Aioli, when made from scratch is very unlike the flavored mayo you get at places passed off as aioli. It’s much creamier, packs quite the garlicky punch, and can be used to enhance the flavors of almost anything from soups to grilled vegetables to meat to crostini. Aioli is also very easy to make andContinue reading “How to make Aioli: A perfect condiment for grilled foods”
Tag Archives: garlic
White Bean Bruschetta with Duck Skin Crackling
It has been a real whirlwind spring so far. I’ve been really busy with work (a good thing) and in our spare time we’ve been revamping the back yard, tearing out shrubs, expanding the patio, making some raised bed gardens (an even better thing). Cooking has temporarily taken a back seat. However, this past SundayContinue reading “White Bean Bruschetta with Duck Skin Crackling”
Two New Sausages: Mango-Poblano Pepper and Apple-Sage
I’ve been practicing my sausage making skills over the winter and last week I decided it was time to test myself. Grilling season is approaching here in Chicago so it was time to use the basic skills I’ve acquired and invent something delicious. I settled on two new flavors: a mango-poblano pepper sausage and anContinue reading “Two New Sausages: Mango-Poblano Pepper and Apple-Sage”
Palette de Porc a la Biere (ou en anglais Beer Braised Pork Shoulder with a Dijon Mustard Sauce)
Over the weekend Cheryl requested something new and untried for Sunday dinner and said she’d pick from the cookbook shelf. The winning recipe of the ones she chose: Bourdain’s Palette de Porc a la Biere; a.k.a beer braised pork shoulder with mustard sauce.
Linguine with Clam Sauce
For the longest time I had huge problems trying to make linguine with clam sauce like my mom’s. Try as I might I could never get it as thick as hers. I tried everything too, more butter, less liquid, more clams, nothing ever seemed to work. I had pretty much given up hope I’d everContinue reading “Linguine with Clam Sauce”
Pork Breakfast Sausage Success
New year, new sausages. So far in 2013 I’ve tried my hand at making two different ones. The first was an initial attempt at dry curing which unfortunately didn’t turn out well and had to be abandoned. In order to regroup and give myself a boost of confidence I went back to an easier “ready-to-eat”Continue reading “Pork Breakfast Sausage Success”
Cassoulet – A Labor of Love
Cassoulet is one of my favorite wintertime French dishes. On the surface it doesn’t seem like anything too special, basically a white bean stew with some meat in it, slow cooked into a rich, hot, warm your bones dish. I don’t think you simply “cook” or “make” cassoulet, it’s something you actually “build.” In herContinue reading “Cassoulet – A Labor of Love”
Duck Confit – And a Few Other Things You Can Do With a Whole Duck
A few weeks ago my mom and step-father were in town for a visit to see our new house and help get some stuff in order (my step-father’s an awesome carpenter) and while they were here I roasted a duck for dinner, but this isn’t about the delicious roast duck dinner I made. It’s aboutContinue reading “Duck Confit – And a Few Other Things You Can Do With a Whole Duck”
Getting Colder Outside, Make a Hearty Vegetable Garbure!
Your first question is what the heck is a vegetable garbure? Short answer: a ham and vegetable French peasantry stew. Long answer: a French stew I found in Ruhlman’s Twenty which enabled me to use up the bacon rind I’ve been saving in the freezer from the last time I made bacon. Doesn’t it alwaysContinue reading “Getting Colder Outside, Make a Hearty Vegetable Garbure!”
Homemade Garlic Sausage – No Turning Back Now!
I did it. I made some sausage. The old saying goes something like: “you never want to watch laws or sausages being made.” Having lived and worked in our nation’s capital for over a decade before moving to Chicago I can honestly say making sausage is much easier than making laws and absolutely tastier. IfContinue reading “Homemade Garlic Sausage – No Turning Back Now!”
The Roaming GastroGnome 