Get in touch with your rural self and shake some butter in a jar tonight. The traditions that kept our prairie-selves alive are ripe for the picking, no need for fancy equipment here just a jar and some cream!
Get shaking kids. We made butter on Home and Family this week and there's no reason you shouldn't follow suit. Warning: full science lesson attached to this one. Nerd alert.
Let me save you from the terrifying moments when you realize, mid-cake, that you're missing an ingredient. A little chemistry goes a long way when it comes to kitchen hacks!
The cold sweat that drips down your neck when you realize you're missing an ingredient, and the cake batter is halfway finished, is real. You have guests scheduled to arrive in mere hours, nay, minutes. Do you rush to the store and grab a bundt cake shelled in plastic? Oh no, not here. NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT.
The pillowy grains of couscous offer ample space for the absorption of preserved lemon in all its salty glory. Ever in search of the intersection of salty/sweet/spicy/sour, I found its address in this couscous. Preserved lemon, currants, fresh chili, (and some pinenuts for texture) all crash together in the final dish, causing a riot of flavor and color. Couscous cooks in mere minutes, and with the lemons you've got on hand this dish is a snap.
Packing citrus fruit with salt is a technique used the world over, but when we talk about preserved lemon we mentally fly to Morocco. This is a terrific way to make use of your leftover winter crop, concentrating the flavor of lemons into a salty, tender, treat.
Black garlic used to be difficult to find, but now (thanks to its astounding health properties) it's being sold all over town- even at Trader Joe's! Grab some greens and sauté a panful tonight with the pungent, sweet, dense flavors of black garlic permeating the dish. And stay tuned for a video tutorial on making black garlic at home!.
Corned beef is, by far, my favorite deli meat (don't you have a favorite?). In honor of St. Patrick's Day I present the history and science behind this perfect, pink meat. Though there may be better foods to celebrate Ireland's pride, there are few Irish foods as scientifically unique as corned beef. Check it out!
Chewy, gooey, crusty mozzarella sticks are a staple of middle-American menus. Kids love them, adults love them, there's nothing not to love. But there is something to improve. When you want a treat like that at home, skip the frozen food aisle and our microwave. Instead, make a batch of paneer, cut it into slices, and fry it in hot oil. You'll love the dense cheese with a crisp crust.
My sister chides me for calling grapes the poor-man's berry, but the truth is that the gems of summer (straw/blue/rasp-berries) can be quite costly and for someone who eats fruit by the handful I needed something more cost-effective. Hence my deep love for grapes (red only, I'm a bit of a grapecist)...
Greater chefs and cooks than me have already done the hard science and legwork on making ricotta/paneer/queso fresco at home, but I wanted to try my hand at it anyway. There is no innovation on my part, just a deep abiding love for the work of eaters over the past centuries.
Dinnergeddon is a truly magnificent event and Andrew Hyde is a dinner party hero. This is the seventh incarnation, by far our largest gathering. Thank you to the guests who make this a true joy. As usual the menu was entirely Paleo friendly: tamarind-citrus chicken, mashed plantains, and cilantro-jicama slaw. This will be my last dinnergeddon in Boulder for a while and I'll miss it. Love all around.
Taking cue from the effortless Hasselback Potato, I decided to fill a casserole dish with sliced red skinned potatoes and scatter their in-betweens with a confetti of leek. With a generous pour of olive oil on top the dish crisps up in your oven and transfers to the table perfectly for an easy side dish.
INGREDIENTS
5 medium Red Skinned of Yukon Potatoes, sliced very thinly
1 large leek (~1 pound), sliced into slim ribbons
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Generous sprinkling Salt and Pepper
GET BUSY
Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Fill a 9x13 casserole dish with the sliced potatoes, standing in line from front to back (not stacked on top of each other).
Scatter the ribboned leek everywhere and push it down in between the potatoes.
Pour olive oil on top of everything, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
Bake the dish for 45-60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Heat your oven to 500 degrees, or turn on your broiler. Slide the dish under the high heat for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are crisp on top.
Don't want to cook dinner in the oven tonight? Grab a wok and work the stovetop, it's quick, easy, and will keep the heat down in your kitchen this summer.
Though we may be losing the weather for picnics, this salad will get you through the Fall inside or outside. It's quick to make at home in a large batch, then keep in your fridge to take to work for lunch. Swap out the asparagus for another veggie when the seasons change.
My pursuits of the perfect Saag have taken me far and wide. I’ve tried many a recipe in my kitchen, some my own, some belonging to those far more well-versed in Indian cooking. My pursuits have brought forth this dish, reminiscent of the saag at my favorite Indian restaurant, but tweaked for my Brooklyn kitchen. Instead of spinach I used rainbow chard because it was local, fresh and calling to me with jewel-toned legs amidst the shrubbery of the produce aisle. Two bunches may look like a lot when you stick it in your cart, but chard (like every leafy green) cooks down to nothing. Ergo, buy more than you think you need.
PARTY
2 bunches Rainbow Chard
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 inch Ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon Mustard Seed
½ tablespoon Amchur (or the pit of one mango)
3-5 Cardomom Pods (depending on your affinity for the scent)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
½ cup Coconut Milk
BUSINESS
Strip the leaves of chard from their jewel-toned stems. Reserve the stems for making veggie stock, we will not be using them in this recipe. Stack the leaves of chard and roll them into a fat, tight cigar. Slicing across the roll, cut the chard into strips. Set the ribbons aside.
In a large stock pot or wok heat the oil over medium-high heat until rippling.
Add the ginger and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
Add the mustard seeds and amchur (or the mango pit) and immediately put a lid on the pot. The seeds will start to pop and without a lid your kitchen will be covered in tiny little black spots. I repeat, put a lid on it.
When the popping dies down (after about a minute or two), open the lid and stuff the chard into the pot.
Add the cardomom pods, salt and pepper and stir everything to combine.
Continue to stir as the chard wilts and pour in the coconut milk.
Put the lid back on the pot, drop the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the leaves are tender and the milk has thickened slightly.
Beginning with an Indian inspiration I tore the insides from mental samosas and packed them into a casserole dish. The result is a tray of scoopable, spiced, tender, and crusty potatoes, perfect as the bed for some fried eggs. I add a lot of peas to my potato mixture, feel free to adjust the proportion should you be pea-averse.
INGREDIENTS
4 large Yukon Gold Potatoes (~2 lbs)
1 tablespoon White Vineger
1/3 cup Olive Oil
2 Serrano Chilies, minced (~2 tbs)
5 cloves Garlic, minced (~1 1/2 tbs)
3 inches Ginger, chopped (~3 tbs)
1 tablespoon Black Mustard Seed
1 tablespoon Amchur
2 1/2 teaspoons Whole Cumin Seeds
1/2 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
1/2 teaspoon Fennel Powder
2 cups frozen Green Peas
BUSINESS
Chop the potatoes into roughly 2 inch pieces.
Place them in a large saute pan and cover with two cups of water. Add the vinegar.
Cover the pan and bring to a simmer, cook at a medium temp for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender but have not lost their shape completely.
Drain the potatoes and partially mash in a large bowl.
Heat the oil in a large wok or saute pan.
When the oil is hot, toss in the serrano chilies, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds and black mustard seeds. Saute till light brown.
Throw in all the remaining spices.
Add the semi-mashed potatoes, stir everything to distribute the spices.
Add the frozen peas.
Spoon potato mixture into casserole dish and drizzle olive oil on top. Slide into the oven at 375 for 10-15 minutes to crisp up the top.
It wasn't until I was in college that my family (all living gluten free at that moment) discovered the wonder of this Brazilian bread. No yeast, no complicated blend of gluten free flours, this batter comes together in a few minutes with a small list of ingredients. You can make it with or without cheese. Adding handfuls of something sharp will amp up the flavor, though I must admit an addiction to this simple, dairy free, version. Traditionally, the batter is baked into small muffins, small rolls, but I've taken this opportunity to present you with my favorite alternative: the grill. Pour the batter directly onto a cast iron grill/griddle and you'll be rewarded with an alchemical transformation.
INGREDIENTS
1 Egg
1/3 cup Olive Oil
2/3 cup Coconut Milk (or regular milk)
1 1/2 cups Tapioca Flour
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: 1/2 cup Grated Cheese
BUSINESS
Heat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high flame.
In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients fiercely, until the batter is smooth and shiny.
When the grill is hot, pour the batter directly onto the iron. If it resists spreading, you can give it a nudge with a spatula, though gravity will most likely take care of the job.
Let the bread grill until it curls up at the ends, about 10-15 minutes. Check the bottom for good color, then flip it over and grill the nude side for another 10-15 minutes (or until sufficiently toasted).
Yes, I'm making a lot of cabbage this winter. Truth be told, I'm trying my best to cook from local ingredients and at my market this is the only vegetable I can find that is grown even remotely close to NYC. But, necessity is the mother of invention and I've been keeping my tummy full with delicious variations on this hearty vegetable. Tonight's presentation is tarted up with lemon rind and given a kick in the tongue with some dried chilies. Golden garlic rounds out the flavor wheel, making the dish a new staple in your repertoire.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Green Cabbage
1 head Garlic Cloves, sliced thinly
Rind of 2 Lemons, cut in large strips
2 Dried Chilies
3-4 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Business
Cut the cabbage into thin shreds, set aside.
In the bottom of a wok or large stockpot, heat the oil. When hot, add the garlic and fry until golden. Then add the lemon peel and dried chilies. Toast everything.
Add cabbage to pot, stir to combine, drop heat to medium-low and cook until tender (about 30 minutes), stirring infrequently.
Don't wait for the summer to start grilling. Invest in a cast iron griddle/grill pan and you'll be set through the colder months of the year. I brined the pork loin in whole grain mustard and garlic to infuse it with flavor before slapping it on the hot grill. The final product is perfectly seasoned, charred on the outside, and juicy in the middle (just where it counts).
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon Whole Grain Mustard
1/2 tablespoon Salt
1/2 tablespoon Honey
3 smashed Garlic Cloves
1 to 1.5 pounds Pork Loin
BUSINESS
In a small bowl combine all ingredients, except for the pork. Whisk together until everything is combined.
Trim the silver skin from the pork loin, then place it in a sealable plastic bag.
Pour the brine into the bag with the pork, then seal it and put it in the refrigerator. Leave it for at least a few hours, and not more than 36 hours (the brine can make it too salty).
Let the pork come to room temperature before grilling. Heat a cast iron grill over medium-high flames.
Grill the pork for 8-10 minutes per side, covering it with a larger roasting pan or domed lid while it cooks on the cast iron. Don't move it around while it grills on each side, let the pork get nice charred grill marks. Cook the loin until a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads ~145 degrees, about 40-50 minutes.
Remove the pork from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
SAUCE
While the pork is grilling, make use of the leftover brine by incorporating it into a sauce for the finished dish.
1 quart Chopped tomatoes
1 Yellow Onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup Brine from above (after the pork is on the grill)
All Garlic Cloves from above Brine
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
In a small sauté pan, combine all ingredients.
Simmer for at least 30 minutes, until the onions are tender and the sauce is slightly thickened.
