belgian endive salad with pear and bacon
Belgian endive is actually a member of the daisy family and is completely kept from sunlight as it grows to keep the leaves from turning green or opening up. Otherwise they are too bitter to eat. I always wonder about foods like that where there is some really complicated way of growing them. Like who was the first person who was like “Ugh, this tastes terrible! Maybe if I grew it in the absence of sunlight, though.”
However that person thought it up, I’m glad they did. Belgian endive is one of my favorite vegetables and this salad is one of the best ways to enjoy it. Sweet pears and rich bacon are the perfect match for the mild bitterness of the endive, and the creamy yogurt dressing with a hint of acidity ties it all together. While we had this for dinner, I can also imagine it as part of an early spring brunch. read more »
rainbow chard salad with oranges and cipollini onions
Last week we had the first warm day in a very long time, and I was inspired to wander down to the Union Square Farmers’ Market. The weather had only been warm for a day, but I was already hoping for some spring produce. As you might imagine, I was out of luck. Though I didn’t find spring produce, I did stumble upon some beautiful winter vegetables. Small and tender rainbow chard and tiny cipollini onions. While it wasn’t tomatoes or cherries, at least it was something fresh and with color. Just the thing for a delicious winter salad. read more »
radicchio salad with lime vinaigrette
And so here we are, in the absolute middle of winter, with cold winds blowing and month-old, sooty snow piled high outside. My initial zeal for fresh root vegetables, citrus and kale is waning. But the things is, the year more than most, I want fresh vegetables and the creamy, buttery gratins of the season just don’t sound appealing. So, for now at least, we are still eating vegetables, even as they become harder and harder to procure.
Unless you go to the grocery store–there you’d hardly know it was winter at all. They even have tomatoes! But you know, I have my standards, so I walked right by the tomatoes and picked up a beautiful purple radicchio. And then this salad was born. I wasn’t sure what I was after, I just wanted something bright, crisp, and fresh. And that’s just what we have here. A vivid salad with tender leaves, a hint of lime, a little bit of pecorino, and a classic mustard-lime vinaigrette. A perfect counterpoint to the heavier dishes of the season. read more »
kale salad with grapefruit and pomegranate seeds
So Brooklyn Supper has never been completely strict about local food. We drink a lot of coffee and zest a lot of lemons, but this winter, we’re actually trying to eat a little more non-local fruit in order to eat more local vegetables. Winter cooking in the Northeast can really start to wear on you–braises and stews, gratins and cream sauces, root vegetables and tough greens. It gets to be a bit much, and we’ve found in the past that as soon as the Brussels sprouts stop showing up at the farmer’s market, we stop really eating vegetables. There only so much collards, kale, and beets you can take.
This winter, in an effort to eat more seasonal vegetables, we’ve been mixing in a little more fruit to mix things up, and this pomegranate, grapefruit, and kale salad is a perfect example. read more »
preserved meyer lemons
You may not be ready to think about this yet, but things can get a little gloomy after the holidays. After the celebrating is done, the tree is gone, and the new year welcomed, we’re faced with the chilly, gray reality of January. And February. Which is why this is a perfect time to have preserved lemons on hands. From winter braises and stews, to everyday pasta, hummus, dip, or even ice cream, they brighten things up and add a surprising kick of distinctive flavor.
This year, I made a mess of preserves to give out as holiday gifts. Not just delicious, I feel like the small jars are a little pocket of brightness and warmth to help us all make it through the winter months to come. read more »
three fall salads
Brooklyn Supper headquarters is starting to gear up for Thanksgiving. It’s our favorite holiday, and we take it pretty seriously. Though we’re expecting an intimate group this year we’re still going to do it up right. This week we blogged about a few Thanksgiving-worthy salad options over on Babble’s Family Kitchen. These recipes are also great for everyday dinner, or brown bag lunches. Now that chilly weather has arrived here in NYC I’m really enjoying the warmer side of fall foods. Here are three seasonal fall salads sure to add another layer of cozy to this wonderful time of year.
Green salad with bacon, pears and buttermilk dressing
Roast cauliflower salad with dried cherries and horseradish
Spicy roast squash salad with parsley
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