Archives for June 2010

Shish Taouk with Toum

June 24, 2010 By Steve Dunn 20 Comments

This is yet another dish that was inspired by a Food52 recipe contest. When I mentioned the site’s recent “best use of a grill, lemon and thyme” contest to my wife, she looked at me flatly and said “there is no more perfect dish on the planet to enter into this contest than Shish Taouk”, and you know what….. she was right. This is a dish that she ate ravenously as a child in Lebanon, and its no surprise why. The freshness of the lemon/thyme marinated chicken, the addictive qualities of the toum (garlic sauce), the salty chew of the grilled halloumi, and the spice and sweetness of the papadews and grilled lemon, make every bite a celebration. We love this served on syrian bread, but it would also be great alongside some rice or couscous.

"The" Cookies

June 19, 2010 By Steve Dunn 28 Comments

When I first learned of these cookies, they were called something like “Showhouse Cookies” , or “Show Stopper Cookies”, or maybe they were even called “Heart Stopper Cookies”. Honestly I can’t remember, and I don’t really even care because for a long time now, we’ve simply called them “The” Cookies. They are a decadent mix of white chocolate, toffee bits, brown sugar, and nuts, rendered in form of a perfect, sweet – chewy – crunchy cookie.

A perennial favorite with Grid, he rarely goes more than a few days without some reference to them.

“Hey Dad, you think you can make some of THE cookies this week?”

“It’s been a while since you’ve made THE cookies, what gives?”

When caught hunched over in front of the freezer, arse in the air, and his head in the chill zone, one can often hear him mumbling, “I just know there has to be a bag of THE cookies in here somewhere….there just HAS TO BE!”

Kale, Sausage and Feta Frittata

June 15, 2010 By Steve Dunn 12 Comments

I know that we’ve already done a frittata dish here, but I am such a big fan I wanted to bring you another one. The last one we cooked together was a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants frittata that I threw together with a bunch of left-overs in the fridge, and it is that “everything but the kitchen sink” aspect of crafting a frittata that I love so much. Eggs, cheese, and almost anything else you can think of can make a delicious frittata, they are a perfect foil for any kind of leftover meat, fish or veggie you have laying about.

Today’s recipe is actually not that kind of free-wheeling creation, but rather one from a pretty great recipe that I found in Bon Appetit last month. It is a well balanced creation of meat, vegetable and cheese that really satisfies. Unlike many frittata recipes, this one is cooked in a baking dish, not a frying pan, and is cooked at a low enough temperature that it maintains a nice light texture, and doesn’t get tough as they can when cooked with a higher heat.

Oui, Chef's One Year Anniversary!

June 13, 2010 By Steve Dunn 26 Comments

Only on this day are the kids "all-thumbs"!

It's hard for me to believe that a year has already past since writing my first post back in June of 2009. Wow…..where does the time go?

No recipe to share today (boo), but rather a few words of thanks, and a moment for both reflecting on the year that was, and for looking forward to what lies ahead for those of us in the "Oui, Chef" kitchen.

First, a from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU for everyone who has visited our site and been a part, whether large of small, of our first year on-line. We feel blessed to have grown such a wonderful and enthusiastic readership, and are thrilled with the growing group of regulars that somehow always find the time to check out our latest posts, and make a point to cheer us along at every step. Your encouragement, warmth, and passion for what we do means a great deal to all of us here, and provides us great incentive to keep "Oui, Chef" moving forward, striving to discover more tasty food, and fun lessons to share with you all.

Challah French Toast Bread Pudding

June 7, 2010 By Steve Dunn 14 Comments

This started out as a Bon Appetit recipe years ago, but we’ve tinkered with it over time to come up with this luscious, yet easy indulgence. I think the only thing we haven’t changed is the use of Challah, because it is absolutely perfect in this dish. My favorite thing about this treat is that it is made in its entirety the night before serving, so in the morning, you just have to pop it into the oven, and set your timer. It is so easy, that I can even manage it before my first cup of morning coffee, and THAT is saying something.

Lamb Meatballs Stuffed with Chevre

June 3, 2010 By Steve Dunn 26 Comments

I have yet to dine at either A Voce or Locanda Verde, Andrew Carmellini’s wildly popular Manhattan restaurants, but they will certainly be on my hit-list the next time I’m in the Big Apple. I have become a big fan of Andrew’s cooking since buying his terrific cookbook, Urban Italian: Simple Recipes and True Stories from a Life in Food (which he wrote with his wife, Gwen Hyman), last summer.

The first dish I cooked from the book has become my favorite way to eat swordfish, and I’m sure I’ll be blogging that dish before long…think orange, olives, and harrisa…your mouth is already watering, yes?

Archives for June 2010

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