(2020) Candied Sweet Potatoes

Here’s my favorite sweet recipe, courtesy of a PeachDish recipe adapted from April McGreger’s Savor the South. Though PeachDish, the prepared meal service, is gone, I’m grateful to have their simple recipe cards still in hand!

(2020) Eggplant Moussaka

Needing eggplant inspiration from the beatnik 70’s? Try this moussaka recipe from my mother’s ex-boyfriend Paul. The resulting casserole might be short on authenticity, but is long on yum.

(2020) Slow-Roasted Tomato Confit

From Bon Appetit Y’all, by Virginia Willis. This remains one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. Chef Willis suggests taking a cue from French kitchens and folding the confit into scrambled eggs, tossing with salad greens or pasta, or topping grilled bread crisps with chopped herbs.

(2020) Lentil and Roasted Pepper Salad

if you’re up for a project, I’ve got a suggestion. It’s a lentil salad with roasted peppers and tomatoes. I have no idea where the recipe came from, but it called for tuna. Sometimes I use that. Sometimes I just leave it out. I often forget how much I love lentils, then when I’m reminded, I eat them for several weeks in a row. I’ve got a lentil-butternut squash salad waiting in the wings for when butternut squash returns to our box.

(2020) Pikliz

Pikliz is a traditional accompaniment to griot, the braised and fried pork dish that’s pretty much the national dish of Haiti, but I’m told if you’re Haitian, you eat it with everything. It’s delicious enough that I believe it.

Consider this the summer slaw you’ve been dreaming of. Crunchy, tangy with citrus juice, just a little bit hot (with the amount of pepper we’ve included), it’s just the right side for rich dishes or anywhere you want something with a peppery punch.

When first made, the pikliz is pretty hot, but the heat mellows as it sits and we found the final result here perfect for folks who appreciate a little heat, but don’t want something overwhelming. Rock Steady’s Jacob Thomas notes that when his mother makes this, “she throws in all the hot peppers in there.”