Tostones By Andrew Zimmern Twice-fried plantains, known as tostones, are a delicious side dish or snack found all over Latin America. Fry the plantain slices once to cook them through before you smash them, then again to make them perfectly crisp. Watch Andrew make this recipe:
Fried Whole Yellowtail Snapper By Andrew Zimmern In this country, we tend to eat the same fish over and over again, overfishing some species almost to the point of extinction. The easiest way to become a more sustainable seafood eater is to expand your repertoire and consume smaller whole fish. Plus, cooking head-on, bone-in fish… Read More →
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 →
Gizmo Sandwiches I would rather be at the Minnesota State Fair than anywhere else in the world. Why? The people, the food, the sense of community and tradition. Carla Wood and her Gizmo sandwich embody everything I love about the fair. The Gizmo is a ground beef and Italian sausage sandwich covered in their secret… 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 →
Grilled Octopus with Frisee, Mustard Vinaigrette & Tomato-Pepper Sauce By Andrew Zimmern Octopus is delicious and easy to cook at home, trust me. It may seem intimidating, but I’m hoping this tutorial will encourage you to try it out. This is a set-it-and-forget-it type of meal. Once you’ve cooked the octopus, throw it on a… Read More →
French Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette By Andrew Zimmern Famed French chef Pierre Gagnaire taught me how to make his grandmother’s classic mustard vinaigrette while I was filming an episode of Bizarre Foods in his Paris restaurant. Make a big batch of the dressing base without cream and store it in the fridge to prolong its shelf… Read More →
Tunisian Pepper-Tomato Sauce By Andrew Zimmern I got this recipe from a Tunisian grandmother when I was filming Bizarre Foods nearly a decade ago. It’s become a staple in my house, there’s a jar of this in my fridge at all times.
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 →
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 →
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 →
Scallops in Aguachile Recipe by Chef Carlos Salgado from Taco Maria In the Pacific states of Sinaloa and Nayarit, aguachile de callo de hacha (scallops in chile water) is the Rolls Royce of ceviche dishes, in which the luxurious scallop is bathed in a fiery solution of lime and fresh green chile. Traditionally, only two… 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 →
Griddled Onion Burgers By Andrew Zimmern The first griddled onion burger I tried was made by chef Michael Symon on the set of The Chew—and it was a life changing experience. Last year I visited Sid’s Diner, an American classic in El Reno, Oklahoma famous for onion burgers, while filming Bizarre Foods. Equally delicious but… Read More →
St. Paul’s Hmongtown Marketplace A pillar of the Twin Cities’ Hmong community—which is the largest in the country—the sprawling Hmongtown Marketplace in St. Paul is the next best thing to hopping a flight to Southeast Asia. This market and those making the food represent centuries of Hmong traditions. In warmer months, you’ll find people selling plants,… 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 →
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 →
Grilled Pigeon with Sweet Corn Panzanella By Andrew Zimmern
Key Lime Pie By Andrew Zimmern I’ve searched long and hard for the perfect Key lime pie recipe, and finally found one while filming in Florida from a fireman. The ratios are spot on and the custard turns out perfectly every time. Make this recipe with lemons, Meyer lemons, grapefruits, sour oranges… any citrus that is… Read More →
Make Whipped Cream from Scratch, It’s Easy Canned whipped cream doesn’t even compare to freshly whipped cream. It’s so easy to make, and in my opinion, the best way to top off my favorite dessert—key lime pie. Really, the only mistake you can make is over beating it and turning your cream into butter. When making whipped cream, it’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 →
Cold Cucumber Soup with Yogurt & Dill By Andrew Zimmern This is a really simple Turkish cucumber and yogurt soup that only takes a few minutes to make. The technique couldn’t be easier, you’re basically blending a salad into a refreshing cold soup. I keep jars of this stuff in the fridge all summer long, it’s the… 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 →
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 →
Revival St. Paul This town was a barbecue waste land, until my friends Thomas Boemer and Nick Rancone opened their second location of Revival in St. Paul and decided to add classic smoked meats to the menu, celebrating Boemer’s southern roots. The fried chicken and burger were reason enough to battle the crowds getting their southern comfort… Read More →
