Instead of serving seared steak over the classic mashed potatoes, opt for a healthier variation in this simple salad.
The steak is placed atop a bed of peppery watercress, fresh oranges, and red onions sauteed until soft in balsamic vinegar. The final dish is balanced in both texture and flavor. Check out the recipe and read more
When I saw this recipe for pancetta-wrapped peaches in the July issue of Food and Wine magazine, I knew I had to make it. The recipe takes four simple ingredients — peaches, pancetta, basil, and balsamic vinegar — and turns them into one incredibly delicious, perfectly balanced dish.
The peaches are sweet and juicy, the pancetta is crisp and salty, and the basil is fresh and fragrant. The vinegar adds a light tanginess that makes this appetizer superbly gourmet. I brought them to a barbecue where they were paired with the host's refreshing, potent sangria. The coupling was the hit of the party! If there is one recipe you make this summer, make this one. To learn the technique, read more
A couple weeks ago my dad surprised me with a gift of delicious Spanish chorizo. When he gave it to me, I knew exactly what dish I had to make: a crostini appetizer I saw in a recent issue of Food & Wine magazine. In the appetizer, a thick, crisp piece of sourdough is topped with pillows of creamy ricotta, spicy sautéed chorizo, and tangy balsamic red onion slices. 
Their version tops the hearty dish with frisee, but my local market didn't have any. No matter, it was still to die for! The recipe has you drain the ricotta overnight, but I didn't do that either. I simply drained it while I assembled the rest of the appetizer. The final dish is insanely good, next time I have to make it for dad! To take a look at how it's done, read more
One of my favorite SF brunch spots, Foreign Cinema, has a balsamic egg dish I've always wanted to recreate at home. Deglazing the fried egg in vinegar gives it a gentle saltiness that tastes gourmet and — I must admit — is highly suitable for hangovers. But instead of serving it with potatoes and greens like the restaurant does, I put a twist on the egg dish by making it into a sandwich.
As I suspected, the flavors were easy to reproduce on my own plate with some balsamic-reduction sauce, hearty multigrain bread, and mixed greens. I made two versions of the sandwich: one open-face with greens, and one closed-face with serrano ham. I preferred the open-face, without meat, which allowed the rich flavor of the balsamic egg to take center stage. To get the recipe (with both options) and more photos, read more
I recently received a copy of Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking and have been meaning to try some of the recipes. Author Harumi Kurihara, who is often called the Japanese Martha Stewart, specializes in easy, home-cooked dishes with simple but elegant flavors. While looking for dinner ideas, I was inspired by the ease of her recipe for Chicken With Soy and Balsamic Vinegar. It looked absolutely delicious and wonderfully simple. She suggested pairing it with cabbage, but I opted for bok choy. I also decided to serve it with a side of Forbidden Rice. To get the recipe for a deliciously easy dinner, read more
