A mound of golden polenta on a plate is a perfect foil for some roasted veggies, a poached egg, or some sliced, grilled meat. Its final creaminess is up to you. Add a bit more milk or water as it cooks, so it turns out just as you prefer. I used some hardy basil in…
Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce
Thanks to Steamy Kitchen for the original recipe. (brassica oleracea / Chinese broccoli / kai lan) – or you could use any of these other brassicas – broccoli, broccolini (a cross between broccoli & gai lan), or rapini / rabé / broccoletti Gai Lan’s bittersweet taste becomes more bitter the older the vegetable. Look for tight,…
Farmhouse Bread
I could probably make this with my eyes closed. In fact I may well have! This is a simple bread recipe that lends itself to many different additions. I’ve made it for weddings, fund-raisers and just for the family. When I’m catering, I use one loaf for 8 guests, and rarely have any leftovers. I…
Poached Eggs
Eggs have always been a comfort food for me. Learning to be gentle with them, and to never rush their cooking has been one of my most important cooking lessons. A perfectly poached egg on top of some cheesy polenta, maybe some re-steamed Japanese rice or earthy mushroom risotto, is pure heaven. As the yolk…
Quinoa Tabouleh
In the spring of 1976, my best friend and I headed to San Francisco for the weekend in her dear old VW bug. We had 4 days off from college, and knew that we could make it. A friend of a friend had a house that we could stay at, and that’s about all we…
farmhouse cook 