Cuisine Eric

This is a delicious pasta dish taught to me by my sister-in-law Cindy. She cooked it for me during a recent visit this past fall and I reverse engineered it at home later, riffing with sherry and spinach. 2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 lb button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1 lb bulk Italian sausage Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 1 tsp herbs de Provence or Italian herbs 3 cloves garlic, minced 8 oz fresh baby spinach leaves 1-1/2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup cream sherry, divided in half 1 lb fresh pappardelle pasta Fresh minced parsley for garnish Melt butter in olive oil in a large wide skillet.   Add mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms release what water they will and begin to brown a bit.   Stir often. Add 1/4 sherry and allow to evaporate, until the mushrooms are cooked and nicely browned.   Remove mushrooms to a bowl. Add a dash of olive oil to the skillet and add the sausage, crumbling into bite-sized pieces.   Season with sal...

This is a quintessential Greek dish, taught to me by our future son in law's mother during a recent visit to their home in Greece. I've always loved Greek lemon roasted potatoes, and now finally know how to make them beautifully. So can you. One of the key secrets (believe it or not) is the use of yellow mustard as a seasoning.  4 chicken thighs, trimmed 4 chicken drumsticks Chicken Marinade: Zest of 1 lemon Juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup 2 Tbsp olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced through a press 2 tsp dried Greek oregano 1 tsp Kosher salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper Potato flavorings: 2 Tbsp French’s yellow mustard Juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 yellow or white onion, grated 2 cloves garlic, minced through a press 1 tsp dried Greek oregano 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2-1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/4 cup dry white wine Fresh minced parsley for garnish Whisk chicken marinade together in a medium bowl and add chick...

We were recently in Greece where we sampled several baked eggplant dishes - something the Greeks are know for and rightfully proud of. This version is simply roasted eggplant baked in a tomato sauce. The sauce is rich and sweet, prepared with caramelized onions along with garlic and oregano. Slow and careful sautéing of the onions and then the tomato paste delivers a caramelized flavor literally good enough to possibly make you faint - as the mythical priest who tasted this dish apparently did. Don't pass out - just make this dish! 2 medium eggplants 1 pint grape tomatoes Olive oil Feta cheese Sauce: 3 Tbs butter plus 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 medium onions, peeled, halved and cut into thin half rounds 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt 2 cloves garlic, minced through a press 1 rounded teaspoon good Greek dried oregano (orígani) 1/2 can tomato paste 3/4 cup pale dry sherry 1/2 cup water Melt the butter in the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Tip in the onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes....

Contrary to what you see in the USA, the true Greek salad does not have lettuce leaves.  Just the freshest tomatoes, onions, peppers and cucumbers tossed with the best olive oil and dried Greek oregano and topped with the best Greek feta cheese you can get your hands on.  2-3 large ripe tomates, cut into wedges 1 small green pepper, Cored and sliced 1/2 small red onion, peeled and sliced 4 inches English cucumber, sliced 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives 1/4 cup best Olive oil Juice of 1/2 lemon dash salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 wedges Feta cheese Dried oregano Toss the veggies with the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with a dash of salt and pepper. Top with feta and oregano. Serves 4 as a side dish. Here are a few Greek salads we were served on a recent trip to Athens, Greece:

A friend next door helped me out today on short notice and, as they say, was a life saver! So I really wanted to thank her with something special and from the heart. So what about some French wine and home-made cookies, left on her back porch?! These are a fun mix of chocolate chips - milk, dark and white - with dried cranberries and sunflower seeds. What's not to like? Thanks Lindsey!!! And Bon Appetite! 1-1/8 cups flour (1 cup plus 2 Tbsp) 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 stick butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/4-inch slices A scant 3/4 cup white sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg, room temperature 1-1/4 cup mixed (white, milk, dark) chocolate chips (1/2 bag or 4.5 oz) 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup salted sunflower seeds Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk together the first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Now add the next 3 ingredients to a large bowl and beat them together to a smooth creamy texture. Add the egg and beat it in until you have a rich yellow creamy texture. Now...