Waves of heat ripple across the surface of the wok, a thin layer of oil shimmering in the late afternoon sun. Power dial turned up all the way to 10, intense heat emanated from the stove, setting a controlled conflagration ablaze right within reach. With one fell swoop, our fearless culinary guide and adept chef sent verdant handfuls of tender green vegetables flying, sizzling violently against the carbon steel, instantly searing upon contact. One minute later, the meal was served; blink and you’d miss the whole show.

The beauty of larb, otherwise written as laab, lahb, larp, laap, or lahp and prepared just as many different ways, is that it comes together in a flash, even if you don’t have the same kitchen confidence as bay area food guru Philip Gelb. Under his guidance, I encountered my favorite version of this Laotian and Thai dish, lightly charred by the kiss of the wok and brilliantly perfumed with a bouquet of fresh herbs and spices. Stunningly simple in composition yet impossibly complex in flavor, every bite was a new revelation. It’s the kind of combination that can never get boring, offering a fresh experience with every mouthful, and opportunities for different variation with every passing season.

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed many riffs on this timeless theme, sometimes with a delightful discovery of tender green asparagus or the unmistakable umami of chopped mushrooms sprinkled throughout. Even in the heat of summer, that man-made inferno is short lived, smoldering on only in flavor, and tempered by the cooling foil of crisp lettuce cups for serving. It’s well worth that fleeting moment in the fire.

Tempeh Larb

By Chef Philip Gelb of Sound & Savor

2 Tablespoons Raw Brown Rice

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Palm Sugar
1/4 Cup Lime Juice

8 Ounces Tempeh, Cut into 1/4-Inch Cubes
Oil for Frying

2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
1 Stalk Fresh Lemongrass, Minced
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
3 Teaspoons Ginger, Minced
1 – 10 Thai Chilies, Minced
1/2 Cup Green Peas, Fresh or Frozen
1/2 Medium Red Onion, Diced
1/4 Cup Fresh Thai Basil, Chopped
1/4 Cup Fresh Mint, Chopped
1/4 Cup Fresh Italian Basil, Chopped
1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Crisp Lettuce Leaves, Such as Romaine or Bibb Lettuce, to Serve

In a hot frying pan over medium-low heat, dry toast the raw rice. Shake the pan continuously for 2 minutes until the rice smells nutty. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush it until it’s powdery. Set aside.

Combine the soy sauce, palm sugar, and lime juice and set aside.

Deep fry the tempeh until crisp and golden brown. Set side.

Place the coconut oil in a hot wok. Add the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and as many chilies as you like. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the peas and onion and stir-fry for another minute. Add all of the fresh herbs and cook for only 10 seconds before add the soy sauce mixture. Give it just 1 more minute on the stove before turning off the heat.

Add the toasted rice powder and fried tempeh and stir everything together. Serve with lettuce leaves and let diners wrap parcels of larb with the lettuce.

Makes 2 – 3 Servings

Printable Recipe

Buy Clotilde's latest book, The French Market Cookbook!

Are you enjoying a summer of slow?

A summer of naps, a summer of lazy, a summer of peaches bitten straight into, leaning over the sink?

Yeah, me neither.

We did go away with the kids for a couple of weeks in the Aveyron region, which we adore.

There, we relaxed in the garden hammock (I totally need a hammock of my own now! It’s the best!), screamed in joyful concert with all of France, drove around to visit medieval castles (there may have been a few toy crossbows involved), took cable car rides from one mountaintop to another, and celebrated my birthday with blueberry tarts and Lunar eclipses (well, just one of each).

Throughout this though, I confess I haven’t really turned my brain off (is there even an “off” button on there?) as Maxence and I have been planning and coordinating an apartment renovation from afar, and I have been brewing a bunch of new projects for the fall, scribbling pages of ideas in my notebook (obsessed with this limited-edition copper Leuchtturm) as they took shape in my mind.

That’s not a problem for me though, as I thrive on bubbling ideas and exciting plans, so I’m happy as can be.

What’s your summer been like so far?

xo

Clotilde.

P.S.: As we work to renovate our apartment, I have been avidly looking at other people’s homes online. If you’re also looking for Paris (or generally French) interior inspiration, I recommend Rue Rodier Interiors and The Socialite Family.

P.P.S.: I have been blown away by how warmly my cookbook Tasting Paris has been received. I receive daily messages from readers, and the media coverage — from Real Simple to Vogue, from The Globe and Mail to Epicurious — has been amazingly flattering, with such quotes as:

“A beautiful cookbook that reads like a memoir”
“Absolutely genius and gorgeous, and a must-have for francophiles everywhere.”
“A striking book that’s like taking a trip to the magic city of Paris”
“[Tasting Paris] focuses on the contemporary recipes that actual Parisians are loving, eating—and cooking—right now. ”
“No matter how many visits you’ve enjoyed in the capital, this book will have you looking at flights immédiatement.”
“[Clotilde] works a special alchemy not only in the kitchen but in the minds and hearts of her readers.”
“These stories will transport you as much as they will whet your appetite.”
“A guide to re-create a day of gastronomic delights as actual Parisians would experience it.”
“A cookbook beyond compare”
“For anyone who wants to be reminded of the beauty and simplicity of cooking French classics.”
“This book will have you booking your ticket to Paris immediately.”

If you don’t yet have your copy of Tasting Paris, these reviewers seem to think you’re missing out! ;)

P.P.P.S.: You know about my amazing Feta and Fresh Herb Quick Bread, right? It’s a long-standing summer classic for me, as are this Zucchini Tarte Fine and this Lemon Kefir Ice Cream.

The post This Is Summer appeared first on Chocolate & Zucchini.

I saw a table at the market the other night groaning under the weight of a mountain of summer squash. Squash that looked like it wanted to avalanche its way into my basket. I took pity, grabbed a bunch, and made my way home. I ended up using a couple in a favorite nothing-to-it sautéed zucchini recipe. It’s pictured here served over a simple plate of spaghetti. 
The sautéed zucchini? It’s a single-skillet kind of thing. Coins of zucchini are browned in a pan, but the thing that makes it special is the toasted golden slivers of garlic combined with lots of fresh dill. Throw in a sprinkling of almonds for crunch, and you’re all good. Prep takes five minutes, if that, and you can treat this as a side dish, or use it as a component of something else…

Variations

I often cook up a pan of the zucchini like this, and then use it to top off a frittata. Or toss it with a platter of pasta. Over farro with some harissa-spiked vinagirette? Not bad. Baked as a hand-pie in a simple pastry with a smudge of goat cheese? Even better. Anyhow, it’s really adaptable. And for those of you who don’t use much dill in your cooking…let me just say, dill is under-rated and under-utilized. The more I cook with it, the more I love it – fingers crossed you like this spin as much as I do. 

Different Types of Zucchini

You can sauté just about any kind of zucchini! Or a blend of zucchini / summer squash, as pictured here. A pro tip – attempt to slice it all the same 1/4-inch thickness. As far as shape goes – you can slice full coins, or half coins. You can slice zucchini straight across, or angle it, and slice on a bias. Feel free to experiment!

Continue reading Simple Sautéed Zucchini on 101 Cookbooks

Apple Danishes are the perfect way to ring in the apple season! The flaky crust, apple pie filling, crumb topping, and simple glaze make them irresistible.

Hi guys! Melanie here again from Garnish & Glaze to bring you a delicious apple recipe– Apple Danish! No one can pass up a sweet and delicious pastry and this one is over the top amazing.

Can you believe school is starting back up this month? I hate to see the summer come to a close but I sure love getting back into a routine and the food of the new season is delicious. Apples are one of my favorite foods. They make for a perfect snack but are also great for cooking and baking with like in Apple and Spinach Pork Chops and Spiced Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting.

How to make Apple Danish:

The first step is to prep the apple filling. It’s so simple! Just butter, sugar, cinnamon, and apples cooked for about 8 minutes until the sugary sauce is thickened and the apples are tender. You’ll then let it cool off while you prep the other parts of the danish.

Can you ever go wrong with crumb topping? I made these once without but since adding crumb topping I’ve never looked back. The topping is just 4 ingredients mixed together and sprinkled over the top. Totally worth washing the extra dish.

The base of the danish is the easiest part! The dough is puff pastry and using the frozen one that comes in a box works beautifully. Pull it out of the freezer and in 40 minutes you’re ready to roll, cut, twist, and wrap it into pretty little roses. You’ll then press the middle down to create a well for the apple filling. You’ll then brush the dough with an egg wash so that the danish gets nice and golden. The last step is to sprinkle the tops with the crumb topping and then bake.

The glaze on top is totally optional but it’s yummy and looks beautiful too. It’s just 3 simple ingredients and your kids will love licking the bowl clean like mine did.

Apple Danishes are best warm but if you have self-control and don’t scarf them down, they’re delicious the next day too. Enjoy!

 

This recipe for Cheese Ravioli with Brown Butter and Fresh Tomato Sauce is a great way to jazz up store-bought, packaged fresh ravioli.  Watch the video showing you how to make this Cheese Ravioli with Brown Butter, and then scroll to the bottom of this post and print out the complete recipe so you can make it at home.

This Ravioli with Brown Butter is such a fabulous, super-quick option for a weeknight dinner.  And it’s especially good to make in the summer when tomatoes are ripe and sweet and perfect.

My son has always dubbed ravioli as his favorite dinner choice ever.  It figures that he chooses something that is usually purchased already made either frozen or fresh.  That makes dinner easy for me, but I generally like to jazz things like that up a bit.

This recipe drizzles brown butter and basil with lightly sauteed tomatoes over freshly cooked ravioli.  It couldn’t be simpler or more delicious.  And this recipe happens to be one of the recipes in my cookbook!

Hey, remember this?  The Recipe Girl Cookbook is my cookbook that was published a few years ago.  It’s still going strong on Amazon all these years later.  It’s filled with 190+ family friendly recipes for all meals of the day.  Most of the recipes in the book are NOT on the website.  A few of my favorites are Perfect Fluffy Pancakes, Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese, Tomato & Bacon, Blueberry-Pineapple Tequila Punch, Coconut Ginger Rice, Sweet Chili Pulled Pork, Epic Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Cream, Bacon Macaroni and Cheese, Caramel Apple Pie Crust Cookies, Chocolate Chip Butter Cake and Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding.

If you’re interested in having a copy to add to your cookbook collection, it looks like Amazon is selling it right now for just over $10 (bargain!)  Check it out ->> HERE.

The butter is melted and simmered until it begins to brown.  Have you ever tasted brown butter?  It turns into a nutty and sweet, addicting sort of sauce.  When you add fresh cherry tomatoes to the pan, they wilt rather quickly and begin to burst.  That’s when you take the sauce off the heat and add it to the ravioli.  It’s SO GOOD.

This is one of those recipes that is good to make when you just want to pick up a few ingredients and you don’t want to have to put a lot of effort into dinner.  My family loves this Ravioli with Brown Butter!

If you’re looking for a few more dinner recipes that call for just a few ingredients, you might also enjoy my Parmesan Crusted Chicken and this Slow Cooker Taco Chicken.  How to Cook the Best Ribs in the Oven, Easy Baked Chicken Drumsticks, Slow Cooker Pulled Pork are super easy dinner choices too.

Disclosure:  This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

The post Cheese Ravioli with Brown Butter and Fresh Tomato Sauce appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

Sometimes it just needs to feel like home. 

I love to prepare new foods. People always ask me if I have favorite recipes that I reach for time and time again, but the truth is that I’m usually so excited to try something new that I often forget to save time (and stomach space) for the flavors and recipes that I loved in the past. Particularly as it pertains to baking, I regularly find myself so inspired by the treats I see sprinkled all over magazine pages and the internet that it’s all I can do to stay on track enough to revisit older cakes, pies, and cookies that I’ve made before.

Still, there are times that you just want a recipe that feels like home. Those comfort food recipes, the ones that taste like you’re eating them off of your Nana’s plates or in the company of your Mom and Dad, are often the ones that nourish you all the way down to your soul. For me, those comfort recipes include strawberry shortcake, my Mom’s baked spaghetti, and even soft-serve ice cream cones. I love peanut butter and honey sandwiches, McDonald’s French fries, and even that runny ranch dressing that you can’t buy in a bottle but always seems to find its way on your plate at diner restaurants. Those flavors, completely unsophisticated and no-frills, are the ones that taste like home to me, and no amount of shiny new recipes and 5-star meals will ever replace those. I have a feeling you might have similar stories, no?

So I made this banana cream pie cake for my husband. Always the pie and cookie lover, never the cake guy, I wanted to create a simple and summery recipe that would give nod to the banana pudding he grew up eating in his Nana’s kitchen. He tells the story that, as a kid, his nana would scoop bowls of pudding for all of the grandkids before supper. The goal was to sneak into the kitchen early to stake a generously poured bowl with the most vanilla wafers. I never met his Nana, but I like any lady who left my special guy with a full belly and loads of memories.

To be fair, this is not banana pudding. This banana cream pie cake, a white sheet cake topped with sliced bananas, pastry cream, and a fluffy layer of fresh whip, is really a modernized shout out to the pies and puddings we all know and love. I wanted a simple dessert that gave love to the flavors of yesteryear, and I think we accomplished that here.

To make banana cream pie cake, we start with the sheet cake. This simple, fluffy white cake can be made in a basic 9″x13″ pan. In a pinch, reach for a box cake mix here, because, seriously, who even cares? Once the cake is cooled, layer with a few sliced bananas and whip up the pastry cream. Eggs, milk, and a fair share of sugar get cooked on the stove top until thick and smooth. The mixture gets spread all over the cake and left to chill in the fridge. 

Once cooled, top the banana cream pie cake with a thick layer of whipped cream. From there, you can keep the cake in the fridge until ready to serve slices to everyone on the block. Yes, this cake will feed a crowd! I like to top each square with extra banana slices and maybe even a sprinkle of nuts or vanilla wafers, but you can do as you please. Just make sure you have loads of friends to share it with.

No matter what feels like home to you, I’d encourage you to make it sometime soon. I think we learn a lot about the people around us when we share the things that cut us deep, and let’s be honest- food is always a big deal at home. So share it with the people you love. Happy baking and happy weekend!

If you like this banana cream pie cake you should try:

Banana Cream Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crust

Chocolate Coconut Banana Cream Pie

Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls

BBC (Bailey’s Banana and Coconut) Popsicles

Hummingbird Cake

 

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