Out of all the dishes I created for Slow Food MN’s “Where the Wild Things Are” farm dinner, this was probably the crowd favorite, and one of my favorite spruce tip recipes to date. The evolution of it was a little interesting. The hosts of the event looked at my original menu and suggested we…
Side Dishes
Beluga Lentils With Black Trumpets and Mirepoix
I love black trumpet mushrooms and their fruity aroma, but they can be difficult to cook with though since they turn things black you cook with them. One way of getting around this is by just going with it and adding them to things that are black already. This simple recipe with black beluga lentils…
Root Vegetables With Pickled Ramp Glaze
Nothing evokes thoughts of winter to me like a bowl of properly cooked root vegetables. I can still remember the first time I cooked with real roots, and by that, I mean something that isn’t a baby carrot from a bag. I was 18, and thought I knew plenty about food. I didn’t know…
Burdock Mashed Potatoes
When I tell people I like to use burdock root, the first response I usually get is: “Oh yeah, that stuff that’s in sushi, right?” Yes, and no. When I dug my first burdock and cooked it (I source them for the Salt Cellar since I don’t have an army of foragers at my disposal,…
Peas With Porcini, Proscuitto, And Radish Snaps
This recipe came about after I talked to my friend Jess Flemming, food writer for the St. Paul Pioneer press. Jess and I met last year when she did a piece on the restaurant I was working at. Jess recently dedicated a piece of flesh to pork: she agreed to get a tattoo of the…
Brussels Sprouts With Pickled Hen Of The Woods
Brussels sprouts have come a long way. When I was growing up they were sort of a mystery. I remember eating them only once as a child and I didn’t like them one bit. I can still recall people talking about eating them like they were some form of torture. Slimy, soft, and stinky are…
Pickled Ramp Sour Cream
Pickled ramp sour cream is one of the most hard-working garnishes I’ve ever served. I remember tables regularly ordering multiples, or repeat sides of the roasted beet dish I used to serve with them that I’ll share with you, too. It’s no secret everybody loves picking ramps, and, of those that harvest their own, plenty…
