SPRING
Greek Yogurt with Strawberries, Pistachios, and Poppy and Sesame Seeds p33
Is this a recipe? hmmm...I'm not sure about that. Tasty with the exception of the poppy seeds which made the dish too bitter.
Fried Egg with Spinach, Toasted Garlic, and Piquillo Pepper Romesco p35
Good but the Splendid Table has a better version...
Rhubarb Applesauce for Spring Breakfasts and Snacks p35
This was far too sweet for our liking. If you do make this, cut back on the honey significantly.
Charmoula-Rubbed MahiMahi p42
This was a very simple but delicious way to treat a meaty piece of fish. Have made this a number of times since originally testing it.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/charmoula-rubbed-mahi-mahi
Roasted Asparagus with Shallots, Thyme and Almonds p44
Sandra loved this, but Bonnie found it too salty. The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of salt PLUS additional flaky salt for finishing.
Pork Ragout with Morels and Celery Root p50
If you are not familiar with celery root-this might be an awesome way to meet. In fact, you might want to add more than the prescribed 2 cups.
Piquillo Romesco Sauce p53
As mentioned in the review above, this is not the best romesco sauce ever. In order to make it exciting, Kristi added more parsley, more paprika and more sherry vinegar...essentially making over the recipe entirely.
Pan-Roasted Chicken with Sautéed Pea Shoots and Piquillo Pepper Romesco p54
Both Deb and Kristi loved this dish--well at least Kristi did after she made the above described changes to the sauce.
Steam-Sauteed Sesame Broccoli p57
Both Deb and Bonnie made this one and loved it. I found the technique of 'steam-sauteeing' to be interesting as it yielded a crispy yet fully cooked veg.
Tofu, Mustard Greens, and Shiitake Mushroom Stirfry p56
Black Rice with Coconut p65
I have officially fallen in love with Black Rice...this is a simple dish but I love how the ginger infuses the rice--and the crunch of the coconut is a great touch.
Savoy Cabbage with Dill and Pistachios p68
This is an easy and tasty side dish--especially when dill is abundant in the garden.
Halibut Poached with Scallions and Miso p79
Deb actually loved this so much she's made it 3+ times. Because halibut is so expensive, she did try it with another mild white fish, but it was just not the same. Conclusion: you must use halibut. This is lovely over silky mashed potatoes since the sauce is so tasty you won't want to waste a drop.
Spring Frittata with Asparagus, Leeks and Dill p80
So rich and delicious--the perfect thing for a summer dinner especially since it's delicious at room temp.
Lemongrass Shrimp with Mushrooms p84
Marinating the mushrooms makes all the difference in this delicious dish. We loved this dish-definitely company worthy.
SUMMER
Scrambled Eggs with Cherry Tomatoes p100
This is so simple--but sometimes simple is spectacular.
Black Rice Salad with Corn, Tomatoes and Spinach p110
This might just be the all around winning dish from this book. All 4 of us made it again and again--it even made the final cut for our Culminating Dinner. I had never cooked with black rice before and was delighted by its chewy, nutty texture and taste.
Mixed Bean Salad with Cilantro and Pepitas p112
Tasty and easy, but a bit heavy on the pipits.
Quinoa Salad with Broccoli and Pistachios p116
I loved this salad-and the buttermilk dressing that went into it. A hearty yet health salad perfect for summer lunches since it packs well and does not wilt.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/broccoli-quinoa-salad-with-buttermilk-dressing
Slow-Baked Salmon with Fennel p126
Trouble with this recipe-it was far too rich and technically, the fennel was not fully cooked by the time the salmon was done. Bit of a miss here.
Orange Braised Carrots and Beets p130
SOOOO pretty! This is an impressive side dish (that admittedly I ate almost like candy). Loved this.
Tomato Salad with Buttermilk Dressing p135
This is the same buttermilk dressing that goes on the Quinoa Salad (p116). This salad is only as good as the tomatoes you have on hand so save yourself this recipe until the markets are full of heirloom tomatoes and you'll have something grand on your hands.
Grilled Albacore with Tomato-Herb Salad p136
As above, this salad is only as good as the tomatoes you use. Great cooking technique on the tuna.
Pistou Salad with Eggs p139
I loved this salad and it was my first experience with shaved, raw zucchini. The Pistou was wonderful--and this was another great salad for workaday lunches as it didn't wilt.
Lamb with Roasted Figs and Lima Bean Pesto p140
Great combo of sweet and savoury here and the lima bean pesto was delicious!
Honeydew, Cucumber and Avocado Soup p143
This made the cut for our Culminating Dinner and it was cold, refreshing and wonderful on a hot summer night.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chilled-minted-cucumber-honeydew-soup-14134
The winning part of this dish was the chunky olive vinaigrette-a favour powerhouse that takes this dish from good to great!
FALL
Mango-Almond Lassi with Cardamom p174
If you're into smoothies-give this a try.
Chickpea and Eggplant Curry with Mint Sauce p192
I had high hopes for this one-especially since the technique of cooking the onions closely mirrored what I had been taught by my dear friend who specializes in curry making. The golden colour of the onions after adding the tumeric I thought would translate to intense flavour. Sadly...the end product was a bit meh. I think I have to come to the realization that really, unless eggplant is fried...I'm just not that into it.
Green Lentils with Thyme p194
Loved the addition of all of the herbs. Plain on it's own at the end of the day, but an excellent base for a piece of fish, or chicken. I think roasted salmon would be particularly nice on this.
Curried Mussels with Leeks p198
Super fast and easy-a great twist on mussels. Wonderful served with (as suggested) Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes.
Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes p198
Nothing special or complicated here-but a good solid recipe.
Red Quinoa with Roasted Figs and Walnuts p201
This was an interesting combo of sweet/savoury which normally we love. It was just ok.
I grew up eating roasted peppers in vinegar, but the addition of the toasted pine nuts, shallot and basil elevated this simple dish to sublime.
Stuffed Poblano Chiles with Red Rice, Delicate Squash, and Quesco Fresco p201
This was good--but would I make it again? No...
Saucy Braised Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Lemon p218
Served at our Culminating Dinner-a simple one dish meal that was quite tasty.
WINTER
Two-Egg Omelet with Walnut Pesto p238
A good (if not the best) method to cook an omelet. The walnut pesto was an interesting accompaniment and added a boost of flavour from the paprika, sherry vinegar and anchovy.
Refried Black Beans p252
Just ok.
Smoky Spiced Chickpeas p269
Another one that's just ok.
Roasted Cauliflower with Thyme and Olives p270
I love a good roasted cauliflower-and this one is quite zippy from the olives and orange. A nice addition to any meal--and also really great the next day on a salad.
Walnut-Parsley Pesto p277
Served onto of an omelet this pesto is very good. I would also serve it on crusty bread with perhaps some sliced tomatoes and a bit of goat cheese for a very satisfying lunch.
DRESSINGS & VINAIGRETTES
Buttermilk Dressing p310
I've already sang the praises of this delicious dressing.
Broken Olive Vinaigrette p312
DELISH!
Honey Chamomile Dressing (served on apples)
A LOT of work for an ok result. Won't make this again.
SPREADS AND SNACKS
Spicy Carrot Dip p318
In desperation I made this as an app--and shockingly it wasn't that bad for all it had in it is carrots some garlic and a few herbs.
Salted Seedy Chocolate Bark p327
One of the few 'sweets' contained in this book-yes it has chocolate in it--along with pipits, hemp and sesame seeds. Its ok...just.
