vegan | sel et sucre

Avocado Salsa Verde

Posted on August 24, 2012August 23, 2012 by Claire

avocado salsa verde

I love making my own condiments; many, like this salsa verde, are quite easy to whip up, yet still manage to be much more flavorful than their store-bought cousins. Here, all you have to do is a little chopping and a little blending, and suddenly you have something perfect for topping tacos or dipping chips. The avocado is a great twist, too, adding extra creaminess and richness. And, one of my favorite parts of making these sort of things myself, you can easily adjust everything to your taste with minimal extra effort – adding extra jalapenos here, for instance, if you like things spicy, or omitting the jalapeno altogether for a mild take.

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Roasted Pepper Hummus

Posted on August 22, 2012August 22, 2012 by Claire

roasted pepper hummus

I’ve long thought that the hummus my dad makes is far superior to any other hummus. For a while though, since my dad is Lebanese, I thought this just meant that I really liked authentic Lebanese hummus. But then I spent a summer in Lebanon and still found the hummus not to be quite up to what I was used to at home. When I asked my dad about it, he smiled and said, “paprika.” It’s not truly authentic, he admits, but I have to agree that it adds a little something extra. So, even though this isn’t my dad’s recipe, I knew as soon as I set out to make it that I had to add paprika.

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Mushroom Bourguignon

Posted on August 13, 2012August 12, 2012 by Claire

mushroom bourguignon

I think mushrooms are one of those ingredients that can be pretty polarizing. Some people love mushrooms, and others can’t stand them. Personally, I’m a big mushroom fan – they’re just packed with umami! For any other fungi aficionados out there, here’s a great recipe that showcases the meaty, earthy flavor of mushrooms as the main star of a French-inspired stew. As I’m not a vegetarian, I used bacon fat and beef stock to add extra meatiness, but you’ll be just fine with olive oil and mushroom or vegetable stock. I found this bourguignon very satisfying on a rainy day, and it’s sure to make for great comfort food for other mushroom lovers out there.

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Layered Fruit Salad with Whipped Coconut Cream

Posted on August 10, 2012August 9, 2012 by Claire

layered fruit salad with whipped coconut cream

I have a history of becoming really passionate about something and then letting it fall by the wayside when a new obsession comes my way. When I was really into knitting, for example, I didn’t just knit scarves and hats; I knit complete sweaters, bookmarked hundreds of patterns, and collected boxes and boxes of yarn. And I still have those dusty sweaters, patterns, and yarn, despite not having knit anything for years. So when I started this blog, I was worried that I might lose interest, stop posting, or get sick of food (okay, I never thought that last one could actually happen).

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Family Style Summer Salad

Posted on August 8, 2012August 7, 2012 by Claire

family style summer salad

Food, I believe, is meant to be shared. Sitting down with family or friends (or ideally both!) over a good meal, home-cooked or otherwise, always fills me with a great feeling of joy and belonging, often reinforced by enthusiastic anecdotes, spirited debates, and unbridled laughter before the end of the meal. This recipe combines my love of good company with my recent love of salads. Perfect for a midsummer get-together, this salad can be thrown together in mere minutes and is easily adapted to the tastes of whoever you happen to be eating with. Use fresh seasonal vegetables from your garden or farmers market, add chicken or steak for extra protein, or make it interactive by inviting everyone to bring their favorite ingredients.

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Mulligatawny Soup

Posted on July 30, 2012July 30, 2012 by Claire

mulligatawny soup

A while back, I posted a recipe for a Japanese adaptation of Indian curry. But by far the most well-known adaptations of Indian cuisine come from the British. These fusions have become so widespread that it’s not unlikely that you’re already quite familiar with some of them – such as chicken tikka masala and vindaloo – from your favorite Indian restaurants (and in fact, they are now prevalent in India itself). Mulligatawny soup is a great example, the name itself a British take on an Indian phrase meaning “pepper water.” There are many variations, but they’re usually a rich yellow or orange color from the spices (if you’re using a curry powder without turmeric, make sure to add some) and often contain meat.

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Pluot Mint Salad

Posted on July 27, 2012July 27, 2012 by Claire

pluot mint salad

I love pluots – a fruit that is the wonderful combination of plums and apricots. I bought some on sale and knew I needed to do something simple but special with them. So I picked some fresh mint from my garden (it’s been growing like crazy!) and squeezed an orange for a tasty fruit salad. Together, the flavors set my mind down the path of Turkish food, so at the last minute, I tossed in a little Turkish red pepper. If you don’t like spice, feel free to omit it though. And if your fruit isn’t sweet enough on its own (and by the way, feel free to try this out with other stone fruits as well), you can add a little bit of honey.

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Korean Cold Noodles and Vegetables

Posted on July 18, 2012July 18, 2012 by Claire

korean cold noodles and vegetables

I haven’t even finished posting recipes for food I cooked during the last heatwave, and DC is already in the grip of a new one. Yesterday, it reached 100 degrees for the sixth time this year, and we may very well have the seventh time today. This, after only having five 100-degree days in 2011 and four in 2010 – and 17 total in the entirety of 1993 to 2009. Weather, like food, is something I feel passionately nerdy about. And they go all so well together. Even in this time of air conditioning, I find myself gravitating towards weather-appropriate recipes.

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Peaches in Basil Syrup

Posted on July 13, 2012July 12, 2012 by Claire

peaches in basil syrup

I knew I wanted to combine peaches and basil for a tasty summer dessert, but none of the recipes I came across seemed quite right. I wanted something simple, something that would really focus on these delicious, seasonal ingredients – peaches from the farmers market and basil from my garden. So I created my own easy recipe. Basil leaves pureed with orange juice and honey then poured over peaches (I actually used a mix of peaches and nectarines). You only need a handful of ingredients and a couple of minutes of work to create this delicious concoction – great eaten plain but absolutely fantastic served over strained yogurt (straining yogurt makes it extra thick and creamy, just perfect for desserts).

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Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad

Posted on July 9, 2012July 8, 2012 by Claire

roasted vegetable quinoa salad

This quinoa salad feels just perfect for summer so long as you can brave turning your oven on (although the vegetables can also be grilled). Not only does it take advantage of the overflowing summer vegetables, but it’s delicious served at room temperature or cold, so it makes for a refreshing side or meal on a steamy summer day. You can use whatever herbs you have around (either basil and mint, both so notoriously prolific, would work here, and I used a combination of thyme and oregano), and feel free to add a little goat cheese, feta, or parmesan, too. Easily adaptable and full of flavor, this is a versatile recipe that’s definitely worth having up your sleeve.

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