Oui, Chef

Grilled Pork Chops with Clementine Marmalade

I have a confession to make.

I have never been to New Orleans.

I have a number of friends who make an annual pilgrimage to the Big Easy; some for the food, some for the music, and all for the joie de vivre for which the city is so famous.  As a lover of great food (and jazz), I'm embarrassed and a bit sad to admit that I've never made the trip myself.  New Orleans has long been known as one of this country's premier food and music destinations, and while I'm thinking that the whole Mardis Gras scene would be a bit much for me, it is definitely high on my list of spots to visit one day.

Soy Lime Vinaigrette

This recipe, which comes from chef Michael Schwartz's Michael's Genuine Food , is one I make whenever we're in the mood for a salad to accompany an Asian inspired meal.  We also like it in the warmer months as a means to tasty up a piece of grilled fish.  This batch was made to dress a salad that we served with a great slow-cooker Soy Braised Pork Shoulder (don't worry, I'll be posting that dish REAL soon), and it was the perfect complement tossed with a baby spinach salad dotted with cherry tomatoes and ripe chunks of avocado.

An Ottolenghi Encore - Winter (or whenever) Couscous

Our friends and veggie lovers Jeanne and Nathan visited for dinner a few weeks back, and for the occasion we decided to whip up an all vegetarian menu in their honor.  When thinking veggie, I always first turn to my cookbook Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi, the brilliant London based chef.  We've posted a few other Ottolenghi dishes here (and here) in the past to rave reviews, and in fact, I must say that whenever I come across blog posts of his recipes the response is universal, it seems the whole world loves his creative take on vegetarian cooking.

Kefta Tagine with Herbs, Spices and Lemon

I probably spend more time than your average Joe planning out my meals.  This is for two reasons, really.  First, as a Dad I want to expose my kids to as many flavors of the world as I can before they're off on their own, so that hopefully they'll continue to search out "real", healthy and ethnically diverse foods when they leave home.   Second, as a food blogger I want to offer you, our readers, a wide range of new recipes to try out on your own guinea pigs families.   Sometimes I throw meals on my calendar just as a place holder so that I don't forget about a great recipe, and want to be reminded of it so that I don't forget to cook it one day.  When I'm in that mode, I often toss meals on my calendar 4-6 weeks in advance of actually cooking them.  It can get a little crazy.

Broccoli and Tarragon Quiche

Fine Cooking Magazine recently ran a "Create Your Own Recipe" feature for how to make quiche.  As they've done with braises and stir-fries, they focus on the basic elements of a dish, then suggest all sorts of ways to inject your own creativity to come up with an original taste.  We took their basic crust and custard recipes and added veggies and cheese to our liking.  The result....quite delicious.

A Sublime Brownie

My friends over at Food52 showcased this recipe recently in their "Genius Recipe" feature, and if the picture above doesn't sell you, a single bite will convince you that the Food52ers sure know how to pick'em.

It's been a while since we've made brownies around here, so I suppose there's a chance that brownie deprivation had something to do with the ravenous welcome these treats received among my gaggle of chocoholics.  That said, I don't care if you've been eating a brownie every day for the past month, if dark, fudgy brownies are your thing, these killers are gonna rock your world!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

 

A tasty ball dipped in blue cheese dressing....YUM!

Had I been more on the stick a few weeks back I would have posted this dish as an awesome addition to a Super Bowl Sunday spread.  As it were, with my beloved Patriots out of the mix I didn't give a rat's patooty about the game, and all thoughts of tail-gating chow were scrapped for another season.

Sorry if I let you down.

Of course, football isn't the only sport worthy of fun food on game day and with the NHL and NBA seasons in full swing, and MLB spring training right around the corner, I'm sure that you'll find some excuse to make these awesome meatballs soon.....not that you need one.

Jasper White's Fish Stew

Jasper White is a culinary icon here in the Northeast.  He was one of a handful of chefs back in the 1980s who helped to elevate Boston's restaurant scene from 2 star to 5 star status.  His fine dining restaurant, Jasper's, quickly became the pinnacle of seafood dining in the city.  When he tired of the Michelin Star demands of his success, he closed Jasper's and became the Executive Chef of the famed Legal Seafoods group, helping them expand their offerings from stodgy fish and chip fare to a more modern, healthy take on all things from the sea.

These days Jasper is at the helm of his Summer Shack restaurant chain,  family friendly joints that once again highlight his mastery of seafood, but this time stripped of all the pretense of his fine dining days.  Suffice to say, Jasper White has become a trusted source for us in all matters fishy, and his recipes never...ever fail.

Chocolate Budino

Ever have a craving for a good old fashioned chocolate puddin'?  You know, like the kind your grandmother made you when you were a kid?

How about an adult version of that childhood memory, all gussied up with high-quality bittersweet chocolate and a fancy Italian name?

Yeah, me too....read on.

Sweet Potato Pie

I've made countless pumpkin pies over the years, but this was my first dance with a sweet potato version.  I was expecting it to be nearly identical to all the squash pies I've made over the years, and while it looks just like a pumpkin pie, and has a similar texture, in many ways this is an entirely different beast.  For me, this darling was head and shoulders above any pumpkin pie I've ever made, and in fact, now that I've found this recipe I'm not sure I'll ever go back to the pumpkin pies of my youth.