This recipe came to me not from Jamaica but from Grand Cayman. I spent 3 weeks at a dive lodge way out on the eastern end of the island. The deal was I would cook for the guests in exchange for a room and 3 dives a day (sometimes 4 if there was a night dive). You know it was a well-negotiated agreement because all parties felt as though they got the better...
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Not secret in the sense of nobody knows about it—at least 125 million Japanese people are in on it—but secret in the sense of unexpected, always on hand and incredibly taste-altering. Gomashio is good on all the things you would expect it to be good on—like rice, grilled salmon or udon soup. It’s also good on quite a few things you may not expect, like ice...
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Who wouldn’t love something called a toasted bread niblet? (I don’t know what else to call them, so TBN it is.) Next time you find yourself with a few minutes to kill and a nub of a baguette that is too hard to use for anything else, make a panful of TBN: Put a piece of stale bread in a sturdy plastic bag. Whack it with a meat mallet or small...
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With just a drizzle of olive oil and a scattering of anchovies, red and yellow bell peppers make a beautiful and simple little dish. Same goes for serving them with sliced mozzarella and torn fresh basil leaves–a nice change from Insalata Caprese. Hotter peppers, like poblanos, can be tossed with strips of bell peppers and a lime-olive oil dressing...
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We’re not supposed to assume anything, but in this day and age I assume that everyone likes garlic. I don’t limit its use or place in the meal when I cook for people. That goes for me too. With a head of garlic on hand, I feel as though I can conquer the world, or at least dinner. Volumes have been written on garlic—it’s place in folklore, in civilizations...
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Here are three simple steps that will make any pasta dish you cook better. Guaranteed. They are simple tips and within the reach of anyone who can bring a pot of water to a boil. First, never dump pasta onto a platter or plate and spoon the sauce over it. Pasta and sauce need a little time together in the pan so they can get acquainted. Here’s how I do it,...
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