Category: World Cuisine

Karaage: Chinese-style Japanese fried chicken

As popular as pizza in Japan, karaage is an ideal appetizer—chunks of chicken thigh marinated in soy sauce, sake, mirin and aromatics, then dipped in potato starch and quickly fried. Recipe below.

Karaage

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]hen we are in Detroit, which is every few weeks these days, we almost always find some reason/excuse to have dinner at Johnny Noodle King. This small, busy, fast-moving joint is always bustling and always full of all sorts of people who happily line up for a bowl of ramen, a nice drink and some terrific Japanese-inspired snacks. Continue reading “Karaage: Chinese-style Japanese fried chicken” →

Slow and creamy, with a side of memories: Mushroom Risotto

Butter, a mix of mushrooms, arborio rice, Parmesan and patience add up to a luxuriously creamy, savory, rich meal. Recipe below.

Creamy Mushroom Risotto

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e’ve already talked about our wonderful road trip through Quebec this summer. Now that the nights are starting to draw in, I’ve often thought of our favorite meal of the trip—which was at, seriously, a Best Western. And the pinnacle of that meal was a dish of mushroom risotto. Creamy, rich, fragrant, at once rustic and elegant, it was so well made and so unforgettable. Continue reading “Slow and creamy, with a side of memories: Mushroom Risotto” →

Inspired by Chinese kitchens, again: Lamb Chops with Cumin

Whole cumin seeds, jalapeño peppers, red bell pepper, onion and garlic create weeknight-quick lamb chops inspired by a classic Chinese dish. Recipe below.

Lamb Chops with Cumin

[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” →

Making use of more of our garden’s bounty: Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Regional variations of Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce are a mainstay on countless Chinese restaurant menus. Here’s how to make it at home. Recipe below.

Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]I[/su_dropcap] have recently written—twice, mind you—about our prolific Romano bean plants. Our single eggplant, er, plant is giving the beans a run for their money, producing endless long, slender Asian eggplants and challenging us to find new ways to prepare them. Instead, I’ve opted for an old way, a classic Chinese dish. Continue reading “Making use of more of our garden’s bounty: Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce” →

Portugal, by way of Mozambique and Boston: Spicy Portuguese Shrimp with Garlic

The “spicy” refers as much to the paprika’s flavoring as it does the pepper’s modest heat, and what sounds like too much garlic is just right. Recipe below.

Spicy Portuguese Shrimp

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e love reading about cooking almost as much as we do actually cooking. We have at least six cookbooks out of the library right now. We have another from a publisher, waiting to be reviewed. And though right now, we’re only subscribed to two food magazines—Bon Appétit and Saveur—I think I’m about to add another. Continue reading “Portugal, by way of Mozambique and Boston: Spicy Portuguese Shrimp with Garlic” →

Happy 4th of July. Pass the kimchi potato salad.

Kimchi Potato Salad

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]O[/su_dropcap]n this most American holiday, it is yet again necessary to remind us all that one thing that makes America what it is—that makes it, in fact, great—is immigrants. The men who drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence (and they were all men—don’t get me started on that) were either immigrants or children or grandchildren of immigrants. If you are not a descendant of Native Americans, you are the product of immigrants.

Today, Marion and I are going to a barbecue hosted by friends of ours, both first generation Americans, children of immigrants. We will be bringing this kimchi potato salad as our contribution to the meal. Not as a political statement, but because it is amazingly delicious. This is what happens when you welcome everyone to the table. You get to share wonderful riches. Happy fourth of July, everyone.

Macau-style Pork Chops and a farewell dinner

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.

Anthony Bourdain's Macau-style Pork Chops

[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” →

Hard work, serious cravings and a simple recipe: Penne Alla Vodka with Sausage

Penne Alla Vodka, a retro classic of uncertain heritage, combines tomatoes, butter, cream and vodka to create a lively, rich dinner. Leave out the sausage for a satisfying vegetarian meal. Recipe below.

Penne Alla Vodka

FOR A SINGLE PERSON, OUR OLDER DAUGHTER OWNS A LOT OF STUFF. We know because we just helped her move. Professional movers were hired, but there were still things to pack and label (including six bookcases overflowing with books and a surprisingly vast collection of thrift-shopped ’80s prom dresses), stuff to sort and organize, donations to haul and deliver, recycling to, well, recycle. Continue reading “Hard work, serious cravings and a simple recipe: Penne Alla Vodka with Sausage” →

Border-straddling Basque Chicken and Chorizo melds two countries’ kitchens

Borrowing influences from Spain and France, chicken, chorizo, bell peppers, tomatoes, aromatics and spices create a robust, one-pot meal. Recipe below.

Braised Basque Chicken

TO SAY THAT BASQUE COUNTRY STRADDLES THE BORDER BETWEEN SPAIN AND FRANCE isn’t entirely accurate. The Basque people inhabited the region before those nations existed. In fact, according to the American Journal of Human Genetics, the Basque predate the arrival of agriculture in the area some 7,000 years ago. Still, Spain and France did come to exist and, along with them, their regional cuisines. This robust dish of chicken, chorizo, peppers, onion and spices borrows from both. Continue reading “Border-straddling Basque Chicken and Chorizo melds two countries’ kitchens” →