There’s been some major seasonal produce/farmers’ market fetishism (of which I’m also an eager participant) during the past few years, so vegetables can seem played out. That’s partly why so much meat appears on this blog, but produce was actually my first love. Nigel Slater’s outstanding cookbook, Tender, got me back in touch with my roots.

The book is organized by vegetable and written from the perspective of a gardener. Yet Slater doesn’t shy away from the use of bacon, prosciutto, and artisan cheeses. He understands that these ingredients bring out the best in seasonal produce. I particularly enjoyed his recipe for celery root remoulade— crumbling crisp bacon over the top really dialed this French bistro classic up a notch.

The book is inspiration for dishes that will clean out the fridge or the pantry. The recipes are more like guidelines and come together quickly for weeknight dinners.  They’re adaptable for anyone with cooking intuition, as you can can easily swap out different vegetables for whatever you have on hand. Some of the ingredient combinations are unexpected like the Creamy Baked Brussels Sprouts with Stilton. I collected some bits of Stichelton from my fridge, swapped out the sprouts for kale, and one friend who was scared of blue cheese actually loved the dish.

These carrot fritters are another example of a quick satisfying meal, and you’ll probably find most of the ingredients in your kitchen already.

Carrot and Cilantro Fritters

Ingredients

• 11 ounces carrots
• a medium onion
• a clove of garlic, crushed
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons grated cheese, such as a good strong Cheddar
• cilantro leaves- a handful, coarsely chopped
• all-purpose flour- a heaping tablespoon
• olive oil for shallow frying

Scrub the carrots and push them through a food processor fitted with a grater attachment. If you prefer, grate them by hand using the coarse side of the grater. Either way, you are after long, thin shreds rather than mush. Transfer them to a bowl.

Peel the onion, finely slice or grate it, and stir it into the carrots along with the garlic and seasoning of salt and black pepper. Stir in the heavy cream, beaten egg, grated cheese, coarsely chopped cilantro, and the flour.

Warm a shallow layer of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan. Drop large dollops of the mixture into the pan, a couple at a time, and fry until lightly cooked at the bottom. Turn with a spatula and let the other side color. They should take three or four minutes per side. The cakes are ready as soon as they are dark gold. Remove to a warm plate. A sheet of paper towel will remove any oil. Eat immediately.

It was a bit of a fiasco to tell the truth, but it was mostly due to my attitude. There are always a bunch of characters at these Meetup things because they are attract awkward people like myself who can’t branch out through usual means. One woman complained loudly the whole time that everything was too spicy. Why would you take a Thai cooking class if you don’t like spicy food? Oh, and there wasn’t enough booze, something I desperately need in these situations.

In the end, the 90 minute trek to Prospect Lefferts, Brooklyn from my apartment in Harlem was worth it. The chef who taught the class was excellent. She shared this easy Thai beef salad recipe, and its fresh and bright flavors now make regular appearances in my cooking repertoire. It maximizes the potential of a cheap cut of beef, and it’s a great way to use up herbs that might be accumulating in your fridge. I will absolutely never order this dish at a restaurant again. It will never measure up.

Thai Beef Salad

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, vegetable oil, or rendered beef tallow (any fat with a high smoke point will work)
• 1 pound beef shoulder or chuck
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 handful of mint, chopped
• 1 handful of mixed herbs, chopped (cilantro, Thai basil, or regular basil work well here)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried Thai chili or 2 diced fresh bird’s eye chilis
• juice of 4 limes
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar (brown sugar is a good substitute)

1. Take the beef out of the fridge and season both sides aggressively with salt and pepper. Let it sit out for at least 30 minutes.

2. Pour the oil into a cast iron skillet and heat it on medium high until it is very hot, but not smoking. Add the piece of beef to the skillet; it should sizzle when it hits the pan. Sear for about 5 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of the beef. Remove it from the skillet, and let it rest on the cutting board for at least 20 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, combine palm sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. Set aside.

4. After the meat has finished resting, use a sharp knife to slice it as thinly as possible against the grain.

5. Combine the thinly sliced beef with the herbs, garlic, onions, and chili. Pour the lime juice dressing over the salad and toss to distribute evenly. Serve at room temperature.

Last month we arrived in Paris jet lagged and disoriented, found our hotel, dropped off our bags, and headed for Pierre Hermé. We picked up a delicious pain au chocolat along with three macarons. Welcome to Paris!

I also dragged Dustin to several cheese shops. Fromageries are funny— it seemed like there were always more people working than shopping. The scene at Barthélemy was particularly amusing. While I was sparring/discussing with the guy about what type of Comté I wanted, he suddenly motioned at me to step back. Then a trapped door in the floor opened. A small man popped out carrying a tray of goat cheeses, piled picturesquely in perfect stacks. We also picked up a slice of rabbit terrine and pastries along on the way.

Feeling smug about my success recalling college French classes, we ventured to a kitchen supply store in Les Halles. Once again, there were more workers than customers. The woman at the register barked something at me, and I didn’t understand a single word. I bumbled through the transaction and somehow left with a new terrine for my charcuterie projects. I won’t need to use a loaf pan anymore!

We had an outstanding final meal in Paris at Les Cocottess, and witnessed Christian Constant himself interrogating his chef. I hope to recreate the standout meal for the blog sometime. More to come.

It was Jazz Fest in New Orleans last weekend. I went once or twice a year when I lived there. My first experience involved hopping the VIP barricades to watch Bruce Springsteen up close. Then I rode home in the back of a pickup truck driven by some old hippies. Periodically they’d stop in the street and open all the doors so we could enjoy the Black-Eyed Peas blasting from the radio. I guess it was thoughtful of them.

A random drunk guy got a ride with them too. He rambled to me all about growing up in Gentilly. Being out in the Louisiana sun all day in May makes every drink twice as strong, so I can’t blame him.

Little did I know I’d see that man annually for the next four years. It became part of the Jazz Fest routine. We boarded the Jackson Avenue bus from our Garden District apartment and headed to the Fairgrounds. Like clockwork, a trio of middle-aged men boarded the bus from downtown. One of them was that guy, and sometimes he was forced to sit across from me. But we never acknowledged each other ever again. He was probably so drunk he didn’t remember or maybe just embarrassed. It was somewhat awkward.

I wonder if that guy boarded the Jackson Avenue bus again this past weekend? Some of my bffs still live in New Orleans, but they no longer partake in the bus routine. They’ve moved on.

Oh I was recently gifted some freshly peeled crawfish tails and made a dish similar to the quintessential Jazz Fest dish, Crawfish Monica. It’s pasta smothered in a spicy crawfish sauce. Kajun Kettle Foods only makes it for Jazz Fest, but now you can make it at home.

Crawfish Pasta

Ingredients

1 pound fusilli or penne
1 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
juice of half a lemon
1 pound crawfish tails
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until it is al dente. Drain and reserve 1/2 a cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the olive oil and cooking liquid and set aside.

2. Melt the butter and cook the onions over medium high heat until their soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the salt and black pepper to taste along with garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, marjoram, and thyme and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Pour in the white wine and cook over medium heat until almost evaporated. Stir in the cream and lemon and simmer until slightly reduced. Add the crawfish tails, green onions, and parsley, and cook until warmed.

4. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat with the sauce. Taste for salt and black pepper and adjust as necessary.

5. Serve in crawfish pasta in bowls garnished with Parmesan cheese.

I’m not a germaphobe. I will taste anyone’s drink without thinking twice, and I absolutely despise hand sanitizer. So I felt vindicated after learning about the joys of lacto-fermentation. It’s an ancient method of pickling and preserving food that pre-dates refrigeration and sterilization. I was lucky enough to learn about lacto-fermentation years ago when I worked for Just Food in New York City, but anyone can read Sandor Katz’s fabulous book Wild Fermentation to learn more about it.

Sauerkraut and dill pickles weren’t always preserved in vinegar. These foods were likely developed when cabbage and cucumbers sat out in barrels. Airborne bacteria settled in the vegetables and soured, fermented, and preserved them. Fermentation is an unpredictable process, so now food producers use vinegar to make consistent products. Unlike their traditionally fermented counterparts, these industrial foods don’t contain live cultures.

How do you pickle vegetables using lacto-fermentation? It’s a simple process. Slice your vegetables, place them in a non-reactive container, mix them with about 2 tablespoons salt, and cover them with water. Now leave it on your kitchen counter for about one or two weeks.  Taste the ferment every few days. Place the container in your fridge when you’re satisfied with the flavor.

How does lacto-fermentation work? A variety of microscopic bacteria, yeasts, and fungi are all around us in the air.  These microbes convert the sugars and starches in the vegetables to lactic acid. Submerging the vegetables in water creates the anaerobic environment necessary for the process, and the salt inhibits spoilage until enough lactic acid has been produced for preservation. The resulting product is a true reflection of where it fermented. Sauerkraut made in Austin won’t taste the same as sauerkraut made in New York City due to the different microbes in the environment.

Fermentation won’t kill you. In fact, it’s very good for you, and the process increases nutritional content. Just like yogurt, fermented vegetables contain a variety of live microbes that improve digestion. It also creates B vitamins and increases Vitamin C content. Eating a variety of live ferments promotes microbial diversity in our bodies.

Some tips:

• Lacto-fermentation is unpredictable. Taste your ferment every few days until it tastes good to you. Throw it out if it tastes bad.
•  Always use non reactive containers and utensils. Weigh down any floating vegetables with a glass to prevent mold growth. This mold is unpleasant, but it isn’t harmful. It can always be skimmed off the surface if necessary.
• Warm temperatures speed the fermentation process. Your product will continue to ferment in the fridge, but the cold temperature will slow it down. Your ferment is a living thing!
• Save some of the brine from your last ferment and add it to the next one. This will speed the lacto-fermentation process.
• Have fun experimenting with a variety of vegetables and flavors. Lacto-fermentation is an easy way to preserve any leftover vegetables from a CSA share.
• Don’t be scared! Humans have used lacto-fermentation for centuries. Sauerkraut, dill pickles, kimchi, and yogurt are all traditionally fermented foods.

• One cabbage
• salt (about 2 tablespoons)
• spices like dill, celery seeds, or caraway seeds (optional)
• water

1. Chop cabbage to desired thickness and place in a nonreactive container

2. Thoroughly salt the cabbage and stir to distribute evenly.

3. Pour in enough water to completely cover the cabbage. Weigh down any vegetables floating to the surface.

4. Taste the sauerkraut every few days, and place it in the fridge when it has acheived your desired flavor. It is a living thing and will continue to ferment in the fridge, but the cold temperature will slow the process.

When I worked at a crazy cheese shop in New York City around the holiday season,  I didn’t have much energy to do anything but work, sleep, and drink. I didn’t eat much. Usually I ran across Bleecker Street to the Italian bakery for a much-needed sugar boost. Nine times out of ten I bought a rainbow cookie.

I might like the idea of the rainbow cookie more than the actual cookies. I’m attracted to those eye-catching layers of bright pink and green (said to represent the Italian flag) tasting strongly of almond flavoring, held together with apricot or raspberry jam and dipped in dark chocolate. A good rainbow cookie should be more cake than cookie; it should be moist and dense and not at all dry and crunchy.

Growing up in the Northeast, I took rainbow cookies for granted. Any decent Italian bakery in the Northeast carries them. They’re right up there in the Italian-American baked goods cannon with cannolis and pignolis.  That said, I’ve rarely seen them in Texas.

When I saw this recipe in Saveur, I knew I had to make them. It doesn’t actually require much baking skill, but assembling the layers is time-consuming. My cookies turned out a little crooked. After I made them, I saw that Deb from Smitten Kitchen used a different recipe and weighed the cakes down to ensure even layers. Brilliant move! Check out her blog for some more hints.

RAINBOW COOKIES from Saveur

ingredients

1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
2 cups flour, plus more for pans
1 cup sugar
1 12.5-oz. can almond pastry filling, such as Solo brand
4 eggs
12 drops green food coloring
12 drops red food coloring
1 12-oz. seedless raspberry jam (I subbed homemade strawberry vanilla bean jam)
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted

instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9″ x 13″ baking pans and line with parchment paper; set aside. Using a hand mixer on high-speed, beat butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add pastry filling; beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour; beat until just combined. Evenly divide batter into 3 bowls. Add green food coloring to one bowl, red food coloring to the second bowl, and leave the third bowl plain; stir colorings into batters. Using an offset spatula, spread each batter into a prepared baking pan. Bake each pan until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire racks; cool.

2. Heat jam in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring, until smooth; cool slightly. Place green cake on a cutting board or foil-lined baking sheet. Using an offset spatula, spread half the jam over green cake; top with plain cake. Spread remaining jam over plain cake; top with red cake. Chill cakes to set jam, 1 hour.

3. Using a slicing knife, trim cake edges to form an even block. Slice block crosswise into 1 ½″-wide logs; separate on a cutting board. Using an offset spatula, spread chocolate over top, sides, and ends of each log until completely covered; chill to set chocolate. Slice each log crosswise into ½″-thick squares to serve.

Goat has a distinct flavor for sure, but it’s not as strong as lamb. The key to delicious goat is cooking the crap out of it. Adding liquid helps keep it moist. That’s where this sweet and savory ragù comes into play. Sear the meat, sauté some vegetables, and throw everything in the slow cooker. Dinner is ready when you get home from work. This ragù is fantastic over pasta or homemade gnocchi (even better).

Slow Cooker Goat Ragù

• 1 pound goat stew meat, cubed
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 14 ounce can peeled whole  tomatoes
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup golden raisins

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onions, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat.

2. Add the carrots after the onions become translucent.  After five minutes, add the garlic and cook until just browned (1-2 minutes). Scrape the vegetables into the slow cooker.

3. Dry the goat meat with paper towels and season aggressively with salt pepper. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Add a thin coat of olive oil to the skillet and turn the heat up to high. Add the meat to the hot skillet to get a good sear on it (be careful, the oil might sputter!). Turn the heat off after about 5 minutes, and add the goat to the slow cooker.

4. Pour the white wine and tomatoes into the slow cooker. Toss in the rosemary and raisins and stir to combine everything. Turn on the slow cooker and for at least 6 hours, but 16 is even better. Shred the meat thoroughly with a fork before serving it over pasta or gnocchi.

That’s me on my first trip to Europe— young, fresh-faced, and in high school. I’m in the blue and red velvet costume on the left. Dustin and I will be traveling there again this month to attend a wedding. Since that first trip, I’ve lived in Spain and traveled several times to France. I’ve seen all the big sites, so this trip will be mostly about eating… oh and marriage and stuff.

So I need your recommendations! I’m not a fancy restaurant person, but I love shopping for food when I travel. I plan to hit up bakeries and chocolate shops and track down some oysters and decent duck confit. I have some strong cheese opinions and want raw Loire Valley goat cheeses and Comté aged 2+ years. Taking that into account, where do you like to eat in Paris?

I hit a milestone this weekend— jam making! I’m totally cool with making bacon and smoked tongue and stuff, but jam always scared me. In high school my biology teacher traumatized me with exaggerated stories of botulism poisoning. Also, pectin makes me nervous. I’ve taken all sorts of canning and jam making classes, but I still couldn’t handle.

I was first introduced to the strawberry/vanilla combo by Confituras, an incredible artisan company based here in Austin (seriously, you should buy some). For my attempt at the flavor, I used this recipe from Ball. I knew enough to stick with established recipes, but it sucked because five pounds of crushed strawberries does not in fact equal five cups. I upped the lemon juice to ward off botulism because I’m paranoid like that.

All of that said, I’m lax about canning. I just use a huge pot because I’m against weighing myself down with gear. People have scoffed at me using a towel in the bottom of the pot instead of rack, but the pickling expert at Gramercy Tavern once told me that’s what she does. If it’s good enough for her, then its good enough for me. Also, I used my grilling tongs to pull the jars out of the boiling water, but that’s been putting me in precarious situations. I might break down and get some tongs. I’ve earned it after making this fantastic jam.

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Jam

• 2.5 pounds crushed strawberries
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 2 teaspoons Pomona’s Universal Pectin
• 3.5 cups granulated sugar
• 4 half pint preserving jars, bands, and lids

Directions:

1. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and vanilla bean and seeds in a 6- or 8-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.

3. Add entire measure of sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.

4. Ladle hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

5. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Last month I bought delicious sausage stuffed quails from Dai Due Butcher Shop, a local artisan company based here in Austin. That day I went to the farmers’ market to splurge on something for an easy meal at home. Dai Due didn’t have a large selection that day, and I thought the sausage-stuffed quails sounded kinda boring. I bought them anyways, and I was SO wrong! The quails were stuffed with Dai Due’s own outstanding sausage, and the meat was moist with a slight herbal undertone.

I stumbled upon two frozen quails and link of homemade Italian sausage in my quest to clean out my freezer. Score! Of course my mind wandered back to eating the magical stuffed quails that night. I have no idea how they made them, but I did my best to recreate them at home.

Sausage Stuffed Quails

Brine:

• 1/4 cup salt
• 2 cups water
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 semi-boneless quails

Stuffing:

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 link sweet italian sausage

1. In a heavy bottomed pot, combine the water, salt, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer to dissolve the salt. Turn off the heat and let the brine return to room temperature. Place the quails in the brine, and then place the pot in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Meanwhile, make the stuffing. Heat the olive oil in a skillet with the red pepper flakes. Add the onion and cook until golden. Next add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.

3. Combine the onion, garlic, and breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Squeeze the sausage from the casing and mix to combine all the ingredients evenly.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Stuff the sausage into the cavities of the quails.

5. Pat the quails dry with paper towels to ensure a crisp skin. Rub with olive oil and season with black pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes.

These quails are best roasted over a bed of root vegetables like carrots, beets, or potatoes. They take longer to cook than the quails, so it’s best to cook them for 30 minutes before placing the quails in the oven. The juices from the sausage will mix with the vegetables, making a satisfying one skillet meal.