Pickled Mustard Greens
Ever since I began studying Chinese food a few years ago, I noticed how much fermented and pickled foods factor into their cooking. Most of us know about Korean kimchi and many have had Japanese pickles before, but Chinese pickles are still relatively rare here in America. One of my favorites — and one that [...]
Trout with Morels and Wild Onions
Trout with morels, ramps and fiddleheads is a classic combination – all are in season at the same time, and in the same place. Even in the High Sierra, we have our own rendition, with bracken fiddleheads and Sierra wild onions. I call this dish Sierra Spring.
Swedish Spring Salmon with Vattlingon and Peas
Behold, one of the most vividly beautiful recipes I’ve made in a long time. Salmon Swedish style, with vattlingon. It screams Christmas, right? Wrong. This dish can only be made in springtime. Read more to find out why…
Nettle Ravioli
Beyond the fact that stinging nettles are a superfood, they are just so damn pretty! Blanched, they lose their sting, and take on a lurid emerald. That green makes an exciting pasta — and a great ravioli filling. Yep, this is a double dose of nettle goodness.
Wild Onion Kimchi
It’s wild onion season pretty much everywhere, and there happens to be a cool kind of Korean kimchi that uses green onions. So I made a big batch last month and let it ferment. Lo and behold, it’s awesome – especially as an accompaniment to fish.
Partridges with Cranberries and Rosemary
This dish, inspired by Swedish chef Magnus Nilsson of Faviken, is nothing short of a revelation in its simplicity and in the technique of cooking the partridges. If you are an upland bird hunter, or like to eat Cornish hens or quail, you must read this.
Ramp, Oregano and Almond Pesto
Wild onions, ramps especially, make a great pesto. This is my version, which has a little oregano in it as well as almonds and pecorino cheese.
Wild Rapini with Orecchiette and Garlic
On of my all-time favorite vegetables is broccoli rabe, also known as rapini or broccoli raab. Not actually a broccoli, it’s actually the unopened flower buds of a kind of mustard. And guess what? Wild mustard works every bit as well as garden variety.
Wild Scallion Pancakes
Asian style scallion pancakes — really flatbreads — are super easy to make and are a great snack or light lunch. Drizzled with a sweet and spicy sauce, they are almost dangerously addicting.
Dorado a La Paz
Let’s face it: It’s cold in most of the country. But down here in California, both avocados and prickly pear fruits are in season. So why not combine them with some mahi mahi — dorado in Mexico — and make a dish dedicated to sunny Baja?
