Rigatoni with Winter Squash, Sausage & Kale By Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos In Tuscany, cooks don’t have a lot of uses for hard-shelled winter squash. It is typically roasted as a side dish or turned into soup. At our Brooklyn farmer’s market in autumn and winter, the stands are filled with a huge variety of… Read More →
Spicy Meat-Filled Bulgur Dumplings By Robyn Eckhardt These chewy bulgur dumplings hide a filling of ground lamb and onion spiked with tomato and Turkish red pepper paste. Deep-fried versions are found all over Turkey, but I prefer this boiled version from Van, especially when it is drizzled with tomato butter before serving. You will have… Read More →
Brisket Hash with Fried Eggs By Andrew Zimmern We all lead busy lives, so it never hurts to do a little meal prep on Sunday to make weekday meals a breeze. Braise a whole brisket over the weekend, and you can cook a hearty brisket chili on Monday and this classic hash on Tuesday. Who… Read More →
Join me in the kitchen for #BrisketWeek! I’m sharing my go-to brisket recipe, one of the first dishes I helped my grandmother make and a staple at my family’s holiday table for generations. Braised in the oven with fennel and onions, it’s perfectly melting and tender. I like to cook a whole brisket because the… Read More →
Tune in for Bizarre Foods: Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride Aug. 29 at 9|8c on Travel Channel The midnight ride of Paul Revere marked the beginning of a war that changed our world forever. On this episode of Bizarre Foods, I’m following in the footsteps of this great patriot, revealing layers of history and food traditions… Read More →
Tune in for Bizarre Foods: Cajun Country Aug. 15 at 9|8c on Travel Channel On this episode of Bizarre Foods, I’m traversing the heart of Acadiana, an untouched bastion of American history where centuries-old traditions remain a way of life. A region of swamps, bayous and gulf coast marshes, people in Cajun country still live… Read More →
Shuang Cheng Everyone knows a Chinese restaurant like this one, armed with an enormous 400-item menu that mostly caters to a Westerner’s palate. And while Shuang Cheng offers a dizzying variety of dishes, it defies the stereotype that quantity does not equal quality. I usually skip straight to the seafood page of the menu. If… Read More →
Tune in for Bizarre Foods: The Magnificent Mississippi River Aug. 8 at 9|8c on Travel Channel On this episode of Bizarre Foods, I had the pleasure of traveling from Memphis to Natchez by boat, and got a real taste of life on the Mississippi. This majestic river is a refuge for a slower-paced, nature-based way of… Read More →
Bizarre Foods: Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Premieres Tuesday, August 1 at 9|8c on Travel Channel On this episode of Bizarre Foods, I’m following in the footsteps of famed frontiersman Daniel Boone, from colonial Virginia to the fertile lands of Kentucky. While visiting the re-constructed frontier fort at Martin’s Station, reeling in flathead catfish on the Kentucky… Read More →
Bizarre Foods Season Premiere Tuesday July 25, 9|8c on Travel Channel On the season premiere of Bizarre Foods, I’m headed to Texas to explore American cowboy life, past and present. The cowboy is the last great American icon, a romantic, rugged symbol of our frontier past. Camping along the Chisholm trail—the storied bovine highway that… Read More →
Rise Bagel Co. The Twin Cities are my second home, and I love living here, but over the years there’s been one gaping hole in the food scene and it was bagel shaped. As a Jewish kid from New York, I’m admittedly picky when it comes to bagels, and there wasn’t a worthy one in… 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 →
The Salty Tart Chef Michelle Gayer is a James Beard Award nominee many times over, including being a 2017 semifinalist for “Outstanding Baker.” Open since 2008, Gayer and her team at The Salty Tart make everything from scratch everyday—from pastry cream-filled brioche to flaky layered croissants and buttercream-topped cupcakes to banana cream pies. Her macaroons are… Read More →
Tilia Chef Steven Brown is one of Minneapolis’ greatest assets. At Tilia, he’s taken the concept of a comfortable neighborhood restaurant and perfected it—from the cozy atmosphere and kitchen counter seating, to the affordable, yet insanely delicious menu. It’s a place I can take my kid for breakfast, my wife for lunch and my lawyer… Read More →
Alma: Cafe, Hotel & Restaurant After a major overhaul and grand re-opening, Alma is as gorgeous as ever, filling a hole we didn’t know we had in the Twin Cities dining scene. What was once solely a fantastic restaurant, owned and operated by James Beard award-winning chef Alex Roberts, is now an elegant, design-driven hotel,… Read More →
Lowry Hill Meats When Erik Sather opened Lowry Hill Meats in the fall of 2015, let’s just say I was excited. There are less than a handful of great, old-world butcher shops in the Twin Cities, and LHM’s standard for every product they sell—from meat to eggs, cheese, spices and coffee—is exceptionally high. I always… Read More →
Easy Salmon Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Salmon takes well to almost every cooking technique imaginable—grilling, broiling, sautéing, steaming and poaching… even raw, the fish is buttery and oceanic. Here are eight ways to prepare this healthy menu star, from a classic poached salmon served hot or cold, to a throw-back tomato and salmon… Read More →
Easter Recipe Round-Up Here are a few of my favorite recipes for the spring holiday, from brunch classics like quiche Lorraine to a make-ahead orange and caramel flan for dessert. Need to feed a crowd of hungry relatives? Try the ham with Madeira-cider glaze or rack of pork loin with mustard and apricots—both make for… Read More →
Modern Scandinavian-Influenced Fare Located in a historic 19th-century brick-and-timber warehouse in Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood, The Bachelor Farmer celebrates Nordic-inspired cuisine made with ingredients sourced from local farmers or grown on the rooftop garden. They created small masterpieces on top of a humble piece of toast before it became a culinary craze, so order a few toasts as an… Read More →
Heyday A Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2015, chef Jim Christiansen’s thoughtful food is hyper-seasonal (often foraged) and speaks to his stint at Noma, with dishes such as grilled lamb with winter radish and stewed local oats, and hake with cauliflower, smoked cod roe emulsion and herbs (pictured above). Christiansen skillfully balances flavor, texture,… 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 →
Pot Roast 101 Pot roast is in heavy rotation at my house during the winter months. There is no better comfort food than wine-braised beef with heavily caramelized vegetables and a pile of potatoes. Follow along as I walk through the process of making perfect pot roast, from properly browning and braising the meat to… Read More →
The Best Way to Welcome the New Year New Year’s Day is for taking a deep breath after a few weeks of holiday celebrations, lazing on the couch with the family, and naturally, eating lots of good food. Here are a few easy brunch ideas to start your new year off right (and combat that… Read More →
Japan’s Legendary Super Broth By Masaharu Morimoto Japan’s legendary super broth is the key to simple home cooking that has deep, satisfying flavor. It requires just fifteen minutes and two ingredients that last virtually forever in your pantry and are easier than ever to find. I can’t think of a better use of your time… Read More →
Roasted, fried, grilled, stuffed, smoked or braised—which turkey cooking technique will you choose? There are many options when it comes to preparing your Thanksgiving centerpiece. For the traditionalist, check out my tips for brining and roasting a whole turkey in the oven. Those with only a few mouths to feed should try a stuffed turkey breast.… Read More →
Juicy Fried Turkey with Crispy Skin By Andrew Zimmern I love fried turkey, but frying the whole bird isn’t a good idea. It’s dangerous, the outside gets overcooked before the inside is tender and the lengthy frying time means the turkey absorbs too much oil. I suggest you break down a turkey into its pieces, using… Read More →
10 Desserts for Thanksgiving From classic pumpkin pie and gooey pecan tart to a ridiculously easy cranberry cake, here are 10 delicious desserts to round out your holiday feast. Easy Cranberry Cake This simple cranberry cake is a perfect addition to your holiday dessert spread. Not too sweet and packed with fresh cranberries, it’s as beautiful… Read More →
A Foolproof Braised Turkey Smothered in Creamy Gravy By Andrew Zimmern There are many different solutions to the age-old conundrum of how to cook a turkey evenly and successfully. To me, breaking it down into its pieces is the most foolproof and flexible approach. Braising the turkey pieces in wine and aromatics results in a flavorful… Read More →
Potato Dumplings with Parsley & Chives By Naomi Pomeroy I wanted to include a dumpling recipe in this book because dumplings are a versatile, easy comfort-food dish to make year-round. I did a lot of research, testing dozens of traditional dumpling recipes, but none of them were quite right. Eventually, I settled on this simple… Read More →
Nachos with Queso Fundido By Andrew Zimmern I serve this dish all the time at house parties, for both adults and kids. These super sophisticated nachos are built with several components, all made from scratch and delicious on their own. When served together, they will blow your mind. I wouldn’t ask you to go through… Read More →
