Let me start by saying: I could eat this dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Or brinner. Or brunch.
It’s what you might call a “crossover” meal, as anything with a fried egg can be deemed breakfast OR dinner, at least in my book. (And I’m sure many of you, dear readers, agree).
It’s savory. It’s comforting. It’s satisfying. It’s a big bowl of simple ingredients put together to make something truly special—something worth waking up on Sunday morning just to make. (more…)
There are those recipes we go back to again and again; you know, the ones that really make our taste buds sing, or that comfort us when nothing else can. Or that we just love to eat over and over again. This is one of those recipes for Doug and I. I’ve been making Lamb Köfte, aka lamb meatballs, ever since this recipe first appeared in the January 2010 issue of Bon Appetit two years ago.
The meatballs are served with fried onions, pita bread and two sauces—a simple yogurt sauce and muhammara, a roasted red pepper spread that easily comes together in the food processor. I use a different muhammara recipe than the one that appeared with the original köfte recipe in Bon Appetit—I think the traditional version is a bit more flavorful, if slightly more time intensive. I’ve included my favorite version below, which, by the way, you can also serve as a dip with pita chips or vegetables.
And so every few months, like clockwork, our bellies begin to grumble for a taste of the Middle East—the earthy flavor of the lamb meatballs, the taste of the bright and sweet roasted red pepper spread (aka muhammara), the clean tangy yogurt sauce spiked with tahini, and the chewy goodness of warm pita bread. My stomach is growling just thinking about it.
Pork shoulder. Pork butt. Boston butt. Whatever you call it, this lip-smackingly good cut of meat is one of my all-time favorites. When it’s ground it adds fatty richness to meat sauce and meatballs, and when it’s left whole and roasted low and slow it becomes melt-in-your mouth tender and shreddable—perfect for barbeque pulled pork sandwiches or on warm corn tortillas with a freshly made salsa.
While the American South may have a lockdown on barbequed pork, the good people of Mexico, specifically those folks in the Yucatan Peninsula, have their own unique method for bringing out the best in this humble cut of meat.
Biscuits and gravy is one of those wonderful Southern traditions that I can’t seem to get enough of—and for awhile there I forgot how ridiculously easy it is to recreate at home.
Attention non-bakers: Guess what? Biscuit making is up there on the list of easiest things to bake with quick breads and chocolate-chip cookies. The key is to keep everything as cold as possible (i.e., the butter, shortening, and buttermilk), because it’s these things that make biscuits light and fluffy. In short, handle the dough as quickly and as little as possible—you’ll thank me for it later.
Of course, if you’re not in the mood to bake because your apartment is a million-zillion degrees, I don’t blame you. Buy some from the store and warm them up in the microwave. ‘Cause baby, the gravy is where it’s at in this recipe (although the buttermilk biscuits don’t hurt).
Caprese salad is my go-to quick weeknight (or weekend) appetizer, especially in the summer when tomatoes are at their peak (we’re finally getting there, kids!). (more…)
My trusty Weber grill seemed sad that I hadn’t used it much this summer. (Or was it the other way around?) Either way, my charcoal grill needed to see some action, and I needed to feast on some grilled meats—which always taste better when cooked over charcoal, by the way.
It’s meals like these where I really enjoy the cooking process. I literally do everything on the grill, including my side dishes if I can. There’s just something so fun about cooking outside (besides the fact that I’m not in my sweltering kitchen) and over an open flame.
There are some dishes so easy to make at home that they completely fall off our radar, and we end up buying the sub-par megamart version, hoping for greatness. (more…)
I can’t help it. I’m addicted. I keep trying NOT to make Mexican dishes, but it hasn’t been working.
Obviously.
Maybe I should make Mexican my specialty? I still can’t decide what style or region of cooking I want to focus on, but I do know Mexican cuisine is in the running. And this salsa is one of the reasons why.
What I love about Mexican food is that the same ingredients are made into hundreds of different dishes, each with its own unique flavor.
I did a spin on a fresh tomato salsa, and I cooked it twice. Yup, I said it—twice. Roasting and frying (aka sauté) are the two methods we’re employing, and both help to make this salsa the flavor powerhouse it is. First, I turned up the air conditioning roasted the main components of the salsa: tomatoes, onions and garlic. Roasting brings out the sweetness of the vegetables and concentrates their flavors.
I jumped up and down when I opened my mailbox and saw a review copy of Matt Armendariz’s On a Stick! Everybody, absolutely everybody, loves food on a stick, and this is one area where I don’t differ from the crowd.
I had high hopes for Mr. Armendariz’s book, and in the end it did not disappoint. What better way to test recipes then by hosting a Food on a Stick Party? Doug and myself (actually my friend Rae cooked with me instead of Doug—go figure) and two other couples prepared three of recipes from the book for a total of 9 recipes, which I thought was a pretty good test run of any cookbook.
It’s been one of those absolutely insane weeks—and it’s only the first of many busy weeks in a row for me. For instance, Doug was a perfect gentleman and asked me to marry him last weekend (April 15th to be exact) and what’s ensued has been a whirlwind of celebrations and subsequent hangovers. What can I say? I can’t say no to champagne!
