Last week I shared a recipe for Provençal-style pork tenderloin. A few people wondered about the side dish for it. It was roasted fingerling potatoes—a really simple and inexpensive but delicious side dish. Roasted Fingerling Potatoes recipe ingredients: 1 lb. fingerling potatoes, sliced in half lengthwise Leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs, minced Leaves from 2 … [Read more...]
Simple recipe for roasted pork tenderloin
Pork Provençal I’ve been lucky to be able to spend a fair amount of time in the Provence region of France. It’s there that I learned to love rosé wines, Cavaillon melons, pastis, petanque, and the sunny disposition of Southern France. Garlic, rosemary, and fennel are ingredients commonly used in the region. Here is a simple recipe for roasted pork tenderloin that, … [Read more...]
Thai Shrimp Curry
Thai Shrimp Curry ... I love Thai curries and they are pretty easy to make at home as long as you get all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go. It actually takes longer to cook rice to accompany this Thai curry than to cook the curry itself. If you’d like it spicier, add some sriracha or hot chili oil to the dish. Thai Shrimp Curry ingredients: 1 Tbsp … [Read more...]
Instant Pot Tacos al Pastor
One of my favorite Mexican foods is tacos al pastor, a dish brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants. It is spit-grilled pork prepared in a similar manner to Greek gyros and the döner kebabs of Turkey. Making truly authentic al pastor is very time-consuming and complicated—best left to the pros. But here is a quick and easy Instant Pot version that I like very … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table—Fried Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Les nems—Fried Vietnamese Spring Rolls My favorite working chef/restaurateur is Eric Ripert of the venerable Le Bernardin in New York City. Ironically, one of my favorite dishes (and one of his) isn’t a high-end, elaborate menu item from Le Bernardin, but are the fried Vietnamese-style spring rolls that his French mother used to make for him, called les nems. … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table—delicious crab salad
When summer temperatures spike like they have this week, I often turn to a simple green salad for dinner—eschewing heavier meals in the heat. This is an easy but delicious dinner salad featuring cooked, high-quality crab. You could easily substitute cooked shrimp for the crab. Enjoy this salad with a nice glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Ingredients for crab … [Read more...]
Friday night fish fry
Fish batter recipe I never much liked fish when I was a kid. That’s probably because the only fish I remember eating were the fish sticks and fish cakes we’d be served in school cafeterias on Fridays. But then in England, I learned to love fish, where I first tasted really good fish and chips. Here is a very simple and versatile fish batter recipe (use it for … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table—Bolognese-style ragu recipe for pasta
This Bolognese-style ragu recipe is perfect for when I have some time on my hands—usually on a Sunday. I enjoy making a rich, hearty Bolognese-style pasta sauce (ragu) to serve for a family dinner. In Bologna, Italy, where Bolognese sauce originated, there are as many different ragu recipes as there are cooks. This is one that I really like. If you have the … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table—Grilled Southwestern Flank Steak
Flank is an excellent cut of beef that takes well to marinades, making it oh-so-tender. This is a very easy recipe for a blender-made marinade featuring cumin seed, garlic, olive oil, and jalapeños. Be sure to thinly slice the cooked steak against the grain for the tenderest, tastiest meat. I like to serve the steak topped with sliced avocado or a favorite … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table—easy curry ramen recipe
When I was young, our family lived in Japan for a few years. Much later—when I was in graduate school in NYC—I rediscovered my love of ramen. I’m NOT talking about the dried, prepackaged ramen noodles with a powdered broth packet inside. I’m talking about real ramen made with fresh noodles. While some ramen restaurants cook their broth for 24 hours or longer, this … [Read more...]