These hot peppers called Gochujun, filled with a mixture of pork and tofu and are sold by the bucketful all over Seoul by local street vendors. The variety of Korean pepper is hard to find here so you can substitute for Anaheim chilis or for extra kick you can use jalapeños. 12 Anaheim peppers 1 TBSP garlic/ginger paste ¼ LB of ground pork ½ a block of firm tofu – patted dry 3 scallions – chopped – green…
If you haven’t had dolmades, then you have been missing out. They are a Greek delicacy and when prepared correctly, they are a delight to the senses. Homemade are far superior to store bought and they are rather uncomplicated to make. You can purchase grape leaves at specialty stores but note that they are packaged in a brine and therefore salty, so they need to be rinsed before using. The have a green, earthy and salty flavor to them which…
Poke is a dish indigenous to Hawaii. They have many varieties of Poke served all over the islands, the fish is so fresh that it would be criminal not to eat it raw. This version is simple, packs a wallop in the flavor department which pairs excellently with this oily, fatty fish. Many chose not to eat raw salmon because of the belief that it’s an oily fish and therefore fishy in taste. However, if you get the freshest salmon…
The good ol’ cabbage roll. They may not look all that sexy on a plate, but the boy are they the ultimate comfort classic. Its origins are somewhat nebulous since it’s a dish prevalent over most of Europe. From Poland to Sweden, Russia and the Balkans, Greece all the way to Egypt. Oh yes, the Egyptians serve divine cabbage rolls, stuffed only with rice, spices and herbs – mostly mint, sometimes nuts and have no meat filling. Put that in…
Fish stuffed peppers are the rage in Spain and there are quite a few renditions. Here the use of small Piquillo peppers is best, cut in half, stuffed and served as part of the Tapas repast. However, there is nothing amiss if you select to stuff the normal sized peppers and serve as a main course, as Piquillo peppers are hard to come by. This recipe is rich and delectable, one I’m sure you probably haven’t sampled before, unless you…
This is another rendition of the many Bolognese sauces I prepare on any given lazy Sunday when I have plenty of time on my hands and John has a hankering for pasta with a robust meat sauce. It’s very hearty, it makes for vast quantities and it freezes criminally well. I’ve utilized this sauce as pizza base and it’s a total show stopper. There’s not much to be said as this ragù speaks volumes for itself. 1 cup of…
Most gastronomic connoisseurs will tell you there’s a difference, however subtle between Ragù and Ragoût. For most gourmands, the distinction lays in taste and variation of ingredients as embrace the same cooking technique. So, why the dismay if the differences are that understated, even though they are pronounced exactly alike? The vagaries can be blamed in the comparison of certain ingredients that are more predominant in Ragù and less prevalent in Ragoût. They both however share the same secret weapon…
In Napoli, this is a legendary, standard dish essentially served in most households as a Sunday or holiday feasts for the family to congregate. It consists of chunks of pork shoulder and beef chuck, slowly braised until it is fragrant, falling apart, melt-in-your mouth tender served over tubular pasta. Even though this falls under the Ragoût category, the Italians borrowed the word Ragoùt from the French and changed it to Ragù. Most Italian where Ragùs are concerned, like Bolognese, rely…
This ragù is unadulterated shroom nirvana for mycophiles. There is something criminally satisfying about this earthy and exotic ragoùt, bursting with umami fungi flavor. The mushroom melange and the velvety sauce makes for a very robust and satisfying pasta. It’s so outstanding a dish that I’m betting money carnivores will delight as much as vegetarians! 1 LB of Tagliatelle – preferably fresh ½ LB of Cremini mushrooms ½ LB of Chanterelle mushrooms ½ pound of Baby Bellas ½ LB of…
Spaghetti Bolognese is one pasta dish that’s achieved tremendous notoriety world-wide, the birth place being Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romana. The infamous spaghetti and meat sauce dish that has countless takes and versions, each chef and gourmand with their own true and tested rendering. The preparation is best created in stages, with a robust tomato sauce to start and then the Bolognese. TOMATO SAUCE 1/4 cup of olive oil 1 TSP of butter 1 28 oz can of whole San…
Though the annals of time, recipes have gained fame and notoriety by their origin. Invariably their birthplace is singularly tied to a curious attention-grabbing yarn, which at times is cloaked in mystery or even intertwined to a gallant tale. Of course, it can also be as innocuous as a recipe passed down from generations of incomparable cooks. But at times it originates from a close friend and its got even greater meaning behind it. This is the story of my…
I’m positive lovers of Indian food make quick work of heaping mango chutney to go with that Vindaloo and for the less audacious I know you’ve slapped some bodacious relish on a dog. The terminology can be confusing with relishes, chutneys, confits, mostarda? How do you differentiate them or do you even care? If you are a mindful gourmand you’ll engage in making your own, because let’s face it, these accompaniments are fundamental in elevating dishes to make them croon…
There is something so decadent and intimately sensual about eating raw fish whether it’s with sushi, sashimi, tartare or poke. It’s a salad consisting of chopped raw fish, called Tako in Japanese and Poke in Hawaiian. In Europe they serve it as Tartare or Carpaccio and nowadays the trendy appellation in most snazzy, hip joints is crudo, meaning “raw”. Many abstain from eating anything raw, because they believe any meat has to be cooked. Once your crudo-uneducated palate savors its…
This is a copious and hearty vegetarian salad. It’s a perfect for those hot dog days of summer and a welcome difference to the regular potato and macaroni salads that dominate picnics and BBQ’s at that time of year. Summer yields a cornucopia of incomparable fresh produce, something that we all take advantage, as every farmer’s market is bursting with color and spectacular fruits and vegetables. Although this salad doesn’t include much of the fresh produce offered during the hot…