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Jennifer Olvera

Sunday Supper Columnist

Jennifer Olvera is the author of Food Lovers' Guide to Chicago, and she has all-but tested and developed recipes since toddlehood. She writes the Sunday Supper column for Serious Eats and regularly contributes food features to Chicago Sun-Times. She can often be found tending her garden, canning and traveling to far-flung destinations, where she writes about local edibles for pubs like Los Angeles Times and Frommers.com.

Location: Chicago
Favorite foods: Dumplings swimming in fiery chile sauce | bao | wafer-thin, tavern-style pizza | cochinita pibil with pickled red onions | noodles of many stripes
Last bite on earth: A steaming bowl of pho, generously doused with Sriracha

Comments

Lazy Day Slow-Cooker Mushroom Soup

Hey there. It calls for both heavy cream and half and half (all fixed). Thyme sprigs are used to roast the mushrooms, but they become crackly in the oven. So fresh ones slow-cook to infuse the soup with additional flavor. So discard them in both cases. As for removing the cooking liquid and returning it, the goal is the get the mushrooms roasty and flavorful.

Slow-Cooker Puerto Rican Pernil With Pique Criollo

@iamdanfinn Literally flip it, bottom side up (fat side down). @jonagerlach1 Cook it in a 275-degree oven for 6-7 hours, basting periodically, fat-side up. @dinaofdoom The long cooking time allows the shoulder to brown in the slow cooker. To ensure the fat side browns, which you flip downward halfway through, return it to fat-side up the last hour or so of cooking.

@MtDave Mine were not freakishly large. I'd say mid-sized.

Chorizo-Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Queso Sauce

@ErinMH It's 1 6-ounce link Mexican chorizo, casing removed. It's fixed now! American cheese is your best bet in general because you're aiming for the creaminess.

Stuffed Chicken Adventures: Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken Paprikash

@peeweeherman I've had no luck with a rolling pin either, and investing in a mallet solved the problem. Mine has two sides, one for pounding and one for tenderizing. It's worth the small investment because it makes all the difference.

Curried Jamaican Beef Patties

@OmarM Yes, they were cut in half prior to the photo. My half-moons made six patties exactly, with a about a cup of the meat mixture to spare.

Tomato Bounty Week: Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes With Bacon, Parmesan, and Parsley

@spilk I've never tried them that way. They've always seemed like a cold appetizer to me. Curious how that will go.

Tangy and Sweet Tomato-Bacon Jam With Onions and Garlic

@hungry for the next meal I don't think it'd be safe as shelf-stable. The acidity isn't high enough.

@RubbaDukee It will keep longer than that, but it's best within three days. The bacon starts to loose some of its textural integrity. You can also freeze some of it for later.

Slow-Cooked Korean Short Ribs With Green Onion and Pear

@lovemcm Sure, it works just fine in the slow-cooker, as long as you brown it nicely first. @johnnytakes5 That's correct, boneless English cut short ribs.

Summer Grain Salads: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti Salad With Grilled Zucchini, Olives, and Feta

@Adele Ramirex Feel free to use penne if it's a pasta shape you prefer in salad.

Fruity Black Rice Salad With Cilantro, Avocado, and Pepitas in Chili-Orange Vinaigrette

@Zach A. I wouldn't assemble it in advance. The fruit and avocados need to be fresh-cut. If you make the rice ahead, let it cool, and toss it with a small bit of oil. Then store it in a resealable bag or container in the fridge. Do the assembly in the morning before work.

@Lucas.3rd Definitely. Just brown it first and set it on low for eight hours. You'll want to check the liquid level periodically in this case too.

Pork Meatball Vindaloo With Pearl Couscous

@asterik You want to distribute the soaked (but squeezed-out) bread evenly through the meatball mixture.

Sunday Supper: Red Wine-Marinated, Roasted Beef Tenderloin With Herb-Horseradish Cream

@momtimestwo Use an eye of round roast, cooked to medium rare, in its place. Far less spendy but a perfect substitute.

One-Dish Pork Chops With Muffuletta Relish

@bubblerich Thanks for the catch. It should be 1 gallon of water.

Soy-Glazed Roast Chicken

@Zach A. I'd start checking it about 15-20 minutes sooner.

Sunday Supper: Soy-Glazed Roast Chicken

@BillyZoom and @BeavisPeters, As stated above "But because the chicken does get pretty dark" you should tent it. It didn't burn, actually, but the sugars caramelize.

Slow Cooker Harissa Beef Stew With Lemon Yogurt

@thecavemancook Meant to add paprika to the remove list. Sorry about that.

1 teaspoon paprika
@thecavemancook No problem. Just skip the chile powder, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, mint and caraway seed. Maybe cut the garlic in half (or don't). Then I'd add two tablespoon-fulls of prepared harissa to start.

Slow-Cooker Italian Sausage Meatballs With Chianti Sauce and Fusilli

@CuriousAppetite Yes, the low setting. @ALRUI Love oats instead; they all-but disappear, without changing the texture. @ClubMed Just go a little light on the breadcrumbs if you go that route. But I really prefer oats.

Oven-Baked Espresso-, Cocoa-, and Chili-Rubbed Baby Back Ribs

@Tipsykit37 Absolutely. Use those ground beans! @Annie1959 If you keep the grill at steady temps and approximately as above, I'd follow the same pattern.

Effortless Oven-Baked Espresso, Cocoa, and Chili-Rubbed Baby Back Ribs

@Vittrick The "green" is Grace brand Scotch Bonnet.

Balsamic-Brown Sugar Short Ribs With Garlic Mashed Potatoes

@cookingis fun. If you can, use a bit of "browning sauce" though, because the point is to build depth. Soy sauce doesn't have the same impact.

Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff

@ elangomatt, et. al, that is correct, they are Reames frozen egg noodles. The dried ones work great, too. They just look different and don't have the same "chew."