Mixed Seafood Paella

July 7, 2020 · 6 comments

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This past weekend in Southampton was wonderfully warm and sunny, so I thought I’d lure everyone out of the pool with one of our favorite summer meals, seafood paella.  In Spain, paella describes a seemingly limitless variety of rice dishes, but here most of the paella we get is a pretty complicated affair that combines chicken, chorizo, ham and shellfish with seasoned rice.  It can be delicious, but there’s a lot going on, and it’s easy for the flavors to fall out of balance.  This is a lighter and more focused dish, and it’s perfect for warm weather.  Short-grain rice flavored with saffron and aromatic vegetables is garnished with a variety of fresh fish and shellfish.  All you need is a simple green salad and an ice cold rosé, and you’ve got a delicious and impressive meal. [click to continue…]

Family Favorite Pot Roast

Sunday, January 8, 2017

There was a foot of snow on the ground this weekend in Southampton.  Perfect weather for pot roast.  It’s not something I make on weekdays since its rich flavor and exceptional tenderness depend on around four hours of cooking, but it’s a great thing to put in the oven on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon […]

Best Banana Bread

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Humble, homey banana bread doesn’t get a lot of foodie glory, but there’s nothing I’d rather have with my afternoon coffee.  In fact, it’s by far our family favorite sweet.  We’ve tried lots of recipes, but I keep returning to this one.  The bread –cake, really– is light and moist with the perfect salty-sweet balance, […]

Fig Tart with Orange Flower Custard

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Summer is drawing to a close (although I’d like to point out that it’s still summer until September 22nd), and that’s always a bit sad.  One consolation, though, is fig season.  The plump, tender figs in the markets at the end of summer help soften the blow and remind me of the pleasures of autumn. […]

Chocolate Sundae Sauce

Monday, August 10, 2015

Recipe I’d nearly forgotten how much I love a chocolate sundae. A few weeks ago, Julia had a school pal over for dinner and a sleep-over, and they requested chocolate  sundaes for dessert.  I didn’t have any chocolate sauce on hand, and the choices at the market were pretty uninspiring, so I decided to make […]

Savory Zucchini Pancakes

Monday, August 3, 2015

It’s everywhere just now –piled high in the market, all over restaurant menus and, if you planted it in your vegetable garden, probably literally underfoot.  Yes, it’s the season for zucchini –that abundant summer vegetable that just might be too much of a good thing. Here’s my favorite zucchini recipe: not a sauté, salad or […]

City Picnic

Monday, July 13, 2015

This post is sponsored by Noble Vines Wine. There are things I don’t like about picnics: insects, damp ground, heat, paper plates, and the need to pack up and lug all that food and wine to a remote location –where there probably will be many of the other things I don’t like about picnics. But […]

Fingerling Potato Salad with Green Beans and Minty Pesto

Monday, July 13, 2015

Potato salad is a picnic staple, and the classic American potato salad –with mayonnaise, egg, celery, pickles and such– is great anytime of the year.  In summer, though, I like to take advantage of the season’s fresh herbs and vegetables to make a lighter, fresher-tasting potato salad with pesto and green beans.  This pesto contains […]

Lobster Rolls with Jalapeño Lime Mayonnaise

Monday, July 13, 2015

Lobster rolls are a summer tradition on the Eastern Seaboard of the US.  Here’s my version of the classic, enlivened with the fresh flavors of jalapeño chile and lime, which I think complement the rich lobster meat beautifully.  If you can’t find lobster at a reasonable price, this dish is also great with crab or […]

Pizza with Fresh Corn, Jalapeño and Lime Zest

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

We were in San Francisco last week, and for me, no trip to that city is complete without a visit to the Zuni Cafe.  On this visit I had an extraordinary pizza that was the inspiration for this one.  A rich cow’s milk cheese was topped with the freshest corn and finished with a sprinkling […]

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