Churrasco with Avocado-Chimichurri Sauce and Mexican Cesar Salad

Churrasco with Avocado-Chimichurri Sauce and Mexican Cesar Salad

Churrasco with Avocado-Chimichurri Sauce and Mexican Cesar Salad

When I left home for college, my family gave me a collection of recipes to take with me. It was a touching gift; each member handwrote their favorite recipes on pieces of paper and put them in protective sleeves. Each recipe reminded me of the person and the meals we’ve shared over the years. Whenever I’m craving a dish from my childhood, I go to that folder and cook something from it. It goes to show that the best gifts come from the heart. read more

Greek Salad with Oil and Vinegar Dressing

Greek Salad with Oil and Vinegar Dressing

Greek Salad with Oil and Vinegar Dressing

Salad. Most people will want to stop reading there, but that would be a mistake. This Greek salad is anything but boring and insubstantial; rather, its many ingredients provide a full range of flavors and textures that will leave you satisfied.

Crisp romaine lettuce forms the base of the salad, but the magic of the salad comes from its many toppings: assertive red onions, peppery radishes, juicy tomatoes, cool and refreshing cucumbers, sweet-tangy peppers, crunchy celery, savory feta cheese, briny Greek black olives, meaty anchovy fillets, fresh parsley, and pickled capers. Basically, there’s something to activate every taste receptor. read more

Sashimi, Seaweed, and Cucumber Salad with Ponzu sauce

Tuna and Salmon Sashimi, Seaweed, and Cucumber Salad with Ponzu Sauce

Tuna and Salmon Sashimi, Seaweed, and Cucumber Salad with Ponzu Sauce

It’s a new year and for a lot of people that means a clean, healthy beginning, because of this I wanted to feature a dish that is simple, fresh, healthy, and most importantly, delicious. This sashimi, seaweed, and cucumber salad is all of these things and appetizing to boot.

My mind always drifts to Japanese cuisine when I think of using fresh ingredients in a pure and simple way. Jiro Ono, renowned sushi chef and owner of the three-star Michelin restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro, says in the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, “Ultimate simplicity equals purity,” and I believe this can be seen throughout Japanese cuisine. read more

Mother’s Day Brunch Menu Bon Appétit 2014

Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad with Mint and Hazelnuts

Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad with Mint and Hazelnuts

Happy Mother’s Day! This blog post is dedicated to all the moms in the world and especially to my beautiful mother, who taught me the importance of family, inspired my appreciation for good food, and loves my sister and I unconditionally.

 

Preparing a Mother’s Day brunch is a special way to honor your mom. After all, mothers spend a lot of time making meals for their children; it’s nice to return the favor and let them sit back and relax while you wait on them. Trust me, they won’t complain! read more

Prosciutto, Mozzarella, and Cantaloupe Salad

prosciutto mozzarella and cantaloupe salad

As much as I loved summering in Florida, visiting friends and family, it’s nice to be home again. Whenever I travel, especially for long stretches, I start to yearn for my kitchen. A kitchen is a very intimate space and the objects and ingredients within a kitchen tell a story. This summer I was in a kitchen devoid of personality—a hotel kitchen. Alas, no hanging pots and pans, no piles of randomly stacked cooked books, no handwritten notes, no jars of spices from far reaches of the world, and no stashed away goodies for late night snacking. read more