Cinco de Mayo is almost here! Contrary to widespread belief, Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day (which takes place on September 16th), but a commemoration of Mexico’s surprising victory over France in the 1862 Battle of Puebla. In Mexico, the holiday is primarily observed in the state of Puebla and not nationwide. In the United States, however, Cinco de Mayo has become widely fêted as a celebration of Mexican heritage, full of music, drinks and, of course, food.
This year Cinco de Mayo falls on a Saturday. As we often see meat in Mexican cuisine (who can say no to tender carnitas, barbacoa or carne asada?), it was a worthy challenge to create a vegetarian option for this year’s celebration (but a delicious one). Part of the beauty of modern Mexican cuisine is its adaptability, the ease with which it fuses with other ethnic traditions, and the freedom that it lends the home chef to experiment – take advantage! [click to continue…]
A day comes along every now and then when you look in your fridge and ask yourself “what am I supposed to do with this?” On these days, dinner can feel like a chore, but it’s a great excuse to raid your fridge and test your kitchen improv skills.
Keeping good staples in your fridge will make these days less painful. There are a few ingredients that are always in my pantry, fridge or freezer: tomatoes, eggs, mustard, chicken broth, and bacon. Adding one of these ingredients to a dish of leftovers almost always boosts the dish. Putting them together gives you almost all the fixings for a Cobb salad, my favorite hearty salad. Chopped into tiny pieces and tucked into a soft flour wrap, these leftovers make a fresh and tasty lunch. [click to continue…]
For many brunch eaters nationwide, myself included, Easter Sunday marked the first of many hours-long outdoor brunches that will define their spring weekends. In New York City, where personal outdoor space is scarce, springtime revelers squeeze onto rooftops, balconies and courtyards and bask in the warm rays of sunshine, bacon, and breakfast cocktails. Spring is a great time to branch out from the usual Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas and serve your guests something new.
Though rhubarb can grow year-round, it flourishes when warm weather returns, particularly in April or May. Rhubarb’s unique tart flavor is tasty on its own, but it’s especially delicious paired with sweet strawberries. This cocktail evokes the classic strawberry-rhubarb pie, but with a fizzy kick to start your weekend off right. [click to continue…]
Even though Easter is still days away, I’ve been on a steady snack diet of miniature Reese’s cups, jelly beans and Cadbury Creme Eggs for weeks. I know I should reach for healthier options, but when those tantalizing brightly colored bags are lining every supermarket and drugstore aisle – and the kitchen in my office – how can I resist? Fortunately candy season will subside on Monday, and I’ll turn over a new leaf. When my sweet tooth starts rumbling, I’ll go the healthy route and snack on a baked sweet potato instead.
Sweet potatoes are nature’s candy, full of sugary, buttery flavor, and are low-sodium sources of many vitamins, especially beta-Carotene and vitamin A. They can be prepared in many different ways [click to continue…]
I know I’m antsy for summer when all I can think about are tomatoes. Tomatoes are the quintessential symbol of summer – sweet, red, juicy, the perfect addition to practically any dish. Though I’m fortunate to live in New York where most fruits and vegetables are accessible even out of season, there’s nothing like a summer tomato fresh from the vine.
Raw tomatoes may be out of the question for the next few months, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cook with them. Cooking tomatoes can help bring out their natural sweetness, even in the off-season; well-roasted tomatoes caramelize and develop a new unique flavor. In this quiche, tomatoes add freshness to a tart and tangy goat cheese and pesto base. If you have a few eggs on hand, quiche is a quick and easy way to use leftover vegetables. It also keeps well and makes an excellent next day lunch. [click to continue…]
Chicken Kapitan is a popular Malaysian curry developed by the Peranakan, the descendants of early Chinese immigrants to Malaysia. The Kapitans were the chiefs of various ethnic communities in present-day Indonesia and Malaysia; Kapitan China, for example, was the title for the representative who linked the Malay rulers to the country’s Chinese enclave. True to its name, Chicken Kapitan mingles Chinese and Malaysian cooking tradition, resulting in a unique sweet and spicy flavor.
Kapitan is a thick, spicy curry whose base is a chili pepper paste – much spicier than traditional Chinese dishes. Traditional Kapitan uses lemongrass and coconut milk to balance the intense spiciness and deepen the flavor. Other key ingredients include “belacan”, a shrimp paste that enhances the curry’s flavor, dried chilies, and a turmeric powder marinade. The curry is usually served with crispy shallots, which add texture as well as cutting a bit of the spice. [click to continue…]
Saturday is St. Patrick’s Day – probably either your favorite or least favorite day of the year. If you like rowdy parades and bar crawls, you’re already planning your best green outfit and practicing your shamrock face paint. If you’re the rest of America, you’re praying for rain so that you have an excuse to stay quietly at home until March 18th.
Yes, St. Patrick’s Day in the United States has become synonymous with Irish coffee and green beer, but the holiday actually has a deep-rooted religious origin. It recognizes St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who is considered largely responsible for spreading Catholicism in the country. St. Patrick used the three-leaf shamrock clover to explain Catholic concepts, and has so come to be associated with the color green.
Sipping on whiskey and Guinness is as fine a way to celebrate as any, but let’s not forget about the great tradition of the St. Patrick’s Day feast. Soda bread is a delicious Irish tradition that requires less kitchen commitment than the classic corned beef and potatoes. A form of “quick bread”, soda bread is leavened without yeast. Baking soda acts as the rising agent here, and gives the bread a unique tart flavor. [click to continue…]
If I could eat one meal for the rest of my life, it would be a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. Crispy bacon, sweet tomatoes and crunchy lettuce make a BLT ideal for any meal, but I’ve adapted it for those who don’t gravitate towards sandwiches for breakfast.
A BLT folds nicely into this version of Eggs Benedict, with lentils subbing in for lettuce to avoid sogginess. Since tomatoes aren’t quite in season, I cut them into thick slices and roasted them to enhance their sweetness. The earthy lentils nicely complement the salty bacon, and buttery, lemony Hollandaise sauce drizzled over the whole thing makes for a filling and decadent brunch. [click to continue…]
There’s no craving quite like a craving for Mexican food. Unlike some other cravings, no substitute will do. My stomach isn’t satisfied until it’s placated with a tortilla full of beans, veggies and cheese. This chicken enchilada soup satisfies this craving almost as well as the real thing, and leaves you satisfied but not overstuffed.
Though chicken breasts are easier to shred, I prefer the dark meat of the drumstick and found that adding the chicken with the bone in, infused the soup with even more chicken flavor. As much as I hate using frozen vegetables, it seemed like the best option for the winter season – if you are making this dish in the summer, use fresh corn! If ripe avocados are available, they would be an excellent topping to your enchilada, adding creaminess to the soup’s hearty spice. [click to continue…]
Having ignored pork (bacon not included) for most of the fall and winter, I’m taking advantage of our groundhog-mandated extended winter and making the pork dishes that are on my to-do list.
I’ll admit, when I first heard of pork braised in milk, I raised my eyebrows. I don’t keep kosher, but the idea of so egregiously mixing meat and dairy seemed like too much, even for a meat lover like me. I stand corrected. After slowly simmering in a garlicky milk sauce, the pork becomes impossibly tender, infused with the unique aromatics of sage. The milk and garlic reduce together to form a silky sauce that serves as a bath and a dressing for the pork.
This tender and flavorful dish is relatively low impact and easy to make. [click to continue…]
BY EMMA HABERMAN
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