Wild prawn and cod paella with smoked sturgeon and heirloom tomatoes

I craved the lusty sunshine aroma of saffron and of smoky pimentón. I had fresh peppers and flatleaf parsley, a nubile pink brandywine tomato and a bag of rice. I didn’t have any bivalves around, and even though it’s practically not a paella without mussels 

Braised short ribs and thank-yous

Did I mention that I went in with a coworker on a metric tonne of beef? Well, it was really just like half a grass-fed/finished beeve (yes I learned that term from Michael Pollan) from Mt. Vernon, WA. But the point is I have all 

Pork chops with cider reduction and parsnip-fennel gratin

Spring cleaning time. I get on these kicks where “I’m totally gonna eat healthy this week and this vedge looks so amazing and I can totally cook it all within the week and none of it will go to waste!” Well, now it’s the end 

White Bean and Bratwurst Soup with Mixed Spring Greens

Even though we’ve been getting more breaks from the cold and rain (and miraculously, they’ve been falling on weekends), winter typically likes to thumb its nose at us here in the Pacific Northwest, telling spring to go fuck right off. Today is one of those 

Orzo with octopus, garbanzos and chayote, with meyer lemon vinaigrette

I bought some chayote. I had always been kinda curious about these weird little fuckers, and finally bit the bullet and just brought some home. I sometimes just buy strange produce and then figure out how to use it after I get it home. I’m 

Spring chicken and asparagus-pea risotto with mint

‘Lenten Rose’ hellebore in my garden. I collect hellebores, jack-in-the-pulpits and euphorbias. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the old adage, “she’s no spring chicken”. It’s strange, because I generally feel pretty sassy and chic for being a chick over thirty, but I go 

Shredded lamb on Israeli couscous pilaf

Scott and I had a few of his homies over for dinner and vid night the other night. I had already thawed out a lamb shoulder roast to clear out some room in the freezer, so it was good that we were having some company. 

Pork au poivre rosé with “creamsicle” beurre blanc

I found out that our liquor store sells shochu, yay! Mix with a little Trader Joe’s sparkling limeade and you’re laughin’. Getting shitfaced on lime chuhai makes me smile. Booze and painkillers are best mates (if your liver can take it). See that? That’s how 

Ya Pear Galette with Pinenuts and Lemon-Pepper Honey Glaze

I was at Fubonn again last weekend. I swear it’s like my mallrat addiction now, on a cold day I just love to walk around and around that place and ogle all of the produce that I’ve never heard of before. I try to pick 

Royal Foodie Joust – February 2008

Okay, so this month’s three ingredients at the Royal Foodie Joust are lentils, eggplant and cinnamon. Although it would’ve been a fairly obvious choice, I opted for a decidedly un-Asian dish. There would be no dal this month, no, that would be a little too