We tried this Smitten Kitchen recipe, and it was delicious. http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon/. The recipe calls for beef broth, but it easily can be made vegetarian if you use vegetable broth. We used baby portobellos (cremini mushrooms) instead of large portobellos. We served this over egg noodles tossed with some minced parsley. (May 2016)Note: The recipe recommends… Continue reading Mushroom bourguignon
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Roasted dates with almonds and pancetta
We tried this recipe from Chef Michael Symon: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/roasted-dates-with-pancetta-almonds-and-chile-recipe.html. We used center cut bacon (cut into matchsticks) instead of pancetta. (May 2016)
Oven-roasted eggplant
Preheat oven to 450. Cut 3 baby eggplants (about 1 ½ lbs) into 2"x1" wedges. Toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the eggplant pieces (about 2 Tbsp), making sure not to soak the eggplant. Fold in fresh herbs (here, a few sprigs each marjoram, oregano, and thyme), then place in a single layer… Continue reading Oven-roasted eggplant
Persian spicy sesame carrot salad
We tried this recipe from The New Persian Kitchen by Louisa Shafia. Peeling 1 ½ lbs carrots into ribbons was time-consuming, but the marinade was quick and easy. We found it a little too spicy, so the next time we may reduce the crushed red pepper from 1 tsp to ½ tsp. The recipe is… Continue reading Persian spicy sesame carrot salad
Italian eggs in purgatory
We had half a baguette leftover, so I tried using it in lieu of Italian bread. Turns out a baguette is too narrow to nest an egg. To make the sauce, heat a small pot and add 1 tsp olive oil. Sauté 1 minced shallot; when fragrant, add a few cloves minced garlic and 1… Continue reading Italian eggs in purgatory
Lebanese roasted eggplant and chickpea stew (maghmour)
We followed this recipe: http://www.slowburningpassion.com/maghmour-the-moussaka-from-lebanon-that-will-make-you-happy/. We also used canned, drained chickpeas. Our minor modifications: instead of 1 tsp smoked paprika, we used ½ tsp each paprika and smoked chipotle pepper; we used 6 julienned fresh mint leaves in lieu of dried mint; and instead of adding water towards the end, we added ½ cup of… Continue reading Lebanese roasted eggplant and chickpea stew (maghmour)
Italian-style pasta with roasted eggplant and crispy garlic
We tried this recipe from Aida Mollenkamp: http://saltandwind.com/recipes/38-late-summer-roasted-eggplant-pasta-recipe. Our modifications: to avoid having unused ingredients, we increased the spaghetti to 1 lb (16 oz), tomato purée to 20 oz, balsamic vinegar to 1 ½ Tbsp, and sugar (we used white sugar) to 1 ½ tsp. We also used a mix of fresh thyme and fresh… Continue reading Italian-style pasta with roasted eggplant and crispy garlic
Mexican-style cinnamon sugar tortilla chips
We had leftover flour tortillas, so we tried out this recipe, which is a healthier version of buenelos: http://www.spiciefoodie.com/2012/05/04/healthy-cinnamon-sugar-chips/. However, instead of tossing the oiled, baked chips in cinnamon sugar, we tossed pieces a little vegetable oil, then added the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat the pieces before baking. We also sprinkled extra cinnamon sugar on… Continue reading Mexican-style cinnamon sugar tortilla chips
Cuban black beans and rice with bacon (moros y cristianos)
Our favorite version of this dish is from Larios on the Beach, a South Beach restaurant owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan; we loved its drier texture and hint of bacon fat. So we tried their moros recipe from The Estefan Kitchen cookbook, available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/045122518X/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awd_y3yfxbXGVV5BK (Apr. 2016)
Cuban churrasco
We followed this recipe but did not purée the marinade ingredients. http://icuban.com/food/mobile/churrasco_cubano.html After marinating the steak overnight, we cut it into four serving size pieces. We pan-seared each piece and then finished them (in a 9x13 baking dish) in the oven at 350 for about 10 mins. (Apr. 2016)
Cooking Adventures 