When our family lived in Spain, I recall seeing seafood dishes served in restaurants in a vessel called a cataplana. They are made of copper and, not surprisingly, are clam-shaped, since they are perfect for steaming shellfish: mussels, clams, shrimp, crabs and others. The idea is to bring the cataplana directly to the table from the stove and serve the steamed seafood in it. … [Read more...]
Spicy Rice Cakes with Chicken
I really love the chewy rice cakes that originated in Shanghai and are also very popular in Korea. They are sort of like oval shaped dumplings made mostly from rice and can be found in many Asian markets, fresh or frozen. This is a spicy stir-fried rice dish that everyone seems to enjoy. Ingredients: 3 tablespoons oil 8 oz. boneless chicken, chopped or thinly … [Read more...]
Baked Rigatoni with Tomato Sauce
When I was in graduate school in New York City, I loved an inexpensive cafeteria-style Italian restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen called Manganaro's Hero Boy. The now-shuttered eatery dated back to 1893 and closed recently due to COVID. Their hero sandwiches were incredible. But I also really liked their baked ziti with a rich tasting tomato sauce. On a recent visit back to NYC I … [Read more...]
Rosemary Chicken Skewers
Every summer my wife and I grow rosemary in our garden. And, every summer I ask myself, “What am I going to do with all that rosemary?” Well, thick sprigs of rosemary make perfect skewers for grilling foods like meat, chicken, shrimp and such, imparting subtle hints of rosemary along the way. You just strip off some of the rosemary from the sprigs and use the “naked” part of … [Read more...]
Linguine with Pancetta and Clams
I sort of think of this recipe as linguine with white clam sauce meets carbonara, since it adds pancetta or bacon (normally found in carbonara) to the clam sauce. It gives the sauce a slightly smoky flavor that normal clam sauce doesn’t have. Ingredients: 1 pound dried good quality linguine 2 Tbsp olive oil 4 oz. pancetta or dry-cured smoky bacon, minced 1 large … [Read more...]
Thai Basil & Chili Chicken
This year my wife and I planted Thai chilies and Thai basil in our garden, which are perfect for this dish but you can also find them in Asian food markets. This is a delicious, spicy stir-fry that’s called pad kra pao gai in Thailand. It’s a hugely popular street food there and is typically served with a side of fried egg. This recipe makes two large servings of Thai Basil … [Read more...]
Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Salad
At this time of year our garden is overflowing with ripe tomatoes and fresh basil. Here is a simple and delicious salad combining fresh tomatoes and silky burrata. I recommend using heirloom tomatoes if you have them, otherwise any ripe tomatoes will work. This recipe makes 4 servings of salad but you could increase or decrease the quantities as desired. Ingredients: … [Read more...]
Chongqing Chicken
Chongqing chicken is a Chinese dish from Chongqing, which is located in the Sichuan province known for its spicy fare. Typically Chongqing chicken is coated in a light batter and deep-fried in oil. I like this lighter recipe, however, which is based on one published in Eating Well magazine. The chicken here is stir-fried but not deep-fried in oil. Serve it with steamed … [Read more...]
Grilled Greek-Style Chicken Skewers
The weather is perfect these days for summer grilling and this is one of my favorite grilled chicken recipes. It’s based on a recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod - chicken skewers with chicken seasoned in a Greek-style marinade. It’s really simple and delicious. Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 4 cloves … [Read more...]
Green Chile & Pork Stew
It’s the time of summer when we have a lot of chile peppers to harvest from our garden. What to do with a load of Anaheim, pasilla, poblano, jalapeno and serrano chiles? Well, I like to make a hearty pork and chile stew. I usually make a big batch and put the rest in the freezer since this stew freezes very well. Ingredients: 10-12 Anaheim peppers (you could also add a … [Read more...]