Crock-Pot Chicken Stock By Andrew Zimmern An essential building block of cooking that can transform the flavor of a dish, chicken stock is the single greatest ingredient you can make in your kitchen. Using a crock pot is a no-hassle way to cook stocks, simply load it up, set it to 200 degrees and let… 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 Clams Clams are definitely one of my top five desert island foods. During my childhood summers, my dad and I would spend the day clamming in the bay of Long Island’s South Fork. We’d poach and steam them, add them to chowder or cioppino, or shuck them and simply enjoy on the… Read More →
How to Shell a Lobster Buying a live lobster, dispatching it, cooking it properly and then extracting all of the meat can be an intimidating process. I totally get it. However, if you love lobster—or are trying to impress someone with a luxurious meal—cooking it at home is easier than you think and far more… Read More →
How to Kill a Lobster Dispatching a lobster is most likely what’s preventing you from cooking it at home, but learning the proper and most humane way to do it will make it less intimidating. I believe the most humane way to kill a lobster is to first put it in the freezer for 5… Read More →
Pasta Carbonara By Andrew Zimmern This elegant Roman pasta is simple to make and one of the most soul-satisfying meals I can think of. It’s superb even without fussy ingredients, but it becomes HEAVENLY with a seriously good cheese, and orange-yolked farm fresh eggs. It will change your life. Watch Andrew make this recipe: Like… Read More →
Cocktail Sauce By Andrew Zimmern An essential condiment for steamed, poached or fried seafood, here is my recipe for the perfect cocktail sauce. I’m sticking to tradition, mixing chili sauce—not ketchup—with a healthy dose of freshly prepared horseradish and a squeeze of lemon. Watch Andrew make this recipe:
Homemade Shellfish Stock By Andrew Zimmern Always, always, always save your leftover shells and bones in bags in your freezer to make rich, homemade stocks and broths. It’s an ingredient that is guaranteed to take your cooking to the next level. Today, I’m making a shellfish stock with leftover lobster and shrimp shells for my shrimp… Read More →
Muffuletta Sandwich By Andrew Zimmern The muffuletta is a classic New Orleans sandwich made famous by Central Grocery, layered with a few different cured meats, provolone and a tangy olive and tomato relish that soaks into the crusty bread. It’s a fun, easy and delicious way to feed a crowd. I happen to like adding… Read More →
Hunan-Style Peanut Sauce By Andrew Zimmern This classic Hunan-style peanut sauce is one of my favorites for dipping, glazing and enjoying with all sorts of Asian food. It’s great with sticky rice, fried chicken summer rolls, ribs, chicken satay, pork belly or chicken off the grill. Watch Andrew make this recipe:
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 →
My Best Super Bowl Recipes Of course I’m disappointed the Vikings won’t be winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy on their home turf, but I am thankful for an amazing season and ready to welcome the world to Minnesota for Super Bowl 52 and the best week of events in NFL history. If you didn’t score tickets… Read More →
Bizarre Foods Season Premiere January 23 9|8c on Travel Channel From the North Woods of the fabled Paul Bunyan to the Mexico City of the Aztecs, this is one of the most exciting seasons of Bizarre Foods we’ve ever made. I’m revealing the food and stories behind notable characters, cultures and mythology, both here in the… Read More →
Easy Guacamole By Andrew Zimmern Guacamole is the perfect healthy snack for entertaining while the big game is on. The simplicity of this version really lets the flavor of the avocado shine. Watch Andrew make this recipe:
Homemade Crispy Onion Rings By Andrew Zimmern With a light and crispy batter, these buttermilk fried onion rings are a perfect snack for game day, or as part of a backyard burger bash side dish. It’s a classic Southern-style recipe, with an extra flavor boost from my Lemon & Shallots spice blend and hot sauce. Make sure… Read More →
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 →
“I would like to say that what I fear are the challenges that stand in front of me, when in reality what I fear is the cowardice that lays within me.” – Craig Lounsbrough 2017 was a crazy year for me filled with ups and downs, mistakes made, tragedies big and small, successes and disappointments,… Read More →
Tips for Cooking with Red Wine Rule of thumb: When you’re cooking with wine, always use a wine you’d be proud to serve your guests, because as you reduce it, you magnify the good and the bad flavors. My favorite red wines to cook with are Rhone wines from Guigal. Ready to cook? Here… Read More →
How to Make Chicken Lollipops Looking for a fun presentation for chicken wings or legs? Learn how to make chicken lollipops, an easy frenching technique where you scrape the meat away from the bone to create a lollipop shape. The chicken will be more succulent and easy to eat with its bone handle. Learn how… Read More →
Figs & Smoked Mozzarella Wrapped in Prosciutto By Andrew Zimmern Smoky, salty and sweet, these prosciutto-wrapped figs with smoked mozzarella are a perfectly balanced appetizer that only takes a few minutes to throw together. They’re a great addition to a holiday spread and make for a classy upgrade to your game-day finger foods. Watch Andrew… Read More →
Mexican Hot Chocolate By Andrew Zimmern The only thing better than a mug of hot cocoa during the holidays is a mug of homemade Mexican hot chocolate. Rich and spicy with hints of vanilla, nutmeg and allspice, it’s comfort in a cup that warms you from the inside out. Throw away that dusty box of… Read More →
Homemade Eggnog By Andrew Zimmern A rich and creamy holiday drink, eggnog is simple to make at home. It’s worth the extra effort—the store-bought version pales in comparison to the real thing. Serve it plain with a sprinkle of cinnamon, or perfume it with a few tablespoons of bourbon for the adults. Watch Andrew make… Read More →
Chopped Chicken Liver By Andrew Zimmern If you want to cook like a baller Jewish grandmother, this chopped chicken liver is a great place to start. My Bubbe made this to-die-for dish for every holiday meal. It’s been one of my favorite recipes since I was a kid when I would spend hours upon hours… Read More →
Fried Eggs By Andrew Zimmern I like to hard sear my fried eggs in browned butter because I love the wonderful crispy edges. Every cook should master this easy technique—there are so many dishes that benefit from a runny-yolk fried egg topping, like a brisket breakfast hash or my riff on pasta carbonara. Watch Andrew… 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 →
El Taco Riendo There are a handful of spots in the Twin Cities that I can rely on for excellent Mexican food, and El Taco Riendo is one of them. Located on Central Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis, the fast casual restaurant has a Chipotle-style ordering system where your meal is made fresh in front of… Read More →
Hollandaise Sauce By Andrew Zimmern Mastering this classic French mother sauce is a skill every cook should learn—it provides a base for many other sauces and is a versatile technique to have in your back pocket. Making traditional hollandaise can be intimidating, many attempts to emulsify butter and egg yolks have certainly resulted in a… Read More →
My Grandmother’s Meatloaf By Andrew Zimmern This is a hearty meatloaf of beef, pork and veal studded with flavorful vegetables. Just like my grandmother, I like to put one slice of bacon on the bottom of the loaf pan to aromatize the dish, and another on top to baste it while it cooks. If you’re… Read More →
Pho 79 As the cold weather settles in, all I’m craving is a steaming bowl of pho with rich, flavorful beef broth. Lucky for me, the Twin Cities are a pho-lover’s paradise. And in a town chock-full of great Vietnamese restaurants, it’s difficult to name the best, so I won’t go there. What I can… Read More →
Chocolate Swirl Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe by Zoë François I am in desperate need of lessons when it comes to baking, and I can’t think of a better teacher than my friend Zoë François, an award-winning baker and author of the best-selling Bread in Five Minutes series. She is sharing her recipe for a ridiculously moist… Read More →
