sel et sucre

Tag: dairy-free

  • Summer Fajita Bowls

    summer fajita bowls

    When I was a kid, I remember feeling annoyed when my parents would proclaim some fresh vegetable to be “as sweet as candy!” It seemed like such a blatant falsehood that I couldn’t believe these people who had so impressed on me the importance of being honest could dare to utter it. But maybe my taste buds have changed because I could’ve sworn this sweet corn I roasted tasted just like candy. Alongside other fresh summer produce – squash, bell peppers, onion, and jalapenos – also roasted until caramelized, it added a wonderfully savory sweet touch to these fajita bowls, rounded out by black beans and chorizo. Of course, you can also grill all the vegetables, if you’d like. Either way, this recipe is perfect for all that overflowing summer produce that’s currently at its peak!

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  • Mushroom Bourguignon

    mushroom bourguignon

    I think mushrooms are one of those ingredients that can be pretty polarizing. Some people love mushrooms, and others can’t stand them. Personally, I’m a big mushroom fan – they’re just packed with umami! For any other fungi aficionados out there, here’s a great recipe that showcases the meaty, earthy flavor of mushrooms as the main star of a French-inspired stew. As I’m not a vegetarian, I used bacon fat and beef stock to add extra meatiness, but you’ll be just fine with olive oil and mushroom or vegetable stock. I found this bourguignon very satisfying on a rainy day, and it’s sure to make for great comfort food for other mushroom lovers out there.

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  • Layered Fruit Salad with Whipped Coconut Cream

    layered fruit salad with whipped coconut cream

    I have a history of becoming really passionate about something and then letting it fall by the wayside when a new obsession comes my way. When I was really into knitting, for example, I didn’t just knit scarves and hats; I knit complete sweaters, bookmarked hundreds of patterns, and collected boxes and boxes of yarn. And I still have those dusty sweaters, patterns, and yarn, despite not having knit anything for years. So when I started this blog, I was worried that I might lose interest, stop posting, or get sick of food (okay, I never thought that last one could actually happen). But over the past year, I’ve only found myself becoming more and more passionate about cooking. This blog has become extra motivation to keep expanding my repertoire, and I’ve found that not only has my cooking improved as a result, but so has my photography and writing. Yes, this is my one year anniversary – for an entire year, I’ve been posting three recipes a week (not always an easy feat with a full-time job), and although it’s been difficult and stressful at times, it’s also been really really fun. Nothing too fancy today to celebrate, just a tasty and simple fruit salad with a twist. Whipped coconut cream on top adds the perfect amount of richness to this summer dessert, and sliced almonds add a little crunch. I hope you enjoy the recipe and hope you’ve been enjoying my blog! Thanks to anyone who’s reading this, and here’s to another year.

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  • Mulligatawny Soup

    mulligatawny soup

    A while back, I posted a recipe for a Japanese adaptation of Indian curry. But by far the most well-known adaptations of Indian cuisine come from the British. These fusions have become so widespread that it’s not unlikely that you’re already quite familiar with some of them – such as chicken tikka masala and vindaloo – from your favorite Indian restaurants (and in fact, they are now prevalent in India itself). Mulligatawny soup is a great example, the name itself a British take on an Indian phrase meaning “pepper water.” There are many variations, but they’re usually a rich yellow or orange color from the spices (if you’re using a curry powder without turmeric, make sure to add some) and often contain meat. This particular version, however, is vegetarian, with red lentils and carrots providing the bulk of the soup, and coconut milk (very popular in Anglo-Indian cuisine) stirred in for extra richness.

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  • Pluot Mint Salad

    pluot mint salad

    I love pluots – a fruit that is the wonderful combination of plums and apricots. I bought some on sale and knew I needed to do something simple but special with them. So I picked some fresh mint from my garden (it’s been growing like crazy!) and squeezed an orange for a tasty fruit salad. Together, the flavors set my mind down the path of Turkish food, so at the last minute, I tossed in a little Turkish red pepper. If you don’t like spice, feel free to omit it though. And if your fruit isn’t sweet enough on its own (and by the way, feel free to try this out with other stone fruits as well), you can add a little bit of honey. I also had this salad with a little yogurt after it had marinated in the refrigerator for a few hours, and it made for an absolutely delicious dessert. Next time I might try it after grilling the fruit first for a little caramelization.

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  • Korean Cold Noodles and Vegetables

    korean cold noodles and vegetables

    I haven’t even finished posting recipes for food I cooked during the last heatwave, and DC is already in the grip of a new one. Yesterday, it reached 100 degrees for the sixth time this year, and we may very well have the seventh time today. This, after only having five 100-degree days in 2011 and four in 2010 – and 17 total in the entirety of 1993 to 2009. Weather, like food, is something I feel passionately nerdy about. And they go all so well together. Even in this time of air conditioning, I find myself gravitating towards weather-appropriate recipes. Although this recipe does involve using (a single burner on) the stove for the noodles, these refreshing cold noodles and vegetables, tossed in an amazingly flavorful sauce is another perfect dish for hot days. And in addition to being delicious, this plate packs a powerful visual punch. The vegetables are easily adaptable to whatever you happen to have around, and you can even omit the noodles, if you want – I had a simple meal of broccoli in this sauce one night, and it was still delicious. The original recipe calls for the Korean herb perilla, but I wasn’t able to find any (and admittedly, in this heat, I didn’t feel like exerting myself much in searching), and it was just fine without it. If you can find it, feel free to add it in. Hopefully, this recipe can help you stay nice and cool, however you decide to adapt it.

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  • Peaches in Basil Syrup

    peaches in basil syrup

    I knew I wanted to combine peaches and basil for a tasty summer dessert, but none of the recipes I came across seemed quite right. I wanted something simple, something that would really focus on these delicious, seasonal ingredients – peaches from the farmers market and basil from my garden. So I created my own easy recipe. Basil leaves pureed with orange juice and honey then poured over peaches (I actually used a mix of peaches and nectarines). You only need a handful of ingredients and a couple of minutes of work to create this delicious concoction – great eaten plain but absolutely fantastic served over strained yogurt (straining yogurt makes it extra thick and creamy, just perfect for desserts). A wonderful little celebration of summer!

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  • Whole Fish with Salsa Verde

    whole fish with salsa verde

    I did something a little blasphemous for the fourth of July this year. I hosted lunch, and I didn’t start up the grill or serve any red meat. It was really hot – the middle of a record-breaking heatwave, as a matter of fact – and I wanted a refreshing seasonal meal. I plucked as many herbs as possible from my garden and served up cucumber mint agua fresca, roasted vegetable quinoa salad, black bean burgers, and this fish (okay, and a little dessert I’ll be posting about on Friday). Nearly any type of fish will work in this simple preparation, packed with flavor from cilantro, scallions, and lime. The resulting dish is definitely refreshing and won’t leave you feeling lethargic on a hot summer day, perfect for my fourth of July meal.

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  • Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad

    roasted vegetable quinoa salad

    This quinoa salad feels just perfect for summer so long as you can brave turning your oven on (although the vegetables can also be grilled). Not only does it take advantage of the overflowing summer vegetables, but it’s delicious served at room temperature or cold, so it makes for a refreshing side or meal on a steamy summer day. You can use whatever herbs you have around (either basil and mint, both so notoriously prolific, would work here, and I used a combination of thyme and oregano), and feel free to add a little goat cheese, feta, or parmesan, too. Easily adaptable and full of flavor, this is a versatile recipe that’s definitely worth having up your sleeve.

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  • Garlic Scape Stir Fry

    garlic scape stir fry

    I’m always excited to try a new ingredient, so when curly green stalks labeled as “garlic stems” showed up in my usual grocery store, I was intrigued. Apparently, these are more commonly referred to as garlic scapes and are the stalk of the garlic plant (growing above ground from the tasty garlic bulb we are familiar with underground). The taste is spicy and garlicky, but mellows out after a quick cook, and the texture is pleasantly crisp, similar to green beans. A stir fry made perfect sense to me for this unique ingredient, and I thought the salty dried shrimp and spicy sambal oelek (both ingredients you can find at most Asian groceries) complemented the scapes well. I’ll definitely be picking up more garlic scapes the next time I see them!

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