Tags
arrowroot, bay leaves, beef base paste, beef broth, browned ground beef, celery leaves, dried mushrooms, onion, pearled barley, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce
It’s chilly here in North Carolina. I think chillier than last year at this time. And that makes it perfect soup weather. And there’s something so comforting, and well, soul-warming about beef-barley soup. Get out the soup spoons and the good bread. Continue reading
I’ve been reading this really interesting cookbook, ****************. Actually, it’s less of a cookbook, though they have some wonderful recipes, and more of a reference work. At least for me it is. The authors are a chef and a specialist in scents. What a combination, right?
With flu season upon us with a vengeance, I thought this was a good time of year to make a brothy, vegetable soup. There are a few beans tossed in, but they were more of an afterthought. This soup is all about vegetables, is slightly salty and will warm you to your bones.
We had a neighborhood pot luck recently to celebrate fall. We were asked to bring either a dessert or a side, with a pumpkin theme. Well, I knew there would be plenty of desserts, so I decided a salad would be the thing. I’ve always loved the ramen noodle salad that has made the rounds over the years. So I decided to roast some pumpkin and add that. Turns out, it was quite delicious. Here we go….
Lentils make a nice “bed” for some lovely roasted chicken. Or a piece of grilled fish or pork chop. Think lentils, instead of rice, pasta or potatoes. And lentils offer some terrific vitamins and minerals, too. Oh yes, did I mention they are also delicious?
We ate a lot of Three Bean Salad when I was a kid. During the summer, my mother made it frequently. I think it was because we all liked it, it made a huge batch and it kept well. All that, and we had almost everything growing in the garden. I started with her recipe, then took a flying leap!
Lamb makes a wonderful sauce to splash over pasta, or better yet, cheese-filled tortellini. This version of ragú is wonderfully complex, with a deliciously interesting combination of herbs and spices. This is company fare.
I’ve never met a potato that I didn’t love. Potato versatility is, without a doubt, endless. But, what the Greeks do with potatoes, is heavenly. These are the perfect side dish. And on a busy day, they go together so quickly, you can easily make them for dinner. They are perfect with a nice lemony, roasted chicken. Or better yet, buy a supermarket roasted chicken. Sometimes life just needs to be that easy.
Caponata is incredibly delicious. It is the perfect end-of-the-summer-garden dish to prepare. This version “twisted” or “evolved”, as I was searching through the garden. Only it’s roots are traditional. Then it wanders. And it wanders into pretty, delicious territory.
Vini da Arturo, in Venice, makes this incredibly simple, but delicious dish. It’s perfect for summer and it’s gets better the next day. Bring this to the next potluck BBQ.