Pan-Asian Noodles with Ground Chicken

A mix of globetrotting Asian ingredients creates a delicious, weeknight-simple meal. Recipe below.

PAN-ASIAN IS KIND OF A CATCH-ALL COOKING TERM. Chefs sometimes use it to refer to an intentional mixing of cuisines and cultures to create something new. But many Asian ingredients are in fact pan-Asian, maybe originating in one country, but crossing borders to be used in kitchens throughout Asia. Pan-Asian Noodles with Ground Chicken falls in the latter camp, using ingredients from China, India, East Asia and Southeast Asia to create a dish that is not distinctly any one cuisine, but is distinctly delicious. Continue reading “Pan-Asian Noodles with Ground Chicken” →

Simple Japanese finger food: Blistered Shishito Peppers

FOUR-INGREDIENT BLISTERED SHISHITO PEPPERS, simply fried (or grilled), are popular appetizers in Japanese izakaya, casual after-work bars that also feature small plates menus. The slender, pleated green peppers have a delicate peppery flavor. Mostly mild, one in ten randomly packs a tiny bit of heat. Continue reading “Simple Japanese finger food: Blistered Shishito Peppers” →

Roasted Kimchi Gochujang Salmon

Korean-inspired Roasted Kimchi Gochujang Salmon is weeknight quick, healthy and delicious. Recipe below.

SALMON IS OUR GO-TO FISH, especially if Terry’s cooking. It’s easy to prepare and delicious. It’s also very healthy (more on that later). Looking for a new way to prepare it, we thought about combining it with another delicious, healthy food: kimchi. We now have another go-to weeknight-quick dish. Continue reading “Roasted Kimchi Gochujang Salmon” →

Seven grilled chicken recipes, many global influences

Tea-smoked Grilled Chicken with Star Anise & Orange

GRILLING SEASON IS OFFICIALLY HERE. Last weekend, we attended our first barbecue party of the year. The menu was pork, more pork, beef, brats and even salmon. All was delicious, but there was no chicken in sight. For us, chicken is perfect for grilling. 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, many global influences” →

Slow Cooker Red Braised Country-style Pork Ribs

Red braising, a popular Chinese cooking technique adapted here for slow cooker, produces flavorful, fork tender pork ribs. Recipe below.

AH, IMPULSE PURCHASES! Not looking for country-style pork ribs at the grocery store recently, we came across some nice looking ones and bought them anyway. Then digging in the pantry, we came across not so much an impulse purchase as an over-purchase, a large bag of star anise. We do use star anise, just not in such impressive volumes. Looking for a way to use both, we came across a classic Chinese cooking technique that I know we’ve experienced when eating out, but never heard it named: red braising. Continue reading “Slow Cooker Red Braised Country-style Pork Ribs” →

Frijoles Charros (Mexican Cowboy beans)

Smoky, meaty and a little spicy, this traditional Mexican dish is hearty, creamy and satisfying. Recipe below.

INSPIRATION FOR THIS DISH CAME, APPROPRIATELY, ON A COLD, WINDY DAY, as we stood in line to order from a taco truck in Milwaukee. It was the much loved Lonchera El Tapatio Taco Truck, a fixture north of downtown. The tacos were delicious, as were the burritos, but what really caught our attention was their frijoles charros, or Mexican cowboy beans. Hearty, smoky, meaty and slightly spicy, they could be a satisfying meal in their own right. Of course, we had to make some. Continue reading “Frijoles Charros (Mexican Cowboy beans)” →

A lighter twist on a French classic, Chicken au Poivre

Steak au poivre, a French bistro favorite with peppery, creamy sauce, gets a lighter makeover with chicken thighs. Recipe below.

WE’RE EATING LESS RED MEAT THESE DAYS, for all the various reasons many people are. So when we came across recipes for using chicken instead of steak for the classic French dish steak au poivre, we were excited. Continue reading “A lighter twist on a French classic, Chicken au Poivre” →

Gambas al Ajillo: a showstopping Spanish shrimp tapas

Shrimp, garlic, red pepper flakes, paprika and lemon create a popular Spanish tapas dish.

WE ALL NEED CULINARY SECRET WEAPONS, dishes that taste amazing and are easy to make. Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp ajillo) is one of those secret weapon dishes, showstopping delicious and ridiculously simple to prepare. Cook some sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes (LOTS of both) in olive oil for a minute; add paprika, lemon juice, sherry and shrimp, and cook for another few minutes; top with parsley and done. Serve with crusty bread for soaking up the juices and you’ll have guests elbowing each other out of the way for the last bits. Continue reading “Gambas al Ajillo: a showstopping Spanish shrimp tapas” →

Ramen? No. Pho? Not that either—comforting, easy Asian Style Soup

Not really a ramen or pho hack, but a flavorful, satisfying, easy-to-make soup. Recipe below.

RECIPES ARE RIFE WITH HACKS AND CHEATS THESE DAYS, especially online and on social media. We recently succumbed to exploring “ramen cheats” because we love ramen. Was the soup we ended up making ramen? No. Was it a faux pho? Again, no. But what it was was a delicious, comforting, easy Asian Style Soup. Continue reading “Ramen? No. Pho? Not that either—comforting, easy Asian Style Soup” →

Tender, juicy, flavorful—Korean Style Pork Chops

A mix of marinade seasonings delivers big flavor and tender, juicy chops. Recipe below.

PORK CHOPS ARE GREAT AT ABSORBING FLAVORS, especially with a marinade. This recipe uses a mix of flavorings—fresh ginger, garlic, soy sauce, honey, gochujang (fermented red pepper paste), sesame oil and soy sauce—to create savory, slightly sweet, slightly spicy pork chops that are juicy and tender. Continue reading “Tender, juicy, flavorful—Korean Style Pork Chops” →