During warmer spring and summer weather, I tend to turn to lighter dishes that don’t require heating up the kitchen. One such dish is ceviche, in which raw fish and seafood is "cooked" in an acidic liquid such as lime or lemon juice. There is no need to heat up a stove, oven or grill. Here is an easy, tasty recipe for shrimp ceviche. Ingredients: 1 lb. medium shrimp, … [Read more...]
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
As a kid I hated Brussels sprouts, as I imagine many kids do. Partly that’s because we were always served the sprouts whole. One way to get kids (and some adults) to enjoy Brussels sprouts is to shave or shred them before cooking, which makes them much more palatable. And of course, adding bacon doesn’t hurt. You could prepare the sprouts and shallots using a knife but I find … [Read more...]
Simplified Devilish Shrimp
Most often, recipes for Mexican-style devilishly hot shrimp - camarones a la diabla - involves destemming, deseeding and charring dried peppers, then reconstituting them in water, etc. This version is a quicker, simplified one that uses chile powder rather than dried chiles. Give it a try! Ingredients: 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 3 Tbsp New Mexico chile … [Read more...]
Pork Loin Roast with Apple-Mustard Glaze
This simple pork roast is a big hit for a weeknight supper at our house. It couldn’t be easier to make and the result is delicious. I use boneless pork loin roast here but you could also use a boneless pork tenderloin. If you do that, just cut back on the cooking time. Ingredients: 1 2-3 lb. boneless pork loin roast Kosher salt the freshly ground black pepper 1 ½ … [Read more...]
Yakisoba with Beef, a Classic Japanese Stir-Fry Recipe
Yakisoba is a classic Japanese stir-fry dish with egg noodles, veggies, and usually a protein. In this recipe, I use thin-sliced beef but you could substitute chicken, shrimp, pork, tofu, veggies, or whatever you’d like. Be sure to get all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go because the actual cooking time is really quick. Ingredients: 10-12 oz. fresh Chinese or … [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...]
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...]
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...]