Into the Pink. Enter through the classic Pink Door in Seattle and experience their famous Caesar Salad. Join me on Bijouxs Litltle Jewels for another Membership Collection Classic. No. 521 PINK DOOR CAESAR SALAD. Continue reading Pink Door Caesar Salad
Category: Brunch
Pappa al Pomodoro
This simple soup is my year-round favorite, often made with canned San Marzano tomatoes when the fresh tomatoes disappear. Pappa al Pomodoro is a true Little Jewel.
THE RIVER CAFE
One of my favorite soups, hand down. I first tried this Italian classic in, of all places, London at the famed Rogers and Gray restaurant the River Cafe. I can not define the simplicity of this classic Tuscan Soup, but the flavor of that journey remains. This is really what Italian rustic cuisine is all about.
TOMATO & BREAD SOUP
What could be more basic that tomatoes, garlic and olive oil, built into a satisfying soup using day-old rustic bread. Italian genius. Tomatoes, fresh or canned, are simmered with garlic and olive oil, then day old rustic bread is added at the end to create an amazing bowl of soup. I think this about as close as food served in Italian homes.
SIMPLE AND RUSTIC
Chefs Roger and Gray created a window into Italian cuisine. The restaurant and their classic cookbook “Italain Country Cookbook” 1995 is one every home cook needs to have on their shelf. More than just a cookbook is speaks to a way of life and beautiful cooking in Italy. Nothing goes to waste.
Puy Lentils with Roasted Tomatoes & French Triple-Cream Blue
French Puy lentils, the smallest, deep green lentils make the most interesting salads. Today a delightful salad, Puy Lentils with Roasted Tomatoes & Gorgonzola–another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.
PUY LENTILS
If you have not tried Puy lentils from France, this salad is a great entry point to these lovely little jewels. Lentils are one of the most comforting legumes, like pinto beans and chickpeas, however Lentils du Puy are immediately different to the eye from the usual brown or red lentils. With a unique blue-gray green hue and small is size, Puy lack the mushiness of other lentils. This firmer texture make them an excellent fit for salads.
PLENTY
One of my forever favorite chefs is Yotam Ottolenghi. I bought the first version of the famed restaurant’s cookbook name Ottolenghi when it was first published in England, all recipes were in grams. The platters of food in the restaurant are displayed in the most appealing manner, it was immediate love.
VEGETABLE RECIPES
It is always a blessing to lay back on the heavy foods and concentrate on fresh vegetables and legumes. The vegetable recipes featured in Plenty are among my favorites. This salad is a take from one in the cookbook, I took a slightly more French spin. A great ingredient in this salad are the roasted tomatoes, with the effort, don’t skip these.
Puy lentils and French style triple cream blue, a semi-soft cheese cross between blue and brie, are the changes. Savor this Little Jewel salad from my kitchen to yours.
Small Batch Coconut Cake
Just the two of us…and we are hungry for a little Coconut Cake (think your favorite Lemon Bread). To the rescue–Small Batch Coconut Cake, this cake is diminutive in size but big on flavor, another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.
BREAD OR CAKE?
OK, what is the difference between a bread and a cake? I have always been confused. Yes, there is a difference, simply put it has to do with the leavening agents used. This post on Food 52 breaks it all down. Confusingly, classic Lemon Bread is really more like a cake baked in a loaf pan. So this recipe can be either cake or bread, which ever you like.
SMALL BATCH BAKING
All that confusion aside, simple sweet loaf cakes are my favorite. Mini loaves are easy to share with friends, take to parties, and of course are just enough for the two of us. Lemon Bread is the classic that bears repeating so, enter Small Batch Coconut Cake, a tropical take on the favorite.
COCONUT CAKE
Simple pantry ingredients make this cake. A sweet glaze is poured into the hot cake that creates a tender, flavorful cake. This recipe makes a perfect size cake for small households.
Enjoy another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.
Ojai Pixie Marmalade
Ojai Pixie season is upon us, but only until mid-May. Now is our last chance to preserve nature’s bounty by making making this quick Ojai Pixie Marmalade-a Little Jewel for the future. Continue reading Ojai Pixie Marmalade