Sultry Umami Dandelion Greens, Favorite Brussels Salad, Thanksgiving Thoughts

I hadn't planned on making this, a fridge bursting with work projects and all. But I seized upon this bunch of greens so bright and crisp and decided there was room for *one more* recipe, a tangent to indulge myself in the mix of cooking and shooting out-soon cookbooks and far-away magazine stories.

I realized recently that a lot of what I make is what-to-do-with-leftovers, or rescuing food, as I like to call it: creating an exciting meal from the stragglers leftover from work. Sometimes my best eating comes from this spontaneous way of working; I'm not complaining. But it isn't often I go to market and just buy food that I want to make.

A good dandelion salad can be cathartic. I was determined to make the best that I knew how.

And then it almost didn't happen... There was the month-long, seemingly never-ending move (the second in two years!) which had me maxed out. We moved house, office, and studio. Add to that, I am a collector and supply the props for nearly all that I shoot, so this was a certain kind of, ahem, undertaking…. Then hosting family in the first week at new home, new jobs to tackle….you understand.

Despite coming up short for long enough that the greens were near spent, I set aside time and relished the experience. At last.

And, ate almost the entire platter, save for a few stems for dear husband later. So he, too, would know just how magnificent it was.

Consider this at your Thanksgiving feast. It strikes a bright note to offset the many rich foods you may be serving, and is just So. Damn. Good.

Sultry-umami dandelion greens salad

1 bunch dandelion greens, rinsed, patted dry, ends trimmed
2 tsp white wine vinegar 

3 cloves garlic

6 anchovy filets

freshly cracked black pepper

about 1/3 cup good extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp finely chopped (rinse beforehand) preserved lemon rind, or more, to your taste*

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

a couple good glugs of evoo - or a tablespoon of bacon fat - to fry them in

Over medium heat in a cast iron or enameled skillet, melt bacon fat or heat olive oil until it shimmers in the pan. Add breadcrumbs and mix together. Stirring occasionally, move breadcrumbs around the pan to brown evenly, no more than 5 minutes. Transfer them to a dish.

Mash garlic and anchovies in a mortar and pestle to make a thick paste - kind of like this dressing. Add freshly cracked black pepper and the vinegar, and whisk to combine. At a bare drizzle, whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. 

If you are unsure about the consistency or if the dressing is in fact emulsifying, drizzle the oil more slowly, or stop altogether and look at the whisked mixture. Taste. Keep whisking. Add more oil as needed. The end result will be a deeply savory-tangy, velvety, uniform dressing which coats the leaves once tossed together in a large bowl.

After you have tossed the leaves and coated them well in the anchovy dress, transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle the diced preserved lemon, then the crisp breadcrumbs over all. Give a final shower of black pepper, and serve at once.

*The idea for the preserved lemon is to impart occasional tangy-pickled citrusy-yum, rather than a heaviness of "salt". So, taste. Add the 1/2 teaspoon at first and see if it is indeed enough. You can add more as you like, or place a small dish with a bit extra beside the salad as you serve it, to pique interest, offering your guests their own taste.

 See that you don't devour every last leaf and crumb.

Yesterday I shared another great salad on Instagram, which received many requests for "recipe please?" It too makes an ideal accompaniment to your Thanksgiving plans….

Shaved Brussels sprouts & apple salad with hazelnuts and Parmesan

15-20 Brussels sprouts, rinsed and ends trimmed
3-5 Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples (any tart, crisp apple is good)
2 lemons
good olive oil
2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, rubbed of their skins, and crushed gently under the weight of a pan
shaved Parmigiano Reggiano
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Slice sprouts very thinly using a sharp knife or mandoline. Transfer the lacy pile to a large platter or serving bowl.

Slice apples into narrow wedges and add to the shaved Brussels sprouts. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze it over the apple slices to prevent oxidation. Gently toss the apples, lemon juice, and sprouts together. Drizzle olive oil over the mixture and taste for fat-acid balance. Add the other lemon - or just a half - and more oil as needed.

Top with the crushed hazelnuts. Using a vegetable peeler or cheese plane, shave Parm over all. Add freshly cracked pepper, a sprinkle of sea salt, and eat at once.

For more Thanksgiving ideas,

This cornbread dressing I made for The New York Times -

In today's New York Times, which features 15 American Thanksgiving traditions, I produced the ultra cheesy baked Sweeney Potatoes, and the brioche-like Venezuelan "Pan de Jamon." We are a nation of immigrants, of many wonderful traditions, and so much terrific food.

When Thanksgiving has passed, turn your mind to the end-of-year holidays and celebrate with these sour cherry ganache chocolate rye sandwich cookies, my last Bounty column with Where Women Cook. Yes, the Creating from the Bounty column is ending, but don't worry. We dreamt up a new column for the next year, one which features Kid Chef! It'll be out December 1st...

But before Thanksgiving comes - and then goes - I want to share a few organizations that could use our help in the name of justice for all, and giving thanks. Whether you contribute time and/or money, give what you can in lieu of the recent election results.

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org

https://350.org

http://blacklivesmatter.com/

http://sumofus.org

https://actnow.prochoiceamerica.org/

http://presente.org

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope the journey through this year brought you closer to good food in every form, and to the great people you can cook and eat it with.

Kid Chef Cookbook, Available Now! And, a Seasonal Knockout Meal

To celebrate the launch of my book, Kid Chef, here is a little video for one of the recipes - shakshuka! My cookbook is now available at booksellers nationwide. You can also order it on Amazon, at a can't-be-beat rate. I feel like such a proud mama!! We had a lot of fun shooting this little movie, so much so that we'll be making more soon… ;)

I could not have done it without my incredible team at Sonoma Press. Thank you Meg, for giving me the space to create a work which has become so much greater than the sum of its parts! Now, the book will go out into the world like a kid on her first day at school. I hope she will find a vast and welcoming community as she finds her way!

There is much in the pages of my book, laid-out as part culinary school and part recipes. Anyone who is passionate about food, young or old, will find Kid Chef a valuable resource to turn to again and again. Whether you find pieces such as "9 Steps That Will Make you a Good Cook" helpful or inspiring, or declare recipes like the colorful Fresh Fish Tacos (strong steady in my home) your new love, Kid Chef has something for everyone.

As the Kid Chef community grows, use the hashtag #kidchefcookbook to share your stories on Facebook and Instagram. See you all soon!

…………………………………………

In other news, here is recent delectable seasonal fare -

Seared Lamb and Alliums for 2

2 lamb steaks, patted dry with absorbent paper
1/2 bunch scallions, ends trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry
1/2 bunch ramps, ends trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry
1/4 tsp sumac
kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
good olive oil
red wine or leftover pickle juice for deglazing*

*I had leftover spiced ramp pickle juice from last season, which made a nice pairing

Note: to sear effectively, you may set off your smoke detector - take precaution and deactivate it in advance, as well as open a nearby window for better ventilation.

Remove lamb from refrigerator at least 20 minutes before cooking to allow to come to room temp. Season both sides of the lamb with s+p and sumac. Set aside.

In a screaming-hot pan set over medium-high heat, swirl olive oil to coat and add the alliums. Sear, turning once they have softened a bit and begin to brown in spots. Turn occasionally so that all surfaces get contact with the hot pan surface. Total sear time will be 3-4 minutes. Transfer scallions and ramps to a serving platter.

In the same pan, add another glug of oil, swirl, and sear meat 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat. Press on the meat directly around the bones for even browning. Turn to second side. For medium doneness, which retains its juiciness but isn't as much work to chew, sear meat on second side for an additional 4-5 minutes.

Transfer lamb to serving platter and pour deglazing liquid into pan. It should bubble like crazy - as it does, free any browned bits stuck to the pan by scraping the surface, letting the liquid reduce by half. This should take only a minute with the pan this hot.

Pour reduction over all, and eat at once.

Flavor-packed Cold Noodle Salad - My latest at Anthology, Zippy Gazpacho with The New York Times, and a Whole Lot More

Crunchy, tangy, punchy, meaty, chewy, spicy. Yep, all that, and almost no cooking to do.

My monthly column at Anthology has been a ongoing affair for two years now (next month!) - how cool is that?!

I made this using somen noodles, shiitake mushrooms, royal burgundy beans, slivered jalapeño, cucumber, Chinese chives, pickled red bell pepper, and mint and cilantro. My choices here serve as a guideline - pictured is an array of possible elements you can incorporate. My hope is that in sharing this as a guideline, it inspires you to play. Experiment with the type of noodles, the pickled and spicy elements. Definitely swap crunchy veg variations to see which harmonize together, and what is freshest at the market. 

These are building blocks to lift-off from and have fun, using your own sensibility and really, what's beautiful when you visit the farmers market. This recipe is one of those I find myself returning to and modifying a bit each time. 

While this seriously tasty preparation takes cues from Asian flavors, this isn't explicitly from a particular culture. More, an interest to eat flavorful food that isn't expensive, and, perfect for picnics on lazy summer days. Though it isn't a saucy pasta dish by any means, don't let the apparent plainness fool you - this dish is packed with flavor.

If you have a few pantry staples - the sauces and vinegar, and pasta - you can make this virtually no-cook recipe without notice. It is a mix-and-match pull-from-what-you-have kind of thing. And the best part? This dish makes for a beautiful presentation and a really satisfying meal for whomever you serve it. 

Cold noodle salad

Serves 4-6

for the noodles

1 pkg noodles, cooked according to the directions on the label 

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp good olive oil

2 tsp fish sauce

1/2-1 tsp soy sauce

1/2-1 tsp rice wine vinegar

allium  

choose one, 2-3 tbsp, divided - finely chop whichever you choose 

Chinese chives

garlic scapes

spring onion

chives

garlic

crunchy

a few handfuls total, a mixture of two or three

green beans, royal burgundy beans, etc
kirby or Persian cucumbers

sweet bell pepper

asparagus

snap peas

green papaya or mango

hakurei turnips

meaty 

choose one - 1-2 cups

mushrooms (any of these is great): button, shiitake, cremini, king trumpet

poached or sautéed fish flaked into pieces, such as salmon or mackerel

poached or sautéed shredded chicken 

cubed and roasted tofu

cooked chickpeas

spicy or pickled - very thinly sliced 

choose two, 2 tbsp (unless you like spicy - then add more)

pickled shallots, onions, peppers, radishes, carrots, summer squash, ginger, cornichons, etc*

sriracha

jalapeño, very thinly sliced or chopped

spicy Japanese yuzu condiment

fresh herbs for garnish

choose two - 1 small handful per serving

cilantro  

mint

parsley

basil

*Store-bought pickle variations work great in a pinch. However, if you make your own pickles, here's a delicious and fun place to incorporate them. 

Cook the pasta and drain. Transfer noodles to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Use tongs to turn pasta, ensuring all strands get a light coat of oil. Once the noodles have cooled enough to touch, add the the fish sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice, and use your hands to gently separate any remaining clumps. Taste and adjust soy (salty), vinegar (tangy), or fish sauce (savory) to suit your taste. Refrigerate at least a half hour, up to overnight. If you refrigerate overnight, cover in cellophane.

For whichever crunchy elements you chose, chop them. If you chose cucumber as one of your veg, peel the skin if it is tough, or if the cucumber isn't organic. if you were lucky enough to score kirbys or Persian cukes, their seeds are small and you can leave them intact. Otherwise, scrape seeds out with a spoon. 

Chop the beans into thin cross-sections -  little bursts of assertive crunch! I got royal burgundy beans a local farmer friend grew. Basically if you can find any snap-fresh bean, then you won't need to cook them. Ask if you can taste one: it shouldn't be fibrous or tough to chew. 

Choose an allium - a little goes a long way. Chop it finely and reserve a little for table-side garnishing.

Trim mushroom stems and halve or quarter any larger ones. Sauté mushrooms in a little olive oil, on medium high heat in a cast iron or enameled skillet until tender - about 5 minutes - adding a small amount of water (or broth, should you have some on-hand) to keep them juicy. Transfer cooked mushrooms to a bowl and toss together with all the above chopped elements once mushrooms have cooled a bit.

On a mandoline, shave jalapeño or ginger (etc), and add to the mix. If you have pickled veg, chop them as you did the beans and add them in. I sometimes add a little of the brine liquid for added punch. Up to you. 

To serve, transfer noodles to a serving platter. I created little piles by coiling the noodles around my hand. Do what fits you in the moment. Scatter the crunchy-peppery-meaty mixture onto the piles, leaving a little extra aside for serving. Additional chopped allium is nice table side, too. 

With a final flourish, add the fresh herbs to top. Enjoy!

If you have not already heard, Anthology will be closing their doors at the end of this year. Of course this is very sad news for me as I have loved our flourishing relationship, the numerous online and in-print stories together and the million emails getting it all done. But as anything in life, change happens. The show will still go on.

I imagine the great homes in my future. New and relevant places to continue sharing my voice. I might even update here more… :P If you have suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

For better or worse, I work like a fiend. My Instagram page bears the evidence. I cook new and varied (deeelicious) things, multiple times in a given day. All this of course is mounting to something fantastic, still simmering and melding....

If you're hankering for more of me, visit me there. I have a lot of fun rescuing food. I play extensively on set. Be forewarned: you will get hungry, stat.

Another piece I recently produced for The Times is this terrific, zippy gazpacho. It is a great basic recipe; one to which I added tequila, lime, and a pinch of salt this evening (in a cocktail glass), to reward myself for all the hard work cooking, styling, and shooting I've been up to.

Yes oh yes. Makes me feel like we are still embarking on summer, not that it is almost over….

I have seen the light change at home base. A longer cast of the sun inside, sign of earth's rotation towards autumn. That will mean the pussycats get to bask in more sun spots, but it also means the end of tomato season. Not yet. But, it's a real thing to reckon with and I'm definitely (and defiantly) not ready.

There is an ice cream story on the horizon. And a pop-up dinner. Then there's the story I shot for Saveur Magazine, about craft cocktails at a neighborhood spot called Lou's. And soon, a trip to Maine filled with lots of lobster. I'm still firmly planted in balmy evenings and icy cocktails, see?

For myself…. today I baked a gorgeous fig, black pepper, and smoky blue cheese galette. I hungrily picked the figs from a neighboring tree near a friend's home, sweet reward in itself after a long three-day shoot. After a final round in front of the camera tomorrow, I get to devour it.

Also on the agenda: making a quail egg and roasted tomato pasta with capers and chives. Sounds good, doesn't it? Visit Instagram to see how it turned out!

Maybe I'll convince someone to go foraging again with me, if I can buy myself some free time. In any case, I will eat like a queen. Come sit at the table with me. Eat some of this good food.

My Mother's Lemon Meringue Pie, Creamy Goodness at Food52, and Another Page One (Luscious Lamb!) at The New York Times

Where has the last month gone, I keep asking myself. I don't think it even happened, but then I realize I've done all this work, and so it must have. 

This fantastic lemon meringue pie, an on-rotation favorite dessert from my mom, is this month's feature at Anthology.

Are you craving pie by now? Head over to Anthology for the full scoop, including the delicious recipe. You'll be quite happy you did, as you will no doubt delight in the slices of this bright, rich (but not too rich), perfect dessert.

This recipe is particularly well-timed, as I just returned from a lengthy trip back home, where I cooked and cared for my folks. 

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to do that for our parents in a more regular way? To have our schedules cleared, virtually suspended (mine was, even though the piles waited for me upon my return), and help family out in times of need. 

All this to say I would have loved to share the following stories with you sooner, and I blame them for being so tied up…..

In my Halfway to Dinner column at Food52, I created five fab recipes incorporating heavy cream. Some, just a little, and others, the whole nine yards. Up to you which you'll prefer….there is something for everyone. 

Because, they are all delicious.

a Julia Child-inspired chicken liver mousse

the delightful cracked sugar "glass" of crême brulée

chicken legs with shallots and apples, dressed in a cider cream sauce

my favorite: garlicky creamed wild onions

the gorgeous wild onions destined for creaming...

horseradish cream sauce with dipping accompaniments

Then there was the glorious NYTimes Page One story, the second I had in just as many weeks. I love it when that happens! 

This feature was geared for Easter and Passover and it delivered big. Four recipes (one, two, three, four) including a glorious leg of lamb, a grand meal to feed the whole neighborhood.

Any of these recipes could easily double for Mother's Day, which by now is right around the corner. These preparations are a feast for the eyes, made with love, and so tasty. Your Ma will no doubt appreciate it.

If you do choose one from any of these features, let me know. It gives me great pleasure to know others are eating well.

I'll be at the farmers market this weekend, refilling my refrigerator with peppery greens, juicy veg, orangey-yolk eggs, and a few surprise bits - usually whatever hits me as I roam.

A spare rib barbecue is in the works, as well as some pickle experiments I'm having fun with. Who knows, maybe a fruit and biscuit idea will make a splash... another story I've been chewing on….

Have a beautiful weekend. Hold these first few days of May close, as the rest will fly just as quickly as all of April did. xxx