Category Archives: Recipes (Savory)

The Choi of Roasted Beets with Chili Crisp, Cilantro, and Lime

Posted on by Leave a comment
Roasted beets never had it so good, as in this audacious dish.
Roasted beets never had it so good, as in this audacious dish.

The beet goes on.

And on and on in this inspired dish that’s a pure powerhouse of flavors that lingers devilishly on the palate.

“Roasted Beets with Chili Crisp, Cilantro, and Lime” is sweet, spicy, earthy, acidic and full of umami, and sure to make even an avowed beet hater change their tune.

This easy recipe is from the new “The Choi of Cooking” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy.

With a title like that, it could have been written only by Roy Choi, the South Korea-born chef who made a colossal splash in Los Angeles with his Kogi BBQ that ignited the food truck craze.

Read more

Frankie Celenza’s Take On Argentinian Choripan

Posted on by Leave a comment
A sandwich that's just meat and sauce -- and perfectly put together.
A sandwich that’s just meat and sauce — and perfectly put together.

The first time I stumbled upon the cooking show, “Struggle Meals” with host Frankie Celenza, he was wielding a fork that he referred to as his “Struggle Whip 9000” and pulling out individual packs of chili flakes, honey and butter from the “packet drawer” in a kitchen outfitted with pink pig figurines everywhere.

I just thought, “What the heck?”

But it wasn’t long before I was hooked by the show’s many charms, and by a guy who obviously had serious knife skills and know-how from working at New York City restaurants.

Now comes his first cookbook, “EAT: Easy, Affordable, Tasty” (Union Square & Co.), of which I received a review copy.

Read more

Zareen’s Irresistible Grilled Chicken Boti

Posted on by Leave a comment
A home version of Zareen's fabled grilled chicken boti.
A home version of Zareen’s fabled grilled chicken boti.

The first time I had the pleasure of dining at Zareen’s in Palo Alto, my husband and I ordered chicken samosas, thali plates, and an obscene amount of flatbreads.

But apparently, that wasn’t enough. Because just as we began digging into it all, Owner Zareen Khan walked over with a plate of grilled chicken botti, sizzling away on a cast-iron platter and filling the air with the warm scent of garlic, cumin, and paprika. “You have to try this,” she said, proudly.

She was right. It is now a must-order for us whenever we dine there. We’re definitely not alone, as it’s the most popular dish at the restaurant.

You’ll find that “Grilled Chicken Boti” recipe in her new cookbook, “Zareen’s Pakistani Kitchen” (Sasquatch Books), of which I received a review copy.

The book was written with her husband, Umair Khan, who is the founder of Folio3 Software and a founding partner of Mentors Fund, as well as a visiting professor at the University of California at Berkeley.

She and her husband, who met in high school, were both born in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan. The cookbook showcases the Pakistani and North Indian specialties of Zareen’s, as well as beloved home-cooking staples and street-food favorites.

Read more

Watching Over Milk-Braised Pork Loin

Posted on by Leave a comment
Lean pork loin gets cooked gently in milk -- a lot of it.
Lean pork loin gets cooked gently in milk — a lot of it.

Pork loin is a very lean cut. Good news if you’re watching your calories. But bad news if you’re not careful with the cooking and turn it as dry as shoe leather.

“Milk-Braised Pork Loin” gives you a leg up on that by adding milk — a lot of it — to the equation.

I’ve come across many recipes like this, in which the pork loin is submerged in milk to cover it, then simmered until tender. Those recipes always end with the milk reducing and curdling, a natural byproduct that leaves tasty yet lumpy curds that don’t make for the prettiest presentation.

This recipe differs in that the pork is simmered so gently that the milk never breaks, and remains completely liquid.

It’s from “La Cocina Vasca” (Ryland Peters & Small), of which I received a review copy.

The cookbook, which focuses on recipes from the Basque Country, was written by Madrid-born Maria Jose Sevilla, a former lecturer at the Culinary Institute of America, and writer for the award-winning BBC series “Spain on a Plate.”

Read more

Prime Time for Asparagus with Cannellini Beans, Creamy Tarragon Vinaigrette & Pickled Mustard Seeds

Posted on by Leave a comment
Jazz up your asparagus game with a perfect cooking technique, plus flavorful garnishes.
Jazz up your asparagus game with a perfect cooking technique, plus flavorful garnishes.

When it comes to asparagus, I typically prefer grilling or roasting whole spears because the high heat caramelizes them, bringing their natural sweetness to the forefront.

But Katie Reicher, executive chef of pioneering Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, has taught me another method, one with impeccable timing that renders the spears yielding yet not droopy, and tender but with still a little bite.

Her way is pan-steaming, complete with a genius move — blitzing the tough asparagus ends that are usually discarded with a little water in a blender instead to create the cooking liquid. It gets poured into a ripping hot pan with the asparagus, where it steams and simmers before evaporating and leaving them perfectly done.

Not only are you not wasting any part of the pricey asparagus this way, but you’re imparting more flavor, too.

Read more
« Older Entries