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Create a Restorative Mealtime Ritual
Recently I introduced a class, Cooking as Creative Meditation, in which I share ways that home cooking can be a meditative practice supportive of our well-being. We take a new look at the entire cooking process from meal planning to experiencing a beautiful meal. We also explore gratitude for the many hands that make it possible for us to access and prepare food, a practice to carry out throughout the year. From the farmers who grew the baby potatoes we will roast in the oven to those who harvested them, there are many to thank for the dishes we make. There are those who laid out the vegetables at the…
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Pork Chops with Cherry Sauce and Charred Scallions
A savory sauce made with fresh cherries and merlot tops tender boneless pork chops in this dish that comes together in one skillet. Even the scallions soften and char in the same pan, with their mild onion flavor being tempered by the same heat that gives the pork a golden crust. When abundant bunches of cherries are available at the market, scoop them up for this recipe. If you’ve read about my five favorite specialty kitchen tools, you know that I recommend having a cherry pitter on hand for the season. Certainly, you can slice the cherries in half and remove the pits, but a pitter makes the task so…
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Baked Cod with Cherry Tomatoes and Olives
Flaky baked cod with roasted cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers is a light yet flavorful weeknight meal that takes me straight to the Mediterranean. The tomatoes are given a head start in the oven so that they have time to slow roast with olive oil, seasoning, and plenty of garlic. Once they’ve begun to soften and give up their juices, you might be tempted to just enjoy them on their own over crusty bread. Instead, add olives and capers, coat cod fillets in the sauce and bake until the fish is tender. Ingredients 1 ½ pounds cod, cut into 4 to 6 pieces 2 pints cherry and/or sweet grape tomatoes…
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Broccolini in Sweet and Sour Sauce
While its name suggests that it’s a diminutive form of a common vegetable, broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and the Chinese vegetable gai lan. With longer stalks and smaller florets, broccolini takes a more delicate shape on the dinner plate than broccoli, yet has a robust flavor that stands up well to a sweet and sour sauce with a bit of spiciness. On its own, this recipe makes a hearty vegetarian dish, and when served as a side, it never seems like an afterthought. In place of the refined sugar and ketchup that often make their way into sweet and sour sauce, I rely on honey, tamarind, tomato paste,…
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Potato Gnocchi
Pillowy potato gnocchi pan-seared in butter and garlic sauce, maybe even tossed with some wilted spinach, may be one of the simplest yet most satisfying dinners. Yes, it takes a little work to prep these Italian dumplings, but the rewards are great enough to attempt this dish on your own. Homemade gnocchi are nothing like their store-bought counterparts, which often have very little potato flavor. Once you get the hang of it, I think you’ll be craving these on the regular. Ingredients 2 pounds russet potatoes 2 egg yolks ¾ teaspoon salt ¾ cup flour (plus more for shaping the dough and dusting the counter) Even if you’re hesitant about…
