Photo By Debra Samuels Boston Globe, January 21, 2009 This Chinese chicken hot pot combines the heartiness of a casserole with a light, warming chicken broth. Slices of fresh ginger root and scallions are two aromatics that signal that this is not Grammy Greenberg’s Jewish penicillin. But like hers and other pots of chicken soup, …
Read moreBy Debra Samuels Boston Globe, December 17, 2008 Kasha varnishkes Serves 8 Eastern-European Jewish immigrants brought kasha varnishkes to this country at the turn of the 20th century. Kasha is roasted buckwheat groats; varnishkes means noodles in Yiddish (bow ties are now classic), and Wolff’s Kasha is the brand most cooks use. Mix eggs into …
Read moreThis is an updated version of the old presentation that is served with vanilla ice cream and liquer-infused whipped cream. Here the berries are macerated in Cointreau and sugar. Strawberries Romanoff Ingredients: Serves 4 1 quart strawberries, rinsed and hulled (leave 4 berry stems intact) 1/4 cup Cointreau or other orange liqueur or orange juice …
Read moreThe cucumbers in this recipe are slightly crushed under the broad part of the blade of a knife. This breaks the skin of the cucumber creating a craggy surface to allow the hot sesame oil and dressing to seep in instead of slide off. Listen for the sizzle as the hot oil hits the cold …
Read moreThis simple but flavorful Chinese soup cooks up in a flash. Aromatic sesame oil and spicy Vietnamese sauce Sriracha are added at the end for maximum impact. Changhai’s Shrimp Soup Ingredients: Serves 4 1/4 pound shrimp, peeled and cooked 2 1/2 cups chicken stock* 2 slices ginger, smashed 2 scallions, smashed 3 tablespoons tomato paste …
Read moreThese little onions make a wonderful condiment with roasted meat dishes, as part of an antipasto platter or served on their own as an appetizer served with drinks. Sweet and Sour Onions Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds cipolline, Italian baby onions or yellow pearl onions 4 1/4 cups water 1 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup white wine …
Read moreThese sushi pieces are served on a platter sprinkled with scallions, with soy sauce. To dip the pieces, turn them salmon side down; if you dip the rice end first, the pieces fall apart. Ingredients: Rice (about 30 bite-size pieces) 2 1/2 cups short-grain white rice 2 3/4 cups water 5 tablespoons rice wine vinegar …
Read moreMaking your own pizza dough is not the fuss you may think. In Italy pizza is served in individual size portions and fills an 8-inch plate. The crust is crispy and the toppings are exactly what you want! Don’t be afraid of the yeast. Kids will love watching the dough rise and punching it down. …
Read moreThis is a classic Japanese home style preparation for eggplant. The dish is served hot or cold. The eggplants are first scored and then soaked in water to remove some of the natural bitterness and then patted dry. They are then sautéed in oil and a bit of sugar to form a sweet crust. Eriko’s …
Read moreI was offered these homemade candied orange rinds that Giovanna Catinella, brought as a gift for the hostess at a dinner party in Palermo, Italy. The slender matchsticks of bitter orange with their crunchy sugar coating, were passed around with the digestive Amaro, a dark, spicy, bitter liqueur. Ingredients: about 100 strips 5 large thick-skinned …
Read moreSomewhere between a soup and a savory bread pudding lies aquacotta “cooked water”- a traditional peasant dish from Tuscany that uses stale bread, tomatoes, onions and whatever vegetables are available. Its name reflects its origins– lean times for farmers. When things were better, perhaps each member of the family would add an egg atop the …
Read moreTOKYO – Peanuts! Popcorn! Squid jerky, anyone? The Boston Red Sox play their season opener nine days from now at the Tokyo Dome, once home field to their relief pitcher Hideki Okajima, a former member of the Yomiuri Giants. And instead of those sausage and onion subs on Yawkey Way, fans will be munching dried …
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