I’m a big fan of southern style green beans . I like the flavor and texture of “snaps” as we used to call them. This is a little more fancy than my grandma made, but the same smoky, meaty flavor is all there.
Continue reading “Southern Style Green Beans Recipe with Pancetta/Italian Bacon”
This is classic Neapolitan cuisine. The traditional Pasta Genovese recipe is made with beef, but some Italian Americans make a sausage version. Almost impossible to find either version on a US restaurant menu. Simple food, that is incredible. It’s all about the onions. I was shocked by the amount of onions, but many recipes call for even more. Low and slow is what develops the sweet flavor.
Continue reading “Neapolitan Pasta Genovese-Italian Comfort Food:”
I first saw this beans recipe in Bon Appetit and was fascinated. It used interesting ingredients combined in a unique way and I had to try it.
Continue reading “Marlow and Sons Butter Beans with Garlic and Tomatoes”
Yes, you can make your own mac and cheese and it’s vastly better than store bought. Be creative with your choices of cheese. I’ve used smoked Gouda, Gruyere and even Blue Cheese. There are no solid rules here.
Continue reading “Homemade Mac and Cheese: A Guide to Creative Cheesy Goodness”
When I’m craving this dish, nothing else will do. This a true Thai comfort food.
Normally, it is served over steamed jasmine rice as a one plate meal. It’s not typically a breakfast food, but rather a quick meal often purchased from a street vendor or whipped up by your Mom.
This pairs well with my Thai Shrimp Thai Shrimp and Basil Stir-Fry-Phuket Style
Looking for the most popular Thai Street food, Authentic Thai Street Food: Marinated Grilled Chicken
And for a spicy street food dish, Gai Pad Prik – Thai Chicken with Chilies
My most popular Thai dish, Thai Chicken with Basil/ Gai Pad Prik Grapao- Top Thai Dish
The best known Thai salad, Gai Larb- The Classic Thai Chicken Salad
And one of my favorites, Thai Ginger Chicken- Gai Pad King
There are many versions and some people add meat, seafood and other ingredients. I’m going to make a simple non meat version, which is my favorite.
If you are a strict vegetarian, you can omit the fish sauce and substitute a mushroom soy sauce. It will give you the umami punch, without the fish sauce.
Ingredients:
3 Large Eggs
1 tsp Fish Sauce (Red Boat or Three Crabs are both top brands)
1/4 tsp Lime Juice
2 Tbsp finely minced Onion
1 tsp thinly sliced Shallot
Freshly ground Black Pepper
4 -5 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
Steamed Jasmine Rice
Chopped Green Onion
Preparation:
Heat your oil in the wok to a very high heat. It should be just starting to smoke.
While your oil is heating, beat your eggs to a frothy texture and then add the fish sauce, lime juice and black pepper and beat again.
Once the oil is very hot, add your onion and shallot to the wok. It will cook instantly. Gently pour your egg mixture into your wok in a circular motion. The egg mixture will bubble up and start browning. I keep the wok moving and keep tipping the wok to allow the egg mixture to distribute.
Once it is well browned, flip it over for maybe a minute and then remove from the wok and serve over a scoop of steamed jasmine rice, some chopped green onion sprinkled on the top, extra fish sauce, crispy shallot, cilantro or Sriracha sauce if desired. It’s also yummy with some Prik Nam Pla. Authentic Thai Dipping Sauce Recipe
This Mango Corn Black Bean salad is wonderful and really great as a side dish for a picnic or a BBQ. The refreshing lime juice dressing really works well and the complete lack of fat was a wonderful side benefit. I’m always willing to cut fat as long as it doesn’t cut flavor.
Looking for another great side dish, try Vibrant Dill Potato Salad for BBQs
I like to get a good char on the corn. It adds a nice smoky flavor that goes really well with the other ingredients.
Ingredients:
2 cups of Corn, roasted. Frozen is fine.
16 oz/1 lb diced Mango
15 oz can of Black Beans, drained and rinsed well
½ cup Red Onions
1 Jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
2 Tbsp Shallots, minced
½ cup Red Pepper
4 Tbsp Lime Juice, fresh squeezed
3 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped loosely
½ tsp Cumin, ground
¼ tsp Smoked Paprika
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Roast the corn in a sauté pan until nicely browned. Mix all ingredients together, and finish with the lime juice, cumin and smoked paprika. Mix gently, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
This produces some of the best marinara sauce with meatballs I’ve ever tasted, because the sauce actually cooks the meatballs. That’s right, they’re not browned first, just dropped into the simmering sauce and cooked until done.
It helps to have the sauce at a point where it needs about another hour of cooking. This assures that the meatballs will be cooked through.
Meatballs:
2 lbs. of lean ground Beef
2 tbsp. Breadcrumbs
2 Eggs, well beaten
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Marsala wine, Cream Sherry can be substituted if Marsala isn’t available.
1 large sautéed Onion
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped Parsley
1 tsp. Salt
Fresh ground Black Pepper
Makes approx. 15 to 20 meatballs depending on the size. After prepping, put them into the refrigerator.
Marinara Sauce:
1 large finely chopped Onion
1 large finely chopped Carrot
2 finely chopped stalks Celery
4 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
2- 28 oz. cans of crushed Tomatoes, or whole tomatoes that are lightly chopped in the processor. San Marzano’s are the best
1/2 cup of Marsala wine
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
Preparation:
Put enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of the saucepan. The key to this sauce is to use a stainless steel or cast iron pan that will maintain heat. The cheap aluminum pans will not work, as they can’t maintain an even heat. My favorite is Le Creuset.
Just heat the oil slightly, and then add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. You want to just sweat the mixture sweat gently. Don’t let it brown, as the flavor will become bitter.
After the mixture has become soft, add the Marsala and cook until the alcohol is gone. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Now bring it back to a boil, and then reduce the heat down and just let it cook. The longer you cook it, the better it will be.
After about 1 hour, you should add in the meatballs and cook for another 1-2 hours. Afterwards, you will have a beautiful, hearty marinara sauce with meatballs.
Serve with your choice of pasta. I suggest spaghetti or penne if you prefer a heartier pasta.
Coq au Vin is a staple in bistro menus all around France, and is a favorite winter dish of mine. There are so many complicated ways to make this, but I have discovered that complexity does little to add to the flavor – the key is slow cooking.
It’s the subtle blending of the flavors that makes this a classic. I find that this is best if you can take it from stove top to oven, so a cast iron pot like Le Cruset is perfect. If not, it can be done on the stove over very low heat.
And here’s another tip, traditionally coq au vin is made with red wine, but it can easily be made with white wine too.
Want to try another French bistro classic, Classic French Beef Stew with Red Wine
Ingredients:
4 pounds of skinless Chicken thighs, or 4 pounds of skinless Chicken breasts if you prefer, or any combination.
½ pound Bacon, with a soft smoke or unsmoked or salt pork
2 Tbsp. Butter
½ cup Flour, optional
2 tsp. Salt
1 large Onion, finely chopped
1 large Shallot, finely chopped
3 cloves of Garlic, sliced
5 sprigs of fresh Thyme, or 1 tsp of dried thyme
3 Bay Leaves
1 lb. of peeled baby Carrots
½ lb. Mushrooms or any fresh mushroom you desire. Keep them whole if possible.
¼ cup of Cognac
1 bottle of Burgundy or Pinot Noir, or you can substitute a White Wine.
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the butter to the pan and render down the bacon over medium heat.
Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and brown the chicken. It is your choice to either flour the chicken lightly prior to browning or not.
Remove the chicken and set aside and add the garlic, shallots, onions and cook until golden brown. Normally, about 10 minutes will do. Then add carrots and lightly sauté.
Now add back the browned chicken and pour in the cognac and cook until the alcohol is gone, and then add the thyme, bay leaves, cooked bacon, mushrooms and wine. Bring to a boil and put into the oven covered for 2 hours.
When finished, remove the cover and stir well. Recover and allow to sit outside of the oven for 5 to 10 minutes and then serve with thick sliced Como, sourdough bread or a baguette.
Hint: If you don’t use skinless chicken, you will need to skim the fat off the top. If you prefer this method, then skim just before serving. A few folded paper towels will soak up a lot of the fat. Just use tongs to remove them to a plate and into the trash.
This versatile dipping sauce called Nam Pla Prik or sometimes Prik Nam Pla is perfect with any Thai meal and great on Thai style omelettes, rice and noodles dishes, spring rolls and Gai Yang (Thai BBQ Chicken).
This sauce is traditionally served with Gai Yang (Thai grilled chicken), one of Thailand’s most popular street foods.
Bangkok’s Sukhumvit district. Every neighborhood has its own favorite street food, and wandering these sois is one of the best ways to discover authentic Thai cooking. Each “Soi” is numbered, so Ekkamai (Sukhumvit Soi 63) is famous for Gai Yang, another soi for Som Tom, and every plastic table will have glass container of Nam Pla Prik for dipping.
You can find my recipe for authentic Thai grilled chicken here. Authentic Thai Street Food: Marinated Grilled Chicken
A Thai street food classic, Thai Chicken with Basil/ Gai Pad Prik Grapao- Top Thai Dish
Looking for spicy Thai chicken salad, Gai Larb- The Classic Thai Chicken Salad
And another classic Thai dish, Gai Pad Prik – Thai Chicken with Chilies
Looking for a list of recipes I come back to again and again, My Favorite Recipes
Ingredients:
6 Tbsp. Fish Sauce, here is where you will really see the difference in using a top Thai fish sauce.
2 cloves finely sliced Garlic
1 tsp. of white or palm Sugar
5 finely chopped Thai Chilies
1/2 Lime, sliced
Preparation:
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Allow to rest for a day to let the flavors mingle. This will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
I first had this dish in Amsterdam at a small Dutch restaurant off one of the canals in the Jordaan. This is a quaint area of canals, old homes, wonderful shops, and brown bars. I remember sitting by the window, watching the boats glide through the water as I enjoyed a steaming plate of this delightful chicken dish and a cold Dutch beer.
Amsterdam is a melting pot of various cuisines. You can find any type of food there, ranging from Indonesian to Surinamese, but I’ve always really enjoyed the traditional Dutch cooking. There’s a certain comfort in the simplicity of the dishes, and they often evoke warm memories of home-cooked meals. Traditional Dutch recipes remind me of family gatherings, where hearty meals are shared among loved ones, emphasizing the importance of community.
Kip in Dutch means chicken, and grand mere is grandmother, hence the name Grandmother’s Chicken. This dish is simple yet incredibly satisfying on a cold blustery evening served with boiled new potatoes and green beans. This kind of simple comfort food is very typical of Dutch home cooking.
Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts, boneless and trimmed of all fat, dusted in flour
½ lb of Bacon, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 medium Onion, sliced thinly
½ lb of Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup of low sodium Chicken Broth
2 Tbsp Butter
Salt, freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
Parsley, chopped
Preparation:
Begin by rendering down the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Once crispy, remove the bacon and set it aside, leaving the fat in the pan. Next, add the sliced onion to the hot bacon fat, stirring occasionally until they caramelize, which can take about 10 minutes. This process enhances their sweetness and adds depth to the dish. After caramelizing the onions, introduce the chicken breasts. Season them generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and make sure to brown them on all sides. This step is crucial as it locks in the juices, ensuring tender and flavorful chicken.
Once the chicken is browned, transfer the skillet to a preheated 350-degree oven. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked, about 25-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breasts. To ensure the chicken remains juicy, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board or plate, covering it loosely with aluminum foil while you prepare the sauce.
Back on the stovetop, add the chicken broth, reserved bacon, and sliced mushrooms to the skillet. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and the sauce reduces by half, which should take about 5-10 minutes. This reduction intensifies the flavors. Afterward, reduce the heat to a simmer, add the butter, and whisk it into the sauce until it melts and combines smoothly. Finally, pour the luscious sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley, and serve alongside boiled new potatoes and green beans.