Category

Cookbooks

Summer Pudding Delights

Alexandra Stafford’s book, “Bread Toast Crumbs” (Clarkson Potter, $30) could inspire even the most reluctant baker to spend the day making bread. But my summertime kitchen is hot and the my patio beckons. I searched the book for a luscious dish that could show off store-bought loaves, a dish that didn’t require firing up the oven. Near the end of…

The Lime Pie That Saved Us

Initially, it was the title that grabbed me. “The Lime Pie That Saved Us” Sounds like something I could use right now … This is how Nicole Rucker, founder and owner of Fiona and Rucker’s Pie in Los Angeles explains the name in her cookbook “Dappled: Baking Recipes for Fruit Lovers” (Penguin Random House, $32) “I opened my restaurant Fiona…

Grilled Artichoke Heaven

Grilled artichokes are a great dish to serve when warm-weather entertaining. Not only are they scrumptious, most of the preparation can be done in advance. Blanched until tender and then grilled before serving, they seem to be adored by all, especially when served with a tasty dipping sauce. Grilled Artichokes with Dipping SauceYield: about 6 servings4 to 6 artichokes (preferably…

Hugh’s Herby, Peanutty, Noodly Salad

“River Cottage Veg” by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (Ten Speed, $35) is chockablock with irresistible recipes. The author is a British broadcaster, farmer and educator, as well as the recipient of several James Beard Awards for his cookbooks. A campaigner for sustainably produced food, he established the River Cottage farm in Dorset, England in 1998. I often refer to this book when…

Pozole – Lusciousness in a Bowl

There’s something very comforting about a steaming bowl of pozole, the tender cubes of pork adrift in a broth that sings with just-right spiciness. The stew-like concoction is loaded with hominy. In the translation from Spanish, “pozole” means hominy. Hominy is the name given to whole corn kernels that have been cooked in a lye or lime solution to remove their…

Three Thrills 2014 – Inspired Chef Dishes for Home Cooks

Dining out or eating in the homes of friends and family, teaches me new techniques or ingredient combinations. They are dishes that send me home to develop my own spin, simplifying the creation if it’s complex, changing it just enough to make it approachable for home cooks without sacrificing flavor. Here are three of my 2014  FAVORITES (whittled down from…

Best Selling Author Mark Bittman Goes Vegan, Part Time

Bittman’s lentil salad is delicious! No deprivation, honest! Mark Bittman is a part-time vegan. A columnist for the New York Times and author of the best-selling How To Cook Everything cookbooks, Bittman abstains from eating meat, dairy or processed foods until six every evening. Nix before six on alcohol, too. After six he eats what he likes, usually (but not…