Small Plates

BLUEBERRY LIME JAM I first tried this when the lovely Molly made it for us for a Christmas gift. The lime makes it just different enough – it’s great on toast or scones or even with chicken or pork. To make 2 ½ to 3 pints, you’ll need: 4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen 1…

CLASSIC CHEESE SOUFFLE This recipe is adapted from the great Julia Child and I think it’s the epitome of cheesy goodness. To serve 4-6 as a main, you’ll need: 2 Tb. finely grated Parmesan cheese 1 C. whole milk, warmed to steaming 2 ½ Tb. butter 3 Tb. flour ½ tsp. paprika ½ tsp. salt…

COLD SPAGHETTI SALAD – Marcella Hazan Forget everything you’ve ever read or thought about pasta salad – this one, adapted from the inimitable Marcelle Hazan, does it perfectly. For 4 to 6 you’ll need: 1 Lb. thin spaghetti pasta ¼ C. olive oil plus 2 Tb. 1 dozen Greek olives, pitted 6 to 8 flat…

DECADENT DELICIOUS EGGS This is rich, gooey, and a great way to use up leftover hard boiled eggs. Serve with some good dark toast and be prepared to take a walk later; it’s worth it! To serve 4, you’ll need to preheat your oven to 350, and then assemble: 6 hardboiled eggs, halved lengthwise 1…

EASY THAI PEANUT SAUCE This is a fine sauce to have on hand; it can take sautéed vegetables and a little protein and rice to a whole new place. For about 2 cups, you’ll need: ½ C. natural peanut butter 2 whole jalapenos, seeded and chopped (leave in some seeds if you like it hot)…

EGG FRITTERS (Pisci d’Ovu) This is another Italian classic from the queen, Marcella Hazan. These are magic puffs of goodness and are a fabulous appetizer. For 6 servings, you’ll need: 4 eggs 2 Tb. freshly grated parmesan ½ tsp. garlic, finely chopped ½ C. unflavored dry breadcrumbs Salt and pepper Vegetable oil, enough to come…

GREEK STYLE QUINOA Quinoa is a great grain to have around; it’s the only plant source of complete protein so is perfect for vegetarian and vegan dishes. This salad can be changed up depending on who’s coming over, and can be an entrée as well. To serve 8, you’ll need: 1 ½ C. quinoa 2…

HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE Once you make this a couple times you’ll find that mayo is fun! I love that with a little change in the acid or the oil you can have tons of variations. To make approx. 1 cup, you’ll need: 1 egg yolk, room temp 1 ½ tsp. fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. white…

LUSCIOUS LENTIL STEW Lentils are a great pantry staple; they can be made into all kinds of dishes and unlike other legumes cook in about half an hour. For this get the good old dependable greeny-brown lentils; the orange, red, or black ones tend to get mooshy. For 4, you’ll need: Olive oil for sautéing…