Johnnycakes are traditionally made with cornmeal. But no cornmeal here; these non-traditional beauties come from a smooth purée of carrots giving them their bold orange color. Too thick to be a crêpe (even though they started life from a Jacques Pépin crêpe recipe) and too special to be a pancake, Johnnycakes they shall … [Read more...]
ROASTED KERRY SALMON WITH PRAWNS
Corned beef is nice and all, especially served steaming hot with slippery cabbage and soft potatoes and carrots, a smear of sharp Colman's mustard to cut the fat. That said, Ireland's patron saint deserves to be celebrated with something finer. St. Patrick drove out the snakes! He spoke Latin! His feast day is a holy day of obligation in the old country and a day of parades and … [Read more...]
RED CHOUCROUTE GARNI WITH DUCK AND SAUSAGES
Everyone and son frère has a tale about their first time in France when they tasted (fill in the blank) for the first time. Cue the deep swoon, the rapturous smile and fluttering eyelids that accompany the revelation that every meal before that moment had been a complete and utter sham. My moment came with this recipe for Choucroute Garni. An ethereally fragrant … [Read more...]
BEEF FONDUE BOURGUIGNON
I've always regarded fondue as the most glamorous dish in the whole wide world. Growing up beef fondue, like this recipe for Beef Fondue Bourgignon, was the star of my birthday dinners, the one night a year mom would fire up our two big fondue pots. Rounding out these annual evenings of elegance was the grand finale of … [Read more...]
BRANZINO MARCO POLO
Somewhere along the line everyone agreed on some sweeping generalizations about recipe monikers. If it's "Florentine" expect spinach in there somewhere; "à la Grecque" gets you olive oil, lemon, oregano and probably olives. "Hawaiian" and "Polynesian" are the big yellow warning signs for … [Read more...]
KUGELHOPF SURPRISE REVISITED
I am very happy to report that SpecD's recipe for the original, authentic Majestic Kugelhopf Surprise stands the test of time. And now you can get a behind the scenes look in this video of How to Make Kugelhopf Surprise. One of the first recipes posted on Spectacularly Delicious in 2009, Kugelhopf Surprise has been a reliable show stopper for at least 20 years. Kugelhopf … [Read more...]
OSSO BUCO (SSD #13)
A nicely turned out Osso Buco is about as Simply Spectacularly Delicious (SSD) a recipe as one can have in one's repertoire. By virtue of there being only two sides of the cut of veal that need browning, it's arguable that this is the easiest braised-meat dish around. When you consider the searing and turning and multiple batches required for a … [Read more...]
LAMB SAUTE WITH LEMON (SAUTE D’AGNEAU AU CITRON)
We have the estimable Mapie, Countess de Toulouse-Lautrec, to thank for this inspired tagine-style lamb stew recipe. And thanks go out again to our pals Liz and Al for this gorgeous tagine which they brought back from their honeymoon in Morocco many moons ago. The Countess, born Adélaïde Lévêque de Vilmorin in 1902, was … [Read more...]
HOME MADE CHICKEN AND SHITTAKE SAUSAGES: SISTERS ARE DOIN’ IT FOR THEMSELVES
The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking -- how can you not love the name of this blog? Written by Kate, a flashy cook, who sticks to things that are alarming as opposed to required (sound familiar?). She's author as well of this book with the same name. I've been following Kate and HGGH for a while and not just for the recipes -- stuff like a … [Read more...]
TAMALE PIE: MARY PAT’S FAMOUS RECIPE
If you're on the home stretch of turkey leftovers, here's a great way to go out with a bang: this recipe for Mary Pat's famous Tamale Pie. An authentic taste of childhood, this sassy south of the border comfort food is a Sullivan family classic. This Thanksgiving we celebrated with my youngest brother, Brendan, and his brood. We've kind of got a … [Read more...]