I don’t shut up on here about what a genius I think Erin McDowell is, I know, I know. But this month, my husband figured out that she is an expert at more than just pie crusts (which are my domain), and now there are TWO Erin McDowell devotees in our house. Which is just as it should be! Mostly I am pleased because not only has this meant logging some excellent Bake It Up A Notch viewing time, but it has also caused a major uptick in brioche production in my kitchen. And I’m not even the one who has to make it! As resident bread baker but avowed brioche-making hater, my husband has long eschewed it, but Erin McDowell made brioche seem a lot easier than he remembered (having a stand mixer makes a big difference), so he went for it after a years-long hiatus. And oh, man. That brioche is just unspeakably soft and delicious, truly. I defy anyone to resist it after smelling it baking in the oven, or to avoid a spontaneous swoon at first bite. I know it’s not exactly bread baking season, and I’m sorry about that. But if you’re feeling brioche-curious, I encourage you to give this recipe a shot (even if it has to wait a couple months). If nothing else, it will make the people in your life very, very, very happy. Or you can bring it to my house and make me very, very, very happy. Standing offer.
July Faves
#1: Lol, the pizza of course. I’m partial to this 72-hour crust (or using my all-time fave focaccia recipe as the crust), but this new-to-us recipe is definitely a great addition to the roster, and the fresh/low-moisture mozzarella combo Erin McDowell uses is perfect.
#2: The ghurma aloo, and not just because it was comprised entirely of homegrown veggies. It managed to be a cozy, delicious meal with a short ingredient list made in very little time, and is a great vehicle for using up veggie bits and bobs. Talk about an all-around weeknight winner.
#3: Probably the zucchini orzo bake. I didn’t write anything down so no recipe to share, but there are a zillion recipes out there in its general vein! The crispy cheese on top is worth the effort, even if your oven is like mine and you have to lay on the floor to keep an eye on the broiler. Only for you, crispy, bubbly cheddar. Only for you.
Honorary Mention: The brioche sundae, duh. Next month I won’t be so dumb and will skip directly to dessert.
- Kale salad with corn, watermelon, seared halloumi, shrimp, pistachios, and honey vinaigrette
- Creamy pasta with kale, tomato, green beans, and tuna
- Hand pies with sautéed kale and onion, Italian sausage, and taleggio (a calzone by another name, but made with rough puff pastry so it seems a bit unfair to claim the mantle of “calzone”)
- Zucchini cheddar orzo bake
- Ghurma aloo with green beans added in, with salty yogurt, peanuts, cilantro, and mint
- Romaine salad with crab, sugar snap peas, pecan dressing, and shaved pecorino
- Peach BBQ pulled pork sandwiches with a quick broccoli slaw
- Okay, I admittedly did not make this, but my husband made a fantastic pizza and it feels cruel not to share the crust recipe, so: Best Pan Pizza Dough (he topped it with homemade marinara, pepperoni, olives, Italian sausage, mozzarella, and fresh basil)
- Pizza soup (thinned out and zhuzhed up leftover pizza sauce, plus leftover Italian sausage and pepperoni, gnocchi, and some melted (leftover) mozzarella on top)
- Okroshka
- Farro and roasted cauliflower salad with tart dried cherries, golden raisins, toasted pecans, capers, and dijon vinaigrette
- Thai-ish coconut curry with green beans, spinach, potatoes, and tomato, with salty yogurt, peanuts, and mint
- Skillet-baked eggs with spinach, yogurt, and chili oil, with shredded zucchini added (please don’t tell my unborn child I ate runny yolks. And especially don’t tell them how delicious it was and how little I regret it…)
- Chilled coconut carrot soup with salty yogurt and pistachios
- Lentils with crispy tofu, broccolini, and spiced garlic oil (this recipe, minus the feta and lemon and plus the tofu/broccolini from this recipe)
- Kraft macaroni and cheese with hot dogs, Frank’s hot sauce, and ketchup
- Not dinner, but can’t not share: brioche with black raspberry ice cream and the world’s best, super easy hot fudge sauce
Law and Lentils 