May 2013
2 posts
11 tags
Homemade Goat Cheese
I love all cheeses, but there is a special place in my heart for goat cheese. It’s creamy, tangy, and all around more interesting than other cheeses.
Whenever I talk about making my own cheeses, people usually assume it’s really labor intensive. I get a lot of, “you know they sell it already made, right?” But where’s the fun in that? If you can stir and heat up...
10 tags
Asparagus Tart with Parmesan and Goat Cheese
After weeks and weeks of dreary weather in Chicago, spring has finally sprung around here. We can all finally come out of our winter cocoons and get some sunshine. We finally get some delicious spring vegetables to enjoy! Sweet peas, beets, artichokes, arugula, and one of my favorites: asparagus, are all in season! So let’s take advantage of all this seasonal produce and eat our veggies.
...
April 2013
14 posts
7 tags
Homemade Smoked Salmon
A little over a month ago, I finally built my own smoker and finally the weather and my schedule have allowed me to try it out! So for the inaugural smoke for my smoker, I decided upon salmon. I think salmon filets and my smoker are going to become the best of friends this summer.
Smoking couldn’t be simpler once you have the actual smoker, and making the smoker was fun! There’s...
12 tags
Pea and Mushroom Penne
The problem with a lot of comfort food is that you often need it the most when you have the least amount of energy to make it. If you’re like me, pasta is pretty much the holy grail of comfort foods. Rather than spending an entire day over a pot of red sauce, I want sauce in less than 20 minutes without resorting to a jar.
So here it is: dinner in less than 20 minutes with under 10...
13 tags
Hominy and Chipotle Soup for Young Ambassadors...
If you’ve never heard of the Young Ambassadors of Chicago, it’s truly an amazing organization. The Young Ambassadors are responsible for empowering those who live in poverty to help themselves. As they say, it’s a “hand up, not a hand out.”
Take a minute to check out their website:
http://www.opportunity.org/young-ambassadors-for-opportunity/
When I was asked to be...
10 tags
Fried Plantains and Garlicky Pork Loin
Any recipe that states you must “fry, smash, and fry again” is worth trying at least once. If you’ve never tried a plantain before, they’re sort of the bigger, starchier cousin of bananas. Or the lovechild of a banana and a potato. They’re a year-round staple in Africa, the Caribbean Islands, and coastal regions of South America.
So to start, acquire a plantain, cut...
10 tags
Fig and Apple Grilled Cheese
This grilled cheese sandwich is an amazing combination of flavors and textures. It’s much more sophisticated than you’re basic cheddar and sandwich bread grilled cheese, but it’s just as easy to make. The first time I had this sandwich was in Champaign visiting my sister with our mom. This sandwich blew our minds, such an unexpected and delicious twist on a classic.
And April is...
9 tags
Simply Seared Ribeye
If you’ve ever turned on Food Network, you probably heard someone say that they’re searing a piece of meat to “seal in the juices.” It’s a hotly contested debate, even Aristotle had something to say about it, but he also thought meat had pores and women were soulless so maybe he’s not the most credible source on some subjects.
Yes, searing does create a...
10 tags
Shrimp en Papillote with Fennel and Red Pepper
En papillote, or “in parchment” is a simple way of cooking almost anything. You can fill your little parcel with anything you please, fold it up, pop it in in the oven, and you’ll have a beautifully steamed meal in only a few minutes. You can even make the little pouch ahead of time so it’s waiting for you after work. This method works best with vegetables and seafood, but...
8 tags
Red Fish, Yellow Fish, Green Fish
I don’t normally use this blog as a soap box, but this commercial for McDonald’s really pushed some buttons for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxacxShp3LY
“We’d love to see this fishery last for many, many years to come. And I think we’re doing a really good job of doing that. Take care of the ocean, and the ocean takes care of you.”
That last part is...
6 tags
Preserved Lemons & How to use them
Lemons have a way of brightening up almost any dish, so it’s always always a good idea to have a few lemons in your kitchen. As much as you may love lemons, you probably wouldn’t just take a bite out of one. You don’t see little soccer players sharing lemon wedges during half time; it’s got more vitamin C than an orange, but it’s just not as sweet.
Well it’s a...
9 tags
Blood Orange Curd with Shortcakes
If you’ve ever made lemon curd before, than you know how to make blood orange curd, or any kind of citrus curd for that matter. The only difference is the fruit that you use and lemon curd won’t make your kitchen look like a crime scene.
Blood oranges are common in the Mediterranean, especially southern Italy. They are usually smaller than regular oranges and their...
8 tags
Spicy Pork Belly Tostadas
One of the first times I had braised pork belly was at Mindy Segal’s Hot Chocolate in Chicago. The dish was a play on bacon and eggs with Harissa braised pork belly and gently poached eggs and it was amazing.
Pork belly is a tougher cut of meat, so it has to cook low-and-slow before it becomes tender. You can either crisp up the pork by searing it after it braises, or you can put the meat...
11 tags
Homemade Harissa
Harissa is a condiment from northern Africa made from spicy dried chiles, garlic, spices and olive oil. It’s great spread on just about anything and it’s a great addition to soups, stews, whatever you like.
You can buy prepared Harissa from most places, but I’ve noticed the jars can cost upwards of $10. The ingredients that make up Harissa aren’t that expensive, and...
8 tags
Dulce de Leche Coconut Macaroons
I’m really, really excited about this recipe. I’ve mentioned before that I don’t often bake cookies, but I was looking up recipes for coconut macaroons when it dawned on me: some recipes for macaroons call for sweetened condensed milk…and you can make dulce de leche out of condensed milk…so if you put the two together is has to be amazing, right? The answer is yes....
8 tags
DIY Trashcan Smoker
I’ve been wanting to make my own smoker ever since I saw Alton Brown make one from a terra cotta planter. And now that we’re closer to the kind of weather where we turn off our ovens and start to want to sit out all day with a tall drink by the grill, I knew I wanted to finish my smoker ASAP.
But as I started to gather the materials I needed, I noticed that terra cotta is actually...
March 2013
15 posts
7 tags
When Life Gives You Oranges, Make Duck A l'orange
I’ve owed my very good friend a duck for a long time. So when her birthday was around the corner, I knew I had to acquire a duck by any means necessary. I’ve heard of people getting fresh (unfrozen) ducks from Puerto Rican markets on the west side of the city, but where I live, your best bet at a duck is the Asian grocery stores. When I went and spoke with the butcher, I saw a...
9 tags
Braised Beef Short Ribs
Braised beef short ribs are classic for a reason. They’re delicious, made from a cheap cut of meat, they’re pretty easy to make—and did I mention they’re delicious?
Perfectly paired with creamy, fontina-cheese-laced polenta, plenty of the thick and flavorful braising liquid and some simply roasted asparagus. Gaze upon their glory!
When you buy short ribs at the...
9 tags
Little Goat, Big Heart
Chef Stephanie Izard follows her instincts. She hand picks everything from the aesthetic of her restaurants, to the menu, and the local farms that supply her with ingredients. She frequently visits the farms, forming a deeper connections with the sources of her ingredients than most chefs do. So when Chef Izard decided to open up Little Goat with an emphasis on delicious and unforgettable...
8 tags
Hibiscus Truffles
Lately I’ve been buying big bags of hibiscus flowers, brewing big batches of tea at a time and slowly drinking it over the course of a few days. It’s delicious with a little bit of lime. You can find big, beautiful hibiscus flowers at Latin grocery stores. I got a huge plastic bag full of the dried flowers for about $2.00. Often sold under the name Jamaica, it’s available in many...
11 tags
Chickpea Fritters with Goat Cheese Yogurt Sauce
Chickpeas are cheap, nutritious and almost always stocked in my pantry. They are a go-to for me. They’re versatile, filling, and an easy addition to soups, pasta, stews, etc. Like a blank culinary canvas, chickpeas play well with almost any flavor you can imagine. Once you master this recipe, you can have it in your culinary arsenal for an easy dinner or lunch.
Here’s what...
7 tags
Curry Spice Pork with Tamarind-Date Chutney and...
If you’ve never had tamarind before, get thee to an Asian grocery store. It’s sweet, it’s sour, it’s tangy, and compliments spicy and smoky flavors perfectly. So I had my heart set on some tamarind chutney, often referred to as the “ketchup of Indian cuisine,” but that title doesn’t quite do it justice. It’s way more complex and delicious.
To...
10 tags
Hard Cider Braised Chicken and Brown Rice Bowl
It’s no secret that I love to braise. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the original “set it and forget it” of the kitchen. This recipe has an incredibly deep flavor with a slight sweetness. If you can’t find true hard cider, you can substitute for a good quality apple-flavored beer.
If you choose to serve your braised chicken with brown rice,...
9 tags
Cream of Coconut Panna Cotta with Blackberry Lemon...
“Panna Cotta” means “cooked cream” in Italian. It’s typically made with a combination of milk and heavy cream, steeped with some sugar and vanilla, and then set with gelatin. It’s creamy, delicate and pairs perfectly with fruit. It’s as easy as making Jello, but a million times more delicious.
All you need to make a dairy-free version is some...
8 tags
Brussel Sprouts, Four Ways
Brussel Sprouts are a polarizing vegetable, you either love them or you have Vietnam-style flash backs of your parents forcing you to eat them.
I personally love Brussel sprouts. Maybe now is the time to give them another try?
My favorite ways to prepare Brussel are (from left-to-right):
Simply Roasted Sprouts, Brussel sprout chips,
Honey-Sriracha Sprouts, and finally, Bacon and...
7 tags
End of the Mustard Bottle Vinaigrette
So you’re out of mustard. There’s not enough in the bottle to spread on a sandwich and every time you squeeze it, it just makes rude noises.
Instead of throwing it out, micro-plane or mince one clove of garlic, pour in some balsamic vinegar, some salt and pepper, and some good olive oil. Shake to combine and pour over salad greens and vegetables!
A basic vinaigrette is 1:3 vinegar...
10 tags
Nutella and Banana Marble Cakes
Stop everything you’re doing and get some bananas and nutella! This recipe produces the best, and most deliciously moist, chocolatey cakes. Greek yogurt and mashed, ripe bananas keep everything moist and tender. A swirl of creamy nutella will make you weak at the knees.
Here’s what you’ll need:
a stick of butter, softened
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar,...
11 tags
Honey Mustard Chicken
I usually have a least two bottles of mustard in my refrigerator. I love the sharp and spicy flavor of a good dijon or stone ground mustard. Typically, I use them for salad dressings, quick pan sauces, or my favorite application: marinades.
This marinade works well for pork or chicken. It’s cheaper, more delicious, and better for you than store bought marinades—which more often than...
6 tags
Sweet Potato Cookies
I rarely make cookies, maybe I lack the patience or my sweet tooth manifests in different ways.
But yesterday I saw I had one sweet potato just sitting there. Not enough sweet potato to make soup or mash. Maybe I felt it deserved more than being baked, buttered and salted.
I scoured the internet and came across sweet potato cookies. There are several different versions including some...
7 tags
Lazy Tomato Soup
When it’s terrible and gray outside, the last thing I want to do is grocery shop. That’s why I always try to have a few go-to’s in my pantry to make a comforting meal without having the leave the apartment and hydro-plane all the way over to the store.
My go-to comfort meal is tomato soup.
It’s so easy to make, you can get it from the stove to the table in 15...
9 tags
Yakisoba Noodles
Yakisoba is a savory Japanese dish with roots in Chinese cuisine. It translates literally to “fried noodles in sauce,” a description that can leave a lot to the imagination.
You start with Soba noodles, they are similar to noodles you use for ramen, but made with buckwheat flour. The dish is finished with a savory and spicy yakisoba sauce, but everything in between is up to...
February 2013
13 posts
7 tags
Simply Plated now has a Facebook Page! →
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8 tags
Guacamole: The Ultimate Crowd Pleaser
Everyone should have a good guacamole recipe in their repertoire. It’s a quick go-to for parties and you’ll probably get invited to a lot more parties if you bring this with you.
If you’ve ever gone to Whole Foods and seen the giant tubs of guacamole, you’ve probably noticed that the price tag can be upwards of $10.00. Well, you can make your own batch for about half the...
7 tags
Mushroom Risotto
Rice is underrated. How many times have you ordered take out and ended up with some mushy blob of white rice? Maybe you didn’t even notice the rice. When made properly and with care, rice can not only be an amazing side dish, but can stand alone as a main course.
There are many different cooking methods for rice, including pilaf method, simmering/steaming method, and boiling method. But the...
14 tags
Andouille Sausage with Sweet Potato Polenta and...
When I was younger, my dad and I would go out to different restaurants determined to trying something new. We’d go to any Indian buffet or Thai restaurant that the suburbs had to offer. I remember when he took me to Heaven on Seven in Naperville to try some Cajun/Creole cuisine. We ate this dish, it seemed so sophisticated to me at the time: creamy sweet potato polenta with spicy seared...
9 tags
Baked Pears with Apple Cider Sabayon
Sabayon or Zabaione is traditionally made with using equal parts (by weight) egg yolks, sugar, and sweet wine. The mixture is whipped together in a double boiler to create a beautiful, decadent, and airy foam.
But if you’d rather drink or forgo the wine altogether, you can use almost any kind of juice you have on hand. Any kind of sparkling juices or wines work best and produce an...
8 tags
Tomato Jam
Tomatoes aren’t their best in February. Foolishly, I bought a pint of cherry tomatoes and didn’t want to waste them—even though they were less than flavorful.
So I cheated and cooked all the water out of them and added in a bunch of other delicious things.
I poured in enough apple cider vinegar and water, in equal parts, to cover the tomatoes a little less than half...
8 tags
Spicy Penne Arrabiata
This pasta sauce is flavorful, spicy, and takes less than 20 minutes to cook. What more could you ask for in a pasta dish? It only takes about 5 ingredients to make this sauce and chances are you already have these ingredients in your pantry.
Before you even put a pan on the stove, set up all of you ingredients. Chop up four big cloves of garlic, wash and dry a big handful of basil, a...
8 tags
Brown Butter & Oatmeal Scones
These are some pretty delicious scones. Chewy with a fantastic nuttiness from the blend of browned butter and oatmeal. Once you master the technique, you could practically make them in your sleep.
To start, melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan. The milk solids will start to separate, the butter will foam up, and finally the milk solids will start to brown.
Once the...
7 tags
9 tags
Fontina, Bacon, and Spinach Stuffed Pork...
I’ve recently received some LivingSocial vouchers for Artizone Chicago. Artizone Chicago represents a collection of talented artisans who specialize in producing beautiful ingredients and products. After spending hours drooling over their website, I placed my first order. And here’s the best part: they deliver it right to your door step. When the delivery man handed me a little bag...
9 tags
Crepes with Banana Caramel
Crepes can be savory, sweet, dessert, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Using chef and author Michael Ruhlman’s ratio for crepes as a starting point, it’s easy to let your imagination run wild.
Start with 8 oz of milk, 4 large eggs, and 4 oz of flour, add some sugar and vanilla, some chopped herbs, or anything else you have on hand. It’s more accurate to measure by weight, but if you...
12 tags
Moroccan Chicken Tajine
Moroccan food is arguably one of the interesting cuisines, with a collaboration of ingredients and technique from the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Tajine has a long history, several different variations, but all in all is a delicious and comforting meal.
The vessel the dish is named after has a heavy ceramic bottom with a pointed lid that keeps condensation from escaping. Any pot with a lid...
January 2013
4 posts
8 tags
Ouefs en Cocotte
To quote the brilliant Anthony Bourdain, I am a self proclaimed “egg slut”. This term of endearment can be applied to anyone who will eat anything as long as an egg is involved somehow.
I’m sure we can all remember the “Are they good for you?”/”Are they bad for you?” roller coaster eggs have been on for the last few decades. The truth is, yes, when you...
7 tags
Avocado and Lemon Vinaigrette
A basic vinaigrette calls for about 1 part vinegar to every 3 parts of oil you use. An emulsifier is used to suspend the vinegar in the oil, usually in the form of honey or mustard.
Not only do avocados make for an excellent emulsifier, but they are an excellent source of vitamins and easily digestible proteins. Avocados are digested slower than most fruits and are full of healthy fats that make...
5 tags
Double Chocolate Brownies
Let’s all take a break from our beginning of the year diets and new years resolutions for some decadence. Let us partake in some chocolatey goodness, because, hey- you probably deserve it.
This is my absolute favorite recipe, it’s deep, rich, pure chocolate flavor with an amazing fudge-like texture.
Here’s what you’ll need:
6 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate,...
8 tags
Quick and Easy Almond Crusted Chicken
This recipe is so simple and only takes about 20 minutes to cook! You can easily substitute any kind of nut if almonds aren’t your favorite.
Preheat your oven to about 375F, toss in an oven proof skillet to preheat as well.
Start with about 2 oz of almonds, 2 garlic cloves, and a small amount of canola oil. Chop almonds and garlic together with a food processor or an immersion blender (I...
December 2012
3 posts
5 tags
Simple Roast Chicken
It has been said that the quality of a chef should be judged by their vinaigrette, french omelet, and roast chicken. With only a few basic ingredients, each dish is so basic that a chef’s technique must be perfect. With a little attention to detail and some butter, chicken can shake it’s boring reputation and rise like a delicious roasted phoenix.
To start, throw your pan...
7 tags
Oat Nut Bread
A store bought loaf of bread has a pretty decent shelf life. Place that store bought loaf on a counter next to a homemade loaf, and you’ll notice that the homemade loaf will start to mold after a few days. Store bought breads tend to have misleading labels, bogus health claims, and sneaky preservatives to give the loaf the unnatural ability to out last anything homemade.
...
