There is a certain tenor my cooking develops as we dip further into Spring. Around Charleston the farmers market is brimming with new life - a gentle hum before it erupts in May and June. It is a quiet electricity that propels me into the kitchen but I’m not doing much to the raw ingredients when they are this good. Mostly just slicing or chopping. Maybe a quick blanch to temper the youth of sprightly greens before bathing them in olive oil and the hot kiss of freshly grated garlic, which mellows under gentle heat as they cool to room temperature.
On the weekend I hit the market early and cook in the late morning. I prefer my meals at room temperature, so we leave cooked piles of greens or crunchy salads scattered on plates for the day, hoping for friends to pop in and be fed. Even if no one shows, I just like the way it looks on the countertop: pewter bowls and stoneware plates adorned with fresh, simple food.
When lunch beckons I like to imagine myself in some distant countryside - Provence, maybe, even though I’ve not spent any time there. But there is a rhythm I conjur when I think about a weekend lunch. It is easy, breezy, and natural, with food that resists preciousness and doesn’t beg for attention. Foods that are easy to make, and easy to enjoy.
For these kinds of meals, I have a few go-to dishes that eat light but sustain for the day. A frittata is one, which only gets better as it cools and the flavors wed. But for total ease, I reach for my large glass jar of chickpea flour. With VERY little effort (and some water, which you should have), you can turn it into a stunner of a lunch. In our house we call them chickpea pancakes, but in other universes they're known as farinata.
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