The Lyonnaise Salad is a classic combination featuring aggressively flavored greens (frisee is traditional), crisp-tender bacon, a vinaigrette made from the bacon fat, plenty of black pepper, and a soft poached egg. As salads go, it sounds pretty decadent—and delicious. This version from Michael Ruhlman's fantastic recent cookbook Ruhlman's Twenty uses peppery arugula for the greens. More
In a country where hot dogs are the most famous (and most consumed) form of sausage, and in a city that's especially known for them, the Vienna Beef factory makes around seven hundred thousand hot dogs a day. More
Baked pasta dishes should be hearty, but sometimes they turn out heavy, too—and those two things don't necessarily need to go hand in hand. Sure, it's easy enough to load up a baking dish with pasta and cheese and meat and whatever else, but this recipe from Martha Stewart is a little more delicate. There's plenty of kale to stand in for some of the pasta, and an airy ricotta to keep things light. More
When you walk into Beograd Meat Market, you might expect, as I did, to easily track down the fresh sausage that people talk about in online forums. It's there, but it's kind of hard to find. Just look below the bottles of Orangina. More
While October might be pushing it for "late summer," farmers' markets can still be counted on for inexpensive, past-their-prime tomatoes. And those are perfectly suited for the treatment they get in this wonderful soup, from the Saltie cookbook: a slow roast with olive oil to concentrate their acidity and sweetness. Along with garlic, sage, and rosemary, they're the heart of this spare and satisfying soup. More
Telegraph in Logan Square successfully defies all the issues I normally have about wine bars (pricey mediocre wine and pricey unambitious food made acceptable because they're served in a "wine bar), also has a fine charcuterie plate that changes regularly. More
If you've ever gotten the slightest bit interested in the art of making bread, chances are you've heard of Tartine, in San Francisco; they're widely known for making some of the best in the country. But the name Tartine is actually loosely translated as open-faced sandwich, and that's the sort of recipe featured in Edible Selby, a recently published compendium of photographer Todd Selby's whimsical columns regularly published in T: The New York Times Style Magazine. More
When it comes to great barbecue, Chicago does things a little differently. Perhaps nobody in the city does it better than Uncle John's, where the links are flecked with red pepper flakes and taste deeply of sage and pork fat. More
I count myself a pretty big fan of Anglo-Indian dishes, but I'd never made Kedgeree before now. Traditionally a breakfast dish—which is where the hardboiled eggs come in—it makes a fine supper, too. This version, from the beloved Williamsburg, Brooklyn sandwich shop Saltie, begins with rich curried rice (some of the best I've ever had) and finishes with smoky whitefish and a scatter of scallions. More
As much as Chicago is a great sausage city, it's still a rare occurrence to see it house-made on menus in restaurants. But there is one regular exception to this rule, and that's breakfast sausage. More
It's tough to go wrong with spaghetti and meatballs, but I'm always up for a variation. This recipe from Ina Garten eschews the common beef for turkey instead. But while that's usually a terrible idea (because the way to go wrong with meatballs is to make them tough and dry), she keeps them interesting (and juicy) by adding in Italian sausage and finely chopped prosciutto. More
Chicago has plenty of gyros, and Greek restaurants to serve them, many clustered on a strip of Halstead west of the Loop. But it's much harder to find good Loukaniko, a lamb and pork sausage. More
Like Edzo's, Phil's Last Stand serves elevated fast food (with slightly elevated prices), uses skinny patties, and draws deep inspiration from California-style fast food burgers like In-N-Out. But what really makes this burger unique is the smoky flavor. This is a char burger, Chicago-style, in a city where most char burgers are made from frozen pucks of beef. More
For a long time, I could never get into eggplant. It always seemed mushy and bitter to me, and preparations were often oily, so I tended to avoid it. But then I discovered long, skinny varieties of eggplant from Asia (you often see them at farmers' markets) that come in all different colors, have a thinner skin, and less bitter seeds. Their flavor is more mild and delicate, and they just might convert you, too. More
You could drive by Romanian Kosher Sausage Company for years and never feel the need to stop by. It looks more like an abandoned building that what it truly is: one of the best and most beloved butcher shops in Chicago. More
While the summer months are over and fall is approaching, this is nonetheless one of the best times of year for cooking, in my opinion—not to mention eating outside. The weather is a tad cooler, but the produce is still excellent. In that spirit, I selected this recipe from Tyler Florence, which relies on gorgeous, juicy peaches as a counterpoint to shaved fennel, peppery watercress, creamy mozzarella, and crisp slices of prosciutto. More
Of course, what everyone talks about at Al's is the Italian beef, and rightly so: it's a spectacular sandwich that deserves accolades (and has received them on Serious Eats already). But the result of all that praise is often that their excellent Italian sausage sandwich—served, just like the beef, with sweet or hot peppers on a chewy roll seemingly designed to soak up juices without losing its structural integrity—can be overlooked. More
Alice Waters consistently find ways to improve uncomplicated recipes without losing their spirit of simplicity; here the garlic-vinegar mixture plays the role of acid in this tomato "vinaigrette" and helps complement the same acidity in the tomatoes—part of what makes them taste so excellent. More
At Spencer's Jolly Posh Foods on Irving Park Rd., you can find their bangers and bacon full time. But they've also expanded and now carry some of the best black and white pudding I've tasted, including in the U.K. More
Roasted broccoli is a wonder. A hot oven can transform the mild vegetable into something rich and caramelized, and the depth of flavor it's capable of never ceases to amaze me. And tossing with hot pasta is about the best way I know to transform that magic into a full meal. This recipe, from Diane Rossen Worthington's Seriously Simple Parties, takes things a step further by tossing the whole thing with a pistachio gremolata. More
At Mirabell, an old school German spot in Irving Park, they serve classics like the bratwurst—but they're doing things their own way. Case in point: when you order their bratwurst, it comes not just boiled or grilled, but soaked in milk, dipped in egg, and fried in butter. And it's quietly the best traditional bratwurst I've ever eaten More
Last week, when celebrating Julia Child's100th birthday, I started craving that famous dish that she described as an early culinary epiphany while in France: sole meuniere. It is one of the best and simplest fish preparations in the world, with its nutty brown butter and burst of lemon juice. Amandine is a variation that uses sliced almonds, and this recipe from Bobby Flay takes it a step further with preserved lemons in place of lemon juice. More
It's as if the folks at Gepperth's Meat Market have mellowed out over the years and realized that being a butcher and being gruff are not necessarily required. They have a sense of humor, a confidence around who they are, and with that comes that elusive and magical combination of competence and customer service. More
As tough as chicken breasts can be to cook—there's no fat or bone to help mitigate dryness—a pounded chicken "paillard" is as easy. It's a technique that becomes a no-brainer once you learn it, whenever sauteeing the old boneless, skinless standby. By pounding the breast into uniform thickness and watching carefully, you can turn out a surprisingly moist cutlet with plenty of caramelized surface area. Add a delicious pan sauce—this time, by one Thomas Keller—and it's a solid dinner, indeed. More
As drinking halls go, Acre in Andersonville is the kind of place you might picture in your dreams: dark, lacquered woods, a hefty bar, and an excellent craft beer list. So it's with pleasure that I report their plate of house-made wood-grilled sausages is fine indeed. More
@carriebwc Great catch. You should add the tuna in that recipe just after heating the canning oil with the mustard, and break it up just a little bit. This way it will meld best with the pasta.
@meleyna @kdewitt Thanks for the nice words, guys!
@wizzy @likenoneother Great suggestions. Both of those places are on my list for Sausage City.
@Jim-Bob Looks like quite a trek, but sounds like it's worth it, too. I'll add it to the list.
Great list, Julia! I live nearby so it's fun to compare favorite spots.
@nikkos350 Red Hen used to be great, I hear, but my impression of their bread is it's pricey and not all that excellent. I've been there a number of times and given up.
@cookiequiz Looks a bit like cabbage in the photo, but it's definitely iceberg lettuce.
@candide @hointz
My apologies -- the artichokes should go into the skillet in step 3, along with the garlic. @Douglas Kitchen had it right on!
Joe, I LOVE the distinction between breaded fish and battered fish.
While I love Fish n Chips dearly (Kate -- great rec for Owen & Engine) I am excited to branch out from that battered style into breaded, as you recommend.
This is incredible research, folks. Joe, hats off.
It's pretty impressive. The food I ate there didn't blow me away, but the product selection did.
I worry a little about accessibility near Michigan avenue, unless they offer free parking somehow. But otherwise, this should be a great addition to Chicago.
This is great news.
Also, it seriously looks like Lidia is spittin' some epic rhymes in that photo.
@huge I'm in for your Montreal-style diner, too.
Also, next time you're home, try the poutine at Au Pied de Cochon if you haven't yet. They have a version with foie gras -- a fat, glistening lobe of it, and foie fat infused into the gravy.
@blchitwn For now, we limited the scope to hot dogs within the city limits. We'll be expanding it as time goes on!
@cmeadee2 About half of the capers turned crisp when I made this. I would suggest cooking them a little longer, though be careful as they will burn at some point.
@Will K
It is indeed from Everyday Food -- thanks for noticing the missed reference. We'll update the post shortly.
@emilydev
I used chevre, the kind commonly found here in the US. I imagine anything with a rind would be a little firmer, so you would just need to cook it a little longer to make sure the cheese fully melts. With the chevre it turned into a creamy sauce right away.
@phillamb168
Yes, the potatoes are effectively blanched, but without any added water they are kept drier in the microwave. Without a microwave, I'd recommend boiling them whole, then cutting into cubes once they're cooked.
@Kenji
I actually really enjoyed it, though I do see what you mean about the sauce seeming broken. The flavors are weird--sweet and meat is something I usually steer clear of--but I think they really work together.
@reposado
This is definitely a simplified version of the dish, mostly to make it more accessible for folks looking for a weeknight dinner. For example, I didn't soak the poblanos after de-skinning in vinegar and I pared down the number of spices in the meat stuffing mixture. Thanks for the link, I'd like to read more.
@Flufflseworth
I'm not sure what you mean -- I photographed this myself using the above recipe.
@Brian Burke
Sorry to hear about that -- there should be a ton of flavor in there. Pasta water should definitely be very salty, that's something I've learned. It should be as salty as the ocean.
Otherwise, there's lots of flavor here. Did you let the butter get nice and deep brown? Use good quality Parmesan? Good quality imported pasta?
This is a simple dish, and it's as much about the noodles as it is about the sauce. Personally, I'm happy with a bowl of pasta dressed with butter and Parmesan, but that's just me.
@finsbigfan
I'm obsessed with brown butter right now. It recently made it into a vinaigrette for asparagus, which might have been my favorite preparation yet.
@orangina,
Awesome combination. Beans and corn are not only delicious, but together a complete and nutritious diet. Just ask the Mexicans.
@mainer
Thanks. I roughly chopped it for this recipe, but it tends to just melt and disappear into the sauce during the braising.
@plazmaorb
I'm not picky, usually just what I have in the fridge.
@Jeanne-Marie
I find ovens always produce better results than the stovetop when it comes to braising. It provides more exact, all-around heat instead of just from underneath. But with a short recipe like this, you may be right in that it's less hassle.
I feel your pain, everybody -- really hard to find. Nick and I finally found it, as he notes above, at an Italian market in Chicago for a very reasonable price. It is also sold in New York at the place in the Chelsea market. Most online dealers charge many times what they should because it's such a small market.
Best bet is to call a local Italian market and see if they can order some!
@Rodzilla It is not really similar to anchovies or fish roe. It is cured, so it's the hardness of an aged cheese like Parmesan.
@cptBuck
Excellent tip, thanks!
@DanielJ - Would be great with rice or a rice pilaf. Cous cous. Green beans. Asparagus.
@IndyGal @ dhorst - Vermouth is great to have around for deglazing and building sauces, and if you keep it in the fridge door it lasts forever. Also makes a great base to steam mussels.
@DomesticMuse - Also great pairing ideas!
@all
Thanks for the help with gojujang (or gochujang) paste.
@vinnyger
Actually, I attempted to bake these in the oven first, and it was a rather epic fail. I left the flour batter coating on, which just sort of turned gummy in the oven. If you want to bake them, I'd say lose the flour-water paste, and instead marinate the wings in some of the sauce for a little bit beforehand (then throw it away to avoid cross-contamination), then bake them at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes on one side, then flip and 15 on the other. Toss with more sauce after cooking.
They won't be nearly as crisp but I'm sure they'd be delicious anyway.
We love Martha Stewart's macaroni and cheese recipe here at Serious Eats, but we're always on the lookout for other seriously delicious versions, like this one from pioneering New York Times food journalist Marian Burros. The mustard, hot pepper sauce,... More
@raulb There are definitely better tacos in Chicago than Big Star, no doubt (though none of the places that serve them play vinyl and pour whiskey). But I'd stack the queso fundido up any day.