desserts
12
Jul 10
I have a confession. Until 3 months ago, I had bought perhaps 15 lemons in my entire life. (I hear the cries already: “WHAT?! You’re lying. I see recipes for lemon chicken, cucumber lemonade, and lemon squares! You probably buy lemons all the time, you liar.”) But I’m not lying. I mostly used bottled lemon juice (gasp!). It was convenient. It did the trick when I needed it, and I was happy in my ignorance.
3 months ago today, I purchased a citrus juicer on impulse. My life would never be the same.
In truth, I bought my juicer primarily to make the perfect margarita with fresh squeezed lime juice, but I started using it for cooking. I could squeeze a lemon so easily that I didn’t think about it anymore. Suddenly everything tasted better. Inspired, I began using the lemon’s zest as well. I will never, ever go back.
This lemon tart is a perfect celebration of the beautiful vibrancy of lemons. The lemon curd filling is certainly rich, but the juicy tang of just-squeezed lemons bursts through with mouthwatering assertiveness. A tender, butter-loaded crust is an ideal foil. If you’re looking to shake things up a bit, garnish the tart with a sprig of basil, instead of the more traditional mint.
Recipe after the jump…
Uncategorized
14
Jun 10
If a savage and a gourmand met for lunch, they would eat this chicken salad. Pulling meat is a raw, carnal process. There are few times when you feel more connected with your food than when you’re tearing it apart. Coincidentally, it’s also a wonderful way to work out aggression. Despite the process, the final product is delicate, light, and clean. The flavors are clean and straightforward, with just enough nuance to make things interesting.
This chicken salad uses a lemon-olive oil vinaigrette instead of the usual mayonnaise. This works beautifully, as the meat absorbs all of the dressing, leaving you with a wonderfully fragrant dish without the heft of traditional chicken salad. A few fresh herbs only enhance the freshness of the dish.
Change things up however you want. I happen to love the contrast of bright lemon with sweet, peppery basil and a few chives, but feel free to use your own combination of herbs. Or substitute a different type of citrus. Better yet, if you have leftover roasted chicken, use that; it will cut your prep time and add wonderful flavor.
Recipe after the jump…
salads
28
Dec 09
Salads are beautifully seasonal. During the summer months, salads are fanciful celebrations of über-fresh produce. We adorn perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes with a touch of this herb or that, and just a drizzle of fruity olive oil. In the fall, we turn our attention to roasted root vegetables, reveling in the complex, earthy characteristics that make them so inviting as the weather cools.
And when winter rolls around, salads can even be warm.
This salad is an exercise in calculated contrast between textures and tastes. Slightly cooked pears give up just a hint of their crunch while pecans add substance. Together, they sit on a bed of barely wilted spinach coated in a mouthwatering, sweet-tangy dressing of caramelized shallots, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar. A hint of blue cheese adds an unnecessary, but much appreciated level of extravagance with its almost creamy texture and elusive flavor.
Recipe after the jump…
Uncategorized
07
Dec 09
Imagine a world where the words “brussels sprout” were not met with looks of unabashed horror and disgust. Clearly, these adorable vegetables have a reputation that precedes them. But contrary to those nasty rumors, brussels sprouts are not always bitter and sulfurous. When made correctly, they’re seriously tasty.
This recipe is definitely a winner. As proof, I offer my testimony: I have witnessed first-hand as unsuspecting children willingly eat these brussels sprouts, then ask for seconds. After finding out what the little green things are, they are confused, knowing that they are supposed to hate them, but feeling compelled to take another bite. It’s a beautiful thing.
Roasting foods helps to caramelize some of their natural sugars, making them taste nuanced and complex even though they are simple to prepare. The trick with brussels sprouts is to not overcook them, which can release nasty odors. Instead, cook these only for a short time, about 20 minutes, to turn them into perfect tender morsels that are sweet and subtle, and mouthwateringly delicious.
Recipe after the jump…
Uncategorized
30
Nov 09
Tapas, the small dishes characteristic of Spanish cuisine, are not exactly fancy. Most are simple preparations with very few ingredients–fried seafood, or roasted potatoes with a distinctive sauce. Among these, baked goat cheese in tomato sauce has become nearly ubiquitous in tapas bars throughout America, and rightfully so. Each bite of this delicious snack, traditionally spread on crusty bread, is tangy and creamy and salty all at once, with a blend of herbs singing in the background.
But sometimes, you don’t feel like going out for tapas, which make a delicious, but inevitably expensive meal. And at those times, it’s nice to know that the flavors translate beautifully to a simple homemade dinner. In this “Italianized” version, soft yet crisp eggplant creates a subtle contrast with chewy al-dente pasta and creamy sauce, as well as adding a note of sweetness to the dish. Don’t feel tempted to make extra sauce; the flavors are strong, and keeping the dish lightly sauced ensures that everything is well-balanced.
Recipe after the jump…
desserts
21
Oct 09
All cakes should be homemade. If the frosting is messy (or there’s no frosting at all), I don’t care. If a big chunk falls off when you’re plating it, oops! But cakes are special. They mark important events, and when I get a homemade cake, in all its non-professional, crumb-riddled glory, I know that someone cares. Apparently, I’m in good company.
So when I heard that a friend and coworker was leaving my office to go back to school, I had to send her off with a homemade cake. I started with a flourless chocolate cake from the Gourmet Cookbook that’s incredibly easy to throw together. Then I spread on a layer of peanut butter frosting, and topped it all with a coat of dark chocolate ganache and some almond bark.
I’m not a cake decorator. Hell, I don’t even have a cake platter. But despite many superficial flaws, this cake is the most decadent, luscious chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. It put a smile on everyone’s face. And nobody cared that it looked funny. Because I’m not a professional baker, and this cake was homemade.
Recipe after the jump…
desserts
13
Oct 09
Almond bark is an ideal snack. It’s not exactly healthy, but it beats out a bag of chips, and just a few bites goes a very long way towards satisfying a chocolate craving. I like it straight from the refrigerator because it’s brittle at first bite, and then melts into a rich, chocolaty mouthful spiked with crunchy almonds. It’s also so simple to make that it barely requires a recipe, but here goes:
Recipe after the break…
tips
09
Oct 09
If you’re buying light coconut milk (say, to make Thai chicken tenders), you’re paying 2 to 3 times more than you should–it’s essentially just watered down coconut milk. Save yourself big bucks by making your own. Mix 1 to 2 parts water to 1 part coconut milk, depending on how “light” you want it to be.
And if you have extra coconut milk, it lasts for a couple months in the freezer, so you don’t need to throw it out! When you’re ready to use it, just thaw and stir to combine everything if it separates.
appetizers / main courses
07
Oct 09
I started off calling this post “Skewerless Chicken Satay,” but it felt oddly deceptive. Because for me, Chicken Satay translates roughly as “Peanut Sauce on a Stick,” and there’s no peanut sauce (and no stick) in sight. Not to say that you can’t serve these chicken tenders with peanut sauce. Because that would be mighty delicious, but I didn’t do it here.
Instead, I looked for a way to make a classic Thai appetizer into a convenient weeknight dinner. I love the light flavor of chicken satay. It’s subtle but distinctly Thai. And that yellow color. And those delicious brown grill marks. They make me weak.
So it’s really no surprise that I loved this dinner, and even more because it was so simple to throw together. Without the tedious skewering of chicken satay, I spent less than 10 minutes on prep work. And in the time it took the chicken to marinade, I was able to make the rest of the meal.
Recipe after the jump…
main courses / soups
05
Oct 09
If you’ve seen the latest episode of Glee, you’ll understand why I spent the entire day after it aired belting out renditions of Somebody to Love by Queen. By evening, even I was willing to admit that I needed something else interesting and complex to distract me from the broken record in my head. As usual, I turned to the kitchen for help, and that’s when I thought about West African peanut soup.
I’d heard about this soup a while ago, but never bothered to look up a recipe. Making a peanut soup sounded like something that would take hours and lots of concentration, and I thought it would be the perfect distraction. For better or worse, it actually turned out to be quite simple, and I ended up chopping and stirring to the beat of the
music. But let me tell you, that music made one hell of a tasty soup.
This soup is beautiful, its earthy orange tones flecked with red and green bell pepper. And even though making it didn’t distract me from my music, eating it certainly did. It has a remarkably complex flavor that’s a mix of familiar and exotic. The ingredient combination might sound a bit weird, and in fact, it is. But it works. It really really works. And if you make it and disagree, I’ll be happy to take any of your leftovers.
Recipe after the break…
