Tian of Tomatoes and Summer Squash with Basil and Mint

Recently at my local farmers’ market, I was selecting tomatoes when the farmer whispered to me. “Better buy plenty because they’re not going to be around too much longer!”  I didn’t want to hear these words. I was hoping that the luscious red orbs that have been exceptionally sweet this season would last forever, but it was September, and I knew he was right.

I bought a bunch along with that some zucchini and yellow squash to make a Provencal dish I had been working on for the new book I am writing, Sunday Casseroles (it’s due in 2014). I’ve just started to create the recipes for this collection, and am happy to share one here. Continue reading

Potato Salad with Chorizo and Chives

This potato salad is a new and delicious twist on tradition. Small red skin potatoes, boiled in their skins, then quartered, and chopped hard-boiled eggs form the base, and are accented by bits of chorizo, a smoked Spanish sausage available in many supermarkets. It is the chorizo with its subtle smokiness that makes this potato salad so distinctive. These three ingredients are tossed together in a mustard and shallot vinaigrette, then sprinkled with snipped chives. Continue reading

Orzo with Peas, Mint, and Parmesan

Brimming with color and bursting with flavor, this recipe for buttered orzo tossed with peas, fresh mint, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese makes a delectable spring side dish. Try it as a partner to roasted salmon or chicken, or with grilled lamb chops or sautéed scallops. This recipe works well with frozen peas, but if fresh ones are available, definitely use them. They will need 3 to 4 minutes cooking time while the frozen ones will require only a couple of minutes. Continue reading

Warm Roasted Vegetable Salad

This versatile salad, which looks quite distinctive, but is simple to assemble, can be used as a starter or a side. You can vary the vegetables, but make certain that you coordinate the roasting times of your produce accordingly.For this version sliced carrots, white turnip wedges, and quartered baby Yukons are roasted for half an hour, while sugar snaps and green onions need only about 10 minutes. The vinaigrette dressing can be whisked together and the vegetables roasted several hours ahead so there’s no last minute prep. Continue reading

Roasted Red Onion and White Cheddar Tart

Ever since I’ve been a food writer (for several decades now), I’ve kept a file of recipes that serve as inspiration for my own creations. The folder is filled with newspaper and magazine clippings, and with hand-written or copied recipes friends have shared.

Several weeks ago I spotted a recipe in this cache for a gratin of red onions. Cooked slowly in the oven with garlic, thyme, and white wine, they were then covered with crème fraîche and cheese. The concept of this dish became the starting point for the roasted red onion tart featured here. Continue reading

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, and Leeks

Okay, you’ve eaten way more than you planned during the holidays, but who could resist all those homemade sweets, and who wants to think about diets when Christmas and New Year’s feasts are set in front of you!

It’s now January, though—that month in which everyone makes a resolution to be kind to their bodies by shedding a few pounds and eating better. So, here’s a recipe to get you started. Brussels sprouts, carrots, and leeks are coated with some olive oil and then roasted until just slightly browned and tender. A small addition of diced pancetta provides a robust and indulgent accent. Continue reading

Corn, Leek, and Chorizo Gratin

Here’s a great side dish to use some of that ubiquitous corn which as the lyrics go is “as high as an elephant’s eye” at this time of year. Diced chorizo, the slightly spicy Spanish sausage, fresh corn kernels, and chopped leeks are sautéed, then combined with eggs, half and half, and sour cream. Grated Gruyère and fresh chopped parsley provide more flavor. When baked, the gratin boasts a golden crust that covers a creamy custard mosaically studded with bits of sausage, corn, and leeks. This dish would make a fine garnish to barbecued chicken, grilled steaks, or sautéed pork chops.

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Easy Ratatouille with Roasted Fish

Is there a more quintessential summer dish than ratatouille? This Provencal mélange is prepared with a medley of the season’s most colorful and omnipresent produce. Last week I easily found everything needed for this dish at my local farmers’ market. Dark shiny eggplants, zucchini and bell peppers picked just that morning, tomatoes that were deep crimson inside and out, and bunches of fragrant basil all found their way into my straw basket. Continue reading