Finally, it’s spring and I’m abandoning winter stews, chilis and soups for lighter fare and fish is my preferred choice. The advent of spring always reminds me of fish and Lent. My family took Lent seriously when I was growing up. My maternal grandfather Didunio, a Ukrainian Orthodox priest, fasted as required by Orthodox theology, …
Fish Veracruzan style — Pescado a la veracruzana Read More »
There is wide discretion in recipe nomenclature. You can pretty much name a recipe anything you want. The usual practice, however, is that the name should indicate something about the ingredients and style of preparation. I named this dish a clafoutis despite knowing that the French are persnickety about naming classic recipes. Académie Française, the renowned …
When our daughter Sophia was in elementary school, she spent a month or so each summer with her grandmother Raisa and extended Zelinsky-Oliver-Bulawka clan in Maryland. At the end of her stay, my husband Weldon and I drove out to bring her home to Chicago. But before we headed west, we always drove a 100 miles …
Family traditions, especially cultural food traditions, are often passed from parents to children to preserve ethnic identity and heritage. Occasionally, however, a memorable event provides a basis for establishing a new family tradition. The first year I was an associate at Reuben & Proctor, a Chicago law firm, my husband Weldon and I were invited …
This chicken with olives recipe is a family favorite. I don’t remember the precise date it became part of our repertoire, but probably in the late 1990’s at a time when my husband, my daughter and I were very busy with schools and careers and being able to prepare a one-pan dish for dinner was …
I always loved noodles, perhaps because this was the first dish I learned to cook. Well, not really cook from scratch, but I helped my grandmother drop the fresh dough into boiling water. Watching the transformation of this lump of raw dough into a delicious noodle, I was hooked for life. During my childhood, I …
A few nights after the Little India on a Plate tour, we embarked on another Frying Pan Adventure, www.fryingpanadventures.com. Arva Ahmed, Farida Ahmed’s sister, took us on the five-hour Middle Eastern Pilgrimage Food Trail through the streets and alleys of the Al Riqqa section of old Dubai to savor assorted Arabic dishes brought to Dubai …
I usually plan and specifically buy ingredients for what I intend to cook, but several weeks ago, I impulsively bought beef short ribs without any specific recipe in mind, just because they looked good. So I scrambled for inspiration on how to use this wonderful meat best. Recognizing that short ribs are best cooked slowly …
Dark Ale Braised Beef Short Ribs — Carbonnade á la Flamande Read More »
When I check out at the grocery with a turban squash in my basket, the person behind me often leans over and asks what I do with it. Occasionally I am asked whether I will use it as a centerpiece or as a tureen for soup. I explain that I will stuff and bake it …