‘Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Blistered Tomatoes’

February 22, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Southern Living Magazine

When I think of ‘crowd-pleasing’ dishes, crispy coated chicken quickly appears at the top of the list.  (Especially crispy coated chicken cutlets for their quick cooking time and minimal use of oil needed for the pan.)

You simply season the chicken cutlets and then follow the traditional 3-step breading method: first a dip in flour, then beaten eggs, then (preferably whole wheat) Panko breadcrumbs. Cooked in hot olive oil until browned and crispy on each side, this particular summertime recipe pairs the chicken with lemon and white wine-flavored cherry tomatoes cooked with scallions, briny capers and some chopped, fresh herbs.

Pan-Seared Duck with Brandied Fig Sauce

February 21, 2025 No comments

There are a few restaurant favorites that some home cooks repeatedly tell me seem too daunting and unapproachable to conquer in their own kitchens:  seared scallops, lamb chops and duck breasts.  Don’t succumb to the fear! They are all three actually very friendly dishes that you can easily master, trust me.

Basically, they all simply involve pan-searing.  Heating a tiny bit of oil or butter in a pan, seasoning the protein as you wish, and cooking in the hot pan until cooked through to the appropriate temperature.  All three when done properly achieve a lovely brown crust from the high heat and the hot pan, which just adds to their lovely appearance and flavor.

Let’s take duck breasts for instance.  Seared skin-side down first so that the fat accumulates and the skin browns beautifully, you then flip the duck and continue to cook the breasts until they reach the perfect degree of doneness.  The pan then leaves you with duck fat, which freezes well, and can be used on your next round of roasted veggies or potatoes.  You can then make a simple sauce in the same pan to accompany the duck breasts: a classic orange sauce, a red wine sauce, a berry sauce at the peak of summer, a balsamic reduction…and the list goes on and on.

For this simple pan-seared duck with a pan sauce I sautéed some shallots along with sliced garlic and fresh rosemary, then deglazed the pan with a touch of brandy and white wine; I the added halved ripe figs, seasoned with salt and pepper and enriched the sauce with a Tablespoon of unsalted butter. The figs pair beautifully with the warm taste of the brandy and the intense flavor of the chopped rosemary. Quality ingredients and kitchen staples combined make for impressive dish like this one, that will make your dinner guests think they have stepped into their favorite restaurant. No joke, serving this dish will automatically elevate your cooking repertoire to the highest level possible!

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Harissa Salmon & Cherry Tomato Skewers

February 20, 2025 No comments

Yet another yummy use for that jar of harissa paste in your fridge. A simple marinade made with lemon juice, the Tunisian chili paste and olive oil is drizzled over healthy skewers of cubed salmon, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.  All grilled and served over peppery greens, these salmon skewers would also work well with zucchini or yellow squash as well.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Pasta with Roasted Fennel & Tomatoes’

February 19, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine

The beauty of this recipe lies in its cooking method. Roasting the sliced fennel and tomatoes in a hot oven not only tenderizes the vegetables, but caramelizes them as well (which is just a fancy way of saying that their natural sweetness is revealed.) By roasting the veggies and not sautéing them, this also makes for a relatively hands-off pasta dish as well.

The veggies are tossed together with al dente short pasta (any variety works just fine), hot chili paste, fresh herbs, sliced salami and both Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.  If you are feeling extra fancy, I would recommend using torn pieces of burrata instead of fresh mozzarella—I think the creaminess of the burrata paired with the spicy chili paste would be simply grand.

Stuffed Peppers with Creamy Pesto Risotto

February 18, 2025 No comments

 For this tasty side dish or hearty vegetarian main dish, sweet bell peppers are stuffed with creamy Arborio rice risotto flavored with a touch of basil pesto sauce. This dish can also easily be made with hollowed out tomatoes or even zucchini if you wish. A dramatic presentation, and a dramatic delight for your taste buds.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Skillet Chicken with Crushed Olives & Sumac’

February 17, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Dining In, by Alison Roman

I know what you’re thinking.  If the title of this recipe is ‘skillet chicken’ then why is the chicken pictured seemingly roasted? Well, I loved the original idea for this skillet chicken from the fabulous cookbook, Dining In, by Alison Roman.  Her version is either bone-in chicken thighs or breasts cooked stove top and flavored with ground sumac, pickled red onions, olives and fresh herbs.

The idea here is that bone-in, skin-on chicken is the way to go; the meat is tender, flavorful and never dried out.  The ground sumac lends a tart, lemon-like flavor to the chicken, the herbs add freshness, and the crushed olives add brine.  And that’s not all folks!  She serves this tasty chicken with some quick-pickled red onions. (Yum)

I decided to take this idea and turn it into an entire roast chicken.  Mainly because my husband loves dark meat chicken, while I love chicken breasts.  This way, we get the flavors of the original recipe but we each get our favorite chicken cuts!  For the roasted chicken version, I seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, and ground sumac before roasting it for about 80 minutes in a 425 degree oven.  Just test the chicken either way to make sure its internal temp is 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Creole Court-Bouillon’

February 16, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Louisiana Cookin‘ Magazine

Court-bouillon is a French culinary term that translates to ‘short broth’; short meaning quick-cooking, this flavorful broth is used to poach quick-cooking meats like seafood.  Popular not only in classic French cooking, but also Cajun and Creole cooking, this specific recipe combines trilogy, scallions, crushed tomatoes, fresh herbs and seasonings with cubes of fish and shrimp if you like.

I found some nice grouper, but red fish or snapper would also work very well here.  Serve this ‘Creole Court-Bouillon’ over fluffy white rice with slow-simmered greens on the side, and maybe even a crumbly piece of homemade cornbread.  And there you have it…a classic creole dinner is served.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.louisianacookin.com/creole-court-bouillon/)

‘Lentil & Sausage Cassoulet’

February 15, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Donna Hay’s Simple Dinners

A traditional French cassoulet is a slow-cooked white bean casserole flavored not only with sausage, but also a variety of meats which most times include duck, pork, pork skin and sometimes even goose or lamb. For this quick-and-easy version, the white beans have been replaced by a lovely lentil base and the meat consists of pan-seared sausages.  Comforting and hearty, this is an everyday take on the French classic that is best served with a simple green salad and some warmed slices of a toasted baguette.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Benne-Buttermilk Rolls’

February 14, 2025 No comments

With a new bag of Anson Mill’s organic, heirloom Sea Island benne seeds on hand, I knew just what cookbook to pull for creative ideas for using them: Sean Brock’s Heritage cookbook. Chef Sean Brock’s name and reputation are synonymous with creative Southern cuisine. Raised in rural Virginia and a proud graduate of Johnson & Wales culinary school, Chef Brock has a plethora of must-go-to restaurants in Nashville and many well-deserved awards attached to his name. Heritage was his first cookbook and the the winner of the 2015 James Beard Award for Southern Cooking.

With many benne seed-based recipe to choose from, including of course, benne seed wafers, benne rice broth, oyster stew with benne, lemony mustard greens with benne, and even pole beans with tomatoes and benne, I settled on these pillowy, slight sweet dinner rolls made with buttermilk and topped with benne seeds. Baked in a cast iron skillet, the rolls are easy to put together and even easier to devour. I served ours with a lemony spring chicken and vegetable soup, and a side salad of marinated yellow squash and zucchini with feta and radicchio.

A note on benne seeds themselves— they are similar in shape to sesame seeds, but are darker in color and have a more pronounced flavor. Their name actually means sesame seed in the West African language of Bantu, and are said to have been originally brought to the South in the late 17th century. I highly encourage you to grab a bag next time you see them, and explore the varied and unique recipes that they can be a part of!

‘Mushroom Ragoût with Cheese Ravioli’

February 13, 2025 No comments

Original Recipe Courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine

A traditional ragoût is a French stew (of meat and vegetables but also sometimes just vegetables) traditionally served as a main course. I loved the idea in this recipe to turn this mushroom-based, vegetarian ragoût into an Italian ragu of sorts.

The sliced cremini mushrooms stand in for meat in this dish and are stewed along with hearty red wine, broth, herbs, onions, garlic and tomato paste until flavorful and tender; the ragout is then served over cooked cheese-filled ravioli for an unforgettable pasta dish.  Simply serve with a mixed greens salad, roasted garlic bread, and a glass (or two) of that same red vino that you popped open to cook with.

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