Aziz Ansari is one of my favorite actors/comedians. You might have seen him doing stand-up or in a show like Master of None or Parks and Recreation, among others. A couple of years ago I came across a family recipe (I don’t recall where) that Ansari shared - it’s his mother’s (Fatima Ansari) recipe for Chicken Korma and it’s terrific. This isn’t quite as “saucy” as typical … [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...]
Chicken Parmigiana Recipe
When I lived in New York City, at least once a week I’d visit my favorite Italian joint in Hell’s Kitchen called Manginero’s Hero Boy. They were renowned for their delicious heros, but I especially liked the chicken and veal parmigiana they served. Here is my attempt at replicating that recipe. Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut in half (4 pieces … [Read more...]
Tortellini with Walnut Cream Sauce
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...]
Scheff’s Table – Chicken al Carbon
Now that the outdoor temperatures are dropping and fall is here, I’m trying to get in as much grilling as possible before I have to shovel a path through the snow to get to my grill. Here’s a very tasty Mexican-style grilled chicken recipe called Pollo al Carbon. Most of the work takes place while preparing the marinade for the chicken, which can be done well in advance of the … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table—Recipe for Chesapeake-Style Steamed Shrimp
Chesapeake-Style Steamed Shrimp Whenever I visit friends in Annapolis, Maryland for a sail around the Chesapeake Bay, I always look forward to ripping into big piles of steamed blue crabs and shrimp. A lot of seafood spots there create their own spice mixture for steaming shellfish, but just as many rely on commercial Old Bay Seasoning, which is really good … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table—Thai Pork & Basil Stir-Fry
This tasty recipe for Thai Pork & Basil Stir-Fry is a variation of one I learned many years ago in a cooking class with Martin Yan, the host of the PBS series Yan Can Cook. It's a keeper, a meal I make often since it's inexpensive, easy, and fast. The cooking time is quick—about 5 minutes or less, so make sure you have all of your ingredients prepped and … [Read more...]
Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich Recipe
Since my son lives near Philadelphia, I’ve spent a lot of time there and eaten more than my share of Philly cheesesteaks. And while it isn’t easy to make an authentic cheesesteak at home - especially since you can’t get Amoroso rolls here in Utah - you can create a pretty good facsimile. Most cheesesteaks in Philly are made using boneless rib eye steak. If you have that … [Read more...]