Mardi Gras Special: Red Beans and Rice � Comfortably Yum

Any time someone asks the question, �What exactly is soul food,� the answer should always be a comforting bowl of red beans and rice. Just sit them down, give them a spoon, and when they finish, ask them if they understand. They will.

Like I say in the intro, there are thousands of ways you can make this, using all sorts of smoked pig parts and sausages, but there are really only two ways you can serve it � thin and soupy, or thick and creamy.

Once you slowly simmered your beans, and they�re very, very soft and tender, and your meats are falling apart, you�re ready to serve. If you ladle it up as is, you�ll have something that�s fairly loose, with most of the beans still whole. It�s great like this, and based on my travels to New Orleans, the more common style.

However, another popular technique is to smash and stir some of the cooked beans into the mixture as you continue cooking. This creates a much thicker, and creamier consistency, which I really enjoy when I want something a bit more substantial. It�s closer to a chili texture, and I love how the rice sticks to it.

This is totally up to personal taste, so if you�ve never made it before, try some on rice as soon as the beans are tender, and it�s still pretty juicy. Check it out, and then, if you want, you can continue cooking/smashing/stirring to end up closer to where I did.

Regardless of how thick you make yours, you�ll want to soak your beans overnight in cold water before starting the recipe. If you forget, which you will, you can always use the quick method. Bring the beans to a boil in large pot of water, turn off the heat, and let it sit there for an hour or so to soften up, and become easier to digest.

If you put enough meat in it, this is more than a meal, but it also makes a great side dish for barbeque, or pretty much anything. Throw in some collard greens, and maybe some cornbread, and let the good times roll. I hope you give this easy, red beans and recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

12 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced or cubed

1 cup finely diced onion

3/4 cup finely diced celery

3/4 cup finely diced green peppers

4 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 smoked ham hock

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 quarts chicken broth or water, plus more as needed to adjust consistency

1 pound red kidney beans, soaked overnight

about 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
hot sauce to taste

Beef and Barley Stew � Cold Enough for You?

We�re currently right in the middle of stew season, and this beautiful bowl of beef and barley would be perfect for your next super-storm. 

Nope, we can�t do anything about our crazy weather, at least according to a handful of climate scientists employed by the oil industry, but what we can do something about, is what we�re going to eat while we watch the snow pile up.

When it comes to stick-to-your-ribs stews, it doesn�t get any better than shank.  There�s so much gelatin-producing connective tissue, that it makes an especially satisfying sauce for your meat and grain. 

Speaking of grain; I use something called �naked barley,� which I thought was just a catchy name for polished, or �pearl barley," but apparently it�s actually a rare variety where the hull comes off naturally during harvesting. I still say it�s a clever marketing ploy, but no matter which barley you choose, you�re still going to just cook it until tender.

By the way, with recipes like this be sure to have some extra broth or stock on hand, in case your stew gets too thick at the end. And yes, you can add extra liquid and easily turn this into a stellar soup. If you can find some fresh horseradish root, I highly recommend trying my snowy garnish. It really adds a nice, little sharp counterpoint to the sticky stew. I hope you give it a try soon.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for four servings:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 pounds beef shank (2 thick slices), seasoned generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped fine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
2/3 cup diced celery
2/3 cup diced carrots

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 cup pearl or naked barley

salt to taste (if it tastes bland, you need more salt)

freshly grated horseradish root

- Cook beef shank until tender, then remove, and cook the barley in the stewing liquid until tender. Heat beef in cooked barley. That's it.

Fesenjan (Duck Stewed with Pomegranate and Walnuts) � Better Later Than Never!

Sorry for the delay, but if there's anything that deserves the �better late than never� tag, this duck fesenjan is it. A savory stew featuring duck, pomegranate, and walnuts, which is every bit as exotic as it sounds.

Keep in mind, I�m brand-new to Persian food, so this is just my interpretation of the ancient classic. I�m assuming like most similar recipes, every household has their own version, and this kind of thing can be obviously, and easily be tailored to your tastes.

The ingredients are simple and easy to manipulate. If you have trouble finding pomegranate syrup, or pomegranate molasses as it�s sometimes called, check out the online retailers, but you can actually make your own.

If you want to try, check out this recipe from my friend Elise, from Simply Recipes. It takes an hour or so, but its usefulness goes far beyond this duck recipe. By the way, if you're not down with Simply Recipes, you really should be. Elise has an amazing collection of recipes. 

Regarding the duck, I like to sear the meat in a pan, since you'll get faster and deeper browning. The high sides of a Dutch oven can sometimes hold in moisture and you won�t get the same results. As long as you deglaze the pan, nothing is lost.

Other than that, it�s a very straightforward recipe. Just stew everything until the meat is tender, but not totally falling apart; then reduce the sauce until as thick and intensely flavored as you want. I really hope you give this Persian duck stew a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 to 10 Duck Legs or chicken leg quarters, seared in vegetable oil until browned

1 tbsp reserved duck fat

3-4 tbsp olive oil

2 cups diced yellow onion

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

6 cups chicken broth, or more as need to adjust liquid levels

1/4 cup honey

2/3 cup pomegranate syrup aka molasses

3 cups walnut halves, ground

salt and pepper to taste

Bay Scallop Chowder � Looks Good?

Every once in a while I make a dish that no matter how great it tastes, I just can�t get past how it looks, and that was the case with this very easy, incredibly delicious scallop chowder. 

The main culprit was the caramelization from the bacon and onions, which provided great flavor, but the hue they imparted, along with the pale green celery, and yellow potatoes, made things kind of dingy.

I could have browned the scallops first, and gone even further to the dark side, but scallops this small and sweet need to be eaten as soon as they�re cooked, and by the time we reheated them in the soup, they�d be hard, dry, and disappointing.

Maybe it�s just me. I hope that�s the case here, otherwise we�re going to need to brainstorm some kind of make-over, because this bowl of chowder is too good not to make. If you do make it, and want a thicker, more traditional chowder base, simply mash some of your potatoes into the mixture.

A roux can also be used to tighten things up, but since scallops are so rich, I prefer the lighter texture seen herein. So whether you figure out a way to pretty this up or not, I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions of Bay Scallop Chowder:

2 tsp olive oil

2 slices bacon

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 rib celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (8-oz) bottle clam juice

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 red Frenso chili, fine dice

1/2 cup cream

1 cup cubed Yukon gold potatoes

freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne

salt to taste

1 tsp fresh lemon zest

1 pound bay scallops

1 tbsp fresh tarragon

Chicken Tikka Masala � God Save the Curry

I probably get more requests for Indian food than any other ethnic cuisine, so I was very excited to be posting this chicken tikka masala; until I found out it�s actually a British recipe. It was the same feeling I had when I found out that pizza wasn�t invented in New York. 

So technically, I still owe you an authentic Indian recipe, but in the meantime I think this will do nicely. While this is a stripped-down version, where we�ve cut out several time-consuming steps, it was still incredibly delicious, and very Indian curry-like. 

As I mention in the video, this is usually done with heavy cream, but I like to use coconut milk instead. It�s probably a little better for you, but above and beyond that, the subtle sweetness it provides works beautifully with the spices in the dish.

By the way, you can substitute chicken breast here, but since we�re not doing the traditional yogurt marinade first, I believe thighs work much better in this version. Usually chicken breasts are marinated in yogurt first, and then cooked in a tandoor oven, before being added to the sauce. It is a great way to do it, but even without that step, I thought this was excellent. So, I hope you give this American version of a British version of an Indian curry a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions of Chicken Tikka Masala:

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoons ground turmeric

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 or 3 tablespoons clarified butter

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup tomato paste

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 rounded tbsp finely grated peeled ginger

1 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato puree

1 can (13.5-oz) coconut milk, or about 1 2/3 cups heavy cream

1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth, or as needed (use to adjust sauce consistency to you liking)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

salt to taste

4 cups steamed rice

A Summer Stew for Spring

I was trying to think of a spring recipe to repost today that would highlight a seasonal vegetable, but instead decided to use a summer recipe that could highlight all of them. 

That�s right, this summery sausage stew is absolutely perfect for enjoying any and all of those spring veggies you�ll be seeing at the farmers market. Baby carrots, English peas, new potatoes, and other tender, green offerings will shine alongside your favorite sausage in this easy stew. Click here to read the original post. Enjoy!

Irish Pork Stew with Baby Cabbage � What We Should Be Eating on St. Patrick�s Day

I�m sure you�ve heard by now that corned beef and cabbage is not authentic St. Patrick�s Day food. It wasn�t until Irish immigrants, fleeing the great potato famine, arrived in New York, and started hanging out in delicatessens that brisket became the cabbage-adjacent meat of choice.

I assume it was the potato knishes� siren song that initially drew them in, but eventually they got hooked on the corned beef, and the rest is history. So, I decided to do a little mash-up (and mash-under), and this Irish pork stew with baby cabbage was the result. By the way, �baby cabbage� can be a little hard to find, but you can use Brussels sprouts, and no one will know the difference�mostly because there isn�t one.

You can cook them in the stew if you want, but the timing can be tricky, and trust me, you don�t want to eat �baby cabbage� that�s been cooked too long; no one does, So, I highly recommend blanching them first, and warming through at the end.

Since we are using Guinness, I will admit this isn�t a beginner�s stew. The stout gives a ton of flavor, but also a slightly bitter note, which some people do not enjoy. I balanced it with the balsamic vinegar and caraway seed, and it was absolutely wonderful, but I think it�s worth mentioning.

You can leave it out, use a lighter beer, or just splash in some extra stock. Anyway, if you�re looking for beautiful alternative to that traditional �authentic� St. Patrick�s Day meal, then I hope you give this a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions Irish Pork Stew:

2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic clove, minced

2 generous tbsp flour

1 bay leaf

3/4 teaspoon caraway seed

1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness Draft or other dark beer

3 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 ribs celery, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cups chicken broth, more as needed

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
12 Brussels sprouts, halved, blanched

mashed potatoes to serve over

When I Think March, I Think Peanuts

For some arbitrary reason, March is National Peanut Month, and to help kick it off, here are a couple of video recipes that feature this great American legume. You can�t beat a warm stew on a cold night, and they don�t get much warmer than red beef curry. The peanuts may seem like a minor player, but they make the dish.

If you want your peanuts more liquid than solid, then by all means, check out this great, and very easy satay dipping sauce. You seriously can�t run out of things to stick in there. 

I hope you give them a try soon, and here�s wishing you a happy and safe National Peanut Month. Click on the titles if you want to read the original post, and see the ingredients. Enjoy!

Red Beef Curry

Peanut Dipping Sauce

Pork �Al Latte� � Now 100% Milk Free!

This comforting pork stew recipe is exactly the kind of homey dish you want waiting for you after a long, hard week�and maybe a 13-hour drive. Unfortunately, I made this last week, so I couldn�t actually enjoy it today, after a long, hard week and 13-hour drive, but just editing it made me feel better. It was that good.

This stew version is inspired by the classic Italian recipe, �maiale al latte,� or �pork in milk,� but instead of the usual moo juice, I decided to make my own with chicken broth and cr�me fraiche. I figured I�d get the same basic viscosity and fat content (okay, maybe a tad more), but also a little more flavor, and a better texture once reduced.

I topped it with some fried sage, which is an optional, messy, but delicious extra step, and makes this much more restauranty. Simply heat a 1/2-inch of vegetable oil in a small pan, and toss in some (not wet!) whole sage leaves. Fry until crisp, about 10-15 seconds

The classic preparation involves braising and slicing a whole roast, but one taste and I think you�ll agree it translates beautifully to the stew delivery system. I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

1 1/2 pound pork shoulder, cut in 2-inch cubes (note: I only had 1 pound, but the recipe will work with another half, which will make four nice portions)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 strips bacon

1 small yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup cr�me fraiche

2 tbsp fresh chopped sage leaves, plus more for frying

salt and pepper to taste

red chili flakes to taste

*Simmer covered for 1 hour, and then uncovered until the meat is very tender, and the sauce is thickened. Adjust with more broth if needed.

Southern-Style Green Beans � Slow Beans for Fast Times

One of the sadder side effects of the American culinary renaissance we�ve enjoyed over the last thirty or forty years, has been the chronic under-cooking of green vegetables. Sure, there was a time when we cooked everything too long, but now, if it�s not bright green and still crispy, it�s considered ruined.

That�s why every once and a while you have to enjoy something like these slow-cooked, southern-style green beans. These beans are cooked forever in a bacon-spiked, aromatic broth, and when they�re finally done, you�re almost shocked at how good they are. It seems so wrong, yet tastes so right.

I think two hours is perfect, but if your beans are fatter/thinner, you�ll have to adjust the time. What you�re looking for is something that literally melts in your mouth. Vibrant, quickly blanched green beans are many things, but �melt in your mouth� isn�t one of them. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
1 handful sliced bacon (6 oz)

1 sliced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup tomato sauce

3 cups chicken broth

salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

View the complete recipe

Summer Squash & Sausage Stew � Supply and Demand

This simple squash and sausage stew represents my idea of the perfect summer supper. It�s very comforting, relatively fast, wonderfully flavorful, and helps solve a problem that�s existed since neighbors started planting gardens; what to do with all that squash.

If you�ve ever planted squash, you know that there�s no stopping this force of nature once it starts producing. Just a single row of plants will yield enough for you, your immediate family, your extended family, your secret second family, your neighbors, traveling salesmen, and anyone else who happens to cross your path.

Far from simply hiding the humble vegetable, this recipe lets the squash be the star. As long as you follow my pleas to let everything get nice and soft and tender, a very fine bowl of food awaits you and your crusty hunk of bread. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 tsp olive oil

1 pound Andouille sausage, or other spicy, smoked sausage

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves minced garlic

1 cup crushed tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth, or as needed

2 pounds summer squash, cut in 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut in 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup diced green pepper

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

freshly ground black pepper and cayenne to taste

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
grated parmesan cheese, optional

View the complete recipe