Every Sunday during spring at our house, at least one hour of the day is dedicated to shucking English peas. If naturally green french manicures and fresh flavors are your thing, I recommend you make the time, too. Last weekend, while dealing with the aftermath of a giant pile of shells, I opted to make soup, which was great for creating space in the fridge for a new vegetable haul and using up lingering beans, herbs, and stock. Before going to the market, our friend came over with pastries and tomato plants, plus an irrigation system that’s set up to have us stocked with fruit and vegetables (and flowers!) in the next few months—a gift. Later in the afternoon, we potted our own English pea plants. I’m very excited about them.

Because we’ve been hosting a lot lately, I’ve been making more snack boards than usual, and my latest thoughts about them are that they should always be simple—good grapes, various cheeses (aged and young, hard and soft), some type of bread or crackers, or both, and, of course, some hefty olives and roasted almonds. If there’s any type of meat involved, it shouldn’t be overly handled and definitely not shaped like a rose, and if there’s not a hot or pickled pepper on the spread, that’s a missed opportunity. Always remember to include a small empty bowl for pits and stems. We have a friend coming over tonight, and while there won’t be a snack board, there will be marinated olives. I added rosemary, oregano, lemon rind and za’atar to olive oil with a splash of red wine vinegar, warmed everything in a pot, and poured it over a variety of olives in a big glass jar. It will get a few shakes throughout the day.

Last week, I made patatas bravas with tangy aioli and chimichurri. I fried the potatoes twice, but they still could have been crispier, if you ask me. A restaurant I admire cooks their french fries three times, which I’m up for trying next time. On Monday, after watching back-to-back episodes of Pam Anderson’s cooking show, I made Gregory Gourdet’s whole roasted jerk cauliflower and I haven’t been able to stop talking about it since. I made two fun fried egg breakfast sandwiches, using that same aioli on tortas with sauteed vegetables and fresh cilantro. They were exactly the right amount of runny, in a way that I can only describe as decadent but reasonable and under control. Around 2 AM on Saturday, after getting home from dancing like fools at our dear friends’ wedding, I made a mean grilled cheese with the addition of leftover chimichurri. I burned two of my fingers and the roof of my mouth is still recovering. I made three different dishes in which celery was the star, and those recipes will soon be available on The Bittman Project—where, recently, I’ve been inspired to make savory oatmeal that resembles risotto. With buttery masa, I made tortillas and breakfast tacos with soft scrambled eggs, Oaxaca cheese, and pico de gallo. Twice.

I woke up at 4 AM today with an urge to make salad dressing for tonight, which will be somewhat of a caesar spinoff with parmigiano, pecorino, peas, and dill. Then, with passionfruit, blood oranges, and Cara Caras, juiced, I made granita. I’ve been known to forget about the fun fork crushing part of the process—leaving liquid to completely solidify in the freezer—but not today, brain. I’ve got leftover spicy tomato jam, which I’ll serve with grilled seeded bread and salted honey butter. Serrano-lime yogurt will be dolloped on halved onions, after they’ve been roasted and charred. I’m also making kebabs, and that calls for a trip to the grocery store which will double as Boots’ daily walk. He always makes a new friend at Ralph’s, and that always makes me happy.

Beyond that, I’ve been searching for new work and spending a lot of time parsing my inbox.​​​​​​​​ Here, I’m turning to some of the food-related subject lines as prompts for things to make in the in-between moments of the week ahead.

Sub: The Veggie: My favorite onion, revealed
I love all onions too much to choose a favorite. I do like to assign different varieties to different tasks, though—I turn to red onions for a fresh garnish, and also for pickling (quickly, so they retain some bite, with lime juice and salt). White onions make appearances on most occasions—sliced and mixed into salads, chopped and sauteed for pasta sauces, charred and topped with vinegar to serve as a bed for different proteins. I halve and roast yellow or Spanish onions, broil them for a few minutes, and smother them with zhoug or muhammara—a delicacy, in my opinion. Pearl onions really test my patience (no tricks or tips for peeling them has ever changed that), but it’s true they’re an absolute delight in stews. Green onions? Grilled and dressed with chili oil, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, and salt. 

Sub: Healthy, Tasty, and Ready in Minutes! ⏳🥄
Steamed asparagus and poached eggs. Flaky salt and black pepper. Done.

Sub: 🥚 How do you like your eggs?
I’ve never met an egg I didn’t like, with the exception of any that have been hard hard-boiled. Lately, a favorite form is egg salad sandwiches, loaded with crunchy vegetables, creamy dijon, pickles, and herbs.

Sub: Awesome Ways to Eat Avocado 🥑

1. Sprinkled with smoked sea salt, hit with a dash of lemon or lime juice, and scooped up with a spoon

2. Blended in a food processor with yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and fresh cilantro, served with crudites

3. Diced and topped on scrambled eggs with tomatoes, parsley, and onions

Sub: A zesty salad you’ll keep craving 🍊
One knife skill I actually feel confident about is supreming. Sliced citrus with basil and mint, toasted walnuts or pepitas, a crumbly and mild soft cheese, and a simple vinaigrette sweetened with agave sounds lovely.

Sub: 10 great things to cook in april

1. Pasta al Limone with Peas, Dill, and Parmigiano

2. Vegetable Skewers with Hummus

3. Braised Chicken with Shallots, Artichokes, and Capers

4. French Onion Soup with Fresh Bread (and Beer)

5. Seared Cabbage with Red Wine Vinegar Cream 

6. Crispy Fingerling Potatoes with Green Garlic Sauce

7. Mushroom Risotto with Cheese, Chives, and Black Pepper

8. Grilled and Chilled Beet Salad with Burrata, Basil, and Toasted Walnuts

9. Charred Sweet Potatoes with Fried RosemaryWhipped Feta and Orange Zest

10. Eggs, Fried Rice, and Radish Kimchi with Black Garlic Sauce 

Sub: March Into Nutrition Month! 🫘 🍎
Okay, I will. The only problem is that Sam and I just found a new go-to spot in our neighborhood that serves immaculate fried pickle spears and solid chicken wings. It’s a British pub, and the batter they use is one I need to know more about. If I’m going to eat beans and apples as the subject line suggests, though, it will be in an endive salad, with toasted breadcrumbs and maple syrup for sweetness in the dressing.

Sub: The Best-Kept Secrets of the Kitchen ✨
There’s not much I love more than kitchen secrets. You have to be true to your story and your story only, and no amount of butter, cream, or salt needs to be disclosed to anyone without skin in the game. But, I’ll share a few of mine here:

1. Always use at least one more garlic clove than any recipe calls for

2. Call any dessert a “house special,” so long as it involves good quality fruit

3. Grill with mayonnaise marinades for optimal juiciness

Sub: one jar for all your needs
Ha!

Sub: March home cafe menu 🏡🌸
Oooooh, a home cafe! We’re a black coffee household, so special items will have to take shape in the food department—cardamom buns or carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, served with a warmed towel and hot water with lemon juice, plus moisturizer and sunscreen to get your face into gear for the day. Plus, a juicy podcast or soothing playlist, for good measure.

Sub: Reporting From the Salad Capital of The World, Pt. 1
If we’re talking about LA, a few excellent salads come to mind. The first is from Kismet Rotisserie—the wedge of all wedges, with miso poppy dressing. Divine. Next is grilled onions and endives, made by the team at Saffy’s with walnuts, pomegranate molasses, chervil, and orange zest. Extraordinary. Another winner is Greekman’s Kolokithi salad with pistachios, cheese, and dill. Come on.

Sub: LA's Best Sandwiches 🥪
These can be found at The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills.

Bye for now,
x
E