Honey Rum Plantains By Andrew Zimmern This classic recipe is the best way to cook really ripe sweet plantains. When the skin is mostly black, the plantains are loaded with sugar and perfect for caramelizing in browned butter with honey and rum. Serve them as a side dish for slow-roasted pork, or over vanilla ice… 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 →
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 →
Birchwood Cafe Few Minnesotans have done more for local farmers and purveyors than Tracy Singleton. You can bet everything served at her iconic Seward restaurant was grown organically, sourced ethically, and hails from some cool Midwestern farm. She’s long been an industry leader in sustainable, eco-friendly practices, and has used her restaurant as a vehicle… Read More →
Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Peppercorns & Mixed Berries By Andrew Zimmern Panna cotta, which literally means “cooked cream,” is an Italian custard-like chilled dessert with a luxurious, silky smooth texture. At its core, it’s a simple mixture of cream, sugar and gelatin. It’s not an egg-based custard, nor does it require a water bath or… Read More →
Fried Chicken Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce By Andrew Zimmern Served at room temperature or chilled and packed with lots of fresh herbs and crisp vegetables, summer rolls are perfect warm-weather food. They’re commonly filled with shrimp and roast pork, which I love, but more often than not, I’m craving these fried chicken summer… 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 →
Blue Door Pub If burgers stuffed with cheese aren’t on your list when you visit Minnesota, then you’re not doing it right. We Minnesotans love to debate who does the best juicy Lucy. There are plenty of spots serving up classic beef burgers with a molten hot cheddar cheese filling, such as perennial favorites Matt’s… Read More →
Wise Acre Eatery It seems just about every restaurant claims to be farm to table. In the case of Wise Acre, it’s part of the business plan. Depending on the time of year, 75 to 95 percent of ingredients originate on sister business Tangletown Gardens’ 100-acre farm in rural Plato, Minnesota, including Scottish highland cattle,… Read More →
Asopao with Chicken & Shrimp By Andrew Zimmern This asopao is true island-style Caribbean magic, an easy one-pot jambalaya to add to your weeknight dinner rotation. I’d suggest you follow the recipe the first couple times you make this dish, then feel free to customize it with whatever meat or seafood you have on hand.… Read More →
The Food & Wine Classic in Aspen is one of the best food events on the planet, and once again they crushed it. Huge love to all the amazing panels and panelists at the AmEx activation, all the chefs and fans, and congrats to the 10 Best New Chefs who were honored all weekend long. Here is… 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 →
Fried Duck Confit with Eucalyptus Honey & Mustard Greens By Richard Blais Who can resist crispy duck skin that gives way to supple, yielding, moist meat? I can’t, which is why I suggest you make this “times two” because you’re sure to want seconds. Or—gasp!—you can indulge in cold fried duck confit tomorrow. Recipe from… Read More →
11 Delicious Ways to Cook Chicken If you’re stuck in a rut with flavorless, boneless chicken breast as the mainstay of your weeknight dinners, I encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and try one of these recipes. Whether it’s grilled, fried, steamed, braised, roasted or tossed in a hot wok, there are hundreds of ways… Read More →
Recipes for a Memorial Day Barbecue Just in time for the unofficial start of summer, here are 10 reasons to fire up that grill. This weekend, I’m mixing traditional Memorial Day fare like low-and-slow barbecued pulled pork with recipes inspired by my travels, such as the Cuban-style Creole chicken and grilled scallops with a Moroccan-inspired red pepper chutney.… Read More →
Nico Osteria By Bob & Sue This Paul Kahan restaurant on Rush Street features imaginative Italian fare. Executive Chef Erling Wu-Bower, a James Beard finalist in 2017, brings his own interpretation to traditional dishes. Crudo selections included Suzuki bass with chili flakes, Madai snapper with a kohlrabi salsa verde, bigeye tuna with black olives and… 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 →
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 →
Thai Coconut Salmon Soup By Andrew Zimmern While following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark in Oregon, I spent a day filming and fishing with Brigette McConville, who is lovingly referred to as the salmon queen along the Columbia River. I was inspired to create this recipe that uses parts of the salmon that… 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 →
Passover Recipes Here are a few of my best recipes for Passover, from the ultimate matzoh ball soup and my grandmother’s chopped chicken liver to roasted lamb and flourless chocolate desserts. Just a warning: I don’t keep kosher in my house, so not all of these recipes are kosher-friendly. Matzoh Ball Soup This is… Read More →
10 Quick Ways to Cook Clams at Home I’ve always loved clams. During my childhood summers, my dad and I would spend the day clamming in the bay of Long Island’s South Fork. I can eat the briny, succulent shellfish by the dozens. Whether you poach them in wine, stuff them with bacon and breadcrumbs or add… 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 →
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 →
Chicken “Al Mattone” By Andrew Zimmern This baby chicken dish from Rome can be made using poussin or cornish hens. Cooking under a heavy weight, such as a foil-wrapped brick in this case, has been practiced for centuries. It ensures a crispy skin and a moist interior.
Spoon and Stable After rising to chef stardom working for Daniel Boulud in NYC, Gavin Kaysen returned home in 2014 to open his first restaurant Spoon and Stable. Located in a beautifully renovated stable in the North Loop, it was the local restaurant opening of the decade. The hometown hero is one of the best… 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 →
Southern Soul Food Takes Root When you think about Minnesotan food, the first thing that comes to mind is… well, anything BUT fried chicken. Lucky for us Northerners, chef Thomas Boemer filled the city’s Southern-food-void with crunchy, succulent Tennessee hot chicken, Johnnycakes and crispy pigs’ ears. They’re also serving one of the best burgers in town… Read More →
A Few Paris Gems By Bob & Sue In addition to our favorite Michelin 3- and 2-star restaurants (L’Astrance, Le Cinq, L’Ambroisie, Pierre Gagnaire, Jean Francoise Piege, and L’Atelier Robuchon), we enjoyed some exciting meals in smaller venues and bistros: Chez Georges This old fashioned bistro delivers classic dishes as well as anyone in… Read More →
