Erica De Mane

Recipes: Fingerling Potato Salad with White Wine, Thyme, and Shallots Red New Potato Salad with Tarragon Mayonnaise and Capers Yukon Gold Potato Salad with Wild Arugula and Summer Garlic One reason I love making potato salad is because it gives such a great opportunity to show off extra-virgin olive oil. I dress the potatoes while [...]

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Spring Garlic at the Union Square Greenmarket. Recipes: Snap Peas with Pancetta, Young Garlic, and Mint Cavatelli with Shell Peas, Squid, and Young Garlic Grilled Trout with Black Olives and Tarragon and Young Garlic Vinaigrette Chicken Roasted with Limoncello and Young Garlic Fresh young garlic is absolutely my favorite warm-weather vegetable, and I wait for [...]

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There are fancy cheese shops in Manhattan, such as Murray’s and Artisanal, where I shop quite often but find few if any Southern Italian cheeses. Granted, most cheeses from the Mezzogiorno are not as sophisticated as some Northern ones, but they have special flavors that stay close to my heart, and I have a huge [...]

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Fresh asparagus at Union Square. Recipes: Fava Beans, Mozzarella, Mint, and Spring Onion Fennel and Mozzarella with Basil and Anchovies Roasted Asparagus, Mozzarella, and Parsley Oil Often with the first hit of warm weather here in Manhattan my mind jumps ahead, bypassing spring to start thinking about summer. And to my culinary mind, summer means [...]

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My path from nervous, uncertain cook to creative good one was slow but exciting. When I think about some of the strange and occasionally inedible meals I made for friends and family during my early forays into cooking, it’s amazing that I had the drive to persevere and come out the other end. Of course [...]

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Recipes: Torta with Sweet Onions, Anchovies, and Potatoes Zucchini, Ricotta, and Basil Torta Swiss Chard Torta with Pine Nuts and Dates I just came back from a little off-season trip to Liguria, the area along the Mediterranean that encompasses Genoa and also such famous beach towns as Portofino and San Remo, which are stunning and [...]

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Recipes: Watercress, Strawberry, and Sautéed Shallot Salad Watercress Salad with Prosciutto, Sautéed Celery, and Pine Nuts Watercress with Beets, Ricotta Salata, and Thyme Vinaigrette Watercress and Squid Salad with Capers and Pistachios I really look forward to the wild watercress I start seeing at the Greenmarket in May. The stuff is so alluringly biting and [...]

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Recipes: Chickpeas with Rosemary and Saffron Israeli Couscous with Scallions, Pine Nuts, and Marjoram Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes and Parsley I usually consider the simplicity or complexity of my squid preparation when picking a side dish to pair it with. Simple grilled or quick-sautéed squid flavored only with lemon or a single herb can take [...]

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Recipes: Quick-Sautéed Calamari with Rosemary, Bread Crumbs, and Watercress Slow Braised Calamari with Basil, Peas, and a Hint of Cinnamon Calamari Stuffed with Arugula and Almonds and Braised in Sweet White Wine In the middle of winter I start to feel that anything goes in cooking, and lately I’ve found myself thinking a lot about [...]

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Recipes: Escarole Salad with Ricotta Salata, Burst Grape Tomatoes, and Marjoram Vinaigrette Chicory and Pine Nut Salad with Warm Pancetta-and-Caper Vinaigrette Endive and Prosciutto Salad with Toasted Almonds and Parsley Raw Fennel Salad with Anchovy-Tarragon Vinaigrette Seared Shrimp Salad with Radicchio and Rosemary When the holidays, with all their glorious, festive food, are over, I [...]

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