• Coconut cookies with lemon curd filling and fresh flowers on a kitchen counter
    Baking

    Coconut Cookies with Lemon Curd Filling

    Springtime calls for sunny desserts that brighten the season’s celebrations. With zesty lemon curd sandwiched between toasty coconut cookies, this recipe hits all the bright and lightly sweet notes we need this time of year. Beyond these cookies, you will find so many uses for the lemon curd itself. Serve it with fresh fruit, dollop it on a slice of pound cake, fill cupcakes, or enjoy it by the spoonful. Much as the winter holidays wouldn’t be complete without a linzer cookie on the dessert table, these coconut sandwich cookies have become a spring staple in my home. Flower cut-outs allow the sunny color of the filling to pop through.…

  • Roasted eggplant with tahini dressing
    Food

    Japanese Eggplant with Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing

    For my recent hummus recipe, you may have purchased a jar of tahini, so this week I’m sharing another way to make use of the ground sesame paste.  Combined with lemon juice and plenty of fresh herbs, tahini transforms into a dressing that pairs well with delicate and mildly sweet Japanese eggplant, which only becomes more flavorful after a brief roasting time.  With no bitterness and a smaller size than standard eggplant, they can take the slightly bitter natural notes in tahini without turning the whole dish so.  Citrus and herbs brighten up the dressing and make this an exceptional dish for lunch or dinner. When the Japanese variety is…

  • Smoked salmon and asparagus salad
    Food

    Smoked Salmon Salad with Meyer Lemon Dressing

    Full of the season’s finest, this beautiful salad tastes just as vibrant as it looks. A bed of buttery oak leaf lettuce speckled with peppery watercress provides the perfect backdrop. Next comes the richness of smoked salmon and the delicateness of very thin, crunchy slices of raw asparagus and watermelon radish. I top it off with a Meyer lemon dressing that provides a sweeter, less acidic lemon note so that all the flavors shine. Ingredients Meyer Lemon Dressing 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard Salt and cracked black pepper to taste Salad ½ pound thin asparagus 1 watermelon radish 4 ounces red…

  • Lemon Tart
    Baking

    Lemon Tart

    Cheerily yellow and refreshingly tart, this classic treat will make you feel as if you’re enjoying a slice of tarte au citron from a bakery in France. I prefer my lemon filling on the puckery side and add extra sweetness on top with a full layer of powdered sugar. Each slice can be customized to the preferences of family and friends, making this sunny dessert ideal for holidays and entertaining. Ingredients Pastry 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter 1 egg yolk ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons ice water Lemon Curd Filling ¾ cup fresh lemon juice Zest from…

  • gingerbread star cookies
    Baking,  Food

    Fruit-Studded Gingerbread Stars

    “Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” ― Marcus Aurelius The holiday season isn’t complete without a little gingerbread. This year I decided to liven up my version with the delicious candied oranges and lemons I have become quite addicted to this year. Throw some dried cherries into the cookie dough for another twist, and you have these fruit-studded gingerbread stars. Ingredients 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup unsalted butter ¾ cup dark brown sugar ⅓ cup molasses 1…