Zucchini, Potato and Scallion Pancakes. Photo: Rec(ession)ipes.
As we transition from summer to fall, it's the perfect time to pair prime vegetables from each season.
And these zucchini, potato and scallion pancakes from Rec(ession)ipes beautifully capture the colors of autumn, while sneaking in the last tastes of summer. Pan-fried and topped with a dollop of chive sour cream, a glimpse at these almost makes up for the fact that we'll be seeing a lot less of the sun for a while. Almost.
I love garlic. I grew up on it. In my house, there were two things always on-hand to season a dish -- pepper and garlic powder. (My family almost never used salt!) I can't do without either, and that also means that I eat a lot of garlic-flavored dishes, like garlic mashed potatoes. (Good to keep the vampires away, and the mens.)
But now I have a new beloved mashed potato flavor -- chives and parsley. Wanting something fresh and light to go with my Lamb Hunter-Style, I found this recipe on Epicurious for Chive and Parsley Mashed Potatoes. It's not quite as easy as throwing a little garlic into the mix, but the effort is worth the great flavor.
The trick to the green and tasty taters -- an herb olive oil. Just puree 1 cup of fresh chives, 3/4 cup fresh parsley, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and just over 1/2 a cup of olive oil. Once it is smooth, push it through a metal sieve. Take the remaining oil and pour some, to taste, into your potatoes. Since nothing is cooked, you get that fresh and light herb taste, which makes the potato a great addition to any rich and heavy meat dish.
Okay ... I have to admit that I cheated just a little and sprinkled some garlic-flavored sea salt on top, which made it even more delish!
I used to have a pothos plant growing on my kitchen windowsill. It never did too well, so I was surprised one day to see it had grown a long, thin new leaf. Then I figured out that my roommate had sprinkled chive seeds in the pot. The pothos didn't make it, but the chives thrived.
Fresh chives are wonderful, always good for a dash of springtime green in egg dishes, soups, cornbread, and practically any kind of veggie dish. I'm a big fan of frittatas with chives, tomatoes, and Parmesan, and don't even get me started on crispy golden Chinese chive pancakes...
Chives are easy to grow, both indoors and out, as my roommate ably demonstrated. April is a good month for planting chive seeds outdoors - seedlings should appear within ten days. Check out Garden Action for a primer on planting and caring for chives.
Oh, Slashfood friends, I have Spring Fever. Normally, I don't get such a thing because I live in southern California where it is perpetually Springtime -- or at the very worst, a mild autumn. But it's been unusually chilly and gray here in LA and I am ready for sunshine,warmth, frolicking in the garden, and of course, all the delicious foods that come with Spring.
Apparently, Sarah Miller, who blogs over at Food & Paper, has got Spring Fever, too, and made this gorgeous Tagliatelle with Chive Oil, which she adapted from a recipe in the April 2007 issue of Saveur Magazine. It's a simple recipe, really, using dried tagliatelle, crimini mushrooms, and fresh chives, but that's exactly why it's so wonderful -- a simpe recipe that shows off the beautiful simplicity of the ingredients!
And no, I'm not talking about that scene in Casino Royale (those who have seen the movie will know what I'm talking about).
This is a recipe from Ian Fleming himself. The author gave James very specific tastes, and the new issue of British GQ gives the recipe. Speaking of specific, there are some very precise instructions on how to make these eggs, even down to what type of bowl to serve them in, so, as Q would say, pay attention 007!
We're familiar with chives, the long, thin green blades that are most often used as a mild onion-flavored
ingredient in cooking. Garlic chives, however, are similar to regular chives, but have a flat, rather than hollow,
tubular blade. As the name indicates, they have a garlic flavor.
I rarely see regular garlic chives outside Asian cooking. Koreans pickle the blades in a seasoning similar to
kimchee, producing what is called "boo-choo kimchee." However, only recently have I tasted yellow chives,
thanks to my Chinese brother-in-law and his family. Yellow chives are "blanched" by shielding them from
sunlight as they grow, the same way white asparagus are grown. These albino chives still have a mild garlic flavor
and are one of my new favorite dishes when they are stir-fried with beef or pork. I only have to wonder if they have any
nutrients.
I love garlic. I grew up on it. In my house, there were two things always on-hand to season a dish -- pepper and garlic powder. (My family almost never used salt!) I can't do without either, and that also means that I eat a lot of garlic-flavored dishes, like garlic mashed potatoes. (Good to keep the vampires away, and the mens.)
I used to have a pothos plant growing on my kitchen windowsill. It never did too well, so I was surprised one day to see it had grown a long, thin new leaf. Then I figured out that my roommate had sprinkled chive seeds in the pot. The pothos didn't make it, but the chives thrived. 
And no, I'm not talking about that scene in Casino Royale (those who have seen the movie will know what I'm talking about).
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