AUTUMN
Sardine Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
I try to eat at least 2 servings of fatty fish a week (1 serving = 4 ounces) to ensure I get enough omega-3 fats in my diet. Examples of fatty fish include salmon, Atlantic mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, albacore tuna, anchovy, black cod. It's important to...
Tilapia with Peppers and Harissa Sauce
Sometimes I just crave bell peppers, especially as summer fades into fall, which is their season. These vibrant, fruity capsicums make me think of Middle Eastern cuisine or that of Moorish Spain. Fresh bell peppers are a treat, but I'm thankful for the convenience of...
Easy Everyday Vegetable Stir-Fry
We had a couple days of unbelievable sunshine and warmth here in Dublin this week (though today it has turned cloudy and cool). In true la belle vie style my husband made the last minute decision to take a vacation day and we skedaddled off to Portmarnock beach. It...
Grandma Bercher’s Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls are a Bercher family tradition. It all started with my great grandmother, Frances Bercher. Born Frances Schuster in Germany, she immigrated to America with her family in 1908 at 13 years of age. Eventually she married my great grandfather and settled...
Barley Risotto with Irish Red Ale, Butternut Squash and Sage
It's been one of those perfect autumn days here in Cavan. We had blue skies and golden sunshine, the wind felt fresh and crisp, and there were even a couple passing sun showers. As I write this now I gaze out the window and watch the sun slowly disappearing behind the...
Autumn Mushroom Soup with Thyme and Brandy
Autumn is my favorite time of year. This is my first Irish autumn, and the change in country makes the season even more interesting. It's not the fall that I grew up with in Arkansas, which was marked by warm golden-hued days with dramatic red, orange and yellow...
Spanish Tortilla with Red Peppers, Chorizo and Manchego
I’ve got a real thing for Spain (I told you this before). The language, the small plates and brash flavors, the artisanal meats and cheeses, afternoon siesta, eating late- I love it all. Lately I've been obsessed with roasting red peppers. Maybe it's a yearning...
Kosher Thanksgiving: Challah Stuffing with Mushrooms and Hazelnuts
Kosher couldn't be farther from the pulled pork sandwiches and steaks smothered in creamy sauces I grew up eating in Arkansas. So when I was asked to develop a Thanksgiving menu abiding by the laws of kashrut, I felt overwhelmed and intimidated. Growing up I didn't...
Pear, Cheddar, and Caramelized Onion Tart
I've been busy in the test kitchen developing holiday entertaining recipes for a client, and today I'd like to share a savory tart with you. The components can be prepared ahead of time (the pastry pre-baked), later assembled and baked just before serving....
Election Day Chicken Drumsticks
Sweet and sour glazed chicken is a dish democrats and republicans can all agree on. Tuesday, November 6, our country will elect the next President of the United States of America. Many of us will gather, family and friends, to watch election coverage on television....
Halloween Barmbrack, an Irish Tradition
Barmbrack - such a strange word to those of us who didn't grow up in Ireland. Originating from the Gaelic language, bairín, is a reference to the yeast of fermented bear and breac, notes the speckled appearance of currants and golden raisins. This sweet bread is...
Pumpkin Soup
It's been quiet here at La Domestique. I went home to Arkansas to stay with my sister and help with the baby while her husband was away. The day after I returned to Colorado, my husband surprised me with a spontaneous trip to Florida to celebrate our fifth...
Apple Butter
Thick and spreadable, apple butter is named for its texture, and contains no dairy. I've been doing a fair bit of preserving at home lately, but cooking apples down into a dark, caramelized puree is my absolute fall favorite. Every year I make a batch to mark the...
First Day of Fall in the Rocky Mountains and a Recipe for Roasted Potato Salad
We sat in our car, parked at the edge of Upper Beaver Meadows in Rocky Mountain National Park. A waxing crescent moon rose in the black sky, dotted with stars. It was cold. I was dressed in layers: long sleeved shirt, sweater, down vest, scarf, and knit cap, but...
Honey Wheat Grape Focaccia with Rosemary
As I mentioned in my last post, the first thing that came to mind when I stumbled upon a pile of Concord grapes at the farmer's market was focaccia. In its most basic form, this Italian flatbread starts with a dough of white bread flour, yeast, water, and salt,...
Grilled Plum Salad with Purple Basil, Blue Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette
I seem to be going through a purple period. I just can't get enough of plummy colors. Last week there was the Grilled Mission Fig Salad, followed by that post on aubergines, and today I'm grilling plums and placing them on a bed of purple lettuces and purple basil...
Pumpkin Chestnut Soup
Pumpkin Chestnut Soup may be the most delicious meal I've ever made. Ever. Maybe it's the time of year. I am a creature of autumn. I cherish cool days and soft yellow sunlight. I relish whipping winds and leaves crunching beneath my feet. Pulling scarves and boots out...
Chestnut Stuffing with Caramelized Onions, Apples & Calvados
Each week I contribute an article to “Whole Foods Market Cooking Boulder” website expanding on one of the 10 Ways Tuesday ideas. This week I shared a recipe for Chestnut Stuffing with Caramelized Onions, Apples & Calvados as well as my thoughts on the art...
Ingredient of the Week: Brussels Sprouts
Here in Boulder, Colorado, we've already enjoyed our first snows. The nights are chilly and days are crisp and sunny. It's the perfect time to harvest the ingredient of the week, Brussels sprouts. These tiny cabbages grow in clusters on a thick stalk, much like...
Anise & Guinness Bread
This Friday I'm making Anise & Guinness Bread from Dough: Simple Contemporary Bread, by Richard Bertinet, my favorite bread baker. I've written about Richard Bertinet before, and wholeheartedly recommend his books to anyone who wants to learn to bake bread. Most...
Barley-Sesame Flatbreads
This week at la domestique we've explored barley, an ancient wheat-free grain. Today I'm baking with barley flour. For thousands of years the people of Africa and the Middle East have used barley ground into flour for their flatbreads. Barley flour is slightly sweet...
Autumnal Walnut and Honey Soda Bread
I am so excited about this bread recipe I found in the River Cottage Bread Handbook! It's quick, easy, and perfect for fall. Walnut and Honey Bread is a soda bread recipe made with whole wheat flour. No yeast, no kneading, no waiting for dough to rise. Just throw the...
Chicken, Apples, and Cream à la Normande
While searching for a savory apple dish to share with you, I came across a recipe for Chicken, Apples, and Cream à la Normande in Dorie Greenspan's book, Around My French Table. The history of this dish is classically French. The Taste of France, by Robert Freson,...
Ribollita
Each week I contribute a column to "Whole Foods Market Cooking Boulder" expanding on one of the 10 Ways Tuesday ideas. This week I shared a recipe for Ribollita, a hearty Tuscan soup featuring a type of kale called cavolo nero. Here is the original article: This...
Potato Galette
For my weekly "Whole Foods Market Cooking Boulder" column I've written about Pommes Anna, also known as a potato galette. Here is the original article and recipe: This week I’m welcoming fall with the humble potato. It’s easy to take this tuber for granted, she’s...
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