Discovering some leftover holiday ham while digging through our freezer this week I was puzzling about what to do with it for a quick and easy dinner. Fried rice! I thought. The key to making great fried rice is to cook the rice ahead of time (or use leftover rice) to allow it to dry out a bit so it doesn’t clump. Ingredients: Cooked long-grain white rice — 1 1/2 cups … [Read more...]
Roasted Cardamom Chicken
I love the taste of cardamom, which is very complex with citrus, herbal, floral and spicy notes. It’s delicious in an easy-to-prepare dish like this one: roasted chicken with a cardamom coating. Ingredients: 2 bone-in chicken leg & thigh quarters or 4 chicken leg or thigh pieces 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil Ground cardamom Salt ¼ tsp. … [Read more...]
Crispy Air Fryer Cod
It’s that time again, time for my monthly air fryer recipe installment. This month we’re tackling air fryer fish. The key to any “fried” fish is to give it a crispy, crusty coating, so we’re going to use both flour and panko bread crumbs to achieve that goal. I find that cutting the fish into smaller “tenders” - as opposed to cooking whole fillets - helps to keep the fish … [Read more...]
Air Fryer French Fries
After years and years of resistance, I finally broke down and purchased an air fryer when a talented chef friend of mine told me that it’s a worthwhile kitchen helper. He was right. I’ve had good success with a number of air fryer recipes and will share them periodically here at Scheff’s Table. After experimenting with a number of French fry recipes, I found that this one … [Read more...]
Grilled Lemon Shrimp Skewers
This is one of my favorite recipes for grilled shrimp. It begins with a simple marinade of olive oil, lemon juice and spices. Try it and I think you’ll like it. Ingredients: 1 lb. large shrimp peeled and deveined 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp lemon juice ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. oregano ½ tsp. paprika ½ tsp. garlic powder Minced Italian … [Read more...]
Pan-Seared Sea Bass
My wife and I love the delicate flavor and firm texture of sea bass. And, the key to cooking sea bass fillets is to use high heat and to not overcook the fillets. A quick pan sear on both sides of the fish is all that’s needed. Ingredients: Sea bass fillets 2 Tbsp. neutral cooking oil like canola, grapeseed or avocado Kosher salt Freshly cracked black … [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...]
Homemade Tortilla Chips
I love eating in Mexican restaurants like Lorena’s and La Puente, which make their own tortilla chips from scratch. They are so much better than pre-packaged, store bought chips. Well, it’s simple - if a little time-consuming - to make fresh tortilla chips at home. You can make a little or a lot, just be sure to do it in batches so that you don’t crowd the chips in a … [Read more...]
Cataplana Mussels & Clams
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...]
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...]