Recipes – Page 21 – Not Eating Out in New York

30 Mar 2013

Calamari and Tomato Stew with Capers & Chilies

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Recipes, Seafood, Soups & Stews | 8

There are two ways to prepare squid (aka calamari) with succulent results: very quickly, as in searing, grilling, or flash-frying; or very long, as in braising, stewing, or slow-roasting. Anywhere in between will yield rubbery, rigid bands like undercooked cartilage. I went with the latter preparation for this late-winter, almost-springlike, one-seafood stew. It could be plopped on top of pasta, or sopped up with pieces of bread. Tentacles had never been more tender.

23 Mar 2013

Black Bean and Swiss Chard Burger with Pickled Beets and Smoked Gouda

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Beans, Recipes, vegetarian | 4

I have been seriously craving hamburgers lately. Not the cutely compressed, miniature snack-cum-calorie-whoppers wrapped in grease-blotched paper, but the mean, towering, impressive type stuffed with fixins’ that might come with a steak knife at the side. Oddly, though, I was craving the whole big sandwich affair more so than meat, and wondered if that could be sated without.

18 Mar 2013

Spelt Pilaf with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Ras el Hanout

by Cathy Erway | posted in: gluten-free, Grains, Recipes, Sides & Salads, vegan, vegetarian | 3

A touch of spice makes everything nice. That, and a lightly fried egg whose richness bathes everything in sticky bliss. The prongs of your fork will be cloying this substance, well after you’re done eating and trying to rinse it free. It doesn’t take much to make one simple brunch so memorable, and linger on in your tastebuds, if not also your silverware.

13 Mar 2013

Soy-Marinated Steak with Shiitake Mushrooms and Napa Cabbage

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Meat & Poultry, Recipes | 2

Here’s my new take on a standard beef stir-fry with vegetables over rice. I like to use a good cut of good, grass-fed beef to its fullest, and I love the tenderness of a rare-cooked steak, whose drooling juices contribute to the rich flavors of ample marbling (aka fat). Here, I’ve taken a decent cut (sirloin) of really good, pastured beef and added one other benefit: a light marinade for flavor and texture, in the style of a Chinese stir-fry.

1 Mar 2013

Sweet and Numbing-Hot Spaghetti Squash Salad

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Recipes, Sides & Salads, vegan, vegetarian | 5

There’s nothing like a good game of culinary caper. Here, the winter squash known for its strand-like striations once cooked has stolen the role of thin glass noodles in a Sichuan-style spicy dressing. The squash is orange, rather than glisteningly clear, but since it’s drenched in chili-laced oil and fermented bean paste, you might still mistake it for the former ingredient if you weren’t paying much attention. And then — yuk yuk yuk — bite into the salad, to find … Read More

19 Feb 2013

Sunchoke Soup

by Cathy Erway | posted in: gluten-free, Recipes, Soups & Stews, vegetarian | 4

Nutty, buttery, sweet, earthy — sunchokes are a singular tuber that is best when focused on alone. Like a fine wine that ought not be paired with red meats or aged cheeses, this one is delicate enough to miss the nuances of if you blink — and that would be a shame. So I thought I’d showcase its true colors in a velvety-smooth, simple soup.

14 Feb 2013

Fried Artichoke Hearts with Blood Oranges & Olives

by Cathy Erway | posted in: gluten-free, Recipes, Sides & Salads, vegan, vegetarian | 2

Love is hard. It requires a lot of work, patience, and determination. So is rendering a whole, fresh artichoke into some palatable form. But when you really work at it, give it your best, the artichoke can be a delicious surprise — much more than edible, it’s a tiny miracle of complexity and unique charm. So is a relationship after it’s weathered a few storms. Once you peel back all the fuss and layers of each, you’ll find that all … Read More

9 Feb 2013

Kimchi & Potato Stew

by Cathy Erway | posted in: gluten-free, Recipes, Soups & Stews, vegan, vegetarian | 7

When the raindrops of storm Nemo turned to icy sleet, then light, puffy snow at an increasing speed, I knew that it was the perfect time to hole up in the kitchen and cook something good. I was expecting a long, drawn-out affair once I’d decided on kimchi jigae, a homestyle Korean dish. This versatile stew features kimchi in a bubbling pot with great hunks of tofu, often soft mounds of potatoes, sometimes mushrooms, sometimes eggs, and it’s usually simmered … Read More

4 Feb 2013

Ode to A Difficult Food: Black Radish

by Cathy Erway | posted in: gluten-free, Recipes, Ruminations, Sides & Salads, vegetarian | 14

I brought these black radishes home from the market for the precise reason that they were so difficult to love. Do you have a friend or family member like that, who constantly seems to wage war with you in a bet to lose your loyalty? We have relationships with food all the time, believe it or not. Maybe you’ve been having an affair with the same chicken salad sandwich from that deli for weeks, and maybe you’ve long since parted … Read More

29 Jan 2013

Parsnip Gnocchi with Crimini Mushrooms & Herbs

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Pasta & Noodles, Recipes, vegetarian | 11

Gnocchi might seem tricky to master at home: you want them to be light and somewhat fluffy inside, textured outside, and preferably a little crisped from hot butter in a pan. Instead, first attempts might yield some over-boiled, chewy nuggets that taste like pretty much nothing. If that’s the case you’re working too hard — overworking the dough, over-boiling; gnocchi can be made with much more speed and carelessness. And to give them a seasonal-tasting twist, they can also be … Read More