The tomatoes came later than usual this year(1), with the peak happening starting last week, and probably not lasting for much longer. Less heat this season, I think, especially since the beefsteak-type Big Rainbows(2) have yet to get beyond the green stage. Nonetheless, we still have plenty of tomatoes to keep us company. Making sauce […]
Tag Archives: recipe
Salmon tartare
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Following the shrimp salad, this appears to be second in an inadvertent series of seafood concoctions to serve on bread. Not on purpose, not really. But faced with a large filet of fresh salmon, and a desire to try making something at home with raw fish… You get the picture. 🙂 Salmon tartare with chives, […]
Shrimp salad
Saturday, 5 July 2008
Sandwich fillings and creamy salads seem to suffer from ennui, becoming almost annoyingly boring with tired combinations of ingredients —at least in most cafés and grocery stores. One thing I enjoy about traveling is other countries’ (or regions’) takes on such commonly eaten items. In the UK, for instance, they often have interesting fillings such […]
Broiled eel (unagi) over rice, two ways
Monday, 23 June 2008
Unagi kamameshi, unagi donburi, una-don, una-jyu: It goes by many names, and remains one of my favorite Japanese dishes. Obachan’s articles on unagi donburi and unagi mabushi, became catalysts for figuring out how to make them on my own. So I came up with two recipes. One which emulates the claypot to obtain the crust, […]
Pizza with chicken, cheese & chutney
Monday, 21 April 2008
Here’s an example of my being a food mutant: I don’t like pizza. To clarify: I don’t like deep dish pizzas, which are far too soggy. Thin crusts tend to change my mind. I don’t like tomato sauces —oh, I love tomatoes, sauces and tomato sauces, but on pizzas the gloppiness issue crops up again. […]
Basic bread recipe for sandwiches and focaccia (and pizza)
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
It’s been years since I baked yeast-based breads. Glad I’ve picked up the habit again! Having focaccia to snack on, or just a decent loaf for sandwiches, makes for comforting (not to mention tastier and fresher) eats. The dough is versatile, so I also use it for pizzas. Three cookbooks aided me in my rediscovery […]
Conjunctional salad: Couscous (or) quinoa with nuts (and) fruit (and/or) vegetables
Sunday, 23 March 2008
Pasta and grain salads have so much potential for variety! But the cold pesto pasta with mondo veggo chunks, or the soggy tabbouli, are often uninspired. Then Robert and Sonya introduced me to the joy of couscous with fruits and nuts. Sooo gooooood. Recently I made a quinoa salad with similar ingredients: Juice for tartness, […]
Hazelnut frosting made from praline spread
Saturday, 16 February 2008
Mmmm, hazelnuts. Hazelnuts ground up and used in fillings for truffles, cakes, ice cream, chocolate spreads like Nutella. Mmmuh. Hazelnut products aren’t too popular around here (defined as California, United States), which is sad. It’s more difficult to find things like hazelnut pastes and butters. One time I purchased some hazelnut butter, I think it […]
I made more cheese.
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Chemistry makes everything better! Adding a bit of acid, i.e., vinegar, made a lot more curds form. Really, dramatically more. More than twice as many curds as last time. This cheese was somewhat firmer and more squeaky. I was relieved that it didn’t taste or smell vinegary at all; its flavor was only slightly tarter […]
Macaroni and cheese: simplified (somewhat)
Monday, 28 January 2008
The search for the ultimate macaroni and cheese never ends. That’s a good thing, too, because it’s fun to try out and taste more dishes made of pasta and cheese. Tonight’s version was based on the creamy baked mac-and-cheese by Deb of Smitten Kitchen. The main draw was the avoidance of both pre-cooked pasta and […]