Curiosity often drives what I cook and this Italian Oxtail Stew post arose from my preoccupation with learning how to prepare unusual meats. Watching Andrew Zimmern eat off-cuts and internal organs, or “variety meats” as they are euphemistically called in America, for years touting them as delicious has repeatedly piqued my curiosity and presents me …
With the holiday season fast approaching, I am determined to ease the stress of entertaining family and friends. As I was preparing for my annual holiday cookie baking, it occurred to me that I should experiment with savory rye crackers, which can be baked ahead like cookies and which can be a base for hors-d’oeuvres …
This grape focaccia was inspired by crates of deep purple, vibrant green and ruby red grapes which caught my eye at the farmers’ market in September, a welcome sign of approaching autumn after a blistering summer. In the early morning light, the glistening grapes еstablished a gorgeous image highlighting nature’s abundance. It was impossible to …
This Chicken Curry Kapitan is a product of centuries of migration to, and colonization of, the Malay Peninsula by Indians, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and British and is an inspired adaptation by Malay cooks. I first encountered this curry near Phuket, Thailand on the Malay Peninsula close to the border with Malaysia, a region where a …
l never thought of eating cold mashed potatoes flavored with various citrus juices and hot peppers as a salad or appetizer until I discovered la causa rellena (literally translated as “the stuffed cause”) in Cusco, Peru’s imperial city high in the Andes Mountains. Until I traveled in Peru, I was dismissive of leftover mashed potatoes. I …
Peruvian Causa – Colorful and spicy mashed potato starters with chicken or shrimp Read More »
I was inspired to bake this Greek Rag Pie after I saw Nigella Lawson prepare a similar pie on a late-night rerun of the BBC‘s show Simply Nigella. She named it Old Rag Pie and said it was the Greek bakers’ way of using leftover phyllo scraps. I don’t know why Nigella named the recipe …
This Spicy Rice Cakes with Pork and Vegetables stir fry resulted from an exploratory shopping trip. I love experimenting with new ingredients, especially from different ethnic cuisines. I refuse to get into a food rut, recycling the same menus repeatedly and I am fortunate that Weldon enjoys trying out new tastes. To get new meal …
Cornish Hens Tabaka are a traditional dish indigenous to the Republic of Georgia, a country of nine million inhabitants in the Caucasus Mountains. Its Georgian name originates from “tapha,” the cast iron pan with a weighted, screw-tightened lid used to prepare this succulent dish. It is sometimes also called Tabaka, Tapaka, Chicken Tabaka, Chicken Tabak, …
Food binds geographically and linguistically diverse Morocco together. Moroccan cooking reflects the influence of indigenous peoples, traders, invaders, immigrants and colonizers, each of whom, over centuries, played a role in the development of local culture and dietary habits with new ingredients and cooking techniques that remain influential today. Today’s Moroccan cuisine is a blend of Berber, …
This Turkey, Ham & Pork Sausage Pie is another solution for holiday leftovers. At our house, even a small turkey or ham often produces too much delicious meat which, while enjoyed the first time served, is hard to serve for more than one additional meal. Turkey and ham sandwiches, assorted creamy casseroles and soups are …