• Strawberry tomato salad
    Baking,  Food

    Strawberry Season Recipes

    As the days grow longer, dishes get brighter with red bursts of strawberry and brilliant yellow slices of heirloom tomato.  This is the time to linger over a meal and let the berries of the season carry you into eventual summer.  Since strawberries are a featured ingredient throughout Thirsty Radish, I gathered a few of my favorite strawberry recipes along with some new ones and tips.  They are the foundation for beautiful meals that are worthy of gathering over but also perfect for weeknights.  Grilled Strawberry and Heirloom Tomato Salad After a brief stay in the grill pan, strawberries become even juicier, which makes them the ideal salad addition.  This…

  • Grilled nectarine and arugula salad with feta, pistachios, and cherry tomato vinaigrette
    Food

    Grilled Nectarine and Arugula Salad with Feta, Pistachios and Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

    “Talking of Pleasure, this moment I was writing with one hand, and with the other holding to my Mouth a Nectarine — good God how fine.” – John Keats Smoother than a peach, nectarines are an ideal stone fruit for grilling – no peeling required.  Juicy and sweet-tart, they become even more flavorful after a brief turn on the grill pan, with char marks signaling where the natural sugars have caramelized.  For a summer salad, I top baby arugula with the grilled wedges.  Feta adds lightly salted creaminess, and pistachios lend the right amount of crunch. When nectarines are in season, tomatoes are too, right in a summer garden or…

  • Triple berry crisp
    Baking

    Triple Berry Crisp

    “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit…” – Henry  David Thoreau The berries have been just so good this year.  After plucking some from the refrigerator, I realized it was time for their brightness  to be matched with a buttery crumb.  On went the oven.  Even as the months get warmer, I don’t hesitate to bake up a fruit-based dessert such as this triple berry crisp. In this recipe, I combine strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries because they’re delicious alone but even more so when combined.   As they bubble and thicken in the oven, the berries mingle, some burst, but quite…

  • Strawberry sorbet in yellow bowl
    Food

    Strawberry Sorbet

    Ripe, sweet strawberries become even more lush when transformed into sorbet.  And when it comes to this transformation, the process requires no special equipment – just a blender.  If you read about my nectarine sorbet or Mexican ice cream, you know that I favor no-churn desserts.  A simple process creates decadent flavor, and as the weather gets warmer I seem to crave both. Made from just a few ingredients, this dairy-free alternative to ice cream and frozen custard can also be layered with them parfait-style.  Let it settle between rich vanilla scoops or use it to top a cocktail (or mocktail), and it will impart strong berry flavor as it…

  • Asparagus and plums on white plate
    Living

    The Spring Kitchen: Cooking with Seasonal Vegetables and Fruit

    Thanks to an early burst of spring at the market, I have been thinking about the seasonal produce soon to make its way to our tables.  The dish that made its way to mine, sesame asparagus with roasted plums, was so vibrant that I was told it looked like roses and stems.  With its green spears and crimson pieces of fruit, it likely will return for spring gatherings and holidays. Certainly the flavor of toasty sesame and the tangy sweetness of roasted plums is something I look forward to sharing again. As bits of spring soon will surface everywhere, here are some tips on how to make use of the…