Off The Counter

Off The Counter: Black Lentils

May 14, 2013

This week’s Off The Counter features yet another recipe from the cookbook Plenty that has become a weekly staple.  This one involves black beluga lentils.  I prepare a batch on Monday morning and enjoy it throughout the week as a fast [healthy] food.  Unfortunately, the kids will not eat it, at least not yet.  Take a [...]

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Off The Counter: “Plenty”

March 27, 2013

We recently hosted a group of visiting East Coast buddies along with several of our new West Coast friends.  For the dinner we prepared dishes from the cookbook “Plenty” written by chef Yotam Ottolenghi.   This recipe book combines vegetables, grains, herbs and seeds in a way I never thought possible, at least not in my [...]

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Off The Counter: Empanadas

March 14, 2013

Once a year Alex and I take on the [somewhat] difficult task of preparing empanadas.  It inevitably turns out to be an all day affair, but one well worth the time and effort.    Using a dough recipe found in the book The Useful Pig and a filling from a 1999 issue of Food And Wine [...]

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Off The Counter: Post Holiday Salad

January 22, 2013

This week’s Off The Counter features 3 of my favorite salad ingredients:  fennel, citrus and kalamata olives.  Combining them results in a refreshingly light salad that splendidly balances hearty winter meals.  Using locally harvested honey and fresh pressed olive oil (both Christmas presents given to us by Alex’s West coast cousins), I created a dressing [...]

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Off The Counter: The Breville Juicer

January 11, 2013

This week’s Off The Counter is inspired by the juicer that my husband gave me for Christmas.  Having always loved fresh carrot juice and craving it lately, I thought that having it readily available would be great for all of us, kids and adults alike.  I must confess not everyone is enjoying it as much [...]

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Off The Counter: Pickled Veggies and Bloody Marys

December 31, 2012

This week’s Off The Counter is inspired by a pickled veggie recipe my husband, Alex, found in Food & Wine Magazine.  We purposely prepared this Fall Vegetable Giardiniera to garnish Bloody Marys, but these assorted veggies also complemented cheesy baguettes and  garnished salads throughout the holiday week.  I loved having them available and we’re already [...]

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Off The Counter: Red Lentil Soup

December 5, 2012

This week’s Off The Counter is inspired by my current obsession with red lentils.  I recently found a great recipe on Pinterest that combined this high protein legume with chick peas, coconut milk and Indian spices resulting in a creamy and comforting winter soup.  Take a look at my interpretation of the recipe: I followed [...]

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Off The Counter: Market Veggies And Rocchetti

October 15, 2012

This week’s Off The Counter is inspired by a recent trip to Monterey Market, my favorite spot in Berkeley to shop for fresh fruits & vegetables.  Visits to the market have become part of my weekly routine.  The aisles are overflowing with the most amazing varieties of fruits, vegetables and mushrooms, all of which target [...]

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Off The Counter: Stir Fried Ginger Pork Meatballs

October 4, 2012

This week’s Off The Counter is inspired by a recipe from Waitrose Food Illustrated, a magazine I bought in 1999 while living in San Francisco (and yes, I tend to keep many an old magazine).  This treasured dish conists of stir-fried ginger pork meatballs with shittake mushrooms and pak choi. This time around,  we were [...]

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Off The Counter: Fried Eggplant Parmesan

September 15, 2012

This week’s Off The Counter features my somewhat famous Eggplant Parmesan.   Preparing this  labor intensive, and, at times messy recipe, is a sure sign that I’m becoming one with our new kitchen.   With a little help from Zoe, lots of seasoned breadcrumbs and a combination of cheeses, our first homemade melanzana dish (ingredients [...]

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