It’s chilled summer soup time! Gazpacho, Vichyssoise and Borscht are the most common. And for that reason, summer soups can be polarizing. Sad. Instead, try chilled zucchini soup. Cool, light, healthy and so, so refreshing. Happy!
Challenge accepted! We all have favorite go-to recipes that we stick with because they are either foolproof or we love them. But could any of my grandmother’s three dozen coffee cake recipes unseat my current favorite recipe of several years?
What’s in a name? And what’s in the meaning of the name? Think of meatballs. Dense, heavy, satisfying? Maybe. But what if you used a mild whitefish instead? But let’s not call it a “meatball,” ok? Because that just doesn’t sound as light, lemony and tender as they actually are.
My grandmother just celebrated her 100th birthday! My favorite cookie of hers? Potato chip. Potato chips in a cookie? What?! She was ahead of her time. And still is.
Pickled cucumbers don’t have to be your plain old dills. Far from it. Make these and you’ll never have (or want!) to buy another jar again.
Panna cotta: It’s easy to make, it can be made ahead, and is a good alternative for a cold dessert. This version leaves a haunting flavor with fresh bay leaves and the sweet/savory intrigue of a strawberry-balsamic-black pepper combination.
It’s warm weather cocktail time! Have you met my friend, Hugo? He has a refreshingly light and easy-going personality with mint for cooling freshness, lime for a little “zing!” and elderflower for a subtle floral touch. Some would even say he’s downright sparkly! I think you’re going to like him, too.
Shifting into burger season, I’m reminded of the Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Trouble with Harry. As it turned out, the trouble with Harry was that he was dead. Burgers, especially turkey burgers, are often dead on arrival because they are often dry and flavorless. I won’t let that happen to you, I promise.
About six years ago, I had olive oil cake at an Italian trattoria for the first time. It was love at first bite. The concept featuring olive oil in a dessert fascinated me. I’ve honed my own version of a Mediterranean-style olive oil cake with simple ingredients, and simple techniques. Learn how!
Preserved lemons are easy to make and add a complex flavor to many Moroccan and Middle Eastern dishes. They are lemony, but so much deeper in flavor in ways that only fermentation and preservation can achieve. It’s lemon umami, and you can make your own!
Greg Nelson Cooks 