recipe

Pictoscribe-Home Again (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

An ode to the growing season

Joyosity / CC by 2.0

Scientifically proven not to make them go, “Eeeeew.”

Kale is succeeding where spinach and other green things have consistently failed: getting swallowed by children. The key is to bake the kale into crispy chips. In a series of taste tests conducted in Montana, it was determined that kids will eagerly turn their mouths green with extra helpings.

The loveliness of garlic flowers

JO-H / CC BY 2.0

Or, hollandaise for dummies

The chickens are laying again, the greens and onions are up, and the days are getting longer: Brunch season is here. I've been practicing a simple dish of poached eggs served on a bed of spinach and asparagus, garnished with crispy pieces of salt pork or bacon. Sometimes I drench the whole business in a blanket of hollandaise sauce. Or more often, it’s a blanket of failed hollandaise that I resurrect to perfection with mayonnaise and a microwave.

Ari LeVaux

Burgers from scratch

Now seems like a good time to point out how easy it is to grind your own burger in the food processor. Grill season is starting, pink slime is everywhere and, for once, wouldn't it be nice to have a burger that isn't basically mystery meat? While most households don't have meat grinders, your old La Machine or Cuisinart can get it done like a champ.

Ari LeVaux

Turning chewy, cheap cuts into lusciously flavorful food

Coffee and red wine are two of my favorite beverages to drink with meat. Given how much braising I do, it was only a matter of time until I tried braising meat in a mixture of coffee and wine. The results are exceptional: a browned, flavorful exterior and spoon-tender, succulent interior.

Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com

Albuquerque’s best chefs share a five-star dinner at home

All right, sweethearts, here’s the deal. Valentine’s Day is on Tuesday, which means restaurants are booked solid or filling up fast. If you haven’t already made a reservation, you could be gambling with your love life. But there’s no need to panic.