This classic Chinese comfort food dish is a study in texture. When you think potato and eggplant, you probably think mush. Think again. In this recipe, they're soft on the inside and crispy on the outside from shallow frying before hot sautéing.The flavour is mild - there's no … [Read more...] about Chinese Dì Sān Xiān: Sautéed Potato, Eggplant and Green Pepper
Cucumbers, Peppers, Zucchini, Tomatoes & Eggplants
The Ultimate Vegetarian Chili and Lessons from a Party Hosting Pro
It was 9:30pm and I was eating my third bowl of vegetarian chili. I could have made excuses, like "it was a cold bike ride," or "I have no personal insulation," or "I haven't eaten all day!" But the bike ride had been two hours before and the last one about not having eaten was … [Read more...] about The Ultimate Vegetarian Chili and Lessons from a Party Hosting Pro
Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs (The Easy Way and the Complicated Way)
Me: "Do you have ground lamb?" Friendly Guy at Boucherie de Tours: "Sure." Me: Turkey? FGBT: "Breast or thigh?" Me, realizing they grind everything to order and appreciating that the butcher even cares to ask when most ground meat is a mix of whatever fatty bits are left … [Read more...] about Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs (The Easy Way and the Complicated Way)
Garlic-Roasted Zucchini
My zucchinis have exploded – yes that's a drastic overstatement. No bomb has gone off in my community garden plot. But the plants I thought were just too big to be zucchini and must be mysterious melons have sprouted limbs, yielding seven giant summer squash and counting. Now, … [Read more...] about Garlic-Roasted Zucchini
What Do I Do With That Zucchini?
If you're like me, zucchini have taken over your life. Maybe you don't have a community garden plot with four enormous zucchini plants, blossoms so big you thought they were squash and baseball bat-sized green summer squash hiding under thick green branches and enormous lily … [Read more...] about What Do I Do With That Zucchini?
Thai Cucumber Salad from Nong’s Thai Kitchen
Who would have thought that dousing raw cucumber slices in spicy syrup would be a good a idea? Thai people, apparently. This simple salad is a good way to simultaneously feel healthy and pander to your sweet tooth. The recipe is from Nong's Thai Kitchen: 84 Classic Recipes that … [Read more...] about Thai Cucumber Salad from Nong’s Thai Kitchen
Italian Marinated Eggplant Antipasto in Olive Oil
I gave a canning class today where we made pink grapefruit marmalade and carrot and cauliflower giardiniera. And if you've never heard of giardiniera, you're not alone...and you're not Italian. Italians have some great pickled vegetable recipes, one of the most popular being … [Read more...] about Italian Marinated Eggplant Antipasto in Olive Oil
Zucchini Pickles and the Mighty Squash
It was a heck of a zucchini season, wasn't it? If you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't feel bad. For anyone who had giant leaves draping over trellises, weighing them down to the point of collapse, their two-foot-long fruit dangling above the ground, you get it. … [Read more...] about Zucchini Pickles and the Mighty Squash
“Heinz on Crack” Homemade Sweet and Spicy Ketchup for Fine Dining Lovers
My most recent publication is the last of my canning series over at Fine Dining Lovers. In this final installment I break out the big guns: my bestselling "Heinz on Crack," a sweet and spicy tomato ketchup that should not be restricted to hamburgers. Tourtière, shepherd's pie, … [Read more...] about “Heinz on Crack” Homemade Sweet and Spicy Ketchup for Fine Dining Lovers
Foraging Sumac, and a Recipe for a Middle Eastern Eggplant Pickle
Last year I got a cookbook for Christmas. This in itself is not a strange occurrence. What made this gift a little different was that it was a cookbook about foraging food: wild greens, weeds, bushes, berries, mushrooms. Back to my gatherer roots and all... I've only ever been … [Read more...] about Foraging Sumac, and a Recipe for a Middle Eastern Eggplant Pickle