This is a delicious dressing in the summertime when basil is abundant. The walnut oil adds depth to the flavors and I love its addition here. However if you don’t have walnut oil but you do have a giant pile of basil, olive oil will also work.
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Strawberry Arugula Salad with Basil and Feta
Strawberries and basil is such a summery and satisfying combination of flavors. If you can, try and find local strawberries to buy. The ones found in the grocery stores are bred to be able to travel and aren’t as tender or flavorful as what you can find at your local stand. If you do find yourself in front of the strawberry section at your grocery store, look for berries that are red, rather than white, at the top. These will be more likely to have been picked when close to ripe.
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Blueberry Pie
Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits to snack on. It can be hard to sacrifice so many to a pie but it’s always worth it. The lemon brings out the bright flavor of the berries and precooking half of the fruit helps the filling to thicken later once it cools. This pie can be made using either fresh or frozen blueberries but either way you should use fruit you know will be good.
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Rhubarb Galette
The arrival of rhubarb at the market signals that spring has fully arrived. Rhubarb is very tart and this galette embraces its intensity. This is not a sweet dessert but one that places the flavors of rhubarb front and center. I think the rich, buttery dough provides a really nice contrast to the tart rhubarb and would be delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you prefer the rhubarb to be a bit more subdued, increase the sugar by a ¼ cup. This is best eaten on the day it is baked.
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Sausage Fennel and Caramelized Onion Pizza
Fennel and sausage are a classic combination for very good reason. This pizza takes that flavor pairing a step further with the addition of caramelized onions. All-together the flavors make for one delicious pizza.
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Caramelized Onions
I love caramelized onions. They’re an easy way to add a concentrated boost of flavor. They require just an occasional stir while cooking, so it’s easy to have them going in the background while you work on other things. Caramelized onions freeze really well, so I always make more than I will need at one time. It’s the same amount of work regardless of how many onions you do, so you might as well make extra.
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Chickpea Arugula Frisée Salad with Pesto
The pesto dressing in this salad provides a vibrant backdrop for the greens and goodies. It’s also a great way to use up any extra pesto on hand. I used some leftover Arugula-Parsley Pesto that I had, but any one you have will be good here.
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Simple Lemon Vinaigrette
This vinaigrette is about as simple as it gets. It only has three ingredients and all you have to do is shake a jar to combine them. I frequently just add lemon juice and olive oil directly to my salad ingredients, but sometimes it can be nice to have it mixed up ahead of time. I like to have this to put on salads that I take for lunch or if I’m bringing a salad somewhere and want to be able to dress it quickly before we eat.
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Asparagus Pizza with Mushrooms and Chimichurri Sauce
This pizza is a happily messy affair. The herby chimichurri sauce spooned over the top is a bit of a mess but one that is well worth it. Combined with spring asparagus this pizza is a tasty, vibrant dish.
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Chimichurri Sauce
This sauce is a great accompaniment. I’ve used it as a dipping sauce, a marinade, and drizzled it over meat, pizza, and bowl meals. If using it as a marinade, you may want to double the quantities below.
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