For special occasions such as a New Year’s Eve dinner celebration, I like to sometimes serve a rich, decadent, and memorable dish like this one: Tortellini with nutty walnut-cream sauce. It is based on a dish that I used to enjoy in New York City at the late Alfredo Viazzi’s Trattoria da Alfredo restaurant in Greenwich Village. A perfect accompaniment would be a high-quality … [Read more...]
Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin
During the holidays - or really, anytime at all - this cheesy potatoes au gratin is a terrific side dish and a real crowd-pleaser. It’s also an efficient dish to make during the busy holidays because you can assemble it in advance and then cook it up after your turkey, ham, roast or whatever comes out of the oven. It's become a holiday staple at our house. Ingredients: 2 lbs. … [Read more...]
Arroz Amarillo
Arroz amarillo (yellow rice) is a great accompaniment for many different dishes, but especially Hispanic, Latin American, Caribbean and South American foods ranging from ropa vieja or pollo asado to chile Colorado, mofongo, pernil, and many others. Turmeric and saffron give the rice its vibrant yellow hue. Ingredients: 2 cups chicken stock/broth 1/4 loosely packed teaspoon … [Read more...]
Provençal-Style Beef Daube
I will never, ever forget the best bowl of beef stew I ever tasted. It was at a restaurant in Provence, France, in the town of Avignon. The bistro is called La Fourchette and the memorable dish was la daube de boeuf à l'Avignonnaise. It was simply sensational. This beef stew (daube, in French) recipe comes really close to that amazing daube that I enjoyed in Avignon. The key … [Read more...]
Caribbean Spiced Fried Chicken
When I lived in New York City, my friends and I often ate at a bustling restaurant that we loved called Lola’s. It’s been closed now for a number of years, but I fondly remember the delicious fried chicken dish that the restaurant was famous for: Lola’s 100-Spice Caribbean Fried Chicken. Well, it turns out that there weren’t actually 100 spices used in the chicken seasoning. In … [Read more...]
Shrimp with Shallot-Cream Mustard Sauce
This is a very elegant, delicious dish that’s pretty easy to make once you’ve got all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go. The actual cooking time isn’t more than about 10 minutes. Serve with rice pilaf, orzo, quinoa, etc. Ingredients: 1 lb. large shrimp/prawns, peeled and deveined 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves 1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves 1/2 cup cornichons … [Read more...]
Chicken-Chile Enchiladas
I love homemade enchiladas. They are pretty inexpensive to cook, especially if you use leftover cooked chicken or turkey to make them. At this time of year, it's a great way to make use of leftover Thanksgiving turkey. The key to success here is to be organized - set up a production line for filling and assembling the enchiladas. It’s a bit messy, but the result is very … [Read more...]
Seafood & Andouille Gumbo
In Louisiana, pretty much every family, cook and chef has their own version of gumbo. Rarely are two recipes alike. This is my favorite type of gumbo - one that begins by making a dark roux. Ingredients: 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup flour 3 celery ribs, chopped 2 medium onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped 12 oz. andouille … [Read more...]
Easy Autumn Pork Stew
One of my favorite fall/winter dinners is this easy-to-make stew which features pork. You could also use veal for this recipe, which would be equally delicious. Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 12 oz. boneless pork (or veal) stew meat , cut into 1-inch pieces 1/2 cup drained, diced canned tomatoes (Italian-style Romas are best) 1 1/2 cup … [Read more...]
Ghost S’mores Dip
With Halloween parties in mind, here is a boo-tiful take on toasted marshmallows with chocolate and graham cracker layers, from the food site Delish. Ingredients: 4 packages of Marshmallow Ghost Peeps 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips ¼ cup heavy cream, warmed Graham crackers, for serving Mini-chocolate chips Method: 1. Preheat oven to 450° F. In the bottom of a square … [Read more...]