Vinegar and Herb Pork Butt Is the Bright Dish You Need

If you caught me on Dr Oz today you’ll have seen me demo’ing a recipe for pork butt in a segment on the best cheap cuts of meat. And while it’s true that pork butt is one of the best values it also happens to be one of the most flavorful cuts around. It just requires a bit of low and slow cooking, although the prep is as easy as could be - or if you are a fan of the instant pot it is even easier,since you could make it in less than an hour.

But this recipe is packed with flavor - lots of herbs and lots of vinegar make a bright delight ready to take on any occasion.

Dr Oz, Recipe, Video, Ali's Recipes, BlogAli RosenMay 6, 2019Dr Oz, pork, instant pot, pressure cooker, low and slow, herbsComment

A Dreamy Cocktail to Feel Like Spring

There’s nothing like a bright cocktail for spring - but what about one with a bit of a lady-fied twist? We got Ghost Donkey’s Cat Sutherland to give us a bright treat ready for warm weather. With a smoky mezcal base and light ingredients like lemon and yuku, it’s an easy drink with a lot of flavor to make when you want to impress.

Blog, Drinks, VideoAli RosenApril 30, 2019cocktail, mezcal, yuzu, cassisComment

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

A Surprising Twist on Chili for the Warmer Months

Once spring shows up even a little bit I try to lean into it as much as possible - picnics outside (even if it’s a touch too cold), as many snap peas and asparagus as I can find, and light jackets that might require an extra few layers underneath.

But some dishes can help bridge that seasonal gap, and who better to help than Jenni Kayne. You may be more familiar with Jenni as a designer but her new book, Pacific Natural, also lets you into her chic California world. The book is divided by seasons and includes recipes but also a wider look at entertaining. Jenni makes everything look gorgeous while still being effortless, and in the book she shares how as a mom and business owner she gets it all done without a lot of fuss.

So Jenni suggested a chili that is perfect for spring or summer - packed with veggies and beans, it is actually vegan but also includes optional toppings that could satisfy anyone who needs a bit of dairy in their life.

Blog, Cookbook, VideoAli RosenApril 2, 2019chili, vegan, recipe, beans, cookbook, cumin, squash, zucchini, corn, soup, one-pot, CaliforniaComment

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

We Found Something Even Better Than Butter

It’s hard to beat butter. Plain, perfect butter can make almost every dish better.

But what if you could improve upon the classic? Josh Green founded Brooklyn Buttery on the notion that butter can be great on its own but also as a conduit for even more flavor. With a high quality butter as the base the addition of flavors like lemon or Sriracha can make for a surprising addition. It’s basically like an instantaneous sauce,

While you can buy the butters of Brooklyn Buttery we decided to have Josh over to give us a little lesson in compound butters - the name for butter combined with other flavors. He talked through the types of ingredients that work; how long you can keep different compound butters; and recipe ideas.

Watch the video and as a bonus we have the two recipes you see in the video, below

Cooking, Food, Video, BlogAli RosenMarch 12, 2019butter, recipe, maple, techniqueComment

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

Can You Love a Vegan Sushi Roll?

Sometimes the proof is in the flavor, and it’s almost impossible to convey something through a video. That’s how I felt when I tried a Beyond Sushi roll - because as a huge sushi lover it was hard for me to believe I could also fall in love with a vegan version. But Chef Guy Vaknin came by to share his methods and explain that his plant-based take on the classic Japanese dish could have its own excitement. And while I might never give up the real deal, I am definitely a convert.

Blog, Chefs, Cooking, Food, Restaurants, VideoAli RosenFebruary 19, 2019vegetarian, vegan, sushiComment

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