The holidays can be a difficult period, what with the unending parade of dense and rich foods. I desperately needed a break from it yesterday. I started removing cans from the pantry and rummaging through the refrigerator and this is what I came up with. I will just call it a warm pasta salad. It is fresh and full of convenient and easy to prepare vegetables. The bottom line is that you chop up some veggies and toss them in the warm pot out of which you just poured the boiling pasta. Thus, it is a bit warm, but not...

I was just spending some time thinking about the fact that this is a big grilling weekend. In fact, I’ve been a little obsessed about barbecuing lately, because I will be going to Foodways Texas BBQ Camp next month. It is a three day immersion study into the art of smoke and fire in College Station, Texas. I figured that I needed to warm up a little and I’ve spent the last week playing with my Grandpa Virgil’s BBQ sauce recipe, canning the sauce, and getting my Patio Pal smoker in fighting form. That name...

Lobster seems to be one of those rarefied experiences that we reserve for only the most special occasions. In fact, I think we often overlook its potential because we assume that it is out of reach…a crazy indulgence. While it is certainly an indulgence, it can be a really wonderful addition to a holiday party, and as an appetizer, a little can go a long way. I have been around and around over how to best use lobster. I have bought tails, and whole lobsters, and grappled with what a big undertaking it can be. Because,...

En mi anterior entrada os comentaba que me temía que la siguiente receta también seria dulce y la próxima ya seria salada, he querido cambiar el orden de las publicaciones que tengo previstas para navidad, para que esta sea salada y así vamos descansando un poquito de lo dulce :), aunque no me perdáis de vista porque quedan muchas y deliciosas recetas dulces por publicar. Bien, ya se van acercando los días festivos y seguro que muchos de vosotros estáis planeando los entrantes, primeros, segundos, platos únicos, postres......

I thought I knew chiles. I certainly use several different varieties in my cooking in fresh, dried, roasted, and pickled states. But, when we were in Spain in October, I encountered a type of chile I’d never tasted or even seen at home before and quickly realized I wouldn’t be able to live without it. In the Basque region, these chiles are called guindillas, and elsewhere they’re sometimes called piparras. They’re skinny and light green and have a mild flavor. We saw pickled ones used again and again in pintxos,...

OYSTERS - Served simply, on the half-shell with a squeeze of lemon. Provide crackers and cocktail sauce for those wary of slurping straight from the shell. BAKED RICE  - makes 6 cups, enough for 2 batches of gumbo Ingredients: 2 cups uncooked rice (not instant)2-1/2 cups high-quality chicken stock1-1/2 tbsp very finely chopped onions1-1/2 tbsp very finely chopped celery1-1/2 tbsp very finely chopped red bell peppers1-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted1/2 tsp...

CRAB SALAD-STUFFED AVOCADOS - serves 8 as an appetizer Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise2 tsp dijon mustard2 tbsp finely chopped green onions 2 tsp capers, drained and chopped 1/2 cup finely chopped celery1 pound jumbo lump crab meat salt, freshly-ground black pepper4 ripe avocados, cut in half Method: 1. Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, green onions, capers, and celery together. Gently fold in the crab, making sure to evenly distribute the mayonnaise mixture. Season with salt and pepper. 2....

CHICKEN + ANDOUILLE GUMBO – A New Orleans staple. Because the rest of our bridal lunch menu is filled with seafood, we chose a chicken and andouille sausage version as our main course. Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs w/ skin1 cup finely chopped onions1 cup finely chopped red bell peppers3/4 cup finely chopped celery vegetable oil for frying the chicken1/2 cup all-purpose flour7 cups of high-quality chicken stock1/2 pound raw andouille sausage, casings removed, cut into 1/2-inch bites...