Gourmet Meals for Your Unique Tastes
Isn’t this a gorgeous plate? Perfectly seared jumbo sea scallops resting effortlessly on top of a creamy portion of cauliflower purée that is flavored with a touch of black truffle oil. Garnished with a snip of lemony fresh thyme, a squirt of fresh lemon juice, and briny caper berries. A perfect celebratory dinner idea–especially if paired with a rich bottle of chilled champagne.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Recipe Courtesy of Eating Well Magazine
It might seem strange to add cocoa powder to chicken, but keep in mind that for on thing, it is unsweetened, and when it is used in a savory dry rub like this one, it provides a unique depth of flavor. In addition to the unsweetened cocoa powder, the rub also combines a touch of light brown sugar, coriander. paprika, a pinch of cayenne, and salt.
The chicken is rubbed with the combination of spices and then roasted until perfectly cooked through; this not only works well on chicken, but I bet it would really be tasty on a grilled skirt steak, salmon or even pork chops. And we’re not done yet! The decadent roasted chicken is served with a simple fruit salsa made with pomegranate seeds, orange pieces and quick pickled shallots. A refreshingly colorful and lovely finishing touch to a unique dish indeed.
(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/260918/cocoa-rubbed-chicken-thighs-with-orange-pomegranate-salsa/ )
Recipe Courtesy of www.RuthReichl.com
There is nothing basic about this chili recipe. Quite the opposite in fact! It has a wonderful depth of flavor that is a result of warm spices like ground cumin and chili powder, chipotle salsa, beer and oregano. The base recipe calls for ground bison which would be lovely, but I chose to use ground chicken for a lighter base chili; ground beef or turkey would work well here, too.
The other reason I love this recipe for chili is that at the end of the recipe, Ruth Reichl (yes, that Ruth Reichl! The longtime editor of Gourmet magazine) lists some optional add-ins which vary in flavorings but all would be a wonderful last touch. The options she suggests include soy sauce, cream sherry, balsamic vinegar, chocolate, sour cream, cheddar cheese and scallions. I wouldn’t add all of them to the base recipe, but choosing a few really does liven things up! What optional ingredients did I chose? A bit of dark chocolate, sour cream, cheddar cheese and scallions.
(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://ruthreichl.com/2016/10/its-a-fine-day-for-chili.html/ )
Not only one of our favorite desserts, a classic tiramisu is also one of the easiest to make and one of the most impressive. The mention of tiramisu immediately brings on a chorus of ‘oohs and ahhs’ no matter the crowd. Who can resist espresso-soaked cookies layered between a creamy and sweet mixture of cream and mascarpone cheese flavored with a touch of brandy and espresso powder, mini chocolate chips and a dusting of cocoa powder? I know I can’t. And for a fun topping idea, you can always shave white or dark chocolate curls over it all, top it with more chocolate chips, or even fresh strawberries are a nice pairing. But my favorite topping are crunchy, chocolate-covered espresso beans.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis’ Giada’s Italy
Say goodbye to those boring carrot salads of the past! You know the ones…drenched in mayo and tossed with raisins. This bright and refreshing carrot salad is the polar opposite of those archaic salads; freshly grated carrots tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette, along with fresh parsley for color, crumbled tangy goat cheese, and…wait for it…dried cranberries soaked in Limoncello (swoon). The dried cranberries plump up in the lightly warmed lemon liqueur, leaving them tender and filled with a burst of lemony flavor. A refreshing side dish for just about any Italian entree you have in mind.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Recipe Courtesy of Southern Living Magazine
These easy-to-make salmon cakes get their amazing crunch from a thin layer of panko breadcrumbs. A mixture of finely chopped salmon, fresh chives, and a touch of mayonnaise make for a flavorful fish cake and the simple sear in olive oil gives them a lovely golden crust. Served alongside a spring salad made with tender lettuce, radishes and sugar snap peas, everything is finished off with a creamy buttermilk dressing for tang and added flavor; the secret ingredient in the dressing is a touch of soy sauce for added umami-goodness.
(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/fresh-salmon-cakes-buttermilk-dressing-recipe)
Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine
This pizza was incroyable! (Just like the publication that the recipe came from). Cooking Light magazine is one of my favorite all-time magazines for a multitude of reasons. First off, the photography is amazing, the recipes are very well tested, and the variety of foods and produce highlighted is both seasonal and diverse. Some might see the word light in conjunction with food and think bland— no dessert and none of your favorites like pasta or pizza. But oh no. Light here means a diet of diversity—all types of proteins, a multitude of veggies, and ingredients to lighten everything up.
For example, this decadent vegetarian pizza is lightened up with the use of whole grain pizza dough, tons of veggies, part-skim varieties of both ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese, and the fresh flavors of herbs and citrus. Those components and also, asparagus tips, sugar snap peas and beautiful zucchini ribbons. Appealing, right? So my recommendation to you is to subscribe to this (now quarterly) magazine if you don’t already, and when you do, to try as many of their wonderful recipes each month as you can!
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Braising a naturally tough cut of meat like lamb shanks takes some time, but don’t fret— it is all hands-off time. No matter if it is lamb shanks, short ribs, a pot roast, or even turkey legs, braising in all instances means searing the meat first to create a lovely brown crust, then slowly cooking the seared meat for a long time in aromatics, vegetables and some sort of liquid. The liquid can be broth, but it can also be wine. Braising is one of my favorite ways to cook on a lazy weekend because the results are always tender, fall-off-the-bone meats, with tons of flavor.
For this specific braise, I seared the lamb shanks in olive oil until browned, then removed them from the pan while I sauteed some garlic, leeks, carrots and celery with some fresh rosemary. I then added some rich tomato paste into the pan, along with some chopped, fresh tomatoes and some white wine to deglaze the pan. I had a lot of homemade chicken stock on hand, so that is the liquid I chose to cook the lamb in.
No need to completely cover the lamb with liquid, simply submerge it about halfway. When about half of the cooking time has lapsed, turn the shanks over; when there is about 30 minutes left, that is when you add the finishing touches: briny Castelvetrano olives and some halved, baby potatoes. (And feel free to use this exact recipe for a variety of meats like I mentioned! The same cooking method, veggies, aromatics, and liquids would be a perfect match for any of the other meats listed above.)
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Recipe Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com
Recipes like this make me smile. Recipes that highlight just a few quality ingredients and that transform these relatively simple ingredients into something grand. Here, we are highlighting carrots, maple syrup and vanilla beans. Organic, peeled carrots are cut on the diagonal for an elegant appearance, and cooked in a pot of water along with a sweet vanilla bean until tender. Once the water is absorbed you add in a pat of butter, the maple syrup and salt and pepper to flavor the already sweet carrots. It might sound odd to add sweet flavorings into a somewhat savory side dish, but believe me, this is one of the best carrot dishes you will ever taste!
Have you ever tried cooking with sunchokes? Also known as Jerusalem artichokes, these knobby-looking root vegetables are versatile and couldn’t be easier to cook. (Before cutting them into bite-sized pieces, these root veggies do need to be washed and scrubbed, just to remove any remaining dirt.) Once cut and placed on a prepared baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, they roast in about 25 minutes.
The sunchokes do not need to be peeled which is nice and saves prep time; one of my favorite ways to serve these funny looking veggies is to roast them like I mentioned, with some lemon slices and capers, and then to serve them warm with crumbled goat cheese over peppery watercress greens. They remain a tiny bit crunchy after being roasted, and really can take on just about any flavor profile you like! (Try roasting them alongside a chicken sometime, they pair up wonderfully and are lovely served with the roasted chicken juices.)
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)