Cuisine Eric

This is a hearty stew that will satisfy; an aromatic blend of lentils and bulgur punctuated with chunky bite-sized veggies, for that toothy feel. Thick and rich, it qualifies as a stew. 4 stalks celery, chopped 2 large carrots, diced 1 onion diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced 1 quart chicken broth (or veggie broth for vegetarian) 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks 1/4 cup bulgur 1 can lentils, undrained (or 1 cup cooked lentils) Sauté the celery, carrot and onion in a dash of olive oil in a soup pot until softened and slightly golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and the remaining ingredients.   Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Serves 4-6. Cook's note: I used Turkish bulgur with toasted vermicelli I found in an international grocer.  You could just use bulgur.

I love combining pasta and shellfish, especially with fresh herbs. And its summer and my herb garden is in full force! 10 fresh sage leaves 1/2 lb bowtie pasta ( I prefer mini bow ties) 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 lb sea scallops 1 large ripe tomato, diced 1 shallot, finely minced 3 cloves garlic, finely minced palmful fresh basil, julienned 2 Tbsp chives, minced 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced juice of 1/2 lime (or lemon) fresh basil leaves for garnish Heat 1/8-inch olive oil in a small skillet.   Add the sage leaves in a single layer and cook for a minute or two.  Flip leaves with small tongs and cook a minute or two more until crispy.   Set leaves aside on a paper towel and salt generously. Set a medium pot of water to boil for the pasta.   Salt water generously and cook pasta to al dente.   Reserve a cup of pasta water and drain pasta. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet. Add shallot and cook 3-4 minu...

Tossing the wings with a bit of baking powder imparts a certain crispiness to the roasted wings.  The aromatic sweet herbed sauce is sticky and ever so delicious. Toss sauce: 2 Tbsp butter 4 cloves garlic, minced 1-inch piece ginger, minced 1/2 cup orange juice 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey or brown sugar 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp corn starch slurried with 2 Tbsp water 1-1/2 lb party wings (no wing tips; about 18-20 wing pieces), very well dried in paper towels Wing dry seasoning: 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp Kosher salt good grind black pepper 2 tsp baking powder palmful fresh mint leaves, finely minced Preheat oven to 425F. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan.   Add the garlic and ginger and cook stirring for about 2 minutes over medium-low heat.   Add the orange juice, maple syrup and soy sauce and simmer at a gentle boil to reduce by about a third to a half. Meanwhile, toss the well-dried wings with the dry seasonings in a large bowl.   Oil a rack on a la...

As summer peaches lure you, one of the best ways to eat them is in a cobbler. This is  based on the great food blog, Rainbow Plant Life (check it out!) - with a few mods on my part, especially, toning down the sugar amount a bit. She added blueberries - a great idea - but I had none on hand. This is a simple, fast and delicious dessert, especially good served with vanilla ice cream! 4-5 peaches, just barely ripe 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg (ideally rashly grated) 1/2 tsp ground ginger Dry ingredients: 1-1/2 cup all purpose flour 2/3 cup rolled oats 3/4 cup cane sugar 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp baking powder 10 Tbsp butter 1-1/4 cup whole milk (or almond/oat milk) 2 tsp pure vanilla extract few Tbsp pipitas (roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional) Half, pit and then slice the peaches about 1 cm thick. Place in a large bowl and toss with the sugar and spices.  Allow to rest for at least 30 minutes, stirring from time to time with a spatula. Meanwhile mi...

July 4th is a grilling holiday. So grill this! A simple but flavorful lamb kebab flavored with fresh herbs, and garnished with a delicious Greek tzatziki yogurt condiment. It's the simple pleasures in life. 1-1/2 lb lamb (I used boneless leg), cubed into 20 1-inch pieces 1 large red pepper cut into 24 pieces (about 3/4-inch) 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves 2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves 3 cloves garlic juice of 1 lemon 1/4 cup olive oil 4 kebab skewers Tzatziki for serving Mince the herbs and garlic and mix with lemon juice and oil in a bowl.    Add lamb cubes and season with salt and black pepper.   Marinate for at least an hour (or in the refrigerate overnight). Heat grill to high. Alternate 6 pieces pepper and 5 pieces lamb on four skewers.  Grill, turning on all sides, until the internal temperature of the lamb reads 135F on an instant read thermometer for medium rare. Serve with rice and tzatziki , and flatbread if desired.   Serves 4.

I recently learned that Morton's Steak House offers a crispy breaded chicken breast with a creamy white sauce they call Chicken Christoper.  I have never had the pleasure of trying it, but have read recipes and watched many videos describing the various ways people have interpreted this delicious dish.  Here, a crispy golden brown, schnitzelled (is that a word?) crust, and a soft tender chicken interior, are complemented with a rich, delicious beurre blanc white butter sauce inspired by Sam the Cooking Guy's fantastic YouTube channel (check it out). I decided this is the perfect topping to a great Cesar salad. I make my Cesar dressing without an egg yolk, but only because I didn't have fresh eggs to work with.  Otherwise, add an egg yolk to the dressing ingredients, by all means! Cesar dressing: 1 cup good real mayonnaise juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp anchovy paste 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 clove garlic, finely minced through a press freshly grou...