Sometimes it’s tricky to find a good chicken kebab. Sometimes too tough or dry. Sometimes bland. A recipe on Chowhound for jujeh kebab looked quite approachable and intriguing. Indeed, the long marination with lemon and yogurt results in a very tender dish. Here is a version with my usual mods and shifts, fit for chicken […]
Tag Archives: recipe
Chocolate frosting, with mocha & liquor options
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
I’ve often wondered why yellow cake with chocolate frosting is no longer as popular as it was in my childhood. I love the contrast between a simply flavored (vanilla) sponge and a rich frosting of chocolate or coffee. But when I’m at a bakery, grocery store or restaurant, what I usually see is chocolate cake […]
Caramel sauce
Sunday, 6 January 2008
Childhood memories of jaw-achingly chewy, hard caramel bits forever stuck to my teeth persisted for a long time. It wasn’t until encountering softer, deep flavored examples did I feel that I properly entered the realm of delicious caramel. I’ve wanted to make caramel sauce, but have been discouraged by my fear of burns. Too little […]
Orange chocolate chip cookies
Sunday, 2 December 2007
Making chocolate chip cookies is easy, and many recipes exist for this Ultimate of Snacks. Mine is a bit more “adult,” especially if you’re able to find similar ingredients. Darker, more molasses-y brown sugar offers a more deep, almost anise-like flavor (without being too much like licorice, though). Try to nab bittersweet chocolate chips, or […]
Matsutake cooked with rice
Sunday, 7 October 2007
In late September I noticed that the local Japanese market was selling matsutake mushrooms. Being a seasonal delicacy —they’re foraged from the wild, as they don’t take to cultivation— matsutake are quite pricey! But the spicy smell called out to me, and I couldn’t resist a cooking experiment. After some web searches and poring over […]
Dashi: Japanese broth
Saturday, 29 September 2007
Dashi is a broth and a staple in many Japanese soups, sauces and stews. The ingredients are inexpensive (well, if you have easy access to a Japanese or Asian grocery store), and it’s a breeze to make! Avoid boiling with kelp, and don’t let the bonito flakes steep for too long —both could result in […]
Whole bass roasted in a packet
Saturday, 22 September 2007
One of my fondest food memories of London was at FishWorks in Chiswick. They prepared a whole bass with garlic, olive oil and herbs (rosemary and/or bay leaves), served hot from the parchment packet in which it was roasted. Oh, my, was it amazing. Photo by Simon. This recipe is my attempt to replicate that […]
Tomato overload: Lazy tomato sauce
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
We planted three tomato plants back in early May. All of them are in one 6 foot by 9 foot bed —with the Sun Gold cherry tomato plant now taking over the entire bed. When I turn my back, another dozen orange globes fall to the ground. The poor Stupice and Early Girl are nearly […]
Coffee ice cream
Sunday, 5 August 2007
Ah, coffee ice cream. It can be a challenge to make or find a good one: Sometimes too bitter, or too much grit. Sometimes too sweet. Sometimes too un-coffee-like in flavor due to strange freeze-dried coffee or espresso powders. Sometimes too weak in coffee flavor. But the recipe by Elise of Simply Recipes encouraged me […]
Student memories: Hummus topped with ground chicken & pine nuts
Thursday, 2 August 2007
Back in school, my friends Ananda, Carolyn and I used to frequent a small Middle Eastern eatery in a half-empty strip mall in Pomona. Their hummus was divine: it came with either a swirl of paprika-infused olive oil or grilled meat, and a basket of warm pita bread. Sadly, according to Ananda, this dive no […]