Usually when you buy radishes from the supermarket—and even from the farmer’s market—the leaves are almost always wilted and sorry looking—good only for compost or the trash bin. Yesterday, a new farmer had shown up at my local market and he had really fresh radishes.
Karl’s Sautéed Red Radishes and Greens
Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Since I have been writing this blog, I have felt pushed to constantly upgrade my skills and recipes—new, different, better. I read Cook’s Illustrated and I get e-newsletters from NYTimes and Serious Eats—to the point that my inbox is full of posts that I do not have the time to read. I mine these posts—not so much for recipes—but as a source of new ideas and techniques.
Karl’s Chinese Poached Chicken Salad
Filed under California Fusion, Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry, Salads, Sauces and Spices, Vegetables
Japan has many tsukemono, literally “pickled things.” When my father came back from Japan in the Fifties, he introduced my family to Japanese cuisine. One dish that he learned to make was salt pickled cabbage (kyabetsu shio-zuke; キャベツ塩-漬け ).
Karl’s Salt Pickled Cabbage
with Pickled Ginger and Japanese Chili
Kyabetsu Shio-zuke Tsukemono
Filed under California Fusion, Green Vegetables, Pickles, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Jan grew up eating peanut butter and lettuce sandwiches. Instead of the sugary sweet of jam or honey, she prefers the crunch of the lettuce. She also prefers to toast her bread first, for the added flavor of the Maillard reation. I forgot to toast the bread before adding the peanut butter to both slices of bread, so she had me put them in the toaster oven as is. The bread toasted, but the peanut butter became hot and melted. She thought that it went perfectly with the cool crisp lettuce.
Jan’s Hot Peanut Butter and Lettuce Sandwich
Filed under California Fusion, Vegan, Vegetarian
For me Claudia’s Chocolate Mousse is the mousse by which all others are judged. It is however, not a health food. It has replaced cakes as the birthday/holiday treat in our house. Jan has spent years perfecting the techniques of making my mother’s mousse, but it took her years before she dared to tinker with mom’s recipe. This weekend, I am making Israeli couscous with almonds, Jan decided that chocolate mousse with Amaretto would be a good dessert for my Father’s Day dinner.
Jan’s Chocolate Mousse
the Father’s Day Variation
Filed under California Fusion, Desserts & Treats, Holidays, Treats, Vegetarian
It it Father’s Day, so I get to pick the menu. Being a Lueck I will, of course, pick lamb. I have been craving lamb shanks lately.
Karl’s Braised Lamb Shanks
with Middle Eastern Flavors
Filed under California Fusion, Lamb, Main Dishes, Sauces and Spices
Lamb calls out for a starch of some kind—potatoes, rice, or couscous. Since I am doing Middle Eastern lamb shanks, I decided I would use ptitim. This Israeli couscous was invented in the 1950’s as a substitute for rice.
Karl’s Israeli Couscous With Almonds and Mint
Filed under Pasta, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian
I needed a vegetable to go with my Middle Eastern Lamb shanks. Stuffed artichoke hearts came to mine as a good and tasty solution. However, after gentle criticism of my tapas dinner, I have tried to move away from my overpowering urge to stuff meat into vegetables.
Karl’s Middle Eastern Stuffed Artichoke Hearts
Filed under Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Miriam had requested gazpacho for Sunday’s dinner. Her husband, Chris, does not particularly like gazpacho. Jan suggested that I make a variety of tapas to go with the cold soup, so they could both be happy.
Karl’s Tapas Dinner
Filed under Side Dishes
Adapted from Food and Wine recipe
I am making a Spanish tapas dinner for this Sunday. There is a whole selection of fish tapas, many of which involve whole fried small fish. I had wanted to have fried anchovies or sardines, but El Niño had caused a collapse in the local fish supply.
Karl’s Tapas
Caballa Frita Rellena
Fried Stuffed Mackerel
Filed under Fish, Main Dishes, Seafood
karllueck
Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 