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.
Archives for March 2013
St. Louis Ribs with Maple BBQ Sauce
Muppet came back from her February school vacation a young woman possessed. She had spent the week with her Dad and his new family skiing at Stratton Mountain in Vermont. By all accounts they had a grand old time on the slopes, but to be honest I hardly heard about the skiing from our budding gourmand. All she could do was rave about the "Bear Claws" she ate at a joint called "Grizzlys Bar and Restaurant" at the base of the mountain.
Of course, my first thought ran to the pastry of the same name as I was sure she had noshed a few as a mid-morning snack on the trails. I was wrong. Instead, she was referring to a plate of ribs that she said were the best she's ever eaten, thick and meaty and slathered with a maple syrup BBQ sauce.
Did I mention she was possessed?
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!
Curried Lentil Soup with Shrimp
This meal started out as a “Meatless Monday” dish, but when I came across a few shrimp in the freezer begging to be put to good use, I decided to bend the rules a little and toss them into this veggie soup. The technique behind this soup is outstanding and could be put to use for many a grain or bean based meal. Add meat or seafood if you’re in the mood, or make it meatless…it’s your call.
Lamb and Prune Stew
While we've had a lovely stretch of weather over the past week, and my thoughts are turning to cleaning off my outdoor grill for the spring season, we've still got a few more weeks of winter to navigate here in the northeast and we're not ready to leave behind our braises just yet. Schedule wise, this week has been a bit of a challenge. Between the onset of the kid's spring sports, a Cooking Matters class I'm teaching, and Peyton's evening drivers-ed classes, dinner-time is a bit of a revolving door event these days. That being the case, a one pot meal like this that sits warm on the stove, patiently waiting for anyone with ten minutes to spare, is a busy-weeknight mealtime coup of a dish.
Roasted Tomato-Basil Tart with Sharp Cheddar
For those of you itching with the early onset of Spring fever and longing for the flavors of a new season, this post is for you. Like many of you reading this blog I seldom buy fresh tomatoes once the height of tomato season has passed, preferring instead to cook with high quality canned tomatoes through the fall, winter and spring. As is the case with their seasonal compatriots, asparagus and corn, I'd rather go without than suffer through tasteless, woody tomatoes in the off-season.
Chocolate Chunk Blondies
Anyone who has spent any amount of time visiting Oui, Chef knows that we're a household of chocolate freaks and brownie aficionados of the highest order. There are countless ways to kill yourself with chocolate here, and at current count 6 different brownie recipes with which to indulge even your darkest cocoa-laced fantasy.
You will also note that up until this point we haven't posted a single "blondie" recipe.
Why?
Coq Au Vin
Ahhhh – Coq Au Vin, is there any dish more French than this one?
Well….yes, there are plenty of other foods that scream France, like Beef Bourguignon, Tartiflette, Confit de Canard, and Cassoulet, but when it comes to everyday fare few match the simplicity, deliciousness and charm of Coq Au Vin.