Ian McEwan, one of our foremost storytellers, returns this fall with an ambitious, mesmerising new novel. To be published simultaneously in the UK, US and in Canada on 13th September 2022, LESSONS is a powerful meditation on history and humanity told through the prism of one man’s lifetime.
This has become one of my more popular recipes on my blog. Not only is it easy to prepare, but it’s so flavor-packed that it is a weekly go-to for many of my readers. I had to add this Korean-inspired recipe to the book to make absolutely sure it reaches as many people as possible. It’s too good to miss!
As with many soups, this one is about the add-ons. Serving it with the three suggested toppings (croutons, pesto, scallions) will take this to the next level, but you’re still OK if you only have the time or sanity for the first two. Tip for parents serving soup skeptics: The kids might think of the soup as more of a “dip” if you serve it in a small bowl and the crouton like a piece of toast on the side.
With this ingredient-driven side dish, we’re using a unique blue cheese that gets its yellow color naturally from ground annatto seed. It’s a delicate blue that has just enough funk to it, and it pairs beautifully with these preserved plums and roasted early season carrots. We’ve been fortunate to eat these little baby farm carrots straight from the soil at Klippers Organics; they’re perfectly crunchy, and delightful.
Cocoa powder transforms both savory and sweet dishes. Its luxurious earthiness adds depth to proteins, like the fish in this recipe. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder; swapping out the benne seeds with sesame seeds and maple sugar with light brown sugar is fine. Any variety of hot chile flakes works here, too. Other fish fillets, such as wild Alaskan salmon or snapper, can be substituted for catfish.
I have no idea where I came across this recipe using cooked sweet potato, but I was very skeptical of it until I tried it . . . so skeptical that as I was putting them in the oven, I was telling myself there is no way these are going to work. My timer went off, they came out of the oven, I let them cool, and yes, success! I love these as a post-workout snack or afternoon pick-me-up.
My sister, Lynn, came up with this elegant side dish. It has become a family favourite, as it tastes fancy yet is so easy to make. It’s easy to fall in love with fennel; its crisp, crunchy texture and aromatic taste have endeared it to many culinary cultures. Fennel has the distinct ability to leave your mouth feeling fresh and has even been used for centuries as a digestive remedy. Many folks will say that it tastes like licorice crossed with celery. The slight licorice taste mellows completely when cooked. At only twenty-eight calories a cup and with good amounts of vitamins A, B and C, fennel may become your new best vegetable friend.
Tommy and I love chicken satay, a popular Indonesian dish that’s typically grilled on skewers and served with a spicy peanut sauce as an appetizer. Here, I skipped the skewers and the grill and air-fried the chicken instead, which is perfect for weeknight dinners! I served the chicken and sauce wrapped in lettuce leaves garnished with lime, cilantro, and minced shallots. This would also be amazing over jasmine rice or with flatbread.
My mom used to serve an apple and cheddar sandwich on raisin-walnut bread at the ACE Bakery Cafe, and it was a favorite of mine for years. I turned that sandwich into a hearty salad here, and it’s one of the few salads my own kids will consume with enthusiasm. This may just be the one that converts those non-salad-eating kids once and for all. Leave the walnuts out if you’re not into them, but someone once told me that eating foods that look like brains is good for your brain, and kids love stories about brains, so we’re rolling with it.