Blog Posts by bon appétit magazine

The tall, crisped "chips" look striking when bunched in a tumbler, and they're terrific with cocktails. Roasting the leaves coaxes out a nutty, briny flavor that's kind of addictive.

Recipe by Dan Barber
Photograph by Jamie Chung

Ingredients:

• 12 large Tuscan kale leaves, rinsed, dried, cut lengthwise in half, center ribs and stems removed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Preheat oven to 250°F.
• Toss kale with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Arrange leaves in single layer on 2 large baking sheets.
• Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes for flat leaves and up to 33 minutes for wrinkled leaves.
• Transfer leaves to rack to cool.

• Learn More About Kale
• Sauteed Kale with Garlic, Shallots, and Capers
• Kale and Pecorino Crostini
• Kale Salad with Pine Nuts, Currants, and Parmesan
• Spaghetti with Braised Kale
• Kale and White Bean Stew
• Melted Kale with Farro

Learn health information about some of our favorite ingredients then put them to use in eight delicious recipes.
--Emily Fleischaker

1. BAY SCALLOPS are a nice way to get protein, and they're low in saturated fat and carbohydrates. The scallops are a good source of calcium and magnesium, which help maintain healthy bones.
Use them in: Linguine with Bay Scallops, Fennel, and Tomatoes

2. CHERRY TOMATOES contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that studies indicate may help prevent several types of cancer.
Use them in: Spice-Rubbed Steak with White Beans and Cherry Tomatoes

3. RED CABBAGE is rich in vitamin C, a famed antioxidant and immune-system booster. It's also full of anthocyanins, plant compounds that may help brain function, heart health, and metabolism.
Use it in: Caraway Chicken Breasts with Sweet-and-Sour Red Cabbage

4. KIDNEY BEANS are a good source of low-fat protein. They're rich in heart-healthy dietary fiber, as well as folate, which may help prevent heart disease

THE MENU

Edamame Dip with Pita Chips

Fennel and Celery Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

Primavera Risotto Nests with Fried Eggs

How to Use the Leftovers

Risotto Cakes with Greens and Lemon Aioli

8 first-course servings

Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and 1/2 garlic clove, minced. Put 1 1/2 cups panko in shallow bowl. Using generous 1 tablespoon cold risotto for each, shape 24 risotto balls. Make indentation in each; push in 1/2-inch cube mozzarella. Reshape balls, enclosing cheese. Dredge balls in panko; press to flatten. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in each of 2 large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat. Add 12 risotto cakes to each. Cover; cook until golden on bottom, 5 minutes. Turn cakes over. Cook uncovered until crisp on bottom, 3 minutes. Set 3 cakes on each of 8 plates of mixed greens; scatter with diced tomatoes. Drizzle with aioli. (Calories 225; Fat 14g; Fiber 2g)

• Top

There's a reason almost every country has at least one famous main course in crust. Warm delicious fillings wrapped in pastry are universally soul-satisfying. Make the most of the cold weather. Dig in.

--Emily Fleischaker

1. Root Vegetable and Mushroom Pie with Rosemary Biscuit Topping (pictured at left)

This hearty vegetarian pie gets an extra boost of flavor and texture from a homey rosemary biscuit topping.

2. Lamb and Eggplant Shepherd's Pie

This Greek-inspired shepherd's pie is made with lamb, eggplant, and oregano.

3.Moroccan-Style Chicken Pie (pictured at right)

B'stilla, a traditional Moroccan recipe, was the inspiration for this savory pie. The dish consists of a spiced chicken filling sandwiched between layers of phyllo pastry.

4. Chicken Pot Pies with Chanterelles

For these pot pies, chef Scott Parker first brines and roasts the chicken. Then he collects the rendered fat to use in his homemade puff pastry. If you're short on time, though, use purchased frozen puff

Maple trees may turn into blazing beauties in the fall, but their other high season is in March. That's when the sap starts to run and is collected for maple syrup (it takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup). To celebrate such a sweet sign of spring and explore this uniquely North American ingredient, here are six delicious ways to get pure maple flavor into your springtime cooking.

pictured from top clockwise:

1/ CANDIES
Brown Family Farm 100% Pure Maple Candy
These beguilingly shaped little candies are tender and melt-in-your-mouth creamy, with full, round flavor that's downright nostalgic. A box of 12 would be a sweet gift for someone you know who loves maple. $6 for a 12-piece box; 866-254-8718; brownfamilyfarmmaple.com

2/ COTTON CANDY
Jed's Maple Cotton Candy
A fluffy confection with delicate maple flavor, this cotton candy contains no artificial coloring. It's a guilty pleasure that's all-natural, and it would make a fun finish to a spring dinner party. $2

Chefs today are doing double duty as small-crop farmers. We asked some of these locavore foodies what they are growing for their springtime tables.

Megan Chase of Chase's Daily in Belfast, Maine, has planted sweet corn, Hungarian hot wax chiles, and cilantro, which she'll make into sweet-corn pizza. Wisconsin-born Simon Dolinky is taking advantage of the extended growing season in Southern California by cultivating hydroponic basil, rosemary, chives, thyme, microgreens, and mint to use in artisanal dishes and cocktails at Blvd 16 in Los Angeles. At Abattoir in Atlanta, Anne Quatrano is raising 18 varieties of watermelon, basil, and hot peppers that, along with a bit of ginger, will be a salad that's both zesty and cool. And Ryan Hoffman, manager of Oliverio at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills, is raising tomatoes for salad and Persian basil to infuse into cocktails.

--Libby Platus

Related:

• One Home Green Cure for the Winter Blues
• Extreme Locavore: Home Edition

Chilly days call for dessert that's warm, sticky, and just a little bit messy.

• Apple and Maple Bread Pudding
• Brandied Apricot Beignets with Chocolate Dipping Sauce
• Caramel-Banana Bread Puddings
• Caramel-Walnut Upside-Down Banana Cake
• Oatmeal, Pecan, and Date Sticky Biscuits
• Pecan Molasses Bundt Cake with Bourbon Glaze
• Pineapple Upside-Down Pumpkin Gingerbread
• Rhubarb and Raspberry Jam Roly-Poly with Vanilla Custard Sauce
• Roasted Pear Tarte Tatin with Brown Sugar-Balsamic Swirl Ice Cream
• Warm Jasmine Rice Puddings with Passion Fruit
• Yukon Gold Cinnamon Rolls (pictured at right and recipe below)
• Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding
• Honey, Date, and Pecan Tart

• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon

This subtly spiced, simple weeknight menu is a great way to introduce your kids to Indian cooking. The warming garam masala in the chicken recipe and cumin in the carrot dish are balanced perfectly by the cooling yogurt in the cucumber raita. Add a little basmati rice if you like for carbs and comfort.

MENU FOR 6
Easy Chicken Masala (recipe below)
Caramelized Cumin-Roasted Carrots
Cool Cucumber Raita

How to Use the Leftovers: Pile the leftovers onto flatbread and roll it up for the best brown bag lunch of the week.

Shred leftover chicken. Thinly slice carrots. Heat large flatbread in dry skillet or on dry griddle to warm. Place on work surface. Top with chicken and then faita; garnish with several fresh cilantro leaves. Fold flatbread over filling and serve with mango chutney, if desired.

--Emily Fleishchaker

Easy Chicken Masala
6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil