August + September Life + Seared Broccoli With Caper Vinaigrette from Shabbat!
Early influencer-kids now, old Tweets, and broccoli done right.
Hello!
Thanks for your patience as my hand is healing. It’s still iffy, so typing this with my left…I just really wanted to get something out to you!
For your patience, a special surprise for all subscribers – a brand new recipe from a brand new book from one of my Top 5 cookbook authors of all time. And some extra roundup stuff, too.
And paid subscribers, be on the lookout in a couple weeks for September’s special guest, Bon Appetit editor Ali Francis (her roundup is great!), and another new recipe from me.
Missed being here and hope you’re well.
Love,
Jessica
The Things That Freaked My Week
63 Home Stores Decor Stores
We still have empty rooms in our house since moving in a year ago (part minimalism, more parts I’m super picky). I find myself going to the usual-suspect online home stores over and over again, because I don’t know where else to go…and then don’t buy anything, because I want something that feels more unique.
It’s getting to the point where we do need chairs to sit on – so this weekend I actually Googled “cool, unique, home stores” and this great roundup came up on AD. Granted, most of the chairs on these sites are 5K each…but they are really inspiring the kinds of shapes I want that I can hopefully thrift / create on my own.
Mezcla Bars
I’m obsessed with these! They are now my go-to bar. Spanish Almond Butter and Peruvian Cocoa Peanut Butter are my faves. And Heather (who introduced me to them) is a Japanese Matcha Vanilla fan. SO GOOD.
Influencer Parents and The Kids Who Had Their Childhood Made Into Content
A very interesting look at influencer parents who shared everything about their kids…without their consent. Now they’re grown up and have something to say about it.
“Cam started experiencing anxiety at the thought of leaving the house – what if someone else saw them who knew them from their mom’s Facebook page? To Cam, nothing seemed to be off limits. “It’s easier to tell you what my mom didn’t post,” Cam said. It got to the point where Cam didn’t want to tell their mom anything about their life because they knew it would be turned into content.”
Lucy Hunter
I recently discovered her work on the Garden People podcast. Her landscapes are stunning, and I’m equally obsessed with her wild, yet structured, dreamy English countryside floral displays / installations. And it looks like she has a new book coming out!
What Ever Happened To Taste
Sort of echoing the home-decor store dilemma above with this piece. There’s a sameness out there that seems to be growing everyday. I started watching Bama Rush and had to turn it off, because it made me sad just how much social is driving that sameness in the next generation.
“Our world is dominated by algorithms — by data collection that steers us toward a limited set of products and designers who have paid for the privilege of coming up first in our search. The result is that our taste has gotten, as the Real Housewives suggested, only more homogeneous, more limited. It’s hard to find something special — and why look for it, anyway?”
P.S. Still cannot believe Jenna Lyons is a Real Housewife and love her there.
Seared Broccoli With Caper Vinaigrette from Shabbat by Adeena Sussman
It’s here!! I have been waiting for this book since I fell in love Sababa (Adeena’s last cookbook) – which has the single best hummus recipe ever created. While Adeena’s books are pretty meat-heavy, she definitely has a thing for veggies, herbs, and lots of freshness. Most of her recipes are easy to adapt, too.
Her new book, Shabbat, is focused on Shabbat cooking. And “because tradition dictates that the Sabbath is reserved for downtime, it’s all about smart techniques and sound prep.”This book has lots of “nostalgic, cozy mains”and “sides and bright salads.”
As I wait for my hardcopy to arrive, I received a preview of the book and got a chance to share a recipe here. Enjoy!
SEARED BROCOOLI WITH CAPER VINAIGRETTE
Serves 4 to 6
7 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons jarred capers (2 1/2 tablespoons if salt-packed), drained, lightly rinsed, and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon finely minced hot chili pepper (seeds optional)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large head broccoli
6 tablespoons vegetable broth or water
1. In a medium bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of the olive oil with the lemon juice, capers, parsley, shallots, chili, salt, and black pepper.
2. Use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel the tough outer layer of the broccoli stem to reveal the paler green interior. Cut broccoli through the stem into four 1-inch “steaks,” some larger than others. You’ll have some stray florets; use them, too.
3. Heat a 9- or 10-inch skillet over medium high heat. Just before adding the broccoli, add 1 ½ tablespoons oil to the skillet. Add 2 steaks, season with salt, and sear until the underside is charred on the edges, 3 minutes. Flip, add 3 tablespoons of the broth, cover, and continue cooking until the underside is charred and the broccoli is bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining oil, steaks, and broth. Transfer to a serving platter and spoon the vinaigrette on top.
From SHABBAT by Adeena Sussman, published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright @ 2023 by Adeena Sussman
If you’re new here, check out last month: July Life
And some books by me:
One Part Plant: A Guide to Eating Real One Meal At a Time
Know Your Endo: An Empowering Guide To Health + Hope With Endometriosis