In the Words of Murray…
"There's cheese inside... don't tell anybody!" Stuffed corn tortillas called pupusas, a sort of built-in quesadilla, accompany a butterflied chicken roasted with an infusion of Mexican flavors.
Category Archives: Sides
Fennel Patties
Wild salmon is served with a thyme beurre blanc and some delicious little patties made from fennel fronds, of all things.
Clandestine
A quick summer pasta dish that can be served hot, cold or room temperature, tossed with peas, zucchini shreds, and a homemade pesto of fennel fronds and mint. A great way to use up those…
Mess o’ Greens
Don't toss those greens! An introduction to the care and feeding of turnip greens, as well as a basic recipe for braising them with onion and bacon grease.
Moghrabieh with Levantine Roast Chicken
I took inspiration from moghrabieh, a pea-sized Lebanese semolina couscous, serving it with a roast chicken rubbed with Levantine spices and basted with lemon juice.
Presto Change-o
This Asian-inspired sweet and salty grilled beef took an unexpected turn when my rice wasn't ready in time; I turned fried mai fun noodles into a nest for the meat instead.
Fried Onion Heaven
Fried onions are yummy, no matter how you make them! Included are simple recipes for french-fried or haystack onions---perfect for all garnishing all sorts of foods---and crisp buttermilk-dredged onion rings with a dipper of homemade…
Five-Spice Roasted Chicken and Fixings
A variation on your basic roast chicken, with an Asian slant: Five-spice roasted chicken and gravy is served with a fragrant mash of white and sweet potatoes and a green salad drizzled with scallion vinaigrette.
The Polenta Coup
This was the first polenta my husband ate without complaint, perhaps because it is enriched with all sorts of yummy cheese and cream. While creamy, I served it under brat-seasoned pork chops and apple compote;…
Chicken Tricks and Tortellinis
An in-depth guide to a basic roasted chicken, complete with my sure-fire gravy, crockpot chicken stock made from the carcass, and chicken soup with homemade tortellini.
B’stilla-dillo
I didn't expect to enjoy this unlikely mixture of ground beef, Moroccan spices, dates, capers, and almonds, but it was the perfect balance of salty, savory, sweet, and crunchy. I paired it with couscous and…
A Different Kind of Green Bean
An introduction to green (or fresh) garbanzo beans, and a recipe for prosciutto-wrapped chicken with sun-dried tomato sauce.
Seeing Red
A boneless chicken recipe pairing red wine with the traditional Chinese technique of red cooking, essentially a braise of soy, brown sugar, and 5-spice.
Pork Carnitas
An incredibly simple recipe for braised pork carnitas that delivers a huge punch of flavor.
Filling in the Gaps
This is a summary post overviewing the meals and baked goods I made over the holidays, concluding with the highlight of my father making ebelskivers.
Grilled Ribs and Sauteed Sweets
This recipe may be one of the only ways I enjoy eating sweet potatoes: They are tender, flavorful, and not overly sweet thanks to caramelized onion, ginger, smoked paprika, and a splash of sherry vinegar.…
Muffin-Cup Gratins
This easy recipe for potato gratins built in a muffin tin, from the winner of The Next Food Network Star, Melissa d'Arabian, is absolutely brilliant, adaptable, and a new favorite side dish in our home.…
Splurging, Two Ways
This special-occasion meal is composed of porcini-crusted filet mignon, pan-roasted and topped with gorgonzola garlic butter. The remaining steak was then transformed into sandwiches on homemade potato rolls (made from leftover chard-laced mashers), smeared with…
Do You Have the Chops?
A basic lamb chop recipe livened up with sun-dried tomato compound butter; the latter can also be tossed with pasta, peas, and feta cheese for an easy side.
Divide and Conquer
Two recipes for boneless leg of lamb: First, grilled butterflied lamb with a hoisin glaze, served with sauteed mushrooms; then, Moroccan kebabs grilled with zucchini chunks and served over pistachio-date couscous.