[ THE ART OF ]
The Dovetails
Meet the Dovetails – a collection of go-to ingredients and skills that turn everyday cooking into something extraordinary. They're simple, they're powerful, and they're always ready to add a little something special to your dishes. Think of Dovetails as your culinary ace, those secret ingredients that gives your cooking an edge. These essentials weave their way through our recipes, bringing a unique touch to each dish.
We believe that even the simplest meal deserves to be an experience, and these staples help you achieve just that.
The Art of Garlic Confit:
Garlic confit, a French culinary staple that transforms ordinary garlic into a rich and velvety masterpiece that adds a touch of magic to any dish. The slow-cooked garlic bulbs become tender, caramelized, and infused with fragrant olive oil, creating a luxurious spread that can transform even the most humble dish into a delight. Spread it over warm bread or toss it into pasta. Its mellow, sweet flavor is a game-changer in any dish.
The Art of Preserved Lemons:
Preserved lemons are a staple in Moroccan cuisine, known for their intense lemon flavor and unique texture. Made from lemons that are salted and left to ferment for several weeks or months, preserved lemons add a complex depth of flavor to any dish they are used in. The bright and tangy flavor is perfect for adding a pop of freshness to salads, marinades, and sauces.
Over time, the lemons will break down and soften, transforming into a concentrated burst of lemony goodness. To use them in your cooking, simply rinse off the excess salt and remove the pulp, using only the rind. The rind can be chopped finely and added to sauces, marinades, and dressings, or sliced thinly and used to add a bright pop of flavor to roasted vegetables or grilled meats.
The Art of Labneh:
Labneh is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine that has been around for centuries. With its rich, velvety texture and tangy flavor, it's no surprise that it has become a favorite around the world.
One of the joys of labneh lies in its versatility. It can be enjoyed as a spread on bread or crackers, used as a dip for vegetables or pita chips, or incorporated into dishes like salads and sandwiches. Its creamy texture and tangy taste add a delightful depth of flavor to both savory and sweet dishes.
But the art of labneh goes beyond its culinary uses. In Middle Eastern culture, labneh holds a special place as a symbol of hospitality and generosity. It is often served as part of a mezze platter, a selection of small dishes shared with family and friends.
The Art of the Kitchen Sink Pesto:
The art of the kitchen sink pesto lies in its versatility and resourcefulness. This approach to pesto-making allows you to use up leftover herbs, nuts, cheese, and other ingredients you have on hand, creating a unique and flavorful sauce every time.
Start with a base of fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, cilantro, or a combination of your choice. Add nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts, and a hard cheese like Parmesan or pecorino. Then, get creative by incorporating other ingredients like garlic, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, or even leafy greens like spinach or kale.
The beauty of kitchen sink pesto is that there are no strict rules – you can adjust the ingredients and quantities based on your preferences and what you have available.
Use kitchen sink pesto as a pasta sauce, spread it on sandwiches or wraps, or drizzle it over roasted vegetables or grilled meats. So next time you're looking to use up odds and ends in your kitchen, try making a batch of kitchen sink pesto!
The Art of Foraging:
Foraging flowers is a delightful way to add surprise and natural beauty to dishes, offering a range of flavors from sweet violets to earthy dandelions. Common edible flowers like nasturtiums, pansies, and marigolds provide both color and flavor. It's important to handle them with care, removing stems and rinsing petals gently.
Foraged flowers can be used in various ways in the kitchen, such as garnishing dishes, infusing flavor into syrups or oils, or creating floral desserts like lavender ice cream or rosewater panna cotta. One elegant use is to make a simple flower syrup by boiling equal parts sugar and water with flowers, then straining and storing the syrup for use in cocktails, lemonade, or drizzled over fruit salad.
The Art of Sourdough:
The art of sourdough is one that requires patience, practice, and a love for the craft. At its essence, sourdough is a living culture of wild yeasts and bacteria that has been passed down through generations. The process of making sourdough involves creating and maintaining a sourdough starter, which is a mixture of flour and water that captures the wild yeasts and bacteria present in the environment.
From there, the dough is crafted by combining the starter with flour, water, and salt, and then undergoing a long fermentation process. This allows the wild yeasts and bacteria to feed on the flour and produce carbon dioxide, which causes the dough to rise.
The beauty of sourdough lies in its versatility. It can be used to make everything from crusty loaves of bread to soft, fluffy pancakes. The fermentation process breaks down complex carbohydrates and gluten, making the bread easier to digest and reducing its glycemic index.
Making sourdough is not just a process, it’s an art. Each loaf of sourdough is unique, with its own character and flavor profile. Whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting out, the art of sourdough is a journey worth taking.
