Homemade Horseradish-Mustard
Mustard is simple, cheap, and worthwhile to make. Just soak some dry mustard seeds in water. The longer you allow them to soak in the water the spicier they’ll get. Add acid to the mix though, and it...
View ArticleLyonnaise Salad: Butter-Poached Shitakes, Dried Bing Cherries, Chévre cheese
This salad is light, refreshing, and satisfying all at the same time. The mesclun greens are tossed with dried bing cherries, butter-poached shitake mushrooms, and Chévre cheese in a light champagne...
View ArticleChestnut Stuffing
Here’s the recipe for my homemade chestnut stuffing I posted about back in November. The base is a simple French bread. Brown turkey stock, fresh sage, dried Michigan cherries, and roasted chestnuts...
View ArticleLatke-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, Braised Red Cabbage and Fennel, Horseradish Cream
I know, I know…wrapping pork tenderloin in a traditional Jewish food is ironic. But irony is hilarious and both pork tenderloin and potato latkes are delicious. Together…they’re divine (no pun...
View ArticlePineapple Puffs with Hook’s Bleu Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar
These are another hors d’oeuvre I made for last Sunday’s party. It’s a merengue-like puff made from pineapple juice. The puff is filled with softened blue cheese and a cube of balsamic vinegar. This is...
View ArticleSous Vide Carrots
In my short experimentation in cooking sous vide at home I’ve only cooked pork tenderloin. It turned out absolutely delicious on both occasions. Especially for my Latke Encrusted Pork Tenderloin. I...
View ArticleSourdough Bread
I brought home my sourdough starter from class and have been feeding it regularly. This past weekend I decided to make traditional sourdough bread using an old French recipe called Basil’s Pain Au...
View ArticleFoodbuzz 24,24,24: A Steakhouse Dinner Reloaded
My contribution to Foodbuzz’s January “24, 24, 24″ blog marathon is “A Steakhouse Dinner: Reloaded.” I selected four traditional steakhouse dishes and decided to update them with 21st century cooking...
View ArticleBLT Bloody Mary
This crazy drink is a mix of tomato juice, romaine lettuce juice, and Emily’s bacon vodka. The glass is rimmed with bacon salt and it’s served with a sourdough crouton, to add that missing crunch. It...
View ArticleRoasted Tomato Soup with Alinea’s "Cheese in Cracker"
This dish is the classic combination of tomato soup and grilled cheese. It’s a very simple cream of tomato soup garnished with a fried basil leaf and Alinea’s puffed crackers stuffed with cheddar...
View ArticleGiardiniera
This italian condiment is a Chicago staple. It’s a mixture of pickled vegetables and hot peppers that’s marinated in olive oil and vinegar. Refrigerated, it’s shelf life is practically unlimited. It’s...
View ArticleHomemade Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is amazing. It’s so incredibly flavorful, low in calories, and rich in history. Most people don’t know how it’s made however. There are two ingredients in sauerkraut. That’s right, two:...
View ArticleShrimp Cocktail
Here’s the recipe for my Shrimp Cocktail from last month’s Foodbuzz 24,24,24. It’s your appetizer and cocktail all in one: Poached, chilled shrimp served on a horseradish bloody mary rimmed with...
View ArticleParmesan Cheese Straws
Another incredibly simple puff pastry treat, these tender and buttery bread sticks are dusted with parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper. To make them, brush a thin layer of egg wash on a sheet of puff...
View ArticlePickled Ginger
Another treat from my fermented foods class, this homemade pickled ginger is refreshing, bold, and easy to make. Here’s a recipe: Pickled Ginger: 4 lb. fresh ginger 1 Tb. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. yogurt...
View ArticleGougére
Gougére are savory páte a choux made traditionally with gruyere cheese. They are tender, buttery, and have a nice nutty flavor reminiscent of toasted parmesan cheese. Gougére are perfect for a cocktail...
View ArticleCaramelized Cauliflower "Croutons"
Cauliflower, believe it or not, contains quite a bit of sugar and, just like onions, you can caramelize it. Caramelizing cauliflower adds depth of flavor and provides an intense cauliflower flavor. The...
View ArticleSmoked Salmon
My girlfriend Jacquie and I made this delicious smoked salmon from scratch. We cured the salmon for 24 hours and smoked it in a cardboard box, a la Good Eats. Alton Brown constructs a smoking apparatus...
View ArticleGazpacho Consommé
Gazpacho is a simple, refreshing, cold spanish soup that’s perfect on a hot afternoon. I’ve taken the ingredients of this classic soup and turned them into a refreshing consomme. The crystal clear...
View ArticleWild Leek and Potato Soup
This soup is a variation of the classic French leek and potato soup. It’s a hearty and flavorful soup that’s perfectly suited for a chilly spring night. Just like it’s French counterpart, it’s as good...
View ArticleShrimp and Cucumber Rolls with Sesame Vinaigrette and Cilantro Oil
Last year I posted a recipe for cucumber and vegetable rolls. I was happy with the recipe but nevertheless thought it could use some refining. Since the weather is finally warm again I decided to give...
View ArticleVidalia Onion Barbeque Sauce
Did you know that an onion contains more natural sugar than an apple? Eaten raw, an onion’s sweetness is masked by its bitter astringency. But when caramelized, an onion develops a flavor that is both...
View ArticleOven Dried Tomatoes
Here’s a good idea if you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with. Quarter the tomatoes and toss them in a splash of olive oil. Season with salt, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, and chili...
View ArticleTomato Chips with Basil Pesto
And now for something completely different. These are crunchy yet tender puffed tomato chips with a basil pesto dip. The chips taste intensely of sun dried tomatoes and are perfectly complimented with...
View ArticleMustard Pretzels
Pretzels, large or small, soft or crunchy, were meant to be dipped in mustard. In a never-ending quest to make life more efficient and more delicious, I decided to make a pretzel from mustard. If...
View ArticleHam & Pretzel Soup
If someone asked me to make the perfect ham sandwich, I’d start with two slices of pumpernickel bread. After a heavy smearing of stone ground mustard I’d layer thin slices of Black Forest ham. A sharp,...
View ArticleBeef Stew, Medium Rare
This plate contains all the flavors of a rich bowl of beef stew. The ingredients are not stewed but rather cooked individually. This gives each flavor exceptional brightness and intensity. The carrots...
View ArticleCauliflower and Cocoa
Some flavor combinations are classic: parsley and lemon, beef and mushrooms, tomatoes and basil. Upon closer inspection, these foods share many of the same flavor and aroma molecules. These mutual...
View ArticleRed Pepper Gazpacho with Goat Cheese Sorbet
This is a Franken-recipe inspired by two of the greatest chefs in the world: Heston Blumenthal and Thomas Keller. Months ago when I first looked through Keller’s Under Pressure, a book completely about...
View ArticleSeared Scallops with Tropical Flavors
Scallops, because of their naturally high sugar content, sear wonderfully. The crisp, golden brown crust of a seared scallop creates texture and accentuates its sweetness. I think scallop pair...
View ArticleAjo Blanco
Ajo Blanco is a traditional spanish chilled soup. Ajo Blanco means “white garlic” and the soup is a fresh almond milk infused with raw garlic, giving that slightly spicy garlic zing to the rich almond...
View ArticlePine, Apple
Eating doesn’t get more local than walking out your front door and foraging ingredients for dinner. I live in an apartment building with a large courtyard. Flanking the front gate are two very...
View ArticleCorned Beef & Cabbage
Corned beef is a dish mired in confusion. Most people assume it’s Irish and/or has something to do with corn. Neither could be farther from the truth. Corned=salted or, in a more general sense,...
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