You Need Carla Hall's Brilliant Shrimp Technique

Any time spent with Carla Hall is just pure delight, due to her being among the most genuine and charming people around. But it is extra fun getting to cook from her newest book - Carla Hall’s Soul Food - because it is such a beautiful personal exploration. The book takes a unique perspective on her own background and includes a lot of vignettes via a road trip.

But of course the recipes are what really draw us all in and I couldn’t wait to get her unique take on shrimp. Her Cracked Shrimp recipe is a twist on the cracked conch she saw when she worked in the Caribbean and it has completely shifted my view on cooking shrimp. Watch the video below to see her technique and get the recipe to try it yourself!

Chefs, Cookbook, Cooking, Food, Interview, Recipe, Video, BlogAli RosenFebruary 5, 2019Carla Hall, shrimp, recipe, Southern, cookbook, fried, evaporated milkComment

Dorie Greenspan Has a Salad To Save You

When I met Dorie Greenspan many years ago I was so delighted to learn that the voice I relate to so much on the page of her cookbooks is the exact person you get if you are lucky enough to have her standing in front of you. For so many of us she is our helpful and enthusiastic guide, coaxing us along to make recipes that bring out our best selves without feeling a lot of stress.

For her newest book, Everyday Dorie, she really brings us into her home and I wanted to tackle a recipe from it with her that really spoke to her demeanor. This salad we made together doesn’t have an artfully done photograph in the book nor was it one of the ones she suggested. But I love it because it reminded me of the quintessential way all of Dorie’s books make me feel - like I can do anything with whatever I have on hand and it will still turn out fabulously.

So watch me gush over one of my favorite people (sorry, I just have to every time I see her) and then get inspiration for a salad that will have you reaching into your pantry in no time.

Cooking, Cookbook, Blog, Food, Interview, Recipe, VideoAli RosenJanuary 7, 2019Dorie Greenspan, cookbook, salad, recipe, beansComment

The Art of the Black and White Cookie

There are few cookies more classic than a Black and White, but it seems like the kind of thing you buy rather than make. But is it really as hard as it seems?

I went to William Greenberg to find out, and the answer might surprise you.

Cooking, Food, DessertAli RosenDecember 19, 2018cookie, New York, dessert, recipeComment

Martina McBride Is a Country AND Cooking Sensation

Sometimes life just isn’t fair. You’re not supposed to be able to sell 14 million albums AND be a great cook. But alas, that’s what you get with Martina McBride. The country music superstar just happens to also be an accomplished cookbook author and her second book, Martina’s Kitchen Mix, was recently released.

Martina came by the kitchen to share a little bit about her book as well as one of her recipes. She was so sweet we might even forgive her for being good at everything.

Blog, Cookbook, Cooking, Food, Recipe, VideoAli RosenDecember 4, 2018Martina McBride, recipe, gremolata, pine nuts, parsley, bread crumbs, lemon zest, celebrity, cookbookComment

What Exactly is a Pu Pu Platter?

I grew up with an American lens to Chinese food. In Charleston, where I was raised we had Chinese food that mirrored a lot of other places across the country, with its own unique dishes. When I moved to New York I started to learn more about more traditional versions of Chinese food but it also gave me an appreciation for the unique sub-culture that is Americanized Chinese cuisine.

One of the best things to me - and apparently, one of the most American - was the Pu Pu Platter. It was a dish that any children who grew up in the latter third of the last century would find familiar. It had everything you could want - fire, spinning and lots of choices.

But as our culture tried to move towards greater authenticity in different cuisines a lot of these stalwarts fell by the wayside. It had been a long time since I saw a Pu Pu Platter on a menu until I recently had dinner at Kings County Imperial. So I just had to sit down with Chef Josh Grinker to get his thoughts and to really hash out the special place of this uniquely multicultural dish

Blog, Cooking, Food, Restaurants, VideoAli RosenNovember 27, 2018Chinese, American, restaurant, New York Comment

The Trick to Lattice Pie Crust

I grew up with a grandmother who was all about pie, and she was particularly adept at the perfect pie crust. It was always a lattice and she made it look so effortless.

But of course as I got older and tried doing it on my own I started to feel that there was a lot of effort behind the effortless. I needed someone to take the fear out of my lattice. And Vallery Lomas was just the best possible person.

You might recognize Valerie as the winner of the Great American Baking Show. She has an awesome blog Foodie in New York that is a party-lovers’ dream. Vallery came over to show me her lattice crust secrets and she had so much advice. From the best way to cut the pie crust to the tricks to hide any imperfections I feel like I am ready to take on any pie now.

Blog, Cooking, Dessert, Food, Recipe, VideoAli RosenNovember 19, 2018pie, crust, dessertComment

The Lighter, Brighter Take on Egg Salad

Certain concepts seem to be stuck in another time. Egg salad always feels that way - a bit heavy and a bit basic with the tweaks in herbs or spices never feeling quite large enough to shift the genre. But that’s where Cal Peternell comes in. His recipes always have the feel of something you should have been making forever but are actually his own special spin. His newest book, Almonds, Anchovies and Pancetta, is a delight and is full of semi-vegetarian recipes that all fit that bill. I fell in love with his Salsa Rustica because it feels like a breath of fresh air to the egg salad mold. It serves the same purpose but without any mayo and ingredients to give depth and new life.

Blog, Cookbook, Cooking, Food, Interview, VideoAli RosenNovember 16, 2018cookbook, egg, appetizer, pancettaComment

The Most Gorgeous Appetizer Is Also The Simplest

I’m a little bit cookbook obsessed, to the point where I like to read them in bed like a good novel. And like a great narrative book, a cookbook can sometimes suck you in and make you want to revisit it over and over. Bottom of the Pot by Naz Deravian is one of those undeniable books. It recounts her Persian childhood and years of cooking her native cuisine in North America. And the recipes reflect that duality - traditional but all with swap-outs that make it accessible for finding ingredients here. If you have never tried Persian cuisine then you haven’t tried one of the best on the planet, but Naz’s book makes it feel like it is second nature. It is by far one of my favorite books of the year

Now that I’m done gushing, let’s talk about this recipe. Naz came over and we made one of her most vibrant dishes. Her yogurt beet dip, known as Borani-yeh Laboo, is worth it just for the color alone. But the simplicity of the recipe defies the depth of flavor that the beets and tarragon give to this appetizer. Make it yourself and then pick up the book. I promise it will become a favorite.

Blog, Cookbook, Cooking, Food, Interview, Recipe, VideoAli RosenOctober 24, 2018yogurt, beet, dip, appetizer, Persian, cookbook, tarragon, make ahead, Served Cold Comment

Perfect Pizza Dough Is Within Reach

There are a few items I avoid making from scratch, and pizza dough is high on the list. It always seems like something you need to perfectly calibrate and since I live in New York it has always seemed like someone else around me could make it better.

But anything you fear is worth trying to conquer, so I made my way to Rosemary’s Pizza to try and get a taste of how they make their crust. I am a huge fan of this style of dough because it feels like the middle ground: not too thin that it falls apart but not too thick and doughy that the rest of the ingredients are drowned out. It turns out pizza dough is a simple process that just requires a little practice. So what are you waiting for?

Cooking, Food, Restaurants, Video, BlogAli RosenOctober 18, 2018pizza, doughComment

Duff Goldman's Secrets to Cooking with Cereal

I think we are all suckers for Rice Krispie treats and I have certainly been known the cook with cereal before (if you haven’t tried the Sweet Salty Crunchy Steak you are missing out). But Duff Goldman is taking it to a whole new level.

He has a new menu at the Kellog’s Cafe where he is making every part of a meal with cereal. From Corn Flakes Mac and Cheese to a Fruit Loops pastry cream he has dreamt up every way you can add cereal to a dish. The key reason to do it, for him, is all about the texture. There’s just something about the crunch of cereal that can add an element into a dish.

Blog, Chefs, Cooking, Food, Interview, VideoAli RosenOctober 8, 2018cereal, Duff Goldman, Rice Krispies, Fruit Loops, Corn Flakes, macaroni and cheese, fish sticksComment

A Poundcake With a Delightful Surprise

Anyone who knows me knows I am oh-so-skeptical of any baked good that is gluten or dairy free. Most of the time they feel like a sad imitation - sure, if you have to eat it then it would be great. But if not, why bother?

Angela Garbacz of Goldenrod Pastries in Nebraska makes you rethink all of that. Her recipes feel like they just happen to be gluten free but you would never notice it. This recipe is for anyone missing those summer blueberries and doesn’t mind taking the slightly-less perfect versions and throwing them in a cake. The other secret is a touch of cardamom to give it a luxurious depth.

Blog, Chefs, Cooking, Dessert, Food, Recipe, VideoAli RosenSeptember 25, 2018cake, gluten-free, dairy-free, pound cake, dessert, cardamom, blueberry, Nebraska, Midwest Comment

Spice Up Your Life

Ok, yes, I did make the title of this post a Spice Girls lyric. But before you roll your eyes there is good reason for it.

I am a huge proponent of spices. They add a layer of aromatics and depth to whatever you are cooking that takes it up a notch. A lot of people have misconceptions here: that spices have to be spicy and that when you are using spices your dish is less fresh. The first is nonsense, because other than peppers and cayenne spices are only adding flavor. The second is really a sad result of the terrible and stale spices that most people use (yes, I’m looking at you with that cinnamon you bought in 2002). When my son was born everyone was shocked - SHOCKED - that he got curry powder or cumin in his purees. But why not? The more flavor we are exposed to the broader our palate will be. And by the way, that applies to adults too.

So Kanchan Koya’s book, Spice Spice Baby, was a breath of fresh air. She comes from a science background so she makes the case that, beyond being delicious, spices are actually an essential ingredient for your health. And so many of the recipes are really simple. She came over to the kitchen and actually showcased three recipes that require no cooking - so there goes the other myth that spices need to be complicated.

Blog, Cookbook, Cooking, Food, Interview, VideoAli RosenSeptember 13, 2018cookbook, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamonComment

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