I absolutely love Indian food. One dish in particular, tandoori chicken, is a must-order every time. I had some spare buttermilk after I made chocolate cupcakes and decided that what better way to use up the leftovers than to make tandoori chicken? Technically, you're suppose to use yogurt, but if buttermilk is good enough for fried chicken, it should be a suitable substitute! In this frigid weather, nothing like a mouthful of spiciness to ward off the chills.
Recipe
2 pounds chicken breast
1 lemon
1 red onion
1 green pepper
2 inch segment of ginger
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne powder (optional)
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons turmeric
2 tablespoons garam masala
salt and pepper to taste
What's better during a cold Sunday than a big pot of hearty beef stew? Especially when it's braised with beer!! A steaming bowl of the stew and a few slices of good bread just say heaven to me. The outside world can sleet, pour and snow, but I'll be nice and toasty with my big spoon in one hand and a bowl of stew in the other.
Recipe
3 bottles of dark beer (such as Guinness)
2 pounds beef for stewing
1 medium onion
3 medium carrots
4 stalks of celery
5 medium waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold)
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 bay leaves
10 sprigs thyme
4 oz can of tomato paste
14 oz bag of pearl onions
1 bunch parsley
8 oz mushrooms
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
oil for pan browning the meat
A great way to feed lots of people without having your guests stand around and watch you sweat bullets in the kitchen is lasagna. It's a highly versatile dish that you can assemble ahead of time. The possibilities are limitless -- you can raid the fridge/pantry to create unique combinations and still have time to gussy up for the dinner party.
Recipe
Pesto Lasagna
1 16oz container of ricotta
1/2 cup of pesto
1 rotisserie chicken
3 eggs
1 cup grated parmesan
1 1/2 pound shredded mozzarella
1 jar pasta sauce
12 sheets of no-cook pasta sheets
Acorn Squash Lasagna
1 16oz container of ricotta
3 eggs
1 large acorn squash
1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 cup grated parmesan
1 1/2 pound shredded mozzarella
1 jar pasta sauce
12 sheets of no-cook pasta sheets
salt and pepper to taste
Sorry blog, I've neglected you. Well, have no fear, the piglet is back with a sure-win recipe! I really adore this dish because I can make it ahead of time so I don't smell like the great hope saving the planet from total vampire domination when I mingle with my dinner party guests (garlic joke, get it?). It's also versatile -- you can serve it over pasta for a main dish, put it in a sandwich/slider (great for leftovers), or serve it straight up with a toothpick as an appetizer.
Recipe
Meatballs
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground beef
1 lemon
1 medium onion
6 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons paprika
1 bunch Italian parsley
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 cup grated parmesan (divided)
3 cups bread crumbs (divided)
salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 bottle dry red wine
1 medium onion
6 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of dried Italian seasoning
5 bay leaves
1 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
I decided to take advantage of the bountiful fresh local produce in Florence and prepared a meal during my recent trip to Italy. I learned the joy of cooking simply and trusting the ingredients. I haven't tasted produce that tasted so flavorful in a long time, so why mess with a good thing? I restrained myself by not throwing the kitchen sink into every dish and let each element sing. I made a simple caprese salad as the appetizer, a speck and leeks pasta as the first course, and finally, a hearty chicken and cannelloni beans stew as the secondo. Alas, no dessert for us that night, just a big bottle of prosecco.
Recipe
Caprese Salad:
1 pound fresh mozzarella
2 large ripe tomatoes
10 large basil leaves
good EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
Pasta:
1 pound pasta (Gimelli is a good choice)
1/4 pound speck
1 large stalk of leek
1 small tomato
1/2 cup grated pecorino or parmesan
a little oil to coat the bottom of the pan
salt and pepper to taste
Chicken stew:
2 large chicken thighs
1 pound dried cannelloni beans (soaked overnight)
1 medium onion
2 large red bell peppers
1/4 pound speck
2 large ripe tomatoes
1 stalk of sage leaves
3 cups dry wine wine
oil for browning the chicken
salt and pepper to taste
Short ribs have always been a bit of a hoity toity ingredient. It was the first thing that I tackled when I got my ceramic dutch oven. Lo and behold, not only was it just as easy to make as chicken, it was equally fool proof!! When I thought the dating thing with my boyfriend might go somewhere, I made braised short ribs as the first meal that I cooked for him. Boy oh boy, after the first bite, I think he saw a halo of our unborn children running around my head. He was utterly defenseless against my nuclear option! I'm experimenting with a new version of the dish for my bestie Nahal's birthday. Remember boys and girls, save the short ribs for the special someones in your life!
Recipe
3 pounds beef short ribs
1 bottle red wine
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 medium onion
2 medium carrots
3 ribs of celery
1 heads of garlic
10 sprigs thyme
10 sprigs rosemary
10 sprigs oregano
5 bay leaves
1 bunch Italian parsley
10 prunes
salt and pepper to taste
oil for browning the ribs
There's nothing more homey and stick to your ribs than chicken curry over a big bowl of rice. I've been making this Asian favorite since I could see over the stove (happened just a few weeks ago, in fact; still waiting for my voice to change). This isn't the traditional Indian nor Thai curries that we're used to, but a prepared, Japanese-fied thick paste of "curry flavoring". Even though it's not authentic, it's a great one-stop-shop for a quick curry. You can find it in the Asian island in most supermarkets these days. If not, hit up a Chinese grocer.
Recipe
8 bone-on chicken thighs (around 3 pounds)
1 packet S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix
1 can coconut cream
1 can sweet peas
1 can low sodium chicken broth
1 large potato
2 large carrots
3 stalks of celery
1/2 large head of cauliflower
1 large onion
1 jalapeño
1 bunch cilantro
1 turn of the pan of canola oil
salt and pepper to taste
I love to eat fish, but they're such fickle customers to season and prepare properly. They require the right combination and strength of spices so they don't taste too ocean-y, but maintain enough of their natural flavors so you can distinguish what you're actually putting in your mouth. One of my biggest pet peeves is overcooked seafood. When I order fish at restaurants, even the good ones, my experiences have been more misses than hits. I've had some success with Chilean sea bass at home because they're so fatty and almost impossible to bungle. In an effort to broaden my range, I decided to experiment with dolphin... erg, I meant salmon.
Recipe
1 1/2 pound salmon filet
2 lemons
2 tablespoons fresh dill
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons marsala wine
2 shallots
1/2 head of garlic
1/2 pound cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
I love, love, LOVE Mexican food. There's just something warm and comforting about it. The first bite into my favorite burrito feels like tucking into a pair of fuzzy slippers on a frigid, rainy night. Similar to Indian cuisine, the barrier of entry is rather high -- the stew recipes call for all sorts of exotic chiles and herbs, and even more esoteric ingredients such as tamarin paste and chocolate. The sauces are multi-layered and often time consuming.
As one would expect, I was rather intimidated when I made my first foray into Mexican cooking. After poking around the inter-webs, I found a crash course to initiate myself on the various dried chile peppers, the foundation of many Mexican dishes. Turns out that scores of the peppers that we're most familiar with aren't all that spicy; their main purpose is to provide that smokey, caramel-y depth to the sauces. I discovered a great little Mexican grocer in the Mission that offer an extensive selection of herbs and spices at rock bottom prices. I got a huge bag each of ancho, negro and California chiles for less than $8!
Recipe
3 pounds of chicken
3 ancho chiles
5 chile negro
5 chile California
1 medium sized onion
1/2 head of garlic
1 inch segment of ginger
20 sprigs of cilantro (give or take)
3 limes
3 bay leaves
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 cup tequila (plus more to sooth the nerves if you almost started a grease fire like I did)
8 warm tortillas
1/4 head of cabbage
salt and pepper to taste
oil for browning chicken
