• Vegetable tart on white plate with red gingham napkin
    Baking,  Food

    Caramelized Red Onion Tart with Seasonal Vegetables

    Tarts are some of my favorite things to bake…and eat. With the perfect balance of crust and filling, this red onion version makes use of a variety of vegetables and cheeses already on hand – a handful of green beans, a few cherry tomatoes just about to become too ripe. They combine beautifully to top a caramelized onion layer. Tucked beneath the vegetables are goat cheese and feta as well as Parmesan, which lends a nutty quality. I love dishes such as this one that change throughout the seasons.  Certainly the assorted leftover vegetables in my kitchen could make a salad, but here the beautiful slices are celebrated even more…

  • Balsamic onion jam tart on white plate with red background
    Baking

    Onion Jam Tart with Cheddar Crust

    Jammy onions require a crust that can stand up to their bold flavor, which is how this recipe came to be. Packed with sharp cheese, the cheddar pastry may remind you of a cheese straw. In fact, the whole tart may remind you of your favorite parts of a cheese board, where you often find balsamic onion jam, sliced fruit, and, of course, a perfectly sharp cheddar. Thinly sliced apples and pears top off the sweet and savory goodness before it heads to the oven. As an appetizer, this tart can certainly take the place of a cheese board or accompany charcuterie. For lunch, it pairs well with a simple…

  • Spinach Salad with Red Onion, Manchego, and Walnuts
    Food

    Spinach Salad with Pickled Red Onions, Manchego, and Honeyed Walnuts

    Ribbony red onions, shavings of Manchego cheese, and crunchy, sweet walnuts provide such intense flavor that the only dressing needed for this spinach salad is a drizzle of olive oil. With a dose of vinegar from the quick pickling process, red onions contribute to the flavor of a vinaigrette. In fact, all of the toppings are rather playful, lending vibrancy to this salad. The cheese has a distinct nuttiness, the nuts are coated in the sweetness of honey, and the sweet qualities of red onion are transformed with pickled flavor. Ingredients Baby spinach Aged manchego cheese Quick pickled red onions Honeyed walnuts Quick Pickled Red Onions 1 medium red onion…

  • red cabbage with blue cheese
    Food

    Roasted Red Cabbage with Blue Cheese

    Around here a couple of cooler days briefly interrupted the late summer heat and jolted my appetite for fall food. While it may not be time for sauerbraten just yet, some fall-inspired side dishes are the perfect way to preview the upcoming season and squash the end of summer blues. After finding some beautiful red cabbage at the market, I decided to pair it with vidalia onion and some incredible, creamy blue cheese as my own personal welcome to the coming autumn.

  • raisin bread panzanella
    Food

    Raisin Bread Panzanella

    Raisins are tiny yet divisive. During my childhood, the love them or hate them discussion generally arose when discussing meatballs. For my Neapolitan grandfather, the ideal version included raisins (and pine nuts), but he rarely convinced my grandmother to prepare them this way. In honor of his preference, I created a raisin bread panzanella, an update to the classic Italian dish.