Author Archives: cuocaciccia

Chard-Chickpea Stew with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce

Posted on December 30, 2011 by cuocaciccia

Despite the global economic crises, the fact that the apocalypse was supposed to enshroud us (myriad times), and that many journalists have branded 2011 as one of the worst years in several decades, I fancied it. We planted a garden, … Continue reading →

Posted in Almonds, Chard, Inept-but-Earnest Cook's Night, Kale, Legumes, Vegan | Tagged chard chickpea stew with garlic red pepper sauce, chickpea red pepper yogurt chard, chickpea swiss chard recipe, garbanzo bean salad with kale and chard, garbanzo stew chard bell pepper, red pepper almond sauce | 4 Comments

Winter Kale Salad

Posted on December 6, 2011 by cuocaciccia

The weekend before Thanksgiving I went on a babymoon with my husband to Portland. I had heard a lot of buzz related to the city’s blossoming food reputation (and chocolate Raleigh bars) so we booked a flight. Serendipitously for me, … Continue reading →

Posted in Carrots, Dinner, Kale, Radishes, Salad, Whole Grains | Tagged Caesar kale salad, Gruner kale salad, healthy winter dinner recipe, kale egg farro carrot radish, kale farro salad, kale farro salad recipe, kale radish, kale salad for dinner, ribboned kale salad with farro, winter kale salad recipe | 7 Comments

Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa Nibs

Posted on November 29, 2011 by cuocaciccia

I have so many things to share with you right now that I actually do not know where the best place to begin is. How about my riff on Grüner‘s kale ribbon salad with farro, radishes, and a garlicky-lemon vinaigrette … Continue reading →

Posted in Chocolate, Dessert, Hazelnuts, Nuts, Vegan | Tagged Askinosie hazelnut chocolate spread, chocolate hazelnut cocoa nibs, homemade chocolate food gifts, homemade food gifts, homemade hazelnut chocolate spread, Homemade nutella spread, homemade recipe chocolate hazelnut, recipe chocolate hazelnut cocoa nibs | 4 Comments

Pumpkin Pots de Crème

Posted on November 21, 2011 by cuocaciccia

I thought I would share a little dessert I put together last week since it would be a perfect do-ahead (even a day or two) treat for Thanksgiving. After making pumpkin kamut scones last week I had some leftover pumpkin … Continue reading →

Posted in Dairy, Dessert, Recipes for Egg Yolks | Tagged creme brulee with bay leaf, desserts using egg yolks and pumpkin, pumpkin creme brulee, pumpkin custard recipe, pumpkin desserts, pumpkin pots de creme, Thanksgiving pumpkin desserts, unusual pumpkin dessert | 4 Comments

Kamut Pumpkin Scones with Demerara Sugar Crunch

Posted on November 8, 2011 by cuocaciccia

In the past week there have been vegetable pot pies with potatoes, leeks, and carrots from our garden and flaky, buttery, homemade pie crusts. There was a wholly experimental, but scrumptious six-layer (!!!) strawberry cake (when three would have much … Continue reading →

Posted in Breads, Breakfast, Whole Grains | Tagged buttermilk pumpkin scone, kamut oat pumpkin scones, kamut pumpkin scone recipe with Demerara sugar, perfect pumpkin scones, pumpkin oat scones, pumpkin scone demerara sugar, whole grain pumpkin scones | 6 Comments

Homemade Squash Blossom Quesadillas

Posted on November 1, 2011 by cuocaciccia

One of my favorite months of the year is over. Halloween has come and gone. And I have not posted a single thing related to squash, pumpkins, or the host of phenomenal sweet and savory delights that I enjoy making … Continue reading →

Posted in Dinner, Inept-but-Earnest Cook's Night, Whole Grains | Tagged Gluten free quesadilla with blossoms, homemade tortillas corn, how to make tortilla from masa harina, pumpkin blossom recipe, quesadilla with poblano peppers and squash blossoms, quesadillas with poblano peppers and pumpkin blossom recipe, squash blossom recipe, what to cook with pumpkin blossoms, what to cook with squash blossoms, Yucatan habañero salsa | Leave a comment

Shirin Polo (Persian Rice with Orange Peel, Nuts, and Raisins) and Kashk-e Badamjan (Persian Eggplant with Whey)

Posted on October 19, 2011 by cuocaciccia

My story of rice actually begins with last week’s cultured butter and 15 gorgeous eggplants from the farmer’s market. I adore all manner of Persian food, even the stuff that my Persian friends think is quacky (like “doogh” the salted, … Continue reading →

Posted in Almonds, Dinner, Eggplant, Nuts, Pistachios, Rices, Vegan | Tagged How to cook Persian rice, how to make Persian eggplant with whey, how to make tadik, Iranian rice, kashk, kashk fermented whey, Kashk-e bademjan, Persian almond orange peel rice, Persian eggplant recipe, Persian jeweled rice, Persian pistachio barberry rice, Persian rice, Persian rice cooker recipe, Shirin polo, Shirin polo recipe, tadik | 5 Comments

Vanilla Pear-Apple Compote

Posted on October 7, 2011 by cuocaciccia

If you are enamored with the taste of real vanilla bean then it is certain that when you are done scraping the vanilla bean seeds to steep into cream for your creme brûlée or gelato or folding them into your … Continue reading →

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, Jams & Preserves, Jams and Preserves, Pears, Rustic Fruit Desserts, Vegan | Tagged easy pear dessert, pear apple compote, vanilla bean apple pear sauce, vanilla bean pear apple compote, vanilla bean pear preserves, what to cook with vanilla pod, what to do with leftover vanilla bean | 2 Comments

Homemade Cultured Butter

Posted on October 4, 2011 by cuocaciccia

I really love butter. Over the past few years I have come to appreciate huge differences in the quality and taste of butter. Butter varies in color from a golden-yellow to pale white, mostly from the diet of the animal’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Dairy | Tagged cultured butter, cultured butter recipe, cultured butter with sea salt, cultured dairy, how to make cultured butter, Vermont butter, what is cultured butter?, why butters have different colors | 7 Comments

Quince and Apple Frangipane Tart

Posted on September 29, 2011 by cuocaciccia

Rosy-pink Spanish membrillo with an aged cheese plate is delightful. Yet, I had never cooked a quince myself until this last week. As the seasons begin to hint at a change here in the Bay Area, the leaves turning orange, … Continue reading →

Posted in Almonds, Dessert, Nuts, Rustic Fruit Desserts | Tagged Gravenstein apple quince tart, how to cook quince, ideas for cooking with quince, quince apple frangipane recipe, quince apple tart recipe, quince galette, quince tart with almond paste, what to do with quince | 4 Comments