What better way to celebrate spring than with a garden party? The weather is absolutely beautiful as trees leaf out, flowers bloom and spring vegetables make their debut. Gather your friends together and enjoy the season’s abundance with this light and simple menu full of fresh spring delights.…
This delicate but elegant spring dessert is easy to make for a crowd. You will need 8 (4-ounce) Mason jars or similar serving vessels.
Makes 8 servings
1 pound strawberries, sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
8 ounces pecans, chopped
16 ounces mascarpone
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or paste
Mint leaves, for garnish
Place strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.…
Inspired by the beloved Cobb salad, this kale salad has everything spring has to offer.
Makes 8-10 servings
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
2 bunches kale (Tuscan and/or curly)
½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
½ cup thinly sliced radishes
½ cup peas
½ cup sliced green onions
½ cup quality mayonnaise
⅓ cup sour cream
¼ cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 anchovy fillet
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F.…
Asparagus, the quintessential spring vegetable, shines in this delectable tart.
Makes 8 servings
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
4 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 pound slender asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 teaspoons ricotta, drained
Pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 400°F.…
This zesty, make-ahead spring salad is simple to prepare and bursting with flavor.
Makes 10-12 servings
1 pound orzo pasta
1 cup slivered almonds
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces baby spinach, chopped
6 ounces (about 1½ cups) feta cheese, crumbled
1½ tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Cook the orzo in a large pot of salted water (it should taste slightly like the sea) until tender but firm; about 8 minutes.…
This beet salad uses winter citrus to create a transition into spring. Sweet roasted beets, fennel and orange come together with a savory and lightly sweet white-wine vinaigrette.
Makes 8 servings
8 medium-sized beets
1 shallot, peeled
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-sized fennel bulb, sliced thinly
2 oranges, segmented
2 cups arugula
Preheat oven to 425°F.…
Around the globe, winter is the ultimate comfort food season. Expand your repertoire of soups, stews and other soul-warming bites with these international favorites from India, Italy, France, Korea and Mexico. If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s our love of food.…
Exquisitely decadent and famously French, crème brûlée is the sweetest of comfort foods. This version has a local twist—Texas,grapefruit.
Makes 6 servings
FOR THE CUSTARD
3 cups heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grapefruit zest, grated
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Pinch of sea salt
FOR THE TOPPING
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Fresh grapefruit segments
Preheat oven to 325°F.…
Like chicken soup recipes, there are many different versions of this Korean classic stew, but the star of them all is kimchi.
Makes 4 servings
8 ounces pork belly
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 scallions, thinly sliced (divided use)
2 cups kimchi with juices, chopped
1 tablespoon gochujang paste (optional, see note)
2 cups chicken stock
8 ounces firm tofu, sliced
Slice pork belly into ¼-inch thick strips.…
On a cold winter night, a hot bowl of this flavorful Mexican soup with tender bits of chicken and hominy will comfort you to the core.
Makes 6 servings
2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic
2 jalapeños, seeded and roughly chopped
1 pound tomatillos, husked
5 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28-ounce) can white hominy, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Garnishes: sliced radishes, crumbled queso fresco, cilantro
Season chicken with salt.…
