Post-Tribune

A delicious Easter lamb turned inside out

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 06:09:12 -0500

The classic Easter or spring lamb often is served with mint jelly. And that’s fine, assuming you want to play it safe. We decided to flip things around. Actually, we didn’t so much as flip the dish as turn it inside out. Rather than relegate the mint to a condiment added at the table, we used it to create a vibrant pesto, which we then stuffed in a leg of lamb so it could infuse the meat with flavor during roasting. And to stand in for the sweet and sour flavors of the mint sauce, we braised red cabbage right …

UN says: why not eat more insects?

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:35 -0500

ROME — The U.N. has new weapons to fight hunger, boost nutrition and reduce pollution, and they might be crawling or flying near you right now: edible insects. The Food and Agriculture Organization on Monday hailed the likes of grasshoppers, ants and other members of the insect world as an under utilized food for people, livestock and pets. A 200-page report, released at a news conference at the U.N. agency’s Rome headquarters, says 2 billion people worldwide already supplement their diets with insects, which are high in protein and minerals, and have environmental benefits. Insects are ‘‘extremely efficient” in converting …

Bacon, garlic team up for ultimate roast chicken

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 06:08:19 -0500

There is just something about roasted chicken that comforts, nourishes and satisfies like nothing else, especially when the wind is howling and it is cold outside. Not too long ago, I went to visit a friend and when I walked into her house I had to take a deep breath to savor the aromas coming from the kitchen. I couldn’t keep my stomach from growling; her house smelled divine. Naturally, I had to follow my nose and take a peek in the oven. Her British-born mother was roasting a chicken for Sunday supper. Not such an unusual occurrence, in and …

FDA head says menu labeling ‘thorny’ issue

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 06:08:29 -0500

Diners will have to wait a little longer to find calorie counts on most restaurant chain menus, in supermarkets and on vending machines. Writing a new menu labeling law “has gotten extremely thorny,” says the head of the Food and Drug Administration, as the agency tries to figure out who should be covered by it. The 2010 health care law charged the FDA with requiring chain restaurants and other establishments that serve food to put calorie counts on menus and in vending machines. The agency issued a proposed rule in 2011, but the final rules have since been delayed as …

A sweet, salty salmon dish

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 06:14:09 -0500

I’m not a huge fan of fishy fish, but every once in a while, to please my fish-loving husband, I’ll nibble on a piece of salmon. This dish in the just-published “Pati’s Mexican Table” by Pati Jinich caught my eye because it marries three of my favorite flavors — chilies, ginger and soy sauce — in a sticky, sweet-sour glaze. Skeptical going in, I have to admit it was tasty. The original recipe calls for grated pilonillo, an unrefined sugar that’s pressed into cones or disks and commonly used in Mexican cooking. I substituted regular dark brown sugar and it …

A lighter take on matzo ball soup

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 06:10:54 -0500

The Husband is Jewish and I am his shiksa bride. As young marrieds, we ignored both traditions equally. But when we had children, we began celebrating Jewish and Christian holidays alike, so that as the kids matured they could naturally gravitate to the rituals that moved them the most. Though I grew up in New York, I’d never attended a Passover seder until I met my future husband. I really enjoyed the meal, but the Passover service seemed so complicated that I felt a tad overwhelmed when it was time to produce my own seder. For that matter, even the …

‘Fried’ oysters that spare you from hassle of deep-frying

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 06:06:13 -0500

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day I have packed four Irish ingredients into one tasty little appetizer — oysters, cabbage, Guinness stout and Colman’s Mustard. Here in America we like our oysters fried. But I no more intended to fry these guys than to bathe them in cream. Not only is deep-frying unhealthy, it’s also messy and far too much trouble. As I pore over my Irish cookbooks, I noticed that Guinness stout appeared as an ingredient nearly as often as oysters. and suddenly inspiration hit. When it comes to frying, my favorite batter is made with beer. Why not …

Get past drinking green beer on St. Patrick’s Day

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 06:06:16 -0500

Can we all just agree that unless you’re a frat boy (or girl), green beer belongs nowhere near your lips on St. Patrick’s Day? Because there really are so many other ways to celebrate the holiday, not to mention far more appealing methods of sipping a green beverage. To prove our point, we created three delicious alternatives to green beer. And just to prove it could be done, we also avoided that other St. Pat’s cocktail crutch, Midori (a green melon liqueur). HERBAL REMEDY This bracing cocktail also is delicious cut with seltzer and served as a spritzer. Or add …

Cauliflower’s calling: Humble veggie steps out in style

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 02:19:55 -0500

Gone are the days of boring old steamed cauliflower topped with cheese sauce (although for us cauliflower-philes, that’s delicious, too). Now you can find it mashed, fried, served as a “steak,” smothered in a cream and cheese sauce and so much more.

Chefs pick scenes for best screen cuisine

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 03:08:23 -0500

What happens when you ask a group of food world luminaries to come up with their picks for Best Food Scene in a movie? You get some unexpected responses. Who knew “Pulp Fiction” was such a foodie flick? You pick up a few tips, like the “Goodfellas” guide to truly razor-thin garlic. And there will be bacon. Here are some of the nominations for Oscar-worthy examples of screen cuisine, along with a trio of cocktail recipes to help you toast this year’s winners on Feb. 24 in those other categories, like Best Picture. Fabio Viviani, “Top Chef” Season 5 “Fan …

Real chocolate can be healthy (and loving) choice

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 01:34:15 -0500

Love is always sweeter when expressed with chocolate! Especially on Valentine’s Day. Yes, chocolate ... And the more ooey-gooey deeply chocolaty, the better. Still, there’s no sense overdoing it. I’ve always believed that when it comes to dessert, a little bit can go a long way. That’s why this chocolate dream of a recipe takes the form of small-ish individual cakes rather than a single, family-sized gut-buster. It’s also why I’ve replaced the butter usually found in chocolate cakes with nonfat Greek yogurt. And trust me, not only won’t you miss the butter, but you won’t taste the yogurt. It’s …

Oscar entertaining made easy? It’s formulaic!

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 03:08:23 -0500

Canapes may sound stuffy, but they actually are the ultimate in ease when it comes to party food. Plus, they look great and can be combined in endless ways to suit any taste. So we created a simple formula for making canapes, dividing them into four components — bases, spreads, toppings and garnishes. For each canape, all you do is select one item from each category, then assemble. And the easiest way to assemble enough for a party is to set out all of your ingredients (clustered by category), then just start selecting and building. If you’re planning on an …

An eggy strata for a romantic breakfast in bed

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 06:17:10 -0500

Casseroles are a funny thing. You aren’t likely to see them lauded as the hot new food trend any time soon. Yet make a great one, and suddenly folks clamor for the recipe. My favorite casserole is one that typically is served for breakfast or brunch. It’s called an egg strata, and I love it because it’s easy to prep ahead of time, and bakes up light and fluffy, and yet is substantial and satisfying — a perfect choice for a romantic breakfast in bed come Valentine’s Day. If you make a sweet strata for Valentine’s Day, try stuffing it …

Not going out? Make a Valentine’s at-home special

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 06:17:05 -0500

Not planning to go out for Valentine’s Day? Time to start planning a special menu for a romantic night in. This dish is warm and comforting, and rich with flavors that say “you’re special.” It cooks up in a gratin dish, so you can assemble it ahead of time, then when you’re ready to eat, just pop it in the oven. While the gratin bakes, assemble the salad and serve everything together with a crusty baguette. Simple, special and perfect for an evening in. …

All hail kale

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 02:11:05 -0500

Kale is the new bacon. Think that’s going too far? Kale chips, kale salad, braised kale, fried kale, kale and eggs, pickled kale, kale soup, kale pizza, kale pasta, kale pie, kale pancakes, kale juice, kale smoothies, kale cocktails, kale ice cream and kale everything else are showing up on menus all over town. Health gurus advocate the bitter greens as a “superfood.” “Iron Chef” contestants battled over kale. Slate Magazine lampooned the all-kale diet. Bon Appetit named a kale salad its 2012 dish of the year, and kale stars in some 43,000 YouTube videos. Kale has come a long …

Time to give pressure cookers another try

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 01:16:19 -0500

Pressure cookers make you think of exploding meals, right? That is so yesterday. Modern pressure cookers are full of fail-safes that make them no more dangerous than any other cooking device.