When the weather turns cool, warm things up by firing up the oven and roasting or braising. Here are six recipes from the Blue Kitchen archives.
Last week, autumnal weather inspired me to roast some chicken with grapes, mushrooms and shallots. The cool weather continues, and so does the desire to cook meaty dishes in the oven. We’ll start with some lamb. Continue reading “Six roasting/braising recipes = six reasons to turn on the oven again”
A marinade with red wine vinegar and lemon juice quickly tenderizes flavorful lamb shoulder chops. Feta cheese, Kalamata olives, red onion and lemon zest add even more flavor. Recipe below.
For me, grabbing lamb when I see it in the store is almost automatic. Ground lamb for weeknight-quick burgers, cooked rare, a leg of lamb for a special holiday feast or maybe lamb rib chops when I’m feeling extravagant. Or, most often, lamb shoulder chops—cheap, flavorful and with a chewiness that can be easily tamed with a trick or two. Continue reading “Greek-inspired, weeknight-easy: Lamb Chops with Feta and Olives”
Tarragon, shallots, herbes de Provence and panko breadcrumbs give Meatballs in Tomato Sauce a nicely complex finish. Recipe below.
I did not grow up in a meatball-eating household. We ate plenty of ground meat, of course—in countless meatloafs, in burgers cooked until my mom or grandma were sure they were dead, in giant pots of chili or spaghetti sauce (the word pasta was never used in our house). But never as meatballs. Continue reading “Make a double batch—you’ll want leftovers: Meatballs in Tomato Sauce”
Already flavorful chuck roast gets a tangy, complex, umami boost with balsamic vinegar and fresh and dried mushrooms. Recipe below.
FOR AS MUCH AS WE LOVE MEAT, it plays a surprisingly non-starring role in our weeknight dinners. There may be the occasional braised chicken thigh or pan-seared pork chop, but more often, meat is a flavoring device. A little Italian sausage in a pasta sauce—a half pound stretched across four servings (two dinners). Some ground lamb with white beans and kale. A scattering of pepperoni slices on a takeout pizza. Continue reading “Balsamic vinegar puts the tang in Tangy Beef Pot Roast with Mushrooms”
One of the fun things about writing a food blog is getting to know other food bloggers—even if it’s only “knowing” them from their blogs. This week, I thought I would share recipes from five fellow bloggers I read pretty regularly. Dig in. Continue reading “Five recipes, five favorite bloggers”
Cumin, turmeric and chili powder give this quick, one-pot meal of braised lamb chops with potatoes and peas a delicious Indian twist. Recipe below.
Life is being busy right now, so this post will be about as quick as making this dish is. At the recent International Home + Housewares Show, we ran into Anupy Singla, author of several best-selling Indian cookbooks. We’ve cooked from one of her cookbooks here and eaten food she’s cooked at an event hosted in her home. So we were excited to see what she’s up to now. Continue reading “Two chops, one pot, Indian inspiration: Braised Lamb Chops with Potatoes, Peas and Cumin”
Start marinating pork in the morning with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin and Korean red pepper paste. In the evening, add green beans for a quick, flavorful stir fry. Recipe (and a vegetarian version) below.
I STARTED COOKING CHINESE FOOD BACK IN THE DAY—back before the day, really, when exploratory cooking was not quite a thing yet in North America. I lived in a small college town with a lot of international students, so there were a couple of tiny shops where one could get ingredients like soy sauce (real, actual soy sauce), tofu, chili paste, all these products that today are an ordinary part of our pantries, but back then were… odd. Whatever. I loved trying to figure it out. Continue reading “Chinese cooking made weeknight-quick: Pork and Green Bean Stir Fry”
Short ribs braised in stout get extra flavor from garlic, shallots, carrots, mushrooms and chestnuts. Recipe below.
Beer and I don’t have a happy history. I love wine. I love cocktails. But I’ve never acquired a taste for the suds. When my brother was living in England, I visited him for a month once, during which we drank in approximately all the pubs in England, Scotland and Wales. Also during which I suffered through countless pints of stuff that was not only beer, but was thick, dark and room temperature—you could actually taste it fermenting in your mouth. My brother, of course, was in heaven. Continue reading “Beef meets beer goggles: Beer-braised Beef Short Ribs”
Lemon zest, garlic, fresh parsley, a scallion and Dijon mustard liven up this simple lamb burger. Recipe below.
I WAS IN COLLEGE THE FIRST TIME I ATE LAMB. I can’t pinpoint the precise meal. My girlfriend’s family ate lamb frequently, so it could have been leg of lamb for a holiday meal. Lamb chops for a big Sunday dinner. Or ground lamb patties for a quick weeknight dinner. Whatever the case, I was immediately hooked. Continue reading “Lemony Lamb Burgers with Dijon Mustard”
Beef pot roast, a winter comfort food stalwart, gets livened up with sweet potatoes, onions and smoky, spicy chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Recipe below, with tips on adjusting the heat and smoke.
Turkey and I are taking a break. After some intensely enjoyable time together—Thanksgiving dinner, a delectable soup of dandelion greens, white beans and stock made from the turkey carcass, numerous sandwiches, and random pieces of cold turkey eaten with nothing more than a shake of salt—we hit a bit of a wall. So we both agreed I should see other animal proteins for a while. Continue reading “Smoky, savory and sweet: Chipotle Pot Roast with Onions and Sweet Potatoes”