Pamela Anderson is having a moment.
Monday night, the Canadian-American actress stunned onlookers when she took the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for The Met Gala in a gem-encrusted, structured Tory Burch gown, her signature long tresses cut into chin-length bob with full baby bangs.
If you’re thinking Anderson — who earned her first Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild best actress nominations for “The Last Show Girl” and will appear in the Williamstown Theatre Festival’s revival of “Camino Real” this summer — is an odd fit for a cookbook column, you’re wrong. She’s many things — model, actress, activist, mother and most recently, cookbook author and cooking show host.
Her cookbook, “I Love You,” published by Voracious in October 2024, began as a box of recipes for her sons, Brandon Thomas Lee and Dylan Jagger Lee, who were moving into a new home with their girlfriends. The box was filled with their favorite recipes, some passed down, others from her own personal food journey, all plant-based.
I’ve always been a fan of Anderson, but I rediscovered her as an adult in 2019, when she appeared on “The Hills: New Beginnings,” a reboot of the MTV reality show, “The Hills.” She appeared in two episodes, visiting her son, Brandon, a main cast member. What I remember, is, Anderson, stocking her son’s cabinets during a visit, giving him life advice — I had never seen her just being herself, a mother. I fell in love with that version of her.
Perhaps that’s why I adore, “I Love You: Recipes from the Heart.” It’s a love letter to her sons as much as it is to her mother, grandparents and a neighbor who fostered a young girl’s curiosity in the kitchen. Anderson invites you, with photographs and handwritten script, to Arcady, her family homestead on Vancouver Island, where she gardens, grows vegetables, cooks and bakes bread. She shares gardening tips, pantry staples and kitchen tools she loves in addition to her favorite recipes, compiled in chapters based on time of day and year, ie. Waking with the Sun, Afternoon Tea, Light Summer Suppers, Comfort Food for Cozy Days.
I decided to test out a few recipes: Moroccan Anti-Inflammatory Lentil Soup from the chapter of Light Summer Suppers; Hummus with Crispy Chickpeas from the Aperitif chapter and La Vie En Rose Olive Oil Cake from a chapter of Sweets.
I chose the soup because I’ve been on a lentil-based soup kick ever since I attended Milk Street’s bootcamp at the end of January. And, because in the headnote for this recipe Anderson writes:
“This is my go-to soup that everyone loves and expects as a welcome when they come to visit.
— Mom, why isn’t there any soup?
— Well, you just arrived and it’s midnight!
— Still, why isn’t there any soup?
I’ll never make that mistake again …”
(I can only hope that I have a similar conversation with our son someday.)
This soup was such a joy to make and eat. It was bright and light, yet filling. With just the two of us at home, this recipe fed us for days — it was enough for two dinners and at least two lunches a piece.
The olive oil cake is a must try. I originally planned for us to each have a slice or two and bring the rest in to the office. Light and moist with a burst of citrus, this cake was gone before I could take it to the office. It was enjoyed as a dessert, but on several mornings was seen on a breakfast plate. My husband, Rob, declaring it a perfect pairing with his morning coffee. (The only thing I will say is that I baked the cake for 40 minutes, a little longer than the 25 minutes in the recipe, but I chalk that up to having an electric oven.)
The hummus was chosen out of sheer desire to make my own hummus, which I’ve never done before. And, because, I had tahini on hand. This hummus is on par with the fresh hummus I’ve purchased locally — billowy with slight burst of lemon.
There’s a whole chapter on bread I haven’t gotten to, but can’t wait to have a day to explore. And, I’m looking forward to making an iron skillet full of cinnamon rolls with maple glaze in the coming week, when our son, Isaac, arrives home from college.
MOROCCAN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY LENTIL SOUP
(Excerpted from “I LOVE YOU” by Pamela Anderson with Maria Zizka. Copyright © 2024 by Anderson Media Company, LLC. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.)
Makes about 8 cups
Serves 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 bunch small carrots, diced
2 small potatoes (12 ounces / 340 g), diced
1 cup cubed butternut squash
1 cup cubed sweet potatoes
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup French green lentils (but any will work)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
8 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup red lentils
One 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cups (130 g) baby spinach
Toppings such as plant sour cream, chile oil, parsley or cilantro, cracked black pepper, thin jalapeno slices and lime wedges
DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with the turmeric, cumin, ginger, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add the green lentils and tomato paste and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the vegetable stock. Bring the soup to a boil, cover, and lower the heat so that it simmers for 20 minutes.
Stir in the red lentils and cook for 10 more minutes.
Add the coconut milk, lemon juice, and spinach and cook, stirring, until the spinach has wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if you like.
Serve each bowl of soup with a drizzle of sour cream or chile oil, some parsley or cilantro, cracked black pepper, thin jalapeño slices, sea salt, or a wedge of lime (or all of the above; I’ve learned that presentation is everything!).
LA VIE EN ROSE OLIVE OIL CAKE
Light and moist with a burst of citrus, this cake was gone before I could take it to the office to share.
(Excerpted from “I LOVE YOU” by Pamela Anderson with Maria Zizka. Copyright © 2024 by Anderson Media Company, LLC. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.)
Makes one 8-inch round cake
INGREDIENTS
For cake:
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
2 cups unbleached organic all-purpose flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of fine sea salt
3 oranges
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened plant milk
1 tablespoon rosewater
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
For chocolate ganache (optional):
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
4 to 6 tablespoons (60 to 90 ml) hot water
1/2 tablespoon refined coconut oil, melted
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and oil the sides of the pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Finely zest the oranges into a large bowl. Juice the zested oranges to get 2/3 cup juice and add this to the bowl with the zest. Stir in the 2/3 cup olive oil, granulated sugar, plant milk, rosewater, vanilla, and vinegar, mixing just until smooth. Whisk in the flour mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until nicely golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then run a butter knife along the edges and carefully flip the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make chocolate ganache (optional): Put the chocolate in a small bowl set over a pot of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Add 3 tablespoons of the hot water and stir until smooth. Add the coconut oil, stir, then add more hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is glossy and thick but still barely pourable. Stir and stir, even when it seems lumpy (it will get there).
Spoon the ganache over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides a little, or dust the top with powdered sugar using a small sifter (you can lay a doily on the cake to create a pattern if you like), or enjoy as is.
HUMMUS WITH CRISPY CHICKPEAS
This hummus is on par with the fresh hummus I’ve purchased locally — billowy with slight burst of lemon.
(Excerpted from “I LOVE YOU” by Pamela Anderson with Maria Zizka. Copyright © 2024 by Anderson Media Company, LLC. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.)
The secret to super creamy hummus is, after you’ve added all the ingredients, blend in a few ice cubes. Watch the hummus billow and lighten and take the form of a soft cloud.
Makes about 3 cups
INGREDIENTS
For the crispy chickpeas:
One 15-ounce can chickpeas
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the hummus:
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 ice cubes
Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for sprinkling
Paprika, Aleppo pepper, and/or other chopped fresh herbs (such as mint), for garnishing (optional)
DIRECTIONS
For the crispy chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rinse the chickpeas well, then spread out on a clean kitchen towel and pat thoroughly dry. Transfer the chickpeas to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the paprika, turmeric, Aleppo pepper, salt and lots of black pepper. Roast until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
For the hummus: In a small, dry pan over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds, stirring often, until they fill your kitchen with their scent and turn a slightly darker shade, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a mortar and pestle or small spice grinder to crush the toasted cumin seeds into a powder.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas well with hot water from the tap. Put them in a blender with the garlic, tahini and lemon juice. Puree on high speed until smooth. Add the salt and cumin seed powder and blend again to incorporate. Add the ice cubes, then continue to blend on high speed until ultra-creamy, about 3 minutes. You may need to stop the blender and scrape down the sides with a silicone spatula.
Taste and season with a little more salt if needed.
Serve the hummus in a wide, shallow bowl, drizzled with sesame oil and garnished with a handful of crispy chickpeas and a generous sprinkling of parsley or other garnishes to your taste.
COOKBOOK REVIEW
“I Love You: Recipes From The Heart” by Pamela Anderson
Published by Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company
288 pages
$35
