Characteristic: eggs no dairy

This makes a wonderful appetizer and can feed lots of people, cut into thin wedges. It also keeps well and is a good room temperature snack. And it's a great way to work through lots of parsnips. You can substitute potatoes, carrots or other roots for some of the parsnips. For a richer version try Grated Parsnip Frittata II. ... Read more »

The Nicoise Salad template, if you will, lends itself to year-round adaptations. I never miss the green beans and tomatoes when I make this, or a similar version, in the dead of winter. Quantities can be adapted to suit your needs and can be varied in all ways. You just want enough dressing for everything so scale that up if you’re using more vegetables.  ... Read more »

I like to make fritters of most anything and these pack a nice punch from the hot pepper and are earthy and filling. The garlicky, minty yogurt topping delivers a bright, fresh kick. ... Read more »

  The richness of the egg pairs nicely with the assertive radicchio. You could dress this up with toasted nuts and/or apples or pears but I do love the simplicity of this, especially if you're serving other rich dishes.... Read more »

When spicy spring greens like arugula and mustard greens are abundant this makes a perfect lunch or dinner salad. ... Read more »

The leeks are meltingly tender and sweet and mellow and the dressing is punchy and sharp from the mustard, shallots and vinegar. The dusting of egg adds a bit of richness. It's just a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. Typically recipes for leeks vinaigrette call for baby or at least quite small leeks. I've actually only ever made it with large leeks as that's what I typically have. Use what you have!   This dish keeps well so don't worry about having too much for one sitting.... Read more »

  Most root vegetables make good latke-like savory pancakes, and actually vegetables of all kinds make great savory pancakes and I have half a dozen or more recipes on this site for such things. Kohlrabi plus a potato or two for texture and flavor balance--though you could certainly just use kohlrabi or add any other tuber or root--lead to delicious results.   If you happen to have (grated or prepared) horseradish add a little to some whole milk or Greek yogurt and top the latkes with this spicy cream or top it with spicy mayo, ketchup (my son does this) sour cream, etc.... Read more »

  Whether you have just one zucchini or three or four, they make a delicious frittata.  ... Read more »

I take the idea of Salade Nicoise and adapt it all summer long, i.e. take fresh and/or cooked vegetables, good Oregon Albacore (usually canned), and hardboiled eggs, drizzled with an herby and/or creamy dressing, as a complete, fabulous dinner. You can also skip the tuna as it's fabulous without too.   Quantities can be adapted to suit your needs and can be varied in all ways. You just want enough dressing for everything so scale that up if you’re using more vegetables.... Read more »

I make aioli starting in the spring when asparagus and snap peas show up. I love dipping blanched vegetables in it and making egg salad with aioli or spreading it thickly on toast and topping with whatever else I have on hand, until the tomatoes arrive and then it's tomatoes and cucumbers . . . and then green beans and artichokes get dipped. I sometimes plenty of basil or chives or parsley and tarragon. I thin it out to make salad dressings, top halves of hard-boiled eggs with it for a fake deviled egg. It's also perfect on a simply cooked piece of fish, chicken or any meat.  ... Read more »

Here are two quick and delicious ways to use garlic scape pesto.   Albacore with Garlic Scape Pesto   I particularly like this pesto with tuna. Oregon Albacore is a delicacy in the Pacific Northwest and delicious both canned and fresh. I serve the canned albacore cold but if you have fresh you can sear it or cook it to your liking. Thin out about 1/2 cup of garlic scape pesto with a little heavy cream or a little hot water and add another squeeze of lemon juice to make a sauce you can drizzle. Serve the tuna with the sauce and a green salad on the side.  ... 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 »

  I have many versions of homemade mayonnaise and aioli on this site. This one came about one spring to use up a half bunch of dill that was about to go south. I used it as a dip for fat spears of steamed asparagus one day and spread it on sandwiches the next and dressed arugula with it the third. It's delicious with tarragon, parsley, basil or other tender herbs.... Read more »

--adapted from Tapas by Penelope Casas   This is a fresh, assertive salad. Roast some potatoes and make a romesco sauce and call it dinner.... Read more »

--inspired by Cooking in the Moment by Andrea Reusing (this book is a great investment!)   There are many variations for this herby sauce that improves anything it touches. It is a bit richer and more complex than the Italian-style salsa verde I frequently make. I particularly like this herb combination (parsley, tarragon, dill) but play around with different ratios and herb combinations including basil and mint, if you'd like.   You can chop everything by hand (as I did above) or process in a food processor, it will be saucier/looser if you process. I kept the above version a bit drier (less oil) so I could use it as a sandwich spread as well. I usually use the processor but my knives had just been sharpened and it was a joy to chop all those herbs!   This makes a lot of sauce but I doubt you'll have trouble finding ways to use it.  It is particularly good with poached, baked or roasted fish, boiled potatoes and/or carrots, turnips, summer and winter squash, etc.... Read more »

When it gets hot in Western Oregon (which varies summer to summer) I have a phase where I cook as little as possible and do as much assembly and quick prep dishes as I can. This falls in that category. Adjust the quantity to suit your needs.... Read more »

This is a Spanish-style composed salad. I make it several times a year when peppers are abundant and varied in the early fall. It's a beautiful, even elegant dish and worth all the roasting and peeling time. You can also skip the ham, as I've done here, and it will still be delicious.   I once transported a gorgeous, beautifully composed platter of it in a box on my bike to a friends' house for dinner. I got it there perfectly and then dropped the box as I unloaded it. The platter luckily stayed in tact but the salad was a mess. I was furious but ultimately it tasted just as good as neatly composed.... Read more »

This is one of my favorite ways to eat parsnips. It takes about 10 minutes—start to finish! Scale it up as needed.   Serves 2... Read more »

Rich egg salad is perfectly balanced with spicy greens like mustard, mizuna, watercress or arugula. This dish easily scales up or down so just use what you have.  ... Read more »

I am a bean evangelist (delicious, inexpensive, shelf stable, etc.) I love adding whatever cooked beans I have in the fridge to salads made with whatever I have on hand. It’s an excellent template. This is a favorite lunch or quick addition to dinner. Quantities and ratios are up to you.  ... Read more »