Creamy Polenta with Pork Ragù By Andrew Zimmern Nothing says comfort food like a rich, hearty tomato sauce poured over a bowl of creamy polenta. This recipe feeds an army—with leftovers—so be prepared to freeze the extras for easy weeknight meals to come, or simply cut the recipe in half.
Highlights from the Southern Barbecue Trail I’ll line up at Aaron Franklin’s a thousand times to eat his brisket, but traveling through Georgia and the Carolinas along the Southern barbecue trail was truly unforgettable. Barbecue has humble beginnings. It’s essentially American, a meal for gatherings that has a diverse range of styles, techniques and influences.… Read More →
Where to Find Great Comfort Food in the Windy City By Bob & Sue In addition to three of our favorite fine dining restaurants in Chicago—Grace, Alinea and 16 at the Trump—we enjoyed several first time places for memorable comfort food: Credit: Huge Galdones Momotaro This large Japanese restaurant offers delicious sushi and high-quality small… Read More →
Deep Fry Like a Pro The word ‘fried’ is one of the most maligned terms in the kitchen. There’s no denying that fried foods aren’t the healthiest thing you can put in your mouth. But let’s face it, we’re pleasure seekers at heart and a little fried food every now and again is soul satisfying.… Read More →
My Best Hanukkah Recipes The Festival of Lights refers to a lamp in the temple that had only enough oil to last the Maccabees one night but instead lasted for eight. The holiday celebrates the miracle of the oil, so fried foods are the perfect Hanukkah metaphor. If you’re sick of latkes and donuts, think… Read More →
The Rice Topper of Your Dreams By Masaharu Morimoto You can’t get much simpler than this lunchtime classic, the rice topper of your dreams: a handful of ingredients, a very brief marinade, and a quick trip in a hot pan. Once it’s done, the sugar and mirin have helped the pork caramelize, the sharp ginger… 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 →
Cebiche a Tonno By Andrew Zimmern This flavor-packed ceviche pairs fresh tuna with a spicy ancho chile paste, salty capers, tart lemon and fresh herbs. The beauty of ceviche is that it gives a cook plenty of leeway to experiment with their food, so feel free to add your own twist.
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 →
Kansas City Competitive Barbecue Once known for its stockyards, Kansas City is still famous for its incredibly diverse barbecue scene. It’s a barbecue obsessed town, with dozens of restaurants serving amazing ribs, burnt ends, pulled pork and brisket. But I found that some of the best barbecue is in the backyard smokers getting ready for the competition circuit. Here,… Read More →
Where to Eat Tuna Eyes in Okinawa Japan’s version of a neighborhood bar, the izakaya has been an integral part of the country’s culture since the 1600s. They were the original gastropubs, serving shareable tapas-style small plates to sake-soaked patrons way before it was the trend. Today, izakaya specialties are some of the most beloved… Read More →
Classic Sicilian Caponata By Andrew Zimmern Caponata is a wonderful Sicilian snack made with sweet and sour roasted eggplant, onions and tomatoes. If you have a lot of eggplants to use up, I suggest making a big batch of caponata and canning or freezing the leftovers. You’ll thank me mid-winter when you open up a jar… Read More →
Almejas y Langosta Enchilado By Andrew Zimmern This Floribbean-Cuban-inspired enchilado is especially delicious on a cool summer evening when the shellfish is at its peak. It’s typically served over rice, but I always serve it over rigatoni, ditali or other similarly shaped pasta to soak up all the sauce. Take note: this recipe makes a… Read More →
15 recipes for a Memorial Day Barbecue From grilled salads and classic fried chicken to easy homemade baked beans and an ultra-moist angel food cake, here are 15 ways to welcome summer. • 7 Easy Tips for Grilling • Grills Gone Wild • Up Your Salsa Game
Dr Pepper-Brined Smoked Turkey Legs By Andrew Zimmern Smoked turkey legs shouldn’t just be reserved for walking around the Renaissance festival or Disneyland. As long as you have a little patience, they’re easy to make, delicious and pretty economical next to that brisket you were looking at. The Dr Pepper brine is magic. Once you… Read More →
Austin City Bites By Bob & Sue A weekend in the country’s fastest growing city (which embraces its reputation for being weird, as well as the Live Music Capital of the World) included memorable dinners at a prominent food critic’s three favorite restaurants: Qui Credit: Nicolai McCrary Philippine native Paul Qui delivers an eclectic combination of… 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 →
La Barbecue’s Top 5 for Austin In the crowded, competitive and often ruthless Texas barbecue scene, La Barbecue sits among the best of the best. Sure it helps that owner LeAnn Mueller hails from barbecue royalty—her grandfather founded Taylor, Texas’ Louie Mueller Barbecue in 1949, a temple of smoked meat that never fails to impress.… Read More →
Robert Stehling’s Top Picks for Charleston For the past decade, chef Robert Stehling’s Low Country fare at the acclaimed Hominy Grill has rivaled the best grandmother food in the South. His Charleston Nasty Biscuit—fried chicken, cheddar and sausage gravy, sandwiched in the perfect biscuit—has a loyal following, as do other favorites like catfish po’ boys,… 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 →
Appetizers for a New Year’s Eve Bash Skip the pricey pre-fixe menus and over-crowded bars, and host your own New Year’s Eve soiree. There’s no better way to ring in the new year than a spread of finger foods and a house full of friends and family. Here are a few of my favorite hor d’oeuvres, from… Read More →
Gift Ideas for the Cook in Your Life From fun stocking stuffers and edible indulgences (Roe Caviar, I’m looking at you), to inspiring cookbooks and splurge-worthy kitchen gadgets (who doesn’t want a high-powered blow torch for the perfect golden sear?), here is my gift giving guide for 2015. • • • EAT & DRINK READ … Read More →
4 Rules for Better Braising Everyone loves to braise, and the mythology indicates that it’s easy, but it’s not—it’s simple (and there is a difference). But for everyone who thinks that braising is forgiving, I would remind you of the last dried-out pot roast you’ve eaten. Here are some handy tips for braising. Brown well.… Read More →
Authentic Maya Cuisine For the past 20 years, owner Doña Ofira de Urquizú and her family have served dishes from the 21 unique Maya cultures. Facing the old cobblestone streets of Antigua, the restaurant’s storefront is lined with ceramic pots of thick rustic stews that are the heart and soul of Maya cooking. One of the specialties… Read More →
Devour London A global hub of history, finance, fashion and food, London is incredibly accessible, reliable and popular for tourists. As England’s capital grows increasingly diverse, so do the culinary offerings. From high-end Michelin-rated tasting menus and an influx of chef-driven gastropubs to roaming food trucks and amazing ethnic food from around the globe, there… Read More →
Catch me on EVINE Live, September 8 at 11am & 4pm ET. I’m teaming up with New York City’s all-star butcher and meat purveyor Pat LaFrieda to offer a curated selection of meats and sausages for EVINE Live. From custom-blend beef burgers and tomahawk pork chops, to harissa-infused Merguez lamb sausages, you won’t be able to find… Read More →
Iconic Oaxacan Food in LA For more than 20 years, Guelaguetza has been a stalwart in Los Angeles’ robust Mexican restaurant scene. From mole to mezcal, they serve some of the best Oaxacan specialties in the United States. Be sure to try their signature mole negro, served either with chicken and hand-made fresh tortillas, layered in their tlayudas (a… Read More →
Feeding the Fire When Joe Carroll opened Brooklyn’s Fette Sau in 2007, he was among the very first pioneers to bring legit barbecue to New York City. A couple years ago, the New Jersey-native expanded his operation to Philadelphia, adding a second Fette Sau to his roster of restaurants (which also includes the neighborhood steakhouse… Read More →
Low & Slow Barbecue Pulled Pork By Andrew Zimmern This melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork is so tender. Eat it as is or put it in a sandwich. But don’t forget to relax and be patient, because the best barbecued pork takes time. Like this recipe? Save it on Pinterest!
Brilliant, Progressive Mexican Cuisine In a pint-sized, 12-seat restaurant operating out of a once abandoned rail car on the outskirts of San Antonio, chefs Diego Galicia, Rico Torres and the rest of their 5-person team showcase regional Mexican cuisine with modernist techniques. Every six weeks they create an entirely new menu highlighting specialties from one… Read More →
