Braised Oxtail with Turnip Risotto and Turnip Greens

A big, meaty braise with a root vegetable risotto isn’t a very summery dish, but it was delicious, so I’m posting about it.  We have been doing a meat CSA through Marin Sun Farms and they offered some great deals on some unusual cuts of meats.  I’ve never made oxtails, so I thought I’d give [...]

Read Full Post »

This isn’t a pizza

The other night, I had big plans to make my Winter Pizza again.  While the dough was rising, I carmelized the shallots, prepped the squash, and grated the cheese. Then I looked at the dough. It was a hot mess.  It was hard as a rock and hadn’t really risen.  It seems there was a [...]

Read Full Post »

My addiction

I can’t stop buying tomatoes.  The tomatoes in the Bay area right now are just incredible.  All these fantastic colors and they just taste amazing.  Fresh and sweet and not grey and mealy tasting like those sad supermarket tomatoes.  As a result, I just keep buying them.  At the farmers market near my house, at [...]

Read Full Post »

Risotto with Bacon and Bitter Greens

                  I went to the farmers’ market over the weekend and went on a greens binge.  Among other things, I got my beloved arugula and a bunch of dandelion leaves.   I’ve never cooked dandelion before, but the bunch was only a dollar so I couldn’t resist.  I [...]

Read Full Post »

Butternut Squash Risotto

Our CSA has given us a ton of butternut squash this year.  It started back in October or November, and we’ve gotten one or two in almost every single box since then.  I hadn’t cooked much of it in my life, just a soup or two really, but now I’m a pro.   And, it’s been [...]

Read Full Post »

The most bizarre combination of ingredients ever

When I lived in Washington, there was this local chain, Lebanese Taverna, that had this one amazing dish…consisting of either chicken, lamb, or eggplant, served with yogurt, chickpeas, pomegranates, and tons of garlic. It was to die for. There is no Lebanese Taverna in Berkeley, and I had a craving. Through the magic of the [...]

Read Full Post »

Red Wine Risotto with Mushroom Marmalade

This is, without a doubt, the best thing I have ever made. It is so amazing that I don’t even know where to start. It tastes like a restaurant dish. It is sophisticated and comforting at the same time, and it is just absolutely delicious. The recipe is a little tricky, but the marmalade can [...]

Read Full Post »