Cassoulet takes its name from the earthenware casserole in which it was traditionally made. It was once a one-pot peasant meal made up of slow-simmered savory beans cooked with an assortment of whatever meats were on hand and topped with duck fat-infused bread crumbs. There are as many variations as there are cooks, and they are all the very definition … Read more
Thanksgiving 2013
Here’s a screen shot of Google’s 2013 Doodle animation…so cool that I probably watched it six times!
After many years spent creating havoc in the kitchen and spending an inordinate amount of hours at the stove, we made things (somewhat) simpler in 2013. The day before, we prepped the cauliflower pilaf and pumpkin slivers, cooked the bacon, made the vinaigrette, … Read more
Wild Rice with Dried Cranberries and Chestnuts
Wild rice is wonderful with game, and in pilafs, casseroles, stuffings, salads and soups. It’s not a true rice but rather the seed of an aquatic grass that still grows wild in the Great Lakes region of the United States. Wild rice can be mixed with short-grain brown rice, which will add a contrasting texture, color, and flavor.
I … Read more
Roasted Duck With Orange-Cherry Sauce
Pekin ducks are prepared much the same as any other game meat – this one is classically served rare to medium rare (I like it edging into medium, but I’m a Philistine).
Note: When buying a whole duck or goose, allow about 1 pound of raw weight per person.
Duck pairs well with sweet/tart combinations, such as tart dried cherries, … Read more
Pasta with Dungeness Crab
I grew up in San Francisco, so Dungeness crab was a frequent autumn visitor to our table. But it wasn’t until I was out on my own, in my early twenties, that I created my own personal ritual. As soon as I heard that crab season had begun, I would head down to the wharf with a friend and pick … Read more
Persimmon Cake
Persimmon trees are a prequel to the Christmas holidays. They lose their leaves in autumn, but the fruit remains hanging, like brilliant little ornaments in an otherwise stark landscape. I’ve always loved their intense color and sweet, smooth flesh.
I was introduced to persimmons by my grandmother, who had a tree in her backyard. She would pick semi-ripe fruit and … Read more