The events start April 5 with First Friday downtown, followed by the Wildflower and Nature Festival on April 6 and culminating in the Paws For A Cause fundraiser for the Northwest SPCA on April 7.

First Friday

Downtown Oroville changed April’s First Friday event on April 5 from its traditional Spring Fling theme to Wags and Wildflowers to tie the other two events together to make it a “full weekend of delightful activities for the community” said Robin Zanon, the business association’s vice president.

“The Wildflower and Nature festival and Paws For A Cause are two great annual events,” said Zanon. “We wanted to support both of them so we decided to change our annual April First Friday theme to help promote both events and give the community a head start on the fun.”

During First Friday, which starts at 4 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m., participating downtown businesses will be open late and welcoming human as well as well-behaved canine on leashes into their stores. Some will even have treats for people’s pups. The business association will also have a booth located at the corner of Bird and Meyers streets where they will be accepting donations of non-perishable dog and cat food for the Northwest SPCA. Folks who bring a donation will have a chance to win gift cards from Union and Provisions restaurants. Those who spend $20 or more at any participating business may also bring their receipts to the booth to receive a free wildflower and a raffle ticket.

The Feather River Recreation and Park District will be joining the event this year with a booth where they will be handing out flyers with a map and information on the vendors, activities and entertainment at the following day’s festival.

Wildflower and Nature Festival

The 16th annual Feather River Recreation and Park District’s Wildflower and Nature Festival kicks off at 10 a.m. at Riverbend Park, 50 Montgomery St. and runs until 4 p.m. April 6.

In addition to the sights and sounds of nature including spring’s new green foliage and the rushing Feather River at this free event, attendees can also enjoy shopping, education, free activities and food at 70 different vendor booths and food trucks. The Native Sons of the Golden West Argonaut Parlor No. 8 will be hosting a beer garden for those 21 and older. Smokey Bear will be hanging out in the special area just for kids were youngsters may enjoy playing in a bounce house, having their faces painted and visiting with animals from Kirshner Wildlife Foundation.

Live music performances are scheduled in the amphitheater throughout the day with the Feather River Gypsies performing at 10 a.m., the Stringtown Band at 12:15 p.m. and, at 2:15, the Ragtop Rockers will wrap up the day’s live entertainment.

The Wildflower and Nature Festival has grown in popularity through the years with an average of 3,500 people from throughout the county and attending annually.

“The Wildflower and Nature Festival continues to be a favorite among Oroville and Butte County residents,” said Kendyle Lowe, FRRPD executive administrator. “We’re proud to continue to host this family-friendly event that showcases Butte County’s natural resources and homemade products. We’re also excited to see its growth over the past years and are looking forward to seeing it continue to grow this year and in future years.”

Lowe also said FRRPD was also “happy to partner with Downtown Oroville to promote all the weekend’s events” and appreciated Oroville Chamber of Commerce, California Department of Water Resources and Explore Butte County sponsorship of this year’s festival.

Paws for a Cause

Rounding out the weekend festivities, the Union Patio Bar and Grill, 2053 Montgomery St., is hosting the second annual Paws For A Cause benefit for the Northwest SPCA from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 7.

The funds collected from the event’s $5 cover charge plus 10 percent of all proceeds during the five-hour event will be donated to the local animal shelter. The event also includes a “ton of raffles with really big prizes,” said Jordan Vogel, general manager.

“The money from the raffles will also be donated to the Northwest SPCA,” said Vogel. “Last year we raised over $8,000. Our goal this year is $10,000.”

The event, which will be emceed by a DJ playing music throughout the day, features food and beverage specials and vendors including beer and alcohol merchants giving away swag. The Northwest SPCA will also be on hand with dogs looking for forever homes and the winner of the Butte County Pooch Playoffs, an annual bracket-style dog portrait competition that benefits the Northwest SPCA, will be announced.

“We host this event because we’re all animal lovers here at Union. Union is a big part of the community and we want to do our part to help support our furry friends,” said Vogel. “There will be great music, food and drinks in a really fun atmosphere and it’s just a great way to spend a Sunday.”

For more information on the weekend’s events visit www.downtownoroville.com, www.frrdp.com and www.unionfork.com.

“Goggie’s potato salad?” (a family tradition) — “No not particularly — any potato salad, creamy or herby, doesn’t matter.”

While I was chewing on this, she asked if I had heard about English jacket potatoes — all the rage on TikTok and Instagram — “No! What are they?” – I was pretty excited to learn about something new in potatoville.

Jacket potatoes

English jacket potatoes are a new way of baking a potato that results in a crisp outer skin and a fluffy luscious interior. It’s all about time and “The Cut”.

Here’s the scoop from Cup of Jo: “When we were visiting our family in England last week, we ate our weight in jacket potatoes. They’re different from the baked potatoes we make because they have super crispy skin and a fluffy melty inside. So amazingly good. They’re all over the place in England. Every pub and restaurant we went to devoted a section of the menu to them, along with a choice of toppings: grated cheddar, baked beans, tuna, coleslaw or plain with butter, salt and pepper.”

“My aunt Janey often made them for our dinners in Cornwall — as a side to roast chicken or sausages — and we all loved them so much, so she agreed to share the basic recipe. …

“Preheat oven to 200 (degrees Celsius or 400 degrees Fahrenheit). Cut a cross on the potatoes. Put the potatoes at the top of the oven — straight on the rack, not a baking tray. Cook 1-2 hours (usually closer to 2). When they feel crunchy on the outside, pull the rack out, cut the potatoes open again to release the steam, then put them back into the oven. The major important thing is not to turn the oven down as they go soggy and lose their crunch. After ten minutes, serve immediately with shedloads of butter, salt and pepper. Perfect.”

Funeral potatoes

Recipe by Young Sun Huh is also called Utah potato casserole.

Potato talk turned to Molly who revealed that my son-in-law Eric’s absolutely favorite potato dish was funeral potatoes. Have you heard of them? Yes. Have you eaten any? No.

They are a Midwestern favorite, so named because they reliably turn up at potluck gatherings like funerals. They have all the markers of Midwestern tastiness — canned cream of chicken soup and lots of cheese with the surprise snap of corn flakes. Hard to imagine for a California girl, but Molly says they are so delicious two people can polish off a pan — so we gave it a try and here’s the recipe for you.

As author Young Sun Huh notes,” It’s pretty much impossible to dislike a dish of onions, garlic and cream topped with melted cheese and abundant crunchy cooked cornflakes. Even the biggest naysayers in our kitchen were seduced by this dish’s addictive creamy flavor and crispy topping.”

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• One 30-ounce bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, lightly thawed

• One 10.5-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 cups shredded sharp yellow Cheddar cheese

• 1 1/2 cups lightly crushed corn flake cereal

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a skillet. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, an additional 2 minutes.

In a bowl, toss together the cooked onions and garlic, hash brown potatoes, condensed soup, sour cream, Parmesan, salt, pepper and 1 1/2 cups Cheddar. Spread the mixture in a 9-by-13 inch casserole dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Top the casserole with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese, corn flake cereal and melted butter.

Bake in the oven until it bubbles around the sides, about 1 hour.

Asparagus and potato gratin

Try these out – they will mysteriously disappear so fast you’ll swear the dog was on the counter. They may well be the potato version of Mississippi Pot Roast. There is a New York Times version called Updated Funeral Potatoes adapted by Julia Moskin for those opposed to canned soup and frozen hash browns.

My nomination for best side dish to rival an Easter ham is this asparagus and potato gratin. It’s pretty, it’s got texture — and it includes a vegetable! Asparagus is spring fare and what’s not to like about prosciutto, goat cheese, pecorino and potatoes?

Recipe by Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups coarse freshly torn bread crumbs (from 3 large slices of good rustic bread)

• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 small bunch asparagus (about 12 ounces), trimmed

• 4 medium white- or red-skinned potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), peeled and cut into ½-inch slices

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 ¼ cups whole milk

• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

• ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano (1 ounce), plus more for serving

• 6 thin slices prosciutto

• Chive blossoms, or chives for serving (optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss bread-crumbs with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until crisp and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add asparagus. Return to a boil and cook until crisp-tender, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Add potatoes to pot; cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain. Arrange potatoes in the bottom of an 8 1/2-by-11 1/2 inch or 2-quart baking dish (about 1 1/2 inches deep).

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook until it has a slightly nutty aroma, about 30 seconds. Gradually (to avoid lumps) whisk in milk. Bring mixture to a boil and cook, whisking, until thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; add both cheeses and whisk until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour half of sauce over potatoes. Arrange prosciutto and half of asparagus on top. Drizzle with remaining sauce. Top with remaining asparagus, then bread-crumbs. (Dish can be made to this point and refrigerated in a covered container up to 1 day; add 10 minutes to baking time.) Bake until bubbling around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly; serve, sprinkled with more Pecorino and chive blossoms.

Easter Sunday looks like it will be one of those spring days in Chico that will break your heart it’s so beautiful. Wildflowers, a gentle breeze, maybe a few puffy white clouds. Dye those eggs, take your pup for a walk and set out a lasagna pan full of Funeral Potatoes to divert attention from the quite good Asparagus and Potato Gratin accompanying your Easter ham.

Miso is a fermented soybean paste made by combining three simple ingredients – soybeans, salt and koji, (a type of fungus – Aspergillus oryzae – cultivated on rice and other grains) – and allowing the mixture to age for months or even years. As Zoe Denenberg explains, the type of koji used and the length of time the mixture is fermented results in infinite varieties of miso. Over 1300 variations of the umami-rich paste are in use today.

The two major groups of miso are shiro, (white) and aka (red). White miso, also called sweet miso, is light in color with a high ratio of koji to soybeans and a shorter fermentation time. Jampel describes it as mellow and refreshing, you can eat it by the spoonful. Red or dark miso has a longer fermentation time, higher salt content, and a higher ratio of soybeans to koji resulting in a saltier, earthier and more intense miso with “a pungency that’ll hit you right in the sinuses”.

If, like me, you’re new to miso, Chris Morocco, senior food editor for Bon Appetit suggests starting with white miso – it’s milder and more versatile – can be used for both sweet and savory dishes. When shopping for miso look for minimal ingredients: soybeans, rice or barley, salt and sometimes alcohol used as a preservative. Morocco recommends Miso Master Brand, from North Carolina or South River Miso from Massachusetts. Japanese markets have much more selection.

So what do you do with it? Why use it? Denenberg for Epicurious mentions miso-marinated salmon, a natural combination, miso soup, a mainstay of Japanese breakfast that may combine both red and white miso for simultaneous sweetness and depth of flavor but urges branching out to discover how umami-rich miso boosts the flavor of everything it touches – “saucy, cheesy noodles, sticky-sweet vegetable stir-fries, even. floral fruity miso ice cream. Coat potatoes in red miso-butter, swirl a batch of ramen noodles in miso broth, add miso to mayonnaise or ranch dressing, explore miso desserts like miso-maple walnuts to sprinkle over ice cream, chocolate miso bread pudding. Heck, rub it on your Thanksgiving turkey!”

Store miso in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container indefinitely while you figure out all the cool things to do with it. For openers, mix a little into butter and use it to season green beans, rub on corn, smear on garlic bread, or as Christopher Kimball suggests melt it over rice, dollop on broiled salmon or seared steak, or as a sauce for pasta – be prepared to use this on everything! To get you started, here are 3 modest recipes to get your bearings on miso and what it can do for your pantry.

Spring Mix Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing

This Spring Mix Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing is bright and refreshing. The savory and tangy dressing enhances the flavor of the creamy avocado, cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, and fresh mint leaves. Recipe from Nami for Just One Cookbook, a Japanese home cook based in San Francisco.

Ingredients

2 cups spring mix salad

1 avocado (sliced)

1 red radish (sliced)

3 cherry tomatoes (sliced)

4 mint leaves (hand-torn)

1–2 radish sprouts (discard the bottom; optional)

For the Sweet Miso Dressing:

2 Tablespoons white Miso + 2 tsp mirin or honey

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)

1 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Instructions: In a small mixing bowl, combine the dressing ingredients: 2 Tablespoons miso and 2 teaspoons miren or honey, 2 Tabldspoons rice vinegar (unseasoned), 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil, and whisk it all together.

Rinse 2 cups spring mix salad and dry completely. Toss the salad, 1 avocado (sliced), 1 red radish (sliced), 3 cherry tomatoes (sliced), 4 mint leaves (hand-torn), and 1–2 radish sprouts (optional) in a large bowl.

Drizzle the dressing into the bowl and toss gently. Serve immediately.

Our first impression was “this tastes really fresh!”

Miso Ginger Pork

With umami-rich miso, savory soy sauce, spicy ginger, and a hint of sweet mirin, Miso Ginger Pork is a perfect mix of delicious Japanese flavors. Serve with steamed rice to enjoy this big flavor pork dish. Recipe by Nami for Just One Cookbook.

Ingredients

½ pound thinly sliced pork loin

1 Tablespoon neutral oil

For the marinade:

2 inches ginger (grated; separate the juice from the grated ginger)

1 Tablespoon sake

½ Tablespoon soy sauce

For the Seasonings

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sake

1 Tablespoon mirin

1 Tablespoon white miso

1 teaspoon sugar

To Serve (optional)

¼ head green cabbage (shredded)

¼ Japanese or Persian cucumber (sliced)

6 cherry tomatoes

Instructions: The trick here is getting the pork sliced really thin. The best idea is to freeze it for an hour or two so it’s easier to slice. There’s a good instructional video on You Tube: Just One Cookbook – Slice Meat Thinly.

Gather all the ingredients: Grate 2 inches ginger. Squeeze out the ginger juice and add it to a bowl or tray for marinating the pork. Set aside 1 tsp grated ginger for use later. ( I used the grated ginger without squeezing out the juice). To the ginger juice, add 1 Tablespoon sake and ½ Tablespoon soy sauce. Then, add ½ pound thinly sliced pork loin. Flip and coat the pork with the marinade. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the seasonings: 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon sake, 1 Tablespoon mirin, 1 Tablespoon miso, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add 1 teaspoon grated ginger and mix well. Set aside.

Heat 1 Tablespoon neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add and sear the meat in a single layer. To give a nice, even sear, it’s best not to touch or move the meat around.  Flip the meat and cook the other side until it is no longer pink. Then, add the seasonings.

Coat the meat with the sauce using a spoon and flip once to make sure the meat is seasoned on both sides. Serve immediately. If you‘d like, shred ¼ head green cabbage and slice ¼ Japanese or Persian cucumber, and divide, along with 6 cherry tomatoes, onto individual plates of Miso Ginger Pork.

Ramen Noodles with Miso Pesto

Springy ramen noodles and a cilantro-miso sauce bring a welcome twist to a classic pesto recipe by Andy Baraghani.

Ingredients for 2 servings
4 cups baby spinach

2 cups cilantro leaves with tender stems

1 Tablespoon white miso

1 garlic clove

½ cup grapeseed or sunflower oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

2 5-ounce packages fresh ramen noodles or dry, if you can’t find fresh

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Toasted sesame seeds (for serving)

Preparation: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, purée spinach, cilantro, miso, garlic, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, and lemon juice in a blender until mixture is smooth and very green. Season with salt and pour pesto into a medium bowl.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and add to bowl with pesto. Add butter and toss until butter is melted and noodles are coated in sauce.
Divide noodles between bowls and top with sesame seeds.
Do Ahead: Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Color might darken slightly.

And if you want to start with salmon, this recipe from Joe Duff is simple and supposed to replicate the Cheesecake Factory Miso Salmon.

Cheesecake Factory Miso Salmon Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons red miso paste

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon white rice vinegar (unseasoned)

2 4-ounce salmon fillets, deboned and skinned

1 cup snow peas, fresh

½ cup dry sake

1 shallot, minced

1 stick of butter, softened

Instructions: For the miso marinade and glaze, combine the miso paste with the brown sugar, rice vinegar and soy sauce in a small mixing bowl. If too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of warm water.

Coat the salmon fillets with the miso mixture and cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the snow peas, boil 2-3 cups of salted water and blanch the peas for 8-10 minutes. Cool down in an ice bath. (This seems too long – maybe 2 minutes, then ice).

Line a baking tray with aluminum foil brushed with olive oil and preheat the oven to 355ºF.

Roast the salmon in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until flaky but still pink inside.

For the sake butter, add the butter and shallots to a pot and cook at medium heat for about 7 minutes. Add the dry sake and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve the salmon with the snow peas, and top with the sake butter and chives.

Something ancient but new to play with – I hope you have fun discovering how to use miso paste and that you get that umami flavor boost in all your favorite dishes! Be brave – add a teaspoon of miso to your mac and cheese March-on!

I’ve always cooked salmon on a sheet pan in the oven with vegetables and so was intrigued by this idea of pan-searing. The recipe couldn’t be simpler, and the result is a tasty crispy exterior surrounding the tender, flaky salmon. Recipe by Elizabeth Nelson for Southern Living.

Pan-seared salmon

Salmon ingredients:

• 4 (6 ounce) skin-on salmon fillets

• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Lemon-herb butter ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces.

• 3 tablespoons chopped tender herbs (such as parsley, tarragon, chives, or thyme)

Prepare salmon: Take the salmon out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking to allow it to come up to room temperature. Check fish for any pin bones and remove them. Pat fillets dry with paper towels. Season the flesh side of the salmon with salt and pepper.

Sear salmon: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. The oil should cover the entire bottom of the pan; add another teaspoon or two if needed. Place the salmon in the pan, skin side up and cook 5 minutes.

Flip fish and finish cooking: Carefully flip the fish using a fish spatula, or other thin, flexible metal spatula. The fish should be golden brown and release easily from the pan. If it doesn’t release easily, cook 1 minute longer before flipping. Cook skin side down 4 minutes until skin is golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork or reaches 135 degrees to 145 degrees Fahrenheit when measured with a meat thermometer.

Prepare lemon-herb butter: Remove the fish from the pan and tent with foil to keep warm. Pour the lemon juice into the hot pan and turn the heat to low. Whisk in the butter until melted, then stir in the herbs. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Finish and serve: Drizzle butter over salmon fillets and serve immediately.

The exact time needed to cook pan-seared salmon can vary a bit depending on how thick the fish fillet is, but you will usually cook about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Salmon is generally done when it flakes easily with a fork. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, fish and shellfish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. If you prefer a more medium or medium-rare fish, look for a temperature of 125 to 135 degrees when inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the fillet.

Tips for cooking

This salmon recipe is nearly so easy you don’t need much more guidance, but here are a few tips to help:

1. Take the fish out of the refrigerator, let it come up to room temperature and pat dry before cooking. Letting the salmon come up to room temperature helps it cook more evenly.

2. Patting the fish dry helps it develop a nice golden brown sear in the pan.

3. Cook the fish in a heavy-bottomed pan, like a good quality stainless steel pan.

4. Use a fish spatula. If you cook fish regularly, a fish spatula is your best friend. The thin, flexible metal is easier to slide under the fish when flipping, making it easier to turn the fillets over without breaking them.

5. Don’t peek! It can be tempting to try and look to see how it’s browning, but trying to turn the fish over too soon can cause it to stick to the pan.

6. Leave the skin on while cooking. While you can pan sear skinless fillets, it’s much easier to flip the fish with the skin on.

Smashed potatoes

In pursuit of simple and crispy, smashed potatoes seemed like an appropriate companion to the salmon. Recipe from Love and Lemons cookbook serves four.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds small yellow potatoes

• 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for the pans

• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder

• ¾ teaspoon onion powder

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs, (parsley, chives and or dill)

• Flaky sea salt, optional

• Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and liberally coat two baking sheets with olive oil. Place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large pot and fill it with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are soft and fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly. Place each potato onto the oiled baking sheet and use the back of a measuring cup or your palm to smash them down until they’re about ¼-inch thick. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Roast 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp around the edges, rotating the pans halfway.

Season to taste with more sea salt, or flaky sea salt, fresh herbs and sprinkles of Parmesan, if desired.

Sautéed asparagus

This simple recipe is a delicious spring side dish or addition to frittatas, pastas and more. I sauteed beautiful thin spears without chopping them into 1-inch pieces. Recipe by Love and Lemons cookbook serves four.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1-pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed, chopped into 1-inch pieces

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus, salt and several grinds of pepper and sauté, stirring often, for 3 to 6 minutes, or until tender. The timing will depend on the thickness of your spears.

Remove from the heat and toss with the lemon juice. Season to taste and serve.

Simple, fresh and crisp — a menu to match the beauty of a sunny winter afternoon.

Best damn lemon cake

Simple meals call for a dessert with big flavor and this loaf-pan cake by Maida Heatter doesn’t disappoint.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter, plus 8 tablespoons, melted

• 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs

• 1⁄2 cup whole blanched almonds

• 1 1⁄2 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 3⁄4 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 1⁄3 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1⁄2 cup milk, at room temperature

• 2 tablespoons lemon extract

• Zest and juice of 2 Meyer lemons

Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan measuring 8.5-by-4.5-2.75 inches with 1 tablespoon of the butter and dust it with the bread crumbs. Invert and tap out excess crumbs; set aside. In a food processor, grind the almonds until very fine, about 1 minute; set aside. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Put the remaining melted butter into a large bowl and add 1 cup of the sugar. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just long enough to incorporate, about 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture and milk mixture in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until mixed after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, about 3 minutes total. Mix in the lemon extract. Remove bowl from mixer. With the spatula, fold in the lemon zest and ground almonds. (The mixture will be thin.) Turn batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and dry, about 65 minutes.

During baking, the cake will form a large crack or two on the top which will remain light in color.

Transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Prepare the glaze: Combine remaining sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. (Do not boil.) Let the cake stand 2-3 minutes then brush the hot glaze very gradually over the hot cake, allowing it to sink in — it should take about 5 minutes to apply it all. (The excess liquid may pool along the sides of the pan; it will absorb completely as it sits.) Let the cake stand until tepid then gently run a knife along the sides and invert it onto a rack. Allow cake to cool upright — when the cake is completely cool, wrap it in plastic wrap or foil and let it stand for 12-24 hours before serving.

Tip: For the best results, use a light-colored metal loaf pan. A dark-colored loaf pan will cause the cake to over-brown, while glass or Pyrex loaf pans do not conduct heat as well as metal.

Spring preview! It was splendid, as was dinner. Three more days of showers then maybe the real spring? Tip: Don’t be seduced by those tomato seedlings — it’s too soon.

The dish’s roots are Tuscan and undeniably peasant. The inclusion of day-old bread not only drives that home, but morphs the dish’s most comforting bites into something approaching a Italian-style veggie-and-dumplings in which hunks of crusty goodness soften into silky carb comfort that’s steeped in rich, tomato-y broth. It also ticks the “complete protein” box alongside cannellini beans.

Like Dad, Bon Appétit and everyone else, Chef Kevin Fonzo cooks the bread in the soup.

“Italians waste nothing!” says the man behind La Tavola, which presents sumptuous Italian meals around communal tables at the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Kitchen House and Culinary Garden, found inside the Edible Education Experience in Orlando’s College Park neighborhood. Fonzo makes lots of focaccia.

“If it doesn’t get used on the table, I just save it and it goes into the ribollita,” he says. “I cube it up and it makes it a really hearty, stick-to-the-ribs, comforting dish.”

Fonzo’s childhood, like mine, saw many bowls of ribollita, his served at grandpa’s apartment in the Bronx, but he never really thought about making it as a chef.

“Then I started going to Italy a lot, and my grandfather’s soup was on every menu! Once I started La Tavola, it was a really good fit.”

Thai penicillin: chicken and rice soup to cure a fluish princess

“I’ve seen restaurants in Florence that serve it so thick you could almost use a fork to eat it,” he tells me, inspiring thoughts of baking my leftovers into a savory bread pudding of sorts. “It’s just a big mound of tomato-flavored bread.”

Some cooks prefer their ribollita brothier, others more like porridge. Fonzo favors the focaccia, not merely for it’s waste-not properties, “but because it’s got a ton of olive oil in it, and so delicious with the sea salt!”

I reviewed Dad’s version and found that it, and most others, fall right in line with this Bon Appétit offering, though this recipe features an (over the) top layer comprised of something about which few might complain: even more bread. Here, the torn chunks are layered on top of the cooked soup, slathered in olive oil and baked until golden brown. Aside from the black pepper, Bon Appétit doesn’t season the croutons, but I’d recommend it: Salt, garlic or onion powder, Italian seasoning or a combination thereof will offer added oomph.

The classic version is vegetarian, and also makes solid use of the rind on a hunk of Parmesan.

(Side note: If you’re throwing out your cheese rinds, stop right now. Much like your old bread, these can be frozen and employed elsewhere, like in soups and risottos. Fonzo will simmer the rinds in broth or even water with herbs to make a brodo for fresh tortelloni. “You can float some spinach, kale or escarole in it. It’s so good!”).

But if you’re not one to skimp on meat, your pot of ribollita welcomes the pop-in.

I threw diced Portuguese sausage into the sofrito at the outset, allowing the fat to render. Fonzo was onboard.

“If I know my guests aren’t strictly vegetarian I’ll start mine with guanciale,” he says. “Not a lot. You almost can’t tell it’s in there, but you get the pork fat and the smokiness and it’s delicious.”

Two or three anchovies wouldn’t hurt, either. It’s an Italian “secret ingredient,” after all. Fresh herbs — rosemary, Italian parsley, thyme — make a nice add, as well.

This soup is a haven for extras. Got tomatoes that are too ripe for a salad? Toss ’em in.

“Today’s entree is tomorrow’s soup!” says Fonzo.

And depending on how you like it, tomorrow’s ribollita might need a little extra broth (or a simple splash of water in a pinch, this stuff’s flavorful!), since the bread works overtime in sopping, so be aware.

Simple Ribollita

Recipe by Molly Baz via Bon Appétit (bonappetit.com/recipe/simple-ribollita)

Makes 4–6 servings

Ingredients

1 large onion

3 medium carrots

2 celery stalks

8 garlic cloves

2 bunches Tuscan kale (I used the standard stuff, several handfuls for each round of wilting.)

1 small wedge of Parmesan with rind

1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes

1 14-oz. can cannellini beans

½ loaf crusty country bread (about 10 oz.)

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Preparation

1. Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. Time to prep your veg! You are going to make a mirepoix, which is just a fancy French word for the combo of chopped onions, carrots, and celery that form the flavor base for a lot of European dishes. First, cut 1 large onion in half through root. Peel and discard skins. Finely chop and transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Heat ⅓ cup extra-virgin oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium. Add bowl of mirepoix and 2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened but not browned, 8–10 minutes.
3. Chop 2 celery stalks crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Add to bowl with the rest of the mirepoix.
4. Smash and peel 8 garlic cloves with the back of your knife. If any of them are left more or less intact after that initial smashing, give them another good whack with the back of your knife so they really open up and start to break apart. Add to bowl.
5. Strip stems from 2 bunches Tuscan kale and discard. Wash if they’re gritty or you really care about washing vegetables, then tear leaves into 2-inch pieces; set aside.
6. Cut rind off of 1 small Parmesan wedge; set aside.
7. Place 28 oz. canned tomatoes and their juices in a strainer set inside a medium bowl. (You need that bowl to collect the juice, which you’re going to use later — don’t throw it out!) Squeeze tomatoes and crush them with your hands while leaving them submerged in their liquid so they don’t squirt.
8. Tear ½ loaf crusty country bread into 1½-inch pieces.

9. Heat ⅓ cup extra-virgin oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium. Add bowl of mirepoix and 2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened but not browned, 8–10 minutes.

10. Lift strainer full of tomatoes and give it a few shakes to remove any liquid. Add tomatoes (but not juices!) and cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the rawness is cooked off, about 10 minutes. Giving those tomato solids a chance to caramelize before adding the liquid back in helps to add a lot of flavor to the stew. (Remember: Reserve the juices, you’re going to use them!)

11. While tomatoes are cooking, drain and rinse 14 oz. canned cannellini beans in the strainer you just used, then add to pot along with Parmesan rind, tomato juices, ¾ tsp. red pepper flakes, and 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer.

12. Add kale in two additions, stirring often and allowing to wilt in between.

13. Add about one-third of torn bread (no need to measure, just eyeball it) and cook, stirring occasionally, until coated and warmed through, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning.

14. Remove from heat. Place remaining torn bread chunks on top of stew. Drizzle generously with olive oil.

15. Transfer pot to oven and bake stew until thick, bubbling, and bread is golden brown on top, 10–15 minutes.

16. Ladle stew into bowls, drizzle each generously with olive oil, and grate lots of Parmesan over.

Note: I ended up taking the crouton layer off to  prevent the soup from disappearing entirely, toasting them up on a pizza steel to re-pair with the ribollita on reheat.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Brian Wong, owner of Tong Fong Low and Union restaurants as well as the City of Paris Building. “The main thing about it is it will give people a sense of community, sitting open interacting with friends and the community. It will be more open, support more connections, more community. That’s what it’s all about.”

The Oroville City Council unanimously passed the new outdoor sidewalk dining ordinance at its regular Jan. 4 meeting.

“It’s essential for the downtown business district,” said Mayor Dave Pittman.

The ordinance covers the historic commercial district bounded by High Street, Oliver Street, Arlin Rhine Memorial Drive and Oak Street. Additionally, the “Gateway Site” — defined by the new regulation as the area from the intersection of Montgomery Street and Feather River Boulevard and extending to the Purple Line Urban Winery and Bedrock Park — is also included in anticipation of future development.

Patrick Piatt, the city’s community development director, said the impetus for creating the ordinance came about as a result of the temporary allowance to move dining outside during the COVID pandemic but that there was no formal zoning code.

“This now codifies the ability for restaurants to have outdoor dining,” said Piatt. “Permits are still required some of which have an associated cost, others have no cost.”

Gracie Stewart, owner of TinyHinies, a children’s clothing store, and manager of Provisions restaurant on Montgomery Street, said the restaurant is already working with the city to get the necessary permit to take advantage of the new ordinance.

“I think it’s a positive thing, and we’re excited about it,” said Stewart. “It’s a good thing, and we’re going to try it out to see what we can get from it and how it will help our business grow.”

Stewart said Provisions has a “beautiful patio dining area” at the back of the restaurant but that some people may enjoy sitting out front instead to “people watch” especially when the weather is good. She said the restaurant may put a “few tables” on the sidewalk especially during the summer months when they offer cornhole during First Friday events.

Outside Unicone Ice Cream and Treats on Myers Street a city bench provides an outdoor place for owner Chris Lightle’s customers to sit along with a small table and a couple of chairs he has placed outside since the business opened in 2021, but Lightle said he’s “excited” about the new ordinance and “glad outdoor dining is legal downtown now, even though most of my customers walk around eating their ice cream.”

Other downtown non-restaurant business owners also see the new al fresco dining code as a boon for their businesses as well.

“I think it’s a great thing for the community and that all the downtown businesses will benefit from it. People are going to love it,” said Rori Summers, owner of Bird Street Vendors and Downtown Business Association board member. “I think it will bring more people and more revenue to downtown. Instead of doing a grab and go with their drinks or food, they’ll take the option to sit outside, look around to see what’s going on, what other stores there are, take a break and refuel for more shopping.”

Birding

The annual Snow Goose festival continues this weekend until Sunday, Jan. 28 at the Patrick Ranch Museum on the Midway. Join in the search for winter birds of the Pacific Flyway on four days of field trips in various locations with experienced trip leaders, plus more. Walk-in registration is open. There are over 60 guided field trips, workshops, exhibits and free activities for families.

There will be a banquet and keynote speakers with Bryce and Brita Lundberg from Lundberg Family Farms.

Threre is an “Avian Art” exhibit at the Museum of Northern California Art. If you have questions, email info@snowgoosefestival.org or call the festival office at 530-592-9092.

For a schedule of events, visit https://snowgoosefestival.org/events.

Concert

The bands Wolfthump, Modern Methods, Ayvri and Hap Hathaway will perform Friday, Jan. 26 from 6:30-11 p.m. at the Chico Women’s Club. Doors open at 6:30.

Wolfthump was formed in 2009 by lead drummer Mike Wofchuck. The group recreates the drum ensemble which combines traditional samba rhythms with hip-hop, pop and rock.

KZFR is sponsoring the event.

The Chico Women’s Club is located at 592 East Third St. in Chico.

For tickets visit http://allevents.in/chico.

Pizza

The Paradise Elks Club is hosting an Artisan Pizza night Friday, Jan. 26 from 5-8 p.m.

The choices are a vegetarian margherita, pepperoni or chicken and garlic with white sauce. A personal size pizza is $15 and one trip to the salad bar costs $7.

The Paradise Elks Lodge No. 2026 is located at 1100 Elk Lane in Paradise.

It is a primary source of calories for more than half of the global population, according to a NewAmercia.org Jan 11, 2024 article. More accessible than wheat that must be ground into flour, then baked, rice has only to be “milled” — the outer husk removed, before it is cooked and eaten.

I’m also proud of the mitigation efforts California’s rice farmers use in their handling of water, chemicals, and air quality. Like any large-scale farming, rice is not perfect. But they are always looking for ways to improve. Rice straw is now incorporated into the ground rather than burned; water is held in fields until any toxins from chemicals have abated, and later used to provide sustenance and a place to rest for migratory wild birds. Some farmers, the Lundbergs for example. send schoolchildren into the fields to search for bird’s nests and eggs which are picked up before the land is tilled for planting. The eggs are carefully placed in incubators until they hatch, then cared for until the birds are old enough to safely return to the wild.

The Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific Flyway starts tomorrow, one of the major birding and wildlife events in the state. It’s headquartered at the Patrick Ranch Museum and walk-in registration is still available for many events, Thursday through Sunday. There are workshops, field trips, a banquet and silent auction Saturday night, an art exhibit and reception at the Museum of Northern Califronia Art on Friday night and activities families can share all weekend. If nothing else, go to the Llana Seco viewing platform some afternoon after the festival is over and see the breathtaking flight and landing of a billion migrating birds for yourself.

After a busy and cold day of bird-watching it’s nice to come home to something warm and tasty and rice-oriented. Like this easy oven risotto with crispy roasted mushrooms  by Anna Stockwell for Epicurious. A risotto without all the stirring — just pop it in the oven. And while that oven is on, use it to crisp up a bunch of mushrooms.

Oven risotto with crispy roasted mushrooms

Recipe serves four.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound mixed wild, shiitake, and/or crimini mushrooms, broken into pieces or sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 4 cups)

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced

• 6 thyme sprigs

• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• 1 3/4 teaspoons (or more) kosher salt, divided

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 1 cup arborio rice

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine

• 3 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth, divided

• 2 ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup)

• 2 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves

• Lemon wedges (for serving)

Directions: Place racks in bottom third and middle of oven; preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss mushrooms, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast on bottom rack, tossing halfway through, until deeply golden brown and crisped, 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large ovenproof Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly translucent, 3-5 minutes. Stir in rice; season with pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until some grains are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add vermouth, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover and bake in oven until liquid is mostly absorbed but rice is still slightly firm in the center, 16-18 minutes.

Return pot to stove and heat over medium. Add remaining 1/2 cup stock and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is tender but still has some bite and sauce is creamy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan, butter, and lemon zest; season to taste with salt, if needed. Add a little bit of warm water, if needed, until risotto is thick but still pourable.

Transfer risotto to a platter. Top with crispy mushrooms and parsley. Drizzle with oil. Serve with lemon wedges alongside.

Chicken purloo, sometimes called perlu, purlieu or pilaf is a one-pot savory rice and chicken stew associated with Lowcountry Gullah cuisine around Charleston and Savannah. More a concept than a strict recipe, t’s thought to have West African roots and is related to similar dishes around the world like Spanish paella, South African pulao, Turkish pilav, Greek pilafi and Indian biryani. In the American South, it’s a classic comfort food and there are as many ways to prepare it as there are to spell it. Using long grain or medium grain rice is important so that the cooked grains remain separate and fluffy as opposed to rice varieties used for creamy risotto or clumping sushi, according to Southern Living. It’s flavorful and warming — enjoy.

Chicken perloo

Recipe by Kardea Brown for Food Network serves six.

Ingredients:

• 5 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 1 pound skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

• 2 teaspoons House Seasoning, plus more if desired, recipe follows

• 8 ounces smoked sausage, such as kielbasa or andouille, cut into half moons

• 1 stalk celery, diced

• 1 medium Vidalia onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine

• 3 cups diced ripe tomatoes (beefsteak or heirloom if ripe, plum if not), optional

• 2 cups uncooked long-grain or medium grain white rice

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 5 cups chicken stock

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for serving

House Seasoning ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Stir all spices together in a medium bowl. Keep in an airtight container. Makes 5 teaspoons.

Directions: Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the House Seasoning. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and the sausage to the skillet. Sear the chicken on one side, stirring and flipping the sausage occasionally, until the chicken is deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken and sausage to the plate with the bacon.

Add the celery, onions and peppers to the remaining bacon and chicken fat. Cook until the vegetables are softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in the sherry or wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the tomatoes, if using, and let cook until they release all their juices, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the rice and butter and cook for about 1 minute. Stir the cooked bacon and sausage back into the skillet. Stir in the chicken stock and check for seasoning. Nestle the chicken thighs, skin-side up, back into the pan, adding any juices from the plate.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, 20 to 30 minutes. Fluff the rice and sprinkle with parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

I chose not to use tomatoes – The Perloo I’ve had in the past didn’t have them and we eat so many other things with tomatoes I thought it would be a nice break.  A smoky sausage adds flavor and dry white wine is a perfect substitute if you don’t have sherry.

January! A great month for migrating snow geese, cozy rice dishes and muddy paw prints. Enjoy.

By the first week of January, I’m ready for a break from all the heavy, rich foods of the holiday season and find myself craving meals with light and clean flavors. Chicken soup fills the bill perfectly.

While most years I like to experiment with those flavors, this year I think I’ll stick to the classic version, with tender chicken and vegetables swimming in a thyme-scented broth. Instead, I’ll experiment with the technique.

Making chicken soup should be an easy task. Sauté onions, along with carrots and celery. Add a whole chicken and fresh or dried herbs and cover with water and simmer slowly until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the broth has sapped all the flavor out of the meat, bones and skin. It’s not a difficult process, but it does take a few hours to do it properly.

I was later than most to see the benefits of the Instant Pot, but over the past few years, I find myself reaching for it often to tackle things like making my own yogurt, or perfectly cooked rice at the push of a button. One of the things I think it does best, though, is broth.

Its pressure-cooking ability makes deeply flavorful, homemade broth a breeze. Why? The pressure cooker works by creating a sealed chamber, which allows steam to build as the contents are heated. As the steam builds, the pressure in the cooker increases. This pressure extracts flavor from the chicken and vegetables much more rapidly, and quickly converts collagen-rich connective tissue into gelatin, which gives the broth more body and a nice mouthfeel.

While I often use it just to make chicken broth, a lovely chicken noodle soup is also easy to achieve. The process is essentially the same, except I use a whole chicken for the soup to ensure lots of tender shreds of meat, instead of the chicken wings and backs I typically use for broth.

If I’m serving all the soup right away, I will cook the noodles with the broth in the Instant Pot. If I know I’ll have leftovers, I cook the noodles in a separate pot on the stove and store them separately from the soup. This avoids the inevitably mushy noodles, which happens when they continue to soak up broth as soup sits in the fridge.

So Happy New Year, and may the coming year be filled with joy — and soup.

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 8.

Chicken soup is the perfect candidate for the Instant Pot because it extracts a lot of flavor from a whole chicken in a short amount of time. If you aren’t planning on serving all of the soup right away, cook the noodles according to their package directions, toss in a little oil and refrigerate separately from the soup. This will keep them from absorbing too much broth and getting mushy. From Meredith Deeds.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 8 c. water
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2-in. thick
• 2 medium ribs celery, sliced 1/2-in. thick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric, optional
• 1 (3- to 4-lb.) chicken, or an equivalent mix of bone-in thighs, legs, or breast meat
• 6 oz. uncooked extra-wide egg noodles
• 1/4 c. finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

On 6-quart Instant Pot, select SAUTE; set to high. Heat oil in insert. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Select CANCEL.

Add in water, carrots, celery, bay leaf, soy sauce, salt, pepper and turmeric, scraping up any browned bits. Place the chicken, breast side up, in pot.

Secure lid; set pressure valve to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK; cook on high for 20 minutes. Select CANCEL. Let stand 15 minutes; set pressure valve to VENTING to quick-release any remaining pressure.

Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred meat into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones. Meanwhile, using a large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of soup. Discard bay leaf. Select SAUTE; set to high. Bring soup to boil, stir in noodles, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Select CANCEL. Stir in shredded chicken and parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

____

Meredith Deeds is a cookbook author and food writer from Edina. Reach her at meredithdeeds@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram ­at @meredithdeeds.

©2024 StarTribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Elevate a hospitable bowl of olives by gently warming with good olive oil and a ‘twist’ of orange peel. Olives with pits are best — provide a little pit bowl when serving.

Ina Garten’s warm marinated olives

Ingredients:

• 2 cups large green olives with pits, such as Cerignola

• 2 cups large black olives with pits, such as Kalamata or a container of mixed olives.

• Zest of 1 orange, peeled in large strips

• 4 large garlic cloves, smashed

• 2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ( use less to concentrate the olive’s flavor)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2/3 cup good olive oil

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions: Drain the green and black olives from the brine or oil that they’re packed in and place them in a medium bowl. Add the orange zest, garlic, fennel seeds, thyme leaves, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour the olive oil over the mixture, add the thyme sprigs and toss to combine.

Transfer the mixture, including the olive oil, to a medium (10-inch) sauté pan. Heat over medium heat until the oil begins to sizzle. Lower the heat and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the olives and garlic are heated through and fragrant. Serve warm right from the pan or transfer to a serving dish. Offer a small dish for the pits. You can store leftover olives in the refrigerator and gently re-warm to serve another day. “Cook Like a Pro” by Ina Garten.

Martha Stewart’s Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts — a plague upon my palate, but my dear man friend loves them. This recipe has it all. Bacon, Brussels sprouts and oranges! A more pleasing combination I could not imagine — bless your heart Martha Stewart!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for brushing

• 2 small oranges, cut in half then into ½-inch slices

• Kosher salt

• 3-4 strips thick-cut bacon cut into ¼-inch pieces (1 cup)

• 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking sheet generously with oil. Add orange slices in a single layer, turning to coat. Season with salt and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast 15 minutes. Add bacon and roast until crisp, about 12 minutes.

Toss Brussels sprouts with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil; season with salt. Add to baking sheet; toss to combine. Roast, tossing once, until sprouts are tender and browning at edges and oranges are deeply caramelized, 25-30 minutes more.

Shrimp with orange beurre blanc

This simple shrimp recipe is zhooshed up with a bit of orange and a fancy name. Serve with rice and the Moroccan-style citrus salad that follows.

Ingredients:

• Large shrimp — 6 per person, peeled and deveined, but not cooked

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• 2 oranges

• ½ cup white wine

• 2 teaspoons minced shallots

• ½ pound (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter

Directions: Peel and de-vein shrimp if necessary. Make orange syrup — zest half of one orange (about 2 teaspoons) and juice the two oranges (about ¾ cup). Put the juice, zest, wine and shallots in a sauce pan on medium high heat. Cook until it is syrupy and almost gone.

On low heat, whisk in the butter stirring continuously and vigorously, 1 tablespoon at a time. Butter is the only emulsifier for this sauce, and if you add it slowly, continuously stirring the sauce will achieve a silky-smooth texture. Do not let the sauce boil. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm while you continue with the shrimp.

Heat a skillet on medium-high. Pat the shrimp dry and coat with olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp about 45 seconds on each side. Add more olive oil, if necessary, to keep the shrimp from sticking to the pan. Do not overcook!

Drizzle the beurre blanc sauce over the shrimp or serve in a separate small container for dipping.

Citrus salad

A refreshing salad that makes the most of the bountiful citrus available now and features the flavor profiles of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking — cumin paprika, cinnamon and mint. Dream of Moroccan spice markets, souks, casbahs and camel rides in the dessert while we’re burrowed down in winter. Recipe by Amanda Frederickson.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 citrus fruits, such as blood oranges, navel oranges, and cara cara oranges

• 3 ounces feta cheese

• 3 tablespoons pistachios, chopped

• Mint chopped

• Olive oil

• Sea salt

Directions: Remove the citrus peels and cut fruit into wheels. Sprinkle with feta and pistachios and garnish with mint, a drizzle of olive oil and a large pinch of sea salt.

Roasted oranges

So simple — the perfect example of a zhoozed up ingredient. The aroma alone is reason to try this. Consider serving it with ice cream. Recipe by Jostlori.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium navel orange (any seedless orange will do)

• Vanilla

• Cinnamon

• Honey

Directions: Line a small baking sheet with foil, then spray with a bit of oil. Peel orange by removing the skin and white membrane, then cut into ¼-inch thick slices. Lay flat on the foil-lined tray. Drizzle or brush with a good vanilla extract, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Finally drizzle honey over each slice.

Place orange slices in oven or toaster oven set to broil. Broil until they are nice and brown on top. 15 minutes in my toaster oven, but probably less time in a regular oven.

Hope this has given you some simple but tasty things to try, a new word to play with, and some ideas about how to do some zhoozhing up of your own.

Thank you, January, for beautiful, bountiful oranges, grapefruits, kumquats, lemons, all things citrus and delicious!