Spring produce just keeps appearing at the farmers market. I really don’t think I can turn down fresh asparagus. Roasted Asparagus with Feta & Hazelnuts is a new taste I have savored this season.
Chinese Corn Soup
Soup, the perfect meal anytime. This corn soup is both beautiful and simple to prepare. Great for lunch or a light evening meal served with a salad and a glass of white wine. Chinese Corn Soup–everyday beauty all around us right here in our kitchens. Continue reading Chinese Corn Soup
Coffee-Cream Crunch Tiramisu
From my curated Bijouxs Little Jewels recipe collection comes this Coffee-Cream Crunch Tiramisu. I have had the recipe in my file since I found it (1980’s? 1990’s?) A wonderful ‘cake’ constructed with ladyfingers, coffee buttercream and lavishly coated with toasted hazelnuts, a little jewel from the Collection.
BIJOUXS RECIPE COLLECTION
Yes, there really is a Bijouxs Recipe Collection. Housed in a file box and binders containing recipes collected since I was 16 years old. Wow. I am so happy that I began the collection long ago. Nothing digital in those days, I resorted to ‘tear sheets’ from magazines, all filed by recipe category. Going through the file, each recipe takes me back to the time I collected it. Many recipes I have made, but there are hundreds I still hope to try. Most were collected from the top food and design magazines of the days, such as House & Garden, Saveur, Gourmet, W Magazine and other publications. My work as a designer led me to create Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen, photographing and sharing beautiful recipes for the home cook.
COFFEE-CREAM CRUNCH TIRAMISU
The history of this recipe goes way back, so far I don’t recall the exact date, but I can visualize the photos and recipes. I found the recipe clipped and pasted on a card in the file, thank goodness I did. This has been a go-to quick dessert. You can find ladyfingers at most supermarkets, which make this a cinch. The recipe is close to tiramisu, but not really. The ladyfingers are dipped in sweetened coffee, but the mascarpone cream is swapped out for a rich coffee buttercream. The toasted hazelnuts really add the texture. A friend suggested the nuts be chopped a little finer, that is your call. The original recipe was coated with rough chop hazelnuts, like my version pictured. Simple purchased ingredients, no baking, and make-ahead option make this a favorite dessert, right behind this cake.
450 RECIPES
Hard to believe but this recipe marks number 450! Crazy how fast the time has gone. I am very proud of keeping Bijouxs real. Real food prepared and photographed without all the styling. Keeping it real for over 10 years. I know there are now SOOOO many food blogs and recipes online. Thank you to those who have stayed with me and purchased my cookbooks. I hope that the recipes bring joy and beauty to the home cook.
Risi e bisi (Rice with Peas)
“The peas are green! Spring has begun! Long live Venice!” The April 25th Venice tradition is for the Doge (the Chief Magistrate) to taste a spoonful of the city’s most famous dish, Risi e bisi, in public to annunciate the start the Feast of Saint Mark. Risi e bisi (Rice with Peas) marks the start of spring – join Bijouxs in celebrating this little jewel of dish. Continue reading Risi e bisi (Rice with Peas)
Victory Garden Salad
Yes, small victories count. Planting a small crop of lettuce provides salads for weeks, then sow more seeds and voila, lettuce appears. The simple Mesclun mixed variety is my favorite and produced this simply beautiful Victory Garden Salad a little jewel from the garden.
VICTORY GARDEN SALAD
Celebrate, a small victory in my garden. As always, starting with the freshest most healthy ingredients are keys to a great salad. Now, residing in a tiny cottage in the central coast, life has changed. No more sprawling garden, space in my yard is a premium. I have three small areas to grow my garden favorites. Since space is so limited I have narrowed it down to a few of my favorites. First on my list is growing lettuce for salads, from which I create a multitude of dishes, much more than just salads. For years I have been growing mesclun greens mix.
GROWING MESCLUN
Mesclun is a Provençal word that describes a mix of tender salad greens and many times includes herbs. The name comes from “mesclular” which is a mixture, which describes this mix of lettuce, also sold as spring mix. It is frequently served in restaurants and widely available in the supermarkets. However, growing your own lettuce is easy and very rewarding. When you feel like a salad just go out and clip some fresh greens, no waste and many of varieties are “cut and come again” meaning if you clip the leaves more new leaves appear. Almost anyone can have a small victory garden, you can grow this lettuce in a 12”inch pot, perfect for apartment dwellers. A volunteer nasturtium joined the party.
MESUCLUN SALAD
Spring mix greens are in every store now. They are very tender and must be handled with care. Also, they tend to have a short life in the refrigerator, another reason to grow your own greens. In looking for a salad recipe the first chef to really feature these greens was Alice Waters, from her I take my lead.
Gently wash greens and place in a salad spinner then roll them loosely in a clean kitchen towel and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use. They are best used the same day, but can usually survive overnight, but not much longer.
My favorite dressing is French, made directly in a wooden salad bowl, then topped with the greens and brought to the table, ready to toss and serve. This dressing is my everyday dressing, my go-to in the kitchen. This real French dressing is simply made by place a small clove of garlic in a wooden salad bowl, with a pinch of salt and pepper and mashed into a paste using a wooden spoon. Dijon, red wine vinegar are added and mixed, then olive oil is whisked by hand until the dressing comes together. Voila, a perfect salad.
Grown your own Victory Garden Salad. Stay well.
