TO US, CHICKEN AND GRILLING JUST GO TOGETHER. It’s flavorful and forgiving, even when overcooked. It’s also versatile. Here are seven of our favorite recipes, borrowing ingredients and techniques from all over the globe. Continue reading “Seven grilled chicken recipes with a world of influences”
These so-called ribs deliver meaty, grilled flavor in a fraction of the time of true ribs. recipe below.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT GRILLING BABY BACK RIBS is eating grilled baby back ribs. The not so great thing is grilling them. It’s not the prep work so much—it’s the time. To come out fall-off-the-bone tender, baby back (or spareribs or other pork ribs) need to be cooked low and slow. Two-plus hours minimum, but more often three or even four hours or more. By way of contrast, the country style ribs above cooked in 15 minutes. Continue reading “Not really ribs, really delicious: Grilled Country-style Pork Ribs”
Chicken thighs, black beans, rice, tomatoes with green chilies, and cilantro make a hearty, slightly spicy dish that’s even better the second day. Recipe below.
WE’RE ALL LOOKING FOR EXTRA LITTLE BITS OF COMFORT these days and taking them wherever we find them. Not big or extravagant things—more often than not, just things that feel comfortably normal. This week, we talk about a few comforts we’re finding, including in the kitchen. Continue reading “Simple comforts and everyday cooking: Chicken with Black Beans and Rice”
This simple vegetarian dish made with scallions, oil, two soy sauces, sugar and noodles is pure comfort food in Shanghai homes. Recipe below.
CHINESE FOOD IS ALWAYS SURPRISING US, always teaching us something new. There are so many regional cuisines, so many cooking techniques, so many secrets. Recently, ordering takeout from a new-to-us restaurant featuring Shanghai dishes, we came across scallion oil noodles— cōng yóu bàn miàn. Continue reading “Humble comfort from the city on the sea: Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodles”
The Instant Pot makes this weekend indulgence weeknight quickish; a secret Asian ingredient makes it irresistibly savory. Recipe below.
WE’LL START WITH THE DOWNSIZING. When you’re trying to eat less red meat, pot roast can be a challenge. First, it is one of the most delicious forms of red meat there is, meaty, robust, fatty—and yes, a little chewy. Second, most chuck roasts weigh in at three to four pounds or more, not exactly a dainty cut. Continue reading “Speeding up, umami-ing up and downsizing a meaty favorite: Instant Pot Pot Roast”
Jerk rub, jerk sauce and pineapple-mango salsa bring plenty of flavor and a little heat to these oven-baked pork ribs. Recipe below.
FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, a month-long celebration of the achievements of African Americans and a recognition of their contributions to our national culture and history. So it seemed like a perfect time to delve into Toni Tipton-Martin’s wonderful cookbook, Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking, again. Continue reading “Jamaican Jerk Ribs from a singer turned chef”
Chunks of pork cooked with onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, caraway seeds, bay leaves and peas create a homey, peasant-y, comforting stew perfect for winter. Recipe below.
OH, THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL. Snow is the lead story across great swaths of the country. And around the world. Two storms collided on the east coast, dumping as much as two feet of snow on New York City. Madrid had the worst snowstorm in 50 years, a foot and a half in a city that rarely sees snow at all. And the UK issued a “risk of life” warning. So here in Chicago, Marion and I were thinking about food. Continue reading “The forecast calls for Pork Stew with Caraway Seeds”
A quick sauce of cream (or half & half), Dijon mustard, shallots and tarragon transform sautéed chicken thighs. Recipe below.
CHICKEN ISN’T EXACTLY TOP OF MIND AROUND THANKSGIVING. But it’s often top of mind with us. It’s versatile, relatively inexpensive and healthier than red meat (which is also often top of mind with me, if we’re being honest). So as you deal with turkey prep—or turkey leftovers, depending on when you’re reading this—please indulge our chicken explorations here. Continue reading “A French classic, made weeknight quick: Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce”
Sweet potatoes give traditional potato gnocchi a naturally sweet twist. Here, they’re served with a kasha and shallot sauce. Two recipes below.
HERE COMES THANKSGIVING, AND THIS YEAR WE DON’T KNOW QUITE HOW THINGS WILL GO. Maybe, if everything goes well, the swabs the caution the distancing the results, we’ll have visitors, family! a full house, and a dinner table surrounded by loving faces. Or maybe it will be just us, for a while longer, with messages coming via email and text and a quiet, more reflective time, and brave personal portions, and the festivities conducted via cheerful Zooms. A lot of us, that is, still don’t know if we will be many or few, and the likeliest outcome will be: few. Continue reading “Add versatile Sweet Potato Gnocchi to your Thanksgiving menu”
Apricot jam, balsamic vinegar, garlic and thyme flavor these delicious weeknight-quick pork chops. Recipe below.
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, EATING IN RESTAURANTS was something my family almost never did. Every evening when dinner showed up on the table, it was because my mom or my grandma had cooked it, usually after working a full day. I didn’t really think about it as a kid—it’s just what happened. But I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately as eating in restaurants is something most of us are rarely doing right now, if at all. Continue reading “The comfort of simple: Apricot Balsamic Pork Chops”