Quickly cook the shrimp, deglaze the pan with a splash of wine, warm the fennel, carrots, celery, and onions with the pickling liquid, then pour everything over the shrimp. Refrigerate for a minimum of six hours to allow the flavors to develop and serve with sourdough, lemon wedges, and perhaps a pinch of arugula. This dish improves through day three, so don’t fret if you have leftovers, it’s great to have on hand for lunch!   Many summers ago, I toted this dish to a Dîner en Blanc held in front of our library. The shrimp held their chill and complemented our picnic of terrine, salmon ri ..read more

I’ve been making pancakes on weekend mornings for almost 30 years. The best are made with buttermilk. It adds a flavor tang and helps produce a tender texture. My favorite mix at the moment is Last Best Pancake from Conservation Grains, but it’s good to know how to make them from scratch too. This recipe will accommodate more whole-wheat flour, so as you wish, swap our some of the all-purpose. Print Buttermilk Pancakes makes about a dozen 4-inch pancakes Ingredients 1½ cups buttermilk 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 eggs large 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup whole-wheat flour 1 tables ..read more

The deep purple hue and nutty texture of black rice (Lotus Foods’ Forbidden Rice) make it one of my favorite whole grains for salads. This recipe was inspired by Roberto Martin’s Barley and Kale Salad in Vegan Cooking for Carnivores. Any wine vinegar will do. Recently, I’ve been focused on using up a delicious bottle of Blood Orange vinegar from Yellowstone Vinegar Company that I picked up at Joe’s Parkway. Citrus works well with the flavors in this salad.   Print Black Rice Salad makes a lot, like 8–10 servings Ingredients 1 15-ounce package Lotus Foods' Forbidden Rice, cooked yields 6 ..read more

I’ve adapted these ginger snaps from my friend Judy Cornell of Conservation Grains who mills wonderful flour up in Choteau, Montana. This recipe uses her Bucking the Sun Pizza flour, which is a blend of two wheats, rye, buckwheat, and malted durum. Chill this dough overnight for best results. I use a scoop but if you prefer you can roll out the dough to a little thicker than a quarter inch and cut it with a 2-inch glass or cookie cutter, which is how Judy does it. Print Ginger Snaps makes five dozen 2-inch cookies; adapted from Conservation Grains Ingredients ½ cup unsalted butter, at room t ..read more

Once you find a granola recipe you like, you can adapt it in many ways. When I was developing this recipe, I based it off my House Granola because I like how the honey and maple syrup help form clusters. I also went with the butter, because I like the flavor. For chocolate, I added cocoa powder, as I learned when I made a Cocoa Buckwheat Granola in the past. Since cocoa powder is unsweetened, this addition creates a less sweet end product, but I like it that way. At serving time, if I’m feeling more chocolatey, I sprinkle on some Hu gems or enjoy a square of Simple Milk on the side with m ..read more

Something delicious happens when you pair these tangy beets with creamy fromage blanc, creme fraiche, or even plain Greek yogurt. I like them paired with salad of radicchio and endive. Print Marinated Beets with Crème Fraîche Ingredients 6–8 red beets 2 shallots, minced 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons capers, drained (rinsed of salt if dry brined) 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish worcestershire sauce, a few dashes (¼ teaspoon max total) sea salt or Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Serve on a bed of sliced radicchio and endive and top eac ..read more

Make a batch of these candied walnuts to enjoy with Roasted Beets or simply sprinkle them on a board with two or three of your favorite cheeses and dried fruits. Voilà, appetizer! Or dessert! (Adapted from San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market Cookbook by Christopher Hirsheimer and Peggy Knickerbocker) Print Candied Walnuts makes 1 cup Ingredients ½ cup walnut halves or pieces 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed 2 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon unsalted butter a couple pinches salt Instructions Preheat oven to 250°F. In large frying pan, combine sugar and water over medium-hi ..read more

Crispy chicken from the oven? Yes! This has been a favorite recipe of mine since 2008, when I stumbled upon Amanda Hesser’s memoir/recipe collection, Cooking for Mr. Latte. Several of my favorite recipes are from that book, including the Chocolate Bundt Cake and a Meyer Lemon Crème Fraîche fettuccine that I have yet to post. It’s a fun read if you’re a foodie and I bet you’ll fold down the corners on many recipe pages. Timing for the chicken: In the morning or mid-day, put the chicken in the salt water (brine), then about an hour before you want to eat dinner, dry them off, shake, and bake. De ..read more

The key to enjoying beets is to get them cooked (roasted or sous vide are my two favorite methods) then you can make a wide variety of beautiful salads that usually start by dressing the beets in a vinaigrette of some kind. This salad pairs beets with blue cheese and candied walnuts and is great for brunch or lunch. You can prepare all of the components in advance and then day of, assemble into the salad. I hope you love it as much as I do. edited from 2014   Print Beet Salad with Blue Cheese and Candied Walnuts adapted from San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market Cookbook by ..read more

These giant white beans are Royal Coronas from Rancho Gordo. Serve them simply with olive oil and parmesan, or add them to soups and pasta dishes. Eat them with sautéed greens or with halibut and tomatoes. Mash them on crostini or make refried beans (best with a pinto-type bean). Make hummus or bean purée for under a piece of grilled fish or with roasted vegetables. Enjoy your beans, they’re good for you! Dried beans are simple to cook, they just take a little time—about 90 minutes on the stovetop or about 4–6 hours in a slow cooker set to low. You can soak them the night before, but if y ..read more