crunchy fennel, celery, and parsley salad with balsamic dressing

A week under the covers (and under the weather), nursing a headache and ringing ears.  Enforced resting is hard for me  - I'd much rather be taking walks in the fresh air, so by the third day I was bored.  I re-read all my Ann Patchett books, then John Irving's Cider House Rules, which led me to several of Lee Bailey's cook/travel books, which were stuffed into the same shelf.  I've forgotten how much I love his straightforward, unfussy recipes, and how pretty the photographs are of his travels.  I browsed through his Cooking for Friends, and came across a fennel salad I haven't made in years.  My daughter looked at the photograph and mentioned she still remembered when I used to make that salad, and how much she loved it - that was many, many years ago.

Walking to the store today, what did I find in the produce section but fresh fennel bulbs, waving their fronds at me, so of course, I came home and made that salad again.  Crunchy, delicious, with a warm, mellow afterglow, it was as good as I remembered.  A few times I also threw in some fresh orange pieces, I recall, and just might do that tomorrow, inspired by his other fennel salad recipe, with olives and oranges.

Crunchy Fennel Salad (with parsley and celery)

1 medium fresh fennel bulb

1 cup sliced celery

1/2 to 1 cup minced Italian parsley

Shaved good Parmesan cheese

Halve the fennel bulb.  If the stems are wide, cut them lengthwise in half.   Slice the fennel stems across into manageable pieces, like you do with celery.  Cut out the little core at the bottom of the bulb, which is too hard to chew.

Balsamic dressing:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

two pinches kosher salt

5 tablespoons good olive oil

black pepper, freshly ground

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Whisk the dressing well in your salad bowl, then add the fennel, celery, and parsley and toss.   Spoon onto plates and garnish with the parmesan shavings.

This makes about four servings.

salads & sides: wilted rainbow chard with red wine vinegar

Christmas break is finally over - the grands headed back to school today.  It's been a noisy, happy vacation with the three of them around, but hard to find time to experiment in the kitchen without interruptions.  We got five inches of snow and plunging temperatures, but they are hardy little souls, enjoying cross-country skiing and sledding even with the chilly air.  The kitchen got a good workout, especially when my daughter got a hankering for Indian food :  she cooked up a dizzying array of unfamiliar dishes;  some I liked, some not as much, but always interesting, and the scent of curry and cumin and Indian bay was far more exotic than my usual thyme and garlic.

But my heart is really happy with simple dishes, so when I found the gorgeous but small bunch of rainbow chard in the vegetable drawer ( bought on the spur of the moment simply because it was so pretty and fresh) I was delighted.  Checking on Pinterest, I found this terrific simple chard recipe that was perfect for a late lunch.  And best of all, it took maybe 20 minutes from start to finish!  

Wilted Rainbow Chard with red wine vinegar

6 leaves fresh rainbow chard

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, peeled and cut into slivers

1 clove garlic, peeled and cut into slivers

1/2 yellow pepper, cut into strips or dice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

a little water - about 2 tablespoons

kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

Cut the stems off the chard , gather them together, and slice across no more than 1 inch.

Slice the leaves lengthwise, then across into 2 inch wide pieces.

Place olive oil in saucepan or skillet and add the sliced stems, garlic, onions, and pepper cooking for about 5 minutes, then add the red wine vinegar and water, then finally, the chopped leaves.  Keep the heat on medium, and gently toss the mixture until the leaves are wilted.  Add the salt and pepper and serve while hot.

This made 2 small servings - next time I'll buy twice as much chard because it was SO good!     Happy January!

wilted kale with garlic and kidney beans

How can it be October 27th already?  Autumn in Minneapolis is mild - most days I wear a vest as I walk around the neighborhoods, and the trees are very slowly turning color.  There have been a few chilly mornings, but no frost or bitter winds - quite a change from New Hampshire, when I would be rushing out to cover my herbs and flowers with a sheet on cold nights. 

And leaves might be falling, but in Minneapolis people keep their green lawns leaf free and tidy, while giant trucks vacuum up the side streets.  Pumpkins by the front doors, and still- blooming flowers make for a very pretty walk to the stores.

Since I'm home, I've been making more meals for the family:  hasty lunch box meals for the three grandchildren (2, 5, and 9) and healthy supper menus.  Izzie follows a mostly gluten-free diet, Frankie is picky, and Noah, the baby, tastes everything.  He's the one that chooses stinky French cheeses at the Co-op:)   When I made this kale last night, he ate some, then promptly finished off the rest on the platter.  I love it because it cooks so quickly but still retains its kale flavor, unlike spinach.  I added a handful or two of cooked kidney beans, because they pair so well together in my Portuguese kale soup.  

wilted kale with garlic and kidney beans

4 cups kale, torn from stems

1/2 cup water (more if needed)

1 peeled garlic clove

3/4 cup canned kidney beans, drained

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes or hot sauce

Place the water in the pot, then add the rest of the ingredients.  Cover and cook on high heat just until wilted, stirring constantly.

Drain if needed, sprinkle with kosher salt,  and serve at once.

the wonderful veggie salad!

We had several very warm days last week, not as humid as New England, but muggy enough to curl up with a book in air conditioned splendor inside.  That kind of weather keeps me far away from the oven, even with air conditioning - all I can think about are fresh fruits and salads.  So when the memory of my Veggie Salad popped up in my thoughts, I sliced, diced, and chopped willingly , ending up with a very large bowl to tuck in the fridge.

You can use up all those summer vegetables that are so fresh right now:  green cabbage, spinach, scallions, parsley, and juicy tomatoes, which is definitely a bonus.   Fill a bowl and it's lunch.  Add a heaping tablespoon to your hamburger bun and top with a hot grilled burger.  Layer over a smoked turkey sandwich, or serve as a side to fresh fish or lobster. I love the versatility of this salad for just about any meal - even breakfast.  I often add cottage cheese to the vegetable mixture, which adds a little more heft to the salad, especially if that's all you're having.

In the past, I've used the shredding cone for my KitchenAid mixer, but a part has gone missing, so I sliced everything by hand.  I wasn't able to slice it as thinly as I prefer, but it was delicious as always - I love the oregano dressing, so I made twice as much.


Veggie Salad


2 cups shredded or thinly sliced fresh green cabbage
2 cups de-stemmed thinly sliced large-leaf spinach
1-2 cups chopped tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
6 scallions, sliced (both tops and bottoms)
4 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1 cup cottage cheese (optional)

Place in a large bowl.


The dressing:
(you can easily double this if you like a lot of dressing)

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1-2 teaspoons dried oregano 
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Toss the salad well before serving.  This keeps well in the fridge in a covered container.

                                        ********************

One of my neighbors offered me some somewhat wild pears from a tree she has tucked in the corner of her yard - so many pears some of the branches have broken.  Not a clue what to make when they're ripe - right now they are very hard.  Ideas?

Happy After-Labor-Day!  

roasted chicken with rosemary: transition

You would think by now I would be settling in here after two months, but my head stubbornly refuses to re-set my compass :  I wake up not quite sure where I am in my long life of places:  for a few seconds I am 10, sharing a bedroom with my little sister in Pascagoula, Mississippi - and next I'm looking down at one of my babies, who are now parents themselves. I hear my father's voice halloooing as he meets my car on the island:  this morning I heard a ship's bell clanging in the fog on a tiny harbor in Maine we stayed at for a few days long ago - it was the light rail just outside my window, here in Minnesota.  I know where I am physically, but the years and places tumble gently in my waking up bubble.  I think to pick some mint and thyme from the herb border beside the front door, then remember I'm on the fifth floor in a midwestern city, with no garden (yet), with a houseful of family.  

For someone who's been solitary for a long, long time, it's a transition that is taking a little too long for my patience.  But yesterday, I finally made the famous roasted -chicken- with- rosemary and thyme with 9 year old Izzie by my side, watching - and tomorrow, a birthday cake for my dearest firstborn - and let's hope it kickstarts the creative (and culinary) juices flowing.  And guess what I found just down the street yesterday morning?  A little garden center crowded with plants and herbs:  a two foot rosemary plant that now sits on the window sill, minus a few branches for this chicken.


Roasted Chicken with rosemary and thyme

Preheat oven to 350F.

1 good sized chicken to serve 6 people
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided into 2 portions
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 of a lemon
1 teaspoon whole thyme leaves
several springs of fresh rosemary
freshly cracked pepper

Wipe out the inside of the chicken with a paper towel.  Squeeze the lemon over the outside of the chicken, then place the lemon inside the cavity of the chicken.   Add 1 tablespoon of the butter inside the cavity as well.  Add several sprigs of rosemary inside the chicken, then rub the outside of the chicken with the remaining butter.  Sprinkle the chicken with the thyme and kosher salt and fresh pepper.

Place chicken in preheated oven and roast for 1 and a half hours, or until chicken is golden and the chicken legs move easily when wiggled.  Remove the chicken to cool for 15 minutes, then tip the chicken and collect some of those wonderful juices to drizzle over the chicken before slicing.( P.S.:  Save the bones and trimmings and juices for an over-the-moon roasted chicken stock!)

I served this with wilted spinach and kale, and boiled quartered new potatoes with lots of butter and pepper - what a wonderful supper!  And dessert was those wonderful tiny clementines found at Trader Joe's (from Chile) - juicy, easy to peel, and the perfect size for 2 year old Noah, though I go through three at a sitting, they are so good!

Happy almost September!

pickling day: red onions and cucumbers

In spite of my taking a sick day and sleeping for 12 hours - twelve hours! - the CSA box arrived again last night with more cucumbers and lovely red onions, BUT.  We still have some from last week - what to do, what to do.

Then I remembered those wonderful pickled red onions I made last year, and the Finnish cucumber salad my daughter likes so much, so spent a few hours this morning stuffing the already full fridge with those zesty condiments.  Easy to make, and delicious with everything from cold chicken or fish, to French potato salad, they're a perfect way to use up your summer abundance.  AND I used the last of the dill, mostly stems by then, to start a new bottle of dill vinegar.  So pleasing to have all three of these condiments stashed in the fridge and pantry.

Enjoying the blue, blue sky with wispy clouds overhead , the chattering of the children just back from the beach - and eyeing my bed for a little siesta:)  Enjoy your summer days!

poached haddock with dill, lemon, and tomatoes (as the frazzle builds)

Oh, such a beautiful day here!  Light pitter patter of rain this morning, sunny and blue sky as I load the car for one of two dump runs, THEN maybe a walk.

Getting distracted while cleaning and packing, completely forgot lunch, so here I was twenty minutes ago, gobbling up this fresh haddock.  A half a pound, and methinks I should've bought more.  Not proud that I was standing up surveying the boxes and rooms while I was eating:)  I couldn't remember which child liked the rabbits (with bells on) so I'm packing one for each of them.

This is part of the "Minneapolis pile"  Ironically, that 2005 Real Simple is all about conquering the clutter.  I despair that will not happen for another month.  



Poached Haddock with dill, lemon, and tomatoes


1/2 pound piece of fresh haddock


Place the haddock in a small stainless steel skillet or saucepan, and add water to just about halfway up the fish.
Bring to a high simmer/low boil and cook for five minutes on one side, then gently flip the fish with a spatula and cook the other side another 5 minutes.  
Gently poke the fish with a fork, making sure it is completely cooked, then remove to a plate.

Toss out the water from cooking the fish, and quickly melt 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, then pour over the fish.
Add:
juice from half a fresh lemon
kosher salt
fresh dill sprigs
a tablespoon of sliced scallions
2 handfuls tiny tomatoes, halved

And serve to your appreciative audience of one.  This makes one serving.

Happy, happy June!

sweet cabbage and spinach sandwich salad

Downshifting from the holiday opulence and overload requires strong will power - I am halfway there, making my favorite veggie slaw, but now I'm about to run to the market for a little brie and crusty bread to make a nice little hot sandwich:)

This is a wonderful stuffing for pita sandwiches, with turkey or without, and I've even used it in boneless chicken rollups, but most of the time I eat it as is. Crunchy, fresh, and sweet with the flavor of fresh cabbage, it's a dandy lunch or light supper - or for breakfast, inside a fluffy omelet. What a terrific way to christen my new food processor!

This makes around 4 1/2 cups of salad.

To make:

2 cups shredded fresh cabbage

2 cups finely sliced fresh de-stemmed spinach

a handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 cup sliced scallion greens

2 T. minced parsley or celery

3 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. olive oil

1 t. oregano or basil, dried or fresh

1/2 t. kosher salt

lots of freshly ground pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and toss gently. Store in a tightly closed container in the fridge - it should keep fresh for four days.

Almost the end of 2012 - can you believe it?

beluga for the Oscars - beluga lentils, that is!

I'm getting a little punchy with this everlasting snow - which is now up to the kitchen window sill. So, when my neighbor gave me some of these lentils the other day and I discovered they were known as "Beluga" lentils, well - I had to have a little fun, didn't I?

Given that today is Oscar day ( which I only watch to see the dresses), a lot of people are hosting parties, and this would be a fun surprise: trimmed hard boiled eggs ( using only the white) filled to the brim with tiny black lentils. Save a little of the hard boiled yolk to make it resemble caviar even more - or top with scallions, parsley, or little bits of tomatoes. Not using the yolks also makes it less aromatically eggy and there's no mayonnaise, so it's dairy free.

To make about 3/4ths of a cup of cooked lentils:

Hard boil six eggs, drain, and leave to soak in cool water.

~

1/2 cup tiny black "Beluga" lentils

a bay leaf

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

water to cover the lentils plus a few inches

Bring the water, lentils, garlic, and bay leaf to a boil, turn down to a medium simmer/boil and cook for about 12 minutes, or until lentils are cooked.

Drain the lentils and remove the garlic and bay leaf, then place the lentils in a bowl.

Add to the lentils:

2T. olive oil

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. ( or to taste) kosher salt

fresh pepper

a few squeezes of Sriracha hot sauce

1 T. fresh lemon or lime juice

Toss gently.

~

Peel the hard boiled eggs. Trim a tiny bit of the ends off so they'll sit upright.

Cut the trimmed eggs in half vertically.

Gently squeeze the eggs until the yolk pops out.

Fill the eggs with the lentil mixture, garnish with parsley, scallions, egg yolk, or your choice of garnish.

Keep chilled until about to serve.

~

If you have any leftovers, these would be a great brown-bag lunch!

Enjoy!

broccoli rabe and cannelini bean soup with basil

Even though the temperature reads around 60 degrees, the air is chilly and raw, and it's a perfect day for a steaming bowl of soup. As I walk around the garden, looking for new buds and leaves popping up, I notice an odd thing: all the flowers today are purple. This is just as the wave of yellow (daffodils of various shades, and the forsythia) is fading. In the above picture, from the left, you see violets, catmint, vinca, and lungwort, whose blue flowers fade to magenta pink as they age. One reason my passion for gardening never flags is the constant surprises that appear every day - every day without snow cover, that is.

Ah, yes, the soup. Having just bought a very fresh bunch of broccoli rabe ( also known as rapini) I wanted a soup that included a lot of that wonderful green. While broccoli rabe can have a slight edge of bitterness, that can be smoothed out by using it with beans or pasta - another way I like to use it. It came out beautifully, with the tasty broccoli rabe melding perfectly with the white beans and herbs, and a perfect chilly day soup.

~

To make:

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

3 T. olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, pressed

2 cups chicken stock or water

2 cups roughly cut broccoli rabe (rapini)

a 15.5 ounce can of cannelini beans, rinsed and drained

2 t. fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar

a bay leaf

2 t. minced fresh rosemary

1 t. dried basil, or 1 T. fresh basil, minced

salt and pepper to taste

curls of parmesan cheese to garnish
~

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, then toss in the onions and garlic and stir, with the heat on medium.

When the onions have softened, add the chicken stock or water, the broccoli rabe, the beans, and the lemon juice and herbs.

Cook on medium for approximately 20 minutes, stirring gently every so often.

Check for salt and pepper, and serve piping hot with the curls of parmesan.

Enjoy !

~

fritta di asparagi: asparagus frittata with parmesan

Are you one of those people who tends to try a new recipe, and then eat it for weeks? I'm on week two of celebrating asparagus season with this quick and tasty frittata. No, it's not really a quiche, since there's no milk or cream - and it's quite flat, compared to quiche, but I've gotten hooked on it. It's a wonderful brunch or breakfast dish, and you can brown bag it ( with an ice pack) for lunch or a picnic. Add a nice salad and some sweetsies or fruit, and you're all set!

*

To make:

*

3 extra large eggs

1 T. water

2 T. olive oil

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

4-5 spears of asparagus, tough ends removed, sliced diagonally in 1" pieces

1/2 t. basil, mint, oregano, or dill

*

Heat the olive oil in a heatproof skillet or omelet pan, swirling the oil around the sides of the pan.

Mix the eggs in a bowl with a fork, along with the water, herbs, salt and pepper, and parmesan.

Mix in the cut asparagus and pour into the hot skillet. Reduce heat to medium.

Turn on your broiler.

As the eggs cook, use a fork to gently pull the edges toward the center, and tip the pan so the inner egg mixture flows to the edges.

When the frittata looks firm and mostly cooked, take it off the burner and slide into the hot broiler. Keep your eye on it, and as soon as you see a tiny bit of browning, pull the pan out to cool.

Let sit for a minute, then run a dull knife around the edge of the frittata. Cut into 6 portions and serve. Serves 2 .

*

You might also enjoy Crustless spinach quiche with onion jam.

*

What I'm reading: How to Cook a Tart, ( which Tony Bourdain calls "gastro-porn")

Enjoy Spring!

not Julia's ratatouille

Summer is coming to a close - time to stack the wood , make peach preserves, and count the days until the Honey Crisp apple season opens. It's also time to celebrate ratatouille season, that delicious mixture of zucchini, garlic and eggplant, tomatoes and peppers, heavenly basil.

When my stepmother made ratatouille, it was similar to Julia's recipe; a tedious, oil soaked casserole of the same ingredients that truly repelled me. It was only when the "nouvelle" craze hit that I discovered a way to make a fresh, lively, and edible ratatouille.

*A note on eggplant. When I worked in a French restaurant, we routinely sliced the eggplants, salted them heavily in a strainer with kosher salt, and let them sit for 30 minutes, before washing and patting them dry. You can still do that, but I've found if you choose a very fresh, very firm eggplant, you can usually get away with just slicing and dicing it without that step. I admit, once I used an eggplant that turned out to be so bitter, I had to toss the whole batch of ratatouille. It's really your decision.

Rather than the hours the traditional recipe calls for, this recipe is done in about a half an hour.

To make:

3 T. olive oil

1 medium or large chopped onion

3 fat garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 large green pepper, chopped in a large dice

1 medium, firm, unpeeled eggplant, cut in a large dice

* you may salt and drain it first, see above

1 medium zucchini, cut in a large dice

about 1-2 cups canned plum tomatoes with juice, cut up. ( I also have used canned diced tomatoes with chiles, the 14.5 oz can)

3 T. or so of really good salsa ( I use Green Mountain Gringo from Vermont)

fresh or dried basil, oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan.

Add the onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes.

Add the peppers, eggplant, and zucchini and cook, covered, over medium heat for about 20 minutes.

Uncover and add the tomatoes, oregano, basil, and salt and pepper.

Turn heat to medium-low and let simmer for another 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through and tender.

Turn off heat and let the ratatouille sit for 20 minutes before serving.

Your taste buds will thank you!

juicy turkey burger with garlic, mint, and rosemary

Yes, I just said JUICY turkey burgers! These burgers came out loaded with the flavors of garlic, mint, rosemary, and parsley with a secret ingredient that insured you'd be biting into a juicy, dribble down your chin, burger. Olive oil made all the difference, in this wonderful recipe slightly adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen.

Her recipe included some spices I didn't have, like coriander and sweet paprika, so I minced up some rosemary along with the parsley and mint. While those spices are on my grocery list for the next shopping, this adaptation was fabulous. I was also able to make two fat, large burgers, along with a dozen "turkey meatballs" to simmer in broth for brown bagging lunches.

So do check out her recipe, which includes a yogurt sauce for dipping.

To make:

1 pound ground turkey

2 fat cloves of garlic, minced

3 T. minced parsley

2 T. minced fresh mint

2 T. minced rosemary ( or you can use fresh dill if you prefer)

1 1/2 t. ground cumin

3 T. olive oil

1 1/2 t. salt

freshly ground pepper

Mix ingredients together well. Form into 4 patties, or make two burgers and a dozen medium-sized turkey meatballs. Cook in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat until cooked through.

I served the burgers on sandwich flats with heirloom tomatoes.

Enjoy!

yellow pepper gazpacho on a hot day

It's blisteringly hot and humid in New Hampshire today , for the fourth day. I don't know about you, but I find it difficult to eat in this kind of weather - at least until it cools off a little in the evening, or after a nice long swim. Since I had no time to drive out to the lake, I've been wilting as the day goes on. But then I thought of making gazpacho, and an enticing thought it was; a nice blended vegetable soup, bright with yellow peppers, and refreshing with celery and cucumbers, nicely iced. Tomatoes, you say? Since I only had red tomatoes, I decided to skip them. I'm sure it's some kind of blasphemy to call it gazpacho, but there it is.

I also skipped garlic, just on a whim, thinking it might overpower the fresh subtle flavor of the cucumber and pepper. But if you want them, feel free to toss them in.

To make 2 large bowls or 4 small ones:

1 large yellow pepper, roasted and skinned, cut into small pieces ( about a cup full)

1 heaping cup of roughly chopped celery

1 1/2 cups seeded and peeled cucumber ( doesn't have to be English)

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1-2 T. fresh chopped Italian parsley

salt

1-2 T. virgin olive oil ( optional)

several drops of green Tabasco, or just put on the table

To roast the pepper, you can use an electric or gas grill, charring the skin all over, then tightly wrapping in a small paper bag. When cooled, rub off the charred spots, or trim with a knife. Take the core and seeds and membranes out before chopping.

Place all the chopped vegetables in the food processor, and process until smooth.

Add salt, and olive oil, as wished, and hot sauce, if desired. Chill well.

Serve in bowls, or for fun, in a martini glass.

Stay cool!

chunky broccoli soup with rosemary and dill flowers

I've been missing broccoli lately. The farmer's markets are loaded with so many glories of the season, especially berries and fruits, that greens have taken a back seat. Lots of swiss chard and my own homegrown kale, but broccoli has gone missing. So today I made a chunky broccoli soup, loaded with garlic, rosemary, and dill flowers - just what I was wanting for a light lunch. I also drifted through the garden, picking herbs and flowers for bouquets and garnishes. The bouquet above has a little of everything - I didn't even notice that the pea shoots had mature peapods until I made the bouquet! Good enough - I popped one in the first cup of soup and nibbled it as I dawdled over lunch.

This soup cooks up quickly and is meant to be served at room temperature, leaving you lots of time for naps and the Sunday paper.

To make enough for 3-4:

2 T. olive oil ( or half butter, half oil)

2 cloves garlic, minced

about 3-4 cups broccoli, chopped, stems separate

1 onion, chopped

2 cups chicken or veggie stock

2 T. fresh rosemary, picked off stem

1 T. fresh dill and dill flowers

salt

freshly cracked pepper

In pot, heat olive oil until hot.

Add the garlic and onions and turn down heat to medium.

Stir gently, then add the broccoli stems and cook 15 minutes.

Add the stock, broccoli florets, rosemary and dill.

Cook covered until the broccoli is just tender.

Using an immersion blender, blend soup a bit at a time, stopping when the soup has a thick, chunky texture.

Taste and add salt and pepper.

Serve with a smile and a daylily!

easter dinner and celery-tomato soup with tarragon

Whenever I'm having people over for a special meal, I think about color. And this Easter, I'm thinking whipped mashed potatoes with from-the-garden-chives, herb rubbed ham, the favorite "fluffy" green salad, asparagus, and the Easter cake: carrot cake with cream cheese and lemon frosting ( lots of frosting!) with handmade marzipan carrots that we plunk into the thick frosting at the last minute. White, pinkish, green, white and burnt orange ( that would be the cake). So I'm thinking this vibrant red soup, loaded with herbs and simmered celery pieces, would be a perfect starter. Served with flour rolls, it should look very pretty.

And, as always, I have a backup recipe - for Baked Grape Tomatoes with cornbread crumbs at Karina's Kitchen that have the same vibrant color and sound really, really good.

If you think of textures, this soup is a wonderful balance between thick chunks of celery and a tomato-herb broth. If I made, say - a smooth leek and potato soup, it wouldn't be as interesting, even with a sprinkle of green chives on top. So Celery Soup it will be.

To make:

2 T. olive oil

3 stalks of celery, sliced into 1 inch pieces

1 large onion, roughly chopped into largeish pieces

2 cups grated carrots ( I use a grater on my Kitchenaid mixer, but you can use the large holes on a hand held grater)

1 28 oz can of plum tomatoes in juice, cut up into medium pieces

1 28 oz can of chicken or vegetable stock - I use the tomato can to measure

1/2 t. basil

1/2 t. thyme

1/2 t. oregano

2 t. dried tarragon

salt to taste and freshly cracked pepper

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot. Add the carrots, celery chunks, and onions and stir on law for a few minutes. Cover and braise for 15 minutes.

Uncover the pot and add the tomatoes, the juice from the tomatoes, the stock, and herbs.

Simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes, checking the pot once in a while. If it needs a little more liquid, add some water.

Make sure the vegetables are soft, and taste before serving, adding pepper and salt as needed.

Serve with Portuguese Flour rolls, or just some curls of parmesan.

This serves 4.

Enjoy and have a wonderful Easter!

the humble egg

I am completely in love with eggs. Their shapes are so pleasing, so organic, so....Brancusi. And you can feast on everything from stuffed omelets to souffles, from chocolate mousse to these little hors d'oeuvres. They're inexpensive - even the best cage free, organic eggs run under $4. This is my favorite way to serve them fancied up.

In a saucepan, place however many eggs you need and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat a little, so the eggs aren't being overly boiled, which will produce a green rim around the yolk. Set timer for ten minutes.

Drain eggs and place back in saucepan. Cover with cold water, drain, cover again with cold water, and let sit for ten minutes. This insures the egg peels easily. If your eggs are under two days old, forget about hard boiling - it never works.

Slice off a tiny sliver of egg from the pointy end. This will enable the egg to sit on a plate without falling over . Cut a small slice from the larger end, and there will be your very pretty yolk. Pipe a little wasabi paste on the yolk, and top with a fern of fresh dill.

You can do lots of beautiful color combinations, too - from diced tomatoes to black or red caviar, from chopped herbs to chiles, minced olives - the list goes on. Have fun!

Featured on TasteSpotting!

chard and artichoke soup

I came around to chard a few years ago, mostly because of my friend Susan, of Farmgirl Fare, who posted gorgeous pictures of her Missouri grown chard - deep green, and obviously delicious.

She had recipes, too - chard salads that you could almost taste through the computer - and a particular one that always appealed to me: Chard and Artichoke Soup.

So last night I finally made it! It's an unusual combination - chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and chard, simmered together and pureed - and it is good! Best of all, you usually have most of the ingredients on hand in the pantry, so all you need is the fresh chard. I served it with the sweet potato sticks I love so much, and it was a lovely combination. As usual, I added in some herbs and spices that weren't included, but kept (mostly) to the recipe she posted.

To make:

3 T. olive oil

2 onions, peeled and sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts in water, drained and rinsed

1 15 ounce can chickpeas ( garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

about 2 cups Swiss chard stems, chopped

about 3 cups Swiss chard greens, chopped

about 2-3 cups chicken stock

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1. t oregano

dash of hot pepper flakes

1 T. fresh rosemary, chopped

1/3 cup chopped parsley

pepper and salt to your taste

Heat the oil in a large pot on medium, and add the onions and chard stems. Stir well and lower heat a little, then cover and cook about 15 minutes, covered.

Uncover the pot, stir, and add the garlic, stirring well. Add the artichoke hearts, the chickpeas, chicken stock, herbs and spices, Worcestershire sauce, and Swiss chard leaves. Bring up to a boil, then turn down to simmer for about 30 minutes, with the pot covered.

Puree with an immersion blender ( or a regular blender), and taste carefully before serving.

If the soup is too thick, add small amounts of water until the texture pleases you. I did find the next day the soup had thickened, so I just added a little more chicken stock to thin it out.

Enjoy!