all recipes

fiddlehead ferns with spring garlic and lemon

radish*rose 0 comment

Aren’t these fun looking? If Tim Burton designed a spring vegetable, it would be the fiddlehead fern.  I love the way they look!  But how do they taste, you ask?  If you like artichokes and asparagus, you will like the taste of fiddlehead ferns.  They are only available in the spring because they are literally baby ferns.  If left on their own they would grow into a big fern.  Crazy, eh?  So what do you do once you have brought this strange yet lovable vegetable home?  Read on!

If you don’t have spring garlic for this recipe (it is usually available around the same time of year), no big deal.  Just use scallions or green onions instead. Continue reading

spanish tortilla (potato and egg pie) :: by radish*rose

spanish tortilla (potato and egg pie)

radish*rose 2 Comments

Have you ever been to a tapas bar where they serve little plates of delicious small dishes to accompany your drinks (very good idea from Spain)?  There is almost always a version of Spanish tortilla on the menu – you get a big wedge of translucent potato slices with just enough egg to hold them together, often drizzled with garlic aioli (fancy mayo).  (This is not a tortilla like the ones you use to wrap a burrito.)

Turns out the reason for the beautiful translucent potatoes is OLIVE OIL.  A lot of it!!  Traditional recipes I looked at call for up to  1-1/4 cups.  YIKES.  Luckily, the venerable Cooks Illustrated has a version that “only” uses 1/2 cup.  Before you freak out, remember this is for a whole pie that you cannot possibly eat by yourself or all in one sitting. We ate one large slice each for dinner which was quite filling and probably contained 2 T. of olive oil. We accompanied it with mushrooms in Spanish sherry and our favorite kale salad.  Leftovers are absolutely delicious for breakfast the next day. Continue reading

addictive avocado and lemon kale salad :: by radish*rose

addictive avocado-lemon kale salad

radish*rose 4 Comments

So, apparently kale becomes a different thing altogether, and much more likable, if you *massage* it.  Really.  (I am sure the same could be said of certain people, self included.)

The avocado becomes the dressing, so you don’t need much oil.  If there’s an unsuspecting, uncertain-about-kale person around, you should give them the job of doing the  massaging.  Just put everything in the bowl, tell your friend to wash their hands and massage the salad. This is what will happen:

Friend (dubious expression): Really?

You: Really.  Just rub the avocado into the kale.  OK?  (turn away and become busy with another very important kitchen task)

Friend (massaging away): Um, OK… Hey, this is fun.  Oh… my hands are all avocado-y.  (turns towards kitchen sink, licks fingers on the way) – YUMMMM!!  OMG. Wait, what did you say was in this??

You: *secret smirk* Continue reading