Humble comfort from the city on the sea: Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodles

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” →

Speeding up, umami-ing up and downsizing a meaty favorite: Instant Pot Pot Roast

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” →

Jamaican Jerk Ribs from a singer turned chef

Jerk rub, jerk sauce and pineapple-mango salsa bring plenty of flavor and a little heat to these oven-baked pork ribs. Recipe below.

Jubilee Jerk Pork Ribs — Jamaican Jerk Pork Ribs

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” →

The forecast calls for Pork Stew with Caraway Seeds

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 French classic, made weeknight quick: Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

A quick sauce of cream (or half & half), Dijon mustard, shallots and tarragon transform sautéed chicken thighs. Recipe below.

Chicken in Mustard Cream Sauce — Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

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” →

Add versatile Sweet Potato Gnocchi to your Thanksgiving menu

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” →

The comfort of simple: Apricot Balsamic Pork Chops

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” →

Korean comfort with variations: Kimchi Fried Rice with (or without) Scallops

Kimchi Fried Rice, a lively, tangy, slightly spicy traditional Korean dish, is topped here with scallops. Recipe and variations below.

TO MANY KOREANS, KIMCHI FRIED RICE IS PURE COMFORT FOOD. Usually topped with a sunny side up fried egg, Kimchi Bokkeumbap (its name in Korean) is a traditional dish—which means it comes with many, many variations. Including adding seafood, which we discovered when we were looking for something new to do with scallops. Continue reading “Korean comfort with variations: Kimchi Fried Rice with (or without) Scallops” →

Savory with a fresh, light finish: Belgian Chicken with Juniper Berries

Juniper berries and genever (or regular gin) give simple pan-roasted chicken a sharp, clean flavor. Recipe below.

WE ARE ESPECIALLY MISSING LIBRARIES THESE DAYS, wanting to just go in and browse the shelves and find unexpected treasures. The Chicago public libraries have reopened, but we don’t yet feel safe going in buildings that aren’t our house. The upside, if there is one, is that the library just keeps renewing things we currently have checked out. So we keep getting to enjoy a live Miles Davis double album on vinyl. And a wonderfully comforting Belgian cookbook. Continue reading “Savory with a fresh, light finish: Belgian Chicken with Juniper Berries” →

A simple pantry-staples marinade delivers: Chili Lime Grilled Chicken

A mix of basic ingredients you probably already have creates a marinade that produces flavorful, tender grilled chicken. Recipe below.

THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME WE’VE SAID THIS HERE and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Like most of you, we’re relying heavily on things we have on hand when we cook these days. Instead of chasing down trending esoteric ingredients, we’re looking for new ways to use the tried and true staples in our pantry and fridge. This make-it-again flavorful grilled chicken is the happy outcome of just such an adventure. Continue reading “A simple pantry-staples marinade delivers: Chili Lime Grilled Chicken” →