Michael Chiarello

You're probably scratching your head wondering why this picture, which looks strangely like French onion soup, is labeled Irish onion soup. Well, let me explain. It's a jazzed-up variation of the classic onion- and bread-topped soup that uses two important Irish ingredients: Guinness and aged cheddar cheese.

It has the same flavors as the traditional rendition, but the beer provides a delicious complexity, and the cheese adds a delicate nuttiness. It's so good that it might just be my new favorite French onion soup recipe!

I highly recommend you serve it tonight or on St. Patrick's Day. Learn how to make it now.

Michael Chiarello is no stranger to reality TV cooking competitions: he was a runner-up on the first season of Top Chef: Masters and has been a guest on Bravo's regular Top Chef series.

When I caught up with him briefly at the New York City Wine & Food Festival, I was curious to know what would compel the seasoned chef — who's a fan of YumSugar! — to put himself on the cutting board once again.

See what he had to say when you keep reading.

I'm currently obsessed with making homemade pizza, so when I sat down with Michael Chiarello last week at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, I asked the chef how he makes pizza at his house.

Here's the method he shared:

1. Chiarello pointed out that like most skills, practice helps, so the more pizza you make the better at it you will become. Start by following his recipe for basic pizza dough.
2. Make sure that the dough has enough moisture. Once it's well combined, knead it with both hands in a counterclockwise motion until it's very smooth like a baby's bottom.
3. Coat the bottom and top of the dough in olive oil and place in a bowl with a damp rag covering the top. It should double in size.
4. Knock it out of the bowl, and with a scale, measure out 4-5 ounces of dough. Knead it with both hands again, then form into a ball. Oil all sides of the ball and place in a bowl to rise a second time. It should double in size.
5. Roll it out and bake on a floured baking sheet. If you want to freeze the dough, place it in the freezer right after the second rise.

Do you make homemade pizza dough? What's been your experience with it?

Source: Flickr User I'm George

At the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, I sat down for a quiet chat with one of my favorite food personalities, chef and restaurateur Michael Chiarello.

The chef looked laid-back, but debonair in a yellow sweater and formfitting black pants. We talked about his participation on the fourth season of The Next Iron Chef and his other upcoming projects, which include an iconic restaurant and live-fire cookbook!

To find out what he had to say, read on.

At food festivals past, I've learned more than enough about new cooking tips and techniques I should be doing — but what about things we shouldn't be doing in the kitchen? At his seminar in Aspen, Cal-Italian maestro Michael Chiarello tackled spicy dishes from Calabria, Italy, but also took the time to touch upon a number of culinary no-nos. While some were highly specific and others were more general, many of his kitchen don'ts were revelations. Find out what they are when you read on.

Panzanella is an Italian bread salad that's traditionally made in the Summer with day old bread, tomatoes, and basil. However, I love this salad and I make it year-round. So does Michael Chiarello, apparently, because he's got recipes for Spring and Winter panzanellas that incorporate seasonal ingredients.

Over the weekend I was invited to a picnic and decided it was the ideal time to experiment with his Spring version. It combines fresh peas, asparagus, basil, and green beans with croutons, radicchio, spinach, and ricotta cheese. This salad is spectacular!

It's full of interesting textures, from the crunch of the croutons to the crumble of the cheese. It's packed with tons of different flavors: earthy asparagus, aromatic basil, salty cheese. Spring panzanella is not only awesome at a picnic, but it's a welcome addition to a Memorial Day barbecue menu. Check out the method now.

Although it's barely been six months since Marc Forgione was named winner of the Next Iron Chef, the Food Network has already announced the cast of the next round of competitors — and it's more star-studded than ever!

Instead of featuring established restaurant chefs hoping to increase their profiles, the participants consist of well-known Food Network stars and Top Cheffers like Michael Chiarello, Anne Burrell, and Spike Mendelsohn. Even Top Chef Masters winner Marcus Samuelsson is getting competitive.

To see the complete list of chefs who will duke it out to win the title of Iron Chef come Oct. 30, keep reading.

The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) has just announced the list of finalists for their 2011 Cookbook Awards. Like the James Beards, the IACP winners are regarded as the best of the best in the food world. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the cookbook honors and finalists include Michael Chiarello, Rick Bayless, and Amanda Hesser.

The IACP awards have the following categories: American; Baking: Savory or Sweet; Chefs & Restaurants; Children, Youth, and Family; Compilations; Culinary History; First Book; Food Photography and Styling; Food Reference; General; Health and Special Diet; International; Library Food Writing; Professional Kitchens; Single Subject; and Wine, Beer & Spirits. To find out which notable cookbooks have been included and to share your favorite cookbook, read more.