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Archive for 'scratch supper'

WHEN IN DOUBT, PUT AN EGG ON IT

The last time I posted was way back in December, and I apologize for falling into arrears. But not only did life become even busier than usual, it was complicated by the arrival of an Airedale puppy named Scout. Truth be told, I was not thrilled at the prospect of this development, but, all too predictably, I […]

SCRATCH SUPPER: PASTA WITH SUMMER SQUASHES, WALNUTS, AND PESTO

Hey, I don’t have much time this week, but I have to share this crate of zucchini and crookneck yellow summer squash with you because it made me laugh. The zucchini are fat, glossy, and complacent—one might think they’re well aware of their come-hither appeal. The crooknecks, on the other hand, look like they want […]

SCRATCH SUPPER: BROCCOLI RABE WITH PASTA AND OLIVES

If it’s April, I’m eating broccoli rage. Drat—Wordpress autocorrect did it again—I mean broccoli rabe. Despite its name (the last bit is pronounced rahb), it’s more closely related to turnips (Brassica rapa) than to regular broccoli (Brassica oleracea), and although it’s commonly described as a bitter green, I happen to think it has more of […]

BEHOLD THE BUTTERNUT: INSPIRATION FOR AUTUMN SCRATCH SUPPERS

Butternut squash, introduced to the public in 1936 and working hard ever since, doesn’t have the cachet of kabocha or the drama quotient of a Blue Hubbard or Red Kuri. What it does have going for it is widespread availability, great versatility, ease of peeling, good, reliable flavor, and now … cuteness. That’s right. Say […]

ENGLISH MUFFINS WITH CHEESY SAUSAGE CRUMBLES

Salad for supper is an easy out on evenings when we both return home late and in no mind to cook. The greens are already prepped and ready to go, and, odds are, there’s a small jar of homemade vinaigrette kicking around in the fridge as well. After all, lettuces, a cool-weather crop, are gorgeous […]

SCRATCH SUPPER: POTATOES AND CABBAGE

Unless you live in a part of the country where things are already green and growing, March can be a long slog, food-wise. I, for one, spend a good amount of time ginning up my own interest in ingredients that are far too familiar by now. There are a number of ways in which one […]

SCRATCH SUPPER: WARM LENTIL SALAD WITH KIELBASA

Scratching together a nourishing, delicious meal at the end of the day is one of life’s greatest challenges. Two staples that make that easier in our household are lentils and sausage, especially the smoked Polish variety called kielbasa. Lentils are one of the greatest pleasures of the legume world. They cook quickly (and unlike most dried […]

SCRATCH SUPPER: CROUTON SALAD WITH KALE

I’m all for kitchen thrift, but I take exception to the notion that croutons, like bread crumbs, are a byproduct of a loaf (often one of indifferent quality) gone stale-verging-on-rock-hard. When you start with top-drawer bread that’s no more than a day old, use good olive oil, and toast the bread with care, you have […]

SWING-SEASON POLENTA: A MARKET STORY

I am eating my way through October with gusto and greed. It’s the year’s great swing season, after all. The days are still warm and long enough to allow the last of the tomatoes, eggplant, green beans, and corn to sweeten and mature. Short-season cool-weather crops of lettuces and radishes—tender and juicy—are being harvested. And […]

SCRATCH SUPPER: SOUTHERN RATATOOEY

One of the great things about having a blog is that sooner or later you can work in a topic that has been gnawing at you for years but has never found a home. Southern ratatooey is an excellent example of what I mean. I have wanted to write about it ever since the masterful Laura Shapiro asked […]