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Stuffed Jalapeño Skins
Perhaps the coziest time to be in the kitchen is after the snow falls, bouncing light between its crystals and making everything just so quiet. While I was working on this recipe, gorgeous light filtered through the window, allowing me to capture the smooth green of jalapeños which would soon be split and seeded. Harvested when young, they were the color that comes to mind when we think of this type of chile, but scarlet jalapeños can be found as well, their redness a sign of maturity and growing heat. In the middle of winter I crave foods that bite, not only with heat but with crispness that stings just…
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Roasted Pineapple Salsa
Fresh salsa is so much tastier than canned varieties that you will wonder why you haven’t been making it all along. You’ll also wonder why you’ve never used a pineapple as a salsa bowl. Fortunately, there is a bit of time to ponder such things while you watch the oven for signs of caramelization on the pineapple slices and blistered skin on all those juicy tomatoes that make up the base of this homemade salsa. Once the ingredients have cooled, use a blender to pulse them a few times, and then make good use of the hollowed out pineapple by transforming it into a serving bowl. Save the lid as…
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Red Pepper Marinated Chicken Kebabs
As it spread along ancient trade routes, the Middle Eastern tradition of skewering and grilling cubes of meat sparked incarnations from Indonesian satay to Japanese yakitori. Rich with local seasoning, the various styles conveyed their own sense of place down to the bamboo rods or long pieces of flat metal rotated above the flame. For the modern cook, they offer distinct advantages. Small pieces of meat cook quickly, allowing dinner to be on the table in a snap. In the heart of winter, or anytime a grill is not available, the high heat of an oven does the trick beautifully. This recipe highlights the savory and smoky end of the…
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Spinach Salad with Pickled Red Onions, Manchego, and Honeyed Walnuts
Ribbony red onions, shavings of Manchego cheese, and crunchy, sweet walnuts provide such intense flavor that the only dressing needed for this spinach salad is a drizzle of olive oil. With a dose of vinegar from the quick pickling process, red onions contribute to the flavor of a vinaigrette. In fact, all of the toppings are rather playful, lending vibrancy to this salad. The cheese has a distinct nuttiness, the nuts are coated in the sweetness of honey, and the sweet qualities of red onion are transformed with pickled flavor. Ingredients Baby spinach Aged manchego cheese Quick pickled red onions Honeyed walnuts Quick Pickled Red Onions 1 medium red onion…
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Chocolate Squares with Honeyed Apricots and Coconut
A dark pool of bittersweet chocolate, dried apricots dripping in honey, and a bit of salt sitting on the counter create a satisfying push and pull even before this confection comes together. Sweetness will be tempered. When the fluidity of stirred chocolate is interrupted by the addition of dried coconut, feel yet another pull – the disruptive change from smooth to speckled. Taste your way through this recipe as you drizzle, melt, and pinch to create tempting squares that invoke the Mediterranean and the tropics. The liquid confection is so delicious that you may need to remind yourself to spread it out and let it harden rather than eat it…
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