What's a Culinarium? Let me tell you. It's just the most fabulous show kitchen by designer to the stars (and hedge fund moguls) Christopher Peacock. In San Francisco now, just hanging with my peeps, like Tyler Florence, no biggie. Good time to bring back these, like most totally awesome cilantro sichuan … [Read more...]
SAGANAKI JENNI PULOS
Hollywood dreams do come true! I recently lived my own "Purple Rose of Cairo" moment with the luminous Jenni Pulos, making this recipe for Saganaki. Though the leaping flames paled in comparison to Jenni's bright beauty, the heat reminded us of the warmth of her heart, the brilliance of her talent. Note: For you kiddies too … [Read more...]
TOSTONES ZOILA
Flipping Out's Jeff Lewis yells downstairs to a sleeping Zoila: "Zoila, ZOILA! Wake up, get up here, we need you." "Cheffrey, I sleeping. I'm in pajamas. I not wearing a bra." "Get up here, now, we need you." Recently House Beautiful editor Newell Turner and I were invited to Valley Oak to talk about the Rock Center … [Read more...]
CLAM CHOWDER: BUTTONWOODS RHODE ISLAND RECIPE
Button what? This recipe for Clam Chowder is my Dad's specialty, one he's honed and perfected since his days as a wee lad at his family's summer cottage in the historic summer colony of Buttonwoods, Rhode Island. Note: In Buttonwoods, the cottages are cottages, as opposed to the "Cottages" (i.e. palaces) of nearby Newport. At … [Read more...]
PROVOLETA: THE MELTED CHEESE OF ARGENTINA
All hail the voluptuous splendor of melted cheese! Make way for the glorious recipe for provoleta! Let it be known that mighty Argentina has enthroned provoleta -- oozy, chewy, spicy,melted provolone -- on the Olympus of melted cheese dishes. Visiting Buenos Aires for the first time this past spring, Steve and I had all the fun that … [Read more...]
Miso Butter Clams
Until recently all baked clam recipes I was familiar with were pretty much variations on a theme -- butter, breadcrumbs, some sort of swine, herbs from the fine family of Italian flavors. Nothing wrong with that. Until... this recipe for Miso Butter Clams entered my life. The Blue Ribbon restaurants in NYC … [Read more...]
FRIED OYSTERS
Spectacular treats need not always be complicated. This recipe for Fried Oysters is simplicity itself. You can (and I have) purchase oysters already shucked in refrigerated containers. But fresh from the sea and opened moments before a brief swim in a hell's cauldron of boiling oil, the results soar miles above what … [Read more...]
FRIED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS: A LA EUGENIA BONE
Oh my, two Gena Bone recipes in a row -- we miss you baby, see you soon! First time I had fried zucchini flowers was years ago at my pal Gena's. As she points out on her blog (click here for a bunch of her nifty recipes) they were a treat in her home growing up, but certainly nothing like that showed up chez Sullivan in … [Read more...]
FRIED BABY BLUEFISH
I don't know Italian so while I'd like to title this post Bambino Bluefish Fritti, Fried Baby Bluefish is a safer route. Our original goal was to make the tiny, crispy whitebait you can snack on the at the Italian sea side (or more close to home, restaurants like Felidia). Flash fried whole, they're like little … [Read more...]
SASHIMI LIBERACE: ORIGINAL GOURMET RECIPE
Oh my, there's just so much to say about this recipe, let's get to the most important part first. This is a truly spectacularly delicious sashimi, as luscious and surprising as what you might find at a Nobu or Blue Ribbon. Liberace, one of the earliest raw fish eaters -- who'd have thought? (Insert your own joke here.) But back in 1970 -- 1970! -- the … [Read more...]