Food
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Plum Custard Tart
Slice through the deep purple exterior of a black plum, and you find a center whose sweetness intensifies in the oven. Combine that sweetness with vanilla crème fraîche custard and a tender, cookie-like crust, and you have what could easily be my favorite fruit tart. This recipe made me fall in love with plums all over again, and it is a glorious way to enjoy late summer fruit. As with many of my dessert tarts, a slice rivals the best breakfast pastry. In the middle of the plum custard tart sits a half-round that becomes glazed with its own juice – no jam topping here. A generous sprinkle of raw…
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Cooking with Edible Flowers
The nasturtiums I have been tending finally burst into mildly sweet and lightly peppery blooms. For weeks I watched their leaves pop up like parasols in my edible flower patch, sometimes shading the yellow and deep orange buds about to emerge. Throughout the spring they formed a showy display of green, the kind that makes you want to take them right into the kitchen, which now I have along with the cheerful flowers. Nasturtiums bloom profusely once they are on a roll, meaning that my salads, pasta, and plant-forward recipes will feature the gorgeous colors for weeks to come. While edible flowers each have their own culinary charms, these lend…
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Caesar Dressing
Lighter than most creamy versions, this homemade Caesar dressing is packed with the flavors of the classic but relies on Greek yogurt as its base. If you love Caesar dressing as a salad topping or dip, this recipe will satisfy your cravings and make you feel just a bit better about using extra. While you’re changing things up, feel free to veer from the traditional romaine lettuce and add in some different greens or change up the vegetables altogether. As a final touch, I highly recommend slices of delicious garlic bread on the side instead of croutons. When I am inspired to make traditional favorites in new ways, Greek yogurt…
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Strawberry Season Recipes
As the days grow longer, dishes get brighter with red bursts of strawberry and brilliant yellow slices of heirloom tomato. This is the time to linger over a meal and let the berries of the season carry you into eventual summer. Since strawberries are a featured ingredient throughout Thirsty Radish, I gathered a few of my favorite strawberry recipes along with some new ones and tips. They are the foundation for beautiful meals that are worthy of gathering over but also perfect for weeknights. Grilled Strawberry and Heirloom Tomato Salad After a brief stay in the grill pan, strawberries become even juicier, which makes them the ideal salad addition. This…
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Roasted Vegetables with Onion Dip and Herbed Ricotta
With natural goodness dressed in gorgeous colors, roasted vegetables with lighter dips are an ideal addition or alternative to a cheese and charcuterie board. When you caramelize sweet onions until they become even more so, you have the foundation for a delicious dip that’s perfect for entertaining, game days and marathons of a new show. Though it’s thick and richly flavored, this dip is a healthier alternative to most as the base is Greek yogurt. The cooking process lends such depth to the onions that I keep the rest of the ingredients simple. As the other accompaniment to the roasted vegetables in this recipe, I make a creamy herbed ricotta,…
