Cuisine Eric

Chock full of veggies and loaded with herby flavorful pesto, this dish is nourishing yet light at the same time. It won accolades at our son's home as 'California Healthy'! Pesto: 3/4 cup pecans 3.5 oz fresh basil leaves 3 cloves garlic, peeled 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Juice 1/2 lemon 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 zucchini, sliced half moon 1 yellow summer squash, sliced half moon 1 bag snow peas 1 bunch asparagus 1 broccoli crown 1 lb favorite pasta shape, I used Lumaconi 1-1/2 lb peeled, deveined large shrimp, 20-24/lb 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise Parmesan cheese for garnish Cut stems from broccoli into bite sized pieces and set aside. Cut crown into small flowerets. Set aside flowerets in a bowl. If asparagus is large, trim an inch off the end and then peel the lower half of each stalk.   Cut the lower half of each stalk into 3/4-inch pieces and set aside with broccoli stems. Set aside the asparagus tips with the broccoli fl...

Here is another great recipe using Jake & Amos' Hot Garlic Mushrooms.  They are power-packed flavor bites that kick up this Southwestern chicken number, and can be used in many other recipes. This dish is a saucy chicken, pepper and sausage melange with Southwestern notes, and goes so well with a fancy rice, or any grain. Its is fast and easy to prepare and so flavorfully satisfying. 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, quartered (I used pasture raised) 2 Tbsp favorite Southwestern or Cajun spice mix 1/2 lb good Italian sausage, sliced 1/2-inch   1 Jalapeño pepper, minced 1/2 green bell pepper sliced 1/2 orange bell pepper, sliced 1 medium yellow onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup Jake & Amos’ Hot Garlic Mushrooms, drained 1 cup chicken broth 1 Tbsp cornstarch plus 2 Tbsp water 1 Tbsp butter Marinate the chicken with the spice mix for at least an hour, or overnight covered in the refrigerator. About 45 minutes before ready to eat, sauté the sausage in a lig...

Jake and Amos' Hot Garlic Mushrooms are a spicy, garlicky, pickled whole button mushroom that pack a kick of flavor and rich mushroom oomph. Jake & Amos is an Amish food provider out of Pennsylvania, and I found a jar of their kickin' mushrooms at a small grocer in mid-state NY while visiting our cousins. I should have bought more, but being not far from PA, we might find some around us. I suppose any other well-spiced pickled mushroom would do well. Here, the zing of these nice bite-sized mushrooms, along with their minced garlic and red pepper flakes is nicely balanced with the herb notes of pesto sauce and the cooling calm of sour cream.  A simple but fun dish prepped quickly on a work night and sure to satisfy. 1/2 lb favorite pasta 1 cup Jake & Amos’ Hot Garlic Mushrooms, drained 1 cup pesto sauce 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, for garnish Cook pasta in well salted water until just al-dente.   Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain pasta. Re...

Tzatziki is a wonderful Greek yogurt dip and condiment.  It's great with pita bread or veggies, or as a topping on all kinds of grilled foods. Make sure you use a full fat, thick Greek yogurt, and that you squeeze as much water out of the grated cucumber as you can - you don't want a watery Tzatziki; it should be thick and rich. 1/2 English cucumber (about 6-inches), sliced lengthwise in half 1/4 tsp kosher salt 1 cup full fat Greek Yogurt (I used Fage 5%) 2 cloves garlic, grated with microplane or minced through a press 1/2 shallot, very finely diced 1 Tbsp fresh dill weed, minced (or 1/4 tsp dried dill) 1/8 tsp Aleppo red pepper (or fine-ground Korean chili pepper), or to taste 1 tsp red wine vinegar Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to gently scrape out the seeds in the center of each half. Coarsely grate cucumber and toss in a colander with the salt.   Allow to sit 10-15 minutes. Squeeze water from cucumber and then tip onto the center of a full-sized paper t...

During a recent visit to my sister-in law I learned a fantastic plant-forward ragout she makes regularly. With me as her sous chef, we whipped up this ragout very quickly, making a really rich, festive birthday dinner for my wife. You could add browned ground meat to the sauce and amp it up even more, but I make it veg, as she usually does, since it has plenty of flavor punch. Especially if you don't add meat, don't forget the coconut aminos or soy sauce for the umami kick. 16 oz baby portobello or button mushrooms, coarsely diced 5 oz (1/2pack) matchstick carrots (or grated, about 2 cups) 1 shallot, or 1 small onion, finely diced, or combo 1 red Fresno pepper, finely diced (or Jalapeño pepper) 2 cloves garlic, finely minced   1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced (or 1 tsp dried) 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced (or 1/4 tsp dried) 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste 1 medium zucchini, grated on a coarse grater 1 15-oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes (I used Trader Joe’s), d...

This is a warm hearty dish you can enjoy when you crave a warm rich seafood soup or stew. I learned this approach to salmon from my co-grandparent Hong Ya who taught me many wonderful dishes from China. It's kind of like an Asian seafood chowder. The nori seaweed brings out the earthy flavors of the sea, which pair so well with the salmon. The sesame oil and chili flakes sharpen the dish a bit against the silky curtains of the wilted spinach. Beautiful as it is delicious, this dish is simple, yet so rewarding. 1/2 shallot, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1-inch fresh ginger, minced Liquids: 1 cup chicken broth (I used Better than Bouillon) 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup water 1 tsp black soy sauce 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp toasted sesame oil Dash hot pepper flakes (I used Korean chili flakes), or to taste 1 lb salmon bites, (1-inch, skinless cubes) 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup Kizami Nori seaweed strips Sauté the shallots in a dash of neutral oil over m...