M I N D F U L E A T I N G
Food is our life-source, an incredible gift from the earth. I look at food as an extension of healing and self-care. It is an opportunity to nourish yourself and those around you with energy, health and joy. Whether you’re eating for one, throwing a party or packing lunch to-go, you should eat food that sustains your overall well-being. This is my guide to living a simple life; tips that encourage you to embrace the process. I focus on everyday staples and how you can transform simple ingredients into approachable, delicious meals that change seasonally.
Mindful eating is an ongoing practice - a never-ending study in our world and our Self. I encourage you to investigate your relationship with food. How you prepare it, what eating a meal looks like to you, and how it makes you feel. Where does your food come from, and who are you buying it from? Does it come in a package, and if so, what is that packaging made of? These are all important questions I implore you to become more aware of.
We have to get back to the craft and appreciation of quality ingredients. Without them, there will only be more disease, depleted soil and a climate that is beyond repair. Conventional methods of food production are polluting the planet and contributing at an astonishing rate to climate change. Supporting farmers that practice sustainable & regenerative farming methods is of the utmost importance - for our health and the planet’s. Buying organic & local foods makes a huge difference, and it’s worth seeking out. It’s up to you whether you decide to eat meat or not, but my suggestions lean heavily vegetarian. If you do eat meat, poultry or fish, please do so responsibly and find markets that source food raised with ethical practices.
I encourage you to listen to your body when you eat. Use your intuition & senses when shopping and cooking. If something needs more salt, add more. If you don’t like nuts, take them out of the recipe. If you have leftovers, how can you convert them into a new meal? My recipes are intentionally vague. I hope this encourages you to get comfortable cooking without a recipe, and instead rely on your instincts & creativity. This process provides a foundation to help you think about what you’re eating, where it's coming from and how to create your own beautiful, seasonal dishes. And in turn, you gain more insight into how you’re living your life. It translates into everything you do.
I N T U I T I O N
Your intuition is your forever teacher. Use it, develop it and trust it. Your senses will guide you the entire way.
SHOPPING
Markets are an essential part of daily life in almost every culture around the world. It’s where everything happens, and everyone comes together. The produce at the farmers' market always dictates what we are going to make at home. I see what looks best, and our meals get inspired from there.
Shopping at the farmers' market has so many benefits. You can develop relationships with the farmers – ask if they practice organic growing or if they use any sprays. If you don’t know what to make with a certain ingredient, ask! Being at the market weekly is a great way to learn and make connections. It reduces your carbon-footprint, educates you on what grows when and where, and you can support your local economy.
*PLS NOTE
Just because it’s a farmers’ market doesn’t make it organic. Ask the seller if the farm uses any chemicals.
Look for diversity at each stand. Bio-diversity promotes healthy crops & soil.
If you’re traveling in a foreign country or a new city, check out the local markets, especially ones that operate in the morning. They usually have the best food stalls and provide a fascinating lens to the culture’s daily life. *These are rarely organic, but can be a wonderful experience. **If you want to take a photo, even if no people are in it (especially in other countries), always ask permission.
Use your senses when shopping & find your inspiration here. What looks good? If a recipe calls for romaine but they’re out or it doesn’t look nice, what does? Swap it for something that is in season.
Buy in bulk when possible - for things like rice & dried beans this option can be great!
*PLS TRY @ HOME
When you get home from shopping, wash your herbs, cut the ends, and store them in a glass with fresh water.
You won’t have to do this if you shop at the farmers’ market - but, if you get any produce with stickers on it, take them off before putting food on display on your kitchen counter.
Before preparing a meal, wash all your fruits & vegetables. There’s nothing worse than spending time making a delicious dish, then chomping on some dirt, because you didn’t clean the ingredients properly.
Invest in great kitchen tools. Promise you’ll never buy a plastic cooking utensil again! Find some local wooden spoons to cook with. If you’re upgrading your pots & pans, look for companies that use non-toxic materials. And, please! Sharpen your knives.
P A N T R Y B A S I C S
HERBS
GARLIC
ONIONS
FRUITS & VEGETABLES
UNSALTED BUTTER
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
FISH SAUCE
SOY SAUCE
HONEY
MAYONNAISE
MUSTARD
CANNED TOMATOES
TOMATO PASTE
PASTA
CANNED SEAFOOD | MACKEREL, SARDINES, ANCHOVIES
RICE
DRIED BEANS
NUTS
AP FLOUR
BAKING SODA
BAKING POWDER
CUMIN
CURRY POWDER
DRIED CHILIES
DRIED OREGANO, FENNEL SEED, CORIANDER SEED, HARISSA, SUMAC, CURRY POWDER / SPICES YOU LOVE & WILL USE
SALT | KOSHER & SEA SALT
SESAME SEEDS, ROASTED
PEPPERCORNS
CHEESE
OLIVES
S E A S O N I N G
One of my mentors gave me a great base for everyday dishes: fat, salt and acidity. Those are the key components to seasoning. I always knew that was her foundation, and from there, I could see & taste every other ingredient in the dish. She made a wonderful pasta salad; I could see the lemon zest, chives and parmesan cheese, and I could taste the garlic. I had a pretty good idea of how to recreate it at home. I put it all together and added olive oil, salt & lemon juice - it was delicious! She kept things simple but put a generous amount of each ingredient, so you could taste it in every bite – her food was approachable and packed with flavor. It made cooking fun for me to try on my own without relying too heavily on recipes.
I was lucky that my mother indulged my culinary curiosities. She would take me to the farmers’ markets every week, sometimes multiple times a week. We would go home and try replicating dishes. It was our weekly ritual together. I quickly became comfortable cooking, and I used my senses to develop my own dishes. You can too.
FAT
Extra-virgin olive oil and butter are most commonly used in our home. Every single dish we make uses one or the other.
SALT
Course Kosher salt is my favorite to cook with. Sea salt for finishing. I love salt and am not afraid to use it. If you think you’re a bad cook and your food tastes bland, add some more salt and see what happens. Work your way up, so you get an understanding of how you like your dishes seasoned.
ACID
Vinegar and citrus are the most common ways to add acidity. This component is important, because it brightens the dish and cuts through the fat. It brings balance to your seasoning. I usually add acidity right before serving. Start small and add more if needed - try one squeeze of citrus or a small spoonful of vinegar, per person.
F O U N D A T I O N A L C O O K I N G
EGGS
b o i l e d
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, gently add eggs with a spoon. Set a timer for 5-10 minutes, depending on how runny you want the yolk. 5-minute yolks will be runny, 10-minute yolks will be cooked through. When your timer goes off, carefully drain the water into the sink. Run cold water over the eggs and into the pot to cool them down and stop the cooking. If you want to serve the eggs cold, have some ice close by to cool them faster. If you want to serve them warm, cool them until you can handle, then peel.
f r i e d
Heat a skillet on high, with a generous amount of olive oil – about a quarter inch up the side of the pan. Once the oil is hot, crack the egg in. It will bubble and pop, the bottom getting browned and crispy. Turn the heat down to medium. If the bottom of the egg is cooking too quickly, tilt the pan so the oil collects on one side – with a spoon, ladle some of the hot oil onto the top of the egg, helping the top of it cook. Cook it less, if you want a runny yolk, longer if you don’t. Add some salt and with a slotted spatula, gently lift your egg out of the pan.
You can re-use the oil for frying a couple of times.
s c r a m b l e d
There are so many different types of scrambled eggs. Play around with your scramble to see how you like them done – mine changes with my mood each day and how much time I have.
For perfect, soft scrambled eggs, crack whole eggs into a bowl. On low heat, melt a very generous amount of butter. Once melted, pour the eggs into the pan. With a wooden spoon, gently stir the eggs constantly, blending the yolk & the white. Make sure you’re always getting the bottom & sides folded in, so the eggs cook evenly. Once the eggs start to take a bit of form, add some salt. Keep stirring the eggs until they are cooked to your desired doneness. Don’t take your eyes off these eggs – they cook slowly but will overcook quickly! They should be soft and melty. So good spooned on top of grilled bread. Add more salt if needed, and pepper, if you’d like. You can garnish with herbs and a side of your favorite cheese.
SOFRITO / MIREPOIX
Here, I will refer to it as sofrito. This is a cooked vegetable base that will help season your dish – think onions, celery, carrots (you can also use fennel, parsnips, turnips, etc.). It’s a great thing for you to get comfortable with, because it can provide depth, like in soup or risotto. Keep it in mind when you start making up your own recipes.
Dice the vegetables you’re going to use for your sofrito. Coat a pan with olive oil on medium heat. Cook the sofrito until the vegetables start to become tender and your onions turn translucent. These aromatic ingredients take a little longer to cook, rather than a green that is going to wilt quickly, so this is usually one of the first steps in creating a lot of dishes.
SAUTÉ
Heat a pan on medium, and add at least enough olive oil (or butter) to coat the pan, plus enough to coat the vegetables. It depends how much food you’re cooking. If you don’t use enough oil, the vegetables will brown too quickly and burn. Once the oil is heated, add your ingredient. Think about if you want the vegetables browned or not – adjust the heat accordingly and how often you stir the ingredient. You have control. If the veggies look dry, add a bit more oil. Don’t forget to add salt. Once done, finish with some acidity & more olive oil, if desired. I usually add kosher salt while it’s cooking, and then finish with sea salt, if it needs more.
If you want the vegetables cooked more, and you don’t want to add more oil, put a lid over the pan for a few minutes. The water that is naturally in the vegetables will release and gently steam, helping them cook through.
BLANCH
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt to the water, so it’s heavily seasoned. Take washed vegetables and cut them to your liking.
Get prepared for the end result, because some blanches are super quick. Put a colander in the sink. If you want your veggies bright and crunchy, make an ice bath in a separate bowl close to the sink.
What are you making? Do you want super crisp vegetables? Or do you like your veggies cooked through? Are your vegetables starchy? These will need more time. Think 30 seconds to 6 minutes of cooking for most things. Once the water is boiling, add the vegetables. Set a timer, and before it goes off, try the ingredient to see if you want it cooked longer. When ready, pour the water through the colander. Transfer the ingredients from the colander to the ice bath, if using. Or, run cold water over the colander to slow the cooking.
My husband Jason blanches kale and onions together – it’s so delicious! Play around. Find what you love.
b o i l e d p o t a t o e s
It’s important to tack this on. Boiled potatoes are their own thing, and blanching them like other vegetables doesn’t give you a desirable result.
You can boil potatoes whole, but it will take a long time, depending on how big they are. Peel the potatoes, or leave the skin on and wash them very well. If you’re cutting the potatoes, cut them to your desired size, as equal to each other as possible to ensure that they cook evenly.
Add the potatoes to a pot of fresh water, covering them fully. Bring the water to a boil, then immediately turn the temperature down to just below a simmer. Salt the water - it should be seasoned like a soup. Cook the potatoes until they’re fork-tender and have a creamy texture. If they’re cut in small cubes, check them after 10 to 15 minutes.
ROAST
I rarely ever roast. You have to turn on the oven. I hate turning on the oven. You have to use a sheet tray. I hate cleaning sheet trays! But, sometimes, you want to roast something. So, turn on the oven. Let’s say 425 F. Take your veggies and cut them, or not. Put them on the sheet tray & coat everything with olive oil & salt. Roast for about 15-20 mins. It depends on what you’re cooking and how big or small it’s cut - try one, see if it’s cooked. Carrots, beets, potatoes are going to take more like 30-40 minutes.
Y E A R - R O U N D S T A P L E S
STOCK
BEANS
RICE
I look at cooking kind of like a uniform. You have your go-to bases that you can rely on all year-long, and by switching up your produce as the seasons change, you have an ever-changing, sustainable diet.
Again, my recipes are very unstructured. I do this to encourage you to develop your senses, so you don’t need recipes in your day-to-day. I like to season my food with at least one bit of each ingredient in every bite. That being said, I eyeball everything. You will become more comfortable as time goes on - trust yourself. And, with practice / a lot of tasting, you’ll get to know your own process. I don't really like to give you specifics on which vegetables to use, because I want you to go to the farmers' market and see what's available locally. Refer to your pantry & play around by adding harissa to a grain salad, or toast fennel & coriander seeds in a dry pan before adding oil to sauté vegetables for a curry. Small tweaks can really elevate a dish.
E V E R Y D A Y S T O C K
Stock is great to have on hand, because it adds depth to all sorts of dishes. It also puts to use odds and ends of vegetables that you might have otherwise thrown away.
Any vegetables you have
Water
Vegetable stock is the easiest thing to make. Use onions, garlic, carrots, radishes, turnips, herbs, lettuce - any vegetables you have. And, it doesn’t have to be the whole vegetable - scraps are perfect to throw into your stock. It’s a great way to utilize the whole plant or things that are turning.
Take your veggies, making sure they’re clean, and give them a rough chop. Put everything in a large pot and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer until the veggies are cooked through. About 30 minutes to an hour. Turn off the heat, let the stock come to room temperature. Pour the stock into containers, straining out the vegetables, and store in the fridge or freezer. I never season my stock until using it to create a whole dish; that way, you can season it appropriately with whatever it is you are making.
SIMPLE BREAKFAST
Warm broth is super nourishing and easy on your system first thing in the morning.
stock
soft-boiled egg
fresh herbs
Pour however much stock you want to have, about a cup or two, into a small pot and heat it. Add some salt & season to your liking. I like having a boiled egg with it, as well as some fresh herbs, maybe a few spices & a slice of fresh bread on the side.
VEGETABLE SOUP : hot or chilled
Take a minute to think about what type of soup you want. Is it warm outside, and you want something bright and refreshing? Maybe you don’t want to cook your vegetables too hard when it’s warmer out to keep things tasting super fresh. In hotter months, you might want chilled soup. In cooler months, you might want something a bit heartier. Make a big pot, and store it in the fridge or freezer.
olive oil
onion, garlic, other aromatics for sofrito, diced
vegetable stock or water
seasonal vegetables, chopped
inspiration for you :
s p r i n g
asparagus / peas / fresh dill
s u m m e r
chilled summer squash / cucumber / chives
l a t e h a r v e s t
tomatoes / basil
w i n t e r
cabbage / potato / leek
In a large stock pot, heat some olive oil on medium-high. Start with your sofrito: add aromatics like onion, celery, carrots & fennel. Cook until they start turning translucent. On medium heat, add whatever seasonal vegetables you’re using and cook until they just begin to brown. Season the vegetables with salt. Add vegetable stock and/or water, enough to cover the vegetables fully. On high heat, bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer. Season the soup with more salt. Check it in about 30 minutes. Some soups will need to be cooked longer. Try it, and make sure everything is cooked through to your desire. When ready, turn off the heat & season more, if needed. If you want, you can add the soup to a blender to make it creamy. Or, leave it as is.
Spoon the soup into serving bowls. Garnish with fresh herbs, spices, a drizzle of olive oil or a bit of vinegar.
E V E R Y D A Y B E A N S
Creamy beans are always on rotation in our home. Far too often beans are undercooked, so please make sure you cook them all the way through; they will be super soft when done. Some people like beans al dente, but I find those very hard to digest. Avoid adding acidity to the beans before they're done cooking, or else they will never soften. I also wait to salt the beans until they're done cooking or right before.
Soaking dried beans overnight will lessen their cooking time. Make sure you sift through the beans for any rocks, beforehand.
Keep cooked beans in the fridge and use them throughout the week or freeze them.
dried beans, soaked overnight in fresh water
fresh water or vegetable stock
onion, celery, or other aromatics (optional)
Strain your soaked beans. Add them to a large pot and cover with about two inches of fresh water. If you’re adding aromatics, roughly chop them and add to the pot. Turn the heat on high and heat until the beans come to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, so the water is simmering. Cover the pot. Cook for about an hour and a half to two hours. Check on them periodically, giving them a stir, and adding more water whenever necessary. Water should always be fully covering the beans.
Try a few to make sure they’re fully cooked. Chickpeas usually take longer than others, so these will probably be closer to 2 hours, maybe more. When the beans are done or close to it, salt the water; you want to season them enough so the salt penetrates through the skin and the beans have flavor, but not too much, as you can always add more salt when you’re about to eat them.
Once the beans come to room temperature, store them in a container, in the liquid they were cooked in.
BREAKFAST BEANS
everyday beans : about ½ cup per person
onion, diced
a bit of chili, like diced serrano or crushed chile de árbol
garlic, diced
veggies, chopped
egg, fried : 1 or 2, per person
In a pan, heat some olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, and cook until they start turning translucent. Add the veggies & cook until browned or wilted, whatever you desire! Just about a minute or two before the veg is ready, I like adding some chili & garlic. Season with a bit of salt. Once all the veg is cooked to your liking, add the beans. You can use a bit of the bean liquid if you want it saucy, or use a slotted spoon if you just want beans. The bean water makes it thick! Once the beans are heated and everything is cooked through, put off to the side on low heat. Add some acidity - try a squeeze of lime or a bit of apple cider vinegar.
Fry your eggs.
Heat up a tortilla or toast some bread, if you'd like. You can garnish the beans with fresh cheese and cilantro.
BEAN SALAD
everyday beans : about ½ cup per person, strained
veggies
herbs
olive oil & vinegar or citrus
inspiration for you :
s p r i n g
white beans / fava & pea leaves / mint / pecorino
s u m m e r
pinto beans / fresh corn / serrano / cilantro
l a t e h a r v e s t
chickpeas / charred broccoli / pickled onions / sesame seeds
w i n t e r
black beans / honeynut squash / ricotta
Chop the seasonal veggies. You can cook everything or leave the ingredients raw. Take your strained, everyday beans - heat them up, have them cold or room temperature. Put everything together in a bowl. Add a bunch of herbs like parsley, dill, tarragon or basil. Toss the salad with olive oil, acidity & salt.
CREAMY BEANS
Every year, when fava beans are in season, I make Suzanne Goin’s incredible fava bean purée from her Sunday Suppers at Lucques cookbook. This recipe is adapted from there. These creamy beans can be made year round and is much less time consuming! It’s a delicious, easy snack that is always a hit at a party with a big plate of fresh vegetables and bread. I like using white beans or chickpeas for this dish.
everyday beans : 1-2 cups, strained
rosemary sprig
a dried chili
garlic, a couple cloves, diced
dash of cumin
salt
olive oil
lemon juice or vinegar
Heat olive oil in a pan on medium-high. When hot, add a sprig of rosemary and a dried chili. Let them sizzle for a minute or two. Add diced garlic, and cook until it’s barely browned. Turn off the heat & discard the rosemary and chili. Let the oil cool slightly.
Add beans to a food processor or blender, with a couple pinches of cumin and salt. Add a few spoonfuls of lemon juice or vinegar. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil & garlic mixture until the beans are creamy. You can add regular olive oil, if you need more to emulsify the beans. Taste and season more, if desired.
Put in a bowl and garnish with herbs, a dash of cumin or harissa and olive oil. Serve with a fresh bread or raw veggies.
ANYTIME BEANS
everyday beans : about ½ cup per person
onion, chopped
garlic, sliced
curry powder, cumin or any spices you love
seasonal vegetables, chopped. ideally whatever hearty greens you can find - collards, swiss chard, kale. but something like cauliflower or broccoli would be nice, too.
everyday rice, optional / see below
Heat olive oil in a large pan on medium. Cook the onion and any other aromatics you have on hand (carrots, celery, fennel). When the sofrito is turning translucent, add the rest of your vegetables. Sprinkle on a healthy amount of whatever spice you are in the mood for and stir everything so it's evenly coated. Season with a bit of salt, too. Once everything is cooked, add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
Add some of the bean water so it covers the bottom of the pan, plus some. If you don't have enough liquid, use water or stock. If you want a saucy dish, add more liquid. Add the beans. Let everything simmer, so the flavors come together and the sauce reduces a bit. You can keep it cooking longer if you want the liquid to reduce even more. Taste it and season to your liking. Once done, add acidity. You can garnish with thinly sliced fresh ginger, cilantro and sesame seeds.
These beans are delicious on their own or spooned over a bed of rice. If there are leftovers, I love having it the next day wrapped up in a flour tortilla.
E V E R Y D A Y R I C E
Rice is life. It’s so true. It is the staple food for more than half of the world’s population. Eat whatever kind of rice you like. I prefer white rice – jasmine, basmati, long-grain. For steamed rice, 1 cup of rice is enough for 4 small sides or 2 main portions, with some leftovers. I always make extra to use for fried rice the next morning.
1 : 1.5 rice to water ratio, generally - cooking times & proportions depend on what type of rice you have. This ratio works well for long-grain, but a quick search online can help guide you.
Add rice and water to a pot. Bring to a boil. You can add a pinch of salt or a spoonful of olive oil to the water, if you want. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 5 to 10 minutes.
RICE PORRIDGE
Congee, or rice porridge, became a household staple for us after our travels in southeast Asia. We eat it all times of the day, but it is such a treat in the morning for breakfast. You can make the soup in advance and store it in the fridge, so you just heat it up & add your garnishes. This recipe makes about 6 servings.
1 cup uncooked rice, rinsed
6 cups water or stock
garlic, sliced
onion, diced
fresh ginger, thinly sliced *optional
vegetables, roughly chopped *I love using cabbage, bok choy or mustard greens
EXTRAS:
soy sauce / fish sauce / soft-boiled egg / scallions / sesame seeds / chili oil / fried shallots / radishes / cilantro / lime
Add the rice, 4 cups water or stock, garlic, onion and ginger to a medium - large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the roughly chopped vegetables. Simmer until everything is well cooked, adding more liquid whenever needed - as it cooks, the rice will absorb the liquid, so keep your eye on it. It will take around an hour to cook. If you want your porridge a little thinner, add more water or stock; if you want it thicker, let it cook longer. The porridge will thicken as the rice cools, so add more water, each time you reheat it.
When everything is fully cooked, add a bit of salt, fish sauce or soy sauce. Spoon the soup into individual bowls, leaving whatever is in the pot relatively bland, so you can reheat leftovers and season accordingly.
Garnishes are such a treat with this dish! Serve with a soft-boiled egg in each bowl. You can add fresh chili, sesame seeds, chili oil, fried shallots, scallions, cilantro - the possibilities are endless. Individuals can season each bowl on their own with fish sauce, soy sauce & lime juice.
RICE SALAD
In 2015, Jason and I were in Burgundy working harvest on a winery. We were at the winemakers’ home for dinner one night - celebrating, eating fancy food, drinking some of the best wine in the world. While we were getting dinner ready, our friend had made food for her kids. A big bowl of white rice, tomatoes and canned tuna sat on their table. That rice salad sticks out in my head more than anything else we had that night. It looked so perfect to me! When we returned from France, it became my go-to. I make it for lunch, pack it to take on an airplane, or I bring it to a picnic, putting all sorts of herbs and vegetables in it.
Below is a base recipe, followed by seasonal ones. Rice salad can be made with anything you have on hand. You can cook the vegetables or leave them raw.
everyday rice
vegetables, chopped - so they’re easy to eat with a spoon, cooked or raw
canned seafood *optional
olive oil, mayonnaise or both
mustard, citrus or vinegar
salt
herbs
Let your steamed, everyday rice come to room temperature, while you prep everything for the salad.
Chop your veggies and herbs. Put enough of each ingredient, so you have some in every bite.
If there are any vegetables you want cooked, sauté or blanch them. Put everything into a bowl. Mix & season. Serve at room temperature.
s p r i n g r i c e s a l a d
english peas / sugar snap peas / spring onions / mint / tarragon / mayonnaise / olive oil / salt / lemon juice
For a fresh spring salad like this one, I would leave everything raw, except maybe the English peas. Try one, and if it’s starchy, cook them in some olive oil or blanch them. If they’re super sweet and tender, then keep them raw.
s u m m e r r i c e s a l a d
tomatoes / onion / chives / serrano / canned mackerel / sesame oil (use sparingly) / mayonnaise / sesame seeds / fish sauce / rice wine vinegar
l a t e h a r v e s t r i c e s a l a d
broccoli / onion / garlic / jalapeño / cilantro / cumin / mayonnaise / fish sauce / apple cider vinegar / paprika
On medium heat, sauté the onion in olive oil. When it begins turning translucent, add the broccoli. About two minutes before the broccoli rabe is ready, add the garlic and jalapeño. Season with salt. Add everything to a bowl and season with the ingredients above, adding a dash of paprika to garnish before serving.
w i n t e r r i c e s a l a d
onion / turnips / egg, boiled for 8 minutes / soy sauce / fish sauce / dried chili / sesame seeds / lime juice
On medium-high heat, cook the onion & turnips in olive oil until lightly browned; season them with salt. Add all the ingredients to everyday rice in a bowl and season to taste.
FRIED RICE
Fried rice is the perfect leftover dish. You need steamed rice to dry out in order to make it - that’s why I always make extra. We eat it multiple times a week, and it’s always different, because it depends on what we have in the house. It’s perfect for breakfast or lunch.
day-old everyday rice
onion
garlic
ginger
jalapeño or serrano
vegetables
egg, 1 per person
cilantro
fish sauce
soy sauce
lime juice
sesame seeds
By no means do you need all of these ingredients to make fried rice. They’re just suggestions. Start by using what you have at home.
Dice the onion, garlic, ginger, chili and set aside. Chop your vegetables.
In a medium to large pan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add the rice. After about 30 seconds or so, stir in the onion, garlic, ginger and chili. You want the ingredients to brown and get crispy. The rice can stick to the bottom of the pan, so use the edge of a spatula to scrape it off. If the ingredients are browning too much, turn down the heat. Add the vegetables and cook through. Once cooked, create space in the pan to crack the eggs directly into. Add a little extra oil, add the eggs. Once they start cooking, scramble them in the pan, and just before they’re totally done, incorporate them fully with the rice and vegetables. Turn the heat off. Add chopped cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce & soy sauce for seasoning. Once plated, finish with sesame seeds.
S N A C K S & E N T E R T A I N I N G
These two are going together, because we don’t really snack in our house. If I get hungry before a meal, I eat something like canned seafood + potato chips, cheese and olives. Snacks are something you can throw together quickly, and to me, that is equivalent to something I would serve any house guest. I always keep my home clean and my pantry stocked; you never know when someone might come over or when you will be invited to someone else’s home. It’s good to be as prepared as you can be.
CHEESE PLATE
You can do whatever you want with a cheese plate. Try a tasting of sheep milk cheeses, all goat’s milk, or all buffalo! Jam & honey from a local farm is a nice addition. I like to garnish the plate with pretty fruits like figs, concord grapes or tangerines. I personally prefer fresh bread over crackers, but crackers can last on the shelf, so whatever works for you.
TOASTS
Toasts are great for breakfast, or a delicious bite with Champagne in the afternoon. I toast fresh bread in a pan on the stove, using butter or olive oil. Once it’s toasted, take a garlic clove, slice a bit off and rub the cut side of the clove over the bread, add a pinch of sea salt.
butter / anchovy / lemon
butter / mackerel / sumac
ricotta / olives | chop Castelvetrano olives with herbs and lemon zest, drizzle with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and sea salt.
creamy beans / marjoram / lemon zest
CRUDITÉS
A plate of crudités, or raw vegetables, is something you could generally always put together with whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand. I like adding whole stalks of herbs, because it looks nice and can be a tasty addition.
seasonal vegetables / herbs / creamy beans / fresh bread
SPICED NUTS
Fry your nut of choice, like almonds or pepitas, in oil over medium heat - make sure the oil covers the nuts. Add some sliced garlic, maybe a sprig of rosemary. They’ll crackle and pop. When the garlic starts to brown, turn off the heat. Strain the nuts over a bowl, saving the oil for later use. Place a paper towel over a plate to absorb residual oil and scatter the nuts. Season with salt, sumac, oregano or dried chili. Transfer the nuts to a serving dish.