Halibut en papillote

En papillote is a French term for "in parchment," which refers to one of my favorite cooking methods, especially for fish.

FoodThe PasticheApril 18, 2016fish, halibut, parchment, en papillote, dinner, spring, summer, pesto, healthy, light Comments

Vanilla bean panna cotta with raspberry coulis

The eighth wonder of the world could most assuredly be why panna cotta isn’t the most popular non-chocolate dessert being celebrated by people everywhere.

FoodThe PasticheApril 12, 2016sweets, dessert, raspberry, raspberries, pudding, vanilla, easy, make-ahead, cream Comments

Puff pastry pizza with spring asparagus and peas

Remember how I said I'm already in full on spring mode? Case in point.

FoodThe PasticheApril 6, 2016puff pastry, pizza, dinner, appetizers, pesto, asparagus, spring, cheese, parmesan, mozzarella Comments

Five easy salad dressings

Something I never, ever buy anymore is salad dressing. It is way too easy to make a million (better) varieties on the fly at home. All you need is a few pantry ingredients on hand, and little mason jars for optimal ease and convenience, and these dressings are simple to whip up ahead of time for weekday lunches or dinners.

FoodThe PasticheApril 5, 2016salad, all-purpose dressing, salad dressing, DIY, make-ahead, lunch Comments

Caprese wheat berries

For a minute there, I was convinced that winter was behind us and spring was here. And the way my brain works, it may as well be summer...

FoodThe PasticheApril 4, 2016salad, lunch, make-ahead, caprese, cherry tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, cheese, wheat berries, arugula, healthy, light, potluck, barbecue, summer, spring, sidesComment

Chocolate pots de creme

One of the more admittedly alien things about me is that I do not care about chocolate. I was raised on Christmas stockings full of Sour Patch Kids and Lemon Heads, 'pig-out parties' with my Grandma devouring Twizzlers and Starburst, and meandering trips down the bulk candy aisle before long car rides...

FoodThe PasticheMarch 29, 2016dessert, chocolate, pot de creme, cream, make-ahead, easy, no bake, party, sweets Comments

Coconut curry stir fry with rice noodles

Coconut milk and red curry is, hands down, one of the most divine combinations on all of planet earth. Absolute no-brainer. And although it's unbeatable from an authentic Thai place, it's such a tasty thing to make at home for dinner or in advance for weekday lunches with whatever vegetables/proteins you have in your fridge. I especially love it because once you have purchased a couple of the pantry staples, the rest can really be improvised.

FoodThe PasticheMarch 23, 2016Asian, stir fry, coconut milk, vegetables, noodles, dinner, lunch, make-ahead Comments

Mexican corn salad

On Friday night, I threw a Mexican themed birthday party for Ellie. Although there are many more pictures to come in a later post, I thought I'd kick off the week with one of my favorite recipes from the night. It sort of doubles as a salad and a salsa—it's as good eaten with a spoon as it is on chips. But really what's not good on a chip doe?

FoodThe PasticheMarch 21, 2016sides, lunch, dinner, spring, summer, Mexican, street corn, sweet corn, corn, salad, make-ahead Comments

Scantily clad carrot cake

Although deemed "naked" by today's cake-naming guidelines, this cake still has plenty of cream cheese frosting among its layers, enough to make up for all that's been lost. It therefore feels wrong and deceiving to call it naked, hence its new, more fitting name.

Popovers with strawberry butter

Popovers are some kind of miracle. They’re what you might get if you crossed a pancake with a crescent roll, as strange as that sounds, but a better version of either, with crispy edges and a chewier texture. They’re an unfair version of “bread” with your meal because you won’t want to eat anything else on the table. And because of their otherworldly hybrid characteristics, they work just as well savory as they do sweet. I’ve made a gruyere version and I’ve made them with Parmesan and herbs, but I couldn’t help thinking how delicious these would be at brunch (Easter?!) with strawberry butter for sweeter vibes.

FoodThe PasticheMarch 9, 2016bread, rolls, popovers, butter, strawberry butter, brunch, holidays, sides, spring, summer, fall, winter Comments

Quick Moroccan tomatoes and chickpeas

This is a simple, easy lunch that comes together very quickly with only a few ingredients. It's nothing fancy or complex, but with the right spice blend, it becomes a great lunch standby. I almost always have everything on hand, which is probably how this dish (and a few variations on it) came into being. All it takes is canned tomatoes and chickpeas as a base, with add-ins such as garlic, spices, spinach, kale, sharp cheese, parsley or other herbs, or topped with a fried or poached egg. It's always delicious, but also healthy and filling.

FoodThe PasticheMarch 7, 2016Moroccan, chickpeas, tomatoes, curry, lunch, make-ahead, healthy, easy, light, vegetarianComment

Mulligatawny soup

Please don't be scared away by the strange name that immediately goes to the same vault in my brain as "split pea soup" and "shepherd's pie" for some reason (even though none are anything alike—there's just so much in a name that has held a certain connotation for everyone since childhood). This soup is rich, decadent, and just delightful—you might never want regular old chicken soup ever again...

FoodThe PasticheMarch 4, 2016mulligatawny soup, soup, curry, lunch, dinner, spring, winter, chicken, chicken thighs, make-aheadComment

Chicken, tomato, and mozz melt with basil-arugula pesto

Sometimes, you have to just let a picture speak its thousand words without adding your own thousand words below it. I think that's how I feel here. This sandwich is so, so right. Just look at it.

FoodThe PasticheFebruary 29, 2016pesto, ciabatta, sandwiches, tomatoes, mozzarella, lunch, dinner, spring, summer, chickenComment

The best Bloody Mary bar

In my tiny corner of the world, there’s not much better than a great Bloody Mary. And don’t get me wrong, I love the taste of one, but even more so, I love the Bloody Mary environment and culture, if you will (does that statement make me sound uncultured?).

The hours-long brunch with nothing else to do and nowhere else to be. The long pause and “hmmmmm” and “sure, why not” to the waitress when she sees that your glass is getting low. There’s just nothing else like it—a boozy brunch with friends or lovers or, hell, strangers even.

Italian stuffed mini peppers with Gorgonzola and caramelized onions

Do you have anxiety about your appetizer being chosen last from a table of options? I feel you. I really do...

FoodThe PasticheFebruary 24, 2016appetizers, peppers, sweet peppers, mini peppers, gorgonzola, cheese, stuffed peppers, Italian sausage, sausage, basil, caramelized onionsComment

Loaded broccoli salad

I’ve been back at it with make-ahead lunches after a few weeks (months?) of buying lunch on the go most days...

FoodThe PasticheFebruary 22, 2016broccoli, salad, lunch, sides, spring, summer, sesame, make-ahead Comments

Sunny side papas bravas

When you love food and you love to travel, you get all kinds of inspired when the two are combined; and if you're doing it right, the two come hand in hand. You can't possibly visit a new place or new culture without indulging in the food there, especially if the place is known for something. Enter Mexico: land of the best tacos, pico de gallo, limes, fresh fish, and ceviche, just to name the first few things that come to mind.

FoodThe PasticheFebruary 17, 2016brunch, eggs, potatoes, fingerling potatoes, papas bravas, Mexican, fried egg, breakfast, lime, sidesComment

Spicy lentil soup with Italian sausage

Things I always (weirdly) have in my cupboard: chickpeas, 14 different kinds of rice, sweetened condensed milk, and lentils. This is a result of those grocery shopping trips in which I wander down each and every aisle and robotically throw things in my cart. My thought process is something like, "Think about those times you've wanted to bake something without leaving your house and the one thing you need is sweetened condensed milk." (Has that ever even happened??) And then there are all the recipes I've made that have called for various kinds of rice—jasmine, long-grain, arborio, the list goes on. And since it seems like 1 grain of rice uncooked magically turns into 35 grains when it's cooked….my supplies are never ever depleted. My digression is leading me to a discussion of lentils.