Hi everyone,

Hope this email finds you well. The fall foliage in Seattle this year has been stunning and is still going strong! Soaking up these last autumn days before winter is truly upon us. I have two announcements for you today, so hang tight!

The first is that I’m teaching a Virtual Medovik (Honey Cake) Class on Sunday, December 3rd, at 11am PST/ 2pm EST. If you’ve never heard of it, medovik is a multi-layered dessert that comprises of graham-like honey layers and a sour cream or sweetened condensed milk icing. It’s much beloved throughout Russia, Ukraine, and other parts of Eastern Europe and it’s not the holidays in my family without this show-stopper.

I’ll lead you step-by-step through the medovik process and leave plenty of opportunity for questions. My hope is that you’ll leave feeling confident and ready to tackle your own medovik! If the timing doesn’t work, the class will be recorded and sent out afterwards, so you can watch it whenever works for you. And if you yourself aren’t interested, but know of someone who might be - please share it with them!

Next announcement is that I’m moving! Not physically (well, not yet anyways), but I’ll be moving the “blog” component of this site over to Substack. I know these emails have been sporadic at best over the years... I’ve devoted most of my time to building a community on Instagram, but these days the platform feels like a constant uphill battle to even reach said community and I’m tired of trying being at the whim of ever-changing algorithms. So, in an effort to cultivate a better and more meaningfully way to engage with you all, I’m starting a monthly (for now) Substack newsletter in the new year. For now, I’m keeping the name Chesnok, but it may change in the interim. I’ll be posting updates on my work (including the new book!), occasional recipes, essays, and other musings. Everything will be free for now while I’m busy toiling away on the manuscript, but once that’s in, I’m hoping to post more regularly, including exclusive content for paying subscribers. One step at a time, though!

If you’re interested in following me over to Substack, you don’t have to do anything. If not, feel free to hit “unsubscribe from this list” at the bottom of this email (or email me directly).

Thank you to everyone here who has supported me in my culinary journey the past decade! I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without this community. If you’re looking for ways to further support my work this holiday season, you can: purchase or gift a ticket to my medovik class; buy or gift a copy of my last two books Everyday Cake (currently on sale for $14!) or Hot Cheese; and better yet, leave a review for either or both books on Amazon or Good Reads. Those reviews go a long way to getting more eyes on the book, especially as we go into the holidays. Purchasing from a local bookstore (Book Larder currently has signed copies of both)) or Bookshop also shows those places that there is interest and they’ll be more likely to carry it! Any little thing is very appreciated.

Ok, maybe that was three announcements! If you’ve made it to here, thank you for your time and energy and happy (almost) holidays!

Best,
P

PS If you’re looking for a simple, yet knock out apple cake this season, may I suggest this sharlotka from my latest book Everyday Cake? My family has been making it for decades, and we still can’t get over how good it is. There’s a slightly different version here on the site too. Happy baking!

Happy New Year my friends! It’s been a while, so I apologize. Finally felt inspired to post one of my favorite recipes that I’ve developed over the years—spicy shakshuka with chevre or feta.

I always try to make the first meal of the year count and of course, even being 39 weeks pregnant (!) this year is no different. So I had Lee make us this easy, yet delicious one pan dish. The base consists of tomatoes, peppers, and onions that are then spiced with harissa, turmeric, and cumin and then cooked down until thick and jammy. Eggs are nestled in and then baked till set. Garnish with cheese and herbs and voila! Instant satisfaction. I hope you all make it and enjoy. And of course, if you do, please do share it with me on social media or email - makes me so happy when you all make my recipes :)

PS if you’d like a more Italian Eggs in purgatory-style dish, i’ve got a great version with melty taleggio in my book Hot Cheese. Can’t go wrong with either one!

Spicy Shakshuka with Chevre or Feta

I originally wrote this recipe for Culture Magazine and Cypress Grove, using the creamery’s Sgt. Pepper chevre. Although a bit untraditional, the fluffy goat’s cheese adds an added kick of harissa and spice—along with a creamy tang—to the classic Middle Eastern dish. Feel free to swap it out for any chevre or sheep’s milk feta you have on hand.

If you don’t want to heat up your oven, this dish can be finished on the stovetop as well. When it’s time to cook the eggs, cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium-low to medium until whites have set.

Serves 3 to 4

¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
Kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons harissa (or ½ –1 chili pepper), less or more to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
One 28-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes (or about 2 pounds of fresh plum tomatoes, cored and finely chopped)
1 teaspoon honey, plus more to taste (optional)
4 to 6 eggs
Freshly cracked black pepper
¼ cup cilantro leaves, to garnish 
4 ounces Cypress Grove Sgt. Pepper, crumbled, to garnish (or any other chevre or sheep’s milk feta)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Heat oil over medium-low heat in a 12-inch skillet.  Add onion, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.

Add garlic, spices, harissa, and tomato paste and cook for a few minutes more, allowing the spices to bloom and garlic to soften.

Stir in tomatoes and season with 1 teaspoon salt and few cracks of black pepper. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tomatoes have thickened. Season to taste, adding honey to offset the sauce’s acidity if needed. Stir in half of the goat cheese.

With a back of a large spoon, make an indent in sauce and gently crack an egg into it. Repeat with remaining eggs. Season each egg with salt and black pepper. Transfer to oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until whites have set.

Garnish shakshuka with cilantro leaves and the rest of the Sgt. Pepper. Serve immediately with hearty, crusty bread.

A few years ago, I developed this creamy lemony asparagus soup topped with Cypress Grover Humboldt Fog for Culture magazine. Ever since, I’ve been making it each spring. All you really need is a couple of asparagus bunches, an onion and potato, a handful of parsley, some garlic, and lemon. Everything else—the thyme, veggie stock, cream, and vermouth— are extra, but do make the soup sing. Wedges of ash-lined, soft-ripened humboldt fog make for a fun garnish that add tang and creaminess, but can be easily substituted for any soft, fresh or aged goat cheese.

Last week, I made the soup and remembered a trick I learned a few years ago. I opted to skip the asparagus tip garnish, but I did take all my woody ends and dumped them into a pot with about 1 quart of water. Brought it all to a boil, reduced heat and covered, and simmered it for about 15 to 20 minutes. Voila! Asparagus broth that I used as the liquid in my soup. Waste not, want not, am I right? I also took a slice of rye sourdough (you can do this with any slice of bread you might have) and cut into little cubes (which you can also tear into little pieces) and tossed them into a skillet with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cooked on medium heat, tossing occasionally, until they got golden and crispy. Seasoned them some more, along with some extra chopped parsley I had and they ended up making a delicious and quick topping for the soup. Maybe I’ll start to making all my croutons this way…

Anyways, this soup is so easy and quick and just a great way to use up any bunches of asparagus you might have in the refrigerator. I hope you make it and enjoy!

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Serves 4

2 pounds asparagus (about 2 bunches), woody ends removed
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter               
1 large yellow onion, chopped 
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme 
1 medium russet potato, peeled, ⅛-in sliced
5 cups asparagus stock (see blog post), vegetable stock, or water, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 
¼ cup heavy cream or creme fraiche (optional)
1 tbsp dry vermouth (optional)
2 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste 
4 oz goat cheese, cut into wedges or crumbled, to garnish

Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat and add the onions, pinch of both salt and black pepper. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook for another minute.

Add potatoes and 1 cup stock, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender. 

Stir in asparagus, remaining stock, and generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer, uncovered, on low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until asparagus is tender. 

After asparagus has cooked, add parsley and puree with immersion blender or standup blender. Stir in cream and vermouth, if using, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. 

Serve soup hot or at room temperature. Top each bowl with your favorite goat cheese, an asparagus tip*, or croutons to garnish.  

*If you want to make the asparagus tip garnish: In the beginning, cut ½ cup asparagus tips, 1 ½-inch from the top, for garnish. Set aside. Cut remaining asparagus into 1-inch pieces. While soup is simmering, prepare the asparagus tips. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Lightly salt and drop in asparagus. Blanch for about 1 ½ minutes, or until bright green and just tender. Drain and run under cold water. Set aside.

Hi friends. I’m sorry I disappeared again—I realized it was maybe a little ambitious of me to say I’d post a recipe every day. These times are unprecedented so, of course my schedule was bound to get wonky and I’d fall behind. If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll notice that I’ve been way more active there—posting photos of dishes I’ve cooked and baked, oftentimes accompanied by a recipe. Like this baked egg dish.

Barely set eggs nestled into a spicy, chunky tomato sauce, topped with fresh herbs and creamy (or melty!) cheese. All mopped up with some good hearty bread. Bonus points if you’ve got a nice bottle of red to wash it down. It’s one of my all-time favorite go-to meals thanks to, drum roll please, store-bought pasta sauce. You take something that, at times, can be a bit basic and bland and “doctor it up” with sautéed onions, garlic, a splash of wine, etc. You could sauté up some peppers or zucchini along with the onion if you’d like, and throw in fresh herbs (like basil or parsley) and other spices (like fennel, thyme, or oregano etc) too.

Once you’ve got your sauce all set, it’s ready for the eggs, but why stop there? You can add beans or chickpeas, roasted veggies, kale or other greens, ham, prosciutto, or even cooked sausage. Use whatever you have at home to bulk it up (the other night, that meant cannellini beans and roasted broccoli). Add your eggs and then pop it into the oven to finish cooking. Top with cheese (or don’t) and more herbs. All in all, it takes less than 20 minutes to put together and is a great way to make use of leftovers and pantry items. Easy peasy, right?

Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce

serves 2 to 3 

olive oil
1 small onion
kosher salt
3 to 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
splash of red wine (optional) 
one 24 oz jar pasta sauce 
⅓ cup parsley, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
¼ cup basil, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
1 c beans or chickpeas (optional)
½ to 1 c roasted vegetable or a few handfuls chopped greens like kale or chard (optional)
4 to 5 eggs
freshly ground black pepper
feta, chevre, or mozzarella cheese, to top (optional) 

Preheat oven to 400F. In a 10 in ovensafe skillet, heat enough oil to cover bottom of pan over medium heat. Add onion and pinch kosher salt and cook until onion begins to soften and turn translucent. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Pour in red wine, if using, and deglaze the pan. Cook until liquid evaporates.

Then pour in ¾ (or more, but i like to start here) of the pasta sauce. Bring to a simmer. Taste and add a bit of sugar if its too acidic. Stir in herbs, then any add-ins such as beans, roasted vegetables, chopped greens, or even cooked sausage or prosciutto/ham. Bring to a simmer again.

Working with one egg at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl. Make a divot with your spoon or spatula in the sauce and pour your egg into it. Repeat with remaining eggs. Season each egg with salt and pepper. If using fresh mozzarella or another melty cheese, add it now. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until egg whites are set. They’ll be white on top, but jiggly when you shake the pan — they’ll continue to cook out of the oven. 

Garnish with herbs and feta or chèvre, if using. Serve with hearty chunks of good bread. Enjoy!

This recipe is inspired by the beans and soup my good friend Libby Lyon posted about the other day on her Instagram. She slowly simmered her beans with a few generous glugs of olive oil, herb stems, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper. I had a jar of “eye of the goat" beans that I picked up in Tbilisi back in October, and her method inspired me to give them the same treatment.

The result are tender, creamy as can be, beans and a rich, flavor-packed broth that can be used as a base for soup on its own (which for me was a total 💡 moment). All you do is, once the beans are done, strain them, and then use the broth to simmer sweet potatoes until they soften. Add swiss chard leaves and cook until they wilt and then stir in a few cups of beans. That's it! You can saute some onions and the chard stems, but honestly, it's so good as is (especially topped with yogurt and a handful of herbs). You can use potatoes or w/e root veg you might have and any hearty green instead of the chard.

The sweet potatoes taste like candy, the beans are simply delightful, and the tangy yogurt cuts through the broth’s brininess and rounds it all out with its creaminess. SO easy and delicious it'll have you jumping out of your seat from the pure and simple joy of beans. If you think I’m kidding, I’m not.

Sweet Potato, Chard, and Bean Soup

serves 4 to 6

Use whatever aromatics you have on hand, if you don’t have one, don’t worry about it. A pinto or cannellini bean will work well here.

Beans:
1 lb dried beans, soaked overnight
½ yellow or white onion, peeled
4 to 5 garlic cloves, peeled
½ lemon
handful of herb stems (parsley or cilantro), few sprigs thyme if you have some, any fennel stalks you might have lying around in your fridge
bay leaf or two (optional)
dried chili pepper (optional)
few generous glugs of olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Soup:
2 small sweet potatoes or medium potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 bunch swiss chard, or other hearty green, such as kale, collard greens, or spinach, destemmed, leaves roughly chopped
Yogurt, handful of parsley or cilantro leaves, flaky sea salt, pepper, and olive oil (for serving)

To make the beans: Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Place beans in a large pot, and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Add whatever aromatics you have on hand. Pour in the olive oil and add salt and pepper until liquid is nicely seasoned.

Bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to lowest setting, cover, and simmer until beans are firm, but tender, anywhere from 1 to 2 hours (Libby’s were done on the earlier side, mine the latter, just keep checking on them starting around the 1 hr mark). Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

To make the soup: Once beans are cooked, strain them, reserving beans for later use, and pour broth back into the pot. Add about 2 to 3 cups of water to slightly dilute the broth (taste after the addition of each cup until broth is to your liking - season with salt if needed)

Add sweet potatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are fork tender, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size of chunks. Add chard leaves and allow to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to soften them. Stir in 4 cups beans (or more). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with a big dollop of yogurt or sour cream, a handful of herbs, flaky sea salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. 

It only took about 2 years since my last post on the topic, but I am finally sharing with you my recipe for Imeruli khachapuri. While the adjaruli kind has taken the internet by storm, Imeruli is by far the one most commonly consumed in Georgia itself. So much so, that Georgian economists have even created a Khachapuri Index—using Imeruli’s cost of ingredients to gauge inflation and the strength of the economy.

Imeruli khachapuri hails, not surprisingly, from the central region of Imereti and it’s essentially a flat bread stuffed with buttery Imeruli cheese curds and cooked on the stovetop. While adajruli’s dough is closer to that of pizza’s - with a satisfying crackle when you break off a piece - imeruli’s is soft, tender, and melts in your mouth. When I teach my khachapuri class at Book Larder, these round pies are always, by far, everyone’s favorite.

The dough only requires a few ingredients that, especially if you’re a baker, you probably have on hand- flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, and sour cream (the latter two make the dough super tender). As for the mozzarella, feta, and ricotta, this might require a grocery run (although if you’re like my family, you’ll always have a bag of shredded mozz in the freezer for when the craving strikes).

Now that we’re spending more time than ever at home, it seems like everyone is stretching their culinary muscles - my Instagram is littered with first-time loafs of sourdough and babkas, jars of marmalade, and all sorts of pickles and ferments. Consider the khachapuri a fun weeknight kitchen project, one that not only provides comfort, but also one whose novelty transports you to a world far away - even if that’s just for a few bites.

And speaking of hot cheese, for those who didn’t know, I spent most of last year working on a cookbook on hot, melty cheese. Hot Cheese doesn’t come out till September 1st, but you can start to pre-order it wherever books are sold. While Amazon is the obvious place for this for many, may I suggest going through your local bookstore (or Indiebound) instead? Not only will you be helping out a small business that needs your support more than ever, but it also shows them that there’s excitement for the book. Knowing that, they will be more likely to buy copies for the store. For me in Seattle, those shops are Book Larder, Elliot Bay Book Company, and Third Place Books. Please take this as a suggestion and realize that I work for Book Larder so I’m a little biased :)

Oh, and one more piece of news… I’m happy to announce that this khachapuri will be kicking off Comestible Journal’s Comestible Kitchen Club - a project that was actually started by me, the journal’s creator Anna Brones, and Molly Reeder over two years ago when we virtually baked Anna’s Swedish cardamom buns “together.” In the spirit of community, of the joy and rage of stepping into the kitchen, and of social distancing, we are starting it up again and this time around we want to invite all of YOU to join.

It’s simple. Every Monday, Anna will post a new recipe on the Comestible website that either me, her, or Molly have chosen (and maybe by one of you down the line!). You’ll have the rest of the week to make it and then post and share your creation/experience/ideas with others using the hashtag #comestiblekitchenclub. Our favorites will then be featured on the site. Fun right? Anna will be posting more about it today, but for now, happy cheesing! 

Imeruli Khachapuri

Makes four 8 to 10-inch rounds

If you can avoid pre-shredded mozzarella, great. But these are trying times and it also adds a bit more work, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’s also important that your filling ingredients are at room temperature when you go to form the khachapuri - it will make it easier to roll out the dough and will prevent it from tearing.

I like to roll my khachapuri out a bit thinner and cook them in a 12-in nonstick skillet. If you only have a 10-inch that’s fine, your round will just be smaller and “chubbier.” You can make the dough in advance up to 2 days by following the recipe up to the second (60-90 minute) rise. The filling can be made 2 to 3 days in advance as well.

Ingredients

Dough:
1 cup (235 ml) milk, warmed
½ cup sour cream, room temperature
2 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil, divided, plus more for greasing
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar 
1 ½ teaspoon instant dry (or rapid-rise) yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour (420 g), plus more as needed

Filling:
4 ½ cups [16 oz] low-moisture whole milk mozzarella, shredded, room temperature
5 oz feta cheese, grated, room temperature
5 oz whole milk ricotta, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour (omit if using pre-shredded)

Instructions

To make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, sour cream, 1 tablespoon oil, salt, sugar, and yeast. Switch over to a wooden spoon and gradually begin to add the flour, mixing to incorporate after each addition. Once dough begins coming together in one shaggy mass, begin adding the remaining flour a little bit at a time, using your hands to knead it in. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky- resist urge to add more flour! Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside to rest in a warm place for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove dough from bowl and set on a lightly floured surface. Pour a little of the remaining oil on your hands and begin to knead the oil into the dough. Continue until no oil remains and dough is soft, smooth, elastic, and just slightly sticky.

Once done, pour some oil into your hand and grease the sides of a clean bowl. Place the dough inside the bowl, form it into a ball, and pat the top of it to grease. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside to rest in a warm place for about 60 to 90 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

Carefully grab an edge of the dough and stretch it over itself towards the opposite side. Repeat with remaining edges. Pinch them so that they come together and flip the round over so that it’s nice and smooth on top. On a lightly floured surface, cut dough into 4 pieces (about 200 g each) and form each into a little ball. Set aside on a lightly floured surface, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rest for another 15 to 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, to make the filling: In a medium bowl, mix the cheeses, egg, and flour until thoroughly hydrated and combined. Divide into four sturdy balls and set aside.

To assemble: Take one piece, keeping the others covered, and pat it gently with your fingers into a 5 to 6-inch circle. Place one ball of cheese in the middle. Carefully grab two opposite sides of the dough, bring them up over the cheese, and pinch them together. Hold them securely together with one hand as you bring up the remaining edges over the cheese towards the center. Pinch the ends together really well at the top to seal and secure like a big dumpling or money purse.

Sprinkle a little flour over the top and gently start flattening out the filled dough with your fingers. Flip it over. Sprinkle with a bit more flour. Gently working from the center out to the edges using your fingers and palms, continue to flatten the dough out, making sure the filling is evenly distributed, until you have an 6 to 7-inch round. Switch over to a rolling pin, and gently roll it out to an 8 to 10-inch round depending on the size of the skillet you will be using. If the dough tears at any point, I usually pinch a little piece from another round of dough and use it to patch up the hole.

Heat a 10 or 12-in non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, carefully transfer round to pan. Cook, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until brown spots begin to develop on the bottom. Carefully flip over and use a fork to coat it evenly with a pat of butter. Cook for another few minutes until bottom is browned—if khachapuri begins to inflate, pierce it with the end of a sharp knife to release steam. Flip khachapuri over onto a serving plate and coat the ungreased side with butter. Repeat process with remaining pieces of dough. 

Allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting into 6 or 8 pieces. Serve immediately. Any leftovers can be wrapped in plastic or foil and kept on the counter for up to 2 days (if it lasts for that long).

I’ve you’ve been following me a while - especially on my Instagram - you know that I love galettes. So much so, that I even waxed poetic about them once for the Washington Post. Make your dough, roll it out, and fill it with whatever inspires you (or happens to be wilting away in the crisper drawer…).

For today’s post, I used my go-to recipe (featured in the article). It’s got a bit of cornmeal for texture and sweetness and sour cream to introduce a bit of tenderness. For the cornmeal, you can substitute whole wheat, spelt, or rye flour; for the sour cream, you can use buttermilk, or yogurt even. It makes two rounds of dough, which means that I can stash the second away in the fridge (for up to a week) or the freezer (for up to 2-3 months!) for another day.

As for the filling, I had some sad-looking beet greens that needing using, but you can use whatever hardy green you have. I sautéed up some onions, added the greens, and stirred in feta, dill, and parsley in the end. A thin smear of sour cream before I layered the filling over the dough gives it a bit of tang and flavor, but you can go without or, if you have it on hand, use ricotta instead.

For more inspiration and ideas how to fill your own galette, here are links to a few others I’ve written:

• Heirloom Tomato and Herbed Ricotta

• Mushroom, Fennel, and Herbed Ricotta

• Honeyed Fig and Walnut

• Rustic Apple

If you happen to have WaPo Senior Food Editor Joe Yonan’s new book Cool Beans, he features this dough recipe (slightly adapted) and fills it with all ingredients you might already have on hand - sauteed kale, onions, potato slices, and red kindey beans. Yum!

If you give galette a go this weekend, please tag me in your creations! It makes my day when I see that someone made one of my recipes. It means that I’m actually inspiring others, which is the whole point of this series.

Beet Green, Onion, and Feta Galette

makes one 12-inch galette

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
kosher salt
a generous splash of dry red or white wine (optional)
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 bunch beet greens or small bunch swiss chard, spinach, or collard greens, leaves and stems chopped
¼ to ½ cup fresh dill leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled (about ¼ cup)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ (1 disc) of my endlessly adaptable galette dough, rolled out into a 13- to 14- inch round
¼ cup sour cream

1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 tbsp heavy cream, milk, or water
Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling)

Heat a large pan over medium heat before adding the oil. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook until onions turn golden brown and their edges begin to blacken, anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes. Pour in wine, if using, and deglaze the pan, scraping off any browned bits from bottom of the pan. Add garlic and beet greens and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until leaves have wilted and stems have softened. Remove from heat. Stir in herbs and feta and season to taste with salt and pepper. If it needs a bit of acid, add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. Allow to cool completely (very important here) before proceeding.

During this time you can roll out your galette dough and keep it chilled in the fridge on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet.

Spread a thin layer of sour cream evenly over the chilled dough, leaving a 1 ½ to 2 in border. Top with the cooled beet green mixture. Fold the edges over the filling, pleating at points to make a circle. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to set and chill the dough.

While galette is chilling, preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare your egg wash.

When ready to bake, brush the edges of the galette with the egg wash and sprinkle all over with flaky sea salt, if using, and a few cracks of black pepper. Bake until golden brown and crisp all over (I like to use a spatula to lift the galette to make sure the bottom has browned), about 45 to 55 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I woke up to snow this morning and it got me thinking of comfort food… something we’re all craving these days. While I’ve got a whole BOOK coming out on hot cheesy comfort food in the fall (which incidentally you can already pre-order!!), I’m not at license to share any of those recipes just yet (although I wish I could!!). So, instead, here’s a recipe (written for Culture magazine about a year ago) that still does the trick: cheesy cauliflower leek gratin topped with golden breadcrumbs.

I’ve adapted the recipe to whatever melty cheese you might have in the fridge. A sharp cheddar, gruyere, gouda, raclette… all work well here. I can imagine this would also be delicious with broccoli and onions, cumin and red pepper flakes substituted for the thyme and nutmeg. Sounds delicious, right? I think I’m going to have to add it to our rotation something this week. What are you cooking for comfort to help these days go by?

Cheesy Cauliflower and Leek Gratin

serves 4

1 large head cauliflower (~ 2 ½ pounds/1.15 kg), cut into bite-sized florets, stem and leaves chopped
Kosher salt, to taste 
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, divided (or 1 ½ tsp dried, divided) 
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup (445 ml) whole milk 
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg 
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 ½ cups (12 oz) grated sharp cheddar, gruyere, or any semi-firm or hard, low-moisture cheese 

⅓ cup panko or fresh bread crumbs 
¼ cup finely grated pecorino or parmesan (optional) 
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 400F. Grease 2-quart baking dish (can be rectangular, square, or oval).

Fill large pot with water and bring to boil. Salt generously and add cauliflower florets, cooking until florets have slightly lost their crisp but are still firm, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. 

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and pinch of salt and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. 

Add flour, stir to incorporate it into leeks, and cook for a minute or two. Slowly stir in milk, breaking up clumps as you go. Bring to a slight simmer over low heat and cook until sauce has thickened, stirring frequently to keep bottom from burning. 

Once sauce is thick enough to coat back of a spoon, stir in nutmeg, black pepper, and 1 cup grated cheese. Season to taste with salt. Once cheese has melted, add cauliflower and mix until fully coated. 

Transfer cheesy cauliflower mixture to baking dish and spread evenly. Combine breadcrumbs with pecorino, if using, in a small bowl. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the gratin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden brown and crisp and sides are bubbling. Allow to slightly cool before serving. 

Golden crispy roasted potatoes! What's my secret? Well, I’m not the first to come up with this idea, but parboiling my potatoes before I roast them- a bit of a hassle, yes, but worth it- helps them cook evenly so that when they come out of the oven, the exterior is golden and crispy, while the interior is soft and velvety. They never fail to impress.

Here are a few other things I've learned along the way:

-roughening the potatoes up after you pae-boil and drain them creates all these extra crispy bits that are SO good
-not skimping on the fat - not only for flavor, but also to help achieve that golden crispy exterior you’re looking for
-turning them over every 15 potatoes to ensure they are nice and browned all over

I seasoned these with Svanetian salt that I brought back from Georgia with roasted chicken and a big salad 🙃

Golden Crispy Roasted Potatoes

serves 2 to 4

2 lb waxy potato such as yukon gold (fingerlings work well here too)
Kosher salt
3 tbsp olive oil, duck, or bacon fat
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Seasoning of choice such as chopped fresh oregano, thyme, or rosemary, ras el hanout, smoked paprika, harissa, cajun, etc (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F. Peel potatoes and cut into halves, quarters, or wedges depending on size of potatoes (you want them to be around the same size).

Add potatoes to a large pot and fill with enough water to cover by 1 to 2 inches. Generously salt the water (you want it to taste like the sea!) and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 4 to 7 minutes, just until a knife slides in easily but meets some resistance in the middle.

Drain well and gently shake them into the colander to roughen them up. Transfer to a baking sheet large enough to hold potatoes in one layer. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and/or seasoning of choice. Toss to coat.

Roast, flipping potatoes every 15 minutes, until they’re evenly browned and crispy, 35 to 45 minutes.

Basically I have you cook the lentils with any aromatics you might have (I only had an onion and garlic where I am right now!) and, while it gently simmers, you sauté onion, fennel, carrot, and celery until they soften and lose their raw edge. Strain the lentils (reserve the cooking water!) and toss them in large bowl with the sautéed veggies. Add some more olive oil, vinegar, and salt and let it all cool so the lentils can marinate and soak up flavors. Before serving, toss with arugula, fennel fronds, celery leaves (both of which should never go to waste! Use as herbs!, parsley if you have some, and top with chèvre or feta. I added a soft boiled egg and, not pictured here, some smoked trout I forgot I had. Not the prettiest of lentils, but a filling, delicious dinner is definitely served.

Also, wondering what to do with that cooking liquid? Make a warm lentil bowl in the following days... Throw some leftover lentils into a small pan with a few tablespoons of reserved liquid, a splash of vinegar, pinch of salt, and w/e herbs you have. Cook until warmed through and serve topped with soft boiled egg, avocado, and toast. Ta da! Now you have two recipes 😉

And before I forget, to offer you a third recipe, you can find a very similar salad that I wrote about last year for the Washington Post with pickled rhubarb. Perfect for this time of year when rhubarb is coming into season and you’re looking for ways to use it beside in pie or cake :)

Marinated Green Lentils with Chèvre, Herbs, and Arugula 

Serves 4 

1 cup green lentils (french are ideal, black works too), picked over and rinsed
½ peeled onion or shallot (optional) 
Few sprigs thyme (optional) 
2 garlic cloves, peeled  (optional) 
Bay leaf (optional) 
Kosher salt 
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more 
1 medium red onion, small dice
½ fennel bulb, small dice 
1 carrot, small dice
1 celery stalk, small dice 
3 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
1 to 2 tbsp brine from pickle or ferment (optional)
A few handfuls of (about 2 cups) baby arugula
¼ - ½ cup fennel fronds, celery leaves, fresh parsley (a combo if you can, optional but recommended)
2 to 4 oz chevre or feta 

Place lentils in a medium saucepan with aromatics, a pinch of salt, and 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to a very low simmer, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes until tender, but still firm. 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, carrot, celery, and a big pinch of salt and cook until onions become translucent and the vegetables lose their raw edge, but still have some bite, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Strain cooked lentils (save cooking liquid!), remove aromatics, and add to the bowl. Season with salt and gently toss with vinegar and brine if using. Let cool completely. 

Taste lentils and season with more salt or acid if needed. Drizzle with some olive oil and toss with arugula and herbs if using. Transfer to serving bowl or platter. Top with crumbled chèvre, garnish with any extra herbs. Sprinkle w/ flaky sea salt. Serve immediately! 

Ok, next recipe is a salad that I’ve been eating at least once, if not 2 to 3 times a week, for the past… 5 years 😬 The obsession started with a seasonal salad special we ran when I worked at @feastvirginia and it’s evolved over time to look something like this... The main feature is roasted sweet potato (or delicata/butternut squash!) spiced with a combo of curry powder and berbere spice- when I don’t have the latter, I’ve subbed it with baharat, ras el hanout, or smoked paprika to fantastic results. I’ve been making my sweet potatoes for years this way. The rest goes like this...

-A bed of greens like romaine, massaged kale, or baby arugula, spinach -protein (chickpeas that I’ll sometimes crisp up like I did here + soft boiled egg, sardines, roasted chicken, etc. if I’m feeling extra hungry)
-avocado for healthy fats and creaminess -something sweet like apples or pomegranate seeds, but dried tart cherries, golden raisins, or currants work too
-a handful of herbs, usually cilantro + mint and/or basil
-feta or chèvre for some tang and again creaminess (i’ll do nutritional yeast if I’m not feeling dairy) -an allium, like thinly sliced scallions or red onion
-lots and lots of seed or nuts for crunch and flavor! I’ve been doing a mix of sunflower seeds, pepitas, and buckwheat groats but you can also do almonds, pistachios or even a few tbsp of dukkah if you have it on hand -Recently I’ve also been throwing in some @fireflykitchensseattle kraut bc I’m always looking for ways to nourish my gut (plus it adds some acid and it tastes good!)
-I rarely do dressings, I just eye ball olive oil and vinegar lime white wine or rice, but for you, I’ve included a cumin dressing 🙃 It also goes well with the lemon tahini dressing I posted about last year.

These are basically the “building blocks” which I apply to all salads I make. Once you get the hang of it, you can improvise depending on w/e you have on hand :) I love this salad because it’s so easy - prep ingredients while you roast your veg- and so satisfying, nourishing, and filling. Try it and you’ll get the obsession.

CURRIED SWEET POTATO, CHICKPEA, and AVOCADO SALAD 

makes enough for 2 as a meal 

I get the sweet potato roasting and prep the rest of my ingredients while it’s cooking. Sweet potato and dressing will make more than you need. Save for another meal or salad :) 

Ingredients

5 to 6 cups romaine or kale (chopped), baby arugula or spinach
½ apple, cut into matchsticks or chopped
½ can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 scallions or ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced 
2 Tbsp to ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta OR 2-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast 
½ avocado, chopped 
¼ cup packed cilantro leaves and/or mint 
¼ cup sesame seeds, pepitas, raw buckwheat groats (I do a combination) OR chopped pistachios or almonds AND/OR a few tbsp of dukkah if you have on hand
3 to 4 tablespoons kraut (optional) 
Cumin Dressing (recipe below) 
Curried Sweet Potatoes (recipe below) 
Soft boiled egg, sardines, prosciutto, roasted chicken, you get the idea... (optional) 

In a large bowl, add everything except dressing and sweet potatoes. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of dressing over top and season with a pinch of kosher or flaky salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss until salad ingredients are coated in dressing and salad leaves are glossy. Taste and add more dressing, salt, and/or pepper as needed. Divide between bowls and top with a handful of sweet potato wedges and any protein if adding Enjoy immediately. 

Curried Sweet Potato Wedges

This works great on a medium delicata squash.

1 medium or large sweet potato , halved crosswise, then halved lengthwise, cut into ½ in wedges 
2 teaspoons curry powder 
1 teaspoon berbere spice or ras el hanout or ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 

Preheat oven to 400F. On a baking sheet large enough to hold the sweet potato wedges in one layer, toss the wedges with the spices and salt. This will seem like a lot of seasoning, but just trust me. Roast for 15 minutes, remove from oven and use spatula to flip wedges over. Roast for another 13 to 15 minutes or until nice and crispy and tender on the inside. Allow to cool a bit before adding to salad. 

Cumin Dressing

1 ½ teaspoon whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon honey 
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons vinegar (white wine, rice, or apple cider)
4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 
A few grind of black pepper, plus more to taste 

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, add all ingredients and shake, shake, shake until dressing is emulsified. Taste and season accordingly. 

Hi friends and family, near and far. This is my first post in over a year and, unfortunately, I do so in trying times. I have felt compelled these past few months to return to this space because of so many of you who have written to thank me for my recipes. The escalating events of the past few weeks have only strengthened desire. I want to be able to support others from the safety of my home, while also keep myself from going stir-crazy during all this isolation.

So, with that, I’ve decided to start sharing a daily recipe here and on my Instagram to help inspire and motivate you and myself to step into the kitchen. I mean, we now have more time than ever to step into the kitchen - something that often not only results in sustaining and nourishing each other, but also in imbuing fun, excitement, and novelty to our day. Yes, there will be khachapuri and blinchiki, but there will also be pantry-driven and easy, feel-good dishes, too. I’ll also highlight favorites from cookbooks and other authors, chefs, and bakers. To keep myself accountable and make this doable on a daily scale, I won’t always accompany these posts with texts or pretty photos and I hope that’s ok.

Kicking things off is a recipe for Irish Soda Bread. My version is like a lighter, less sweet cousin of a scone and it comes together with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. I’ve also studded mine with currants and fennel seeds and perfumed it with orange zest, but you can use raisins or caraway seeds instead or omit them completely. Eat it for breakfast or as a snack, on its own or with a generous pat of (Kerrygold!) butter. Some jam or marmalade won’t hurt too… You’ll find that soda bread shouldn’t be relegated to the holiday.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. And don’t forget to share and tag me! I want to see your creations <3

Sending lots of love,
Polina

PS if there’s a certain recipe you’re hoping I share or tackle, let me know and I’ll get to work :)

IRISH SODA BREAD

makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

4 cups (560 g) AP flour (substitute 1/2 to 1 cup (70 to 140 g) for ww or spelt flour)
3 tbsp sugar 
1 ½ - 2 tbsp fennel (or caraway) seeds, toasted if you're not lazy like me, crushed
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt 
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cubed
¾ cups (100 g) plump currants, golden or regular raisins
2 cups (235 ml) buttermilk, cold (can also use equal amount plain yogurt OR 2 T lemon juice or vinegar plus enough whole milk to make 2 cups, let sit for 10 -15 min before using)
1 large egg (optional for cakier texture)
Zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 400F.  Lightly grease a 10-12 in cast iron skillet or baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour(s), sugar, fennel seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, egg, if using, and zest.

Working quickly, use a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers to cut butter into flour until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in currants. 

Add buttermilk to flour-butter mixture and begin to stir with wooden spoon. When it starts to become hard to mix with a spoon, switch over to your hands and mix/knead it gently until it just comes together in one slightly shaggy, sticky mass. Don't overmix! Just enough to hydrate the flour and bring it all together. Pat it into a round and transfer it to your pan.

Use a serrated knife to cut an X on the top about 1/2- to 3/4-in deep. Brush with 2 tablespoons of buttermilk or regular milk if you want a nice golden color at the end.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until soda bread is golden brown, the X part no longer looks raw/wet, tester comes out clean, and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before digging in. Serve with salted (Kerrygold) butter. Jam or marmalade is nice too. Plastic wrapped, it will keep for up to 3 days at room temperature.