For the savory-all-the-way people (like myself).
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A springtime variation of the world's easiest side dish.
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Some of my favorite foods are those extremely divisive ones: olives, pickled anything, sauerkraut, radicchio, capers, red onions, pungent blue cheese and its drier/sharper counterparts. I could actually devour any of the aforementioned things by the bowlful, especially olives. This brings me to a tangential point which is that Jon recently told me, after my proclamation of loving Campari, that a fondness and preference for bitter foods is "a robust predictor for Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism and everyday sadism." (How weird/interesting is that?!) Never having fancied myself a Machiavellian, I'm choosing to ignore this study and continue on with my eating habits...
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Remember how I said I'm already in full on spring mode? Case in point.
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Mushrooms are a somewhat nostalgic flavor and memory-inducing thing for me...
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Remember the no-calorie game that I talked about here? There are days when meatball subs would make it on my list. Because there’s no substitute, and when they’re good, they’re unapologetically good. Just the other night, eating at a local favorite called Rocco (restaurant review to come, someday), we had meatballs as an appetizer (meatballs are a suitable appetizer when you are an actual bottomless pit like we are), and they’re my favorite meatballs ever. Perfect sauce, perfect meat wads, and they’re served on top of a thick piece of charred bread that’s covered in sauce. It’s actually heaven. And in the heat of the moment, I went so far as to say they might be my death row meal. Are you familiar?—my last meal on earth, should I ever be on death row and get to choose the very last meal I’d ever eat. This spurred an ongoing craving for meatballs/meatball subs/spaghetti and meatballs that hasn’t left me yet. This, combined with my love of appetizers and bite-sized morsels and finger foods, and the upcoming Super Bowl where these types of foods are expected, and these meatball sub-inspired crostini came to be.
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Kale is at it again. The dark leafy green has taken over my salads and my dinner sides. I’ve been tossing it raw in olive oil, I’ve been sauteeing it, and I’ve been making a gratin out of it—which just means baking it with a breadcrumb and parmesan cheese topping. Here’s why I love it: it retains texture even after it’s been cooked, unlike spinach which tends to become soft and mushy (a characteristic that works in some dishes when you don’t want to detect its texture, but not for greens and beans). For garlicy, oniony greens and beans, I want the stems to have a little crunch and the leaves to still be whole and leafy.
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Sometimes simple is just the best, and sometimes healthy and light is what your body is craving (a weekend full of burgers and eggs Benedict and Indian takeout and wine and cocktails helps get you and your skinny jeans there real quick). Ina Garten’s celery salad is truly the answer, and every time I make it I’m amazed at how flavorful and refreshing it is. I had never thought of celery as an ingredient to shine in a dish (I usually eat it smothered in blue cheese—#health—or chopped up in soup), but the citrusy dressing and salty parmesan turn it into something wholly different and I am all about it. This salad is the perfect light side dish to chicken or grilled fish for dinner, and it makes a great lunch salad as well.
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