Slow Baked Dry Rubbed Spare Ribs

August 24, 2009
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Theoretically, I should experiment more with dry rubs but, well, it’s just… for me, this stuff is like the grill equivalent of crack.  Crack and pork. Pork and crack. I play around with ratios and leading actors, but I always come back to the same basic cast of characters.  When these players hit the stage [...]

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Lulu’s Ratatouille (and the benefits of elbow grease)

August 23, 2009
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I’ve been reading Julia Child’s My Life in France and the difficulties she faced trying to publish Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  In 1959, when Houghton Mifflin finally passed on the book, and before Knopf picked it up, Julia read a note from her champion at Houghton who explained the rejection, “They feel [the [...]

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Shiitake, Chard Ravioli in Dashi Broth w Watercress and Shimeji Mushrooms

August 20, 2009
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Homemade ravioli, stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, chard stems, shallots, pine nuts, parsley and parmesan, made from fresh beet-leaf pasta, served with a dashi-mushroom broth with watercress, scallion greens, and shimeji mushrooms.
That’s a mouthful to say, but was an absolute delight to eat.  It was also my first attempt to make up an Asian-European fusion dish, [...]

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Peach, Blueberry and Apricot Cake

August 12, 2009
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When it comes to baking, one of my favorite test kitchens belongs to a New Jersey blog called Stacey Snacks.  I’m not a huge baker, even though I might aspire to Zoe heights, however I’ve mentioned before that baking has become a fun activity where I can involve our 4 yr old munchkin. When Lisl [...]

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Fava, Arugula and Shaved Parmesan: perfect starter or palette cleanser

August 10, 2009
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Here’s a very simple something to start off a meal, or to act as a palette cleanser part way through — best served with a crisp white wine.
I have not been a happy CSA customer this summer (I’ll just say, it’s not *just* the fault of the weather), but I’ll spare you the detail on [...]

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Salsa: if you can’t beat the heat, join it!

July 26, 2009
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There’s an old saying, “if you can’t beat em, join em.”  It applies quite aptly to summertime heat and a good, fresh salsa don’t you think?
My current favorite method of salsa making is about as simple as it gets, and just relies on fresh ingredients.
Fresh Salsa
6 medium tomatillos, diced
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, [...]

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Summertime: mint watermelon lemonade; cilantro chimichurri w/ flank steak

July 19, 2009
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Summertime has finally come, although here in the Catskills the spring rains have decided they like hanging around. They enjoy our company in the afternoons. That, or they’re out to kill everyone’s tomato plants, and doing a good job of it too. We are just finishing a week vacation here in “slightly-upstate” New York, [...]

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Pork Shoulder Braised with White Wine and Napa Cabbage

July 2, 2009
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I keep on playing around with pork shoulder braises, and what’s not to love? They make a great meal, and the leftovers can be used in a myriad of ways such as pulled pork sandwiches, stews, chilis, meat pies, etc.  The picture above was the only one I had time to grab for this recipe, [...]

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Weekend Pictures

June 30, 2009
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Rose prosecco is pretty and refreshing when very cold.  Unfortunately, it does start to taste an awful lot like bubble gum as it reaches room temperature!

There is something about warm weather that makes us crave raw food.  My taste buds have also been clamoring for simple sides like sliced cucumber, greek yogurt, and chopped oregano [...]

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Roasted Lamb with Grain Mustard and Soy Sauce

June 30, 2009
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Lisl first made this lamb roast not long after we met. If I went for sensational titles I’d call this the “how to impress your new boyfriend without slaving in the kitchen, but make him think you did” lamb roast.  It actually remains my favorite way to cook lamb by a long shot, and it [...]

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