My first encounter with the Italian lemon-butter-caper sauce called piccata was when I ordered veal piccata in a restaurant. I love the piquant flavor of piccata and have made chicken piccata, fish piccata, pork piccata and piccata sauce just for pasta. Here, I made shrimp piccata. It’s a very quick and delicious dish to prepare. Ingredients: 2 Tbsp cornstarch ½ tsp. … [Read more...]
Indian-Style Beef Curry
Here is a favorite Indian curry recipe of mine. It has rich, complex flavors and a fair amount of heat, although it's not mouth-scorching. You could easily substitute boneless chicken pieces, pork, or shrimp for the beef if you’d prefer that. Ingredients: 5 garlic cloves, peeled 1 Tbsp ginger, peeled (about a 1-inch chunk) 1 Tbsp tomato paste 2 Tbsp canola or … [Read more...]
Pommes Frites
The best pommes frites (aka French fries) I ever tasted were at Les Halles restaurant in New York City. Les Halles was, back then, Anthony Bourdain’s French brasserie and it was located just around the corner from my NYC apartment. The secret to great pommes frites lies in first soaking them in water and then frying them twice: first to blanch the fries at low temperature and … [Read more...]
Easy Chicken Cacciatore
Chicken cacciatore is an easy to make dish that is perfect for a cold winter night. It’s essentially an Italian-style chicken fricassee with tomatoes. This version of chicken cacciatore couldn't be easier to make, but has a deep, rich flavor. I like to serve it with thick pasta or noodles to enjoy with the sauce and I also add some red chili flakes to give it a little kick, but … [Read more...]
Cheese Fondue
One of my favorite foods to enjoy on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve is classic cheese fondue. It’s fun, festive and a great way to share food with company and loved ones. This is a pretty straightforward, classic Swiss-style cheese fondue. Enjoy it with cubed bread, blanched or raw veggies, fingerling potatoes, etc. Ingredients: 1 medium clove garlic, peeled and cut in … [Read more...]
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
I’m pretty certain that at PF Chang’s restaurants the chicken lettuce wraps are the most popular menu item. I sure do love ‘em. Well, the recipe for the chain’s wraps is a closely guarded secret, but I think this one comes pretty close. One difference is that I prefer not to include the crispy rice sticks that are used at PF Chang’s as filler, but you could add them … [Read more...]
Spicy Asian Beef
Here is a simple but very tasty recipe for Asian-style beef. You could serve it with rice or as a salad, or even just by itself as an appetizer. Or, make it into lettuce cups. However you use the beef, I think you’ll find it to be vibrant and delicious. Ingredients: FOR THE BEEF & MARINADE 12 ounces flank steak 2 Tbsp water 2 tsp. cornstarch 1 tsp. … [Read more...]
Oaxacan Pollo en Barbacoa
When I was in college and then later in graduate school, I spent long stretches of time in Oaxaca, Mexico, including a full summer there. Oaxaca is well known for its marvelous moles, but I also like barbacoa, which is meat and other foods slow-cooked until very tender. This recipe for pollo en barbacoa is a delicious one that I found in a cookbook called Oaxaca: Home Cooking … [Read more...]
Turkey & Walnut Cranberry Salad
After a day of (probably) overeating on Thanksgiving, here is a light recipe that makes use of some turkey leftovers and ingredients like low-fat mayo and yogurt that I like a lot. It originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine. Make-ahead tip: The turkey salad can be refrigerated (without the walnuts) overnight. Ingredients: 1 cup walnuts (4 ounces) 3/4 cup … [Read more...]
Panzanella: a Hearty Tuscan Chopped Bread Salad
Panzanella is a hearty Tuscan chopped bread salad made with tomatoes, onions, basil garlic, vinaigrette, and just about anything else you’d like to add. Most recipes for panzanella call for cucumber, but I’m not fond of cucumber so I leave it out. You could also add cheese such as mozzarella or feta. Panzanella can serve as a meatless main course or as a side or starter salad. … [Read more...]