Given how easy it is to make harīsa, the ubiquitous chile paste of North Africa, I’ve never had much use for those inferior tubes of the stuff. Harīsa is the most important condiment used in Algerian and Tunisian cooking, and you need to make this recipe and keep it in the refrigerator before attempting any […]
Baked Spanish Rice Do-it-Yourself
October 27, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Most people think a Spanish rice dish is called paella. But paella is just one kind of Spanish rice dish and in fact a paella is cooked in a paella, the name of the large metal pan used to cook the dish over a burner, and not in a casserole. In Spain, a baked rice […]
Oyster Heaven, A Simple Recipe with a Big Bang
August 14, 2015 by 3 Comments
Every now and then I get an urge for a particular taste–almost the way pregnant woman get an urge for a particular, and sometimes weird, taste. This is how this recipe came about. I wanted oysters and I wanted them creamy and I wanted them hot. I had several Hood Canal Pacific oysters leftover from […]
Peruvian Chile Sauce to Blow Your Head Off
February 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Ají amarillo, also called ají mirasol, is the “yellow chile” of Peru, their most common chile (Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum) that can grow to about five-inches long and is of a medium-hot pungency. There are two main types, the kellu-uchu (ají amarillo cusqueño) and the puca-uchu (uchu is the Quecha word for chile in Peru). […]
Chile Blast Off Spaghetti
September 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Every once in a while I’m eating alone and I’m not testing recipes and I consider going out for a pizza or something similar. Then I am suddenly overcome with the desire to eat something very specific–a craving– that I simply must satisfy that very moment for dinner. This happened the other night mostly because […]
Vindaloo for Cold Weather
February 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Cold is all relative. When I lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts I thought a temperature of 35 degrees F in mid February was warm. Now that I live in southern California, 60 degrees F is downright freezing. Wherever you live winter does bring out the desire for warming foods and nothing is more warming than foods […]
Heirloom Chile for Summer
July 29, 2013 by 1 Comment
One of my favorite heirloom chiles that is perfect for grilling or salads is the Corno di Toro cultivar. It’s too late to plant for this summer but farmers markets will have them now and you can set aside some seeds for next year or you can order some seeds from Burpee. The name of […]
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