A mix of Asian flavors and a little heat: Spicy Mussels with Ginger

Mussels get a pan-Asian treatment—and a bit of heat—with ginger, garlic, star anise, Serrano peppers, soy sauce and sake. Recipe below.

Spicy Mussels with Ginger

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]E[/su_dropcap]very time we cook mussels, I’m struck by a few things. First, how absolutely versatile they are. Much like boneless, skinless chicken breasts, mussels are a blank canvas—they deliciously take on the flavors and personality of whatever you cook them in. That could be luxuriously creamy and French, perhaps. Or in this case, pan-Asian based, with a decent peppery kick. Continue reading “A mix of Asian flavors and a little heat: Spicy Mussels with Ginger” →

Cooking up a great bowl of red (or white or green): Four Chili recipes

Marion's Chili

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e just got back from a lovely weekend of too much driving, eating out and staying up late. So when we were finally back home in our kitchen, I craved a restorative bowl of chili. Specifically, Marion’s go-to recipe. That got me thinking about some of the various chili recipes we like to make and eat. Here are four of them. Continue reading “Cooking up a great bowl of red (or white or green): Four Chili recipes” →

Why Irish eyes are smiling: Colcannon

Potatoes, cabbage, leeks and plenty of butter cook into a humble-sounding, but luxuriously creamy traditional Irish favorite, colcannon. Recipe below.

WE LOVE POTATOES. WE LOVE CABBAGE. So how have we never heard of colcannon? Now, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day (a coincidence?), we have. The humble beginnings of colcannon, a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage, belie its heavenly flavor. Continue reading “Why Irish eyes are smiling: Colcannon” →

How the French do rustic: Chicken Chasseur (Hunter’s Chicken)

Chicken, mushrooms and tomatoes are at the heart of this rustic, one-pot dinner, traditionally cooked by French hunters. Recipe below.

Chicken Chasseur

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]L[/su_dropcap]ast week’s recipe, Marion’s Polish Hunter’s Stew, came about because John over at Kitchen Riffs shared a recipe for an Italian hunter’s dish, Chicken Cacciatore. When I saw it, I realized Marion had never made bigos for the blog and put in a request. (We’ll share a link to John’s recipe in the Kitchen Notes below.) So when I saw a French hunter’s dish somewhere else, I of course had to make it. Continue reading “How the French do rustic: Chicken Chasseur (Hunter’s Chicken)” →

Mezcal adds smoke to Mexico’s favorite cocktail: Smoky Paloma

The Paloma, usually made with tequila, is made here with mezcal. Grapefruit juice stands in for the more commonly used grapefruit soda. Recipe below.

Smoky Paloma

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BAR, THE BARREL, HAS MANY CHARMS. It’s tucked up under an El station. The mostly punkish jukebox offers a nice soundtrack to the evening, and the bartenders supply lively conversation when you want it. But one of the biggest draws for us is the cheap, delicious, inventively named cocktails. Our current favorite is the Rosemary’s Baby Daddy. Continue reading “Mezcal adds smoke to Mexico’s favorite cocktail: Smoky Paloma” →

A traditional Mexican favorite, not so slow cooked: Beef Barbacoa Tacos

Barbacoa is a flavorful Mexican meat preparation with many variations. Here, it’s cooked in an Instant Pot and served as tacos. Recipe below.

Beef Barbacoa Tacos

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]I[/su_dropcap]t is colder in Chicago right now than in Antarctica. And the North Pole. And Mount Everest. But even before the polar vortex bore down on us this week, bringing the coldest weather in a generation, snow and cold had us thinking of meaty, stewy, cozy dishes. And as luck would have it, Marion had recently come across a barbacoa recipe. Continue reading “A traditional Mexican favorite, not so slow cooked: Beef Barbacoa Tacos” →

A delicious test drive of an impressive new kitchen tool: Instant Pot Short Ribs

Cooking beef short ribs in an Instant Pot greatly reduces cooking time and still delivers the delicious, tender goods. Recipe below.

Instant Pot Short Ribs

WE’VE NEVER BEEN BIG ON RUSHING INTO THINGS. Last November, we finally got an Instant Pot. And this past weekend, I finally cooked with it. The first thing I cooked? Short ribs, of course. Continue reading “A delicious test drive of an impressive new kitchen tool: Instant Pot Short Ribs” →

Lentils and pasta in one delicious, traditional dish: Pasta e Lenticchie

Pasta and lentils—pasta e lenticchie—is a traditional Italian favorite with many versions. Here’s ours. Recipe below.

Pasta e Lenticchie

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]T[/su_dropcap]his week’s recipe began with six words: Tortellini, Lentils/Collard Greens/Pork Sausage. Lifestyle website InsideHook asked six Michelin-starred Chicago chefs to name their favorite meals in town, and Lee Wolen at BOKA called out the pasta dishes at Daisies. Those six words were the full menu description of one of those pastas. Continue reading “Lentils and pasta in one delicious, traditional dish: Pasta e Lenticchie” →

A humble dish cooks up cozy memories: Shepherd’s Pie

Originally created as a frugal way to use leftovers, shepherd’s pie, a hearty UK favorite, combines lamb and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes, then baked. Recipe below.

ON MY WORST DAYS IN HIGH SCHOOL—a pop quiz, homework not done, any day that started with 8am swim class—one thing could reliably turn the day around, at least for a while. That was walking into the cafeteria at lunch and seeing shepherd’s pie on the menu. Continue reading “A humble dish cooks up cozy memories: Shepherd’s Pie” →

Holiday traditions—never changing, always changing

Chicago Union Station Great Hall

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]F[/su_dropcap]riday night, we met daughter Claire’s train from Detroit at Chicago Union Station, its Great Hall pictured here. Sunday morning, daughter Laurel drove in from Milwaukee. After many, many years of traveling to our parents’ homes for the holidays, we are the destination. Have been for a while now—and it feels good. Continue reading “Holiday traditions—never changing, always changing” →