February 1, 2009
I’ve always been something of a traditionalist when it comes to flavor combinations – peanut butter and jelly, wasabi and soy sauce, bacon and, well, anything… I’m down with the tried and true duos.
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January 6, 2009
I prepared this lamb for Christmas dinner II, the version that we do at my parents’ house with just my immediate family members and our significant others, and I’ve only just gotten around to writing about it. At the time we were in the home stretch of the holiday season, and I had elected to move away from more traditional holiday dishes in favor of something I had been craving – a small taste of summer with some meat on the grill. I wanted something fresh and garlic-y, spiked with lemons and smothered in creamy cukes. This grilled lamb with tsatsiki, which I also served with grilled rosemary flatbread, was the perfect answer to the holiday eating blues.
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January 3, 2009
I had a hankering for pad thai the other night and I decided that I would try to make it myself rather than ordering it from our neighborhood standby Klong or making the pilgrimage out to Queens. There are a few elements that I believe are mission critical in this dish – high tamarind to fish sauce ratio and lots of lime and peanuts are what I believe give pad thai a shot at being great. This recipe, with several tweaks, has potential.
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December 31, 2008
I have childhood memories of asking my mother if ratatouille contains rats, which probably meant that she had to talk me into eating it. No more. While cruising Epicurious yesterday night looking for heathy and satisfying dinner inspiration, I happened across this recipe, written by the Culinary Institute of America’s Associate Dean of Restaurant Education, Chef Lou Jones. I realized that besides seeing the adorable Pixar movie, it had been a very long time since I had indulged in this simple, fresh, and amazing dish.
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December 29, 2008
Each time Brian and I return to the city after being away with either of our families, we have a knee-jerk reaction to eat pizza. Under normal circumstances, this means that we either roshambo to determine which one of us is going to go stand in line at Artichoke, or, when we are feeling supremely lazy, we call Lombardis and get delivery, stat.
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December 16, 2008
Crab cakes need not be a heavy, rich food destined forever to be eaten as passed apps at fancy retro cocktail parties. They can be fresh affairs worthy of a delicious Monday night dinner. This recipe was born in a grocery store in Aruba, where while on vacation with Brian’s family, we bellied up to the fish counter and asked the monger what was good that day. She smiled widely and handed me a can of chunk white crabmeat the size of my head (yeah, I know – fish in a can at a counter – suspicious, right?). Seeing that can reminded me of the salmon loaf that my mother makes with fresh veggies, so I chose red peppers and corn, plus curly parsley for a burst of freshness and created a sensation that night at dinner.
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November 13, 2008
I love Jamie Oliver for so many reasons. I idolize his nonchalant cooking style and his recipes, which are bold and flavorful and designed for local, seasonal ingredients. Beyond his amazing skills in the kitchen, he is also a social entrepreneur and food activist. He trains young adults from under-resourced areas to become the next generation of chefs at his restaurant Fifteen. He also has been a leading advocate for change in the British school food program. (read his manifesto to learn more).
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