Kenji Lopez-Alt raves about black vinegar in his book The Wok, where he says that black vinegar is “hands down my favorite vinegar . . . because of its long aging process and the flavor from the gradual addition of rice hulls, it achieves a complex, almost balsamic-like flavor. . . it makes a wonderful …
Shrimp Scampi (revised)
Shrimp Scampi with Deli Sautéed SpinachMy shrimp scampi recipe was posted years ago. But I always thought something was a bit off about it. I finally figured out that it was the Worchester Sauce. Worchester Sauce and shrimp are not flavor pals, so I’ve taken it out.This recipe below is tried and true but I …
Eternity Ham Sandwich Spread
My sister described eternity as a couple with a leftover Easter ham. I like sandwich spreads and often prepare chicken, egg or tuna to pile on good bread with lettuce. Not so much with ham spread. But I got an urging, bought a quarter ham, only to discover that I could not find a recipe …
Flavor Pals
At best, one out of three whole pineapples is perfectly delicious. Got one!I’ve known for years that fresh ground pepper goes well with fresh pineapple. But here for dessert, I added a drizzle of premium light rum from Venezuela.It works–try it, you’ll like it.(As a rule when adding booze to fruit: a drizzle will do, …
Shrimp Cocktail for Lunch
I’ve got more frozen shrimp in stock than Forest Gump. Never tried it before, but why not have some for lunch? The cocktail sauce in the above photo is a seafood remonlade by Braswell and below, the preferred classic of 3 parts ketchup, 1 part horseradish, some fresh lemon juice, pinch of cayenne and 3-4 …
Beef Tartare on a Spoon
According to Chef Rick Tramonto, in his excellent book amuse -bouche, amuse bouche are today what hors d’oeuvres were to America in the 1950s. They are a bite-sized treat that delights the eye, excites the tongue and whets the appetite. An amuse should be easy to make, boldly seasoned and nicely presented. Inspired by Tramonto, …
TLW’s Signature Caesar Salad
Chef Caesar Cardini, with restaurants in San Diego and Tijuana, is credited with inventing this salad on the 4th of July in 1924. All along, many others have laid claim to it. And for good reason: it’s a great salad. Years ago, a foodie extolled that it was possibly the greatest advance in salad fabrication …
A Cucumber-Orange Salsa
Here is another “bed” recipe. As in “serve as a bed for sauteed fish” or, as in the article below, ratatouille as a bed for soft shell crabs. I saw this salsa recipe in the Washington Post and tried it out only to find it a bit bland. So I changed it. This is a …
James Beard’s Cole Slaw
This recipe appears in Beard’s Treasury of Outdoor Cooking. This is a beautiful, artsy book with wonderful photographs of food art and scenery. The 1960 first edition is recognized by book collectors. This recipe calls for the use of a double boiler to make a roux. Not many references to double boilers these days. But …
Raspberry Gazpacho
Raspberry Gazpacho is one of the more popular recipes in Myhrvold’s Modernist Cuisine at Home. This version is adopted from the book, which in turn comes from a fruit gazpacho by Chef David Kinch of Los Gatos, California. Fresh raspberries are pricey even in season, so frozen raspberries are OK, but buy sugarless if you …