The Weekly Menu

An Indian version of Colcannon, Roasted Carrots, Smoked Salmon, and Lemon Ice Cream

Mar 18

Hello Friends,

I’m trying to curb a habit. Every time I walk into my grocery store, I pick up plants. This week it’s pink jasmine and a miniature rose bush. As I write this, I realize every flowering plant in my office is pink. I’ve got a strong suspicion that this room will end up filled with A LOT of plants. Is there such a thing as too many plants in a room? I want to find a banana plant next…Also, fresh jasmine in the morning is a wonderful scent to experience.

I’ve picked the winners for the big giveaway I ran with Breville and ChefSteps. Congratulations to the winners - Debbie, Tori, Max, and Robin (you should have an email in your inbox)! I will pick a new winner if I don’t hear back by March 21, 2023.
I’m on The Splendid Table this week, talking with Francis Lam about playing with food textures to make food more interesting. Crispy fried onions are my go-to; I always keep some in the pantry. You should keep some too.
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I recently got to try Chef Massimo Bottura’s food at the Gucci Osteria in Beverly Hills at an event. The smashed lemon tart was my favorite part of the meal (no surprise since I lean more toward desserts, especially lemony things).
My book, The Flavor Equation, is now available in Traditional Chinese/Taiwanese!
Nicola Lamb
wrote this marvelous piece on canelés that I enjoyed immensely, and I know I need to bring out my molds and try her method.
Kitchen Projects
Kitchen Project #99: Canelé
Hello, Welcome to today’s edition of Kitchen Projects. It’s so wonderful to have you here. It’s a big one. Today I’m deep diving one of my favourite ever pastries. It was intimidating to say the least but I’m so excited for you to read it: Welcome to planet CANELÉ, the crispy crunchy custardy pastry of your dreams (even if you don’t know it yet…
Read more
17 days ago · 86 likes · 40 comments · Nicola Lamb
If you need to find any of my previous recipes, use The Recipe Index on top of my Substack. The Search box or The Recipe Index on my site is another way to access archived recipes.

The Weekly Menu

It’s a bonus week here with two new recipes on my site, and I’ve got an extra lemony ice cream made with buttermilk speckled with poppy seeds, plus my take on the Irish classic, colcannon.

Colcannon with Chaat Masala

While I usually make this on St. Patrick’s Day, you should make colcannon year-round. This classic Irish dish is made from creamy mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale, and I’ve tweaked it a little and given it my spin. Nutty, fragrant ghee replaces butter, while chaat masala adds a little kick of flavor. I can now confidently report that leftovers are great in a grilled cheese sandwich.

Lemon Poppy Seed Buttermilk Ice Cream

It might be cold outside, but eating ice cream is still a good idea, and even better if you make some at home. This is my new favorite based on the classic lemon and poppy seed pound cake.

Roasted Carrots Preserved Lemon Yogurt

One can never have too many roasted carrot dishes. This recipe delivers a lot of different and fun textures. That crunchy topping is very satisfying; you’ll want to apply it to other vegetable dishes.

White Beans, Potatoes, and Smoked Salmon

This could be a salad, but it’s also an excellent side, a fantastic brunch dish, and also great inside a bagel. It’s a dish that you can eat in many different ways. It’s smoked salmon and potatoes with creamy soft beans.