Gastronomer's Guide

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Roast Rhubarb and Pickled Rhubarb

2012-05-29T00:13:00.000-04:00

Summer is fast approaching and more and more fruits and vegetables are coming in season. One of my favorite spring/summer crossover vegetables is rhubarb. I love its tart flavor and bright pink color. It complements a variety of sweet and savory dishes. It's most commonly known as pie fruit and is more often paired with strawberries than with any other fruit or vegetable. But I like it when it

Cornmeal-Crusted Fried Chicken Tenders with Dilled Fingerling Potato Salad

2012-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

Two of my absolute favorite foods are fried chicken and potato salad. There's something so unabashedly comforting about these two foods that have me admitting they're my favorite. I love them for two reasons: First, because my mom would make them every year on my birthday in July. Second, because they're both simple and easy to prepare. Who doesn't love fried chicken and potato salad? Just the

Green Garlic, Asparagus, and Mushroom Stir-Fry

2012-05-14T21:51:00.000-04:00

If you've been hoping to brush up on your stir-fry skills, there's no better time to do just that than now. Spring gives you the best opportunity with so many different vegetables to cook with—and they're all amazing in a stir-fry. There are green beans, broccoli, asparagus, and soon there will be peas, but in the meantime green garlic is what you should be looking for in the farmers' market.

Shaved Asparagus Salad

2012-05-08T21:55:00.001-04:00

Steamed, roasted or grilled—they're not the only ways to enjoy asparagus. Have you tried it raw? If you were to just bite in its pretty tough to eat. But that's where your vegetable shaver comes in. With it you can create thin ribbons of asparagus that are ready to eat—all without cooking. This salad is a great way to put a new spin on asparagus. You'll be surprised by the taste of it raw—it's

Radish Greens Pesto

2012-05-03T21:36:00.001-04:00

Pesto isn't just for basil, though traditionally that's what pesto is made of. The word pesto itself means "pounded" in Italian. Famous in Genoa, the pesto of basil, pine nuts, Parmesan and olive oil is a delicious sauce on pasta. But many herbs and/or greens can take the place of basil to create a flavorful pesto. In the past I've made it with parsley, cilantro and even ramp greens. This time

Radishes with Butter and Salt

2012-05-01T21:01:00.000-04:00

This really isn't a recipe—it doesn't even involve cooking or assembly. It's just a few simple ingredients brought together in a perfect way: radishes, butter, and salt. Most people don't give radishes a second thought mainly because they don't eat them. As I've shown in recipes before and will show this week, radishes can be made into many different dishes with ones that are even cooked. But

Ramp and Sorrel Soup

2012-04-26T22:02:00.002-04:00

I love unique spring vegetables—it's the reason why I write about such things like ramps and fiddleheads so much. For me there's nothing better than combining my favorites in one recipe to celebrate the spring season. Ramps on their own would make a particularly good soup. But looking for a contrasting flavor to pair it with, I thought of sorrel. With its tart and citrusy flavor, the leafy

Linguine with Sautéed Ramps, Chile Flakes, and Toasted Breadcrumbs

2012-04-24T21:07:00.001-04:00

It's that time of the year: ramp season! These wild leeks, as they are known, are starting to become available at the farmers' markets. Just last Friday on my visit to the the Union Square Greenmarket, Berried Treasures was selling bags upon bags full of ramps. I'm sure they were all bought up by restaurants that day. But I myself bought a few bunches as I usually do and immediately started

Arugula Salad with White-Wine Vinaigrette and Shaved Parmesan

2012-04-19T21:48:00.000-04:00

When I make a salad it's almost always an arugula salad. I love the leafy greens so much that if I could, I would eat it every chance I got. Though I know many people don't share the same sentiment with me, I know there are many who do appreciate the perfumed aroma and peppery flavor of arugula. It's what sets it apart from other lettuces. The easiest and simplest way for enjoying arugula is a

Fresh Ricotta with Olive Oil, Fava Beans, and Herbs

2012-04-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

You probably know ricotta as the cheese that goes in lasagne or manicotti but ricotta is so much more. If you've ever had ricotta straight out of the container or tried freshly made ricotta, you know exactly what I mean. It's luscious, creamy and sweet all on its own. Ricotta is amazing simply spread on toast or served as a snack or appetizer. It can even be a dessert—I like it drizzled with

White Asparagus with Brown-Butter Vinaigrette

2012-04-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows green asparagus—it's making an appearance right now in the markets, announcing that spring has arrived. But not everyone knows white asparagus. It rarely shows up in the market because it's such a specialty but it's definitely worth searching for. Not only does the color (or absence of) make it unique, its flavor is more delicate and milder than green asparagus. But why is it

Sichuan-Style Green Beans

2012-04-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

If you've ever taken the time to read a Chinese takeout menu closely you may have noticed it has the dishes organized by regional cuisine such as Cantonese, Hunan, and Sichuan. Most Chinese restaurants try to have a wide offering of its cuisine to appeal to many different tastes. Those who love spicy food know to choose a dish from the Sichuan page. This cuisine is characterized by an abundance

White Wine-Braised Lamb Shanks with Creamed White Beans and Sautéed Kale

2012-04-03T20:58:00.000-04:00

It's almost hard to believe that winter is gone and spring is actually here. The weather has been so unpredictable lately that if it wasn't for the blooming flowers and trees, we'd still think it were fall or winter. But it's the time to celebrate renewal and nothing says it more than the Easter holidays, which are just days away. Easter celebrations vary from culture to culture and religion

Roasted Asparagus and Grape Tomatoes with Crumbled Feta and Green Olive Vinaigrette

2012-03-29T21:17:00.001-04:00

For me nothing says "spring" more so than asparagus. As soon as the warm weather of early spring approaches, I start scouring the farmers' market for the first signs of asparagus. I'm always looking for the most slender green spears, ivory white ones, and even the dark purple-almost-black ones. I appreciate all types of asparagus. I love asparagus cooked any which way except boiled—that's the

Warm Lentil Salad

2012-03-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the weather plays tricks on us and we just have to roll with it. Last week here in the northeast we were experiencing record high summer-like temperatures. But this week it's back to the unpredictable cold of early spring. So until it actually starts feeling like spring again I'm resorting to eating warm and comforting foods. And legumes are what I turn to in my time of need. I love a

Bananas Foster

2012-03-22T21:09:00.000-04:00

I've always had a love and hate relationship with bananas. They were forced upon by my parents when I was a kid to make sure I was getting my potassium. I wish they knew then that oranges and even greens have more potassium—I would have rather eaten spinach. As an adult I eat bananas only occasionally, because I don't care for the texture or waxiness. That was until recently. I've almost become

Meyer Lemon Pasta

2012-03-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

My love for Meyer lemons continues this week with another dish using these amazingly flavorful citrus fruits. This time it's a pasta dish that's done in less than 15 minutes. It's meatless, so it's great for vegetarians. But the savory flavors of garlic and crushed red pepper will also appeal to the meat-and-potatoes guys. But what really lifts this dish is the Meyer lemons, which add a

Broiled Chicken Breasts with Meyer Lemons, Fennel, and Green Olives

2012-03-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

Mediterranean flavors are the ones I turn to when I'm in a cooking rut and can't figure out what to make. That's when I cook with ingredients like lemons, olives, capers, canned tomatoes, fennel, garlic, herbs and olive oil. I always have them on hand in my pantry and refrigerator for back up. It's easy to apply these flavors to give any recipe for chicken, fish and even meat a Mediterranean

Guinness Porter Cake with Orange-Whiskey Butter

2012-03-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

What I like about Irish baked goods is that they're always hearty and wholesome, like soda bread, scones, porter cake, and biscuits. And I especially like it when recipes are easy to make—ones that don't require yeast, rising dough, and all the things that come with it. One of the easiest cakes to make is porter cake, which gets its name from the Irish beer used. Yes, a bread recipe that uses

Soba Noodle Soup with Spinach and Shiitakes

2012-03-08T21:13:00.000-05:00

There's something about Japanese cuisine that makes me come back to it again and again. It's really all about the freshness, the subtle flavor, and the many health benefits. I especially love Japanese noodle soups because they're satisfying, soothing, and flavorful. In the past I've made udon soup, ramen soup, and now soba soup. What ties all these soups together? They all contain and are

Roasted Fenugreek-Rubbed Chicken Drumsticks

2012-03-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

I love cooking and experimenting with spices—they add so much flavor to recipes when used as a focal spice or in concert with others. I'm always discovering new spices by often just wandering down the aisles of Kalustyan's, a fantastic spice market in New York. One of my favorites includes coriander—its unique flavor adds a citrus flavor and aroma without using lemon. But recently I discovered

Linguine with Swordfish in Quick Tomato Sauce with Capers and Lemon-Parsley Crumbs

2012-03-01T21:47:00.002-05:00

Every Friday night I like to do pasta night. I love pasta dishes because they're quick to make and so satisfying to eat. And they don't at all need to be complicated. Sometimes all you need are a few pantry staples like canned tomatoes, capers, or olives to make a delicious sauce that doesn't take hours to cook. That's the true appeal of pasta. Oftentimes when I don't feel like eating meat

Vegetable Biryani with Golden Raisins and Pistachios

2012-02-28T21:26:00.001-05:00

Rice is one of my most favorite side dishes. I think I can enjoy it with almost anything or even by itself. For so many cultures it's a staple food, including India, where basmati rice reigns supreme. A variety of long-grain white rice, basmati is fragrant and very tender and nutty tasting once cooked. It's mainly grown in India but it's used all over Southeast Asia and the Middle East. It's

Meatballs in Almond Sauce

2012-02-23T21:39:00.001-05:00

It seams like every nation has their special recipe for meatballs—they're just such a simple, humble food that's easy to love, make, and eat. These tender balls made from ground meat, whether served with or without sauce, can be enjoyed in multiple ways—as a main dish with pasta, a sandwich for lunch, or an appetizer on toothpicks. They can be made from beef, veal, pork, turkey, or any

Beignet Bowties

2012-02-20T19:25:00.002-05:00

As a kid, I always wondered why we never celebrated Halloween. Only as an adult did I come to realize that it's really just an American holiday. So, I thought to myself, when do Hungarian kids get a chance to dress up and be whomever they wish to be for one day? The answer is Carnival. I never got dressed up for the holiday, but in Hungary my little nephews always did for school. But never mind