Fresh Herbs

Flash Cooking’s Where It’s At

14 April 2010 by Jean Johnson
Flash cooking is the heart of my kitchen scene. It nets me plenty of fresh seasonal vegetables in short order--warm salad style. I've talked about it many times here on the blog, but people resonate with the idea so, that we did a video. It's a 6 minute clip from ...

Red Quinoa Tabbouleh

25 March 2010 by Jean Johnson
Grow Your Own, the third book in the measurefree kitchen companion trilogy is underway. Here's one from the Leafing Out in Spring chapter. One secret of this take on tabbouleh is making it the way they do in the Levant--where as my friend Rula Awaad-Rafferty observes, “it’s about the green, ...

Summer Soups, Smoothies & Strawberry Mint Ice

19 June 2009 by Jean Johnson
It started with Cucumber Melon Soup in Cooking Beyond Measure (page 105)--this business of whizzing up delicious concoctions in the blender. Historically, of course, my affair with blended things began with smoothies in the Sixties--the old faithful banana-yogurt-honey-wheat germ routine. Given such a sagacious history, it hasn't been ...

Soupy Soup with Cauliflower and Limas

28 March 2009 by Jean Johnson
Soupy Soup, a dish from Cooking  Beyond Measure, is named after the elderly lady doggie who used to live next door. The spring day I first pulled the soup together, the weather was warm enough to draw me and my bowl outside. Who was waiting by the daffodils but the ...

Spring Salad on a Theme of Tabouleh

16 March 2009 by Jean Johnson
Who says tabbouleh must always be made with Bulgar wheat and the requisite parsley and mint. Surely not a creative cook who understands grain salads. Ditto for Spring Salad on a Theme of Radishes and  Jicama from Cooking Beyond Measure. No need to start with spaghetti squash if there's a ...

From the Sick Room to the Signing Table, Vegan-Style

3 March 2009 by Jean Johnson
I talked to my bud Matt yesterday. His kids have both been down with the flu. It's almost the same here as I've been nursing a cold. What to do other than get the soup pot on and review my fav book, Laurel's Kitchen. Golden Noodle Soup from Laurel's ...

How ‘Bout a Cuppa for Your Health and Wealth?

9 May 2008 by Jean Johnson
A restorative spring cuppa. Nothing more than fresh mint leaves. Let them steep a few minutes in boiling water and you'll have a lovely, invigorating drink. Mint's everywhere now. A single bunch will make some tea, go minced into a dish of spring peas, or make whatever whole grain salad you're pulling ...

Shuck and Chive

18 April 2008 by Jean Johnson
If you've got a clump of chives by your back door, you'll know that it's chive season. Perfect green spearlets of mild, oniony flavor. None of the yellow tips that appear later in the season when the plants grow thirsty. Sour cream and chives on nice bakers, of course, and ...

In the Mood for the Savoy Shuffle?

14 March 2008 by Jean Johnson
At least I think there was a dance called the savoy shuffle back in the Roaring Twenties. At any rate, savoy cabbage is a whole lot more fun that regular old plain cabbage. If you find some of this crinkly, almost psychedelic cabbage there's no end to what you can ...

Hot and Sour Thai Soup Sings of the Tropics

9 January 2008 by Jean Johnson
This takes me back to Bangkok where I watched the gracious Daeng Arporn Punlert make tom yam goong, or hot and sour shrimp soup, many times. Here's what I wrote down one day while she was in action: Hot and Sour Thai Soup Recipe Note Boil the shells from your prawns in a pot ...