Border-straddling Basque Chicken and Chorizo melds two countries’ kitchens

Borrowing influences from Spain and France, chicken, chorizo, bell peppers, tomatoes, aromatics and spices create a robust, one-pot meal. Recipe below.

Braised Basque Chicken

TO SAY THAT BASQUE COUNTRY STRADDLES THE BORDER BETWEEN SPAIN AND FRANCE isn’t entirely accurate. The Basque people inhabited the region before those nations existed. In fact, according to the American Journal of Human Genetics, the Basque predate the arrival of agriculture in the area some 7,000 years ago. Still, Spain and France did come to exist and, along with them, their regional cuisines. This robust dish of chicken, chorizo, peppers, onion and spices borrows from both. Continue reading “Border-straddling Basque Chicken and Chorizo melds two countries’ kitchens” →

Balancing flavors brings Oven-baked Pork Chops with Mushrooms to life

Pork chops get a major weeknight-quick flavor boost from mushrooms and lemon. Recipe below.

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]I[/su_dropcap]’ve been reading a new book on food and cooking that has me rethinking flavors and balance—How to Taste, by Becky Selengut. We’ll explore the book more here soon, but I’m already using things I’m learning, like with this busy-weeknight-you’ve-got-two-porkchops-go! dish. Continue reading “Balancing flavors brings Oven-baked Pork Chops with Mushrooms to life” →

Healthy Indian cooking, by the book: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

The classic Indian dish Chicken Tikka Masala is made slow cooker simple—and healthier. Recipe below.

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e first met cookbook author and journalist Anupy Singla at a dinner she hosted in her home almost six years ago. Born in India, raised near Philadelphia and now living in Chicago’s Lincoln Park with her husband and two daughters, Anupy is on a mission to make authentic Indian cuisine approachable and accessible to American home cooks. She’s also making it healthier. Continue reading “Healthy Indian cooking, by the book: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala” →

East meets chuck roast: Chinese-inspired Pot Roast with Potatoes

Chinese five-spice powder, fresh ginger, soy sauce, star anise and oyster sauce bring subtle Asian flavors to this traditional meat-and-potatoes pot roast. Recipe below.

SLEET IS PELTING THE WINDOWS AS I WRITE THIS. The first day of spring is less than two weeks away, but for many of us, that’s just a number on the calendar—a cruel false promise. So we remain in the braising mode, filling the kitchen with the oven’s warmth and the entire house with heavenly, meaty smells. Continue reading “East meets chuck roast: Chinese-inspired Pot Roast with Potatoes” →

Why we love meat: Wine-braised Beef Short Ribs with Parsnips

Beef short ribs are slow braised with red wine, beef stock, parsnips, shallots, onion, garlic and anchovies (for added umami). Recipe below.

CHICAGO OFFERS A WEALTH OF OPTIONS for carnivorous home cooks. Besides the usual supermarkets, there are Mexican carnicerias, Korean markets, old-fashioned butcher shops, new-fashioned locavore snout-to-tail butchers… When we were looking for short ribs last Saturday, we reacquainted ourselves with yet another source, Peoria Packing. Continue reading “Why we love meat: Wine-braised Beef Short Ribs with Parsnips” →

Not weeknight quick, but company worthy: Pan-roasted Chicken with Cranberries

The signature tartness of fresh cranberries turns pan-roasted chicken, potatoes, shallots and herbs into a complex, company-ready meal. Recipe below.

SOMEWHERE IN OUR STASH OF VINTAGE ADVERTISING EPHEMERA is a cardboard novelty sign that probably hung behind a bar somewhere in the fifties, or maybe the forties: “I’m not a slow bartender. I’m not a fast bartender. I’m a half fast bartender.” That pretty much describes my cooking style. Continue reading “Not weeknight quick, but company worthy: Pan-roasted Chicken with Cranberries” →

In anticipation of true autumn: Duck Ragu with Brown Ale and Pasta

Ground duck, brown ale and an international mix of umami-rich ingredients put a delicious spin on traditional Bolognese sauce. Recipe (and some substitute ingredients) below.

THIS RECIPE SHARES CERTAIN BASIC ELEMENTS WITH LAST WEEK’S: shallots, onion, carrot, pasta, bay leaf. In fact, as I was assembling it, at one point my hand strayed over to my fallback, tarragon, and I had to tell myself to make another choice. Continue reading “In anticipation of true autumn: Duck Ragu with Brown Ale and Pasta” →

Comfort in the kitchen: Dijon Beef Stew with Brandy and Shallots

Beef, brandy, two kinds of mustard, generous aromatics, carrots and mushrooms braise into a robust, soothing stew. Recipe below.

Comfort food. Are there two more comforting words? They conjure up very different things for all of us, I’m sure, but for me, they often look/smell/taste like this meaty, stew-y dish. But comfort isn’t just in the food—it’s in the making of food, time spent in the kitchen. Continue reading “Comfort in the kitchen: Dijon Beef Stew with Brandy and Shallots” →

Eggplant. It’s what’s for dinner. Again. Linguine with Japanese Eggplant and Basil

Some eggplant roasted ahead of time is the base of this weeknight quick vegetarian pasta. Basil, garlic and Parmesan are the other key ingredients. Recipe below.

Our tiny, abundant garden continues to be, well, abundant. So one recent evening, I came home to find Marion roasting eggplants, beets and potatoes. Okay, the potatoes were from the fridge, not our garden, but they weren’t getting any fresher. The beets and potatoes were sides for dinner that night. A few nights later, I turned the eggplant, some basil from the garden and a few always-on-hand ingredients into this quick dinner. Continue reading “Eggplant. It’s what’s for dinner. Again. Linguine with Japanese Eggplant and Basil” →

Pleasantly peasanty: Chicken with Vinegar Shallot Sauce

Leave it to the French to tame the sharp bite of vinegar with lots of butter, shallots, garlic and tarragon in this classic Lyonnaise dish. Recipe below.

CHICKEN. IN VINEGAR SAUCE. After me somehow never hearing of this ever, suddenly it was everywhere. Within the span of the past two weeks, three very different recipes popped up on my radar from three very different sources. A little digging turned up more. And despite my ignorance of it, chicken in a vinegar sauce wasn’t some new chef-driven trend. It was rooted firmly in “my grandmother used to make this” and “based on a traditional Lyonnaise dish” territory. Continue reading “Pleasantly peasanty: Chicken with Vinegar Shallot Sauce” →