Pepper-ginger pound cake with a pawpaw puree
A great example of flavors combining in exciting, unforeseen ways: spicy cake, delectably sweet pawpaw, and simple vanilla ice cream come together in a harmonious dessert.
Tag Archives: simple
Salt-crusted potatoes with peach-basil dipping sauce
Cooking new potatoes directly in heavily salted water leaves them creamy on the inside and crispily salty on the outside. Combine that with a sauce that balances sharp garlic and vinegar against sweet peaches, leavened with aromatic herbs, and I’m in summer heaven.
Mr. W’s campout potatoes
My homage to the fabulous potatoes one of my scout leaders cooked on most campouts. We had to beg for leftovers back then, but now I can make these spicy, salty fried potatoes any time I want.
Blood orange glazed cookies for the Women’s March
Inspired both by a friend’s recipe and by the Women’s March on Washington, these vegan cookies are the real deal; rich and sweet and toothsome, with a tart, sweet cap of simple citrus glaze.
Black-eyed pea and okra curry
Earthy, hearty black-eyed peas in a thick, satisfying sauce brightened by tomato and spices, sweetened by coconut, and studded with tender green okra: I can think of no better start to a new year.
Butternut squash soup with ham and scallions
Butternut squash soup for people who think they don’t like butternut squash soups: salty and savory, rich with green onion and studded with chewy ham. Just right for the slow creeping-in of sweater weather.
Simple Swiss chard with garlic and crystallized ginger
Sweet ginger, salty soy, bright earthy stems, and verdant leaves: whether an easy side for dinner, or a simple lunch with rice or bread, this is one of my favorite preparations for any greens, and it’s especially grand for chard.
Vacation house beans and cornbread
I went to a mountain cabin in the Pacific Northwest, and I made… beans and cornbread? Yes I did. No regrets. Too good for regrets.
Bay leaf rice
Bay leaves usually play a supporting role, lending complexity to more complex dishes. In this rice, though, they step into the spotlight, infusing plain white rice with a heady perfume.
Coconut creamed spinach
Absolutely the best spinach I’ve had to date. A half-hour simmer transforms a pile of disconnected vegetables into a rich stew with flavor far beyond its components.
Optional Kitchen 