November 10, 2009
Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, November 9, 2009 at 4:05 PM
"Somehow, the eggplant comes off with a distinct smoky aroma that you'll swear must have been cooked over charcoal."
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
Eggplants always amaze me. They're my favorite vegetable to cook with since they can be manipulated in such exciting ways. This recipe from Chow grills them until they're tender and soft, then mixes them with an astonishing number of herbs including basil, mint, scallion, and parsley. Thinly sliced red onions, which quickly marinate in some red wine vinegar, provide a nice balance. The resulting salad is acidic, fresh-tasting, but still full of depth.
Chow has its own method for grilling eggplants, but I'm quite fond of a technique I learned a few years ago from KCRW's Good Food podcast. All you'll need is a heavy iron skillet. Lay the eggplant on a hot iron skillet and turn them every five minutes or so until they're blackened and very soft.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, November 6, 2009 at 4:00 PM
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
My wife swears she's sent me this recipe numerous times before, but I never gave it much thought until I personally found it on the The Daily Green and sent it to her excitedly, like it was the greatest thing ever. I was inspired by the odd culinary pairing of golden raisins and capers, and hoped they would balance each other and bring out the Swiss chard flavors.
But what really sold it for me was the fact that this could be, in the words of the author, a "delicious pasta partner." Considering the size of the chopped chard, I figured farfalle would be that perfect partner, and I'm pretty sure I was right. This was a warming and balanced plate of pasta.
I upped the ante with a little more olive oil and generous gratings of Parmesan. The result is truly satisfying. The briny capers enliven the dish while the sugary raisins help provide some kind of stability.
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Posted by Blake Royer, November 5, 2009 at 4:30 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
Comforting as ever, corn chowder is a food for the fall as the weather gets cooler. And though it's easy enough to make a delicious corn chowder with lots of heavy cream and flour, I was more interested to see how this recipe—more of a soup than a chowder—from Rick Bayless would turn out. Instead of cream and flour, it's thickened with corn starch and the starch from the puréed corn kernels. It works—while the recipe is made with just milk, it has the silky mouthfeel of something with a lot more fat in it.
The Mexican twist here is also interesting, which is the addition of roasted poblano chiles. They pair well with the relatively bland taste of creamy corn, adding some needed kick and smokiness. To make this a full meal, Bayless calls for cubes of chicken breast or shrimp; I used some leftover shredded chicken and it worked wonderfully. And though Bayless doesn't mention it at all, I couldn't help but eat it next to buttered, freshly baked cornbread.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, November 4, 2009 at 4:15 PM
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
I've experimented with baked potato toppings before but was feeling a little uninspired this time around. Looking for ideas, I turned to Twitter. As it turns out, people are awfully passionate about baked potato toppings.
One surprising tweet response came from the wonderful Chicago restaurant, The Publican (@thepublican2008).
@nickdk bacon and chives would be our cooks normal faves, but broccoli and cheddar rules!
If you've ever managed to eat there, you know it's best to follow any advice they give you. No matter what. I've had many bacon-and-chive-loaded potatoes in my day, so I decided to take a chance with this broccoli and cheddar version. I'd probably never attempt a broccoli and cheese dish had the Publican not recommended it, but that's just how much I trust them.
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Posted by Blake Royer, November 3, 2009 at 3:30 PM
[Photo: Blake Royer]
I love how universal meatballs are. The world over, almost every cuisine has realized the merits of grinding meat and mixing it with spices and herbs. This is a characteristic recipe from Nigel Slater: no one would recognize the preparation, but somehow it seems like it's always been there. It's a combination that plays a bit with authenticity, but doesn't seem like a major departure. The left-field ingredient here is lime leaves, an integral part of Thai cooking. They could be left out, as they're hard to find, but the unmistakable flavor adds something extra.
Slate calls these pork "burgers," but eats them without a bun (the man should be told that without a bun, it doesn't qualify). But when I hear about anything with chunks of bacon food-processed into a "coarse mush" and mixed into a patty, I'm on board. Big Asian flavors like chili, ginger, garlic, cilantro, and scallions round out the rest of the recipe. These pair well with a crisp salad and plain white rice.
Continue reading »
Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, November 9, 2009 at 4:05 PM
"Somehow, the eggplant comes off with a distinct smoky aroma that you'll swear must have been cooked over charcoal."
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
Eggplants always amaze me. They're my favorite vegetable to cook with since they can be manipulated in such exciting ways. This recipe from Chow grills them until they're tender and soft, then mixes them with an astonishing number of herbs including basil, mint, scallion, and parsley. Thinly sliced red onions, which quickly marinate in some red wine vinegar, provide a nice balance. The resulting salad is acidic, fresh-tasting, but still full of depth.
Chow has its own method for grilling eggplants, but I'm quite fond of a technique I learned a few years ago from KCRW's Good Food podcast. All you'll need is a heavy iron skillet. Lay the eggplant on a hot iron skillet and turn them every five minutes or so until they're blackened and very soft.
Continue reading »
Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, November 6, 2009 at 4:00 PM
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
My wife swears she's sent me this recipe numerous times before, but I never gave it much thought until I personally found it on the The Daily Green and sent it to her excitedly, like it was the greatest thing ever. I was inspired by the odd culinary pairing of golden raisins and capers, and hoped they would balance each other and bring out the Swiss chard flavors.
But what really sold it for me was the fact that this could be, in the words of the author, a "delicious pasta partner." Considering the size of the chopped chard, I figured farfalle would be that perfect partner, and I'm pretty sure I was right. This was a warming and balanced plate of pasta.
I upped the ante with a little more olive oil and generous gratings of Parmesan. The result is truly satisfying. The briny capers enliven the dish while the sugary raisins help provide some kind of stability.
Continue reading »
Posted by Blake Royer, November 5, 2009 at 4:30 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
Comforting as ever, corn chowder is a food for the fall as the weather gets cooler. And though it's easy enough to make a delicious corn chowder with lots of heavy cream and flour, I was more interested to see how this recipe—more of a soup than a chowder—from Rick Bayless would turn out. Instead of cream and flour, it's thickened with corn starch and the starch from the puréed corn kernels. It works—while the recipe is made with just milk, it has the silky mouthfeel of something with a lot more fat in it.
The Mexican twist here is also interesting, which is the addition of roasted poblano chiles. They pair well with the relatively bland taste of creamy corn, adding some needed kick and smokiness. To make this a full meal, Bayless calls for cubes of chicken breast or shrimp; I used some leftover shredded chicken and it worked wonderfully. And though Bayless doesn't mention it at all, I couldn't help but eat it next to buttered, freshly baked cornbread.
Continue reading »
Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, November 4, 2009 at 4:15 PM
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
I've experimented with baked potato toppings before but was feeling a little uninspired this time around. Looking for ideas, I turned to Twitter. As it turns out, people are awfully passionate about baked potato toppings.
One surprising tweet response came from the wonderful Chicago restaurant, The Publican (@thepublican2008).
@nickdk bacon and chives would be our cooks normal faves, but broccoli and cheddar rules!
If you've ever managed to eat there, you know it's best to follow any advice they give you. No matter what. I've had many bacon-and-chive-loaded potatoes in my day, so I decided to take a chance with this broccoli and cheddar version. I'd probably never attempt a broccoli and cheese dish had the Publican not recommended it, but that's just how much I trust them.
Continue reading »
Posted by Blake Royer, November 3, 2009 at 3:30 PM
[Photo: Blake Royer]
I love how universal meatballs are. The world over, almost every cuisine has realized the merits of grinding meat and mixing it with spices and herbs. This is a characteristic recipe from Nigel Slater: no one would recognize the preparation, but somehow it seems like it's always been there. It's a combination that plays a bit with authenticity, but doesn't seem like a major departure. The left-field ingredient here is lime leaves, an integral part of Thai cooking. They could be left out, as they're hard to find, but the unmistakable flavor adds something extra.
Slate calls these pork "burgers," but eats them without a bun (the man should be told that without a bun, it doesn't qualify). But when I hear about anything with chunks of bacon food-processed into a "coarse mush" and mixed into a patty, I'm on board. Big Asian flavors like chili, ginger, garlic, cilantro, and scallions round out the rest of the recipe. These pair well with a crisp salad and plain white rice.
Continue reading »
Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, November 2, 2009 at 4:15 PM
[Photograph: fuchsiadunlop.com]
I've been meaning to make this recipe for at least a month. Ever since I laid eyes on Fuchsia Dunlop's Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province, I've been drooling over the recipe on the book's cover: Chairman Mao's Red-Braised Pork. "Men eat it to build their brains," Chairman Mao's nephew is quoted as saying in the book.
The pork in question is pork belly, which is an added plus. Spiked with dried red chiles and star anise, it's a simple dish, not too spicy or over the top. The whole thing could be completed in under an hour—not bad for what amounted to a very authentic Chinese recipe.
Think of the dish as more of a blank slate for other flavors. Dunlop suggests adding every from water chestnuts, mushrooms, mustard greens, to spare ribs. But really, just about anything would taste good in this broth.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, October 30, 2009 at 4:00 PM
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
I initially picked out this recipe because it looked awfully similar to Korean scallion pancakes, a dish I've made a few times before. This recipe from Gourmet added some sweet potato and a little kimchi, which I figured would perk up the dish a bit—but I wasn't expecting this.
They taste less like traditional Korean scallion pancakes and more like hash browns with serious attitude. The flour in the mix helps protect the sweet potatoes from the intense heat so they come out golden brown and crisp, instead of burned and black.
That intense flavor comes from the overload of kimchi, scallion, and serrano. (I'm surprised it all fit.) They make sure each bite is packed full of flavor and layered with spice. The dipping sauce, which is acidic and slightly sweet, provides a slight relief. I'm not sure if the pancakes are meant as a side dish or what, but they're addictive either way.
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Posted by Blake Royer, October 29, 2009 at 4:00 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
The recipe, from Nigel Slater, sounded like a fancy version of fish and chips: Fat, meaty fillets of haddock are coated in bread crumbs and shallow-fried until brown and crisp. I substituted cod, but what intrigued me especially about this recipe was the coating, which is a combination of bread crumbs, tarragon leaves, and minced anchovies.
Tarragon is a powerful herb that is best used in small doses, and for the same reason also perfumes the whole dish. Even better, though, are the anchovies, which melted away during the frying but left their nutty signature, deepening the dish's flavor to amp up the relatively mild flavor of cod. Meanwhile, the cod's flesh itself was meaty and dense, offset by the breadcrumb crunch. I was amazed at how much flavor the recipe was able to achieve with just a few ingredients and a short time.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, October 28, 2009 at 4:15 PM
"For a quick meal on a gray and gloomy day, it's hard to beat this."
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
Truly authentic hot and sour soup, if such a thing exists, probably contains some ingredients that aren't super easy to track down in most local grocery stores. I mean, when was the last time you saw day lily buds, chinkiang vinegar, or wood ear fungus just hanging out on the shelves? No, for this batch I took the easy route.
This recipe from The Kitchn is good enough to make you forget about "the rules." It's a relaxing and warming soup, the kind that makes you relish the upcoming winter transition.
Hot and Sour soup is all about balance. The heat comes not from chiles, but from white or black pepper. The sour comes from a judicious pour of vinegar. The recipe calls for about three tablespoons but I added more to give the soup more zing. You can even crack some more pepper on top—it's really up to you to craft your perfect bite.
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Posted by Blake Royer, October 27, 2009 at 4:30 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
Sometimes I wonder if my fascination with putting fried eggs on everything will ever abate. Is it a childish notion, or lazy cooking habit? Whether it's my recent meal of lentils, greens, and eggs, or a black bean soup I made awhile back (when a commenter told me I "would put a fried egg on dog poop and call it a recipe"), something about the soft yolk of an egg puts a dish over the top in the best possible way.
Of course, the French figured this out ages ago when they invented this variation of the famous croque monsieur sandwich, normally a ham-and-cheese concoction smothered in cheesy bechamel sauce, but here, with the help of Nancy Silverton, a lighter affair. For the madame recipe, Silverton skips the heavy bechamel for the unctuous "sauce" of the egg yolk, which richens everything it touches. The result is a fork-and-knife sort of sandwich, which might be sacrilege, but is delicious anyway, especially next to a simple salad.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, October 26, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Cooking from the last issue of Gourmet.
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
I'm kind of addicted to this beans-and-greens combination. It's a concept that initially didn't make much sense to me. Wouldn't the result just be a mushy, messy, gray and green glob in a bowl? Nope—it's actually hearty and filling in a spectacularly healthy way. It's perfect for those who want a warm bowl of food for the upcoming cool weather, but don't necessarily want to go overboard with the meat. The duo is accentuated here by some thinly sliced sundried tomatoes, a simple addition that oddly adds a slight meaty edge along with a compact tomato flavor.
I pulled this recipe from the last issue of Gourmet, which is kind of sad to admit. I've used the magazine often for this column and recipes like this one made me keep coming back. Though it's not flashy, nor particularly revelatory, this recipe is a delicious, quick, and healthy dinner. It's the way I'd like to eat more often. In recent years, Gourmet really expanded their selection of quick weeknight meals, and I always looked forward to them. I'd just like to say thanks, Gourmet.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, October 23, 2009 at 4:00 PM
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
In search of a humble dinner that would use up leftover roast chicken, I somehow ended up here. This dynamic recipe from The China Moon Cookbook by Barbara Tropp was featured in the New York Times. It indeed calls for leftover roast chicken, along with a host of thinly-sliced vegetables including red bell pepper, celery, and jalapeño. I could just imagine the crunch of all those vegetables and the heat of the chiles, balancing the chicken.
But what honestly sold me was the dressing. Just odd enough to still work, it's a combination of rice wine vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, and ginger. Slightly tart and sweet, it's what ties all the other strands together, providing a perfect balance for the crispy and spicy salad.
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Posted by Blake Royer, October 22, 2009 at 4:15 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
When I set out to make chilaquiles, I had in mind the brunch dish, a sort of tortilla and egg casserole with melted cheese. And while I found recipes for what I was looking for, I also stumbled into a fierce debate about the difference between chilaquiles and a Texas dish called migas, which I've cooked before for Dinner Tonight.
The answer was that proper chilaquiles are not defined by eggs at all: The only essential ingredients are thick tortilla chips, a salsa of some kind, and cheese—a tortilla casserole. While Nick has covered Chilaquiles Rojos, I turned to this Rick Bayless recipe for the verde version, which is baked in the oven rather than finished on the stove, making it a little less attention-hungry. But the salsa alone is the real story here: charred tomatillos and onion, pulsed to a purée and loosened with rich chicken stock and Mexican crema. it is rich and gently acidic, chickeny and creamy. The result here is soul-satisfying fare, comforting and delicious.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, October 21, 2009 at 4:15 PM
[Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger]
As I found out from an epic post on eGullet, a patty melt is a very definite thing. You can dress up a burger in many different ways but the patty melt is locked in stone. It only has a few ingredients, all of which are crucial. Rye bread provides the foundation and the Swiss cheese is a natural partner. Then it's just grilled onions and a hamburger. Thanks to the interplay of all the ingredients, you don't need ketchup or mustard. Believe me, I tried a little of both and it was oddly distracting.
It only has a few ingredients, all of which are crucial.
The only trick I could discern from Saveur is to cook the burger and onions separately, combine them on the sandwich with a couple cheese slices, then griddle the whole thing. The sandwich comes out of the pan all buttered and crisp on top with two slices of melted Swiss cheese, griddled onions, and a perfectly cooked patty inside. It's a wonder.
This is honestly the first time I've ever made one from scratch. I'm going to have to change that.
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Posted by Blake Royer, October 20, 2009 at 5:00 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
A friend of mine recently gave me a bag of homegrown fingerling potatoes from her father's garden in Iowa, where he grows vegetables for his restaurant and always donates extras to his children. With more than enough to go around, I was the lucky recipient of my own stash. I immediately wanted to roast them and preserve their lovely small size. While any big potato can be cut into strips or mashed, the fingerling would be wasted on these methods. As a waxy potato, it forms a crisp brown crust when roasted while the interior goes creamy.
To make it a full meal, I bought a couple sausages (one per person is about right) and used half a box of mushrooms with the idea of cobbling together a roast. The potatoes went in first because they take the longest, then I pulled out the roasting tray, scattered the mushrooms about, and nestled the sausages in snugly. The sausages leaked their wonderful fat into the tray, which helped crisp the potatoes. The mushrooms sucked up the rest. The result was the hearty stuff of fall days, with barely more effort than turning on the oven and tossing everything in.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, October 19, 2009 at 4:45 PM
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
I've never really found an inopportune time to have mussels. During winter, the little bivalves can be covered in rich sauces that coat both them and your stomach. For summer, they can be dressed lightly. This recipe from Food and Wine is right in the middle—full-flavored from the olive oil and kale, yet doesn't involve any cream. It's absolutely perfect for the fall season.
I love cooking with mussels because they can be both madly cheap and delicious. While the actual muscle in the mussel is great, I think the best part is the liquid contained inside. When they heat up, they unleash their liquid into the sauce, making everything they touch better. When the pasta is tossed in at the end, they suck up some and come out with this clean, ocean flavor that's really irresistible. It's a very simple dish, but don't be surprised when you go in for seconds.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, October 16, 2009 at 4:15 PM
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
The ingredient list for this recipe from Saveur is long, and the directions come dangerously close to the one-hour mark. But cut me a little slack. Like so many other Indian recipes, six of the ingredients are spices. Two of the remaining ingredients are onions and garlic, which should be lying around your kitchen anyways. Then it's just a smattering of aromatics and canned products that altogether make one of the best dishes I've cooked up recently.
The trick is to take it slow. The onions cook for 25 minutes over moderate heat until golden-browned and beautiful. The spinach, tomatoes, and chickpeas cook at a bare simmer (do not let boil) for 30 minutes so they can slowly soak up the flavors of the spices.
If you can judiciously chop four onions like a line chef, this should take you about an hour—but hey, most of the time is just waiting around. Meanwhile, the aroma of the spices waft around your apartment, making you and your neighbors swoon. In fact, by the end, the last thing you'll question is the number of ingredients. Mostly I was just struck by how such inexpensive ingredients could transform into such an incredibly fragrant and filling vegetarian feast.
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Posted by Blake Royer, October 15, 2009 at 4:00 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: real pasta carbonara doesn't have a lick of heavy cream in it. It's not alfredo sauce with bacon. The only dairy is a little bit of grated cheese, which, when mixed with pasta cooking water and a barely congealed egg yolk, creates a wondrous noodle-coating sauce.
Unless, of course, you're flipping through the excellent Zuni Cafe Cookbook and read about something Judy Rodgers calls a "rogue version" of carbonara. No, it doesn't have heavy cream—that would be a too-predictable departure from the original—but it does have ricotta cheese. Beaten with the eggs to make a smooth mixture studded with tiny curds, it melts with sharp Pecorino Romano cheese to make a worthwhile riff on the classic dish. Slow-cooked bacon and good semolina pasta are essentials, providing a chewy texture against the smooth sauce, with a hit of sharp Pecorino cheese amid it all.
It's not better than the sublime original, but it may be a little easier to make with excellent results.
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Posted by Blake Royer, October 13, 2009 at 7:30 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
The weather in Chicago has been absurdly cold the last week or so, with consistent below-average temperatures threatening winter before we've even seen the leaves change. My usual instinct is to respond with cooking that suits the temperature. If I don't want it to be this cold, then at least I can eat food that tastes best when it is this cold.
And so I turned (again) to a recipe from Last Night's Dinner, an informal little dish that's as comforting as an "old worn out sweater." Simple lentils with shallot and red wine, a pile of braised winter greens, and a fried egg on top. It's tasty, full of vitamins, and very easy to make.
I immediately thought back to something I cooked in April, a lentil salad with fresh wilted baby spinach. The flavors here are deeper, and winter greens are the star -- any kind of chard works well, or something sturdier like kale, mustard greens, or collards.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, October 12, 2009 at 4:15 PM
"It has all the hallmarks of diner chili."
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
On the official chili allegiance list, you'll see my name forever pledged to Texas chili. I'll spare the adjectives, and just say that the thick bowl of red is one of my favorite foods. So what am I doing with this guy, one that uses ground beef, loads of tomatoes, and, gasp, beans! See, I grew up in the Midwest and have a true soft spot for this style which seems to be served at every diner across the Heartland. I have some fond memories, but could I translate that into a recipe that actually tasted good?
I fell for this recipe from Bon Appetit immediately. It has all the hallmarks of diner chili: loads of tomatoes and more vegetables than you can imagine. Yet it is also peppered with some interesting additions. Thanks to the toasted cumin and coriander, it has a truly haunting aroma. There's also a teeny teaspoon of chipotle, something I may add much more of next time. But this dish isn't about the heat. It's about pure comfort.
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