Okay, so it’s not knitting, but….good food is one of the great pleasures in life.  And it gives me an excuse to sneak in a little local flavor, a little gardening.

Honey Vinaigrette

Basically this is a standard vinaigrette with the addition of local honey. I used some eucalyptus honey I got from the Torrance Farmer’s Market. (There’s a great stand there with a multitude of honeys, all of which taste different.)

Whisk together:

  • 1/3 cup of champagne vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup of honey

Slowly pour in 1 cup of canola oil while continuing to whisk.  Whisk til emulsified.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Re-whisk if needed before using.

You can alter the ratio of vinegar to oil if needed; if the dressing is too tart, just add a bit more oil.

Great with arugula and radicchio salad.

Kale and Garlic

Okay, this one is even less precise than the recipe above.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan over low to medium heat.  Add several cloves of minced garlic (don’t let them burn!).  Add 1 LARGE (it really shrinks down) bunch of chopped kale (Lacinato is one of my favorites;  I also like the Russian Red).  Saute until the kale is tender.  Salt and pepper to taste.

I grow both types of kale on our garage roof.  I’ve also planted some kale in the ‘side yard’.