During harvest season, one of my favorite activities is heading out into the garden with a big, woven basket and collecting everything that is ripe and ready to eat. Back in the kitchen, I lay it all out on my counter top and begin to imagine how the various ingredients will come together into a few delicious, small plates, with a little help from my pantry. More and more, when people go out to eat, they order a range of dishes and pass them around the table, so that everyone can have a taste of the chef’s offerings. Whether you are at home or out on the town, small, communal plates are a wonderful way to enjoy a meal. In this class, we will make a range of dishes inspired by the garden and apply a number of culinary techniques to bring the meal together. Dishes may include blistered nardello peppers, carrot and beet salad with feta and cilantro, rustic fall quiche with hearty greens, grilled and marinated onions and peppers, late summer corn soup with seasonal mushrooms and blackberry buckles.
