When you need some omph – Chard With Capers, Anchovy and Sun-dried Tomatoes
If April is the cruelest month in England, March is it here in Italy. And this year more than others, tomorrow is the 8th of March and for the first time since I moved here (I think, I tend to concentrate on the present) the mimosa isn’t flowering. I don’t know about other countries but here you are supposed to give yellow fluffy sprays of Mimosa to women on the 8th of March; often they have already flowered but not this year. I have seen a few violets, with emphasis on few, around ten yellow flowers I only know the name of in Swedish (Vintergäck) and daffodils to be. So far no good when it comes to spring but I have my own personal solution, next week I’m off shooting a recipe book/cookbook that will come out in early June and we are shooting a lot outdoors in a late spring/early summer world so I will at least live it that way. And we are shooting by the sea too, keep your fingers crossed it won’t rain. That is a nice aspect of my job, I am allowed to create worlds that doesn’t exist with great people who works for me. It is really mind-blowingly nice for my ego to have people obeying all my wishes just like that, well I have to obey the client’s and the creative director’s wishes of course, but still, it pays for all the years I was the youngest in the family! And for my present life at home where the dog is the only one who really obeys me. He is my perfect child.
Chard is a bit bland I think, it is very beautiful to look at in a strict kind of way but when you eat it, it doesn’t really stand out much so this is how I serve it for days when we want more omph. It tastes good and it looks good if you spend a little time composing the dish.
Recipe sketch-Chard With Capers, Anchovy and Sun-dried Tomatoes: Cook or steam whole stalks of chard until they white part is soft. Put capers and sun-dried tomatoes to soak in small bowls with tepid water for 15 minutes. Drain and chop them finely. Chop a fillet or two of anchovies and go on chopping parsley as well. Mix all these and add extra-virgin olive oil. If you want you can add chili pepper as well. That’s it.
A splendid dish! Refined in its apparent simplicity – just like your gorgeous shots.
Cheers,
Rosa
This is exactly the type of recipe that you do so well. Have a great time on your shoot. I was in Italy twice on the day of La Donna. One day I had a grandchild born in Sicily, and one time I visited a sister. In both cases the women were getting all decked out to go out on the town.. I wore Acacia in my hair.
I love the sound of this. Big chard fan here. We’re definitely still in winter, sigh.
Great dish and food styling! I also enjoyed reading about the March 8th tradition. In my home, the tradition on March 8 is to celebrate my son’s birthday!
Oh! Look how beautiful the chard dish is! Wow! And lucky you for getting to shoot the cookbook… it’ll be great fun! And creatively inspiring!
This looks delicious! And of course your photos are beautiful.
Your Vintergäck is called Winter Aconite. It is in the Ranunculaceae family.
I know you will have a wonderful time photographing the cookbook.
Your photos are beautiful! Enjoy your time photographing. I leave you this sunny (after a couple of weeks, I think, of gray skies) morning with wishes for a return of bright sunshine prestissimo!
seems to be spring in the air as green kale and cahrd seems to be a favourite with foodies right now. ove the twist with the salty capers!
That sounds excellent. Since I really like chard it allows me to be lazy and just eat it steamed and seasoned with olive oil and lemon, but now I have this interesting recipe of yours to try!
Very creative!
And the photos….. gorgeous, as always