Folks, now is THE time to make a vinegar shrub using seasonal fruit. What’s a shrub, you ask? It’s a very old-fashioned-but-super-trendy infusion of vinegar with sugar and fruit or other flavorings. And it’s a great starting point for any seasonal cocktail you can come up with. Also great with a splash of club soda for a refreshing non-alcoholic drink. Get my basic fruit shrub recipe on writes4food.com!
They’re here! Garlic scapes! What’s a garlic scape, you ask? It’s the cute curlicue that sprouts from the center stalk of garlic as it grows. Gardeners and farmers know to clip off the scape — it’s delicious! — and removing it sends the plant’s full energy toward the underground bulb. Here’s a primer on what to do with the garlic scapes you find at farmers’ markets now.
If you’ve been out to dinner recently and scanned the ‘salad’ portion of the menu, you’ve probably seen this trend: the non-lettuce salad. Chefs are getting away from the steakhouse wedge and basic house salad and featuring beautiful presentations of seasonal veg, lightly dressed, and with interesting add-ons. Get inspired by this collection of non-salad salad recipes on writes4food.com!
Ever been to a potluck or cookout and had quote-unquote pasta salad? You know what I mean: mushy corkscrew pasta, raw vegetables and icky bottled Italian dressing. Gross. *This* pasta salad is not *that* pasta salad. This Orzo Pasta Salad with Seasonal Vegetables recipe starts with the right kind of pasta, homemade dressing, and crisp-tender seasonal veg. Perfection. Hack it with different vegetables all year round. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!
Around here, we love sheet pan suppers: Pile everything onto a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast until it’s all tender and browned. Dinner — and cleanup — done! For the win! This Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetable Soup uses the same technique as a starting point. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!
Caprese salad? In winter? Usually, it’s a nonstarter to order a caprese, that traditional salad of perfectly ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil, at any time but the height of summer. But yeah, winter caprese salad: this one with roasted beets, moss and chard pesto. It totally works! Get the recipe on writes4food.com!
Need something warming, happy and delicious for lunch? This Golden Spiced Lentil Soup recipe fills the bill. Quick-cooking red lentils and a handful of aromatic vegetables make this come together with practically no effort, and turmeric and cumin give it tons of warmly spiced flavor. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!
Winter squash and root vegetables are abundant in local farmers’ markets even during cold months. (Not like we’re exactly having typically cold winter weather right now.) Sauté these babies in lots of butter, simmer them in vegetable stock and fork them into a chunky mash that’s perfect as a side to grilled steak or roast chicken. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!
With a blush of glaze and a bright golden interior, this not-too-sweet Blood Orange French Yogurt Cake recipe has a ton going for it. Make it now, while blood oranges are available, and bookmark the recipe to make with other citrus in season. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!
