Tags
ball parke mustard, bell pepper, bread and butter pickles, canned tuna, Celery, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, frozen peas, jicama, lemon juice, lemon zest, mayonnaise, olives, pickle brine, raw pasta, Scallions, sour cream, Spices, sweet vinaigrette
This is a throw-back to my childhood. On hot summer days (we didn’t have air-condition!), when my mother didn’t want to heat up the kitchen, she would make this in the morning, and put it in the fridge. At dinner time, she would add it to chopped iceberg lettuce, along with thawed frozen peas. It was so very good, at the end of a hot day. Continue reading
This is a quick-fix dinner for Cinco de Mayo. If you have leftover chicken from Sunday dinner, like the 
Monkfish is an ugly, ugly fish, but I have memories of watching Julia years ago, with this massive, ugly fish, holding it up by the tail. When I’ve prepared it, I wasn’t happy with the results…I’ve grilled it, sautéed it, roasted it and while the flavor was nice, the texture was not to my liking. Let’s just say, it was a little too chewy. It always seemed underdone. Then, I tried braising it. Bingo! From now on, this is my go-to way to cook monkfish. 
This is a nice little loaf to have in your fridge. It makes a nice sandwich, a lovely addition to a charcuterie with some cornichons or for a light lunch or supper with some good mustard. 
The Spaniards eat salad. They eat salad communally. It’s usually served with simple, seasonal ingredients, on a large plate set in the middle of the table. They splash on a good sherry or red wine vinegar and always, always, always their best olive oil drizzled over. It’s a thing of beauty. 
This sauce is incredibly complex and absolutely delicious, with flavors leaning well into Spain and wandering just a bit into Portugal. Sherry vinegar, smoked paprika, cinnamon, olives, orange and almonds are significant players in both countries, tracing their roots back to the Moorish habitation of the peninsula for some 700 years. Make certain you have good bread to mop. You don’t want to miss a drop! 
I love stuffed peppers. I didn’t always, but the I grew up. And now I do. I love the sweetness of the pepper, after it roasts. I seem to always like whatever is stuffed into them. It always seems to work. And these Papa Rellena Stuffed Peppers…baby, do they ever work! 
This tapenade is salty, slightly bitter, slightly sweet and completely delicious. It works with meat, poultry, and fish. It can be stirred into sauces. Or smeared on a grilled cheese. Yes, it’s a flexible little minx, this one. 
When you put out a bowl of good olives, they always seems to disappear quickly, don’t they? When I put these little orbs of tastiness out to nibble, with drinks, before dinner, they fly out of the bowl! If you’re lucky enough to have some left, they are mighty delicious strewn over a salad. 
You’ve heard about Texas Caviar, Cowboy Caviar, Bean Dip or whatever, right? You probably make it or at the very least, have eaten it. This isn’t exactly that…it’s really a riff on my mother’s Three Bean Salad and we could consider it “friends” with my 