“Goggie’s potato salad?” (a family tradition) — “No not particularly — any potato salad, creamy or herby, doesn’t matter.”

While I was chewing on this, she asked if I had heard about English jacket potatoes — all the rage on TikTok and Instagram — “No! What are they?” – I was pretty excited to learn about something new in potatoville.

Jacket potatoes

English jacket potatoes are a new way of baking a potato that results in a crisp outer skin and a fluffy luscious interior. It’s all about time and “The Cut”.

Here’s the scoop from Cup of Jo: “When we were visiting our family in England last week, we ate our weight in jacket potatoes. They’re different from the baked potatoes we make because they have super crispy skin and a fluffy melty inside. So amazingly good. They’re all over the place in England. Every pub and restaurant we went to devoted a section of the menu to them, along with a choice of toppings: grated cheddar, baked beans, tuna, coleslaw or plain with butter, salt and pepper.”

“My aunt Janey often made them for our dinners in Cornwall — as a side to roast chicken or sausages — and we all loved them so much, so she agreed to share the basic recipe. …

“Preheat oven to 200 (degrees Celsius or 400 degrees Fahrenheit). Cut a cross on the potatoes. Put the potatoes at the top of the oven — straight on the rack, not a baking tray. Cook 1-2 hours (usually closer to 2). When they feel crunchy on the outside, pull the rack out, cut the potatoes open again to release the steam, then put them back into the oven. The major important thing is not to turn the oven down as they go soggy and lose their crunch. After ten minutes, serve immediately with shedloads of butter, salt and pepper. Perfect.”

Funeral potatoes

Recipe by Young Sun Huh is also called Utah potato casserole.

Potato talk turned to Molly who revealed that my son-in-law Eric’s absolutely favorite potato dish was funeral potatoes. Have you heard of them? Yes. Have you eaten any? No.

They are a Midwestern favorite, so named because they reliably turn up at potluck gatherings like funerals. They have all the markers of Midwestern tastiness — canned cream of chicken soup and lots of cheese with the surprise snap of corn flakes. Hard to imagine for a California girl, but Molly says they are so delicious two people can polish off a pan — so we gave it a try and here’s the recipe for you.

As author Young Sun Huh notes,” It’s pretty much impossible to dislike a dish of onions, garlic and cream topped with melted cheese and abundant crunchy cooked cornflakes. Even the biggest naysayers in our kitchen were seduced by this dish’s addictive creamy flavor and crispy topping.”

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• One 30-ounce bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, lightly thawed

• One 10.5-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 cups shredded sharp yellow Cheddar cheese

• 1 1/2 cups lightly crushed corn flake cereal

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a skillet. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, an additional 2 minutes.

In a bowl, toss together the cooked onions and garlic, hash brown potatoes, condensed soup, sour cream, Parmesan, salt, pepper and 1 1/2 cups Cheddar. Spread the mixture in a 9-by-13 inch casserole dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Top the casserole with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese, corn flake cereal and melted butter.

Bake in the oven until it bubbles around the sides, about 1 hour.

Asparagus and potato gratin

Try these out – they will mysteriously disappear so fast you’ll swear the dog was on the counter. They may well be the potato version of Mississippi Pot Roast. There is a New York Times version called Updated Funeral Potatoes adapted by Julia Moskin for those opposed to canned soup and frozen hash browns.

My nomination for best side dish to rival an Easter ham is this asparagus and potato gratin. It’s pretty, it’s got texture — and it includes a vegetable! Asparagus is spring fare and what’s not to like about prosciutto, goat cheese, pecorino and potatoes?

Recipe by Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups coarse freshly torn bread crumbs (from 3 large slices of good rustic bread)

• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 small bunch asparagus (about 12 ounces), trimmed

• 4 medium white- or red-skinned potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), peeled and cut into ½-inch slices

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 ¼ cups whole milk

• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

• ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano (1 ounce), plus more for serving

• 6 thin slices prosciutto

• Chive blossoms, or chives for serving (optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss bread-crumbs with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until crisp and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add asparagus. Return to a boil and cook until crisp-tender, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Add potatoes to pot; cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain. Arrange potatoes in the bottom of an 8 1/2-by-11 1/2 inch or 2-quart baking dish (about 1 1/2 inches deep).

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook until it has a slightly nutty aroma, about 30 seconds. Gradually (to avoid lumps) whisk in milk. Bring mixture to a boil and cook, whisking, until thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; add both cheeses and whisk until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour half of sauce over potatoes. Arrange prosciutto and half of asparagus on top. Drizzle with remaining sauce. Top with remaining asparagus, then bread-crumbs. (Dish can be made to this point and refrigerated in a covered container up to 1 day; add 10 minutes to baking time.) Bake until bubbling around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly; serve, sprinkled with more Pecorino and chive blossoms.

Easter Sunday looks like it will be one of those spring days in Chico that will break your heart it’s so beautiful. Wildflowers, a gentle breeze, maybe a few puffy white clouds. Dye those eggs, take your pup for a walk and set out a lasagna pan full of Funeral Potatoes to divert attention from the quite good Asparagus and Potato Gratin accompanying your Easter ham.

Miso is a fermented soybean paste made by combining three simple ingredients – soybeans, salt and koji, (a type of fungus – Aspergillus oryzae – cultivated on rice and other grains) – and allowing the mixture to age for months or even years. As Zoe Denenberg explains, the type of koji used and the length of time the mixture is fermented results in infinite varieties of miso. Over 1300 variations of the umami-rich paste are in use today.

The two major groups of miso are shiro, (white) and aka (red). White miso, also called sweet miso, is light in color with a high ratio of koji to soybeans and a shorter fermentation time. Jampel describes it as mellow and refreshing, you can eat it by the spoonful. Red or dark miso has a longer fermentation time, higher salt content, and a higher ratio of soybeans to koji resulting in a saltier, earthier and more intense miso with “a pungency that’ll hit you right in the sinuses”.

If, like me, you’re new to miso, Chris Morocco, senior food editor for Bon Appetit suggests starting with white miso – it’s milder and more versatile – can be used for both sweet and savory dishes. When shopping for miso look for minimal ingredients: soybeans, rice or barley, salt and sometimes alcohol used as a preservative. Morocco recommends Miso Master Brand, from North Carolina or South River Miso from Massachusetts. Japanese markets have much more selection.

So what do you do with it? Why use it? Denenberg for Epicurious mentions miso-marinated salmon, a natural combination, miso soup, a mainstay of Japanese breakfast that may combine both red and white miso for simultaneous sweetness and depth of flavor but urges branching out to discover how umami-rich miso boosts the flavor of everything it touches – “saucy, cheesy noodles, sticky-sweet vegetable stir-fries, even. floral fruity miso ice cream. Coat potatoes in red miso-butter, swirl a batch of ramen noodles in miso broth, add miso to mayonnaise or ranch dressing, explore miso desserts like miso-maple walnuts to sprinkle over ice cream, chocolate miso bread pudding. Heck, rub it on your Thanksgiving turkey!”

Store miso in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container indefinitely while you figure out all the cool things to do with it. For openers, mix a little into butter and use it to season green beans, rub on corn, smear on garlic bread, or as Christopher Kimball suggests melt it over rice, dollop on broiled salmon or seared steak, or as a sauce for pasta – be prepared to use this on everything! To get you started, here are 3 modest recipes to get your bearings on miso and what it can do for your pantry.

Spring Mix Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing

This Spring Mix Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing is bright and refreshing. The savory and tangy dressing enhances the flavor of the creamy avocado, cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, and fresh mint leaves. Recipe from Nami for Just One Cookbook, a Japanese home cook based in San Francisco.

Ingredients

2 cups spring mix salad

1 avocado (sliced)

1 red radish (sliced)

3 cherry tomatoes (sliced)

4 mint leaves (hand-torn)

1–2 radish sprouts (discard the bottom; optional)

For the Sweet Miso Dressing:

2 Tablespoons white Miso + 2 tsp mirin or honey

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)

1 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Instructions: In a small mixing bowl, combine the dressing ingredients: 2 Tablespoons miso and 2 teaspoons miren or honey, 2 Tabldspoons rice vinegar (unseasoned), 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil, and whisk it all together.

Rinse 2 cups spring mix salad and dry completely. Toss the salad, 1 avocado (sliced), 1 red radish (sliced), 3 cherry tomatoes (sliced), 4 mint leaves (hand-torn), and 1–2 radish sprouts (optional) in a large bowl.

Drizzle the dressing into the bowl and toss gently. Serve immediately.

Our first impression was “this tastes really fresh!”

Miso Ginger Pork

With umami-rich miso, savory soy sauce, spicy ginger, and a hint of sweet mirin, Miso Ginger Pork is a perfect mix of delicious Japanese flavors. Serve with steamed rice to enjoy this big flavor pork dish. Recipe by Nami for Just One Cookbook.

Ingredients

½ pound thinly sliced pork loin

1 Tablespoon neutral oil

For the marinade:

2 inches ginger (grated; separate the juice from the grated ginger)

1 Tablespoon sake

½ Tablespoon soy sauce

For the Seasonings

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sake

1 Tablespoon mirin

1 Tablespoon white miso

1 teaspoon sugar

To Serve (optional)

¼ head green cabbage (shredded)

¼ Japanese or Persian cucumber (sliced)

6 cherry tomatoes

Instructions: The trick here is getting the pork sliced really thin. The best idea is to freeze it for an hour or two so it’s easier to slice. There’s a good instructional video on You Tube: Just One Cookbook – Slice Meat Thinly.

Gather all the ingredients: Grate 2 inches ginger. Squeeze out the ginger juice and add it to a bowl or tray for marinating the pork. Set aside 1 tsp grated ginger for use later. ( I used the grated ginger without squeezing out the juice). To the ginger juice, add 1 Tablespoon sake and ½ Tablespoon soy sauce. Then, add ½ pound thinly sliced pork loin. Flip and coat the pork with the marinade. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the seasonings: 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon sake, 1 Tablespoon mirin, 1 Tablespoon miso, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add 1 teaspoon grated ginger and mix well. Set aside.

Heat 1 Tablespoon neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add and sear the meat in a single layer. To give a nice, even sear, it’s best not to touch or move the meat around.  Flip the meat and cook the other side until it is no longer pink. Then, add the seasonings.

Coat the meat with the sauce using a spoon and flip once to make sure the meat is seasoned on both sides. Serve immediately. If you‘d like, shred ¼ head green cabbage and slice ¼ Japanese or Persian cucumber, and divide, along with 6 cherry tomatoes, onto individual plates of Miso Ginger Pork.

Ramen Noodles with Miso Pesto

Springy ramen noodles and a cilantro-miso sauce bring a welcome twist to a classic pesto recipe by Andy Baraghani.

Ingredients for 2 servings
4 cups baby spinach

2 cups cilantro leaves with tender stems

1 Tablespoon white miso

1 garlic clove

½ cup grapeseed or sunflower oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

2 5-ounce packages fresh ramen noodles or dry, if you can’t find fresh

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Toasted sesame seeds (for serving)

Preparation: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, purée spinach, cilantro, miso, garlic, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, and lemon juice in a blender until mixture is smooth and very green. Season with salt and pour pesto into a medium bowl.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and add to bowl with pesto. Add butter and toss until butter is melted and noodles are coated in sauce.
Divide noodles between bowls and top with sesame seeds.
Do Ahead: Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Color might darken slightly.

And if you want to start with salmon, this recipe from Joe Duff is simple and supposed to replicate the Cheesecake Factory Miso Salmon.

Cheesecake Factory Miso Salmon Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons red miso paste

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon white rice vinegar (unseasoned)

2 4-ounce salmon fillets, deboned and skinned

1 cup snow peas, fresh

½ cup dry sake

1 shallot, minced

1 stick of butter, softened

Instructions: For the miso marinade and glaze, combine the miso paste with the brown sugar, rice vinegar and soy sauce in a small mixing bowl. If too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of warm water.

Coat the salmon fillets with the miso mixture and cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the snow peas, boil 2-3 cups of salted water and blanch the peas for 8-10 minutes. Cool down in an ice bath. (This seems too long – maybe 2 minutes, then ice).

Line a baking tray with aluminum foil brushed with olive oil and preheat the oven to 355ºF.

Roast the salmon in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until flaky but still pink inside.

For the sake butter, add the butter and shallots to a pot and cook at medium heat for about 7 minutes. Add the dry sake and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve the salmon with the snow peas, and top with the sake butter and chives.

Something ancient but new to play with – I hope you have fun discovering how to use miso paste and that you get that umami flavor boost in all your favorite dishes! Be brave – add a teaspoon of miso to your mac and cheese March-on!

I’ve always cooked salmon on a sheet pan in the oven with vegetables and so was intrigued by this idea of pan-searing. The recipe couldn’t be simpler, and the result is a tasty crispy exterior surrounding the tender, flaky salmon. Recipe by Elizabeth Nelson for Southern Living.

Pan-seared salmon

Salmon ingredients:

• 4 (6 ounce) skin-on salmon fillets

• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Lemon-herb butter ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces.

• 3 tablespoons chopped tender herbs (such as parsley, tarragon, chives, or thyme)

Prepare salmon: Take the salmon out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking to allow it to come up to room temperature. Check fish for any pin bones and remove them. Pat fillets dry with paper towels. Season the flesh side of the salmon with salt and pepper.

Sear salmon: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. The oil should cover the entire bottom of the pan; add another teaspoon or two if needed. Place the salmon in the pan, skin side up and cook 5 minutes.

Flip fish and finish cooking: Carefully flip the fish using a fish spatula, or other thin, flexible metal spatula. The fish should be golden brown and release easily from the pan. If it doesn’t release easily, cook 1 minute longer before flipping. Cook skin side down 4 minutes until skin is golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork or reaches 135 degrees to 145 degrees Fahrenheit when measured with a meat thermometer.

Prepare lemon-herb butter: Remove the fish from the pan and tent with foil to keep warm. Pour the lemon juice into the hot pan and turn the heat to low. Whisk in the butter until melted, then stir in the herbs. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Finish and serve: Drizzle butter over salmon fillets and serve immediately.

The exact time needed to cook pan-seared salmon can vary a bit depending on how thick the fish fillet is, but you will usually cook about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Salmon is generally done when it flakes easily with a fork. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, fish and shellfish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. If you prefer a more medium or medium-rare fish, look for a temperature of 125 to 135 degrees when inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the fillet.

Tips for cooking

This salmon recipe is nearly so easy you don’t need much more guidance, but here are a few tips to help:

1. Take the fish out of the refrigerator, let it come up to room temperature and pat dry before cooking. Letting the salmon come up to room temperature helps it cook more evenly.

2. Patting the fish dry helps it develop a nice golden brown sear in the pan.

3. Cook the fish in a heavy-bottomed pan, like a good quality stainless steel pan.

4. Use a fish spatula. If you cook fish regularly, a fish spatula is your best friend. The thin, flexible metal is easier to slide under the fish when flipping, making it easier to turn the fillets over without breaking them.

5. Don’t peek! It can be tempting to try and look to see how it’s browning, but trying to turn the fish over too soon can cause it to stick to the pan.

6. Leave the skin on while cooking. While you can pan sear skinless fillets, it’s much easier to flip the fish with the skin on.

Smashed potatoes

In pursuit of simple and crispy, smashed potatoes seemed like an appropriate companion to the salmon. Recipe from Love and Lemons cookbook serves four.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds small yellow potatoes

• 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for the pans

• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder

• ¾ teaspoon onion powder

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs, (parsley, chives and or dill)

• Flaky sea salt, optional

• Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and liberally coat two baking sheets with olive oil. Place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large pot and fill it with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are soft and fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly. Place each potato onto the oiled baking sheet and use the back of a measuring cup or your palm to smash them down until they’re about ¼-inch thick. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Roast 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp around the edges, rotating the pans halfway.

Season to taste with more sea salt, or flaky sea salt, fresh herbs and sprinkles of Parmesan, if desired.

Sautéed asparagus

This simple recipe is a delicious spring side dish or addition to frittatas, pastas and more. I sauteed beautiful thin spears without chopping them into 1-inch pieces. Recipe by Love and Lemons cookbook serves four.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1-pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed, chopped into 1-inch pieces

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus, salt and several grinds of pepper and sauté, stirring often, for 3 to 6 minutes, or until tender. The timing will depend on the thickness of your spears.

Remove from the heat and toss with the lemon juice. Season to taste and serve.

Simple, fresh and crisp — a menu to match the beauty of a sunny winter afternoon.

Best damn lemon cake

Simple meals call for a dessert with big flavor and this loaf-pan cake by Maida Heatter doesn’t disappoint.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter, plus 8 tablespoons, melted

• 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs

• 1⁄2 cup whole blanched almonds

• 1 1⁄2 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 3⁄4 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 1⁄3 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1⁄2 cup milk, at room temperature

• 2 tablespoons lemon extract

• Zest and juice of 2 Meyer lemons

Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan measuring 8.5-by-4.5-2.75 inches with 1 tablespoon of the butter and dust it with the bread crumbs. Invert and tap out excess crumbs; set aside. In a food processor, grind the almonds until very fine, about 1 minute; set aside. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Put the remaining melted butter into a large bowl and add 1 cup of the sugar. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just long enough to incorporate, about 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture and milk mixture in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until mixed after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, about 3 minutes total. Mix in the lemon extract. Remove bowl from mixer. With the spatula, fold in the lemon zest and ground almonds. (The mixture will be thin.) Turn batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and dry, about 65 minutes.

During baking, the cake will form a large crack or two on the top which will remain light in color.

Transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Prepare the glaze: Combine remaining sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. (Do not boil.) Let the cake stand 2-3 minutes then brush the hot glaze very gradually over the hot cake, allowing it to sink in — it should take about 5 minutes to apply it all. (The excess liquid may pool along the sides of the pan; it will absorb completely as it sits.) Let the cake stand until tepid then gently run a knife along the sides and invert it onto a rack. Allow cake to cool upright — when the cake is completely cool, wrap it in plastic wrap or foil and let it stand for 12-24 hours before serving.

Tip: For the best results, use a light-colored metal loaf pan. A dark-colored loaf pan will cause the cake to over-brown, while glass or Pyrex loaf pans do not conduct heat as well as metal.

Spring preview! It was splendid, as was dinner. Three more days of showers then maybe the real spring? Tip: Don’t be seduced by those tomato seedlings — it’s too soon.

It is a primary source of calories for more than half of the global population, according to a NewAmercia.org Jan 11, 2024 article. More accessible than wheat that must be ground into flour, then baked, rice has only to be “milled” — the outer husk removed, before it is cooked and eaten.

I’m also proud of the mitigation efforts California’s rice farmers use in their handling of water, chemicals, and air quality. Like any large-scale farming, rice is not perfect. But they are always looking for ways to improve. Rice straw is now incorporated into the ground rather than burned; water is held in fields until any toxins from chemicals have abated, and later used to provide sustenance and a place to rest for migratory wild birds. Some farmers, the Lundbergs for example. send schoolchildren into the fields to search for bird’s nests and eggs which are picked up before the land is tilled for planting. The eggs are carefully placed in incubators until they hatch, then cared for until the birds are old enough to safely return to the wild.

The Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific Flyway starts tomorrow, one of the major birding and wildlife events in the state. It’s headquartered at the Patrick Ranch Museum and walk-in registration is still available for many events, Thursday through Sunday. There are workshops, field trips, a banquet and silent auction Saturday night, an art exhibit and reception at the Museum of Northern Califronia Art on Friday night and activities families can share all weekend. If nothing else, go to the Llana Seco viewing platform some afternoon after the festival is over and see the breathtaking flight and landing of a billion migrating birds for yourself.

After a busy and cold day of bird-watching it’s nice to come home to something warm and tasty and rice-oriented. Like this easy oven risotto with crispy roasted mushrooms  by Anna Stockwell for Epicurious. A risotto without all the stirring — just pop it in the oven. And while that oven is on, use it to crisp up a bunch of mushrooms.

Oven risotto with crispy roasted mushrooms

Recipe serves four.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound mixed wild, shiitake, and/or crimini mushrooms, broken into pieces or sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 4 cups)

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced

• 6 thyme sprigs

• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• 1 3/4 teaspoons (or more) kosher salt, divided

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 1 cup arborio rice

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine

• 3 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth, divided

• 2 ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup)

• 2 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves

• Lemon wedges (for serving)

Directions: Place racks in bottom third and middle of oven; preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss mushrooms, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast on bottom rack, tossing halfway through, until deeply golden brown and crisped, 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large ovenproof Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly translucent, 3-5 minutes. Stir in rice; season with pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until some grains are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add vermouth, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover and bake in oven until liquid is mostly absorbed but rice is still slightly firm in the center, 16-18 minutes.

Return pot to stove and heat over medium. Add remaining 1/2 cup stock and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is tender but still has some bite and sauce is creamy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan, butter, and lemon zest; season to taste with salt, if needed. Add a little bit of warm water, if needed, until risotto is thick but still pourable.

Transfer risotto to a platter. Top with crispy mushrooms and parsley. Drizzle with oil. Serve with lemon wedges alongside.

Chicken purloo, sometimes called perlu, purlieu or pilaf is a one-pot savory rice and chicken stew associated with Lowcountry Gullah cuisine around Charleston and Savannah. More a concept than a strict recipe, t’s thought to have West African roots and is related to similar dishes around the world like Spanish paella, South African pulao, Turkish pilav, Greek pilafi and Indian biryani. In the American South, it’s a classic comfort food and there are as many ways to prepare it as there are to spell it. Using long grain or medium grain rice is important so that the cooked grains remain separate and fluffy as opposed to rice varieties used for creamy risotto or clumping sushi, according to Southern Living. It’s flavorful and warming — enjoy.

Chicken perloo

Recipe by Kardea Brown for Food Network serves six.

Ingredients:

• 5 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 1 pound skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

• 2 teaspoons House Seasoning, plus more if desired, recipe follows

• 8 ounces smoked sausage, such as kielbasa or andouille, cut into half moons

• 1 stalk celery, diced

• 1 medium Vidalia onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine

• 3 cups diced ripe tomatoes (beefsteak or heirloom if ripe, plum if not), optional

• 2 cups uncooked long-grain or medium grain white rice

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 5 cups chicken stock

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for serving

House Seasoning ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Stir all spices together in a medium bowl. Keep in an airtight container. Makes 5 teaspoons.

Directions: Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the House Seasoning. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and the sausage to the skillet. Sear the chicken on one side, stirring and flipping the sausage occasionally, until the chicken is deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken and sausage to the plate with the bacon.

Add the celery, onions and peppers to the remaining bacon and chicken fat. Cook until the vegetables are softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in the sherry or wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the tomatoes, if using, and let cook until they release all their juices, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the rice and butter and cook for about 1 minute. Stir the cooked bacon and sausage back into the skillet. Stir in the chicken stock and check for seasoning. Nestle the chicken thighs, skin-side up, back into the pan, adding any juices from the plate.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, 20 to 30 minutes. Fluff the rice and sprinkle with parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

I chose not to use tomatoes – The Perloo I’ve had in the past didn’t have them and we eat so many other things with tomatoes I thought it would be a nice break.  A smoky sausage adds flavor and dry white wine is a perfect substitute if you don’t have sherry.

January! A great month for migrating snow geese, cozy rice dishes and muddy paw prints. Enjoy.

Elevate a hospitable bowl of olives by gently warming with good olive oil and a ‘twist’ of orange peel. Olives with pits are best — provide a little pit bowl when serving.

Ina Garten’s warm marinated olives

Ingredients:

• 2 cups large green olives with pits, such as Cerignola

• 2 cups large black olives with pits, such as Kalamata or a container of mixed olives.

• Zest of 1 orange, peeled in large strips

• 4 large garlic cloves, smashed

• 2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ( use less to concentrate the olive’s flavor)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2/3 cup good olive oil

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions: Drain the green and black olives from the brine or oil that they’re packed in and place them in a medium bowl. Add the orange zest, garlic, fennel seeds, thyme leaves, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour the olive oil over the mixture, add the thyme sprigs and toss to combine.

Transfer the mixture, including the olive oil, to a medium (10-inch) sauté pan. Heat over medium heat until the oil begins to sizzle. Lower the heat and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the olives and garlic are heated through and fragrant. Serve warm right from the pan or transfer to a serving dish. Offer a small dish for the pits. You can store leftover olives in the refrigerator and gently re-warm to serve another day. “Cook Like a Pro” by Ina Garten.

Martha Stewart’s Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts — a plague upon my palate, but my dear man friend loves them. This recipe has it all. Bacon, Brussels sprouts and oranges! A more pleasing combination I could not imagine — bless your heart Martha Stewart!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for brushing

• 2 small oranges, cut in half then into ½-inch slices

• Kosher salt

• 3-4 strips thick-cut bacon cut into ¼-inch pieces (1 cup)

• 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking sheet generously with oil. Add orange slices in a single layer, turning to coat. Season with salt and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast 15 minutes. Add bacon and roast until crisp, about 12 minutes.

Toss Brussels sprouts with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil; season with salt. Add to baking sheet; toss to combine. Roast, tossing once, until sprouts are tender and browning at edges and oranges are deeply caramelized, 25-30 minutes more.

Shrimp with orange beurre blanc

This simple shrimp recipe is zhooshed up with a bit of orange and a fancy name. Serve with rice and the Moroccan-style citrus salad that follows.

Ingredients:

• Large shrimp — 6 per person, peeled and deveined, but not cooked

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• 2 oranges

• ½ cup white wine

• 2 teaspoons minced shallots

• ½ pound (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter

Directions: Peel and de-vein shrimp if necessary. Make orange syrup — zest half of one orange (about 2 teaspoons) and juice the two oranges (about ¾ cup). Put the juice, zest, wine and shallots in a sauce pan on medium high heat. Cook until it is syrupy and almost gone.

On low heat, whisk in the butter stirring continuously and vigorously, 1 tablespoon at a time. Butter is the only emulsifier for this sauce, and if you add it slowly, continuously stirring the sauce will achieve a silky-smooth texture. Do not let the sauce boil. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm while you continue with the shrimp.

Heat a skillet on medium-high. Pat the shrimp dry and coat with olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp about 45 seconds on each side. Add more olive oil, if necessary, to keep the shrimp from sticking to the pan. Do not overcook!

Drizzle the beurre blanc sauce over the shrimp or serve in a separate small container for dipping.

Citrus salad

A refreshing salad that makes the most of the bountiful citrus available now and features the flavor profiles of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking — cumin paprika, cinnamon and mint. Dream of Moroccan spice markets, souks, casbahs and camel rides in the dessert while we’re burrowed down in winter. Recipe by Amanda Frederickson.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 citrus fruits, such as blood oranges, navel oranges, and cara cara oranges

• 3 ounces feta cheese

• 3 tablespoons pistachios, chopped

• Mint chopped

• Olive oil

• Sea salt

Directions: Remove the citrus peels and cut fruit into wheels. Sprinkle with feta and pistachios and garnish with mint, a drizzle of olive oil and a large pinch of sea salt.

Roasted oranges

So simple — the perfect example of a zhoozed up ingredient. The aroma alone is reason to try this. Consider serving it with ice cream. Recipe by Jostlori.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium navel orange (any seedless orange will do)

• Vanilla

• Cinnamon

• Honey

Directions: Line a small baking sheet with foil, then spray with a bit of oil. Peel orange by removing the skin and white membrane, then cut into ¼-inch thick slices. Lay flat on the foil-lined tray. Drizzle or brush with a good vanilla extract, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Finally drizzle honey over each slice.

Place orange slices in oven or toaster oven set to broil. Broil until they are nice and brown on top. 15 minutes in my toaster oven, but probably less time in a regular oven.

Hope this has given you some simple but tasty things to try, a new word to play with, and some ideas about how to do some zhoozhing up of your own.

Thank you, January, for beautiful, bountiful oranges, grapefruits, kumquats, lemons, all things citrus and delicious!

Simplest spaghetti al limone

Deb’s Notes: It was the River Cafe London’s 30th anniversary cookbook edition, released last year, that reminded me of what a pure and wonderful thing spaghetti al limone can be when made as uncluttered as possible. Their minimalist version is heated at the end but I found the technique I use for my foolproof cacio e pepe — a thicker paste of a sauce, thinned with just a small splash of pasta water after it has coated the hot spaghetti — to work more reliably, and to all but eliminate leading weary home cooks to wonder why they haven’t been able to coalesce oil and water together on a Tuesday night. I find I need much less lemon and olive oil, as well. Marcella Hazan calls fettuccine al limone “one of those lightning-quick Italian triumphs” and she seems like a good person to trust on this. It takes all of a minute longer to make than pasta takes to boil, and the result is the kind of sunny, summery, quick meal we all need more of in our repertoires.

I am usually no fan of Microplane (specifically Microplane rasp-ed) parmesan. I find it fluffy and weightless. I prefer my parmesan with more bite, gravitas. But here, it’s the very best way to go, rendering parmesan so fine that merely a whisk will turn it into a sauce. Plus, you’ll already be using it for the lemon zest, right? If you don’t have one, use the tiniest holes on a box grater.

If you can find an unsprayed/unwaxed lemon, it’s all the better here. If you can’t, give your lemon a light scrub (not removing zest, of course) and dry it thoroughly before zesting it here.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen serves 2 to 3 and takes about 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

• Coarse salt

• 1/2-pound dried spaghetti

• 1 lemon

• 3 1/2 ounces parmesan cheese

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• Fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions: Boil the spaghetti in well-salted water according to package directions. While it boils, finely grate (with a rasp-style grater) the zest of half your lemon into the large bowl you’ll use to serve your dish. Add the juice of the whole lemon (about 4 tablespoons). Use the same rasp to grate the parmesan on top. Add olive oil, about 1/2 teaspoon salt (and more to taste), and several grinds of black pepper and combine them with a whisk until very well mixed and as smooth as possible. When the pasta reaches the ideal texture, scoop out 1 cup of cooking water, set it aside, and drain the rest. Quickly turn piping hot spaghetti to lemon-parmesan mixture in bowl and use tongs or spoons to toss it until all of the strands are coated. Don’t worry if the mixture seems too thick or sticky — first get the strands as evenly coated as possible. Add reserved pasta water, a tiny splash (about 1 to 2 tablespoons) at a time, tossing the whole time, only until the spaghetti looks glossy and lightly sauced, but no so much that you “wash” the sauce off the pasta. You might only need a single splash to achieve this. Add basil leaves and toss to combine, then serve. If you finish each serving with a little extra olive oil, salt, pepper, and parmesan, you’ll be glad you did.

Our Christmas morning traditional meatballs and gravy, coffeecake and spicy egg casserole sounded out of sync with our delicate innards and way too much for just the two of us. We enjoyed plain scrambled eggs courtesy of the generous backyard hens with dry toast and herb tea and were grateful for each other and feeling well enough to eat anything at all. Sometimes simple is the best.

Hope your Christmas was wonderful and we are looking forward to a COVID-free family New Year’s celebration.

Family food traditions and memories are especially strong around the holidays. Certain smells and flavors pull us home, remind us of childhood.  They pass our culture and identity on to the next generation and bind family members as food clansmen.  Our Christmas breakfast tradition is relatively new in the realm of traditions – less than a century, more than a year.

A couple of decades ago, a dear friend, realizing we worked long retail hours in December, gave us Christmas Breakfast as a gift.  She sent her boys to town on Christmas Eve, with everything made and ready to heat in the oven and let them figure out how to squeeze it all into the refrigerator while we were at work.

At first, I was hesitant about the ranch-country menu, a breakfast of meatballs, baked egg and green chile casserole, and coffee cake, but it was a marvelous, memorable. breakfast that was easy to reheat and forgiving, if we got held up with Santa things.

A tradition was born, and every Christmas since, a breakfast magically appears in our refrigerator on Christmas Eve from our thoughtful friend.  Over the years, Hanna would comment, “It wouldn’t be Christmas without Janet’s meatballs.”, or “For me, Christmas is all about Christmas morning and the meatballs.” As the most verbally appreciative, she was the family member elected to learn how to make the hallowed Christmas Meatballs, and Sunday was the appointed day.

Janet’s kitchen is filled with antique crockery bowls, pictures of grand kids, framed watercolors of birds’ nests, antique apple peelers, interesting pitchers, cookbooks, and whimsical old toys. A black and white Plymouth Barred-Rock hen pecks around the back porch while Janet and Hanna pour over Janet’s grandmother Gongee’s ancient recipe.  The scrap of paper is truly decrepit – shiny from old scotch tape mends, some of the pencil words, written long ago in a strong script are disappearing into transparent areas from grease spots, so it is hard to read.

Country Wisdom is being passed along with meatball instructions: “Smell the ground elk meat to see if it is strong or mild, so you can adjust your seasonings” “Don’t wash eggs until you are ready to use them – they have a protective coating that keeps them fresh”. Bowl genealogy is shared: the mustard colored one is the one Janet’s grandmother always used to make rolls, the green speckled bowl is a gift from her son Todd, from a pottery studio in Mendocino.

The ingredients are measured, combined and mixed, and the contents of each of the 4 bowls is divided and recombined, swapped back and forth, so that all the mixtures are the same, and it’s time to start rolling the balls.  As the counter fills with orderly lines of meatballs lined up on waxed paper, the fry pans are heated with butter and oil, and some of the meatballs are floured and put in the skillets to cook, while we roll the rest.  There are a lot of meatballs – last year was skimpy, and Janet wants to be sure to have ample quantities this year.

Hanna is lightly coating meatballs in flour before they are cooked, and the window over the kitchen sink casts a Vermeer light over her face and floury hands.  She is a young woman and Janet and I are entrusting her with the recipes and combined wisdom of our grandmothers, both raised on North country California ranches, to carry on the family traditions. Both of our mothers are gone, and to Hanna’s children, we will be the old people.

I should tell you right now, in case you are skimming this just to be polite, and waiting for the recipe, that I am sworn to secrecy, and you won’t find it here. Hanna says she has waited too many years to learn how to make the Christmas meatballs and doesn’t want to share the recipe just yet.

The kitchen is fragrant with herbs and browning beef, as the sunny day turns to rain in the afternoon. Batches of browned meatballs are going into the oven to finish cooking and we’re on to the topic of the egg strata.  Full-flavored, and a welcome change from the sweets of Christmas, this egg and green chile puff can be completely cooked the day before and reheated on Christmas morning while you’re opening your stockings.

Mid-afternoon, the meatballs are ready to be frozen for Christmas morning, and the three of us share a little lunch and a sense of accomplishment.  After sampling, Hanna says they taste even better when you help make them.

This column first appeared in The Enterprise Record in December 2010. Thirteen years later, the Christmas Morning Meatball tradition continues, and you’ll have to try to get the recipe out of Hanna. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Christmas Morning Chile Egg Puff

10 eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups small curd cottage cheese – regular not nonfat or low fat

1 pound grated mild monterey jack cheese

1/2 cup melted butter

1 can diced mild green chiles.

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Butter a 9”X13” baking dish.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat thoroughly.  Stir and toss together the flour, baking powder and salt, sift them over the eggs and beat until blended.  Beat in the cottage cheese, grated Monterey Jack cheese, butter and chilies.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and cake for 35 – 45 minutes, or until puffy and set, and a knife inserted slightly off-center comes out clean.  Serves 10.

The savory, well spiced meatballs and gravy, and chili-egg casserole are complimented by a bundt-style coffee cake that also reheats well.  Serve with butter and homemade pomegranate jelly.

Sour Cream-Streusel Coffee Cake

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

4 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons dried currants

3 cups cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 16-ounce container sour cream

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 12-cup Bundt pan. Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Set nut mixture aside. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and sour cream alternately into butter mixture in 3 additions. Beat batter on high 1 minute.

Pour 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of nut mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter over. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture. Spoon remaining batter over.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack and cool 1 hour. Transfer to platter.

Whisk powdered sugar and milk in small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over coffee cake. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool completely. Wrap in foil and let stand at room temperature.)  Serves 8-10

If you’re a lucky guest, bring a decadent treat that doesn’t require oven space – chocolates or wine, almonds or olives, red pepper jelly, morning buns for the day after or something practical like pristine new oven mitts and a new dish towel. Thanksgiving is rough on kitchen linens.

As good as Thanksgiving dinner is, nothing can match the splendor of Thanksgiving leftovers. Flavors have melded, emphasis on presentation is negligible, and creativity surges into the turkey sandwich arena. My favorite is sliced buttermilk bread, a smear of Best Foods Mayonnaise, thick chunks of turkey, dark and light mixed, a sprinkle of onion salt, a good spoonful of homemade cranberry/orange relish, a couple of crunchy leaves of romaine lettuce, and the top slice of bread, but I’ve seen innovative Thanksgiving Dagwoods with layers of stuffing, green bean casserole and mashed potatoes included as well as tangy components like red bell pepper ancho chili jam, salsa, dill pickles or chutney.

Lucky for you, possibly the best turkey soup maker in the western hemisphere resides in Chico and agreed to share her secrets to this satisfying, soul-pleasing, elegantly simple soup. Cory Davis made and served cauldrons of delicious turkey soup from her highly regarded restaurant, Cory’s on Third Street. Cory’s closed in 2003, after 14 years of serving up wonderful food and nothing has come close to replicating the restaurant’s 1-inch thick slices of home-baked bread, roasted turkeys, chocolate cake, oatmeal cake, pastries, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and a turkey soup that was clear, fresh-tasting, and absolutely restorative! There were no short-cuts at Cory’s — it was a lot of work, a lot of butter and other quality ingredients infused with the spirit of generosity, and you could taste it; the place was always packed.

Cory’s turkey soup: Cory had an unusual method for cooking her turkeys, six at a time, every day, for sandwiches and soup. She cooked the turkeys in 5-inch deep roasters and put 2-3 inches of water in the bottom of the pan. The turkeys were seasoned with parsley, garlic salt, pepper and butter and the pans were covered with foil before they went into the oven. The turkeys were almost steamed. When roasting was done, Cory’s staff would skim the fat off the seasoned broth left in the pan and a pure gelatin was left which formed the basis for her turkey stock.

To get the same effect at home, you could boil your turkey carcass in chicken broth, or a blend of chicken broth and water for a richer stock. After the carcass has boiled for an hour or two, pull it out of the pot, and strain the broth. At this point you have a lovely pure stock to build your soup with.

To this basic stock, Cory would add raw diced vegetables including a couple of diced sweet onions like Vidalia or Walla Walla, sliced button mushrooms, chopped celery, diced carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and finely diced red potatoes. Chopped parsley and dried basil were added towards the end. “Choose the vegetables you like”, she says “fresh string beans are also good.” Next step is a couple of cans of diced tomatoes with their juice. At this point, the soup was brought back to a boil, seasoned with kosher salt, garlic salt and freshly ground pepper, then simmered “until the flavors mature and mingle, and the basil releases its oil”. The butter from the turkey skin may have to be skimmed off. “A young soup is when the vegetables are just tender,” and when the vegetables were al dente, or crisp-tender, Cory would add chopped turkey breast, dark meat, carcass pickings and fresh spinach.

Rotini noodles or wide egg noodles, cooked rice or cooked barley, were cooked separately and added at the last minute. This keeps the soup clear, not muddy from the released starch of the pasta or rice. A final seasoning of kosher salt and pepper to taste was added just before the soup was ladled into thick crockery bowls and served with slices of homemade bread. The essence of the soup was the wonderful fresh stock and all the flavors of the fresh vegetables. It was a memorable soup, and it was served every day but Sunday to an appreciative repeat clientele at Cory’s downtown restaurant.

Incidentally, Cory’s idea of a turkey sandwich was her turkey club: two slabs of homemade buttermilk bread, Best Foods mayonnaise, white turkey meat, sliced avocado, Monterey jack cheese, bacon, sliced tomatoes and country ham, in case you’re looking to change up your leftover turkey repertoire.

My chickens turned 6 months old on Veterans Day and surprised us with 1 perfect pullet egg. Since then, we’ve amassed a dozen as everyone kicked in their first small egg! I’ll be taking tiny devilled eggs to Molly and Eric’s house for Thanksgiving. I hope your day is filled with things and people to be thankful for, especially this amazing city with its Camelot fall leaves and perfect weather, Christmas Preview, the Run for Food, the generous spirit of Annie and John Bidwell and all who followed in their footsteps, Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is bearing down on us and the food magazines are stepping all over each other trying to create the most lavish Thanksgiving spreads. Thanksgiving is actually a pretty simple meal — roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, string beans and pie. Why it takes all day to prepare is a mystery I’ve yet to unravel. Maybe it’s the special cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, homemade rolls and jam, cranberry sauce, freshly ironed cloth napkins, florist-worthy centerpiece, family gossip and polished candlesticks that get us in trouble?

Delicious! Everything about Thanksgiving is delicious and rich and heavy and needing a bit of spark to lighten up. This spunky little salad is pretty, easy to make ahead, and features good things in season right now like persimmons, pomegranates, and apples. Just a quick refresher — as you remember there are two kinds of persimmons — the flat round ones or Fuyu that you can eat like an apple, and the acorn-shaped Hachiyas which are bitter and astringent until they are fully ripe and jelly-like. This recipe uses the Fuyu variety.

Autumn salad with persimmons and apples

The perfect balance of sweet, salty, creamy and crunchy — a zesty Thanksgiving reprieve from rich and heavy. Recipe from Kim at Insanely Good.

Ingredients:

• 5 ounces baby spinach or mixed baby greens

• Balsamic vinaigrette — homemade or store bought

• 1 Fuyu persimmon, thinly sliced into half-rounds

• 1 apple, thinly sliced into half-rounds

• ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese

• 1-2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate arils

Directions: Dress the spinach to taste — whisk together a 1:1 ratio of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic with a little Dijon mustard for dressing. Top with persimmon, apple, goat cheese, pepitas and pomegranate.

I am lucky enough to have a Hachiya persimmon tree in the back yard. A consistent over-achiever we have to lop off branches every year to keep it from breaking with its huge crop. It’s beautiful all year, shading the chicken coop in the summer with tiny green persimmons just starting to develop, in the fall with leaves turning color and bright orange fruit, and in the winter with no leaves, just the surprising orange fruit hanging from bare branches. The fruit doesn’t really start to ripen until we’ve had a freeze or two, but you can pick it unripe and enjoy looking at it in bowls while it ripens.

How to eat a Hachiya persimmon? The best way to eat a soft, ripe Hachiya according to Martha Stewart is to freeze it for a few of hours (or overnight) until solid. Remove the fruit 15-20 minutes before you want to eat it. As the outside of the persimmon thaws slightly, a glittering coat of frost forms on the skin. Cut off its top off, and you’ll have instant persimmon sorbet! It is the easiest dinner party dessert ever, and it’s so dramatic in its simplicity.

To hasten ripening chef David Lebovitz suggests simply let them sit on your countertop until very soft. If they don’t ripen at the same time, you can store the puree in the refrigerator until the others have ripened. You can hasten the process by putting persimmons in a well-sealed container; adding an apple, which gives off a lot of ethylene gas, which will speed things up. Hachayias need to be squishy-soft and feel like a full water-balloon before using. Once ripe, the sweet jelly-like pulp can be spooned out and pureed through a blender, food processor or food mill, although some folks like to eat it as is or frozen. The pulp freezes beautifully, and in fact, I’ll often freeze some for late-winter use. Did you know the wood of the persimmon tree is prized by makers of fine golf clubs and is favored over other woods or man-made materials?

The following is a classic persimmon bread recipe from James Beard’s book, “Beard on Bread” published 30 years ago. It has been adapted by David Lebovitz below and uses Hachiya persimmons.

Persimmon bread

Using the higher amount of sugar will produce a moister and, of course, sweeter bread. I often use bourbon, as I like the flavor, but cognac and brandy work well, instead. I’m often asked about making this cake without the liquor and haven’t tried it, as the liquor is an integral flavor in the cake.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups sifted flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 2 to 2 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 cup melted unsalted butter and cooled to room temperature

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

• 2/3 cup Cognac or bourbon whiskey (see headnote)

• 2 cups persimmon puree, (from about 4 squishy-soft Hachiya persimmons)

• 2 cups walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped

• 2 cups raisins, or diced dried fruits (such as apricots, cranberries, or dates)

Directions: Butter two loaf pans. Line the bottoms with a piece of parchment paper or dust with flour and tap out any excess. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the first five dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center then stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, persimmon puree then the nuts and raisins.

Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Storage: Will keep for about a week, if well-wrapped, at room temperature. The persimmon bread take well to being frozen, too.

This is it folks — Chico’s rather spectacular version of fall. Get out there and rake some leaves, take some pictures, buy the dog a sweater and just have a good wallow in this most precious season!

Ripe red ones of all sizes surprise me every morning and green ones just keep appearing even though I don’t see many flowers. This recipe for roasted tomato soup was so simple — made me load up my pockets with ripe tomatoes and head for the kitchen. Recipe from TikTok user flavorsbyfrangipane.

Roasted tomato soup

Ingredients:

• 15 ripe tomatoes — approximate depending on size — add some cherry tomatoes too if you have them

• 2 red bell peppers, sliced

• 1 red onion, kind of quartered

• 1 whole garlic bulb

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup chicken broth

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (plus extra for garnish)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Chili flakes and oregano to taste

• Fresh thyme and basil

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a Dutch oven, combine the tomatoes, red bell peppers, red onion, garlic and olive oil. Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Once roasted, squeeze the garlic cloves from the bulb and add them to the roasted vegetables along with heavy cream, chicken broth and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, pepper, chili flakes, oregano and fresh thyme. Blend the ingredients until smooth in a blender, with a stick blender, or run through a food mill like Ina Garten.

Finish the soup by adding more Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, salt, pepper, fresh thyme and chiffonnades of basil to taste. Serve the creamy tomato soup with warm bread or grilled cheese and garnish with extra Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Open-faced grilled cheese

A crunchy and cheesy open faced grilled cheese. What’s not to love?

Ingredients:

• 2 cup of grated cheese — I used a mixture of fontina, provolone and cheddar

• 1 slice of rustic country bread like Camino Bakery’s Blonde for each serving – dry out in a warm oven if loaf is fresh.

• One stick of butter

• A handful of herbs — I used parsley, basil and chives

• 2 medium sized cloves of garlic

• A couple of twists of black pepper

Directions: Finely mince 2 tablespoons of herbs and set aside. Using a food processor or a fork, blend soft butter with the remaining herbs, garlic and black pepper. Spread butter/herb mixture over bread. You may have some butter/herb mixture left over — save for another use. Toast bread under broiler until butter/herb mixture melts and bread is lightly toasted. Remove from oven. Sprinkle cheese on the lightly toasted bread and put under broiler. Watch carefully and remove as soon as cheese has melted and started to bubble. If you’re not serving this with tomato soup, place thinly sliced tomatoes over cheesy bread. Put under broiler for 1 minutes so tomatoes are warmed through. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn — especially the edges of the bread. Lightly sprinkle the minced herb mixture over the open-faced grilled cheese with tomato.

No time for green tomato pickles

If you love the crisp crunch and flavor of Clausen’s Dill Pickles, save the jar of leftover brine that remains after you’ve finished the pickles. Slice washed green tomatoes into the jar until full and covered in the brine. Hide the jar in the back of the refrigerator for a week or two. Open and enjoy — they will be crisp and perfectly Clausen flavored — wonderful next to a sandwich.

Getting ready for Halloween

My dream of backyard chickens finally came true thanks to chicken guru Bill Graves and the fencing mastery of Carl. Eight beautiful speckled Sussex hens named after presidential First Ladies: Martha, Michelle, Dr. Jill, Lady Bird, Betty Ford, Dolley, Mamie and Eleanor enjoyed a long summer with watermelon every afternoon, lots of clucking and general conversation but no eggs — they are only five months old. I read that chickens will carve your pumpkin for you if you draw your design and remove the tough outer pumpkin skin where you want them to “carve”.

The black walnut leaves at our house have not fallen — they are still green, and the Ginkgo trees on The Esplanade are chartreuse but not yellow. Despite the lack of signs and balmy days, I do believe fall is here. Make soup, dust off your sweaters, pretend it’s cold and enjoy the almost crisp weather.