Illustration by Jiaqi Wang
I missed you last week, Substack fam. I took a pause to celebrate Pride, and it was glorious. The kind of break that really filled me up—dance floors packed with queers, sweaty hugs, late-night laughter, and a perfect Sunday at Riis Beach, surrounded by sun and people who make me feel safe and seen.
Then came the whiplash. Zohran Mamdani’s win in the NYC Democratic primary for mayor was a rare and much-needed moment of hope for queer and trans folks, immigrants, and working-class New Yorkers. And just days later, the House passed a tax bill slashing funding for Medicare, Medicaid, reproductive care, gender-affirming care, and SNAP. It’s hard to feel steady when the ground keeps shifting beneath you.
But getting into the kitchen has a way of bringing me back to myself.
I find comfort in the rhythm of cooking. In simmering broth, layering spice, and tearing herbs with my hands. In building meals that are soft, crunchy, saucy, and fresh all at once. Not fancy, just good. Nourishing, crave-able, and full of small surprises. The kind of food that makes me grateful to be alive and know I am worthy of giving and receiving care.
Even when the world feels unrecognizable, my kitchen is still mine. I can make soup. I can braise pork. I can tuck a scallion pancake next to chewy noodles. And I can share it. This week reminded me that joy doesn’t cancel out grief. But it can sit beside it.
What I Cooked for My Clients
1️⃣ Bulgogi with Vegetable Japchae: Marinated beef with sweet potato noodles tossed in sesame oil with scallions, sautéed peppers, edamame, carrots, spinach, onions, mushrooms, and egg. Paired with scallion pancakes.
2️⃣ Summer Vegetable Pistou Soup with Caprese Sandwich: Zucchini, leeks, cherry tomatoes, collards, corn, farro, and white beans simmered in a light broth, finished with a basil-thyme-garlic pistou. Served with a ciabatta sandwich layered with heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella, and pistou.
3️⃣ Chicken Florentine with Whole Wheat Pasta & Strawberry Kale Fennel Salad: Creamy spinach sauce with garlic, shallots, and white wine over seared chicken. With a lemony kale, fennel, and strawberry salad with toasted almonds and Parmesan.
4️⃣ Honey-Soy Braised Pork Lettuce Wraps: Pork braised with soy, ginger, honey, and lime. With brown rice, lettuce cups, and a crunchy mix of green beans plus a scallion-ginger sauce.
5️⃣ Jerk Salmon or Shrimp Tacos with Mango Corn Salsa: Jerk-spiced salmon in tortillas with avocado, mango corn salsa, purple cabbage, creamy black beans, and cilantro lime brown rice.
Sweet: Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies 🍪
Bonus Recipe: Strawberry Peanut Butter Flax Smoothie (banana, honey, vanilla paste, Greek yogurt, and avocado for extra creaminess)
Recipes Below ♥️
Summer Vegetable Pistou Soup with Caprese Sandwiches
Serves 4–6 (Vegetarian, optionally vegan and/or gluten-free) Inspired by a recipe from Liesel Davis
Ingredients:
For the Soup:
1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ear sweet corn, kernels removed (about 1 cup)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
5 thyme sprigs
1 small fennel bulb, fronds removed, finely chopped
2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), quartered lengthwise and sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
1 Parmesan rind (optional)
8 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
¾ cup pearl barley or farro
6 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 bunch collard greens, blanched and thinly sliced (about 1 cup packed)
For the Pistou:
1 cup (packed) basil, finely chopped
2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
2 tbsp mint, finely chopped
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus more if needed)
2 tbsp finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving (omit for vegan version)
1 tsp lemon zest
For the Caprese Sandwiches:
4 ciabatta rolls
1 large heirloom tomato, sliced
1 (8 oz) ball fresh mozzarella, sliced (omit for vegan version)
Handful of arugula
½ cup pistou
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Flaky sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Roast the Tomatoes & Corn: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Toss tomatoes and corn kernels with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Scatter thyme over the top and roast on a rimmed baking sheet until the tomatoes are wrinkled and juicy, 30–35 minutes. Let cool slightly and discard thyme.
Start the Soup Base: Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add fennel, leeks, and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until soft but not browned, about 12–15 minutes.
Simmer the Broth: Add broth, bay leaf, Parmesan rind, and remaining thyme. Bring to a boil, then stir in barley or farro. Lower heat and simmer, covered, until grains are tender, 25–30 minutes.
Add Vegetables: Add green beans and zucchini and cook uncovered until just tender, 10–12 minutes. Stir in roasted tomatoes, corn, and collards. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and Parmesan rind. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Make the Pistou: In a tall container, blend the basil, chives, mint, olive oil, Pecorino, and lemon zest with an immersion blender until thick but spoonable. Add a little more oil if needed to loosen. (Alternatively, you can finely chop everything by hand and stir to combine.) Set aside to spoon over the soup and spread on sandwiches.
Assemble the Sandwiches: Split ciabatta rolls and layer with mozzarella, heirloom tomato, and arugula. Spread pistou on the top half. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
To Serve: Ladle hot soup into bowls. Drizzle pistou over each serving and offer extra cheese on the side. Serve with caprese sandwiches.
Chicken Florentine with Kale, Fennel & Strawberry Salad
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