Cuisine Eric

This is a rich chowder made with fresh clams and bay scallops  Not too thick like so many restaurants' offerings.  Just creamy and hearty. Shiitake mushrooms and pancetta give an umami angle that really makes this chowder special. 3 Tbsp butter 6 oz pancetta, finely diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 leek, cleaned and diced 6 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 dozen little neck clams 1 lb bay scallops 1 Tbsp flour 1 cup dry white wine plus 1/2 cup water 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg dash crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 1 Yukon Gold potato, finely diced 1 Tbsp chopped chives for garnish Rinse the clams well to remove any sand or grit.   Sauté the celery, leek and pancetta in the butter until the veggies soften, about five minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the water and wine to a boil in a wide, shallow pot with a cover.  When boilin...

Our Bulgarian cousins have been teaching us about eggplant and caponata delights.  And I have cooked some wonders of such on the weekend.  But for weeknight cooking, I like simple 2-3 ingredient dishes like this.  There are wonderful jarred versions of caponata which contain eggplant and tomato and everything else wonderful to flavor. 6 chicken thighs 1 18-oz jar Eggplant Caponata (I used Bulgarian Sofia brand) fresh ground pepper to taste Preheat oven to 375F. Place chicken in an oiled 13x9-inch casserole. Distribute eggplant caponata about chicken evenly. Peper to taste. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serves 4-6. Cook's Note:  I removed the chicken thighs to a platter and kept them warm as I re-invigorated the sauce with some water over  a low flame.  This, I stirred into a half pound of pasta I cooked al dente.

Ajvar is a delicious Balkan preparation made with roasted red peppers, olive oil and often eggplant.  Usually kicked up with hot pepper and garlic, this condiment is also known as Serbian caviar. Our cousins who have Bulgarian heritage, always have a jar of Ajvar on hand.  There are myriad uses, if not just simply spread on a tip of toasted baguette atop a swash of goat cheese. Here I use Ajvar as a savory bed for tilapia and shrimp.  A creamy dill topping counters the richness of the Ajvar to balance the dish. 2 medium tilapia fillets, about 3/4 lb 6 shrimp, shelled and deveined 1 cup roasted red pepper Ajvar spread (I used Trader Joe’s) Cream cheese topping: 2 Tbsp fresh dill 2 cloves garlic 1/2 stick cream cheese (4 oz) 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese 1/2 cup heavy cream of half and half Preheat oven to 400F.  Pour the red pepper spread evenly in the bottom of an oiled casserole.  Place tilapia fillets on top and scatter shrim...

There are many recipes out there for Jerk Chicken.  But the basics are herbs, allspice, habanero peppers, lime and something sweet like molasses. Oh, and marinating for two straight days - that makes a huge difference. 6 cloves garlic, halved 2-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves 2 Tbsp fresh sage 1 Tbsp fresh oregano 1 habanero pepper 1 jalapeño pepper (or another habanero pepper) juice and peel of 1 lime 1 Tbsp allspice powder 1/4 cup molases 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 whole chicken, spatchcocked or split in half, or equivalent chicken pieces (on bone), enough for 4 In a small food processor, mince the garlic and the ginger.  Set aside in a large bowl.  In same processor, mince the herbs.  Set aside with the garlic.   Then mince the peppers.  Set aside with the garlic mix.  Be very careful not to handle the habanero with your bare hand...

Meat production is the second largest source of greenhouse gases behind transportation, and almost as big a contributor.  The amount of greenhouse gas reduction we would achieve if we all ate just one less meat meal a week is epic.  I'm not looking for one-for-one meat replacement products per se, but rather looking for plant-based ingredients that work well in certain dishes and provide great protein value. It just so happens Beyond Meat is now producing superb products that can be replaced for ground beef or for sausages in many dishes. Their texture is excellent, their taste is great, and they hold their shape in cooked dishes as well as do meat-based products.  Definitely worth a try, and a great start to one more meatless meal a week. 1/2 lb small rigatoni 4 veggie sausage links (I used Beyond Beef veggie Brat Sausages) 8-10 whole fresh shiitake mushrooms, quartered 2 cloves garlic, minced 5 fresh plum tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces 1/2 cup...

On our way to Maine this summer we stopped off for a few days at Block Island, a quaint island off the coast of Rhode Island.  It is known for its fantastic chowders and bisques - both clam and lobster.  In fact they have an annual chowder competition - that's how serious they are.  I tried several chowders and bisques, and certainly enjoyed them all very much.  But none of them had the robust content of seafood I really crave.  So when we arrived in Maine, I made it my own for the family, adding so much wonderful seafood from the Penobscot bay. 1 lb sea scallops 1 lb shrimp, peeled, shells reserved 1 lb haddock fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 lb monkfish, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 lb mussels 1 leek, cleaned and diced 2 Tbsp butter plus 2 Tbsp water 2 cloves garlic, minced Béchamel sauce: 1/4 cup flour 3-4 Tbsp butter 2 cups heavy cream 1 bottle lobster or clam juice (I used lobster) 1 cup cream sherry Garnish: 2 ...