BAKING

Giovanna’s Dill Macaroni Salad

My grandmother always had fresh dill growing in her garden in Iron Mountain, Michigan and as a result, she always had a dish on the dinner table that invariably incorporated this aromatic herb. I was the youngest in a family of five children, and of my grandmother’s four children, three of them had a mess of kids, so her little house was always busting at the seams with grandchildren, so meals were made in large quantities, to say the least.

With the dawning of a new year unfurling before us, and as Knoxy and I continue to work diligently on the completion of the cookbook, many of these homey but delicious recipes have come rushing back into my consciousness as I remember all those summers cooking at my grandmother’s side.

I suppose it’s the fallout of the holidays, being around family members that I haven’t seen in almost a year, and the enormous meals that we shared while they were in town.

More than anything, though, I know in my heart that these memories are bubbling up because my Nonna is never far from my thoughts. As the work for the book comes to a building crescendo, my heart keeps pulsing sentimental flashes of my mother and my Nonna, from whom I learned the fundamentals of cooking. Every time I’d join my grandmother at the pasta-making table, she would always remind me that the most precious ingredient, no matter how ‘homey’ or simple the dish, was to consistently make everything with love.

“Love,” she said, “is the most coveted of all the essences and if you bring it to your cooking, it will always be tasted, if not felt, by those who get to enjoy it.”

So fill your kitchen with some love with this refreshing Dill Macaroni Salad, which I’ve gone ahead and named after my grandmother, that is perfect for a potluck or the next large family dinner you may be having. I love this recipe not only because of the source, but because it is extremely easy to make and always garners rave reviews. The seasonal and cayenne pepper add a nice little kick that will cause eyebrows to rise as if quietly making a subconscious toast.

After another full day of shooting, Knoxy and I went totally super-conscious, uncorked a fabulous bottle of red wine, and raised our glasses, along with our eyebrows.

GIOVANNA’S DILL MACARONI SALAD

12 ounces gluten free elbow pasta
1 cup gluten free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1-tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons seasonal
¼ teaspoon dried mustard
1/8-teaspoon white pepper
1/8-teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons minced white onion
1 heaping cup diced celery stalk
1 small green pepper, diced
¼ heaping cup diced carrots
2 tablespoons chopped pimentos
1 ½ tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Boil the pasta until tender. Drain and rinse with cool water and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, seasonal, dried mustard, white pepper and the cayenne until smooth.

Stir in the minced onion, diced celery stalk, green pepper, carrots, chopped pimentos and the fresh dill. Fold in the pasta until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.

Garnish with an additional sprig of dill and serve immediately.

Serves 6

January 18th, 2010 — 11:07 pm

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