Category Archives: Sides

Man and woman do not live by main courses alone. Sides are the chorus that makes the meal come together in all its symphonic elegance. Whatever.

Recipe: Japanese Spinach with Sesame Seeds

Japanese spinach with sesame seeds is inspired by a recipe in Japanese Country Cookbook, a long out-of-print book from the revered Mingei-Ya restaurant in San Francisco. Unlike most recipes for spinach salad, this doesn’t include sugar. You won’t miss it. … Continue reading

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Recipe: Grilled Artichokes

I dislike the experience of dipping cold, tasteless artichoke leaves in mayo or butter, just to get the nugget of meat at the end. This grilled artichokes recipe is a vast improvement. Every inch is soaked in flavor so you’ll … Continue reading

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Recipe: Clams Rangoon

Clams Rangoon is like Crab Rangoon, but not. (And I’m sure Crab Rangoon was never served in Rangoon to begin with.) I ran across this recipe in an old Yan Can Cook cookbook that was probably a PBS giveaway. Martin … Continue reading

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Recipe: Smashed Salt Potatoes

Salt potatoes are a thing in upstate New York. Stores sell a bag of white potatoes which includes a sack of salt, and charge more than the items would cost separately. Michele, our hostess at Orchard Slope airbnb in Amherst … Continue reading

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Recipe: Sichuan Eggplant with Garlic

Here’s the Sichuan Eggplant with Garlic recipe I used for my Douban Jiang taste test. It’s adapted from a similar prep on the Steamy Kitchen blog. Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as a side. Ingredients: 2 lbs Asian eggplant … Continue reading

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Recipe: Cauliflower Rice Balls (don’t call them arancini)

  Among the new tastes at the Summer Fancy Food Show was Cauliflower Arancini, an “Italian Street Food” from Lotito sold frozen for foodservice. They were delicious… crunchy and gooey with melted cheese… but a novelty rather than an actual … Continue reading

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Recipe: Southern-Style Cornbread

No wheat flour is found in southern-style cornbread. No sugar neither. (Though you may drizzle a bit of honey or sorghum syrup over a warm slice.) We just use stone ground cornmeal which is naturally good and sweet. Bob’s Red … Continue reading

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Recipe: Granny Shimer’s Pickled Beets & Eggs (from Jake Bryan)

Reader Jake Bryan was kind enough to share his grandmother’s Pennsylvania Dutch recipe for pickled beets and eggs with onion. Only modification I’ve made is the salt content: Jake uses 1½ t per pint. (But he tells me his granny … Continue reading

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Recipe: Utica Long Hots

Another in the pantheon of Utica Italian specialties, along with Chicken Riggies and Utica Greens. Utica Long Hots couldn’t be easier to make, or more challenging to eat: the peppers range from mild to Jalapeño-hot, and you don’t know what … Continue reading

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Recipe: Pineapple Cole Slaw

Inspired by the slaw served at the historic Saltsman’s Hotel in Ephratah, NY, Pineapple Cole Slaw is a mild, refreshing side dish that would be right at home at my mother’s canasta club lunches. Goes well with barbecued meats. Serves … Continue reading

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