Meatballs, Crispy Polenta and Spicy Tomato-Basil Sauce

There’s something consistently comforting about homemade meatballs and tomato sauce for Sunday supper.  Maybe it’s the act of mixing and rolling the meat with your bare hands; an organic and ritualistic labor of love. Or, perhaps it’s just the sweet warm aroma of onion, garlic, fresh basil and tomatoes wafting off the stove.  Whatever it [...]

Read Full Post »

Turkish Fish Stew

I’ll admit the thought of a fish stew didn’t immediately grab me for a fun weeknight in the kitchen. But upon closer inspection of this recipe, the layers of Mediterranean flavors were very intriguing: garlic, artichoke hearts, capers, green olives, white wine and tomatoes. Wow. Served over couscous, it didn’t disappoint.  Fresh lemon juice and [...]

Read Full Post »

Lemon Risotto with Asparagus and Shrimp

  This is a fabulous dish to start off the New Year in the kitchen.  Lemon juice and zest add a tangy brightness to the fresh asparagus and sweet shrimp.  There’s a little bit of grated parmesan cheese and butter for creamy richness. And, the white wine and minced onion yield a great depth of [...]

Read Full Post »

Pork Meatball Bánh Mì

Crusty French bread, spicy/salty pork meatballs and tangy, crisp grated carrot and diakon — the essential ingredients for an incredible bánh mì, or popular type of Vietnamese sandwich.  This recipe caught my attention back in January, but I waited until this summer to give it a try so I could take advantage of all that [...]

Read Full Post »

Walleye Fish Fry

Fish cannot be any fresher than out of the water and into the frying pan, like this walleye dinner up at the lake.  It’s one of the highlights of every summer vacation (provided we have the luck to catch enough for a whole meal!).  The fillets are dipped in egg wash and coated lightly with [...]

Read Full Post »

More Culinary Inspiration

Skewered grilled shrimp. Gemelli and sliced green and white beans tossed with homemade pesto.

Read Full Post »

Culinary Inspiration at the Lake

This summer’s much needed vacation at the lake afforded a chance to connect with my “culinary roots” and my primary source of inspiration in the kitchen: Mom.  I continue to be amazed by her skill at consistently constructing beautiful and deeply satisfying meals. The first night we arrived, mom served grilled marinated lamb and vegetable [...]

Read Full Post »

Smoked Ribs with Spicy Dry BBQ Rub

For as long as I can remember, summertime barbecuing with Dad has included charcoal-grilled chicken and ribs coated in this outstanding dry rub from John Berwald, a restaurateur and pitmaster out West.  We’d fill gallon size ziplock bags with massive batches of the rub for cooking all season long.  The brown sugar caramelizes on the [...]

Read Full Post »

Roasted Mediterranean Sea Bass

Salmon has long been my go-to fish for weeknight cooking since it’s easy to find at grocery stores, pretty reliable in terms of quality and very forgiving in preparation. But I recently decided to give these thick, flaky, buttery sea bass filets a try and in doing so rediscovered a fabulous fish that can be [...]

Read Full Post »

Veal Milanese

Veal, or meat from a young calf, is not something I eat or cook with often, but when done right it’s amazingly tender and flavorful and much lower fat than other cuts of beef. The classic Italian veal preparations of piccata (with lemon and capers) and milanese (with arugula or basil and tomato salad) are [...]

Read Full Post »