Hold the cream cheese for this Italian cheesecake: Ricotta Chevre Cake

Ricotta, goat cheese, dried tart cherries and a mere 7 tablespoons of flour are the basis for this traditional Italian cake. Recipe below.

Since we moved, some of our boxes of cookbooks have not yet revealed themselves. The other day, I was looking for them and for some documents. I didn’t find any of that (yet), but in a box otherwise full of a jumble of office things was Italian Kitchen, by Anna Del Conte. Continue reading “Hold the cream cheese for this Italian cheesecake: Ricotta Chevre Cake” →

Making the most of a bumper crop: Turkey Zucchini Stir Fry

Cantonese-inspired, Turkey Zucchini Stir Fry is weeknight quick and a delicious way to take advantage of your garden’s (or farmers market’s) sudden zucchini bounty. Recipe below.

The wayback machine is reminding me of the summer when everybody I knew, absolutely everybody, was growing zucchini. It was the first time any of us had grown zucchini, so no one really knew what to do—how to plant it, when to plant it and, most critically, when to harvest it. Continue reading “Making the most of a bumper crop: Turkey Zucchini Stir Fry” →

Flavor, heat and a cool back story: “Old Godmother” Spicy Potatoes and Pork

Storied Asian condiment Spicy Chili Crisp adds complex flavors and a little kick to this improvised dish of fried potatoes, pork, garlic and scallions. Recipe below.

Like a lot of people we know, we have a battery of hot sauces in our pantry. We don’t have, oh, 100 different hot sauces, but we have a few, from the familiar (Tabasco, Cholula) to the popular (Sriracha) to the hyper-local (Dia de los Tamales Tree Sauce, made a few blocks from our house). Our collection includes a healthy number of Asian greats: hot oil, gochujang, Szechwan chili paste, Szechwan hot bean sauce. Who could have guessed we needed another? Turns out we did. Continue reading “Flavor, heat and a cool back story: “Old Godmother” Spicy Potatoes and Pork” →

Simple French cuisine to the rescue: Braised Chicken with Scallion Purée

This rustic French dish with a base of coarsely puréed scallions and potatoes is perfect for when April isn’t playing nice—as it wasn’t in April 2009, when we first shared this recipe.

The kitchen in our new old house is still half-assembled, but functional. The meals we’re cooking are still mostly functional as well—good, filling, but not necessarily post-worthy. So while we’re still getting things under control, culinarily and otherwise, please enjoy this recipe inspired by a lovely Amanda Hesser cookbook we haven’t managed to unpack yet. [Read more here…]

Yes, it’s Matzoh Crack season again

Marion’s addictive Passover dessert, made with white and semi-sweet chocolates, and spicy rose sugar, makes a delicious return. Recipe and variations below.

We moved last Saturday, probably more of an evacuation than an actual move. We love our new old home, but both it and our lives are a little too chaotic right now to sensibly cook and post something new. With Passover a little more than a week away, sharing Marion’s popular Matzoh Crack seemed like the perfect idea. [Read more here…]

A simple classic pasta, suddenly very much on trend: Cacio e Pepe

With only four ingredients—spaghetti, Pecorino Romano, salt and black pepper—this rustic Roman favorite is enjoying a moment. Recipe below.

I rarely find myself ahead of the curve on anything. When I first shared my version of cacio e pepe—a popular favorite in Roman trattorias—five years ago today, it was adapted from a cookbook published back in 2002. So imagine my surprise when the humble four-ingredient pasta started lighting up the Internet a couple of months ago. Continue reading “A simple classic pasta, suddenly very much on trend: Cacio e Pepe” →

Inspired by Portland and cassoulet: Duck Breasts with White Beans and Sausage

We’ve shared an impressive number of duck recipes here at Blue Kitchen. This one, a quick take on cassoulet inspired by a lovely meal at Clyde Commons in Portland, Oregon remains one of our favorites.

French cooking is usually thought of as elegant and refined. And indeed, it’s no accident that the term that defines high-end dining, haute cuisine, is French. But fancy isn’t all they do. When it comes to comfort food, few can outcomfort the French. Hanger steaks with frites, coq au vin, gratins filled with cream and covered in cheese… [Read more here…]

Four recipes for versatile, quick(ish) lentils

Lentils cook up faster than most other dried beans and pulses, usually in 30 minutes or so without soaking. No wonder they’re favored by so many cultures. Here are four flavorful ways to use them.

We’re quickly becoming regulars at the recently reopened Johnny’s Grill in our Logan Square neighborhood. Besides great cocktails and elevated takes on standard diner fare, Johnny’s new chef/owner Sarah Jordan offers delicious surprises like an excellent fish & chips and a fragrant red lentil dal. The latter, a staple of Indian subcontinent cuisine, inspired this post. Continue reading “Four recipes for versatile, quick(ish) lentils” →

Taking miso beyond soup: chunky, fork tender Miso Braised Pork Shoulder

Winter is getting ready to prove to Chicago—and the upper Midwest—that it isn’t done with us yet. This oven-braised Miso Pork Shoulder first appeared on Blue Kitchen in November 2012, and it’s the perfect antidote for the coming snowy cold. Recipe below.

What’s the traditional sixth anniversary gift? If it’s a food blog anniversary, I’m going with pork. Yes, Blue Kitchen is six years old this month. A lot has changed for me foodwise in that time. For one thing, I feel like I know more about food than when I started—including how ungodly much I don’t know and will never know. But some things have remained the same, like my willingness to borrow ingredients from the global pantry and use them authentically or otherwise. This week, that ingredient is miso paste. [Read more here…]

In a NOLA state of mind: Spicy Shrimp with Tomatoes and Cheddar Grits

A relentlessly busy schedule these days has us raiding the Blue Kitchen archives again, this time for New Orleans-style comfort food with a kick: Spicy Shrimp with Tomatoes and Cheddar Grits. Recipe below.

New Orleans is one of our favorite cities for food. Everything tastes of history, blended cultures and spices. Lots of spices. Some of them hot, of course, but more often just big flavored. And from the diviest dives to the fanciest white tablecloth spots, you have to work hard to find a bad meal.[Read more here…]