Sunday Spread
Taking feisty to the max is a mix of chilies and herbs that plays like pesto, acts like chutney and enjoys its place at the table like salsa. It’s zhoug, and though it stands well on its own, it raises the bar on hummus in a major way.
Pickled Onions
Sorry/not sorry for shouting, but WHY AREN’T YOU MAKING PICKLED ONIONS? There’s no excuse for not adding to the versatility of this staple of any kitchen rooted in any culture. So grab a glass jar, snatch the ingredients from your pantry and get with a program of advancing the use of your onions.
One Little Big Thing
Cherry Grove Farm’s store in Lawrence Township proves a windfall for those looking to stock up on Garden State’s artisan foods. On this day, one particular jar becomes the instigator for myriad and many easy meals.
Oven-roasted Small Tomatoes
Ready to put something on your Squirreling Schedule? A favorite, and one of the easiest how-tos of the extend-the-life schemes for produce, is a method of oven-roasting and stashing in olive oil the omnipresent cherry tomato and its kin, the grape tomato.
Greens Bars
Have your corned beef and cabbage, cottage pie or colcannon, Irish stew and Irish whiskey, green beer, green guacamole and cookies tinted shamrock green. But also eat your greens on St. Patrick’s Day, perhaps in pastry-esque squares that ooze cheese and the nutritional value of vegetables.
Dried Sardines
By now you’re on board with tinned fish, assigning a prime place in the pantry for those trusty vessels that hold a range of seafood beyond the tuna that’s long been staple and savior. Turns out there are other versions of preserved fishes ready to step into the role of last-minute meal-maker.
A Stir-fry Story
No flash in any pan, this lickety-split vegetable mix is as durable and dear as the memories of an old friend.
Pickled Mustards
Readymade versions of an Asian staple can expand the scope of its use, absolutely, But don’t waste the time convenience provides: Experiment with a food that’s vivacious and versatile.
Layered Like Lasagne
Take staples – bread, onions, beans, greens – and turn them into a bake that’s awfully sporting at this time of year. It’s light on effort, heavy on using what’s already on hand, and satisfying for solo eating or feeding a crowd.
Vegetable Stock Cream Soup
Employ the old adage “honey from a weed” and turn the makings of a broth into a meal of its own. P.S. The “cream” is only an illusion.
The Avocado Update
What do you get when you zhuzh up a mash of your most favorite green food? Not exactly guac.
K-’chos
Take vegetables prepared for bibambap, a package of shrimp chips, cooked rice, shredded nori and, perhaps, some sushi-grade salmon or tuna spiced and ready to layer in handrolls and give it all a 180-degree spin to turn it into … Korean-style nachos. Ready them, set them out, and watch your game of choice or hours of entertainment on your streaming service.