Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad
A salad can’t get much more refreshing or more summery than tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions topped with olive oil and vinegar. It’s flashy and classy. It belongs equally at a potluck picnic or on a fine dinner table.
Smothered Summer Squash
Smothered summer squash is a versatile side dish that plays well with almost anything. Pair it with grilled or baked meats, fish, or stews. The squash flavors are deep and sweet and will have you coming back for more.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Peanut Salad
This salad has almost everything I love in food, the deep notes of caramel in the squash, the brightness of fresh herbs, the grounding peanuts, and the fruity tanginess of pomegranate molasses.
Charred Carrots with Apple Brown-Butter Vinaigrette
Charring carrots brings on a marvelous complex of sweet and deep that is brightened yet grounded with apples, lemon, and browned butter.
Turnips as Cardoons
They’re buttery, decadent, and a little bit sweet. It’s everything a turnip should be: comforting, complex, a bit unexpected with just a hint of bitterness.
Peach and Almond Salad with Creamy Lemon Basil Dressing
The dressing is so smooth and bright with the luxurious feel of a creamy dressing but the freshness and palate cleansing components of a vinaigrette.
Squash and Pistachio Crumble
It tastes like apple pie, but screams summer with its bright notes of lemon. Even people who snub their nose at squash will have smiles on their faces. I argue that this dish is more American than apple pie because apples are not native to North America and squash is.
Smothered Cabbage
Smothered cabbage more than makes up for its looks with its bold flavor. It warms the soul with its smoky, sweet, and buttery notes.
Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce
The deepness of roasted eggplant meets the cool, tanginess of yogurt and sharpness of pomegranates. Every bite brings together, warm and cold and creamy and crunchy. It’s a fail-proof beauty, even if you are among the most artistically challenged.
Pickled Collard Stems
They’re crunchy, acidic, and spicey, and I love them. Eat them as is, on the side of a rich meal, or in a sandwich. You really can’t go wrong.
Roasted Okra
Roasted okra is delicious. It’s a little crispy, chewy, and sweet with plenty of depth of flavor. The best part is they are plenty light enough to gorge on.
Some of them will crisp up like a chip, some with have a little crisp and be tender, others will be a little chewy and more okra. None will be slimy, and the combination of textures and flavors will be leaving you for more and more.
Roasted Cauliflower and Hazelnut Salad
This salad is a quintessential Ottolenghi (and Tamimi) recipe with beaucoup textures, color, and flavor for days. It’s deep yet bright; it’s nourishing yet light. Quick enough for every day, but special enough to impress. As a mega bonus, you eat this side at room temperature which makes it great for taking to a potluck, picnic or frees up warming space for your other dishes.
Mirliton and Sausage Soup
Mirliton and sausage soup is light enough to start a meal with, but rich enough to comfort the soul.
Blueberries and Cucumbers with Pistachios and Yogurt
The Mozart of salads … it’s classic, uplifting, refreshing, brilliant piece of art, well you get the point. You can thank Vivian Howard from Deep Run Roots for this one
Tomato Vinaigrette
This vinaigrette literally tastes of summer. It doesn’t follow my typical dressing rules and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s still a simple recipe and far tastier than the name implies.
Roasted Beets with Rosemary Oil
There’s nothing quite like the deep red of beets on a winter plate. Roasted beets pair well with citrus which brightens their sweetness and rosemary brings an earthiness to the fruitiness.
Arugula, Grape, Parmesan and Pecan Salad with Grape Vinaigrette
If you’re thinking you don’t want to eat another salad, you’re doing it wrong. Arugula has bite, grapes are sweet, Parmesan is sultry and pecans are deep.
Roasted Cabbage
Y’all eat your cabbage for New Year’s. We all need wealth, prosperity and health in 2021. While we’re at it, eat your black eye peas for good luck. This is not the time to tell me you aren’t superstitious … if I’m wrong here, a little cabbage hasn’t hurt anyone.
Charred Greens (Turnip)
Charred greens are fast, fun and comforting. Embrace the green and your options are limitless.