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I Want My Baby Back Ginger-Glazed Ribs

YumSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:15:28 -0700

Summer is not Summer without enjoying a finger-licking good rib dinner where you go through numerous napkins. Although I'm a sucker for traditional ribs covered with barbecue sauce, after seeing the cover of a recent Bon Appetit, I was dying to try their Cambodian rib variation. Rather than the traditional tomato-based sauce, this recipe uses a combination of fish sauce, soy sauce, honey, and a lot of fresh ginger!

The marinade is quick to make, especially if you employ a food processor. I marinated my ribs for six hours, but overnight would be even better. Fresh off the grill and covered with lime juice, the ribs burst with sweet and sour flavor. The ginger glaze is much lighter and more refreshing than a typical barbecue sauce. If you want to sink your teeth into these ginger-glazed ribs, keep reading.

Cooking the Cover: Gourmet's Grilled Cheese

partysugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:01:31 -0800

There is nothing as simply delicious as melted cheese and crispy bread. There are thousands of variations of cheese, bread types, and tasty extras, but recently I was dazzled by the grilled cheese on the cover of Gourmet magazine's February issue. Presented on a clean white plate with a pretty blue background, their uber grilled cheese features escarole, onion jam, and tallegio.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find onion jam nor tallegio, but luckily the recipe states the next best options - fig jam and fontina - both of which were at my local market. I cooked the sandwich over low heat to maximize the melt in the melted cheese. The final result was a divine treat with the sweet jam perfectly complementing the pungent cheese and bitter greens. For the plating, I used a simple white plate like Gourmet, but thought a pink placemat was more me. To see how I made my version of this super scrumptious sandwich, read more.

Grilled Cheese With Onion Jam, Talleggio, and Escarole
From Gourmet magazine

4 (1/2-inch-thick) center slices sourdough bread (from a 9- to 10-inch round)
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons onion or fig jam
12 to 14 oz chilled Taleggio or Italian Fontina, sliced
1/4 lb escarole, center ribs discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

Brush 1 side of bread slices with oil and arrange, oil sides down, on a work surface.
Spread jam on 2 slices of bread and divide cheese between remaining 2 slices.
Mound escarole on top of cheese and season with salt and pepper, then assemble sandwiches.
Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat until hot.
Cook sandwiches, turning once and pressing with a spatula to compact, until bread is golden-brown and cheese is melted, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

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Cooking the Cover: Bon Appétit's Blueberry Pancakes

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:13:31 -0800

I have been drooling over the cover of the February Bon Appétit cover ever since it landed in my mailbox a few weeks ago. On a stark white background sits a huge stack of whole grain pancakes topped with blueberry syrup. Yesterday evening, YumJimmy and I finally decided to curb our pancake cravings by whipping up our own batch. So imagine our surprise when we found out that today was actually National Blueberry Pancake Day! Talk about a fun coincidence.

So, how did ours turn out compared to theirs? Find out, and get the recipe so you can try it at home, just read more.

We did the recipe up exactly as it stated. The batter ended up being really thick, and a bit difficult to work with. If I make them again, I'll definitely thin it out a bit. We ended up botching the first few - Does this happen to anyone else? - and so I ate them plain as the others cooked. I wasn't sure if I liked the flavor, it was definitely whole grain and chewy. YumJimmy thought they tasted too healthy and I had to agree with him. However, once I doused them with the blueberry syrup it was heavenly.

Whole Grain Pancakes with Wild Blueberry-Maple Syrup
From Bon Appétit, February 2008

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup frozen wild blueberries
2 cups whole grain complete pancake and waffle mix (the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen used Kodiak Cakes brand)
2 cups buttermilk
6 tablespoons wheat germ
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

Boil 1 cup syrup and blueberries in heavy medium saucepan until reduced to generous 1 cup, about 13 minutes. Cool to lukewarm.
Meanwhile, combine pancake mix, next 4 ingredients and 2 tablespoons maple syrup in medium bowl and whisk to blend (batter will be thick).
Melt 1 tablespoon butter on griddle or in 2 large nonstick skillets over medium heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto griddle or skillets and quickly spread with back of spoon into 3- to 4-inch rounds. Cook pancakes until brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Repeat with remaining butter and batter. Serve with syrup.

Nutritional Information
One serving contains the following (2 pancake equals one serving): Calories (kcal) 389.92; %Calories from Fat (kcal) 55.03; Fat (g) 6.11; Saturated Fat (g) 3.14; Cholesterol (mg) 16.60; Carbohydrates (g) 74.63; Dietary Fiber (g) 6.24; Total Sugars (g) 45.24; Net Carbs (g) 68.39; Protein (g) 10.23

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In Season: Butternut Squash

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:00:29 -0800

Perhaps the most-loved variety of Winter squash, butternut squash is to Thanksgiving what pumpkin is to Halloween: ubiquitous. Reasonably priced and versatile, with a long shelf life, these mild, vibrantly-hued veggies are at their best during the cold days ahead. When selecting, look for squash free of bruises, feel heavy for their size, and have a matte skin. Those with wider necks and smaller bulbs will have the most flesh. Because of its rigid exterior, butternut squash has an extended shelf life, and storing it for longer - up to a month, unrefrigerated, in a cool, dark place - can bring out its sweetness. Once peeled, the vegetable will keep for up to a week if covered tightly in the fridge. Learn how to make the most of it when you keep reading.

Reader Recipe: Black Bean Tortilla Soup

Yum Community — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:50:10 -0800

This story was written by member SweetPeasMom and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community. The soup looks like it would make a wonderful cold-weather dinner. It's quick, simple, and perfect for busy weeknights. Check out her recipe when you read more

Come Party With Me: Potluck Thanksgiving - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:50:03 -0800

When hosting any Thanksgiving dinner, be it a potluck or one where you do the majority of the cooking, it's a good idea to set the table a couple of days in advance.

Start with a seasonal tablecloth, then add the good china, polished flatware, and wine glasses. Serve the cocktails in tumblers and the turkey on a large platter.

Lots of candlelight creates a festive atmosphere, so place votives on the table and pillar candles around the dining room. Don't forget a bouquet or two of fresh flowers.

Consider the counter space; a lot of it might be in use during the hours before the meal, so a folding table where guests can place their contributions is crucial. If you are attending a potluck, make your dish in a vessel that has a cover or in a disposable pan that can be discarded at the end of the night.

Must Read: Jamie's Food Revolution

YumSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:01 -0700

As someone who's followed Jamie Oliver throughout the years, I was intrigued when I heard about his plans to overhaul the eating habits of Americans on a new TV show. But apparently his latest project is even bigger than that: he's also come out with his ninth cookbook, Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals ($35). The premise of the title, which hits stores next week, is that cooking good food from scratch saves money and your health. Hoping to transform takeout-lovers into home cooks, this book is studded with real-life testimonials. But is it revolutionary? Find out when you read more.

Must Read: New York Cooks

partysugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:15:56 -0700

Everyone knows New York City is one of the country's top places for eating, so it comes as no surprise that a new cookbook, New York Cooks ($30), celebrates the city's chefs and restaurants. Since I don't live in NYC, I was very excited when I got my hands on a copy of the book. To find out what I thought of it, read more.

Pros:

Each chef has multiple recipes. Before the recipes, there are a couple of pages that describe the restaurant with interesting quotes and details from the chef.
From appetizers to entrees to salads, there's a wide variety of dishes.
Although the cover states there's 100 recipes, because many dishes have sauces or vinaigrettes, it seems like there are more than 100 recipes.
When I dined at Casa Mono, my favorite dish was the fideos with cockles and chorizo. The book has the recipe, so now I can re-create it at home!

Cons:

It's format is hard to follow - it's broken down into section by cuisine. Instead of listing out the recipes in the table of contents, only the cuisine, chef, and restaurant are mentioned.
New York's restaurant scene is forever changing and some of the chefs, for example Anne Burrell, are no longer working at the restaurants associated with their recipes.
Some recipes are complicated with lots of steps. They seem more suited to a restaurant than a home kitchen. Also, others lack detail.
There are no desserts.

Recipes: While I've never heard of a few of the restaurants or chefs, it is the recipes that are important. Here are the ones that caught my eye.

Anne Burrell's taleggio, speck, and egg pizzetta
Mikey Price's blood orange and red onion salad
Joey Campanaro's gravy meatball sliders
Michael Lomonaco's Philly cheesesteak sandwich

Imagery: This read is full of delicious-looking food images and fun restaurant shots. However, not all of them are in color. Every recipe does not have a corresponding picture. Some of the chef's photographs seem dated. After seeing her on Top Chef Masters, it looks as if the picture of Anita Lo was taken years ago.

Overall: This book is a wonderful collection of recipes. It would be an excellent gift to a foodie moving to or from New York. Any well-respected home cook who loves to dine out while vacationing in NYC will also enjoy this tome.

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Burning Question: When Is It OK to Eat Moldy Food?

YumSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:50:51 -0700

The other day, a co-worker asked me whether it was OK to eat a piece of cheese that had grown slightly moldy. That question sparked a discussion on how to handle moldy foods. Can you ever simply cut off the bad parts and proceed to eat the rest? Find out the answer when you read more

Titanic Tomato Fight Takes Over Valencia, Spain

YumSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:00:58 -0700

For many, corn boils and clambakes are the highlights of the season. But others look forward to very different Summer festivities - like the La Tomatina in Valencia, Spain. Yesterday, the town of Buñol, Spain (population: 9,000), held its annual world-famous tomato food fight. The event, which is on the last Wednesday in August, is an all-out escapade that involves more than 100 tons of overripe tomatoes, draws over 40,000 visitors from around the world, and spares absolutely no one.

To learn more about it and check out a gallery of images, read more.

It's part of a weeklong festival that includes music, parades, dancing, fireworks, and a massive paella cooking contest. The hourlong exchange, which takes place in Buñol's Plaza del Pueblo, dates back to the mid-1940s. Legend has it that the fight either began as a spat between local merchants, or when disgruntled citizens started throwing tomatoes at politicians. Après-argument, participants hose one another off and jump in the Buñol River, while fire trucks hose down the plaza.

This looks disgusting yet fun, so I'm adding it to my bucket list of things to do. Can you imagine how much tomato pulp the photographer must've been covered in?! Would you participate in La Tomatina?

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