This Sunday we had a complex soup, cioppino, that would take up most of my attention. I did not want to have just a plain greens salad, but it needed to be simple. Fortunately, yesterday was Jan and my 33rd anniversary and I had made salmon wraps for dinner.
Karl’s Leftovers:
Salmon Salad with Raspberry Radish Slaw
Filed under California Fusion, Fish, Green Vegetables, Salads, Vegetables
Jan has been working 70-80 hour weeks lately—if only she would get paid for some of that overtime. It is hardly surprising that she has ended up working on our anniversary. Today is Jan and my 33rd anniversary. We are having the major celebration with cioppino tomorrow with the kids, but there is still tonight’s dinner to make special.
Karl’s Salmon Lettuce Wraps
with Raspberry Radish Slaw
Filed under Broiling, California Fusion, Fish, Main Dishes, Salads, Seafood
I had bought meat to make tacos al pastor for dinner, but Jan said wanted something lighter—code word “salad.” A few weeks ago, I made a chicken taco salad that was a raging success, a dish sure to become a regular family meal. However, it doesn’t always have to be exactly the same, I thought about trying that as an al pastor taco salad.
Karl’s al Pastor Taco Salad
with Hot-Pan Salsa
Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Pork, Salads, Vegetables
Jan really liked the last mushroom soup I made. She asked for a soup just for the two of us, Eilene—who hates mushrooms—was off on an overnight. Reworking that recipe actually improved it quite a bit.
Karl’s Mushroom and Barley Soup
Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian, Vegetarian MD
The mushroom hater is on an overnight at a friend’s house, so Jan asked for a mushroom dish. She really liked the last one I did, so I thought I would do a variation. Soup calls for salad and crackers.
Karl’s Szechuan Pepper Shrimp and Arugula Salad
Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Seafood, Shrimp, Side Dishes, Vegetables
It is just Jan and me for a Saturday night. Eilene is off at a party, so Jan asked for something with mushrooms, like mushroom soup—something Eilene does not like. Soup calls for a salad and crackers.
Karl’s Sichuan Pepper Crackers
Filed under bread, California Fusion, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
I have been making marmalade the same way for years for a Christmas giveaway. I bought a microplane zester that produced very fine bits of rind. Over time I have been experimenting with the recipe— no extra water, fine bits of zest and less and less sugar. This has produced an intensely flavorful marmalade.
Karl’s Caramel Mandarin
Micro Marmalade
Filed under Breakfast, California Fusion, Treats, Vegan, Vegetarian
Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe
When I was a child my mother, Claudia, would make strawberry jam every strawberry season. With five kids and a tight budget, it was one more way to stretch a dollar—even then commercial jelly was expensive. Whenever she did this, she would also bake bread—the smell of fresh bread and jam would fill the house. We would all gather around anticipating the treat of hot jam on warm bread just out of the oven.
Karl’s Strawberry Jam
Filed under Breakfast, California Fusion, Treats, Vegan, Vegetarian
A common weekday dinner at my house is Chinese chicken salad. I have done it often enough that it has become a bit boring. I thought about what I could do that was similar, but in a different culture. When I make tacos, Jan uses the leftovers to make a taco salad for her lunch. I thought: “That is a starting point!”
Karl’s Chicken Taco Salad
with Hot-Pan Salsa
Filed under California Fusion, Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry, Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian
Every year, my sister Karen renews my subscription to Cooks Illustrated at Christmas time. Over the years, I have tried and usually adapted many of their recipes—I am frequently at odds with some of their philosophies of cooking. In the October 2006 issue, they presented a recipe Stir-Fried Chicken with Bok Choy and Crispy Noodle Cake.
Karl’s Spicy Chicken
with Pan Fried Noodles
Filed under Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry, Stir-fry, Vegan, Vegetarian
karllueck
Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 