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Young & HungryIf you can't take the heat, get outta the kitchen! |
| 22 September |
With both fall and a park just around the corner, what better way to take advantage of the waning daylight hours than with a picnic? This recipe, which I modified from an old Bon Appétit recipe is a simple yet unique way to spice up your usual chicken salad. It’s perfect for a picnic because Tahini, unlike mayo, doesn’t immediately spoil when out of the fridge. For those that aren’t familiar with Tahini, it’s sesame seed paste (think sesame peanut butter) and is generally found in hummus. So, if you’ve recently experimented with homemade hummus, this is a perfect way to put all that leftover Tahini to good use. Additionally, since there isn’t any cheese or dairy in this recipe, the yogurt and feta dip is a nice compliment to the sandwiches and can be used to make avocado, sprout, and feta pitas the next day.
Katy and I originally made this recipe for an anniversary party we catered. While it made for a pretty and easily assembled appetizer, the amount of prep work involved in deboning and shredding 20 chickens was an experience I am ok never to repeat. One chicken, however, is a breeze in comparison!
| 16 September |
Migas are kind of like chilaquiles with eggs. For those of you that don’t know, chilaquiles are a Mexican tortilla casserole of sorts. I’ll make mine, basically chicken, tortillas, and pico, and provide you with the recipe soon. Speaking of chicken, that might be an excellent addition to the migas. There’s just something about chicken and eggs… I wonder if they figured out which came first?
Anyway, if you’re like me and have restless Sunday syndrome, I always wake up early and get bored waiting for everyone else to stir, why don’t you try making brunch for your friends! There’s nothing like some cooking to keep you busy in the wee hours of the morning when only the unfortunate souls like me are up and at ‘em and everyone will thank you for it!
| 27 May |
TGI eggplant season! I know some aren’t so enthused, but I am a huge fan of the big Barney-esque FRUIT, more specifically aubergine, which also comes in white and green varieties. I am generally questioned upon the purchase of eggplants, “What are you going to make with those?” they ask. Well, what can’t you make? Grill them, fry them, dice & sauté, puree, or… make caponata!
Caponata is a Sicilian dip with a complex sweet yet spicy twang. Eggplant seems to be very popular in Sicilian dishes – god bless Southern Italy. Pasta alla Norma, eggplant parmesan, eggplant rollatini and involtini all originate in Sicily. Perhaps this is because Italy is one of the top ten producers of eggplant, the majority coming from China & India. If you’re a fan like me just google one of the aforementioned dishes and watch for a soon to come post on baba ghanoush – a Greek take on eggplant dip.
NOTE: If you find yourself addicted it is no fault of your own. Eggplant has a higher nicotine content than any other edible plant, hence the bitter flavor when raw! While the bitterness can be removed by salting & rinsing or “degorging”, perhaps your nasty smoking habit can be eliminated by chips & caponata?
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