It Probably Needs Truffle Salt

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If you’ve never had or cooked with truffles before, this recipe will serve as the perfect introduction. This is a very basic cream soup that, while lovely on its own, is made stellar with the addition of truffle salt.

Truffle salt is a great and relatively inexpensive way to get a little of this special ingredient into your life.  Order some online for around $20 and use it in soups, on roasted vegetables, on grilled meats, with otherwise boring fish, or even just sprinkled on popcorn. It really is the simplest way to make your food extraordinary.

Truffled Potato Soup with Crispy Kale
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Cardamom Bread

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We didn’t eat much in the way of wonderful food growing up. I remember a lot of fish sticks and bologna sandwiches and frozen peas.  Not that I fault anyone – there just wasn’t much wonderful food available at supermarkets in the 80’s.  But I do have a handful of food memories that have stuck with me over the years, and not surprisingly, they are the things that people in my life put energy and love into making.

I think of my aunt Kitty’s homemade spaghetti sauce with garlic and olives (probably deep-down the basis for my own marinara recipe). The calzones that my dad would stuff with perfectly minced onions, grated zucchini, and cheeses.  And my all-time favorite, a fragrant, braided, cardamom-spiced bread, which we would wait for as patiently as we could as it rose beneath a kitchen towel on the stove top.

This recipe for cardamom bread is adapted from Saveur magazine.  It is absolutely delicious spread with sweet cream butter and enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea. 

Cardamom Bread
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Gougères (goo-ZHAIRS)

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Gougères are a must-know recipe. They are quick, yet incredibly elegant, and they are made with ingredients that most of you will have on hand.

Start with the classic choux pastry (the same dough used for ceam puffs and éclairs, y’all).  Add grated sharp cheese, nutmeg, and pepper, and watch through the oven window with stars in your eyes as the little pastries puff up and become crispy and golden.

If that isn’t enough to convince you, know that the leftover gougères freeze incredibly well and reheat in just minutes to 99% of their former glory.

Gougères
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Fish Guilt

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Last weekend, I had a conversation with a friend about the longevity of the food supply coming from the oceans. Somewhat embarrassingly, we had this conversation over a giant platter of sashimi, but the the facts are in, and the oceans are running extremely low on fish.

One (potential) solution is fish farming. For a long time I avoided farmed fish at all costs, citing the unnaturalness of their diets or the waste issues farms create, but the time has come to get off my high horse if I want to continue to enjoy fish regularly. 

Farmed fish should be chosen thoughtfully, and tilapia is one of the most sustainably farmed fish in existence (provided it does not come from China or Taiwan – read more about that here). In addition, its mild flavor makes it the ideal candidate for many unique dishes, like my Malaysian-Style Tilapia with Tamarind Sauce.

The sauce for this tilapia is delightfully sour thanks to the tamarind, and the brown sugar and fish sauce balance it perfectly. Put on a pot of brown rice before you start the fish and trim some green beans to be steamed at the last minute and everything will be done at just the right time.

Malaysian-Style Tilapia with Tamarind Sauce
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Coq Au Vin

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If you have never made this classic dish, you absolutely should. It’s the perfect winter dinner, and winter is finally here in Chicago (who knew anyone would ever utter those words?).

While my version isn’t quite the same as Julia Child’s classic version, what is ultimately important is the technique, which is braising a chicken (or rooster, if you have one on hand) in wine. As always, I implore you to make the recipe your own, omitting and adding ingredients at your discretion.  Bon Appétit!

Coq Au Vin
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Simplest Salmon Cakes

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I love salmon and I know that it is awesomely good for you, but sometimes I get sick of eating it just baked or grilled. This recipe is a great way to change it up, especially in the winter when you desire something a little more comforting. Just pre-bake the fish until barely cooked through and then mix with some simple, fish-friendly ingredients.  The crispy breadcrumbs and the tangy capers make a great contrast to the rich salmon, read more about the best fish to eat for health health.

Simplest Salmon Cakes
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