In my video series, AZ Cooks, I’m sharing cooking techniques and recipes inspired by my childhood, travels and experiences in the professional kitchen, all in the pursuit of culinary literacy. Thanks for tuning in, your support and feedback have made this venture a success! From classics like key lime pie and meatloaf to wok-tossed crickets and… Read More →
By Andrew Zimmern We’re making temaki, a Japanese hand-rolled sushi, on AZ Cooks tonight! It’s super fun and easy to make at home.
Broccoli Pasta By Andrew Zimmern This is my dad’s 50-year-old recipe for broccoli pasta, loaded with parmesan cheese. It’s heavenly, a very special recipe for me that my dad used to make all the time when I was growing up. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Andrew Zimmern (@chefaz)
Classic Chicken Parmesan By Andrew Zimmern This chicken parmesan is my love letter to the Italian-American red sauce classic everyone craves. Sure you can gussy it up, but this recipe sticks to the basics—fried chicken topped with an easy homemade tomato sauce, creamy ricotta, mozzarella melted under the broiler, and a touch of fresh basil.… Read More →
Tips for Grilling with Fruitwood & Charcoal We received a lot of questions about using charcoal, wood chips and wood chunks. I prefer to use natural hardwood charcoal, lit in a charcoal chimney without lighter fluid. I use fruitwood, such as cherry or apple, when grilling or smoking chicken, fish or fruit. Soak wood chips… Read More →
Barbecue Chicken By Andrew Zimmern This barbecue chicken is the best thing I’ve cooked in a long time. I’m confident enough that I’d put it up in a barbecue contest any day of the week. The key is to cook the chicken quarters over indirect heat with a lot of smoke, before finishing them over… Read More →
Labneh Dip with Peppers & Radishes Recipe adapted from Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel by Alon Shaya In this episode of AZ Cooks, I’m cooking the book, finding inspiration in my friend chef Alon Shaya’s new cookbook Shaya, a moving culinary memoir filled with recipes reflective of his path to… Read More →
The Best Recipes for a Memorial Day Barbecue From lobster rolls and baby back ribs to homemade baked beans and an easy mixed berry crumble, here are a few delicious ways to help you welcome summer this weekend. Lobster Rolls, Two Ways Here are two easy recipes for everyone’s favorite summer sandwich, the lobster… Read More →
AZ Cooks Snack Bracket Champion We have a winner! This March has been full of surprises, and my snack bracket was no different. Although my money was on Chinese chicken wings making it to the championship, I’m happy to announce that our voters crowned roast pork belly as the AZ Cooks Snack Bracket Champion. I… Read More →
AZ Cooks Snack Bracket We’ve narrowed down 16 of my most popular recipes to 2! In this final match up, salty roast pork belly goes head to head with sweet chocolate chip cookies. We need your votes to figure out which one is the best dish. Need a refresher? Watch the videos below and help us… Read More →
AZ Cooks Snack Bracket Round 3 We’ve narrowed down 16 of my most popular recipes to 4, but we still need your votes to figure out which one is the best dish. Be sure to vote for your favorite in every match-up! Need a refresher? Watch the videos below and help us pick the winner. <a… Read More →
AZ Cooks Snack Bracket 16 of my most popular recipes are facing off in a competition to find out which one is the best dish. Be sure to vote for your favorite in every match-up! Need a refresher? Watch the videos below and help us pick the winner. SALTY MATCH-UP #1 SALTY MATCH-UP #2 SPICY… Read More →
Corned Beef with Bourbon-Molasses Glaze By Andrew Zimmern This recipe is one of my favorites, the sticky bourbon-molasses glaze gives the meat an irresistible touch of sweetness that balances out the brine. Brining your own corned beef at home is easy, all you need is the right equipment and time, about 7 to 10 days—therefore… Read More →
The Ultimate Seafood Tower By Andrew Zimmern This is Plateau de Fruits de Mer 101. First, learn how to dispatch a lobster and cook it in a court bouillon, and then how to steam crab, mussels and shrimp in a multi-tiered bamboo steamer. I’ll teach you how to shuck oysters and clams with the proper… Read More →
How to Shuck an Oyster First place the oyster in a kitchen towel and lay it firmly on the counter, this is easier for beginners and will help protect your hands, especially if this is your first time shucking. Then, drive the point of an oyster knife into the hinge, and twist to pop open… Read More →
Sticky Spicy Chicken Wings By Andrew Zimmern Of all the dishes I’ve tasted around the world, this is the one I’m happiest to have brought home and perfected in my own kitchen. Sticky, fatty, salty and sweet, the best versions of this recipe emulsify the chicken fat into the sauce as it reduces. They’re great… Read More →
The Easiest Ways to Prep an Avocado Whether you slice it, dice it, scoop it, smash it or simply cut it in half and eat it with a spoon, there’s no denying avocados are one of the most beloved fruits around the world—we consume more than 4 billion per year in the United States alone.… Read More →
What is Huitlacoche? Easy to identify from its grey kernels, huitlacoche is a fungal mold that grows on corn. Often called corn smut or Mexican truffle, it’s considered a delicacy with its uniquely sweet, earthy, funky, antique corn flavor. Use the huitlacoche to season soups, saute it with vegetables, stuff it in a quesadilla or… Read More →
Chicken Thighs & Livers with Yakitori Sauce By Andrew Zimmern The secret to making authentic izakaya-style Japanese chicken skewers is in the fresh ginger juice baste and classic yakitori glaze—a craveable combination of dashi, sake, soy and mirin. I like to cook the skewers on a tabletop grill with binchotan, a charcoal made of compressed… Read More →
Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Peppercorns & Mixed Berries By Andrew Zimmern Panna cotta, which literally means “cooked cream,” is an Italian custard-like chilled dessert with a luxurious, silky smooth texture. At its core, it’s a simple mixture of cream, sugar and gelatin. It’s not an egg-based custard, nor does it require a water bath or… Read More →
Holiday Menu Inspiration The best part of the holiday season is the time spent in the kitchen cooking special meals for family and friends. Here, I’ve gathered a few of my favorite recipes for main courses that are sure to impress, from a centerpiece roast to indulgent beef stroganoff. Feeding a crowd? Try the ham… Read More →
John McKenna’s Top Picks Ireland’s leading food critic and one of the country’s most authoritative voices in food journalism, John McKenna has been writing about the burgeoning Irish food scene for 25 years. Before your next trip to Ireland, be sure to check out McKennas’ Guides, a series of guide books by John and his longtime… Read More →
Steak tartare feels like a special occasion dish. That said, you don’t have to wait until your next steakhouse outing to enjoy it. This is one of those dishes that is so much easier to make at home than you think, especially when you have the right tools and ingredients. Want 20% off your Shun knife purchase?… Read More →
Bitter Greens Citrus Salad By Andrew Zimmern This is what I call my “house” salad, the one I serve most often that pairs well with almost anything. It’s a base of bitter greens, like radicchio, frisee and endive, topped with grapefruit and orange slices, red onion, fresh dill and a slightly sweet citrus vinaigrette to… Read More →
Banana Pudding with Swiss Meringue Recipe By Andrew Zimmern Banana pudding is one of my all-time favorite desserts. It helps that this crowd-pleaser is super easy to put together and can be made in advance. Top it with meringue for a dramatic presentation, or keep it simple with a dollop of whipped cream. Tips for… Read More →
What to Eat at the Minnesota State Fair I like to stick with tradition when it comes to the State Fair, never passing up an opportunity for cheese curds, a foot-long hot dog, an ice cold 1919 root beer and a bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies. Fair food doesn’t need to be, and probably shouldn’t… Read More →
My Best Recipes for 4th of July There’s no better way to celebrate the holiday (and my birthday) than relaxing with family, hanging out by the grill and enjoying fresh summer produce. Here are a few of my favorite recipes, from all-American cookout classics like barbecue chicken and baked beans, to picnic perfect salads and a… Read More →
Auflauf Pancakes with Berries By Andrew Zimmern This German-style pancake grows up the sides of the pan and forms an amazing, thick, crêpe-y pancake just yearning to be filled with all of your favorite ingredients. Auflauf is a weekend breakfast family treat that my grandmother taught my mom to make when she married my dad. I… Read More →
Mother’s Day Menu Ideas Food is the best gift you can give on Mother’s Day. A meal made in your own kitchen with love is even better. From morning to midnight, breakfast to dessert, here are 10 surefire ways to celebrate the mothers in your life. Salad with Poached Eggs & Bacon Vinaigrette It’s… Read More →
