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Kent
Recently, I received an blog update from The Daring Gourmet where she had a recipe for Valencian Paella that looked absolutely heavenly. I just knew I had to try it and somehow my mind just latched onto some weird ‘Valencia/Valentine’ word association and here we are, me proposing you enjoy this dish with your someone special this Valentine’s Day. You could start your romantic dinner with a sous vide lobster cocktail while sipping champagne, enjoy this flavorful paella with a crisp viognier or a beautiful dry rosé, then finish with dessert… Heck at that point you are on your own, I got you this far! And with that, I bid everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day – whether you are single…
OK, now that I have your attention with that beautiful recipe title, I am sure you want to know what it is. Well, it is meatballs in a roasted red pepper sauce. Doesn’t that sound delicious? I thought so, that’s why I made it. I used mild Italian sausage, whole milk ricotta, and panko crumbs for the meatballs to create a mild flavor that will not compete with the robust sauce. Mentioning the sauce, it is simply flavored so the roasted red peppers shine. It seems that this dish would be one dimensional, but the beauty is in the sum of all the parts. The sausage renders its juices into the sauce, the sauce gains a silky mouth feel with that lovely pork flavor…
In honor and remembrance of the 120th anniversary of the disastrous USS Maine incident on February 15th, 1898, tonight’s cocktail is also reminder that ‘fake news’ is nothing new (regardless of your views and beliefs). In the aftermath of this terrible incident in which 260 men died, two high powered publishers used their influence to inflame the situation and foster an atmosphere that resulted in the Spanish-American War. This cocktail is another variation on the venerable Manhattan. Originally documented in 1939 in Charles H. Baker, Jr’s The Gentlemen’s Companion after a raucous trip to Havana in 1933 during Batista’s coup, it is reported Baker served this cocktail with the advice “Treat this one with the respect…
How about a comfort food perfect for a dreary February weeknight? This dish is quick to prepare (about an hour unrushed!), yet filled with flavor. Apparently this dish was named after a wealthy Russian diplomat, Pavel Stroganoff, and the first known mention in a cookbook is from 1871. Interestingly, that early version had no onion or mushroom in it – it was simply beef cubes in a mustard and bouillon sauce finished with sour cream. That dish sounds tasty, but I believe the onions and mushrooms enhance the flavors. So, you can see this dish is already morphing into something a bit different from the original dish. But hey, isn’t that what makes cooking so unique and interesting? Now let’s dive into this much…
Tonight’s cocktail is another riff on one of my favorite drinks – the Manhattan. This twist on the classic could actually be better as it’s flavors are deep and reflective. Created in San Francisco’s Bourbon & Branch by Todd Smith, this simple substitution of Averno for sweet vermouth really changes this cocktail’s taste profile. This beauty is perfect for a rowdy happy hour or quiet, intimate moments; it can be the life of the party or the epitome of relaxed style. For me, I am choosing the latter – relaxed at home enjoying this wonderful cocktail! Happy Friday everyone! Save Print Black Manhattan Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients 3 oz…
I think it is time I post the down and dirty rice recipe that I teased everyone with last November in a picture post. When doing this dish for one, I skip using chicken livers because I will never use the remainder. I know, I hear the catcalls and boos from the readers informing me quite forcefully that this is not dirty rice. Maybe so… but I just cannot bring myself to waste the leftover chicken livers, so it is an impasse. Regardless of the name, this dish is quick to prepare and super delicious with the Creole/Cajun flavors shining through from the ‘Trinity’ to the Creole Seasoning from Tony Chachere. In this dish, I am using precooked rice like I recently saw Chef…
Recently I had a discussion with a subscriber that asked if I could create more vegan dishes or at least add a few more side dishes to the collection of recipes. It just so happens that I also had a conversation with a co-worker about cooking carrots sous vide – so naturally this dish fits the bill for both requests! Cooking root vegetables like carrots sous vide is really simple and the results are deeply flavorful. Like cooking proteins such as steak or chicken, vegetables like carrots can also be tossed in a hot pan to glaze and create those delicious slightly caramelized edges. In researching this dish, I found many maple glazed carrot sous vide recipes, which I am sure are all very tasty. Nearly all…
Farro is an ancient grain – a variety of wheat that consists of spelt, emmer, and einkorn. As can be imagined by being ancient, there is a twisted history of ‘farro’ and what defines ‘farro’. If you wish to enjoy this confusing taxonomical mess, just jump over to Wikipedia and read on. Be sure to come back because this post will demonstrate how to cook farro sous vide and do it for a single diner. Much like the recent rice and lentil posts that relied on sous vide to cook these ingredients gently and perfectly in their small portions, farro is ripe for the same treatment. The real difference is in the method – using ice in the vacuum bag and draining the remaining…
Tonight’s cocktail is a riff on the Millionaire that I believe is aptly named since it is a step above. The key ingredient in this drink is the pomegranate syrup and while it is only a small amount, it is necessary. Of course, I did not buy any of the commercially available pomegranate syrups you can find at the store (although you can, but be aware that they may just be high fructose corn syrup with red food coloring!), I made my own. And I skipped the whole process of dealing with the actual pomegranate fruit to get the juice laden arils. How you ask? Simple, I reduced a small amount of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice which is 100% juice. The results… nothing short of…
I just had to try this dish! It is based on a recipe from Suzy’s The Mediterranean Dish blog, which always contains amazing recipes and information. In doing some research, this dish is popular in Middle Eastern cuisine and was first noted in a cookbook from 1226! It comes in various forms from a version with meat served at celebrations to this simple dish commonly associated with the poor (attributed to Wikipedia). Regardless of variation or connotation, I loved the simple ingredient list and figured this meal would be a hit like the Koshari I made last year. For my take on this dish, I decided to prepare it sous vide since I recently cooked rice and lentils successfully this way. The results? Well, this simple…