Category Archives: Recipes (Savory)

Italian Pasta and Bean Soup — With Something Fishy

Posted on by Leave a comment
This satisfying orzo-cannellini bean soup gets a lift from tinned anchovies.
This satisfying orzo-cannellini bean soup gets a lift from tinned anchovies.

One hour to total comfort?

Count me in.

“One-Hour Comfort: Quick, Cozy, Modern Dishes for All Your Cravings” is the newest title by America’s Test Kitchen, of which I received a review copy. As the name implies, it’s all about dishes that nourish body, mind, and soul.

Got a mere hour? Then, you’re on your way just like that to self-care served up in a bowl or plate.

The recipes span dishes perfect for every hour of the day, from “Malted Milk Pancakes with Nutella Maple Syrup” and “Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken and Vegetables” to “Skillet Spanikopita” and “Caramel Dumplings.”

For me, “Italian Pasta and Bean Soup” sure hit the spot. It not only comes together fast, but it makes use of ingredients you most likely already have on hand if you keep a well-stocked pantry and freezer.

Read more

Spicy Lamb Dumplings

Posted on by One comment
Home-made wrappers envelope a filling of cumin-scented lamb.
Home-made wrappers envelope a filling of cumin-scented lamb.

I’ve always had utmost respect for the cooks at Chinese restaurants, who huddle over a counter, rolling out perfectly thin circles of dough, one right after another, before crimping them with mind-blogging precision to turn out handmade dumplings quicker than I can take a breath.

But I have even more appreciation for their mad skills now, having tried my hand at making my own dumpling wrappers for the very first time.

Ever since I was a kid making wonton, gyoza and potstickers alongside my mom, we’d always make the filling from scratch, but buy the pre-made wrappers from an Asian market.

With the start of the Lunar New Year this week in yet another pandemic month, I figured now would be as good a time as any to finally check off that box in the annals of dumpling-making.

“Let’s Make Dumplings!” (Ten Speed Press, 2021), of which I received a review copy, proved a perfect resource for that undertaking.

It’s a comic book cookbook — yes, really — by cookbook writer Hugh Amano and illustrator Sarah Becan.

Read more

Sponsored Post: Crunchy, Delicious Pazazz Apple Pickles

Posted on by 2 comments
You'll wonder how you ever lived without these pickled apples topping a sandwich.
You’ll wonder how you ever lived without these pickled apples topping a sandwich.

Sure, back in the day, Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

But today’s more learned Peter Piper would surely pick a peck of pickled apples instead.

Especially in the form of these additive “Quick Bread-And-Butter Apple Pickles” that are made with Pazazz apples, that brilliantly ruby red variety with flashes of yellow-green, an arresting crunch, and a burst of sweet, tangy juiciness.

This snappy, late-season apple that’s descended from the popular Honeycrisp, is at its flavor peak now through June. Lucky for you, Pazazz apples are easy to find at Albertsons, Safeway, and Vons.

February is an especially appropriate time to indulge in them, too, because it’s National Cancer Prevention Month. Pazazz has partnered with the American Institute of Cancer Research to promote the benefits of a diet rich in foods high in fiber and antioxidants such as fresh apples that are thought to reduce the risk of certain cancers.

When enjoying apples, don’t toss the peel, a valuable prebiotic that induces the growth of good-for-you microorganisms to ensure a healthy gut.

Late-season Pazazz apples to enjoy now.
Late-season Pazazz apples to enjoy now.

Indeed, the flesh and peel star in this easy-as-it-gets pickled apple recipe. When I received a sample of Pazazz, I wouldn’t wait to highlight them in this genius recipe by Amy Traverso, food editor of Yankee Magazine.

Read more

The Cutest Ever Hot Dog Flower Buns

Posted on by 6 comments
A genius Asian take on pigs in a blanket.
A genius Asian take on pigs in a blanket.

Before my love for B. Patisserie, Arsicault, and other modern-day baking meccas took hold, there was my childhood infatuation with Chinatown bakeries.

I remember the stacks of pink boxes on their counters, and the mesmerizing machine that would automatically wrap candy-cane colored twine around them in a blink of an eye.

I remember the bustle of customers queuing to place orders, as I scurried underfoot to get a closer look at the glass cases of golden custard tarts; glossy double-crust apple pies; squishy steamed sponge cakes; and airy layer cakes covered in ethereal whipped cream, strawberries and mandarin orange segments.

So, when I heard that the Bay Area’s Kristina Cho was writing a cookbook inspired by the sweet and savory creations of Chinese bakeries, I couldn’t have been more excited to see get these wonderful and nostalgic treats finally get their due.

“Mooncakes & Milk Bread” (Harper Horizon), of which I received a review copy, did not disappoint.

Cho, a former architectural designer turned food blogger of Eat Cho Food, recipe developer, and cooking instructor has created a true love letter to these Chinatown bakeries.

Read more

Marinara Pasta with Secret Sauce

Posted on by Leave a comment
Italian marinara pasta with bread crumbs gets a splash of Vietnamese fish sauce for the win.
Italian marinara pasta with bread crumbs gets a splash of Vietnamese fish sauce for the win.

My dad probably was never aware of the concept of umami.

All he knew was that a splash of soy sauce imparted a magical touch to so many dishes — from homemade steak sauce to a marinade for prime rib to Thanksgiving gravy.

He’d reach for that bottle of soy sauce instinctively, knowing it would add depth of flavor and a boost of savoriness to most anything it touched.

In much the same way, Vietnamese fish sauce is as indispensable in the kitchen.

If you know the fermented condiment made from black anchovies and salt only from its use in the ubiquitous nuoc cham dipping sauce served alongside so many dishes at Vietnamese restaurants, you know merely a fraction of its uses.

Explore just how versatile fish sauce can be in the new cookbook, “The Red Boat Fish Sauce Cookbook: Beloved Recipes from the Family Behind the Purest Fish Sauce” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by the East Bay’s Cuong Pham, the former Apple engineer who founded Red Boat Fish Sauce, the game-changing brand that’s beloved by legions of top chefs and home-cooks.

After immigrating to the United States, he hunted high and low for the ultra fragrant, deeply amber fish sauce of his youth. When he couldn’t find any brands here that met his standards, he created his own in 2011, sourcing wild black anchovies off the coast of Vietnam and combining them with nothing but salt in wooden barrels to ferment the age-old way. In doing so, he created a fish sauce celebrated for its purity of flavor with no additives, enhancers, or preservatives.

Read more
« Older Entries Recent Entries »