Cuisine Eric

I love all kinds of tacos, and most people find them festive, and fun to assemble themselves. A taco bar is fun for a party or just a fun family dinner. I used crispy corn tacos here, but you can use soft tortillas (street vendor size) as you like. There are a million ways to make tacos and here is one quick an popular way. The more toppings you offer, the better! 1 medium onion, diced 1 small red pepper, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 lb ground beef (I used 100% grass fed, 85% lean) 1 can petite diced tomatoes (I used a southwestern flavored variety), undrained 1 can chili beans in sauce (un-drained) 1 Tbsp chili powder 1 tsp ground cumin 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 12 corn taco shells 1/3 lb sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated 2 plum tomatoes, diced 2 green onions, sliced Palmful fresh cilantro leaves, minced (if desired) Sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) 2 limes, quartered Favorite hot sauce In a large ...

This is a delicious way to prepare chicken, simply with lemon, wine and capers. A very quick weeknight dish which pops with flavor. I love to serve this over pasta, but you choose your sides. I sometimes lightly coat the chicken with flour when making a chicken piccata, but here I marinated the chicken in the lemon and wine for added flavor, and didn't want to coat the wet chicken with the flour.  Either way you can't go wrong! 2 chicken breasts 2 lemons 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 tsp herbs de Provence, or other dried herb mix 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 4 Tbsp butter, cubed and tossed with a dash flour (keep cold) 2 Tbsp capers Palmful, fresh parsley, minced Either slice the breasts in half lengthwise or pound breasts to about 1/4-inch thick. Remove the zest from one of the lemons and set aside. Juice that lemon and slice the second lemon. Add the lemon juice, zest, wine, herbs and garlic into a shallow casserole just big enough to fit the pounded...

Poached leeks are one of my favorite veggies and they make a great bed for poaching fish. You can add peppers (as I did here) or other veggies like carrots to offer a sweeter note. I use a dry white wine for the poaching liquid, holding the acid lemon for the second half of cooking.  If you prefer, you could substitute chicken or fish broth for the wine. This is a light dish which could be made with most any fish. 2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise and rinsed well 1 small red pepper, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced 1-1/2 lb salmon fillet 1/2 tsp dried dill 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 lemon, sliced and seeded if necessary Melt butter in the oil in a large skillet. Place leeks, cut-side down, into the skillet. Allow to brown slowly over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, just until the cut side is only slightly browned.   Add the peppers to the skillet and cook another 3-5 minutes. Lay the salmon onto the veggies and season with salt,...

I love a good Stroganoff made either with beef, chicken or with meatballs, as presented here.  I think cream sherry (or a pale dry sherry) adds a great distinctive flavor, but you could substitute wine or chicken broth to your preference. This is real comfort food. Meatballs: 1 lb ground beef 1 lb ground pork (or bulk Italian sausage) 1/4 cup panko crumbs 1/3 cup ricotta cheese 1 egg slightly beaten 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese   1/2 lb frozen chopped spinach, thawed Meatball Seasonings: 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced 2 tsp fresh thyme, minced   1 Tbsp fresh oregano. minced 2 cloves garlic, minced through a press   1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste 1/2 tsp salt freshly ground black pepper 1 large onion, sliced 2 red bell peppers 1 lb button mushrooms, thickly sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1 Tbsp paprika 1/2 cup cream sherry 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup sour cream 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce Dr...

This is a great breakfast casserole for a crowd, or great for a lunch or brunch. Shredding the potatoes and wringing out the water is key to the consistency of the bake. Group 1: 4 eggs 1 cup half and half 4 oz grated cheddar cheese 1 tsp salt   lots grated black pepper, to taste 14 oz potatoes, peeled and grated, pressed to remove water by hand (I used 2 Russet, but Yukon are also fantastic) 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 4 cups chopped cabbage, 1/2-inch 1 medium onion, diced 2 carrots, finely diced 1 zucchini cubed int 1/4-inch pieces 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed under a bit of warm water in a sieve 2 cloves garlic, minced Preheat oven to 375F.   Cook the cabbage and onion and carrot in 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil watching carefully, until slightly browned.    Stir only once in a while. Remove to bowl. Reheat the skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter and add the zucchini. Toss and then let fry for a minute or so until the veggies brown.  ...