My Cooking Blog

Pressure Cooker Braised Oxtails (Instant Pot)

Posted by in General, The Kitchen

The Instant Pot is an amazing piece of equipment, and nothing impresses me more than the speed and ease with which it renders oxtails into perfect specimens of smooth, silky, beefy goodness. What normally takes 2-3 hours of simmering, the Instant Pot does in 35 minutes! This recipe is very adaptable; feel free to play with seasonings, herbs (rosemary? basil?), liquids (juices? broths?), even vegetables. The key is to have enough liquid to just cover the meaty morsels.  The resulting stock will be like liquid gold. Oxtails have a tremendous amount…read more

Oyster Dressing

Posted by in General, The Kitchen

Each Thanksgiving and Christmas, our family would be treated to, among many fine dishes, dad’s dressing. Now, this would be no ordinary dressing. This was a rich, full-bodied, pan of savory goodness that literally was a meal in itself. Originally created to use up leftover yeast rolls from our restaurant, dad would toss together whatever ingredients were around during the season: turkey, ham, giblets, shrimp, oysters, sausage, you name it. This year, I was tasked with giving dad a break and creating the dressing for Thanksgiving. This isn’t the same…read more

Black Garlic Chicken

Posted by in The Kitchen

This flavorful roasted chicken benefits from the best of the Asian condiment shelf: umami-packed soy and oyster sauces, sweet hoisin and honey, and a dash of sesame oil for a nutty note. Both regular and fermented black garlic really punch up the flavor profile; be sure to save the delicious pan juices to spoon over steamed rice!

The Best Beef Stew Ever

Posted by in General, The Kitchen

  Beef Stew. The mere words conjure up warm, soothing moments from my childhood. I remember the rich, thick, heaping dish of goodness mom would serve me as a child, often when the weather got cooler. The chunks of potato would have added just the right amount of starchy texture to the tomato-based sauce, yet still be firm to the bite. The carrot rounds added sweetness, and the onions their caramelized, redolent goodness. The pieces of beef would be a joyful revelation – perfectly braised, delicious nuggets of beefy flavor….read more

Spiced Polynesian Pork

Posted by in The Kitchen

The fine folks at Marx Foods issued a challenge that was right up my alley: Create a savory dish recipe with ingredients used primarily in sweet dishes. So, armed with Granulated Honey, Coconut Sugar, and Fennel Herb Crystals, I turned to my favorite of all savory ingredients: Pork!

Shrimp and Sugar Snaps

Posted by in The Kitchen

A study in textural delights. Tender shrimp are paired with crisp, sweet sugar snap peas in a light, soy-kissed sauce. A smattering of crimini mushrooms, carrots and celery add color and crunch, while hints of sesame add warmth and depth to this deceivingly simple stir-fry.