Marco Canora

When it comes to the month of April, it can be hard to decide what to cook. Some days are gloriously sunny and Spring-like, others are chilly and rain-filled. When you find yourself at home on one of those cool April days, whip up a platter of comforting and delicious eggplant parmesan.

This Italian-American favorite is layered with eggplants, tomato sauce, and cheese. While you could use store-bought tomato sauce, the dish will taste so much better if you take the time to make your own.

The recipe doesn't specify what kind of breadcrumbs to use — I made mine with homemade. However, the texture was a little off, and I would have preferred it with more crunch, therefore I recommend making it with purchased crumbs. Eggplant parm is a vegetarian entree that's great for entertaining, so get the recipe now.

Although there are supermarket aisles filled with hundreds of different jars of tomato sauce, every now and then, it's rewarding to make your own. The thick sauce simmering on the stove warms the kitchen and fills the house with a delectable aroma.

This wonderful recipe makes a huge batch of sauce, so you can use some now and freeze the rest for later. The base of the sauce is a classic mirepoix, plus garlic and tons of fresh herbs. The resulting sauce is rich, slightly sweet, and one of the best tomato sauces I've ever tasted.

It's delicious simply tossed with spaghetti, but it's also great in dishes like lasagna, pizza, and eggs in purgatory. To check out the recipe, which comes from chef Marco Canora's cookbook, keep reading.

• Cocoa prices are on the rise. — The Feast
• Potato chip fun facts. — Endless Simmer
• Rachael Ray takes on the stuffy world of foodies. — Daily Beast
• Update your kitchen with a little wallpaper. — The Kitchn
• More videos with details on Grant Achatz's upcoming eateries. — Eater
• Speaking of Achatz, here's an interesting Q&A where he discusses what he learned at the French Laundry. — FoodGal
• Marco Canora likes chips in his sandwiches. — Grub Street NY
• Is food too cheap? — Huffington Post Food
• Seven easy and healthy risotto recipes. — Chow

Ever since he almost won The Next Iron Chef, we've been huge fans of Italian cooking king Marco Canora. Looks like we aren't the only ones who love him because our friends at Slashfood asked him to reveal his delectable-sounding meatball recipe. Wondering what key ingredient makes these meatballs amazingly creamy and deliciously juicy? To find out, head over to Slashfood and watch a video of the chef making the meatballs now!

If you've been tuning into the suspense that's The Next Iron Chef, then you might've heard there's a new toque ready to ward off challengers at Kitchen Stadium: New York chef Marc Forgione. On Sunday's finale, Forgione duked it out with Italian maestro Marco Canora in Battle: Honor, a challenge to create an Iron Chef-worthy Thanksgiving meal in 60 minutes. Forgione walked away with the title after executing a five-course, turkey-free meal that was modeled after the provisions eaten at the Pilgrims' very first Thanksgiving.

We caught up with the newly crowned Iron Chef the morning after his win, where he spilled the beans about everything from insights to hangups about the show. His thoughts on unfair eliminations, Kitchen Stadium, and more, after the break.

Season three of The Next Iron Chef is almost halfway through, and competition's getting fierce. Slashfood spoke to current contender Marco Canora, chef and owner of New York City restaurant (and David Chang favorite) Hearth for a behind-the-scenes look at the show.

Reality television took Canora by surprise: "I was surprised that it was as real as it was. What you see is what you get," he reflects. And although he's adamant that "there was no weird animosity," he also has mixed feelings about judge (and fellow Manhattan restaurateur) Donatella Arpaia: "It's kind of mind-blowing. No one was able to figure her out," he admits. Head over to Slashfood to watch the full interview.
Photo Courtesy Food Network

Hot off the heels of Aarti Sequeira's win on The Next Food Network Star comes announcement of new contestants slated for season three of The Next Iron Chef, and the lineup is a little surprising.

Those hoping to become the next Kitchen Stadium superstar include none other than Ming Tsai, who is already an established television personality on PBS, as well as Food & Wine Best New Chef Bryan Caswell. Another notable participant is Marco Canora, owner of New York hotspots Hearth and Terroir. See all 10 chefs who will be competing — as well as my thoughts on the roster — when you keep reading.