We love hosting summer dinners on the deck and I’m always looking for dishes that can be made ahead and served at room temperature. Here are my go-tos:
Peach Caprese (similar to the Nectarine Caprese in The Forest Feast)
Sesame Farro Salad (from The Forest Feast Gatherings)
Roasted Potato + Greenbean Salad (from The Forest Feast Gatherings)
BBQ Corn Salad (from The Forest Feast Road Trip)
Happy cooking!
I made a round loaf of challah last night for the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana and when I posted it on Instagram, I got some questions about the recipe so I’m adding it here, below!
I still stand by my original challah recipe (last recipe in my first book ) however I’ve shifted the way I make it over the last several years. I make a slightly bigger loaf now that we have three kids and I have moved away from refined sugar. I also like to use rapid yeast now, so that it doesn’t take as long to rise. Below is my more recent recipe:
Combine in a standing mixer—>
1 c water
1 packet rapid rise yeast
1/4 c honey or agave
1/3 c olive oil (or veg oil)
2 beaten eggs (but save about 1T of this for later)
1 t coarse salt
(plus bread flour, see note below)
Mix everything together and while the dough hook is spinning, slowly add bread flour. You can also use all purpose flour, but lately I like the texture that bread flour gives. I have found that Bob’s Red Mill flour is totally superior to all others I’ve tried (this is not sponsored!)! I don’t measure the flour but you need around 4 cups. Keep adding flour little by little until your dough turns into a ball and only sticks to the bottom of the bowl a tiny bit. Let the mixer run for another 10 minutes or so on low to “knead” the dough.
Next put your dough ball in an oiled mixing bowl (I use a spray oil and flip the dough ball to coat both sides.) I cover the bowl and put it in the oven (off) with the light on to keep it a little bit warm. Let it rise for about two hours or until it puffs up and seems about doubled in size.
Next, cut the dough into pieces, roll the pieces into ropes and braid it. On an average Friday night Shabbat I do a three-piece long braid. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll watch a YouTube video on a six strand braid, because I can never remember how to do it. For Rosh Hashana, I do a round loaf which symbolizes the cycle of the new year beginning.
Coat the top of your braided challah with that little bit of that leftover beaten egg. You can use a brush, but I just use my hands! Sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or coarse salt and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. (for a round loaf, 35 min) Eat it warm! And if you are like my kids, you’ll smother each bite in salted butter, also.
#shanatovah #challah #roshhashana
Here is the perfect warm-weather solution to dinner from my latest cookbook, The Forest Feast Road Trip. It’s vegetarian, but can easily be made vegan by using a non-dairy yogurt and skipping the Feta. this is also a great picnic food, as it can easily be assembled on-site outdoors. Protein-packed and very easy to assemble, this is an easy snack or light meal! Use my ideas as a starting point and swap in your favorite toppings.
This is my new favorite vegetable side, and it takes less than 5 minutes to make! You can use any type of greens you like (I used collards above) but kale or spinach or chard also work wonderfully. Everything Bagel seasoning can be found at many grocery stores now and has a mixture of garlic, salt and sesame usually. It’s delicious!
EVERYTHING BAGEL GREENS
4 handfuls raw greens (collards, kale, chard, spinach - or a mixture)
About 4 shakes of Everything Bagel seasoning (I found mine at Trader Joe’s)
Olive oil
Add a splash of olive oil to a pan on medium heat. Add the greens and a small splash of water. Add another drizzle of oil on top. Cover with a lid for about a minute. Remove lid and stir, covering again and repeating until they wilt, for 3-5 minutes. Try not to over cook them…once they are bright green and wilted they are done! Turn the heat off and add a few shakes of the Everything Bagel seasoning. remember it has salt in it, so don’t add too much. Stir to combine and serve immediately. Add more seasoning as a garnish if you wish. Serves 2 as a side.
*tip: for a richer flavor, add a bit of butter to the pan as well!
I know I am spoiled by the produce in California, but I have to say- I do miss the New York City Greenmarket. The produce that pops up in Union Square (and in farmers’ markets all over the city) is truly spectacular, especially in late summer. Coming out of the subway at 14th Street and seeing all the farmers amidst the cityscape is so unique and exciting. While at the market, it’s common to see big city chefs shopping for their dinner menus and The New Greenmarket Cookbook tells the stories behind these chefs and recipes.
The cookbook is by my friend Gabrielle and it’s beautifully compiled with so many fresh ideas. I shot with a lot of these chefs when I was working as a food photographer in New York, so it’s really fun to have this collection of their recipes. Here’s one super simple summer recipe I tried the other day that was a total winner. I made it while visiting my parents’ little cabin up in Sonoma County, where they have an enormous garden with 50+ tomato plants growing this summer (crazy!). Such a simple idea and SO delicious. Happy cooking!
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BROWN BUTTER TOMATOES
From The New Greenmarket Cookbook by Gabrielle Langholtz and GrowNYC. Reprinted with permission from Da Capo Lifelong, © 2014
Recipe by Amanda Hesser, Food52.com and Provisions
2 large or 3 small ripe beefsteak tomatoes
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Coarsely ground black pepper
Baguette or other country bread, for mopping up the butter
Most locavores have more recipes for tomatoes than Eskimos have names for snow. But this preparation, which drizzles beurre noisette over tomatoes in place of the classic olive oil, will stop you in your tracks. As surprising as it is simple, it’s the kind of thing you can slap together in mere minutes for a solo snack or serve to guests on fine china.
Core the tomatoes and slice them 1⁄3-inch thick. Divide the slices among four plates (preferably warmed), overlapping the slices just a little. Place the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and set over medium heat. Let the butter melt completely. It will begin bubbling. Let the butter simmer away, cooking off its water, until it begins to smell nutty and brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Swirl the pan every 30 seconds or so. When the butter turns the color of a hazelnut, remove it from the heat. Use a soup spoon to ladle it over the tomatoes. They’ll sizzle! You want to dress the tomatoes with the butter, as if you were pouring ganache over a cake—be generous!
Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper, then rush the plates to the table so everyone can taste the tomatoes while the butter is hot. Mop up the butter and tomato juices with good bread. Toast to summer!
Serves 4
