Shakshuka – Say It With Me Now

This Shakshuka, or Shakshouka if you prefer, is why I’m so glad the show/blog/channel is called, “Food Wishes.” This North African one-dish-meal is so fast, easy, and delicious, but it probably wouldn’t have occurred to me to do a video for it, unless someone sent me a request. https://share.payoneer.com/nav/l7tB8-EAxyV0nK5XVTcUrIOE443z34pdCTQTEhY_7TaGmB5JaVVjaRwjyJyc1v0IhN8LtuigH9sLFXX-1NvvJw2 I always appreciate these types of reminders, and seeing "Shakshuka" in a subject line does catch your attention, but now I have a little problem. I can’t stop saying it. It has basically replaced using profanity for me. Yes, now when I stub my toe, I yell "shakshuka!" I know we did an Italian-inspired version of this idea, served in individual ramekins, but this is supposedly the original. The sauce is quite different, and I think more interesting. The peppers and mushrooms add another layer of flavor, and the spicing is much more complex. Not to mention, a large pan of this is much more of a showstopper. Click Here! Just be sure to cook your sauce until the veggies are nice and soft and sweet. I don’t think you want crunchy onions and peppers in this, so take a little time building the base. You will also have to monitor the liquid level as it simmers, but that’s very easy to adjust by adding a splash of water or broth. Click Here! Once the eggs go in, you can finish covered on the stove, or just pop the pan into a hot oven until they cook to your liking. I go for just barely set, and the advantage of that system is, if you do want them cooked more, you just need to stir the egg into that hot sauce, and it will firm-up instantly. No matter how you like your yolks cooked, this makes for an impressive breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. And if you’re serving a large group, you can scale this up to any size pan or baking dish. I really hope you “shakshuka!” very soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 small portions: (one egg per portion as appetizer - double for a main course) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, diced large handful of sliced mushrooms 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste 1 cup diced red bell peppers 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 28-oz can (about 3 cups) crushed San Marzano tomatoes, or other high-quality plum tomatoes. Of course you can use fresh tomatoes in season. 1/2 cup water or broth, or as needed 6 large eggs (or as many as you can fit in you pan) crumbled feta cheese and fresh parsley to finish

A Waldorf Salad by Any Other Name

As I joked about in the video, a fruit salad has to be pretty damn good to actually get a name, and the venerable Waldorf salad is certainly worthy.

I realize that there are a small group of you who won’t be able to wrap your heads around mayonnaise with fruit, and that’s a shame, since it means you won’t get to enjoy one of the great combinations of all time. By the way, if you are one of the aforementioned people, but like mayo slathered all over your sandwich, containing slices of sweet, ripe tomato, and caramelized onions, then you have some explaining to do. Also, coleslaw. I rest my case. Embellish this as you see fit, but I really like it best with just the four ingredients seen here. Things like dried cranberries can add a nice seasonal touch, but for me, the chewy fruit gets in the way of that addictive crunchy/crisp texture. I really hope you give this old-school, but timeless Waldorf salad a try soon. Enjoy! Ingredients for about 1 cup dressing (enough for 2 Waldorf salads below): 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup crème fraiche or sour cream (I used CF) juice from 1/2 lemon 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt pinch freshly ground black pepper pinch cayenne 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon For 2 large or 4 appetizer sized Waldorf salads: 2 large crisp, sweet apples, cut in 1/2 inch cubes 1 cup small cubed celery root 1 cup quartered seedless grapes 1/2 cup toasted walnuts pieces

Sweet Potato Muffins – The Sweet Potato Pie of Muffins

Sometimes you don’t have a good reason for not loving a certain recipe, and that’s how it is for me with sweet potato pie. It just does not do it for me, and I don’t even know what “it” is. However, I thought the same flavors could work for a holiday-inspired sweet potato muffin, and I was thrilled with the results. These are perfect if you have leftover sweet potatoes during the holidays, but if not, totally worth cooking a few just for this easy recipe. I microwaved mine for about 6 or 7 minutes, until they were very soft, but roasting, or boiling will also work. By the way, we’re not using sweet potatoes for our sweet potato muffin; we’re using yams, which are actually just incorrectly named orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. So, I guess never mind. As I mention in the video, these muffins are just a little bit of frosting away from being cupcakes. I’ve never understood the allure of mini marshmallows on a sweet potato casserole, but something tells me some “fluff” would work well on these, as well. I really hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy! Ingredients for 24 Sweet Potato Muffins: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup melted butter 2 cups mashed sweet potato or “yams” 1 cup chopped pecans, plus more for the top demerara sugar for the tops - Bake for 25 minutes at 350 F. or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.

Bacon Cheddar and Spinach Strata – We’re Rocking the Breakfast Casserole

For such a simple dish, I sure have a lot of additional info to cover regarding the construction of this beautiful bacon, cheddar, and spinach strata. First of which, is the somewhat unusual name. Whoever invented this recipe apparently thought it looked like layers of rock, known in geological circles as, “strata.” I guess it sort of does, and probably would a lot more, if we used a deeper dish, and did more layers. Regardless, even with just one layer of filling in the middle, you’ll still be looking at a gorgeous casserole, which should thoroughly impress your brunch guests…bottomless Mimosas or no. As I mentioned in the video, if you want something a little eggier, a little more quiche-like, just simply increase the amount of egg custard used. As long as your pan is deep enough, you could as much as double the eggs and cream in this. Speaking of the cream, this is a very rich dish, so you may want to cut the cream with milk. In fact, many people use all milk for this, but I do enjoy the extra butterfat the cream provides. As usual, let your conscience be your guide. Above and beyond that, this recipe just begs for personalization. I’m not sure what your favorite omelet ingredients are, but I do know they would work in this, and work really well. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 portions: 1 pound loaf of day old bread, cubed 12 large eggs 2 1/2 cups heavy cream, milk, or any combination thereof 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper pinch cayenne pinch nutmeg 1 pound bacon, sliced and cooked crisp 1 pound fresh spinach, wilted, and squeezed dry (or enough thawed, drained frozen spinach to cover one layer) 12 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided (use 1/2 over the first layer of bread, 1/4 over the spinach, and the last 1/4 over the top layer of bread) - Bake at 350 F. for 45 minutes or until set. Then broil for a minute or two to brown the top.

Béarnaise Sauce – Maybe My Favorite ‘Aise

I adore a good hollandaise, and couldn’t survive without mayonnaise, but if I had to pick an all-time favorite ’aise, it might just be béarnaise. This tarragon-spiked, shallot-infused hollandaise is absolutely perfect with any and all steaks or roasts; especially lean ones, like our recent salt-crust beef tenderloin. A sauce made from 75% butter has some advantages, and elevating lean meat is just one of them. This is also excellent on potatoes, vegetables, as well as just about any seafood I can imagine. And as I mentioned in the video, this can be used to make quite the memorable eggs Benedict. We’re using the same revolutionary technique here that we featured in our last hollandaise sauce video, with one small tweak. If you’re feeling lucky, try to create your hollandaise over medium heat, instead of low. That’s what I usually use, but I played it safe, and went with low heat in that recipe, even though using medium is much faster. You’ll have to keep an eye on things, but you should get results similar to what you see in this video. By the way, just like when making regular hollandaise you can adjust the thickness by adding in a little hot water if necessary. So, whether you’re going to enjoy this with salt-crusted beef tenderloin, or something else just as special, I hope you give this béarnaise sauce a try soon. Enjoy!

For the reduction: 1 cup fresh tarragon leaves, roughly chopped 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots 1 rounded teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 1/2 cup white wine 1/3 cup water For the compound butter: 1/4 cup chopped tarragon 1 teaspoon drained capers 1 tablespoon cold butter For the béarnaise: 2 large egg yolks 3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar reduction 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed 1 tablespoon caper tarragon compound butter salt and cayenne pepper to taste freshly ground black pepper, optional

Beerbecue Beef Flank Steak – You’ll Have Them at “Beer”

If you thought beer was just a refreshing adult beverage that made your friends seem more interesting and better looking, well think again. I was simply stunned at how a glass of beer poured into a homemade barbecue sauce created one of the most delicious grilled flank steaks I’ve ever had. If you’re looking for something different for your Father’s Day cookout, consider this super simple preparation. I’m not sure if it’s the bitterness from the hops, or the malty notes, or just the alcohol, but something happens to produce a tender, juicy, and very flavorful steak. Of course, half the battle is cutting this correctly, so pay special attention to that portion of the video. Cutting in half lengthwise will make life easier, and then straight down across the grain will yield tender slices of the smoky, aromatic meat. Drizzle on a little of the leftover sauce, and you’re in for a real treat. Any beer will do, but try to use something on the more aggressive side if you can. Don’t forget, you’ll need to drink the other 5.33 beers, so you might as well get something tasty. I went with Belgian ale, and it was a beautiful thing. I hope you give this father-friendly beerbecue recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions: 1 (1 1/2 lb) trimmed beef flank steak salt and pepper to taste For the sauce: 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup molasses 1/3 cup white vinegar 2 tsp black pepper 1 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cayenne 1/4 tsp cumin 1/4 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1 cup strong beer

Potato Pancakes – Squeeze and Be Squeezed

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These sexy looking potato pancakes would sure make a nice looking first course for your Valentine's dinner. Here you can see that I've finished them with a little smoked salmon, sour cream, and dill, but you can use them as a base for many other combinations. If you want to splurge a bit, maybe a dollop of caviar, or if you want to go the other direction, simply garnish with applesauce and sour cream. Some other ideas I really like are crab salad, sautéed mushrooms, and caramelized onions. But, before you get to the big decision of what to top these golden-brown beauties with, we have to talk about squeezing. The one and only way to not get perfectly crispy potato pancakes is to not squeeze them properly. I just finished the written recipe that will go in the cookbook, and when I looked at it, I couldn't believe how long and wordy it was. I mean, potato pancakes are a very simple recipe, but for some reason it takes a long time to describe how to prep the potatoes. More than half the procedure was dedicated to grating, soaking, draining, and squeezing the potatoes. If you don't thoroughly squeeze all the liquid from the potatoes, the pancakes just won't crispy up as well. Once cooked, you can keep these crispy in a warm oven until your, what I'm sure will be a very memorable, Valentine's dinner is ready to begin. Besides making a great appetizer, these are fantastic for breakfast. In fact, you could use that as a little leverage later in the evening, if you know what I'm saying. Enjoy! Ingredients: 2 1/4 pounds russet potato, peeled 1/2 yellow onion, peeled 2 large eggs 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper pinch of cayenne vegetable oil, as needed 3-4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon 4 tablespoon sour cream 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped