Simply pour the batter into the baking dish and top with your choice of sugared berries, pop in the oven and VOILÀ, a little gem of a cobbler. Continue reading Bijouxs Basics | Strawberry Cobbler
Category: Basics
Victory Garden Salad
Yes, small victories count. Planting a small crop of lettuce provides salads for weeks, then sow more seeds and voila, lettuce appears. The simple Mesclun mixed variety is my favorite and produced this simply beautiful Victory Garden Salad a little jewel from the garden.
VICTORY GARDEN SALAD
Celebrate, a small victory in my garden. As always, starting with the freshest most healthy ingredients are keys to a great salad. Now, residing in a tiny cottage in the central coast, life has changed. No more sprawling garden, space in my yard is a premium. I have three small areas to grow my garden favorites. Since space is so limited I have narrowed it down to a few of my favorites. First on my list is growing lettuce for salads, from which I create a multitude of dishes, much more than just salads. For years I have been growing mesclun greens mix.
GROWING MESCLUN
Mesclun is a Provençal word that describes a mix of tender salad greens and many times includes herbs. The name comes from “mesclular” which is a mixture, which describes this mix of lettuce, also sold as spring mix. It is frequently served in restaurants and widely available in the supermarkets. However, growing your own lettuce is easy and very rewarding. When you feel like a salad just go out and clip some fresh greens, no waste and many of varieties are “cut and come again” meaning if you clip the leaves more new leaves appear. Almost anyone can have a small victory garden, you can grow this lettuce in a 12”inch pot, perfect for apartment dwellers. A volunteer nasturtium joined the party.
MESUCLUN SALAD
Spring mix greens are in every store now. They are very tender and must be handled with care. Also, they tend to have a short life in the refrigerator, another reason to grow your own greens. In looking for a salad recipe the first chef to really feature these greens was Alice Waters, from her I take my lead.
Gently wash greens and place in a salad spinner then roll them loosely in a clean kitchen towel and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use. They are best used the same day, but can usually survive overnight, but not much longer.
My favorite dressing is French, made directly in a wooden salad bowl, then topped with the greens and brought to the table, ready to toss and serve. This dressing is my everyday dressing, my go-to in the kitchen. This real French dressing is simply made by place a small clove of garlic in a wooden salad bowl, with a pinch of salt and pepper and mashed into a paste using a wooden spoon. Dijon, red wine vinegar are added and mixed, then olive oil is whisked by hand until the dressing comes together. Voila, a perfect salad.
Grown your own Victory Garden Salad. Stay well.
Bijouxs Basics: Olive Oil Butter & Toast
Back to the basics here in the Bijouxs Kitchen. What is a nicer morning start or tea time treat during this gloomy winter than toast and butter? Let’s try Olive Oil Butter on freshly baked Tea Sandwich Loaf. Basics are Little Jewels in the Kitchen. Continue reading Bijouxs Basics: Olive Oil Butter & Toast
Hot and Sour Soup
Yes, time to clear the decks. This lighter version of the classic Chinese restaurant soup starts another year New Year off right. Hot and Sour Soup, a bowl that is a little jewel. Continue reading Hot and Sour Soup
Overnight Oats with Turmeric & Chia
Overnight oats, yes, I am patient for breakfast. I have multiple favorite overnight oat recipes here on the blog, but there is always room for one more. This recipe is inspired from the wonderful Cafe Gratitude. Yes, you can take the girl out of LA but not LA out of the girl-a little jewel recipe from my home town.
OVERNIGHT OATS
So grateful that Cafe Gratitude has a cookbook and shares the wonderful recipes for us no longer living in LA. Whenever I visit home I always check in at plant-based eateries, there is always something new to try and learn, innovative cuisine. Cafe Gratitude delivers.
Cooking from the books these days, simple confinement cooking. This recipe “I am Patient” is an overnight oat recipe with modern flavor profile. Turmeric, ginger and chia seeds add the the bowl’s colorful mix. We are all eating more turmeric and ginger for health, but the almond-date milk you soak the oats in is the key. Blended with dates, the almond milk becomes slightly sweet and rich.
The recipe is flexible, use spices or add nuts as you like. Adjust the consistency of the oats to suit your preference by adding a bit more almond milk before serving. Of course, espresso is called for.
A time to be grateful. Be well.
