Three simple rules, five mussels recipes

Paul Greenberg offers three simple rules for eating seafood, and we offer five simple recipes for delicious, sustainable mussels.

Everyone tells us to eat more seafood. It’s a low-fat, high-protein food that’s good for our hearts, our brains. But then we’re warned that pregnant women and small children should avoid canned tuna. That certain species are being overfished to the point of unsustainability. And that many forms of fish farming are wreaking havoc on the environment. So what do we eat? Or not eat? In this Sunday’s New York Times, Paul Greenberg offered three simple rules. Continue reading “Three simple rules, five mussels recipes” →

A fresh take on a no-cook pasta (and everything else) sauce: Sage Pecan Pesto

Sage puts a fresh, summery spin on classic basil pesto. This quick, no-cook sauce is perfect for pasta, chicken, chops, steaks, roasted vegetables and more. Recipe below.

Our friend Gloria plants a veritable truck garden every year, mostly on her patio. In contrast to her, this spring we planted approximately nothing in our yard. As a result, that’s pretty much what we have growing there. Except for the sage. We planted it two or three years ago, and it’s surprised us every year since by coming back. Continue reading “A fresh take on a no-cook pasta (and everything else) sauce: Sage Pecan Pesto” →

The bright, fresh promise of summer: Blueberry Lime Yogurt Cake

Greek yogurt and lime juice lighten up and brighten up a traditional Polish blueberry cake. Recipe below.

We are getting a lot of amusement out of describing this roller coaster weather. On Friday night, it was so clingingly muggy and hot that we turned on the air conditioning. On Saturday night, after a day of plunging temperatures and changing clothes every couple of hours to stay warm and struggling around comically in pretty much maritime gales, we had to turn on the furnace. And when we went out to a surprise party Saturday night, I wore boots and a light down jacket. Continue reading “The bright, fresh promise of summer: Blueberry Lime Yogurt Cake” →

Velveting keeps things tender: Stir-fried Chicken with Asparagus

Velveting the chicken before stir-frying it, a simple Chinese cooking technique, keeps the meat moist and tender in Stir-fried Chicken with Asparagus. Recipe below.

WE HAVE A LOT OF VINTAGE CHINA, mostly individual pieces picked up at antique shops, flea markets, yard sales and farm auctions. Some are quite old and fairly valuable, true antiques. Others fall squarely into the collectibles realm. All were chosen because we liked them and wanted to use them on our table. Continue reading “Velveting keeps things tender: Stir-fried Chicken with Asparagus” →

Playing favorites: six of Blue Kitchen’s most popular chicken recipes

We often ask waiters for their recommendations when we’re torn between two dishes on the menu. The other night, we were at Pl-zen, a new favorite of ours, and the choice came down to a short rib burger with jalapeño jam on a pretzel bun or half a roasted chicken with fingerling potatoes, braised kale and a tamarind-guajillo sauce. Without hesitation, our server said the burger. Continue reading “Playing favorites: six of Blue Kitchen’s most popular chicken recipes” →

Balsamic vinegar puts the tang in Tangy Beef Pot Roast with Mushrooms

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” →

Roasting adds depth to Fettuccine with Cauliflower, Andouille Sausage and Olives

Roasting cauliflower mellows its flavor and adds a bit of color to this hearty, delicious pasta. Roasted andouille sausage, olives and shallots also star. Recipe below.

It’s still not warm yet. And, although the weather folks are threatening above-average temperatures in the nearish future, I am sorry, but now it’s still just cold. When I went out this morning, I was wearing my little down jacket—little, and just a jacket, but still down. Continue reading “Roasting adds depth to Fettuccine with Cauliflower, Andouille Sausage and Olives” →

What the…?

Okay, this sucks hard. Blue Kitchen is so broken at the moment that we don’t even know what all is wrong with it. We do know that you can’t click through on old posts, and we can’t reply to comments. Hang in there. We’ll be back soon.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde, uncooked

This no-cook Tomatillo Salsa Verde tastes as fresh as its ingredients—tomatillos, peppers, red onion, garlic and cilantro. Serve it with chips or over chicken, chops, fish, scrambled eggs… Recipe below.

I am officially smitten with tomatillos. The lively, citrusy relative of the tomato, a key ingredient in Mexican and Central American cooking, is as versatile as it is easy to work with. Apparently I’m not alone in my infatuation. When I told colleagues last week of my Chicken Chili Verde adventures, one said she’d made a big pot of her own the week before. And my creative director shared his go-to salsa recipe, a no-cook salsa verde made of tomatillos and just four other ingredients, one of them being salt. Continue reading “Tomatillo Salsa Verde, uncooked” →

Changing up chili with chicken and tomatillos: Chicken Chili Verde

Replacing tomatoes with tomatillos gives the tradition bowl of red a nice green hue and a fresh, lively flavor. Recipe below.

A friend once called me a Border Collie. I took her label as a compliment. It’s not that I’m covered in black and white fur, or that I herd sheep. It’s that I seem to be constantly moving, doing things, covering ground. When Marion and I travel, that’s certainly our style. We arrive anywhere we go with an impossibly long list of museums, restaurants, shops, events to attend, friends to visit… Our weekends are often similarly overbooked. Continue reading “Changing up chili with chicken and tomatillos: Chicken Chili Verde” →