To quote some internet wag with a quicker wit than mine: This week has been one hell of a year. Grocery stores have bare shelves, the news is frightening, and the whole world is basically holding its breath. In uncertain times, I want something comforting and familiar. Something warm, satisfying, […]
Dinner
Chicken Thigh Piperade
Chicken Piperade originates in the Pays Basque, the predominantly Basque region of Southwestern France, whose culture straddles the border between France and Spain. The flavors and preparations are at once French, Spanish, and of course, Basque. This simple combination of dried hot pepper, red onions, fresh sweet peppers, and tomatoes […]
Wine Braised Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
This dish is an evolution of the classic Duck with 40 cloves of garlic in which slow roasting converts the piquant garlic into a luxurious sweet sauce. However, instead of roasting, this is an open braise – and can even be a easy weeknight meal. Here, you simply brown the […]
Chicken Thigh Marsala
When I was very young, my father was pastor of a large church in a small town, one that’s now almost a suburb of Columbus, but that in the late 70’s was a small place with a small college, a big grain elevator, and a handful of factories. My parent’s […]
Buffalo Chicken Bites
I love chicken wings. I mean love. Unconditionally. Even bad chicken wings, while disappointing, are still chicken wings, and I love them. When good, they’re almost transcendent: crispy skin or coating, rich, juicy and tender meat, piquant sauces – seet, spicy, sour – all hing conveniently on the bone to […]
Chicken in Fish Sauce Caramel
To the uninitiated , Fish Sauce Caramel sounds like a 10-year old’s gross-out joke. It’s not. This Vietnamese sauce is one of the truly amazing flavor combinations of the culinary world. Funky, sweet, rich, and satisfying, it has more in common with sweet soy sauce than ice cream toppings. In […]
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Grapes and Almonds
This simple preparation is a great dinner party dish because it is fast, it serves a crowd, and weirdly, it ends up being a stunning dish. Chicken thighs are roasted with garlic, thyme, shallots, red grapes, and whole almonds. The grapes collapse and burst to form a sweet and sour […]
Chicken with Lemon, Tomatoes, and Honey
This simple, sweet and sour braise is a riff on a pork chop dish my mother prepared often when I was a child and today it has become a favorite in our house. Unlike the thin, dry, grocery store pork chops that Mom used, rich, flavorful chicken thighs are the […]
General Tso’s Chicken
I love General Tso’s chicken. It’s comfort food. For years it has been my go-to takeout dish. Hot, spicy, crunchy, satisfying perfection – even when the preparation is only mediocre. It simply scratches an itch. Anytime I order takeout I am always torn. I want to try something new, something […]
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
With Mardi gras coming up, it seems like a good time to post a recipe for Gumbo. Like pretty much any other kid who learned to cook in the 1980s, I learned a great deal from watching Cajun cooks like Paul Prudhomme and Justin Wilson on public television. Long before […]