Cooking Method: puréeing

Parmesan Zucchini Rings

Get ready for a snack revelation! These Parmesan Zucchini Rings offers crunch and savory flavor. Each slice of fresh zucchini is generously coated in Parmesan cheese, baking up into a wonderfully crispy, golden crust. They're not just delicious, they're also gluten-free and low-carb, making them the perfect smart snack solution.

There is zero waste here because the zucchini centers become a dip. They are sautéed until tender, then blended with bright lemon, milk, and spices and pulsed until smooth.

By Leslie Blythe

Sunshine Hummus

If classic hummus has become a bit bland for your taste, Nigella Lawson's Sunshine Hummus is here to brighten things up! This vibrant recipe breaks away from the ordinary, infusing the traditional dip with the warm glow of turmeric, the smoky depth of sweet paprika, and a subtle kick from white pepper. These ingredients not only deliver a unique flavor profile but also give the hummus its stunning golden hue.
Enjoy it as a dip with sliced peppers and pita chips, or take a cue from Nigella herself and use it to elevate your sandwiches as a delightful alternative to mayonnaise. It's also utterly delicious simply spread on bread or crackers.

By Leslie Blythe

Mushroom Pâté

This Mushroom Pâté is something my daughter Zoe had recently at Borough Market in London. She raved about it and she doesn't even really like mushrooms. This recipe is the copycat version. I have to say, it's absolutely fabulous. Here is the recipe.

There is a sign that gives suggestions on how to use this pâté..

Delicious smothered on fantastic fresh baked bread with a big mug of tea (who on earth would drink tea with mushroom pâté?! Only in the UK! ) or a glass of wine. You know what I’m drinking!

Melt in the mouth chicken - bake chicken breasts with the mushroom pâté
hidden in the middle and wrapped in pancetta for a lovely quick supper.

Wonderful in a picnic - use it as a dip with fresh crudités and crusty bread.

Try melting it over new potatoes or as a stuffing in a baked potato.

For homemade cannelloni with a twist, mix with some quickly blanched chopped spinach leaves and fill the cannelloni shells with the mixture, finishing with a delicious homemade tomato sauce, béchamel and a generous sprinkle of parmesan.

It mixes beautifully with wild rice.

Let it melt over a sizzling pork chop or a char grilled steak.
Make your own beef Wellington using the pâté to cover the beef and bake in your homemade pastry.

Simply on toasted crusty bread.

By Leslie Blythe

Summer Gazpacho

Here is a post from my Gazpacho loving husband Eric!
Gazpacho, that wonderfully refreshing chilled Andalusian vegetable soup, is perfect for these late days of summer when temperatures soar and vine-ripened tomatoes are plentiful. It can be chunky or smooth but the classic way—made in a blender—always reminds me of Pedro Almodóvar’s movie Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. While I love garlic, I do not like to eat it raw so I roasted the garlic in the oven before blending it in the soup but the choice is yours. Good sherry vinegar is the most important ingredient and while you can use red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar is really the best.

By Leslie Blythe

New Mexico Red Chile Sauce (Chile Colorado)

My friend Jessica sent me dried red Hatch chiles from The Hatch Chile Store. Her favorite red chile sauce recipe is from The Sunset Cookbook. Lightly toasting the dried chile peppers in a hot pan for a few minutes loosens the oils in the skins, which adds more flavor. You can use this sauce for enchiladas, soups, stews or as a condiment. It's so good and definitely worth the extra effort. The sauce can be frozen.

By Leslie Blythe

Vegetarian Chopped Liver

I remember when I lived in New York City my friend Barbara made this Vegetarian Chopped Liver. It is frequently served as a Sabbath appetizer in Ashkenazi homes. There are many versions of pareve chopped liver, but this one made of onions, peas, walnuts and hard-boiled eggs is one of the most popular. Vegetarian chopped liver is lighter and healthier than real chopped chicken livers, but the taste is quite similar.

I use Le Sueur petite, sweet peas, which the company says are so delicate that the only way to maintain their exquisite tenderness from farm to table is in a Le Sueur can. They are from Le Sueur, Minnesota, a valley named in honor of the French explorer Pierre-Charles Le Sueur.

By Leslie Blythe

White Bean Dip with Herbs

This White Bean Dip with Herbs is creamy and a nice change from hummus. Cannellini beans are White Kidney Beans, which are a little meatier than Navy or Great Northern beans, they have a nutty, earthy flavor. You can use any white bean for this recipe. Chickpeas, also known as Garbanzo Beans, which are used in hummus, are a bit grainier in texture. The fresh herbs and garlic shine through. You can serve it with vegetables or pita chips.

By Leslie Blythe

Creamed Corn-Stuffed Peppers with Pickled Jalapeño

This Creamed Corn-Stuffed Peppers with Pickled Jalapeño recipe is from Yotam Ottolenghi that was published in The Guardian. The creamy corn polenta stuffing is wonderfully satisfying and works really well in peppers. You can use any type of pepper that you like. Serve it with a mixed green salad for dinner tonight!

By Leslie Blythe

Salmorejo

This recipe is from Ina Garten's new book Modern Comfort Food, which is being released on October 6, 2020.

Salmorejo is a purée made from tomatoes, red peppers, bread, olive oil and garlic, originating from Cordoba in Andalucia, southern Spain. It is the perfect thing to make using any tomatoes from your garden. This cold soup is so light and refreshing.

By Leslie Blythe

Dill Pickle Hummus

I keep seeing Dill Pickle Hummus everywhere. Trader Joe's makes it, but I decided to concoct my own. My husband likes anything with pickles. When we were dating about 100 years ago, I remember going to the market and he bought a jar of pickles and ate the whole thing in the car on the way home! This should have been a tip-off!

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