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It’s Interesting!: Roasted Eggplant, Red Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup
October 24, 2026

It’s Interesting!: Roasted Eggplant, Red Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup

My husband and I used to have a code for sophisticated food. We labeled them “interesting” rather than simply delicious. This is that kind of sophisticated dish, the kind you would serve at a special dinner party rather than a kid’s birthday. This recipe is…

Eggplant, Soups, Tomatoes, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Whatever the Weather– It’s A Good Time For Minestrone
October 17, 2026

Whatever the Weather– It’s A Good Time For Minestrone

Soup is good for you in cold weather. Soup is good for you in hot weather. Soup is good.  This Minestrone is substantial with big delicious chunks of carrots and potatoes and end-of-the-season zucchini. The recipe is welcoming to endless variations making it a perfect…

Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Oldies Bit Goodies: Mediterranean Spinach Salad With Dates and Almonds
October 12, 2026

Oldies Bit Goodies: Mediterranean Spinach Salad With Dates and Almonds

Every month Blue Cayenne features recipes from our archive of more than four hundred recipes. These recipes are our “Oldies But Goodies.” Today’s Oldies But Goodies recipe is for a beautiful Mediterranean Spinach Salad With Dates and Almonds

Here is the link: Mediterranean Spinach Salad With Dates and Almonds.

Want to dive deeper into our archive? Just click one of the categories at the top of this page or use the category search drop down menu on the right side of this page.

And…here is a link to Blue Cayenne’s main page:Blue Cayenne. . If you are in the mood to cook (or eat!), we hope you will take a moment to look at the many excellent recipes we have featured.

Uncategorized
Summer Heat Wearing You Down? Celebrate Autumn With Persimmon Bread
October 3, 2026

Summer Heat Wearing You Down? Celebrate Autumn With Persimmon Bread

We’re in the midst of a hellacious heatwave here in Southern California. Lots of sun and way too much humidity! (I had to look up the spelling of hellacious just now  and my spell checker suggested hilarious. Now that is funny!) So…I’m longing for autumn…

Cakes, Desserts, Vegetarian
Oldies But Goodies: Asparagus In Puff Pastry
September 26, 2026

Oldies But Goodies: Asparagus In Puff Pastry

Every month Blue Cayenne features recipes from our archive of more than five hundred recipes. These recipes are our “Oldies But Goodies.” Today’s Oldies But Goodies recipe is for Asparagus In Puff Pastry. Here is the link: Asparagus In Puff Pastry. Want to dive deeper…

Oldies But Goodies, Uncategorized, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Zucchini, Green Olive and Feta Fritters
September 19, 2026

Zucchini, Green Olive and Feta Fritters

Boy, did those dictionary people get that one wrong!

These Zucchini Green Olive and Feta Fritters are in no way a waste of time. They have that wonderful crispy bit that you crave in a fritter. The center of the fritter is moist and substantial. The feta and green olives give the fritter a delightful bite.  So, make these. They are wonderful. 

Fritters have been a popular food for a very long time. In western cooking, references to fritter-like dishes date to the 14th Century where they were popular in royal  courts, as a cheap street food and at festivals and fairs. A Medieval cookbook from the reign  of Richard II showcases a fritter made from apples, sugar and spices., for example. Beyond Europe, fritters enjoyed considerable popularity, too, as foods like Indian pakoras and  Japanese tempura.

This is not Blue Cayenne’s first rodeo with fritters either. We have a couple of great recipes here already. For example, these Zucchini and Carrot Fritters shine: Zucchini and Carrot Fritters.

 

 

This recipe is from Julia Turshen cookbook, Simply Julia.You can buy this cookbook through your local bookstore and on Amazon here.

Here is the recipe as I prepared it in my kitchen. 

Zucchini, Green Olive and Feta Fritters

September 19, 2026
Print This
Ingredients
  • For the Sauce
  • 1/2 C. full-fat plain regular (not Greek) yogurt
  • 1 T. lemon juice
  • 1 garlic love (minced)
  • 1/4 t. kosher salt
  • For the Fritters
  • 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
  • 2 T. cornstarch
  • 1/2 t. baking powder
  • 1/2 t. kosher salt
  • 1 large zucchini (coarsely grated and squeezed dry)
  • 1/4 C. green olives (pitted, chopped)
  • 1/4 C. feta cheese (crumbled)
  • 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
  • 1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
  • Lemon wedges for garnish
Directions
  • Step 1 To make the sauce, combine all ingredients. Whisk. Set aside.
  • Step 2 To make the Fritters, combine flour, cornstarch,, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
  • Step 3 Grate zucchini. Put it in a towel and twist the grated zucchini to squeeze out as much of the zucchini’s “water” as possible. Mix the grated zucchini with the flour mixture.
  • Step 4 Add. olives, feta and egg to the zucchini/flour mixture. Stir to combine.
  • Step 5 Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. You want the zucchini batter to sizzle when the fritters are fried in the oil. Once the oil is hot enough, spoon tablespoons of the batter into the oil. Use the back of a spoon to press the batter into a flat fritter to fry. Fry the fritters for about 3 minutes on one side and then flip and fry for about 2 minutes on the other side. You want the fritters to be nicely browned. (You can add a bit more oil to the pan as you fry the fritters if that is necessary.)
  • Step 6 Remove the fritters from the pan and let them dry a bit on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle the tops of the fritters with a bit of salt.
  • Step 7 Serve immediately with the sauce and slices of lemon.
Main Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian
An Ode To Late Summer Tomatoes: Tomatoes Stuffed With Rice
September 17, 2026

An Ode To Late Summer Tomatoes: Tomatoes Stuffed With Rice

  Sunday is my Farmers’ Market day. Can’t wait. In particular, I’m looking for peak-of-the-season tomatoes. In recent weeks the vendors at my market have artfully arranged mounds of all sorts of beautiful tomatoes on their tables in colors ranging from bright golden yellow flecked…

Entree, Main Dishes, Tomatoes, Vegetables, Vegetarian
A Great Brownie With A Decadent Ganache Frosting
September 10, 2026

A Great Brownie With A Decadent Ganache Frosting

They’re ooey and gooey and delicious. This brownie recipe is from David Leibovitz’ updated The Great Book of Chocolate cookbook. You can order the book through your local bookstore or on Amazon here. According to Lebovitz, this recipe originated with The Downtown Bakery and Creamery in…

Chocolate, Desserts
It’s a Beauty! Broccoli, Red Pepper and Spinach Quiche
September 5, 2026

It’s a Beauty! Broccoli, Red Pepper and Spinach Quiche

This is a wonderful quiche recipe. It is adaptable to just about whatever you have in your refrigerator crisper.

I used broccoli, red pepper and spinach in my recipe and it was great. This is a Melissa Clark recipe and she used sweet potato, bacon and parsley in the original recipe.

While this quiche is special enough (and pretty enough) to serve at a party, it is perfect reheated in your oven for weeknight meals. I’ve enjoyed slices of this quiche with a bowl of hearty lentil soup (Egyptian Lentil Soup) but also with a light green salad dressed with an assertive vinaigrette (Little Black Dress Vinaigrette). Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve also enjoyed a slice (or two…or three!)  for breakfast with a steaming pot of my best Darjeeling tea and my morning New York Times .World news may be frightening but this quiche makes for a substantial and delicious start for the day.

The crust in this recipe is really nice, too. Clark’s trick for reinforcing the edges of the quiche shell makes for a sturdy quiche shell that holds together.

This recipe is from Melissa Clark’s Dinner in French cookbook. You can order the book through your local bookstore or on Amazon here.

Here is the recipe as I prepared it in my kitchen.

Red Pepper, Broccoli and Spinach Quiche

September 5, 2026
Print This
Ingredients
  • For the Crust
  • 2 C. all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 t. fine sea salt
  • 1/4 t. sugar
  • 1 C. unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
  • Scant 1/2 C. ice water
  • For the Filling
  • 3 C. roasted mixed vegetables
  • 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/4 t. fine sea salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 C. heavy cream
  • 3/4 t. lemon zest
  • 1/8 t. black pepper
  • 1/8 t. nutmeg
  • 1/2 C. grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
  • Step 1 Put flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of your food processor. Mix.
  • Step 2 Add the cubed butter to the flour mixture and pulse until the butter is the size of a large bean.
  • Step 3 Drizzle the ice water into the flour/butter mixture and pulse until it begins to come together. Less is more here, so you may not need to use the 1/2 C. of ice water. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured counter and knead a few times until you have a ball of dough. Flatten the ball into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm it up. (This dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
  • Step 4 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.and arrange oven racks so that one rack is in the upper third of the oven and one rack is in the lower third of the oven.
  • Step 5 Prepare a 10-inch quiche pan with a removable bottom by buttering it.
  • Step 6 Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out into a 12 inch circle on a lightly floured counter. Roll the rolled-out dough around your rolling pen and drape it across the quiche pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the quiche pan. Fold any excess dough down over the edges of the quiche shell to strengthen the sides of the quiche. Once you have done this, use your fingers to press the edges of the quiche dough about 1/4 inch above the rim of the pan. Use a fork to dock the dough. Put the shell into the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours).
  • Step 7 Remove the quiche shell from the refrigerator. Grease a piece of cooking foil and press it into the quiche shell with the greased side down. Fill the foil with pie weights or beans and bake for 15 minutes on the upper rack of your oven. After 15 minutes, remove the shell from the oven and remove the pie weights and foil. Return the shell to the oven and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes. You want your shell to just begin to show some browning. Remove the shell from the oven and place the shell on a rack to cool slightly.
  • Step 8 While the crust of your quiche is baking, roast your vegetables in your 425 degree F. oven. You need about 3 cups of vegetables cut into small cubes. I used broccoli and red peppers which I tossed in olive oil and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Roast these vegetables on a baking tray on the lower shelf of your oven (stirring once after 10 minutes). Separately, I steamed about half a bunch of fresh spinach which I then chopped. Once your vegetables have roasted, remove the tray from the oven and let the vegetables cool.
  • Step 9 Reduce the heat setting for your oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Step 10 Using a bowl, mix the eggs, cream, lemon zest, 1 t. salt, pepper and nutmeg together.
  • Step 11 To assemble the quiche, scatter the roasted vegetables and grated cheddar on the bottom of the par-baked crust. Then,, carefully pour the egg batter into the shell. Finally, sprinkle the grated Parmesan on the top of the quiche. Bake the quiche on the lower rack in your oven for about 30-35 minutes. You want the quiche to be puffed and brown. Remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before removing the ring from the quiche pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Main Dishes, Quiche
Oldies But Goodies: Carrot-Orange Olive Oil Cake
August 28, 2026

Oldies But Goodies: Carrot-Orange Olive Oil Cake

  Every month Blue Cayenne features recipes from our archive of more than four hundred recipes. These recipes are our “Oldies But Goodies.” Today’s Oldies But Goodies recipe is for an Carrot-Orange Olive Oil Cake Here is the link: Carrot-Orange Olive Oil Cake. Want to dive…

Cakes, Oldies But Goodies

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Featured Posts

The Best Things In Life Are…Well …Simple: James Beard’s Macaroni and Cheese
October 2, 2019

The Best Things In Life Are…Well …Simple: James Beard’s Macaroni and Cheese

  “Our life is frittered away by detail… simplify, simplify.” Henry David Thoreau     This very simple James Beard recipe for macaroni and cheese caught my eye on a day when I was craving the quintessential American dish. Sometimes a simple recipe reminds us…

Cheese, Pasta, Vegetarian
Let’s Do Blueberry Brunch Cake
June 30, 2021

Let’s Do Blueberry Brunch Cake

Brunch. It’s a portmanteau– a made up word joining two words and two meanings. You know, a blend. List and article: Listicle. Smoke and fog: Smog. Breakfast and lunch: Brunch.  Actually, Blue Cayenne’s sweet Chief Quality Officer (CQO)  Juliet is probably a portmanteau, too. Juliet…

Cakes, Desserts, Fruit, Fruits, Vegetarian
Ratatouille
January 17, 2018

Ratatouille

  Today’s plat du jour on my table is ratatouille, a classic French vegetable stew that is a specialty of cooks in Provence and Nice. Apparently, a lot of other Mediterranean countries claim some version of this dish, too, so you may have encountered ratatouille under…

Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

All Time Favorites

Soup in July? Lemony White Bean Soup

Soup in July? Lemony White Bean Soup

Soup in July? Is that  even allowed?  This is highly rated soup from Melissa Clark’s Dinner In One cookbook. You can order the book through your local bookstore or on Amazon here. If, on the other hand, you are craving a cold soup to get you…

Beans, Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian
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July 10, 2026
Oldies But Goodies: Turkish White Beans

Oldies But Goodies: Turkish White Beans

Beans! Glorious beans! This is an enthusiastic repeat recipe for Blue Cayenne. We originally featured the recipe back in May of 2024. Here is the link and the recipe: Turkish White Beans. This recipe is from Yasmin Khan’s cookbook, Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories From Turkey,…

Beans, Vegetables, Vegetarian
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March 18, 2026
A New Look at Marcus Samuelsson’s Ethiopian Beans: White Beans With Coconut Milk and Berbere

A New Look at Marcus Samuelsson’s Ethiopian Beans: White Beans With Coconut Milk and Berbere

Jose Andreas. Marcella Hazan. Jacques Pepin.  Elena Zalayeta Masaharu Morimoto Marcus Samuelsson. And on and on and on…and on. These women and men have enriched the American culinary world.  Immigrants all.  So here, in the spirit of recognizing  and celebrating the creativity, drive and good…

Beans, Main Dishes, Stews, Vegetables, Vegetarian
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January 18, 2026
White Beans With Spinach and Parmesan

White Beans With Spinach and Parmesan

It’s October already and time to start thinking of cold weather comfort foods.  Nothing fits that bill quite like beans. This recipe combines Rancho Gordo alubia blanca beans with generous quantities of parmaesan cheese and chile crisp for a stewed bean dish perfect for those…

Beans, Main Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian
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October 19, 2025
Good Memories: Bean Salad

Good Memories: Bean Salad

This recipe brings back fond memories of parties in my home. On my buffet table, a three bean salad was always a reliable dish–easy to put together, flexible, and interesting. Recently, my local Farmer’s Market has been offering beautiful yellow was beans that reminded me…

Beans, salad, Salad Dressings, Salads, Vegetables, Vegetarian
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July 23, 2025
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