to start frying. Drain and pat dry, add the other ingredients and start the oil up to fry them immediately. I used a #30 scoop but you could go smaller. Fry until you can see them browning nicely then flip. Makes enough for 10 people to have quite a few.

Mediterranean Zucchini Fritters

I really love everything about Yasmin Kahn's cookbook Ripe Figs. I loved reading it cover to cover, I loved the story behind it and what she did with it, and I have loved many of the recipes that I have made from it. I do find it hard to believe that I got all the way to October before I made a zucchini fritter this summer, but some things do not come off as planned. The zucchini went in late this year, and everything else followed that. 3 medium zucchini (grated) 4 green onions (finely chopped) 3 garlic cloves (crushed) Large handful dill (finely chopped) Large handful parsley (finely chopped) 1 t. ground coriander 1/2 t. sweet paprika 4 large eggs (lightly beaten) Zest of 1 large lemon 1/2 C. all-purpose flour 1/2 t. baking powder 2/3 C. feta cheese (crumbled) Neutral oil (for frying) Salt and black pepper Grate zucchini into a colander and sprinkle with 1 t. salt. Toss to combine the zucchini with the salt. Let the grated zucchini drain for about 30 minutes. Squeeze the excess water out of the zucchini. You want to get the zucchini pretty dry. Combine all of the other ingredients (except the feta) into a large bowl. Mix to combine. Add 1/2 t. salt and freshly-ground black pepper to the mixture. Stir. Stir in the crumbled feta. Heat 3 T. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, spoon small pancake-sized scoops of the batter into the hot oil. Fry on each side for about 3 minutes. Use a spatula to press the fritter down into the oiled hot pan. When the fritters are crispy on each side (after about 6 minutes total), remove them from the pan and let them drain on a paper towel. Repeat with additional batches of the fritters. You may need to add some additional oil for additional batches. I pan fried about 3 fritters in each batch. Serve warm. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and some chopped dill.

Eggplant Walnut Pâté

1 large eggplant 1 cup shelled walnuts 2 cloves of garlic 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon of Georgian Spice Mix salt to taste fresh pomegranate seeds extra virgin olive oil to drizzle You can grill the eggplant with an open flame--either your grill or your gas stove--until the skin is charred and it starts to soften--put it in a paper bag, roll the top closed, and let it steam. Then peel and scoop out the flesh. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 450°F. Make small slits around the eggplant with a knife. Place on a heatproof dish and bake in the oven until skin is dry and the inner flesh soft, about 40-50 minutes, depending on the size. While the eggplant is cooking, place walnuts in the food processor and pulse until texture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Heat a skillet on high heat and dry-roast the cloves of garlic with the papery skin still on. Keep on heat, tossing occasionally, until the skin becomes charred all around and the cloves soft. Remove skin and set aside. Remove eggplant from the oven and let it rest. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and place the soft pulp in a colander over a bowl to let the liquid drain from the eggplant. Place the eggplant, roasted garlic, grated ginger, olive oil, ground spices and pomegranate sauce in the food processor with the ground walnuts. Process until smooth and creamy. Season with salt to taste. Scoop into a bowl, drizzle olive oil over the top and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Spaghetti with Pine Nuts and Swiss Chard

I have said it before and I will say it again, Josh McFadden's cookbook Six Seasons still stands out as the single best cookbook I have cooked from, and this recipe is one of my favorites--there is still some swiss chard surviving outside and so this is a summer and fall dish in my neck of the woods. You can sub out the pine nuts for something less pricey, but they really shine here. ½ cup raisins red wine vinegar kosher salt freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces spaghetti or tagliatelle, or angel hair extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced) ½ cup pinenuts ½ teaspoon dried chile flakes 1 bunch Swiss chard (dried ends trimmed, stems thinly sliced, leaves torn into strips) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter parmigiano reggiano cheese (for grating) METHOD Spaghetti with Swiss Chard, Pine Nuts, Raisins, and Chiles is a guest recipe by Joshua McFadden so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe Combine the raisins, a splash of vinegar, and warm water just to cover in a bowl and plump for 20 minutes. Drain. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt until it tastes like the sea. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions. Start tasting a minute or so ahead of time so you don't overcook it. With a ladle or a measuring cup, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and drain the pasta well. Meanwhile, pour a healthy glug of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and pine nuts and let them toast very slowly until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chile flakes and cook for another 10 seconds so they can bloom, then add the drained raisins. Increase the heat to medium, add the chard stems, season with a bit of salt and black pepper, and cook slowly until the stems are slightly tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the torn chard leaves and a splash of water (use the pasta water, if the timing works), cover the pan, and cook until the leaves are wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the drained pasta and the butter to the chard and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, black pepper, or chile flakes. Grate a bit of Parmigiano over everything, drizzle with more olive oil, and pile into bowls. Serve with more grated cheese.

Khai Jiao

I admit, this is not much to look at, but it is possibly the best Asian egg dish I have had, and maybe one of two go to ways to prepare eggs (prior to trying this, I also enjoy a more traditional French style omelet, leaning towards a less fluffy and thinner version that has a lot of flavor). I added green beans, and you can add anything--I put in in the pan with the oil hot, and then added egg over it once it was heated a bit. 2 large eggs ½ teaspoon lime juice or vinegar ½ teaspoon Thai fish sauce 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon rice flour or cornstarch 2-4 Tbs. vegetable oil (the traditional recipe has 3-4 times this much--it is supposed to fry!) Combine eggs, lime juice or vinegar, fish sauce, water, and rice flour or cornstarch in a medium bowl. Beat with a fork until frothy. If the flour forms a few lumps, break up as many as possible with a fork. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pot or a round-bottom wok set over medium-high heat until lightly smoking. Hold the egg bowl about one foot above the pan and pour the egg mixture into the oil in one go. The egg mixture will immediately puff up. Do not disturb it. After a minute or once the bottom is browning, flip the omelet. There’s no need to keep it nice and round; we want asymmetrical edges. Let the other side cook for another 30 seconds. Remove the omelet from the pan and serve immediately.

Chinese Egg with Tomato

I cannot believe we have had The Wok as long as we have and not made this. We are almost at the end of the second tomato season, but there you have it, the summer has been busy and filled with other recipes. For the Scrambled Eggs: 6 large eggs (305g) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1 tablespoon (15ml) water 5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (85ml) neutral oil, such as peanut oil, divided To Finish: 4 scallions, white and light green parts minced, dark green parts sliced thinly on the bias, divided 4 small garlic cloves (15g), finely minced One 1/2-inch piece (10g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated 6 ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds; 545g), cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, or one 28-ounce (794g) can whole peeled tomatoes, tomatoes drained then cut into 1-inch chunks 1/2 teaspoon Diamond crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste; for table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight 1 dash MSG (optional) 2 tablespoons (30ml) Shaoxing wine 1 teaspoon (5ml) Chinese light soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon finely ground white pepper 1/2 teaspoon Chinkiang black vinegar 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional) For the Scrambled Eggs: In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together eggs with salt, water, and 2 teaspoons (10ml) oil. Eggs being scrambled with a whisk in a metallic bowl. Heat a well-seasoned carbon steel wok (see note) over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons (30ml) oil, swirling to coat wok. Add eggs, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, allowing eggs to form a solid layer at the bottom of the wok before slowly scrambling with a spatula, until eggs are gently scrambled in large curds, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer eggs to a plate and set aside. Wipe out wok of any remaining egg. To Finish: Return wok to medium-high heat and heat until very lightly smoking. Add remaining 3 tablespoons (45ml) oil and swirl to coat the wok. Add scallion whites and garlic and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until fragrant, about 20 seconds; do not let them scorch. Add ginger and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. A metal spatula stirring minced garlic and scallion whites in a well-oiled wok. Add tomatoes, salt, and MSG (if using), and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until tomatoes soften and their juices come to a boil. Tomatoes added to garlic and scallions in a wok. Add Shaoxing wine followed by the soy sauce, pouring each around the sides of the wok so that they sizzle. Season with salt. Soy sauce being poured near the top edge of a wok filled with tomatoes.k Reduce heat to medium, then add eggs and white pepper, stirring to combine and breaking up any very large egg curds. Continue to cook until tomato-egg mixture is thoroughly combined and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. 4 image collage of step-by-step photos of stirring scrambled eggs into tomatoes in a wok. Stir in black vinegar, remove wok from heat, then stir in sesame oil, if using, and scallion greens. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately with rice.

Confetti Rice Salad

We looked for a rice salad that we could make the component parts of ahead of time, that could be served at room (well air) temperature for my son's outdoor wedding with no refridgeration nearby, and that could have as much vegetable added as we could muster. This is where we landed. 2 cups uncooked basmati rice 4 cups water 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 red pepper 1 green pepper 1 cucumber 3 scallions 4 hard-boiled eggs 1/2 cup parsley chopped 1 pt. grape tomatoes Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the rice to coat with the butter. Add four cups boiling water and the salt. When the water comes back to a boil, stir it once, reduce the heat to low and cover tightly. Cook for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and then add the oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cool. Chop the red and green pepper into 1/8-inch dice. Peel and seed the cucumber, and cut it into a fine dice. Slice the scallions into very thin rounds. Chop the hard boiled eggs coarsely. Toss the chopped vegetables and chopped eggs with the rice and the chopped parsley and garnish with the grape tomatoes.

Pickled Banana Peppers

The garden has been going crazy this summer (it has been dry so all the water is coming from the hose rather than the sky, but with somw bouts of heat to enable growth, and our peppers have been astounding. Our banana pepper plants are four feet tall! So we are doing some prickling and preserving for the winter months. 2 cups white vinegar ▢2 cups apple cider vinegar ▢1 cup sugar ▢1 teaspoon mustard seed ▢1 teaspoon celery seed ▢1 pound banana peppers, tops removed then sliced into rings (see my notes below about the seeds) Bring the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed to a rolling boil. Pour brine over peppers to within ½" of the top. Wipe off the rim and put lid and ring on. Leave for 1 week or longer to let peppers marinate (if you can wait that long!) You can also follow proper canning procedures and then process them in a water bath canner if you prefer. Follow the USDA guidelines for proper sterilization and timing. Be sure to verify that the lids have completely sealed down if storing on the shelf.

Rhubarb Jam

We do not have an established rhubarb patch, but we know someone who just bought a place this spring that does, and who gave us an armload of it. This is the thing that I think reminds me the most of spring, this and asparagus, and I am hoping it will carry me through to the next spring! Ingredients ▢1 lb 10 oz (750g) Rhubarb stalks ▢1 Tbs Orange Zest from about 1 large orange ▢1/3 C (70g) Orange Juice fresh squeezed, from about 1 large orange ▢1 3/4 C (400g) Cane Sugar ▢1/2 Vanilla Bean optional but recommended For this recipe use three 1/2 pint mason jars with screw top lids. Wash and rise the jars and lids in hot soapy water, or wash in the dish washer. Set aside to dry. Find a large heavy bottom nonreactive sauce pan (like stainless steel) or use a Dutch oven to make the jam, at least 4 quarts (3.8L), larger if you have the capacity. You want a heavy bottom so the jam doesn't burn and the pot large enough so that the fruit is at least 2 1/2 - 3 inches (7.6 cm) below the rim of the pot. Wash the rhubarb stalks to rid it of any dirt or debris. Trim the ends and discard. Cut the rhubarb stalks to 1/2 - 1" (1.7 cm - 2.54 cm) pieces. If there are thick pieces, cut the rhubarb through the center lengthwise so that all the pieces are of about equal size. You should have about 5 1/2 C (685g) once the rhubarb is cut. Set aside. If using the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds and set aside, reserving the pod. To Make the Jam: To the heavy sauce pan or Dutch oven add the rhubarb, orange juice, zest, sugar and vanilla bean pod (empty of its seeds). Stir, coating the rhubarb - use your longest handle wooden spoon. On medium high heat, bring the mixture to a simmer. The sugar will start to melt and the rhubarb will begin breaking down. Once simmering, increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring as needed (often) to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. Rotate the pan if needed to avoid burner hot spots. The mixture will boil vigorously at first, but as it cooks down, it will boil more slowly. You'll notice foam starting to form on the surface. Skim this off and discard (don't worry about getting all of it, just do the best you can). Continue cooking, stirring and adjusting the heat a bit as needed to avoid sputter and spattering, while keeping it bubbling. Use the spoon to mash the rhubarb to help break it down. Meanwhile, fill the sink with a very shallow pool of water. Cook until a temperature of between 220-222F (104-105C) is reached. This will take about 18-20 minutes (see note* if you don't have a thermometer). Remove from heat and dip the bottom of the pot in the shallow pool of water to stop the cooking process. Stir in the vanilla beans. Set a timer for 10 minutes and allow the mixture to cool slightly, stirring occassionally to help cool. You'll notice the jam start to thicken. Fish out the vanilla pod and discard or place it in one of the jars where it will continue to flavor the jam. Transfer jam to clean jars leaving about a 1/2" (1.3cm) head space so the jam has room to expand as it freezes. Lid and allow to cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge overnight where it will thicken further and set, then transfer to the freezer. How to Store the Jam: Jam can be enjoyed after chilling in the fridge for an hour or two. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for six + months. Do not store at room temperature as this jam is not shelf stable.

Braised White Beans and Greens

I have a new year's goal to use more beans, and I should be able to do an amazing job because the only thing I truly hoarded during the pandemic was dried beans, so I have a surplus. My goal was modest--one bean dish a week; while I am not there--more like one every other week--the year isn't over and I could build up to it, and then follow through next year. This was a winner--I used yellow eyed beans rather than canneloni, and they worked beautifully. I had it on toast and other had it as a side dish. ¼cup olive oil 1small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and small-diced 1small yellow onion, small-diced 2teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or thyme 5garlic cloves, minced ¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste 1large or 2 small bunches escarole, kale or Swiss chard, stems removed (10 to 12 ounces) 2(15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed 2cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth Kosher salt and black pepper 1tablespoon lemon juice ½cup shredded mozzarella (optional) 3tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, plus more for serving Toasted country bread, for serving In a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the fennel, onion and rosemary, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Begin adding handfuls of the greens, cooking and stirring until leaves wilt. Add the white beans, broth and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer, mashing some of the beans with a wooden spoon, until the liquid has reduced and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, then the mozzarella, if using, and Pecorino Romano. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide among shallow bowls and top with more Pecorino Romano. Serve with toasted bread and a dish of red-pepper flakes on the side.

Coronation Coleslaw

I am always on the hunt for a new coleslaw recipe! I love a cabbage salad, of just a salad that has cabbage shredded into it. We are entering the season of locally grown greens and this is a nice additional side to a green salad. This comes from the ever reliable The Kitchn website, which you should also check out. FOR THE DRESSING: 2/3 cup regular or vegan mayonnaise 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 4 teaspoons curry powder 1 tablespoon honey 2 teaspoons onion powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper FOR THE SLAW: 1/2 medium head green cabbage (about 1 1/4 pounds) 1/2 medium head red cabbage (about 3/4 pound) 1 large carrot (about 5 ounces) 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons golden raisins, divided 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons salted, roasted cashews Kosher salt MAKE THE DRESSING: Place 2/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 4 teaspoons curry powder, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a large bowl and stir to combine. MAKE THE SLAW: Prepare the following, adding each to the bowl of dressing as it is completed: Cut the core from 1/2 medium head green cabbage, then thinly slice until you have 4 cups. Repeat with 1/2 medium head red cabbage until you have 3 cups. Peel and grate 1 large carrot on the large holes of a box grater (about 1 cup). Add 1 1/4 cups of the golden raisins and stir to combine, making sure the coleslaw is evenly dressed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld. Before serving, add 1 1/4 cups of the salted, roasted cashews and toss to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Transfer the coleslaw to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons golden raisins and 2 tablespoons cashews.

Asian-ish Vegetable Salad

For spring, and the beginning of the local fresh vegetable season! 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2tablespoons lime juice 1tablespoon fish sauce 1tablespoon minced shallot ½teaspoon minced garlic 1bird’s eye or serrano chile, thinly sliced Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and pepper 8ounces asparagus, trimmed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced at an angle 4ounces cherry tomatoes, halved 3cups thinly sliced mixed vegetables (such as carrots, radishes and cucumbers) ½cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped In a large bowl, combine oil, lime juice, fish sauce, shallot, garlic and chile; season with salt and pepper. Whisk well. Add the asparagus, tomatoes and other mixed vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Fold in cilantro and serve.

Sunday Suppers Cole Slaw

This comes from a now closed restaurant in Los Angeles, but the cookbook remains. Served with traditional BBQ sides, it stands out. 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons honey 1/2 small head red cabbage, about 1 pound, cored and thinly sliced 1/2 small head green cabbage, about 1 pound, cored and thinly sliced 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 1 carrot, peeled and grated 1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade A healthy pinch cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons minced chives 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper In a small saucepan, reduce the vinegar by half over medium heat. Cool 5 minutes, and then stir in the honey until it dissolves. Combine the cabbages, onion, and carrot in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar-honey mixture over the vegetables, and toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and let sit 15 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add the mayonnaise, cayenne, and herbs, and toss well. Taste for balance and seasoning.

Shoyu Dip with Sesame Crunch

This is a simple and delicious dip that you can put almost anything in, but is a wonderful foil for fresh vegetables of every sort. It comes from Sheldon' Simeon's Cool Real Hawai'i, a cookbook I highly recommend for both the stories and the recipes, and his restaurant on Maui, Tim Roof, is a must eat at place on the island, being bot very affordable and exceptionally delicious. My friend who introduced me to it has an Airbnb experience that includes a cheese and charcuterie spread and this is in constant rotation. It is both a little bit unique and quite delicious. For the Shoyu Dip With Sesame Crunch: 1 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons shoyu (soy sauce) 2 teaspoons Lemon Olive Oil (recipe follows) 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon) 3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 pounds assorted vegetables for serving For the Lemon Olive Oil: 2 lemons, thoroughly scrubbed in hot water 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, shoyu, lemon oil, lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil. Season to taste with pepper and transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has melted and has caramelized around the sesame seeds, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove this from the pan to a plate, let cool, then crush it up and sprinkle over the dip. Serve with your assortment of vegetables.

Grilled Cabbage with Chili Garlic Butter

On a recent vacation where cooking featured heavily, this was another cabbage dish that was a win--it wasn't much to look at but it was surprisingly good to eat. A little more sauce wouldn't go amiss, but it was very good as it was. 1 large, round white cabbage 2 tbsp olive oil flaky sea salt For the dressing 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped 2 red chillies, halved, deseeded and thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 100 g (3 1⁄2 oz) butter 1 tsp flaky sea salt 1 small bunch of parseley, roughly chopped Cut the cabbage into four or six wedges, depending on how large it is, and brush the cut surfaces with olive oil. Set the wedges cut-side down on a very hot grill to char for 4 minutes, then flip and grill the other cut surface for 4 minutes. Finally set the wedges on their rounded sides for a final 4 minutes, just to soften the cabbage a little. Remove to a platter and sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt. While the cabbage is charring, combine the shallots, chilli and garlic with the butter and set in a small pan on the side of the grill over a low- moderate heat, enough to just melt the butter and lightly confit the vegetables. Stir occasionally, cooking for about 12–14 minutes or until the shallots are soft and look translucent. Remove from the heat, add the salt and chopped dill and mix well. Pour the butter dressing all over the warm cabbage and serve straight away for best results. To cook without a BBQ Use a lightly oiled, preheated griddle pan on your stove top and cook the cabbage wedges just as you would on the fire. Prepare the dressing on your stove too, in a small pan over a low heat.

Braised Red Cabbage with Vinegar

This is an excellent recipe to have in your back pocket--introduced to me by one of my kids, so even better--it uses a ubiquitously available vegetable, very winter friendly as well, affordable, and this comes together in no time. It can be served warm, room temperature, or cold, all equally good. Any vinegar will do, and you can add a little stock if the braising turns to burning. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed 1 1/2-pound red cabbage, cut into ribbons 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 3-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add cabbage and cumin seeds; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until cabbage is wilted, about 4 minutes. . Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmerBOUT 10 minutes. Add vinegar. Cover and cook until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Sriracha Honey Cream Cheese

My spouse bought a fancy Italian mixer that only mixes bread dough, nothing else. We have an almost 40 year old Kitchen Aid mixer that was top of the line for a domestic kitchen in the 1980's and it has served us well. It is not being replaced, but rather given a rest on the kneading front, so as to prolong it's life for all other uses. The first thing made was bagels (from the Zingerman Bakehouse cookbook) and they were truly amazing. What we quickly did the math on though is that the flavored cream cheeses that you can purchase are really pretty expensive, and so my job assignment is to make our own. This comes out to be about 1/3 the cost of the purchased one and so easy! 8 ounces cream cheese 1 Tbsp. honey 1-2 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce The cream cheese must be room temperature. I used the aforementioned Kitchen Aid, and did a tablespoon of Sriracha and tasted it--hit the right notes for what we use it for, but to each his own--taste and add more if that is where you want to go with it.