you are the chef – what would you make?

  The sky is the limit. Money is no object. Add anything you like. Use all of these ingredients. What is your creation?

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tender little mussels in fragrant wine broth

If you want to sing because you have just eaten something delectable – if you want to feel like you are dining in the manner of aristocrats – if you want an absolute slurpy flavor explosion with each little bite of food, then you need to prepare and eat the mussels that I just had for lunch. Seriously. I’m getting really passionate again about my lunch but it’s completely valid.

Mussels are so good and easy to make. The strangest thing is trying to guard their little lives so much from store to home, then confirm that they’re all healthy and thriving, only to quickly extinguish those little lives in a steaming pot. I would be kind of sad about it if they weren’t so extravagantly delicious.

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red beans and orzo – elegant and comforting

Last week was so crazy (hence the single post). Weeks of going through closets and boxes culminated in a very successful garage sale. Yippee! To celebrate, I got everything I needed for a recipe that I was saving from Saveur. Oooohhh I couldn’t wait to share it with everyone; snapper baked in foil with clams, lemon, smoked sausage, fennel, olives, orange zest, shallots, fingerling potatoes, white wine… sounds amazing, right? It wasn’t. It just wasn’t good. DANGIT. I hate it when that happens!

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exotic comfort food – warm moroccan stew

Wow. I have been away for a while. I feel distant from my little blog space and from my kitchen. We’ve been slowly reconnecting since my time in Orange County; I’ve been sleepwalking through my house the last few days and enjoying my own food in a dream-like state. Ahhhhh…

Anyway, I’m back and I want to share this easy and fabulous Moroccan stew. I made it just before I left for my event in So Cal; I felt so comforted and joyful and delightfully global while eating it – I was transported from my deadlines and pile of work to food fantasy land. It is the FIRST thing I made when I got home. It is warm and beautifully spiced and fragrant and very healthy and extremely delicious. How can something be comforting and sensual and exotic all at once? This is how. This dish. I know I get very intense and dramatic about food, but please, make this and go there with me. It is so, so good.

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fabulous roasted chicken – chapter two

Remember how I mentioned that the secret to perfectly roasted chicken is the very top rack of the oven at 500 degrees, lots of olive oil and skin-on, bone-in chicken? If you don’t remember, now you know. Thank you, Gourmet, for sharing this extraordinary knowledge. This sweet and spicy and roasty toasty recipe is the first way that I had this magical chicken – so pleasing and delicious.

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garlic lime chicken and olives

Lately, a lot of people have asked me to write them a weekly menu and corresponding grocery list. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time to do this (or write the post on my latest dining experiences in Texas, my first post on “beauty,” starring Ella and Ava, or the post I’ve been planning on my favorite market…). My insane schedule does not line up with my desire for slow living! I suppose the next best thing is to post what we are eating for dinner tonight…something simple, healthy and supremely delicious for a weeknight dinner.

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my mom’s favorite soup and shrimp remoulade

My Mom was inspired from my post about trout almandine and prepared a letter and a few recipes for the blog. I am delighted to share them! However, the main ingredient is a bit of a stretch for me personally. I am still steadfast in my goal be a tad more adventurous in the meat department, but turtle? I like turtle. We had a little turtle that visited our backyard regularly, and I took pictures of her. How can I eat turtle? Turtles are cute; thus nullifying their qualification as food (see my previous post on this matter). Nonetheless, the recipe deserves to be shared. Please note that Mom (aka Mimi) has shared some of her own notes following the recipes. Enjoy!

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korean bulgogi

My love for Middle Eastern food may be rivaled by my love for Korean food – wonderfully stinky, pungent, spicy Korean food. While Korean food may share some elements with its Asian neighbors, the flavors and fragrances of Korean food are wholly unique. Unusual flavor pairings combine to create little flavor explosions – sweet but spicy with garlic and jalapeños, roasty and salty with sesame oil, hot pepper with a sour kick, light but intense – these are some of the words that come to mind as I envision some of my favorite little delicacies.

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