Roasted Buckwheat with Sauteed Vegetables (Kasha)

Roasted buckwheat (kasha) is a staple starch in Eastern Europe. I serve it once in a while in place of rice or potatoes. I especially make it for the vegetarians in the house to provide a little variety to their diet. Buckwheat is very healthy, and has a nutty flavor and lentil-like texture.

This preparation in particular is reminiscent of a daal recipe that is served dry as opposed to soupy. If you've never had buckwheat before, it's certainly worth a try!

Roasted Garlic Fingerling Potatoes in Thyme and Butter

Fingerling potatoes are a small (probably the smallest) variety of potatoes. They have a very cute, narrow shape. The flesh is firm and yellow. They are not too starchy like Russet potatoes. I love roasting them and serving them as appetizers. It's a perfect bite-sized amuse-bouche, which literally means "playful in the mouth" in French. They will be a hit at your next fancy dinner party.

How to Cook Perfect Wild Rice

In cooking, there is a difference between simple and easy. Easy recipes don't require a lot of skill to prepare. Then, there are recipes that are simple: that is to say that there are few ingredients, but the preparation of the ingredients may be very complex.

Cooking rice is as much an art as it is a science. I remember watching a program when chef Morimoto talked about how difficult it is to prepare properly seasoned sushi rice. I'm no expert at making sushi rice but I do make a lot of brown, basmati,  jasmine and wild rice for my husband. If cooked improperly, wild rice can taste like horse food. But it doesn't have to be that way, I've discovered some method and techniques that will produce a softer, more delicate end product . Just because wild rice is good for you doesn't mean that it can't taste good as well.

A special note: The wild rice in the picture was given by my father-in-law's friends from Minnesota.