Lion’s mane mushrooms have a dense, meaty texture similar to stewed beef and easily take on the flavors of this recipe; the result is familiar in its decadence but avoids the heaviness that often follows consuming red meat. Smoked bacon and beef broth provide ample meaty flavors while enriching the silky herbed sauce of aromatic […]
Living in the midwest, a full 800 miles from the nearest ocean, our seafood choices are still pretty decent though typically it has been a while since your dinner was pulled from the sea and has passed through a few hands, each of whom layer on additional markup. This doesn’t only result in higher prices […]
No fruit tastes as summery as ripe peaches, and late-season Georgia sweet peaches from Fresh Farms are the most luscious of all. The aroma of the ripening fruit is as intense and irresistible as the soft, sweet and tangy flavor. They’re also a treat for the eyes with their deep orange-yellow hue and vibrant patches of […]
There’s something about a seafood boil that brings people together. The irresistible sight of a steamy pile of jumbo tender shrimp, perfectly cooked potatoes, and corn steamed in fragrant cajun spices with a splash of hot sauce is hard to pass up. When I was asked to feature a recipe from Mark Bittman’s new cookbook […]
I love fish, all kinds of fish and whether it’s baked, seared, grilled or fried, I’ll happily eat it. When I try out a new restaurant, I usually start with the seafood section of the menu and work my way back to traditional fare. Jason, on the other hand, isn’t such a devoted seafood fan, […]
One of my favorite soups growing up was my Grandma’s garden vegetable soup. She would make this soup throughout the year, and though the tomato base would remain the same, she would vary the rest of the recipe with whatever vegetables were in season. My version is updated by briefly broiling the vegetables to char […]
Although the warm sunny days of summer are behind us, delicious summery salads can continue late into the fall. Jam-packed with layered flavors and textures, my twist on the classic Salade niçoise trades cannellini beans for eggs and skips artichokes, anchovies, and olives for a lighter texture, letting summery heirloom tomatoes, string beans, radicchio, lettuce, […]
When it comes to buying produce, most shoppers pick through dozens of pieces, turning, squeezing and unfortunately bruising many of them until they find the most perfect looking, blemish-free pieces leaving mounds of picked-through, roughly handled and damaged produce that ultimately goes to waste. I’m guilty of this myself, but this behavior pressures grocery managers […]
Hard to believe last Tuesday was the first day of Spring, with some parts of the country still getting pounded by record snowstorms. While I’m anxious for the arrival of warm spring days, I fully intend to savor the last of the cold weather with the help of a few more pots of soup. With […]
How is it already late January? Usually, the quiet weeks that follow the chaotic holiday season seem to drag on and spring seems like a mirage far off on the horizon. Here in Chicago, we are enjoying the violent extremes of midwestern weather with weeks of sub-zero temperatures punctuated by days in the mid-’50s when […]
I have a love-hate relationship with Autumn. I love the colorful fall leaves, cozy sweaters, and hearty stews and soups; but the end of summer also means saying goodbye to my favorite taste of summer, ripe juicy tomatoes. My favorite summer tomato recipe is grilled bruschetta; crusty slabs of grilled sourdough rubbed with raw garlic, […]
I first learned about compound butter while living in Germany. Compound butter is simply butter to which herbs, spices, etc. are added, rolled into a log shape, and chilled until needed to top fresh bread, baked potatoes, steaks, salmon, etc. While prepared compound butters are not so easy to find in American supermarkets, Europeans can […]
A Cook's Canvas 