seasonal, modern, exuberant
It’s not easy to make whole grains taste light, or look sophisticated. Yet, they’re so satisfying – not to mention, good for us – that it’s certainly worth giving it a try.
As far as whole grains go, farro has been stealing the spotlight lately. Mostly grown in Italy, farro actually refers to several kinds of wheat – including emmer, einkorn and spelt – which have been cultivated in Europe since ancient times.
Some of my best recipes are born out of necessity. Today’s recipe is a perfect example.
A few weeks ago, on an unnaturally warm late-winter day, I decided to poke around my vegetable garden. I hadn’t done so since last December when temperatures had started to dip into the deep-freeze zone.
To my astonishment, I noticed that the carrots I’d never had time to harvest before the ground froze were growing new tops! I gingerly pulled on one and a huge carrot came out of the ground. I pulled on another and the same thing happened. This was nothing short of a miracle. My Danvers carrots had survived an entire winter, and were still growing!
I harvested over 5 pounds of carrots that day and they turned out to be incredibly sweet, snappy – and juicy, even.
As I looked through my repertoire of recipes, none seemed to do justice to these beauties. I wanted to make a dish that brought out their deliciousness to the max. Braising them, I thought, would do just that.
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To me, the almond is the queen of nuts. Almonds are refined, not too fatty and extremely nutritious – and they have a delicate aroma that’s a great complement to so many foods.
Today’s cake is a celebration of this succulent kernel; every spoonful is filled with the wonderful texture of ground almonds and the exquisite flavor of almond essence.
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Peppers come in all shapes, sizes, colors and flavors. They are truly some of Mother Nature’s most succulent little gifts. Piquillo peppers prove the point to perfection!
These lipstick-red Spanish peppers are a specialty of Lodosa, in northern Spain. They’re harvested at their peak, then fire-roasted, hand-peeled and jarred in their own juices. All of this hard work yields peppers that are delightfully tangy and sweet, with a mellow smokiness to them.
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This classic Spanish omelet is a recipe that deserves a place in any cook’s repertoire.
The caramelized onion is utterly delicious, making a beautiful contrast with the richness of the eggs – while the vibrant spinach lightens the whole dish and the sautéed pine nuts contribute their luxurious nuttiness.
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