Gastronomer's Guide

Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Fagottini

2009-07-09T00:05:00.003-04:00

I initially discovered this unusual and unique filled pasta shape not in Italy but in England. You might have read the story about my love for all filled pastas in this post on beet green ravioli. It was in the Sainsbury's supermarket in London where I first encountered these dumpling-like little packages. The first time I saw the pyramid shapes in the refrigerated section of the store, I was

Summer Corn Chowder

2009-07-07T00:01:00.003-04:00

Summertime is all about the backyard barbecue and grilling practically anything, from meats to vegetables and fruit. Grilled corn has always been a summer mainstay at my house. Summer just is not complete without eating tender grilled sweet corn on the cob while sitting outside in lawn chairs and watching the sun go down. For me it's no butter or salt but just corn au naturel. How do you like to

Summer Cocktails

2009-07-02T00:01:00.005-04:00

Summer is in full swing and with the weather reaching higher temperatures, there's more reason than ever to cool down with a chilled beverage. For me summer is incomplete without enjoying a great cocktail at an outdoor party. With the fourth of July just days away, what better way to celebrate than with a refreshing drink in hand? Grab one of these three and join the revelry.I've updated my

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

2009-06-30T00:08:00.001-04:00

Strawberries, the most popular berry fruit, are in high season right now and I'm thoroughly enjoying eating them every which way. Strawberries have always been a special part of summer for me. I can hardly remember a summer that I didn't go strawberry picking with my family. At the pick-your-own farm we would eat them right off the bush. Their flavor is so concentrated when eaten warm, heated by

Gluten-Free Chocolate Financiers

2009-06-25T01:00:00.003-04:00

The combination of chocolate and almonds is one one of my favorite things. The dessert that incorporates these two ingredients beautifully is the French tea cookie, the financier. Traditionally made in small rectangular molds so that they resemble gold bars, these little cookies were eaten by on-the-go people who worked in the financial district in France. Not limited to French financiers any

Radishes with Blue Cheese and Butter Spread

2009-06-23T00:30:00.000-04:00

I love the crunch of radishes. It's a sound that resonates with all the radish-lovers in my family especially my mother, the biggest lover of the crunchy root vegetable. I learned to love radishes form her. At first I didn't appreciate their mild, earthy flavor, but then I came to love them more for their watery crunch. Then I discovered they could also be spicy and peppery. I have been an

Balsamic-Marinated Lamb Chops

2009-06-18T00:00:00.010-04:00

Father's Day, a holiday synonymous with grilling, is just around the corner. The image that comes to my mind is my dad having complete mastery over the grill with his grilling tools in hand. I'm sure this year there will be plenty of fathers wearing #1 Dad aprons standing by the grill ready to barbecue a number of different meats, hamburgers, and hot dogs. But how about taking over the reigns for

Beet Green Ravioli with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage

2009-06-16T00:05:00.016-04:00

I love ravioli and all filled pastas. They have garnered a special place in my stomach. While I was studying abroad in London during college, all I ate for dinner was ravioli from the refrigerated section in Sainsbury's. I know it's not exactly gourmet, but it was the quickest meal I could make in between my studies and travels. I prefer simple sauces instead of drowning my ravioli in

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

2009-06-15T00:01:00.008-04:00

There are many more ways to enjoy beets than canned or pickled or as grandma's borscht. One of my favorite ways to enjoy them is roasted and served cold alongside a green salad. Lately restaurants have made the beet salad trendy by serving it as an in-season menu specialty. But it's just as easy to make this healthy dish at home while saving some money in the process. It's all just a matter of

Panna Cotta with Roast and Pickled Rhubarb

2009-06-09T00:13:00.004-04:00

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 it's tart flavor and bright pink color. It complements a variety of sweet and savory dishes. But 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

Vichyssoise

2009-06-01T21:24:00.015-04:00

As the weather warms toward summer days, I look forward to enjoying cool and refreshing soups. One of my favorite cold soups is Vichyssoise with its combination of potatoes and leeks that is simply delicious. The great thing about this soup is that you can enjoy it either hot or cold or even just warm.The soup's French name makes it sound much more fussy than it really is. But the soup is not

Sachertorte

2009-05-27T00:12:00.013-04:00

Ever since visiting some of the best bakeries in Hungary, I have always wanted to try my hand at making a traditional Austrian-Hungarian cake. I decided to bake the Sachertorte since it is one of Vienna's most famous cakes. The cake was invented by Franz Sacher and is now rightfully served at the Hotel Sacher in Vienna. Sachertortes are famously available through mail order, but I find it is

Pickled Ramps

2009-05-20T12:30:00.015-04:00

One of the best ways to preserve last-of-the-season vegetables is by pickling them. That is exactly what I decided to do with my final bunch of ramps from the Greenmarket. Pickled ramps make a tangy accompaniment to any meat, chicken, or fish dish. You can also treat them like regular pickles: Chop them up to use as a relish to top pan-seared meats or even hot dogs and hamburgers on Memorial

Ramps with Pasta alla Carbonara

2009-05-20T01:00:00.009-04:00

Ah, I have finally captured the ever elusive ramp! I've wanted to get some ever since I heard of them a few years ago, but I didn't know how. Some people like Marc at No Recipes forage for the bulbs, also known as wild leeks. I haven't had the chance to go out in the wilderness and do so, but don't think I haven't wanted to. Everywhere I've gone lately in Connecticut, I've been on the lookout for

Spring Steak Salad

2009-05-18T00:00:00.009-04:00

Spring brings many colorful bounties, but the best of the season comes in green. This time of year farmers' markets are brimming with tender, young vegetables. That's why my friend Caroline and I decided to take a trip to the Union Square Greenmarket this past week to see what dish we could create together. Caroline is a food freelancer and caterer who recently begun her blog, The Wright Recipes.

Sorrel Soup

2009-05-12T00:20:00.001-04:00

What better way to celebrate spring and the coming of beautiful weather than by eating a bowl of bright green sorrel soup. Sorrel is a green a lot like spinach but with a noticeable sourness. You might have seen a similar soup in jars in the Jewish section of the ethnic aisle in your grocery store. It's known as Schav Borscht and is commonly eaten at Passover, but it can also be enjoyed during

Baked Eggs

2009-05-06T15:31:00.003-04:00

What better way to celebrate moms and wives than by making them breakfast. This recipe for baked eggs has been my go-to breakfast recipe since I saw Ina Garten prepare it on her show, The Barefoot Contessa. It's perfect to serve for any meal, but it's especially nice for a Mother's Day breakfast. Serve it with bacon or sausage and some toast. It's simple, fast, and very flavorful while also being

Baked Red Snapper with Lemon and Tarragon

2009-04-30T00:16:00.010-04:00

Fish seldom make a midweek dinner, but that shouldn't be a reason not to make this quick and easy recipe tonight. Most people think fish is too fussy to prepare and cook, so it's usually made on rare occasion. However, fish should be eaten at least twice per week for their many nutritional values including omega-3 fatty acids. What better way to add fish to your diet than by using the easiest of

Roast Cornish Hen Provençal

2009-04-23T08:30:00.005-04:00

With its classic Provençal flavors, this dish puts you in the heart of Provençe. Featuring herbes de Provençe, one of my favorite herb combinations, it's one of the easiest ways to bring the flavors of southern France into your kitchen. The Provençal herbs consist of a mixture of savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender. Provençal dishes are known for their earthy, rich flavors beginning with

Hungarian Braided Sweet Bread or Kalács

2009-04-12T12:24:00.013-04:00

I finally got the urge to bake bread for the first time yesterday. I decided to make a traditional Hungarian kalács that my mother and her mother before her used to make for Easter. It can be made for any holiday, but it has the most symbolism on Easter particularly because it's made with eggs. But also if the dough is formed into a wreath it mimics Jesus' crown of thorns. It can also be placed

Steak au Poivre with Shallot Pan Sauce

2009-04-06T00:30:00.001-04:00

Now and then I have a craving for red meat. And when that craving comes I want a meal that's fast and easy to make. Steak au poivre is my answer. It's a French-restaurant favorite. I don't think there's anyone out there who can dispute that. It's one of my absolute favorite dishes and I almost always order it if I see it on a menu. But it's so simple to make at home when I feel like staying in.

Pasta Salad Niçoise

2009-03-27T00:01:00.005-04:00

Here's a great dish that does double duty: it can be dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. It's delicious served slightly warm or chilled. And it's especially great for a Friday night Lenten dinner. Using readily available ingredients including my favorite cans of tuna, this dish is light on the wallet too. For the best taste and texture use white albacore tuna packed in oil. It's much better than

Pasta with Crumbled Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

2009-03-18T13:01:00.005-04:00

I love bitter greens. As of late I've started to enjoy them more and more in Italian pasta dishes. Broccoli rabe is one of my favorites. The Italians call it rapini or broccoli di rape. Here in the states it can be spelled two ways as broccoli rabe or broccoli raab. It's in the same family as cabbages and turnips and looks like small broccoli florets with big leavs. For some it may be too bitter

Hamantaschen

2009-03-10T10:33:00.009-04:00

I'm not Jewish but I love Hamantaschen. Maybe it's because my mom used to work at a Jewish bakery that I love them so much. Whenever I would visit her at work, she would always let me have a Hamantasch to try. I especially love the ones filled with apricot preserve, but the ones filled with prune lekvar or poppy seeds are more traditional. At the time I didn't know the meaning behind the

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

2009-03-06T16:51:00.009-05:00

As you might have noticed I'm now using Twitter. It's a fascinating microblogging platform and it's completely infectious. Yesterday I posed the question "What's your favorite way to use sour cream?" I got back many answers reinforcing my assumption that sour cream is completely versatile. It is commonly used in Mexican cooking as a topping. It can be served alongside crudités as a dip or as a