At this time of year, pumpkin everything is everywhere. It’s a little overdone in my opinion. When it comes to food, so much falls into the pumpkin spice category, which really isn’t about pumpkin at all – just those spices we associate with pumpkin pie. But pumpkin is actually a lovely thing to cook with and I really love it in savory applications, which I think get lost in … [Read more...] about Pumpkin Polenta with Italian Sausage and Pumpkin Ragu
Vegetables
Seasoned Butter Beans and Smoked Sausage
I have probably said in every recipe I have ever written for summer field peas how much I love them. And though horticulturally butter beans (or lima beans if you must) are not field peas, I lump them together because they are such a part of the summer farmers market, in their little baggies next to the crowders, purple hulls, lady, creamers and zippers. I was asked recently … [Read more...] about Seasoned Butter Beans and Smoked Sausage
Creamed Corn and Leeks
Is there anything better than a truly creamy summer corn dish (ok, besides just eating it right off the cob)? When I bring home tons of corn and field peas from the farmers market at the height of summer, my favorite Sunday night meal is some peas cooked with a little bit of meat (bacon, country ham, pork jowl, whatever I have) and corn scraped off the cob cooked down in some … [Read more...] about Creamed Corn and Leeks
Chicken Shawarma Platter
As I have said many times before, I love a good salad platter for feeding a crowd (check out my other versions here). A beautiful spread with lots to offer so everyone can tailor their meal to their own tastes. This chicken shawarma version is particularly versatile and absolutely packed with flavor. It’s filling and hearty yet still light and refreshing for summer, with … [Read more...] about Chicken Shawarma Platter
Curried Corn Salad
Fresh off the cob corn is one of my very favorite summer treats. Cobs boiled in water or milk, slathered in butter, kernels sliced from the cob sautéed in butter and cream, corn pudding, and of course a sprightly salad. I gorge myself on fresh corn in the summer months (and freeze some to savor in the winter). I tend to think of corn as a uniquely American vegetable and … [Read more...] about Curried Corn Salad
