I did it! Chocolate pistachio biscotti

Another recipe to cross off my "want to try" listDreary Sunday afternoons--the only reason I look forward to them is because I like to stay in and cook. The last dreary Sunday, I really wanted to bake. It may have been because I was anxious to try the Roll'pat that I'd just bought.


I did not know this until researching biscotti recipes, but traditional biscotti does not have butter. But don't worry about flavor--what it lacks in fat it makes up in sugar.

Speaking of polenta...

Dear Underground Chef,

Please note that in your earlier post regarding polenta, you may have included proportions that were a little off. For some reason, you used a 1:3 ratio of polenta to boiling water. It seemed to work well back then, but when trying it again recently, that proportion made super thick polenta that cooked way too quickly.

Okay, admittedly it may have been because you weren't paying close attention to the polenta. Polenta needs attention. Despite your neglect, it did turn out okay, so disaster [somewhat] averted. In any case, I suggest using a ratio closer to 1:3.5 or 1:4 next time.

Best regards,
Nosebear

Chicken cacciatore

Have you ever made anything without really knowing what it was? Although I've heard the name, I have never eaten chicken cacciatore before, nor have I seen it on a cooking show or read the recipe in a cookbook. Even so, when I found this recipe, I bookmarked it because it sounded like a delicious and cozy winter meal.

When it all comes together

I started this blog because I like to cook and I wanted to keep track of things I made, for future reference.


There's my new love of a sunny-side egg with everything... and these incredible slow-roasted tomatoes that I make on a nearly weekly basis... and pesto which I had frozen in an ice cube tray, then defrosted a few cubes at a time.




I believe I've come full circle.

Simple avocado salad

Here is a simple salad based on one my cousin made a long time ago. It's just sliced avocado, red onion and bonito flakes (which I omitted here). I dressed it with a little soy sauce, lemon juice and plenty of black pepper and sesame seeds. I imagine a non-Asian version could be dressed with cilantro, lime and maybe tabasco? Or balsamic vinegar and olive oil. This salad is best with a more firm avocado, for those times when you must have an avocado but it's not fully ripe.

Mushroom bourgignon

This recipe is not going to have enough meat for one of my readers (you know who you are). In fact, it has no meat in it. Suck it!

Looking forward to a steamy 2010

I bought a steamer insert like this except larger (although if I'd seen this purple version, I would've gotten it instead). I made this salmon, which I sprinkled with olive oil, salt and pepper, wrapped in foil and steamed for about 25 min (I hadn't completely defrosted the fish beforehand, otherwise I think 15 min plus 5 min off heat is plenty). It was incredible. Therefore you can expect a lot more steamer recipes in the future. Just in time for my standard New Year's [daily] resolution of being [more] healthy. Which I immediately broke by serving the salmon with an asparagus and corn risotto.