Grilled Zucchini with Chimichurri

You've probably noticed that recently I’ve published more zucchini recipes than usual. The reason is that we have so much zucchini in our garden that's begging to be harvested.

My favorite method by far for preparing zucchini is grilling. Since zucchini tends to be a little bland, in this recipe I flavored them with chimichurri sauce. This sauce consists of a combination of Italian parsley, pickled garlic, Champagne pear vinegar, lemon, lemon thyme, coriander and extra-virgin olive oil. I also topped the zucchini with a little queso fresco before serving.

Fig and Farro Stuffed Poblano Pepper Recipe

I prepared stuffed Poblano peppers in three steps. First, I cooked balsamic shallots until they were very soft and turned almost into a compote. Then, I cooked ground beef in chipotle fig sauce and mixed in plump and chewy farro berries. The last step consisted of stuffing the beef mixture into halved Poblano peppers and baking in the oven until golden.

Today, I used Bellindora balsalmic fig vinegar in this dish. The flavor is wonderful and I think the addition of dried fig spread added more sweetness to the sauce. These vinegars are so versatile!

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Chinese Cabbage and Lotus Salad Recipe

When writing my second cookbook, Banh Mi, which by the way is already available for preview and pre-order, I tried to share authentic and traditional recipes for Vietnamese sandwiches, condiments and sides. If you've ever tasted a bánh mì, you probably are familiar with the standard condiment of pickled carrots and daikon. It takes the place of cornichon-based pickles (tiny French gherkin pickles) found in Western sandwiches.

You can of course vary the ingredients to your liking, and in this recipe I prepared a modified version of the bánh mì condiment with shredded Chinese cabbage, pickled lotus and freshly-picked satsuma mandarins that baby Aria helped me gather from our garden --follow me on Twitter and Facebook to see more pictures-- (sadly it was our very last batch). With a few peanuts and a nice dressing, it makes a great salad. Though it isn't strictly speaking a traditional pickle, you could also use it in your own bánh mì sandwich. The flavors are mellow enough to let the meat or tofu of your choice shine.

Crispy Potato Flower Recipe

The preparation of this visually striking potato dish is fairly easy if you own a mandoline. Very-thinly-sliced potatoes are parboiled, then brushed with a butter and oil mixture. The slices are then stacked in individual ramekins to mimic flower petals.

It’s an elegant and innovative way to have potatoes as a part of your Thanksgiving table. With my first cookbook on shelves very soon (it's due out on December 18th), I'm going to be posting a lot of potato dishes that didn't make into to the book. If you’re interested, you can pre-order it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble!

Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts

My husband Lulu and I are leaving our baby with her grandparents tomorrow and will visit Brussels, Belgium. To mark the occasion, I cooked Brussels sprouts with châtaignes pelées au feu (peeled, fire-roasted peeled chestnuts). Sautéed with shallots in butter, Brussels sprouts have a starchy texture similar to the chataignes and make a wonderful side dish.

For added color, I added sun-dried tomatoes.