Braised Octopus, Fennel, Preserved Lemon, Parsley, Anchovy Pesto
I really like you, 2010. You have me motivated to cook like I have never cooked before. I mean, like yesterday, I cooked for four hours. Just for fun. And, the day before, another full day of cooking. Maybe it is because the last phase of my “Stage” is about to come to an end (tear..), and I feel like I need to “up the anty” for myself. Whatever it is, 2010, I am not complaining.
So….(drumroll, please)…… I give you OCTOPUS. Read the rest of this entry »
Minestra Maritata + The Perfect Meatball
Sometimes I just like keeping recipes to myself. Not like a secret or anything, but I just don’t feel like sharing them with all of the hundreds of millions of people who read this blog (cough). Okay, kidding. Just one million. Read the rest of this entry »
Grana Padano + Prosciutto Brodo
Ahhh! People. I have two days off. Yes. Working six days a week is not sustainable as I showed myself last Monday when I almost fell asleep standing up as I was making potato gnocchi. As I stood there, rolling little potato ball after potato ball on to the gnocchi board, I started to lose the concept of what gnocchi should look like. I have forgotten what it is like to actually enjoy a day off and not have to jam pack it with laundry, dishes, nail clipping (for the dog) and recipe experiments. Now I can check out new restaurants I have been meaning to try, and also have another night to cook out of a new cookbook and spend quality time with Erik. And, I can actually take a nap in the middle of the day and not feel like I am wasting valuable hours to get stuff done. Read the rest of this entry »
Salmon en Papillote with Celeriac and Fennel
Recently, I have been enjoying making up my own recipes and flavor combinations. This recipe is a creation that I came up with because of my obsession with cooking “en papillote”.
“En Papillote” in French means “in parchment”, and refers to a cooking method in which food is folded in a “parcel” and then baked. It is a very popular method of cooking fish (so that your house does not stink from pan-frying!), but i have also made vegetables and chicken in parchment. The main ingredients in this dish, besides the salmon, are fennel and celeriac. Most people probably have not cooked with either of these ingredients, but they are stunning for the palate. Fennel, when cooked down, looses its anise flavor and becomes sweet and mellow. Celeriac, the root from the ubiquitous celery stalk, has a starchy quality that tastes more interesting than the everyday potato, and has more nutritional benefits.
These fish packages are so fun to serve and eat! Enjoy.
Caramelized Pancetta and Fennel Salad
I saw this Giada de Laurentiis recipe on Food Network the other day. I had all of the ingredients on hand, so I decided to make it tonight. Giada makes this red wine vinaigrette that is so tasty! She, of course, put that on this salad also.
