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Fork It Over!

An Asian-style summer side

By Rose Shewey

After working abroad for a few years, I landed a job with a leading American investment bank in my hometown in Germany. It was the early 2000s in Frankfurt, a glorious time for job seekers, as the economy was flourishing and businesses were hiring left, right and center. I ended up in equity sales on the trading floor, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to conquer the corporate world. My first work engagement, however, took me some place I didn’t expect: All new hires were shipped off to an evening seminar of dining etiquette.

This seminar was held at one of the en vogue business restaurants in the city. With the lights dimmed and smooth jazz in the background, we were served a five-course dinner with corresponding wines. All through the evening, an impeccably dressed lady — the etiquette expert — casually instructed us in how to navigate utensils (Continental style), handle our napkin, make a toast and excuse ourselves from the table appropriately. I humbly admit that I learned a lot that evening.

One of the courses was served with an Asian-style spiralized cucumber salad — skinny, oily strands of cucumber — dressed with a spicy peanut sauce, complete with chopsticks. Tensions were rising as we awkwardly fiddled with the chopsticks, side-glancing at our host, hoping for guidance before taking a wrong turn. Too late for some. As one guy repeatedly — yet unsuccessfully — attempted to grab onto a single strand of cucumber, and another diner tried frantically to manage oily strings hanging out of her mouth, I feigned a peanut allergy and waited for the next course, vowing to never order chopstick-foods while in the company of business associates. It turns out that asking for a fork would have been the appropriate response, as the etiquette expert shared with us later.

Fortunately, spiralizing cucumbers is just one way of making this invigorating salad. Chopping cucumbers into bite-sized chunks is the much easier variant and will save you time and, well, face if you’re clumsy with sticks (and too proud to use a fork).

With the barbecue season upon us, I plan on making this salad regularly this summer. It’s spectacularly easy to put together and rarely, if ever, produces leftovers, as folks seem to love the medley of flavors and textures. The juicy crunch of the cucumber paired with the tongue-lacing creaminess of peanut butter dressing goes with just about any grilled meat or veggie. If you’re feeling adventurous, add watermelon to this salad to make it even more refreshing.

Spicy Cucumber Salad with Peanuts

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

1 pound mini cucumbers

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon sweetener, such as brown sugar, maple syrup, or date syrup

Zest of 1 lime, plus 1 tablespoon of lime juice

1/3 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Wash and quarter the cucumbers lengthwise, then cut them into bite-sized pieces, and place them in a bowl.

To make the dressing, add peanut butter, olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, sweetener and lime zest, as well as lime juice to a small bowl and whisk. The dressing should be pourable — the consistency of buttermilk. If it appears too thick, add water, one teaspoon at a time. Toss the dressing with the cucumbers and garnish with the chopped peanuts and cilantro. Chill before serving.

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All Hearts Rising

Sweet bread for Mother’s Day

Story and Photograph by Rose Shewey

Mother’s Day makes me long for simpler times. At the risk of romanticizing the good old days — after all, simple is not synonymous with easy — I can’t help but feel that there was so much more beauty and calm in how we celebrated holidays just a few decades ago.

In my childhood, on mother’s special day, I typically set my alarm clock to wake up early, then tiptoed out the door to cycle to a little flower meadow beyond the forest that surrounded our village. I picked the most cheerful blooms and arranged them in a little bouquet that I set on the kitchen table, together with whatever I had crafted that year: a card, a crocheted potholder, a necklace made of wooden beads.

We usually had a cozy breakfast and went for a hike in the woods on Mother’s Day. It was simple, but meaningful. No store-bought greeting cards, chocolates or greenhouse flowers, just things we kids gathered or made by hand. No extravagant brunch or dinner; we ate at home. To be fair, my mom still had to do all the cooking, just because no one, including herself, wanted to eat what the rest of us were capable of making. 

And to my memory, at least, there has never been a single holiday without yeast bread — sweet bread was omnipresent in times of celebration. Naturally, Germans have made bread into an art form, so yeast dough would be skillfully shaped to represent the occasion. Little good luck piglet-shaped bread rolls on New Year’s Day; bunnies or lambs for Easter; hearts for Mother’s Day; or just plain old yeast dough wreaths on ordinary weekends.

If simple sounds good to you this year — simplicity is the essence of yeast dough — try your hand at these heart-shaped rolls with strawberry jam layers. Mom will love it.

Sweet Bread Rolls

(Makes 8-10 heart-shaped rolls)

For the dough:

7 grams active dry yeast

250 milliliters milk, lukewarm (about 110F)

90 grams plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided

500 grams all-purpose wheat flour

1 medium egg

70 grams butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

For assembly:

1/2 cup jam, strawberry or raspberry

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon milk

Chopped nuts, optional

  

Method

In a cup, combine the yeast with the lukewarm milk and one teaspoon of sugar. Stir until the sugar and yeast have dissolved.

Place the flour in a large bowl and press a mold into the center. Pour the lukewarm yeast-milk mixture into the mold. Add the remaining sugar and mix lightly with some flour. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients (egg, butter, vanilla, salt) and mix everything together. Knead the dough until it is smooth. Cover the dough and allow to rise for at least 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Once the dough is ready to be processed, knead once more and take about 100 grams of dough (or divide dough into 8-10 equal parts) and shape into a ball. Roll out into a circle and spread a scant tablespoon of jam through the center of the dough (less is more).

Roll up the dough (just like a jelly roll), then fold in the center. Pinch the two raw edges together to seal them. With a knife, cut the folded, bulging side lengthwise about 2/3 down the middle to create a heart shape. Fan the cut sides out to display the jam layers. Repeat with the remaining dough and place hearts on a baking sheet and allow them to rest for another 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush hearts with a mixture of beaten egg yolk and milk and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake the hearts for about 15-20 minutes or until they are cooked through, with a golden crust.

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Potluck Go-To

Piece of cake for a buffet

Story and Photograph by Rose Shewey

Gatherings at our house are a well-practiced routine: We provide all food and drink, you just show up in your party hat. In fact, don’t bring anything at all. From first course to last, wine included, we have it covered. I have always been inclined to encourage our guests to come empty-handed, but one fateful Easter brunch solidified my stance on the matter.

A few years ago, we spent Easter Sunday at a friend’s house — a classic potluck affair. One by one, we arranged our dishes on the dining table, complimenting each other’s handiwork. Then one of the guests slid a half-eaten, shriveled quiche onto the table. As we awkwardly eyeballed his contribution, quiche-guy paused, then retrieved his tray. “I should probably taste this first to make sure it’s still good,” he said cheerfully, then added with a shrug, “Leftovers from last weekend!” Off he went to the kitchen, clattering around for a fork to sample his contribution.

And yes, he decided in favor of the quiche and boldly brought it back to the table to share. That was enough to set my house rules in stone: I cook, you eat, the end.

Although potlucks are a bit of a gamble, if called upon, I will faithfully bring a dish to a friend’s house. I have a number of stand-by offerings I typically prepare, but recently I have truly been enjoying sheet pancakes, or skillet pancakes, which are an excellent addition to buffets when kids are included. Instead of flipping cakes for half an hour, you just pour the batter right into a skillet, bake it for 25 minutes or so, and you’re done.

And don’t stop there! Who says pancakes have to be sweet? Try this savory version with herbs and whipped goat cheese — or create your own medley of spring flavors.

Savory Skillet Pancakes with
Garden Herbs and Whipped Goat Cheese

(Serves 4)

For the whipped goat cheese:

8 ounces fresh goat cheese (chèvre)

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped chives

For the pancakes:

1 cup all-purpose Einkorn flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup milk (dairy-free, if desired)

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter or melted coconut oil

1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, dill, basil

Optional toppings:

Boiled eggs, prosciutto, sprouts, diced cucumber and radishes, pine nuts, more fresh herbs and scallions for serving.

Method

To make the whipped goat cheese, add all ingredients except for the chives to the bowl of your stand mixer or, if using a handheld mixer, to a medium size bowl. Whip until the cheese is smooth and creamy, then fold in chives and transfer to a serving bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the skillet pancakes, preheat oven to 375F. If using a cast iron skillet (10-inch), set it in the oven while it heats. In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, whisk egg with milk, yogurt and butter. Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the wet mixture and whisk briefly to smooth out the batter. Fold in scallions and herbs. Pour the batter into the skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the center is cooked through. Serve with whipped goat cheese and toppings of your choice.

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Faux Favorite

A plant-based attraction worth trying

Story and Photograph by Rose Shewey

Vegans come up with some bizarre ideas. They will slice up cauliflower, fry it like a piece of meat and serve it as “steak,” insisting it tastes just like the real deal, or better. Or they use the liquid from canned chickpeas to make whipped cream and appear completely unfazed by the lingering bean flavor. Maybe jackfruit passes as pulled pork in a BBQ sandwich to some, but from where I am standing it looks a lot like the emperor is naked.

No doubt, there are some strange meal creations in the plant-based kitchen, but despite it all, I’m rather fond of it. I dabbled with veganism for a few years and loved the creativity of it. Composing balanced, satisfying and — not least of all — healthy vegan dishes requires skill, some knowledge of food chemistry and a passion for experimenting.

Every now and then, clever vegan chefs strike gold. I have happy recollections of the first black bean burgers we made, which were — to everyone’s surprise — bursting with flavor. Or that time we discovered vegan cheesecake, which is still in the rotation for us today. As a graduate from a plant-based cooking course, where I was able to try my hand on a potpourri of “veganized” dishes, I was most impressed with a fish-less tuna salad made from chickpeas.

What sets this “tuna” salad apart from regular ol’ chickpea salad is the seaweed. It lends it the salty sea flavor which, combined with the tuna-esque texture and the addition of mayo, is so close to the original that most people do not notice a difference. I know this because I have had friends and family try this no-tuna salad, and across the board, nobody could initially tell it was, in fact, tuna-less.

Now, why would someone who does not subscribe to a vegan diet make this faux tuna salad? Aside from the sustainability issues surrounding tuna (and shady harvesting practices), tuna contains higher levels of mercury, which is a health concern to some of us. Others like the idea of tuna salad but not the fishy aroma — seaweed for the win! Also, making this salad is a tasty way to handle leftover chickpeas and sneak more fiber into your diet. Above all, this tuna-less salad is just too scrumptious not to try. 

Chickpea “Tuna” Salad Sandwich

(Serves 4)

3 cups cooked chickpeas

2-3 tablespoons finely diced red onion

1-2 celery stalks, finely diced

2-3 pickles, finely diced

2-3 tablespoons nori seaweed flakes (or nori sheets, chopped)

1/2 cup mayonnaise, traditional or plant-based

Salt and pepper, to taste

For Serving

8 slices bread

Green apples, thinly sliced

Lettuce

English cucumber, sliced

Spring onions, sliced

Directions

If using chickpeas from a can, drain and add them to a medium or large bowl. With a fork or potato masher, mash the chickpeas to break them up; optionally, leave some whole for a more interesting texture. Add onion, celery, pickles and nori seaweed flakes to the bowl and stir to combine. Mix in mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Toast bread, if desired, then scoop a generous portion of the chickpea salad onto a slice of bread, add toppings of your choice and another slice of the bread on top.

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A Proper Mess

A different take on strawberries and cream

Story and Photograph by Rose Shewey

To be perfectly blunt, England hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of culinary excellence. May I be forgiven by those who cherish its cuisine. Perhaps it’s simply that English chefs need assistance choosing more appetizing names. Who wants to dig into a serving of spotted dick? Or take a hearty bite of rumbledethumps or bubble and squeak?

Eton mess, by comparison, is a relatively tame designation — while still managing to be properly unflattering — for a classic, delicious dessert made of berries, whipped cream and meringue. It may be messy, but it’s ingenious in its simplicity with a pleasing balance of flavors and textures. For all the mockery the English endure for their lack of appetizing food — which isn’t completely justified — they sure got this one right.

It is a safe assumption that the boys at Eton College, a prestigious boarding school in England and namesake for this tasty treat, did not suffer many hardships back in the day — and likely still don’t. While the genesis of “Eton mess” is hotly debated, no one seems to argue that it was, in fact, first served to the students in Berkshire about a century ago, thus painting a picture of a pretty sweet school life.

The least plausible but most popular account of the dessert’s origin is the story of pavlovas being served at an annual cricket match in the 1930s between Eton and the boys from Harrow School when a clumsy, or hungry, Labrador knocked over the desserts and smashed them to the ground. Undeterred, the Eton boys dug into the tasty “mess.” Whether Eton mess was a happy accident or a calculated move, we’re loving it all the same.

Eton Mess with Raspberry Coulis

(Serves 4)

5 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 pound fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon sweetener, such as granulated sugar or honey, divided

4 ounces heavy cream

1 teaspoon rosewater (optional)

4 ounces Greek yogurt

5 ounces meringues, store bought or homemade

Make the Coulis

If using frozen raspberries, allow to thaw for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Add raspberries to a tall bowl together with the lemon juice, and puree, using an immersion blender. To get an extra fine sauce, strain through a sieve, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

Make the Eton Mess

Quarter strawberries and add to a large bowl together with 1/2 tablespoon of sweetener. Mash up about half the berries with a fork and set aside. Combine cream with 1/2 tablespoon sugar and rosewater (if using), and whip until firm enough to form soft peaks, then fold in the yogurt. Add cream-yogurt mixture to the fruit and fold it in. Crumble meringue over top and drizzle with raspberry coulis. Serve right away.

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Rooted in Flavor

Frost-sweetened parsnip soup

Story and Photograph by Rose Shewey

If January feels dull and bleak, you’re not tackling it right. I’ll grant you this — the lack of snow around here, which could turn a gray landscape into a twinkling fairy tale, isn’t helping. Nonetheless, there is much beauty to be found and discovered around us, inside and out.

A drop in temperature offers us a unique chance to embrace the season’s quiet rhythm. It’s a good time of year to take stock, look inward, and find stillness. Even in the dead of winter — snow or no snow — January shines bright because the kitchen takes center stage for many of us and cooking with local winter crops is a celebration in itself.

Root vegetables have historically been a staple of a cold weather diet. Parsnips in particular have great timing: They are peaking around the holidays and last into the winter months. As an added bonus, parsnips get better with the cold. When a frosty night hits the root, the plant converts starch into simple sugars, like a natural antifreeze. The side effect is a noticeable boost in sweetness.

Also known as “white carrots,” parsnips lend a deep, earthy-sweet foundation to any soup. Achieving harmony is everything, though: the bright acidity of the wine, the sharp tang of Stilton, and the saltiness of pancetta all fuse to create a balanced flavor profile in this wintry soup. 

Wintry Parsnip and Pear Soup with
Pancetta and Stilton

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

1 pound parsnips (about 2 large), peeled and cut into big chunks

2 pears, such as Bartlett or Bosc, cored and sliced into wedges

1 onion, sliced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces pancetta, chopped

1 celery stalk, sliced

1/2 leek spear, halved lengthways and thinly sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

3/4 cup white wine

4-5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Crumbled Stilton cheese, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, toss parsnips, pears, onion and thyme with the olive oil and spread out in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with a lid or foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove lid or foil, add veggies and pears, then continue roasting for an additional 30 minutes. Heat a large pot over medium heat and cook pancetta for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess fat, if needed. Add celery and leek and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in wine and cook until the liquid is reduced by about half. Add 4 cups broth and roasted veggies together with the bay leaves. Allow the soup to simmer for 20-25 minutes — add more broth if liquid cooks down too much. Remove bay leaves and blend or pulse in batches. Add the soup back to the pot and stir in cream, if desired. Taste soup and adjust seasoning. Serve with crumbled Stilton or any other soup toppings you enjoy.

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Spectacular Speculaas

Cookies for St. Nicholas

Story and Photograph by Rose Shewey

Speculaas cookies are works of art with a wonderfully charming backstory. Not quite as popular as gingerbread — unjustly so, I might add — speculaas were originally made with hand-carved wooden molds that produce filigran shapes with extraordinary relief details. That’s how I make mine — but sit tight, there are other options for those of you without fancy mold contraptions.

The original cookies depicted the story of St. Nicholas, the bishop of Myra (modern day Turkey), who is said to have brought treats to children in December. St. Nicholas was known as the “Speculator” (overseer or observer), and legend has it that in the evenings he would peer (as in, speculate) through the windows of the poor to see who needed help. This may explain both the curious name and why the speculaas is a customary St. Nicholas Day sweet treat, especially in the Netherlands, where these cookies likely originated. And it’s probably why the most famous speculaas cookie these days depicts a windmill.

Known as speculaas in Dutch, spéculoos in French or spekulatius in German, you might encounter any of the three names while on the hunt for recipes or store-bought cookies. These sweet treats have as much tradition and lovely, wintery warm spices as gingerbread but are much easier to prepare (gingerbread dough is traditionally started two months ahead of time and left to rest) and, dare I say, more refined and delicious.

In place of the wooden molds, lots of folks use a carved or embossed rolling pin or cookie cutters. The simplest way of preparing these is, however, to roll out the dough and slice it into smaller rectangles, which can be decorated with a piece or two of sliced almonds. The recipe I use is adapted from the German Baker’s Guild, which represents a basic version with room for growth — adjust the amount of spices used or add some of your own. To make butter speculaas, increase the amount of butter by 100 grams and add an extra egg. 

Speculaas Cookies

(Makes about 40 pieces)

150 grams butter, room temperature

1 egg

110 grams brown sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

60 grams almond flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

300 grams wheat flour

Directions

Cream the butter, egg and sugar with an electric mixer for at least 8-10 minutes until light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon zest, spices and ground almond, then add flour into the mixture. Knead all the ingredients together by hand to form a firm dough. Shape the dough into two balls, wrap them in cling film, and chill for about 1 hour. Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator. If using a speculaas mold, tear off small sections of the dough and press them into the lightly floured molds. Use a knife or a piece of thread to cut excess dough from the mold to create a nice, flat cookie backside and smooth edges, then gently tap the mold on your working surface until the cookies pop out. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If using cookie cutters, roll out the dough thinly (about 4 millimeters) between two sheets of parchment paper. Dust lightly with flour. Cut out shapes and set them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If using a speculaas (or embossed) rolling pin, gently but firmly roll over the rolled out dough to cut out shapes. Carefully separate the speculaas shapes using a butter or pastry knife and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Knead the leftover dough together again and roll it out anew. Chill cookies for about 2 hours before baking. Heat the oven to 350F and bake for about 8-10 minutes, but keep a watchful eye on the cookies, they burn quickly. The cookies will seem soft right after baking but will harden once they cool. Repeat with the remaining dough.

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Thanksgiving to Scale

Cornish game hens for two

Story and Photograph by Rose Shewey

Far be it for me to suggest you have anything but turkey for Thanksgiving. Tradition is tradition. But for practical purposes, those big ol’ birds may not be the perfect solution for every household across the land — especially those who celebrate in a more intimate setting or by their lonesome.

Take my family, for instance: There’s Mom, Dad, and a 7-year-old picky eater. If just the three of us opted to celebrate at home, even the smallest gobbler would produce days’ and days’ worth of leftovers. And, quite frankly, we don’t love turkey enough to have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for an entire week.

Case in point: In 2024 my mom came to visit from Germany, where this very American holiday isn’t celebrated. To give her the complete experience of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, we bagged the smallest turkey we could find and roasted it in the oven, along with all the usual fixings. The meal was spectacular but in the days that followed, we grew increasingly tired of coming up with ideas on how to use up the leftovers.

Passing on turkey does not mean you have to be content with ordinary, everyday fare on the last Thursday in November. Quite the opposite. While turkey is special, so are Cornish game hens — for the novelty of having a whole miniature bird on your plate, if nothing else. One bird makes about one portion of meat. Cornish game hens are extraordinarily tender and, contrary to their name, not “gamey” at all.

I’m in good company on Thanksgiving since my husband is as pragmatic about large stuffed birds as I am — as long as the substitute isn’t nut loaf.

Autumn Spiced Cornish Game Hens with Roasted Pears

Ingredients

2 Cornish game hens, fully thawed

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

2 pears

Maple syrup, for drizzling

Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

(For autumn spice rub)

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 tablespoon onion granules

1/2 tablespoon garlic granules

1/2 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Begin by making the spice rub. Combine all the spices in a small bowl and mix with a fork. Set the Cornish game hens in a roasting pan and remove giblets, if your birds have any inside. Brush a little olive oil on the hens, then massage the spice rub into the skin and all over the birds. Tuck the wings and tie the drums together using butcher’s twine. Bake in the oven on a lower rack at 425F for 50-60 minutes, or until the thickest part of the breast reads 165F. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your hens. Wash, dry and halve the pears, scoop out cores and drizzle pears with a little maple syrup and balsamic vinegar. Arrange them next to the hens in the roasting pan for the final 20 minutes of cooking. Serve roasted Cornish game hens and pears with roasted potatoes and/or vegetable or any of your favorite side dishes. 

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A Pearfect Composition

Poire belle Hélène, compote-style

Story and Photograph by Rose Shewey

Say what you will about King Louis XIV of France — often characterized by his foes as a pompous, philandering tyrant — but he got at least one thing right: The “Sun King” declared the pear to be a royal fruit. Among his more celebrated traits was his passion for fine art and culinary excellence, and with that, the French king recognized the gastronomic value of the often underrated pear.

In the royal kitchen garden at Versailles, the Potager du Roi, Louis XIV planted over 140 different varieties of pear trees! That’s roughly 130 more than the U.S. knows today. There are only 10 key varieties grown commercially across the United States. Europe fares a tad better in this regard: While supermarket pear varieties are also limited, hundreds of heirloom pear types are conserved and fostered by private growers and boutique tree nurseries.

The story of the rise of the pear to Olympic heights continued in France — where else? When composer Jacques Offenbach premiered his hugely successful operetta La belle Hélène in 1864 in Paris, no other than Georges Auguste Escoffier, the “king of chefs and chef of kings,” took it upon himself to create a dish in celebration of the beautiful Helen, the namesake of a dessert that should be known around the globe.

The genius of the recipe for “Poire belle Hélène” lies in its simplicity: poached pears, vanilla ice cream, chocolate. Variations are numerous, and I’m adding my own, slightly simplified version. Instead of a poached whole (or half) pear, I make pear compote, which only takes minutes on the stove and boasts flavor through and through. Vanilla ice cream is hard to top, but a vanilla creme made of yogurt and heavy cream is a stellar, slightly more versatile substitute. Don’t omit any chocolate on my behalf — but cacao nibs are a lovely addition that adds some crunch, in more ways than one.

Pear Compote with Vanilla Crème

(Serves 2)

Vanilla Crème

1 vanilla bean

200 grams heavy whipping cream

1-2 tablespoons sugar

200 grams Greek yogurt

Cut vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds into a tall bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Add heavy whipping cream and sugar and whip, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, until cream is semi-whipped. Start adding spoonfuls of yogurt while continuing to whip until you have a thick cream, then refrigerate.

Pear Compote

3-4 pears (about 400 grams), such as Bartlett or Red Anjou or any other variety of your choice

3 tablespoons butter

2-3 tablespoons muscovado sugar (or other dark, rich sugar)

Pinch of salt

Wash and peel pears, then cut them lengthwise into thin slices or dice, as desired. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pan on medium/low heat and gently toss pears, until they are lightly sautéed, about 3-4 minutes. Add muscovado sugar and simmer on low heat until liquids turn syrupy and pears are softened. Add a pinch of salt and serve warm with vanilla creme.

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Flavorful Fungi

To forage or not to forage

Story and Photograph by Rose Shewey

Many moons ago, my mom would — in my memory, at least — merrily skip along the wooded trails of my childhood, wicker basket in hand, humming a little tune while foraging for mushrooms in the later months of the year. We children usually followed along curiously while my dad trailed behind us, ever so doubtful about my mom’s undertaking. And I don’t blame him.

Hunting for wild mushrooms is serious business. Looking at guidebooks that list edible mushrooms together with their toxic doppelgänger, I find myself squinting at the images to spot the difference and still am uncertain. Sadly, I did not pick up on my mom’s traditional knowledge of identifying wild mushrooms. Much like my dad, I have internalized the old adage “when in doubt, throw it out.” Or rather, when in doubt, don’t even touch, let alone add, the ’shrooms to your basket.

Just because you don’t forage for mushrooms doesn’t mean you’re condemned to a life of grocery store portobellos, as tasty as they can be. Thanks to the ever growing number of independent mushroom farmers, we now have access to a wide variety of fungi — even in, and certainly outside, the produce aisles.

As a quasi-flexitarian — someone who eats meat only occasionally — I adore mushrooms as the quintessential meat substitute. With their meat-like texture and plenty of umami (savory flavor) mushrooms have always been, and always will be, my favorite ingredient in vegetarian dishes. 

Mushroom and Chestnut Stroganoff

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

6 ounces chestnuts, cooked and cut in half

16 ounces mushrooms, such as oyster, maitake, shiitake or cremini, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 cup sherry

1 tablespoon flour, such as all-purpose or arrowroot

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1/4 cup crème fraîche (optional)

8 ounces cooked pasta, such as egg noodles or rotini

Parsley or chives, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add one tablespoon of olive oil and gently toast the chestnuts until they are fragrant and golden, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer chestnuts to a bowl and set aside. Without adding any more oil to the skillet, begin sautéing mushrooms. Do not crowd the pan and work in batches, if necessary. Cook mushrooms until they start releasing their juices. Allow juices to evaporate and continue to cook briefly while stirring until mushrooms turn golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add two tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and sauté onions for 4-5 minutes; add garlic and smoked paprika. Continue to cook for another minute. Add sherry and allow to cook off. Stir in flour, add broth, salt, pepper and mustard, and continue to stir. Bring sauce to a simmer, then add chestnuts and mushrooms and cook until sauce is reduced by about half, approximately 8-10 minutes. Take off heat, stir in crème fraîche, if using, and serve with pasta. Garnish with parsley or chives.