Toujours simple, always simple, is my culinary philosophy and a mantra attributed to many of the great French masters. Sometimes it’s such simple dishes like this homey classic, Poussin en Cocotte – Baby Chicken Roasted with Vegetables, that give the most satisfaction. The baby chicken braises in the oven in a covered casserole on a bed of aromatic vegetable, stock and wine. As it cooks, the bird and vegetables release steam, which bastes the meat.
Tuesday, February 27
Stewed Lamb Shoulder, Green Almonds and Mint
Persian cooking fascinates me. It’s a cuisine that mixes sour, sweet and savory. Persian flavors make me think of cooking lamb and fresh green almonds. This recipe for Stewed Lamb Shoulder, Green Almonds and Mint is my take on a lamb koresht or stew. Jump to Recipe To prepare the stew, I use meaty lamb shoulder chops. This cut is both flavorful and lean. Don’t let the bones bother you. Cut what large chunks of
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Wednesday, September 27
Mushroom Bolognese, Gemelli Pasta
Like many, I am looking for ways to eat more vegetables. For the update of On Cooking: a Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, we spend a good deal of time researching delicious vegetarian dishes we can teach our student readers. Skip Hause, my coauthor and I developed a recipe for Mushroom Bolognese for the 6th edition of our book. It is a vegetarian riff on the classic Italian sauce. For a simple home version of the
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Chicken Provencal Tray Bake
Jump to Recipe On the Great British Baking Show, a tray bake is a homey cake baked in a rectangular pan. For me, it’s a catch-all for one pan meals cooked on a baking sheet. For this Provencal-inspired chicken tray bake, we coat flavorful chicken thighs with a light crust of herbes de Provence. Thighs withstand longer cooking than breasts so they are ideal for roasting with garlic and tomatoes. The pan juice makes a
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Monday, October 10
Clam, Shrimp and Sausage Stew with White Beans
Toss a few hard shell clams in a pot with some wine and garlic and you’ve got dinner. Dress it up with hot sausage, white beans and a chunk of bread and you have a meal. We make this Clam, Shrimp and Sausage Stew with White Beans after a trip to the fish market where we buy small hard-shell clams, which are the sweetest and easy to eat in one bite. You’ll find the widest
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Sunday, October 09
Lamb and Butternut Squash Curry
When we have friends to dinner, we often prepare the main course ahead. This gives us plenty of time to enjoy visiting. For night like this, we tap into our repertoire of long simmered dishes; sturdy stews are the little black dress of entertaining at home. Slightly sweet butternut squash and coconut milk balance the rich flavors of lamb in this lamb and butternut squash curry, perfect for the chillier nights of early fall. Make the
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Sunday, January 24
Fireplace Wood Grilled Jerk Game Hens
Nothing says summer like grilled chicken. Pair the bird with the flavors of Jamaica and I’ve escaped the winter doldrums. As long as I don’t look outside that is. Here we’re splitting game hens, slathering them in jerk marinade and grilling them in our home fireplace. Of course you can cook them on a gas grill on in the oven for that matter. But if you’re adventuresome, cooking in the fireplace has many rewards. The
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Wood Grilled Hanger Steak, Green Anchovy Butter, Grilled Radicchio
Robust, flavorful cuts of meat love a wood fire. The smoke coats the meat with a layer of flavor sealing in the meat’s juiciness. Wood grilled hanger steak is a family favorite. The lean meat comes from an interior muscle that sees little action. The cut, called onglet in French, is tender and flavorful, a bistro favorite. We slather it with a pungent green anchovy butter made with kale and scallions. Hanger steak consists of
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Sunday, October 04
Pork Schnitzel, Apple Balsamic Red Cabbage
Schnitzel is Old School but it’s a dish we come back to time and again. Although veal is the classic ingredient, we use pork for these Pork Schnitzel served with Apple Balsamic Red Cabbage. You could try making the dish with boneless chicken breast or even portobello mushroom caps, which should be delicious and vegetarian. But lean pork works well because schnitzel cooks in minutes without toughening the meat. Fine bread crumbs and even heat make a
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"Let no man fancy he knows how to dine Till he has learnt how taste and taste combine."
-Horace, Satires, 2.4They're here!
