My first official cooking job was in the mid 70’s at a bar in Ann Arbor Michigan (where I went to college) called the Del Rio. The most famous item on the menu, invented by a bored cook one slow day, was a burger called the “Det Burger,” a quarter…
And here’s the actual recipe: Red, White and Blue Stuffed StrawberriesServings: 16 stuffed strawberry halves, serving 4 8 large strawberries 2 ounces Neufchatel or one third less fat cream cheese 1 ½ teaspoons sugar 1 ounce white chocolate, finely chopped 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 teaspoon fresh lemon…
The original version of this Chinese dish is deep fried. I didn’t think most home cooks would want to deep fry on a weeknight (let alone at all.) I also wanted to lighten it up a bit so I figured out a way to crisp the beans without the…
1 lime 1 orange 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 1 cup whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks Pinch table saltRemove the rinds from the lemon, lime, and orange and cut away the bitter white…
Photo by Jessica Leibowitz If you think about it, the liquor in which a clam swims is nature’s own clam sauce, a great source of the clam’s appeal whether you eat it raw or steamed. When they’re steamed the clam shells open and the clam liquor flows into the pot. …
At first glance this recipe might seem a little odd – eggs and red wine? – But it’s based on a French classic called Oeufs en Meurette, and who am I to argue with the French? Everyone will be delighted with their own personal little ramekin of bacon and eggs.…
A larger-than-usual crowd meeting up at your house for dinner soon? This onion beer bread would add a lot to the menu. It’s delicious, of course, but it’s also very easy to whip up. Unlike more conventional breads, this one doesn’t involve yeast or require multiple risings. And, except for…
Photo by Jessica Leibowitz Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total preparation time: 30 minutes 1/2 large red bell pepper, coarsely chopped (about 2/3 cup) 1 small onion, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup) 1 large plum tomato coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup) 1/2 cup packed rinsed and dried fresh…
Makes 4 Servings Hands-On Time: 15 Minutes Total Preparation Time: 25 Minutes Suggested Accompaniment steamed baby potatoes with parsley Ingredients Quick Cabbage Pickle (recipe below) or store bought Kimchi 4 medium scallions One 3/4 inch piece fresh ginger 3 T soy sauce (low sodium if you prefer) 1 1/2 T…
My mom made ratatouille from the New York Times Cookbook all the time when we were kids, and I just loved it. This venerable vegetable stew from the south of France with its many flavors layered together has all the complexity of a meat stew without the meat. All the…
Butterflied boneless leg of lamb is a great dish for a crowd. I have used a Moroccan-style dry rub here, but you could substitute any chicken or meat marinade, wet or dry. One of my old favorites is a Jacques Pepin recipe that we ran when I was in the…
Here are my “Chocolate Orange Lace Cookies” cooling on the parchment paper on top of the rack. They were very easy to peel off the parchment after they had cooled and they held their shape just fine.
This is a wonderful wintertime side dish and a great way to glorify the humble cabbage. It would go well with lean grilled sausages (lean because this is a relatively heavy side dish), pork chops, or my Blasted Chicken (Sara Moulton Cooks at Home, page 66) 6 thick slices bacon,…
Esther Adler, my mother-in-law, gave birth to three sons in less than three years (yikes!) and a daughter three years later. All four kids had hearty appetites, and all four turned out to be fairly strapping individuals. I’ll confess that I’ve often wondered how in the world she managed to…
I love rice pudding, as does the husband, but I am certainly not going to make it from scratch on a weeknight. However, there is a good chance you have leftover rice every so often from a take-out meal, and this would be a very tasty way to recycle it.…
Makes 4 servings Suggested Accompaniment Serve with a Chardonnay Ingredients Four 6-ounce boneless, skinless filets of salmon seasoned with extra virgin olive oil to coat and a liberal sprinkling of salt and pepper Sweet Pea Hummus (recipe below) Crostini (recipe below) 2 ears of fresh corn shucked, grilled and cut…
There is one good reason—other than chicken and chilies—why I love the white chicken chili on the menu at the burrito palace in our neighborhood: sour cream. This quick-to-make home version is delicious unadorned. Add the accompaniments and some homemade or store-bought cornbread and it is over the top. Makes…
Photo by Jessica Leibowitz For this weeknight salad I have streamlined and speeded up the process of making falafel. I’ve renamed it “Chickpea Patties” since it is not the same as the authentic version. I start with canned chickpeas instead of dried chickpeas or favas. Then I shape them into…
This is a recipe I developed while working in the Gourmet magazine test kitchen. It is so easy and versatile that I use it as the basis for any biscuit-related recipe I make. See Apricot Scones (p 302) and Biscuit Sticky Buns (p 303) in Sara Moulton Cooks at Home,…
Serves 4 One 5-pound Long Island (Pekin) duck Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 small onion, coarsely chopped 1 small carrot, coarsely chopped 2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife 1 cup dry red wine 1 small celery rib,…
Serves 4 For Peach Chutney: 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar 1/2 cup Savannah Bee Rosemary Honey 1 large sweet red pepper, seeded, diced 1/4 inch, about 1/2 cup 1 small white onion, peeled and diced, about 1/2 cup 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced, 2…
These are great make-ahead hors d’oeuvres because they reheat so beautifully. They require mini-muffin tins (also known as gem tins), and if you don’t already own some, you may want to buy them. They’re really a worthwhile investment. Suddenly everything you used to make big you will think about making…
Although none of us wants to devote more than 45 minutes or so to getting dinner on the table during the workweek, we still want to eat well. In Sara Moulton Cooks at Home, I included “ four quick chicken recipes” that all start with the same easy prep and…
photo by Jessica Leibowitz French lentils are tiny green lentils that cook in no time and have a wonderful texture and flavor but if you can’t find them go ahead and use plain old green lentils. If you don’t eat pork you can just leave out the pancetta or you…