Cuisine Eric

When in Rome, do what the Romans do: eat Carbonara! Not long ago, I was lucky enough to be in Rome for a week of technical meetings which left me free in the evenings. Over six nights, I tried Carbonara at four different restaurants. Crazy as it sounds, it was an outstanding pleasure! It inspired me to refine my own recipes at home, and here is one of my best. 1/4 lb bacon, diced 1 small shallot, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 lb spaghetti or linguine 5 oz fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped 1 egg plus 2 egg yokes 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese   1/4 cup cream 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes Brown the bacon along with the shallot in a skillet. About 1-2 minutes before done, add the garlic and stir well. Set bacon mix aside on a paper towel.   Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti, stirring immediately.   Whisk together the eggs, cheese and cream in a large bowl. Add half the bacon mix to the egg mixture. Cook spaghetti until just bef...

This creamy pasta salad is lightened with Romaine leaves and thinly sliced cucumber, which give an ever so light crunch. This makes the dish so much more fresh and bright. 1/3 cup ziti, cooked al dente 1 heart of Romaine chopped 1/2-inch 4-inches English cucumber, sliced into thin half moons Dressing: 1/4 cup favorite vinaigrette 1 Tbsp good real mayonnaise 1 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt Whisk together dressing ingredients. Toss ziti, Romaine and cucumber together with the dressing. Et, voilà. Serves 2. Cook’s Notes: A great side dish for any simple sandwich. Or, add protein of choice - grilled chicken or shrimp, for example - to make a wholesome meal. I usually use my Vinaigrette Erique 2.0.

Breakfast burritos are one of my favorite breakfasts.  You can amp up the eggs with sausage or other savory flavors.  Here I use caramelized onions to give a deep rich umami flavor. This recipe is easy to multiply for a crowd.   2 Tbsp butter 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced 2 flour tortilla 2 slices Provolone (or favorite melty) cheese Chimichurri sauce 3 eggs, beaten 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (or other favorite) sour cream or plain Greek yogurt palmful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped favorite hot sauce to taste Sauté the onions in the butter over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes, stirring often.   Turn heat to low and continue cooking at least another 10 -15 minutes, to really caramelize the onions.   Watch carefully and adjust heat to avoid burning.   This is a slow labor of love. Place the cheese on one half of each tortilla and slather on chimichurri to taste.   Divide the onions on each tortilla. Now season the eggs with a dash of s...

This is a hearty vegetarian casserole I have shared with many friends but not in this blog yet. You can use whatever veggies you have on hand and customize this dish as you please. This cheesy casserole is brown and bubbly and comfort food all over. 1/2 lb pasta (I used ziti) 1 tub extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 cups broccoli flowerets 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered lengthwise 1/4 lb cheddar (or favorite meltable) cheese, cubed 1/4-inch 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese Sauce: 2 Tbsp butter + 1 Tbsp avocado oil 1/4 cup all purpose flour 2 cups milk 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper Preheat oven to 350F. Heat two quarts of water in a pot to boiling for the pasta.   When boiling, add 1 Tbsp salt and the pasta, stirring.   As the water re-boils, stir often to ensure pasta does not stick together. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by melting the butter in the oil in a small pot.   Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2-3 minu...

Every season I stock our daughter's freezer with a lamb soup or stew. Rachael Ray calls a thick soup or a thin stew a 'Stoup'. Thank you Rachael for this new wedge word. I make this at least four times a year and it is a bit different every time, and always wonderful. So, I will keep posting each. Use what you have (that's what I do) and enjoy comfort food!  Avoid prepared food with 70 or more (questionable?) ingredients. This has 12. Make your own. 1 large onion, peeled and diced 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced 4 stalks celery, diced 1-1/2 lb lamb (raw or leftover from a roast, I used the latter), diced 1/4-inch 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbs fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely minced 1/4 cup pearled barley 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, undrained 1 quart broth, chicken or beef, (I used home-made bone broth) 1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes   1 large potato (I used Yukon Gold), diced just larger than 1/4-inch 2 cups green beans, sliced 1/2-inch (I used Trader Joe’s frozen,...