Category Archives: Recipes by Season

Mississippi Caviar with Black-Eyed Peas & Cider Vinaigrette

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I learned about Mississippi caviar, in which black-eyed peas stand in for fish roe, when I lived in the South. Sometimes it’s called Texas caviar, but I’ll leave it to those states to duke it out for naming rights. This zesty, summery side dish comes together in a flash when you use steamed, ready-to-eat blacked-eyed peas, and I’ve added precooked brown rice to introduce a little whole grain to the mix. You can use other beans or legumes, or even canned beans, in place of the peas. Mississippi caviar works as a light supper or as a side dish with grilled fare. Leftovers are even tastier, since the flavors continue to develop with time.

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Barbecued Beef Brisket

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Beef brisket is a tough cut that lends itself to slowly smoking on the barbecue. Soaking the hardwood is crucial for successful barbecue. As you may have learned while camping, wet wood produces lots of smoke–bad for camp-outs but just what you want for barbecue. For beef brisket and other relatively lean cuts, basting is necessary to keep the meat moist; any kind of high-quality beer will work well in this recipe. Hardwood chunks are ideal, since they burn slowly and produce gentle, consistent smoke.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:108]

Roasted Tomatillo and Chile Sauce

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I first encountered this chile verde sauce at a remote resort in the Copper Canyon. It’s simple, but deceptively flavorful. Use it as a rustic salsa or as a sauce spooned over grilled chicken.

roasted-tomatillo-chile-sauce-recipe1 pound tomatillos, husks removed
1/2 pound peppers and chiles, a mix of poblano, jalapeno, etc.
1/2 large onion
3 cloves garlic, peeled
sea salt
juice of 1 lime

Heat a comal or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Roast tomatillos, peppers, onion and garlic until semi-charred and softened, turning often, about 10 minutes.

Roughly chop vegetables and transfer to a large mortar and pestle. Sprinkle with salt and pound to a rough paste. Stir in lime juice.

Serves 8

Spring Soupe au Pistou

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Pistou is the Provencal cousin of Italian pesto (difference: the French version doesn’t include pine nuts), and it’s used as a condiment as well as in a soup that bears its name. This spring rendition of the typically summery soup adds a touch of fresh mint to the traditional basil in the pistou (just enough basil to “borrow” from your new seedlings), and substitutes leeks for onions and sugar snap peas for haricots verts in the soup itself. As spring turns to summer, adapt the recipe to use whatever produce is available. Add zucchini or other summer squash. Trade the snap peas for green beans, use fresh shell beans instead of canned, and swap canned tomatoes for peeled, seeded summer-fresh tomatoes (you’ll need 1 1/2 cups). Serve with grilled bread.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:88]

 

Sauteed Radishes with Mint

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You may know–and love–radishes in their raw state. But they’re lovely in this delicious side dish, too. Butter adds a bit of richness to this otherwise simple dish. Browning the butter takes it a step further to add a nutty note, enlivened on the other end by the mint.

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Flash-Roasted Carrot Sticks with Cumin-Carrot Yogurt Sauce

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Roasted carrots are a dinnertime staple, but this recipe spins them as more-ish finger-food appetizer or snack. The inherent sweetness of garden-fresh carrots is heightened by honey in this dish, and given a spicy kick from cayenne. Make the dip as spicy as you like with a little or a lot.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:152]

Colcannon Soup with Oven-Roasted Kale

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This soup is inspired by colcannon, a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale. Buttery Yukon golds are medium-starch potatoes, which makes them particularly versatile. You could use russets or fingerlings instead. Leeks, too, have a wonderfully complex flavor and are a traditional component in colcannon. If you can’t find them, sub two yellow onions in the recipe. Yellow onions have more intricate flavor than white onions (and they tend to be cheaper). Roasting the kale enhances its flavor and yields a crunchy texture that makes it a pretty garnish for the soup. Use any variety of kale you find, from curly to dinosaur (also known as lacinato).

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Garlic Parsnip Fries

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Let the parsnip stand in for the potato in these healthy oven fries. Parsnips have an earthy sweetness, making them an interesting alternative to same-old, same-old spud fries. These, with sliced garlic and Parmesan, are downright addictive.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:205]

Blood Orange Granita

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A granita is a light, simple, refreshing iced treat that doesn’t require an ice cream maker. Stirring the mixture periodically as it freezes gives the granita its characteristic fluffy, granular texture. Blood oranges are in season right now; they have a wonderful ruby flesh and pleasant sweet-tart juice. You can substitute regular fresh orange juice or tangerine juice. This three-ingredient dessert has an added benefit: One serving provides more than 100 percent of your vitamin C needs for the day.

blood-orange-granita-recipe2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups fresh blood orange juice (about 12 blood oranges)

Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in juice. Pour mixture into an 8-inch square dish. Freeze 4 hours or until frozen, stirring with a fork every 30 minutes. Scrape surface of granita with a fork before serving.

Serves 8

By Alison Ashton