Vernal family farms fava beans

My colleague Mike Vernal recently invited us to his house and we were sent off with a bag of fresh fava beans. Nothing says spring better than fresh fava beans and English peas. I have quite a few English peas recipes (Risotto with English Peas, Linguine with English peas, preserved lemons, and pancetta, Chilled English…

Quince Jam

Quince fruit is inedible raw but it makes a great preserve, and jam, and of course, membrillo. My grandmother used to make quince jam. You probably assumed she was a great cook who inspired my cooking passion. In a way she did… because she hated cooking and was an atrocious cook, so someone in the…

Truffled mac & cheese

This piece of Americana gets a sophisticated upgrade with the addition of truffles. Recipe is courtesy of my friends at Truffle Shuffle. You can watch the entire cooking class on their web site. Mac & cheese may be kids food, but save this one for yourself!

Curried cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of the most under-appreciated vegetables.  It is great sautéed or roasted, and is a great vehicle for pungent spices and strong flavors – like curry. 

White truffle gravy

Ok, this is definitely not your grandmother’s gravy. Hedonistic, decadent or 1% doesn’t even begin to describe this recipe… because you are not just shaving half an ounce of white truffles on top of something but you are using a whole pound of solid white truffles for the base of the gravy. Both the recipes…

Sautéed broccolini

This is a great and very versatile side dish that goes with any kind of meat or fish. It adds a nice touch of color and very healthy component to any meal