Tomato Chutney
August 4, 2010 · 4 comments

This is one of those multiple-step recipes that I really hate to post, but it’s just too good not to. Tomato Chutney 1 orange pepper (capsicum) roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped 1 Walla Walla sweet onion (or other sweet onion) chopped and caramelized 2 lbs. Roma tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded, and chopped 1 medium lemon, [...]

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Categories: condiments, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian
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Cherry Ketchup
March 27, 2010 · 3 comments

Opening day of the Portland Farmers Market was a beautiful, warm Spring day. When I came across the Cherry Country booth I thought about how nice it would be to have venison or some other game, then remembered that I have a dinner class coming up where I’ll be serving lamb. Cherries are a classic sauce base for wild game, [...]

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Categories: condiments, fruit, gluten-free, sauce, vegan, vegetarian
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Spleen Qi Xu Rice Pudding
February 26, 2010 · 3 comments

One of the more interesting Chinese cuisines is medicinal foods, foods that are designed specifically to aid in the correction of health problems while providing a nutritious and tasty meal. If you’d like an excellent introduction, I suggest Henry C. Lu, Chinese System Of Food Cures: Prevention & Remedies. Unlike the dietary “cures” often touted [...]

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Categories: dairy-free, dessert, gluten-free, infusing, technique, vegan, vegetarian
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Chipotle Ketchup
February 17, 2010 · 9 comments

I want to make meatloaf, and for me a meatloaf has a bacon wrapping and a ketchup glaze. I could buy the bacon and ketchup, I suppose, but really, where’s the fun in that? Chipotle Ketchup 1 onion, chopped 1½ tablespoons oil from garlic confit or extra-virgin olive oil Put the onion and oil into [...]

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Categories: condiments, dairy-free, gluten-free, pantry, preserving, vegan, vegetarian
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Marinara Sauce
February 13, 2010 · 3 comments

Sitting under all that cheese is a simple marinara sauce. By itself it’s an excellent sauce for pasta, polenta, and that Italian-American standby Chicken Parmigiana (or it’s vegetarian/vegan version, Eggplant Parmigiana). It makes a great pizza sauce. I even used some as part of a seafood stew whipped up in just a few minutes. As [...]

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Categories: gluten-free, mother recipe, pantry, preserving, sauce, vegan, vegetarian
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Pollo alla Cacciatora
January 26, 2010 · 8 comments

Turn that plate with polenta around and you’ll find pollo alla cacciatora, or chicken cacciatore. It’s really a simple dish to make. The essential ingredients include carrots, onions, and celery, to make a soffritto; tomatoes, either canned or fresh, and some tomato paste; some wine; some cheese; a few fresh or dried herbs; mushrooms if you [...]

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Categories: Lunch, braising, chicken, child friendly, entertaining, entrée, gluten-free, poultry, sauce, supper, technique, vegan, vegetarian
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Haricots Vert Sautéed in Garlic
January 4, 2010 · 8 comments

Haricots vert sautéed in garlic. Sounds easy, and it is: easy to do well; even easier to do poorly. Some simple alterations will make this dish dairy-free, vegetarian, or vegan. First you have to decide whether or not to remove the tails. As you can see, I chose not to remove them. If you don’t [...]

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Categories: dairy-free, gluten-free, side dish, vegan, vegetarian
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Sweet Pickle Chips
January 1, 2010 · 1 comment

Whether you’re serving a nice pâté or are putting together a charcuterie platter, want some crunch in your sandwich or just need a quick burst of flavor, a sweet pickle chip is just right! Michael Ruhlman published a recipe for a delightfully simple, wonderfully flavored sweet pickle chip in Charcuterie, a book I highly recommend [...]

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Categories: charcuterie, condiments, dairy-free, entertaining, gluten-free, pantry, preserving, side dish, vegan, vegetarian
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Blood Orange and Red Onion Salad
December 28, 2009 · 8 comments

This is a wonderful winter salad that makes an excellent palate cleanser. It needs a little time for the flavors to meld, so you’ll want to be sure to put it together while you’re waiting for the rest of your meal to finish cooking. Start by thinly slicing a red onion. If you want to mellow [...]

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Categories: dairy-free, entertaining, gluten-free, salad, vegan, vegetarian
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Thanksgiving 101: Cranberries, Cranberries, Cranberries
October 15, 2009 · 12 comments

Cranberry-Pear Salsa 12 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen, roughly chopped 2 pears, diced 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 serrano chile, seeded and diced zest of 1 orange 1 tablespoon blue agave syrup or honey 1 tablespoon canola oil salt to taste Mix ingredients together and adjust the seasoning. If you want more [...]

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Categories: Thanksgiving, condiments, dairy-free, entertaining, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian
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