These Duck Dumplings are an elegant interpretation of Polish pierogi, combining rich roasted duck, vegetables, and herbs that once graced the tables of Polish kings in Kraków. The inspiration for this dish came from L’Entre Villes, a Michelin-recognized restaurant in Sopot, Poland, where the cuisine draws on Polish, French, and broader European culinary traditions. Why […]
Duck Dumplings with Cranberry-Red Cabbage Sauce Read More »
This Parmigiano Reggiano Flan with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes is a savory cheese custard, a perfect elegant appetizer and make-ahead starter. A luscious spoonful Why You’ll Love This Recipe Parmigiano Reggiano, the King of Cheeses, takes center stage in this delicate savory flan. Until I tasted this delicate cheese custard at a restaurant, I thought Parmigiano
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Fromage Fort, strong cheese in French, is a mixture made from leftover pieces of cheese puréed with white wine or broth, garlic, and herbs. It provides a perfect solution for a family dilemma: I hate wasting food, especially cheese, and after the holidays, my refrigerator drawer is filled with small, dried cheese chunks. My family
Fromage fort à la Slava Read More »
When a white-jacketed Italian waiter brought in a golden, crusty tower of pasta on a silver platter, it was love at first sight! After all diners admired this creation, as he cut and served the wedges, he announced that this was pasta al forno con spinaci, pomodori e quanciale – Baked Pasta with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Bacon.
Baked Pasta with Spinach, Tomatoes and Bacon. Read More »
This Grilled Caponata with Balsamic Vinaigrette is a summer vegetable dish inspired by caponata, the classic Sicilian sweet-and-sour vegetable stew.* Here, the vegetables shine without the need for heavy tomato sauce or copious amounts of olive oil. It is a versatile dish, delicious at all temperatures. After seeing this year’s crop of eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash,
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After a cold spring, summer has finally arrived, and it’s time to lighten meals and reduce time at the stove. This Cucumber Gazpacho with Heirloom Tomatoes, Basil and Mint is my idea of perfect summer cooking – easy, quick, adaptable to many occasions. It’s my re-creation of a cucumber gazpacho that I had at a
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Enough winter! It’s February, and we are spending several weeks in New Orleans, away from Chicago’s lingering cold. Here, spring is coming early. Spring fruits and vegetables and baskets of seafood—crawfish, shrimp, scallops, and finfish—are filling local markets. Eager to take a break from months of meat stew, pasta, and chili diet, I am inspired
I first encountered this Poured-Crust Cabbage Pie at a picnic on the eve of Ivana Kupala, Ukraine’s midsummer celebration. Its thin crust enveloped a savory mixture of shredded young cabbage, other vegetables and spices. It was perfect picnic food: fresh, flavorful, easy to eat out of hand on a magical midsummer evening, leaving a lasting
Poured-Crust Cabbage Pie — and How Ukrainians Celebrate Midsummer Read More »
These Carrot Oladky (morkvyani oladky – морквяні оладки in Ukrainian) are one of many dairy-based dishes eaten during Masnytsia or Syrny Tyzhden (translated as Butter Week or Cheese Week). Masnytsia is Ukrainian carnivale which takes place a week before the start of Lent, which often occurs at the end of February or in the first
Carrot Oladky – Tender Carrot Pancakes from Ukraine Read More »
My daughter Sophia teases me whenever I choose a beet dish from a restaurant menu, saying, “So Ukrainian of you!”. But I love the sweetness and earthiness of beets, which have been a part of my diet in soups, main dishes, and salads since childhood. This Winter Beet and Dried Plum Salad with Walnut Dressing
Winter Beet and Dried Plum Salad with Walnut Dressing Read More »