Fresh Pea Soup

Spring time brings a plethora of lovely vegetables! Asparagus has been rolling in at the farmers market over the past month, and so have the glorious morels that we made into a Soufflé last week, and finally, the farmer with a cooler full of fresh peas arrived last weekend! I couldn’t help buying a pound…

Homegrown Chard, Sausage and Ricotta Pizza

I have been growing a beautiful little patch of chard in my garden this year, and with my first harvest coming in, have been looking forward to turning it into a delicious dish. I wanted something flavorful and beautiful, but a little different than what I have been cooking recently. This weekend, I went to…

Dal Makhani

Lentils and beans end up on my menus a lot. Such an inexpensive ingredient but creates a rich and powerful flavor. In the winters, I put them in stews, and in the summers they make wonderful salads. Dal seems to be a name that refers to a wide range of lentils, beans, and peas and…

Gulab Jamun

For over a decade, I have loved “Indian syrup balls,” those amazing little balls found at the end of every Indian buffet. It took me going to an Indian market with Gonzo last year to figure out what they were called. This was a challenging recipe, but I am glad I made it. There are…

Goat or Lamb Biryani

This dish is always a crowd pleaser in the best Indian joints I frequent. Only once did I see it presented traditionally with the chapati crust. Reading many recipes, I decided this was an amazing challenge to make authentically with the crust and the goat meat that it would traditionally be served with. I have…

Creamy Chicken and Fig Curry

My chicken and fig curry was one of the most popular dishes from our Indian dinner a few months back. My friend Gonzo, an amazing cook who occasionally cooks with me for Chez Nous Dinners, insisted that figs are not a traditional flavor in Indian dishes, but I decided to give it a try anyway!…

Chapati with Cilantro Chutney

Earlier this year, we threw a giant Indian party with almost 20 guests in attendance. It was a huge hit. Seeing the photos, my students requested Indian food for the gallery openings at Carver, and my dad requested Indian food for his birthday. I have been bringing these recipes back out regularly because they are…

French Baguettes

I started making baguettes a few years ago, but really worked on the recipe in earnest once Nico and I started dating. He loves baguette, and would probably just eat baguette with a side of orange juice everyday if I didn’t make something else for dinner. Over the past couple of years, my baguettes have…