Pasta with Roasted Broccoli, Tomatoes and Olives

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Four Cooking Together

This dish offers a winning flavor combination deepened in the roasting. You’ll find the vegetables are fabulous on their own or tossed with cooked grains like brown rice or farro. Even piled on toasted baguette slices. We enjoy the partnership with orzo or Israeli couscous (the whole-wheat version pictured above). The itty-bitty pasta creates a smooth, easy bite that hardly needs chewing. Like hundreds of tiny, soft balls. So adorable, who can resist? This is the perfect summer dish when the garden bed is loaded with cherry tomatoes.

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Israeli Couscous Salad with Spinach, Pistachios and Lemon

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Four Cooking Together

This light, spring salad finds inspiration in the flavors of the Middle East. Israeli couscous is a round, pasta-like product — you’ll find it with dried grains and legumes at many grocery stores. Substitute orzo if you are unable to locate. Cook the couscous like you would pasta, in plenty of water until it is past al dente — pleasantly soft when you bite into it, though not mushy. Arugula could sub for spinach here, or a few handfuls of fresh spring herbs. Add some blanched broccoli, crunchy celery or fennel. Try cooked lentils instead of chickpeas. Or leave the legumes out entirely. Zest the lemon before juicing, for easiest handling.

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Tools in the Kitchen

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Four Cooking Together

I often remind my electronics-appreciating husband that I’m not a gadget person. Strategically stated, as he’s poised on the brink of another early-adoptive purchase. If I’m not careful, there’ll be a brown shipping box waiting on the doorstep in short order. It’s true, I’m not much into TVs or iPads, but I do confess to adoring a toy or two of another sort. The kitchen variety. My toys, by contrast, are rather ordinary, low-tech — even ancient in design. The favorites fit in a single drawer with room to spare (though the second and third string require more space). I justify my indulgence by pointing out the food they enable. And the strategy works. Every time. After all, a TV only whets the appetite, while a kitchen tool delivers.

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Carrot Soup with Coconut Milk and Spices

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Four Cooking Together

This creamy soup is a breeze to make, and the flavor is far from ordinary. Here’s a great place to sprinkle the cilantro left from last week.

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White Beans with Lemon and Greens

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Four Cooking Together

We adore white cannellini beans — a mild, creamy-soft source of delicious, low-fat protein. They pair nicely with lemon and any green leaf. This dish works in its chunky form — or you can chop the greens finely and mash the beans as they cook, for a smoother spread. A super quick turn with the immersion blender does the job.

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