One of the more interesting Chinese cuisines is medicinal foods, foods that are designed specifically to aid in the correction of health problems while providing a nutritious and tasty meal. If you’d like an excellent introduction, I suggest Henry C. Lu, Chinese System Of Food Cures: Prevention & Remedies. Unlike the dietary “cures” often touted [...]

Categories: dairy-free, dessert, gluten-free, infusing, technique, vegan, vegetarian
Tagged: dairy-free, dessert, gluten-free, technique, vegan, vegetarian

There’s a first time for everything, and this time was my first making focaccia. I’ve made various other breads, but never once had I made a flatbread of any sort. Somehow I’m not surprised that it’s easy. The process takes about 5½ hours, so have something else to do if you want to make this [...]

Categories: baking, bread, mother recipe, technique
Tagged: baking, bread, mother recipe, technique

Usually I avoid a complicated combination of multiple recipes in one post, but everything except the rub I put on the sirloin was made from scratch in class last Sunday so it certainly can be done in one post. Besides, the people attending the class insisted that I post it.
First, the rub. I created this [...]

Categories: Lunch, beef, condiments, entertaining, entrée, salad, searing, supper, technique
Tagged: condiments, entertaining, entrée, Lunch, main course, salad, supper, technique

A good pâté is one my favorite things–humble ingredients transformed into a culinary delight. I particularly enjoy a nice mushroom pâté with fresh bread and sweet pickles for breakfast. Another thing I particularly like about pâté when cooked en terrine is that it isn’t particularly fussy–a few more minutes in the oven won’t make a [...]

Categories: baking, charcuterie, entertaining, gluten-free, mushroom, side dish, technique, vegetarian
Tagged: baking, charcuterie, entertaining, gluten-free, mushroom, side dish, technique, vegetarian

I was watching Top Chef: Las Vegas and saw one of the contestants struggling with sauce velouté. Really? You can’t make a blonde roux and mix it with white stock? So, for future contestants, here’s what you need to know, and I’ll even teach you how to make it into a soup.
First, make a white [...]

Categories: Soup, mother recipe, sauce, stock, technique
Tagged: mother recipe, sauce, Soup, stock, technique

I was out at Bob’s Red Mill yesterday to visit their store and do a bit of browsing for more flours. Somehow I managed to leave without the spelt and kamut flours that intrigued me, but I did get some interesting flours. I’m not gluten intolerant like some people, but I like producing excellent foods [...]

Categories: baking, bread, gluten-free, mother recipe, technique
Tagged: baking, bread, gluten-free, mother recipe, technique

Country style pork ribs have great flavor, but they can be difficult to cook well. Hot smoking is an excellent way to prepare country style ribs or any other protein.
Start the ribs by brining them for better flavor and to retain moisture. I used enough apple juice to cover the ribs in a bowl, then [...]

Categories: dairy-free, entertaining, glazing, gluten-free, smoking, technique
Tagged: dairy-free, entertaining, glazing, gluten-free, pork, smoking, technique

Intrigued by the title, I was browsing through Think Like a Chef byTom Colicchio the other day and came across his recipe for pan-roasted carrots. The sheer simplicity of this dish inspired me to do my own version.
Chef Colicchio calls for 16 peeled and trimmed carrots, salt and pepper, 4 sprigs of rosemary, 1 tablespoon [...]

Categories: gluten-free, roasting, side dish, technique
Tagged: gluten-free, roasting, side dish, technique, vegetarian

If you’ve never made egg pasta, it really isn’t as hard as you might think. It may not be as easy as Mario Batali makes it look on Iron Chef America, but it’s easy nonetheless.

Categories: eggs, entrée, mother recipe, pasta, technique
Tagged: entrée, main course, mother recipe, pasta, supper, technique

Mmm, bacon. I need some bacon for the BLT From Scratch Challenge, and I’ve never cured meat before, so it’s time to do a test.
For this first bacon I used the recipe and method in Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It. There are excellent recipes in Michael Ruhlman’s Charcuterie and The Paley’s Place Cookbook by [...]

Categories: breakfast, charcuterie, dairy-free, gluten-free, mother recipe, preserving, technique
Tagged: charcuterie, dairy-free, gluten-free, mother recipe, preserving, salume, technique