By Andrew Zimmern This is a fun recipe that I originally created for Rock Your Taco at the Austin Food & Wine Festival, and it won first place! The fried bao are a perfect vessel for gravlax, caviar and my bitter lemon creme fraiche puree. I’m using Oklahoma paddlefish caviar here, which is incredible and… Read More →
Like so many other food professionals, I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid tugging at my grandmother’s apron strings. I learned food prep basics sitting in her teeny West End Avenue apartment kitchen on weekends as a young boy. I cooked with my mom and dad every chance I could, and I treasured… 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 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 →
Dry-Rubbed Fried Chicken Wings By Andrew Zimmern Do you want to be king of your chicken wing castle? Deep fry a batch of wings before tossing with your favorite dry rub and melted butter. Chicken wing supremacy is really that simple. Here, I’ve used two different types of dry rub—one with herbs, garlic and onion,… Read More →
This recipe is beautiful in its simplicity. By Richard Blais Lobster, meet mayo. Who could have predicted that this personal introduction that I made years ago would have evolved into such an amazing marriage of flavor? I’m such a mensch . . . and a liar, obviously! This outstanding combo goes way, way back, before… Read More →
Impressive Valentine’s Day Recipes A love of good food is universal, it’s what connects us all… trust me, I’ve spent a lifetime trying to prove this very point. So this Valentine’s Day, skip the dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant and practice the art of seduction from the comforts of your own kitchen. Here are… Read More →
3 New Ways to Spice Up Your Chicken Wings An essential element of game day festivities, chicken wings are practically sacred food in this country. They’re economical, easy to cook and extremely versatile. Here are three of my favorite ways to dress them up. One-Pot Sticky Chicken Wings I first discovered this recipe while in Penang,… Read More →
My Take on Crab Rangoon By Andrew Zimmern Most people envision deep-fried cream cheese when they hear the term “crab rangoon,” but I believe there are no limitations for this beloved Chinese-American appetizer. In this recipe, I fill wonton wrappers with lots of fresh crab, herbs and Indian-inspired flavors.
Pork Egg Rolls By Andrew Zimmern Studded with tons of flavorful vegetables, herbs and aromatics, I guarantee these are the best egg rolls you’ve ever eaten. Plan ahead, as you want the filling mixture to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop. Trust me, it’s worth the wait.… Read More →
Sautéed Broccoli with Fish Sauce & Brown Sugar By Andrew Zimmern Think your kids won’t eat green vegetables or fish sauce? Hear me out. Browned butter, fish sauce and brown sugar are the holy trinity of flavor. Adding elements of sweet, salt and fat in healthful amounts will go a long way in getting your kids… Read More →
Fish in Chili Sauce By Kei Lum and Diora Fong Chan Recipe from China: The Cookbook by Kei Lum and Diora Fong Chan.
Mapo Tofu By Kei Lum and Diora Fong Chan Recipe from China: The Cookbook by Kei Lum and Diora Fong Chan.
Cape Gooseberry Preserves By Madeleine Hill I was introduced to cape gooseberries (a.k.a. ground cherries) last year at Empellón Taqueria in NYC. Paired with shrimp and chipotle oil, I was instantly hooked on the fruit that was an undefinable cross between cherry tomatoes and pineapple. Native to South America, they’re not related to cherries or gooseberries of the Indian or… Read More →
Soup Recipes from Across the Globe I love the convenience, simplicity and versatility of a one-pot meal. Need to use up last week’s vegetables? Make soup. Coming down with a cold? Matzoh ball soup cures everything. Feeding a crowd? Whip up a big pot of chili. There’s a soup for every occasion in every culture across the globe.… Read More →
‘Cook & Sell’ Siu Mai Dumplings By Andrew Zimmern These siu mai dumplings are the southern Chinese version of potstickers with a carrot crown.
Surf & Turf at the Cultivate Festival For my demo at this year’s Cultivate Festival in Kansas City, I’m cooking what I call street food surf and turf, a winning combination of crispy garlic short ribs and char-grilled chili shrimp. Invite friends over for some cocktails and a snack…serve this street food surf and turf along with… Read More →
Bouncy Thai Fish Cakes By Andrew Zimmern For these delectable Thai fish cakes, I like pounding all the ingredients step-by-step in a monstrous mortar and pestle to achieve the perfect bouncy mouth feel that the Chinese call Q-Q. The results in a food processor are almost as good. And the schmaltz and ice really help… Read More →
Spicy Chengdu-Style Chicken with Peanuts By Andrew Zimmern This chile-spiked Chengdu-style chicken is a mainstay at my house. Soaking the chicken overnight in rice wine and cornstarch makes the meat soft and tender. It also helps tighten the sauce and gives the chicken a twice-cooked slippery quality that’s a sign of good Chinese wok cookery. Make sure you… Read More →
An Andrew Zimmern-Style Snackadium This year we decided to ride the Super Bowl snackadium trend wave and make the ultimate food-filled novelty snack station. And, of course, we had to attempt one that looked like the new U.S. Bank Vikings stadium. The focal point of this snackadium is my Canteen Dog—a Piedmontese beef dog topped… Read More →
Wok Cooking Essentials Wok cooking is intimidating, but it’s the most versatile and handy tool in your kitchen. It can braise, fry, sauté, and even make a handy smoker (I use one of my woks fitted with a small inset grate to tea smoke duck and squab all the time). Because of its unique shape,… Read More →
The Best Cookbooks of the Year It seems each year there are more incredible cookbooks published than the last; it’s a tough job to whittle down the lengthy list into a handful of my favorites. This year in particular, there are several noteworthy debuts, like Aaron Franklin’s meat smoking manifesto, Michael Solomonov’s ode to Israeli cuisine,… Read More →
Simple Sweet & Spicy Stir-Fry By Andrew Zimmern Velvet Chicken. Sexy name. Great dish. Classic technique. I wouldn’t call this entry-level Chinese cookery—it’s 201 coursework—but any novice can produce a stellar version of this dish because it’s so easy to execute. The boiling of the marinated meat in oil results in a velvety texture that… Read More →
Abalone with Black Bean Sauce By Andrew Zimmern Abalone are simple to prepare and profoundly delicious. You can take the meat out of the shell, slice thin, and eat raw. If you prefer your sea snails cooked, try throwing them on the grill for a few minutes and you’ll find it has takes on sweetness… Read More →
Silky Ma Po Eggplant By Andrew Zimmern This is one of my favorite dishes, made easy for the home cook. If you like a bolder, funkier flavor just add a little more toban djan (chile bean sauce). This superb all-in-one meal is a great way to use a small amount of meat to accent a… Read More →
The Year of the Goat By Andrew Zimmern The stunningly beautiful Xinjiang province in northwest China borders many central Asian countries such as India, Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Muslim communities like the Uighur, who hail from that part of China, have seen their most traditional recipes grow in popularity over the last 10 years. Most… Read More →
Show-Stopping Pork & Rice Dumplings By Andrew Zimmern I started making these pearl rice balls about 18 years ago after returning from my first trip to China. I visited a dumpling house in Xian and became fascinated with the presentation styles of standard Chinese pork farces. Creating different wrappers and decorating them is beyond the normal… Read More →
An Exploration of Bitter A James Beard award-winning author, Jennifer McLagan is known for challenging her readers, delving into topics that make us rethink what we eat and why. She’s famously covered Bones, Fat and Odd Bits, each a single subject book with recipes that aims to revive an unloved ingredient. McLagan’s latest book is… Read More →
Fast, Simple Sichuan Noodles By Andrew Zimmern This nicely balanced Sichuan sauce with just the right amount of heat is flavored with star anise and fennel seeds and makes a phenomenal, quick dressing for egg noodles of any kind. I use the aromatic soy sauce as an ingredient in anything requiring sweet soy or as… Read More →
