January 2010
10 posts
11 tags
DIY Sauerkraut
Shredded purple cabbage is ready for the fermentation process. It will be sauerkraut in 1 week.
I had some leftover cabbage from last week’s test kitchen — duck nachos with pineapple-jalapeño slaw. I thought about stuffing the cabbage with a ground turkey mixture or whipping up my mom’s delicious coleslaw recipe. Then I got busy and tired. And then I got inspired. I started thinking...
10 tags
What the Duck?!
Duck Nachos with Pineapple-Jalapeño Slaw. Photo by Abdi Aminlari for 3 Photographers.
A while ago, when I was contemplating ideas for future posts, I came across a recipe for cassoulet – a slow-cooked bean and meat dish with origins dating back to 14th century France. This particular rendition called for duck confit and that, somehow, got me thinking of duck tacos and how interesting they...
10 tags
Street Food Adapted: Hot Tamales
An assortment of tamales purchased on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Photo: Abdi Aminlari for 3 Photographers.
I fell in love with tamales long before I ever actually tasted a tamale. In my little corner of New England, I had never even tried a taco until I was 14 and tamales were just the stuff of legends told by kids whose parents transferred from exotic places like California and Texas...
5 tags
The Thing About Bacon (or An Iron Chef Outtake)
Chestnut Soup Shots get an extra flavor boost with a tiny topping of fried prosciutto (an excellent bacon substitute!).
I’d hoped, after a major two-year escalation, that we’d finally see bacon jump the shark in late 2009/early 2010. I know we’re just a couple weeks into the new year, but I see no signs of a slowing trend or even a bacon backlash. Bacon is everywhere and in everything. Bacon...
5 tags
Going Stew Crazy
Moroccan Lamb Stew Over Whole Wheat Couscous. Photo: Abdi Aminlari for 3 Photographers.
For most people, stew is a go-to comfort food — a hearty, perfectly pleasing dish best enjoyed on cold winter nights. For me, stew conjures up childhood memories of an hours-long war of wills with my mom: me starring at my plate pushing around mushy peas, carrots, celery and gristle-laden beef, her...
The Winter Farmers' Market: White Sweet Potatoes
State Farmers’ Market, Raleigh, NC; January 10, 2010
Since my first farmers’ market on the streets of London in 1992, no trip of mine is complete without a visit to the local farmers’ market. Aside from providing inspiration and a quick glimpse into local culture, it gives me the opportunity to sample fresh fare that runs the gamut of traditional, new and exotic. From enormous...
6 tags
A Fish Worth Its Salt
Salt Crusted Striped Bass. Photo: Paul Giannini
Pouring over cooking magazines for inspiration, I recently came across a recipe for a salt-crusted standing rib roast. I was intrigued. While doing research for the Feast of the Seven Fish, I learned that fish baked in salt (Pesce Al Sale) was a common dish on the Italian table – especially in the Liguria region. I sensed a theme!
You’d think...
10 tags
Versatile and Adaptable
Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Calamari & Sausage. Photo: Abdi Aminlari for 3 Photographers
I made two great food discoveries in 2009 – a simple, light, quick and tasty calamari and fennel dish and the mind-blowing piquillo pepper. When asked to create a small plate (cicheti) menu for the Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes, I thought, why not pair the two for a mad mash up? The result: ...
4 tags
Holiday Recap: The Feast of the Seven Fish
White Cioppino with Shrimp, Clams, Mussels, Calamari & Monk FIsh. Photo: Paul Giannini
Happy New Year!
If you’re like me, you spent a lot of time in the kitchen over the holidays. Happily, I hope!! Even if you’re not putting together a big meal for 50+ family members you only see once a year, it’s pretty hard to resist the tempting call of perfect produce, mounds of meat and fish,...
4 tags
