-
Herbed Jalapeño Potato Salad
A bright, creamy dressing made with fresh herbs and jalapeño livens up potato salad and gives it freshness. The mild chile pepper lends crisp flavor more than heat, so it brightens meals with grilled meats and pairs equally well with seafood. Since summer meals at my home often include both, I love sides such as this that work whether you opt for slices of steak, a crab cake, or both. For this creamy potato salad, I start with the smallest baby potatoes I can find, then halve them after cooking for the perfect bite size pieces. A mix of gold, red, and blue potatoes lends beautiful color, which makes it…
-
Cantaloupe Gazpacho
This cold summer soup balances savory and sweet with ripe, juicy cantaloupe and tomatoes as the base. Although gazpacho is a traditional Spanish soup, here the addition of cantaloupe and a garnish of prosciutto or jamón serrano makes it more broadly Mediterranean and, for me, taste like Italy. A staple appetizer on the Italian side of my family was prosciutto-wrapped melon. As a child, I would wrap the juicy slices and marvel at how my mother invented such a delicious pairing. I thought she had invented so many of the classics in the way we naturally ascribe inventor status to those we love. Topping the cantaloupe gazpacho with a bit…
-
Roasted Carrots with Green Garlic Dip
Even if you haven’t cooked with green garlic, chances are you have seen it at the market and maybe even mistaken it for a scallion. Harvested during spring, the young allium is fresher, lighter, and slightly milder than mature garlic with a flavor that tends toward onion. Look for the beginnings of a bulb and flat green leaves (or reach out to me with a snapshot!) to make sure you have the right ingredient for this healthy dip. Serve it with small rainbow carrots for a vegetable and dip pairing that’s fit for the season. As a universal spring dip, this recipe also works well with other raw and…
-
Strawberry Sorbet
Ripe, sweet strawberries become even more lush when transformed into sorbet. And when it comes to this transformation, the process requires no special equipment – just a blender. If you read about my nectarine sorbet or Mexican ice cream, you know that I favor no-churn desserts. A simple process creates decadent flavor, and as the weather gets warmer I seem to crave both. Made from just a few ingredients, this dairy-free alternative to ice cream and frozen custard can also be layered with them parfait-style. Let it settle between rich vanilla scoops or use it to top a cocktail (or mocktail), and it will impart strong berry flavor as it…
-
Caramelized Red Onion Tart with Seasonal Vegetables
Tarts are some of my favorite things to bake…and eat. With the perfect balance of crust and filling, this red onion version makes use of a variety of vegetables and cheeses already on hand – a handful of green beans, a few cherry tomatoes just about to become too ripe. They combine beautifully to top a caramelized onion layer. Tucked beneath the vegetables are goat cheese and feta as well as Parmesan, which lends a nutty quality. I love dishes such as this one that change throughout the seasons. Certainly the assorted leftover vegetables in my kitchen could make a salad, but here the beautiful slices are celebrated even more…
cooking classes + wholesome recipes + mindful living
