Cooking beef short ribs in an Instant Pot greatly reduces cooking time and still delivers the delicious, tender goods. Recipe below.
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”
New York strip steak is topped with a simple sauce of cream, brandy and Dijon mustard. Recipe below.
[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e loved our Thanksgiving turkey. We loved sitting down to dinner with family, sharing the roast turkey, the sides, the three(!) desserts. We loved the leftover turkey—on plates with also leftover sides; in sandwiches; random bites nabbed from the container and eaten cold; reheated in an impromptu sauce with aromatics and served over rice. Then suddenly, we didn’t love the turkey. It was time for steak. Continue reading “Turkey overload antidote: Pan-seared, oven-finished Steak with Mustard Sauce”
Apples, leeks, cider and balsamic vinegar create a seasonal topping for pan-seared, oven-finished pork chops. Recipe, adapted from The Staub Cookbook, below.
ONE OF OUR MOST TREASURED PIECES OF COOKWARE is our deep blue Staub oval Cocotte. The hefty enameled cast-iron Dutch oven, made in France in a former artillery factory, inspires us to up our cooking game every time we use it. Apparently, we’re not alone. The Staub Cookbook has been called a “beautiful love letter to the enameled cast-iron cookware of Staub.” Continue reading “Book report with a side of chops: Pork Chops with Balsamic-glazed Apples”
Whole cumin seeds, jalapeño peppers, red bell pepper, onion and garlic create weeknight-quick lamb chops inspired by a classic Chinese dish. Recipe below.
[su_dropcap style=”flat”]L[/su_dropcap]ast month, Marion wrote about a dish we always seek out on Chinese menus, Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce (or any Chinese dish using eggplant, really). Another dish we love is Lamb with Cumin. There are many regional takes on this dish too. Inspired by our favorite version, thin slices of lamb with big flavors and plenty of heat, I’ve streamlined it into a weeknight-quick dish with whole chops and a shorter ingredient list. Continue reading “Inspired by Chinese kitchens, again: Lamb Chops with Cumin”
Butter, shallots, brandy, pink peppercorns and cream make a rich, lively, slightly peppery sauce that elevates a simple pan-seared steak. Recipe below.
[su_dropcap style=”flat”]H[/su_dropcap]ow often do you buy an esoteric ingredient for a new recipe, only to let it languish on a shelf later? We’ve done that far too many times. So when I tracked down pink peppercorns for last week’s cocktail, I was determined to find new uses for them. Turns out one way people use these not-actually-peppercorns from Brazil, despite them being deemed perfect for fish and light sauces, is on meat. Steaks, to be specific. I was good with that. Continue reading “Esoteric ingredient, round two: Steak with Pink Peppercorn Sauce”
[su_dropcap style=”flat”]P[/su_dropcap]ork chops are one of our go-tos, especially on weeknights. They can cook up pretty quickly and lend themselves to lots of variations. Here are six recipes that show what we mean. Continue reading “Quick, easy, versatile: six pork chop recipes to cook right now”
Inspired by Macau street food, pork chops are pounded thin and marinated overnight, then coated with panko bread crumbs and quickly fried. Serve with tossed greens or on slices of white bread. Recipe below.
[su_dropcap style=”flat”]L[/su_dropcap]ast Friday, Anthony Bourdain broke our hearts. All of our hearts. Partly, of course, because we knew we would never see him again, never hear his funny/smart/poignant/fierce stories again, never vicariously share his adventures again. But what truly broke our hearts was knowing that this generous, gentle, good man had suffered such profound sadness and pain. Continue reading “Macau-style Pork Chops and a farewell dinner”
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”
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”
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”