As we move into the cooler months, we start getting cool weather crops from the CSA. Things like kale, collards, mizuna, tatsoi, and chard. After five years of being with the CSA we’ve gone from “what is that? And what are we going to do with it?” to “Great to get kale again! Let’s make kale chips!” We never had the former problem with chard. It’s a lot like spinach, and a simple steaming or sauté will make it into a nice side. But sometimes it’s nice if it stands out, as it does in chard pie.
Khumbi Matar
Khumbi matar is essentially a mushroom and pea curry. When we started searching for Indian recipes, this was one of the first that we wanted to master. It’s nice because you can make a good Indian-style dinner without having to buy too many spices, and it doesn’t need any special cooking techniques. It is from Madhur Jaffrey’s book At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Her books and recipes are great for beginners wanting to try out more exotic fare, and we have found several really tasty recipes and great cooking tips.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake
We’ve made this several times, and with care it can look like the photo above. Really!
As I mentioned yesterday, we found that Cup Cafe has one of the best desserts on the planet: Peanut Butter Cheesecake. For about a year we had wanted to figure out how to make it, but just didn’t know how the cafe staff could make it as light and creamy as it is.