Characteristic: appetizer

This elegant but simple tart is savory, sweet and spicy and the crust is very flaky and easy to work with. It's the same crust used for this leek galette and really can be filled with most anything.   In this version all I had was delicata squash so I didn't peel it and it worked just fine. I've also taken to not peeling butternut squash so feel free to skip that step if a little (tender) skin doesn't bother you.   --Inspired by smittenkitchen.com ... Read more »

This is adapted from a recipe in Toast & Jam by Sarah Owens, the queen of sourdough and beautiful, seasonal food. I've simplified her version (which has a few extra steps and elements) and it makes for a supremely satisfying cold-weather snack or light meal paired with a salad.... Read more »

Bruschette are a wonderful template: toast bread, top with anything you want! It's nice to balance textures and flavors. They are often a mess to eat as things can topple off but don't let that stop you from getting creative with what you have on hand. This is inspired by the Southern Italian/Sicilian combination of black olives and citrus.... Read more »

These are delicious as part of a one-bowl meal, added to a salad or enjoyed as a snack. My teenage son eats the whole batch in one sitting!  ... Read more »

I love, love, love mushrooms. I grew up in West Germany and hunted for mushrooms a lot. And even though I've eaten my fair share of them I never quite feel like I get enough. They still feel like a treat and a treasure and the best discovery ever on a damp day in the woods.   This is the simplest of all preparations, good with most any mushroom, wild or cultivated. Nothing but salt, fat (olive oil or butter or both) and a little parsley or chives if you have it.  You could dress it up with a little cream or shallots or garlic but I like it just like this.  ... Read more »

Similar to mashing finely chopped herbs into butter to make compound butter, feta can absorb a lot of tender herbs. It's a delicious spread or even dip. If your feta is quite crumbly you can add a little cream cheese, sour cream or even plain yogurt to achieve a creamier texture.   Make however much you want/need. I tend to go heavy on the herbs.... Read more »

You can use herbs in quantity and in many different combinations here. However, make it even if you’re short on herbs. It will still be good. This is a great way to use parsley and cilantro stems.   Variations Use 1-2 teaspoons sage or rosemary instead of tender, leafy herbs. You’ll want to use much less as they are more strongly flavored. Add the zest of 1⁄2 a lemon in addition to the juice for a more lemony version. You can garnish this dip with capers and if you have a spare minute, fry the capers in a little olive oil until crisp and sprinkle over the dip. ... Read more »

Hummus is wonderful to have on hand. You can spread it on a plate and top it with vegetables, raw or cooked, chickpeas, other kinds of beans, herbs, cooked meats, herbs, hardboiled eggs and always plenty of olive oil.  Or of course you can use it as a dip or a spread. [caption id="attachment_17816" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Above: Hummus topped with finely chopped vegetables and herbs and seasoned with salt, cumin, dried hot pepper, plenty of lemon juice and olive oil.[/caption] Two things that make hummus really good: plenty of tahini and processing it for a few minutes so it gets nice and smooth.   You can change the ratios to suit your taste, more or less garlic, lemon or tahini, more water for a lighter version. Once you make it a time or two you probably won't need to measure and can just taste and adjust as you go.... Read more »

This dip is a riff on this one and is also inspired by Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi, but employs the nuts in the dip instead of as a garnish and adds lots of fresh herbs to give it its own place in the collection.  Use toasted bread to dip or dollop on hardboiled eggs or spread on a sandwich or in a wrap or eat it by the spoonful or serve it as a side with meat or fish.  ... Read more »

Asparagus, herbs and eggs go together beautifully. Herbs are tender and prolific when asparagus starts popping up and I use them liberally here. Mix and match to your taste. You can of course vary the ratio of eggs to asparagus and herbs based on what you have on hand. It's a very flexible template. I love making frittatas for potluck and picnics because they're best at room temperature, they're easy to serve as finger food when cut into squares and are quick to make and hold up well. And they're a great last minute dish, using whatever random herbs and veg you happen to have on hand.... Read more »

This is an iconic Catalan dish, enjoyed anytime from breakfast to a late night snack. I make it practically daily during tomato season. It's messy and fun, to make and eat!  ... Read more »

Bok choy has crunchy, fat stems and tender leaves. They tend to have different cooking times and can be added at different stages to fried rice, stir fries and soups.  However, sometimes I incorporate the greens in vegetable patties and make a dip for the raw stems.... Read more »

This is the classic preparation for these Spanish peppers. Shishito peppers, their Japanese cousins (that tend to be a little milder) can be prepared the same way. It takes mere minutes to fry these and they're a delicious snack/appetizer.  You can fry a handful or many pounds of them so scale up or down as needed.... Read more »

Spring is the time for nettles and sorrel and this is a lovely, greener-than-typical, variation of deviled eggs.... Read more »

Dill, garlic, and nice creamy yogurt combined with yogurt makes Tzatziki, above left. Substitute cooked beets for the cucumbers and you get a fuchsia-colored version that's rich and earthy yet bright.   This cool, creamy dip/dressing is delicious on any kind of cracker, bread or toast. It's nice with boiled or roasted potatoes and hard cooked eggs. It's lovely as a part of an appetizer spread or a meal made of many little things.... Read more »

  You can serve this as a hearty appetizer or first course or even as dinner with a big salad on the side. If you don’t have goat cheese on hand, feta would work too or even just a little butter. Quantities are approximate so scale up or down to suit your needs. ... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_12824" align="aligncenter" width="660"] I didn't have feta or nuts on hand for this version so skipped the feta and substituted toasted pumpkin seeds.[/caption] --inspired by Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi   This brilliantly colored puree is a wonderful appetizer or snack. The original recipe calls for Za’ atar, a wonderful spice mixture which I don’t always have on hand. I do have both thyme and sage in my garden and thought the combination was a great substitute. If you have Za’ atar by all means use it—use 2 teaspoons of it instead of the sage and thyme.   You can adapt this to your needs and swap out seeds for nuts and skip the cheese if need be. It will still be delicious.... Read more »

  I grow a couple of Thai basil plants every year for salad rolls and this rice noodle salad specifically. I use it in curries too but I love making these beautiful, fresh rolls for dinner on a hot summer night. Regular basil will work just fine too. And it's a fun project to do with children. My son loves to make and eat them.   ... Read more »

  Over the years I've come to use scallions/green onions and spring onions (above) regularly. These lovely, long elegant onions that show up at the markets and CSA shares in late spring deserve to be made the center of a dish like in these very quick to make pancakes. And market/CSA scallions and spring onions tend to come with all the tops and please use them all. Spring onions vary in size. I like to use quite small ones (about 1-inch thick and 2-3 inches long) but just be sure you have a good mix of onion bulb and green stalk.  ... Read more »

These are particularly fun to make with the slender Japanese eggplant. Whether or not you make this tahini yogurt sauce, grilling eggplant in rounds is an easy thing to do and you have it and snack to spread with tomato sauce and cheese and broil or chop up and add to salads or use however you see fit. It’s delicious in myriad ways. ... Read more »