Perfect Pie Crust Recipe by Michelle Gayer Michelle Gayer, a dear friend and brilliant pastry chef, is here to teach us how to make the perfect pie crust. It’s flaky, buttery and slightly chewy. Even better, it’s forgiving and easy to work with. Watch Michelle make this recipe:
Ma’s Muthia This recipe is from our Grandmother’s Best Recipe Contest winner Surtida S. Her grandmother combined her Indian roots with Tanzanian flavors to create this incredible dish of millet flour dumplings braised in a tomato-and-coconut-infused sauce chock-full of vegetables and aromatic spices. The smell and flavor of this recipe is intoxicating. “One of my… Read More →
#myZimmernList Needs Your Videos! Share your favorite food experience from a restaurant, food truck or picnic area for a chance to win a t-shirt and have lunch with Andrew Zimmern in his home city of Minneapolis. Scroll down to enter! My new show, The Zimmern List, premieres March 13 on Travel Channel and I couldn’t… 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 →
CONTEST COMPLETE AZ Cooks Your Grandma’s Best Recipes Contest Share a favorite, original recipe from your Grandma’s collection for a chance to win a great prize pack, a shout-out from Andrew Zimmern, and have your recipe prepared on AZ Cooks. Scroll down to enter! My grandmother only cooked a few dozen dishes on a regular… Read More →
Japanese Beef Tataki By Andrew Zimmern This easy Japanese tataki is stunning and tastes even better. With a simple dish like this, buy the best beef you can get your hands on. Because it’s served very rare, using a tender, luxury cut like sirloin is important—trust me, it’s worth spending the extra bucks. Skip the… Read More →
Caramel Apple Pie Recipe by Michelle Gayer The only way to improve on a classic apple pie is to layer the filling with decadent homemade caramel sauce. In this special edition of AZ Cooks, I invite Michelle Gayer into the kitchen to teach me a thing or two about making the ultimate caramel apple pie.… Read More →
France 44 Cheese Shop Located at 44th and France in Linden Hills, this expansive corner shop is half wine and liquor emporium, half specialty cheese, meat and sandwich shop. In the gourmet grocery, you’ll find knowledgeable staff at the cut-to-order cheese counter who can help you select the perfect amount of cream or funk for… Read More →
Mulled Red Wine By Andrew Zimmern Gluhwein, or spiced mulled wine, is a popular warming beverage served at European Christmas markets. A German tradition, the very smell of gluhwein will put you in the holiday spirit, as the cinnamon, clove, ginger and orange fragrance wafts through your kitchen. It’s an easy and festive drink to make… Read More →
How to Prepare Artichokes The edible bud of a thistle plant, artichokes can be intimidating to prepare and cook. Covered in an armor of spiky bracts and filled with a fibrous inedible choke, their defense system is on point. Cleaning, trimming and prepping them for cooking is easy once you learn a few simple tricks.… Read More →
Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar Buying a bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies to share with your friends is a Minnesota State Fair must, and one of those food experiences that cannot be accurately replicated at home EVEN IF their dough is available for purchase in your grocer’s freezer. Few things can beat piping hot, messy chocolate… Read More →
Bellecour My friend Gavin Kaysen’s latest project, Bellecour, is an absolute stunner. The award-winning chef’s return to the Twin Cities in 2014 to open Spoon and Stable came with unprecedented buzz—a few years later and it’s still near impossible to score prime time reservations—but the announcement of Bellecour sent diners into a frenzy, with more… Read More →
Ginger Scallion Noodles By Andrew Zimmern If you love to cook, you should learn how to recreate the tent poles of culinary wisdom from cultures around the world, starting with these addictive ginger scallion noodles. This recipe has the hallmarks of classic Shanghai-style scallion noodles mixed with Japanese-style charred scallion noodles with tsukemono pickles. It… Read More →
Aki’s BreadHaus In the midst of Oktoberfest season—now a worldwide trend no longer reserved for Munich—it’s only appropriate I share my favorite German bakery. In the Twin Cities, most steins of beer this month seem to be accompanied by one of Aki’s famed pretzels, and for good reason. Located in Minneapolis’ Northeast neighborhood, Aki’s BreadHaus… 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 →
Black Sheep Pizza One of my favorite pizzerias in the Twin Cities, Black Sheep Pizza brings something different to the table. While I love traditional Neapolitan-style, blistery thin crust pies, Black Sheep’s coal-fired pizza—with its chewy, crisp, sturdy and slightly charred crust—has a nostalgic East Coast vibe that always hits the spot. The menu is… Read More →
Kramarczuk’s Sausage Company Kramarczuk’s is an iconic Twin Cities restaurant and deli, serving Eastern European sausages and comfort classics for more than 50 years. Wasyl and Anna Kramarczuk moved to the United States from Ukraine in 1949. In the 50s, they bought an established butcher shop in Northeast Minneapolis, started making sausages and quickly became… 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 →
Baltimore-style Country Club Crab Cakes By Andrew Zimmern This is my favorite crab cake recipe. If you don’t overmix and don’t pack your mounds too tightly, you will experience pure, unadulterated crab cake heaven. It’s a true Baltimore-style country club crab cake, without filler ingredients. I make these in double batches and put the leftovers… Read More →
The Easiest Way to Make Fresh Tomato Puree Here’s a great tip for making fresh tomato puree, all you need is a box grater and ripe tomatoes. Make a big batch when tomatoes are at their peak and freeze for use all year long. Ready to cook? Try one of these recipes: Mussels Fra… Read More →
Grilled Rack of Lamb with Eggplant Salad & Bacon Fat Tortillas By Andrew Zimmern Grilling a rack of lamb may seem daunting, but it couldn’t be easier. Before you grill the lamb, make sure to cut as much surface fat as you can to avoid sooty flare-ups. In this recipe, I season the lamb with… Read More →
Wok-Charred Tuna with Miso Sauce By Andrew Zimmern
Marla’s Caribbean Cuisine Located just south of Powderhorn Park, Marla’s Caribbean Cuisine is justifiably famous for its incredibly fresh, spicy, from scratch, honest and delicious Pan-Caribe style food. Marla is a doyenne of jerk and an expert with the hallmark Caribbean mashup of Indian, Creole and Latin flavors. I can typically take down… Read More →
Szechuan Spice Of all the great regional Chinese cuisines, Sichuan food holds a special place in my heart. While we don’t have as many great Chinese restaurants as I would like in Minnesota, we do have a few that absolutely blow me away and Szechuan Spice in Uptown is one of them. It’s best to… Read More →
Mexican-Inspired Recipes The breadth and depth of Mexico’s culinary traditions are unrivaled. If you are looking for some Mexican-inspired recipes check out this guide with some of my favorite ones! Frozen Margaritas You can easily make these party drinks non-alcoholic, just omit the tequila and Grand Marnier and add a little extra sugar. Get… Read More →
Brasa Rotisserie For years, Brasa Rotisserie has been the go-to for Creole-style rotisserie chicken and Southern-inspired sides. From the mind of James Beard award-winning chef Alex Roberts, Brasa is a casual, convivial spot where meals are best had family style. They’re known for a mash-up of Southern-Caribbean-Mexican-Creole dishes, like slow roasted pork doused with fresh… 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 →
9 Ways to Celebrate Pi(e) Pi Day is 3/14, and while this made-up holiday has nothing in common with our favorite dessert, we have no problem dedicating a whole day to baking and eating pie. Here are nine sweet and savory ways to indulge. Lattice-Top Blueberry Pie As far as pie fillings go, this one… Read More →
11 Ways to Cook Everyone’s Favorite Crustacean Shrimp are easy to prepare, cook quickly and pair well with many different flavors. From Vietnamese spring rolls and Japanese tempura, to spicy barbecue shrimp and spring paella, the possibilities are endless. Grilled, fried, sautéed, baked and poached, here are my favorite ways to cook the beloved seafood. Shrimp… Read More →
A Taste of New Orleans in Your Kitchen Mardi Gras is an annual excuse to eat, drink and celebrate all day long before the start of Lent. Next to king cake and party beads, you can’t forgo a meal of classic Creole and Cajun flavors. Here are a few of my favorite recipes for a… Read More →
