The Indian-Ish Side Dish That Will Upend Your Weeknight

There are some books I can’t help but be instantly obsessed with, but my obsession with Indian-ish even predates its publication. I am lucky enough to have recipe tested for Priya Krishna’s new tome and I fell in love with it from first concept. Priya’s book is based off of her mother’s recipes that she made for her family when she moved from India to Texas. The book is called Indian-ish because of the adaptations that were made to create the recipes in the US - and as such it makes it one of the most approachable and fun books for a US audience.

I was lucky enough to live in India for a year so I am already predisposed to having an unhealthy love for any Indian cookbook that crosses my desk. But this one is special because it speaks to a uniquely American experience as well. For those who are intimidated by Indian cooking this is a good place to start - not just because the ingredients are more readily available but also because so many of the recipes are aimed towards the kind of weeknight cooking that Priya grew up with and we all tend to need in our lives.

Blog, Cookbook, Cooking, Food, RecipeAli RosenApril 16, 2019Indian, recipe, cookbook, cumin, onion, potato, pepper, bell pepper, lime, peanutsComment

The Delectable Dhokla You Should Be Serving for Parties

There are few dishes that please everyone but a Dhokla might be that secret weapon recipe. It’s vegetarian, gluten-free and nut free but also hearty enough and tasty enough to win over any meat eater. You can serve it piping hot as a side dish or as an easy room temperature party appetizer. You can add almost any topping from your pantry to make it even more delightful.

So what’s the deal with this magical dish? Niki Segnit came by to sing its virtues. The author of the beloved and celebrated Flavor Thesaurus has a new book coming this fall, Lateral Cooking, and it expands on her approach to cooking across cultures, science and history. And her view is that if you can cook cornbread, you can cook dhokla. It’s one piece of a book that encourages cooking as less of a regional plan and more of a global sharing of ideas.

Blog, Cookbook, Cooking, Food, Interview, Recipe, VideoAli RosenApril 11, 2019chickpea, recipe, cookbook, gluten-freeComment

This Elevated Salad Flips the Script

Sometimes I get a cookbook that just sings right from the first page. I shouldn’t have been surprised that Carla Lalli Music’s book had that je ne sais quoi quality - she is, after all, the food director at Bon Appetit.

But her new book, Where Cooking Begins, is a true delight. It starts with methodology rather than recipe and seems to aim to get people to be more spontaneous with their cooking. It is a book that will help people need recipes less. If you want to be a more confident cook you’ll love having Carla along to guide you and if you already are confident then Carla will help you get new ideas and brush up on some classic techniques.

It was a delight to have Carla come to the Potluck kitchen and showcase a recipe that seems to embody the book - super simple and bright but with just enough twist to feel brilliant.

Blog, Cookbook, Food, Recipe, VideoAli RosenMarch 25, 2019salad, recipe, cookbook, anchovy, lettuce, little gem, walnuts, parsley, vinegar, cream, 30 Minutes or Less, Served Cold, Bon AppetitComment

Drown Yourself in Bread Balls

This time of year I start to get antsy for spring. February is over and it should be warm.- except it never actually is.

But the good news is that we can enjoy all the incredibly warming recipes of winter for a little longer. Luckily, we have just the recipe, from a book I am particularly excited about: Katie Parla’s Food of the Italian South. If you aren’t familiar with Katie’s work then you just aren’t reading enough about Italy. The Rome-based journalist has written some of the best food and travel guides for the region. Her first book, Tasting Rome, is an engrossing love letter to the food of one of the world’s greatest food cities. And now her upcoming book explores the cuisine of Italy’s Southern regions.

I am so excited for this book (since my love of Italy is basically unsurpassed) and loved having Katie in the kitchen to showcase one of the book’s recipes. She shared her Polpette Casce e Ovo - essentially bread ‘meatballs’. They are doughy delights and perfect for staying inside and eating to your heart’s content.

Blog, Cookbook, Cooking, Food, Recipe, Interview, Travel, VideoAli RosenMarch 3, 2019Italy, Italian, Southern Italy, bread, cheese, recipe, cookbook, tomato, basilComment

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

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

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 Newest:

The Maple Inn