Category Archives: Recipes (Savory)

Fire Up the Grill for Jamie Oliver’s Shrimp Skewers & Ajoblanco Sauce

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All scratch-made, and ready in about half an hour.
All scratch-made, and ready in about half an hour.

Just like with fashion, when it comes to cooking, less often makes for a bigger impact.

I’ve long been a fan of Jamie Oliver for his attitude that cooking shouldn’t be a big deal. Over the years, he’s shown that a handful or so of ingredients plus a modest amount of time is all that’s required to put together a truly winning dish.

Now, he’s turned that same philosophy on the backyard grill with his newest cookbook, “Grill: Easy Grilling, Big Flavor” (Appetite), of which I received a review copy

The British chef offers up 90 recipes that won’t tax the budget, dexterity or comprehension of any home cook.These are simple — some might even consider basic — recipes that are sure to get the summer backyard festivities going.

Fire up the grill for everything from “Grilled Fish Tacos & Stone Fruit Salsa,” “Charred Squash & Tahini Chickpea Salad,” and “Arrabiata Chicken Drumsticks” to “Fruity Pork Chops & Grilled Potatoes” and “Shrimp Toast Burgers.”

Like the rest of the recipes in this book, “Shrimp Skewers & Ajoblanco Sauce” doesn’t require any heavy lifting.

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Revamping the Croissant

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Costco croissants get jazzed up in a big way.
Costco croissants get jazzed up in a big way.

When you’re lucky enough to hold in your hands a perfect specimen of a croissant, made with the finest butter into shatteringly crisp, ethereal layers, say from San Francisco’s Arsicault, do NOT do anything to it. Just enjoy as is. Slowly. Deliberately. Dreamily.

Other times, when the croissant happens to be more mundane, say from Costco, where a package of a dozen can be had for a bargain-basement price of 50 cents per pastry, then by all means, play with your food.

Specifically, by making “Croissant Toasts.”

This fun, summery recipe calls for flattening those croissants, searing them in a pan, then blanketing them with whipped ricotta and juicy, burst cherry tomatoes.

It’s like everyday ricotta toast — but pimped out.

This fanciful recipe is from “Ohana Style” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy.

It’s the newest cookbook from everyone’s “Top Chef Fan Favorite,” Sheldon Simeon. The Hawaii chef is the owner, along with his wife Janice Simeon, of Tiffany’s and Tin Roof, both in Maui.

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Easy Peasy, Nice and Easy Lemongrass Tofu

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The simple joy of lemongrass tofu over fluffy rice.
The simple joy of lemongrass tofu over fluffy rice.

When my husband is traveling or out with his guy friends, I like nothing more than a very simple, very quick dinner at home that will leave me nourished and ready to tuck into a good book for hours on afterward.

I’m talking tofu, rice, and veggies.

On first thought, that trio may seem way too boring or virtuous.

But I promise: It is homey, comforting, and will leave you content.

“Lemongrass Tofu” is an example of that, with firm tofu marinated in minced lemongrass, honey, soy sauce, chili pepper, and turmeric before getting quickly sauteed in a pan for dinner in no time flat.

This easy recipe is from “Vietnamese Food and Food Culture” (Tuttle, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

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Don’t Rush Slow-Roasted Oyster Mushroom Ragu

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So smoky, savory and meaty tasting, this pasta won't make you miss the fact there's no actual meat in it.
So smoky, savory and meaty tasting, this pasta won’t make you miss the fact there’s no actual meat in it.

The key to the most flavorful mushroom pasta?

Skip the quick saute of the mushrooms. Instead, exercise a little patience to roast them in the oven for 45 minutes with soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.

The result are mushrooms that are deeply caramelized, wonderful smoky tasting, and because of the seasonings, boosted with meaty and savory flavors.

This recipe for “Slow-Roasted Oyster Mushroom Ragu” is from “Cooking Fast and Slow” (10 Speed Press, 2025).

The cookbook is by Natalia Rudin, a London-based personal chef, health and nutrition coach, and yoga teacher.

With her busy life, she well understands the need for both quick recipes for harried weekdays and more leisurely ones for days that are more relaxed. As such, her book chapters are handily arranged into recipes that take 15 minutes or less, 30 minutes or less, 1 hour or less, and 1 hour or more.

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One Potato, Two Potato — Plus What?

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When it comes to Pigs in Blankets, what's old is new again.
When it comes to Pigs in Blankets, what’s old is new again.

Meet “Pigs in Blankets” — meat and potatoes version.

With a big emphasis on the potato.

The usual frozen crescent roll dough or puff pastry is swapped out from this nostalgic dish for a whole russet potato instead that gets stuffed with an entire sausage, then wrapped in bacon.

It turns this throwback from an hors d’ouevre into a hearty main dish.

This rather zany and absolutely delicious dish is from “Retro Recipes” (Countryman Press), of which I received a review copy.

The cookbook was written by Bobby Hicks, a Florida-based bartender-turned-culinary-historian, and creator of the popular YouTube series, “Retro Recipes Kitchen.”

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