Microwave antipasto with tuna, olives, peppers, mushrooms, and carrots in a tangy tomato-ketchup sauce. Make-ahead appetizer that keeps for two weeks in the fridge.
Fish marinade with white wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and hot sauce. A versatile Asian-inspired marinade that works on fish, chicken, and lamb for grilling or broiling.
Clam risotto with red chile powder, Roma tomatoes, and bell peppers finished with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Arborio rice cooked in homemade clam broth for deep seafood flavor.
Cajun shrimp bread stuffed into a hollowed French loaf with toasted bread crumbs, sauteed onions, paprika, and melted cheddar on top. A Louisiana-style appetizer or party centerpiece.
Sioux berry soup with broiled beef chuck, blackberries, and honey simmered in beef stock. A savory-sweet Native American stew with deep, rich flavor.
Mexican shrimp in chipotle sauce with broiled tomatoes, white wine, and lime-marinated shrimp. Smoky-spicy seafood main from the kitchens of central Mexico.
Grilled chicken with oregano poaches in garlicky broth, then gets coated in a rustic oregano paste and finished over live fire. A two-step Mexican-style technique for juicy, deeply flavored chicken.
Sockeye salmon dip with lemon, fresh dill, mayonnaise, and whipping cream. No cooking required. Serve with veggies, black bread, or potato skins.
Italian sweet and sour onions braised in white wine vinegar, honey, and coriander. Cipollini-style agrodolce side dish simmered until glazed and tender.
Easy Italian mushroom spaghetti sauce built from fresh roma tomatoes, tomato paste, and four herbs, simmered with plenty of mushrooms. Vegetarian as-is, or add meatballs or browned beef.
New Orleans crab canapes: buttered toast rounds topped with creamy crab and gruyere-parmesan cheese balls, baked until bubbly. A classic French Quarter party appetizer.
A thick, rustic Italian-style soup loaded with penne, cannellini beans, fennel, zucchini, and summer squash simmered in vegetable broth spiked with dry vermouth. Low-fat, naturally vegetarian, and feeds 8 from one big pot in about an hour.
Guacamole de la Mixteca: an authentic Oaxaca-region guacamole with ripe avocado, white onion, serrano chile, and cilantro. Mashed chunky in a molcajete, no lime, no fuss.
Chicharron en salsa verde features crispy pork rinds simmered in a tangy tomatillo and serrano chile sauce until tender. A classic Mexican comfort dish served with warm tortillas and refried beans.
Poulet en casserole is a French country classic: whole roasted chicken braised in white wine and rosemary with tender potatoes, carrots, and onions. One pot, one oven.
A homemade Boursin-style cheese dip made by creaming butter and cream cheese with garlic, Italian seasoning and minced walnuts. Silky, garlicky and ready in 15 minutes with no cooking.
New Orleans jambalaya loaded with chicken, andouille sausage, and shrimp in a rich tomato base. Fresh herbs and three types of onions create complex Creole flavor.
Poached orange roughy topped with a spiced tomato-orange marmalade sauce with brandy, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne. A light, elegant fish dish with sweet-heat complexity.
Soupe de potiron is a French Provencal pumpkin soup with white onion, sage, garlic and a handful of rice for body. Pureed, then finished with Parmesan shavings. A simple, peasant-style fall soup.
French-inspired pressure cooker beef with round steak, smoky bacon, white onions, new potatoes, and mushrooms braised in dry white wine. Tender, saucy, and on the table in 45 minutes.
Lime-marinated shrimp seared and simmered in a smoky blended chipotle-tomato sauce with white wine and Mexican oregano. Authentic camarones enchipotlados that bring real Mexican heat to your table.
Seared skirt steak smothered in a smoky chipotle-tomatillo salsa with 15 cloves of roasted garlic and caramelized onions. Bold, beefy Mexican-inspired comfort on one plate.
Greek lamb stew with flour-dredged lamb cubes braised in white wine, tomato sauce, and chicken broth with rosemary, thyme, black olives, and blanched onions.
Pasta rings tossed in cool, spiced cucumber raita with mint, cumin, and lemon. A summer pasta salad with Indian roots: tangy yogurt, crunchy cucumber, and warm cumin against tender anellini pasta.
Garlic cheese and walnut dip with cream cheese, sharp cheddar, curry, paprika, chili powder, and fresh dill. An unexpectedly spiced party dip with real crunch from chopped walnuts. No cooking needed.
Tex-Mex quiche with two filling options: spicy pepper jack or loaded sausage with cheddar and green chilies. Topped with fresh avocado and tomato wedges.
Smoky ancho and fiery chipotle chilies form a bold spice crust on tender pork loin, slow-roasted in a clay pot with sweet onions until fall-apart tender.
Smoky black bean salsa with roasted poblano, chipotle in adobo, pomegranate juice, and toasted cumin. A more refined warm salsa for grilled fish, tacos, or rice bowls.
Mexican escabeche oysters pickled in vinegar with garlic, carrots, cauliflower, and herbs. Briefly cooked then marinated overnight for a tangy, briny cold appetizer with lime and jalapeno.
I added some Italian seasoning and fresh ground pepper to the Ricotta and I added about 1/4 tsp. of white truffle oil to the mushroom and onion mixture after it had cooled. It had great flavor
Guacamole with serrano heat, white onion, and a surprise hit of pureed zucchini for body. Mexican-style avocado dip finished with tomato, green onion, and cilantro garnish.
Caribbean-style roast fresh ham rubbed with a garlic, rum, brown sugar, and lime marinade, roasted alongside chayote squash. The citrus-rum crust caramelizes into a sticky, sweet-savory glaze.
Slow cooker lamb stew with potatoes, carrots, white onions, and peas in a thyme-and-beef-broth gravy. A dump-and-go crockpot dinner that simmers all day into fall-apart lamb chunks.
Greek beef stew braised with tomato paste, red wine vinegar, whole white onions, and mushrooms, finished with melted Monterey Jack cheese. A hearty stifado-style one-pot dinner.
Roasted tomato salsa with jalapenos, garlic, white onion, cumin, and cider vinegar. Oven-roasting concentrates the tomato flavor for a smoky, slightly chunky salsa that beats any jar.
Toasted sesame sauce made from oven-toasted seeds and tahini, thickened with arrowroot and brightened with lemon zest and tamari. A rich, nutty vegan all-purpose sauce for pasta, vegetables, and grains.
Toasted cashew sauce blended with garlic, fresh ginger, soy sauce, and a touch of cayenne. A creamy dairy-free, vegan sauce for grain bowls, steamed vegetables, and roasted mains.
Chilled avocado soup blends buttermilk, ripe avocado, cucumber, and lime into a no-cook bowl with a green hot-sauce kick. Cold, creamy, and ready straight from the blender for hot-weather lunches.
Creamy potato chowder loaded with smoky bacon, skin-on new potatoes and celery, thickened to a velvety spoonful and finished with a splash of dry sherry. A hearty one-pot chowder for cold nights.
Pan-seared sea scallops sauteed with mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and scallions in a butter and white wine sauce. A restaurant-quality seafood dinner with a rich, lemon-bright pan sauce.
Justin Wilson's Cajun crawfish boil simmers 50 pounds of live crawfish with crab boil seasoning, lemons, cayenne, sausage, corn, and potatoes. The gold standard Louisiana backyard feast.
Tacos de requeson: corn tortillas stuffed with ricotta cheese, fried golden and crisp, then filled with a tangy lime-radish-cilantro salsa. A traditional Mexican street food you can make at home.
Mediterranean garlic soup made with five whole heads of garlic, white wine, and a silky egg-yolk-and-olive-oil emulsion finish. A French aigo bouido style soup that's pure aromatic comfort.
Cajun file gumbo built on homemade chicken stock with a dark butter roux, andouille sausage, and the holy trinity. Thickened with file powder and served over rice.
Lentejas en adobo is a rustic Mexican lentil and pork stew simmered in a smoky ancho-chili adobo with plantain, pineapple, and warm spices. Thick, savory, and deeply layered.
Mission-style chicken breasts smothered in a smoky chipotle sour cream sauce with melted cheese. Made with a from-scratch chipotle paste using dried chiles, garlic, and slow-fried aromatics.
A hearty Greek stew of tender veal cubes braised low and slow with whole pearl onions, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, cinnamon, and cloves. Sealed in a casserole and baked until meltingly soft, this stifado fills the kitchen with the warmest spiced aromas.